August 2018

Genealogy Gems:

News from the Allen County Public Library at Fort Wayne No. 174, August 31, 2018

In this issue:

Lessons from the 2018 FGS Family History Conference

Royal Descents of 900 Immigrants to the American Colonies

Indiana Original Birth Certificates Open for Adoptees

Technology Tip of the Month: Props, Backgrounds, and Chairs – Oh My!

Quick-Tip of the Month for Preservation--Preventing Insect Damage

PERSI Gems--Planting and Harvesting

History Tidbits: A Brief Bio of Library Cards

Library Catalog Insider--Finding School Yearbooks and Other School Publications

DNA Interest Group

Wrapping Up Summer Days at The Genealogy Center

Family History Month 2018 is Just Days Away!

Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming

Area Calendar of Events

Genealogy Center Social Media

Driving Directions to the Library

Parking at the Library

Genealogy Center Queries

Publishing Note

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Lessons from the 2018 FGS Family History Conference by Curt B. Witcher

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What a great week it was--last week--the days of the FGS conference in Fort Wayne, IN, August 21-25, 2018. More than a thousand of our “closest friends” came to visit, network and learn; and we had a terrific time showing off our community as well as our library and its Genealogy Center. There were so many offerings, and so many individuals from whom one could learn, that it almost felt like drinking from a firehose. There was plenty of water but one still left thirsty! I’d like to share some of the lessons I learned at the conference, some of the take-aways from this amazing week. More than one hundred librarians met on Tuesday for an all-day session on how to stay relevant in a technology world. Three very different presentations challenged all to think in creative and customer-centric way. A feature of the afternoon was an engaging panel that took place under the banner of “Hit Me with Your Best Shot!” Great questions were discussed, with contributions being made by both the panels and the attendees. I was impressed all over again by the creativity and commitment of the colleagues with whom I share a profession. Take-aways from the FGS 2018 librarians’ day preconference:

Engage with your local librarians and archivists--they really can provide you with an amazing amount of assistance. (And they’re pretty darn smart, too! Just sayin’.)

Together we can do so much more than individually, a good lesson for all parts of our lives. Historically the first day of a Federation conference deals with topics that help genealogical, historical, ethnic, and heritage societies not only survive but thrive. And it was a pretty amazing line-up from which attendees benefitted. A workshop style presentation on running a successful business, a leadership forum, a session of effectively using the powerful tools of social media, and the ever-popular Board for Certification of Genealogists workshop filled the day. Each one of these offerings challenged one to not only think of but embrace best practices for business, not just family history business. Too often, I fear we let our passion for what we do inappropriately distract us from practices and methods that are proven to the sound in the business world. The societies to which we belong suffer when that happens. And at the risk of being too direct, that we don’t consistently behave as though our societies are businesses is hurting the organizations from which we could benefit; indeed, in many instances, it is killing them. Take-aways from the first day of the FGS 2018 conference:

Our societies in the family history space will thrive when we commit some of our time and treasure to them, and further, when we commit to running them like businesses.

Our ability to truly thrive as researchers in the twenty-first century family history space depends greatly on the societies in this space also thriving. The two are so much more intertwined than most can imagine. Though the first day of the 2018 FGS conference continued the legacy of sharing best practices for societies to thrive, the day was bookended with remarkable presentations of great import to all. Scott Fisher of “Extreme Genes” fame opened the day with the power of story. His talk brought color and life to the understanding of why we engage in family history pursuits--we are discovering, documenting and telling out stories. The day’s presentations ended with another masterpiece from Judy Russell on “Preserving the Past, Protecting the Future.” The importance of preserving records and providing access to the data they contain is an essential activity of every society, and an extremely consequential activity in which all of us should participate. Take-aways from the bookend presentations of the 2018 FGS focus on societies day:

Appreciating the power of story adds urgency to our endeavors for pursue, preserve, and present our own stories.

