January 2013

Genealogy Gems:

News from the Fort Wayne Library No. 107, January 31, 2013

In this issue:

WorldCat and FamilySearch--Enhancing Our Discovery Systems

Delayed Birth Records

Register of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914

Technology Tip of the Month--Using the Levels Tool to Correct Color in Adobe Photoshop/Elements

Quick-Tip of the Month for Preservation--Convert Files to Newest Media

Last Chance for WinterTech 2012-2013

Seven Sweet Classes

Visitor from Down Under Shares Research Tips

Area Calendar of Events

Driving Directions to the Library

Parking at the Library

Queries for The Genealogy Center

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WorldCat and FamilySearch--Enhancing Our Discovery Systems by Curt B. Witcher

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Exciting news! The nearly three million catalog records in the Family History Library (FHL) Catalog soon will appear in WorldCat, a free, online database currently listing more than 1.6 billion catalog records for more than 10,000 libraries worldwide. This is being made possible through collaboration between FamilySearch, the world’s largest genealogical operation, and OCLC, the world’s largest cooperative. FamilySearch and OCLC signed an agreement for the project at the American Library Association’s midwinter meeting in Seattle, Washington. What this means for genealogists is that anyone searching WorldCat for a surname, geographic location, ethnic group or organization will now have access to the bibliographic information FamilySearch has been compiling for years on its collection of family and local history materials from around the world. From the press release: “Under this new partnership, OCLC will incorporate data from FamilySearch’s catalog of genealogical materials into WorldCat, and FamilySearch will use OCLC cataloging services to continue to catalog its collections in WorldCat. FamilySearch will also use the WorldCat Search API to incorporate WorldCat results into search results returned by FamilySearch genealogy services.” For those tempted to think this really isn’t that big of a deal, it is important to recall the old adage that “next to knowing, is knowing where to find out.” In our Google-dominated world, many born-on-the-web genealogists (which are the overwhelming majority of those actively engaged in family history pursuits) are content to almost exclusively engage in surname searching. “Key a surname and explore the many thousands of hits I get!” is the approach that typically carries the day. That strategy can leave one overwhelmed with results, often not knowing how to value or evaluate those results. Because of WorldCat’s work with Google and other search engines, though, one more frequently finds books and other research resources listed in search results. Soon web searchers will find citations for FamilySearch resources, resources that include their immense collection of original microfilmed and digitized records. As FamilySearch increasingly has its microfilmed resources digitized, finding these bibliographic records in WorldCat will increasingly mean one is linking to actual digital images of the records being described in the catalog. Digitized FamilySearch materials will now join the digitized entities of the HathiTrust, Google Books, the Internet Archive and others on WorldCat. How cool is that?! For whatever reasons, so many libraries and research centers simply don’t have FamilySearch and the FHL catalog on their “radar” as web spaces with great family history “tool kits,” let alone great history resources. A FHL catalog presence in WorldCat will increase the chances that family history researchers as well as researchers in numerous other related fields will discover the valuable materials FamilySearch has gathered and made accessible over the years. FHL library records living in WorldCat means that users have the ability to create and save lists and bibliographies that include FHL bibliographic resources. While free to access with no login required, you can create a free account in WorldCat, and then compile and annotate a research list on a family, location or other topic. That compilation lives in the cloud, and can be accessed anywhere with an Internet connection. WorldCat offers some additional functionality that is pretty neat. Its “Find a Library” mobile app enables users to find the libraries closest to them that own a particular book. Once a particular library is chosen, it is possible to view information regarding that library’s location, phone number and e-mail address. The researcher also can link to library’s online catalog for more specific item information, and call the library directly to confirm the availability of the book or other item. In addition to the “Find a Library” app, there are nine different WorldCat apps for the iPhone, and three of them are also available for the Android. There are two experimental features currently available on the WorldCat site. One is “WorldCat Genres,” which is supposed to assist users in discovering resources by titles, subjects and locations just to mention a few of the grouping possibilities. It will be interesting to see if that works well in the genealogy space. The other, “WorldCat Identities Network,” is being developed to help researchers determine relationships between individuals, locations, historical events and the like found in books and other materials. And I haven’t even mentioned how getting WorldCat results in FamilySearch queries will broaden and enrich the discovery experience for the hundreds of thousands of individuals who use FamilySearch each day. Indeed, “next to knowing is knowing where to find out.” Kudos to FamilySearch and OCLC for partnering to enhance the discoverability of key informational resources in WorldCat!

