November, 2009
Vol. 4, # 8
A Service of the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library
*Now in the fourth year of distribution with over 400 subscribers!
Genealogy Scrap booking
Throughout several decades now, people have used several ways of preserving their family history. Maintaining photo albums and photo collages are some of the ways of maintaining a family history. People generally maintain family history to try and get the future generations acquainted with their roots and also to treasure their family members. A comparatively newer way of maintaining family history could be scrap booking family history. In fact, remember childhood times, when as students assignments were given to maintain a scrapbook for school. Scrap booking is a method for preserving a legacy of written history in the form of photographs, printed media, and memorabilia contained in decorated albums, or scrapbooks.
What is a genealogy scrapbook? A genealogy scrapbook is a scrapbook designed to trace a family's tree through pictures and photos handed down from generation to generation. Photographs are quickly being replaced by digital images and photos from parents and grandparent's era are beginning to deteriorate, even with the best of care. If they are not taken care of and treated well by storing in maintained scrapbooks, these pictures will be lost forever.
The first step to creating a heritage album is choosing the actual album. The album should reflect the contents of what is to be put inside. For example, one may want to consider a high quality album in deep rich tones for a heritage scrapbook. Or, an album that uses top loading pages, not knowing when a new photograph that fits somewhere in the middle of a book, for instance, will show up. Top loading pages make it easy to change the order around when needed.
After choosing an album, it is time to choose paper. Always use acid and lignin free papers in scrapbooks to preserve photographs. Since old photographs are most likely going to be black and white or sepia tones, choose colors that will interact well with that color palate. Cream, burgundy, navy blue, gold, silver, and other rich tones work best in heritage albums. If using patterned papers, make sure that the pattern has an antique look to it, otherwise it will clash with the overall theme of the scrapbook.
Before starting a genealogy scrapbook, check the supplies and make sure there is enough paper on hand, but also avoid the temptation to run out and buy everything in sight. If more supplies are needed, it’s easy to go out and get more paper or stickers. Consider the types of embellishments to be added and spend money on those. In a genealogy album, the types of embellishments are extremely important; say, to be able to add that "aged look" to enhance the photos being used.
Once some basic supplies have been purchased, get out the pictures. Don't forget to ask family and friends if they have any old pictures that could be browsed through that they are keeping in a shoebox somewhere. Find the appropriate pictures to include, and then take them to a store that has a one-hour-photo. Most one-hour-photos have a machine that allows scanning a picture and reproduce it. Do this for as many of the pictures as possible, because chances are the old photograph is already starting to fade and decay. By making a copy of it, pictures can be preserved for several more generations. It’s fortunate that black and white photographs are more durable than their color counterparts, but by taking the time to preserve them now, the originals can be given back and the copies used.
At the start of assembling a genealogy scrapbook, the ultimate goal the creation of what will hopefully become a family heirloom passed down through generations. By doing research and finding as many names and dates as possible about the people in the pictures, write the information down and keep track it in the book. Remember, this project is more than just a scrapbook, the book will be a valuable keepsake for future generations.
With the pictures try to make sure to use a contrasting color for the background paper. This will help to bring the details out in the pictures. Combine the pictures and the journaling together in a pleasant manner; also include documents that relate to different aspects of their life. Certificates, military papers, work related items, newspaper articles, tickets from a show, or quotes from an interview. Don't put too many items on a page though or it will look crowded. Spread it out. Add three dimensional items whenever possible because it helps to make the person more real. Other family members can feel and see the item. Also, use words and memories about past ancestors because this gives a different point of view of the person. Add imagination and use pleasing colors, shapes, lace or leather, whatever fits the personality of the person that is being researched. The most important thing is to bring out memories of that ancestor.
There are many ways to preserve family memories and history, using photos, videos, words, and music with the ability to make a digital scrapbook. With the computer and many programs available for choosing hundreds of designs and add in photos and videos. Customize color combination, journal entries, and different embellishments with photos to enhance the history of the family. Recap the last family reunion as soon as possible and the memories will be fresh. Sharing the family's happiest memories with others are so much fun but also gratifying. Share discoveries when doing family research with other family members. It is amazing how little may be known about a family and how interesting it can be. Preserving family history can also be vital information needed for future generations. Bigger items such as a wedding dress, pocket watch, Purple Heart award or family quilt that can't be captured on a page can be included by photocopying or scanning them and using the copies in the history.
The hardest part of scrap booking and preserving family history is getting started or getting organized. It can look overwhelming at first. Work and organize by sorting photos in files or boxes that are archival safe. Make sure to label them by person, family, time-period, life-stages or other theme. Then assemble all the materials needed to scrapbook pages together. If working with digital items, then get all of the programs and materials needed to achieve the project in that manner. The digital programs are very easy to follow and are very user friendly.
Family history and genealogy is much more meaningful when it is shared with the living relatives and preserved for future generations. It's important to share the present, preserve the past, and share the history. Connect with family members and work together on the memories and preserving old family photos of importance. Family history can be shared and displayed in a lot of ways, such as a family tree, a time line, or a chart. There are many online resources to help families with ideas and tips of family history. There are many resources online that will help with every little step of a family history, a family history CD, or an online blog, from writing to designing to publication.
Some families like the more personal touch and like to hand write the history or at least journal parts of the entries. It can be very relaxing for a lot of people to scrapbook. Some families have got together for special occasions like 80th birthday or 50th anniversaries and have every person in the family do one page with photos and memories of that person and then compile the pages into a scrapbook history book for the person. It is a great way to celebrate their history and their life.
When tracing a family's history it is important to remember the importance of preserving not only the stories of the past, but also the stories of the living. Encourage family members to record memories for posterity with one of these wonderful journal type history books. Have questions with ample room in which there is room to write answers. This will become a treasured part of the family history for generations to come. Remember how important it is to share the present, preserve the past, and record the history for future generations.
Documenting your family history can be a long process that involves plenty of research. Instead of simply using that information to complete a family tree, consider scrap booking family history for future generations so that they can come to know about their roots. This allows them to put faces with names of those who they never got a chance to meet. Scrap booking family history involves making sure the right information is available before starting. Make sure to incorporate all the accurate details and information when beginning the process for scrap booking family history. Try not to exclude any family members during the scrap booking efforts and try to make sure there is at least some information about all members of the family. To make the process easier, use loose leaf pages when scrap booking family history. This way if a mistake is discovered, then just add the additional family members and keep things in chronological order.
Don't let precious photo's fade away in an old shoe box or old photo album. Don't let those precious stories of past ancestors go untold. Gather the pictures and put them together with the stories of ancestors in an organized manner that will preserve the history of their life. Much can be learned from a family’s past and there can be much to enjoy getting to know them through the pictures and stories. So much can be done to display a family’s heritage story, and it is a story. Being part of a family that started further back than anyone can remember; tell everyone about it in a unique way. By telling a story of real life, make sure to tell the good times and the bad times.
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Genealogy Workshop
Fact: At times preserving old photographs becomes a little tedious as they have the tendency of getting worn out easily. Scrapbooking family history offers a good method for protecting them from further damage or deterioration. Photos can be easily copied at copy centers just as long as they are not professional photos that are copyright protected. If the photos are very old, consider copying them in black and white for scrap booking family history. This allows the use a high quality photo while persevering the era of the photo.
Tip: Scrap booking family history can make a wonderful birthday or anniversary gift for parents and grandparents. They will definitely treasure a sentimental gift. Scrap booking family history may not seem important right now but in the future, it actually has the potential of being one of the most treasured possessions of every family, after all who does not love to remember their family members, especially if they are away from them. Family is the one support system that supports without expecting anything in return. We all make friends but it is our family that supports us without even asking us to do so. Therefore, we should make sure that we know our family members and try to get our future generations to know about them. Bottom line, start collecting the materials and start scrap booking family history.
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Check out the Heritage Room's genealogy blog ‘The Bones Collector’ at ...
http://bonescollector.blogspot.com
Make sure to bookmark it if you haven’t already. Reminder : Back issues of ‘Ancestor Searching’ are archived on the site. Just click on the ‘Newsletter’ link under the ‘Labels’ category found on the left-hand side of the page.
View our new online website for any genealogy-related events by clicking through to …
http://hpl.lib.al.us/events/genealogy
The Home Access Tutorial for Heritage Quest Online can be found at …
http://www.livestream.com/hmcpl/ondemand/pla_57f6318e-02ef-407a-9bb0-d65e2c103d6d?playeraspectwidth=4&playeraspectheight=3
(Be sure to copy the entire link into the browser address field).
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Need to unsubscribe? Instructions now included with every email from this list.
Changing email addresses? Use our ‘Sign-Up’ form at … http://hpl.lib.al.us/lists to add your new address.
See You In The Heritage Room!
Richard White
Computer Genealogy Librarian
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library
915 Monroe Street
Huntsville, AL 35801
256.532.2360
rwhite@hpl.lib.al.us
Friday, December 18, 2009
’Ancestor Searching’*
’Ancestor Searching’*
October, 2009
Vol. 4, # 7
A Service of the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library
*Now in the fourth year of distribution with over 400 subscribers!
Genealogy News ~ Special Announcement
A new twist has been added to the arsenal of the Huntsville Heritage Room’s resources that are being made available to the public. First of all, for those with an interest in accessing Heritage Quest Online from home, there is now a brief instructional video available at http://www.livestream.com/hmcpl/ondemand/pla_57f6318e-02ef-407a-9bb0-d65e2c103d6d?playeraspectwidth=4&playeraspectheight=3 that gives step-by-step instructions on accessing Heritage Quest. (Note: Be sure to copy the entire link into the browser’s address field). Viewing of the video does require the latest updated version of the Adobe Flash Player. Also, users MUST have a Huntsville-Madison County Public Library card and the PIN number from the card record to be able to take advantage of this feature.
