Configuring Crawford FAN Club in My Tree

Do you have 'floating' or 'orphan' trees in your Ancestry tree? I know that I do have 'floaters' in my tree. I recently watched a Genealogy TV video by Constance Knox on how to make connections to link some of those 'floaters' to my big tree.

Today, I decided to get this set up for some of the members of my Crawford FAN Club:

• Nathan Sellers
• James Crawford (wife Elizabeth Vansant)
• Alexander Crawford (wife Mary McPheeters)
• James Crawford (wife Rebecca Anderson)
• James Crawford (wife Rebecca McPheeters)
• James Crawford (wife Martha Knight)
• Alexander Moore (wife Mary Crawford)
• Alexander Duggins (wife Sally Smith -- who married James Crawford)
• John Anderson (father of Rebecca Anderson Crawford)
• Bazeleel Maxwell (brother-in-law of James Crawford/Rebecca Anderson)
• Alexander Crawford (wife Margaret McElwee)
• Absalom Adams (grandfather of Margaret McElwee)
• James Crawford (wife Sally Duggins) -- MY ANCESTOR
• Edward Crawford - yDNA connection
• Jacob Miller - father of Nancy / father-in-law of Isaac Crawford

Fabulous Find

Do you use Ancestry.com in your genealogy research? If so, have you checked out one of their newest sources of shaky leaf hints: Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current? Randy Searver's instructions on how to access just the hints from this one source in his Using the 'Mining Ancestry.com Hints from a Specific Collection' Tool makes it easy to pull these hints. 

Shhh! It's a Secret!

As a genealogist, do you do most of your research online? I have to admit that I tend to concentrate on sources that are online and don't take the time to see what I'm missing by relying on online sources.

Since I happen to live a few hours from the Midwest Genealogy Center and since my husband is also hooked on the genealogy habit, we try to visit this fabulous genealogy library at least once a year. Usually, my pre-trip plans center around creating a list of localities I want to research and not a specific list of sources.

This time, I had a book that I wanted to find: Descendants of Alexander and Mary McPheeters Crawford. According to WorldCat, this book was supposed be in the collection at the Midwest Genealogy Center. However, it wasn't listed in their catalog. Thus, I knew I would need to ask for help to verify that they did not have the book.

I am SO GLAD I asked for help! The librarian verified that the print copy of the book was missing. However, she didn't stop there. In our conversation, I told her that there was a copy on microfiche at the Family History Library. She immediately looked the book up on FamilySearch and then with some computer magic, told me they had the book on microfiche!

Not only did they have this book, but they had drawers full of microfiche and microfilm from the Family History Library.

John S Crafton Deed

FamilySearch
Bartholomew County, Indiana
Deeds, Vols. W (cont.) - X (to p.651), 1856-1858
FamilySearch Film 1301899 DGS 8059780

This is likely, John S. Crafton [KP3G-WHX], grandson of James and Rebecca Crawford.

Book W page 519 - Crafton Jno S heir

Possible Distant Cousins

Have you tested your DNA? If so, have you been able to break through a brick wall using your DNA results?

My main purpose for testing my DNA was to learn more about my Crawford ancestry. Since I already have identified my 4th great grandfather on my Crawford line, I was hoping to identify his siblings and parents via DNA. So far, my results have not helped me get thru that brick wall.

However, there is one DNA test that has puzzled me for quite some time. This is the sole test that shows up when I search my matches for ancestors born in Garrard County, Kentucky: i******. I share 23 cM across 2 segments with i****** and one of my brothers shares 24 cM across 2 segments with i******.

When I looked at shared matches with i******, I found two other matches that appear to have the same common ancestors: Isaac Crawford and Nancy Miller. In looking at matches shared with these two other matches, I discovered a fourth match who descends from a different Garrard County family.

Crawford Ancestor DNA Project

Have you heard about Ancestor DNA Projects on GedMatch? Don't feel bad if you haven't. I first heard about them last month when a member of the Clan Crawford group on Facebook posted about it.

