May/June 2013 Family Tree Magazine

Transcription

40 BEST BLOGS
FOR GENEALOGY
ENGLISH + WELSH
RECORDS ONLINE
TRACE YOUR
JEWISH ROOTS
W W W. FA M I LY T R E E M AG A Z I N E .CO M
M A Y/ J U N E 2 0 1 3
FREE
FAMILY HISTORY TOOLS
Charts, Apps, Software + More!
CONQUER THE COURTHOUSE!
Tips to Uncover Your Ancestors’ Records
6 STEPS to Write Your Family’s History
+ Clip-and-Save City Guides
+ How to Preserve Old Quilts
+ RootsMagic 6 Review
US $6.99
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JUYrVyBQdWJsaWNhdGlvbnMsIEluYyAo
SW9sYSBkaXZpc2lvbikPR3JlZ29yeSBL
cnVlZ2VyAFErLgMEMTAuNAI4MAExBVVQ
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Display until June 24, 2013
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contents
feature articles
26
62
40 BEST BLOGS
FOR GENEALOGY
14
20
ENGLISH + WELSH
RECORDS ONLINE
48
TRACE YOUR
JEWISH ROOTS
W W W. FA M I LY T R E E M AG A Z I N E .CO M
M A Y/ J U N E 2 0 1 3
FREE
FAMILY HISTORY TOOLS
Charts, Apps, Software + More!
CONQUER THE COURTHOUSE!
33
Tips to Uncover Your Ancestors’ Records
42
6 STEPS to Write Your Family’s History
54
+ Clip-and-Save City Guides
+ How to Preserve Old Quilts
+ RootsMagic 6 Review
66
may/june 2013 • volume 14, issue 3
US $6.99
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03
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FnL1
Qy1BDDA3NDgwODAyMDAzNAA=
SW9sYSBkaXZpc2lvbikPR3JlZ29yeSBL
cnVlZ2VyAFErLgMEMTAuNAI4MAExBVVQ
JUYrVyBQdWJsaWNhdGlvbnMsIEluYyAo
04 0120
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74808 02003
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Display until June 24, 2013
48
42
14
26 Hot Blog!
20
| By
David A. Fryxell
Family history how-tos, hints and
humor abound in our picks for the top
40 genealogy blogs of 2013.
42
The Art of
Genealogy
| By
14
Family History
Freebies |
20
Conquer the
Courthouse | B y J u d y
G.
Russell and Sunny Jane Morton
By Lisa Louise Cooke
No need to get out your wallet for
these genealogy goodies. Improve
your roots research for free with apps,
forms, images and software.
The county courthouse can be both a
fortress of confusion and a gold mine
of genealogy. Arm yourself with
knowledge—and a plan of attack—to
win your research battles.
Sunny Jane Morton
Brush up your family history writing and paint your ancestors with
words. These six questions will get
you going.
48
The Other Side of
Jewish Genealogy
| By
S c h e l l y Ta l a l a y D a r d a s h t i
Learn how to get started exploring
your Sephardic roots.
1
<familytreemagazine.com>
3/20/13 11:37 AM
contents
columns & departments
4 Out on a Limb
| By Allison Dolan
A letter from our editor.
6
Genealogy Insider
|
5 Making Connections
Edited by Diane Haddad
Readers respond to
Family Tree Magazine.
What’s new in discovering, preserving
and celebrating your family history:
Most intriguing time capsules
Five questions with
Kenyatta Berry
FamilySearch and WorldCat
join forces
Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, by
the numbers
»
»
»
»
10 History Matters
| By David A. Fryxell
Fueling up on the history of gas
stations.
54 Family Archivist
| By Sunny Jane Morton
Caring for heirloom quilts.
33 City Guides
Quickly access the essential facts, advice and resources you need to find your
ancestors in cities across the USA! Our pullout guides are perfect for stashing in
your research binder or toting to the library. In this issue:
» Wilmington, Del. |
» New Haven, Conn. |
By James M. Beidler
B y M a u r e e n A . Ta y l o r
56 Now What?
| By David A. Fryxell
Answers to your questions on digging
up the right tombstone record, Union
POWs and 1940 census searches.
58 Everything’s Relative
Tales from the lighter side of
family history.
62
The Toolkit
|
60 Document Detective
| By George G. Morgan
Clues in WWII draft cards.
E d i t e d b y Ty l e r M o s s
Reviews and roundups of the latest and
greatest family history resources:
English and Welsh vital
records websites
Quick Guide: Tablets for genealogy
Tutorial: Mocavo.com
RootsMagic 6 review
72 Time Capsule
| By Sharon DeBartolo
»
»
»
»
Carmack
Forced conscription during the Civil
War, in a soldier’s own words.
IN OUR NEXT ISSUE
Family Tree Magazine (ISSN 1529-0298) is published seven times per year: January/February, March/April, May/June,
July/August, September, October/November and December by F+W Media, Inc., 10151 Carver Rd., Suite 200, Cincinnati,
OH 45242; telephone (513) 531-2690. Copyright ©2013 F+W Media Inc., Vol. 14, No. 3, May/June 2013. Subscription rates:
one year, $36. Canadian subscriptions add $8 per year, other foreign subscriptions add $10 per year for surface mail or $35
per year for air mail and remit in US funds. Postmaster: Send all address changes to Family Tree Magazine, Box 420235,
Palm Coast, FL 32141; return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Box 1632, Windsor, Ontario N9A 7C9. Periodicals
postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio and additional mailing offices. Produced and printed in the USA.
» Commemorating the Battle of
Gettysburg’s 150th anniversary
» Researching pioneer ancestors
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3
3/20/13 11:38 AM
outonalimb
Luck of the Irish
MAY/J UNE 2013 • VOLUME 1 4, I SS U E 3
3 AT ITS CORE, genealogy is about
names: searching for ancestors' monikers, studying their origins, and learning the names of past generations. So
when it came to naming my newborn
son, genealogy naturally factored into
the choice.
My husband wanted a name that
would reflect his family’s Irish heritage.
No offense to my German forebears, but
I wasn’t enamored of options such as
Johann, Heinrich and Andreas. We’d
also ruled out some beloved relatives’
names as being too common in our
families or just not the right fit.
So we researched Irish given names
and made a list of ones we liked. Eóin—
a Gaelic spelling of Owen—emerged as
the frontrunner for a boy.
As the holidays approached, I
decided to do some research on my
husband’s family tree to give to my
in-laws as a Christmas gift. I started
by looking for his grandparents in the
1940 census. Although I didn’t manage to find my husband’s grandfather
Eugene Dolan in 1940, I did locate him
in earlier enumerations. And those census returns revealed Eugene’s father’s
name: Owen Dolan.
It turns out that Owen Dolan is my
husband’s most recent Irish ancestor to
immigrate to the United States. Owen’s
Publisher/Editorial Director » Allison Dolan
Managing Editor » Diane Haddad
Art Director » Christy Cotterman
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Contributing Editors » Sharon DeBartolo Carmack,
Rick Crume, David A. Fryxell,
Nancy Hendrickson, Sunny Jane Morton,
Maureen A. Taylor
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F+W MEDIA, INC.
Chairman & CEO » David Nussbaum
WWII draft card—he was part of the
“Old Man’s Draft” of 45- to 64-year-old
men conducted in 1942—shows he was
born May 15, 1877, in County Mayo.
When our baby came into the world
early Christmas morning, Eóin Joseph
Dolan definitely seemed a perfect fit.
Who knows? Maybe his somewhat
accidental namesake even spelled his
name the same way back in Ireland;
we’ll have to pinpoint a precise place
of origin to find out. Either way, I’m
delighted that my little Eóin has a story
to tell when he’s asked where his name
comes from—and a genealogical legacy
to carry on. CFO » James Ogle
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ALLISON’S TOP 3 TIPS
from this issue
1 Try before you buy (or save a few bucks): Ask if your local
library offers free access to subscription genealogy websites.
2 Don’t wait until your research is finished to write about it—
you’ll never get started. Instead, narrow your project’s scope.
3 Check the FamilySearch catalog at <www.familysearch.org>
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send a note with the magazine name to: List Manager, F+W
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Copyright © 2013 F+W Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Family Tree Magazine is a registered trademark of
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to see if courthouse records from your ancestors’
county have been microfilmed.
4
0613FT ED LETTER.indd Sec1:4
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3/20/13 11:39 AM
makingconnections
Readers respond to Family Tree Magazine
All the World’s a Stage
I enjoyed Rick Crume’s article
(“Hitting the Books,” January/February
2013) on how to use Google Books as
a source of family and regional histories. He included some useful search
methods that go beyond just keying a
name into the search box. I’d also like
to recommend the digitized texts at
Internet Archive <archive.org> , best
known for the Wayback Machine.
Searching for county history and
North Carolina yielded such items as
A History of Watauga County, North
Carolina. With Sketches of Prominent
Families 1915. These can be read online
or downloaded in a multitude of formats, including PDF, epub and Kindle.
One mother lode for me was the digitized The Stage Year Book, an English
theatrical publication from the early
20th century that reviewed productions and reported theatrical news of
the past year. It also included full-page
photographic advertisements placed by
suppliers, costumers, impresarios and
performers—including famous early
music hall notables such as Harry Tate
and Little Tich. My great-grandmother’s nephew, Ambrose Barker, had an
advertisement in several issues featuring his musical troupe, the Corinthians. These advertisements are the only
known pictures of him and his wife,
Peggy Wynne (Agnes Winterbottom).
Katherine Wootton McCain » via email
Methodist Records
Thanks for your article
“Researching Methodist Ancestors”
in the December 2012 issue. For those
who have Scandinavian and German
Methodist ancestors, it might be helpful to add that during the late 1800s
and early 1900s, there were separate conferences for the Norwegian-
Danish, the Swedish and the German
churches, where services were held in
their native languages.
My brother is a retired United Methodist Church minister and serves on
the Records and Archive Committee
for Northern Illinois. We’re digitizing
the Fellowship News Bulletin, a newsletter started in 1943, at the time of the
merger with the American conference.
It was a means of keeping in touch with
clergy and members of the former Norwegian-Danish conference. It may be
a source for information about births,
marriages, deaths and memorials, as
well as news articles on churches and
church members. Some issues, from
about 1943 until 1971, are in the archive
at Garrett Seminary Library at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.
Donald T. Wang » Shelby Township,
Mich.
Louis Who?
In your December 2012 issue, the
following appears in the Kansas City,
Mo., City Guide: “In 1806, explorers
Louis and Clark noted that the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers
was the perfect place for a fort.” After
searching for an explorer named Louis,
I calculated a Soundex number for
Louis, L200. This led me to a guy by the
name of Meriwether Lewis who spent
some time on the Missouri River in
the early 1800s. Maybe the misspelling
curse of census takers and immigration
officials has infected your computers.
Not listed in the guide but very useful
is the Jackson County, Mo., site <www.
jacksongov.org /content /3310/3356/
3358/5668.aspx> with images of county
marriage licenses since 1826.
Winston Cochrane » Maineville, Ohio
Editor’s note: Thanks for the catch! We regret
the error.
LET US HEAR FROM YOU!
Write to [email protected] or leave a note on our Facebook page <www.facebook.
com/familytreemagazine>. Letters are subject to editing for space and clarity.
It’s road trip time!
You hop in the
car and head to:
your ancestor’s
hometown 40%
all these places 25%
a historic cemetery 16%
a (living) relative’s house 9%
somewhere else 5%
the Family History Library 2.5%
a Civil War battlefield 2.5%
Cast your vote in our Facebook polls by
visiting <www.facebook.com/
familytreemagazine>.
Hoping for a Hammer
When the December 2012 Family Tree Magazine arrived, “Testing
the DNA Waters” was the first article
I read. It’s definitely a must-read for
those interested in DNA testing.
Since I discovered him in the 1990s,
my brick wall has been my paternal
fourth-great-grandfather Cain Andrew,
born about 1780 in Caroline County,
Md. To this day, I haven’t been able to
determine his parents or siblings.
I turned to DNA testing in the hopes
of shattering my brick wall. I’ve participated in Y-DNA, mtDNA, Family
Finder and AncestryDNA testing. I’ve
had limited Y-DNA matches (a third
cousin once removed matched on 67 of
67 markers), but I know that until more
Andrews participate, I may never find
the one match I need. I haven’t been
lucky with Family Finder, either. My
AncestryDNA results have led to connections with several Andrew descendants and other branches. I patiently
await that Andrew cousin to test and
provide a hammer for my brick wall. Randy C. Andrew » San Diego, Calif.
5
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3/20/13 11:40 AM
genealogyinsider
Behind the scenes of family history news and trends
{EDITED BY DIANE HADDAD}
Time Machines
C o u r t e s y o f t h e A r c h i v e s , P h i l i p We l t n e r L i b r a r y, O g l e t h o r p e U n i v e r s i t y
Take a peek inside five intriguing time capsules.
3 WHEN MAY 28, 8113, rolls around,
an unspecified number of our descendants will gather at what today
is Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.
There, they’ll open a stainless steel door
to a 20x10x10-foot room and lay eyes
on an odd array of objects: a flashlight,
Lincoln Logs, a potato masher, a “lady’s
breast form" and hundreds more.
Dubbed the Crypt of Civilization, this
retrofitted swimming pool is the first
modern time capsule. In the November
1936 Scientific American magazine,
then-university president Thornwell
Jacobs announced his desire to create
a record of what life was like for future
inhabitants of Earth.
Four years later, he realized his
dream. Besides household items, the
airtight crypt also contains 800 microfilmed works of literature including the
Bible, the Koran and Homer’s Iliad; and
To avoid tempting vandals, no gold, silver
or jewels were placed inside the Crypt of
Civilization time capsule.
recordings of figures such as Franklin
D. Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler, Popeye and
a champion hog caller. Jacobs thought
ahead, too—there’s even a device
designed to teach the English language
to the Crypt’s finders.
6
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3/20/13 11:41 AM
»
In a note to them, Jacobs wrote “The
world is engaged in burying our civilization forever, and here in this crypt we
leave it to you.” Because the first known
date in recorded history, 4241 BC, was
6,177 years previous, he suggested the
Crypt remain sealed for 6,177 years.
The International Time Capsule
Society (ITCS) <www.oglethorpe.edu/
about_us/crypt_of_civilization/international_time_capsule_society.asp>, estab-
lished in 1990 at Oglethorpe by a student
who stumbled upon the forgotten crypt
in the basement of Phoebe Hearst Hall,
estimates that 10,000 to 15,000 time
capsules are sprinkled around the world
(and that most of them are lost). Here
are four we’d like to crack open:
WESTINGHOUSE TIME CAPSULE:
Though Jacobs popularized the idea,
someone else coined the term “time
capsule.” Westinghouse Co. employee
George Edward Pendray first used it for
the firm’s bullet-shaped capsule buried
beneath New York’s Flushing Meadows
Park to promote its pavilion at the 1939
World’s Fair. Along with a similar capsule created for the 1964 World’s Fair,
it isn’t to be opened until 6939. See an
inventory at <davidszondy.com/future/
timecapsule/timecontents.htm>.
KEO: This time capsule, whose
original 2003 launch has been delayed
several times and is now set for 2013 or
2014, will sail through space for 50,000
years. It will then announce its return
to Earth with an aurora borealis-like
glow, delivering its bounty: a diamond
engraved with the human genome
and containing samples of air, ocean
water, soil and human blood; portraits
of people from around the world; a
contemporary “Library of Alexandria”
summarizing human knowledge; and
messages from mankind. There’s still
time to include your own message; see
<www.keo.org/uk/pages/message.php>.
BICENTENNIAL WAGON TRAIN TIME
CAPSULE: Scrolls bearing the signatures
of 22 million Americans, collected by
seven wagon trains crossing the country, were to be sealed in a time capsule
at Valley Forge, Pa., July 4, 1976. But
sometime after President Gerald Ford
ceremoniously signed his name, the
scrolls—which would’ve comprised
more than 200 feet of paper—went
missing. Valley Forge National Park
thought they were sent to the state
archives, which has no record of them.
Some say they were stolen from the
wagon train. Read more about this
ITCS most-wanted time capsule at
<articles.washingtonpost.com/2011-0703/lifestyle/35266827_1_saddle-clubtime-capsule-4-h-club>.
YAHOO! TIME CAPSULE: In 2006, the
internet company set up a digital time
capsule of users’ text, audio, images and
videos. The submissions—170,857 by the
closing of the capsule—were originally
to be laser-beamed into space from
the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, Mexico. But, failing to get permission to use the ancient site in this way,
Yahoo! instead projected giant images
of submissions onto a red rock cliff of
Jemez Pueblo, NM (watch at (<www.
youtube.com/watch?v=MaI2WnYGlGQ>).
The digital collection now resides with
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings in
Washington, DC, where it will remain
until Yahoo!’s 25th birthday in 2020.
Saving Time
Assembling a time capsule is a fun
way to preserve your family’s history
and mark a wedding, baby’s birth,
milestone anniversary or other occasion. These tips will help you get your
project started:
Use a strong container made
of copper, aluminum, stainless steel
or polyethylene pipe. For a low-cost
option, the Library of Congress recommends an uncoated polyethylene
(PET or PETE, marked with recycle
code No. 1) jar with a screw-top lid
of the same material. See <loc.gov/
preservation/family/timecap.html>
for more information.
Consider including photos of
your family and home, a family tree,
kids’ drawings, and family members’
questionnaires (try the downloadable
one at <todaysmama.com/2011/12/
printable-end-of-the-year-time-capsule-question> ) or letters to their
future selves.
Paper should be acid-free and
lignin-free. Keep in mind that files
stored on digital media may not be
readable on equipment available
when the time capsule is opened.
The best place for your time capsule is a shelf in an interior closet of
your home. If the container is airtight
and waterproof, you can bury it.
Don’t forget about your time
capsule: Register it with ITCS at
<www.oglethorpe.edu/about_us/
crypt_of_civilization/time_capsule_
questionnaire.asp>.
» Diane Haddad
7
3/20/13 11:41 AM
genealogyinsider
5 Questions With Kenyatta Berry
3What do you do for fun?
Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) <apgen.org> president Kenyatta D. Berry < w w w.
kenyattaberry.com> fell in love with
g e n e a l o g y d u r i n g l aw s c h o o l .
Now that passion has her traveling the country talking about—and
doing—genealogy.
I research people who aren’t even related to me. Growing up in Detroit, I learned about the same five people every
Black History Month. Now whenever someone mentions a
little-known African-American, I’m on it. I especially love
researching entrepreneurs. I’m very entrepreneurial.
4Who’s a favorite entrepreneur?
William Nickerson, founder of Golden State Mutual Life
Insurance Co. He was run out of town in San Jacinto County,
Texas, by the KKK. He boarded a train with his eight children for Los Angeles and later started Golden State, which
became one of the largest African-American businesses in
the country.
1
You’re trained as a lawyer. What attracted you
to family history?
My interest in genealogy started when I was in law school.
I was dating this guy with an unusual surname. One day
I decided to check out his family, who were from Atlanta.
They were in the Who’s Who [biographical reference]. I
thought, this is so easy! My viewpoint changed when I
started researching my own family.
5Why do you give so much free time to APG?
It’s an open organization—you don’t have to be a certified
genealogist to join. It’s great for those new to the profession.
APG is a valuable organization: We help people understand
the business of genealogy. You can be the best researcher,
but if you don’t understand how to run a business, you’re not
going to succeed.
2What’s daily life like?
I work from home, so my life is really flexible. I travel
like crazy, but I don’t have to go to an office. On weekends,
I work on APG. I walk a lot: I live in a very walkable area in
Santa Monica, Calif.
» Sunny Jane Morton
Catalog Combo
Two indispensable genealogy
resources are joining forces, resulting in a win for genealogists wanting to access offline family history
research materials.
FamilySearch <www.familysearch.
org> and OCLC (the Online Computer Library Center) have reached
an agreement to list the holdings of
the FamilySearch genealogy catalog
in WorldCat <www.worldcat.org> ,
the OCLC’s online search portal to
catalogs from 74,000 repositories in
more than 70 countries.
Under this partnership, OCLC
will incorporate data from FamilySearch’s catalog into WorldCat, and
FamilySearch will use OCLC cataloging services to continue to catalog its
collections in WorldCat. FamilySearch
also will incorporate WorldCat results
into search results returned by FamilySearch genealogy services.
The combined catalogs will save you
research steps: Instead of searching
WorldCat for family and local histories and other sources, then searching
FamilySearch for genealogy records,
you’ll be able to run a search at either
site for results from both.
That’ll also make it easier to see
when a library near you holds copies of
FamilySearch's genealogy resources—
including printed books at the Family
History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake
City, which FamilySearch doesn’t
circulate to its local FamilySearch
Centers. To borrow microfilm from
the FHL, you’ll need to plan a visit
to a FamilySearch Center near you.
On WorldCat, you can set up a
profile to create your own bibliographies, review materials, and
more. WorldCat also has a mobile
app so you can search from your
iPhone or Android device.
8
2013
3/20/13 11:41 AM
»
Mother’s Day
and Father’s Day
by the Numbers
» Sharon DeBartolo Carmack
NCE
REFERE
Our most-recent ancestors, Dear Old Mom and Dear Old
Dad, get all the glory in May and June—and deservedly so,
for putting up with us during our obnoxious teen years. Anna
Jarvis helped establish Mother’s Day by honoring her own
mom at a 1908 service at the Andrew’s Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, WV. Two years later and across the
country in Spokane, Wash., Sonora Smart Dodd made sure
fathers got their due in a ceremony at the local YMCA.
Now, we spend billions each year on cards, flowers and
ties for moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas. The
figures would horrify Jarvis: Her bitterness over the commercialization of the holiday she founded led to her 1948
arrest for disturbing the peace at a New York City Mother’s
Day celebration.
500
Y
HISTOR
SOCIAL
number of carnations
Jarvis delivered at the 1908
Mother’s Day service
83 million
number of mothers in the United States
4.3
46
percentage of
males in the
United States
who are fathers
Y
HISTOR
FAMILY
number of babies born each second in the world
25.1
average age
of a first-time
mother in the United States
6,268
number of triplet
and higher-order multiple births
in the United States in 2008
13,415
average number of US births
each Tuesday in 2008 (the most
common day for births that year)
3¢
cost of the Mother’s
Day postage stamp
approved by President
Roosevelt in 1934
N
FICTIO
9
percentage
increase in birth rate
among men age 50
to 54 between 1980
and 2002
You may need to get pumped up to lift
Atlas of the Great Irish Famine (NYU
Press), a massive 710-page tome
edited by John Crowley, William J.
Smyth and Mike Murphy. Its fascinating information puts the famine into
historical context, illustrated with
full-color maps, line drawings, photos, documents and tables on nearly
every page.
Old Salem takes on a new dimension
in historian Maggi Smith-Dalton’s A
History of Spiritualism and the Occult in
Salem: The Rise of the Witch City (The
History Press). Spiritualism, a littleknown religion that’s still active today,
had its heyday in the mid-to-late 19th
century. Salem was fertile ground for
this faith, drawing mediums, psychics and healers to connect with
the spirit world.
“We come,” the author’s mother says,
“from a long line of pigs.” In the poignant and humorous Aunt Pig of Puglia:
Ricordi de la Familia Ferri (Jaded Ibis
Press), Patricia Catto shares tales of
her Italian immigrant grandparents
and other relatives. The collection
of stories is an inspiring model for
recording the family legends that
put a sparkle on every family tree.
Civil War buffs and Irish researchers
will find a compelling story in Suite
Harmonic: A Civil War Novel of Rediscovery (Sky Spinner Press) by Emily
Meier. Her fodder was the American
Civil War letters of Irish immigrant
John Given. Readers look within the
ranks of the 25th Indiana Infantry,
for which John served, and glimpse
sister Kate’s life at home. The author
gives an impressive account of her
research in the acknowledgements. 9
3/20/13 11:41 AM
historymatters
{ B Y D AV I D A . F R Y X E L L }
L i b ra r y o f Co n g re s s Pr i n t s a n d P h o t o g ra p h s D i v i s i o n , H A B S C A L ,4 5 - L A SS ,1 - C- -1
Innovations and trends that shaped your ancestors’ lives
What a Gas
3 THIS YEAR, CAR buffs might consider a pilgrimage to
her husband Karl that his invention was marketable. The car
the corner of Baum Boulevard and St. Clair Street in Pitts- ran not on gasoline but on highly volatile petroleum ether,
burgh, where a historic marker commemorates the “First which pharmacies stocked.
By 1900, the United States had 4,000 cars (compared to 20
Drive-In Filling Station.” That breakthrough in automotive
convenience made history 100 years ago in 1913. Baum Boule- million horses), but gasoline was still considered a waste byvard was then already known as “automobile row” because of product of producing kerosene. Pioneering motorists had to
take a bucket to the general store, hardware dealer, drugthe many car dealerships lining the street. Drivers could
store or local refinery and fill up from a gasoline
pull right in to the “Good Gulf Gasoline” station
Texaco
barrel. A few enterprising (and fearless) saleswith their new vehicles and fill ’er up. The staintroduced the
men sold gasoline from pushcarts equipped
tion offered free air and water, and sold the
“Texaco Star Theme”
with hoses.
country’s first commercial road maps.
jingle, written in 1961 by W.A.
