December 2012

Genealogy Gems:

News from the Fort Wayne Library No. 106, December 31, 2012

In this issue:

Makin’ a List and Checkin’ It Twice . . .

American Vital Records from the “Gentleman’s Magazine,” 1731-1868

HathiTrust Digital Library

Technology Tip of the Month--Using the Hue/Saturation Tool in Adobe Photoshop

Quick-Tip of the Month for Preservation--Online Family Trees: Pros & Cons Start the Year off with WinterTech 2012-2013 One-on-One Consultations Are Back!

Let’s Get Ready to … (March Madness sneak peek)

Lincoln Panel Discussion on January 13th

Out and About

Area Calendar of Events

Driving Directions to the Library

Parking at the Library

Queries for The Genealogy Center

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Makin’ a List and Checkin’ It Twice . . . by Curt B. Witcher

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No, I have not forgotten that the holiday season is virtually over for most this year. And yes, I appreciate that with all of the details and careful planning that have gone into making the end-of-the-year holidays a special time, many are not even close to being in the mood to do even more planning and thinking ahead. I do believe, though, that now is exactly the right time to think seriously and plan actively to make 2013 a great year for your family history endeavors. You can call the activities you plan New Year’s resolutions, a list of healthy habits, a schedule for your genealogical success, your calendar of family history activities for ’13--whatever strikes the right chord with you! Of course, I have some suggestions for that list you make--the list that won’t get buried on your desk or become an abandoned file on your iPad or Droid! There are all kinds of theories on how to make the “best” list. Some advocate keeping it short so you are sure to accomplish what you have identified. Some advocate for making a rather substantial list so you can see progress and have things to check-off. I advocate borrowing from the Nike advertising slogan--Just Do It. First, I suggest that you top your list with regular family history “fun.” Some suggestions are: Routinely explore for more family history data, document information you already have in your files, share data with others, learn something new, and secure your data with appropriate back-ups. Routinely to me means perhaps or perhaps not once a day, but certainly no less than once a week. If it’s not happening at least once a week, it’s not regular or routine--and you’re not having all the fun you need to have! It doesn’t have to be long, and it doesn’t have to be involved. It just has to happen. Second, this holiday season you may have witnessed how wonderful and meaningful family history and family heritage gifts can be. To have a great family history gift available to share with your family and the special people in your life at holiday time next year, you really need to start working on it now. Such wonderful family history gifts can include a generational scrapbook, a genealogy of a particular branch or part of the family as a book or pamphlet, loading a digital photo frame with unique images of generations gone by, and for some, planning a trip to an ancestral hometown across the “big pond.” Giving the gift of history, especially family history, can be among the most awesome of holiday gifts. And to do it well, you really need to get started before the onset of the Black Friday sales hype. Third, make a commitment this year to “pay it forward.” We can respect and honor all of those who have helped us in both big and modest ways with our family history endeavors by doing something that will benefit others as much or more than it will benefit us. As an example, for the last several years, a dear friend has routinely abstracted obituaries from the “Evangelical Messenger” religious newspaper covering the time period 1848-1930. Over time, she has created nearly 150,000 abstracts that are linked for free use at GenealogyCenter.org. Each month there are between three and four thousand searches on that data file. It’s amazing to think about the lives that have been touched by my friend’s selfless work. Just think what a tremendous resource we would have if we collectively indexed, abstracted or transcribed historical records on a regular basis. You could post the data on your webpage or your blog, or you could share it with The Genealogy Center to post on our website for free use by all interested parties. An additional option would be to join one of the many access projects (like indexing Indiana marriage records!) available at FamilySearch Indexing. Fourth, at the very least, attend an educational program in the genealogy space once a quarter this year. There are so many offerings, especially here in northeast Indiana. The offerings of the Allen County Genealogical Society, the monthly (and more!) program offerings of The Genealogy Center here in Fort Wayne, and the nearly countless free and low cost webinars leave one without an excuse for enhancing one’s genealogical education. This coming summer, August 21st through August 24th, the Federation of Genealogical Societies will be holding their annual conference here in Fort Wayne. Four completely packed days of learning and networking will represent some of the best genealogical education one can get anywhere in 2013. And for those of us in the Midwest, it’s right in our backyard! Now is a great time to start saving your dollars for this great event. And if you live a bit of a distance from Fort Wayne, now would be an excellent time to work with your local genealogical society to plan a bus trip to Fort Wayne for the conference. It’s a comfortable, cheap and easy way to get to Fort Wayne and not have to worry about those pesky details of driving and parking. In addition, you get to spend extra time with people who are as excited about family history as you are. Fifth, take some time this year to engage a young person in exploring his/her family history. You define what’s young, and you craft the meaningful activity. Younger elementary children really enjoy going to cemeteries with parents and grandparents. They particularly appreciate seeing old photographs, uniforms and technology from yesteryear. Older middle school and high school students enjoy using the latest technologies, so why not show them some of the historical and genealogical information available on the web, and invite them to show you how you can better deploy today’s technologies in pursuit of your family history passions. Finally, make this the year you become actively engaged in preserving and maintaining access to the records that document our history. We will only gain the upper hand in this constant struggle if each one of us commits to being engaged at the local level. Our historical records are increasingly at risk as government entities at all levels deal with diminishing resources and lack the experience to recognize, much less partner with, meaningful constituencies. Best wishes for much family history fun and genealogical success in the New Year. My colleagues and I look forward to seeing you in The Genealogy Center, and at some of our many programs planned for 2013.