Several members of the Clan Crawford Facebook group are trying to get a Crawford Ancestor Project started. However, they need FIFTY Crawford researchers to agree to participate to get the project established.

If you are a Crawford researcher who has uploaded your DNA to GedMatch, then please consider participating in the project.

To join the project, one must first be a member of the Clan Crawford Association Ancestry & DNA Research Forum on Facebook. If you are on Facebook, then you may submit a request to join the Clan Crawford Association Ancestry & DNA Research Forum. This is a great group that discusses Crawford DNA and/or Crawford Research.

Once your membership in the Clan Crawford Association Ancestry & DNA Research Forum, you can use the search box on the right side of the screen to locate posts on a particular topic.

A search for 'gedmatch' will bring up the post about the Ancestor Project.

The post contains a link to a Google file where one can enter his/her gedmatch number if willing to be part of the project.

If you are a Crawford researcher, please consider participating in both the Facebook group and the Crawford Ancestor DNA Project.

Elusive David Hall Family

Jane Crawford, daughter of James and Rebecca (Anderson) Crawford married David Hall. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find much information on David and Jane Hall.

David Hall¹ lived in Jefferson, Indiana, United States in 1820.²

He filed land entry papers for land being the East half of the Southwest quarter of section 25 Township 10 of Range 5 containing 80 acres on 24 Apr 1820 in Indiana, United States.³

He  purchased land being lot 104 in Columbus in 1823 in Bartholomew, Indiana, United States.⁴

David  purchased land being lot 63 in Columbus in 1823 in Bartholomew, Indiana, United States.⁵

He filed land entry papers for land being the West half of the Southwest quarter of Section 25 Township 10 of Range 5 containing 80 acres on 1 Jan 1823 in Indiana, United States.⁶

David Hall of Dearborn County, Indiana made full payment for the south West quarter of the North East quarter of Section seventeen in township six of Range two West in the District of lands subject to sale at Cincinnati, Ohio (lying in Indiana) containing 40 acres on 7 Nov 1837 in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, United States.⁷

David sold land being lot number 104 in Columbus on 1 Dec 1838 in Bartholomew, Indiana, United States.⁸

He sold land land being lot number 63 in Columbus on 2 Oct 1839 in Bartholomew, Indiana, United States.⁹

David Hall and Jane Crawford¹⁰ were married on 5 Jan 1814 in Jefferson, Indiana, United States.^1,11–17

Jane Crawford, daughter of James Crawford and Rebecca Anderson, was born about 1796.

She was the child of James Crawford and Rebecca Anderson.¹⁶

She was also known as Jane Hall on 5 Jan 1814.¹

Message Board Updates

Have you ever followed a hint that led you down the wrong path? That's what I feel like I'm doing with the message I found on Genealogy.com.

"I am a Whitley researcher. I was sent the following: not my research. Jacob Miller (b1762) md Elizabeth Whitley, 13 May 1794 in Lincoln Co. NC. Elizabeth was the dau of George Whitley, son of Moses, son of Jonathan. They moved to Paint Lick, or Crab Orchard, Ky. There were 11 children. George, Nancy, Henry, Matilda, Moses, Mary, Tobias, Margaret, Isaac (Md Elizabeth Cope), Whitley, Elizabeth. After the death of Jacob (1825) many of the family moved to Clay Co, Mo and other MO counties (1832). Some moved to IN. Elizabeth Whitley Miller remarried to Humphrey Best. Clell was son of Moses and is buried in Muddy Fork Cem. in Clay Co., MO. At least there is a tombstone there. As I said, this is not my research and I cannot give proofs for this but it may serve as a map for Miller researchers. If anyone can prove any of this I would appreciate hearing from you."

As stated in my previous blog post, Message Boards, I found a marriage record for Elizabeth Miller and Humphrey Best. 

Message Boards

Do you use Ancestry's Message Boards? What about the mailing lists hosted by RootsWeb? Or, do you remember the forums on Genealogy.com?

