December 2005

Genealogy Gems:

News from the Fort Wayne Library No. 22, December 31, 2005

In this issue:

Family History Storybooks and a Special New Database

Farm Directories

Colonial Records of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Archives

Tribute to An Old Friend

New Family History Show

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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Family History Storybooks and a Special New Database by Curt B. Witcher

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Storybooks for the New Year Whether you receive this e-zine in the waning moments of 2005 or the dawning moments of 2006, you have likely enjoyed some holiday events with family and may even be looking forward to a few more holiday moments with family in the next week- -and perhaps a family reunion sometime in the New Year. When you spend time with young children and grandchildren at holiday family gatherings, it can be a special time to share with them through storybooks why genealogy is fun for you and important to you. The Children‛s Services Department of this library has compiled and published on their website a very nice list of books about genealogy for young people.   The list is divided into four categories: picture books, chapter books, non-fiction books, and parent/teacher resources & non-print materials. Each title listed has the author named as well as a brief description of the contents. The call number provided may differ from the call number used at your library; however, looking in your library‛s online catalog by author or title will give you the correct number. This list represents a neat collection of materials to get children excited about being family history detectives—and I particularly like the descriptions. Two picture books I particularly like are Caroline Castle‛s “Grandpa Baxter and the Photographs” (“children” from age 2 to 102 enjoy looking at photographs!) and Patricia Polacco‛s “The Keeping Quilt.” Polacco‛s story takes a special quilt through four generations of a Jewish family. It is fascinating for young people to see and read about family symbols passed through several generations. And the non-fiction titles do a very nice job in getting children started doing family history when they become interested. In addition, there are two stories about adoption that I am especially fond of that aren‛t on the list. They are Jamie Lee Curtis‛ “Tell Me Again about the Night I Was Born” and Deborah Hodge‛s “Emma‛s Story.” Both are masterful in the way words and illustrations work together to paint a picture of how adopted individuals become a special and important part of a family‛s history. A New Database We are pleased to announce an exciting new database on the FriendsOfAllenCounty website called “American Ancestors of Michigan Governors” . Dr. Joseph Druse, the first state of Michigan genealogist, had collected lineage information on the Michigan governors and their spouses for more than fifteen years. A colleague, Judy Pfaff, assisted Dr. Druse in keying this data into a FamilyTreeMaker program and took over the project completely when Dr. Druse died in the fall of 2004. There are nearly ten thousand persons and over four thousand marriages listed in the file. As was reported in the 16 June 2003 edition of “Eastman‛s Online Genealogy Newsletter,” many of the families of Michigan governors were of New England ancestry who later moved to New York, Ohio, and then Michigan. Best wishes for much genealogical success in the New Year!

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Farm Directories By Elaine M. Kuhn

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While city directories are a popular tool for finding urban ancestors, researchers should keep in mind that there are farm directories geared toward the rural population. Not only do farm directories provide valuable family information— especially for those years in between the federal censuses—they also offer a kind of “snapshot” of life on the family farm. Several publishers produced farm directories from the mid-nineteenth through the mid-twentieth centuries with the “Prairie Farmer‛s Reliable Directory of Farmers and Breeders” series out of Chicago being one of the most popular. Early farm directories usually list the name of the farmer, the township and section of the farm, whether the farmer owns or rents, the number of acres owned or rented, and the farmer‛s post office address. Prairie Farmer directories built upon this basic information and, though their entries are still brief, provide a fantastic amount of data. Each entry includes the farmer‛s name, the wife‛s maiden name, the first names of the children (names of children followed by an asterisk indicate children not living at home), the farm name (if any), the post office address, the township and section of the farm, how many acres the farmer owns, the land owner‛s name (if the farmer was a tenant), and the year when the farmer first moved to the county. Some directories also include the names of parents, siblings, in-laws, nieces, nephews and grandchildren living in the home and occasionally give the farmer‛s primary crop and names of any farm hands. Owners of purebred animals such as cattle, chickens, hogs, goats, ducks and even bees are then listed by types of animal and breed. Later directories provided a listing of automobile owners and the makes of their vehicles as well as tractor owners and the makes they owned and even what type of silo a farmer possessed. A directory of county businesses is always included; as with modern directories, advertisements from local proprietors financed much of the publication costs and can be found throughout. As informative as the general farm directory information is, the supplemental data can prove as much a gold mine. Don‛t hesitate to look all through the directory to see if there are any pictures of your ancestors‛ homes, their livestock, or even your ancestors themselves. Some farm directories include brief histories of the county‛s settlement and its early pioneers. Finally, remember to check nearby city directories for farmers and others living in outlying areas. Residents of rural Allen County, Indiana, for example, are listed in the back section of older Fort Wayne city directories. Use the ACPL Library Catalog at  to identify what farm directories the library owns in book form. Search by the name of the county to see what is available (use terms such as “lorain county ohio directories”). The Genealogy Department also holds a number of farm directories on microfilm. Researchers visiting the library can check the microtext card catalog to see what is available. Some farm directories can also be searched and perused through the Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest Online databases, both of which are available for researchers to use in the Genealogy Department.

