December 2023

Genealogy Gems:

News from the Allen County Public Library at Fort Wayne No. 238, December 31, 2023

In this issue:

Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan

The Family Tree Polish, Czech, & Slovak Genealogy Guide: A Review

“By the People” Website

PERSI Gems: Success in the New Year

History Tidbits: Iguanodons at Midnight in January

Genealogy Center’s January 2024 Programs

January Program Call-outs Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming Genealogy Center Social Media Driving Directions to the Library

Parking at the Library Genealogy Center Queries Publishing Note **************************************

Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan by Curt B. Witcher *************************************** Another new year of opportunities and possibilities is upon us. I have been reading a lot in recent days about New Year’s resolutions and celebrations, and if there is really any value in placing so much emphasis on this particular night-into-day event when there are 364 like events in a year—and actually 365 this coming year as 2024 is a leap year. What makes the first day of a year so special? And why do we even give a second of thought to resolutions when such a high percentage of them don’t even survive the first week or month, let alone the year? Maybe it’s just a good conversation point. Regardless of your feelings on the subject, or whether you care at all, I do believe there is value in leveraging any point in time that might cause one to take positive action. If it happens to be the first day of the year, so be it. So as we enter this new year, I encourage the adoption of the following slogan I heard long ago from a good colleague and friend who was talking about success. To be successful at anything, one needs to develop a plan and then work that plan— plan your work and work your plan. As people excited about finding more of our families’ stories, I encourage us to develop specific, measurable plans for discovering new information, and then deliberately and meaningfully act on those plans. I offer a few ideas for 2024. Use a combination of searching the many free bibliographic databases and source indices that have been written about in this column over the months and years with a calendar of genealogical events worth attending to determine the best places(s) to plan on-site research visits. Use WorldCat, NUCMC, PERSI and even the catalog of the GenealogyCenter.org to determine if a combination of resources and education will make an enjoyable and successful genealogical engagement for you. I can offer that the Indiana Genealogical Society is meeting at the Allen County Public Library April 19-20, 2024. Look around in your area of the country to see if such a combination exists for you. For every hour you research, whether online or on-site, spend a minimum of six minutes that same day evaluating what you found, ensuring the completeness of your citations, and filing your research findings in the correct folder, whether that’s paper or on your computer. If you came away from your research outing without any documents or new information, spend the time chronicling what you didn’t find or what wasn’t a match to your information need so you don’t spend time in the future repeating the same searches. One would benefit tremendously from developing such a plan and working this plan consistently throughout the new year. You will notice significantly more clarity and precision with your research, your descendants will thank you, and those responsible for taking care of your estate will thank you. A third work plan for 2024 should involve a commitment to continuing education. There are so many excellent YouTube channels, blogs, TED talks and other informative posts that should be devoured. At least once a month, you should locate an online information offering that directly addresses an information need or helps enhance methodology and provides historical context for the time period and geographic location in which one is researching. A recent post in the blog, "A Genealogist In The Archives," by Melissa Barker details how to properly preserve your family heirloom Christmas ornaments. https://agenealogistinthearchives.blogspot.com/2023/12/preserving-christmasornaments.html How timely is that? I am confident you can come up with many more and even better plans to truly work in 2024. Find or devise a plan that is meaningful for you, and then really work that plan. Plan your work and work your plan—it will make for a very successful 2024! Happy New Year!

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The Family Tree Polish, Czech, & Slovak Genealogy Guide: A Review by Logan Knight ***************************************

