Ask a Genealogist

Question:  In 1778, my Litchfield, Conn. ancestor was sued for 3,000 pounds for beating up a man in a neighboring town. Three thousand pounds sounds like a great deal of money - how much would that be worth in today's terms?

Answer: In 1778 the value of 3,000pounds would be in 2011 dollars worth $ 442,656.17

The following website is where I did the conversion for you - http://uwacadweb.uwyo.edu/numimage/currency.htm

Question: My grand father told us we were related to the founder of the Knights of Columbus organization.  Do you know the surname of the founder?

Answer:  The Knights of Columbus was founded by Rev. Michael J. McGivney (1852-1890).  In 1882 the organization was started by him and some of the parishoner's of St. Mary's Church in New Haven, Conn.

Question: Is there an early state Census for Maine in the 19th century?  I believe I heard someone lecture about it at NEHGS about a decade ago.

Answer:  Yes there is a state census for part of Maine for 1837. This is not a complete transcription, however you may find what you are seeking online here:  http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~meandrhs/history/usdebt/census/maine/1837.html

Question:  Can you tell me if there has been any recent work on the life of Hugh Ditson of Haverhill, Massachusetts?  He married in 1694 to Sarah Ross.

Answer:  According to Martin E. Hollick's new edition of New Englanders in the 1600s. (Boston, NEHGS, 2012) the most recent is the following.  In The Essex Genealogist volume 27, pages 67-70, 107-119, 160-67; and 28:17-28.  This can be used at NEHGS, or requested from our NEHGS photocopy service.  We are placing the The Essex Genealogist online, however currently we have vols. 1-20 online at: http://web1.americanancestors.org/search.aspx?Ca=098&Da=396

Question: While going through the pension file for my great-great Uncle I have a location at a cemetery he was buried in.  Do you know why he was buried in Togus, Maine if he did not live there?

Answer: The Eastern Branch of the Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers at Togus is actually in Chelsea, Maine.  It served as the residence where many New England Civil War veterans lived starting in 1866. Some veterans and their spourses are buried in the cemetery located there.  The actual records for Soldiers Home survive and are on National Archives microfilm and also on Ancestry.com.  Since you have a burial location the following cemetery map may be of some use to you: http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/maps/togus822.pdf   If you would like to confirm other burials at the Department of Veterans Affairs offers a Nationwide database which includes Togus at: http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/j2ee/servlet/NGL_v1

Question: Can you tell me the easiest way to search for New Brunswick land that was assigned by the British Crown in the 19th century?

Answer: I would suggest you start with the index of New Brunswick Land Grants which is available online from the New Brunswick Provincial Archives.  You can search the Land Grants covering the period of 1784-1997, covering over 54,000 records.

To begin your search go online to:

http://archives.gnb.ca/APPS/GovRecs/RS686/Default.aspx?culture=en-CA