Inspiration is such a mighty thing. The power of story was an opening keynote thread throughout the three main days of the conference--on Thursday with an amazing DNA reveal shared by Judy Russell and Blaine Bettinger, on Friday with FamilySearch’s CEO, Steve Rockwood, challenging us to help all connect and belong, and on Saturday with A’Lelia Bundles telling us how to turn dry facts into compelling stories. These three days also saw numerous subject tracks. A very robust DNA track and DNA workshops filled the main part of the conference as did a number of ethnic tracks. All the presentations were given by experts in their respective fields which helped tremendously in providing meaningful sources and methodologies. Understanding the science of DNA and its relationship to our records research is key in maximizing its benefits. In a similar manner, placing our research in the appropriate ethnic context is critical to finding all our stories. Take-aways from the main body of the 2018 FGS conference:

Story truly is life changing.

Context is so vital to successful research.

Records and science are a powerful combination, and that combination should alter the course of our research. One great event often leaves one looking for more. If you’re looking to continue enhancing your ability to find and tell your story, follow the link found further on in this ezine for all the offerings of our 2018 Family History Month in October.

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Royal Descents of 900 Immigrants to the American Colonies by John D. Beatty, CG

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The exploration of royal and medieval genealogy is a captivating pastime for those fortunate enough to have an ancestor with proven royal connections in early America. Generations of genealogists have undertaken painstaking research on noble and gentry families in the British Isles and Europe in an effort to link them to a select group of immigrants to America. Tracing back to one of these “gateway” ancestors opens the door to these medieval pedigrees going back to Charlemagne and even earlier. In previous editions of this e-zine we have discussed the importance of Frederick Lewis Weis’s “Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists who Came to America before 1700,” 8th edition (Gc 974 W43ana). We have also mentioned Douglas Richardson’s five-volume “Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Genealogy” (Gc 929.7201 F77pc), and his four-volume “Magna Carta Ancestry,” (Gc 929.7201 F22pbb). These seminal works continue to stand as indispensable sources for tracing medieval ancestry. Both are well-documented with birth and death information, if known, for each subject. Richardson’s works are the most comprehensive. Just this year, a new work has appeared in print to augment the information in the above works. Gary Boyd Roberts’s two-volume “Royal Descents of 900 Immigrants to the American Colonies, Quebec, or the United States” (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2018), (Gc 929.7 R54rd). Roberts, a former librarian with the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston, has spent decades identifying royal pedigrees, not only of early American immigrants, but also of celebrities, presidents, and other persons of note. This new volume is particularly useful for the number of new immigrant lines identified and proven as having royal lineages, many of them never before published. Other lines that are “virtually proved” appear for the first time, says Roberts, in order to “generate and encourage articles on these ‘problem’ families, persons, and identifications.” For example, the paternal line of Gov. Thomas Dudley of Massachusetts, which is unproven before his father, Captain Roger Dudley, is traced back to Edward III with a note that Roger’s “parentage is likely but not fully proved.” In the notes we read that genealogist Brandon Fradd is planning a monograph on this subject while Richardson has dropped the line from his compendia. These sorts of notations are useful and bring to light research that is still in progress and in question. The pedigrees in the book have no discernable arrangement, although Roberts includes a lengthy index to both men and women. The lines themselves as displayed are minimalistic and contain no information about birth or death or the places of those events. Moreover, there are few cross references to other lines. The absence of these details is somewhat disappointing and represents a departure from both Weis and Richardson, both of whom include a certain amount of biographical information for each generation (Richardson more so than Weis). Weis is especially helpful for his cross references and interconnected lines, while Roberts makes clear that lineages included are the “best” descents from royalty, not necessarily the only ones. To his credit, Roberts’s list sources at the end of each section brings some clarity to the research, and he uses extensive abbreviations that are coded in volume 2, just before the index. This is an esoteric work. Users will want to use it in tandem with Weis and Richardson for deriving more complete genealogical information about the persons listed. The best strategy is to search the index for a specific early immigrant or celebrity suspected of having royal ancestry. As you peruse the pages, expect to be surprised by some uncommon connections, such as descents from Cosimo de Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (not referenced at all in Weis), or that of actress Brooke Shields from King Philip II of Spain.

