Booking Flights

 From German Girls Genealogy (Teresa Steinkamp McMillin & Debra A. Hoffman):

 

This series of posts, continued from last week, outlines our preparation for a German trip to research beyond church records. Before embarking on a research trip abroad, you want to make sure you’ve done your homework. The next step, outlined in this post, is booking airline travel. Presumably you now know what archives and towns you want to visit, as well as what days they’re open.

 

Booking and Airport

 

As mentioned before, for best pricing, you want to book international flights about 2–3 months prior to travel. Also, booking[not travelling] earlier in the week, such as a Monday or Tuesday, might result in better pricing. 

 

Choose the best arrival airport for your travel goals. Frankfurt is Germany’s busiest airport, but if you are traveling in northern parts of Germany, other airports, such as Berlin, Düsseldorf, or Hamburg might make sense.

 

We personally prefer direct flights. If you choose a flight with layovers, you might save some money, but pay attention to the length of time it adds to your trip. Also pay attention to what country you will be stopping in. Always think about possible delays and cancelled flights. Is it worth the money saved?

 

Details

 

On an international flight, you can expect a free carry-on. Checked bags are not necessarily free, depending on what level your ticket is (basic economy, economy, etc.). Carry-on bag sizes have been changing a lot lately, so make sure you are aware of those restrictions. We have found we prefer backpacks to rolling bags for the carry-on (and for getting around in Germany). If you’re checking a bag, it’s a good idea to have a change of clothes and basic toiletries in your carry-on item.

 

Pay attention to the ticket change options, which might incur a fee or be free. You might consider travel insurance for your flight, which may be purchased for a nominal feel.

 

Complimentary meals will be included. If you have dietary restrictions, you will be able to specify that during booking or after. Complimentary beverages, including beer and wine, will be available. Make sure to stay hydrated during the flight. This will help your jet lag recovery.

 

Jet Lag

Try to sleep on the flight over. But if you’re like me, that’s not likely to happen. Our flights typically arrive in the morning. As we discussed in the last post, do not plan to drive more than an hour or so after arrival. We try to make our first stop in an archival town close to the airport when possible. 

 

Stay awake the day you arrive. If you start napping, you will not adjust to your new time zone as quickly. Keep active and walking around to keep from dozing. Plan on an earlier bedtime after dinner. Wake up the next morning at a normal time. That will be your first research day.

 

Next week we’ll talk about booking your hotels!

Gen 1: Mary Jane Beal - Censuses for James Henry

 What are the origins of Johann Nicholas Biehl?

 

We continued our Biehl research project with the end goal of identifying the German origins of Johann Nicholas Biehl. I continued research on the first generation, which is Mary Jane Beal. You can find that post here.

 

More Censuses

 

After Mary Jane (Beal) Henry died in 1876,[1] her husband and now widow James Henry married her sister, Eliza R. (Beal) Dorton.[2] In 1880, James and Eliza resided in Springdale Township in Washington County. In their household was 2-year-old Edward Lee Henry as well as a 25-year-old Harvey Webb. Harvey was noted as James’s nephew though his parentage is unknown at this time.[3]

 

After Eliza died in 1893,[4] he married Alphurnia Peerson in December 1894.[5] In 1900, James Henry still resided in Springdale Township. He and his wife “Allvie” and Luke Henry were in the household. Luke Henry was named as a son and born in March 1870 in Tennessee; however, that is not consistent with James Henry’s information.[6] Luke is probably a son of Allvie Henry and would be James’s stepson. James Henry was living in Arkansas in 1870,[7] not Tennessee, which was Luke’s stated birthplace. Also, there was no Luke Henry in either of James Henry’s 1870 or 1880 households.[8]

 

James and Alverna Henry resided on Holcomb Street in Springdale Township in 1910. Living with the couple was Lena Cardwell. She was noted as a single, 21-year-old servant; however, she was James’s granddaughter and was my great-grandmother.[9]

 

Additional research questions have been posed below based on these enumerations.

 

Future Research

 

Future research will include:

 

·      Search for additional marriage records for James Henry. He married Alphurnia Peerson in 1894.

·      Continue search for all real estate, both local and Federal, that James Henry owned in Washington County, Arkansas. He owned $300 in 1850 and $1,000 in 1870. Start a table showing the land transactions, both in and out, to ensure all transactions are captured.

·      Determine if there are records for Friendship Baptist Church in Springdale, Arkansas. Determine if there are extant records for First Baptist Church of Springdale.

·      Locate the extant applicable agricultural censuses for Arkansas.

