Dick Eastman, you’ve done it again!

What in the world am I talking about, you say, and what did Dick do, anyway?

First a little background…

You may have noticed that I haven’t blogged much lately…not much…not at all, actually! Why?

2 reasons, actually:

1. I’ve been really busy trying to get a new business off the ground, something I can do for a bit of extra income, something that will be available when I actually retire from my “real job” when I reach 65, which is only 15 years away. (Hopefully it won’t take 15 years to get it off the ground! My Dad had his own business for 40 yrs,  so I hope his talent at running a successful business is genetic!).
2. Simply put, I was burned out on genealogy and needed a break.

Well, the business seems to be improving, although slowly.

So, I’m getting kinda interested in the hunt again, I just need a little jump start…

Enter Dick Eastman and his wonderful online newletter!

I’ve been reading EOGN and several other genealogy-related feeds in my Google Reader for a long time, even during my burnout phase.

Today Dick has posted an interesting article about the 1890 Census thought to be lost to fire, and later mold and mildew. His post points to an article in the Terre Haute, Indiana News (online):

GENEALOGY: Only 6,160 names saved from 1890 census tragedy

Only 6,160 names out of a population of nearly 63 million on the 1890 census were saved. That is only about one-hundredth of 1 percent. Yet, if your ancestor was living in one of the counties recovered, the name is worth looking for because they are all indexed.

Many people aren’t aware, however, that much more of the 1890 census was saved — in the form of the Special Enumeration of Union Veterans and Widows.

About this time a little bell goes off in my head…Union Veterans and Widows…hummmmmm….

About 9 months ago, I made the very surprising discovery that my 2nd great-grandfather Isaac Turner had served in the Union Army during the Civil War!  This was amazing to me because no one in my family, not even my grandmother (Isaac’s granddaughter) knew that he was a Yankee soldier.

When I read Dick’s article today, my mind instantly (well, sorta) went to 2nd great-grandfather Isaac. So, off to Ancestry.com I went, to the 1890 Veterans Schedules, and guess who I found?

(drumroll, please…)

Not Isaac, since he died in 1888. But wife Sarah was right there in front of me!

Line #8 reads “Sarah S Turner”!

While there is little info other than the name and where she lived (JP 3, Hill Co, TX), it is one more piece of the puzzle, and perhaps even more important…

I AM JUMP-STARTED!

Thanks, Dick!