Lesson 9 – History and Genealogy Resources – Ancestry Library, Heritage Quest and Sanborn Maps

I typed in my full name, year of birth, and South Dakota, USA as a place where I have lived and Ancestry Library listed 3 different results with my name and two of my old addresses and phone numbers.  The first result had me living there from 1935 (not born yet) until 1993.  I did not move there until 1997.  The second result had me living there from 1998 until 2001.  Although I owned the land there until much later, I actually moved away (and took the house with me) from there in 2000.  The third result had me at my current address since 2002 even though I had been there since 2000.  It was fun to look at and they all had my correct information for my addresses, phone numbers and the town I lived in. 

The categories off to the left hand side were fun to look through too.  I can see why this would get to be addicting.

I went back and typed in my maiden name, which is a lot more common than my married name and it came up with over 6 million results in South Dakota.  When I narrowed the towns that I lived in and was born in, the results went down a few but not by many.  What fun!

Using the census information, I was able to find the record of when my grandfather was 11 years old back in 1930.  I knew that my mother had been born in Britton SD, which was listed as his town, but it also listed Miller Township.  Because I was unaware of his exact birthdate, I found it by using my grandmother’s name and then matching records because I knew he had a sister named Alice.

By using the advanced search I typed in South Dakota and searched under photos and maps.  The results listed over 3 million different options so I narrowed it down by adding my grandfather’s name and home town.  I was given over 300 pictures, but they were listed as other people’s names and towns that I did not type in. 

While using HeritageQuest, I looked for my grandmother’s name under the 1930 census in South Dakota using her maiden name.  When it did not find any results, I tried my grandfather’s name and information again since I had found it on AncestryLibrary.  It too showed no results.    So I clicked on the search tips link.  It told me that the index captures the head of household only, so I went back and typed in my great-grandfather’s name and 1920 instead of 1930(which was only partially completed).  I found out that my grandfather also lived in Webster, SD when he was 1 year old.  This was also the last census record for his mother who passed away before the 1930 census took place.   I was interested in learning how to tell who his neighbors were because when his mother died, the neighbors took his infant brother in and later left town to raise him as their own.  My grandfather tracked down his little brother later in life and I wouldn’t be surprised if he used either ancestry or heritagequest to help find him. 

While using Sanborn Maps, I typed in South Dakota and Chamberlain for the last date possible (July 1928-Sept 1934).  I was interested in the first map with the index with the island that used to be in the middle of the river here called “American Island”.  On the map, it still shows the original bridge to the island that we still can see the pillars sticking out of the water today and a bridge for the railroad tracks that no longer exists or was moved to a new location.  It also shows more plots of land rather than buildings.  I looked for my parent’s home and was only able to see the plot of land.

 I tried one of the other maps and found the building that used to be where the library is located now and then I found the old court house where the library used to be that had burnt down.  The local post office, old city hall, and movie theater are still in the same places.  A lot of the lots were mapped out but had no buildings on them.   There were several residents on Main Street where businesses now sit.