June 2011

Genealogy Gems:

News from the Fort Wayne Library No. 88, June 30, 2011

In this issue:

Musings on Conferences, Connecting, and Collaborating

Colonial Bounty and Donation Land

Peonage Case Files, 1901-1945

Technology Tip of the Month--Adventures with Microsoft Office Suite 2010

Quick-Tip of the Month for Preservation--File Formats & Sizes for Digitizing Projects

Fort Wayne Ancestry Day 2011

August Tree Talks: Kentucky Research

Family History: Beyond the Basics Mini-Course

Area Calendar of Events

Driving Directions to the Library

Parking at the Library

Queries for The Genealogy Center

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Musings on Conferences, Connecting, and Collaborating by Curt B. Witcher

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I recently returned from the American Library Association‛s annual conference in New Orleans, LA. More than twenty thousand librarians from across the continent, as well as from Europe, Asia, and other countries around the world, convened to share experiences and learn new strategies and techniques for dealing with the many challenges facing twenty-first century libraries and archives. They also gathered to sample and test some of the latest products and services available for current customers as well as those who will shape a new generation of services just beyond the horizon. Attendance at these conferences is a blessing--the benefits of being able to network with other colleagues, share collective wisdom, and update one‛s knowledge base are critical to both personal satisfaction and professional success. Even in this era of online meetings and virtual work spaces, there seems to remain a significant synergy and an enhanced “knowledge-share” that occurs when meeting together in one place and communicating “live and in-person.” I can‛t help but muse how that is also true with genealogy and family history conferences, gatherings, and seminars. The best attended, and arguably most genealogically consequential conference of this young twenty-first century was the RootsTech conference this past February--yes, a technology conference. More than three thousand individuals, whose paths normally don‛t cross, got to interact with experts in different areas of the genealogy space. Researchers were able to see new solutions to age-old challenges and contribute their own expertise and ideas to plans for doing things better. Oh, and some family history got accomplished as well! The Genealogy Center hosts a number of conference and seminar activities in the coming weeks you should consider for this type of premium twenty-first century experience. In just a few weeks, on Saturday, July 23, 2011 we are sponsoring an Ancestry Day. What an amazing opportunity to learn and engage with experts from Ancestry.com and The Genealogy Center. In August, we will provide an opportunity to learn about beginning Kentucky research; with September will come another of our ever-popular mini-courses; and October will be filled to capacity with our annual Family History Month programming. In addition, October 20-22, 2011 a National Black Genealogy Summit will be hosted by the library and the local African American Genealogical Society. The top speakers in the field will be here in Fort Wayne to engage with you on best practices for African American family history. You‛ve just got to check it out at www.BlackGenealogyConference.Info. I offer another reflection from the recent library conference. At this event attended by tens of thousands with so much to see and do, a handful of library school students, public librarians, archivists, academic librarians, and special collections managers met for half of one morning to discuss ways we should be using both technology and our human resources to record and preserve living memory. There is such a need for this issue to be addressed in new and meaningful ways. Rare book and manuscript librarians are rightly concerned that if we don‛t engage the “wisdom keepers” of our times, we may not only lose their words and the stories of their lives, we may also lose critical manuscripts (letters, diaries, telegrams, and other communiques) that document what people in “our days” did, thought, and believed. Genealogists have this same concern--this is more common ground for these two groups of individuals. Increasingly, it is critical to recognize that today‛s activities, thoughts, and writings are tomorrow‛s history. The time to act is now--what is your role? At the library conference, there were a number of excellent programs specifically on recording oral history. Some communities and individuals call these “memory projects.” One such program highlighted the collection of stories from Jewish women who survived the horrible ordeal of Katrina. The power of telling one‛s story was so clearly and vividly emphasized to me all over again. Genealogical and historical societies all over the continent could further the cause of recording local history by actively engaging in memory projects. Story Corps is the national project that captures a few moments from the lives of a very small percentage of the population. What can we do to capture the rest? Is there an ongoing project here for our societies? Finally, we are just hours away from celebrating another holiday that was bought and paid for by the brave actions of our ancestors in military service. Make this 4th of July special beyond fireworks and sparklers by really getting to know your military ancestors. From the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan to the French and Indian wars, our military ancestors have paid the price for what we enjoy. Discover their lives; write their stories; preserve the knowledge of their actions and memories; share their unique place in your family history and in our history. Do something tangible and immediate. Post a digitized photograph(s) to a WeRelate.org wiki page. It‛s free and straightforward. Share a digitized service or pension record with The Genealogy Center, so we can post that information on the military heritage portion of our website. Tell the stories of their lives by making available letters they wrote and received from the war front and the home front. Truly celebrate this weekend.

