There's an app for that!

Want to carry your family tree in your pocket? There's an app for that!

Ancestry.com has released "Tree To G0" for the iPhone and iTouch, and it's exactly what I've been looking for.

The app allows you to log in to your Ancestry.com account and access the family trees you have created on their site. As a FREE app, that alone would be a reason to rejoice; but it gets better...

This app is built for more than reference. You can add individuals to your tree. You can add events or edit existing ones. If you are showing the app to a cousin, and you realize that person has never answered your pleas for a photo, you can take one on the spot, and add it to your database.

Although I saw no indication this was happening, the data is synced back to your online tree, and will show up the next time you log in there.

It also seems to store your trees on the phone, because I didn't have to wait to download a tree again after viewing a different tree.

The first screen after you log in displays your trees. Selecting one sends the app online to download the data for that tree. (If you have a large tree, I wouldn't recommend doing this without a wi-fi connection.) After a brief wait, you will see an alphabetical list of people in the tree (complete with photo, if available). Touching a name takes you to an abreviated version of the online profile page, with photo and vital events. Immediate family is shown in list form (again alphabetically).

The best thing to report about this app is that it works as you think it should. Touch a name, and you go to the profile. Swipe upwards, and a long list scrolls. Select "Edit" and a standard iPhone keyboard appears.

The only thing I wanted that is there is a tree view. Given the size of the screen, though, I can understand such a limitation. Now if the screen were just a little bigger, say, tablet-sized....

I haven't put this app through a rigorous testing, but what I've seen, I've liked a lot. Nice job, Ancestry!

Clayton Renovation

Oops, I missed our story on Clayton.  It's a real fluff piece with a couple shots of the new interior.  No mention of what the renovation means for the library.  sigh

Clayton Renovation Hilighted in Chron

There's an nice writeup in The Houston Chronicle this morning about the renovation of the original William L. Clayton home.  The Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research is located on the grounds of the home.

The article wraps the hard news of the renovation around a feature of Maurice Allen, from Detroit, who flys in to use the library (he works for Continental).  If you just read the rss feed, you'll miss the 3:33 video clip.  Mr. Allen relates some of the research he's done at Clayton.  There is also a photogallery of the renovated building and grounds.

The article talks about the repurposing of the main building to hold some of the stacks, and as a satellite site to view LDS microfilms.  I didn't know that was planned.

Click through for the comments as well.

A Grim Reminder

I was just listening to  Rep. Kevin Brady discuss what he's seen in his district in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.  One of the things he mentioned was seeing bodies lying in the street.  The bodies were from a nearby cemetery.  I guess it shows two things... that nature is no respecter of the dead, and don't count on finding your ancestors where you left them.

Return to Blogging/Andrew P. Clendening

After a long pause, I'll try to update my research on a more timely basis. Keeping in that vein....

I've finally found a photo of the headstone for Andrew P. Clendening. Andrew was the only son of my great-great-great grandfather Robert W. Clendening to serve in the Civil War. Andrew died 8 Apr 1865, far from home.. at the Union Army hospital on David's Island, near Staten Island. He is buried in Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn. I don't know if any of his family have ever visited this grave site.

A big thanks to "Historical Passion" for posting my headstone request on Findagrave.

John Clendening

John Clendening-1
Originally uploaded by HiWattAmp.

John was the brother of my great-great-great grandfather Robert Clendening. They were both born in Ireland, and came to the US with their mother Ann and several sisters (not sure if it was 2 or 3 sisters) sometime before 1833. They came before the Potato Famine migration, and seemed to arrive with money for land.

John married Cassandra Tracey, and they moved their family to Kansas just before the Civil War. They eventully divorced, and John lived out his days in Kansas. A newspaper recorded his drowning in 1886 while fishing along Duck Creek in Coffey County, KS.

Photo provided by Nancy Baker.

History of the Baptists, Thomas Armitage | The Reformed Reader

Great information on the early settlement of Providence. Lots of details you won't find in the vital records. Unfortunately it's a looooong block of text... with nothing to break it up. It is worth reading, though, if you have ancestors in early Providence, Rhode Island.

History of the Baptists, Thomas Armitage The Reformed Reader:

"Williams with five others had settled Providence in June, 1636, and their numbers soon grew, so that in about three years there appear to have been about thirty families in the colony. In the main, the Christian portion of them had been Congregationalists, but in their trying position they seem to have been left unsettled religiously, especially regarding Church organization. Winthrop says that they met both on week-days and the Sabbath for the worship of God; but the first sign of a Church is found sometime previous to March, 1639, when Williams and eleven others were baptized, and a Baptist Church was formed under his lead. Hubbard tells us that he was baptized 'by one Holliman, then Mr. Williams re-baptized him and some ten more.' Ezekiel Holliman had been a member of Williams's Church at Salem, which Church, March 12th, 1638, charged him with 'neglect of public worship, and for drawing many over to his persuasion.' For this he 'is referred to the elders,
that they may endeavor to convince and bring him from his principle and
practice.' [Felt, Ecc. Hist. i, p. 334] Through its pastor, Hugh Peters, the
Salem Church wrote to the Dorchester Church July 1st, 1639, informing them that
'the great censure' had been passed upon 'Roger Williams and his wife, Thomas
Olney and his wife, Stukley Westcot and his wife, Mary Holliman, with widow
Reeves,' and that 'these wholly refused to hear the Church, denying it and all
the Churches of the Bay to be the true Churches, and (except two) all are
re-baptized.' [Felt, i, 379,380]"

William Olney Land Deed

William Olney Land Deed
Originally uploaded by HiWattAmp.

William Olney Land Deed

William Olney Land Deed
Originally uploaded by HiWattAmp.