Starting my Genealogy is intimidating?

Hi Peeps, and Happy New Year 2018!! I've joined a challenge for my genealogy that's called "52 weeks of 52 ancestors". Amy Johnson Crow came up with this challenge, gives you prompts for your 52 weeks, and... it's free. You can sign up anytime by clicking Here for the details.

Week #1  Start
I began my genealogical roller coaster ride in 1986, a year before my dad died, when I was 39 years old. I was never intimidated when I started, even though I didn't know how to go about such a thing.

About 3 years after I started I decided it might be a good idea to join a genealogical group in my town if there was one to be found. There was, Summit County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, and I joined. This allowed me to talk to people with the same interest and to learn how to actually start having successful researches.

I grew up hearing about the family of my mom's [Martha Ellen Renner Dailey] family through her and her mother, my grandmother, Nellie Ruth [Hitchcock] Renner. However, I had literally no knowledge of my dad's [Martin John Dailey] family. Now we lived with Grandma Dailey until she died when I was 12 years old, but she never talked about her family or my Grandfather's family.

I knew that Grandpa Dailey was Charles Dailey, and that he died when dad was a young boy. I also  knew that the name of my Grandpa Dailey's father was Joseph Dailey and his wife's name was Elizabeth, possibly Cowdrey or Corder.

The Dailey family moved from Chillicothe, Ross Co, Ohio to Akron, Summit Co, Ohio when my dad was about 3 yrs old, or around 1911. We would randomly make trips to Chillicothe to see some of dad's cousins but if they talked about the earlier generations I never knew about it.  Dad didn't have many memories of  my Grandpa since he was so young when Grandpa died. But he did say he would have to go to "Zimmerman's" bar to fetch his dad home from drinking, and that when he worked he was a carpenter. Sadly, that was the end of my knowledge about my Dailey ancestry.

I have been trying, off and on, since 1986 to find information on my Gr Grandfather's parents and family but still only have possibilities. I've fared a little better with [Philomena 'Minnie' Margaret Mathias Dailey] my Grandma Dailey... but that's for another day.

Well peeps, that's how I got started in the search for ancestors... and it continues today. Thanks for stopping by... and have a wonderful day. I welcome all comments.

#52ancestors

Joseph Dailey & Elizabeth Corder

Joseph Dailey was my paternal Great Grandfather. Records (mainly Census records and a Death record) indicate that Joseph was born in, or around, Martinsburg, Berkeley County, Virginia in December 1825. I have reason to believe Joseph was the son of John Daily and Rebecca Booth of Virginia, but cannot prove it 100% at this time.

Important background: In 1863 the state of West Virginia was formed when 50 counties (including Berkeley) separated from Virginia. It makes it difficult to find out where a document might be. I have found on records the surname spelling of Dailey and Daily are interchangeable, and many times on the same document. And… I find the same problem no matter what state I’m researching.

Although Joseph was born in Virginia it seems he came to Ross County, Ohio by the 1840 census, as did his alleged parents John and Rebecca (Booth) Dailey or Daily. Joseph and his family originally settled in Ross County is Richmondale,

Joseph married Elizabeth Corder in Chillicothe on January 9, 1848. Elizatbeth’s surname is another mystery as to what the actual spelling. On their marriage record it's listed as Corder. On the birth records for their children it is written Corder, Cordy, Cordery, Cowdry, and Cordray. Joseph may have married a 2nd time to a Elizabeth Crathers; but I have not been able to confirm or deny this.

Joseph and Elizabeth had 9 known children:
       Thurman   [1847-?] married Nellie Piles
       John          [1852-1919]
       Lydia "Liddie" [1854-1946] married David Leach
       Darthulia        [1855-?] married Wesley Denny
       Jacob "Jake"  [1859-1914] married Molly Davis
       Elizabeth Rebecca "Libby" [1860-1932] married Peter H Flesher
       Aretha Mae    [1864-1938] married Joseph Mathias
       Charles           [1866-1920] married Philomena "Minnie" Mathias
       Anneta Jane "Nettie" [1871-1932] married Frank Hirn

Joseph Dailey died June 15, 1900 and is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Frankfort, Ross County, Ohio. There is also an Elizabeth Dailey buried with him at the same Cemetery. Several years ago I was able to track down the lady who had the burial records and she confirmed this information. She also stated that there was no gravestones for either Joseph or Elizabeth Dailey.