·      Identify all of James Henry’s ten children.

·      James Henry served in the Mexican War and his widow, Alphurnia, received a pension. He may have had a pension too since he was feeble and helpless prior to his death. His tombstone notes his service from 1847–1848 in the Ark. Mounted Inf. Vol.

·      Who were the parents of Harvey Webb, nephew, in 1880?

·      Was Luke Henry in 1900 the stepson of James Henry?

 

Next up: Continuing the research on Mary Jane Henry and her husband, James, as noted in “Future Research” above.

---

[1] Jane M. Henry tombstone, Original Cemetery Section, Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Arkansas; photographed by Debra A. Hoffman on 26 August 2024.

[2] See obituary attached to memorial. See Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 December 2025), memorial 32241713, James Henry (23 Sep 1822–5 Jun 1910), maintained by contributor 46510018, Rosa Cline; citing Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Washington County, Arkansas, USA; accompanying marker photo from contributor 47287035, Gerry Stanley, added 16 May 2014.

[3] 1880 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Springdale Township, p. 13 (penned), p. 538 (stamped), enumeration district (ED) 205, dwelling 118, family 118, James Henry; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 December 2025).

[4] Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 1 JA), memorial 44977126, Eliza Henry (15 Jun 1837–16 Jul 1893), maintained by contributor 46510018, Rosa Cline; citing Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Washington County, Arkansas, USA

[5] See obituary attached to memorial. See Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 December 2025), memorial 32241713, James Henry (23 Sep 1822–5 Jun 1910), maintained by contributor 46510018, Rosa Cline; citing Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Washington County, Arkansas, USA; accompanying marker photo from contributor 47287035, Gerry Stanley, added 16 May 2014.

[6] 1900 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Springdale Township, enumeration district (ED) 116, sheet 24-B, dwelling 502, family 506, James Henry; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 December 2025).

[7] 1870 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Clear Creek township, Fayetteville post office, pp. 1–3 (penned), dwellings 1-22; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2025).

[8] 1870 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Clear Creek township, Fayetteville post office, pp. 1–3 (penned), dwellings 1-22; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2025). 1880 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Springdale Township, p. 13 (penned), p. 538 (stamped), enumeration district (ED) 205, dwelling 118, family 118, James Henry; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 December 2025).

[9] 1910 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Springdale Township, enumeration district (ED) 149, sheet 5-B, dwelling 107, family 110, James Henry; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 December 2025). Lena’s relationship to James Henry is based on my knowledge and is documented in my files.

Building a Travel Schedule

From German Girls Genealogy (Teresa Steinkamp McMillin & Debra A. Hoffman):

 

This series of posts, continued from last month, outlines our preparation for a German trip to research beyond church records. Before embarking on a research trip abroad, you want to make sure you’ve done your homework. The next step, outlined in this post, is creating your schedule.

Flights

 

Flights from the US to Germany usually depart in the afternoon and are usually on Thursdays or Sunday, but other days are available. The more economical time to travel to Germany is typically from January through March or October through December. You should typically book from two to eight months out. We are about 3 months out right now.

 

We typically fly into Frankfurt, which is about an 8-to-8.5-hour direct flight. Layovers can significantly increase total travel time. Frankfurt is 6 hours ahead of the Eastern United States. A 4 pm flight would have you landing in Frankfurt in the early morning hours of the following day. Avoiding jet lag requires you to change your schedule to be able to rapidly adjust to the time change or plan for time to acclimate when you arrive. You may not want to plan to drive far the first day and it should be considered a travel day with activities starting the next day.

 

Time of Year

 

Our past two trips have occurred in April and in January. The best weather was obviously April, but while January was colder, it was not wetter and we were fine and were even able to comfortably walk around outside. Temperatures typically average in the 30°F in January. April is warmer; typically, in the low 50°Fs to low 60°Fs. Remember that Germany reports its temperature using Celsius rather than Fahrenheit.

 

Hotels

 

We have stayed in some wonderful hotels in Germany. We typically look for a hotel that provides a breakfast. When staying in Karlsruhe, our hotel’s restaurant was not available; however, they provided a coffee machine and pretzels, except it was later in the morning and did not work for our schedule for getting to the archives. Also, we found that the availability of restaurants that serve breakfast may be minimal depending on where you are staying. That is something to keep in mind when researching hotels and areas, especially if breakfast and/or coffee is important to your morning routine.

 

Another consideration is the hotel room. We found out that a double room does not necessarily mean two double beds! So, carefully check out the lodgings or you may find yourself getting closely acquainted with your travel partner quickly!

