Family Historian

After the notification that Ancestry was going to no longer support Family Tree Maker, I had to go on the search of what program to use, just like many many others.  My fear was I would lose content - which I will.  I will have to reattach every document and photo I have - 1,000's.  However, my entered information will transfer to other programs with GEDCOM which makes me happy!

I tested a few programs with their free trials and read all the reviews.  I tested Roots Web and Family Historian.  I found Roots Web to be sorta difficult to use.  I didn't care for the look of it either. That only took me a few days to decide it wasn't for me.   I tried  Family Historian and I used it for 30 days.  I really like the look and feel of ease. Course after using Family Tree Maker for last 20+ years, it will take some time to get use to all the ways and reports it has to offer.  I found it very very similar in use to FTM.  I decided to go with Family Historian.

While going through trying several software programs, Ancestry came out with an announcement that Roots Web was going to have access to the search on Ancestry website and someone was going to take over the FTM. I as a long time customer was still not happy on how this all came about. I like to do my research and keep my information on my computer, upload what I want to Ancestry. NOT do my work ON Ancestry.  Reason? I have another website I use for uploading and sharing information. I use TRIBALPAGES.  I enjoy the ease of this website and the price!  My site is www.tammysfamilytree.tribalpages.com .

Course going with new company for FTM or Rootsweb would be wonderful for searching.  I found it to still leave a bad taste in my mouth.  Ancestry probably ONLY did this because they felt the heat from FTM users AND from all the cancellations of subscriptions.  I being one of them.  It should have never happened with how many subscribers there are, and the amount of money that is charged.  I am going to put my money somewhere else for a while.  I probably, some day will go back to Ancestry - I will not use their recommended software however.  Why? Who's to say they won't change their minds again.  Ancestry is the largest data base, however, there are several others that have large data bases to search and very unique items to download, especially if you are looking more international than just in the USA.

I cancelled Ancestry - and no long a FTM user.  I am now a Family Historian User and will look at other data bases to search.  Right now, I'm just learning the new program - and going on a road trip in the summer and hopefully can drive thru areas in Kentucky and Virginia where the "tree" lived at some point.  I promise to catch up on this blog - sorry for the long delay - Ancestry really put a damper in my research and turned me off of it for a while.

I did recently have had contact with a distant relative in Australia that connects to my Itailian roots.  I'm waiting for a word back - I'm excited about this connection!  I'm sure there will be more to come!

Ancestry and Family Tree Maker Let Down

I have been a huge supporter of Ancestry and Family Tree Maker software.  When Genealogy software became available for home computers, Family Tree Maker is what I purchased in the early 1990's and have used it ever since.  I've always been happy with it, till a few days ago.

What was great about Family Tree Maker was the ease of use, the charts and ease of sharing.  In the last several years, people have been able to connect to Ancestry directly for hints. The little green leaves!  What an amazing tool. They find the hints, and you can compare right in your program and then upload what you want and delete what you don't want.

People have the option of uploading GED.com file to Ancestry to share with others. People can also just enter their information directly to their website.  I personally do not  "enter" my new findings there, I like to have my information on my computer and upload when I am ready. I like to keep all my information in the software program because I use it for other avenues of research as well. I have more control and can do more with it.  I like the ease of being able to upload the information to my website which isn't affiliated with Ancestry.

So, with the news that Ancestry will no longer make Family Tree Maker software as of the end of this month, and after January 2017 will no longer support the software, this puts a lot of genealogist is a bad position.  What do we do? They want to essentially force us to go to online entering only with them OR we have to go and find other software because eventually, if say I get a new computer with Windows 10 or later, my older software with FTM will not work.  I have to do something now.  I  have to question now, why keep up my subscription with Ancestry? I pay a lot of money every year to be able to have the ease of connecting my program with their online data base.  I know thousand's of people feel the same way.  Ancestry has to change their minds, or lose a lot of money, or ask another software company to be compatible with their online data base so they don't lose that revenue.  What a huge mistake.  I can understand if they are having issues with FTM, and don't want the headache, but why not hire someone to fix the problems instead of just toss it aside.  We committed our selves, our hobby and some people this being their livelihood, to this software.  For people who are not genealogist, I would compare it to saying Google has decided to not have email service or calendars available anymore at the end of the month!  Yes, it is that bad!