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Colonial Bounty and Donation Land by Melissa Shimkus

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Genealogists may find that many Colonial-era records provide limited leads for further research, but sources are available that can suggest additional research options. One such source is “Bounty and Donation Land Grants in British Colonial America” by Lloyd deWitt Bockstruck (973.001 B631BO). It provides such genealogical nuggets as residence, details of military service, familial relationships and evidence of migration patterns for those who received land from the government. The book is simple to use with material organized alphabetically by surname, then given name, of the soldiers who received land. The introduction lists sources used to compile the book. The volume documents those who received land in Britain‛s American colonies, primarily as payment for military service. Conflicts with Indians and with settlers from other European nations abounded in the colonies, including King William‛s War, Queen Anne‛s War, the War of Jenkins‛ Ear, King George‛s War, and the French and Indian War. The presence of soldiers was imperative to maintain the safety of the colonies during this time. The British government offered “bounty land” to induce men to enlist, and promised “donation land” as compensation following military service. The government had additional incentives for providing land to those who had served in the military: Having former soldiers stationed in the interior ensured a strong defense when necessary without having to pay for soldiers, and land was readily available in the frontier areas of the colonies. In addition to information about military service, Bockstruck‛s book also provides family details in some cases, since either the soldier or his next of kin may have been awarded the land. For example, Michael Holland died before receiving his land for service in the French and Indian War. His brother, John Holland, accepted his land in Virginia. And after John Sheldon was killed by Indians in Deerfield, Massachusetts, his children, Ebenezer Sheldon and Mary Clap, wife of Samuel, received land in Massachusetts. In addition, some individuals received land as payment for reasons other than military service. After spending one hundred pounds searching for his child who had been kidnapped by Mohawks, Robert Keyes of Princeton, Massachusetts, was compensated with land near his home. Family migration patterns also may be revealed as in the case of Thomas Weymouth of Boston, Massachusetts, whose heirs accepted property in Bedford, New Hampshire. “Bounty and Donation Land Grants in British Colonial America” provides genealogical gleanings that go beyond the obvious and suggest subsequent research avenues in military records, deeds, probate records and other resources.

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Peonage Case Files, 1901-1945 by Cynthia Theusch

