Genealogy Journal - Hudson Family Update

Ok, I believe that I have spent way too much time sorting through and documenting all the Randolph Co., NC Hudson families! I started this project on 2/20/09 and for the past 5 days I have been inputting deed, land, and census information into an excel database and my Family Tree Maker software. Each time I find a new Hudson family member, I look for his or her census reports. Here is my hourly breakdown of time spent on this project (this is more for my own FYI to see how much time I spend/waste on collateral lines)

2/23/09, 7:30-10:30: Went through excel database and entered all Deed records for Hudson families in Randolph Co., NC. These were copied from the Randolph Co., NC deed index list I copied from the grantors index film at the archives. My next goal would be to locate and copy the actual deeds.

2/24/09, 7:30-10:30: Went through excel database and entered all Land grant records into FTM software under corresponding name(s). I entered the records as sources cited for the name records and I copied all record summaries into the notes section of each person involved. I updated the excel spreadsheet with a note that said I had entered the record as a source and as notes in my family tree maker software. I had a deed record for a Wesley Hudson, so I looked for him on the census reports. That is how I found the family of Elizabeth Hudson.

10:30-11:30 pm: Found and started sorting through the Elizabeth Hudson family mentioned above. Started inputting into my FTM software, then I realized that all the children listed in the census reports were not necessarily Elizabeth's children, so I had to undo what I had done. Entered census info into Hudson excel spreadsheet and copied for each name.

2/25/09 - 8:30 - 11:30 am: trying to muddle through the census reports of Elizabeth Hudson in Randolph Co., NC for the years 1850-1880. She had 3 daughters, each listed with the Hudson surname and several grandchildren between them, also listed with the Hudson surname. I have been trying to figure out what child belongs to what daughter so that I can input them into my family tree maker sofware correctly. Then I got caught up in looking at Randolph Co., NC marriage records for the Hudson family to try to get a better understanding of why the Hudson daughters did not use their married names on the census reports. And because I am as particular as I am, I simply had to have ALL of the Hudson marriages documented up to 1900!!! and entered into my excel database and family tree maker software. Marriage information can be found in Ancestry.com's "North Carolina Marriage Collection, 1741-2004." This database is a compilation of 3 original sources - 1) FHL film from the County Court Records at Asheboro, NC, 2) North Carolina County Marriage Indexes from the North Carolina State Archives, and the 3) North Carolina Marriage Index, 1962-2004 from the North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics; The indexes from the Archives in # 2 above for Randolph County, NC include scanned images of the "Indexed Register of Marriages - Woman." The index for brides names beginning with HO in marriage books 1-4 covering years 1860-1888 is scanned page 40; That for marriage book 5 for years 1889-1900 was also on page 40 (a second scanned page). Marriage records for the grooms were found under the brides' surnames. I saved the two scanned images of page 40 and the individual scanned images of the Hudson grooms. For the records from # 1 above (FHL film from Asheboro court house) I compiled the records into a word document. I will sort through them later.

Today I will spend more time entering all of the marriage information I found into my excel database and family tree maker software. I just can't stop myself! I keep finding records and I have to put them into the databases. Oh yeah, in case you are wondering, I use the excel database as a source and name tracker. I input all data like source name, repository, date, person's name and notes as individual cells going across a row. Then I can just filter a column of interest, like a data or a name and I will only see records for that date or person's name. It helps me track what records I found in what source. I usually collect all records of that surname of interest from every source I look at.

I think I will have to stop working on the Hudson family once the marriage records are entered. But it's so hard to stop sometimes!