Holiday Traditions and Memories of Days of Our Lives

Image Generated using DALL-E-3 on Bing

The holidays are upon us and I am reminded of family traditions. I have always fixed a pan of roast beef hash on Christmas morning(and Thanksgiving) and my daughter gets to open one present(preselected by me) on Christmas Eve.  What Holiday traditions do you have? 

In the late 70s and for many years after that my Aunt watched Days of Our Lives(DOOL), a soap opera which at that time aired on NBC. I began following the stories on it and a few other soaps as a teen. Each generation had it's favorite super couples.  My fav will always be Patch and Kayla.  Each year at Christmas I always think of Tom & Alice Horton from Days of Our Lives and their Christmas tradition.  They would hang ornaments with their family member's names on their Christmas tree during the episode of the soap that aired nearest to Christmas.  MacDonald Carey and Frances Reid played the Hortons and were on the soap opera for many years. So as a genealogist I couldn't help but look for Frances Reid in a census record.  I got her details from FindaGrave and used that to do a search in the 1940 US Federal Census where I found her living in a boarding house with other actors and actresses.  The man she married that same year is also living in the same boarding house.  The entry was even more amusing to me because the person listed just before them had the given name of Horton.  

1940 US Federal Census of New York City, NY, Enum District 31-906 Manhattan Borough Dist. 10 Sheet 1B Line 72.

Link is to the FamilySearch 1940 US Federal Census while the image below is from Ancestry.

I also found a picture of her as a teenager in the 1930 yearbook of Berkley's Anna Head High School.  In looking at some of the Ancestry Indexing there is an error.  The error is probably generated because AI was used to make the index.   She and Phillip divorced in the 1970s but the name it indexed was Tom, the husband of the character she portrayed on Days.

George and His Amazing Paper Trail

I have written about and studied the life of George Solifelt for several years.  Below I've listed the page counts from a number of his most memorable "footprints,"  the majority of which were from the National Archives(US) and ordered thru document retrieval services.  I didn't include his birth, marriage, death and census records in this listing although statements in his pension and book mark files give further details on all but the census records.  A list of previous residences is included and somewhat helpful in locating census records although certain timeframes are vague and questionable.  My blog posts about the records can be found by clicking on the link for each in the listing.  Just when I think I have found all of the documents I could possibly find that deal with George, he proves me wrong.  George Solifelt is the ancestor we all wish we had.  He left an amazing paper trail. 

Carded Service Records 

George Sullivan____Co C 2nd PA Inf Apr 1861 - Jul 1861     3 pages

Theodore Sullivan__Co N 126th PA Inf Aug 1862 - May 1863  9 pages

George H Solifelt___Co C 1st PA Prov Cav Jan 1864 - Jul 1865       3 pages

George H Solifelt___Co E 20th PA Cav         Jul 1865     20 pages

Carded Medical Records NIL result for George & his aliases (0 pages) he never sought medical attention for any injuries he incurred during his service.  I do have the images of the front of the boxes

that would contain the CMR for George or any of his aliases.  

Court Martial Case Files, MM-2557   19 pages

Eastern & Western State Penitentiary Mentions  9 pages(so far)

George Solifelt Pension  application no. 580,089 359 pages

George Solifelt Book Mark Document 1387-C-1885      17 pages

Sources:  

Compiled service record, George Sullivan, Pvt., Co. C, 2nd Regt Pennsylvania Inf.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917;  National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital images were delivered via Dropbox without citations of source; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War compiled service records.

Compiled service record, Theodore Sullivan, Pvt., Co. MH126th Pennsylvania Inf.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917;  National Archives, Washington, DC. A Digital image showing the front of  via Dropbox without citations of source; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War compiled service records.

Compiled service record, George H Solifelt, Pvt., Co. C, 1st Regt Pennsylvania Prov. Cav.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917; National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital images were delivered via Dropbox without citations of source; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War compiled service records.

Compiled service record, George H Solifelt, Pvt., Co. E, 20th Regt Pennsylvania Cav.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917; National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital images were delivered via Dropbox without citations of source; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War compiled service records.

Carded Medical Record, George Sullivan, Pvt., Co. C, 2nd Regt Pennsylvania Inf.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917;  National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital images of Digital image of 2nd Pennsylvania: Smith, John -- to Sweetwood,  J.,  Box 2981 was delivered via Dropbox without citations of source to show a result of NIL; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War carded medical records.

Carded Medical Record, Theodore Sullivan, Pvt., Co. H, 126th Pennsylvania Inf.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917;  National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital image of 126th Pennsylvania:  Alexander, George W  to 127th Pennsylvania:  Zimmerman, Joseph,  Box 3324 was delivered via Dropbox without citations of source to show a result of NIL; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War carded medical records.

Carded Medical Record, George H Solifelt, Pvt., Co. C, 1st Regt Pennsylvania Prov. Cav.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917; National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital image of 1st Pennsylvania:  Smair to Waldermire, H., Box 2965 was delivered via Dropbox without citations of source to show a result of NIL; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War carded medical records.

