August 2005

Genealogy Gems:

News from the Fort Wayne Library No. 18, August 31, 2005

In this issue:

In Memoriam, and Lessons from the Storm

Emigrant Savings Bank Records, 1841-1945

Using Online and Printed English Marriage Information

Preservation Tip of the Month

Hotel of the Month

Area Calendar of Events

ACPL Librarians on Tour

Driving Directions to the Library

Parking at the Library

Queries for the Department

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In Memoriam, and Lessons from the Storm by Curt B. Witcher

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In Memoriam This past Monday evening, the genealogical community lost a very special person, Marie A. Goodrich. Both a teacher and a certified genealogist, Marie spent a significant part of her life helping others uncover the richness of history and heritage that only comes from a true zeal for learning. For the Historical Genealogy Department, she was truly a part of our family. From teaching Elderhostel classes and genealogy seminars to providing one-on-one assistance to beginners in the department; from maintaining the department‛s shelflist to reading shelves; from actively participating in nearly all of the department‛s outreach activities to fully participating in the vital work of the local Allen County Genealogical Society, Marie was a treasure. She will be greatly missed though we will benefit from her legacy for years to come. While many who read this e-zine did not have the pleasure of knowing Marie, the lessons that Marie leaves for us as a part of her legacy are both simple and worthy of note. Those lessons would certainly include being active in support of your library and your genealogical society, exploring every opportunity to open the door of understanding for a fellow genealogist--making any effort to teach whenever and wherever you can. What are you doing to support and encourage learning and discovery for today‛s genealogists? Are you volunteering in your library‛s genealogy or local history room? Are you teaching a family history class for your local genealogical society? And have you done all you can to preserve your family‛s history for future generations of researchers? Lessons from the Storm The shock of hurricane Katrina is still not truly felt by most of us who have been riveted by the news coverage of that horrific natural disaster. For those in the immediate area, I am sure the shock of it all has registered--and will be a part of their lives for many, many weeks to come. At times like this, one often contemplates what is really important in life. Certainly we hold family members and dear friends even closer. More than several times, as local residents were being interviewed for national newscasts, I heard individuals talk about how everything--literally everything-- was lost in the storm. I couldn‛t help but think about all those who had collected their families‛ histories and stories in documents, photographs, heirlooms and research papers. I wonder if they had taken the time to share copies of their works and images of their heirlooms with family members so at least the data could be reconstructed--and the stories pieced together for children and grandchildren to tell and enjoy. If you haven‛t done so already, take time yet this year to make copies of your family records and documents, and share them with relatives. Perhaps even place a copy or two of your work at major repositories, where you know the work will always be preserved and made accessible to both family members and other researchers. The Historical Genealogy Department welcomes the opportunity to provide you with a secure location for a copy of your family records and research. Finally . . . Look for a special edition of “Genealogy Gems” in mid-September announcing a full calendar of events for our annual Family History Month celebration in October. Some of the computer-based training events already scheduled for the Main Library‛s Training Room at 10 o‛clock in the morning are included below. October 3rd--Effective Use of the ACPL Catalog October 10th--Using Ancestry.com October 17th--Using HeritageQuestOnline.com October 24th--Effective Use of the ACPL Catalog October 31st--Using Ancestry.com A couple of very nice educational programs already planned that require preregistration include the following. October 4th--"Beginning Your Family History" at the Holiday Inn & Suites in downtown Fort Wayne at 10 o‛clock in the morning. Pre-register with D. O. McComb & Sons Main Office at 426-9494. October 11th--"Preserving Your Family History Through Scrapbooking." Preregister with the library‛s Audio-Visual Department at 421-1210. And don‛t forget the Allen County Genealogical Society‛s October program at 7 in the evening on October 12th at the Aboite Branch Library, 5630 Coventry Lane, which will feature John Martin Smith presenting “Black Legs, Regulators, and the Hanging of Gregory McDougall: Was Your Ancestor a Black Leg or Regulator?”