In 1905, as the United States manufacBefore the advent of the service station a
Fredericks, in which uniformed
tured 25,000 automobiles a year, Sylvanus
century ago, fueling up was an adventure
“men from Texaco” sang, “We’ve
Freelove Bowser developed a pump to
for our ancestors. The first places to sell
got wipers for your windshield/
safely transfer gasoline from a barrel into a
fuel—appearing not long after the first
Plugs ’n belts ’n tires, too/
car’s tank. Bowser had previously invented
cars—were pharmacies, as a side business.
Lubricants and batteries and
a successful kerosene pump. Today, Bowser
Bertha Benz refilled the tank of the first
polishes for you. ”
Avenue in his hometown of Fort Wayne, Ind.,
automobile driven across country at the city
is named after him, and fuel pumps in New
pharmacy in Wiesloch, Germany, on Aug. 5,
Zealand and Australia are still known as “bowsers.”
1888. She was driving the newly constructed PatBowser’s invention launched a new “filling station” busient Motorwagen automobile from Mannheim to Pforzheim
with her 13- and 15-year-old sons as passengers, to prove to ness, typically offshoots of other merchants. Gasoline was
10
0613FT HISTORY MATTERS.indd 10
2013
3/20/13 11:42 AM
Drive-up service stations in places such as Lassen Volcanic National Park
in Mineral, Calif., made possible the Great American Road Trip.
IN TIME
1888 | Bertha
sold right on the sidewalk,
Sinclair Oil’s
causing traffic jams as
brontosaurus logo
cars pulled to the side
(technically an apatosaurus)
of the road to refuel.
was introduced at the 1934 Chicago
Even early businesses
“Century of Progress” World’s Fair.
devoted solely to sellA boatload of Dinos sailed up the
ing gasoline—such as
Hudson River 30 years later to the
the world’s first pur1964 New York World’s Fair, where
pose-built gas station
they played host to 10 million
in St. Louis in 1905 or
fairgoers.
the station Standard Oil
opened in Seattle in 1907—
relied on curbside pumps. By
1910, when American roads held a half-million automobiles,
this began to pose a problem.
The drive-in gas station was the solution, helping usher
in a golden age for the American automobile. Pittsburgh’s
history-making Gulf station sold 30 gallons of gas at 27 cents
a gallon on its first day, and drive-in “service stations” spread
almost as fast as the automobile itself. The 1911 breakup of
the Standard Oil monopoly also boosted competition and gas
station growth, as newly minted oil companies battled for
market share.
Seeking a competitive edge and new revenue, stations
expanded beyond filling up customers’ tanks. Initially, there
was little market for other automotive services, since Fords
were designed for easy owner maintenance; every Ford came
with a “grease cup” so the driver could lubricate his own
car. As General Motors began to pass Ford in sales, however, “greasing palaces” were added to gas stations. Sinclair
opened the first three stations equipped with lubrication
equipment in 1926.
By 1929, the US census counted 121,513 filling stations
(enumerated as “service stations” after 1948), totaling nearly
$1.8 billion in sales. The Depression only added impetus to
the business, which attracted newly unemployed industrial
workers with an entrepreneurial bent. By 1933, the number
of stations had grown 40 percent over precrash figures,
although sales per station plummeted almost as much. Stations also shifted from being owned by the oil giants, staffed
by salaried employees, to independent operations leased by
local dealers. This arrangement was first tested in Iowa by
Standard Oil of Indiana and came to be called the “Iowa plan.”
Oil companies remained involved in the design of even most
independent gas stations, however. These corporate icons
were crafted by some of the nation’s top architects, including
Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe. Most, though,
11
Benz takes drive
long enough to
need refueling
1895 | First
passenger cars
sold
1905 | Sylvanus
Freelove Bowser
develops the gas
pump
1911 | Supreme
Court ruling
dissolves Standard
Oil monopoly
1913 | First
drive-in service
station opens in
Pittsburgh
1914 | Standard
Oil of California
puts employees of
its 34 stations in
uniforms
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1926 | Sinclair
installs lubrication
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1947 | First selfservice station
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1973 | Arab oil
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1979 | Average
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3/20/13 11:43 AM
historymatters
The
Pegasus symbol
of Mobil (now ExxonMobil)
gas stations was originally used
by the Standard Oil Co. of New York
of a shell. East Coast stations might look
took the form of what architect Robert
in 1911. After the Standard Oil breakup
like lighthouses, while others mimicked
Venturi would later call a “decorated
that year, it became attached to the
teepees or windmills. In Zillah, Wash., at
shed.” The typical “oblong box” gas sta“Mobilgas” name, though not officially
the height of the Teapot Dome scandal,
tion was flat-roofed and contained two
adopted until 1931. Pegasus was
a gas station was built in the shape of a
bays, one with a hydraulic lift and the other
first colored red by an artist in
teapot. In the ultimate example of form
with a central floor drain where cars could
the company’s Japanese
following function, a Missouri station was
be washed. Restrooms were accessed from
division.
the exterior of the station.
Texaco, which in 1928 was the first US company
to sell its gasoline in all 48 states, set the style. In 1937 the
company hired Walter Dorwin Teague to design its service
stations—functional white buildings with green trim, specialized lubrication and washing bays, an office with plate glass
windows to showcase automotive products, and “Men’s” and
“Ladies” restrooms with Texaco-green tile floors and walls.
The Texaco star “banjo” sign identified stations to passing
motorists. You could “trust your car to the man who wears
the star,” a uniformed attendant who would fill up your tank,
wash your windows and check your oil.
Not every service station succumbed to homogeny, however. A Shell station in North Carolina was built in the shape
designed like a giant gas pump.
Regardless of form and function, the drive-in
service station industry was set to undergo a radical
change—self-service stations. The first threat to the job security of service-station attendants appeared in Los Angeles in
1947, when Frank Ulrich opened a self-service gas station.
But the concept didn’t catch on until the oil embargo of 1973.
Today, only New Jersey and Oregon hold out against the
self-service station—by statute in both states, enacted in 1949
and 1951, respectively. Oregon voters rejected a measure
overturning the self-service ban in 1982.
As for the site of the first drive-in service station, in Pittsburgh, no gasoline is sold there today, self-service or otherwise. Appropriately perhaps, it is now a parking lot. 3/20/13 11:43 AM
We’ll print it before
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14
0613FT FREEBIES FEATURE.indd 14
2013
3/20/13 11:45 AM
FAMILY HISTORY
FREEBIES
No need to get out your wallet for these 41 genealogy goodies. Improve
your roots research for free with apps, forms, images and software.
BY LISA LOUISE COOKE
3 AT SOME POINT during your childhood, you may have
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP EXPRESS: Whether you’re recording
let slip a choice phrase and ended up like Ralphie in the 1983 and sharing today’s memories with the camera built into
movie A Christmas Story: gagging on a bar of Lifebuoy soap. your tablet or smartphone, or you want to improve an old
Sure, your mother taught you to steer clear of four-letter family photo on the go, Adobe’s Photoshop Express app does
words, but we can think of one that’s guaranteed to put a it. A swipe of the finger crops, rotates or adjusts color. Or use
smile on a genealogist’s face—and on Mom’s: FREE.
artistic filters such as Soft Focus and Sketch. And there’s no
Plenty of fabulous family tree freebies are out there if such thing as mistakes or damaged originals: A copy of your
you know where to find them. Even better: You don’t have original file is always saved, and undoing and redoing are a
to look any further than the next few pages for oodles of snap. Looking for more-sophisticated manipulations? Speno-cost goodies you can use to perk up your genealogical cialized Adobe Packs are available for in-app purchase.
ANCESTRY: The Ancestry app has gained a lot of momenproductivity. You’ll find apps to keep you on the go; genealogy software, charts and forms for getting your research tum since its original release. The newest version not only
organized; and websites packed with images that’ll bring lets you review your family tree on your smart device, but
your family history to life
also create a new one from
before your eyes. Here’s an
scratch. You can add and
obscenely long list of aweedit family members, check
some genealogy giveaways.
out “shaky leaf ” hints, and
Plenty of fabulous family tree
even upload photos.
BILLION GRAVES: “Let’s
Apps
freebies are out there if you
work together and put all
Whether your mobile device
cemetery content on the
is a smartphone or tablet,
know where to look.
map for everyone to share”
Android or iOS, you’ll find
starts off the description of
gratis apps that can boost
this specialized camera app.
your research efficiency and
You can chip in by using the
help you grow your family
app to capture pictures of
tree. Except where noted,
all of the apps listed here are available in both the iTunes cemetery headstones and upload them to the BillionGraves.
App Store <itunes.apple.com> (scroll to the bottom and click com website <billiongraves.com> . If you allow the app to
Browse App Store) and the Google Play Store <play.google. know where you are, it updates the location where each
photo is snapped.
com/apps>.
15
3/20/13 11:47 AM
FLIPBOARD: Although not targeted to genealogists,
FlipBoard is the perfect vehicle for bringing your favorite
family history blogs and websites together in one place, in a
gorgeous magazine format. Sign up for a free account to get
started. In the app, tap the magnifying glass icon, then Your
Flipboard. Here’s where you customize your content. Try
searching for the word genealogy and then selecting the type
of content from the bookmark menu. A simple tap of the plus
sign by an item will add it to Your Flipboard, creating a personalized collection of genealogical goodness.
LIBRARY LOCATOR: Where’s a library when you need one?
Let the free Library Locator app lead the way. As you travel in
search of ancestors, this iOS app uses GPS to find the nearest
public library from 13,000 across the United States. You also
can search by ZIP code to plan ahead for your next adventure.
MYHERITAGE: The new year brought a new version of the
MyHeritage app that’s well worth the wait. It leaps beyond
viewing into building and editing your family tree on your
smartphone or tablet. Getting the scoop at a family reunion?
New editing screens allow you to add those just-uncovered
details as well as correct errors on the spot.
ROOTSMAGIC: One of the newest apps on the mobile
scene, this iOS app has been much anticipated by RootsMagic software users. Version 1.0 lets you view (no editing
capabilities yet) your RootsMagic file with no conversion.
Not a RootsMagic user? No problem. Use the free desktop
software (see page 19) to convert files from programs such as
PAF, Family Tree Maker, Legacy Family Tree, and of course
the standard GEDCOM file format.
ROOTSTECH: Even if you can’t make the trip to Salt Lake
City for FamilySearch’s national RootsTech Family History
and Technology conference, the RootsTech app lets you
share in some of the action. Follow the activities, speakers
and exhibitors, and view attendees’ uploaded photos. The
FamilySearch YouTube channel is a tap away in the Videos
section. And if you’re fortunate enough to be there, nifty tools
help you make the most of your conferencing time.
YOUTUBE: Considering that a search of genealogy at
YouTube delivers 18,000-plus videos, the YouTube app was
a shoo-in for this list. You’ll find videos of everything from
interviews with genealogy experts to Ancestry.com search
demos. Recent app updates have improved searching, video
loading and sharing on social networks.
Share the Savings
Mom always said it’s better to give than to receive—and
genealogical generosity can reward you with brick wallbreaking finds. Use our ideas for free and easy ways to
share your family history wealth with others. To make
your items easier to find in search engines, be sure to
write a description with lots of relevant keywords such
as surnames, dates, places and the word genealogy.
Upload a photo collection to Flickr <flickr.com>. You
can designate photos as public or visible only to those
you invite, and share the via social networks.
Post ancestor photos from your collection to your
Facebook page <www.facebook.com>.
Digitize old home movies and post them on YouTube.
Set up a free YouTube channel with your Google account.
Start a family history blog for free with Blogger.com.
For help, watch the free How to Blog Your Family History
video playlist at my Genealogy Gems YouTube channel
<youtube.com/genealogygems>.
Sign up for a free account at Pinterest <pinterest.
com> and pin digitized research materials to family
history boards. The January/February 2013 Family
Tree Magazine <shopfamilytree.com/family-tree-janfeb-2013> has step-by-step instructions.
Offer your digitized records to the USGenWeb site
<www.usgenweb.org> for the relevant county.
Post unidentified and orphaned photos to a site such
as DeadFred.com <www.deadfred.com>.
Create an online family tree at a site such as
Ancestry.com <ancestry.com> or findmypast.com
<findmypast.com> , or set up memory pages at Fold3
<www.fold3.com>.
Charts and forms
Even though it seems as if everything is going digital, there’ll
always be times when you want to write down your findings.
These sites offer an array of useful, free genealogy forms for
collecting and documenting data, and charts for displaying
your research results.
ABOUT GENEALOGY <genealogy.about.com/od/free_charts/
ig/genealogy_charts>: Download and print family tree charts
and forms including US census extraction forms. You’ll find
traditional family trees to print, as well as interactive charts
16
2013
3/20/13 11:47 AM
so you can type in the fields (using the free Adobe Reader
software <get.adobe.com/reader>) and save to your computer.
TIP: Want deals on genealogy records? See if your library
offers free access to subscription sites such as Ancestry.com
<ancestry.com> and Fold3 <www.fold3.com>, type free into
the Ancestry.com card catalog for a list of the site’s no-cost
databases, and utilize free sites such as FamilySearch.org
<www.familysearch.org> and USGenWeb <www.usgenweb.
org>. Check library and state archives websites, too.
ACCESS GENEALOGY < a c c e s s g e n e a l o g y. c o m /f re e _
genealogy_charts.htm>: Get goodies that give you a place to fill
in the blanks. Free downloads include a Family Tree Chart,
Research Calendar, Research Extract form, Census forms,
Correspondence Record worksheet, Family Group Chart and
Source Summary form.
ANCESTORIES <freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.
com/~kidmiff/forms.htm>: Looking for something a little dif-
ferent? Here you can download unique forms for recording
research activities, including Cemetery Employee Interview,
Funeral Home Employee Interview, Online Research Log,
US Research Checklist, Timeline Worksheet, and a Family
History Center Lookups form.
downloadable forms divided into categories for Basic Charts
and Worksheets, Research Trackers and Organizers, Census
Forms, Immigration Forms, Record Worksheets, and Oral
History and Heirlooms.
MARTHASTEWART.COM <marthastewart.com>: The Queen
of Crafting offers a decorative Family Tree Fan Chart template you can print, fill out and frame. Look under Crafts,
then Clip Art and Templates, then Memorykeeping, or type
family trees into the search box on the home page. You’ll find
several lovely downloadable chart templates and instructions, plus other “good things” including genealogy videos,
keepsake crafting and family tree display ideas.
MISBACH ENTERPRISES <misbach.org /pdfcharts> : This
site offers 10 high-quality downloadable genealogy charts
in PDF format. Just click on the one you like and print it, or
download it for later use and printing. They all fit a standard
8.5x11-inch sheet.
TREE SEEK <www.treeseek.com>: If you have a family tree
online at FamilySearch.org <www.familysearch.org> or Geni
<geni.com>, you can turn your genealogy data into a beautiful printable fan chart, name cloud, or 9- or 10-generation
pedigree chart.
ANCESTRY.COM <ancestry.com/trees/charts/ancchart.
aspx> : Deep in the Ancestry.com website is a diverse col-
lection of downloadable forms and charts. Select from the
Ancestral Chart, Research Calendar, Research Extract, Correspondence Record, Family Group Sheet, Source Summary,
and US, UK and Canadian census forms.
DISNEY’S THE TIGGER MOVIE <disney.go.com/disneyvideos/
animatedfilms/tiggermovie/familytree.html>: Capture the kids’
attention and imaginations with three Winnie the Poohinspired family trees. These colorful and whimsical printable
charts are perfect for framing.
FAMILY CHARTMASTERS <familychartmasters.com> : The
Family ChartMasters pedigree chart creation tool, Family
ChArtist, is a great way to make a decorative 8.5x11-inch
chart for scrapbooking, framing or gifting. Type your data
or upload a GEDCOM and choose one of the simple pedigree chart designs. Then edit your information and choose
from hundreds of borders, backgrounds and embellishments. You even can use your own pictures. Print your chart
for free or order a large, professionally printed version.
ZAPTHEGRANDMAGAP.COM <zapthegrandmagap.com/
downloads.html> : Author Janet Hovorka dishes up a fun
FAMILYSEARCH WIKI <www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/
way to help the youngsters in your life catch the genealogy
bug. Download pedigree charts with kid appeal as well as
a 35-page My Time Machine activity book—it’s full of questions to ask grandparents and places to write down genealogical information.
Research_Forms>: You’ll find forms galore here, plus links to
forms from around the net—including those at the popular
Cyndi’s List website <cyndislist.com>.
FAMILYTREEMAGAZINE.COM <familytreemagazine.com/
freeforms> : Our own website offers a wide selection of
Free Web Content
101 Best Free Websites for
MORE
ONLINE
Genealogy <familytreemagazine.
com/article/101-BestWebsites-2010>
Free online genealogy lessons
<familytreemagazine.com/article/
learn-genealogy-for-free>
Copyright for genealogists
copyright-for-genealogists>
For Plus Members
89 genealogy freebies
no-purchase-necessary>
26 money-saving research tips
cheap-tricks>
Research Trips on a Shoestring
Research-Trips-on-a-Shoestring>
ShopFamilyTree.com
Six free genealogy sites digital download
<shopfamilytree.com/resourceroundup-new-free-databases>
Official Guide to RootsWeb.com
<shopfamilytree.com/official-gd-torootsweb-com>
Tricks for Using FamilySearch.org
video class <shopfamilytree.com/
tricks-for-using-family-search-orgvideo-class-u4143>
17
3/20/13 11:47 AM
Photos and images
The adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” certainly applies to family history. When family photos are
few and far between, other vintage
illustrations, maps and photos can
help you breathe life into stories about
your great-grandparents. To envision
what life was like for your ancestors
and enrich your genealogy books, blog
posts and gifts, turn to these websites
chock full of copyright-free downloadable imagery.
AMERICA AS IT WAS <patsabin.com/
VintagePostcards> : Explore a sizeable
directory of websites featuring vintage
public domain postcards organized by
US state. Got a few minutes for browsing? Click on the automobile at the
bottom of the home page for a state-bystate postcard tour.
BEINECKE RARE BOOK & MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY AT YALE UNIVERSITY
<beinecke.library.yale.edu>: Here, search
90,000 images from rare books and
manuscripts by keyword. Start by clicking the Search link on the home page,
then click Digital Collections Online
from the drop-down menu and type
your keywords.
CLASSROOM CLIPART <classroom
clipart.com/clipart/History.htm> : Find
On the House
Don’t stop your genealogy bargain hunt on the web. It pays to take advantage of
offline freebies, too. Start your “shopping” at these places:
FAMILYSEARCH CENTERS: At these Family History Library branches, you can
use in-house computers to access a variety of subscription genealogy websites.
Most centers also have copies of often-used local records, and be sure to ask about
classes and workshops. Visit <www.familysearch.org/locations> to find the center
nearest to you.
STATE LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES: A wealth of historical reference books,
records and other materials make your state library and/or archives well worth
the trip. The holdings of these facilities vary by state, so check online to decide
which best suits your research needs. Find state libraries listed at <publiclibraries.
com/state_library.htm> and state archives listed at <archives.gov/research/alic/
reference/state-archives.html>.
LOCAL PUBLIC AND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES: Libraries in your ancestor’s town
likely have local history materials you won’t find anywhere else, along with librarians
experienced in local records.
GENEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETIES: Not all societies maintain offices
or research libraries, but if the one in your ancestor’s town does, pay a visit for local
research expertise and records on area families.
easy-to-browse public domain images
of world history. They’re geared for the
classroom but useful to anyone looking
to illustrate stories of the past. In addition to classic clip art, you’ll also find
photos, engravings and maps.
EXCLASSICS <exclassics.com> : Old
classic books are great resources for
images—just take a look at the 18th-century Newgate Calendar <exclassics.com/newgate/ngillus.htm> , which many
English parents kept on hand as a warning to their children
between 1750 and 1850. Explore Exclassics for other works
with public domain images.
FOBO: FROM OLD BOOKS DOT ORG <fromoldbooks.org> :
Click search to scour this collection of images digitized from
a variety of old books now in the public domain. You also can
browse by book title, such as The Grammar of Heraldry by
Samuel Kent (1718) or The Antiquities of England and Wales
by Henry Boswell (1786; I love the maps in this one).
photographs showing the Great Depression, the New Deal
and WWII eras.
THE HISTORY PLACE: CHILD LABOR IN AMERICA 1908-1912
<historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor>: Explore these riv-
eting images showing the childhood reality of many of our
ancestors, with the original captions from famed photographer Lewis W. Hine. Note that only noncommercial, noninternet use of the content here is allowed.
KAREN WHIMSY’S PUBLIC DOMAIN IMAGES <karenswhimsy.
com/public-domain-images>: Peruse engravings and other art-
work from a personal collection of old books, magazines and
postcards. Scroll down the home page for convenient links
to categories including a nice collection of Edwardian-era
fashion images.
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
AND MUSEUM <fdrlibrary.marist.edu/archives/collections/
photographs.html> : Peruse thousands of copyright-free
18
2013
3/20/13 11:47 AM
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AMERICAN MEMORY <lcweb2.loc.
gov/ammem/ammemhome.html> : Explore still and moving
When family photos are few, other
images, prints, maps and sheet music that document the
American experience. Collections are organized by subject,
and may have unique requirements for use. Be sure to check
the copyright information for each item you wish to use.
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY <digitalgallery.nypl.org>: More
than 700,000 images from books include historical maps,
vintage posters, rare prints, photographs, illustrated books,
printed ephemera and more. Low-resolution images are free
to download for personal use; there’s a fee for high-resolution images.
vintage illustrations, maps and
photos can breathe life into stories
about your great-grandparents.
PHOTOS OF THE GREAT WAR, WORLD WAR I IMAGE ARCHIVE
<gwpda.org/photos/greatwar.htm> : Travel back to the Great
WORLD WAR II POSTER COLLECTION <digital.library.north
western.edu/wwii-posters>: Witness the same wartime pro-
War with these images spanning 1890 to 1930. The site is part
of the World War I Document Archive.
PROJECT GUTENBERG <www.gutenberg.org>: Not all books
are illustrated in this ever-growing collection of 12,000
public-domain (in the United States) tomes, but type the
keyword illustrated into the search box to find those that are.
REUSABLE ART <reusableart.com> : Here’s a sizeable collection of vintage drawings, illustrations and photographs
from books, magazines and other printed materials. You can
use the linked menu on the left to drill down to the desired
images, or run a keyword search in the search box just below
the menu. Check the publication information with each
image for copyright details.
US HISTORY IMAGES <ushistoryimages.com> : Thousands
of public domain images depicting US history up to about
the Civil War live here. Chronological organization makes
them easy to find. Bookmark this site, because new images
are added regularly.
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS < co m m o n s .w i k i m e d i a .o r g > :
Wikimedia Commons hosts only freely licensed photos,
illustrations, sound files and other media. With more than
16 million uploaded files and counting, the site claims to
be the largest free “images-only” online repository. You’ll
find media tagged specifically with the Creative Commons Public Domain Mark at <commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
Category:CC-PD-Mark>.
paganda your ancestors did: The Northwestern University
Library houses more than 300 public-domain posters the US
government issued from the onset of the war through 1945.
Cite the library and the website URL if you use an image.
Desktop software
If your research has ranged much beyond one family, you’re
probably scouting for a way to organize your family tree.
Genealogy database software could be just the ticket—and
you don’t have to spend and arm and a leg to get enough
power to accomplish the task. Several great options are just a
free download away.
ANCESTRAL QUEST BASICS <ancquest.com> : This free
genealogy software works much like FamilySearch’s Personal Ancestral File program (which is no longer being
updated). It has all the essential features for working with
your family tree.
MYHERITAGE FAMILY TREE BUILDER <myheritage.com/
page/free-genealogy-software>: Use this Windows software to
create your family tree offline or on a secure site at MyHeritage.com. You can print decorative family tree charts from
your online tree (order larger copies for a fee). The program
supports 36 languages and its SmartMatching technology
searches for matches to your ancestors in other users’ trees.
LEGACY FAMILY TREE STANDARD EDITION <legacyfamily
tree.com>: This free version of the popular Windows software
includes family and pedigree views, a to-do list, research log,
event reminders and more.
ROOTSMAGIC ESSENTIALS <rootsmagic.com/essentials> :
You’ll get many of the core features of the award-winning
RootsMagic software for Windows in this free version: the
Source Wizard, loads of reports and charts, unlimited data
capacity and more. TIP: Family Tree Magazine freebies include forms
<familytreemagazine.com/freeforms>, cheat sheets
<familytreemagazine.com/researchtoolkit/cheatsheet>,
how-to videos <youtube.com/user/familytreemagazine>, a
monthly podcast <familytreemagazine.com/info/podcasts>,
several webinars <familytreemagazine.com/interactive/
webinars> and online articles <familytreemagazine.com>.