The second newest resource is the addition of live webinars that will be presented periodically on topics of genealogical interest. The first of these will be held Thursday, October 22nd at 3 PM. Again, the Adobe Flash Player is necessary to participate in the FREE program offerings, which adds a new dimension to the digital services offered by the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library and into the expanding field of genealogical research. Instructions for participating in the program will be emailed Wednesday.
Both of these are being kicked-off this month in conjunction with Family History Month which lasts the entire month of October.
Terms and Meanings of Genealogical Words
Last month’s newsletter covered the subjects of occupations and initials, whereas, this month will be on common (and not so common) genealogy terms. Many of these may already be familiar while others will be new in nature.
Glossary of Genealogy Terms
ABSTRACT - Summary of important points of a given text, especially deeds and wills.
ACRE - See measurements.
ADMINISTRATION (of estate) - The collection, management and distribution of an estate by proper legal process.
ADMINISTRATOR (of estate) - Person appointed to manage or divide the estate of a deceased person.
ADMINISTRATRIX - A female administrator.
AFFIDAVIT - A statement in writing, sworn to before proper authority.
ALIEN - Foreigner.
ANCESTOR - A person from whom you are descended; a forefather.
ANTE - Latin prefix meaning before, such as in ante-bellum South, "The South before the war"
APPRENTICE - One who is bound by indentures or by legal agreement or by any means to serve another person for a certain time, with a view of learning an art or trade.
APPURTENANCE - That which belongs to something else such as a building, orchard, right of way, etc.
ARCHIVES - Records of a government, organization, institution; the place where records are stored.
ATTEST - To affirm; to certify by signature or oath.
BANNS - Public announcement of intended marriage.
BENEFICIARY - One who receives benefit of trust or property.
BEQUEATH - To give personal property to a person in a will. Noun -- bequest.
BOND - Written, signed, witnessed agreement requiring payment of a specified amount of money on or before a given date.
BOUNTY LAND WARRANT - A right to obtain land, specific number of acres of unallocated public land, granted for military service.
CENSUS - Official enumeration, listing or counting of citizens.
CERTIFIED COPY - A copy made and attested to by officers having charge of the original and authorized to give copies.
CHAIN - See measurements.
CHATTEL - Personal property which can include animate as well as inanimate properties.
CHRISTEN - To receive or initiate into the visible church by baptism; to name at baptism; to give a name to.
CIRCA - About, near, or approximate -- usually referring to a date.
CODICIL - Addition to a will.
COLLATERAL ANCESTOR - Belong to the same ancestral stock but not in direct line of descent; opposed to lineal such as aunts, uncles & cousins.
COMMON ANCESTOR - Ancestor shared by any two people.
CONSANGUINITY - Blood relationship.
CONSORT - Usually, a wife whose husband is living
CONVEYANCE - See deed.
COUSIN - Relative descended from a common ancestor, but not a brother or sister.
DAUGHTER-IN-LAW - Wife of one's son.
DECEASED - Dead.
DECEDENT - A deceased person.
DECLARATION OF INTENTION - First paper, sworn to and filed in court, by an alien stating that he wants to be come a citizen.
DEED - A document by which title in real property is transferred from one party to another.
DEPOSITION - A testifying or testimony taken down in writing under oath of affirmation in reply to interrogatories, before a competent officer to replace to oral testimony of a witness.
DEVISE - Gift of real property by will.
DEVISEE - One to whom real property (land) is given in a will.
DEVISOR - One who gives real property in a will.
DISSENTER - One who did not belong to the established church, especially the Church of England in the American colonies.
DISTRICT LAND OFFICE PLAT BOOK - Books or rather maps which show the location of the land patentee.
DISTRICT LAND OFFICE TRACT BOOK - Books which list individual entries by range and township.
DOUBLE DATING - A system of double dating used in England and America from 1582-1752 because it was not clear as to whether the year commenced January 1 or March 25
DOWER - Legal right or share which a wife acquired by marriage in the real estate of her husband, allotted to her after his death for her lifetime.
EMIGRANT - One leaving a country and moving to another.
ENUMERATION - Listing or counting , such as a census.
EPITAPH - An inscription on or at a tomb or grave in memory of the one buried there.
ESCHEAT - The reversion of property to the state when there are no qualified heirs.
ESTATE - All property and debts belonging to a person.
ET AL - Latin for "and others".
ET UX - Latin for "and wife".
ET UXOR - And his wife. Sometimes written simply Et Ux.
EXECUTOR - One appointed in a will to carry out its provisions. Female = Executrix
FATHER-IN-LAW - Father of one's spouse.
FEE - An estate of inheritance in land, being either fee simple or fee tail. An estate in land held of a feudal lord on condition of the performing of certain services.
FEE SIMPLE - An absolute ownership without restriction.
FEE TAIL - An estate of inheritance limited to lineal descendant heirs of a person to whom it was granted.
FRATERNITY - Group of men (or women) sharing a common purpose or interest.
FREE HOLD - An estate in fee simple, in fee tail, or for life.
FRIEND - Member of the Religious Society of Friends; a Quaker.
FURLONG - See measurements.
GAZETTEER - A geographical dictionary; a book giving names and descriptions of places usually in alphabetical order.
GENEALOGY - Study of family history and descent.
GENTLEMAN - A man well born.
GIVEN NAME - Name given to a person at birth or baptism, one's first and middle names.
GLEBE - Land belonging to a parish church.
GRANTEE - One who buys property or receives a grant.
GRANTOR - One who sells property or makes a grant.
GREAT-AUNT - Sister of one's grandparent
GREAT-UNCLE - Brother of one's grandparent.
GUARDIAN - Person appointed to care for and manage property of a minor orphan or an adult incompetent of managing his own affairs.
HALF BROTHER/HALF SISTER - Child by another marriage of one's mother or father; the relationship of two people who have only one parent in common.
HEIRS - Those entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit property from another.
HOLOGRAPHIC WILL - One written entirely in the testator's own handwriting.
HOMESTEAD ACT - Law passed by Congress in 1862 allowing a head of a family to obtain title to 160 acres of public land after clearing and improving it for 5 years.
HUGUENOT - A French Protestant in the 16th and 17th centuries. One of the reformed or calvinistic communion who were driven by the thousands into exile in England, Holland, Germany and America.
ILLEGITIMATE - Born to a mother who was not married to the child's father.
IMMIGRANT - One moving into a country from another.
INDENTURE - Today it means a contract in 2 or more copies. Originally made in 2 parts by cutting or tearing a single sheet across the middle in a jagged line so the two parts may later be matched.
INDENTURED SERVANT - One who bound himself into service of another person for a specified number of years, often in return for transportation to this country.
INFANT - Any person not of full age; a minor.
INSTANT - Of or pertaining to the current month. (Abbreviated inst.)
INTESTATE - One who dies without a will or dying without a will.
INVENTORY - An account, catalog or schedule, made by an executor or administrator of all the goods and chattels and sometimes of the real estate of a deceased person.
ISSUE - Offspring; children; lineal descendants of a common ancestor.
LATE - Recently deceased.
LEASE - An agreement which creates a landlord - tenant situation.
LEGACY - Property or money left to someone in a will
LIEN - A claim against property as security for payment of a debt.
LINEAGE - Ancestry; direct descent from a specific ancestor.
LINEAL - Consisting of or being in as direct line of ancestry or descendants; descended in a direct line.
LINK - See measurements.
LIS PENDENS - Pending court action; usually applies to land title claims.
LODGE - A chapter or meeting hall of a fraternal organization.
LOYALIST - Tory, an American colonist who supported the British side during the American Revolution.
MAIDEN NAME - A girl's last name or surname before she marries.
MANUSCRIPT - A composition written with the hand as an ancient book or an un-printed modern book or music.
MARRIAGE BOND - A financial guarantee that no impediment to the marriage existed, furnished by the intended bridegroom or by his friends.
MATERNAL - Related through one's mother, such as a Maternal grandmother being the mother's mother.
MEASUREMENTS - Link - 7.92 inches; Chain - 100 Links or 66 feet; Furlong - 1000 Links or 660 feet; Rod - 5 1/2 yds or 16 1/2 ft (also called a perch or pole); Rood - From 5 1/2 yards to 8 yards, depending on locality; Acre - 43,560 square ft or 160 square rods.
MESSUAGE - A dwelling house.
METES & BOUNDS - Property described by natural boundaries, such as 3 notches in a white oak tree, etc.
MICROFICHE - Sheet of microfilm with greatly reduced images of pages of documents.
MICROFILM - Reproduction of documents on film at reduced size.
MIGRANT - Person who moves from place to place, usually in search of work
MIGRATE - To move from one country or state or region to another. (Noun : migration)
MILITIA - Citizens of a state who are not part of the national military forces but who can be called into military service in an emergency; a citizen army, apart from the regular military forces.
MINOR - One who is under legal age; not yet a legal adult.
MISTER - In early times, a title of respect given only to those who held important civil officer or who were of gentle blood.
MOIETY - A half; an indefinite portion
MORTALITY - Death; death rate.
MORTALITY SCHEDULES - Enumeration of persons who died during the year prior to June 1 of 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 in each state of the United States, conducted by the bureau of census.
MORTGAGE - A conditional transfer of title to real property as security for payment of a debt.
MOTHER-IN-LAW - Mother of one's spouse.
NAMESAKE - Person named after another person.
NECROLOGY - Listing or record of persons who have died recently.
NEE - Used to identify a woman's maiden name; born with the surname of.
NEPHEW - Son of one's brother or sister.
NIECE - Daughter of one's brother or sister.
NONCUPATIVE WILL - One declared or dictated by the testator, usually for persons in last sickness, sudden illness, or military.
