The Register of Qualified Genealogists and Other Professional Organizations

Recently I came across a reference to The Journal of Genealogy and Family History. It is published online by the Register of Qualified Genealogists, headquartered in East Sussex, England but with members from around the world. Basically, the organization “provides, and makes public, a record of those genealogists who hold a recognised qualification in the field of genealogy and associated practices, and who may be willing to provide professional services in that field.”

The RQG’s journal provides “a platform for researchers in all fields related to genealogy and family history where new, interesting and challenging work can be published” and serves “as a touchstone for current thinking and practice and an outlet for theoretical and speculative ideas.” Issues of the journal are available only online, but anyone can access them. People interested in receiving email notifications of new articles and issues can register by sending a message to the Editor. The latest, 2021 volume has articles about record sources, notable people, regional family histories and important events in the history of families.

One of my associates highly recommended the group saying they “are a fantastic organisation. Dynamic, enthusiastic and thoroughly professional.” If you need the services of a qualified and experienced professional genealogist, the RQG list appears to be a great place to start looking.

Inclusion on the list requires some rigorous background and education. Members currently must have either a Diploma in Genealogy from the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies, a Postgraduate Diploma in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee or Postgraduate Diploma in Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic Studies from the University of Strathclyde.

There are a number of groups worldwide whose purpose is to certify professional genealogists. Among them are:

·         the Association of Genealogists & Researchers in Archives (AGRA), “the professional organisation promoting high professional standards in the field of genealogy and historical research in England and Wales.”

·         the Association of Scottish Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (ASGRA) is the “accrediting body for professional genealogists in Scotland.)

·         the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG), that administers “a program that provides valid skill assessment, respected credentials, and consumer protection.”

·         the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), “help members of the public locate and connect with professional genealogists around the world” by “evaluating the experience, knowledge, and skills of the listed genealogists our members’ profiles can assist in selecting the right person for your project.”

·         The Australasian Association of Genealogists and Records Agents Inc (AAGRA), which “aims to offer the services of reliable and competent genealogists and record agents to those wanting professional family history and genealogy services and general record searching.”

·         the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen), is “a professional credentialing organization dedicated to testing an individual's competence in genealogical research.”

These groups are, of course, in addition to the hundreds of local and national family history societies where research assistance and information about professional genealogist may be obtained.

It’s never a bad idea to consult with professionals in any discipline. For some, like engineering and geology (I belong to the group in Alberta, Canada: Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta), it is mandatory for employees of companies that are involved in projects involving the public. Think building bridges or exploring for minerals!

I do not have the educational qualifications to belong to most of the professional genealogical associations listed here. My post-graduate degrees and experience are in the sciences. But I have used the services of a few professional genealogists and found their advice and knowledge of great help in my own family history research pursuits.

Check out all the groups to see who might help you or whether you would like to join their ranks.

What’s new with the Millers?

 In a previous post, on 14 June 2021 (Miller Y-DNA: A minor break-through?), I discussed the results of Y-DNA tests and how they hopefully would lead to a breakthrough in finding where and when my 2^nd great-grandfather, John Conrad Miller, originated and emigrated from Germany.

Since that post I have spent a great deal of time tracing back the ancestors of Richard Miller, whose DNA test matched Don’s in significant detail. I also took a Y-DNA course from Diahan Southard, at Your DNA Guide, that gave me a much better understanding of how to use these tests.

I have also made contact with members of the Association for Family Studies in Baden-Württemberg from who I hope to get some additional help in finding my direct ancestors.

To carry on from my last post about the Millers, here is what I know (or suspect) now.

DNA Testing

Because I descend through a female, my Y-DNA test will not provide any results that can be correlated with John Conrad. So far, my atDNA tests have not shown any potential German roots that I can identify with him either.

As I indicated previously, I had the Y-DNA of a cousin, Donald Miller, a direct male descendent of John Conrad, tested a few years ago. There was only one match to my cousin Donald, a man named Richard Miller. They have a very close Y-DNA profile, so I am confident we are all related.

Both individuals also had atDNA tests, but there are no matches to each other on these results. I suspect that is because they are, at best, 5^th cousins and that is too far apart to generally show familial connections using that type of DNA.

Richard had assembled some good information on his ancestors, at least as far back as his 3^rd great-grandfather, David Műller, who emigrated from Germany with his family in 1831. Using that data, along with other information I have found on Ancestry.com, I have been able to piece together Richard’s ancestral roots with some confidence.

Richard and Donald, unfortunately, are the only two individuals that matched. It would really help if we could find other Műller/Miller descendants to do Y-DNA tests to see if, between them, we could narrow down the ancestral lines.

The two, family lines must connect through males as confirmed by the Y-DNA tests. The family line comparison chart (below) shows what we now know about our respective Műller/Miller male ancestors and how they may connect.