So now what? There are several software available.  I found a great article at the following link.

http://genealogy-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

It breaks down the different items that we look for in software.  Though Legacy is voted the best, it doesn't give web hints, and after using FTM and the hints, I still want that!  I think I am going to go with Family Historian but I am going to test it out first.  Roots Magic and Ancestrial Quest look like great options as well.  Problem with Roots Magic is you can't sync to web.  Ancestrial Quest seems like a great option as well, so I will be testing that one as well.

Ancestry - again, very disappointed in the let down and I will be canceling my subscription as of early next year when it is up.  I think with all the people jumping ship, this will put a damper into the business, and  maybe you'll hire someone to fix FTM problems, but guess what, by then it will be too late because genealogists are going to jump ship now to save their own work!  While genealogists are jumping ship, notice that the other software are already offering deals to bring you to their side!

#badmoveancestry #familytreemakerletdown

Veterans Day

I have missed writing my blog for a while now. I've been remodeling the house, appointments here and there, and have started a new adventure in learning about essential oils. So that has taken my time up lately.  But yesterday was Veterans Day and it got me thinking about my genealogy research.

When it is Veterans Day we think of all the immediate people in our families, such as a Father/Mother or grandparents that might have served and we think of people that are currently serving. My Father, Grandfather, Uncle, several Great Uncles, Cousins have all served.  I say thank you to them and all who have served.

Yesterday, I proudly uploaded an image to put on my Facebook page as alot of people do, and I found this one.  What struck me about this image first, was that I thought it was great that it included all the  branches, but then I noticed it included a woman! PERFECT!  But then I looked even closer and it also included civil war and revolutionary war veterans!

We always remember to honor those that served that we knew or knew about, but who remembers to THANK those before that? Those that were the first to truly make this county free.  Free from Europe, free from slavery, free to vote, free on many levels.  In genealogy, I have the privilege of finding out that I had several relatives GGGgreats down the line that fought in the Revolutionary War and Civil Wars.
They helped form this country! I can't even imagine how that was!  When I think of this, it really bothers me about all the talk with the confederate flag that has been going on.   I don't believe it should be flown on Government property like a state building, but I don't agree with them trying to ban it everywhere. As right or wrong it was for what they were fighting for, it was something those men believed in.   Everyone has their own opinion.   No my family fought for Union, but if I had a family member who fought the other way, I would feel the same way.

So on Veterans Day next year, don't remember just the people you know, think of those way before us in what they believed and fought for as well.

Thank EVERY VET for their service!

Food and Family

This is one of my favorite pictures. I never got to meet my Great Grandma Hulda Niemi Altonen, but

from her pictures and stories passed down about her, I feel like I have met her.  I love this picture for 

the apron - yes,  I said the apron. Why you may ask, well, I love to cook.  And I LOVE family recipes that are passed down from generation to generation. Not only stories are good for genealogy, but I feel food is important part of who we are as well.  

Food gets people talking. When it's something good, people want to make it.  Now, because I didn't know my great grandma, I didn't get her direct recipes, but she passed down some Finnish food to her son and daughter who passed it down.  Pannukaku, which is a oven pancake is a favorite of ours!  I had an old craft book which had crafts and recipes.  I found a Finnish Cardamon Bread in it. I made it, and my Dad said it was just like his grandmas!  This is what I love!  Food reminds us of family.  

I know when we have family reunions with my Mom's side, all the cousins talk about a Christmas fruit salad that my Great Grandma Lauderback use to make.  So the recipe got shared to all! Great memories for them all.

Other family members enjoy special dinners.  My favorite meal on Christmas day is my Dad's Lasagna! Through the generations, we've all put our own spin on it, but it is great any way it's made!  Ofcourse this was passed down from the "old country" when great grandparents came from Italy.  