 

Some hotels have multiple levels and maybe no elevator. Pack as lightly as you can. If stairs are an issue for you, make sure to speak with the hotel ahead of time. If you rented a car, you want to ask the hotel about parking options. Often there is parking available for an additional fee. 

 

Archives Appointments

 

Finally, it is important to know the archives/research repositories that you will be visiting. Know their hours and if there are times that they are not open. Some of the smaller archives may require more advance notice of a research visit as their holdings may be offsite. We have had different experiences at each of the archives we have visited. Some provide extensive oversight and will only provide you with the documents you have requested. Others will provide pulls onsite. Most German archives are closed on the weekend, and some may have other days where they are closed, such as Monday, or that close early, such as Fridays. Some will close for lunch. Knowing how the repository operates will allow you to plan appropriately, so that you can maximum your research time.

 

You will also want to know what items may be taken into the research rooms. Are laptops, cell phones, scanners, or other devices allowed? Can you take in a notebook and pens? Or perhaps only pieces of paper and pencils are allowed. Will there be wifi available? Are there options for plugging in your laptop or other electronic devices? If so, make sure to bring an adapter. Finally, what options do you have for copying any records you find?

 

It is also a good idea to reach out to the archives and connect with an archivist who may lead you to additional materials and can work with you to navigate their holdings. We have had all positive experiences in working with staff; however, they are not going to hold your hands, decipher your documents, or do your research for you. 

 

Overall

 

Our research trips have been wonderful experiences with great genealogical finds. While it can seem daunting, it is straightforward with the proper advance planning. 

 

Next week, we’ll continue to discuss the next steps for planning a research trip.

 

Gen 1: Mary Jane Beal - Genealogical Summary

It is good periodically to write up your genealogical research to give you an idea of what you have accomplished and what remains to be researched. I have begun this with my research on Mary Jane Beal. It is just a beginning ... 

genealogical summary

 

James Henry was born 23 September 1822 near Montgomery, Alabama; died 5 June 1910 probably in Arkansas.[1]  He married Mary Jane “Jane” Beal on 11 October 1849 probably in Washington County, Arkansas.[2] Jane was born 15 February 1828 in Tennessee;[3] died 8 November 1876 probably in Washington County, Arkansas.[4]

 

James and Mary Jane (Beal) Henry had nine children,[5] all born in Arkansas:[6]

 

1.     Roxana or D. E. Henry, born ca. April/May 1850.

2.     John L. Henry, born ca. 1852.

3.     Albert B. Henry (twin), born 28 April 1855; died 20 December 1877 probably in Washington County.[7]

4.     Elmina or R. A. Henry (twin), born ca. 1855.

5.     L. Caladonia Henry, born ca. 1856.

6.     Theodocia A. Henry, born ca. October 1859.

7.     B. A. Henry, born ca. 1862.

8.     Unknown

9.     Unknown

washington county, arkansas

 

Born near Montgomery, Alabama, on 23 September 1822, James Henry came to Arkansas as a young man in 1844.[8] He married Mary Jane “Jane” Beal on 11 October 1849 probably in Washington County, Arkansas.[9] As a newly married couple with a one month old baby, Roxana, James and Jane were residing next to her parents, Peter and Elizabeth Beal in West Fork Township.[10] In 1854, James and Jane Henry sold the NW ¼ of SW ¼ Sec 6 Twp 13N Rng 29W containing 40 acres in Washington County to William Covington. Madison Panter [or Painter] was a witness.[11]

 

benton county, arkansas

 

James and Jane moved to Beatie Township in Benton County by 1860. Over the ten-year marriage, they had six children ranging from 8 months to 9 years old.[12]

 

 

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[1] James Henry’s obituary published on 10 June 1910 in The Springdale News (Springdale, Arkansas) and transcribed in his memorial on FindaGrave. See See Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 December 2025), memorial 32241713, James Henry (23 Sep 1822–5 Jun 1910), maintained by contributor 46510018, Rosa Cline; citing Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Washington County, Arkansas, USA; accompanying marker photo from contributor 47287035, Gerry Stanley, added 16 May 2014.