Lisa Louise Cooke is a genealogical bargain hunter who
dishes up family history research advice on two free online
shows: The Genealogy Gems Podcast <lisalouisecooke.com>
and the Family Tree Magazine Podcast <familytreemagazine.
com/podcast>. Both are available in iTunes.
19
3/20/13 11:48 AM
You may discover
that the departments
and offices in your
ancestral county
courthouse don’t
perform the same
functions they did
when your relative
was alive.
20
0613FT COURTHOUSE FEATURE.indd 20
2013
3/20/13 1:27 PM
CONQUER
THE COURTHOUSE
The county courthouse can be both a fortress of confusion
and a gold mine of genealogy. Arm yourself with knowledge—
and a plan of attack—to win your research battles.
BY J U DY G . R U SS E L L A N D S U N N Y JA N E M O RTO N
3 COUNTY COURTHOUSES CAN be intimidating places
offices in the courthouse. For example, check the court
clerk’s office for minute books with bills of sale for slaves,
who were considered personal property, but check the
recorder’s office to find deed books with deeds, mortgages
and other land records, along with indexes to grantors (sellers) and grantees (buyers).
TAX RECORDS for both personal property and land are
among the least-utilized and most valuable genealogical
records. Head (“poll”) taxes were usually assessed on males
above a certain age. Personal property taxes help document
what your ancestor owned. Land tax records may mention
the amount, value and location of land owned, and even
who the neighbors were. A tax collector, treasurer or commissioner of revenue often kept tax records separately from
other court records. Ask at the county taxation or assessor’s
office where old tax records are stored.
ESTATE RECORDS are created when someone with property dies. The process of settling estates (often called probate) may include diverse records, depending on whether
there was a will, whether anyone contested the division
of property, whether guardians had to be appointed for
orphaned children, etc. These records may appear in court
minutes, probate files, estate packets, will books, inventory
files and more. They may be kept in a special probate, surrogate’s or orphan’s court, or in a separate court of chancery, or
with other court records in the court
clerk’s office.
VITAL RECORDS (births, marriages
and deaths) are on a genealogist’s
TIP: Record all
most-wanted list, but not all are at the
research results,
courthouse. Marriage records generincluding
ally are, but birth and death records
negative ones.
were often not required until the 20th
Not finding a
century, and sometimes towns, not
document can
counties, kept vital records. (In those
be as valuable
cases, start your search with the town
as finding one.
clerk’s office.) Still, it’s always worth
checking to see whether copies exist
for family historians. There’s a bustle of present-day business
that’s unwelcoming to lost genealogists. A maze of departments, courts and offices that don’t necessarily perform the
same functions as in the past, and may or may not house the
records a historical researcher needs.
If you’ve researched at a courthouse, you might’ve encountered mysteriously organized indexes that reference daunting shelves of bound leather tomes. Your most-hoped-for
records may not be anywhere in sight, and the documents
that do mention your ancestors may be so packed with old
handwriting and legalese as to resemble gibberish.
In short, a visit to the courthouse can seem like an uphill
research battle. But you can win even uphill battles when you
attack with a winning strategy. The Legal Genealogist <www.
legalgenealogist.com> Judy G. Russell and Family Tree Magazine contributing editor Sunny Jane Morton have teamed up
to offer you a genealogical arsenal of your own: resources and
advice to fortify your first forays into courthouse research.
1
Define a winning objective.
A successful battle begins with a clear objective.
In other words, you need to know what you’re
after. These are five of the most important types of
genealogical records likely to exist (at least for some
time periods) at the courthouse, so make them your
priority targets:
COUNTY COURT RECORDS may name ancestors as jurors,
witnesses, victims, even defendants or plaintiffs in civil and
criminal cases. Naturalization applications, pension affidavits, divorce filings, separation or paternity claims, and other
civil and criminal matters may all mention relatives as parties or witnesses. Look for the tactical advantage of indexes,
usually one for plaintiffs (complaining parties) and one for
defendants. Indexes and original civil, criminal and family
court records are usually in the court clerk’s office.
PROPERTY RECORDS document the sale or transfer of
personal property and land, and may be scattered in different
21
3/20/13 1:27 PM
at the county level. Your first contact should be the County
Clerk’s Office; check its website or call to ask about the availability of birth, marriage or death records during a specific
time period.
city guides for major American cities at <shopfamilytree.com/
catalogsearch/result/?q=city+guides> or contact county offices
to find out for sure.
LEARN TO NAVIGATE THE FIELD OF BATTLE. The different
county departments and clerks in a courthouse can quickly
become confusing. In some places in the past, such as early
Strategize your attack.
What if the court records you want aren’t in North Carolina, county courts and their clerks would’ve hanthe places you’d expect them to be? You may dled administrative as well as court matters (an example of
need to conduct additional reconnaissance. administrative matters would be setting the yearly tax rate).
These days, a two-front attack best conquers But in other states, there were separate governing boards
the courthouse: online and in person. Online with a county clerk handling administrative duties and a
research can lead you to a county website, con- court clerk for court duties. Hence the distinction: “clerk of
tact information for courthouse offices, information (admit- the county court” vs. “the county clerk.”
Specialized county courts (such as probate and orphans
tedly, of varying quality) regarding the location of specific
records, and even online indexes. But follow up your online courts), departments (such as health and transportation)
reconnaissance with an in-person advance for the most com- and positions (such as tax assessor) have evolved over time,
plete victory. Even the best web research and phone inter- as have their responsibilities. Check the county government
views won’t capture everything the courthouse has to offer. website for the area your ancestor lived to find explanations
of their functions, how they changed over the years, and
These strategies include elements of both approaches:
IDENTIFY YOUR TRUE TARGET. Figure out what you’re
what records they created and kept. Look for information
looking for before you go to the courthouse so you don’t go about exactly where the office is today and how to access
to the wrong one. It’s easy to look on a map and see that your the documents.
Other resources can help you determine ahead of time
ancestors’ hometown is now part of a different county than
when he or she lived there. But that doesn’t mean you’ll defi- what records exist and where. The Family Tree Sourcebook:
nitely find their records in the new county’s courthouse. Arm Your Essential Directory of American County and Town
yourself with knowledge of two important principles: parent Records <shopfamilytree.com/family-tree-sourcebook-book>
counties and independent city governments.
gives a rundown of records availability, which office has
In Colonial times and younger days of statehood, coun- them, and the main county website and phone number. State
ties were often large. These “parent counties” divided as or county genealogical societies or independent publishers
the population grew. When Texas was admitted as a state in may offer location-specific guides like Helen F.M. Leary’s
1845, it had 35 counties.
Nor th Carolin a Res earch :
Today, the same area has
Genealogy and Local History
254. Records for parent
(North Carolina Genealogicounties generally stayed
A two-front attack best conquers the cal Society) or Kip Sperry’s
put at the courthouses
Genealogical Research in Ohio
where they were created.
(Genealogical Publishing Co.).
courthouse: online and in person.
So you’ll often find ancesFinally, before you go to the
tors who lived in one
courthouse, call ahead to conplace, but whose records
firm the hours and any visiappear in different countor rules. Ask if there’s a slow
ties as boundaries shifted.
time of the year or week when
Use the interactive Atlas of Historical County Boundaries visitors may have a better chance of getting help if needed.
<publications.newberry.org/ahcbp> to identify which counties When you arrive, scout out the building. There’s almost
always a first-floor directory where you can review all the
may hold your ancestors’ records for which time periods.
Also consider geography. If your ancestors lived closer to departments, agencies and boards. Consider all the ways
the county seat of a neighboring county than the one in their your ancestors may have interacted with the authorities to
own county, or if there were mountains or rivers in their way, match that up with the offices that exist today.
ARM YOURSELF WITH INDEXES. Indexes will list the name
they may have gone to the neighboring county to get married
or transact business.
of the person in a record, where the record is (such as a volSome large cities have created their own county-like gov- ume and page number), and possibly other details, such as a
ernments, or at least may have maintained records of their case number or date. Some record types will almost always
own. Depending on the dates and cities in question, you have indexes (property records, for example). Others will
may need to contact a courthouse and/or a city hall to find be much more hit and miss. Or indexes may exist only in the
records for people who lived there. Look for downloadable specific volume you’re looking at and not in a set of general
2
22
2013
3/20/13 1:27 PM
indexes. Start your search—but don’t
finish it—online. Some county government websites host or link to online
TIP: You’ll often
indexes. But mostly, look for indexes
find ancestors
at county and state genealogical sociwho didn’t
ety websites, FamilySearch.org <www.
move, but whose
records appear
familysearch.org> (browse by location
in different
down to the county level), USGencounties as
Web <usgenweb.org> county sites, and
boundaries
Roots web <userdb.rootsweb.ancestry.
shifted.
com/regional.html> (select the state,
then look for the county). Follow any
search tips provided on the site.
Printed indexes at the courthouse may be organized by
date, alphabetically or semi-alphabetically by surname (for
example, all the Bs on the same page, but first names are
unalphabetized). Page through the index so you don’t miss
anything, such as a separate page of surnames beginning
Mc. Ask for help if you need it. Read more about indexing
systems in Courthouse Indexes Illustrated by Christine Rose
(CR Publications).
When working with any index, try to find out how and
when it was created and how comprehensive it is. What
years are covered? Is everyone indexed or just some parties?
For example, are parents indexed in birth records, or just the
child? Do witnesses appear in court indexes, in addition to
the plaintiff and defendant? Are African-Americans in a segregated record set (common before the mid-1900s)?
Finally, look up ancestors in indexes under various spellings and name combinations. Blake Henry may be indexed
as Henry Blake. Hannah Abigail DeMonte might appear as
Hannah, Anna, Abby, H.A., or just Mrs. Charles DeMonte.
And DeMonte might be under M instead of D. Misprinted or
misread originals, spelling and typing errors, and other problems may also cause your ancestor to be indexed in unexpected ways. Look up different combinations—and log the
ones you’ve tried on a form such as our Note-Taking Form
<familytreemagazine.com/upload/images/PDF/note2.pdf>.
SCOUT HIDDEN TREASURES. Sometimes an important
source that names your ancestor is behind a desk, on a basement shelf or not even kept at the courthouse anymore. The
MORE
ONLINE
Free Web Content
Courthouse research tips
The-Courthouse-Rules-1>
Going to the courthouse
AncestorNews-Going-to-theCourthouse>
County hunting
County-Hunting>
TOOLKIT
staff there may not know about it or may not think to mention
it to you. How will you find it?
First, read the spine or title page of every record book or
register you can access. Look for your relative in it if there’s
even a remote possibility he’s there. Then look over the types
of records we’ve mentioned: Which ones haven’t you found?
Identify the courthouse staff member who knows most about
their old records. Ask questions (and take notes): Where are
the licenses? Is there a business tax book? What office holds
the voter registration records?
Some courthouse records may no longer be housed there.
The court may forward old, bulky, fragile or valuable records
to county archives, historical or genealogical societies,
regional or state archives, or public libraries. Ask genealogical society volunteers and local librarians whether records
exist and where they are. Locate genealogical societies on
Cyndi’s List <cyndislist.com/societies> or search the web with
the term genealogical society and the county name.
Courthouse Indexes Illustrated by Christine Rose (CR
Publications)
Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide
to Genealogical Treasures by Christine Rose (CR
Publications)
The Family Tree Problem Solver by Marsha Hoffman
Rising (Family Tree Books)
Glossary, Administrative Office of the United States
Courts <www.uscourts.gov/Common/Glossary.aspx>
A Law Dictionary Containing Definitions of the Terms
and Phrases of American and English Jurisprudence by
Henry Campbell Black, available on Google Books
<books.google.com>
Law.com Legal Dictionary <dictionary.law.com>
The Legal Genealogist <www.legalgenealogist.com>
The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy,
3rd edition, edited by Loretto D. Szucs and Sandra
Hargreaves Luebking (Ancestry)
State and Local Government on the Net <www.
statelocalgov.net>
For Plus Members
Problems and solutions to courthouse
roadblocks <familytreemagazine.com/
article/problems-and-solutions-tocourthouse-roadblocks>
Confessions of a courthouse newbie
confessions-of-a-courthouse-newbie>
10 tips for visiting the courthouse
legal-ease>
ShopFamilyTree.com
Research Strategies: Courthouse
Records download <shopfamilytree.
com/research-strategies-courthouserecords>
Using Probate Records webinar
<shopfamilytree.com/using-probaterecords-webinar>
The Family Tree Sourcebook
<shopfamilytree.com/family-treesourcebook-book>
23
3/20/13 1:28 PM
2
4
3
This 1866 guardianship bond for Rachel Baker includes preprinted boilerplate
language and unique handwritten information, names and dates, signatures and a
mark, and a clear statement of Rachel’s responsibility to the minor heirs named.
R a c h e l B a k e r, 1 8 6 6 , g u a r d i a n s h i p b o n d , J u n e 1 4 , 1 8 6 6 , i n B u n c o m b e C o u n t y, N C , O r i g i n a l E s t a t e R e c o r d s : f o l d e r “ B a k e r, D a v e n p o r t , 1 8 5 8 ” ; c a l l N o . C . R . 0 1 3 . 8 0 1 .1 ; N o r t h C a r o l i n a S t a t e A r c h i v e s , R a l e i g h
1
24
2013
3/20/13 1:28 PM
consult the Family Tree Magazine Genealogy Glossary
<familytreemagazine.com/glossary>, Law.com’s Legal Dictionary <www.dictionary.law.com> or Henry Campbell Black’s 1910
classic, A Law Dictionary Containing Definitions of the Terms
and Phrases of American and English Jurisprudence at Google
Books <books.google.com>.
RECORD ALL RESEARCH RESULTS. Note your unsuccessful
searches in addition to your successful ones. Not finding a
document can be as valuable as finding one. A missing marriage record during an era when marriage records were kept
may indicate an elopement or a marriage in the in-laws’
town. An ancestor’s first appearance in a tax list may mean he
moved into town or came of age. If you have a reliable death
record but there’s no will or probate, he may have had no significant property; perhaps he gave it away before his death.
EXTRACT YOUR DATA. Summarize the important details
from every document. Put these summaries where they’ll be
easy to reference, such as on a large Post-It note on the photocopied record or in the comments field of your electronic
bibliography. Or try using record transcription forms such as
those at <familytreemagazine.com/info/recordworksheets>.
ANALYZE THE EXTRACTED INFORMATION. What information have you won, and what new research frontiers can
you pursue? For example, when you see family land deeded
to someone for very little money, you may have discovered
another relative is the grantee. If a man disappears from the
tax lists and no evidence suggests he died, look for the sale of
his property, purchase of land elsewhere (like a federal land
grant), or even a criminal court sentence that would’ve sent
him to prison.
See the box, above left, for an example of how to get the
most out of your finds. If you’re not experienced in analyzing records, consult experts who are. You’ll find an excellent
chapter on advanced courthouse research in The Family Tree
Problem Solver by Martha Hoffman Rising (available as a
print or e-book from ShopFamilyTree.com <shopfamilytree.
com>). Find a chapter on gleaning clues from estate records
in Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide
to Genealogical Treasures by Christine Rose (CR Publications). The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy by
Loretto D. Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking (Ancestry) explains court, land and vital records in exquisite detail.
As you can see, a courthouse conquest can spell major victory for your genealogical research. You may need to muster
up some courage before your first visit, but you’ll quickly gain
battlefield experience. Before long, you’ll be a veteran enjoying the spoils of war—those battlefield trophy documents you
can collect only when you conquer the courthouse. Knowing Is Half the Battle
The court document shown has a mix of legal boilerplate,
family history details and hints to where you can look
for more information. This bond, signed June 14, 1866, in
Buncombe County, NC, was required after Davenport Baker
died, so his widow Rachel could serve as guardian to her
children. Every detail may produce another lead, for example:
1. It wasn’t common for a woman to be a guardian. Why
was Rachel named? Look to see if she was named in a will or
in court minutes.
2. The bond names all of the children—even those who
were of age. Look for marriage records for the older children
and court minutes to explain why they were still named.
3. Two men, R.F. Baker and J.T. Israel, agreed to back up the
bond. Bondsmen were often family members, so research
into these men may turn up clues to a bigger family tree—
perhaps even a branch nobody had known about before.
4. Even the $1 revenue stamp can help in comparing this to
other documents filed around the same time and same place.
Revenue stamps on documents often reflected the value of
the transaction (a $1 stamp on a transaction valued at, say,
$100, and two stamps on a transaction valued at $200).
Widen your search by seeing what microfilmed or digitized
records exist. The older and more basic the record type, the
more likely the documents have been posted online or filmed
(and the older and more fragile the record, the more likely
you’ll be allowed to access only copies). Do a place-names
search in the FamilySearch catalog <www.familysearch.org/
catalog-search> with the format “state, county,” then select
the right place from the menu that drops down. Follow directions in the catalog to rent microfilm through a FamilySearch
Center near you. You can also see whether a state archives or
library has microfilm holdings available via interlibrary loan,
which you can borrow through a local library.
You may have to retreat and regroup if the records you
want don’t exist today. You may be able to get around these
limitations by finding alternative types of records from different sources, such as church records, military service and
pension records, and local newspapers.
3
Understand your victory.
Triumph upon discovering a record can be
short-lived if you don’t understand what the
record means. Legal documents contain standard phrases and sentences laced between short
bursts of unique information about ancestors.
What you find may also contain clues for new research directions. Follow these steps to claim victory over your findings:
GET EXAMPLES. Read several examples of similar documents or registry entries to learn the boilerplate language.
This will help you recognize anything unusual about your
documents. When you come across an unfamiliar term,
Contributing editor Sunny Jane Morton instructs about
analyzing and citing sources through Family Tree University’s Virtual Genealogy Conference. Judy G. Russell, a
certified genealogist with a law degree, blogs at The Legal
Genealogist <legalgenealogist.com>.
25
3/20/13 1:28 PM
HOT
BY
D AV I D A .
FRYXELL
Family history how-tos, hints and humor abound in
our picks for the top 40 genealogy blogs of 2013.
BLOG!
26
0613FT 40 BLOGS FEATURE.indd 26
2013
3/20/13 1:29 PM
T
!
3 CREATING AND MAINTAINING an award-winning
family history blog takes genealogical savvy, a modicum of
technical expertise, a way with words and pictures—and,
above all, stick-to-itiveness. That last lesson came home to us
as we reviewed past winners and contenders in our annual
“Family Tree 40” roundup for
this year’s best-blogs list: Even
a fine blog, alas, can become
moribund after a few years, or
at least distressingly sparse in
its postings.
It’s little wonder that even the best blogs run dry sometimes. The life of a genealogy blogger, after all, can be a constant tug of war between writer’s block and the urge to blog,
writing about research and doing research, online life and
real life with all its daily demands and distractions.
So as we celebrate this year’s crop of 40 award-winning
blogs, let’s tip our collective hats to these bloggers who stick
with it and keep sharing their wit, wisdom and family history finds with us. Their rewards are modest by modern
Silicon Valley-ish standards: the praise of readers who pause
to comment, the satisfaction of ever-rising click counts, the
occasional precious connection with a distant cousin, the
pleasure of helping a fellow researcher. And of course, for
these select few, the honor of being named to Family Tree
Magazine’s top 40 blogs.
In making this year’s selections, we paid particular attention to that stick-to-itiveness standard. What’s the point of
bookmarking a blog or adding it to your RSS feed, after all, if
fresh postings are few and far between?
Quantity doesn’t guarantee quality, of course, so we also
looked for those sites that deliver a dividend to readers—
whether in the form of timely tech news, essential advice or
simply the feeling of sharing a quest to part the curtains of
the past. We love blogs packed with information, but we also
adore those brimming with the blogger’s personality. Those
that manage to achieve both … well, they easily earn a spot in
the list you see here.
27
3/20/13 1:29 PM
Good advice
When someone’s been there and lived to tell about it (in the
form of a blog post), it makes your research a bit easier. Heed
the wise words of these bloggers to learn about resources,
discover tried-and-true techniques, and even avoid sticking
your foot in your mouth, genealogically speaking:
TIP: Find genealogy blogs for places, eras, surnames and
subjects you’re researching in the GeneaBloggers directory
<geneabloggers.com/genealogy-blogs-type> or by using
Google Blog Search <google.com/blogsearch>. Also check
out the blogrolls of blogs you already read.
THE ARMCHAIR GENEALOGIST <www.thearmchairgenealogist.com>: Writing your family history is a focus of Lynn Pal-
ermo’s blog, but the list of post topics at the top suggests the
range of her interests, which also include Helpful Research
Tips, Irish Genealogy for Beginners, Genealogy Conferences,
Old Fashioned Recipe Collection, The Family History Blog to
Book Project, Everyone Has A Story—Tell Me Yours, Family
History Writing Contests, Mind Mapping for Genealogists
and Self-Publishing Tools for the Family History Writer.
CLUE WAGON <www.cluewagon.com>: Funny and opinionated, Kerry Scott holds forth on subjects as diverse as “The
Worst Question in Genealogy” and why “You cannot merge
other people’s family trees into your family tree. Ever. EVER.
NOT EVER.” This former corporate HR executive started
blogging about how to get a job. Genealogists will be glad she
now likes “dead people” instead: “Spending my time with
dead people is awesome. They never send dumb chain emails
or make you sit through three-hour meetings in windowless
conference rooms. They don’t sexually harass each other,
and you never have to fire them and then help them clean out
their desks. Dead people rock.”
DEARMYRTLE <blog.dearmyrtle.com> : A pioneer in sharing advice and news about genealogy, Pat Richley-Erickson
has been “your friend in genealogy” since 1995. She shows
no signs of slacking off—she finished 2012 with a whopping
410 posts.
GENEA-MUSINGS <www.geneamusings.com> : Chula Vista,
Calif., blogger Randy Seaver has racked up nearly 1.5 million page views since 2008 for his lively posts delivering
“genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news
items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family
history stories.”
Getting Noticed
Some genealogists blog for themselves and their families,
and couldn’t care less how many readers they have—and
that’s fine. But most bloggers want to know their research
and writing efforts are more widely appreciated. Here’s what
gets our Facebook fans’ eyeballs glued to a genealogy blog:
Tips and tricks that might help me in my own research.
» Stephanie Bateman
Hints, tips and advice. Unusual resources or records
that can be used to fill in the gaps. » Lorna Janine Crook
People commenting who have either used ideas or
have more information on the same subject. » Beverley
Groen-Johns
An easy-to-navigate blog design (if it takes a long time
loading, is hard to get to the next page or has music that
auto-plays, I will not return) and lots of images. I especially
appreciate when the blogger occasionally steps outside his
or her own research area to talk about broader subjects.
» Tara Cajacob
Stories of success and the how and why behind that
success. » Thomas MacEntee
As a genealogy blog writer myself, I’m mostly drawn to
others’ blogs because of the compelling stories they tell. »
Wendy Brittain
Citing sources: This tells me the person is a serious
researcher, and most likely knowledgeable and experienced.
Clean, well-organized pages that are easy to navigate, dark
print on light backgrounds [for readability] and clickable
links to sites the blogger writes about. » Barbara Ferber
McCarthy
Updates on new technology and genealogical resources.
I also enjoy reading blogs reflecting my own quests and
backgrounds. » Deanna Lynn
GENEALOGY TIP OF THE DAY <genealogytipoftheday.
blogspot.com>: Delivering exactly what it promises, Michael
John Neill’s blog serves up short tips on a daily basis. His
advice is no-nonsense and often inspired by his own experiences, with headlines such as “If You Didn’t Write It, Cite It,”
“Did It Really Happen There?” and “Never Really Changed
the Name.”
HIDDEN GENEALOGY <www.hiddengenealogynuggets.com/
genealogyblog> : Jim Sanders started in genealogy to learn
more about his grandparents, who all died before or not
long after he was born. That led him to become an expert
on “unusual and hidden records,” which he shares on this
in-depth blog. Some posts follow up on that personal interest, such as his favorite, on identifying old photos, which
was inspired by a 19th-century album containing more than
50 family photos. Other sources he’s uncovered (and posted
or transcribed on his blog) include late 19th-century Connecticut grade school records, New Jersey city directories,
funeral cards and old Pennsylvania newspaper wedding
announcements.
28
2013
3/20/13 1:30 PM
MIDWESTERN MICROHISTORY <midwesternmicrohistory.
blogspot.com>: Though Harold Henderson focuses on “gene-
following a family’s research tour from coast to coast. It’s not
without humor nor too full of itself.
alogy and family history in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin
and Michigan, and neighbor and feeder states,” you can
learn a lot from him even if your ancestors never came near
the Midwest. For one thing, he covers the Allen County
Public Library in Indiana, one of the nation’s top genealogy
research meccas. For another, his clear, common-sense writing imparts valuable lessons, often from his own research
experiences, about techniques you can use to push backward
into your family’s past wherever they lived.
EASTMAN’S ONLINE GENEALOGY NEWSLETTER <blog.eogn.
com>: Though veteran genealogy newsman Dick Eastman’s
coverage ranges far and wide, he’s especially expert on all
things digital. Perhaps that’s because his newsletter began 17
years ago (yes, you read that right) with an email to about 100
members of the Genealogy forums on the now-long-defunct
CompuServe online service. Nearly two decades later, he’s
still at it, posting several times a day in “the DAILY genealogy technology newsletter for genealogy consumers, packed
with straight talk—hold the sugar coating—whether the vendors like it or not!”