Since I love to cook, I make stuff that are my favorites, and hopefully in generations to come, my kids will make my desserts and my carnitas!  I make alot of cookies and hope they get made year to year.  Just as Great Grandma Moore always made banana bread with chocolate frosting! It was always SO yummy!! You could count on that every holiday!

One option to pass all the wonderful recipes you might have gathered is to put them in a genealogy cookbook.  There is a site called Createmycookbook, course there are many to pick from, but I found this one to be so easy to use and reasonable!  I uploaded genealogy photos that corresponded with who made the recipes or passed them down generation to generation.  Then I picked all the favorite recipes from all sides of the family.  When I was done, I had several printed, at a reasonable price, and gave them as gifts!  Everyone loved them!  So if you have a lot of recipes and want to make sure those "stories" get passed on, create a book and gift it to the next generation!  

September 11 - Never Forget

It has been busy around here, but I did not forget, but did not get a chance to post this.  I posted this 5 years ago, and I want to share it again, because it hit the heart of all of us.

Remembering September 11th and New York Firehouses

September 11th, 2001, I got a phone call from my friend, asking me if I had the television on, we're all busy getting the kids ready for school normally.  I didn't, so she said to turn it on, something terrible has happened.  I went upstairs so the kids didn't see the news.  And saw what was happening. At the time, just the first plane had hit.  I called my husband at the time to tell him, and while I was talking to him, the other plane hit. At first I thought they were showing a replay of the first plane, until I realized that I was terribly wrong. I just witnessed a second plane hitting, and something was terribly wrong. It had to be on  purpose, but why? Why are we being attacked this way?

Jeremy, just turned age 8 at the time, wasn't feeling good, so instead of taking him to school, I took him to the walk-in care and we all sat in the waiting room, just staring at the television.  I made a call to my Grandma because I knew her niece worked in the towers; gladly she told me her company had moved out, so she was safe. We were worried about other cousins that worked in the area too; later we found out that all were safe.  Like everyone else, we all spent hours and hours staring at the television in disbelief of what happened and what was happening afterwards.  All the people..... all the firemen....all the passengers and crew on the airplanes..... I still cry when I see those buildings falling.

My friend and I were also Cub Scout den leaders for our sons.  Our first meeting was the week of this tragedy.  With 1st graders, we felt we had to do something. This was a historical disaster and wanted to help. We decided to make small blankets and wrote letters and sent them to as many firehouses in NY City that we possibly could, that were around the site of the twin towers.  In all the horror and tragic days the firemen were enduring, several of the firehouses actually still took the time and wrote us back. Some even sent us posters and cards.  We did not expect this, we were helping them.  We promised these brave men and women that we would never forget them or what they went through.  These are the departments we promised to remember. Please remember them with me right now, because they all lost friends, family and colleges.

                                 NYFD Engine 28 and Ladder 11

                                 NYFD Engine Company 9 Group 24

                                 NYFD Engine Company 15

                                 NYFD Ladder 18 and Battalion 4

                                 NYFD Ladder 124

                               And Captain Frank Leto who didn't say which NYFD he was with,
                               but sent a letter to the boys.

We also had decided that we'd pick one department and would write and stay in contact with them during the whole year to support them in prayer and letters.  This was with NYFD Engine Company 15.  The boys wrote letters during the year and sent them Christmas ornaments showing we would never forget them and others. Made ornaments with the towers and firemen on them. The boys made ornaments for themselves as well, and they still are placed on our tree every year!

