Author: Dayna Jacobs - "On Granny's Trail"

I am an Accredited Genealogist® professional living in California. I have been researching and teaching since 1988.

Native American Research Out West

~ Dayna Jacobs - "On Granny's Trail" ~ Leave a comment

“Navajo Medicine Man”, Edward S. Curtis [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Navajo_medicine_man.jpg
I guess this post could be more aptly named, “Native American Research at your nearest National Archives regional facility,” but would you have have dosed off? I nearly did just writing it.

I have mentioned in other blog posts my love for the National Archives website, and today I noticed they have really pumped up the section on Native American research, so I thought I would give you an idea of what you might find.  I hope you will want to venture farther and explore the links there, as there are some fascinating records to be found.  And if you don’t have any Native American ancestry, don’t stop reading here!

If your ancestors made their way Out West, the chances are very high their lives intersected with the native population (land ownership issues, water rights, commerce, schools, employment, etc.), and this generated records. Some of the most valuable genealogical records I have for my non-native Arizona and New Mexico ancestors come from records held by the BIA, or Bureau of Indian Affairs, or Record Group 75 at NARA (the National Archives). Continue reading “Native American Research Out West” →

“[They] gave thier Lives where we only gave our service. But we were all willing.”

~ Dayna Jacobs - "On Granny's Trail" ~ 1 Comment
Pvt. A.L. Gooch on his motorcycle, WWI 89th Div., Military Police
Pvt. A.L. Gooch on his motorcycle, WWI 89th Div., Military Police

[This is 14h in a series of letters written by Private A.L. Gooch to his family in Duncan Arizona, while a part of the American Occupation Forces in Germany after WWI.

This letter was written 23 Jan 1919, after the end of the war but before Pvt Gooch had returned home.  This letter is the last in the series of letters from Pvt Gooch to his family during WWI – at least the last of those I have found.  In this letter, Pvt Gooch (known as Nig) was recovering from the Spanish Flu, had returned to his company, and was looking forward to his return home at some point. Original letters are in possession of Dayna Gooch Jacobs, King City, California. Envelope missing. Continue reading ““[They] gave thier Lives where we only gave our service. But we were all willing.”” →

Peter Parker’s (Spiderman’s) Double Life: Oh, What a Tangled Web

~ Dayna Jacobs - "On Granny's Trail" ~ Leave a comment

Spider-Man_(Ben_Reilly)Filed under “Truth is stranger than fiction (but both are fun to blog about)” the story of Peter Parker, aka Spiderman, gave the Fairy Tale Genealogist plenty of juicy details to uncover and document. Indeed, the saying, “Oh what a tangled web we weave when at first we practice to deceive” may very well have originated with Peter Parker, for he did indeed live a double life. Oh, and he had a secret superhero identity! Yes, he was Spiderman, but did you know he was also Bigamy Man? Of course it’s all right there in the records, the Fairy Tale Genealogist is about to blow his cover. Continue reading “Peter Parker’s (Spiderman’s) Double Life: Oh, What a Tangled Web” →

Hold the Fort! …or at least stick around and learn a little more about it

~ Dayna Jacobs - "On Granny's Trail" ~ Leave a comment

Out West, early on, it was lawless and rugged and full of guys who wanted land, gold, and water rights, and sometimes did not get along with the Native Americans who came first.  So Out West is also where forts and the United States Army Cavalry could be found.  Maybe your ancestor lived near a fort, or maybe he lived in one as a soldier.

Fort Laramie, Wyoming
Fort Laramie, Wyoming

Walters Art Museum {{Commons:File:Alfred Jacob Miller – Fort Laramie – Walters 37194049.jpg}} at Wikimedia Commons

You will probably be surprised to know how many forts actually existed in the 19th century Out West.  I don’t have an exact number, but I have some resources that will help you track them down, and also find the records created by the U.S. Army at those forts. Continue reading “Hold the Fort! …or at least stick around and learn a little more about it” →

Migration maps for Western States: How did your ancestor end up Out West?

~ Dayna Jacobs - "On Granny's Trail" ~ Leave a comment

How did your ancestors end up Out West?  Click on these links to  access maps for Western States migration trails, early railroads, and rivers from On Granny’s Trail.

Maps of Western States Migration Routes