"The Oral History Workshop" by Cynthia Hart with Lisa Sampson

I always keep an eye on the genealogy reference section at the local bookstores for interesting new offerings. A little bit ago, I noticed The Oral History Workshop by Cynthia Hart with Lisa Sampson. As a genealogist, interviews are a great way to obtain family history stories and information, so I've been interesting in this book. Today, I finally decided to buy it and I would recommend it to any genealogist or family historian.

The book is organized into advise and tips for before, during and after the interview. The book includes great tips for preparation, including how to make yourself and your interviewee comfortable, different ways to record the interview and the pros and cons of those techniques, ways to keep the interview ethical, and even tips for self-interviewing. Next up, the book includes a large amount of interview questions for just about any situation. From the generic to the very specific, I found a large number of question ideas that were new to me and made we want to grab my recorder and find someone to interview. Finally, this book will also help you to figure out what to do with all the information that you'll collect, from storage and backup copies to indexing and editing to creating books.

The authors obviously have diverse experience with interviewing and have great tips to share. They've organized the book very well and I especially loved the charts filled with quick reference information, such as "recording 101" and "the terrific twenty [questions]" and "a few of their favorite things." Overall, the book is written in an easy style and great tone that makes the book flow seamlessly.

As someone who has done a good number of interviews with family members, I found that this book still offered a lot of great information to offer. After reading it, I asked my mom a few of the questions and got great responses. I even got some information out of my dad, who is makes an interview like pulling teeth. It turns out that, although the only thing he had to say about his wedding was "We went down to the courthouse and got married," he still remembers the exact outfit that my mom wore (which was not a white dress).  I'm looking forward to trying out more of the tips and interview questions from this book in the future.

This book is available from Amazon.com for $10.36 or from BN.com for $11.07.

Wordless Wednesday

Surname Saturday - Leaphart

The Leaphart branch of my family tree is a pretty short one: only two generations, from father to daughter. My Great-Great Grandmother was Ida Leaphart, born in 1863 in Lexington County, South Carolina. Her parents were Frank E and Julia (Crapps) Leaphart, born in 1836 and 1834 respectively, also in Lexington County.

Lexington County is part of South Carolina's 'Dutch Fork,' the home of many german settlers. The Leaphart name is found most predominately in this same region, as well as in Baveria, Germany. The name doesn't seem very popular outside of these regions, so it's possibly a variation of another name. A likely varation of this name might be Liebhart, which is also found in Bavaria, as well as other parts of Germany and Austria.

I've run into some brick walls researching my Leaphart ancestors. I haven't discovered Frank E Leaphart's parents, nor his death information. I have sent off to the SC Archive for two sets of estate and guardianship records for him and his three children and hope that these records will provide a great deal of information.

___________________________________________

Frank E. Leaphart
b. abt 1836, , Lexington, SC
d. bef 1870
& Julia Ann Crapps
b. abt 1834, , Lexington, SC
d. bef 1870
| Wade Leaphart
| b. abt 1855, , Lexington, SC
| d. 12 Nov 1920, , Richmond, SC
| & Maria J. UNKNOWN
| b. abt 1856, SC
| m. abt 1876
| | Albert Frank Leaphart
| | b. 30 Jun 1879, SC
| | & May UNKNOWN
| | b. abt 1891, SC
| | John Wilkes Leaphart
| | b. 15 Mar 1881, SC
| | Mammie W. Leaphart
| | b. abt 1886, SC
| | Julia Bell Leaphart
| | b. abt 1889, SC
| | Thomas G. Leaphart
| | b. abt 1892, SC
| Pierce Leaphart
| b. 8 Dec 1860, SC
| d. 2 Feb 1923, Columbia, Richland, SC
| & Alice E. UNKNOWN
| b. abt 1858, SC
| | Viola E. Leaphart
| | b. abt 1883, SC
| | Daniel D. Leaphart
| | b. abt 1885, SC
| | John T. Leaphart
| | b. abt 1887, SC
| | Joseph Leaphart
| | b. abt 1890, SC
| | Mary E. Leaphart
| | b. abt 1894, SC
| | Julia H. Leaphart
| | b. abt 1897, SC
| | Foster Leaphart
| | b. abt 1901, SC
| Ida Leaphart
| b. 30 May 1863, , Lexington, SC
| d. 26 Jul 1952, Eau Claire, Richland, SC
| & John Willis Hyler
| b. 23 Jun 1861, , Lexington, SC
| d. 11 Apr 1949, , Richland, SC
| m. abt 1883
| | Jesse Carry Hyler
| | b. May 1884, SC
| | d. aft 1952
| | & William Sykes Perry
| | Alicia E Hyler
| | b. Dec 1885, SC
| | Julie Belle Hyler
| | b. 13 Nov 1890, SC
| | d. Jul 1975
| | & Tillman T Kaminer
| | Lee W Hyler
| | b. May 1892, SC
| | Frank Lenard Hyler
| | b. 15 Jan 1894, Gilbert, Lexington, SC
| | & Gladys
| | Lillian Hyler
| | b. 12 Dec 1885, SC
| | d. Dec 1973, SC
|  |  & Unknown Mizell
|  |  Mary E Hyler
|  |  b. Jul 1896, SC
|  |  & Clarence Sharpe
|  |  Eula A Hyler
|  |  b. 1897, SC
|  |  & Unknown Graham
|  |  Mannie B Hyler
|  |  b. May 1899, SC
|  |  & F E Rheinhardt
|  |  Vary Americus Mack Huyler
|  |   b. 2 Apr 1903, Columbia, Richland, SC
|  |   d. 23 Nov 1976, High Point, Guilford, NC
|  |  & Ruby Lee Waters
|  |  Iva Hyler
|  |  b. est 1907, SC

