Finding Your Family History in Northeast Ohio

Excerpts from

The Ultimate Time Travel:

Your Own Family History

Genealogy has been described as puzzle-solving, mystery-unraveling, link-finding work. And it is. It is also a journey, actually a set of trips—back in time.

Yet unlike those fantasy trips from old television shows, you won't be strapping yourself into a time machine. You'll be immersing yourself in history. Those time machines have always been unpredictable, dropping people into the middle of international conflicts they suddenly had to solve. Your family history may take you to other nations and centuries, but instead of resolving someone else's problems, you'll be putting together the pieces of your own family story. This will be much more interesting to you, and probably less dangerous.

Like all trips, you start from home and make plans. Here are some things you will likely be doing:

Looking at maps. Maps and genealogy go hand in hand. Perhaps you'll need to find a map of the town where your great-grandfather lived. When he was born, the town was in Poland. By the time he died, the town was part of Russia. This is the sort of information you'll need to know when requesting vital records.

Gathering information about the destination. Whether you are going to a library or a cemetery, you'll need to know: What hours is the library open? Can you park near the cemetery?

Asking friends about their travels. Poll your friends, neighbors, and relatives who have done some genealogical research already. Ask them for any tips on who the knowledgeable volunteers are at certain facilities. What have they found is the best time to visit the library?

Researching some history. What did it mean to volunteer in the Civil War? Was the only economic depression in the U.S. during the 1930s? This information will have an impact on how you understand your ancestors.

Packing your bags. You will need a research log, a copy of your four-generation chart, plenty of change for parking and copy machines, a magnifying glass, and a well-thought-out to-do list. (These items will be discussed in detail in Chapter 2.)

Setting an itinerary. On this trip you might think you can plan out the itinerary, but you won't exactly be in charge of it. Your ancestors will continually interrupt your travel and take you in a different direction. And that's the fun and challenge of this trip back in time.

So, strap yourself in—a seat at the kitchen table or on the sofa might be most comfortable—and let's begin the journey.

A Little Advice to Get You Started

Collecting and researching your family history is a process. It cannot be accomplished in one day, or one sitting (you knew that already). Like all worthwhile tasks, it takes time and patience. The good thing is that as such a large task, researching your family history can easily be divided into stages.

My one all-encompassing piece of advice to you along this journey is to document each time you do even the smallest amount of research. Write down where you've been (Aunt Irene's house); when (30 November 2002); and what you found there (letters from Paul Stein, made copy, returned original to Aunt Irene). Include as well any letters you wrote (to Lucy Grasser in Santiago, Chile), what you asked for, when the letter was sent and to what address, and if and when you received a reply.

This way, if you don't do any further research for weeks or even months, you have a written record to get you back on track when you do pick it up again.

Pitfalls

The trip, I'm sure you know, is not without its pitfalls. Time will be a major issue. You will need to decide how much time you want to devote to researching your family history, because the time starts to add up very quickly. You will need information and details from other family members, and this will require their time as well. Some family members you need to talk to may not have much time left, so there can be a sense of urgency to gathering information also.

Don't be too disappointed in the lack of cooperation from some people. This may be due to a total lack of interest in genealogy, or even out of fear that you may discover or bring up an incident previously considered untouchable territory.

Pitfalls may be foisted upon you when you discover what some may consider unsavory information: the aunt and uncle who never legally married; a relative who was incarcerated; or someone whose death certificate lists syphilis as the cause of death. Even if the individuals directly involved are no longer alive, the ownership that a family feels for loved ones stretches back further than we may realize.

There is also the issue of writing down or documenting information about living members of your family—how much to ask, and what to do about “different sides of the story.” You will have to handle each situation differently and probably with ambassadorial diplomacy. However, a general suggestion is to not say or write things that can be hurtful and destroy relationships between living family members. You can still put information in the family history and simply choose to not have it released to others until after a certain time period.

But of course the fun part is to focus on the satisfying benefits of time travel through your family history.

Finding a Focus

“Why are you interested in family history all of a sudden?” your friends ask you. And what do you expect from it? Although no explanations are really necessary, I think it's a good idea to set some goals—which can be changed or altered, of course. Here are some possible ways to define your endeavor:

The challenge—see how far back in time you can trace your family, how many names you can find, and how completely you can fill in your pedigree chart.

The legacy—leave something for others to see and learn from. You may want to write a biography about one family member or group. Or you could write a family narrative including as many generations as possible, with the addition of other items such as pictures, copies of wills, birth certificates, marriage licenses, etc. Writing out your history is a good way to pass it on to future generations.

The learning—understand your past. Piecing together a history helps you understand family relationships and gives a voice to the silent. By delving into your history you may be able to identify people and names with their families and stories; learn about hereditary diseases; answer previously unanswered questions; perhaps even solve mysteries. The more we know and understand our past, the better we know and understand ourselves.

The pride—know and appreciate your family's heritage and keep it alive. Historical events take on a personal meaning when one of “our family” was affected by them. We don't want to lose our past, our uniqueness, our place in the world. It is a life-affirming act to make connections—to join a lineage association, to connect with our past and history. Ancestors then become “real people” as they are immortalized with family stories.

The reality—capture stories before they are lost through death. People are getting older and we don't want to lose the information, stories, and wisdom they can share with us. Finding out more about your family history can spur you to put together a family reunion, or make the next one better. To learn about your past is to recognize that life, for us, did not begin with our birth.