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American Vital Records from the “Gentleman’s Magazine,” 1731-1868 by Cynthia Theusch

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As our family history research brings us into the 1700s and early 1800s, it might be difficult to locate birth, marriage and death records. One unique early resource for finding the type of information (dates and places) generally provided by vital records in later time periods is “American Vital Records from the ‘Gentleman’s Magazine,’ 1731-1868” (929.11 Am354), compiled by David Dobson. Dobson reviewed each issue of the magazine, abstracted birth, marriage and death notices, and compiled an index. The first issue of the “Gentleman’s Magazine” was published by Edward Cave, Jr., in January 1731. A printer in London, England, Cave published the “Gentleman’s Magazine” under his pen name Sylvanus Urban. He is credited with having been the first to use the term “magazine” – a French word meaning “storehouse” – in conjunction with a periodical. Cave advertised that his magazine would include articles on public affairs (foreign and domestic), notices of the births, marriages and deaths of people of high standing, bankruptcies and lists of civil and military establishments. “The Gentleman’s Magazine” was published from 1731 to 1922 in various series and with several different subtitles. The publication included events and news from all over the English speaking world. Dobson abstracted only those with a North American connection. Some examples are: “BLOMFIELD Francis, b. 1827, 3rd s. C J Blomfield, Bishop of London, d. wreck of Northerner, Cape Menocino, Cal., 5 Jan. 1860. (NS28:415)” [NS is New Series.] “CATON Louisa Catherine, 3rd dau. R Caton, Md., m. Col. Felton Bathurst Hervey, 24 April 1817. (87:466)” “HOARE Cap., sloop Dotteral, m. Matilda, dau. Rear Adm. Fahie, Bermuda, 15 March 1823. (93:562)” “ORMBY Charlotte Anne Seymour, yngs. dau. late Lt. Gen. Ormby, m. William Carlisle Strather, only s. E. Strather, Nevis, Kotergherry, Neilgherry Hills, 2 May 1837. (NS8:528)” Some issues of the “Gentleman’s Magazine” have been digitized and links to them can be found at The Online Books Page, http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/serial?id=gentlemans. The Genealogy Center has three other books with vital records data abstracted from the “Gentleman’s Magazine.” These are: “An Index to the Marriages in the ‘Gentleman’s Magazine,’ 1731- 1768” (942.0004 F94I) by Edward Alexander Fry; “The ‘Gentleman’s Magazine’ Biographical and Obituary Notices, 1781-1819: An Index” (929.12 N15G) by Benjamin Christie Nangle; and “Obituaries and Marriages of Dissenting Ministers in the ‘Gentleman’s Magazine’ in the 18th Century” (942 R92O) by Alan Ruston Watford. In addition to church records, these books are another resource for locating birth, marriage and death information for ancestors in the period prior to the civil recording of these events.