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Delayed Birth Records by Delia Cothrun Bourne

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In most areas of the United States, the births of children born much before the 20th century were recorded, at best, in a family Bible or a church document. In the pre-1900 era, most people were born at home and few doctor or midwife records survive. In some areas, the custom of home birth persisted into the 1920s or 1930s. Later, when these babies became adults and needed legal proof of their birth to serve in the military, obtain a passport or qualify for Social Security benefits, many applied for delayed birth records. These delayed birth records, so-called because they were recorded many years after the actual birth, usually include at least the person’s name at birth, gender and race, place and date of birth and address at the time of the application for the delayed record. They also often include the names of the parents of the subject and the parents’ ages and places of birth. Information was verified by the applicant presenting official documents, such as military discharge papers, church or school records or insurance policies, and by notarized statements from parents, doctors, ministers or friends who knew the applicant from birth. Most delayed birth records were created from the 1930s to 1960s, but some can be found for later periods. The Genealogy Center has a wealth of indexes to and abstracts of delayed birth records. Most are for specific counties and their format varies widely. One example of a book of delayed birth record abstracts is, “Merced County, California, Delayed Birth Certificates,” covering 1943 to 1997 (979.401 M53bi). Two statewide lists are Robert L. Smith’s “Kentucky Delayed Birth Certificate Index” (976.9 SM59k), which provides name, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name and a citation for ordering a copy, and the ten-volume set “Arkansas Prior Birth Index” (976.7 AR48715). In addition, there are more than 600 entries in the “Periodical Source Index” database concerning delayed birth registrations and The Genealogy Center owns the corresponding periodical issues. The Genealogy Center also has “Ontario Delayed Birth Abstract,” covering the period 1860 to 1874 (971.3 M265o). The dates in the catalog record reflect the dates of the applications, not the dates of the births, which in some cases were much earlier. The volume provides the child’s and parents’ names and the date and location of each birth. However, unlike American county-level delayed birth records, which usually record the births of those who were born in that specific county, these Canadian records include those born in other countries, such as Adolph Morell, born about 1845 in Russia, and Ferdinand Hartwick, born in 1824 in Saxony. The preface advises examination of the original documents, which are on microfilm at the Family History Library. When contacting a county about delayed birth records, it is wise to remember that it is a less-common type of vital record, and some clerks may not be familiar with the source. But for that elusive early 20th century ancestor, delayed birth records may hold the necessary clues to success.

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Register of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914 by Melissa Shimkus ***************************************

Most often when searching for military records, the researcher’s focus is on specific wars or military conflicts. However since 1798, men – and later women – have served in the Armed Forces during peacetime as well as during wars. In addition, many individuals have had careers with the United States Army. “The Register of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914” microfilm set is a compilation of muster rolls, unit rosters and enlistment papers that chronicles those who served in the Army during that period. It includes federal soldiers only and not militia or reserve units. The eighty-one microfilm reels are available at The Genealogy Center or can be accessed online at Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. Each register is organized by year then month of enlistment. Some registers are strictly alphabetical by surname, while others are loosely arranged by the first letter of the surname. Each entry spans two pages of the register book, with the second page featuring a “notes and remarks” section providing additional information. Generally, the register provides facts about the soldier’s service, along with vital statistics and a physical description. For example, Edward Exline, a twenty-five year old farmer from Virginia, was a private in the 19th U.S. Infantry and served under Captain Trimble. He was described as 5 feet, 5.5 inches tall, with a fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He enlisted 3 February 1814 in Chillicothe, and on 31 May 1815, his company was attached to the 17th Infantry. On 6 June 1815, he was discharged at Chillicothe and there is a note that a pension file exists. These records can also reveal heretofore unknown information about an ancestor. For example, Alexander Terrell was tried in 1806 for drunkenness and stealing, and then tried again in 1811 for drunkenness and “stoppage of whiskey and confinement.” A note about twenty-year-old Adam Jasienicki, who enlisted 2 January 1912 in South Chicago, Illinois, states that he was a very good musician. “The Register of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914” provides documentation spanning more than a century about those who volunteered for the Army. It is a source that should be checked when searching for ancestors who were known to have served in the military, as well as for those thought to have been lifetime civilians, but who disappeared from records for a time. They may have been serving their country!