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Indiana Original Birth Certificates Open for Adoptees by Sara Allen ***************************************

Effective on July 1, 2018, persons who were adopted prior to January 1, 1993 in Indiana can now access their original birth records. These records were automatically opened July 1, unless the birth parents filed a nondisclosure form with the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH). To obtain a copy, adoptees need to visit the ISDH website at https://www.in.gov/isdh/27862.htm and download the Identifying Information Consent form (Form 47896) and the Non-Identifying Information Consent form (Form 47897), then submit the forms with a copy of a valid government issued ID to ISDH. If the adoptee is deceased, their spouse or other relatives may submit the forms with proof of the relationship. Other persons eligible to obtain the birth record include the adoptive parents, birth siblings and birth parents. You must be 21 years of age or older to obtain the original birth certificate. The original birth certificate will usually contain the birth name of the child, the birth mother’s name, the birth father’s name, and other information. Keep in mind that some birth certificates used falsified names in an attempt to protect the privacy of the birth parents. If this is the case with your birth certificate, the only way to determine the true identity of the birth parents may be to utilize DNA testing. This new law effectively opens all pre-adoption birth records in Indiana, as Indiana records prior to 1942 were already open, and those after 1992 were open, unless the birth parent has filed a nondisclosure form. Other states that allow some sort of access to original birth records for adoptees include: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. You must view each official state website to obtain the procedures and guidelines for access for that state.

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Technology Tip of the Month--Props, Backgrounds, and Chairs – Oh My! by Kay Spears

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When collecting clues in photographs, don’t forget to look at the studio props and backgrounds that the photographer used to enhance his images. As with clothing, just remember that photographers used some objects longer than they were popular, and some could not afford the latest whizzy objects in their studios. In the early photographs taken in the 1860s, photographers used chairs - some ornate and some with high backs. In most cases the people in those photographs are leaning against them. These chairs had a couple of purposes. First, they added a bit of decoration to the image. Second, they could be used so the people in those photographs could retain their balance. Other objects besides chairs were used during this era, including tables, balustrades, tile floors, and drapes. In the 1870s close-ups became increasingly popular, so other objects were seen less often in photographs. The 1880s saw bricks, stones, trees, fences – all mostly fake – added frequently to images. Painted backgrounds that could be rolled up also became popular. These were features of the so-called rustic or Arts and Crafts movement that swept both Europe and North America at this time and influenced all of the decorative arts. Cabinet cards, which had become popular in the 1880s, were larger sized, requiring photographers to find ways to fill them with objects or backdrops. When going through tin-types you may notice a fringe chair. These chairs, with fringe on the arms, were made specifically for photographers. They came in a variety of sizes and could be purchased from $12 to $75. While I’ve seen numerous fringe chairs in tintypes, I’ve only seen a few in cabinet cards, and they are pretty rare in photographs dating from the late 1870s. By the 1880s they were replaced by other objects, such as wicker furniture. Wicker chairs and tables can be found in photographs from the 1890s. Fur rugs also became popular for photographs of babies at this time. These are just a few of the objects one should take into consideration when trying to solve a mysterious photograph. Next article: Moving into the 20th century.

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Quick-Tip of the Month for Preservation--Preventing Insect Damage

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From the Cincinnati Museum Center: Insects are attracted to materials containing cellulose. Paper-based collections (documents, books, newspapers) contain cellulose and need to be protected from insect attack. Storing collections in cool dry spaces is preferable because there is a link between higher temperature and relative humidity, and increased insect activity. Be sure to store the things you want to preserve in a clean, dry, cool place and visually inspect them periodically to make sure they are safe. See images of insect damage by clicking on the link below. https://www.cincymuseum.org/blog/preservation-tip-insect-damage-0

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PERSI Gems--Planting and Harvesting by Adam Barrone and Mike Hudson