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HathiTrust Digital Library by Dawne Slater-Putt, CG(sm)*

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Google Books and Internet Archive often are the go-to sources for full-text digitized books online. Another, perhaps lesser-known site is the HathiTrust Digital Library at http://www.hathitrust.org, self-described as a “partnership of major research institutions and libraries working to ensure that the cultural record is preserved and accessible long into the future.” More than ten and a half million total volumes have been digitized by HathiTrust, including more than five and a half million book titles and more than 275,000 serial titles. More than three million of these items (about thirty-one percent) are copyright-free and may be viewed in full text. The text of the remainder of the volumes can be searched by keyword to determine the frequency of the word in a particular item and the page numbers on which it appears. Materials on the HathiTrust website pertain to all subjects, but many of them are of interest to genealogists. Examples are: The Thirty-Sixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry by James M. Aubrey, http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433081800694#page/3/mode/1up and Album of Genealogy and Biography, Cook County, Illinois, published by the LaSalle Book Company of Chicago in 1900, http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiuo.ark:/13960/t9z03296v#page/n6/mode/1up, both of which may be viewed in full-text, and the Grand Rapids City Directories collection, including forty-eight items, twenty-three of which may be viewed in full-text, http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/mb?a=listis;c=1648165062. It is possible to do a catalog search by author, title, subject, International Standard Book Number (ISBN) or International Standard Serial Number (ISSN), publisher, series title or year of publication, or you can search by keyword(s) in the full text of the resources in the HathiTrust Digital Library. Another way to find items of interest is to browse Collections. Collections are literally collections of HathiTrust titles that have been grouped by users according to whatever criteria the users choose, whether the items have a subject in common or are simply titles of interest to that particular user. A brief scan of the website brought to light the following examples of Collections that could be of interest to genealogists:

•Ancestry and Genealogy (2760 items), http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/mb?a=listis;c=332123463

•Civilian Conservation Corps (13 items)http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/mb?a=listis;c=2039844782

•Civil War Nurses Personal Narrative (20 items), http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/mb?a=listis;c=1220507110

•Genealogy of the Cook-Seerings (71 items), http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/mb?a=listis;c=457445765. If you have not yet heard about the HathiTrust Digital Library or stumbled upon it during your online research forays, it is well-worth a look. “CG” & “Certified Genealogist” are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, and are used by authorized associates following periodic, peer-reviewed competency evaluations.

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Technology Tip of the Month--Using the Hue/Saturation Tool in Adobe Photoshop by Kay Spears

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In last month’s article, we learned how to correct color cast problems in photographs using the Variations tool. But sometimes using just one tool isn’t enough to fully fix color problems. For example, while the Variations tool corrected much of the color cast problem in my photo, a jacket still appeared magenta instead of red. To further adjust color, we can turn to a more subtle tool, the Hue/Saturation Tool. As always, there is more than one way to access this tool. You can find it through the menus: Image>Adjustment>Hue/Saturation, or you can click CTRL+U. You may also correct the problem in your Layers Palette by clicking on the “create new fill or adjustment layer” button (the black and white button). In any case, when the Hue/Saturation tool is accessed, a dialogue box will open. Make sure that your preview button is checked. What you should see in this dialogue box is a dropdown menu that defaults to “Master” and three slide bars titled Hue, Saturation and Lightness. Also in the dialog box is the option to “Colorize.” This is one of the places in the Adobe Photoshop program where you may add color to black and white photographs. If we wanted to correct the general color of a photo, we could use the slide bars, leaving the dropdown menu in its default position of “Master,” but for the example in this article, we are interested in adjusting only the red tones. The drop-down menu has Reds, Yellows, Greens, Cyans, Blues, Magentas. After choosing Reds, I can move my Hue slide bar slightly to the right to increase the red tone, then adjust the Saturation slightly and do the same with the Lightness. This will affect all of the reds in the photograph. Remember that this is a subtle tool, and should require minimal movement. You may also isolate the object in the photo that you want to adjust by carefully drawing around it with your Lasso or Magnetic Lasso Tool, and then doing the color adjustments. Isolating the object and then adjusting only its color (and not the rest of the photo) might make your tweak more obvious, so how you use this tool is personal preference. As long as your preview button is checked, you will be able to monitor your changes. In Adobe Elements, the Hue/Saturation tool is located under Enhance>Adjust Colors>Adjust Hue/Saturation. Otherwise, the steps for using the tool are the same as outlined above. Next article: Color Correction Using Levels ***************************************