Műller Families in Germany

Some information about David Műller, his wife and his children on Ancestry trees is suspect or just wrong, but I did manage to correlate the names and dates with records from church records in Germany. The family were all born in Ilsfeld, Baden-Württemberg, which is about 20 miles north of Stuttgart. That fits nicely with the limited information I have on my John Conrad Miller.

Ancestry has an extensive collection of birth, marriage and death records from Ilsfeld, so I was able to find David’s family and trace his ancestry. I am unsure about the names or spelling of some of the women who married into the Műller line. Better interpretations of those names may help in establishing the complete family story.

The church records appear to be good for correlating events, with baptism entries having, in many cases, death information, death records having information about birth dates and marriages and marriage records having information about parents. Using a coordinated approach, I have put together what I think is a reliable family tree back to the early 1700s.

The baptism entries of David’s children all indicate that they emigrated to “Amerika” in 1831. Below is part of the baptism record, with the note about emigration, for their oldest living child, Christian Friederich, who was born in 1821.

1821 birth record for Christian Friederich Műller with a note: “ausgewandert nach Amerika 1831” which translated means “emigrated to America 1831”

I did find a passenger list that appears to show them and confirms the date. The ages of the children and the order of their births does not quite fit with what the church records show, but that could be a problem of those in charge in putting together the passenger manifest.

1831 passenger record for David Műller family aboard the French brig Amelia

David and Dorothea had five children according to the Ilsfeld birth register. Their first son died at five months of age. The other four accompanied David and Dora to the United States. Their daughter, however, died on board ship during the voyage. The three remaining sons all married and had families after they settled in Illinois.

David’s parents were Christian Műller (1758-1820) and Regina Margaretha Weissbrod (1757-1810). They married in 1784 in Ilsfeld. Six children were born to them between 1786 and 1798, although only four reached adulthood and, of those, only one son, David. So, while David’s children were of a similar age to my John Conrad, they were not first cousins.

Christian’s parents were Johann Conrad Műller (1725-1770) and Christina Dorothea Ehrenfeld (1722-1788), who married in Ilsfeld in 1748. Both were born there as well. They had four children between 1751 and 1758. One of Christian’s brothers, Johann Adam, also married and had a family in Ilsfeld, including three sons. Only one of his sons, also named Johann Adam, reached adulthood. Johann Adam Junior’s sons were named Johann Michael (b. 1809) and Johann David (b. 1814). Johann David immigrated to the US but not until 1839, according to the note on his baptism record. It does not appear he had any other sons so they are not close cousins to my John Conrad.

Johann Conrad’s parents appear to have been Johann Michael Műller (1671-1729) and Anna Elisabetha Luz (1700-0759). I have not found information yet for the birth of Johann Michael Műller. There is a marriage of a Johann Michael Műller and Anna Elisabetha Luz in 1725 in Ilsfeld, but it occurred in October, the month after the birth of their son, Johann Conrad, which would make it an unusual timing. The groom’s father’s name is not shown on the record, at least what I can interpret, but Johann Michael was noted as being a widower.

There is a death record for a Johann Michael in Ilsfeld in 1753 that also stated he was 82 years and three months old. From that information I found what I think was his birth record in 1671. That is partly confirmed as the date of his death in recorded with the birth entry.

1671 birth record for Hans (Johann) Michael Műller in Ilsfeld

1725 marriage record for Johann Michael Műller and Anna Elisabetha Luz on Ilsfeld

Death record for Johann Michael Műller in Ilsfeld

Johann Michael had married another woman prior to Anna Elisabetha. The first wife would have died before 1725, probably in Ilsfeld.

Johann Michael’s parents were Leonhard Műller (1645-1718) and Kunigunda [name unknown] (1645-1724). They had ten children in Ilsfeld.

Conclusions

It appears we have to go back to at least Johann Michael Műller to find the connection and the split of family lines. There appears to be no birth register for Ilsfeld for years prior to 1660, and no marriage or death registers for years prior to 1716. That makes tracing families in the area more difficult.

It may be that a son from Johann Michael’s first marriage or a brother (son of Leonhard) is a direct ancestor of my 2^nd great-grandfather.

There is no Johann Conrad Műller baptized, or at least whose baptism is registered in Ilsfeld between 1810 and 1820 which suggests he may have been born in another parish.

I think we are close to finding John Conrad’s direct ancestors but there is still work to be done.

All About Snow

We are finally into Fall here. It took a while. We enjoyed a nice summer with flowers still blooming right through last week. The forecast now is for negative temperatures every night. My planters have been cleaned out. The outside water taps in the condo complex will be shut off next week. And soon there will be snow.

We don’t get a lot of snow here, compared to many areas in eastern Canada or the northeast US. Our climate is dry, bordering on semi-desert so there is not as much moisture in the air to turn into the hard stuff.