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Emigrant Savings Bank Records, 1841-1945 by Timothy Dougherty

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The Emigrant Savings Bank was established in New York City by the Irish Emigrant Society, an organization dedicated to the welfare of Irish immigrants. The bank was opened in 1850 in the wake of the deluge of famine immigrants. It provided immigrants with a safe place to retain money and a means of sending funds home to destitute family. From its inception, the bank was closely connected to the Society, and its records are often rich in family detail. These records are available on microfilm in the Genealogy Department. The collection contains several record types, and time periods vary. Much of it is indexed. The Test Books, dating from late 1850, were originally utilized when a depositor desired to send money home, and for identity checks. Prior to the mid-1860s, these books often possess myriad details about the depositor and his or her family. Often included are: depositor‛s address, occupation, and names of a spouse and children. Other information may include arrival date in the U.S., name of ship on which the individual arrived, embarkation port in Ireland or Great Britain, port of entry in the U.S. or Canada, depositor‛s nativity and residence in Ireland and nearest big town, first names of parents and siblings, and father‛s occupation. Other record types in the collection include: Deposit Account Ledgers, detailing basic transactions, such as deposits, withdrawals and balances. The Transfer, Signature and Test Books denote changes in the deposit accounts. The Bond and Mortgage Books contain date of approval, name of mortgagor, house number, size of the ground, building description, loan amount, attorney‛s name, and usually a drawing of the location on a block map. The Real Estate Loans Ledgers list the applicant‛s name, amount requested, location of ground and building, building material and number of floors. The collection also includes nine volumes of Minutes of the Board of Trustees of the Irish Emigrant Society which may disclose family information, as well. As an example of the wealth of detail this collection may provide, an examination of the index revealed a Mary Dougherty in 1852. The corresponding entry in the Test Books yielded a veritable treasure trove. Mary was residing on Hicks St., Sackett, Brooklyn and was native to Mt. Allen, two miles from Drumshanks, County Leitrim. After departing from Liverpool aboard the Agamemnon, she arrived in Quebec, Canada in August of 1847. Her father was William and her mother, Mary Neary. She had five named brothers in Illinois, two named sisters in Ireland, and she was single.

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Using Online and Printed English Marriage Information by Ryan Taylor

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The Historical Genealogy Department‛s English collection includes many volumes of marriage listings. Some are published by Record Societies, but the most important is the private series compiled by William Phillimore in the 19th century. The useful thing about the Phillimore indexes is that if you have wandering ancestors, where the parish of marriage is not known, you can find the answer (or at least eliminate many parishes where the marriage did not take place). But this information is all available online now, right? Not necessarily. The GENUKI site (www.genuki.org.uk/) which contains so much genealogical data, is the place to start, but there are also many private websites. These online sites index some years of some parishes; the printed books include other years of other parishes. They can complement one another. In addition, if you find something online, check to see if the same parish has been indexed in a printed source. Do the two indexes agree? Also, many of the county record societies in England, such as the one for Staffordshire, publish complete transcriptions with all the data included. The indexes often include the year of marriage only. Whichever you use, make sure you then go to the original manuscript records to see if the index is completely correct, and whether there is extra information in the entry. Many of the parish registers have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. These can be borrowed through the Historical Genealogy Department for use here. The printed records, whether complete transcriptions or merely indexes, can be especially helpful when using early parish registers from the 16th and 17th centuries. Many registers continued to be kept in Latin until it was forbidden in 1732. Medieval forms of handwriting changed gradually through the 17th century into the cursive hand we know today; those unfamiliar with the old forms may have trouble deciphering the records. The GENUKI pages include sections for every parish in England. Many of these have indexes for local history books, which may be in the ACPL collection. Even if they are not, we might be able to obtain them for you on interlibrary loan. Whenever you come across a new parish in your research, be careful to keep straight the county you are in; don‛t confuse Bampton in Oxfordshire with Bampton in Westmorland, for example.

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PRESERVATION TIP OF THE MONTH

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ACPL‛s Preservation Technician Becky Schipper offers advice on conserving your documents: A good source for preservation and bookbinding supplies is www.gaylord.com. They also have a toll free number 1-800-448-6160.

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HOTEL OF THE MONTH

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Each issue we will feature a local hotel, for visitors from out-of-town. Updated information about the Johnny Appleseed Campground in Fort Wayne: The campground is open from now until October 31st except for September 11 - 20, when they are closed for the Johnny Appleseed Festival. For more info, contact Tony Acosta at Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation 260-427-6008. The campground has a web site at http://www.fortwayneparks.org/home/appleseedcampground.htm .