These tools used to be a regular part of my genealogy arsenal. Unfortunately, my usage has been rare since returning to my genealogy research. However, I'm finding that even though these tools don't provide much interaction, they do contain a wealth of information. And I'm just 'stumbling' across it.

I recently did a simple Google search for 'Whitley genealogy Miller' in hopes of locating a family history. Granted this wasn't a well defined search and I didn't find exactly what I was looking for. However, I did find a major hint about Elizabeth Whitley Miller in an old message posted on Genealogy.com.

1823 Deed Luke Bonesteel and William Crawford

Bartholomew County IN
Land records

Deed Book A
page 212

This Indenture made this eleventh day of March one thousand
eight hundred and twenty three between Luke Boneste[el] and
Julia Bonste[el]his wife of the county of Bartholomew and
State of Indiana of the one part and William D Crawford

1834 Deed John Crawford to Eli Guthrey

Bartholomew County, Indiana
Deeds, 1822-1887

Deeds, vols. D-E (to p.515), 1833-1837
FamilySearch Film 1301777 DGS 8059757

Book D page 406

Crawford to Guthrey

1833 John Crawford Deed

Bartholomew County Indiana
Land and Property
Deeds, vols. D-E (to p.515), 1833-1837
FamilySearch Film 1301777 DGS 8059757

Bartholomew County Indiana
Deeds, 1822-1887

Deeds, vols. D-E (to p.515), 1833-1837
FamilySearch Film 1301777 DGS 8059757

Deed Book D page 205

1849 Hall Patent Number 78

Bartholomew County Indiana
Land Records
Deeds, Vols. M (cont.) - N, 1848-1849
FamilySearch Film 1301782 DGS 8059762


image 329 - start of item 2
Deed Record VOl N
17 Apr 1849 - 27 Dec 1849


Hall David form USA E SW S25 T20 R5 80 acres Nov 1822
Book N page 327

Certificate No 78

The United States of America. To all to whom these
presents shall come Greeting.
Wherein David Hall of Jefferson County, Indiana
has deposited in the General Land Office of the United
States, a certificate of the Register of the Land Office at
Brookville, State of Indiana whereby it appears that
full payment has been made by the said David
Hall according tot he provisions of the Act of Con-
gress of the 24th of April 1820, entitled, “An act ma-
king further provision for the sale of the Public Lands
for the East half of the South West quarter of Section
twenty-five in Township ten, of Range five, in the
District of Brookville and State of Indiana containing

1849 Hall Patent

Bartholomew County Indiana
Land Records
Deeds, Vols. M (cont.) - N, 1848-1849
FamilySearch Film 1301782 DGS 8059762


image 329 - start of item 2
Deed Record Vol N
17 Apr 1849 - 27 Dec 1849


Hall David from USA S SW S25 T10 R5 80 acres Jan 1824 Book N page 326

page 326
Certificate No. 79

The United States of America. To all to whom
these presents shall come, greeting:
Whereas David Hall of Jefferson County, Ind-
iana has deposited in the General Land Office of
the United States, a certificate of the Register of the
Land Office at Brookville, State of Indiana whereby
it appears that full payment has been made by
the said David Hall according to the provisions of
the Act of January the 24th of April, 1820, entitled

1823 Hall Purchases Lot 63 Columbus

Bartholomew County Indiana
Land Records

General Index, Vol. 11, 1885-1887 / Deeds, Vol. A 1822-1827
FamilySearch film 1301775 DGS 8059756

Hall David from Farquer John agent
page 154

No. 132

Know all men by these presents that I John Farguar
agent for the county of Bartholomew in the state of Indiana for
and in condition of Dollars to me in hand before the en-
sealng hereby David Hall the receipt whereof I do hereby ac
knowledged have in my capacity as agent as aforesaid
and for and in behalf of the county of Bartholomew granted
bargained sold and conveyed and by these presents do grant
bargain sell and convey unto the said David Hall his heirs
and assignes forever the following described tract or parcel
or lot of land situated in the town of Columbus in said
county of Bartholomew known and designated on the plat of said
town by no Sixty three situated in the town of Columbus con-