ORPHAN - Child whose parents are dead; sometimes, a child who has lost one parent by death.
ORPHAN'S COURT - Orphans being recognized as wards of the states, provisions were made for them in special courts.
PASSENGER LIST - A ships list of passengers, usually referring to those ships arriving in the US from Europe.
PATENT - Grant of land from a government to an individual.
PATERNAL - Related to one's father. Paternal grandmother is the father's mother.
PATRIOT - One who loves his country and supports its interests.
PEDIGREE - Family tree; ancestry.
PENSION - Money paid regularly to an individual, especially by a government as reward for military service during wartime or upon retirement from government service.
PENSIONER - One who receives a pension.
PERCH - See measurements.
POLE - See measurements.
POLL - List or record of persons, especially for taxing or voting.
POST - Latin prefix meaning after, as in post-war economy.
POSTERITY - Descendants; those who come after.
POWER OF ATTORNEY - When a person in unable to act for himself, he appoints another to act in his behalf.
PRE - Latin prefix meaning before, as in pre-war military build-up.
PRE-EMOTION RIGHTS - Right given by the federal government to citizens to buy a quarter section of land or less.
PROBATE - Having to do with wills and the administration of estates.
PROGENITOR - A direct ancestor.
PROGENY - Descendants of a common ancestor; issue.
PROVED WILL - A will established as genuine by probate court.
PROVOST - A person appointed to superintend, or preside over something.
PROXIMO - In the following month, in the month after the present one.
PUBLIC DOMAIN - Land owned by the government.
QUAKER - Member of the Religious Society of Friends.
QUITCLAIM - A deed conveying the interest of the party at that time.
RECTOR - A clergyman; the ruler or governor of a country.
RELICT - Widow; surviving spouse when one has died, husband or wife.
REPUBLIC - Government in which supreme authority lies with the people or their elected representatives.
ROD - See measurements.
ROOD - See measurements.
SHAKER - Member of a religious group formed in 1747 which practiced communal living and celibacy.
SIBLING - Person having one or both parents in common with another; a brother or sister.
SIC - Latin meaning thus; copied exactly as the original reads. Often suggests a mistake or surprise in the original.
SON-IN-LAW - Husband of one's daughter.
SPINSTER - A woman still unmarried; or one who spins.
SPONSOR - A bondsman; surety.
SPOUSE - Husband or wife.
STATUTE - Law.
STEP-BROTHER / STEP-SISTER - Child of one's step-father or step-mother.
STEP-CHILD - Child of one's husband or wife from a previous marriage.
STEP-FATHER - Husband of one's mother by a later marriage.
STEP-MOTHER - Wife of one's father by a later marriage.
SURNAME - Family name or last name.
TERRITORY - Area of land owned by the United States, not a state, but having its own legislature and governor.
TESTAMENTARY - Pertaining to a will.
TESTATE - A person who dies leaving a valid will.
TESTATOR - A person who makes a valid will before his death.
TITHABLE - Taxable.
TITHE - Formerly, money due as a tax for support of the clergy or church.
TORY - Loyalist; one who supported the British side in the American Revolution.
TOWNSHIP - A division of U.S. public land that contained 36 sections, or 36 square miles. Also a subdivision of the county in many Northeastern and Midwestern states of the U.S.
TRADITION - The handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, genealogies, etc. from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth.
TRANSCRIBE - To make a copy in writing.
ULTIMO - In the month before this one.
UNION - The United States; also the North during the Civil War, the states which did not secede.
VERBATIM - Word for word; in the same words, verbally.
VITAL RECORDS - Records of birth, death, marriage or divorce.
VITAL STATISTICS - Data dealing with birth, death, marriage or divorce.
WARD - Chiefly the division of a city for election purposes.
WILL - Document declaring how a person wants his property divided after his death.
WITNESS - One who is present at a transaction, such as a sale of land or signing of a will, who can testify or affirm that it actually took place.
WPA HISTORICAL RECORDS SURVEY - A program undertaken by the US Government 1935 - 1936 in which inventories were compiled of historical material.
YEOMAN - A servant, an attendant or subordinate official in a royal household; a subordinate of a sheriff; an independent farmer.
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Genealogy Workshop
Fact: A webinar is a new term to describe a specific type of web conference. It is typically one-way, from the speaker to the audience with limited audience interaction, such as in a webcast. A webinar can be collaborative and include polling and question & answer sessions to allow full participation between the audience and the presenter. In some cases, the presenter may speak over a standard telephone line, while pointing out information being presented onscreen, and the audience can respond over their own telephones, speaker phones allowing the greatest comfort and convenience.
Tip: Be sure to keep and use the latest updated version of the Adobe Flash Player for accessing online webinars. It’s another excellent way to keep up on the latest genealogy information.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Check out the Heritage Room's genealogy blog ‘The Bones Collector’ at ...
http://bonescollector.blogspot.com
Make sure to bookmark it if you haven’t already. Reminder : Back issues of ‘Ancestor Searching’ are archived on the site. Just click on the ‘Newsletter’ link under the ‘Labels’ category found on the left-hand side of the page.
View our new online website for any genealogy-related events by clicking through to …
http://hpl.lib.al.us/events/genealogy
The Home Access Tutorial for Heritage Quest Online can be found at …
http://www.livestream.com/hmcpl/ondemand/pla_57f6318e-02ef-407a-9bb0-d65e2c103d6d?playeraspectwidth=4&playeraspectheight=3
(Be sure to copy the entire link into the browser address field).
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Need to unsubscribe? Instructions now included with every email from this list.
Changing email addresses? Use our ‘Sign-Up’ form at … http://hpl.lib.al.us/lists to add your new address.
See You In The Heritage Room!
Richard White
Computer Genealogy Librarian
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library
915 Monroe Street
Huntsville, AL 35801
256.532.2360
rwhite@hpl.lib.al.us
Thursday, November 19, 2009
’Ancestor Searching’*
Vol. 4, # 6
*Now in the fourth year of distribution with over 400 subscribers!
Terms and Meanings of Genealogical Words
Something a little bit different from the usual articles. During the course of research, terms and initials are bound to appear in most any kind of document that will require researchers to search for answers as to just exactly what the meaning of a word or abbreviation indicates or means. In an effort to offer assistance with these terms and abbreviations, the following lists are the first of a two-part series on genealogical terms and their meanings. This month’s newsletter covers the subjects of occupations and initials.
Old Occupations
Here is a list of old occupations compiled. Some of the words have evolved to mean other things in modern times. They can be a tremendous help, especially when reading census records or wills..
Accomptant—Accountant
Almoner—Giver of charity to the needy
Amanuensis—Secretary or stenographer
Artificer—A soldier mechanic who does repairs
Bailie—Bailiff
Baxter—Baker
Bluestocking—Female writer
Boniface—Keeper of an inn
Brazier—One who works with brass
Brewster—Beer manufacturer
Brightsmith—Metal Worker
Burgonmaster—Mayor
Caulker—One who filled up cracks (in ships or windows or seems to make them watertight by using tar or oakum-hem fiber produced by taking old ropes apart
Chaisemaker—Carriage maker
Chandler—Dealer or trader; one who makes or sells candles; retailer of groceries, ship supplier
Chiffonnier—Wig maker
Clark—Clerk
Clerk—Clergyman, cleric
Clicker—The servant of a salesman who stood at the door to invite customers; one who received the matter in the galley from the compositors and arranged it in due form ready for printing; one who makes eyelet holes in boots using a machine which clicked.
Cohen—Priest
Collier—Coal miner
Colporteur—Peddler of books
Cooper—One who makes or repairs vessels made of staves & hoops, such as casks, barrels, tubs, etc.
Cordwainer—Shoemaker, originally any leather worker using leather from Cordova/Cordoba in Spain
Costermonger—Peddler of fruits and vegetables
Crocker—Potter
Crowner—Coroner
Currier—One who dresses the coat of a horse with a currycomb; one who tanned leather by incorporating oil or grease
Docker—Stevedore, dock worker who loads and unloads cargo
Dowser—One who finds water using a rod or witching stick
Draper—A dealer in dry goods
Drayman—One who drives a long strong cart without fixed sides for carrying heavy loads
Dresser—A surgeon’s assistant in a hospital
Drover—One who drives cattle, sheep, etc. to market; a dealer in cattle
Duffer—Peddler
Factor Agent—commission merchant; one who acts or transacts business for another; Scottish steward or bailiff of an estate
Farrier—A blacksmith, one who shoes horses
Faulkner—Falconer
Fell monger—One who removes hair or wool from hides in preparation for leather making
Fletcher—One who made bows and arrows
Fuller—One who fulls cloth; one who shrinks and thickens woolen cloth by moistening, heating and pressing; one who cleans and finishes cloth
Gaoler—A keeper of the goal, a jailer
Glazier—Window lassman
Hacker—Maker of hoes
Hatcheler—One who combed out or carded flax
Haymonger—Dealer in hay
Hayward—Keeper of fences
Higgler—Itinerant peddler
Hillier—Roof tiler
Hind—A farm laborer
Holster—A groom who took care of horses, often at an inn
Hooker—Reaper
Hooper—One who made hoops for casks and barrels
Huckster—Sells small wares
Husbandman—A farmer who cultivated the land
Jagger—Fish peddler
Journeyman—One who had served his apprenticeship and mastered his craft, not bound to serve a master, but hired by the day
Joyner / Joiner—A skilled carpenter
Keeler—Bargeman
Kempster—Wool comber
Lardner—Keeper of the cupboard
Lavender—Washer woman
Lederer—Leather maker
Leech—Physician
Longshoreman—Stevedore
Lormer —Maker of horse gear
Malender—Farmer
Maltster—Brewer
Manciple—A steward
Mason—Bricklayer
Mintmaster—One who issued local currency
Monger—Seller of goods (ale, fish)
Muleskinner—Teamster
Neatherder—Herds cows
Ordinary Keeper—Innkeeper with fixed prices
Pattern Maker—A maker of a clog shod with an iron ring.
