Rockdale County Genealogical Society Publication
February, 2004
Meeting Scheduled For February
We have a meeting scheduled for February 8, 2004, in the meeting room at Nancy Guinn Memorial Library. An excellent program is planned. We will have Cindy Smith Brown, an author and former newspaper writer, to speak on Her book, "Sweet Dirt and Southern Bones". It should be an enjoyable meeting. Cindy Smith Brown has written for the Warner Robins Journal, the Jackson Progress-Argus and the Covington News and numerous magazines during her career. She grew up in Dublin, Georgia and has lived in the Covington and Jackson area since 1972. Her five children and seven grandchildren have given her a special insight that has been inspirational for her writing. Her special interests include genealogy, history, reading and crossword puzzles. She is a prolific reader, a trait she got from her father, who was an advocate of reading a book every month. She is at work on her second novel at the present time
Judy Bond On Upcoming Meetings
Hello to all, We have gotten off to a GREAT start in Genealogy for the year 2004, with Historian, Mr. Walter Freeman in January. Cindy Smith Brown, Author of "Sweet Dirt and Southern Bones" will have a special program on her new book. If you would like to read about her work, log on to her website http://www.geocities.com/sweetdirt1966. She will have books with her for sale and will sign them for you. The book takes us back to remembering some of our days as children and life in High School. Geri Byrd and Norma Owens our new Program Chair Ladies have some wonderful programs coming up for us. The March 14th, program we will welcome "Peter Bonner" a featured story teller for Stone Mountain Park, The Atlanta History Center and The Hay house in Macon. He has the only "Gone with the Wind" tour in the world. Peter is wonderful I have heard him a couple of time and look forward to hearing him soon. We are thrilled to announce for the April 18th, program we have Mr. Robert Davis, (Department Head for Genealogy ) at Wallace State College in Hanceville, Ala. There is no charge or attendance fee, However we do accept donations. Bring a few friends, ask your neighbors and come to enjoy these programs with your genealogical friends. See you Sunday, February 8, 2004, 3:00 P. M. -Judy Bond
A Family Puzzle - See If You Can Solve It
One grandfather, one grandmother, two fathers, two mothers, four children, three grandchildren, one brother, two sisters, two sons, two daughters, one father-in-law, one mother-in-law and one daughter-in-law attended a family reunion. If both halves of each relationship attended (i e, the father and the son), how many people showed up? Try to work this out before looking at the answer on page four.
Visitors List Research Information
Vicki Fair, 1661 Holmes Dr., Conyers, Ga. 30094. Comment: Mr. Bob Phillips was very helpful. Will be needing him in the future. Katie Slater, 1010 Oakland Ave., Conyers, Ga. 30012. Researching history of Rockdale County. My house is in one of the books. Leon Graham, Florida. Researching Graham family of Rockdale County. D. Joiner, Conyers, Ga. No names given. Marshall Davis, Conyers, Ga. Researching Davis Family in Georgia and South Carolina. D. Joiner, Conyers, Ga. 30013. No names given. Marshall Davis, Conyers, Ga. Researching Davis family of Georgia and South Carolina.
Family Charts Project Underway
Judy Bond is heading up a project to compile a book of family trees. This will be on the order of the "Pedigrees - Ancestors Unlimited" which in on the shelves at Nancy Quinn at Ga. R 929.373. In order to have your family tree listed, you need to provide Judy with a completed form. This may be a long-term project. It may be difficult to compile the necessary information in short order. Not everyone will have all the information necessary to complete the chart. Doing this book may be a good way for the members to showcase their research. Charts showing pioneer families of Rockdale would provide needed information for many researchers. Some members may be reluctant to list living people. Some may not want to list the maiden given name of their mother since that information is used to identify ownership of many bank accounts and other financial instruments. It may be advisable to just show XXXXX for the mother’s given name. This book may have some marketable value. The proceeds of which could be used to provide money to purchase more books for the library's special collections room.
Bill Baker, Rockdale Researcher, Dies
We were saddened to learn of the death of Bill Baker. Bill was a researcher who worked along with Norman Swann to put together an impressive amount of genealogy on people who lived in the Sheffield District of Rockdale County. Bill was only able to attend a few of our meetings due to his declining health. He and Norman visited many families over the last three years in Rockdale's northernmost area and compiled computer files of the results One of these was the Farmer family of which your editor is one of the least important members. We hope that Norman Swann will be able to continue to maintain the files of the research so that they can be used by anyone who has ancestors who were from the northern part of Rockdale County. Ideally, that information should be bound and placed on the shelves of the Nancy Guinn Library. A good title would be: Rockdale County's Sheffield District, a look at its pioneer families.