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AREA CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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Allen County Public Library 3 rd floor atrium display area Passages: Immigration Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI) Refreshments at 6:30, meeting at 7:00. Questions: contact Marge Graham, 260 672-2585 or gramar57@aol.com Wednesday, 14 September, Aboite branch ACPL: Curt Witcher, Timeline and Treasures: Future Plans and Current Collections in the Genealogy Department. Computer Users Group Wednesday 21 September: Aboite branch ACPL, 7:00. Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) First Wednesday of each month in the Genealogy Department 9am – 7pm. Expert help from members of the DAR in becoming a member of that organization ***************************************

ACPL LIBRARIANS ON TOUR

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Curt Witcher 7-10 September: Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference, Salt Lake City, UT 9 September: Doing the History Eliminates the Mystery 10 September: Using the Forgotten and Maligned: Key Government Documents for Genealogical Research 14 September: Allen County Genealogical Society, Fort Wayne, IN, Timelines and Treasures: Future Plans and Current Collections in the Genealogy Department 22 October: Niles District Library, Niles, MI, Local History and Genealogy Day Ryan Taylor 19 September: Steuben County Genealogical Society, Angola, IN 8 October: Westfield Genealogical Group, Westfield, IN

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DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO THE LIBRARY

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Wondering how to get to the library? Our exciting transition location is 200 E. Berry, Fort Wayne, Indiana. We will be at this location until late 2006. We would enjoy having you visit the Genealogy Department. To get directions from your exact location to 200 E. Berry, Fort Wayne, Indiana, visit this link at MapQuest: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&countryid=250&addtohistory =&searchtab=address&searchtype=address&address=200+E+Berry+St&city=Fort+ Wayne&state=IN&zipcode=46802-2706&search=++Search++&finditform=1 From the South Exit Interstate 69 at exit 102. Drive east on Jefferson Blvd. into downtown. Turn left on Barr Street to Berry Street. The library is located on the corner of Berry and Barr Streets. From the North Exit Interstate 69 at exit 112. Drive south on Coldwater Road, which merges into Clinton Street. Continue south on Clinton, the library will be on your left when you cross Berry Street. From the West Using US 30: Drive into town on US 30. US 30 turns into Goshen Road. Coming up to an angled street (State Street.) make an angled left turn. Turn right on Wells Street. Go south on Wells to Wayne Street. Left on Wayne Street. When you cross Clinton, the library will be on your left on Wayne Street. Using US 24: After crossing under Interstate 69, follow the same directions as from the South. From the East Follow US 30/then 930 into and through New Haven, under an overpass into downtown Fort Wayne. You will be on Washington Blvd. when you get into downtown. Turn right on Barr Street. Turn left on Berry Street. The library is on your left on Berry Street.

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PARKING AT THE LIBRARY

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Lot in front of the library, east side Available for short-term library parking. Limited to one hour. Tippman Parking Garage Clinton and Wayne Streets. Across from the library, however the skybridge is NOT accessible. Hourly parking, $1.25 per hour up to a maximum of $5.00 per day. Park Place Lot Covered parking on Barr Street at Main Street. This lot is one block away from the library. Hourly parking Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm. Street (metered) parking on Wayne Street and Berry Street. On the street you plug the meters 8am – 5pm, weekdays only. It is free to park on the street after 5pm and on the weekends. Visitor center/Grand Wayne center Covered parking at Washington and Clinton Streets. This is the Hilton Hotel parking lot that also serves as a day parking garage. For hourly parking, 7am – 11 pm, charges are .50 for the first 45 minutes, then $1.00 per hour. There is a flat $2.00 fee between 5pm and 11pm.

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GENEALOGY DEPARTMENT QUERIES

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The Historical Genealogy Department hopes you find this newsletter interesting. Thank you for subscribing. We cannot, however, answer personal research emails written to the e-zine address. The department houses a Research Center that makes photocopies and conducts research for a fee. If you have a general question about our collection, or are interested in the Research Center, please telephone the library and speak to a librarian who will be glad to answer your general questions or send you a research center form. Our telephone number is 260-421-1225. If you‛d like to email a general information question about the department, please email: Genealogy@ACPL.Info.

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PUBISHING NOTE

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This electronic newsletter is published by the Allen County Public Library's Historical Genealogy Department, and is intended to enlighten readers about genealogical research methods as well as inform them about the vast resources of the Allen County Public Library. We welcome the wide distribution of this newsletter and encourage readers to forward it to their friends and societies. All precautions have been made to avoid errors. However, the publisher does not assume any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, no matter the cause. To subscribe to Genealogy Gems, simply use your browser to go to the website: www.FriendsOfAllenCounty.org. Scroll down toward the bottom of the first screen where it says, "Enter Your Email Address to Subscribe to "Genealogy Gems." Enter your email address in the yellow box and click on "Subscribe." You will be notified with a confirmation email. If you do not want to receive this e-zine, please follow the link at the very bottom of the issue of GenealogyGems you just received or send an email to kspears@acpl.lib.in.us with "unsubscribe e-zine" in the subject line. Ryan Taylor, editor