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Colonial Records of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Archives by Ryan Taylor

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The Colonial Records of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Archives are ten series of volumes published by the state between 1838 and 1935 which reproduce various records of great use to genealogists. Government minutes, revolutionary war records (including many lists of soldiers) and tax lists from the mid-18th century make up most of the volumes. All ten series are available in their entirety at ACPL. We have recently recataloged these volumes to make them more accessible to you, whether you are searching the catalog in the library or at home. In particular, we have added detailed contents notes to each record, so that you can find the individual volume you need quickly. A search on the internet reveals many sites which have references to the Pennsylvania Archives series, and they often contain notes about the contents. No site has a complete listing of all the volumes and all the series, however, and that is another reason why we have noted these contents so carefully. Even if you are going to use these volumes at another library, you might find it easier to consult the ACPL catalog for details. There are no every-name indexes to the Pennsylvania Archives volumes. Such an index would be very large, as there are many thousands of names. However, there are some more general indexes, which are also at ACPL. To locate them, type “pennsylvania archives indexes” in the subject line of the catalog search form. On the shelf, they are found at the end of the ninth (and last) series of Pennsylvania Archives. Many genealogists know about the Pennsylvania Archives series and use them, but we suspect others have not taken advantage of the goldmine of material available there. Since many of them deal with that difficult period in the last half of the 18th century, they may answer your dead-end questions.

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An Old Friend

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It is with sorrow that we note the passing of an old friend. Carole Callard, once a reference librarian in the Historical Genealogy department and a distinguished Michigan genealogist, died in December aged 64. She held the Abrams Chair in Genealogy at the Library of Michigan and was a frequent speaker at conferences throughout the country. Her gentle nature and sense of humor endeared her to all who met her, and her former colleagues at the library miss her.

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New Family History Show - You could be a part of it.

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History Television (Canada) is creating an exciting new series about family history. This is your opportunity to share your stories, your research and your research challenges. If your story, research or question is chosen, it could appear on Ancestors in the Attic. Were your ancestors sheep-thieves or war heroes, saints or sinners, or something quite unexpected? Are there family secrets you'd still like to unlock or legends you've already untangled? Let Ancestors in the Attic help you solve your dramatic, personal family mysteries or feature the stories you've already uncovered. Whether you're a historical researcher or a family historian, Ancestors in the Attic would like to hear about astonishing stories with a Canadian connection that you've already unearthed. Discover more on the History Television website: www.history.ca or go directly to the Ancestors in the Attic page at: http://www.history.ca/microsites/ancestorssearch/default.asp In 500 words or less, tell Ancestors in the Attic about your story and briefly outline the evidence you gathered in your research. Send all information to: Ancestors.Search@allianceatlantis.com - - Permission is granted to share this message with others - -

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Preservation Tip of the Month by Becky Schipper

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ACPL‛s Preservation Technician Becky Schipper offers advice on conserving your documents: Letters, newspaper clippings, birth, marriage, & death certificates, and other legal documents, as well as photocopies and computer printouts are on paper of varying quality. If these papers are acidic they should be cleaned and deacidified before storing. An easy way to test paper for acidity is with a ph testing pen.

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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. Coliseum Inn 1020 North Coliseum Boulevard Fort Wayne IN 46805 260 424 0975 This two-story hotel has a bar, and a fax machine is available. Rooms include highspeed internet access, free local calls, microwaves and mini-fridges, and king-size beds are available. Pets accepted. The hotel is conveniently located for shopping and other places to eat. It is near Value-City Furniture, K-Mart and Home Depot and grocery stores. The library is about five miles away, an easy drive along Lake Avenue. Rates start at $34-$44.

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AREA CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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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, 11 January: Dupont branch ACPL. Gary Kasunic, This is Your Life Time Video: Create a lasting legacy, a family heirloom for your children, grandchildren and generations to come. Computer Users Group Wednesday 18 January: 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

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ACPL LIBRARIANS ON TOUR

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Curt Witcher January 14 Terre Haute, IN: Wabash Valley Genealogy Society--3P, "The Road Not Taken: Mega Internet Sites for Genealogists 'Off the Beaten Path,'" 6P Banquet talk, "The Great American Tapestry: Voices of Our Ancestors." February 18 Youngtown, AZ: West Valley Genealogical Society, Arizona--all day workshop.

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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=&s earchtab=address&searchtype=address&address=200+E+Berry+St&city=Fort+Wayne&s tate=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 of the lot. Available for short-term library parking. Limited to one hour. There are handicapped parking spots near the door. 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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PUBLISHING 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