February 2008

Genealogy Gems:

News from the Fort Wayne Library No. 48, February 29, 2008

In this issue:

New Programs and New Encyclopedias

Settlement and Trail Atlases of Carrie Eldridge

Marriage Records of the Freedmen’s Bureau, 1861-1869

Preservation Tip of the Month

Correction to Last Month’s “Directories of Photographers” Article

March Madness--Genealogical Style

Tree Talks--A Family History Lecture Series

Librarians On Parade

Area Calendar of Events

Driving Directions to the Library

Parking at the Library

Queries for the Department

***************************************

New Programs and New Encyclopedias by Curt B. Witcher

***************************************

Like some of you, we’ve been experiencing a bit of cabin-fever here in the Genealogy Center with the cold temps, blowing snow, and gray winter skies! And we’re breaking out in a big way! We have a number of exciting new program offerings for you. Our now famous “March Madness” starts in just a few hours with a “Beginning Genealogy” workshop. What a great way to start your Saturday morning when you wake-up tomorrow! Walk-ins are welcome at the Allen County Genealogical Society sponsored program. The rest of this coming week’s programs are further on in this newsletter and at:   As mentioned in the December issue of “Genealogy Gems,” we’re offering a regular schedule of monthly genealogy classes on the 4th Saturday of each month beginning with this month. We’ve chosen a name for the series, “Tree Talks: A Family History Lecture Series,” and we’ve posted the next eight months of topics further on in this newsletter and online at:  You will notice that September and October are starred months. That can only mean something especially good! September’s “Tree Talks” will be a military symposium by nationally renowned genealogist and lecturer, Marie Varrelman Melchiori, CG, CGL. Again, more details further on in this newsletter. Are you curious about October? Stay tuned! And now, our encyclopedias . . . We have heard many times from numerous sources that researching in context pays such significant dividends, and that “doing the history” can provide consequential leads in finding all the data about a potential ancestor. Among the many rich resources of the Genealogy Center are some extraordinary materials that help one do just that. We recently received a five-volume set entitled, “The Encyclopedia of the American Revolutionary War: A Political, Social, and Military History.” At more than seventeen hundred pages, this work provides a detailed look at many of the principal people involved in this war, as well as reproductions of early maps and transcriptions of keystone documents in the founding of this country. The work also contains a robust number of sources with nearly every section concluded by a list of references researchers can check for additional data. Significant numbers of thorough, well-written biographical sketches can be found in each volume, as well as an index to the entire five-volume work. The detailed portraits and pen-and-ink illustrations are an added bonus. Another voluminous work recently added to the Genealogy Center collections is entitled, "Encyclopedia of American Indian History." In four volumes, this work offers thorough treatment of the American Indian/Native American experience in the United States. While the parts of volume one that address contemporary native peoples issues may not provide much genealogical or historical context, the parts that address the historical treatment of Native Americans, as well as sections on property rights, treaty diplomacy and historical battles are quite useful and enlightening. Volume two covers culture, governments, and American Indian history, but it is volumes three and four that hold the most promise for the genealogical researcher. Volume three covers people and groups in American Indian history as well as primary source documents; volume four is dedicated to Indian nation histories and resources. As with the previously described set, an index to the entire work is carried in the back of each volume.