[2] “Arkansas, U.S., Washington County Marriage Records, 1845–1941,” database & images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 November 2025), p. 168 (image 1009 of 15,007), James Henry-Jane Beal marriage, 11 October 1849; citing marriage records, Washington County Archives, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

[3] The tombstone provides 15 February 1828 as her date of birth. See The 1850–70 censuses provide Tennessee as the place of birth. See 1850 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, West Fork Township, p. 752 (penned), dwelling 30, family 30, James Henry; digital image, Ancestry(http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 October 2025). 1860 U.S. census, Benton County, Arkansas, population schedule, Beatie township, Maysville post office, p. 78 (penned), dwelling 491, family 489, James Henry; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2025). 1870 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Clear Creek township, Fayetteville post office, p. 1 (penned), p. 102 (stamped), dwelling 4, family 4, James Henry; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2025).

[4] The tombstone provides the date of death. See Jane M. Henry tombstone, Original Cemetery Section, Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Arkansas; photographed by Debra A. Hoffman on 26 August 2024. The place of death is inferred from the place of burial.

[5] The number of children was taken from James Henry’s obituary, which was published on 10 June 1910 in The Springdale News (Springdale, Arkansas) and transcribed in his memorial on FindaGrave. See See Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 December 2025), memorial 32241713, James Henry (23 Sep 1822–5 Jun 1910), maintained by contributor 46510018, Rosa Cline; citing Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Washington County, Arkansas, USA; accompanying marker photo from contributor 47287035, Gerry Stanley, added 16 May 2014.

[6] The information on the children was taken from the 1850–1870 censuses. See 1850 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, West Fork Township, p. 752 (penned), dwelling 30, family 30, James Henry; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 October 2025). 1860 U.S. census, Benton County, Arkansas, population schedule, Beatie township, Maysville post office, p. 78 (penned), dwelling 491, family 489, James Henry; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2025). 1870 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Clear Creek township, Fayetteville post office, p. 1 (penned), p. 102 (stamped), dwelling 4, family 4, James Henry; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2025).

[7] The tombstone provides the date of death. See Albert B. Henry tombstone, Original Cemetery Section, Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Arkansas; photographed by Debra A. Hoffman on 26 August 2024. The place of death is inferred from the place of burial.

[8] James Henry’s obituary, which was published on 10 June 1910 in The Springdale News (Springdale, Arkansas) and transcribed in his memorial on FindaGrave.See See Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 December 2025), memorial 32241713, James Henry (23 Sep 1822–5 Jun 1910), maintained by contributor 46510018, Rosa Cline; citing Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Washington County, Arkansas, USA; accompanying marker photo from contributor 47287035, Gerry Stanley, added 16 May 2014.

[9] “Arkansas, U.S., Washington County Marriage Records, 1845–1941,” database & images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 November 2025), p. 168 (image 1009 of 15,007), James Henry-Jane Beal marriage, 11 October 1849; citing marriage records, Washington County Archives, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

[10] 1850 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, West Fork Township, p. 752 (penned), dwelling 30, family 30, James Henry; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 October 2025).

[11] Washington County, Arkansas, Deeds, Liber I: 521, deed, James Henry et ux to William Covington, 15 January 1855; digital images, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 2025), image 289 of 635, DGS no. 8,197,821, item 1; FamilySearch Library, Salt Lake City.

[12] 1860 U.S. census, Benton County, Arkansas, population schedule, Beatie township, Maysville post office, p. 78 (penned), dwelling 491, family 489, James Henry; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2025).

Gen 1: Mary Jane Beal - Eliza R. (Beal) Henry - Continued

What are the origins of Johann Nicholas Biehl?

We continued our Biehl research project with the end goal of identifying the German origins of Johann Nicholas Biehl. I continued research on the first generation, which is Mary Jane Beal. You can find that post here.

 

Eliza Ruth (Beal) Henry

 

We began researching Eliza Ruth (Beal) Henry, who was James Henry’s wife and likely sister of Mary Jane (Beal) Henry. On 24 May 1861, Edward T. Dorton, aged 29, and Eliza R. Beel, aged 24, were married.[1] In 1870, Eliza Dorton with her likely son, Albert (aged 9), was living in the household headed by Oliver Burch. That household also included her likely parental family of Peter and Elizabeth Beal and siblings.[2] In 1877, Eliza married James Henry, who was the widow of her sister Mary Jane. No marriage record has been found.[3]

 

In 1880, James and Eliza R. Henry were living with their two-year-old son Edward Lee Henry in Springdale Township, Washington County, Arkansas.[4]

 

Springdale Township, Washington County, Arkansas
Name	Relationship to Head	Age	Marital Status	Occupation	Birthplace
					Person	Father	Mother
Henry, James	[Blank]	57 [Est. 1823]	Married	Farmer	Alabama	North Carolina	Tennessee
[Henry], Eliza R.	wife	45 [est. 1835]	Married	Keeping house	Tennessee	Maryland	Tennessee
[Henry], Edward Lee	Son	2 [Est. 1878]	Single	[Blank]	Arkansas	Alabama	Tennessee
Webb, Harvey	Nephew	25 [Est. 1855]	Single	farm hand	Arkansas	Tennessee	Tennessee

Notes: Enumerated 12 June 1880; the official date was 1 June 1880. Everyone was noted as being able to read and write.

