Nope, Not a Scanned Doc, a Photographed Doc

Last week, I decided I wanted some documents found in a Civil War Pension file scanned. Problem, the documents were longer than my scanner could handle.  After a bit of chatting with the WO's, I decided to try that new camera. 

In the past, with prior cameras, I have not had the kind of results I was pleased with.  I have used the camera to capture photos and such, both from books and from a microfilm reader, and as thrilled as I am to have the images, I tend to be greedy and want better.

So, I took the documents over to the table, by the door wall, lots of natural light and gave it a try. 

Results after tweaking with photo editing program. Cropped away the table, did a bit of auto enhance, size adjustment.  (You really need to click on the image on this one to see in better window.)  I have reduced to 8 inch wide, for blogging purposes.  It, in my opinion, is even better in the full octane version.  Enough better, that I now have another 35 images to process.

I used the macro setting, natural light (a good sunny day natural light), held camera above document without any angle involved (in other words, shoot directly down), steady shot enabled on camera settings (love that, always enabled!  LOL), tried to keep the documents square to table edge, so I capture them straight.  Squeeze the shutter release, don't jiggle the camera.  I also previewed each document as I took the photo, just to be sure I was happy with the results, if not, I could immediately retake.

I believe I will be reviewing files, pulling documents I have, and will be photographing a lot more over the next few months.  I like this so much better than "stitching" images.  Stitching takes some time and patience.  (No wise crack comments, please, on my lack of either, time or patience.  LOL)

This death record from Jamaica ties to the post, Oh, Those Wild, but Fun to Research, Lashbrooks , John Thomas Morris is the first husband of Catherine Boderick Morris Lashbrook.

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

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Oh, Those Wild, but Fun to Research, Lashbrooks

From the April 8, 1884 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, California

"THE PACIFIC SLOPE

A Prisoner Shot in Court - A Lively Blaze in Portland.

[Special Dispatches to the Chronicle]

Sprague (W.T.), April 7. - - J.W. Beckon was shot to-day by Edgar Lashbrook. The cause was jealousy. Lashbrook had Beckon arrested for adultery and while the prisoner was in court he was shot by Lashbrook. The ball entered the right shoulder and the wound is not considered fatal."

(Note: the paragraph about the fire in Portland not included here, as it adds nothing to this discussion, except for assistance in geographic placement of the characters in our story.) 
  
We believe this is Edgar Lashbrook born August 1849 in McHenry County, Illinois, son of Richard Lashbrook (the younger) and his wife Betsey (Mitchell) Lashbrook.
 
On 29 September 1877 in Bremer County Iowa, Edgar married his first cousin, Sadie Lashbrook.  We are sure he lived in Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County, Idaho in 1893, and they are both enumerated on the 1900 census of Kootenai County Idaho, as a family/household. 

Sadie is also found enumerated on the 1900 census in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri.  She is living in the household of her father, Moses Lashbrook.
 
By 1903 Sadie is becoming the bride of one Harry Watson in Jackson County, Missouri. 

In 1917 in Bakersfield, Kern County, California, Edgar becomes the husband of widow Catherine Boderick Morris.  That marriage made the papers as well:
 
From the September 15, 1917 issue of the Mountain Democrat, Placerville, El Dorado County, California:

"Man of Seventy-Three Weds

Bakersfield - - Seventy-three is no bar to matrimony to Edgar Lashbrook of Seattle, who was married here last week Saturday afternoon by Judge George Florunoy to Mrs. C. Morris of Burbank. Mrs. Morris's age is 50."

Edgar died in May of 1929 at Piru, Ventura County, California.  He was a Civil War Veteran.  Catherine collected a widow's pension on his service and may (OR NOT, read comments of this post) have been one of the last widows to do so, as she did not die until 1955 in California, some 90 years after the end of the war.  Here is the formal suspension of her widow's pension.

All the wild twists and turns Edgar and his family make during their lifetimes sure make for some fun research.  They sure aren't boring!

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

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