A clog was a wooden pole with a pattern cut into the end
Peregrinator—Itinerant wanderer
Peruker—A wig maker
Pettifogger—A shyster lawyer
Pigman—Crockery dealer
Plumber—One who applied sheet lead for roofing and set lead frames for plain or stained glass windows.
Porter—Door keeper
Puddler—Wrought iron worker
Quarrier—Quarry worker
Rigger—Hoist tackle worker
Ripper—Seller of fish
Roper—Maker of rope or nets
Saddler—One who makes, repairs or sells saddles or other furnishings for horses
Sawbones—Physician
Sawyer—One who saws; carpenter
Schumacker—Shoemaker
Scribler—A minor or worthless author
Scrivener—Professional or public copyist or writer; notary public
Scrutiner—Election judge
Shrieve—Sheriff
Slater—Roofer
Slopseller—Seller of ready-made clothes in a slop shop
Snobscat / Snob—One who repaired shoes
Sorter—Tailor
Spinster—A woman who spins or an unmarried woman
Spurrer—Maker of spurs
Squire—Country gentleman; farm owner; justice of peace
Stuff gown—Junior barrister
Stuff gownsman—Junior barrister
Supercargo—Officer on merchant ship who is in charge of cargo and the commercial concerns of the ship.
Tanner—One who tans (cures) animal hides into leather
Tapley—One who puts the tap in an ale cask
Tasker—Reaper
Teamster—One who drives a team for hauling
Thatcher—Roofer
Tide waiter—Customs inspector
Tinker—Am itinerant tin pot and pan seller and repairman
Tipstaff—Policeman
Travers—Toll bridge collection
Tucker—Cleaner of cloth goods
Turner—A person who turns wood on a lathe into spindles
Victualer—A tavern keeper, or one who provides an army, navy or ship with food
Vulcan—Blacksmith
Wagoner—Teamster not for hire
Wainwright—Wagon maker
Waiter Customs officer or tide waiter—one who waited on the tide to collect duty on goods brought in.
Waterman—Boatman who plies for hire
Webster—Operator of looms
Wharfinger—Owner of a wharf
Wheelwright—One who made or repaired wheels; wheeled carriages,etc.
Whitesmith Tinsmith—worker of iron who finishes or polishes the work
Whitewing—Street sweeper
Whitster—Bleach of cloth
Wright—Workman, especially a construction worker
Yeoman Farmer—who owns his own land
What Do Those Initials Mean?
Initials after your ancestor’s names may provide useful information that you’d not expected. The following list includes initials you may come across, again, when reading old wills or other documents.
a.a.s.- died in the year of his/her age (anno aetitis suae) (86 y/o died in year 86)
d.s.p.- died without issue (decessit sine prole legitima)
d.s.p.l.- died without legitimate issue (decessit sine prole mascula supesita)
d.s.p.m.s.- died without surviving male issue (decessit sine prole mascula supersita)
d.s.p.s - died without surviving male issue (decessit sine prole mascula supersita)
d.unm - died without surviving issue (decessit sine prole supersita)
d.v.p.- died in the lifetime of his father (decessit vita patris)
d.v.m.- died in the lifetime of his mother (decessit vita matris)
Et al- and others (et alia)
Inst - present month (instans)
Liber - book or volume
Nepos - grandson
Nunc - Nuncapative will, an oral will, written by a witness
Ob - he/she died (obit)
Relict - widow or widower (relicta/relictus)
Sic - so or thus, exact copy as written
Testes - witnesses
Utl - late (ultimo)
Ux or vs - wife (uxor)
Viz - namely (videlicet)
Look for the second and final part of the series in the October newsletter on genealogy terms.
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Genealogy Workshop
Fact: The term GEDCOM stands for Genealogical Data Communications. Years ago, one computer genealogy program couldn't read another program's data. Genealogists could only share computerized information with people who had the same program. Then the LDS Church, known for its commitment to family history, developed the GEDCOM standard. A software program could export a file in GEDCOM format, which could then be imported into a different program.
Most genealogy software today supports GEDCOM imports and exports, and family history files can be shared no matter what program an individual uses.
Tip: Ahnentafel is a methodical numbering system, from a German word meaning "ancestor table." Picture a pedigree chart, visually divide it into columns, and number each person one column at a time. The starting person is #1, the father is #2, the mother is #3. The father's parents are #4 & #5, the mother's parents are #6 & #7, etc.
The Ahnentafel numbers are very systematic: all men are even numbers, all women are odd numbers. A father's number is double that of his child, and a mother's number is double-plus-one. With this information, ancestors be organized and listed without the need for a chart.
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Genealogy News
Computer classes for the 4th Quarter of the year are now set.
Genealogy Research Online ~
Classes are from 2 to 4 PM Wednesday afternoon.
Oct. 21st and Nov. 18th
The following classes are on Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 PM.
New England Ancestors
Oct. 20th
Heritage Quest
Nov. 17th
**NOTE: Basic Genealogy and Computer Skills Required.
All classes are FREE and held in the Computer Lab now located on Second Floor in the Information and Periodicals Department of the Main Library.
Register for classes in person or by
calling 532-2356
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Check out the Heritage Room's genealogy blog ‘The Bones Collector’ at ...
http://bonescollector.blogspot.com
More new items have been added. Make sure to bookmark it if you haven’t already. Reminder : ALL back issues of ‘Ancestor Searching’ are archived on the site. Just click on the ‘Newsletter’ link under the ‘Labels’ category found on the left-hand side of the page.
View our new online website for any genealogy-related events by clicking through to …
http://hpl.lib.al.us/events/genealogy
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See You In The Heritage Room!
Richard White
Computer Genealogy Libraria
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library
915 Monroe Street
Huntsville, AL 35801
256.532.2360
rwhite@hpl.lib.al.us
’Ancestor Searching’*
Vol. 4, # 5
*Now in the fourth year of distribution with over 400 subscribers!
Domesday Book
The Domesday book was the first major census in the British Isles, and was more comprehensive than current census compilations, as properties such as farms, mills, bakeries and other industry were recorded which showed the wealth of the area as well as the population.
Also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester, it was the record or survey of England completed in 1086, executed for William I of England. William needed information about the country he had just conquered so he could administer it. While spending Christmas of 1085 in Gloucester, William "had deep speech with his counsellors and sent men all over England to each shire ... to find out ... what or how much each landholder had in land and livestock, and what it was worth." (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle)
One of the main purposes of the survey was to find out who owned what so they could be taxed on it, and the judgment of the assessors was final—whatever the book said about who owned the property, or what it was worth, was the law, and there was no appeal. It was written in Latin, although there were some vernacular words inserted for native terms with no previous Latin equivalent and the text was highly abbreviated.
The Domesday Book is really two independent works. One, known as Little Domesday, covers Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. The other, Great Domesday, covers the rest of England, except for lands in the north that would later become Westmorland, Cumberland, Northumberland and County Durham. There are also no surveys of London, Winchester and some other towns. The omission of these two major cities is probably due to their size and complexity. Most of Cumberland and Westmorland are missing because they were not conquered until some time after the survey, and County Durham is lacking as the Bishop of Durham (William de St-Calais) had the exclusive right to tax Durham while parts of the north east of England were covered by the 1183 Boldon Book which listed those areas liable to tax by the Bishop of Durham. The omission of the other counties has never been solved.
For both volumes, the contents of the returns were entirely rearranged and classified according to fiefs (estates held by feudal tenure from a lord), rather than geographically. Instead of appearing under the Hundreds and townships, holdings appear under the names of the landholders ('tenentes'), i.e. those who held the lands directly of the crown in fee.
In each county, the list opened with the holdings of the king himself (which had possibly formed the subject of separate inquiry); then came those of the churchmen and religious houses in order of status (for example, the Archbishop of Canterbury is always listed before other bishops); next were entered those of the lay tenants-in-chief again in approximate order of status (aristocrats); and then king's servants (servientes) and English thegns (lesser nobles) who retained land.
In some counties, one or more principal towns formed the subject of a separate section; in some the clamores (disputed titles to land) were similarly treated separately. This principle applies more specially to the larger volume than the smaller one.
Domesday names a total of 13,418 places. Apart from the wholly rural portions, which constitute its bulk, Domesday contains entries of interest concerning most of the towns, which were probably made because of their bearing on the fiscal rights of the crown. These include fragments of custumals (older customary agreements), records of the military service due, of markets, mints, etc. From the towns, from the counties as wholes, and from many of its ancient Lordships, the crown was entitled to archaic dues in kind, such as honey.
The information of most general interest found in the great record is that on political, personal, ecclesiastical and social history, which only occurs sporadically and, as it were, by accident.
From the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle it is known that the planning for the survey was conducted in 1085, and from the publishing of the book it is known that the survey was completed in 1086. It is not known when exactly Domesday Book was compiled, but the entire work appears to have been copied out by one person on parchment (prepared sheepskin). Writing in 2000, David Roffe argued that the inquest (the survey) and the construction of the book were two distinct exercises; the latter being completed, if not started, by William II following his assumption of the English throne and quashing of the rebellion that followed and based on, though not consequent on, the findings of the inquest.
Each county was visited by a group of royal officers (legati), who held a public inquiry, probably in the great assembly known as the county court, which was attended by representatives of every township as well as of the local lords. The unit of inquiry was the Hundred (a subdivision of the county, which then was an administrative entity), and the return for each Hundred was sworn to by twelve local jurors, half of them English and half of them Normans.