 

What happened to Eliza’s son, Albert Dortin as he is not enumerated in the Henry household? In 1880, Albert resided in the household of John W. Beel and was named as his nephew.[5] This would be accurate as Eliza R. Beel was John’s sister. 

 

Batie Township, Benton County, Arkansas
Name	Relationship to Head	Age	Marital Status	Occupation	Birthplace
					Person	Father	Mother
Beel, John W.	[Blank]	39 [Est. 1841]	Married	Farmer	Tennessee	Maryland	Tennessee
[Beel], Elizabeth	wife	21 [est. 1859]	Married	Keeping house	Arkansas	Tennessee	Tennessee
[Beel], Iama Dee	Daughter	8/12, Oct [Est. 1879]	Single	[Blank]	Arkansas	Tennessee	Arkansas
[Beel], Elizabeth	Mother	74 [Est. 1806]	Widowed	[Illegible]	Tennessee	Virginia	Virginia
[Beel], Annie	Sister	40 [Est. 1840]	Single	[Blank]	Tennessee	Maryland	Tennessee
Dorton, Albert B.	Nephew	19 [Est. 1861]	Single	Working on the farm	Arkansas	Illinois	Illinois

Note: Enumerated 22 June 1880; the official date was 1 June 1880. Elizabeth Beel, aged 74, was noted as having “Bronchitis.”

As noted in a previous blog post, Eliza died on 31 July 1893 and is buried next to James.[6]

 

Future Research

 

Future research will include:

 

·      Search for additional marriage records for James Henry. He married Alphurnia Peerson in 1894.

·      Continue search for all real estate, both local and Federal, that James Henry owned in Washington County, Arkansas. He owned $300 in 1850 and $1,000 in 1870. Start a table showing the land transactions, both in and out, to ensure all transactions are captured.

·      Determine if there are records for Friendship Baptist Church in Springdale, Arkansas. Determine if there are extant records for First Baptist Church of Springdale.

·      Locate James Henry in the 1880, 1900, and 1910 Federal censuses.

·      Locate the extant applicable agricultural censuses for Arkansas.

·      Identify all of James Henry’s ten children.

·      James Henry served in the Mexican War and his widow, Alphurnia, received a pension. He may have had a pension too since he was feeble and helpless prior to his death. His tombstone notes his service from 1847–1848 in the Ark. Mounted Inf. Vol.

 

Next up: Continuing the research on Mary Jane Henry and her husband, James, as noted in “Future Research” above.

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[1] “Arkansas, U.S., Washington County Marriage Records, 1845–1941,” database & images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 December 2025), p. 310 (image 13034 of 15,007), Edward T. Dorton-Eliza R. Beel marriage, 24 May 1861; citing marriage records, Washington County Archives, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

[2] 1870 U.S. census, Benton County, Arkansas, population schedule, Round Prairie township, Boudiville post office, p. 64–5 (penned), p. 342 (stamped), dwelling 432, family 435, Oliver Burch; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2025).

[3] The 1877 date came from James Henry’s obituary published on 10 June 1910 in The Springdale News (Springdale, Arkansas) and transcribed in his memorial on FindaGrave. See See Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 December 2025), memorial 32241713, James Henry (23 Sep 1822–5 Jun 1910), maintained by contributor 46510018, Rosa Cline; citing Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Washington County, Arkansas, USA; accompanying marker photo from contributor 47287035, Gerry Stanley, added 16 May 2014. No marriage record was found for Henry-Dorton or Henry-Beal using “exact, sounds like, similar & soundex” for the Beal surname. See “Arkansas, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1851–1900,” database & images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 January 2026).

[4] 1880 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, p. 13 (penned), p. 538 (stamped) enumeration district (ED) 205, dwelling 118, family 118, James Henry; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 December 2025).

 

[5] 1880 U.S. census, Benton County, Arkansas, population schedule, p. 44 (penned), enumeration district (ED) 7, dwelling 407, family 412, John W. Beel; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 January 2026).

[6] Eliza R. Henry tombstone, Original Cemetery Section, Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Arkansas; photographed by Debra A. Hoffman on 26 August 2024