[Genealogy] Do You Know Shorthand, the Hired Man Connection, Full-Text Search Class
Michael John Neill
mjnrootdig at gmail.com
Mon Sep 14 08:13:47 CDT 2026
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Genealogy Update 13 Sept 2026
** Do You Know Shorthand?
** Full-Text Search Class Registration Ends 14 Sept--today
** FamilySearch Library Trip 2027
** Where is the Connection to the Hired Man?
** Recorded Webinars
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Do You Know Shorthand?
---------------------------
Can you read shorthand? I certainly cannot.
Shorthand testimony was taken in regards to the naturalization of Jane
Alice Donald in Adams County, Illinois, in 1921. The material appears with
other loose naturalization-related documents from Adams County, Illinois.
It’s not often I discover this much shorthand in a record–let alone an
entire record written in shorthand. It serves as a reminder that we can
easily encounter handwriting we cannot read in virtually any record–even
when most of other materials are written in a script with which we are
familiar.
I’m not related to Jane. I merely stumbled across this item while searching
for something else. It is located in “Naturalization related papers, cases
1-414, ca. 1830-1918” from Adams County, Illinois, as micofilmed by
*FamilySearch.*
Information about this item:
- direct link to first image on *FamilySearch*
<https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS97-RSY4-P?i=510&cat=620678>
- catalog entry for the entries from which this item was located on
*FamilySearch*
<https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/620678?availability=Family%20History%20Library>
Might be worth the time to see if AI can read it.
-------------------------------
5-Week Class on Using Full-Text Search--Don't Miss It!
Registration ends 14 Sept
-------------------------------
*5-week class on Using FamilySearch’s Full-Text Search*
With Michael John Neill
Are you getting the most from FamilySearch’s Full-Text Search? Our five
session class on FamilySearch’s full-text search will help you to get the
very most from this truly paradigm-shift way of searching. Presentation and
discussion is practical and down-to-earth. Students will receive practical
and easy-to-implement search strategies and will be encouraged to share
successes and failures with other class members via an online group and
discussion sessions.
Week 1
Overview of FamilySearch full-text search.
This session will provide an overview of full-text search methodology,
discuss how full-text search is different from typical searches, discuss
workarounds for transcription errors, searching specific sets of images,
and search organization.
Week 2
Sourcing and Determining what has been found with FamilySearch full-text
search.
This session will discuss determining what has actually been located,
downloading all information and images for a complete source citation, and
creating a completion citation.
Week 3
Common Name Searching at FamilySearch full-text search.
This session will discuss some specific strategies for searching for common
names in full-text search.
Week 4
Problem-Solving with FamilySearch full-text search.
This session will discuss search formulation, tracking, and problem-solving
when specific items have not been located.
Week 5
Wrap up
Structure
Lectures will be available for downloading the week before the discussion
session. Students will view presentation and do optional homework the week
before the discussion. Each week’s discussion will review the lecture,
discuss homework assignment, and have time for student questions and group
discussion. Homework is optional, but will help students to understand
concepts and get more from discussion sessions.
Discussion sessions will be held:
15, 22, 29 September and 6 and 13 October at 7:30 pm central time.
Class meetings will be via Zoom. Class communication will be via a Google
group. Registration for class is $70
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=BKU7EFP9P55C4>.
Purchasers of one of Michael’s previous FamilySearch’s full-text webinars
can order class for $20 less–contact Michael to request special discount
registration link.
Registration is limited and can be processed here
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=BKU7EFP9P55C4>.
Confirmation of registration will be made within 24 hours of receipt.
Contact Michael at mjnrootdig at gmail.com <mjnrootdig at gmail.comm> with
questions.
Special Announcement
Join Michael at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah–the
nation’s largest genealogical library.
Our trip dates are 12 May through 19 May 2027.
Dates of our trip are:
- *12 May*–arrive in Salt Lake City. Orientation and meet and greet at
6:30 p.m. in Salt Lake City Crystal Inn and Suites. Library closes at 8 pm.
- *13 May.* Morning presentation in hotel 8:00 am until 8:50 am (topic
to be determined–an hour long). Shuttle to Library afterwards. Library
closes at 8 p.m. Consultations with Michael in library during open hours.
- *14 May.* Morning presentation in hotel 8:00 am until 8:50 am (topic
to be determined–an hour long). Shuttle to Library afterwards. Library
closes at 6 p.m. Consultations with Michael in library during open hours.
- *15 May.* Morning presentation in hotel 8:00 am until 8:50 am (topic
to be determined–an hour long). Shuttle to Library afterwards. Library
closes at 6 p.m. Consultations with Michael in library during open hours.
- *16 May*. Library is closed on Sunday. Consultations with Michael (as
needed) on Sunday afternoon in hotel.
- *17 May *Morning presentation in hotel 8:00 am until 8:50 am(topic to
be determined–an hour long). Shuttle to Library afterwards. Library closes
at 6 p.m. Consultations with Michael in library during open hours.
- *18 May.* Morning presentation in hotel 8:00 am until 8:50 am (topic
to be determined–an hour long). Shuttle to Library afterwards. Library
closes at 8 p.m. Consultations with Michael in library during open hours..
- *19 May.* No morning presentation. Shuttle to library to arrive at
library by 9. Consultations with Michael in Library until 12 noon. Library
closes at 8 p.m.