One size does not fit all. That saying has many useful applications, but it is used most effectively in the field of genealogy. Of course, there are general principles that should be respected and utilized. Yet, the way people organize themselves and their information comes in more varieties than Baskin-Robbins has in ice cream. Today we are looking at one particular flavor: Polish, Czech, and Slovak genealogy. These proud peoples have a long, fascinating, and often complex history that researchers can find confusing and stressful when attempting to trace family histories in this part of Europe. Lisa A. Alzo’s “Tracing Your Eastern European Ancestors” (Toronto: Moorhead Magazines, 2013) GC 929 T673, is an excellent beginner’s guide to doing research in these lands. She assumes that the reader possesses a general understanding of the importance of documents and how to use them in the study of a family. However, if you have traced your family to the other side of the Atlantic and are wondering where to begin in Eastern Europe, this is the book for you. The book is divided into chapters on history, culture, geography, language, documents, and research. The author understands that the researcher needs a firm grounding in the history and culture of the region in order to get the best research results. For example, if you do not know that Poland’s borders moved roughly 150 miles westward after the Second World War, then you may be looking in the wrong place for documents. A highlight from the work is the way Alzo breaks down the study of the many ethnicities in Eastern Europe and the states they are found. Some ethnic groups have been completely subsumed by certain states, resulting in internal issues that have had dramatic effects on where and how records were kept. For example, Slovakia was long part of the Hapsburg Empire of Austro-Hungary, and its inhabitants were subjected to conscription in the Austrian army. Hence, military records of Slovak soldiers were kept in Vienna. However, in 1867, the Hungarians forced a split in the empire, with Hungary assuming control of Slovakia and thus administering its records. The situation becomes even more complex after the First World War, when the empire broke up and Czechoslovakia came into existence. All of these historical events have had important consequences on record keeping, and it is not easy to keep track of it all. Fortunately, Alzo has done that difficult task for us. Another highlight of the guide is the way it breaks down the study of language. As you can imagine, the language in which records were kept can have an impact on their format and how one prepares to research them. While Slovak incorporates many Latin words that are recognizable to English-speaking researchers, Polish and Czech can prove more difficult to translate. For example, Czech has fifteen more letters in its alphabet than English. Understanding these cultural features are key to making your investigation a success. If your family history leads to the study of one of these groups, this will be a useful guide. All is dust which builds on dust, so it is a good thing that this book is available to help the genealogist build a firm foundation for researching in Eastern Europe ***************************************

“By the People” Website by Allison DePrey Singleton

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As genealogists, we are aware that historical records often hold a wealth of information about our families, providing valuable stories, documentation, and additional details that bring life to the names, dates, and places of our ancestors. One often overlooked resource is the Library of Congress, accessible at www.loc.gov. An especially valuable tool for researchers is the crowdsourced transcription project known as “By the People,” which recently marked its 5-year anniversary: https://crowd.loc.gov/about/. “By the People” serves as an excellent starting point for those delving into Library of Congress records. Digital projects curated by the Library are called “campaigns.” The website showcases completed campaigns and those still in progress at https://crowd.loc.gov/campaigns-topics/. Examples of finished campaigns include various Civil War projects, the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and the War Diaries of George S. Patton. Ongoing campaigns cover topics such as the American Federation of Labor, Clara Barton, and Spanish Legal Documents, catering to a wide range of historians. Not only is “By the People” a valuable research tool, it also offers an opportunity for volunteering. The Library of Congress relies on crowdsourcing for transcriptions, and anyone can contribute without needing an account. However, creating an account allows volunteers to review, tag, and track their transcriptions, essential for those keeping a record of volunteer hours. The Library of Congress website hosts nearly 6 million items online, with approximately half dedicated to newspapers in the Chronicling America collection. Another million items include images with historical significance. The manuscript collection, the next largest, is particularly rich in materials beneficial for family history research. In addition to exploring the transcriptions available through “By the People,” researchers may find the Guide to Online Resources for Genealogy and Family History Research helpful: https://guides.loc.gov/genealogy-researchonline-resources/introduction. Exploring various resources, including the digital archives of the Library of Congress, could be the key to overcoming genealogical brick walls. These digital holdings not only have the potential to break through research barriers but also contribute valuable historical context that enhances family histories with rich narratives. For inspiration, initiating your exploration with a search through the “By the People” project provides an excellent starting point to delve into the extensive digital collections of the Library of Congress.

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PERSI Gems: Success in the New Year by Adam Barrone and Mike Hudson

