What began as a request for research tips at the New England Historical Genealogical Society, quickly turned into an online research-fest when blogger Midge Frazel, Granite in My Blood, read my research goals. Seems Midge loves a puzzle, and before I was out of bed this morning, Midge was emailing me from New England with all kinds of helpful information, including the possible burial place of my ancestor. It’s a case of genealogical kindness of the best kind.
The small Mathewson Cemetery located off Winsor Avenue in Johnston, RI is reported to have 75 burials, and yes, Midge, that looks like a monument to me too!
Just in case there are still folks who think that technology isn’t worth the bother, I thought it would be instructive to list how technology helped us connect:
- Sunday morning – While reading the February 2009 Scanfest Archive from AnceStories, I noted that Midge Frazel mentioned doing research at the NEHGS.
- Contacted Midge via her Facebook page; chatted briefly at Scanfest Sunday 27 March.
- Monday, Midge and I talked via email and she gave me some good tips for working at “HisGen.”
- Tuesday, Midge finds a Will extract naming my ancestor Henry M. Winsor, at genealogy.com and locates a small Mathewson cemetery in Johnston, RI using GoogleMaps; forwards pdf and jpg image files.
- I scan and send Midge pdf images of letters to and from the Mathewson family that I received from a Vermont researcher my mother found on a message board.
Whew! It’s not even noon on the West Coast and suddenly the walls are coming down. We’ve connected through Facebook, CoverItLive, and email; discovered information through database searches and virtual map imagery; and shared information through digital files scanned or copied and sent via email. I can only imagine how long it would have taken B.I. (Before Internet) to accomplish so much. Thanks Midge. This is the best Tombstone Tuesday ever!
Thanks, Joan. I may be taking you up on your offer sooner than you think.
Miriam, it just shows how you never know quite what's around the corner. Scanfest as a collaborative experience!
Wonderful post about Genea-Techno age collaboration 🙂 Hope you find those Winsors…let me know if you need any more Canadian records.
Hey! I'm so glad Scanfest played a part in this! 🙂
Thanks, Beth! RAOGK are going strong among Rhode Islanders. You can be sure that Midge and I will be in touch for help with the Winsor/Mathewson line.
Hello, I live in Johnston, RI, and am familiar with the Mathewson Farm cemetery – I’ve taken photos there in the past. I also work for the local “Johnston Sun Rise” newspaper and am supposed to interview the property owner (I think its been in the Mathewson family for three or four generations) about their selling the development rights to the State.
Let me know if you need any more info on the cemetery – I’m also a member of the Johnston Historical Societ. Winsor is a common name, there’s a Winsor Road, Winsor Hill Elementary School, and also Winsor homesteads in Johnston and nearby Smithfield. Also a William Winsor Elementary School in Smithfield, RI.
Anyone who loves genealogy is usually willing to help another.
Beth Hurd
Johnston, RI
beth.hurd at cox.net
Is everyone in New England related to everyone else? They surely did recycle names “back then.” I think Midge and I are determined to follow this one to the highest branch.
stay tuned.
Absolutely awesome! I always think the technogeek stuff on TV is so far-fetched, yet see what a couple of tech-savvy geneabloggers can do …
Wow! That is amazing!
This is great! Thanks for sharing!
Very interesting!
It is so funny that Winsor is coming up; I just posted on my blog about my 4th-great grandfather, John Winsor, in Duxbury, MA.
I grew up in Bridgewater and went to school with Midge’s daughter. But I have more in common with Midge herself! LOL
Anyhow, I’d love to know where your Winsors lead!
Yes, but where is it that you and I are related? I will keep digging!