GENEABLOGGERS <www.geneabloggers.com> : Think of
Thomas MacEntee’s site as the blog of genealogy blogs.
You’ll come here (as we did in seeking candidates for this
compilation) to find what’s new and noteworthy in the
ever-growing world of genealogy blogging. Thinking of
starting your own blog? Check out MacEntee’s resources
and daily blogging prompts.
GENEALOGY’S STAR <genealogysstar.blogspot.com> :
Though not strictly about technology topics, James Tanner’s
blog is a go-to site for the latest news along with tips on getting the most out of genealogy tech (and avoiding technological overload). New posts are constantly popping up—as
witnessed by the 713 posts here in 2012 alone.
MISSISSIPPI MEMORIES <www.mymississippimemories.
blogspot.com>: Much like Midwestern Microhistory (above),
Mississippi Memories takes a relatively narrow slice of genealogical geography and uses it to explore universal research
techniques. Posts in recent months have tackled “Genealogy
and Adoption,” “Crossing the Color Line” and “If Only The
Walls Could Talk ...” (house history), as well as blogger Janice
Tracy’s own family stories and finds.
OLIVE TREE GENEALOGY <olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.
com> A blogger since 2003, Lorine McGinnis Schulze shares
“tutorials, genealogy book and app reviews, genealogy news,
genealogy specials and more.” Recent topics range from
tracking down death records to genealogy events and conferences to DNA testing for Native American Heritage. Special
categories of posts are Sharing Memories, Cemetery Walks
and Soldiers’ Items Found.
THE GENETIC GENEALOGIST <www.thegeneticgenealogist.
com> : The latest technological twist in genealogy isn’t
Tech support
online but in our DNA, and who better to explain it than
blogger Blaine Bettinger, a genealogist with a PhD in biochemistry. As he explains his mission, “The Genetic Genealogist examines the intersection of traditional genealogical
techniques and modern genetic research. The blog also
explores the latest news and developments in the related
field of personal genomics.” If you want more of Bettinger’s
clear and commonsensical insights, you also can download
a free ebook, I Have The Results of My Genetic Genealogy
Test, Now What?
As if there weren’t already enough websites, databases, software, hardware, apps and social networks to send a genealogist into a technology tizzy, now you’ve got “the Cloud” to
contend with. Thank goodness for these savvy bloggers, who
guide you to the best family tree tools for your search:
ANCESTRY INSIDER <ancestryinsider.blogspot.com> :
Despite its name, this savvy, well-designed blog gives readers the inside scoop not only on Ancestry.com <ancestry.com>
but also on that other online genealogy giant, FamilySearch
<www.familysearch.org>. It’s packed with tips and news as it
pursues the mission of “reporting on, defending and constructively criticizing these two websites and associated
topics. The author attempts to fairly and evenly support
both.” That author remains anonymous, though the blog
notes with tongue in cheek, “He has been an insider at
both the two big genealogy organizations, FamilySearch
and Ancestry.com. He was Time magazine Man of the Year
in both 1966 and 2006. And he really is descended from an
Indian princess.”
ANCESTRY.COM BLOG <blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry>: This
official blog isn’t all corporate puffery, though it does deliver
the latest on new offerings from Ancestry.com. Its frequent
posts also range from research tips (one recent topic covered
American servicemen in Australia) to reports from outings
such as the recent “Great, Great, Great Grand Adventure”
MOULTRIE CREEK <moultriecreek.us/blog/category/news>
Denise Barrett Olson’s long-running blog has broadened
beyond its technology focus to also include tips on topics as
diverse as cemetery artwork and archiving family keepsakes.
But you’ll also find plenty of plugged-in info on digital storytelling, creating great iPhone photos, family-cookbook apps,
research management tools and other tech-y topics.
RENEE’S GENEALOGY BLOG <rzamor1.blogspot.com> :
Writing from the Latter-day Saints family history perspective, Renee Zamora keeps readers up to date about online
genealogy. Of course, she’s a go-to blogger about the LDS’
FamilySearch website (such as thorough coverage of new
records indexing projects), but you can also keep up with
MyHeritage.com, Fold3.com, Ancestry.com and other sites
here. Zamora knows this world from the inside, as she works
for RootsMagic.
29
3/20/13 1:30 PM
Gravestone matters
along with the mistakes she made along the way, which can
be equally instructive. Her blog’s title is more than metaphorical: Frazel’s family tree includes several generations of
stone carvers.
These genealogists have a special way of helping us appreciate cemeteries for the genealogical havens they are: full of
names and dates, historic statuary, and spots to contemplate
the lives of ancestors committed to the earth long ago.
Heritage help
THE ASSOCIATION OF GRAVEYARD RABBITS <www.
thegraveyardrabbit.com>: This blog is the hopping headquar-
ters for a network of “graveyard rabbits” (and their own
associated blogs) dedicated to transcribing tombstones and
documenting local cemeteries in words and pictures. As
such, it gives digital ink to a variety of interesting voices
while offering insight into broad trends in cemeteries of yesterday and today, as well as fascinating facts about cemeteries around the world. You even may be tempted to become a
“graveyard rabbit” yourself.
DIGITAL CEMETERY WALK <digitalcemeterywalk.blogspot.
com>: Where else can you find a headline like “Dead Bodies
by Mail”? Gale Wall shares cemetery stories as well as photos
of her regular cemetery walks, backing up her belief that
“Every stone has a story. And they are waiting to be told.”
Kansas researchers in particular will want to check out her
posts, but there’s something here for everyone who’s fascinated by final resting places.
GRANITE IN MY BLOOD <granite-in-my-blood.blogspot.com>:
A charter Graveyard Rabbit, Midge Frazel shares tombstone
photos and explains what she learned from each stone—
MORE ONLINE
Free Web Content
40 top genealogy blogs
<familytreemagazine.com/article/fab-forty>
Using RSS feeds
<familytreemagazine.com/article/feeding-frenzy-rss-feeds>
Learning from international genealogy blogs <familytreemagazine.
com/article/learning-from-international-genealogy-blogs>
For Plus Members
How blogs can help your search
<familytreemagazine.com/article/blogging-your-memories>
7 Ways to Connect to the Genealogy Community
<familytreemagazine.com/article/connect-to-the-genealogycommunity>
Wikis 101 <familytreemagazine.com/article/the-toolkit-wikis-101>
ShopFamilyTree.com
Blogging Your Family’s Stories download <shopfamilytree.com/
family-archivist-blogging-your-family-s-stories>
Make Money From Your Genealogy Blog on-demand webinar
<shopfamilytree.com/make-money-from-your-genealogy-blogwebinar-recording>
Think you’re the only one researching roots in your ancestors’ tiny hamlet? Turn your search for company to the genealogy blogosphere, where you’ll find those tracing roots of all
stripes. These genealogists excel at sharing their ethnic roots
research in informative, inspiring ways:
BRITISH GENES <www.britishgenes.blogspot.com> : Keep
up with the top stories and events concerning British Isles
ancestral research from Irish-born, Scottish-based family
historian, author and tutor Chris Paton. He covers websites
such as findmypast, archives, events and conferences.
FINDING ELIZA <findingeliza.com>: Through family photos
and old newspaper clippings, Kristin Cleage Williams tells
the story of the family she’s been researching since 1963.
Reading her blog takes you into the personal side of the civil
rights movement—her father was a prominent minister—as
well as efforts to combat segregation in the early part of the
20th century.
GEDER GENEALOGY <george-geder.blogspot.com> : We
can’t explain the mission of this blog from George Geder,
a photo-restoration artist and self-proclaimed evangelist
for African-ancestored genealogy, better than his own post:
“Geder Genealogy is really about helping you to think about
your genealogy and family history; developing your personal
memoirs; and recording your oral history using examples from
George Geder’s family tree. Geder Genealogy is sharing some
ideas, tips, allegations and attitudes, for and about Persons of
Color, needing examination and exploration. George Geder is
all about Expression, Inspiration, Ideas and Information!”
GENEALOGY CANADA <genealogycanada.blogspot.com> :
This daily blog about Canadian genealogy, heritage and
history is crafted by Elizabeth Lapointe, a member of the
Ontario Genealogical Society and editor of its newsletter.
Though not technically an official blog of the society, this
newsy and tip-filled site reads like a lively one.
HELP! THE FAERIE FOLK HID MY ANCESTORS! <irishfamily
research.blogspot.com>: That charming blog title gives you a
taste of what you’ll find in Deborah Large Fox’s posts about
Irish and Irish-American genealogy: research tips and news
delivered with a lively touch. She also blogs about preserving
and sharing family stories at Spilling the Family Beans <www.
spillingthefamilybeans.com>.
HOW DID I GET HERE? MY AMAZING GENEALOGY JOURNEY
<howdidigetheremygenealogyjourney.blogspot.com> : In this
richly illustrated blog, Andrea Kelleher takes readers stepby-step through her explorations of her African-American
ancestors. Mixed in with her genealogical adventures are
posts about her immediate family and interjections about
the non-genealogical realities of life (“Whoah! Have to get
Around the World in 40 Blogs download <shopfamilytree.com/
top-40-genealogy-blogs-around-the-world-u4023>
30
2013
3/20/13 1:30 PM
dinner on the table folks. Mr. Wright
Hammond is going to have to wait for
another day.”).
When someone’s been
NORDIC BLUE <nordicblue.blogspot.
com> : Norwegian-American gene-
there and lived to tell
SANDUSKY HISTORY <sandusky
history.blogspot.com>: Now a three-time
alogist Chery Kinnick shares family
stories and ancestral research from
Minnesota, the San Francisco Bay
Area, the Willamette Valley in Oregon,
and of course Norway. But even nonNorse visitors will be entertained and
enlightened by her posts, such as the
tale of “Flaming Ice Cream Snowballs”
that were served on the Christmas
Eves of her childhood.
about it (in a blog
post), it makes your
research easier.
honoree in our best-blogs roundup, this
richly illustrated site from the Sandusky
Library Archives Research Center
<www.sandusky.lib.oh.us/archives> will
make you wish for kin in Erie County,
Ohio. Posts read like a local history lesson, on topics big and mostly delightfully small, such as: “Stephen Wallace
Dorsey, Sandusky Tool Co. Superintendent and US Senator,” “Albert H.
Robrahn’s Tailor Shop,” and “40th
Anniversary Meeting of the International Union of Operating Engineers.”
SEEKING MICHIGAN <seeking
michigan.org/look>: Can you do a blog that’s mostly pictures
Shop talk
and captions? This lovely and informative stream of old photos from the Archives of Michigan (and other collections)
proves the answer is yes. Much more than mere eye candy,
the “Look” blog shares the stories of images as diverse as
an 1813 British cartoon depicting the capture of American
General Winchester; the belated 1905 return of the body of
Michigan’s “boy governor,” Stevens T. Mason; and WPA “No
Depression” Christmas cards.
Keeping up with genealogy news and resources can be a job
unto itself ( just ask our editors), and these bloggers from
genealogical organizations do it exceptionally well:
BROOKLYN HISTORICAL SOCIETY BLOG <brooklynhistory.
org/blog>: This quaint site is like a trip back in time to the
Brooklyn, NY, of the past. Monthly map posts and weekly
photos accompany breezily written yet carefully researched
and hotlinked narration on topics as diverse as food trucks,
Brooklyn’s Parade Ground and volunteerism.
Story time
EASTERN WASHINGTON GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
<ewgs-spokane.blogspot.com>: You don’t have to be a mem-
Making one’s family tree interesting to those not hanging
from its branches is a feat for a genealogy writer. The family
tales of these bloggers engage us with words and images, and
offer useful bits of research wisdom:
ber—or live in “Spokane, Washington, USA, and the Inland
Northwest”—to get something out of this newsy society
blog. Posts frequently address larger questions or share what
members’ lessons from their own research or from guest
speakers. The list of links is also worth a visit.
NARATIONS <blogs.archives.gov/online-public-access> : If
you expect a blog from the National Archives to be dry and
officious, think again. This upbeat, often surprisingly personal blog invites readers into the archives, and even asks
for help, such as tagging records in NARA’s online catalog.
Recurring weekly themes include “Family History Fridays,”
“Tag It Tuesdays” and “What Are You Working on? Wednesdays.” Posts grouped as NARA Staff Favorites reveal hidden
treasures not only at the main branch in Washington, DC,
but also in regional archives (which get their own category in
“NARA Coast to Coast”).
NEW YORK HISTORY <www.newyorkhistoryblog.com> :
A long list of contributors makes this unofficial blog the
place to find news about the Empire State’s history and
history-related organizations. Topics might include conference reports, old murder mysteries (“A Backcountry Murder in Lake Pleasant”) and an essay on WWII stories from
the New York Historical Society. Daily updates link to the
latest news from the New York State history scene, whether
“Battle Over Historic RR Corridor” or “Police Find Loaded
1700s Cannon.”
CLIMBING MY FAMILY TREE <www.climbingmyfamilytree.
com> : Enthusiastic blogger Jennifer is “an Army wife, a
homeschooling mom, an obsessed genealogist, a photo
enthusiast, an avid traveler and a self-professed bookaholic.”
Besides chronicling her research, this lively and lovely blog
serves up posts such as “Shopping Through the Ages,” “Family Tradition: My Ancestors Farmed a Monastery” and “The
Most Confusing Land Division I’ve Ever Come Across!”
Every Tuesday is a new tombstone post, and the week
starts with Amanuensis Monday, featuring transcriptions of
records such as divorces and deeds.
HERITAGE ZEN <heritagezen.blogspot.com>: While sharing
her own research into her Polish, French-Canadian and Acadian ancestors, Cynthia Shenette aims to help others “following the path to greater genealogical awareness.” Her quest is
frequently illustrated with photos, not only as art but also as
lessons, as she walks readers step by step through analyzing
and extracting information from family pictures.
INTO THE BRIAR PATCH <mariannregan.authorsxpress.com>:
Blogger Mariann S. Regan grew up in North and South Carolina, where most of her relatives still live. As slaveholders,
her South Carolina ancestors “lived inside a psychological
briar patch of American history,” which Regan explores in
31
3/20/13 1:31 PM
TIP: Save time by subscribing to your favorite blogs through
a free blog reader app such as Feedly <feedly.com>,
Bloglines Reader <www.bloglines.com> or MobileRSS <www.
mobilerssapp.com> (for iOS).
this literate and often literary blog. (No wonder—after graduating from Duke University, she earned a doctorate in literature from Yale and became a professor of English at Fairfield
University in Connecticut.)
JOURNEY TO THE PAST <journeytothepastblog.blogspot.
com>: Even if you don’t share the surnames Brenda Leyndyke
is researching, you’ll learn a lot of genealogical technique
from her posts such as “Why Samuel Poor DID NOT Die in
the War of 1812” and “Where in the World is David Watt?”
along with her in-depth “ancestor biographies.”
KINEXXIONS <kinexxions.blogspot.com> : Blogger Becky
Wiseman is a GeneaHistorian, native Hoosier and former
globetrotting member of the US Navy. Now in its sixth year,
her blog offers “a bit of family history, genealogy, research
tips, photography, travel, and whatever else catches my interest!” Among her most popular posts last year were “Their
Magnificent Old Home,” about the home of a brother of her
third great-grandfather and “There were three brothers who
immigrated ...”—a rare case of that old genealogical yarn
actually turning out to be true.
NUTFIELD GENEALOGY <nutfi eldgenealogy.blogspot.com> :
Heather Rojo’s frequently updated blog feels like a visit to
New England. “Nutfield” is now known as the towns of Londonderry, Derry and Windham, NH. Rojo also chronicles
her finds in Massachusetts and Maine, “with a smattering of
Nova Scotia.” Currently the secretary of the New Hampshire
Mayflower Society, she’s also a member of the New England
Historic Genealogical Society, the Londonderry Historical
Society, the New Hampshire Historical Society, the New
Hampshire Society of Genealogists and the Massachusetts
Society of Genealogists. So you know you’re getting New
England genealogy from someone well steeped in the subject.
ST. VINCENT MEMORIES <56755.blogspot.com>: Step back
into the past of one of the oldest settlements in Minnesota in
this richly illustrated and heartfelt blog. Since 2005, St. Vincent Memories has been bringing to light the history of the
author’s hometown and surrounding communities. Contributing editor David A . Fryxell pores over genealogy blogs from his home in Silver City, NM.
Take Your Genealogy
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3/20/13 1:31 PM
magazine
Wilmington, Del.
BY JAMES M. BEIDLER
CITY
GUIDE
G
E
3 WHEN YOU TALK FAMILY HISTORY in Wilmington,
Del., it’s hard to escape the long shadow of one particular
family—the Du Ponts—whose company, first with gunpowder and then with chemicals, became the major employer
of this area and a corporate force throughout the nation.
But even if your pedigree doesn’t harken to such a line
of wealth and power, records for Delaware’s largest city
stretch to the 1600s and likely incorporate your ancestors.
Over the years, ship building and the manufacturing of
carriages and leather were other top industries, but the
city has been at the forefront of the transition to America’s
service economy. Because Delaware has an efficient court
for handling business disputes, more than half of the country’s publicly traded companies are chartered in the state,
and nearly all of those in Wilmington. In addition, state
law changed about 30 years ago and have made it a haven
for banks and credit card firms.
Setting up shop
The Swedes were the first to inhabit the Delaware River
Valley, and they founded Fort Christina in 1638 in the area
of today’s Wilmington at the confluence of the Christina
River and Brandywine Creek. Less than 20 years after that,
the Dutch conquered New Sweden, but they were replaced
by the English starting in 1664. When the area north of
Delaware was given to William Penn as Pennsylvania, the
“Three Lower Counties” of Delaware were added to his
proprietorship.
While the area was under the rule of the Penns, Thomas
Willing founded a community he called “Willingtown”
in 1731. Eight years later, Penn’s heirs granted a charter
renaming this community as Wilmington. Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, was prime minister in the reign
of George II of Great Britain. Delaware separated from
Pennsylvania at the beginning of the American Revolution
and later became known as the “First State” when it led the
way in ratifying the US Constitution.
In 1742, Oliver Canby built a flour mill on the Brandywine, beginning a large commercial flour milling industry
in the area. The Du Pont family arrived in 1800. They
began their gunpowder mills on the Brandywine Creek just
a couple of years later and have been a prime economic
force since.
Bankroll of records
Wilmington has been part of New Castle County since the
city’s origin and its county seat since the 1880s, but Delaware’s small state size has resulted in many records being
available on the state level at the Delaware Public Archives
<archives.delaware.gov>.
The two top genealogical organizations are headquartered together in the city—the Delaware Historical Society
<www.hsd.org> and Delaware Genealogical Society <delgen
soc.org>. Each has made great contributions to genealogical resources about the state and Wilmington.
The historical society’s library has an alphabetical card
file that consists of more than 120,000 names with references to births, baptisms, marriages and deaths. They were
compiled over the years from newspapers printed before
1850, books, journals, church records and other sources. It
also has abstracts of all pre-1800 New Castle County wills
and a healthy collection of original deeds.
The genealogical society, on the other hand, has furnished volunteers for projects such as the newspaper
abstracts profiled above. Members have compiled three
editions of the Delaware Genealogical Research Guide
to give a complete view of the research possibilities.
Read on for a rundown of other important records:
0613FT Wilmington CITY GUIDE.indd 33
3/20/13 1:32 PM
magazine
Wilmington’s
Civil War-era
manufacturing
spurred the city’s
postwar prosperity
and westward
growth, aided by
a horsecar line in
1864.
Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, g3834w pm001060
WI LMI NGTO N, DEL.
CITY GUIDE
TIP: Have you
found a reference
to a “hundred” in
old land records?
Hundreds are
unincorporated
subdivisions of
counties once
used as a basis
for representation
in the Delaware
General
Assembly.
CTS
A
F
T
S
A
F
SETTLED: 1638 as
Fort Christina
INCORPORATED: 1731
NICKNAMES: Corporate
Capital of the World,
Chemical Capital of the
World
STATE: Delaware
COUNTY: New Castle
COUNTY SEAT:
Wilmington
AREA: 17 square miles
PRIMARY HISTORICAL
ETHNIC GROUPS:
Swedes, Dutch,
English Quakers,
Polish, Irish, Italians,
African-Americans
PRIMARY HISTORICAL
INDUSTRIES:
gunpowder, chemicals,
corporate and financial
services (banking and
credit card)
FAMOUS RESIDENTS:
VALERIE BERTINELLI,
Joe Biden, Cab Calloway,
Eleuthère Irénée du
Pont, Judge Reinhold,
Elisabeth Shue, George
Thorogood
POPULATION
1850
1900
Current
13,979
76,508
70,851
E
M
I
IN T
8
16u3nded astina
Fo Chris
Fort wedes
by S
VITAL RECORDS: The magic year for births, marriages
and deaths in Delaware is 1913—that’s when the state
started keeping all three types of records. The records
that are unrestricted (birth certificates at least 72 years
old; marriages and deaths after 40 years) are available at
the Delaware Public Archives. The Office of Vital Statistics has charge of other vital records, and rather zealously
enforces its restrictions to a tight circle of family relationships or legal representatives.
Marriage registrations were legally required as early
as 1847, but the law was sporadically enforced—as were
attempts at registering births and deaths in the 1860s and
again beginning in the 1880s. You can access these records
at the public archives.
Subscription website Ancestry.com <ancestry.com>
has images of some Delaware vital records (marriages
and deaths up to 1933), and the state historical society
has a manuscript marriage register from Wilmington for
1856 through 1864. FamilySearch.org <www.familysearch.
org> provides several free searchable databases of Delaware vital records indexes, as well as digitized records
(1710-1962).
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CENSUSES: Delaware was counted in every US census,
but the 1790 and 1890 records are missing. Other records
from 1800 to 1930 are available on microfilm at the historical society library, public archives and FHL. Censuses
through 1940 also are searchable online at Ancestry.com
and other commercial genealogy sites, with some records
also on the free FamilySearch.org.
LAND RECORDS: The early English grants from the
1600s have been published; some later deeds are at the
public archives but most are accessible from the New Castle County Recorder of Deeds’ office. Many deed records
that the county recorder houses are online at the office’s
website <www2.nccde.org/deeds/Search>.
CEMETERY RECORDS: The state historical society
library has inscriptions from many cemeteries. The the
public archives has the Tatnall Tombstone cards (with
hundreds of alphabetical names) in its collection.
NEWSPAPERS: Volunteers from the Delaware Genealogical Society have published four volumes of abstracts,
primarily from the Wilmington-based Delaware Gazette.
These volumes include marriages and deaths gleaned from
newspapers in the 1850s and 1860s. More volumes are
planned. Subscription site GenealogyBank <www.genealogy
bank.com> has a number of Wilmington-based newspapers
in its collection, including the Delaware Gazette from 1785
to 1831, as well as others from the early 19th century.
CITY DIRECTORIES: Wilmington’s first city directory
was published in 1814. Volumes were published in 1845,
1853 and 1857 before annual volumes began in 1859. Most
of the area’s libraries and the public archives have good
collections of the directories. The 1889 directory has been
digitized online at <distantcousin.com/Directories/DE/
Wilmington/1889>.
IMMIGRATION RECORDS: The state historical society
has New Castle County naturalization indexes and some
records for filings that occurred from the 1830s to the
1850s. Although Wilmington was a port of entry in the
1800s, few passenger lists have survived for it or other
Delaware ports. Access the few passenger lists (1820-1848)
at the National Archives <archives.gov>, on Ancestry.com or
by requesting microfilm from the Family History Library
to view at a local FamilySearch Center.
All in all, you need not incorporate or hope for Du Pont
roots to benefit from records relating to Wilmington—be
they housed right in the city along with its dozens of financial firms or “down state” at the public archives in Dover,
the state capital.
WEBSITES
Delaware Genealogy and History
<www.delawaregenealogy.com>
Delaware Genealogy Forum
<genforum.genealogy.com/de>
Delaware History Trail
<www.visitdelaware.com/delaware-history-trail>
New Castle County DEGenWeb
<www.ohgenealogy.com/newcastleco>
Wilmington History Page
<www.genealogysource.com/wilmingtonhistory.htm>
PUBLICATIONS
Delaware 1782 Tax Assessment and Census Lists CD
(Delaware Genealogical Society)
Delaware Genealogical Research Guide compiled by Thomas
P. Doherty (Delaware Genealogical Society)
Delaware Genealogical Abstracts from Newspapers, 4
volumes compiled by Mary Fallon Richards and John C.
Richards (Delaware Genealogical Society)
Duke of York Record, 1646-1679:
Original Land Titles in Delaware
(Genealogical Publishing Co.)