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My grandmothers each came to Fort Wayne from rural areas of neighboring counties in the 1940s. They brought with them a love of gardening and canning and set to work cultivating portions of their respective city lots. For years afterward, rows of jars filled their basement shelves. Sealed in the glass were bright red tomatoes, green beans, wax beans, lima beans, jams, and jellies. Father and Uncle spade the soil. Grandmother whistles while she works watering her crops. She trains her grandson to identify and pull a variety of troublesome weeds. Three generations sit around a kitchen table snipping green beans while mother sterilizes jars and runs the pressure canner. Grandson grows into adulthood, grows his own patch of red-ripe tomatoes and passes them to his daughter who is waiting with a cardboard tray ready to receive the harvest. Families work together to preserve their harvests and spend time together in the process. Family history is as much about preserving memories as it is about harvesting dates and places for a database. The Periodical Source Index (PERSI), cites a variety of harvest recollections which may be useful in your research. Try a search here: http://search.findmypast.com/search/periodical-source-index Here are few tomato-related examples: Colonel W. T. Lynch had tomato weighing 28 ounces, 1909, IA Genee News (Ida Co. Gen. Soc., IA), v.18n.3, Jul. 2009 Francis T. Forse, HMS Centurian saved by squashed tomato, Kapitain Reschke of U205, 1942 Family Roots Family History Society (Eastbourne, Eng.), v.31n.1, Aug. 2016 German prisoners of war worked at the Reid, Murdock & Company tomato plant, 1945 Thaddeus (Kosciusko Co. Hist. Soc., IN), v.78n.2, Spr. 2006 Glen King (Mrs.) recalls tomato canning, MO Webster Co. (MO) Hist. Soc. Journal, n.4, Dec. 1976 H. J. Heinz cream of tomato soup ad, cover image and notes, 1869-1926 Pennsylvania Heritage, n.2, Spr. 2012 Homer Eugene McNeil, II, chief tomato picker At McNeil's Tomatoes, photo, 1985, Pampa, TX Focus Magazine (Focus Publications, Pampa, TX), v.3n.2, Spr. 1985 Ipswich Observer excerpt, Tomato custard for consumptives, 1875 Bremer Echoes (Ipswich Gen. Soc., Queensland, Australia), v.26n.2, Jul. 2008 Mark Carter re the International Harvester Travelall used as a tomato buggy, 1960s, MI Nostalgia Magazine USA Edition, v.1n.8, Aug. 2004 Tim Stark memoirs track journey from management consultant to heirloom tomato grower, NY, PA Kutztown (PA) Area Hist. Soc. Newsletter, Aug. 2008 Tomatoes in the county: from plant to soup Benton County (AR) Pioneer, v.27n.2, Spr. 1982 William B. Ott's will stated he wanted to be cremated in tomato can, 1945, IL Schuylerite (Schuyler Co. Jail Museum, IL), v.38n.1, Spr. 2009

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History Tidbits: A Brief Bio of Library Cards by Janae Brown, BYU Intern