***************************************

Settlement and Trail Atlases of Carrie Eldridge by Delia Cothrun Bourne

***************************************

Genealogists know that maps are a vital research tool for understanding their ancestors’ movements. Atlases can cover counties, states, regions, countries, even the world, and each type of coverage has benefits. We genealogists are interested not only in current, but also historical maps. And the really interesting atlases cover both, providing clues as to how and why our ancestors moved. Carrie Eldridge has published a series of trail and settlement atlases that collectively cover the United States. All contain information on Native American, animal, or other major trails, physical barriers and formations, and movement and settlement patterns for the region covered, but all have unique features. The first, “An atlas of Appalachian trails to the Ohio River” (973 EL2A), published in 1998, also includes the gaps in the Blue Ridge Mountains, fortifications, life on the toll roads, and a Virginia-West Virginia county formation diagram. “An atlas of southern trails to the Mississippi” (975 EL2AT), published in 1999, contains information on early colonial transportation, pre-19th century pioneer destinations, military bounty lands and land grants, and an explanation and maps of royal charters and land companies. The next year, Ms. Eldridge published “An atlas of northern trails westward from New England” (974 EL24AT). This covers general migration routes and forts as well as early watersheds and portage paths, 1804 post roads, a discussion and map for the eighteen land grants that formed Ohio, and major canals of New York and Ohio, including a nifty profile of the Erie Canal. The fourth volume, “An atlas of trails west of the Mississippi River” (978 EL24AT), was published in 2001. Subjects include control of North America in the 17th and 18th centuries, western vegetation and precipitation, and trails for traders, caravans, cattle, and miners. The travels of three specific families are also highlighted. And lastly, “An atlas of settlement between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi-Missouri Valleys, 1760-1880” (973 EL2B), published in 2006, uses tinted maps to highlight areas of settlement by date in increments of one or two decades, proposed land grants and colonies, Ohio River tributary settlements, destinations of soldiers who received land, Indian land cessions, canals, and the foreign-born population density in 1860 and 1880. All of these volumes run about 28 x 43 centimeters, making them oversized. Most are located in our oversize stacks, but the atlases of “…Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi-Missouri Valleys, 1760-1880” and “…Appalachian trails to the Ohio River” are located in one of the Ready Reference atlas cases near the entrance to the Genealogy Center. The next time you visit, take a few minutes to browse these interesting sources.

***************************************

Marriage Records of the Freedmen’s Bureau, 1861-1869 by Melissa Shimkus

***************************************

Researchers interested in the formal legalization of ex-slave marriages during the Civil War era should consult “Marriage Records of the Freedmen’s Bureau, 1861-1869” on microfilm. The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, commonly known as the Freedmen’s Bureau, was established on March 3, 1865 and disbanded on June 30, 1872. The Bureau established headquarters in the former Confederate states, border states, and the District of Columbia to provide relief to the freedmen and oversee abandoned property. Since slave marriages were not legally recognized, Bureau Commissioner Oliver Howard issued orders which allowed the Bureau to record marriages and issue marriage certificates. Despite Commissioner Howard’s guidelines for documenting former slave marriages, there was no consistent method of recording marriages among the state Bureaus. Each state’s Bureau official created unique procedures for documenting ex-slave marriages. Some states noted slave marriages in a report, while others issued marriage certificates to the freedmen couples. The microfilm set being discussed here includes marriages from Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Additional marriage records are available for these and other states in alternate sets of Freedmen’s Bureau microfilms, as well as in unfilmed records at the National Archives. The microfilmed “Marriage Records of the Freedmen’s Bureau, 1861-1869” consists of five rolls organized alphabetically by state. Within each state, marriages are listed alphabetically by the first letter of the groom’s surname. The nature of the records and time period covered varies by state. The Virginia section includes a list of thirty-two marriages in September, 1861 from Camp Hamilton where the Rev. L. C. Lockwood performed several ceremonies for refugees. For Missouri, there is only a list of marriages recorded from July, 1865 to August, 1865. One, on July 19, 1865, shows Robert Randal (35 years old) marrying Marie Thomas (26 years old). The couple had one male and one female child. In Tennessee, marriage certificates were issued from 1863 to 1866. A marriage certificate issued on February 26, 1866 in Nashville, TN for Samuel Carter and Dinah Blythe, also states they were man and wife for the past four years, and had three children: Sally Carter (4 years old), Lucy Carter (2 years old), and Betsy Carter (1 month old). Images from these microfilms can also be browsed online at Ancestry.com, but the individual names are not indexed. In addition, transcripts of some of these marriage records are available at the free Internet site freedmensbureau.com. The microfilmed set “Marriage Records of the Freedmen’s Bureau, 1861-1869” is an essential resource for African-American genealogists attempting to locate the formal marriage records of their Civil War era relatives. The set also helps researchers to document their ancestor’s transformation from oppressed slaves to free citizens of the United States.

***************************************

Preservation Tip of the Month By Becky Schipper

***************************************

The spine is the most vulnerable part of a book, since it bends and flexes each time the book is opened. Even in a well-bound volume the joints may split or crack in time if heavily used and not carefully handled. In oversized and/or extremely heavy books the joints are under stress just sitting on the shelf. The best way to shelve these oversized books is to lay them flat on a shelf at least as wide as the book and alternate the spines. Larger books should be placed at the bottom of a stack of not more than four or five books.