Quick-Tip of the Month for Preservation--Online Family Trees – Pros & Cons by Dawne Slater-Putt, CG(sm)*

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Many genealogists today are choosing to preserve and share information by creating online family trees. Some of these are on personal family history websites, but many are on commercial or free genealogy megasites like WeRelate.org, FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com. The benefits of sharing this information in the virtual world are many. The precious photographs that we have been lucky enough to inherit can be shared with family members across the globe, instead of stored in one family’s album on the coffee table or shoebox under the bed. If we are really lucky, we will connect with someone who has inherited photographs that we have not seen or a family bible we didn’t know existed. In addition to photographs, some of the sites allow the user to link records to the individuals in his or her tree. Users can scan and upload images to the People pages in WeRelate.org, a free site. Those who subscribe to Ancestry.com can view Ancestry’s “shaking leaf” hints to see which suggested records might apply to a given individual and then choose to link – or not link – those records accordingly. Online trees do have a big downfall, however – many of them are rife with errors! Most of these probably can be attributed to inattention or inexperience. One tree owner clicks to add those suggested “shaking leaf” records to his or her tree without studying them thoroughly to be sure they really fit. Another merges the identities of two individuals into one because they had the same given name and lived in the same location. Another disadvantage of online family trees is that relatively few of them have substantial, useful source citations for the information that is included. WeRelate.org allows the tree-builder several options for writing notes about individuals and captioning or sourcing the images that are linked, and Ancestry.com has a template that researchers can use to create source citations for the information they enter. In addition, when a researcher links a record within Ancestry to his or her tree, a source citation is automatically created. But many people manually add information to their online trees without bothering to cite the sources of their data in any way, ignoring the templates that the various programs have set up for that purpose. Then when researchers link individuals in their trees to other online trees, such as in Ancestry.com, the source for the added information becomes simply the other tree. So in the latter situation, an online tree might show that it has multiple sources cited, but when examined, those citations are useless because they are just to other unsourced trees. This is very disappointing. The lesson is, of course – when you spend the time and take the effort to preserve and share your research through online trees, do it right!

•Take care to add detailed sources for the information you add manually.

•Examine suggested records to be sure that they actually fit into your tree, and be selective when choosing which information from the new records to import. When records are imported in their entirety, the program may create a duplicate person for someone already in the tree if the name is slightly different.

•Move slowly and add people gradually. You will build a much more useful family legacy if you give rich details, be sure that your information is correct, cite sources, and add photographs and other images, especially those that are unique like family bibles and handwriting examples.

•Tread carefully when considering merging your tree with another online tree. When you import that data, your tree is no longer solely your own trusted research, but a conglomeration of your research and that of someone else you may not know well or at all. Can the other person’s data be trusted? Maybe, but maybe not. Instead, use other trees for clues and verify the information yourself before adding it. This takes time, but it boosts accuracy and no one wants to waste time researching an ancestor who turns out not to be theirs! When we take care to add our information carefully and cite our sources fully, together we can build a collaborative online forest of trees that is truly useful and trustworthy and preserves our family information for our descendants to enjoy.

“CG” & “Certified Genealogist” are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, and are used by authorized associates following periodic, peer-reviewed competency evaluations.