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We are genealogists and local historians. We invest time, money, effort, and, indeed, much of ourselves to discover, to preserve, to collect, to commemorate, to reunite, to share, to publish, to inspire, and to teach. We enumerate our collective successes this year in our personal research and in our efforts to connect our own families. We, too, think more broadly about the efforts of the philanthropic organizations which work to preserve and tell our story. What have you done this year to support the success of your local, regional, state, and special-interest genealogical societies, historical societies, and libraries? These groups need your help now, more than ever. Get in touch with organizations working in your area and offer to share your resources, your time, and your talents: Attend or participate in a meeting, program, or special event Pay membership dues or make a monetary donation Scan or photograph research materials Scour your home, thrift shops, antique stores, estate sales, and auctions for name-rich paper items to donate Serve on a board Transcribe or index handwritten records Write an article Working with experienced society volunteers is a great way to expand your own knowledge and research skills. At the same time, you'll help ensure the success of our community organizations and the success of the people they serve. The work of genealogical and historical societies is evident in the Periodical Source Index. The vast majority of newsletters and journals indexed in PERSI come to us from non-profit societies and associations. The knowledge they contain about our ancestors is valuable beyond measure. Try a PERSI search here: https://www.genealogycenter.info/persi/ Communication as key to success of genealogical society Jots From the Point (Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society), Vol. 43, Issue 5 (Mar 2017) Genealogical Forum of Oregon Library, FamilySearch Affiliate Library success story, 2019 Forum Insider (Genealogical Forum of Oregon), Vol. 30, Issue 5 (Jan 2019) Getting others excited about photos and stories, a success story Mt. Diablo Digger (Mt. Diablo Genealogical Society, CA), Sep 2013 Group tours at Age of Steam Roundhouse a success, 2016 Heartland Rails (3 Rivers Railroad Heritage Council, IN), Vol. 25, Issue 4 (Apr 2017) Hobart residents reunion a huge success, family notes, 1996 Maple Valley (WA) Bugle, Vol. 10, Issue 2 (May 1996) Iron County's Centennial was a grand success, 1957 Iron County (MO) Genealogy Society Newsletter, Issue 4 (Apr 2007) John Bubba Trotman recalls his life, success with feeding garbage to pigs, 1920s+ Herald (Montgomery County Historical Society, AL), Vol. 18, Issue 3 (Nov 2010) Know your audience for teaching success Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, Vol. 21, Issue 2 (Jun 2006) Organizing for success in genealogical research Families (Ontario Genealogical Society), Vol. 35, Issue 3 (Aug 1996) Reunited with siblings after 75 years, anonymous DNA success story, techniques Septs (The) (Irish Genealogical Society International), Vol. 36, Issue 4 (Oct 2015) Rotterdam, preservation success story, 1959-2010 PowerShips (Steamship Historical Society of America, RI), Issue 273 (Spr 2010) Seven secrets for success in self-publishing Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, Vol. 25, Issue 3 (Sep 2010) Smell of success, Constance Riek and son P.C. start skunk farm, 1917, Hermann, MO Gasconade County (MO) Historical Society Newsletter, Vol. 18, Issue 1 (Spr 2005) Valentines Seminar, Genealogical Society of South Brevard a success, 2017 Genealogical Society of South Brevard (FL) Bulletin, Vol. 43, Issue 1 (Mar 2017) Why do the majority of societies flounder while a handful succeed Lorain County (OH) Researcher, Vol. 29, Issue 2 (Spr 2012)

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History Tidbits: Iguanodons at Midnight in January by Logan Knight

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On New Year’s Eve 1853, a formal dinner was given to a group of scientists, businessmen, and newspaper editors, inside a large iguanodon. More precisely, the elegant meal was served in the interior of a model of an iguanodon at the famed Crystal Palace in London. The story of this bizarre New Year’s Eve event is one of cutting-edge scientific achievement mixed with the public’s fascination with those newly-discovered creatures, dinosaurs. These fascinating creatures had only been identified a few years before. In fact, Sir Richard Owen, a distinguished scientist in the new field of “paleontology”, had coined the term “dinosaur” only in 1842. New discoveries of these incredible beasts seemed to happen every few months, and the public hungered for more. Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins planned to give it to them. Hawkins, an accomplished sculptor, had received a contract to create a series of life-sized models of these extinct creatures. The statues would decorate the grounds of the Crystal Palace, a colossal hall of steel and glass that stretched for over 1,800 feet and stood 132 feet high. The palace had become a symbol of the technological achievements of the Victorian Era, and the public demanded that it become a permanent exhibition. Hawkins was guided in his groundbreaking sculptures by Richard Owen, and they represented the most progressive scientific opinions at the time. Of course, from the perspective of nearly two centuries later, the creations seem somewhat ridiculous to modern eyes as they appear to be gigantic monitor lizards rather than dinosaurs proper. However, the field of paleontology advances quite rapidly. Just think of the discoveries regarding feathered dinosaurs in the past few decades. The sculptor knew that to guarantee a warm reception for his works, he needed a bit of publicity. So, Hawkins came up with the idea to stage a fancy dinner inside his largest model, which was that of the iguanodon. The guests of honor included a number of well-placed luminaries that could ensure the event was well publicized. Formal invitations requested the honor of the guest’s presence inside the iguanodon. Organizers raised an immense deck and tent around the sculpture, which had been hollowed out to put in the dining table. A large crystal chandelier was raised above it. Four large plaques decorated the inside of the tent, each one listing the name of a famed paleontologist (William Buckland, Georges Cuvier, Richard Owen, and Gideon Mantell). Twenty-one people attended with eleven squeezed into the dinosaur. The menu for the event has survived and offers a glimpse of the immense luxury of the dinner. Uniformed waiters served five kinds of wine along with three kinds of soup, jellies, wild game, and French pastries, among many other dishes. The wine seemed to lubricate the guest’s inhibitions, and the event apparently got quite rowdy. The dinner proved successful and the dinosaur models even more so. Over the next fifty years, at least a million visitors came to the park to see them. Sadly, the Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire in 1936, but the sculptures remain to this day to delight dinosaur and history lovers alike. For further information, photos, and drawings please see: https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/the-victorian-dinner-inside-a-dinosaur/ https://profjoecain.net/dinner-iguanodon-crystal-palace-dinosaurs/ https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/dinner-dinosaurs

