Serendipity Day

*** Jacobus’ TAG article still good advice.

*** Swedish/Norwegian/Danish meatballs

*** DNA Quicksheets

 

Back in 1954, The American Genealogist (TAG) published an article by Donald Lines Jacobus, M.A., F.A.S.G. titled Tricks In Using Indexed Genealogy Books. He began his article with a touch of humor:

“Intelligent and experienced readers will, I fear, feel insulted to be told things they long have known. Those who are sure they know all the tricks that can be employed in handling the indexes in family histories are therefore requested to skip this page with a sniff of disdain.”

From the article I outlined his points for you:

** Many old family histories are just not indexed but somewhere along the line some group may have compiled an index.

** Many older family histories have a series of indexes and unless you pay attention and peek at only one, you won’t find much.

** Some family histories have indexes at the front and some in the middle…. “one 7-volume set has an index plump (sic) in the middle of the 7th volume!”

**Some family histories have a total, every-name index but some only the main surnames and not the married-in surnames.

** Some index these married-in surnames only by surname, not first name.

**Some list surnames with a string of pages numbers, rather than breaking the listing down by first name.

** Some names are indexed under spellings that you would never guess.

** Some index all spellings: Wooster/Worchester;  Gaylord/Gaillard.

Jacobus ended his article with this: “Those who use the indexes in genealogical books must bear all the above factors in mind….. many (of these indexes) have been compiled by inexperienced people, some by careless people, and some by doctrinaires who followed their own eccentric—even bizarre–notions. The best and most experienced indexers are occasionally guilty of some oversight or of a lapse in judgement. The moral is for the searcher not to give up too easily……”

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Would you have guessed that Swedish and Danish and Norwegian Meatballs Recipes would be so different??

Swedish Meatballs contain ground round steak, ground pork, mashed potatoes, egg, salt, brown sugar, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Fry in butter.

Norwegian Meatballs contain ground round steak, dry bread crumbs soaked in milk, egg, onion, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Fry in butter.

Danish Meatballs contain ground round steak, ground pork, onion, flour/salt/pepper, milk and egg. Fry in butter.

My mother, who was New England/English and German, made Swedish Meatballs with Cream of Mushroom soup. Guess she was not authentic. What about YOUR meatballs???  (This bit comes from a 1955 Scandinavian Cookbook.)

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understanding_ancestrydna_quicksheet_web_large

Are you feeling intimidated or left out of this blooming DNA explosion and would you like to have a simple dose of information to help you to better understand the topic? Reference Quicksheets from Internet Genealogy magazine might just be your answer. They offer eight in their DNA series:  Getting Started, Y-Chromosone DNA; Autosomal DNA; Mitrochrondrial DNA; Understanding Ancestry DNA; Understanding Family Tree DNA; Understanding GEDMATCH; Organizing Your DNA Matches; Understanding 23&Me.  These are 4-page, laminated “cheat sheets” which are colorful and easy to understand. They are $8.95 each but purchase more at once and save more. What do YOU want to, or need to, know more about DNA? Call Internet Genealogy toll free at 888-326-2476 or visit their website, www.internet-genealogy.org.

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Jokes for today:  Did you hear about the angry pancake? He just flipped.

What do you call having your grandma on speed dial? Instagram.

What belongs to you but other use more? Your name.

Are you at least smiling??

THANKS FOR READING OUR WSGS BLOG.