What is believed to be a full transcript of these original returns is preserved for several of the Cambridgeshire Hundreds and has great illustrative importance. The Inquisitio Eliensis, the Exon Domesday (so called from the preservation of the volume at Exeter), which covers Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, and the second volume of Domesday Book, also all contain the full details supplied by the original returns.
Through comparison of what details are recorded in which counties, six "circuits" can be determined.
Berkshire, Hampshire, Kent, Surrey, Sussex
Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire (Exeter Domesday)
Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex
Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire
Cheshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire — the Marches
Derbyshire, Huntingdonshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire
For the object of the survey, we have three sources of information:
The passage in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which tells us why it was ordered:
"After this had the king a large meeting, and very deep consultation with his council, about this land; how it was occupied, and by what sort of men. Then sent he his men over all England into each shire; commissioning them to find out 'How many hundreds of hides were in the shire, what land the king himself had, and what stock upon the land; or, what dues he ought to have by the year from the shire.' Also he commissioned them to record in writing, 'How much land his archbishops had, and his diocesan bishops, and his abbots, and his earls;' and though I may be prolix and tedious, 'What, or how much, each man had, who was an occupier of land in England, either in land or in stock, and how much money it were worth.' So very narrowly, indeed, did he commission them to trace it out, that there was not one single hide, nor a yard of land, nay, moreover (it is shameful to tell, though he thought it no shame to do it), not even an ox, nor a cow, nor a swine was there left, that was not set down in his writ. And all the recorded particulars were afterwards brought to him."
The list of questions which the jurors were asked, as preserved in the Inquisitio Eliensis .
The contents of Domesday Book and the allied records mentioned above.
Although these can’t be reconciled in every detail, it is now generally recognized that the primary purpose of the survey was to ascertain and record the fiscal rights of the king. These were mainly;
The national land-tax (geldum), paid on a fixed assessment,
Certain miscellaneous dues, and
The proceeds of the crown lands.
The Domesday survey therefore recorded the names of the new holders of lands and the assessments on which their tax was to be paid. But it did more than this; by the king's instructions it endeavored to make a national valuation list, estimating the annual value of all the land in the country, (1) at the time of Edward the Confessor's death, (2) when the new owners received it, (3) at the time of the survey, and further, it calculated the potential value as well. It is evident that William desired to know the financial resources of his kingdom, and it is probable that he wished to compare them with the existing assessment, which was one of considerable antiquity, though there is evidence that it had been occasionally modified. The great bulk of Domesday Book is devoted to the somewhat general details of the assessment and valuation of rural estates, which were as yet the only important source of national wealth. After stating the assessment of the manor, the record sets forth the amount of arable land, and the number of plough teams (each reckoned at eight oxen) available for working it, with the additional number (if any) that might be employed; then the river-meadows, woodland, pasture, fisheries (i.e. weirs in the streams), water-mills, salt-pans (if by the sea) and other subsidiary sources of revenue; the peasants are enumerated in their several classes; and finally the annual value of the whole, past and present, is roughly estimated.
It is obvious that, both in its values and in its measurements, the survey's calculations are very crude.
As Domesday Book normally records only the Christian name of an under-tenant, it is not possible to search for the surnames of families claiming a Norman origin; but much has been done, and is still being done, to identify the under-tenants, the great bulk of whom bear foreign Christian names.
Domesday Book was originally preserved in the royal treasury at Winchester (the Norman kings' capital). It was originally referred to as the Book of Winchester, and refers to itself as such in a late edition. When the treasury moved to Westminster, probably under Henry II, the book went with it. In the Dialogus de scaccario it is spoken of as a record from the arbitration of which there was no appeal (from which its popular name of Domesday is said to be derived). In the Middle Ages its evidence was frequently referenced in the law-courts; and even now there are certain cases in which appeal is made to its testimony.
It remained in Westminster until the days of Queen Victoria, being preserved from 1696 onwards in the Chapter House, and only removed in special circumstances, such as when it was sent to Southampton for photozincographic reproduction. Domesday Book was eventually placed in the Public Record Office, London and can now be seen in a glass case in the museum at The National Archives, Kew, which is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London. In 1869 it received a modern binding. Most recently, the two books were rebound for its ninth centenary in 1986, when Great Domesday was divided into two volumes and Little Domesday was divided into three volumes. The ancient Domesday chest, in which it used to be kept, is also preserved in the building at Kew.
The printing of Domesday, in "record type", was begun by the government in 1773, and the book was published, in two volumes, in 1783; in 1811 a volume of indexes was added, and in 1816 a supplementary volume, separately indexed, containing
The Exon Domesday—for the south-western counties
The Inquisitio Eliensis
The Liber Winton—surveys of Winchester late in the 12th century.
The Boldon Buke—a survey of the bishopric of Durham a century later than Domesday.
Photographic facsimiles of Domesday Book, for each county separately, were published in 1861-1863, also by the government. Today, Domesday Book is available in numerous editions, usually separated by county and available with other local history resources.
In 1986, the BBC released the BBC Domesday Project, the results of a project to create a survey to mark the 900th anniversary of the original Domesday Book. In August 2006 the contents of Domesday went on-line, with an English translation of the book's Latin. Visitors to the website will now be able to search a place name, see the index entry made for the manor, town, city or village and, for a fee, download the appropriate page.
To the topographer, as to the genealogist, its evidence is of primary importance, as it not only contains the earliest survey of each township or manor, but affords, in the majority of cases, a clue to its subsequent descent.
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Genealogy Workshop
Fact: The name Domesday comes from the Old English word dom, meaning accounting or reckoning. Thus domesday, or dmsday, is literally a day of reckoning, meaning that a lord takes account of what is owed by his subjects.
Tip: British database site Familyrelatives.com added Britain’s Victorian “Doomsday Book” showing who owned land in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland more than 100 years ago. The Doomsday records are available only with a Familyrelatives.com subscription (about $50 a year); not as a pay-per-view option.
The book, published in 1873, includes landowner returns that provide the name and address of every owner, the amount of land held, and the yearly rental valuation of holdings that are larger than an acre.
More than 320,000 landowners owned an acre or more, representing 1 percent of the population of the United Kingdom at the time. Nearly 850,000 owned less than an acre. London was excluded from the returns.
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Genealogy News
Computer classes for the 3rd Quarter of the year are now set.
Genealogy Research Online ~
Classes are from 2 to 4 PM in the afternoon.
Aug. 19th and Sept. 23rd
The following classes are from 5:30 to 6:30 PM.
Ancestry.com
Aug. 25th
Footnote
Sept. 30th
**NOTE: Basic Genealogy and Computer Skills Required.
All classes are FREE and held in the Computer Lab now located on Second Floor in the Information and Periodicals Department of the Main Library.
Register for classes in person or by
calling 532-2356
The Huntsville Genealogical Computing Society is very excited and pleased to have Dan Lynch, author of Google Your Family Tree as their Speaker this coming Monday, August 17th at 7 PM in the Huntsville Library Auditorium. Dan has been featured on several television programs including ABC’s Good Morning America. His articles have appeared in Internet Genealogy, Family Chronicle, Family Tree Magazine and the APG Quarterly. Admission to the program is FREE.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Check out the Heritage Room's genealogy blog ‘The Bones Collector’ at ...
http://bonescollector.blogspot.com
More new items have been added. Make sure to bookmark it if you haven’t already. Reminder : ALL back issues of ‘Ancestor Searching’ are archived on the site. Just click on the ‘Newsletter’ link under the ‘Labels’ category found on the left-hand side of the page.
View our new online website for any genealogy-related events by clicking through to …
http://hpl.lib.al.us/events/genealogy
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Need to unsubscribe? Instructions now included with every email from this list.
Changing email addresses? Use our ‘Sign-Up’ form at … http://hpl.lib.al.us/lists to add your new address.
See You In The Heritage Room!
Richard White
Computer Genealogy Librarian
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library
915 Monroe Street
Huntsville, AL 35801
256.532.2360
rwhite@hpl.lib.al.us
’Ancestor Searching’*
Vol. 4, # 4
*Now in the fourth year of distribution with over 400 subscribers!
Oral History Interviews
Oral history interviewing is a tool that’s used for research in history, anthropology, and folklore. Oral history collects information about the past from observers and participants in that past. It gathers data not available in written records about events, people, decisions, and processes. Oral history interviews are grounded in memory, and memory is used for recording the past. Oral history can reveal how individual values and actions shaped the past, and how the past shapes present-day values and actions.
Every interviewing experience is unique; this is part of the whole experience. There are things that need to be done before, during, and after an interview to make every interview more successful.
Before the Interview
Set goals for the project before beginning. First: what are you trying to learn? You might want to come up with a sentence or two that summarizes your research goals, so that you can easily explain to your interviewees what you are researching and why it is important. Second: what kinds of information already exists about your research, and in what form? When studying a family, data may be in different forms—scrapbooks, photographs, family heirlooms, diaries, etc. Third: you need to consider who you will need to interview to learn about a family. Make a list of potential interviewees; this list will grow as you are referred to additional interviewees.
Remember what information you want to gain from the interview, and design your pre-interview study with that focus in mind. Remain open-minded, however; data can take you in new directions as the research and the interviews progress. Use as many resources as you have available to become familiar with the person or people you’ll be interviewing. Such knowledge will also assist you in establishing rapport with the interviewee by laying a ground work of shared knowledge and confirming your interest in what they have to say.
Set up the appointment for the interview, confirm the appointment, and keep the appointment. Arrange to conduct the interview in a place and time most comfortable for the interviewee, away from noise and distractions.