There are good things and bad things about snow, although you would not convince our friends who live in the southern US or Australia that anything positive could come from having a white blanket fall on you.

Snowfall Around the World

In Calgary we average 129 cm (51 in) of snow per year. Montreal gets 210 cm (83 in). Our nation’s capital, Ottawa, receives 175 cm (69 in) and Toronto gets 122 cm (48 in). St. John’s, Newfoundland, gets a whopping 335 cm (132 in).

Notable places around the world include Buffalo, New York, with 241 cm (95 in) and New York City with only 64 cm (25 in). Moscow, Russia, averages 152 cm (60 in). Sapporo, Japan, despite being very warm in the summer, averages 485 cm (191 in) of snow per year.

We are used to a bit of snow, though, and rarely let it stop us from doing what we want. Take the photo shown here yesterday of ardent golfers braving the elements. 

Snow in Inuit communities

One of the things that has stuck with me over the years is something I read about the different kinds of snow as described by northern societies, the Inuit. I think it was either in the book, My Life With the Eskimo, by Vihjalmur Stefansson, first published in 1913, or in People of the Deer by Farley Mowat, published in 1952. Both are worth reading by the way.

Anyway, it has been said, and written, by many people that there were over 50 words for snow, depending on its quality, moisture content, usefulness in building igloos, etc. Part of that idea is myth; part of it is in how different conditions in which snow is found are described and what that might mean to daily living or hunting. That can be important because, for many months of year, northern communities lived every day with snow.

The idea about there being many words for snow may come from how snow or snow conditions are described, much as we southerners might use different phrases. For example, some of the Eskimo-Aleut lexemes for snow include:

·         qanuk: snowflake

·         kaneq: frost

·         kanevvluk: fine snow

·         qanikcaq: snow on ground

·         muruaneq: soft deep snow

·         nutaryuk: fresh snow

·         pirta: blizzard

·         qengaruk: snowbank

 

Photo of people in a northern community from My Life With the Eskimo (Stefansson, 1912)

Snow Superstitions

A lot of superstitions have spring up over the centuries concerning snow. (possibly by many who wished it would go away?)

Did you know that if you throw a shovelful of the first snow over your head you will not be cold all winter? Apparently if snow falls on your head from a pine tree, that means good luck.

It was also believed that seeing bloodstains on snow meant good luck, but if the stains were partly obliterated, it would be bad luck to come across them.

If kids want a snow day, to keep schools, closed, they should put a spoon under their pillow, or flush ice cubes down the toilet, or put their pyjamas on inside out, or do some combination of the three.

One of the oldest tales involves the wooly caterpillar, or tiger moth larvae. If the brown bands are narrow, then a harsh winter with lots of snow is coming.

There is an old poem about Candlemas Day, or as we think of it, Groundhog Day, that has to do with snow – this one a New England version:

As far as the sun shines in on Candlemas Day,
So far the snow blows in before May Day.
If Candlemas day be fair and bright,
Winter will take another flight;
If chance to fall a shower of rain,
Winter will not come again.

If Candlemas Day be bright and clear,
Be sure you will have two winters that year.

The Little Ice Age

One of my favourite subjects to write about is the Little Ice Age. It was a period when lives and lifestyles were significantly altered due to the persistent cold and bad weather – including snow.

Snow was almost everywhere! Regions from the Arctic to southern Europe experienced snowstorms. There was more of it and it stayed on the ground for months longer than it does today.

Between 1560 and 1630, during the coldest part of the period, poor and erratic weather was common with frequent and unseasonal snowstorms across Europe. Artwork from those times reflect the wintery conditions commonly experienced.

Harvests were impacted by the bad weather, often by snow and frost, resulting in famine conditions. In Manchuria, for example, there were several years between 1573 and 1620 when there was extreme snowfall which a negative effect on agricultural production and livestock populations.

Pieter Brueghel the Elder’s Hunters in the Snow, painted in 1565

Enjoying the Snow

Yes, you can!

Where we live, families take the time to enjoy the snow, skiing, tobogganing, snowball fights, making snowmen, snow forts or snow angels. Or just bury yourself in it! If you can get to the countryside you might enjoy a sleigh ride.

There are, of course, lots of songs that celebrate snow as well. Some of the classics are I’ve got My Love to Keep Me Warm (Billie Holiday), Snowbird (Anne Murray), White Christmas (Bing Crosby), Sleigh Ride (Andrews sisters), Frosty the Snowman (Gene Autry), Let it Snow (Rosemary Clooney)

Shoveling snow off sidewalks and driveways is not fun, but we do get our exercise, and it’s a way to entertain the grandchildren.

Whatever you may think about snow, I hope you get a chance to enjoy this winter with your family, with or without the white stuff. We intend to after having missed being able to do it for the last couple of plague-filled years.

Also enjoy this recitation of a famous poem by Robert Frost, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.