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Genealogy Center’s January 2024 Programs

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Join us for another month of free, virtual programs! January 2, 2024, 2:30 p.m. EST “Researching Scots-Irish Ancestors” with John D. Beatty - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9721508 January 4, 2024, 6:30 p.m. EST “DNA Ethnicity Results FAQs” with Sara Allen - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9836751 January 9, 2024, 2:30 p.m. EST “Saving Your Memories One Photo at a Time” with Tabitha O’Connor - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9721543 January 10, 2024, 7 p.m. EST “Citing Sources Without Stressing Out” with Amy Johnson Crow – an Allen County Genealogical Program - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RNNa76XIQs-6_T3doXqhUg#/registration January 11, 2024, 6:30 p.m. EST “Exploring Genealogy Resources at the West Virginia & Regional History Center at WVU” with Lori Hostuttler - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9721696 January 16, 2024, 2:30 p.m. EST “Learn about the People’s Collection Wales: a Digital Participatory Archiving Programme” with Berian Rhys Elias - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9721837 January 18, 2024, 6:30 p.m. EST “Getting Started with Jewish Genealogy” with Victoria Fisch - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9721861 January 20, 2024, 2 p.m. EST “Organize Your Search: What Do You Have—What Do You Need?” with Roberta Ridley – an African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne Program – Hands-on program in the Genealogy Center’s Discovery Center, Main Library of the Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana. January 23, 2024, 2:30 p.m. EST “Researching Family in the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)” with Carla Cegielski - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9729158 January 25, 2024, 6:30 p.m. EST “Using City Directories to Break Down Brick Walls” with Susan VH Fabian - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9721987 January 30, 2024, 2:30 p.m. EST “Identifying Unknown Parents or Grandparents Through DNA” with Mike Sainsbury - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9721997 Please register in advance for these engaging programs.

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January 2024 Program Call-Outs

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+++Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana+++

January 10, 2024, 7 p.m. EST “Citing Sources Without Stressing Out” with Amy Johnson Crow – an Allen County Genealogical Program - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RNNa76XIQs-6_T3doXqhUg#/registration Citing sources is one of those things in genealogy research that tends to make us kind of twitchy. We know we should be doing it and we want to do them right. So, we tend to stress out about it. But there is a key to thinking about citing sources – and it won’t raise our blood pressure. Amy holds a master’s degree in library and information Science from Kent State University. She has held a Certified Genealogist credential since 1995. Amy has worked at Ancestry.com, served as the series editor for the National Genealogical Society Guides, published by Rutledge Hill Press, and was the co-author of Online Roots in that series. +++African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne+++ January 20, 2024, 2 p.m. EST “Organize Your Search: What Do You Have—What Do You Need?” with Roberta Ridley – an African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne Program – Hands-on program in the Genealogy Center’s Discovery Center, Main Library of the Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

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Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming

*************************************** Do you want to know what we have planned? Are you interested in one of our events, but forget? We offer 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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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%20 Webster%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 $85. 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 sspearswells@acpl.lib.in.us with "unsubscribe e-zine" in the subject line. Curt B. Witcher and John D. Beatty, CG, co-editors