One of my most proudest moments with Jeremy during all this, was when he had just returned from a Cub Scout Pack meeting, and the celebrity telethon was going on. They were talking about giving money for 9-11 victims.  I noticed that Jeremy had disappeared for a long time. I went upstairs to find him with his piggy bank poured all over his floor and he was counting his money.  He had counted close to $60 and he said with the saddest face that he wanted to give it to the telethon people to help the firemen and their families.  At the moment, I had to keep my composure....I wanted to cry my eyes out, such a big heart in a little boy!   I took a deep breath, and I told him that he could give half of his money and I would match the difference, and we would drop it off at one of the local firehouses that I knew was collecting money.  So the next day, he dressed in his Cub Scout uniform and off we went to the firehouse. They were very thankful to him. I was so proud that he wanted to help others.  9-11 took place just 3 days after Jeremy's birthday. So every year, we celebrate his birthday, but a few days later, we remember those lost.

We will never forget....... 

Eastland Disaster - 100 years ago and Family Ties

 The Titanic sank in 1912 - and when you hear the word Titanic, everyone knows the story.  1,517 people died in this disaster at sea.  there was another disaster, just a few years later that many people never heard about.  I know I never heard of it until I started to research to find what happened to a missing relative in the family tree and it happened right here in Chicago.  





The Eastland was a steamship that ferried people from Chicago to picnic sites on the shores of Lake Michigan.  the steamer was built in 1903 and was designed to carry 650 passengers.  In 1913 it was retrofitted to carry about 2,500 people.  this same year, the owner of the ship - St. Joseph Chicago Steamship Company were told by architects that needed to fix defects to prevent the steamer from Listing or it would cause future problems.  This warning was ignored.  July 2, 2015 the steamer had more lifeboats and several rafts put on it because there was a new Bill passed because of the Titanic's tragedy.  this added 14 tons to the top of the Eastland, which was already top-heavy to begin with.  Three weeks later, disaster hits.

July 24, 1915, employees of Western Electric Company hired several steamers to take employees on their annual company picnic.  they were all headed to Michigan City, Indiana.  About  7,300 people arried at the docks between LaSalle and Clark Streets in downtown Chicago to head out to their picnic site.  Bands were playing in the streets, families were getting excited.  It was a big deal for the company.

I started to do some digging and found a contact with his family through one of his brothers.  A member of that family started to tell me all about Frank  - more than anyone knew!  Frank worked for Western Electric and they lived in Berwyn.  They were there when the disaster happened. Blanche was born January 1914, so she was 1 1/2 years old when the disaster happened.  Blanche had a brother too, Frank Jr and he was 7 months old.  The story is that they were about to get on the boat when it capsized.  So I imagine that Philemona took care of Blanche and Frank Jr since they were both infants, while we're told Frank began to help rescue people.  The family never knew this story!  Can you imagine? All that was passed down was the Frank had left.  No one knew why.  After emailing with this contact, we found out that Frank actually had checked himself into a hospital for probably depression after all he saw - friends and co-workers all dead - and it could have been him, his wife, his children!  After all, Frank was only 22 years old at the time of the accident!  After he left the hospital, he never went back to his family - whether it was shame or time gone by, he left instead and headed to Indiana.  i can't even imagine what he experienced.  Philemona eventually remarried.  

About 2,500 people were boarding the Eastland.  There were mixed reports in the beginning cause of the accident.  Not known to the passengers of the potential listing problems because of the design of the steamer - many people were noted to be gathering on just one side of the steamer, because  they were posing for photographs as the steamer pushed away from the docks.  With all the people and the extra weight of the life boats the steamer list to the port side, which allowed water to start pouring in the starboard side.  the engineer on the steamer opened one of the ballast tanks which hold water with in the steamer and helps stabilizes the ship, however the Eastland still began to tip - hence quickly capsizing the boat.  The boat capsizing in only 20 feet deep of water, but deep enough to kill over 800 people.  

The Eastland then overturned in the Chicago River still close to the dock.  It trapped hundreds of people that fell under the ship as it tipped and trapped people inside as well.  Rescuers quickly attempted to help people from the river.  Many of these rescuers were coworkers that had not boarded yet.  Many more rescuers quickly attempted to cut through the hull with torches.  By working quickly they were able to rescue about 40 people from inside the Eastland; however about 800-850 people were killed by drowning.  this was such a horrible tragedy in history.  Families were just getting ready to set out on a fun ship ride for a work family picnic.  Now whole families were gone; 22 to be exact!  One family had 8 members completely lost, including 5 children.