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When library “cards” first started to be used, or the general idea of them, they were known as library tickets. In 1731 in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin cofounded the first “membership library” in America. Membership libraries had been around in Europe for a while, but this was the first one of its kind in America. These libraries were usually formed by people who held common interests with each other, and they would use “tickets” to check out each other’s books (Polsky). Public libraries, the type funded by municipal rather than membership dollars, did not appear until the mid-nineteenth century, initially in the northeastern United States (Polsky). With these new libraries came the need to keep track of the books and who was borrowing them. Issuing library cards, and then writing down who had what books, was one of the first ways librarians accomplished this task. As technology changed, librarians found other, easier methods of recording and keeping track of the books loaned out from the library. Nowadays, computers track who has what books, but in order to check out library materials, users must still have a library card. Since the late 1980s, September has been known as National Library Card Sign-Up month. The idea to start this national campaign sprung from the words of former Secretary of Education William Bennett, when he said, “Let’s have a campaign … Every child should obtain a library card and use it (Bertram).” After Bennett made this statement, the American Library Association teamed up with the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science to do something about it. The effort resulted in making September National Library Sign-Up Month. Since then, libraries all over the United States have used this month to advertise the benefits of libraries to help people sign up for library cards. Since public libraries have been used for generations, they have generated many news items in local media. A general search for the words “library card” on the website Newspapers.com produced hits for a number of interesting stories involving library cards. Enjoy! “The first clue to the place of residence of Van Cranz Redfern, the vitriol thrower, or his family and their history, became uncovered today when it became known that he has a brother and a father… On September 14, 1908, V. A. Redfern took out a library card in the Alameda Free Public Library, giving his address as 2830 Washington Street. J. H. Treanor went sponsor for the library card. The first positive intimation that the Redferns lived in Alameda came from the library this morning when Miss Elizabeth Dorn found this card. ” “Acid Thrower is Thought Hiding in Fresno,” Oakland Tribune (Oakland, CA), 22 Apr 1910, p. 15, col. 1. “Hundreds of books taken from libraries throughout Southern California over the last fifteen years, may be recovered through the arrest of Edwin Fulton Pottenger…. Pottenger was arrested after 154 library books are said to have been found in his rooms in Los Angeles... It was announced today that at least seven of the books were taken from the Santa Ana library, after library cards, with the forged names of Santa Anans, had been filed.” “Library Card Forgeries Believed to Have Netted Engineer Over 2,000 Books,” Santa Ana Register (Santa Ana, CA), 22 Nov 1929, p. 12, col. 4-5. “A library card identifies you as a person who believes in free inquiry, It marks you as one of the free world’s fortunate- those who can continue the quest for truth [unh]indered by their government, unrestrained by the society in which they live.” “Know Your Library,” Shamokin NewsDispatch (Shamokin, PA), 25 Apr 1963, p. 3, col. 1. “Have you given any thought to your library card lately? Has it occurred to you that your library card, that little blue scrap of cardboard, carries some of the same privileges and responsibilities as a credit card?... Your library card identifies you as someone who lives, works, owns property, or goes to work in Guadalupe County?” “Don’t Leave Home without Library Card,” The Seguin GazetteEnterprise (Seguin, TX), 15 Jan 1989, p. 19, col. 1-4. Sources: Bertram, Cara. "A Library Card for Every Child: Library Card Sign-Up Month." Fundamentals of Chemistry. April 12, 2018. Accessed July 27, 2018. https://archives.library.illinois.edu/ala/librarycard-sign-up-month/. Polsky, Sara. "Is the Library Card Dying?" The Atlantic. June 24, 2016. Accessed July 27, 2018. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/04/library-card/477162/.

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Library Catalog Insider--Finding School Yearbooks and Other School Publications by Kasia Young

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Hello September! As The Genealogy Center is adding more and more school and college/university yearbooks, alumni/ae directories, and reunion publications to its collection, I thought it would be beneficial to brush-up on how to most effectively search for those materials in the library catalog. There are several ways to search for a publication from the specific learning institution. If you know the name of the school/college that you are looking for, simply type the name of the school in the “Search the ACPL catalog” box and click search. For example: Search for “Central High School” yields 318 results in the catalog. This search includes all catalog entries that include words central, high, and school. It encompasses results from Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, and other locations. A more efficient search would be to include the geographic location of the school/college. For example: “Central High School Fort Wayne, Ind.” yields 84 results, and only includes results from Central High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It is quite common that a learning institution changed its name (quite often several times) in the course of its existence; or, two or more institutions underwent a merger. In order for you to find a matching catalog record, regardless which name you use in your search, The Genealogy Center catalogers make sure to include all known names of the school/college in the record metadata. The best way to search for yearbooks and/or alumni/ae directories is to apply the following subheadings to the name of the school: --Students--Yearbooks For example: Central High School Fort Wayne, Ind.--Students--Yearbooks (9 results) -- Alumni and alumnae For example: Central High School Fort Wayne, Ind.--Alumni and alumnae (44 results) For location based yearbook searches use: GLH + School yearbooks For example: Fort Wayne Ind.--School yearbooks (129 results) GLH + College yearbooks For example: Fort Wayne Ind.--College yearbooks (16 results) For alumni/ae directories use: GLH + Schools--Alumni and alumnae For example: Fort Wayne Ind.--Schools--Alumni and alumnae (99 results) GLH + Universities and colleges--Alumni and alumnae For example: Fort Wayne Ind.--Universities and colleges--Alumni and alumnae (16 results)

