Challenge of GDPR

I'm a 'sometimes' blogger -- with several blogs and websites from Kansas. Being a 'sometimes' blogger means that I blog or add to a website when I have something I want to share. Even though I try to follow laws and regulations affecting the Internet, I tend to focus on Kansas issues. Thus, I was vaguely aware of privacy regulations in Europe but I didn't really pay attention to them. Let's face it, I didn't think they applied to me -- until about 2 weeks ago when discussion of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) began appearing in Facebook genealogy groups.

Since that time, I've been trying to figure out what I have to do to be compliant! Even though I can usually find the information I want thru Google, figuring out how to be GDPR compliant hasn't been easy. Instead of trying to find information thru Google, I resorted to the forum for Wordpress and the Site Help menu for my Google Site. I'm still working on this blog which is hosted on Blogger.com. According to info on the settings, a Cookie notice should appear automatically -- but it doesn't.

So what have I accomplished? Cookie banners! Yes, I now have a 'Cookie' notice on my Wordpress blog, Heartland Genealogy and on my Heartland Genealogy Google Site.

Buried somewhere in the Wordpress.com forum's post about GDPR was info about the widget, EU Cookie Law. Once I found out about this widget, it was easily installed (Appearance --> Widgets) and it works!

Getting a notice on my Google site was almost as easy. In Sites Help, I found a response to someone else's question that suggested using the 'site notice' feature to add a Cookie Notice.

Armed with that suggestion and suggested text for the notice, I was able to get a Cookie notice added to my Heartland Genealogy Google site.

 

According to my admin page for this blogger blog, there should be a notice when others access this blog.

 

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to verify that it works. After following the 'Learn More' link, I found that in order to view the cookie notice, I have to access my blog as if it were in a European country.

Once I changed the URL to end in .fr instead of .com, the Cookie Notice appeared! Thanks Blogger!

I've worked on a 'privacy' page for my Heartland Genealogy blog. Even though I've published it, I realize it needs improved! I still need to post a privacy page on my other blogs and on my Google Site.

I may also have to convert my google site to the newer version in order to be compliant with the GDPR.

My next step is to figure out what to do about comments. At this time, I don't have an answer. However, based on what I've read on these support sites, I believe all three companies will be providing the tools necessary for my blogs and website to be compliant with GDPR.

I would love to hear from other bloggers and web site owners about how they are working thru these issues!

PFC Lovell Mentzer

While searching the Yates Center News for an article stating that Cleo B. Peake was awarded the purple heart, I discovered another cousin killed during World War II: PFC Lovell Mentzer.

Notice of the death of Private First Class Lovell J. Mentzer first appeared in the May 3, 1945 issue of the Yates Center News on Page 1.

PFC Lovell Mentzer

Killed in Germany
Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Mentzer received the information Tuesday from the War Department that their son, Private First Class Lovell J. Mentzer had died in Germany.
Nineteen-year-old Lovell had seen ten and one-half months service in the European theatre. Graduating from Yates Center high school with the class of '44 he was inducted in the army and trained for an infantryman. In the latter part of last November he was sent over seas and was with the Seventh Army
Private Mentzer has five brothers in the service, Technician Fourth Grade Keith in south Pacific, Corporal Talmadge (Tye) in England, T/5 Burdette with the AAF at Coffeyville, T/5 Edward at the home on furlough, Lt. Austin (j.G.), Corpus Christi, Tex

On June 14, 1945, the Yates Center News had a notice of the memorial service on page 1.

Cleo Byron Peake - Lost at Sea

While going thru Ancestry Hints for my Wells line, I found an intriguing military record for a distant cousin, Byron Peake (Cleo Byron Peake). The records said he was reported missing in action on 28 April 1944. ("World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas." Database. Ancestry.com. www.ancestry.com : 2018.)

DNA Puzzle - Crawford Line

When I spit in a test tube for my first DNA test, I had high hopes of proving a relationship to another Crawford line and ultimately breaking through our brick wall in early Kentucky. Those hopes were greatly diminished when I wasn't a match to a known descendant of the James and Martha (Knight) Crawford line.

However, I had matches to descendants of William N. Crawford of Washington and Isaac and Nancy (Miller) Crawford of Kentucky. Those matches have revived hopes of figuring out how my Crawford line fits into the greater Crawford genealogy.

Since I have those matches 'painted' on DNA painter, I decided to experiment to see how they overlapped with DNA from my 2nd cousins.

Down a 'Rabbit Hole' with Deeds

Thanks to a marriage record for Mary Crawford and Alexander Moore in 1793 in Madison County, I've been able to learn more about Mary Crawford.

Mary Crawford is shown on the tax lists for Madison County, Kentucky in 1787, 1789 and 1791. According to the document, "Tax Lists (1792-1840): An Overlooked Resource for Kentucky History and Land Title" by Kandie Adkinson, Land Office, Ky. Secretary of State, "women are included on the tax lists if they are the head of household." Thus, I've long assumed that Mary was a widow living in early Kentucky.

Mary Crawford - Wife of Alexander Moore

For a long time, the Mary Crawford of early Madison County has been a puzzle! Mary appears on the 1787 tax list for Madison County.(1)  She is also listed on the tax lists for 1789, 1791 and 1792 -- all in Madison County, Kentucky.(2)

In 1791, Mary purchases 100 acres of land on Sugar Creek from Richard Cave.(3)