Divers going in to search the ship 

Fireman trying to rescue children

This disaster didn't just affect people on the ship, but their rescuers and coworkers.  It wsa such a terrible sight.  Police divers pulled out body after body, causing many divers to break down emotionally.  The city of Chicago sent their workers with large nets to help keep the bodies from floating out into the lake!  They had to make a make-shift morgue at the Second Regiment Armory, which is in modern days known to be the Harpo Studios for Oprah Winfrey.  As a side note, some of her employees thought the studio was haunted because of this fact!

One would think that because the steamer company was warned that this could happen, it is unconscionable that after the many lawsuits filed that they were all thrown out by the court of appeals.  In the beginning a grand jury indicted the president and three officers of the steamship company for manslaughter, and the ship's captain for criminal carelessness.  Testimony was given on the instability of the ship.  the court refused extradition because Michigan and Illinois was involved.  The court felt that because the ship had made many other trips, that they couldn't be held accountable for the reasons given.  Now sits an over turned steamer in the river, now what?  The Eastland was actually pulled out of the river and converted to a naval ship.  It was renamed the USS Wilmette.  After WWII the ship was turned to scrap.  I can't even imagine being in that ship after such a tragedy.

Following the disaster, it was time to bury the dead.  The towns of Cicero and Berwyn were hit the hardest because this is where the company was located and most of the employees lived there.  "By a decree of the Cicero Town Board, July 28 was set aside as the day for town wide funeral.  All stores and plants were ordered closed at 9 a.m." recalled Frank Houdek The Hawthorne Work's gates were draped in mourning for those employees who died.  (Printed in the Eastland Disaster by Ted Wachholz).  Frank Houdek is the family member I was researching at the time.  I'll speak more of him later.  Now, there were so many dead, the towns ran out of caskets and carriages to perform the funerals.  Marshall Fields & Company loaned out 39 of their trucks to help take caskets to cemeteries, along with many other stores.  One church alone had 29 parishioners that died.  they lined the caskets in rows in the front of the church for a large funeral for them all.  Not only did Cicero declare July 28 for town wide funeral, City of Chicago declared it for a day of mourning because of the impact it had on everyone.

Now for the personal side of why i tell this tragic story.  I mentioned Frank Houdek above in a quote.  He was the man I was looking for in the family tree many years ago.  My children's Great Grandmother was Blanche Houdek.  Her father was a mystery, he had thought at the time to have just left his family.  No one really knew why or the story behind it all.  So I decided to work on this part of the family tree and find what happened.  Blanche's Mother and father were Frank & Philemona (Hondlik) Houdek.  They had separated when the children were young, but that is all that was known.  Even his name at the beginning we didn't know.

I started to do some digging and found a contact with his family through one of his brothers.  A member of that family started to tell me all about Frank - more than anyone knew!  Frank worked for Western Electric and they lived in Berwyn.  They were there when the disaster happened.  Blanche was born January 1914, so she was 1 1/2 years old when this disaster happened.  Blanche had a brother too, who was Frank Jr and was 7 months old.  The story is that they were about to get on the boat when it capsized.  So I imagine that Philemona took care of Blanche and Frank Jr since they were both infants, while we're told frank began to help rescue people.  The family never knew this story!  Can you imagine?  all that was passed down was the Frank had left.  No one knew why.  After emailing with this contact, we found out that Frank actually had checked himself into a hospital for probably depression after all he saw and had been through.  All the friends and co-workers all dead - and it could have been him, his wife, his children!  After all, Frank was only 22 at the time of the accident!  After he left the hospital, he never went back to his family - whether it was shame or time gone by, he left instead and headed to Indiana.  I can't even imagine what he experienced.  Philemona eventually remarried. 