Prepare a list of questions for the interview. You need not follow this list exactly; other questions will arise during the interview, but they will give a solid organization to your interview. Put the simplest questions, like biographical data, at the beginning, and the most complex or sensitive questions at the end. Group the questions logically, so you and your subject can easily follow the progression of ideas or chronology in the interview. If you’re not sure of the wording of a question you’ve constructed, try it out on another person. Another good way to check the focus of individual questions is to ask yourself, “What am I trying to learn with this question?”
Ask open-ended questions rather than questions that can be answered by yes or no. You want to elicit the fullest response possible to each question. Especially don't ask leading questions. Try to ask simply structured, single-stranded questions. Take your time. If you have more than one point to pursue on a given topic, compose follow-up questions. And if a point that hasn't occurred to you in composing your questionnaire flies by in the midst of an interviewee's answer, you can always go back to it later in the interview.
Questions should be not only open-ended but concrete. Remember that people's memories “hang on substantial hooks”. Asking for a description of a typical day, a family gathering, or breaking a subject down into elements will give the interviewee points of reference from which to reminisce.
Interviews are generally improved by sending the interviewee a list of your questions or a summary of the topics you'll be asking about. The point is to give the interviewee time before the interview to think about people and events that may not have occurred to him/her in a long time. Be sure to explain that the questionnaire or summary is only a framework, and that other points may occur to both of you that could be included during the interview.
Be aware that there can be subject areas or data out of your reach because of some inhibiting factor in your relationship to the interviewee: sex, age, class, etc. Be sensitive to these factors, and try to work past them, but don't alienate the interviewee by pressing too hard for information he/she doesn't want to share. The single best strategy for bridging these kinds of obstacles is for the interviewer to show respect and courtesy to the interviewee, and to make the interview itself a “safe place” where the interviewee feels heard and understood.
Unexpected barriers to open discussions can also arise from your level of familiarity with the interviewee. This can be a particular challenge when interviewing family members. Things you both know can be taken for granted, and things taken for granted are generally unspoken.
Know your ethical responsibilities as an interviewer. Be prepared to answer any questions the interviewee may have about the interview or the research project.
At the Interview
It's best to have a one-on-one interview so that the interviewee's attention is focused on you. Also, examine the area around you before you begin the interview and choose the quietest location you have available to you.
Begin by collecting simple biographical information from the interviewee, such as full name, date of birth, and place of birth (which should be at the front of your questionnaire). This helps put the interviewee at ease and gets the basic information about your subject up front in the interview. It is your responsibility to monitor the well being of your interviewee. If you are doing a long interview, take a brief break. This alleviates fatigue and is beneficial to both of you.
Speak at a sedate pace, and speak clearly. The tone you set will generally be echoed by the interviewee. After you ask a question, stop...and wait for the answer, even if you have to sit in silence for several seconds. Subjects often need several moments to think about the questions you ask. Give them quiet time.
Once the answer comes, don't cut off or talk over an interviewee. Some people do like to go on and on, but let them talk to the end of their strand of thought and wait for an opening patiently. Cutting them off gives the impression that what they're saying isn't important to you, or that you're hurrying through the interview.
Keep alert for cues from the interviewee that he/she will expand on a topic you bring up provided you let them know you want to hear it. For example, if an interviewee says, "Oh, that wasn't much of a problem, although I can think of several times where it was," it's a cue to say, "Would you like to tell me about those times?" This not only shows you're listening and enhances rapport with the interviewee; it can also give you good material the interviewee won't volunteer otherwise. Keep alert for clues that the interviewee is uncomfortable with a question or line of questioning.
Be alert to your own responses to an interviewee's remarks, taking care not to sound judgmental, impatient, or disrespectful. An interview is not the place to show off how much you know, or to take issue with an interviewee's beliefs or opinions. Remember: you are that “safe place” in which the interviewee can be heard and understood. All interviewees are to be treated with unfailing courtesy, respect, and gratitude for the privilege of sharing a part of their lives with you.
One last element of interviewee behavior to keep an eye on, especially with older subjects, is fatigue. Interviewing is a tiring process; it is emotionally and intellectually challenging. If the person is showing signs of weariness, it's better to adjourn and take up the interview another time than to press on with an interviewee who's too tired to think clearly any longer but too polite to tell you enough is enough. You can always reschedule and continue the interview another time.
After the Interview
Unless the interviewee is pressed for time, don't run right out after an interview. Field notes can cover the major topics of the interview, your impressions of the interviewee, and any special requests you need to follow up for the interviewee. These notes are generally for the researcher's own use. They can be very helpful in providing a quick reference point for the interview context and the data gathered.
Collateral materials are documents or photos or material artifacts that accompany or supplement an interview. If these are loaned to you, be sure to copy or scan them, and return them promptly. If they are given to you to keep, be sure to label them and keep them with whatever explanatory notes may be needed to explain the significance of the artifact.
When you sit and talk with anyone or with any group of people for an oral history interview, it always takes interesting twists and turns that you didn't expect. You've got to have a very flexible plan.
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Genealogy Workshop
Fact: Here are several excellent books that discuss in more detail interview techniques, problems, and ethics. Also listed are the guidelines of the Oral History Association.
Edward D. Ives. The Tape-Recorded Interview: A Manual for Field Workers in Folklore and Oral History. University of Tennessee Press, 1980.
Oral History Association. Oral History Evaluation Guidelines. Pamphlet Number 3. Adopted 1989, revised September 2000. http://omega.dickinson.edu/organizations/oha/pub_eg.html 9
Donald A. Ritchie. Doing Oral History. Twayne Publishers, 1995.
Vera Rosenbluth. Keeping Family Stories Alive. Hartley and Marks, 1997.
Barbara Sommer and Mary Kay Quinlan. The Oral History Manual. AltaMira Press, 2002.
Valerie Raleigh Yow. Recording Oral History: A Practical Guide for Social Scientists. Sage Publications, 1994.
Tip: Send a thank-you note to the interviewee. If any special arrangements were made —for example, for copies of the interview or a follow-up interview—mention those in the note, and follow up.
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Genealogy News
From ‘Pieces of Clay’ the Clay Family newsletter comes this interesting item. “The State of Kentucky has a great Land Records website that contains information and copies of land warrants that were granted to Revolutionary War Veterans, and land patents for early non military settlers. Since many of these warrants and patents were issued while Kentucky was still a part of Virginia, one may find records of ancestors who were still living in Virginia during the post revolutionary period, and also records of those who began moving west in that time. The site is searchable and user-friendly and the original warrants can be printed to provide hard copies. The web URL is – http://www.sos.ky.gov/land
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Check out the Heritage Room's genealogy blog ‘The Bones Collector’ at ...
http://bonescollector.blogspot.com
More new items have been added. Make sure to bookmark it if you haven’t already. Reminder : ALL back issues of ‘Ancestor Searching’ are archived on the site. Just click on the ‘Newsletter’ link under the ‘Labels’ category found on the left-hand side of the page. View our new online website for any genealogy-related events by clicking through to …
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See You In The Heritage Room!
Richard White
Computer Genealogy Librarian
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library
915 Monroe Street
Huntsville, AL 35801
256.532.2360
rwhite@hpl.lib.al.us
’Ancestor Searching’*
Vol. 4, # 3
*Now in the fourth year of distribution with over 400 subscribers!
Melungeons
This multi-ethnic group has been a part of Appalachia folklore for many generations, and the subject of scientific research for the last half-century. Records establish the beginning of the only settlement of people who were known and called Melungeons between the years 1800-1900. They were identified in court, newspapers and census records as free persons of color and it was common knowledge who some of them were and where they lived. Military, land, tax and court records established the fact that the Melungeons came with and were part of the original pioneer settlers as they moved west. No records have been found calling them Melungeons in all the other places they lived prior to settling on Newman Ridge and Blackwater areas of East Tennessee and adjoining Lee County, Virginia.
Researching Melungeons from a historical and genealogical standpoint is identical to researching any other family. For those who have a Melungeon ancestor, he or she will eventually show up. The Gowen Research Foundation formed the first organized Melungeon Research team in 1990, headed by Evelyn McKinley Orr. A valuable collection of family history and genealogy was gathered during this time, but the mystery concerning the Melungeons remains unsolved.
Outsiders never called this group of people “Melungeon,” nor did they call themselves Melungeon on any records. The term was used for almost 100 years before it made dictionaries. The Melungeons were first defined in a dictionary in 1892. "One of a very dark people living in the Mountains of Tennessee.” New Standard dictionary of the English Language.
The main body of the people who came to be known as Melungeon lived in Louisa County, Virginia and started their migration in late 1740’s to the Flat River area of Granville County which became Orange County, NC in 1753. They left this area beginning in 1767 and set out for the backwoods sections of Virginia and NC on the New River. From there they came down the Clinch River, some stopped at Fort Blackmore for a few years but most of them came on to Hawkins County, TN in 1790’s. Historians believe most of these people were living in East Tennessee. “Other free person enumerated in the 1790 census possibly confirms that a free settlement of non-whites, a dark skin race or colony of people was living in East Tennessee.” (Vanishing Colony Of Newman Ridge, Henry Price)
By 1810 it was certain that a colony of dark-skinned people inhabited the ridge land and valleys near the Clinch River in what is today Hancock County, TN. Most of these were related families who can be found on previous tax and land records with the notation “mulatto, or free person of color.” Hawkins County Historian Henry Price, author of Vanishing Colony of Newman's Ridge, used these same records as a means of locating and identifying the Melungeons in census and tax records. Will T. Hale in History of Tennessee and Tennesseans agrees, “In the census taken in 1795 the Melungeon must have been with the 973 free persons of color.”