***************************************

Correction to Last Month’s “Directories of Photographers” Article ***************************************

We regret an error was made in last month’s article, “Directories of Photographers Can Help Identify Old Photographs.” We would like to correct that error here. It was stated that daguerreotypes were images made on glass, but in fact, these were ambrotypes. Daguerreotypes were made on polished silver or copper plates. ***************************************

March Madness--Genealogical Style

***************************************

As mentioned last month, we are offering a great line-up of programs the first week in March. Now is the time to reserve a place on your calendar and sign up for these great learning opportunities. A complete descriptive listing is on our website at:   Dates and topics are listed below. Saturday March 1, 2008: “Beginning Genealogy,” Margery Graham, Instructor, sponsored by the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana, Meeting Room A. Fee $10. Pre-registration required. Call 260-672-2585 for more information, or use the form at http://www.acgsi.org/workshop.pdf to register. Sunday March 2, 2008: “The Five Forts That Make Fort Wayne.” Presented by John Beatty. ACPL Theater, 1-2 PM. Monday March 3, 2008: “Searching Ancestry.com.” Presented by Melissa Shimkus. Computer Classroom, 2:30-3:30 PM. Tuesday March 4, 2008: “Fingerprinting Our Families: Using Ancestral Origins as a Genealogical Research Key.” Presented by Curt Witcher. Meeting Room C, 1-2 PM. Wednesday March 5, 2008: “Using PERSI at HeritageQuestOnline.com.” Presented by Delia Bourne. Computer Classroom, 2:30-3:30 PM. Thursday March 6, 2008: “Ask the Librarian.” Meeting Room A, 2:30-3:30 PM. Bring your genealogical questions to our experienced panel! Friday March 7, 2008: “Not Just Ancestry: Using the Entire Internet for Genealogy.” Presented by Don Litzer. Meeting Room A, 10-11 AM. ***************************************

Tree Talks--A Family History Lecture Series by Delia Bourne and Melissa Shimkus

***************************************

As announced in the January issue, the fourth Saturdays from March to October will feature educational opportunities for researchers at ACPL’s Main Library. Mark your calendars now for the first two events: Using Census Records presented by Melissa Shimkus Saturday, March 22, 2008, 10:00 a.m. Meeting Room C Census records are easily accessible to genealogists via the Internet. Family relationships, migration, and immigration can be discovered using these resources. Melissa will help you to identify what genealogy treasures are found in census records, as well as to develop search methods and strategies to overcome research problems. Indiana Church Records presented by John Beatty Saturday, April 26, 2008, 10:00 a.m. Meeting Room A Church records offer a significant and little-used resource for genealogical research. John will discuss the different types of records that churches produce, including parish registers, minutes of meetings, and directories. He will illustrate, through examples, the types of records that exist for various denominations, and provide descriptions of the information these records contain. He will also offer some strategies for locating these records. Tree Talks – Super Sized A couple of times each year, the Genealogy Center will present a two-day symposium on selected aspects of research. We are already planning the first of these, a Military Symposium presented by Marie Varrelman Melchiori, CG, CGL, on Friday and Saturday, September 26 & 27, 2008. Starting with "Using Records at the National Archives: A Researcher's View,” on September 26 at 3pm, and followed by research time in the Genealogy Center, where registered attendees may stay researching until the 6:30 p.m. dinner. Friday evening at the library will end with Curt Witcher speaking on the Genealogy Center’s “Military Heritage” website. Saturday morning, Ms. Melchiori will present “If Grandpa Wore Blue: Union Records in the National Archives” and “If Grandpa Wore Gray: Confederate Records in the National Archives.” Morning sessions will end at noon, allowing plenty of research time and an opportunity for individual consultations in the afternoon. Space is limited so it is certainly not too early to register. Registration (including Friday evening dinner): $50 payable to the Allen County Public Library Send a check with your name, postal address and email address to: Military Symposium 2008 Genealogy Center, Allen County Public Library P.O. Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270 Questions: 260-421-1225 or Genealogy@ACPL.Info