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“The Peonage Files of the U.S. Department of Justice, 1901-1945” is among The Genealogy Center‛s many microfilmed resources for African American research (26 reels – cabinet 64-O-5). Peonage is the illegal bondage of a worker who is involuntarily compelled to work off a debt. Such involuntary servitude is contrary to the 13 th Amendment and was outlawed by federal statute in 1867, but the law was not enforced until 1898. These files reveal not only an unseemly aspect of American history but also personal details about victims and perpetrators useful to the genealogist and local historian. In the case “U.S. v. Eberhart,” the complaint of H. O. Johnson called for an investigation into the “reign of terror” perpetrated in Oglethorpe County, Georgia by William Eberhart and his allies. File correspondence details the situation of Charles Calloway, who was free to leave Eberhart‛s employment in November or December of 1897, but “was hand-cuffed and beat by said Eberhart and one Thomas Erwin” until he signed a contract to work for another three years. Calloway‛s wife, Mary, was also forced to sign a contract that bound her and their six children to Eberhart. Included in the case file is a copy of a newspaper article with the headline “Slavery is Found on Georgia Farm…Charges of a Most Shocking Nature.” The article summarized several peonage charges made against Eberhart by the Federal Grand Jury. Case files typically include correspondence and investigative reports. If the case went to a grand jury or court, a transcript of the proceedings is included. The investigative report includes a section giving a personal description of the complainant and/or perpetrator. In case number 50- 703, the alleged perpetrator, Lee Davis, was described as age 45 years, 6 foot 1 inch, 235 pounds, light blue eyes (no glasses), light brown hair, full face, regular teeth, ruddy complexion, clean shaven, occupation farmer, and was married with four children. The file also notes that he had a brother, Bob Davis, who was the Deputy Sheriff living in Post, Texas. A printed “Guide to the Microfilm Edition of The Peonage Files” (975 G9411) is available in The Genealogy Center and provides background information, a reel index, and a subject index. The Reel Index details the contents of each microfilm listing the frame number, case file number, alleged perpetrators and the type of case. The Subject Index includes references to cases by state, specific law, organization, and type of worker. The Peonage Files contain considerable genealogical information supplied by both complainants and investigative agents. By browsing the Guide, you may identify a case of potential interest for your own research.

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Technology Tip of the Month--Adventures with Microsoft Office Suite 2010 by Kay Spears

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Here at The Genealogy Center we recently experienced the joy of upgrading to Microsoft Office Suite 2010 from Version 2003. As you might imagine, this process was interesting. So, in the next few articles, I have decided to share some of the problems, solutions, and work-arounds that may be helpful to those of you who have the same frustrations. At the top of the screen in any program of the new Microsoft Office Suite (Power Point, Excel, Word, or Access), you‛ll notice the “ribbon,” which was introduced in 2007 as a replacement for Microsoft‛s menus and toolbars. Tabs on the ribbon separate each group of commands. I‛ll discuss the ribbon more in my next article. First, I‛d like to address the BIG changes made to Word. Microsoft, in their infinite wisdom, changed the default line spacing from the publishing standard of 1 to 1.5. It is my understanding that this was done for better online compatibility. Here are two ways to change it back. One way to change the spacing is to click on the ribbon‛s “Home” tab, then on “Change Styles.” Select “Style Set” and click on “Word 2003” in the list of choices. Your line spacing will now change to 1. You can always change it back if you want to. Another way to change the line spacing is to go to the “Paragraph” group under the “Home” tab, then click on the tiny drop down arrow in the bottom right hand corner of that group. This opens the “Paragraph” dialog box. You may also get to the paragraph dialog box by right clicking on the document. Under the “Indents and Spacing” tab, change the “Line spacing” from Multiple or 1.5 to Single. Then click “Set as Default” at the bottom of the dialog box. A message box will pop up giving you two choices, to set the default for “This document only?” or for “All documents?” If you don‛t want to do this every time you open a Word document, choose “All.” While you are changing defaults, you also may want to change the default font from Calibri to Times New Roman. Once again, Microsoft altered this default setting based on web usage. They also assumed that all recipients of your documents would have Calibri on their computer. To change your font default setting, go to the “Font” group under the “Home” tab and click on the tiny arrow in the lower right hand corner of that group. This will open the “Font” dialog box. As before, a right click on the document will also let you open this dialog box. Scroll through the options and find the Times New Roman font. You may, of course, choose another font, but remember that your documents will not display properly when sent to a recipient whose computer does not have the same font. As you did with line spacing, click on “Set as Default.” Again, you will be asked whether you want to change the default for “This document only?” or for “All documents?” Next article: The Ribbon

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Quick-Tip of the Month for Preservation--File Formats & Sizes for Digitizing Projects by Curt B. Witcher

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Though compiled more than a decade ago, the National Archives‛ “Scanning and File Format Matrix” for digitizing records is still valid, clear and a worthwhile guide to follow. One can find it at the following URL. www.archives.gov/preservation/technical/guidelines-matrix.pdf

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Fort Wayne Ancestry Day 2011