Carded Medical Record, George H Solifelt, Pvt., Co. E, 20th Regt Pennsylvania Cav.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917; National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital images of 20th Pennsylvania: Hubbard, John to Thompson, Nathan J. Box 3075 was delivered via Dropbox without citations of source to show a result of NIL; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War carded medical records.

Court Martial Case Files, MM-2557; Record Group 153; Records of the Office of the Judge Advocate General(Army); National Archives, Washington, DC. [Case of Sgt Garrett & four others Co. "E" 20th Pa Cav.]

George Solifelt(Pvt., Co. E, 20th PA Cav., Civil War), pension application no. 580,089,

certificate no. 950,395, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications, 1861-1934; Civil
War and Later Pension Files; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National
Archives, Washington, D.C [George used the aliases George Sullivan & Theodore Sullivan both of which are noted the Pension Index Cards. He also served in  Co. C 2nd PA Inf., Co. H 126th PA Inf., and Co. C 1st PA Prov. Cav.]  

Book Mark File, George Solifelt(Alias Theodore Sullivan),  1387-C-1885, Box 3190, Enlisted Branch Letters Received, NAID 607910, RG 94, National Archives, Washington DC.

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.

A Cancelled Land Transaction in an Arkansas Tract Book

Over Thanksgiving break, I found an entry in the US Bureau of Land Management Tract Books for a William C Cook. The transaction is noted as cancelled on Oct 14th 1881. This makes sense as Wm C Cook passed in January of 1882 and his wife Elizabeth died from a fall in September of 1880. William & Elizabeth's older sons traveled to Arkansas in the early 1880s. Cass B Cook, youngest son of William Clifford Cook received the family bible which contained several clippings that seemed to suggest that might have been planned to travel to Arkansas during the 1870s.  I was able to come up with that date by finding digitized papers which contained the ads using my Newspapers.com subscription.

"United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1800-c. 1955," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9W3-7QR8?cc=2074276&wc=M7W3-VM9%3A356162401%2C356168701 : 12 June 2023), Arkansas > Vol 10 > image 161 of 313; Records Improvement, Bureau of Land Management, Washington D.C.

At Newspapers.com

I've placed an order with a document retrieval company for the Case Entry File of the cancelled transaction of William C Cook.  Hopefully, the file can be found.  While I'm waiting I took the time to look at the transactions surrounding the cancelled one of Cook as well as to note the names and locations of those on adjacent land.   I did this using the search at Bureau of Land Management's General Land Office Records search.

HistoryGeo,com makes it easier to see the earliest land owners.

Section 12
Township 18N Range 3W

One interesting find so far is the Benj. F Austin.  I am familiar with him.  In 1850, the ancestors of several of my DNA matches were living in Dickson Co TN.  These matches have ancestry in common with the Hall, Estes, Cathey, Marsh and Goodwin lines of that area.  I've yet to determine the exact connection but can tell my connection to those matches comes from my PGF's ancestors. At this point I feel like they are more likely in the King / Manire line judging by the shared matches rather than in the Cook line. but with tangled roots it's hard to say for sure.  😀

I would recommend the book Land and Property Research in the United States by E. Wade Hone for anyone who is researching ancestry in the US.  It was very helpful in finding answers about where to look and what documents to expect.  You should be able to find it at several of the online bookstores and maybe even at your local library. Consult WorldCat, Bookfinder, Thriftbooks or your favorite search engine.  If you use the Chrome Browser, you might also find the Library Extension useful when searching for books.

David Pitman goes to court charged with Illicit Distilling

A week ago I sent an inquiry to the National Archives in Atlanta asking about the best way to request records relating to a Federal Court case(and possibly cases) in which my 2nd Great Grandfather was involved. I was pretty sure that the case was heard in the TN Middle District Federal Court.  I heard from them this morning with a quote on the cost of scanned copies.  I made payment as soon as I could get to my desktop computer and it was delivered to my email before lunch time!  How amazing is that?

This was my listing of Newspaper clippings mentioning David Pitman court case(s)

Newspapers.com - The Tennessean - 19 Nov 1873 - Page 4 David Pitman Federal Court  Continued
Newspapers.com - Nashville Union & American - 25 Nov 1873 - Page 4 David Pitman Continued to next term
Newspapers.com - The Tennessean - 25 Oct 1874 - Page 4 David Pitman Federal Court Illicit Distilling
Newspapers.com - The Tennessean - 21 Oct 1876 - Page 3 David Pitman Federal Court Illicit Distilling no action taken

U.S. Circuit Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.

Case #1152 US vs. David Pitman 

digitized by National Archives Atlanta Georgia 

delivered as a PDF file to Marie Cooke Beckman's Gmail acct. (Nov 28th, 2023)

Below is my transcription of the affidavit from the file that tells David Pittman's account of what happened that led to him being arrested and in court for illicit distilling.  