Presentations are 40 minutes will include–specific days and times will be
announced later:
- *Full-Text Searching at FamilySearch*—*done before trip*.
- *Fee-based databases and subscription services at the FamilySearch
Library*—*done before trip*.
Trip includes:
- assistance with pre-trip planning via a group email list–*place to ask
questions, get help before we leave, etc. *
- pre-trip planning session via Zoom–date to be determined.
- on-site consultations with Michael–*multiple ones if necessary–I’m
usually available for onsite consultations at least six/seven hours every
day the library is open*
- morning presentations–*topics decided based on participant interest*
- Travel, meals, lodging, research expenses, etc. are not covered
Other details:
Participants are responsible for their own travel, lodging, meals, etc.
This is not a “part of the herd” trip where everyone does everything
together every day. We have a short presentation every morning when the
library opens at 9 (and occasionally some people choose not to attend one
or so of these if there’s a “burning research” issue they just can’t wait
to get at). Participants can have multiple research consultations during
the trip–our limitation is trying to make certain that everyone gets ample
opportunity to ask questions. Our trip atmosphere is laid back.
There will be two online meetings to discuss trip preparation. Day and time
of these to be determined. They will be recorded. Participants are
encouraged to communicate with Michael about their problem as soon as
practical.
Our group is kept small (no more than 25) to ensure everyone gets the
assistance they want and need. We don’t have a full day of “scheduled group
social activities” because I simply am not a big fan of them (other than
optional group meals–not included in registration). People with a variety
of research skill levels join us on our trip–some because they want some
guidance their first time at the library, some want some help with their
research, and others want the structure of being part of a group. We are
flexible.
Participants are encouraged to communicate their problems with me as much
before the trip as possible. Pre-planning helps.
Lodging:
We have a group rate at the Crystal Inn and Suites in Salt Lake with
pre-tax rates of $139.
Registration:
Total registration is $375. No cancellation fee for cancellations before 15
February 2027. Cancellations between 15 February 2027 and 1 March are
subject to a $75 cancellation fee. No cancellation fee if someone else
takes your place.
- complete fee of $375 <https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/N7NZ68VHTDZHE>
- save your place with a $125 deposit
<https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/SSLXVMDDF66ZW>
--------------------
Where is the Connection to the Hired Man?
--------------------
It’s always the connections that we do not know that can confuse us beyond
belief.
In 1860, the household of farmers Charles and Rachel Cox in Montebello
Township, Hancock County, included several of their children a farm
laborer, George Kraft. The Coxes were Kentucky natives (aged 64 and 56
respectively) and comparatively well-off with Charles indicating he had
$10,000 in real property and $1500 in personal property.
Based upon the ages of the Cox’s apparent children, they had been in
Illinois for approximately twenty years–possibly longer.
1860 US Census, Hancock County, Illinois, Montebello Township, page 323
One may be tempted to think that the young farm laborer living with them
was a relative. The 15-year old was a Kentucky native and one could easily
weave a reasonable tale that he was a nephew or some such relative who was
living with the family.
That’s not necessarily true.
It’s not necessarily false.
What is known is that Craft was the son of German immigrants who spent a
short time in Campbell County, Kentucky.
What is also known is that Craft’s step-mother’s brother (Henry
Trautvetter) was living a few households away in the same township in 1860.
Craft’s father, George Craft, and step-mother, were living north of
Montebello Township in the city of Nauvoo.
How did George Craft end up at the Coxes working as a young hired man?
I’m not certain. But it is possible that it had more to do with Craft’s
step-mother’s brother living nearby than the fact that the Coxes were
originally from Kentucky. *Note: A superficial search into Charles Cox
suggests that he left Kentucky by 1820 and moved to Indiana and later into
Illinois*. *At that point in time, the Craft and extended families were
still in Germany. Based upon this information, it seems more likely that
the George Kraft the hired man* *was “connected” to the Coxes through their
geographic proximity in Illinois–probably with George’s father’s
brother-in-law. *
--------------------
Webinars
--------------------
Ready-to-Go Webinars from Michael–download immediate:
-
Creating Children’s Stories from Genealogy Events
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/creating-childrens-stories-from-genealogy-information/>
-
Creating Families from pre-1850 Census Records
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/creating-families-from-pre-1850-census-records/>
-
DeedMapper webinars
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/deedmapper-intro-and-more-deedmapper-webinars/>
-
FamilySearch Catalog
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/02/19/using-the-familysearch-catalog-webinar/>
-
Farming Ancestor webinars–landowner and non-landowner versions
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/rooting-around-for-farmers-and-tenants-and-laborers/>
-
Full-Text Search at FamilySearch
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/08/05/updated-familysearch-full-text-search-webinar/>
-
Full-Text Search at FamilySearch with Common Names
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2025/11/04/common-names-at-familysearch-full-text-webinar/>
-
How Errors Get in Records
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/how-errors-get-in-records-webinar/>
-
Illinois Genealogy Research
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/03/10/genealogy-research-in-illinois-webinar/>
-
Unburying Funeral Home Records
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/unburying-funeral-home-records/>
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Michael John Neill
Genealogy Tip of the Day
PO Box 17
Henderson, IL 61439
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