Frank lived to be 74 years old. It is unfortunate that he never came back to see his children.  All family ties were broken.  The contact sent us photos of him in his later years.  I was told he lived like a recluse and like solitude.  I'm sure this story is similar to others that experienced this horrible disaster in Chicago history.  When I heard about this story - I bought the Images Across America - Eastland Disaster and while reading it came across the quote from above in this article that actually came from Frank Houdek.  I was so surprised!  It's a story that should be taught, just as the titanic has been.  I see my children's Great Great Grandfather as a hero in helping all that he did and the sacrifices he made.  At the same time tragic because his family were left behind.  I really wish I found this information while  his daughter, Blanche was still living, so she would have known the story.  However, her children and all the other generations will know the larger part of the story.  whe I see photos from the accident or video footage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU-M7zuyxAI   )  you wonder if he's in any of those photos.

So next time  you are in downtown Chicago at LaSalle & Clark - Have a moment of silence for the lost souls of the Eastland disaster.

Captain Augustine Washington - Father of our Founding Father

Augustine was born in 1693 in Virginia.  He married twice. He married Jane Butler before 1715. Then he married Mary Ball about 1730-31. Mary was born in Virginia in 1708.  Mary died 25 Aug 1789 in Fredericksburg, VA, at 81 years of age.

Augustine Washington and Jane Butler had 4 children.  Then later Augustine married Mary Ball and had 6 children, including George Washington, our first President of the United States.

Augustine belonged to Colony of Virginia's landed gentry and was a planter and slaveholder.  His father died when Augustine was young and he inherited over 1,000 acres and many slaves. He was a tobacco planter and also Justice of the Peace.

George Washington's father, Augustine, died on April 12, 1743 when George was just 11 years old. The inventory of his estate was recorded in King George County, VA, on July 1, 1743. The inventory shown here includes only the farm home (today's Ferry Farm) where George spent his childhood.  I find it fascinating how they list every little thing they owned in the Will.

Looking at this list of items,  Washington family wasn't considered wealthy, but lived modestly for the times according to other history books. My opinion however is he was pretty wealthy with the land he owned.   The other side  of this is the common man did not own slaves, they were expensive and you had to care for them and own property for them to work on.  The Washington family had this (unfortunately for looking into slavery - it was sadly part of history to be reported - at least later his son George felt differently in his older years).

Note: The word "Do." was 18th-century shorthand for "ditto". For example, in the Hall, one inventory item is "1 Large Table". Immediately below it is "1 Small Do." meaning 1 Small Table. Note also that original spellings have been maintained. Monetary values are listed as Pounds.Shillings.Pence, so a listing of £1.12.6 equates to 1 Pound, 12 Shillings, and 6 Pence.

Main floor items:
Hall back room
1 bed & Furniture, 1 do, 1 chest of drewers, 1 tea table, 4 rush bottom chairs, 2 window hangings, 1 dressing glass, 1 trunk, 1 hand iron.
Hall
1 scren flore, 1 large looking glass, 1 large table, 1 small do, 1 armchair, 11 leathern bottom do, 1 fire shovel and tongs, 1 pair hand iron.
passage
1 large table,1couch, 1 small table
back room
2 bed and furniture, 1 chest and box, 1 old chest of drewers
Parlour
3 beds, old table,2 old chairs,1 old desk,1 looking glass,1 sugar box,lumber in room
upstairs
3 beds and furniture,1 trunk
parlour chamber
2 old beds,3 matt cases,6 rugs,9 blankets,1 large cooler

Other Items  Negros At The Home House
Jack £30 , Bob £35 , Ned £22 , Dick £30 , Ned £30 , Toney £30 , Steven £2.10 ,
Jo £0.0.1 , London £20 , George £20 , Jcumy £5 , Jack £5 ,, Lucy £20 , Sue £35 ,
Judy £20 , Nan £32 , Betty £15 , Jenny £12.10 , Phillis £12.10 , Hannah £8

Stock =
6 oxen at £2.10 - £15
9 cows at £1.10 - £13.10
4 two years old 15/ - £3
2 heifers at 20/ - £2
6 calves at 5/ - £1.10
21 sheep at 5/ - £5.5
2 sows £1.4
2 barrows £1.4
15 shoats £1.17.6
3 horses £12
1 mare £1.15

