Category Archives: Bursley

February 18, 2014

Pension file gem: Amos Day, 1856 letter to his father Nathaniel

By Lauren Rogers

The War Eagle, upon which Amos drafted this letter to his father, Nathaniel Day.

I spent my Valentine’s Day happily buried in pension and land records at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.  On my agenda was the review and photographing of the pension and land records of the family of my 3rd great grandmother, Cynthia (Day) Bursley.  Most interesting was the file for Amos Day, a Union solider who died in a Georgia Confederate prison on 14 October 1864.   His mother, Eunice (Boobar) Day, had filed for a mother’s pension, and as proof of Amos’ support, she included in her pension request several letters which showed Amos’ financial contributions toward the family.  The first of these letters is dated 13 October 1856, while Amos is traveling west from Maine to Minnesota aboard the War Eagle. Continue reading

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December 31, 2013

Tuesday’s Tip: HistoryGeo.com – You Can’t Live Without It!

By Lauren Rogers
Santiago_Homesteads_mapview

Using HistoryGeo.com, I was able to easily create this map on Google maps showing Benjamin Bursley’s residence in relation to those of his sons-in-law, Albert Stanwood and James Smallen.

Okay, it might not be as important as food, water, clothing or shelter, but if you are as into maps and land records as I am, then I’m sure you’ll agree – HistoryGeo.com is one of those “must have” subscriptions.  Here’s why:

  • HistoryGeo.com takes Arphax Publishing’s superb books, Family Maps series of Land Patent Books and the Texas Land Survey Maps, and allows you to search by surname, or browse by county, to find those who had land purchases indexed either in the U.S. Bureau of Land Management database or the Texas General Land Office database.
  • When viewing the digital map on HistoryGeo.com, links are included to the individual land owner’s BLM Document, and <DRUM ROLL>…..a link to the tract of land in Google maps!!!!!
  • For under $60, less than the cost of two books, you can have a one-year subscription to access the maps and detail contained in all 500 books published to date. Continue reading

1 Comment | posted in Bursley, Maps, Stanwood, Technology, Web Sites

November 23, 2013

Using DNA to answer: ARE YOU MY (great great great great grand-) MOTHER?

By Lauren Rogers

science_dna

In 2010 I took my first autosomal DNA test through FTDNA.  I quickly discovered the frustration of autosomal DNA testing.

1)  Autosomal DNA provides no hints as to what part of your family tree your match comes from.  Given that we each have 64 fourth great grandparents, 128 fifth great grandparents and so on, it can be quite challenging to determine which person is our common ancestor when a DNA match occurs.

2)  Not everyone who does DNA testing is interested in sharing.  That was quite a surprise!  I had always assumed that people who are willing to expend the funds for DNA testing would be similarly interested in collaboration.  WRONG!

3)  Not everyone who does DNA testing posts their family tree for self-exploration by those with whom they have genetic matches. Continue reading

1 Comment | posted in Bursley, DNA, My Family Lines

November 11, 2013

Military Monday – Benjamin Bursley – Civil War veteran

By Lauren Rogers

With stories of pilgrims and Revolutionary War ancestors, tales of Indian uprisings and cousins scalped, its no wonder I became a genealogy addict at a very young age. My mother must have been quite astounded that her seven-year-old daughter repeatedly asked about her heritage. Mom’s usual response was, “You’re English, Irish, Scotch, Welch, German and Norwegian.”  She didn’t have much else to offer me, but my grandmother sure did. While we didn’t know WHICH ancestor came on the Mayflower, or who was in the Revolutionary War, we did know it was her mother’s Bursley side that was impacted by the 1862 Sioux Uprising in Minnesota. And, years later, I now know it was also the Bursley lines that had the Mayflower ancestry as well as service in the American War of Independence. So today, Veteran’s Day, I offer this tribute to Benjamin Bursley, my grandmother’s great-grandfather, Civil War veteran and descendent of some of America’s earliest settlers – the Pilgrims. Continue reading

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November 3, 2013

Lemuel Bursley, Ensign, War of 1812

By Lauren Rogers

As Veteran’s Day is approaching, I thought it appropriate to share the Annual Return of the Company of Foot, commanded by Daniel Beale, in the War of 1812.  Included is my ancestor, Lemuel Bursley, whose father Benjamin Bursley served in the American Revolution.  The original document is held by the Farmington (Maine) Historical Society.

Daniel Beale's Company of Foot, serving in the War of 1812.

Daniel Beale’s Company of Foot, serving in the War of 1812.

 

1 Comment   |  tags: , | posted in Bursley, My Family Lines

November 3, 2013

Lavina Bursley Stanwood’s Photo Album – Mystery Persons!

By Lauren Rogers

My grandmother was captivated with the photo album she inherited from her own grandmother, Lavina (Bursley) Stanwood. Many of the pictures had relatives known to her; however, there were quite a few whose identities remain a mystery.  It is my hope that by posting these pictures here, someone will stumble upon these pages and be able to provide names for these unknown faces.

pg22unknown_male

Photograph of male in Anoka, Minnesota, presumed relative of Lavina (Bursley) Stanwood

The portrait above was taken at Nelson studio in Anoka, Minnesota.  Here is what is known:

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