www.itowler.com - Ian's Home on the web

Every year I set a few goals for the year, and often time, goals about my family tree are in the works.  In the past I have been more concerned about "growing" the tree based on the number of individuals alone, but this year I am also looking to improve the "Quality" of the tree, by increasing the number and use of sources in the tree.  Previously, it was easy to discern if I had met my goal, just record the number of Individuals that I had before the year started, and compare to the number I have at the end of the year.  This year, I will be looking at more than just the number of individuals that are added, so I need to record more data at the start of the year.  This post is intended to do that.  With that said lets get started.

Every year I have set some goals and then through out the year post about my progress.  This year will be no different.  I hope to accomplish a few more of them this year.  I did not have a lot of luck in accomplishing last years goals.  

I use goals and not resolutions because a goal is something you work toward.  A resolution, one mistake, and the resolution is "blown" but a goal is the finish line, you just need to get there.  Does not matter how fast.

So on to the goals:

OK, its the end of 2011 (Hummmm... that was fast.).  At the start of the year I set a number of goals, lets see how I did on meeting those goals.... Red means I did not meet the goal and Green means I did meet the goal.

I am 1 of 7 x 10⁹  on this planet (so are you...)

Today, 31 October 2011 the United Nations (as well as others) have determined that the Global population has reached 7 billion people.    

7 Billion People.... That's a lot.  Granted the number may be off a little:

"The U.N. recognizes that its own figures come with a 1 to 2 percent margin of error. Today's population could actually be 56 million higher or lower than 7 billion," according to U.N. population estimates expert Gerhard Heilig.

Some of you may know that I am an active member of the National Society Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR).  To be a member you must be able to prove direct descent from an individual that either fought for or in some other manner supported the American cause in the Revolutionary War.  I became an approved member on April 12, 2008.  The first patriot that I used to join with is Joseph Towler.  Joseph served in the Virginia Army, and also donated materials in support of the cause.  

OK, its the end of the Q3 of the year (Hummmm... that was fast.).  At the start of the year I set a number of goals, lets see how I am doing on meeting those goals.... Red means still have work to do, Green means I am on track to meeting the goal.

Lose weight

I have been really bad about this one, and I keep making excuses.  Truth is that I am not even sure where I am on this one right now.  I have not stepped on a scale in several months.  I have not been doing well about watching and documenting what I am eating... I have not made it to the gym yet...

These three individuals are really giving me problems.  These three are all that stand in the way to me proving Thomas Arbuckle as a patriot for myself and the NSSAR as well as my mother and grandmother for the NSDAR.  I am looking for any and all information that can be credibly sourced to help me document these Individuals.

Here is what I know:

• James Arbuckle: Born: 1769. Died 1845 in Rush County, Indiana. Married Susannah Bland. Shows up on the 1840 US Census records in Bartholomew County, Indiana.  Son to Thomas Arbuckle.  Father to John Arbuckle (Below)
• John Arbuckle: Born: 1788.  Died 1853 in Washington County, Indiana.  Married Margaret "Peggy" Stucker.  Shows up in the 1840 & 1850 US Census records Bartholomew County, Indiana.  Father to James Arbuckle (Below, I know...name recycling can cause some confusion....)
• James Arbuckle: Born: 10 Oct 1816. Died 02 July 1883 in Bartholomew County, Indiana.  Married Henrietta louisa Spaugh (Spach).  Shows up in the 1850 & 1860 US Census records in Bartholomew County, Indiana.  Father to Martin Arbuckle.

These lineages are commonly accepted, but I have yet to run across any sort of document that can offer an sort of proof.  I have proved that James Arbuckle (1769) is the son of Thomas Arbuckle.  I have proved that Martin Arbuckle is the son of James Arbuckle (1816).  But I still need help proving that:

Where in the world did this happen?

I have to thank Mr. Dick Eastman for pointing this out, but it appears that Ancestry.com will be making the images and index to the 1940 US Census free for all to access.  According to a statement released yesterday (17 Aug 2011) on their "Corporate Blog" (which you can find here) Ancestry.com States: "Ancestry.com is committing to make the 1940 Census free from release through to the end of 2013, and by doing so hopes to help more people get started exploring their family history.  As this census will be the most recent to be made publicly available, it represents the best chance for those new to family history to make that all-important first discovery." 

For me this is big news, as I have dropped my Ancestry.com membership and had talked (here) about joining again for the 1940 census records.  Looks like I may not have to do that.  

At the end of June I had a blog entry that talked about the Partnership between the NSSAR and Ancestry.com.  Ancestry.com had announced a new collection of records, the Application files of the NSSAR members.  All applications that were made to the NSSAR prior to 1970 were digitized and added to the Ancestry.com collection.  One of the "Gotcha's" for this new collection is that you can not use the normal print or save image features that are found on Ancestry.com.  Instead, you are directed to the NSSAR website to request a Record copy of the application.

The Collection had free access from June 30 2011 through July 4th 2011.  As SAR webmaster I was very interested on how the potential for a large number of visitors from Ancestry.com would affect the SAR website.  In my previous post I indicated that I would let you know how it went, so here we are.