GLH stands for geographic location heading (see Genealogy Gems No. 168, February 28, 2018). Good news is that you can omit all the above steps if you know the name of the yearbook that you are looking for. Simply type: name of yearbook + GHL in the “Search the ACLP catalog” box and click search. For example: Caldron Fort Wayne Ind. yields 23 results. In addition to yearbooks and alumni directories, The Genealogy Center collects class reunion booklets. A simple search: “Class reunions + GLH” should give you exactly what you are looking for. For example: Class reunions--Indiana--Fort Wayne, yields 43 results. If you know the name of the school, and the year of graduation class, use: “Name of school + GLH + Class of + Date” in the catalog search box. For example: “Central High School Fort Wayne, Ind. Class of 1957” (yields 3 results for Fort Wayne Indiana Central High School graduating class of 1957). Bonus tip for September: By adding search term “electronic resource” to the title of the yearbook you can access its online version (as long as it was digitized). The Genealogy Center, in collaboration with Family Search, is diligently working on digitizing all of the allowed school/college yearbooks in our collection. At the moment, the cut-off date for the yearbooks that are being digitized is 1976. For example: “Caldron + electronic resource” takes you to the electronic access record with links to all available years (for this example, it is from 1923 to 1971). Good luck finding school/college photos of your ancestors in one of the yearbooks from our collection! Let us know what you find on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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DNA and Genealogy Interest Group

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Have you done a DNA test for genealogical purposes? Do you completely understand the results you received? Do you need advice in interpreting your results? Are you interested and wonder what the best test is for you? Come to the DNA & Genealogy Interest Group Meetings on the 1st Thursday of the month to share and learn from each other! Basic information meeting is from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., followed by a more advanced discussion from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The next meetings are Thursday, September 6, 2018 in the Discovery Center. Come in and share!

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Wrapping Up Summer Days at The Genealogy Center

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The Genealogy Center’s Summer Days will continue in September with John Beatty on “Public Member Trees on Ancestry: Exploring, Evaluating, and Adding Value,” on September 22, 2018 at 10:00 a.m., in Meeting Rooms A&B. Everyone uses Ancestry’s Public Member Trees. They index millions of names; and while sometimes wrong, they can provide a wealth of valuable clues. How do you know if the information is right? This talk discusses some strategies for researching the trees and assessing whether the proposed information is correct. It will also discuss ways that Ancestry users can add value to their own trees, making them more valuable to your own research and to others. To register for this free event, call 260-421-1225 or email Genealogy@ACPL.Info.

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Family History Month 2018 is Just Days Away!

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A full line-up of program for Family History Month 2018 will kick off in just thirty days. Check it out--it's a full month of learning, sharing, and networking. http://genealogycenter.org/docs/default-source/2018-brochures/2018FHM-2

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Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming

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Do you want to know what we’ve got planned? Are you interested in one of our events, but forget? We are now offering email updates for The Genealogy Center’s programming schedule. Don’t miss out! Sign up at http://goo.gl/forms/THcV0wAabB.