Dr. Edward T. Price in Geographical Review writes “The Melungeons reached Newman Ridge and Blackwater Valley (in Hancock County) among the first settlers, apparently in the 1790’s.” Some of his explanations or descriptions were: “1-The people must be racial mixtures of white and non-white groups, Indian and or Negro, 2-they must have a social status differing from that accorded whites, Indians or Negroes in the area in such a way as to throw them generally together in their more personal relationships; 3- they must exist in such numbers and concentration as to be recognized in their locality as such a group and be identified by a distinguishing group name, some of those named and mapped included the Melungeons.”
Backtracking the Melungeons using church, tax, land and military records proves the migration pattern is correct. Not only do tax records from the lower district of Russell County, Virginia list these families, they were also recorded in the Stony Creek Church minutes, in 1813 which also shows the movements of these people as they traveled back and forth from Stony Creek Church to the Blackwater Church in Hawkins County, Tennessee. The exact date this name Melungeon was given to these former church members is unknown. Perhaps the former church members who migrated first to Hawkins County beginning 1802 were given this name because these ladies were using the word and the church clerk recorded it which suggests the people labeled Melungeon had already been given this name by 1813. Some of the people who became known as Melungeons joined the Stony Creek Church at Fort Blackmore, Virginia beginning in 1801.
What makes the term so interesting is the first three times it can be found in writing it is spelled differently: 1- Melungin 2- Malungeon 3- Melungeon. And almost every time it was used in a derogatory manner. Another reason researchers have studied them so thoroughly is because of the mystery of the word itself. No one knows for sure the true definition of this word.
They cannot be identified by the same methods as other Appalachian settlers at this time, although they went to the same churches and schools and fought in the same wars, but they did not enjoy the same freedoms as afforded their white neighbors. They were treated differently and called Melungeon by some of their neighbors. Marriage records reveal Melungeons married into their own related families at twice the rate of whites in this same community. It was their neighbors who labeled them Melungeons and tried to take their basic rights away. Military records also establish that men who later became known as Melungeons fought in the same wars as their white neighbors. Several were in the battle at Point Pleasant against the Shawnee Indians.
Melungeons was a fighting word in Hancock County and even in adjoining Hawkins County; don’t ask if someone is a Melungeon. Their poverty and lack of education has been a result of their isolation from the world outside Hancock County, and more or less from their neighbors in the county itself.
Mentioned often by the Tennessee Mountaineers as “sons of perdition” the Melungeons were once ferocious fighters whose rampages into the lowlands infuriated early Scotch- Irish settlers of the Volunteer state and led to many bloody battles. But, that was back in the days when Tennessee was a struggling Western State. The years have changed these dark mountain folk, who insist they are of Portuguese origin into a peaceful but aloof group and still live in the Cumberland’s.
While historians and students of folklore differ widely in their theories of the Melungeons origin, there are many who believe in the Portuguese theory. One member of the race summed up the Melungeons belief to James Aswell of the Tennessee W.P.A writers’ project: “We come from Portugal. It was a long time ago, but we come from Portugal and were Portuguese. We come in a boat and it was bigger, heaps bigger, than airy ferryboat ever you saw. It was big and they run it with sails all across the water. When the boat came to Land some sort of hardness sprung up betwixt the sailormen and their bosses. Don’t know what it was but the sailormen killed the boss men and set fire to the boat and burned it plum down. So here they were with no way to get back home, so they hunted themselves up an injun town and they run the injun men off into the woods and married up with the injun women. And they later crossed over into Tennessee.” However the early settlers took little stock in this story. Instead they believed the dark hill people to be a mixture of white renegades, runaway Negro slaves, and Indians.
Old written records in Tennessee establish the true-recorded identity and history of the Melungeons and they present a challenge to authors and others who have identified other groups as Melungeons prior to this group. History studies establish the fact that it was once common knowledge where the Melungeons were located and who many of them were beginning with the possible ‘John Sevier letter’, the 1802 Sevier survey through Melungeon country, the 1813 Stony Creek Church record, and the 1846-48 illegal voting trials of the Melungeons.
The majority of evidence points to the fact that the Melungeons were; "One of a very dark people living in the Mountains of Tennessee", as first defined in a dictionary in 1892 by Dr. Isaac K. Funk, and nothing has been found to change this historical fact. Research continues and who knows maybe someday, someone will discover an old record that may prove or disprove this history.
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Genealogy Workshop
Fact: Will Allen Dromgool wrote in her article ‘The Malungeons’ Boston Arena, May 1891 that John Sevier encountered the Melungeons while attempting to organize the state of Franklin (1784). She wrote they called themselves Malungeons and claimed to be Portuguese.
Tip: Many of the people who became known in history as the Melungeons lost their identity through intermarriages with their white neighbors and the job of finding and locating these families can only be done through family genealogy. Some of these may have mixed with Indian tribes and lived among them. The main body of the ones who became known as Melungeons and carrying Melungeon traits fall into a basic family name grouping which includes Boulden, also spelled Bowlin, Bolen, Bowling, and Bolton, Bunch, Collins, also Collens and Colins, Fields, Gibson, Gipson, Goins also spelled Goen, Goan, Going, Minor, Mullins, Williams, Nichols. Of course by reason of several generations of intermarriage with neighboring white settlers, many other names are blood related to the Melungeons.
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Genealogy News
Melungeon Conference and Celebration will be held June 12-13
The weekend features two events focusing on the Melungeons. The Melungeon Historical Society will hold their first annual conference on Friday, June 12, in Rogersville, Tennessee, while the Vardy Community Historical Society holds their Spring Fling at their museum on Vardy Road in Hancock County, Tennessee.
The public is invited to this event, which will be held at the Hawkins County Rescue Squad meeting room, 955 East McKinney Avenue, Rogersville, Tennessee. Registration begins at 9:30 AM and the conference will run until about 8:30 pm, with lunch and dinner breaks.
Presentations at the MHS conference will begin at 10 AM and will cover topics such as the origin and historical uses of the term "Melungeon," DNA research on Melungeon families, and other topics related to the multi-ethnic people first documented in the Clinch River region in the early 19th century. The use of DNA technology in genealogy will be covered by Roberta Estes, founder of DNAExplain, a Michigan company that analyzes and interprets individual DNA tests.
Other presenters include Jack Goins, Hawkins County Archivist and author of Melungeons and Other Pioneer Families; Kathy Lyday-Lee, a professor at Elon University who taught a course on Melungeons; and Kathy James, who will present DNA information on the Gibson and Collins families.
"This conference is of special interest to those who want to learn more about the Melungeons," said Winkler, "but it is also designed to benefit anyone interested in genealogy and especially in the use of DNA technology to trace family lines." The conference is free, but donations are suggested to help promote the work of the Melungeon Historical Society.
On Saturday, June 13, the Vardy Historical Society will hold its Spring Fling from 10 AM until 2 PM. The location is the Vardy Church Museum, which features displays from the Presbyterian mission which provide education opportunities for Melungeon children from 1899 to the early 1970s.
The Spring Fling features Appalachian crafts such as basket and chair weaving, apple butter making, corn grinding, shuck dolls, hominy making, a tractor show, and plenty of music.
For more information on the MHS conference, contact Winkler at 423.439.6441 or winklerw@etsu.edu
For information on the VCHS Spring Fling, contact Claude Collins at freeda@claudeaol.com or 423.733.2305.
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Check out the Heritage Room's genealogy blog ‘The Bones Collector’ at ...
http://bonescollector.blogspot.com
More new items have been added. Make sure to bookmark it if you haven’t already. Reminder : ALL back issues of ‘Ancestor Searching’ are archived on the site. Just click on the ‘Newsletter’ link under the ‘Labels’ category found on the left-hand side of the page.
View our new online website for any genealogy-related events by clicking through to …
http://hpl.lib.al.us/events/genealogy
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Need to unsubscribe? Instructions now included with every email from this list.
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See You In The Heritage Room!
Richard White
Computer Genealogy Librarian
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library
915 Monroe Street
Huntsville, AL 35801
256.532.2360
rwhite@hpl.lib.al.us
’Ancestor Searching’*
Vol. 4, # 2
*Now in the fourth year of distribution with over 400 subscribers!
Roots Television
When Roots Television debuted on September 29, 2006, it was a low-key launch in beta mode intended to draw enough traffic to test the site and work through the technical bugs that are a part of experiencing new online ventures on the Internet. However, the low-key launch has quickly become a tremendous success as the word has spread about Roots Television which drew viewers from five continents in the first 24 hours! Not surprising really, since family history commands one of the largest and fastest-growing markets in the world.
Roots Television has a huge variety of content to choose from. They've filmed many very interesting conference lectures, but their strengths are the pieces on real people and their ‘lighter side’ videos. There are four channels which includes a British Channel, a Hispanic Channel, a Societies Channel, and a Libraries & Archives Channel. This is still an evolving method of presenting genealogy topics on the web, but the Roots Television library of offerings continues to grow and it's entertaining as well as informative.
Roots Television is a great site that is excellent for genealogists. Many of the programs available for viewing are taken from genealogy seminars. Here’s what they have to say about their endeavor, “Perhaps what is surprising is that no one thought of launching a family history channel sooner. After all, there’s a golf channel, a wine channel, a sailing channel, a horse channel, and poker channel, and even a shipwreck channel. Why not a channel for what’s said to be the second most popular hobby? Some of the topics they presently have are DNA, Homeland, How To, Legacy, Civil War and much more. Future plans call for “special” programs that will require a fee to view, but for now, everything is FREE!
Today, roots fever is hotter than ever, with over 113 million Americans interested in their family history, and roots-sleuthing running at near-epidemic proportions in other countries, such as the U.K. Yet this audience has been largely neglected by television. Roots Television is uniquely positioned to be one of the first media outlets to take advantage of the inevitable merge between television and the Internet – and in so doing, serve this global and long-ignored audience.”
According to Family Tree Magazine, Roots Television is “TV That Won’t Rot Your Brain.” Their review noted, “We give it two thumbs up, but the addiction potential is high, so get hooked at your own risk.”