Amanuensis Monday - John Dorn's Will

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History have placed some great genealogically relevant documents online. One collection that's especially helpful is "Will Transcripts 1782 - 1855." I've found a number of wills for my ancestors, including one for John Dorn Sr, my 6x Great-Grandfather. It is probably the most interesting will that I've found so far and greatly helped my research. Here's the transcription:

____________________________________

Will of

John Dorn

State of South Carolina \

Edgefield District /

In the name of God, amen.

I John Dorn, Sen., of the District & State aforesaid, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, but weak in body & calling to mind the uncertainty of life & being desirous to dispose of all such wordly Estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner following, that is to say:

1. I give and bequeath to my children as follows, viz, William B. Dorn, Robert Dorn, John Dorn, Rebecca Smith, Benjamin Dorn, James Dorn, Mary Turner, Densely Dorn & Soloman Dorn, all my estate both real & personal, Equal Share & Share alike, except that portion that shall hereinafter be otherwise disposed of.

2. It is my desire, that immediately after my Death, my Executors cause all my Slaves to be loted out into Nine parcels as nearly Equal as possible, by some three compotent disinterested men, to be chosen by them, and by said three, to be valued to the best of their abilities; and immediately after allottment & valuation, my said children to draw, each one for themselves, one lot or share aforesaid; except my sons Densely & Benjamin, who shall be drawn for by my Executors.

3. I desire that immedaitely after my Death my Executors after giving a reasonable notice, expose all the remainder of my Estate both real & personal, to public sale to the highest bider, on such terms as they may deem expedient.

4. I loan to my wife Sarah Dorn one thousand dollars, with one year provisions, & such house furniture as my ex'rs may think proper; to be held in trust by them, or either of them, for her use and benefit, so long as she may live; and at her Death, any of said funds that may exist, be equally divided between my children aforesaid , or their heirs.

5. After all my Funeral expenses & just Debts be paid, out of the proceeds of the sale of my Estate aforesaid & other funds that I may be in possession of, I desire that my Executors make an equal distribution of all my estate as aforesaid, amongst my children aforesaid their heirs or assigns, taking in consideration the valuation of the different lots of slaves aforesaid.

6. In consideration of the deranged situation of my Sons Benjamin & Densley aforesaid, it is my desire that my son Soloman Dorn take the charge & care of my said son Benjamin first giving a sufficient bond to my son-in-low, Robert M. Smith, binding himself, his heirs and assigns, for the good & faithful Care-taking of my said son Benjamin so long as he shall live; and that Solomon aforesaid, in consideration of saud incumbrance, Shall have and hold for the use of himself & his heirs forever, all the Estate herein bequeathed to the said Benjamin; provided Said Benjamin Shall live more than Fifteen years after my Death; but should the said Benjamin Die before the expiration of fifteen years aforesaid, then the said Solomon Dorn, shall be fully compensated for all the trouble & expense he may necessarily be at in the Care-taking of said Benjamin aforesaid, and the remainder of said Benjamin's estate be equally devided among my children afresaid, their heirs or assigns and that my son-in-law Robert Smith take the charge & care of my said Son Densley Dorn, first giving sufficient bong to my Son Solomon Dorn, binding himself, his heirs & assigns for the good and faithful Care-taking of my said son, Densley Dorn, so long as he shall live, and that Robert Smith aforesaid in consideration of said incombrance shall have and hold for the use and benefit of himself, his heirs and assigns forever, All the Estate herein bequeathed to the son Densley Dorn, provided ----------- the said Densley Dorn Shall continue insane and live over fifteen years From my Death; but provided the said Densley, should at any time during his life be restored to his proper mind, he is to have the control of his estate, by paying said Robert M. A reasonable charge for his trouble in the care taking of him the said Densely aforesaid; but should said Densley, Die before the expiration of the fifteen years from the time of my Death, then the said Robert M. To be fully compensated for all the trouble and expense he may necessarily have been at in the care-taking of the said Densley, and the remainder of his estate aforesaid to be equally devided amongst my children aforesaid, their heirs or assings.

7. I constitute and appoint my sons, Robert Dorn & Solomon Dorn, Executors of this my last Will and Testament, by me so made; Revoking all other wills by me heretofore made. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and afixed my seal, this third day of Feb. A. D. One thousand eight hundred & forty-six, & of American Independence Seventieth signed, sealed, Published & declared, as & for the last will and Testament of the above named John Dorn, Sen. In the presence of

John Quattabum John Dorn (seal)

John Lendrum

Marchel Cornolly (Note- Four words interlined before assigned)

Recorded in Will Book "D" pages 285-6-7-

June 16, 1846, J. Hill, O.E.D.

Box 54-pkg-2249

____________________________________