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Technology Tip of the Month--Using the Levels Tool to Correct Color in Adobe Photoshop/Elements by Kay Spears

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As has been noted, in the Adobe products Photoshop and Elements, there is no single “click to fix” button, but a plethora of tools that can be used in different ways to fix a problem. One way to use the Levels tool is to correct a faded color photograph. The Levels tool can be accessed from either the Menu Bar or the Layers Palette. The technique is the same in both Adobe products from either access point. First, open the photographic image that has the color fade problem. In the Photoshop Menu Bar, go to Image>Adjustments>Levels. Or on the Photoshop Layers palette: Create new adjustment layer>Levels. In Adobe Elements: Enhance Image>Adjust Lighting>Levels. Or on the Elements Layers palette: Create new adjustment layer>Levels. Before going further, look at the Levels dialog box that has just opened. You should see a box in the middle which looks like a big, black, filled-in graph area. This is called a Histogram and it holds the photograph's information. Below the Histogram is a sliding bar with three points. One of the points is black, one gray and one white. Above the Histogram in Photoshop, should be a drop-down box that says, "Channel: RGB." In Elements, you will see only "RGB." To use the Levels tool, you will work with the graph, slide bar and channels. Next, move your cursor to the RGB drop-down arrow and click on Red. The Histogram should have changed slightly. Move the Black slider over until it starts to touch the beginning of the Histogram information. Now repeat with the White slider. You should be moving the black and white slider toward each other. Sometimes the edge of the graph already touches the sliders. If this is the case, do not move the sliders. Next, go back to the drop-down box, choose the Green channel and manipulate the Black and White sliders as before. Finally, go back to the drop-down box, choose the Blue channel and repeat. Note that during all three of these procedures, the middle – or Gray slider – was left alone. Well, we’ve been saving it. If the photograph requires lightening or darkening, go to the Channel/RGB drop-down box and click on RGB. Now move the middle or Gray slider slightly until the desired results are achieved. This technique is available in both Photoshop and Elements. Next: A look at Blending Modes

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Quick-Tip of the Month for Preservation--Convert Files to Newest Media by Dawne Slater-Putt, CG(sm)*

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This is a preservation tip that will not be new to most people, but is a worthwhile reminder just the same – Be sure that you continue to convert your archived computer files to the newest media. It wasn’t very long ago that we were using 5 1/4-inch floppy disks in our computers! Now it would be very difficult for most people to find a computer with a 5 1/4-inch drive to read these disks. A few readers of this e-zine may still have a computer that runs the 3 1/2-inch floppy disks, but I’d wager that they are in the minority! Here’s a news flash (NOT): Technology changes rapidly. If we truly want to preserve for the future the scanned family photo files, stories we have written about ancestors, record transcriptions that we have painstakingly created and any other archived files, we must regularly take inventory to be sure that we have them stored on a medium that can be read by current computer equipment. Compact disks largely seem to be going the way of floppy disks. The current – but maybe not for long – way we store portable files is on a USB drive, also called a “thumb” drive or a “flash” drive. Many of the newer computers do not have CD drives, especially the very small machines like netbooks and the Mac Book Air. iPads and other tablets don’t have CD drives or USB drives! Although they usually aren’t employed as a primary computer, they are gaining popularity and the soaring number of applications becoming available may change their status in the future. The iPad or tablet may be tomorrow’s primary computer for the average person, with cloud storage – storage on the Internet – replacing USB drives and external hard drives as the archival storage medium of choice. In the meantime, we would be wise simply to be aware of the changing technological world around us. The time to make back-up copies of the files and pictures that you have archived on compact disks is before your computer with the CD drive crashes – because your next computer might not come standard with a CD drive! If you have 3 1/2-inch floppy disks around your house and no longer have a computer that will read them, NOW is the time to poll your friends and fellow genealogy society members to see if someone has such a piece of dinosaur equipment. You might find treasures on those disks that you have forgotten, and that time might forget also if you do not act soon. A related tip is that even if you are using media that is still current – a USB drive, for example – after repeated use, being dropped, being carried around in a pocket, computer case or purse, any type of hardware can fail. It can even fail for no apparent reason after a very short time and with very little use! So to be truly safe in archiving images and files, back them up often on separate media, either the same or different types than your original. You can use your computer’s hard drive, an external hard drive, CDs or DVDs, USB drives, or cloud storage. There is no need to panic and rush out to buy the latest and greatest in computer storage media as soon as people begin to talk about it on Facebook, but do remain aware and have a plan in mind for keeping the fruits of your research safe for future generations. “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. Certificate No. 386 awarded 4 July 1996; expires 4 July 2016.