ARCHIVES & ORGANIZATIONS
Delaware Genealogical Society
505 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19810,
<delgensoc.org>
Delaware Historical Society
505 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801,
(302) 655-7161, <www.hsd.org>
Delaware Office of Vital Statistics
Jesse S. Cooper Building, 417 Federal St.,
Dover, DE 19901, (302) 744-4549,
<dhss.delaware.gov/dph/ss/vitalstats.html>
Delaware Public Archives
121 Duke of York St., Dover, DE 19901, (302) 744-5000,
<archives.delaware.gov>
New Castle County Recorder of Deeds
Louis L. Redding City/County Building, 800 N. French St.,
4th Floor, Wilmington, DE 19801, (302) 395-7700,
<www2.nccde.org/deeds>
Wilmington Public Library
10th and Market streets, Wilmington, DE 19801,
(302) 571-7416, <www.wilmlib.org>
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CITY GUIDE
5
TOP
HISTORIC SITES
1
Brandywine Zoo
1001 N. Park Drive, Wilmington, DE 19802,
(302) 571-7747, <www.brandywinezoo.org>
Delaware’s only zoo, opened in 1905, has nearly 150 animals from the Americas and Asia in a 13-acre setting.
2
magazine
RECORDS AT A GLANCE
Birth Records
BEGIN: 1913
PRIVACY RESTRICTIONS: Restricted to close relatives
for 72 years
RESEARCH TIPS: For records under restriction,
contact the Office of Vital Statistics. The Delaware
Public Archives has custody for documents open to
the public and has some pre-1913 compiled records.
Look for indexes on Ancestry.com <ancestry.com> and
FamilySearch.org <www.familysearch.org>.
Hagley Museum and Library
City Directories
298 Buck Road East, Wilmington, DE 19807,
(302) 658-2400, <www.hagley.org>
First used as the site of the Du Pont gunpowder works,
the museum and library examine the history of American
enterprise. The grounds feature restored mills and the
ancestral home and gardens of the Du Pont family.
BEGIN: 1814
RESEARCH TIPS: After several decades of sporadic
publication, annual volumes are available from 1859;
most Wilmington area libraries have good collections.
Deeds
3
Longwood Gardens
1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348,
(610) 388-1000, <www.longwoodgardens.org>
This exquisite estate of Pierre S. du Pont is just 12 miles
north of Wilmington and encompasses nearly 1,100 acres
of gardens, woodlands and meadows. It is considered
one of America’s premier botanical gardens. The Du Pont
House on the property dates from 1730.
4
BEGIN: 1600s
RESEARCH TIPS: Access Wilmington deeds through the
New Castle County Recorder of Deeds’ office, which has
many deeds (1831-present) online at <www2.nccde.org/
deeds/Search>.
Marriage and Death Records
BEGIN: 1913
PRIVACY RESTRICTIONS: Restricted to close relatives
Nemours Mansion and Garden Tours
for 40 years
850 Alapocas Dr., Wilmington, DE, 19803,
(302) 651-6912, <www.nemoursmansion.org>
RESEARCH TIPS: Same as for birth records.
This 3,000-acre estate of Alfred I. du Pont features a mansion built in 18th century French style, along with a variety
of sculptured gardens.
5
Newspapers
BEGIN: 1785
RESEARCH TIPS: Check the Delaware Genealogical
Society’s published abstracts of the Delaware Gazette,
as well as digitized papers at GenealogyBank <www.
genealogybank.com>.
Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library
5105 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, DE 19735,
(302) 888-4600, <www.winterthur.org>
Winterthur uses its founder Henry Francis du Pont’s
mansion and collections as the jumping off point for
unparalleled exhibits of nearly 90,000 historical objects
highlighting decorative and fine arts made or used in
America from 1630 to 1860.
Probate Records
BEGIN: 1600s
RESEARCH TIPS: New Castle County’s Register of Wills
holds estate records. The office’s website gives details on
accessing them at <www2.nccde.org/wills>.
Delaware State Research Guide
D
RELATE CES
RESOUR
<shopfamilytree.com/delaware-research-guide-digital-download>
Family Tree Sourcebook <shopfamilytree.com/family-tree-sourcebook-book>
Delaware landowner maps and books <shopfamilytree.com/delaware-genealogy>
3/20/13 1:33 PM
magazine
New Haven, Conn.
B Y M A U R E E N A . TAY L O R
CITY
GUIDE
G
E
3 NEW HAVEN, CONN., is a city of innovation—the
steamboat, lollipops, penicillin and erector sets are among
its contributions. Since 1701, it’s been home to the prestigious Yale University, whose students are said to have
invented the game of Frisbee. The city’s rich history and
abundant records can make it just as easy to trace your
ancestor as to catch a flying disc.
Center of industry
The English Puritans who settled New Haven in 1638 originally named it Quinnipiac. The area was home to native peoples and English settlers from Massachusetts. It remained
separate from Connecticut colony until 1664 and alternated
with Hartford as the state capital until 1875. Manufacturing
dominated New Haven’s economy, with factories producing
everything from clocks to stocks. The New Haven Clock Co.,
Candee Rubber Co. and New Haven Arms Co. (later owned
by Winchester) were prominent businesses. More recently,
the city has attracted health care, professional services,
financial services and retail trade companies.
In 1839, West African Mendi tribesmen being transported as slaves on the ship La Amistad mutinied and murdered the ship’s captain. They were imprisoned in New
Haven and the court case began in the city’s US District
Court before reaching the US Supreme Court. Documents
relating to the case are online at the National Archives
<archives.gov/education/lessons/amistad>.
African-Americans from the South settled here in the
late 19th and early 20th centuries. Italians, Jews and more
recently, Puerto Ricans also moved to New Haven.
Genealogy game
If you have Connecticut ancestry, count yourself lucky.
Records are plentiful and kept either in towns (the state
abolished counties in 1960) or in state offices. The Connecticut State Library’s (CSL) History and Genealogy Guide at
<www.cslib.org/handg.htm> is an excellent resource.
VITAL RECORDS: Since 1644 for births and marriages,
and 1650 for deaths, individuals in Connecticut were
required to register an event with their town clerk or be
fined. Contact the town clerk for vital records before 1897;
see <www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3132&q=388128>
for contact information. In addition, the CSL’s Barbour
Collection of Connecticut Vital Records indexes many
of these early vital records, including for the city of New
Haven. Search pre-1870 Barbour Collection town records
(as well as later indexes) on subscription site Ancestry.com
<ancestry.com> . Microfilm is at the CSL, Connecticut
Historical Society (CHS) and the Family History Library
(FHL) <www.familysearch.org> (you can rent FHL film for
viewing at your local FamilySearch Center).
The two-volume book Vital Records of New Haven, 16491850 (Connecticut Society of the Order of the Founders
and Patriots of America) also contains births, marriages
and deaths, and is free at the Internet Archive <archive.
org> . The Charles R. Hale Collection, which includes
newspaper marriage and death notices (1750-1865), is
helpful for filling in records gaps. You can access it through
the CSL or on FHL microfilm.
The state began keeping vital records in 1897. Find
instructions for requesting records from the state Vital
Records Office at <www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3132&q=
388130> . Marriage and death records are public, but to
obtain a birth record less than 100 years old, you must be
immediate family or a member of a qualified genealogical
society (see <www.cslib.org/genesoc.htm>).
CHURCH RECORDS: New Haven’s primary religion was
Congregational until the early 19th century, when other
0613FT New Haven CITY GUIDE.indd 37
3/27/13 10:30 AM
magazine
As the location of
Yale University,
Connecticut’s secondlargest city has been
temporary home to
prominent Americans
including presidents,
Supreme Court
Justices and heads
of state.
Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, g3784n pm000870
NEW HAVEN, CO NN.
CITY GUIDE
TIP: Remember
that England
and its colonies
adopted the
Gregorian
calendar in
1752. Some
early records
are “doubledated;” see
<www.cslib.org/
CalendarChange.
htm> for details.
TS
C
A
F
T
S
FA
SETTLED: 1638
INCORPORATED: 1784
NICKNAMES: The Elm
City
STATE: Connecticut
COUNTY: New Haven
until 1960; thereafter,
none
COUNTY SEAT: New
Haven until 1960
AREA: 20.31 square
miles
PRIMARY HISTORICAL
ETHNIC GROUPS:
English, AfricanAmerican, Italian
PRIMARY HISTORICAL
INDUSTRIES:
manufacturing,
education
FAMOUS RESIDENTS:
Benedict Arnold, Lyman
Beecher, Michael Bolton,
George W. Bush, Karen
Carpenter, Al Capp,
Samuel Colt, Claire
Criscuolo ,Paul Giamatti,
Charles Goodyear, Joe
Lieberman, Eli Whitney
POPULATION
1790
1900
Current
4,487
108,027
129,779
E
M
I
IN T
4
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Ne ny
art
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c
c
e
e
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of C
denominations—Baptist, Episcopal, Methodist, Roman
Catholics, Unitarians and Quakers—arrived. The Knights
of Columbus Catholic fraternal organization was established in New Haven in 1882 and maintains a museum and
archive <www.kofcmuseum.org/en/archives>. In the 1930s,
the CSL gathered records from about 600 Connecticut
churches; check for microfilm copies at the CSL and FHL.
Otherwise, contact the individual church or if it no longer
exists, the religion’s administrative archive for record
copies.
CENSUSES: No colonial population censuses exist for
Connecticut, but Jay Mack Holbrook compiled a variety
of early records into Connecticut 1670 Census (Holbrook
Research Institute). Also consult the Connecticut military
census taken in 1917 and 1918, which enumerated men over
age 16, on microfilm at the CSL and FHL. Look for residents of New Haven in federal censuses from 1790 to 1940
(except for the missing 1890 census) on Ancestry.com,
FamilySearch.org and other genealogy data sites.
LAND RECORDS: Beginning in 1639, landowners had
to provide town clerks with record of their property size
and history of transfers. Since land usually was transferred
n
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NEW HAVEN, CO NN.
WEBSITES
Connecticut Genealogy: New Haven County
within the family, these records can include details on relationships. Contact town clerks for land records and check
for microfilm at the CSL and FHL. The FHL has microfilmed land records, including deeds, up to about 1900.
CITY DIRECTORIES: New Haven city directories date
from 1840 and are located at the CHS, CSL and Library of
Congress <loc.gov>, and are on microfilm through the FHL
(1840-1935). Fold3 <www.fold3.com> has the 1860-61 directory. You can access the 1888, 1892, 1894 and 1898 directories, plus Yale yearbooks, on World Vital Records <www.
worldvitalrecords.com>. The Online Historical Directories
site <sites.google.com/site/onlinedirectorysite/Home/usa/ct/
newhaven> links to other online directories.
MILITARY RECORDS: New Haven men served in conflicts from the Colonial period through contemporary
wars. The largest collection of manuscripts relating to
their military service is at the CSL; see research guides and
searchable indexes at <www.cslib.org/genealogy.htm#P88_
10062>. For links to online records from New Haven and
neighboring towns, visit Connecticut-genealogy.com
<connecticut-genealogy.com/New-Haven-CountyGenealogy.cfm>
Connecticut History Online
<www.cthistoryonline.org/cdm-cho>
New Haven County Migrations <www.usgennet.org/usa/
ct/state/ctmigrate/nhmigrations.htm>
USGenWeb: New Haven County
<www.usgwarchives.net/ct/newhavn.html>
PUBLICATIONS
Ancient Town Records: New Haven Town Records 1649-1662
by Franklin Bowditch Dexter (Kessinger Publishing)
Families of Ancient New Haven by Donald Lines Jacobus
(Clearfield Co.)
A Guide to Historic New Haven by Colin M. Caplan
(The History Press)
History of New Haven County, Connecticut by Mary Hewitt
Mitchell (Pioneer Historical Publishing Co.)
ARCHIVES & ORGANIZATIONS
<connecticut-genealogy.com/New-Haven-County-MilitaryRecords.cfm>. A list of New Haven County Civil War soldiers is at <dunhamwilcox.net/ct/waterbury_ct_cw1.htm>.
City of New Haven Clerk
Citizens of nine Connecticut towns including New
Haven who suffered Revolutionary War losses received
land in the “Firelands” of the Connecticut Western
Reserve in Northern Ohio. Records relating to these tracts
are at the CSL; see <www.cslib.org/firelands.htm> for details.
Also visit the Firelands Historical Society website <www.
firelandsmuseum.org>.
NATURALIZATIONS: Connecticut naturalizations could
be filed in city courts, superior courts or courts of common pleas. For records from 1791 to 1906, check the Works
Progress Administration index (on microfilm through
the National Archives and the FHL). Contact the court
or check the CSL for copies. Naturalizations after 1906
are at the National Archives’ Northeast Region in Boston
<archives.gov/northeast/boston> or order them online from
the US Citizenship and Immigration Service <www.uscis.
gov/genealogy>.
NEWSPAPERS: Connecticut’s first newspaper was the
Connecticut Gazette, started in New Haven in 1755. The
CSL holds a large collection of New Haven papers on
microfilm, including the German-language Connecticut
Republikaner. Find more information at <www.cslib.org/
newspapers>. Subscription website GenealogyBank <www.
genealogybank.com> offers several New Haven papers.
Connecticut Historical Society Museum and Library
6 Colt’s
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187w8Havenits
Ne lishes book
pub phone
first
200 Orange St., New Haven, CT 06510, (203) 946-8346,
<www.cityofnewhaven.com/TownClerk>
1 Elizabeth St., Hartford, CT 06105,
(860) 236-5621, <www.chs.org>
Connecticut Society of Genealogists
Box 435, Glastonbury, CT 06033,
(860) 569-0002, <www.csginc.org>
Connecticut State Library
231 Capitol Ave., Hartford, CT 06106,
(860) 757-6500, <www.cslib.org>
New Haven Colony Museum
114 Whitney Ave., New Haven, CT 06510,
(203) 562-4183, <www.newhavenmuseum.org>
New Haven Public Library
133 Elm St., New Haven, CT 06510, (203) 946-8130,
<www.cityofnewhaven.com/library>
New Haven Vital Statistics Office
165 Church St., New Haven, CT 06510, (203) 946-7931,
<www.cityofnewhaven.com/VitalStatistics>
University Of New Haven Marvin K. Peterson Library
300 Boston Post Road, West Haven, CT 06516,
(203) 932-7189, <www.newhaven.edu/library>
Yale University Manuscripts and Archives
Sterling Memorial Library, 128 Wall St., New Haven, CT
06520, (203) 432-1735, <www.library.yale.edu/mssa>
2
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3/20/13 1:35 PM
NEW HAVEN, CO NN.
CITY GUIDE
5
TOP
HISTORIC SITES
1
Eli Whitney Museum
915 Whitney Ave., Hamden, CT 06517,
(203) 777-1833, <www.eliwhitney.org>
On this site, Eli Whitney built the first American factory.
Today the museum preserves his legacy and explores
design and invention.
magazine
RECORDS AT A GLANCE
Birth Records
BEGIN: 1649
PRIVACY RESTRICTIONS: Access records less than
100 years old with proof of membership in a qualified
Connecticut genealogical society
RESEARCH TIPS: The state Department of Public
Health’s Vital Records office has records after 1897. For
earlier records, contact town clerks or use the Barbour
Collection of Vital Records.
City Directories
BEGIN: 1840
RESEARCH TIPS: These are available on microfilm
2
Fort Nathan Hale and Black Rock Fort
Woodward Road Ave., New Haven, CT 06512,
<www.fort-nathan-hale.org>
Here, Revolutionary War patriots defended downtown
New Haven from British soldiers. It was renamed for local
hero Nathan Hale, whose purported last words were “I
only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.”
3
Grove Street Cemetery
227 Grove St., New Haven, CT 06511,
(203) 787-1443, <www.grovestreetcemetery.org>
Established in 1797, this cemetery near the Yale University campus was one of the earliest designed with family
plots. It’s the final resting place for Eli Whitney, Charles
Goodyear and other notable New Haven residents. See a
registry of burials at <www.grovestreetcemetery.org/search_
directions.htm>.
4
through the Family History Library (FHL), the
Connecticut Historical Society and the Library of
Congress. Online, check Fold3 and World Vital Records.
Court Records
BEGIN: 1636
RESEARCH TIPS: Most records are at the Connecticut
State Library (with copies on FHL microfilm) or at the
court itself. See <www.cslib.org/ArchivesRsrce.htm#
P42_0922> for the CSL’s guides to finding court records.
Death Records
BEGIN: 1649
PRIVACY RESTRICTIONS: Access
RESEARCH TIPS: Use the same resources as for birth
records. For pre-1897 records, also use Hale’s collections
of cemetery inscriptions and newspaper obituaries.
New Haven Museum
114 Whitney Ave., New Haven, CT 06510,
(203) 562-4183, <www.newhavenmuseum.org>
This museum, founded in 1862, offers a four-gallery
museum space on New Haven history and extensive
research resources in the Whitney library.
5
Deeds
BEGIN: 1638
RESEARCH TIPS: Deeds and other land ownership are
records are available on the town level or on microfilm
through the FHL.
Marriage Records
Shore Line Trolley Museum
17 River St., East Haven, CT 06512,
(203) 467-6927, <www.bera.org>
Take a short trip on a circa-1911 trolley car through a Connecticut Salt Marsh, then tour more than 100 antique trolleys at the museum.
BEGIN: 1649
PRIVACY RESTRICTIONS: None
RESEARCH TIPS: Use the same resources as for birth
records.
Connecticut State Research Guide
D
RELATE CES
RESOUR
<shopfamilytree.com/connecticut-research-guide-digital-download>
Family Tree Sourcebook <shopfamilytree.com/family-tree-sourcebook-book>
Connecticut landowner maps and books
<shopfamilytree.com/connecticut-genealogy>
3/20/13 1:35 PM
Technology Simplified – New and Improved
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completely new touch
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normal computer screen.
The “buttons” on the
screen are easy to see and
easy to understand. All
you do is touch one of
them, from the Web,
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to
Games– you name it… and
a new screen opens up.
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GENEALOGY
Brush up your familyy history writting
and pa
ain
nt yourr ancestors with word
ds.
These six question
ns will get you going.
BY SUNNY JANE MORTON
3 HAVE YOU DAYDREAMED of writing up your family
history but never actually started (or finished) a project?
Maybe you’ve thought about penning a biography of a grandparent. Perhaps you hope to create a book of family photos or
a volume showcasing your connection to the House of Tudor.
These unwritten—or half-written—projects are like unfinished portraits of your ancestors: sketched out, but never
fully executed. If you leave your research this way, others
may never fully appreciate your family history or “see” your
forebears as you do in your mind’s eye: as real people worthy
of a memorial portrait.
So how do you get your masterpiece out of your head and
into fully realized form? Take a lesson from portrait painters. They make several upfront decisions about their overall
goals for the portrait. Then they experiment with different
media, brush strokes and designs. As they paint, they keep
making decisions: where to put a line, deepen a shadow or
emphasize a shape.
You can take the same approach to creating an ancestral
portrait in words. For a well-executed likeness of your relatives, you’ll want to plan exactly what to write, how to write
it and where to share your finished work. You may experiment with different approaches along the way, but eventually
you settle on one and see it through.
The following six questions will help you sketch in the
contours of your next family history writing project—that
is, your next genealogical portrait. Do this mental sketch in
pencil, though: You may find yourself erasing or refining your
answers as you go.
42
0613FT WRITING FEATURE.indd 42
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Who’s your subject?
your research analysis and sources. See how each audience
requires different content?
You’ll want to keep your audience in mind for another
reason, too. You wouldn’t give someone an unflattering commemorative painting of their parent. Similarly, it’s important
to consider the ethics and appropriateness of what you write.
Who might be hurt by using a particular story or quote—not
just the subject, but also his or her loved ones and descendants? Whose privacy might be violated? Of course, you don’t
want to paint an unrealistically perfect portrait, either. Be
balanced and fair. When difficult truths must be told, do it as
sensitively and responsibly as possible.
A portrait painting has a subject. Who will be
the subject—or subjects—of your genealogical
portrait? Which of their stories will you tell?
Let’s say you’ve considered writing everything we’ve already mentioned: your mother’s biography, a
photo book and a narrative lineage back to the Tudors. Are
all these fodder for the same project? Not unless it’s a photo
narrative of your mother’s descent from a secret love child
of Elizabeth I. Otherwise, the subjects don’t make sense as a
single project—not to mention how overwhelming this task
would be.
So narrow your subject to a reasonable scope. A small, finished project is better than a three-volume tome that exists
only in your dreams. Choose the subject that’s most interesting to you right now, or to your intended audience (see question No. 2). If you’re not sure, look at your research: What’s
the most compelling subject? Alternately, you may choose a
topic that’s timely for an upcoming family event or gift. Or
you may simply start with the one that sounds easiest and
least expensive to complete.
Let’s say you choose a biography of your mother. Will you
portray her entire life, like a head-to-toe portrait, or just a
part of it? Many biographies just cover one time period (such
as a childhood), one relationship (a marriage) or one aspect
of life (career, motherhood). Partial biographies are great
projects, especially for living individuals or those for whom
you have a lot of material. If you eventually hope to write a
full biography but want to tackle a smaller project now, write
a standalone piece on one aspect of the person’s life that
could become part of a larger book later.
Where will your canvas hang?
Artists design their works differently for different places: private homes, textbook illustrations, theatrical sets and so on. Similarly,
where your finished book or article ends up
may influence how you create it. You would hate to have to
rewrite your piece because you didn’t know that the genealogical newsletter accepts only fully cited articles fewer than
5,000 words.
So where do you see your piece ending up? Often, just in
the hands of your own family. This means you have control
over whether you create a bound book, stapled booklet, CD
with documents and images, website, etc. You choose the
length of the project, layout, font, citation styles and appendices (more on these last two in a minute). You’re limited
only by your resources and abilities.
Do you have a short piece you wish you could publish?
Consider penning an article for a local or regional genealogical or historical society magazine or newsletter. These
publications may be easier to write for than you think. They
may accept pieces as short as 500 words (about one page
single-spaced in a 12-point font) or as long as 10,000 words
(about 20 pages). This may be the perfect venue for a short
ancestral biography or a personal genealogical journey, like a
recounting of your discovery of a family murder.
Check recent issues of newsletters or journals published
by any repository or organization that might take an interest. Do you see articles like what you want to write? Look for
submission requirements on the society’s website or contact
the editor. (Don’t be intimidated by editors. They’re usually
happy to work with anyone who has good material that fits
the publication’s needs.)
If you can write like a college professor, consider contributing to professional journals such as American Ancestor,
The New England Historical Genealogical Register <www.
americanancestors.org/publications> and The National Genealogical Society Quarterly <www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/ngsq> ,
or state-level journals such as The Ohio Genealogical Society
Quarterly <www.ogs.org> or The Magazine of Virginia Genealogy <www.vgs.org> (look for journals under Publications).
Make sure you submit only to journals with a stated interest
Who’s your audience?
Most every artist hopes for an audience. It
may be other artists, critics, museum patrons,
magazine readers or even those who see the
artwork hanging in a doctor’s office.
Your writing project also should have a specific audience
in mind: your immediate family, members of a genealogy
society, distant cousins who may find your work online or in
a library, or a niche audience such as an ethnic or religious
community. It may be naïve to shoot for a one-piece-fits-all
work. Different audiences can require different content,
writing style and format.
Let’s take the example of your mother’s biography. The
most interested audience will likely be her relatives. Relatives enjoy stories and photographs (preferably with flattering portrayals of themselves). Their attention may wander
when reading your careful analysis and source citations.
Other audiences may take interest in your mother’s stories
if she was a pioneering chemist or Methodist deaconess,
but these audiences won’t care as much about her relatives.
Genealogical and historical journals usually take most interest in long-dead subjects; they also will care deeply about
44
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Speak Up
You’ll use different “voices” in your genealogy writing for different audiences. These examples
will help you decide when to insert your own thoughts and actions by using the personal
voice, and when to focus on your subject by using an objective voice.
Type of work
Personal voice
Objective voice
Use the …
Compiled genealogy
My third-great-grandfather
arrived in New Orleans in
1828.
Louis de Valle arrived in
New Orleans in 1828.
objective voice. There’s no reason
to use the personal voice here:
This is the subject’s story.
Biography of a loved one
My mother was born on my
grandmother’s birthday.
Cynthia Jordan was born on
her mother’s birthday.
personal voice. It shows a more
intimate relationship between
the writer (you) and subject
(your mom).
Genealogical journey
I couldn’t believe it.
After years of searching,
I had finally found my
great-grandfather.
Jonah Lindon’s identity
remained unknown for
years.
either voice, depending on the
audience. The personal voice is
more gripping here.
in the type of content you have. History journals also may be
interested in your topic: Browse collegiate library stacks for
these or search titles at <www.jstor.org>.
What if you have a book project you hope to see on library
shelves? Look back to the December 2012 issue of Family
Tree Magazine <shopfamilytree.com/family-tree-dec-2012-pdf>,
which offers detailed information on submitting your family
history book to major genealogical libraries, digital collections, regional historical and genealogical society libraries,
and ethnic and religious collections.
What style will you use?
Painters express themselves with distinct
styles. Think of Van Gogh’s thick, swirling
brush strokes or Leonardo da Vinci’s nearscientific attention to detail. When you write,
you’re going to use a particular style, or voice.