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Area Calendar of Events

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Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana, Inc. (ACGSI) Monthly Program September 12, 2018 - Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana, refreshments & networking begins at 6:30 p.m., program at 7 p.m. Curt Witcher will present "The Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center: Update on Collections and Access." Mary Penrose Wayne DAR Chapter Library Help Day for Prospective Members September 5, 2018 – The Genealogy Center, Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 10 - 4 p.m. Members of the Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will provide help to those interested in joining the D.A.R. who would like advice and assistance in their research. No appointment is necessary. Mary Penrose Wayne DAR Chapter Meeting September 8, 2018 - Embassy Theatre, 125 W Jefferson Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN, 1:00 p.m. Children of the American Revolution Library Help Day for Prospective Members September 19, 2018 – The Genealogy Center, Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 10 - 4 p.m. Members of the Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution as well as Children of the American Revolution members will provide help to those interested in joining the C.A.R. who would like advice and assistance in their research. No appointment is necessary. Miami Indian Heritage Days September 1, 2018 - Chief Richardville House, 5705 Bluffton Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Miami Harvest: Edible and Usable Plants and Materials with Dani Tippmann. Tours of this National Historic Landmark will be given on the hour throughout the afternoon. Admission: Adults - $7.00, Seniors (65+) and Youth (3-17) - $5.00, Members and children under 3 are free. Buffalo Tro September 28, 2018 - Chief Richardville House, 5705 Bluffton Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Join the History Center for a catered dinner that includes tro’d buffalo steaks, tours of the Chief Richardville House, live music, cash bar and traditional Miami Indian contests of skill and fortune. The Buffalo Tro serves as a fundraiser for the History Center and the Heritage Education Fund. Tickets are $50 a person. Please RSVP to the History Center by September 19.

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Genealogy Center Social Media

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenealogyCenter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genealogycenter/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ACPLGenealogy Blog: http://www.genealogycenter.org/Community/Blog.aspx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/askacpl

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Driving Directions to the Library

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Wondering how to get to the library? Our location is 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the block bordered on the south by Washington Boulevard, the west by Ewing Street, the north by Wayne Street, and the east by the Library Plaza, formerly Webster Street. We would enjoy having you visit the Genealogy Center. To get directions from your exact location to 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana, visit this link at MapQuest: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&addtohistory=&address=900%20Web ster%20St&city=Fort%20Wayne&state=IN&zipcode=46802%2d3602&country=US&geodiff=1 >From the South Exit Interstate 69 at exit 302. Drive east on Jefferson Boulevard into downtown. Turn left on Ewing Street. The Library is one block north, at Ewing Street and Washington Boulevard. Using US 27: US 27 turns into Lafayette Street. Drive north into downtown. Turn left at Washington Boulevard and go five blocks. The Library will be on the right. >From the North Exit Interstate 69 at exit 312. Drive south on Coldwater Road, which merges into Clinton Street. Continue south on Clinton to Washington Boulevard. Turn right on Washington and go three blocks. The Library will be on the right. >From the West Using US 30: Drive into town on US 30. US 30 turns into Goshen Ave. which dead-ends at West State Blvd. Make an angled left turn onto West State Blvd. Turn right on Wells Street. Go south on Wells to Wayne Street. Turn left on Wayne Street. The Library will be in the second block on the right. 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. Library Plaza will be on the right.

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Parking at the Library

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At the Library, underground parking can be accessed from Wayne Street. Other library parking lots are at Washington and Webster, and Wayne and Webster. Hourly parking is $1 per hour with a $7 maximum. ACPL library card holders may use their cards to validate the parking ticket at the west end of the Great Hall of the Library. Out of county residents may purchase a subscription card with proof of identification and residence. The current fee for an Individual Subscription Card is $70. Public lots are located at the corner of Ewing and Wayne Streets ($1 each for the first two half-hours, $1 per hour after, with a $4 per day maximum) and the corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Harrison Street ($3 per day). Street (metered) parking on Ewing and Wayne Streets. On the street you plug the meters 8am – 5pm, weekdays only. The meters take credit cards and charge at a rate of $1/hour. Street parking is free after 5 p.m. and on the weekends. Visitor center/Grand Wayne Center garage 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 5 p.m. and 11 p.m.

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Genealogy Center Queries

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The Genealogy Center 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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Publishing Note

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This electronic newsletter is published by the Allen County Public Library's Genealogy Center, 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.GenealogyCenter.org. Scroll to the bottom, click on E-zine, and fill out the form. 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 Genealogy Gems you just received or send an email to kspears@acpl.lib.in.us with "unsubscribe e-zine" in the subject line. Curt B. Witcher and John D. Beatty, CG, co-editors