Sunday, July 13, 2014

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: Some Semi-Random Research

Last night's "Saturday Night Genealogy Fun" challenge at Genea-Musings involved doing some semi-random research. I wasn't able to do the research last night, but I'm ready now!

Step #1: Go to your family tree database of choice (you know, like RootsMagic, Reunion, Ancestry Member Tree), and determine who the very first person on your list of C surnames is. Or the first person on your list of J surnames. Or P surnames. Or any other name you need to research. Your choice!

I chose the letter "U" and my name was Boyd Ungard.

Step #2: What do you know (or not know) about this person based on your research? It's OK to do more research if you need to - in fact, it's encouraged!

Boyd Ungard was born about 1875 in Pennsylvania and died after 1930. He was married in 1895 in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania to Edith Stewart. They had at least 7 children: 4 daughters & 3 sons including a son named Stewart, evidently from his mother's last name.

Boyd Ungard & Edith Stewart's 1895 marrige record
found at Ancetry
Records I have: 
  • 1910, 1920, & 1930 census - all 3 near St Louis, Illinois (which is across the Mississippi from St Louis, Missouri) 
  • a Methodist church marriage record stating both the bride & groom were "from Flemington" 
  • a 1926 city directory showing his occupation as a laborer and his middle initial as "K" which I had never recorded 
New findings on Ancestry:
  • U.S. Social Security Death Index - shows exact birth date (13 Feb 1875) & death facts (Oct 1968 in St Louis, Missouri) - age of 93 
  • A listing for a St Louis obituary, though I wasn't able to view a copy of it 
  • Several more city directories 
  • A baptism as an adult in June of 1894 in the same church (& same month) as his marriage to Edith Stewart 
  • A church record (same Methodist church) showing he was received in June of 1894 & later "removed to Pitsburgh" (no date recorded) 
  • A church record (same Methodist church) showing his probationary membership starting in November of 1893 & "received into full connection" in June of 1894 
Findings at Mocavo:
  • 1940 census - I had to play around with this to find it on Ancestry & found they'd transcribed the last name as "Ungood", not 'Ungard" (I found it by searching for the fairly unusual first name of Stewart with no last name) 
  • 1880 census - he is 5 years old & living in same county as wife as a young girl - his 7 year old sister is listed as having scarlet fever - found siblings & parents 
  • Methodist baptism record of two siblings listing same parents
front of Body Ungard's WWI draft registration card
found at FamilySearch
Findings at FamilySearch:
  • WWI Draft Registration with date of birth! & his middle name & wife's middle name (she's the sister of a direct ancestor)! 
Records I'd still like:
  • a copy of the obituary I found 
  • probate records 
  • 1900 census 
  • location of burial 
  • names of any other children (there is a 5 year & a 10 year gap between children) 
Step 3: How are you related to this person, and why is s/he in your family tree?

Boyd King Ungard is the husband of my great grand aunt, Edith Virginia Stewart. I try to research the siblings of my direct ancestors, so this was a great bit of research!

Step 4: Share!

Do we share common ancestors? I'd love to talk! Please write me at drleeds@sbcglobal.net

2 comments:

  1. I was shocked to see your information on Boyd Ungard, since I just last night discovered his relationship to my gg-grandmother. Boyd was my gg-grandmother's nephew. I don't have a chart in front of me to figure out what relation he is to me, but he's something.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, how neat! I hope my research here might help you. When you are able to, I'd love to hear how you're related and see if we are related by blood or "just" by marriage. :)

      Delete

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