A lot of genealogy writing uses an objective tone, like what
you’d find in a reference book. You present and interpret your
findings matter-of-factly. You don’t use the personal pronoun
I or share your feelings or opinions. Use this objective writing style in compiled genealogies or articles that will serve as
reference works for others. Use it when writing about longdead kin with whom you’ve had no personal relationship. See
the box above for suggested voices to use in different types
of writing.
Sometimes it’s appropriate to use a personal voice—to
refer to yourself as I in the narrative. You might do this when
writing about those you know well, because your relationship, memories, opinions and feelings are relevant to the
story. You might also use a personal voice to narrate a genealogical discovery story in a local society newsletter. The personal voice works best when your own experience is as much
a part of the story as the unfolding tales of your ancestors.
What will your
masterpiece look like?
Once a painter has made the aforementioned
important decisions, she can focus on structural details within the portrait. What part of
the canvas will call the most attention? What color palette
will look best? What about the lighting? The artist may look
to other portraits for inspiration; use grids, color wheels, and
light meters; or just take her best guess and move forward.
Family history writers have to deal with structural details,
too. You can take inspiration from other books and articles.
You can also use genealogy and word-processing software
(see the “State of the Art” box on the next page) to help solve
issues regarding:
ORGANIZATION: Look to the way others have done
similar work. Biographies are usually organized chronologically; longer books are divided into chapters. Compiled
genealogies are usually divided into sections by generation
with genealogical data and short biographies. For help using
standard genealogical numbering systems such as the Register system or the
NGSQ system, see Step 17 in Sharon
DeBartolo Carmack’s You Can Write
Your Family History (Genealogical
TIP: If you
Publishing Co.) or create reports with
hope to write
your genealogy software. In a longer
for a particular
work, use a table of contents to show
publication,
at-a-glance how your work is orgaread past issues
nized. In a shorter piece, use subheadto become
ings to divide each section.
familiar with the
SOURCE CITATIONS: Best practice
type of content
it uses and its
is always to cite your sources with
voice.
enough information that someone else
could find them. This intimidates a
45
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lot of family history writers. Most genealogy software will
create source citations for you if you enter the information.
Word-processing programs usually allow you to insert references and will generate a bibliography for you, too (in Word
2007, find these commands in the References menu). If you
publish in a journal or newsletter, you’ll need to format
sources according to that publication’s guidelines. Your software can help with that, too. So can the October/November
2012 Family Tree Magazine <shopfamilytree.com/family-treemagazine-oct-nov-2012> and Family Tree University’s Source
Documentation course <familytreeuniversity.com/sourcedocumentation-101> . If you really don’t want to use notes,
A small, finished project is better
than a three-volume tome that
exists only in your dreams.
State of the Art
Your genealogy software can make your
family history book easier to put together.
Enter or import your family data into
programs such as the ones listed here,
and get automated help creating your
book or other project.
FAMILY HISTORIAN 5: Create
charts, family websites, family tree CDs
and DVDs, custom reports, books and
booklets; automate source citations; and
incorporate multimedia sources. Imports
from GEDCOM. Runs on Windows 7,
Vista and XP. $46.50 after free 30-day
trial. <www.family-historian.co.uk>
FAMILY TREE MAKER 2012 and
FAMILY TREE MAKER FOR MAC 2: Create
charts, reports, timelines, maps and
biographical summaries. Incorporate
images; and generate contents page and
an index. Print or export to a PDF or wordprocessing program. Sync data easily
with an online Ancestry.com tree or
import from GEDCOM. Use 2012 version
($31.99) with Windows XP, Vista, or 7.
Mac version ($55.99) syncs with iPhone
or iPad; compatible with Mac OS X 10.5
or later. <www.familytreemaker.com>
HEREDIS FOR MAC (2.0) OR PC:
Create customized charts, indexes,
reports and illustrated books; you can
export to your word-processing program
(but not to PDF). Import from GEDCOM
files; synchronize with iPhone or iPad.
$39.90, free trial available. <www.
heredis.com/en>
LEGACY FAMILY TREE 7.5: The
Standard Edition creates charts, reports
(with pictures) and websites. It also will
create source citations and bibliographies.
The Deluxe Edition adds publishing
features including indexes, contents
page and other front matter formatting;
interview and chronology reports; PDF
creation; and source citations based on
Evidence Explained! by Elizabeth Shown
Mills. Compatible with Windows Vista
and 7. Imports from GEDCOM, PAF and
Ancestral Quest. Standard Edition free,
Deluxe Edition from $29.95. <www.
legacyfamilytree.com>
THE MASTER GENEALOGIST V.8:
Creates charts and reports with endnotes
or bibliography. Most publication features
are in the Gold Edition, which creates
books with contents, footnotes, indexes
and bibliographies. Outputs reports to
PDF, RTF or ASCII files; Gold Edition
offers additional options. Imports from
Family Tree Maker, Personal Ancestral
File, all GEDCOMs and some other
programs. Use with Windows 2000,
XP, 7 or Vista. Silver Edition from $34,
Gold Edition from $59; free trial available
<www.whollygenes.com>
PERSONAL HISTORIAN: Use to
organize and publish a biographical
or autobiographical writing project.
Create headers, footers, cover pages,
front matter and a people index. Version
2 offers additional customization,
footnotes, editing and index features, and
free technical support; and saves to PDFs
or word processor. Use with Windows 7,
Vista, XP, 2000. Import from RootsMagic,
Personal Ancestral File (PAF) 5, Legacy 3
and later, GEDCOM, Family Tree Maker
16 and earlier. Essentials free, version 2
$29.95. <rootsmagic.com/Products>
ROOTSMAGIC: Create customizable
charts, family group sheets, narrative
reports, individual summaries,
scrapbooks, Ahnentafel reports and
source lists. In version 5, create custom
family history CDs and websites; publish
books with notes, photos, bibliography,
index, cover and front matter; and save
reports as PDFs (with Adobe Acrobat) or
to a word processor. Use with Windows
7, Vista, XP and 2000. Imports from
Family Tree Maker 16 and earlier; PAF 2.x
and later, New FamilySearch (optional
full LDS support in version 5), Family
Origins 4 and later, Legacy 2 and later,
GEDCOMs. Essentials is free, version 5
$29.95. <rootsmagic.com/Products>
REUNION 10: Create attractive
charts, reports, Register or Ahnentafel
reports, slide shows. Create fullyformatted custom content that opens
in word processor with source citations.
Integrate multimedia. Integrate content
with iPod, iPad, iPhone. Post reports
online. Import from GEDCOMs. Requires
Mac OS X 10.5 or newer. $99.95. <www.
leisterpro.com>
46
2013
3/20/13 1:39 PM
When is it done?
mention your sources within the text. Use phrases like
“According to mom’s diary” and “In the 1940 census for Fell
Township … .” You won’t get away with this in genealogical
journals, but if you’re printing your own work, you’re the boss.
ILLUSTRATIONS AND DOCUMENTS: What story isn’t better
with pictures and supporting documentation? Plan as you
go which pictures, documents, maps, charts and genealogical reports will best illustrate your narrative. Before using
images you didn’t create or that aren’t in your personal collection, get permission from the copyright holder or owner
(for more information, see <familytreemagazine.com/article/
copyright-for-genealogists> ). Then think about whether the
material belongs alongside the text or in an appendix. A long
letter that may distract the reader from the main story, or
a family group sheet a viewer will reference several times,
probably belong in an appendix. Keep track of items you’re
putting in appendices so you don’t forget or misnumber anything. Of course, you won’t use appendices for short articles.
INDEX: An index can be the most important part of a booklength project because it helps readers determine whether
your book is relevant to their families. Again, technology
exists to help with this tedious process. Most genealogy programs at least index names; some will also index locations or
other terms. For a comprehensive or custom index, use your
word processor to specify all the terms you want to appear in
the index and how they will be categorized.
MORE ONLINE
Free Web Content
Five excuses for not getting started <familytreemagazine.com/
article/get-motivated-to-write>
Six quick ideas for sharing family history <familytreemagazine.com/
article/family-story-short-takes>
Start writing your life story <familytreemagazine.com/article/
writing-your-life-story-1>
For Plus Members
Turn your research into a compelling tale <familytreemagazine.com/
article/preserve-something-to-write-home-about>
How to plan, write and publish your family story
<familytreemagazine.com/article/publish-or-perish>
Are you ready to write? <familytreemagazine.com/article/
telling-time>
ShopFamilyTree.com
My Life and Times: A Guided Journal for Collecting Your Stories
<familytreemagazine.com/article/writing-your-life-story-1>
Writing the Family Narrative digital download <shopfamilytree.
com/wrtg-family-narrative>
Write Your Family History Family Tree University course
<familytreeuniversity.com/write-your-family-history>
An artist could fuss with final touches on
a masterpiece for years without actually
improving or finishing it. At some point, he
needs to declare the portrait complete and
move on to another project. This is also a family history
writer’s concern. It’s tempting to keep adding to a family
history narrative as you find more material. But then you’ll
never finish or share it. How do you decide your story, article
or book is done?
This is really a two-part question: When is the research
done, and when is the writing done? When you start writing, you may realize several questions remain unanswered.
You suddenly wonder why Louis de Valle came to New
Orleans, and what his life was like as a riverboat captain.
You remember that you don’t know his wife’s maiden name
or what became of one daughter. Which questions are most
important to your story? To your audience? Which ones can
stay unanswered for now, for the sake of being able to share
your research? (Perhaps these questions would make a great
follow-up project.)
Second, when is the writing part done? You may need to
write, rewrite and then edit a couple of times to produce a
well-written project. That’s normal. But when you find yourself rearranging sentences and putting them back almost the
same way, you know it’s time to call it quits. Ask yourself: Did
you accomplish your original goal? Is it good enough to show
the editor of the society newsletter? Has your family stopped
believing you when you say it’s almost done? Would you like
to move on to something else?
If you have a hard time knowing whether your project is
done, try one of these tricks:
GIVE YOURSELF A DEADLINE. Complete your project as a
holiday or birthday gift, enter a genealogy writing contest or
promise your piece to an editor for a certain newsletter issue.
WORK WITH A FRIEND. Set dates to exchange drafts and
then to celebrate the finished product together. Stick to your
commitment.
PUT AWAY YOUR DRAFT FOR THREE WEEKS. Move on to
another project. Then come back and evaluate it with fresh
eyes. You’ll be more likely to see how complete it is, and more
ready to move on.
How does your sketch look so far? By now, you should have
a pretty good vision of what your next genealogical masterpiece could look like. You might know who you’ll feature;
who you’re writing for; even what style and format might
work best. Let this mental sketch be your guide and inspiration. Don’t lose momentum: Just start writing. You’ll have an
ancestral portrait worth framing—or at least worth sharing
with your relatives. Contributing editor Sunny Jane Morton writes family
history mostly for her own relatives, not all of whom care, but
it’s still worth it.
47
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L i b r a r y o f C o n g r e s s P r i n t s a n d P h o t o g r a p h s D i v i s i o n , W a s h i n g t o n , D C , H A B S V I , 3 - C H A M .V, 1 - - 1
Exile and resettlement brought Jews from South America to the Caribbean
and the Guianas for their experience in plantations, sugar mills and business.
Congregation Beth Ha-Chaim was founded on St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
48
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THE OTHER SIDE OF
H
S
I
JEGW
ENEALOGY
Learn how to get started exploring your Sephardic roots.
L i b r a r y o f C o n g r e s s P r i n t s a n d P h o t o g r a p h s D i v i s i o n , W a s h i n g t o n , D C , H A B S V I , 3 - C H A M .V, 1 - - 1
B Y S C H E L LY TA L A L AY D A R D A S H T I
3 ON A SUNNY afternoon during my first visit to Barce“There is, unfortunately, little knowledge of Sephardic
lona, I stood at the top of Mount Tibidabo. I looked down at history among Ashkenazim,” Malka says, noting that some
the coastline and understood the longing Sephardim took genealogical resources for the groups are the same, and othwith them on their exile in 1492.
ers differ because of their different locations. “The Sephardic
Our Talalay family always heard that “This was our name resources are woefully undeveloped,” he adds.
in Spain,” and that we were Sephardic in origin—no matter
We’ll show you the “other side” of Jewish genealogy,
how long we’d lived in Eastern Europe, specifically in Mogi- which for too long has been Eastern European-centric, and
lev, Belarus.
help you discover your Sephardic family history.
When most genealogists think about Jewish ancestry,
they’re probably thinking of Ashkenazim—those who gener- Uncovering hidden history
ally lived in assimilated Europe, speaking secular languages, Your first step to uncover your family’s hidden past is to
or in Eastern Europe, where Yiddish was the lingua franca.
learn about the history of Sephardim. These Jews spoke
Sephardim, a lesser-known group to which my family Ladino, a mix of Hebrew, Spanish and other languages, with
belongs, originated in Spain and Portugal. “For most of various geographic dialects. Most were expelled from their
recorded history, Jewish history was essentially the his- homes on the Iberian Peninsula in 1492, when the Cathotory of Sephardim, which comes as a great shock to those lic monarchs of Spain issued the Alhambra decree. King
alive today,” says award-winning author Jeffrey S. Malka, Manuel of Portugal made a similar order in 1497. Sephardim
founder of SephardicGen.com <sephardicgen.com> . “Sep- fanned out fro Iberia to all parts of the known world: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North Africa, the
hardic Jews constituted 90 percent of all Jewry
Ottoman Empire, the New World, Central and
up to the 12th century.”
South America. Some remained, secretly pracMalka’s research, confirmed by leading Jewticing their faith; they’re called conversos in
ish demographer and statistician Sergio Della
TIP: Some
Spanish or bnei anousim in Hebrew.
Pergola of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
Sephardic
Sephardim from now-Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Iran
reveals that 12,000 Jews lived in 12th-century
ketubot, or
and India, where other Jewish languages and
Toledo, Spain, to Frankfurt’s 700. FourteenthJewish wedding
dialects such as Judeo-Persian were common, are
century Seville, Spain, was home to 12,000 Jews,
contracts,
more correctly called Mizrahi or Eastern Jews.
list several
versus 1,200 in Prague. And beginning with the
Additionally, Sephardim encompass Roman Jews,
generations of
first 23 Jews who arrived in New Amsterdam
who live in the oldest Jewish community outnames for both
(today, New York) in 1654 from Recife, Brazil,
side Israel, and the indigenous Greek-speaking
the groom and
the American Jewish population was mostly
Romaniote Jews. But today’s broad definition of
bride. These
Sephardic for nearly two centuries. Early synaSephardim includes all non-Yiddish speaking,
are often found
gogues in New York, Philadelphia, Newport,
non-Ashkenazi Jews.
among home
Charleston, Savannah and New Orleans were
sources and
New World Jewish settlement began in Dutch
Sephardic. Rabbi Malcolm Stern’s pivotal work
synagogue
Brazil. Exile and resettlement brought Sephardic
on early Colonial families demonstrates the
records.
Jews from there to the Caribbean and the Guianas
prominence of Sephardim, although few of their
for their experience in plantations, sugar mills
descendants today are Jewish.
49
3/20/13 1:43 PM
TOOLKIT
and business. The Dutch and English competed for them,
offering civil rights and religious freedom in 1659 (French
Guiana) and 1660 (Surinam). Along with shipping expertise,
the Jews’ fluency in Spanish and Portuguese furthered contacts with countrymen (and often family) throughout the
New World, Europe and Africa.
Of 401 plantations in Jamaica in 1737, 115 were Jewish. Some of these plantations (with the owners’ names
in parentheses) include Mahanaim (Gabay Baeza); Beersaba (widow of Abraham de Meza); Gilgal (Joseph Arrias);
Nahamu (Benjamin Henriques de Granada); Goshen (S.J.
Sanchez); Haran (Jacob de Pina); Petah ve Naim (Jacob
Cohen Nassi); Carmel (Isaak Granada da Fonseca); Beit
El (Jacob de Meza); Dothan, Carillo, Serphati and Hebron
(Moises Nunez Henriquez).
Jews settled in St. Eustatius (known as Stasia) in 1660,
where Spanish-Portuguese merchants supplied Americans
fighting for independence from Britain. In 1776, 18 ships
reached North American rebel ports. The British didn’t
know where the Americans’ supplies were coming from until
1777, when they captured a ship with military equipment.
Documents on board showed the owners were SpanishPortuguese Jews from Stasia.
Besides family stories and ancestors in areas with large
Sephardic populations, hints you have Sephardic roots
could include customs such as eating rice on Passover,
which is forbidden to Ashkenazim, and naming patterns
(see the next page). Today, DNA testing also can be of help
(see page 53).
Websites
Avotaynu <avotaynu.com/csi/csi-home.html>
American Sephardi Federation
<americansephardifederation.org>
Beth Hatefutsoth: Museum of the Jewish Diaspora
<www.bh.org.il>
Geni.com Projects Portal <www.geni.com/projects>:
Search for Sephardic.
JewishGen.org: Sephardic research
<www.jewishgen.org/infofiles/sefard5.htm>
and <jewishgen.org/sephardic/names.htm>
Les Fleurs d’Orient Project <www.farhi.org>
The Nahman Home Page <nahman-genealogy.com>
Sephardic Studies <www.sephardicstudies.org>
SephardicGen.com <sephardicgen.com>
Sephardim.com <sephardim.com>
Society for Crypto Judaic Studies
<www.cryptojews.com>
Sources for Sephardic Studies
<huc.edu/sephardic/media/LibraryResearchGuide.pdf>
Southern Jewish Historical Society <jewishsouth.org>
Tracing the Tribe: The Jewish Genealogy Blog
<tracingthetribe.blogspot.com>
Yad Vashem: The Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes'
Remembrance Authority <yad-vashem.org>
Publications
Seeking the past
Dicionario Sefaradi de Sobrenomes (Dictionary of Sephardic
Surnames) by Guilherme Faiguenboim, Paulo Valadares
and Anna Rosa Campagnan (Avotaynu)
The Forgetting River: A Modern Tale of Survival, Identity, and
the Inquisition by Doreen Carvajal (Riverhead Books)
Guidebook for Sephardic and Mizrahi Genealogical
Resources in Israel by Mathilde Tagger and
Yitzchak Kerem (Avotaynu)
The Jewish Nation of the Caribbean: The Spanish-Portuguese
Jewish Settlements in the Caribbean and the Guianas
by Mordechai Arbell (Gefen)
The Journal of Spanish, Portuguese and Italian
Crypto Jews (Florida International University),
Jewish genealogy, as for other groups, grew from the popularity of the “Roots” TV series in the 1970s. But American
Jewish culture was Ashkenazi. The much smaller Sephardic
community was busy blending in, Malka says, and many were
ignorant of their own history.
Genealogist Alain Farhi disagrees. “Sephardic genealogy
always existed, but wasn’t publicized or discovered by the
masses or the American genealogists. The British Sephardic
genealogists didn’t have to ‘catch up’ with the rest of Jewish
genealogy. They were up front all the time.”
Harry Stein, founder of the Sephardim.com website
<sephardim.com>, says it may have taken longer for Sephardic
genealogists to “go public” because their history showed
them the wisdom of keeping their ancestry secret. Both the
Nazis and the Catholic Church were considered a threat.
Sephardim also remembered the Inquisition, which made
hiding one’s identity a more-than-500-year tradition. “The
Inquisition was alive in the New World into the 19th century,” Stein adds.
The internet is the catalyst that jump-started Jewish
genealogy, particularly Sephardic genealogy, by providing
accessible information, guidance and resources. Researchers could instantly network and strategize, sharing data,
<www.cryptojewsjournal.org>
Juggling Identities: Identity and Authenticity Among the
Crypto-Jews by Seth D. Kunin (Columbia University Press)
Sangre Judia (volumes 1 and 2) by Pere Bonnin
(Flor del Viento)
Sephardic Genealogy: Discovering Your Sephardic Ancestors
and Their World, 2nd edition, by Jeffrey Malka (Avotaynu)
Sephardic Horizons journal, <sephardichorizons.org>
To the End of the Earth: A History of the Crypto-Jews of New
Mexico by Stanley Hordes (Columbia University Press)
50
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surnames and geographical information. “The internet made details in unusual archival or geographical locations. Most
it easier to extend the reach of genealogy and collect data important, you learn that no list of names is ever really complete, that previously hidden resources come to light at difbeyond national borders,” Farhi says.
Stein married a Sephardic woman and wanted his children ferent times and places.
Sephardic surnames are ancient. Spanish archives include
to understand their heritage. “My Sephardic friends kept
telling me how lucky I was to have married an Abravanel. I records of Sephardic surnames as far back as the 10th cendidn’t know who or what that was.” He learned that Abrava- tury—a genealogical advantage Ashkenazim don’t enjoy.
Today, many Sephardic names bear the original form or
nel is akin to royalty in the Sephardic world.
a variation, indi“There are said to be more than 24
cating descent
million people of Sephardic ancestry
from a particuin the American Southwest, and South
Sephardic surnames are ancient.
lar family. These
and Central America.” Today, his online
ancient surnames
forum has 2,800 global members and
Spanish archives include
are important to
has received nearly 2 million hits.
tracing roots in
records of these names as far
Iberia and in subOvercoming challenges
sequent countries
Being aware of challenges unique to
back as the 10th century.
Sephardic famiSephardic research will help you prelies lived.
pare to handle them. Those include
Many Sepharcultural and language differences,
dic Jews exiled in
tragic historical events such as the
1492 had relatives
Inquisition and the Holocaust, and
religious persecution (including forced conversion, mur- who remained in Spain and used aliases to hide their identider, expulsion and blood libels). Sephardic researchers face ties as they conducted international business. Abraham de
challenges due to a wide variety of languages records come Mordechai Vaz Dias studied the Amsterdam State Archive
in; restrictions on access; informal archives; decentralized, to identify many aliases in notarial records; his database is
small communities where Sephardim lived; and unusual one of the many at SephardicGen.com <www.sephardicgen.
handwriting in records.
com/databases/databases.html>. One father and son, whose
Sephardic Jewish records come in Hebrew, Ladino, Span- Sephardic names were Isac and Jacob Semach, used a maze
ish, Portuguese, Catalan and other languages associated with of at least 14 aliases including the Portuguese names Antotheir geographic location. Additional traces of Sephardic nio Hidalgo o Velho, Antonio Hidalgo Ouelho and Antonio
families are found in even more languages across Western, Hidalgo—see their aliases untangled at <www.sephardicgen.
Central and Eastern Europe—wherever a Jewish community com/databases/vazDiasSrchFrm.html>.
might have existed.
Given name patterns also provide clues. Although AshTherefore, the daunting quest for records means deci- kenazim name children after only deceased relatives, Sepphering multiple languages. Jewish communal vital records hardim name children after the living or dead. Traditionally,
were likely written in Hebrew, Ladino, Yiddish (for religious the eldest son is named for the paternal grandfather; eldest
records) and other secular languages (for civil records). daughter for the paternal grandmother; second male child for
Examine dual-language records carefully, as some details the maternal grandfather; second female child for the matermay be in only one part of a record. The best books for get- nal grandmother; next child for a paternal uncle or aunt; next
ting language assistance—and doing Sephardic research child for a maternal uncle or aunt. A recently deceased grandin general—are Malka’s Sephardic Genealogy: Discovering parent or sibling of the newborn would take precedence over
Your Sephardic Ancestors and Their World (Avotaynu, first the living relative. Some Sephardim name children after their
published in 2002 and updated in 2010) and Sangre Judia: own living parents, considered a great honor.
Españoles de ascendencia hebrea y antisemitismo cristiano
(Jewish Blood: Spaniards of Hebrew Ancestry and Christian Discovering Sephardic roots
Anti-Semitism) (Flor del Viento), fourth edition, by Pere No one in my Yiddish-speaking Ashkenazi family from MogiBonnin. Online, use the guidance and message boards at Sep- lev really believed we came from Spain—until I began finding
hardim.com and SephardicGen.com, and see the directory of genealogy records and other Sephardic families in Mogilev:
translators at <www.jewishgen.org/sephardic/translator.htm> Abravanel, Don Yahia, Pines, Aboaf/Abugof and more. Use
these resources as you begin to explore your Sephardic
(see the next page for more on these sites).
Names keep genealogists going. While you search for ancestors’ lives:
BOOKS: Genealogists who’ve researched Sephardim
ancestors’ names, you learn the historical and cultural contexts of their lives. Along the way, you find genealogical serve as a source of guidance and encouragement. Questions
51
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For Caribbean roots, read The Jewish Nation of the CaribMalka received through Sephardicgen.com were the impetus
bean: The Spanish-Portuguese Jewish Settlements in the
for his how-to book.