***************************************

Librarians on Parade

***************************************

Curt Witcher Mar. 4, 2008 at 1 p.m. at the Allen County Public Library’s Main Library, 900 Library Plaza, Meeting Room C. Topic: “Fingerprinting Our Ancestors: Using Ancestral Origins as a Genealogical Research Key” Apr. 4, 2008, Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library, 200 SE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Evansville, IN. Indiana Genealogical Society’s Society Management Seminar Apr. 5, 2008, Indiana Genealogical Society Annual Conference, The Centre, 715 Locust Street, Evansville, IN. Topic: “Time for Reaping: Finding & Using Our Ancestors’ Death Event Records” Apr. 12, 2008, Burlington Public Library, 210 Court Street, Burlington, IA. All day seminar: “Using Military Records for Genealogical Research,” “Passenger & Immigration Research,” “Using Periodical Literature in Genealogical Research,” and “Effective Use of the Allen County Public Library” Apr. 18 & 19, 2008, Ohio Genealogical Society Conference, Sheraton Cincinnati North, 11320 Chester Road, Cincinnati, OH. Topics: “Finding the World with WorldCat” and “A New Era of Collections and Services at Fort Wayne’s Genealogy Center” Apr. 21, 2008 at 7 p.m., Steuben County Genealogical Society, Carnegie Public Library, 322 S. Wayne Street, Angola, IN. Topic: “Using Military Records for Genealogical Research” Apr. 30, 2008, Utah Library Association Annual Conference, Hilton-Salt Lake City Center. Topics: “More Toys and a Bigger Sandbox: Future Trends in Digital Libraries” and “Something for Everyone: Genealogical Reference Services in the 21st Century” John Beatty Mar. 2, 2008 at 1 p.m. at the Allen County Public Library’s Main Library, 900 Library Plaza, Theater. Topic: “The Five Forts That Make Fort Wayne” Apr. 26, 2008 at 10 a.m. at the Allen County Public Library’s Main Library, 900 Library Plaza, Meeting Room A. Topic: “Indiana Church Records” Delia Bourne Mar. 5, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. at the Allen County Public Library’s Main Library, 900 Library Plaza, Computer Classroom. Topic: “Using PERSI at HeritageQuestOnline.com” Don Litzer Mar. 7, 2008 at 10 a.m. at the Allen County Public Library’s Main Library, 900 Library Plaza, Meeting Room A. Topic: “Not Just Ancestry: Using the Entire Internet for Genealogy” Mar. 12, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. at the Allen County Public Library’s Main Library, 900 Library Plaza. Topic: “What's in a German Place Name?” Melissa Shimkus Mar. 3, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. at the Allen County Public Library’s Main Library, 900 Library Plaza, Computer Classroom. Topic: “Searching Ancestry.com” Mar. 22, 2008 at 10 a.m. at the Allen County Public Library’s Main Library, 900 Library Plaza, Meeting Room C. Topic: “Using Census Records”

***************************************

Area Calendar of Events

***************************************

Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI) Mar. 12, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. at the Allen County Public Library’s Main Library, 900 Library Plaza. Genealogy Center librarian Don Litzer will present “What's in a German Place Name?” Apr. 9, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. at the Allen County Public Library’s Main Library, 900 Library Plaza. ACGSI members Adam Barrone, Sue Downey, and Phil Husband will present “Software Available for Doing Genealogy.” May 14, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. at the Allen County Public Library’s Main Library, 900 Library Plaza. ACGSI member Marge Graham will present “How to Retrieve Information from Other Sites.” Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) "First Wednesday" program of lineage assistance is Wednesday, March 5, 2008, 9 am – 7 pm at the Allen County Public Library’s Main Library, 900 Library Plaza, in the Genealogy Center. Expert help from members of the DAR on becoming a member of that organization. Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society, 302 East Berry, Ft. Wayne, IN Mar. 2, 2008, 2 p.m., Gen Dornbush and Jacqui Seals present “Quilting: Art, Politics and Superstitions” (Featuring work by Sisters of the Cloth) Apr. 6, 2008, 2 p.m., Terry Lacy presents “The Artist as Historian: Painting the Wabash & Erie Canal” May 4, 2008, 2 p.m., Donn Werling presents “Down on the Farm” (Following the lecture, History Center members will be invited to visit the historic Werling farm which dates back to 1856.)

***************************************

Driving Directions to the Library

***************************************

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.

***************************************

Parking at the Library

***************************************

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 halfhours, $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.

***************************************

Genealogy Center Queries

***************************************

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.

***************************************

Publishing Note:

***************************************

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.Info. 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. Curt Witcher, editor pro-tem