Headquartered in Utah, Roots Television, LLC is an independent media company that is the brainchild of national media producer Marcy Brown and professional genealogist Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak (yes, her real name).
Largely a virtual operation with partners scattered around the globe, Roots Television takes a broad view of family history and is committed to providing programming – both original and from talented producers and independent filmmakers around the world – that appeals to avid genealogists and family history lovers of all types.
Whether you’re an archives hound, scrap booker, cousin collector, roots-travel enthusiast, Civil War re-enactor, DNA fan, reunion instigator, sepia-toned photos zealot, Internet-junkie, history buff, old country traditions follower, cemetery devotee, story-teller, multicultural food aficionado, flea market and antiques fanatic, family documentarian, nostalgia nut, or mystery-solver, Roots Television has something for you — and that “something” is quality programming. They have an online shop to buy books, DVD or videos, and Roots gear (including t-shirts). They sell the set of Roots, Civil War and Ancestors in their shop.
Future plans will unite the computer with television to watch these programs. The best part is it’s available from home! (NOTE: One caveat – the videos won’t work in dial-up mode only DSL or cable).
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Genealogy Workshop
Fact: Roots Television also has a blog site which contains online columns. Also, something unique labeled Vlogs. While a Blog is like an online journal, a vlog is similar but in video form. For example, one is called “Your Ancestors Are Watching You.”
Tip: Interested in being on Rootstelevision? Become part of the Roots Television revolution! For those passionate about any aspect of genealogy, heritage or history -- from cemeteries to the Civil War to DNA -- they want to hear from you! It’s possible to submit videos to RootsTube. Just follow the simple instructions or upload a sample to Google Video or YouTube and email them with the link.
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Genealogy News
The following announcement was written by FamilySearch:
“Two million new records were added to the FamilySearch Records Search pilot. The completed statewide deaths index for Alabama was published—over 1.8 million names. This collection covers deaths from 1908 to 1974.”
From Dick Eastman’s Online Newsletter is this interesting item:
Video Teaches Correct Citations of Online Sources
Mark Tucker has created a YouTube video that describes the process of source citations. The seven-and-a-half minute video consists of two sections. The first section discusses some of the current issues with citing sources especially when it comes to online sources. The second section demonstrates an approach to quickly and accurately cite online sources. As Mark states in the video, "The technology needed to accomplish this exists today."
The video stresses the use of standardized citations as specified by Elizabeth Shown Mills' excellent book, Evidence Explained. The video focuses on the correct citations of online sources.
Mark's video clearly shows step-by-step instructions illustrating how to create proper citations in one of today's leading genealogy programs. Similar techniques can be used with any modern genealogy program.
This video is a great tutorial and I would suggest that all genealogists should view it to make sure they are entering proper source citations of online references.” View Mark Tucker's A Better Way to Cite Online Sources on the Heritage Room’s blog ‘The Bones Collector’ at http://bonescollector.blogspot.com.
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Check out the Heritage Room's genealogy blog ‘The Bones Collector’ at ...
http://bonescollector.blogspot.com
More new items have been added. Make sure to bookmark it if you haven’t already. Reminder : ALL back issues of ‘Ancestor Searching’ are archived on the site. Just click on the ‘Newsletter’ link under the ‘Labels’ category found on the left-hand side of the page.
View our new online website for any genealogy-related events by clicking through to …
http://hpl.lib.al.us/events/genealogy
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Need to unsubscribe? Instructions now included with every email from this list.
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See You In The Heritage Room!
Richard White
Computer Genealogy Librarian
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library
915 Monroe Street
Huntsville, AL 35801
256.532.2360
rwhite@hpl.lib.al.us
Thursday, May 7, 2009
’Ancestor Searching’*
April, 2009
Vol. 4, # 1
*Now in the fourth year of distribution with over 400 subscribers!
War of 1812 Genealogy
The War of 1812 generated a large volume of records and, fortunately, a sizable portion of them contain genealogical information on more than 280,000 military participants who fought on the US side. During the two and a half year war, records compiled included enlistment papers, muster rolls, pay rolls, attendance lists, regimental rosters, descriptive lists, account books (clothing, weapons, and ration issued), and discharge papers. Such items as name, rank, date, organization, enlistment date, term of service, promotions, reasons for absence (illness, wounds, death, missing, desertion, furlough, discharge), birth place and date, place of civilian residence, civilian occupation, height, age, color of eyes and hair, and sometimes a signature. Not all of these will necessarily be found for a particular individual’s record but many of these pieces of information will be.
In the War of 1812 there were several categories of personnel who engaged in military activity. It’s important to know about these categories because the location of the records on each of them is different. The six basic categories of servicemen participating in the conflict were: 1) members of the volunteer US Army, 2) members of the regular US Army, 3) members of the US Navy, 4) members of the US Marines, 5) members of the various state and territorial militia organizations who were never made members of the volunteer US Army, and 6) unofficial or semi-official (city, county, region) groups of private citizens who acted against the British or their Indian or Spanish allies.
Pension records exist for the period between the end of the Revolutionary War and the beginning of the Civil War, primarily dealing with the War of 1812, the Indian Wars, and the Mexican War. All of the indexes to these pensions have been published. These records are classified in three groups as the Old War Series Pension Records (available in the Heritage Room). The records pertain to pension applicants who were disabled or killed while serving in any war after the close of the Revolutionary War and before the start of the Civil War, except for the War of 1812 pensions included in the regular War of 1812 pension application files. The original applications are located at the National Archives where copies can be requested. Ancestry.com also now has these records available. The pension applications have been indexed and the index is available through the Family History Library.
Pension application files for veterans of the War of 1812 include applications of veterans still living after 1871, when Congress authorized pensions to veterans who did not later support the Confederate States of America. Applications for death, disability, regular service, widows, and other claimants are included in the same collection. A second act of Congress in 1878 authorized pensions for veterans who saw as few as fourteen days active duty. Virgil D. White’s three-volume Index to War of 1812 Pension Files (National Historical Publishing Co., 1989) indexes applicants eligible for pensions or bounty lands under these two acts (also available in the Heritage Room). Note: A large number of War of 1812 bounty land applications were placed in the pension record files. For those bounty land applications not located with a pension file, the National Archives collection Post-Revolutionary War Series of Bounty Land Applications will be the place to search.
These pension files give the veteran’s name, age, and place of residence. If he was married, the marriage date and the maiden name of his wife are stated. The unit in which he served, the date and place of enlistment, and the date and place of discharge are also given. The widow’s pension file will provide her name, age, and place of residence, their pertinent marriage information, the date and place of the veteran’s death, his enlistment date and place, and the date and place of his final discharge.
Other less thought of and mostly not indexed records held by the National Archives include prisoner of war records, privateer records, muster rolls, military post records, orderly and company records, inspection returns, Naval rosters and registers, Marine rosters and registers, desertion lists, medical records, deaths, ship logs, and cartographic records. Data can be mined from these less obvious records with a moderate-length search even though they are not indexed. Also, don’t overlook the various state archives which were either states or territories during the 1812 - 1815 time period. While some of these records may duplicate those held by the National Archives, they may also contain new and different information. These records usually relate to militia which never did become attached to US forces or to militia activities before they officially became US troops. Finally, there are also some other archives and combined libraries/archives which have War of 1812 materials. These collections, in many cases, relate to military units which were raised in the local area. Original manuscripts make up a portion of these special, local/regional institutions.
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Genealogy Workshop
Fact: Records relating to British and American prisoners of war for 1812 to 1815 include miscellaneous correspondence and lists of prisoners sent from the Treasury Department to the Adjutant General’s Office and from the Navy Department to the Adjutant General’s Office. Some of the records have been microfilmed by the National Archives as M2019, Records Relating to War of 1812 Prisoners of War (one roll). The records are indexed in M1747, Index to War of 1812 Prisoners of War (three rolls).
Tip: There is also an Index to US Military Pension Applications of Remarried Widows for Service Between 1812 and 1911 that covers applications involving service during those years in the US Army, US Navy and US Marine Corps.
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Genealogy News
Don’t forget the first computer class offering for Footnote.com will be held in the Computer Training Center on Third floor of the Main Library on Tuesday, April 28th from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. As mentioned last month, Footnote has partnered with the National Archives to begin making available online the multitude of original documents from the Archives vast collection.
The Spring Quarter schedule of genealogy computer classes is now set. Here is the schedule for the three-month period:
Genealogy Research Online ~
Classes are from 2 to 4 PM in the afternoon.
Apr. 22nd, May 20th and June 24th
The following classes are from 5:30 to 6:30 PM.
Footnote.com
Apr. 28th
Ancestry.com
May 26th
New England Ancestry
June 29th
**NOTE: Basic Genealogy and Computer Skills Required.
All classes are FREE and held in the Computer Lab on Third Floor of the Main Library.
Register for classes in person or by
calling 532-2356!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Check out the Heritage Room's genealogy blog ‘The Bones Collector’ at ...
http://bonescollector.blogspot.com
More new items have been added. Make sure to bookmark it if you haven’t already. Reminder : ALL back issues of ‘Ancestor Searching’ are archived on the site. Just click on the ‘Newsletter’ link under the ‘Labels’ category found on the left-hand side of the page.
View our new online website for any genealogy-related events by clicking through to …
http://hpl.lib.al.us/events/genealogy
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Need to unsubscribe? Instructions now included with every email from this list.
Changing email addresses? Use our ‘Sign-Up’ form at … http://hpl.lib.al.us/lists to add your new address.
See You In The Heritage Room!
Richard White
Computer Genealogy Librarian
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library
915 Monroe Street
Huntsville, AL 35801
256.532.2360
rwhite@hpl.lib.al.us