Nancy Guinn Library Installs New System for On-Line Computers
The Nancy Guinn Library has installed a new system for using the internet. called "SAM" (Smart Access Manager). It automates the process of signing-in to use the internet computers. SAM lets you reserve your own internet computer by using your library card at a special reservation station. Attached to the sign-in station is an LED display which gives you information about the status of your reservation. SAM notifies you if there are computers available so you don't wait unnecessarily. You can log-in directly on an unused machine. If all computers are in use, SAM notifies you that you must sign-up to be assigned the next available machine. When SAM assigns you a waiting number, it gives you an estimated waiting time and shows you how many people are ahead of you on the list. You can get an update by scanning your card at any time. If you need to print the information you gather, SAM tells you how many pages you will have and how much it will cost. That way there are no surprises and no expensive bill. The new system should make using computers at the library more efficient and helpful.
Knowing Soundex Will Help Research
Using Soundex to find where an ancestor is located in the census may be the only option for those years where the census has not been indexed. In order to find the name in the soundex you need to know the code by which the soundex is organized. Locating the name in the soundex pinpoints where the name can be found in the census. Soundex code is a letter and three digit number. It is the first letter of the surname followed by three numbers. To get the three numbers do the following: (Skip vowels - AEIOUYWH) (W & H are included) (Double letters: only code one of them as though the other didn't exist.) (If you run out of letters add a "0" (a naught). 1 - BPFV 2 - CSKGJQXZ 3 - DT 4 - L 5 - MN 6 - R
Bob Phillips Has Research Data
Bob Phillips has been working with visitors on several surnames being researched at Nancy Guinn. This may be of interest to someone else who may be researching the same surname. He has information on: Mitchell Bolton Norton Goode (Family file folder available) Terry (Henry County) Bob can be reached at the email address of the library. It is: libraryc@mail.rockdalepublic.lib.ga.us Just make the email to the attention of Bob Phillips.
Nicknames, Here's Help
Allie is Usually Alice, Aline, or Aletha Bell is usually Arabella, Annabelle, Isabel, Rosabel, etc. Cindy is usually Lucinda or Cynthia Daisy is usually Margaret Delia is usually Cordelia or Adelia Dora is usually Theodorea, Eudora, or Dorothy Effie is usually Euphemia (but sometimes Sarah) Elsie is usually Elizabeth Fanny is usually Frances Greta is usually Margaret Hal, Hank or Harry is usually Henry Hallie is usually Harriet or Henrietta Hettie is usually Hester, but sometimes Esther or Henrietta Jack is usually John Jake is usually Jacob Jenny is usually Jane, Virginia, Janet, or Jennifer Larry is usually Lawrence Lena or Lina is usually a name ending in those Letters (Eme-, Se-, He-, Magda- , Pau-, Ange-, etc.) Lettie is usually Letitia Libby is usually Elizabeth Madge, Midge, Meg, Maggie, or Maisie is usually Margaret Mattie is usually Martha, but sometines Matilda May of Maisie is usually Mary Milly is usually Mildred, but sometines Amelia or Millicent or even Mary Minnie is usually Mary Molly is usually Mary Nancy is usually Agnes or Ann(e) Nannie is usually Nancy Nell is usually Ellen, Helen, or Eleanor Nora is usually Eleanor, Honora, or Lenore Patsy is usually Martha or Patricia, but sometimes Matilda or Patience Peggy is usually Margeret Polly is usually Mary Sally or Sadie is usually Sarah Sukie is usually Susan Tillie is usually Matilda Xr is Christopher Zeke may be Ezekriel, or Hezekiah
Puzzle Answer:
There were seven people at the reunion: a man and his wife, their three children (two girls and a boy) and the man's mother and father. Without the stipulation that both halves of the relationships were present, there could be as few as four people; after all, one man can simultaneously be a father, a grandfather, a son, a brother and a father-in-law.
Jeans & Genes is a publication of the Rockdale County Genealogical
Society
President: Bill Freese
Vice President: Judy Bond
Secretary: Bertha Little
Treasurer: Jackie Smith
Program Chairpersons: Geri Byrd & Norma Owens
Editor: MarionT. Farmer 770-483-7180
1500 A. Pine Log Rd. NE mtf@mindspring.com
Conyers, GA 30012
http://mtf.home.mindspring.com/