Bonnin’s Sangre Judia caused a minor revolution in Spain Caribbean and the Guianas (Gefen) by Bulgarian-born prowith three sold-out editions since 1998 and a fourth in 2006. fessor Mordechai Arbell. The book covers the Wild Coast
The author is a chueta of Mallorca, descended from Jews of the Americas and adjacent islands of Martinique, Guawho were forcibly converted 100 years before the 1492 daloupe, French Guiana, Tobago, Pauroma (an old name for
expulsion and were never accepted by the Old Christians. In Pomeroon, a region in Guyana, South America), Surinam,
addition to chapters on Judaism and Spanish Jewish history, Curacao, St. Eustatius, Barbados, Nevis, Jamaica, Tucacas,
the book includes thousands of Sephardic surnames found Danish West Indies, Haiti, and the liberated colonies of Spain
in Inquisition and other records. The book’s fourth edition in the mid-17th to the 20th centuries. It also covers Latvian
includes the city and year of a document discovered for each Jews in 17th-century Tobago.
Interestingly, Arbell discovered that until recently, many
name listed.
“The book stirred up the feeling of being discriminated Caribbean Jewish communities had prohibitions against
against for something that you did not do, but because of Sephardim marrying Ashkenazim. Such a marriage could
whom you are,” Bonnin says, “But it also brought great sat- result in excommunication, as evidenced in a record from
isfaction as readers asked how they could return to Judaism Surinam: “December 8, 1813: Samuel Haim de la Parra having
and how to find their Jewish ancestry.” Not every reac- lost his membership in the Portuguese Jewish community on
tion has been positive, though. Some, upset to read their marrying his Ashkenazi wife.”
WEBSITES: On Sephardim.com,
names, deny Jewish connections and
“are angry and filled with hate because
you’ll find an excellent database of
they feel trapped by an identity they
Beginning with the first names indexed from Sephardic genewould prefer to erase,” Bonnin says.
alogy books and other sources, plus a
Many Sephardim also have roots in
name translator and other informa23 Jews who arrived
the Southwest. Though the University
tion. You’ll also find a Consolidated
of New Mexico’s Stanley Hordes, PhD,
Index of Sephardic Surnames on Sepin New Amsterdam in
has no personal Sephardic roots to his
hardicGen.com (click Databases). The
knowledge, he’s fascinated with the
How to Start and Sephardic History
1654, the US Jewish
Latin American history of the Inquisections are good places to begin, and
sition and Crypto-Jews (conversos
I also recommend surfing the countrypopulation was mostly
who secretly practiced Judaism). As
specific resources.
New Mexico’s state historian, Hordes
Check both sites’ bibliographies for
Sephardic for nearly
focused on Crypto-Jews on the northinformation on the names and locaern frontier of Mexico, today the US
tions you’re interested in researching.
200 years.
Southwest. His genealogical research
Look for details on traditions similar
on early 15th- to -18th century New
to those in your family, which can clue
Mexican settlers and Hispanic New
you into Sephardic roots.
Mexicans claiming a Crypto-Jewish
Farhi’s online database, Les Fleurs
past is documented in To the End of the Earth: A History de l’Orient <www.farhi.org> , contains more than 250,000
of the Crypto-Jews of New Mexico (Columbia University names. “In 1979, after my father’s death, I discovered among
Press). His next book will focus on the history of Crypto- his papers handwritten trees compiled by my grandfather,
Jews in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and pre- Dr. Hillel Farhi,” he says. He began collecting information
British Jamaica.
and distributed copies of these trees to many Farhi in the
Free Web Content
Conversos Connections
MORE
ONLINE
conversos-connections>
Sephardic Genealogy Toolkit
sephardic-genealogy-toolkit>
Latin Roots Toolkit
latin-roots-toolkit>
For Plus Members
Jewish genealogy guide
ties-that-bind>
Research in Spain, Portugal and the
Basque country <familytreemagazine.
com/article/iberian-ancestors>
Caribbean genealogy
ancestors-of-the-caribbean>
ShopFamilyTree.com
The Many Names of
Jewish Genealogy video class
<shopfamilytree.com/digw-manynames-jewish-geneal-class>
Netherlands genealogy guide
<shopfamilytree.com/dutchgenealogy-guide>
Finding Our Fathers <shopfamilytree.
com/finding-our-fathers-gpc5000>
52
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United States, Europe, Latin America and Israel. As they
responded with more data, Farhi built his database.
RECORDS: Your search for genealogical records will take
you from the places your ancestors lived post-exile (Eastern
Europe, for example, or in Spain or Portugal for conversos)
back to Iberia, so you’ll find yourself consulting records
guides for all those places (you’ll find many guides in Family
Tree Magazine’s Passport to Europe CD <shopfamilytree.com/
family-tree-passport-to-europe-cd>).
Inquisition court records are court transcripts for people
who’d purportedly converted to Catholicism and were later
accused of Judaizing (once again observing Jewish traditions). Spanish Inquisition court records are found at the
Archivo Historico Nacional <en.www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/
AHN/index.html> in Madrid, and cover tribunals in Spain, the
Americas and Italy. Canary Islands records are in the Archivo
de Museo Canario <www.elmuseocanario.com/index.php/es/
centro-de-documentacion/archivo> in Las Palmas. Mexico City
records are in that city’s Archivo General de La Nacion <www.
agn.gob.mx>.
Notarial records, an important resource in Spain, are basically business documents recording transactions such as
real estate sales or purchases of clothing and food. They’re
generally kept in Spanish regional archives; with a few on
FamilySearch <www.familysearch.org> microfilm (search the
online catalog for the place Spain, then click the Notarial
Records category).
Of particular interest to Hispanic families of converso origin are passenger lists of Spaniards who left for the Americas
between 1500 and 1800. These are preserved in the Archivo
General de Indias <www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AGI/index.html>
in Seville, Spain; you can request a lookup by writing with the
passenger name and approximate voyage date.
Spanish archives, especially in the small town of Girona,
publish books of Jewish documents. Girona is home to
Museum of the History of the Jews and the Nahmanides
Foundation, a research center dedicated to Jewish heritage that also
houses the Eliezer Eljanan Schalt
Library <www.girona.cat /call/cat /
TIP: Search
JewishGen’s
institut_biblioteca.php>.
G E N E T I C G E N E A LO G Y: M a n y
index to Jewish
items in the
Sephardim.com forum members
Family History
have embraced DNA to help them
Library <www.
find their roots. Family Tree DNA’s
<familytreedna.com> database contains
jewishgen.org/
records for Ashkenazim, Sephardim,
databases/
and those who trace their ancestry to
fhlc>, which
the Levites and Kohanim. Although
may reveal
Ashkenazi Jews still enjoy a more
books, articles
and records
accessible gene pool, Family Tree DNA
you weren’t
founder Bennett Greenspan says, the
aware of.
number of Sephardim in the company’s databases is growing.
Most early American Jews were of Hispanic origin. Sephardim founded
Shearith Israel, America’s first Jewish congregation, in 1654 in New
York City (then New Amsterdam). The congregation’s “First Cemetery”
(actually its second; the location of its oldest cemetery is unknown) was
established in 1683.
New Yorker Judy Simon discovered her male cousin’s
Y-DNA matched Ashkenazi Jews from villages in Latvia,
Belarus and Lithuania, as well as two Hispanic men in Texas
and Mexico. DNA testing of the Ashkenazim revealed their
paternal ancestors were Sephardim before arriving in Eastern Europe. “I wonder how many more Ashkenazi Jews are
unaware they have Sephardic roots,” Simon says. She and I
founded the Iberian Ashkenaz Y-DNA project <www.familytreedna.com/public/IberianSurnamesofAshkenaz> . More than
three-quarters of the participants have found Sephardic or
Converso Y-DNA matches in the Family Tree DNA database.
In order to test the family lines in which you suspect Sephardic roots, you may need to find a cousin or other relative
to contribute DNA. “Sometimes autosomal tests can find
Jewish ancestry,” Simon adds, “though these are better at
identifying Ashkenazi ancestry than Sephardic.”
Whether you’re surprised to discover your ancestors
were Sephardim or, like me, family stories tell of roots in
Iberia, your research will help you reconnect with your family’s past. “Almost daily, I receive letters and messages from
people inquiring about the Jewish origin of their last name,”
Bonnin says. “There is a mysterious connection between the
person and the lineage that goes beyond logic.” Schelly Talalay Dardashti, a journalist, genealogist
and international speaker, has traced her family in Belarus,
Russia, Lithuania, Poland, Spain and Iran for more than 25
years. Although her blog, Tracing the Tribe: The Jewish Genealogy Blog <www.tracingthetribe.com>, is on hiatus, its posts
offer a wealth of Sephardic resources. She’s also the US genealogy advisor for MyHeritage <myheritage.com>.
53
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familyarchivist
Tools for taking care of your family’s legacy
{BY SUNNY JANE MORTON}
ASK ARCHIVIST
PRESERVING
HEIRLOOM QUILTS
3 GOT A COVER quilted by Grandma or Great-grandma?
Textile conservationist Julia M. Brennan <www.caring
fortextiles.com> shares tips on caring for and displaying old
(or new) family quilts.
Q. What makes heirloom quilts so special?
A. Quilts are a unique form of textile, made of fabrics reflect-
put a quilt in a washer or dryer. If you’re certain it won’t
bleed, run, tear, fray or fall apart, you can wash it passively in
a tub and lay it flat to dry. But beware: You may do irreversible damage.
ing a certain time in history and a certain wealth or status.
Women often made quilts to mark events or anniversaries;
they might have monograms, names or dates. Passed down
from generation to generation, quilts become intimate parts
of a family’s history.
Q. What’s the best way to store quilts?
A. Fan-fold the quilt and put crushed archival tissue between
layers. Wrap it in tissue or clean cotton sheets. Don’t use
plastic, which traps moisture. Periodically refold the quilt
in a different way to avoid permanent creases. Store it in an
acid-free box. If you’re using a cedar chest or dresser drawer,
line it with a clean cotton sheet as a buffer between the quilt
and the acidic wood. There’s an instructional video on my
website <www.caringfortextiles.com/inthenews.htm>. Display a
valuable quilt only on a limited basis and make sure it’s not
exposed to a lot of light (natural or artificial).
Q. Why do quilts require special care?
A. Quilts are complicated. They’re constructed in multiple
layers, usually with batting or padding inside, and fabrics of
varying type, strength and color fastness. Outer layers may
have delicate embroidery, stitching, ribbons or other embellishments. Quilts are also usually large, making them tricky
to manage.
Q. How can you safely clean a quilt?
A. Examine it for condition problems. Vacuum the front and Q. How can you preserve the story behind an
back with a soft brush attachment and low suction, if you heirloom quilt?
can, to remove surface soil, dirt and insect debris. If the quilt A. Interview older family members: Does anyone know
is delicate, frayed, split, has a lot of surface embellishments
or is a crazy quilt, I recommend holding a piece of nylon
mesh—such as a window screen—over the quilt as a protective screen while you vacuum.
Most dry cleaners don’t have experience with heirloom
textiles, and their cleaning process isn’t gentle enough. Don’t
Use these archival
resources for
completing the projects
described here.
Guide to
Collections Care
free (print or digital
download)
<www.gaylord.com/
catalog.asp>
who made or bought it, when and why? Where did the fabric
come from (such as old clothing)? Copy the information onto
an archival cardstock tag and attach it to the quilt with a loop
of white thread—not a safety pin, which may rust. Take pictures of the quilt, both overall and detail shots, so you have
another record of it.
Heirloom
Preservation Made
Easy on-demand
webinar $39.99
<shopfamilytree.
com/heirloompreservation-madeeasy-webinar>
Large acid-free
textile box
$37.30
Textile Preservation
Kit for Quilts
$65.95
<www.universityproducts.com/cart.
php?m=product_
list&c=924>
<www.gaylord.com>
(search for product No.
WW-30245KT)
54
0613FT ARCHIVIST.indd 54
2013
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»
SUPPLIES: Camera, vacuum, archival
ARCHIVAL ACTION
tissue, acid-free box
PRESERVE AN OLD QUILT
1. Unfold the quilt. Place it in a clean,
well-lit area. Photograph both sides.
Take close-up photos of special elements, such as embellishments or
embroidered signatures.
2. Inspect the fabric and seams for
rips, moisture damage and insect infestation. Photograph any damaged areas.
3. Clean the quilt gently, according to
the instructions on the previous page.
To kill insects and larvae, vacuum
carefully and wrap the quilt tightly in
heavy-duty plastic zipper bags or plastic sealed with duct tape. Freeze it at
-10 degrees for 10 days. Thaw at room
temperature to avoid condensation,
then open and re-vacuum.
4. Document what you know about
the quilt’s history with an archival pen
on archival paper, and slip the paper
COST: Varies
TIME: 1-2 hours
into a polypropylene sheet protector.
Keep this document with the quilt (or
if you display the quilt, keep it with
your photos of the quilt).
5. Store your quilt according to the
instructions on the previous page.
Want to display it? If it’s sturdy and
doesn’t have heavy embellishments
or a fragile surface, you can hang it
from the top edge. Hand-stitch a cotton sleeve and put a dowel through it,
or use non-adhesive Velcro and a slat.
You also can spread a quilt across a
rarely used bed.
6. To research your quilt based
on the fabrics used, consult a guide
such as Clues in the Calico: A Guide
to Identif ying and Dating Antique
Quilts by Barbara Brackman (EPM
Publications).
Redwork quilt, circa 1900
Seeing Red
Private collection; used with permission
Redwork, a style of decorative needlework featuring a contrasting-color
(typically, red) thread embroidery outline against a white or off-white background, was especially popular from
1888 to about 1925.
This quilt, purchased at the Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford,
Pa. <www.brandywinemuseum.org> ,
appears to commemorate a wedding:
Center squares prominently feature
two sets of monograms and the date.
The other embroidered squares highlight the skills of the creator and may
refer to other significant themes for
the couple or their community. 55
0613FT ARCHIVIST.indd 55
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nowwhat?
Answers to your genealogy questions
{ B Y D AV I D A . F R Y X E L L }
I found multiple people with my ancestor’s
name on the Find A Grave website. How
can I tell which one is mine?
We’re big fans of the free Find A
Grave site <www.findagrave.com>,
a frequent 101 Best Web Sites honoree that at last count encompassed
93 million searchable grave records.
But it’s true that if you’re searching
for a common name, a simple search
could easily return hundreds of hits.
To start combing through your results,
note that you can sort the hits by cemetery location simply by clicking on
the underlined word Cemetery at the
upper right of your results list. This
may help you narrow the results.
Find A Grave also lets you go back
and narrow your search by clicking
Refine Last Search in the Action box
at the upper left of the page. Here you
can specify a birth year and/or death
year (options for both are In, Before
and After) and/or cemetery location (as
narrowly as by county).
If you’re still getting too many graves
with the same or a similar name, try
searching Find A Grave for names of
other relatives in the same family—
preferably those with slightly lesscommon first names. A search for
Frank West, for example, returns 547
hits in the entire database. You could
easily narrow that list to those buried
somewhere in Iowa, say, but that would
still leave 17 possibilities. But if you also
knew that the same family included a
Melvina West, searching for her name
would find only two buried in Iowa.
Click on the cemetery associated with
Melvina R. West, Alpha Cemetery in
Fayette County, and search for all the
Wests buried there. You’d quickly find
a listing for just one Frank: Frank E.
West, 1872-1930.
FAMILY
HISTORY
FACTS
AT YOUR
FINGERTIPS!
The Genealogist’s U.S. History Pocket
Reference | 9781440325274 | $14.99
The Genealogist’s Census Pocket
Reference | 9781440321450 | $14.99
Family Tree Pocket Reference |
9781440308895 | $14.99
0613FT NOW WHAT.indd 56
3/20/13 1:46 PM
We Print
Family
Histories
You recently answered a
question about records
of Confederate POWs during
the Civil War. What about the
reverse—records of Union
soldiers who were POWs in
Confederate camps?
I can’t find any of my
family in the 1940 census,
but I found them in the 1930
census and I know they lived
in Illinois in 1940. Am I doing
something wrong?
Most searches of the recently
released 1940 federal census meet
with immediate success, but occasionally a seemingly simple search will
come up mysteriously empty. First, try
searching an alternate index: Ancestry.com <ancestry.com> transcribed
and indexed its 1940 census independently of the free indexes you’ll find
on FamilySearch.org <familysearch.
org/1940census>, Archives.com <www.
archives.com/1940census> and findmypast.com <www.findmypast.com/
content/the-1940-census>.
The Ancestry.com index is free to
search through the end of 2013, even if
you’re not a subscriber.
If you still come up empty, try searching with spelling variations and wildcards (usually, an asterisk substitutes
for any number of characters, while
a question mark stands in for a single missing letter). Search for initials
instead of a first name, plus any nicknames you can think of. Widen your
search, eliminating some of the criteria
you may have entered. Keep in mind
that birth year is estimated by the person’s age as of April 1, 1940, so it could
be off by a year.
Still frustrated? Look for family
members other than the head of household—even those who might be living elsewhere in 1940. Your “missing”
ancestors might be living nearby and
enumerated on the same page or an
adjacent one. Records kept by the losing side are
less complete, and some records
of Confederate POW camps were deliberately destroyed near the war’s end.
Surviving records were turned over to
the Union Commissary General of Prisoners in the War Department and are
now in record group 249 of the National
Archives <archives.gov>. Record series
at the Archives include a “Register of
Federal Prisoners of War Confined
in Confederate Prisons” (Archival
Research Catalog ID No. 610807), “Registers of Federal Troops Captured by
the Enemy” (ARC ID 610809), and
“Register of Federal Prisoners of War
Confined in Confederate Prisons and
Hospitals, 1862-65” (ARC ID 615725).
Specific records of some, but not all,
major Confederate prisons also are
included in record group 249. Registers,
lists, daybooks and/or morning reports
of inmates exist for Confederate prisons at Danville, Va.; several facilities in
Richmond, Va., including Libby Prison,
Castle Thunder Prison, Belle Island
and Barret Factory Prison; and prison
hospitals at Salisbury, NC; Cahaba, Ala.;
and Florence, SC. The most complete
records are for Camp Sumter, Ga., more
infamously known as Andersonville.
The Andersonville records are available on subscription site Ancestry.com
as part of its Civil War Prisoner of War
Records, 1861-1865, database <search.
ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1124>.
STUMPED? ASK OUR EXPERT!
Send questions to [email protected] or post them at <familytreemagazine.com/forum>.
Sorry, we can’t respond personally or answer all questions.
57
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0613FT NOW WHAT.indd 57
3/20/13 1:46 PM
everything’srelative
The lighter side of family history
••• DECEMBER WINNER •••
Not-so-Happy Holidays
Christmas isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be—especially when your sister gets the
one thing you’ve been longing for. For sharing what really happens under the holiday tree,
the reader who sent us this photo gets a copy of How To Archive Your Family Keepsakes by Denise Levenick
(Family Tree Books) <shopfamilytree.com/ht-archive-family-keepsakes>.
••• MAY/JUNE CHALLENGE •••
Courtesy of Wilma McPhail
Odd Heirlooms
Santa’s “Oops”
Christmas 1956 will forever be referred to as “The Betsy Wetsy Christmas” in the
family of Searcy, Ark., reader Wilma McPhail. That’s the year her second-oldest
sister wanted, more than anything else, the doll famous for wetting its diaper.
But Santa gave Betsy to another McPhail sister instead.
Sister No. 2, take it from those of us who’ve handled our share of diaper duty:
You got the better end of the deal.
That thingamabob sitting in your living
room is very old and precious, at least
according to Grandma—if only you
knew what it is. Or maybe you know
you’ve inherited a purse made from a
real armadillo carcass (shown), and
you’re ready to ship it across the country to your cousin. Send us a photo of
your oddest family heirloom, and if it
appears in Family Tree Magazine, you’ll
get our 2012 annual CD, with all of our
issues from last year in searchable,
portable form.
TO ENTER: Submit a photo of
your odd heirloom online at <family
treemagazine.com/challenge>.
DEADLINE: June 10, 2013
REMEMBER: You must include
your mailing address in order to win.
We can’t acknowledge entries. By submitting, you give Family Tree Magazine
permission to feature your contribution
in all print and electronic media.
58
0613FT RELATIVE.indd 58
2013
3/20/13 1:47 PM
»
••• YOUR STORY •••
Sweet Teeth
My 10-year-old daughter had her first appointment with
an orthodontist. As the doctor peered into my daughter’s
mouth, she said “Wow!” It was a good wow. I knew she had
discovered my daughter’s “special tooth.”
When my daughter lost her baby teeth and grew adult
teeth, we noticed one in particular: The right lateral incisor
(next to the canine) on the top row is shaped like a T when
viewed from below. From the front, the tooth appears normal, but it has a ridge on the back.
“You have something I haven’t seen before, except in
books,” the orthodontist said. “In dental school, we learned
about the talon cusp. Native Americans had these largeridged incisors and I’m guessing you have some Native
American ancestry.” I nodded. The orthodontist told my
daughter that she did indeed have a special tooth and that it
was an honor to see it.
My husband’s great-great-grandmother was Harriett, born
into the Cherokee tribe. My own great-grandmother was an
Oklahoma-born Cherokee. Through years of research, we are
well-versed in our ancestry.
Dental anthropology is a fascinating field that uses dental
remains to determine, among other things, the heritage of a
person. My daughter is among the less than 1 percent of the
global population with a talon cusp, also called an eagle talon
cusp. The tooth ridges and bumps are prominent in people
belonging to the Eskimos, Aleutians, American Indians and
some Chinese. Dental anthropologists say these groups came
from the Siberian population many centuries ago.
Another dental trait indicative of American Indian ancestry is shovel teeth, which I have. The roots of these teeth are
double the size of the rest of the tooth. The tooth itself is thin
and concave on the back, with a “scooped” appearance. The
roots are strong and often run deep into the jawbone. Winged
incisors, which angle together to form a V pattern, also are
seen among Eskimos and American Indians; as are threerooted molars instead of those with two roots.
Other populations have distinct dental traits. Europeans
often have an additional bump called a Carabelli Cusp on the
outside of the lower molar. They have some of the smallest
teeth in the world, smooth on the front and the back. Aboriginal tribes of Australia and Africans have the largest teeth in
the world, thick and strong with an ample layer of enamel.
We can spend a lot of money on our smiles, and use those
smiles to communicate, speak and open verbal doors to other
cultures and experiences. As a Dutch-Irish compilation, I’m
delighted my Cherokee roots are evident in my smile. Sarah Jackson » Montevallo, Ala.
Double Take
In tracing my family tree, I contacted relatives who told me
stories they remembered of long ago. Then I ventured out
to cemeteries for even more details, and to find some peace
from ancestors I never knew but felt like I had.
I was surprised to learn my Robertson family, Great-grandparents G.W. and Delilah, were broomcorn growers in Arkansas. Because no one in California knew what a broomcorn
grower was, I turned to the world wide web for answers. My
mind conjured up an image of corn that looked like a broom,
and I wasn’t far off. Broomcorn is a type of corn grown to
become the bristles of a broom.
By about 1810, the sorghum used in brooms had acquired a
new name, broomcorn, as the British called all seed-bearing
plants “corn.” This sorghum also looks similar to the sweet
corn plant, and its tassel became the material still used in
high-quality brooms today. A broom maker drilled two holes
in the handle and inserted split pegs. The broomcorn was
lashed onto the handle and pegs using linen twine.
The families of George Wesley Robertson and Delilah Caroline Noel lived side by side in Arkansas sometime between
1869 and 1892. Some of the Robertson daughters babysat the
Noel children.
In 1870, the census taker interviewed the Noels first. One
of the Robertson girls was watching the Noel children, and
Delilah was listed as a one-year-old daughter in the Noel
family. As the questions continued, the Robertson girl went
home so she could be counted with her own family. Putting
Delilah on her hip, she didn’t think anything about taking the
baby with her. They often stayed at each others’ houses.
When the census taker went next door to the Robertson’s
broomcorn farm, Delilah and her babysitter came into the
room with the adults. Delilah was added to the Robertson
household, too. The final twist came when Delilah was 14:
She married the Robertsons’ son George Wesley, who according to the erroneous 1870 census, was her older brother. Linda Robertson » Clovis, Calif.
SHARE YOUR STORIES Email brief humorous or heartwarming anecdotes about your genealogy experiences to
[email protected] with Everything’s Relative in the subject line.
59
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documentdetective
Uncovering clues in historical records
{BY GEORGE G. MORGAN}
World War II Draft
Registration Cards
BACK
FRONT
9
1
2
3
4
5
6
10
7
11
12
8
3 PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. Roos-
evelt signed into law the first peacetime
Selective Service Act Sept. 16, 1940.
During World War II, the Selective
Service System conducted seven registrations, which the Local Board of
each county handled in each state and
Washington DC, and later, American
men living abroad. WWII Draft Registration cards are filled with excellent
information to build context for additional research.
Registration cards are kept at
the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) <archives.gov>
National Personnel Records Center in
St. Louis, Mo., and in some of NARA’s
regional archives. These records are
being digitized and indexed at Ancestry.
com <ancestry.com>, FamilySearch.org
<www.familysearch.org> , Fold3 <fold3.
com> and other websites.
You’ll find different collections
at different sites. Ancestry.com, for
example, has “World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942” (the fourth registration, referred to as the “Old Man’s
Draft” because it registered men who
were 45 to 64 years old) and “WWII
Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947”
(selected states so far). At this writing,
Fold3 and FamilySearch.org provide
only those records of the 1942 WWII
draft. Remember that not every person who registered for the draft was
inducted into service.