Plate
1 Soup spoon £1.10 , 18 Small Do. £13.10 , 7 Tea Do. £1.15 , 1 Watch £5 ,1 Sword £1.15

Glasses

1 Decanter £0.1.6 ,1 Mugg £0.1.6  ,3 Tumblers £0.1.6  ,Sundry Salt Sellers £0.2

Chinaware

9 Gilt Saucers ,6 Do. cups , 1 Do. Teapot Milk Do. £1 , 1 Slopbowl & Butter dish  ,

1 Tea pot Stand & Spoon Boat ,8 blew Cups and Saucers  ,1 Slopbowl and Tea Pot £1

1 Milk pot & Stand & Sugar Dish ,1 Large Blew and White Bowl £0.7 , 1 Do. Gilt £0.10 ,

2 Dishes £0.5 ,9 Custard Cups £0.9 ,4 Coffee Cups £0.4  ,11 Plates £0.11

Dairy

16 Pewter Dishes £3.4 ,44 flat Plates £2.4 ,18 Soop Do. £0.18 ,4 Large Basons £0.12

2 Small Do. £0.3 ,3 Dish Covers £0.1.6 , 1 Cullender £0.5 , 2 fish Drainers £0.5 ,1 Do. Kettle £1.5

1 Small brass Do £0.1 ,1 bell Mettle Skillet £0.5 ,2 Old Sauce pans £0.2 ,1 Safe £0.1 ,7 Rundlettes £1.1

1 Churn 1 Pale 2 Wash Tubs 2 Piggins £0.12.6 ,Old Tubs barrels pr £1

 Closet

Sundrys Lumber £2 ,Store House ,49 Sifters £2.5 ,14 Searches £0.17.6 ,1 Set Coopers Tools £2

1 Set Surveyors Instruments £1.10 ,1 Old Suit of Curtains £1 ,9 yards wide Cloth £1.7 ,

3 ½ yards Lite Do. £0.7 ,16 ½ yards blew pans £0.16.6 ,4 ¾ yds Druggits £0.6.6

12 yds Fustin £0.12 ,16 ¾ yds Shalloon Remns £1 ,1 ps Irish Linnen 25 yards £2.10

6 yds Do. £0.9 ,65 Ells Course Oznabrigs £1.12.6 ,81 Do. at 6d £2.0.6 ,27 ½ yds Cotton £1.7.6

22 yds Cours Plaid £0.11 ,8 yds dyd ozna £0.4 ,1 Old Saddle £0.6 ,2 Sugar Tubs £0.5 ,

5 Small Coolers £1

Kitchen

7 Iron Potts £2.2 ,2 Coppers £4.15 ,1 Old Dripping Pan £0.0.6 ,2 frying Do. £0.3 ,Old tubs £0.10

2 Spits ,5 pr pot hooks £0.5 ,3 Racks £0.5 ,1 Large Skimmer & flesh forks £0.4 ,1 Grid Iron £0.1.6

1 Pr Stillyards £0.3 ,1 Box Iron £0.3 ,1 flat Do. £0.2.6 ,1 pr Hand Irons £1.2

Linnen

6 Diaper Table Cloths £2.2 ,10 Napkins £0.10 ,6 pr Sheets £4 ,10 White Linnen napkins £0.6.8

11 pr Pillow Cases £1.3 ,8 Towells £0.5.4 ,5 pr White Sheets £1.10 ,5 pr brown Do. £1.5

6 pr Pillow Cases £0.4 ,12 Towels £0.8 ,1 Suit of Silk & Cotten Curtains £1.5 ,7 Table Cloths £0.7