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Last Chance for WinterTech 2012-2013

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Come on in from the cold for the last of this season's WinterTech classes. In February's WinterTech class, you can learn how to "Plug-In Your Armchair Genealogy: Researching from Home" on Wednesday, 13 February 2013, beginning at 2:30 in Meeting Room A on the library's first floor. This session takes the armchair research of the past - letters, queries, Interlibrary loan and phone calls - and gives it a modern twist. There's so much that can be found through the Internet to advance your research, even if you do not subscribe to a single commercial (for-pay) database! For more information, see the brochure at http://www.genealogycenter.org/Libraries/2012_Brochures/winterTech2012.sflb.ashx. To register for this free class, call 260-421-1225 or email Genealogy@ACPL.Info. Stay involved as winter fades, with technology for your genealogy!

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Seven Sweet Classes

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Whether or not you get bored with college basketball, join us for The Genealogy Center's version of March Madness, Genealogy Style. Our 2013 theme is "Telling Your Story." The classes are scheduled for Monday, March 4 through Saturday, March 9, with two classes on Thursday, and will highlight gathering and documenting oral history, using heirlooms in your family's saga, and preserving family stories and memorabilia for future generations. Classes are: Monday March 4, 2013, 2P-3P, Meeting Room A Gathering & Writing the Stories of Your Life -- Beginning Steps - Curt Witcher Tuesday March 5, 2013, 2P-3P, Meeting Room A Did It Really Happen That Way? Documenting Oral History - Delia Bourne Wednesday March 6, 2013, 2P-3P, Meeting Room A Insuring Our Story: Recording & Transcribing Oral History - Melissa Shimkus Thursday March 7, 2013, 11A-12N - Meeting Room A Tracking Heirlooms & Telling Their Stories - Dawne Slater-Putt Thursday March 7, 2013, 2P-3P - Meeting Room A Beyond the Family Bible: Making the Most of Heirlooms and Artifacts in Genealogical Research - John Beatty Friday March 8, 2013, 10A-11A, Meeting Room A Writing Personal History - Dawne Slater-Putt Saturday March 9, 2013, 10A-11A, Meeting Room A Creating a Family History Storybook - Cynthia Theusch For more information, see our brochure at http://www.genealogycenter.org/Libraries/2012_Brochures/MarchMadness.sflb.ashx. To register for any or all of these free classes, email Genealogy@ACPL.Info or call 260-421-1225.

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Visitor from Down Under Shares Research Tips

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The Genealogy Center is pleased to welcome Liz Pidgeon, Local and Family History Librarian at Yarra Plenty Regional Library, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, who will present "Researching Australian Family History & Tips for Finding Americans in Australia" on Friday March 15, 2013, From 2 PM to 3 PM in Meeting Room A. In this rare opportunity, Liz will provide an introduction to research in Australia and an overview of sources, including archives, genealogy and family history societies, convict research, military resources and libraries, including the National Library's Trove website. To register for this free presentation, email Genealogy@ACPL.Info or call 260-421-1225. Don't miss this important event!

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Area Calendar of Events

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Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI) 13 February 2013--Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana. 6:30 p.m. refreshments followed at 7 p.m. by Curt Witcher’s presentation: “Who Went Where and Did What?: Using Directories in Genealogical Research.” Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society 3 February 2013--History Center, 302 E. Berry Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana. 2 p.m. George R. Mather Sunday Lecture Series featuring John Dortch on “How Bad Do You Want It?”

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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 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.

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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