Affidavit(from Case # 1152)

US vs David Pitmon 

The United States vs David Pitman
In this cause the defendant David Pitman makes oath that he cannot go safely to trial at the present term of the court for the following reasons he has no Witnesses in attendance for the reasons that owing to his poverty he did not have the means to procure subpoenas for his Witnesses and have them executed affiant got Deputy US Marshal J Armstrong to summons one of his Witnesses, Isaac Cantrell, and he promised to summons  CB Cantrell but he was in the South trading and has been for several months and has not yet returned.  He can prove as he believes by both of said witnesses that he is not guilty of the charge against him he can prove by both said witnesses that he has never owned or had under his controls any still or stilling apparatus or been concerned? in any still since the war nor had no intent in any still nor has not been able to own any still or interest in a still. Affiant is very poor a wife and eight children and without means of support except by his daily labor.  He can prove the same facts by William Potter and John Terry that he can by C B Cantrell and he can further prove as he believes and in part as he knows that at the time of the alleged offenses he was hired to C B Cantrell to work on his farm.  He Cantrell owning a large farm and he Cantrell was also carrying on a Distillery and Mrs. Cantrell was unwell and requested affiant  go out and kill her a squirrel he got the gun and went out in the direction of the still house Thinking that direction was the surest way to find a squirrel but found none and when he came near the Still house there was no person there the doors was shut and he set his gun down by the door opened it and went in the still house to get him a drink of beer and just as he stepped up to where the beer was, the dogs he had brought with him came barking and J Armstrong and others came up Armstrong broke his gun and arrested him this is the truth of the transaction and affiant states that C B Cantrell, Isaac Cantrell, William Potter, and John Terry are witnesses whose evidence is material to his defense and he cannot go safely to trial without them or three of them that he expects to prove the above facts by them that they are within this district and that he has not possessed of sufficient means and is actually unable to pay the fees of such Witnesses therefore affiant prays that his cause be continued until the next term of this court and that he have the aforesaid Witnesses summoned to appear at the next term of this court as provided in section 878 of the revised statutes of the United States this application is made for justice and not for delay 

David Pitmon
April 25 1876

Characters:  

Calvin Bennett Cantrell--1st Battalion Co C Colm's 2nd Lt David's Father in Law also served in Colm's

Mrs. C B Cantrell--Amanda Lee married C B(his 2nd Wife) in Dekalb Co TN on 27 Nov 1870

Isaac Cantrell--Not sure which one this is but all of the Isaac Cantrells from Dekalb Co are kin to David's wife Mary Adcock.

William Potter--kin to Cantrells thru his mother's ancestry

John Terry-as far as I can tell he is NOT related to the Cantrells or Adcocks

Testing tasks using ChatGPT 3.5

I've been experimenting with ChatGPT today. I tried testing it to see if I could get it to automate some tasks for my research.  I fed it my outline of the George Solifelt Pension file.  It had an error occur after getting a little over half way thru the 7 page outline which I had copied and pasted into the chat.   I was using ChatGPT 3.5 and I haven't upgraded to a paid version because I can't justify the expense for something I rarely even think of using.   I reviewed the timeline that it had generated to that point and it appeared to start hallucinating and repeating one of the names mentioned as the person associated in all generated text after that point.  There may be a better way to do this in this version that would produce the desired results.  Upgrading might also produce better results. 

Another task I tried was asking it to list the names of persons mentioned in the text and how many times they appeared.  While it did a much better job of gathering George's FAN club from this outline it did not include every name but did make me aware that it hadn't included every name.  

For me it would have probably been just as fast to extract this information myself since doublechecking the results is a must.  

I do like how AI can help with indexing even if it requires human verification. That alone in the FamilySearch search experiment (no longer active search) back several months ago helped me to find documents that I'd I would not have found so quickly.  I would love to see that return given that the current search is broken at best there.  

I do plan to try and read up on using ChatGPT and catch a few webinars and YouTube videos that might be helpful in getting them to work for me.

Hathitrust: A Wonderful Resource At Your Fingertips

As someone who loves books and history I really appreciate the Hathitrust website. It is one of my go-to sites along with Ancestry, FamilySearch and GoogleBooks.  If you aren't using it to further your research, you should.  Try it out and check back from time to time. There are several options for logging in to Hathitrust. If your library or institution offers access, you will be able to use that option. Otherwise, you can log in as a guest by way of your Google, LinkedIn or Microsoft account.  

You can do quick searches for phrases about items of interest as well as build collections.  If you love sharing your finds, Hathitrust has options for sharing a link to a specific book in its collection or even a specific page in that book..  

I like to build collections.  Normally my collections are focused on People, Places or Things, but you could set up your collection however you want.  That is the most important part--that it's functional for you.  My "North Carolina Laws" collection has the Acts of the General Assembly of North Carolina books. These books contain information about early divorces, name changes or anything else that would require a ruling by the state.   That can be particularly helpful for research in the years prior to 1850 when an age group and gender might be all the information you have.

I've been adding web links in the profile pages of my Ancestry tree.  Most of the time it is a link to a website on which that person is mentioned or to a blog post that I or another researcher have written about them.  I also do this with links to pages or books that are available thru Hathitrust.

I knew that users could choose to keep collections private or make them public but I had not realized that there is also an option to generate a link to transfer a collection to another user.