Monday, December 16, 2013

WikiTree

This week I registered with WikiTree.  I became interested when I noticed there was some information about the Predmore family of Pike and Adams counties in Illinois.  At this point I don't know whether this is something I'll want to use.  I put this post together to help me, and hopefully others, learn more about the application.

WikiTree Webpages

WikiTree - Introduction

WikiTree - Sharing Data with GEDCOMs

I created a YouTube playlist for WikiTree videos I found.

Dick's WikiTree Playlist

Dick Eastman has written several articles about WikiTree.

WikiTree

GEDCOM Comparisons

Privacy Tools

Five Million Profiles

Automated Matching

Genea-Musings Blog of Randy Seaver

Exploring WikiTree Compendium

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Charles Leslie Conger

Compendium of History and Biography
of
Polk County, Minnesota
Maj. R.I. Holcombe, Historical Editor
William H. Bingham, General Editor
Copyright 1916
by
W.H. Bingham & Co.
Minneapolis, Minn.

Kiehle Library
University of Minnesota
Technical Institute
Crookston, Minnesota
977.695
H699c

Page 161-62
Charles L. [Leslie] Conger

Charles L. Conger, cashier of the Citizens State bank at McIntosh, [Minnesota,] was born at Eau Claire, Wisconsin, January 17, 1869, the son of William and Susan (Wright) Conger. He is the descendant of revolutionary and colonial stock, the Congers having been soldiers and patriots since the settling of the colonies by England, the residence of the family dating from 1640. In 1667 a John Conger located on land in New Jersey, near Woodbridge, and about a century later, in 1770, Gershom Conger, the great-grandfather of Charles L. Conger, removed from that state to Vermont. He was one of the followers of the Quaker faith who by their sturdy qualities played such an important part in the building of the nation, but despite his religious beliefs gave valiant service during the war for independence and died in Vermont in 1835.

His son, Asher Conger, was born in Danby, Vermont, in 1799 and his death occurred in 1852, in his native town, which was also the birthplace of his son, William Conger, who was born November 10, 1819. The latter went to Wisconsin in 1867, two years before the birth of his son, Charles Conger, and later removed to Northwood, Iowa, where he died on August 16, 1898. He is survived by his wife, a native of Utica, New York, born May 19, 1835. She now makes her home with J.P. Foote of Crookston, who is her son by a previous marriage.

Charles L. Conger was two years of age when the family removed to Northwood, Iowa, and was reared and educated in that place. In September, 1891, he came to Crookston, where his half-brother, Mr. Foote, resided, and in the same month secured the position of assistant cashier in the Citizens State bank of McIntosh, of which Mr. Foote is president.

Mr. Conger has since devoted his business career to the able discharge of his duties as cashier, his successful association with this institution winning him recognition in the financial circles of this section.

The position of assistant cashier of the Citizens State bank has fitted a number of the influential bankers of the state for more important positions; among the former occupants of these positions are, Alfred Hoel, now vice president of the First National bank at Gilbert; First National of Biwabik, Minnesota, and State Bank of Arura, Minnesota; Charles Hoel, cashier of the Miner's National bank at Eveleth; A.J. Hoel, assistant cashier of the First National bank at Cass Lake; A.I. Solberg, cashier of the Farmers State bank at Winger, and T.A. Thompson, who was the first assistant cashier appointed in the McIntosh bank and has held the office of registrar of deeds of Polk county for ten years.

Mr. Conger is further identified with the business interests of the county as a landowner and farmer and is the proprietor of two farms, of 240 and 160 acres, and several tracts of land in St. Louis and farm lands in Pennington counties. He takes great interest in the management and the direction of the work of improvement of his farms, which are occupied by tenants. He is a member of the Democratic party and is widely known for his services in the political field and is active in conventions and in the direction of party affairs, he has never sought the honors of office, but has served as mayor for the past seven years and as treasurer for the past fourteen years, and has also served on the school board. He was appointed by Governor Hammond to the board of visitors to the state institutions but recently resigned from his membership in that body.