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Time is running out to register for Ancestry Day, when the experts at Ancestry.com come to Fort Wayne on July 22 and 23, 2011 to share their knowledge and expertise with you! The fun and learning will start Friday night, July 22, 2011 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., when you can pick up your name badge, handout materials, and chat with the experts at the Fort Wayne Hilton Atrium. The actual classes will start Saturday morning, July 23, 2011 at the Grand Wayne Center, which is connected to the Fort Wayne Hilton. The schedule for that Saturday includes the following classes. 9 a.m.--Insider Search Tips for Ancestry.com 10:15 a.m.--How to Find Civil War Roots at Ancestry.com. 11:15 a.m.--Lunch break: Catch a bite at restaurants nearby and/or talk with the experts 1 p.m.--Hidden Treasures of The Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne 2:15 p.m.--A Dozen Ways to Jumpstart Your Family History Project 3:30 p.m.--Ask The Experts Panel The cost for the full day's classes, held at the Grand Wayne Center, right across from the library, is just $20. For more information and to register, go to < http://fortwayneancestryday.eventbrite.com/>. Register for this event today! Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to join us for Ancestry Day!

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August Tree Talks: Kentucky Research

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Our Tree Talks offering for August, “Beginning Kentucky Research at The Genealogy Center," will be presented by Delia Bourne on Saturday, August 27, 2011, from 10 a.m. to 11a.m. in Meeting Room A. Many of our ancestral families passed through Kentucky, staying for a generation or two before moving on to points north, south and west. This lecture provides an overview of records and collections that will aid one in best utilizing The Genealogy Center's Kentucky sources. For more information, or to register for this free program, call 260-421-1225, or send us an email at Genealogy@ACPL.Info.

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Family History: Beyond the Basics Mini-Course

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The popular mini-course, "Family History: Beyond the Basics," will be offered September 30 & October 1, 2011. Instructors Margery Graham and Steve Myers will share their knowledge as well as guide tours of The Genealogy Center and provide assisted research and personal consultations. "Family History: Beyond the Basics" will cover the following topics. Day One: Session 1: Problem Solving: Breaking through Brick Walls in Your Research - Every family historian eventually encounters obstacles in their research that seem insurmountable. Learn some basic strategies for tackling these so-called "brick walls" that can lead you to genealogical breakthroughs. Session 2: Probate Records - Learn how to find and use wills, administrations and guardianships, as well as the other "goodies" contained in probate records. Session 3: Land Records and Tax Lists - Learn the basics of land descriptions and how deed and land grant records, as well as associated tax lists, can all help advance your research. Day Two: Session 4: Military Records - Following an overview of military record sources, learn the basics of researching ancestors who served in the American Civil War (1861-1865) and in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Session 5: Church Records - Learn how to identify, locate and use these important sources of early birth, marriage and death information for a time period that pre-dates government registration of so-called "vital records." Session 6: Tracing Your Ancestors Across the Atlantic - Learn how to find and use the many sources that bear on this crucial research step. Naturalization records, passenger lists, European emigration records and other sources will be discussed. This course will be in Rooms A & B of the Main Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana. The registration fee for the "Family History: Beyond the Basics" mini-course is $50. Checks should be made payable to "ACPL Foundation" and mailed to: The Genealogy Center, Allen County Public Library, P.O. Box 2270, Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270. Mini-course attendance will be limited, so register early to avoid disappointment. In the past this mini-course has filled very quickly so act today! Additional information and a workshop schedule will be posted soon on our Web site at http://www.genealogycenter.org/Events.aspx.

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Area Calendar of Events

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Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI) There are no society meetings during the summer months. Meetings resume in September. September 14, 2011--Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana. 6:30 p.m. refreshments and social time, 7 p.m. program. Curt Witcher will present: “America‛s Second Revolution: Records & Resources for War of 1812 Research.” Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society, 302 East Berry, Ft. Wayne, IN The George R. Mather Sunday Lecture Series will resume again in September.

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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. Steve Myers & Curt Witcher, co-editors