Written Family Histories as Idea Generators

Take the time to think about what you want your finished history to be, as this may help you shape your research. The best way to generate ideas is to look at published family histories to see what others have done. There is a wide range of these projects. Not all libraries keep family histories. I looked at several that I found on the open stacks toward the back of the Western Reserve Historical Society library, where they are arranged alphabetically by surname. I also did a computer search on the library's computer using the subject “Family History.”

One of the books I found is a volume about the Kelley family: “A Genealogical History of the Kelley Family Descended from Joseph Kelley of Norwich, Connecticut with Much Biographical Matter Concerning the First Four Generations, and Notes of Inflowing Female Lines”; it was compiled by Hermon Alfred Kelley and privately printed in Cleveland in 1897 (it can be found on the open shelves at the WRHS library). By skimming through this volume I learned that Kelleys Island was once called Cunningham's Island. Mr. Cunningham was a French trader who supposedly settled on the island in 1808 to barter with the Indians and was badly wounded in 1812. The book has an index, follows each generation, and contains many portraits and illustrations.

The book Tori in Amerika, The Story of Theodor Kundiz was actually shelved in the WRHS library under “Cleveland” because it is more about Cleveland than just this individual and his family. Yet included is much information about Kundiz, the cabinetwork for which he was famous, his extended family, and his mansion in Lakewood. Interestingly, the author of this family history, as well as another one mentioned later, is Christopher Eiben. I guessed that Eiben was a professional researcher hired by families to either research the family lines or take the research already done by others and put it into book form. However, I was wrong. I called Mr. Eiben and learned that these two books were, as he put it, “a labor of love.” Kundiz had brought over Eiben's great-grandfather from Europe. And Eiben married one of the great-granddaughters of Theodor Kundiz.

Another book by Eiben is The Red Hand Forever: The Hugh M. O'Neill Family of Cleveland, Ohio. This one is about an Irish family that can trace its roots back several generations. In 1897 O'Neill was a member of the Cleveland Mounted Police. The book recounts several legends, including one about a boat race to settle the rule of Ulster.

According to this legend, it was agreed that the first person to touch the far shore would win the race. The O'Neill family member was the better sailor and favored to win. Although O'Neill was in the lead for the greater part of the race, as it got down to the end it seemed he would lose. That's when he performed the act for which this book is titled, which won him reign over Ulster. Desperate to win the contest, and clearly behind his opponent, O'Neill reached for his sword, cut off his left hand at the wrist, and threw it onto the shore before his opponent could touch land. Thus the O'Neills claimed victory and we learn the meaning of “the red hand forever.”

These are just a few examples of the many books you can use to inspire you along the way.

How to Use This Book

This book is expressly designed for family history researchers who either are conducting research from Northeast Ohio or are researching family members who at one time resided here. Detailed information about libraries, courthouse records, and other local resources makes this book unique and essential for Northeast Ohio research. The attention to detail should allow your research to proceed more smoothly and be most productive.

Clearly, this book places a strong emphasis on Greater Cleveland—and not without reason. Due to its wealth of genealogical resources and its central location, Cleveland is an ideal place for family history research focused in Northeast Ohio. Whether you live in the area or come here to visit and conduct research, you will be satisfied with the depth and diversity of what we have available on this subject. And by using this book, you will know how to access the information and services available at many public and private institutions within this relatively tight geographical area.

This book is arranged to be useful to both the novice and experienced researcher. To that end, each chapter is meant to stand alone so that if, for example, you are at a point in your research where you need to get across the pond and find out how and when your ancestors first arrived in the U.S., you can go immediately to Chapter 15, “Immigrant Ancestors.”

Meanwhile, the person new to genealogy would definitely want to go directly to Chapter 2, “Beginning Your Own Research,” and begin filling out the family group sheets and then looking for the “at home” resources.

But Chapter 2 is not strictly for the genealogy “newbie.” As all who have been involved in this endeavor know only too well, looking at “old” information for the third, fourth, or nineteenth time, or checking the attic or basement once more, often leads even veteran researchers to new material and over some of those “brick walls” only too common in genealogy research.

Many readers never check out such ordinarily dry sections as the appendix. In this book the appendix provides an in-depth description of local resources, and tips on precisely where to look, and how to use the materials. This can save you time and trouble by orienting you to the collections, the layout of the facilities, and what is and is not available.

Just hearing the words “court records” or “property research” is enough to bring fear and trembling to the most august family historian. But as Chapters 11 (“The Courts”) and 12 (“Land and Property Records”) will show you, these can be reservoirs of great information. By missing them, you may be missing your ancestors—or at least an important part of their lives.

And of course, when you get tired of the work, or maybe a tad frustrated, delve into some of the real-life stories included throughout the book. These may spur you on, give you that extra push, or even provide a new lead.

Interspersed throughout the book are vignettes about “famous families.” You may be familiar with some of their names, and others may be new to you. I include their stories as illustration of the appeal of family history research, to underscore the fact that all people both great and small have similar interests and worthwhile stories, and as a way to acknowledge some of the area's long-standing leaders.

Now that you've been properly introduced to the entire book—let's continue on.

With so many ancestors to investigate, you may be wondering where to begin. Well, the fundamental rule in genealogy is to begin with yourself and work backwards. That way you will be starting with what you know. Sounds overly simple, but it's where all searches begin—figuring out what you know and then how to find out what you don't know.