NEW - Fredericksburg Regional Genealogical Society Website

We don't know exactly what happened since we kept getting that pesky error message when trying to connect with Rootsweb. We gave them a day to respond, and as I was typing up a request to the help desk I got the draft website up on the laptop.  I clicked the "Publish" link. Pages started to fly by and bam! our site was LIVE!!!  

We are so excited and can't wait to share with club members and ask for their input as to what should be included.  In the meantime, please check out the humble beginnings of the Fredericksburg Regional Genealogical Society . 

Fredericksburg, VA Genealogy – Two steps forward, one step back

We returned from our week in Connecticut ready to develop a website for the Fredericksburg Regional Genealogical Society (FRGS).  We made this decision following the September meeting when the plea for website help remained unheeded.

I researched the best (and affordable) website development software for MAC.  Since we would be paying for this ourselves we had to keep the cost within reason. I found that SandVox was highly rated and at a reasonable price.

We purchased and downloaded the software, and what fun we had all day yesterday designing and populating the site.  It was no wonder I had a slight headache last night. I just couldn’t let it go – I kept thinking of additional information to put on the site that might be helpful to Virginia genealogy researchers.

We applied for a FRGSVA@gmail.com account and that is now live.  I started a blog on the website – such fun!!

We then applied to Rootsweb for hosting space. That was easy, and the return message was that it would take three to five days for a response. 

Actually, it was only about three hours when we had a message back from Rootsweb with our User Name and path into their server.  Although we should have waited until morning … we couldn’t help ourselves. We had to see if we could get the site up and running. What a thrill that would be after all this time!!

We carefully put in the path as designated.  Clicked continue and watched the screen populate with the ftp connection.  Ah, it is wonderful when it works.

NOT.  Error message.  We retyped the password, carefully checked the ID, tried different variations.  Same message.

Finally, crestfallen, we wrote to Rootsweb explaining the problem. We also wrote to SandVox.  SandVox immediately replied with helpful information, but it looks like the problem is at Rootsweb.  The files are uploaded successfully, but the download from Rootsweb fails. 

And so we wait …   

Newtown, CT Genealogy Club Programs for 2013-2014

The Genealogy Club of Newtown (CT) began on September 11, 2001, so it is only fitting that the first program of the year is slated for September 11!  

They have great programs planned, so if you live within driving distance, the club meets the second Wednesday of each month (except July/August) 7:00 p.m. at the C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470.

If you have Newtown ancestors, and live far away, the club website has a Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness link. Help is just a click away.

Genealogy Club of Newtown Programs for 2013

Sept.11 - Joe Lieby - German Research

Oct. 9 -  Penny Hartzell - Updates at Family Search, Ancestry, and other sites

Nov. 13 - TBA

Dec. 11 - Holiday Party with a Genealogy Theme

Stay tuned for 2014 programs that will include "Using Find-a-Grave" and "French-Canadian Resources."

Honoring the Hosner Children That Didn’t Survive

As genealogists we spend a lot of time learning about and filling in the lives of our ancestors. We search each census gleaning its particular facts about where our ancestors lived, what they did for a living, who was living with them, their birth month, and even if they owned a radio.  We search bible records, newspaper society notes and obituaries. We blog, set up a Facebook page, visit cemeteries, research libraries, and hope that a “cousin” out there will find us and help us fill in the facts of how our ancestors lived.  

Recently I have been learning and writing about six of my gr-gr-grandmother’s nine siblings, some information of which I shared on this blog.  It occurred to me that my time and energy has been spent writing about the children that lived and that I haven’t honored those that did not. This blog will do just that.

In Upstate New York in the early 1800s there was little one could do about diseases like diptheria, or fevers such as typhoid, scarlet and malaria.  And then there was the ever-present pneumonia and congestion of the lungs.  This blog honors Isaac and Adaline (Cleveland) Hosner’s three children that did not survive to adulthood. 

William Gurdon Hosner, the first born of Isaac and Adaline Hosner was born 12 November 1833. He died in 1837 at four years of age.

Josiah Cleveland, the sixth child of Isaac and Adaline Hosner, was born 17 February 1843, and died shortly thereafter.