11 Old Napkins £0.0.11 ,1 Set of Silk Curtains £2 ,12 Oznabs Napkins £0

Cash

Cash in a Purse £9.7.4

The inventory contains several words that are not in common usage today. Here are a few definitions (correctly spelled):

rundlet - a small barrel of uncertain size from about 3 to 20 gallons

piggin - small wooden pail or tub with an upright stave for a handle

shalloon - a lightweight wool or worsted twill fabric, used chiefly for coat linings

osnaburg - heavy, coarse cotton fabric used for grain sacks, upholstery, and draperies

drugget - a fabric woven wholly or partly of wool, used for clothing

ell - English linear measure equal to 45 inches (144 centimeters)

I, Augustine Washington of the County of King George - Gentleman being sick and weak but of perfect disposing sence (sic) and memory. Do make my last will and Testament in manner following hereby revoking all former will or wills whatsoever by me heretofore made.

Imprimis: - I give unto my Son Lawrence Washington and his heirs forever all that plantation and tract of Land at Hunting Creek in the County of Prince William containing by estimate, two thousand and five hundred acres with the Water Mill adjoining thereto or lying near the same and all the Slaves, Cattle and Stocks of all Kinds whatsoever and all the Household Furnature (sic) whatsoever now in and upon or which have been commonly possessed by my said son, together with said plantation track of Land and Mill.

(This is his first son by Jane Butler, and this is known as Hunting Creek, which he later named Mount Vernon).

Item. - I give unto my son Augustine Washington and his heirs forever all my lands in the County of Westmoreland except such only as are hereinafter otherwise disposed of together with twenty five head of neat Cattle forty hogs and twenty sheep and a negro man named Frank besides those Negroes formerly given him by his mother.

(This is his other son from Jane Butler, and this is known as Popes Creek property, where George Washington was born) 

Item. - I give unto my said son Augustine three young working Slaves to be purchased for him out of the first profits of the Iron Works after my desase (sic).

Item. - I give to my son George Washington and his heirs the land I now live on which I purchased of the Executors of Mr. Wm Strother deceased. And one, one moiety of my land lying on Deeps Run and ten negro Slaves.

(This is obviously President  George Washington, and he inherited the land that is today called Ferry Farm)

Item. - I give unto my son Samuel Washington and his heirs my land at Chotank in the County of Stafford containing about six hundred acres and also the other moity (sic) of my land lying on Deeps Run.

Item. - I give unto my son John Washington and his heirs my Land at the head of Maddox in the County of Westmoreland containing about seven hundred acres.

Item. - I give unto my son Charles Washington and his heirs the land I purchased of my son Lawrence Washington whereon Thomas Lewis now lives, adjoining to my said son Lawrence's land above devised. I also give unto my said son Charles and his heirs the Land I purchased of Gabriel Adams in the County of Prince William containing about seven hundred acres.

Item. - It is my will and desire that all the rest of my negroes not herein particularly devised may be equally divided between my wife and my three sons Samuel, John and Charles, and that Ned, Jack, Bob, Sue, and Lucy may be included in my wife's part, which part of my said wife's, after her decease I desire may be equally divided between my sons George, Samuel, John and Charles, and part of my said negroes so devised to my wife I mean and intend to be in full satisfaction and in lieu of her dower in my negroes. But if she should insist notwithstanding on her right of Dower in my negroes I will and desire that so many as may be wanting to make up her share may be taken out of the negroes given hereby to my sons George, Samuel, John and Charles.

Item. - I give and bequeath unto my said wife and four sons George, Samuel, John and Charles, all the rest of my Personal Estate to be equally divided between them which is not particularly bequeathed by this will to my wife and it is my will and desire that my said four sons Estates may be kept in my wife's hands until they respectively attain the age of twenty one years, in case my said wife continues so long unmarried but in case she Should happen to marry before that time I desire it may be in the power of my Executors to oblige her husband from time to time as they shall think proper to give security for the performance of this my last will in paying and delivering my said four sons their Estates respectively as they come of age, or on failure to give such security to take my said sons and their estates out of the custody and tuition of my said wife and her husband.

Mary was charged with managing the estates given to her sons until they should turn twenty one. 

(Will information taken from several history sites on the Web and compiled in my notes).