If a person enlisted prior to his designated draft registration date, a WWII
enlistment card may be available for
him. These cards, which also are being
digitized, may lead you to personnel
service records.
The draft registration card shown
here is for one of my uncles.
1. Try using this address to locate the
person in the 1940 census. The Selective
Service System requires registrants to
communicate any change of address
to the draft board, and this man did
so (noted at the top of the card). The
effective date of that change is listed
and can help you locate land and
property, tax, census, city directory and
other records.
2. Not everyone had a telephone at the
time of the draft.
3. The age and date of birth will help
confirm you have the correct ancestor if
you’re searching a common name.
4. Look for records for the registrants’
parents near the place of birth.
60
Family Tree Magazine 3 M O N T H
0613FT DOC DETECT.indd 60
2013
3/20/13 1:48 PM
5. Naturalized immigrants and aliens
living in the United States had to
register for the draft as well.
6. The name listed here may be
a spouse, parent, sibling or other
individual. The middle name of a
registrant’s wife may be her maiden
name. If the contact person’s address is
different from the registrant’s, try to find
the person in other records. You may
find additional records for your ancestor.
7. The employer provides another
research clue to learn about the
registrant’s life; use the address to
narrow your search for occupational
information.
8. If you’re researching a relative with a
common name, compare his signature
here with any others you’ve found to
help confirm that you have the correct
record.
9. The physical description can help you
learn what your relative looked like and
help you identify him in old family photos.
10. This line typically includes the
Precinct, Ward, City or County, and
State of the draft board where your
ancestor registered.
11. Oct. 16, 1940, was the first of the
WWII draft registrations. It included
all men age 21 to 31 living in the United
States.
12. The draft board’s stamp was often
applied after the date of the individual’s
registration. This stamp is dated
Feb. 4, 1941. 0613FT DOC DETECT.indd 61
Historical family photos are cherished heirlooms that
offer a glimpse into the lives of our ancestors. But the
images, and the stories behind them, often fade away as
decades pass—the who, when, where and why behind the
photos are lost. In this book, photo identification expert and
genealogist Maureen A. Taylor shows you how to study the
clues in your old family photos to put names to faces and
recapture their lost stories.
Family Photo Detective | V9824 | 9781440324987 | $26.99
Order your copy today from ShopFamilyTree.com,
the best resource for genealogy how-to books, CDs, webinars and more!
3/20/13 1:49 PM
thetoolkit
Tech tutorials, reviews and roundups
{EDITED BY TYLER MOSS}
RESOURCE ROUNDUP
English and Welsh Civil
Registrations
3 THE YEAR IS 1837 and Queen Vic-
toria is beginning her 63-year-reign. It’s
also a pivotal year for genealogists with
roots in England and Wales. Before
then, your best sources of information
are church records of baptisms, marriages and burials. But with the launch
of civil registration in July 1837, the
government started keeping records of
births, marriages and deaths—what we
call vital records. Church records were
still kept after 1837, but civil registrations provide another source for documenting family relationships and key
events in your ancestors’ lives.
Civil registration of another vital
event—divorce—began in England and
Wales in 1858. The British National
Archives has a free online index to
divorce records from 1858 to 1937 at
<www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/
looking-for-person/divorce.htm> . Scot-
land’s civil registration began in 1855,
and you can access the indexes and
records for a fee on ScotlandsPeople
<www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk>.
Before you start searching for these
civil registrations, you’ll need to know a
few things about online birth, marriage
and death (BMD) indexes: When ordering a copy of a BMD record, it helps to
have an index reference. Vital events
were registered at local offices, which
sent copies to the national office—the
General Register Office (GRO). Nationwide BMD indexes were created every
three months, so there are four indexes
for every year. Genealogists once relied
on printed quarterly indexes (or microfiche copies), but using them was timeconsuming without an approximate
date. Now you can easily search English
and Welsh BMD indexes online, covering multiple years in seconds.
These BMD indexes refer to a registration district, not to the town where
the birth, marriage or death occurred.
Here’s a sample entry from the index
to deaths in England and Wales for the
first quarter of 1868: “Morgan, William.
Age 70. District: Hay. Volume 11b, page
110.” Hay, the registration district, covers several towns in central Wales and
the neighboring area of England. William Morgan actually died at his farm
home in Llanigon.
When searching BMD indexes, use
the registration district, not the town
where the birth, marriage or death
occurred. Registration district boundaries changed over the years. The Index
of Places in England and Wales <www.
ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/places> gives the
registration districts for all parishes
from 1837 to 1974. Registration Districts
in England and Wales <www.ukbmd.org.
uk/genuki/reg> shows the registration
districts in each county. Some registration districts cross county lines, and
62
0613FT TOOLKIT.indd 62
2013
3/20/13 1:51 PM
searching on a county may miss relevant matches listed in another county.
You can search English and Welsh
BMD indexes on several sites, including the seven described here (a $ indicates a paid-access website). Starting in
1912, the GRO marriage indexes include
the spouse’s surname. Using that information, Ancestry.com (starting in 1916),
findmypast.com and The Genealogist
guess at the spouse’s identity.
Birth, marriage and death certificates for events registered in England
and Wales are available from the GRO.
Order by mail, by phone or online following the instructions at <www.gro.gov.
uk/gro>. A certificate costs 9.25 pounds
(about $14), and you can pay by credit
card. If you supply the index reference,
the certificate will be sent within four
working days. You can request a certificate without an index reference, as
long as you supply enough information
to identify the birth, marriage or death,
and the record (if located) will be sent
within 15 working days. Priority service
costs 23.40 pounds (about $37.60) and
your certificate will be sent the day
after you request it.
You can also order BMD certificates
from local register offices, listed at
<www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/reg /regoff.
html> . Their policies vary, and some
don’t accept credit cards, but you might
get even faster service.
Don’t bother to order a civil marriage certificate if you already have
the church record—they supply the
same information. FamilySearch <www.
familysearch.org> has microfilmed many
English and Welsh church marriage
records from 1837 to 1900. Use the FamilySearch catalog to find the film, and
you can borrow it through a FamilySearch Center for $7.50—about half of
what you’d pay for a copy of the civil
marriage certificate.
English and Welsh BMD certificates
contain about the same genealogical data you’d find in their American
equivalents, with one major difference:
English and Welsh death certificates
never give the parents’ names.
Still, when you compare the United
States’ patchwork of vital records
(mostly beginning in the early 1900s) to
English and Welsh birth, marriage and
death records commencing in 1837, we
can only be envious. With nationwide
indexes, easy online ordering and fast
service, civil birth, marriage and death
records are some of the best and most
easily accessible sources for English
and Welsh genealogy. Start searching
BMD indexes at these sites:
ANCESTRY.COM $
<www.ancestry.com>
Ancestry uses FreeBMD’s indexes from
1837 to 1915. To search a registration
district, input it in the Keyword box.
Results include an offer to order the
certificate for $38, but you can order
directly from the GRO for about $14.
FINDMYPAST.COM $
<www.findmypast.com>
To search on a registration district, put
it in the Optional Keywords box. Findmypast.com also has records of British
subjects who were born, married or died
at sea, overseas or in the armed forces.
FREEBMD <freebmd.rootsweb.com>
or <freebmd.org.uk>
A voluntary transcription project still
in progress, FreeBMD makes it easy to
search births, marriages and deaths at
once. It consolidates alternate forms of
the same registration district name so
you don’t need to do multiple searches
to cover them all.
THE GENEALOGIST $
<www.thegenealogist.co.uk>
The Genealogist offers advanced search
features. For entries from 1912 to 2005,
you can jump from a marriage index
entry to the couple’s potential children in the birth index, or from a birth
to the child’s potential siblings in the
birth index and potential parents in the
TIP: You don’t need a subscription
to use the FreeBMD indexes on
Ancestry.com. But you do need a
subscription to search the indexes
starting in 1916.
marriage index. In the 1911 census, click
on the number of years a couple was
married to jump to their entry in the
marriage index. Use the Master Search
to cover a BMD index range of more
than 20 years, and enter the registration district or partner’s name in the
Keyword box to narrow results.
GENES REUNITED $
<www.genesreunited.co.uk>
You can narrow your search of the
BMD indexes here by county, but not
by registration district.
UKBMD
<www.ukbmd.org.uk>
UKBMD has links to online transcriptions of UK birth, marriage and death
indexes. They include the local BMD—
the original indexes held by local register offices. They’re worth checking
because clerks often made errors when
copying these to create the GRO indexes.
WORLD VITAL RECORDS $
<www.worldvitalrecords.com>
You can search two sets of English and
Welsh indexes that cover civil registrations. United Kingdom Births 17612006, Marriages 1796-2005 and Deaths
1796-2006 don’t allow searches by registration district. To see the volume and
page number for an index entry, view an
image of the index page. You can search
by registration district in the files England & Wales Birth Records, 1911-1954,
and Death Records, 1969-2007. Search
the same BMD indexes with owner
MyHeritage’s Supersearch <myheritage.
com/research>. You need a data subscription to view most collections.
» Rick Crume
63
3/20/13 1:51 PM
thetoolkit
QUICK GUIDE
The key to buying a tablet? Know how you’ll use it. Do you want to watch movies,
video chat, play games, use genealogy apps and take pictures? Or would you simply like to read books, check email and surf the web? Price differences generally
come from internal storage size (measured in GB) and type of web access. Start
with our comparison of five popular tablet options.
Tablet Computers
» Dana McCullough
Tablet Name
Price
Amazon Kindle
Fire HD 8.9
$299 to $369
for 8.9-inch
screen; 16
and 32GB,
Wi-Fi and
cellular,
Androidbased
free
$499 to $829
for 9.7-inch
screen; 16, 32
and 64GB,
Wi-Fi and
cellular
$269 to $299
for 9-inch
screen; 16
and 32GB,
Wi-Fi only,
Androidbased
<amazon.com>
Apple iPad with
Retina Display
(aka iPad 4)
<www.apple.com/
ipad>
Barnes & Noble
NOOK HD+
<www.
barnesandnoble.
com/nook>
Google Nexus 10 $399 to $499
Features
unlimited Amazon
Cloud Storage
Amazon Prime members
can access movies and
lending library
great for watching videos,
playing games and reading
books
wall
front and rear cameras
offers largest selection of
apps—more than 275,000.
clean, intuitive interface
and iCloud back up storage
micro SD card slot for
expanded storage
crisp text viewing in books
multiple user profiles
save magazine pages
to reference later by
posting to a virtual NOOK
scrapbook
sharpest
screen resolution
front and rear cameras
backs up automatically to
Google cloud
multiple user profiles
integrates well with other
Google apps
Microsoft Word, Excel,
PowerPoint and access to
SkyDrive cloud storage
full-size USB port
front and rear cameras,
micro SD slot, kickstand
and split-screen
functionality
connects to Windows mice
and printers
<google.com/
nexus>
for 10-inch
screen; 16
and 32GB;
Wi-Fi only,
Androidbased
Microsoft
Surface
$499 to $699
for 10.6-inch
screen; 32
and 64GB,
Wi-Fi only,
Windows
RT-based
<www.microsoft.
com/surface>
Limitations
plug-in
power adapter
sold separately
front-facing
camera only
limited Android
tablet apps
no external
outputs
only one user
profile can be
created
older Apple
accessories won’t
work with this
version
no built-in
camera, music
player or ambient
light sensor
NOOK Store
not as good as
competitors
Genealogy Applications
Available in Amazon App Store:
a few GEDCOM family tree viewing
apps
Genealogy Gems podcast
Ancestry.com, Legacy Family Tree’s
Families and BillionGraves apps
apps for several libraries
Available in iTunes App Store:
podcasts (Genealogy Gems, etc.)
software apps for Family Tree
programs (RootsMagic, Legacy, etc.)
several GEDCOM viewing apps
apps for recording oral histories,
graves, and searching Ancestry.com
apps for several libraries and e-books
Available in NOOK Store:
Legacy Family Tree’s Families and
Ancestry.com apps.
no GEDCOM family tree viewer or
library apps
best used as an e-reader
Available in Google Play Store:
limited tabletsize Android apps several GEDCOM viewing apps
are available
apps for BillionGraves, Find A Grave,
Ancestry.com, MyHeritage, Legacy
Family Tree’s Families and Saving
Memories Forever
apps for libraries and e-books
At press time, only two genealogy apps
app store has a
small selection— are available in Windows App Store:
lacks popular
Ancestry.com and ViewGene (free
apps such as
GEDCOM viewer)
Facebook
developers
hesitant to
embrace platform
until users reach
critical mass
64
2013
3/20/13 1:52 PM
The Invention of the Year
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80393
Over the years, technology has made
the way we live easier, safer and
more convenient. In many cases,
it’s even made many products more
affordable… (remember how much
the first VCR used to cost?). Now, if
you need some help in turning up the
volume on the world around you, a
new solution has been invented…
it’s called Perfect Choice HD™.
3/26/13 9:29 AM
thetoolkit
SOFTWARE REVIEW
Ease of use
RootsMagic 6
PRICE: $29.95, $19.95 upgrade
MANUFACTURER: RootsMagic, Inc.,
(800) 766-8762, <www.rootsmagic.
com>
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Windows XP or newer
DEMO/TRIAL VERSION: <www.
rootsmagic.com/Try>. A free version,
RootsMagic 6 Essentials, has many of
the full program’s core features.
BIGGEST DRAWS: ease of use, data
entry, documenting sources, reports
DRAWBACKS: nothing major
Exceptionally easy to use, RootsMagic
6 provides extensive help throughout
the program.
Pedigree, Family, Descendants and
People tabs make it easy to navigate your
family tree. As you enter place names,
CountyCheck alerts you to counties,
provinces and states that didn’t exist on
the date of the event. Look up information on American, British, Canadian
and Australian counties with the new
CountyCheck Explorer (under Tools).
In addition to a summary of events
in a person’s life, timeline view now
includes parents’, siblings’, spouses’
and children’s events. Now you can edit
facts in the timeline without having to
open up each person’s edit screen.
File management
Ease of Use
(interface, navigation, help/tutorials)
File Management
(native files and GEDCOMs)
Charts and Multimedia
(presentation, variety, flexibility)
RootsMagic opens Family Origins,
Family Tree Maker (2006 and earlier),
Personal Ancestral File and Legacy
files directly, and even imports pictures
from Family Tree Maker.
The handy RootsMagic To-Go is a
separate utility program that lets you
copy files to a flash drive so you can
run RootsMagic on another computer.
Create a shareable CD with a read-only
version of RootsMagic to show off your
work. A free app for iPhone and iPad
lets you access your RootsMagic files
via iTunes or Dropbox.
Charts and multimedia
Documentation and Publication
(citations, reports and website publishing)
Searching
(online and within your file)
Overall Rating
The program lets you create highly
customizable wall, timeline and box
charts, as well as photo trees.
When you have a photo showing several people, it’s easy to add a picture to
each person’s media album. In a media
album, you can select a picture and see
every person it’s linked to or select a
document image and see every source
it’s linked to.
Documentation and publication
=so-so
=satisfactory
=good
=great
=exceptional
Source documentation is simple:
Select the template for a source type
and then fill in the boxes. Research
Manager helps you keep track of your
research goals, sources and results.
Report options include well-designed
family group sheets, pedigree charts,
narrative reports and reports for your
website.
Publish Online, the most important
new feature in this version, makes it
easy to post your family tree online for
free. Just select the people you want
to include, and RootsMagic generates attractive individual, family and
pedigree views. While RootsMagic’s
HTML reports for your own website
can include only one picture for each
person, Publish Online lets you include
multiple photos.
But Publish Online has significant
limitations: You can create only one
tree of no more than 50MB, and the
reports are created on the fly, so they’re
not indexed by Google or other search
engines. People will find your tree only
if you give them a link.
Searching
Using the powerful RootsMagic
Explorer, you can search your file by
multiple criteria, such as a name and
any fact’s date or place. Now you can
search by number of spouses, children
or siblings. When selecting people to
export in a GEDCOM file or for inclusion in some reports, choose “select
from list” under People to Include.
Click on Mark Group and you can now
select by genetic lines.
A handy new feature, Find Everywhere (under the Search tab), searches
not only people, but also notes, sources,
research logs and more.
The verdict
Probably the best all-around genealogy program, RootsMagic 6 makes it
easy to organize and share your family
history. Most current users will find
the upgrade worthwhile for the new
online publishing and search features.
» Rick Crume
66
2013
3/20/13 1:52 PM
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thetoolkit
TUTORIAL
Making the Most of Mocavo
If you conduct any family research
online—which, at this point, the vast
majority of modern genealogists do—
you’re probably familiar with Mocavo
<www.mocavo.com>, which bills itself as
“the world’s largest genealogy search
engine.” Like Google for genealogy, it
searches sites containing more than 6
billion indexed names. Unlike Google,
though, Mocavo focuses strictly on
sites with genealogy information. That
means a search for your ancestor James
Rollins won’t also turn up search results
for unwanted books by the contemporary thriller author of the same name.
Mocavo also offers its own specialized
collections of digitized books, most
notably 3.5 million yearbook pages, as
well as family trees and documents
uploaded by its users.
If you have yet to join those users
sharing trees and other content online,
however, you’re not making the most of
Mocavo. For publishing your own material on Mocavo, you may want to invest
in a Plus membership at $59.95 a year.
Although Mocavo’s free Basic option
lets you upload a tree and add digitized
documents, it limits your search power
as well as the bells and whistles you get
when you add content. Here’s how to
go beyond searching with Mocavo, and
make the most of the site by uploading
genealogy research materials.
Once you’ve signed up, getting
your family tree onto Mocavo
takes only a few clicks. Start by clicking the Upload button in the left-hand
menu bar. You’ll get options to upload
a tree, document or database. Select
Upload a Tree and you’ll see three new
choices: You can upload a file straight
from your desktop, import a tree you’ve
previously uploaded or created on the
1
1
Geni website <www.geni.com> , or use
Dropbox <www.dropbox.com> to upload
large files. (You’ll need to have a free
Dropbox account for this to work; the
app will create a folder in your Dropbox
named Mocavo.com.) Mocavo accepts
a long list of file formats for uploading
family trees:
Family Tree Builder, up to 6 (FTB)
Family Tree Legends, up to 5 (FTL)
Family Tree Maker, up to version
2012 (FTW, FBK, FTM and FTMB)
Family Tree Maker for Mac, up to
version 2 (FTMM, FTMD)
GenoPro (GNO)
Gramps (GRAMPS)
MacFamilyTree (MFTPKG)
Legacy Family Tree, up to 7.5 (LEG,
FDB)
Personal Ancestral File, up to 5.0
(PAF)
Reunion 10 (FAMILYFILE)
RootsMagic, up to 5 (RMGC)
Nonetheless, your safest and fastest bet may be to export a GEDCOM
file—the universal file format for family
trees—from whatever program you
employ and just upload that to Mocavo.
Mocavo won’t use all the extra stuff
in your proprietary tree format, anyway, and GEDCOM files get processed
immediately. Other formats have to
wait in line to get posted, and they may
encounter unexpected errors (we could
never get a Reunion 10 file to upload
successfully, for example).
Note, too, that Mocavo says it will
automatically remove living people for
privacy reasons by sharing only records
that include a death date or a birth date
before 1910. Our testing didn’t entirely
support this, however, so if you’re concerned, filter out living people when
exporting your GEDCOM.
Mocavo’s recent updates have
improved the look and editing
capabilities of family trees. Click on an
ancestor and you’ll see buttons to edit
the person’s information and life events
(here you also can add research notes
and upload a profile photo), view his
or her pedigree, and view and edit the
2
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thetoolkit
2
4
3
5
person’s profile (where you also can
upload scanned documents). You also
can save a duplicate of your tree, useful
if you want a working copy.
Another button you’ll see when
you click on an ancestor lets you
search Mocavo for that person with
just one click. Results will include content on Mocavo as well as matches
Mocavo finds on the web. Options on
the right let you grade the match.
Plus members can click a Save
As Discovery Alert button to
automate the search and get emails
when matching content is added to
Mocavo. To manage Discovery Alerts,
click the Alerts link in the left menu.
Here you can see a list of your family
tree individuals with their associated
alerts. Another Plus benefit: Once your
tree is online, Mocavo will scour for
Smart Tree suggested matches in others’ trees. To let other Mocavo searchers find your family members, go to
Trees>Edit and check the box “Include
Tree in Search” (it’s unchecked, keeping
3
4
your info private,
by default).
Trees aren’t all
you can upload
to Mocavo, which
does all the dirty
work of making
them searchable—by you and
others. Uploading to Mocavo is
also a handy way
to store your family history finds in
the cloud.
Use the Upload button to send documents, photos and databases (essentially, documents that Mocavo doesn’t
have to scan for optical character recognition, or OCR). You can then access
these under Account>Documents.
Mocavo will automatically scan and
OCR any documents that contain text,
and it’s smart enough not to try with
family photos. Not to worry, you keep
full ownership of anything uploaded.
5
Mocavo also has a free mobile
app for iOS or Android that lets
you access your uploaded documents
on the go. Pictures you take can be sent
straight to Mocavo with the app, too.
And searches on the app are saved for
later study on your computer.
As you can see, there’s a lot more to
“the world’s largest genealogy search
engine” than just searching. » David A. Fryxell
70
2013
3/22/13 3:06 PM
3/26/13 9:30 AM
timecapsule
Ancestors in their own words
{SHARON DEBARTOLO CARMACK}
Full Force
I did enlist in the Confedret Armey some time Spring 1863 if I
member rite and correct but I did not volunturly join the reble
armey I was conscript contreary to my consent. I was taken
by the home gards and turned over to the armey for recruits
and I would not enlist and they still held me a prisner and I
remained until general Hyman was shooting the conscrips
that would not join the army. I and 13 others was march out
and when I saw the 13 men shot down because they would
not join the rebels I thought I could joine the army and then
I could sooner or lator make my escape and go to the fedrals
for I never intended to fire a gun for them, and when the army
started for Hellana (Ark) I then made my escape and went to
the fedrals and joined them: the duty I did in the rebel army
was remaining in camp and they told me my Col. name was
Brooks my general was Hyman. I had to joine the rebles or
be shot. They told me that they aimed to kill all who did not
enlist and they did to my knowledge.
—James Warren
3 THIS GENERAL AFFIDAVIT of
56-year-old James Warren is part of
his military pension file held in the
National Archives in Washington, DC.
Warren lived in Ozone, Ark., and was
caught up in the forced conscription
that occurred in the border states during the Civil War—making him one of
the men who served on both sides during the Civil War.
Although his great-grandson and
namesake found Warren’s Union service record, no Confederate military
record has surfaced for him. But lack
of records isn’t uncommon with forced
conscriptions.
Some Southerners supported the
Union. You might find evidence among
the records of the Southern Claims
Commission, both Approved Claims
and those Barred and Disallowed.
These records are available on the subscription sites Fold3 <www.fold3.com>
and Ancestry.com <ancestry.com>.
After you determine which unit your
military ancestor served in, review
the pension files for men who served
in the same unit. Their files might
give additional details on that unit’s
activities and might include supporting
affidavits from your ancestor. Also look
for histories of the unit, as well as local
and county histories that might detail
military units from the area. Local histories published around the turn of the
20th century also might discuss forced
conscriptions that occurred in the area
with testimonials of veterans. For more
on what a Civil War soldier’s life was
like, consult The Life of Johnny Reb and
The Life of Billy Yank by Bell I. Wiley
(Louisiana State University Press). 72
0613FT TIME CAPSULE.indd Sec1:72
2013
3/20/13 1:56 PM
3/20/13 1:56 PM
Finding the right resources can be
fantastic.
eye-opening.
confusing.
At NEHGS, we understand what it takes to
research your family history.
Information on your ancestors can be
found in many locations, within many
resources, and in a variety of publications.
We know that trying to make sense of all
of this can sometimes seem daunting.
Let NEHGS help you navigate the
information and resources so you can
discover more about your family history.
Learn more at AmericanAncestors.org
We can help.
New England Historic
Genealogical Society
FamilyHistoryExperts
AmericanAncestors.org
3/20/13 1:56 PM
ECORDS FROM HOME, ACROSS THE PON
AND BEYOND
Explore our collections from across the United States
Over 1 billion records from overseas, dating from 1200
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Over 46 million parish baptisms, marriages and burials
and Ireland
from across England and Wales dating back to 1538
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3/26/13 9:30 AM
Finding the right resources can be
fantastic.
eye-opening.
confusing.
At NEHGS, we understand what it takes to
research your family history.
Information on your ancestors can be
found in many locations, within many
resources, and in a variety of publications.
We know that trying to make sense of all
of this can sometimes seem daunting.
Let NEHGS help you navigate the
information and resources so you can
discover more about your family history.
Learn more at AmericanAncestors.org
We can help.
New England Historic
Genealogical Society
FamilyHistoryExperts
AmericanAncestors.org
3/20/13 1:57 PM

May/June 2013 Family Tree Magazine

Transcription

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