Isaac Hosner was born 17 May 1852 the ninth child of Isaac and Adaline Cleveland Hosner. On May 27, 1860 Adaline writes: “Since I last wrote the Lord has come very near; my little Isaac is no more. He died the 8^th of May after a short illness of 38 hours. The scarlet fever has prevailed to a considerable extent. Our children had been amongst it.”  She suspects the disease was carried into the house by her daughter, Adelia, who had been assisting the Smith family who was sick with scarlet fever. When Adelia returned she had a sore throat. On May 6 Isaac started vomiting; then broke out with a high fever and rash. A Mrs. Borker came and gave them drops to use. The next day little Isaac put his arms around his mother’s neck in a farewell hug. He then called for his father. The next morning, 8 May 1860 he breathed his last. Isaac was nine days shy of his eighth birthday.

Little Isaac suffered from “sore eyes,” and was in danger of going blind and “his mind was very weak.” His mother indulged him and feared he would never be capable of caring for himself as he had to be with her every minute. Her children asked how she was going to manage when he got older.  Adaline confessed misgivings in her heart about what course she should take with this child.  On 8 May 1860 Adaline was spared that difficult decision.

Society Saturday - Fredericksburg Regional Genealogical Society hosts Barbara Vines Little

At its Wednesday, September 11, 2013 meeting the Fredericksburg Regional Genealogical Society (FRGS) will host national speaker Barbara Vines Little.  Ms. Little, who specializes in Virginia record sources, will demonstrate how VA Land and Tax Records can assist in genealogy research.  FRGS meets the second Wednesday of each month, 7:00 p.m. at the Salem Church Branch Library.  The public is cordially invited to attend.

After Bordon - Clara (Terry) and Myrta Hosner

In a previous post we learn that Bordon and Clara (Terry) Hosner/Hausner split up between 1875 and 1879. We learned that Bordon went to the Pittsfield, Michigan area, met and married Netti Rundell.  We know that Bordon and Clara’s second child, Ada, had died.

After her marriage broke up, Clara and daughter Myrta moved in with her parents, George and Adaline Terry of Hector, New York.  Then in 1886 Clara married James K. Maus (1859-1908) of Lewisburg, PA.  James was the son of Samuel G. Maus. 

Early in his career James was chief clerk of the Lackawana at Elmira. He then obtained a position with the firm of Ford and Green, becoming confidential advisor and clerk to Broome County Republican Senator George E. Green.  James Maus was prominent in the business and social circles of the city. He was a member of the Union Lodge at Elmira, and Press Club house committee. 

Clara and James lived at 1908 Jay Street in Binghamton with her daughter, Myrta. Myrta is consistently referred to as “Myrta Maus,” so I wonder if James adopted her. 

James Maus died suddenly in June 1908 at the age of 49 years.  Although he had some health issues they were not deemed serious and at the time of his death, he and Clara were planning a trip to begin that very next day. Following the funeral, his body was transported to Perry City, NY.[1]

At some point between 1910 and 1915 Clara and Myrta moved to the Lockport, New York area. Clara, noted writer and poet, died in October 1915 of acute digestion. Her brother, Hamilton Terry, was executor of her estate.  Clara is buried in Grove Cemetery, Trumansburg, New York (Lot 1034).   Her daughter, Myrta, of Lockport survived her.[2]  In 1920 Myrta Maus boarded with the Leonard family in Enfield, New York. The Leonards lived two houses away from Myrta’s uncle and aunt, Gillett and Augusta Hosner.

Myrta died 25 April 1943 and is buried in the Grove Cemetery, Trumansburg, New York under the last name of Hausner. 

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[1] “Clara Terry Maus,” obituary for James K. Maus, The Binghamton Press, 22 June 1908, page 10, col. 3. [www.fultonhistory.com; viewed 4 September 2013.

[2] “Clara Terry Maus,” obituary, Buffalo Evening News, 28 October 1915, page 4, col. 6. [www.fultonhistory.com]

South Danby NY M.E. Church

Handwriting on the back of this undated photograph states:

"S. Danby M E church." 

A short article by Charles Howland on the Tompkins County website shares some history of this church. That church was served by one or both of my Agard ancestors, Horace and Samuel, both circuit preachers in the Methodist Episcopal Church in that area.