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Start the Year off with WinterTech 2012-2013

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End-of-the-year activities often seem overwhelming with holidays, family gatherings and finances to organize. Add to that shorter-seeming days and cold temperatures! As a change of pace, give your genealogical year a glowing start with January's WinterTech class. WinterTech classes are the second Wednesday of each month, November through February, beginning at 2:30 p.m., and cover a genealogy-technology topic. Following these afternoon presentations, spend some time researching at The Genealogy Center, network over a dinner or a snack with fellow genealogists, and then attend the Allen County Genealogical Society's monthly meeting at 7 p.m. January's WinterTech class is "e-Readers & Family History," on Wednesday, 9 January 2013, beginning at 2:30 in Meeting Room A on the library’s first floor. Do you have an e-reader or other device for reading electronic books? Have you tried using it in your genealogical pursuits? This class will provide a brief introduction to using your device in your family history studies, and how to locate e-books online. The last WinterTech class of this series is Wednesday, 13 February 2013, when we learn how to "Plug-In Your Armchair Genealogy: Researching from Home." For more information about these classes, see the brochure at http://www.genealogycenter.org/Libraries/2012_Brochures/winterTech2012.sflb.ashx. To register for a class, call 260-421-1225 or email Genealogy@ACPL.Info. Stay involved through the winter months with technology for your genealogy!

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One-on-One Consultations Are Back!

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Do you have a brick wall in your research? Would you like a greater understanding of some aspect of your research? The Genealogy Center is offering 30-minute personal consultations with a staff member on some troublesome aspect of your research. Times for consultations will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the second Thursday of January (1/10), February (2/14) and March (3/14) in 2013. Call 260-421-1225 or email Genealogy@ACPL.Info for an appointment. Please provide basic information about the nature of your quandary. A staff member will be assigned and a time established for your consultation. Be sure to bring your research notes to your consultation. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required. Register today! ***************************************

Let's Get Ready to....

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Every year, while the rest of the country is watching college basketball teams tip-off, The Genealogy Center offers presentations providing tips on some aspect of family history. This year, "March Madness, Genealogy Style: Telling Your Story" will be Monday through Saturday, 4-9 March 2013. Sessions will highlight gathering and documenting oral history, using heirlooms in your family's saga, and preserving family stories and memorabilia for future generations. Watch for more information on our Events page http://www.genealogycenter.org/Events.aspx.

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Lincoln Panel Discussion on January 13th

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To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, the Allen County Public Library will present a program, "Lincoln's Gamble: The Emancipation Proclamation." This panel discussion of the context and effects of the Proclamation will be on Sunday, 13 January 2013, in the Main Library's Meeting Room A (900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN), from 2 to 3 p.m. Panelists will offer varying perspectives--political, historical and cultural--on the Proclamation and will address questions from the audience. "Lincoln's Gamble" is sponsored by the Friends of the Allen County Public Library.

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Out and About

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John Beatty 12 January 2013, Christ Church Cranbrook, 470 Church Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI--Detroit Society for Genealogical Research, 2 p.m.: “An Introduction to the Genealogy Center: A Tradition of Excellence." Melissa Shimkus 19 January 2013, African American Cultural Society, Palm Coast, FL, 4422 U.S. Highway 1--VolusiaFlagler Council of Genealogical Societies Genealogy Seminar, "'The Family Detective' Uncovering the Secrets of Your Family Tree." Topics: "Discovering Your Female Ancestors," "Overlooked Records for Hurdling the Census Chasm" and "Knocking Down the Brick Wall."

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Area Calendar of Events

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Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI) 9 January 2013--Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana. 6:30 p.m. refreshments followed at 7 p.m. by ACGSI members’ presentation: “A Review of Genealogy Software.” Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society 6 January 2013—History Center, 302 E. Berry Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana. 2 p.m. George R. Mather Sunday Lecture Series featuring Colin Macqueen on “Trelleborg and Turcon.”

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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 102. 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 112. 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. It is free to park on the street after 5pm 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 5pm and 11pm.

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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. Dawne Slater-Putt, CG & Curt Witcher, co-editors