Mr. Conger's favorite recreation is a good game of the national diversion of baseball, which he enjoys from the standpoint of a former player, and he has given his support and influence to the encouragement of local enthusiasm and the home team.

In fraternal circles he was one of the organizers of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias and is Past Chancellor and a member of the Grand Lodge. He is a Royal Arch Mason and a member of the Elks lodge at Crookston.

Mr. Conger was married at Litchfield, to Leona Halverson, and her death occurred on September 14, 1902. His second marriage was solemnized with Louise A. Heiser of Albert Lea, Minnesota, December 8, 1903. He has one child, William L. Conger, who was born in 1901 and is a student in the junior year of the McIntosh high school.

Mr. Conger is a member of the board of managers of the Minnesota Society of the Sons of the Revolution. He is also a member of the executive council of the State Bankers association from the Ninth congressional district, and has served as president of the Ninth district group of bankers. He also served as vice president and director of the Northern Minnesota Development association and as president of the Commercial club.

[Note: Paragraph breaks added by researcher, Richard E. Henthorn on 24 July 2013. Mr. Henthorn makes the observation that the paragraph listing the other assistant cashiers of the Citizens State bank is very unusual in this type of biographical sketch.]

Raymond Martin Bell

Raymond Martin Bell

Wednesday, April 14, 1999
[Washington, PA "Observer-Reporter"]

Washington & Jefferson professor, genealogist, historian
Raymond Martin Bell, 92, of Coralville, Iowa, died Monday, April 12, 1999, in University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, following complications from a stroke on Saturday.

Dr. Bell was born March 21, 1907, in Weatherly, a son of the Rev. Frank and Marion Estelle Seibert Thompson.

He received his A.B. degree in 1928 at Dickinson College in Carlisle and his doctorate in physics from Pennsylvania State University in 1937.

From 1937 until 1975, Dr. Bell was a professor of physics at Washington and Jefferson College.

He was a fellow of the American Society of Genealogists and historian emeritus with the Western Pennsylvania United Methodist Conference.

Dr. Bell was a longtime contributor to local history and genealogy through his research and writing, and he was honored with a Life Membership in the Genealogical Society of Southwestern Pennsylvania in Washington.

On March 28, 1942, in Wilmore, he married Lillian Mae Kelly, who survives.

In 1995, he and his wife moved to Coralville and became members of Coralville United Methodist Church.

Surviving are a son, Dr. Edward F. Bell of Iowa City, Iowa; two daughters, Carol B. Macomber of Prairie Village, Kan., and Martha B. Butler of Elkton, Va.; five grandchildren, Kelly, Jeffrey, Adam, Lauren and Justin; and three great-grandchildren.
____________________________________

Funeral Notices

BELL - Friends of Raymond Martin Bell of Coralville, Iowa, who died Monday, April 12, 1999, will be received after 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., the hour of services, Wednesday, April 14, in Lensing's Oak Hill Funeral Service, Coralville, Iowa, with the Rev. Don Hodson officiating. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Washington and Jefferson College.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Research Your Family Tree Online

Research Your Family Tree Online:

This is an online user's guide from MakeUseOf.

I'm sharing the link without taking time to read the guide.  You'll have to be the judge of whether it is useful or not.

You are welcome to leave "comments" to this post if you form an opinion, one way, or the other.

'via Blog this'

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Send Me Everything You've Got!

Lately I've received several of those "send me everything you've got" genealogy requests. The person requesting the information almost never provides enough information to place them in the family tree and they don't offer to exchange information.

I've been working on genealogy for nearly twenty years and my head still just about explodes every time this happens. As this year comes to a close, I'm at the point where I think, for my own sanity, I should just "delete" these requests and go back to whatever it was I was doing.
3 December 2013