March 2006

Genealogy Gems:

News from the Fort Wayne Library No. 25, March 31, 2006

In this issue:

Taking a Break and Making a Breakthrough

Gazetteers for German and Germanic Research—Beyond the Basics

The Alabama Records Series by Jones & Gandrud

New Medieval Sources

Preservation Tip of the Month

Hotel of the Month

Area Calendar of Events

ACPL Librarians on Tour

Driving Directions to the Library

Parking at the Library

Queries for the Department

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Taking a Break and Making a Breakthrough by Curt B. Witcher

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This is the time of year when many families are either just getting back from spring-break or just leaving for spring-break. Watching this year’s annual migration of people looking for a break from winter doldrums and seeking some sun left me with a couple of thoughts. First, seeing folks engage in one kind of a break or another makes me think of how important breaks are in many aspects of our lives. Certainly as genealogists, many of us have experienced some of our best finds (and climbed over many of those proverbial brick walls!) after putting things aside for a while, sometimes even working on a completely different line. If you find that your research isn’t going as well as you would like, perhaps you need a genealogical break. Plan a little “research road-trip” to a county of interest; attend your local genealogical society’s next meeting and seminar just to get out from behind that computer and dialog with folks that are doing the same kind of work as you are; and see if planning a day or two worth of on-site research at the Allen County Public Library might provide some fresh clues and new perspectives. Second, observing the break from school and studies reminds me of how important, yet so under-utilized, school records are for genealogists. Whether yearbooks and other annuals, alumni booklets and special publications, enrollment records, attendance and grade rosters, or records of teachers’ contracts, the records generated by educational institutions of all types are so significant. The Historical Genealogy Department contains many school records, and continues to aggressively build that collection of materials. Indeed, if you have school yearbooks and other annuals that are looking for a good home, we would be pleased to be that home! Finally, speaking of school records, thanks to the dedicated efforts of staff and volunteers, indices to Fort Wayne Central High School yearbooks and Fort Wayne Central Catholic High School yearbooks are now both available at FriendsOfAllenCounty.org. Indices to other area schools’ yearbooks are planned for the future. Stop by and take a look.

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Gazetteers for German and Germanic Research—Beyond the Basics By Donald Litzer ******************************************

One can never have too many maps and gazetteers, especially when doing German research, because no “Germany” existed before 1871. The original Atlantic Bridge to Germany series by Charles M. Hall (943 H14a v.1-10) and the reissued series by Origins, for which volumes for Baden (943.46 H434a), Alsace-Lorraine (944.38 H434a), and Pomerania (943.16 H434p) have been published, are foremost among worthwhile English-language gazetteers. Meyers Orts- und Verkehrs-Lexikon des Deutschen Reichs (Meyers Geographical and Commercial Lexicon of the German Empire) (943 W93m) is the premier pre-World War I German-language gazetteer, and gazetteers covering specific regions can also be very useful. In addition, the following authoritative German-language sources of multi-regional or national scope, all of which are noted in Shirley Riemer’s The German Research Companion, can help you match Germanic place names to places. Das Postleitzahlenbuch’s (The Postal Code Book) (943 P8465) format is readily understood once one realizes its similarity to the arrangement of U.S. zip code directories. The first section lists places alphabetically with their postal codes. The second section, arranged alphabetically by major city/metropolitan area, lists postal codes by street name within each area. This directory was published in 1993 after a reunited Germany instituted a five-digit postal code system. Müllers Grosses Deutsches Ortsbuch (Müllers Large German Gazetteer) (943.003 M91m) is the standard contemporary German gazetteer—a review of a recent edition notes that Müllers is the official authority of catalogers in German libraries for designating place names in subject headings. Entries in the 1974 edition show—for more than 107,000 places—governmental, commercial and other jurisdictions, population, and the section in the Shell Atlas where a place can be found. Additionally, the gazetteer is printed in roman typeface, and is therefore easier to read than the Gothic typeface used in Meyers’ gazetteer. Deutsch-fremdsprachiges (fremdsprachig-deutsches) Ortsnamenverzeichnis (GermanForeign Language and Foreign Language-German Place Name Index) (940.003 K87d), published in 1931, shows places located in German and Austrian territories that were ceded to other countries after World War I. For each country, an alphabetical list of places by German name is followed by an alphabetical list of places by the names given to them in their present country. Each entry shows the German name, the present name, the Kreis (district/county) and the province where the place was located before World War I. Henius Grosses Orts- und Verkehrs Lexikon für das Deutsche Reich (Henius Large Geographical and Commercial Lexicon for the German Empire) (943 H388G), published in 1928, has briefer entries than the Meyers gazetteer, which makes deciphering them easier. As in Müllers gazetteer, church information is not included, but commercial and governmental information is. A separate section lists, alphabetically by German name in a single list, all cities, towns, and estates taken from Germany after World War I, along with the names in their present country. Entries include the country, present name and district where the place is now located. Only a handful of United States libraries have all of these gazetteers available for researcher use. We look forward to you visiting the Historical Genealogy Department to use these items and the rest of our collection for your Germanic ancestral research.

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The Alabama Records Series by Jones & Gandrud by Ryan Taylor

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In the 1930s, Kathleen Paul Jones and Pauline Jones Gandrud began compiling their Alabama Records series. Over forty years, they put together 245 volumes, each focusing on a single county, mostly in northern Alabama, and consisting of miscellaneous records taken from original manuscripts. The list of counties included is extensive, but Madison, Lauderdale, Limestone and Tuscaloosa lead the pack, particularly Madison. ACPL has all but a couple of volumes. Each has been cataloged individually, to make its contents as accessible as possible. The whole series sits together on the shelf at 976.1 J71a. The volumes are all indexed, and the indexes are useful ones. In addition, there are detailed tables of contents and where possible, they have been included in the catalog. They were copied exactly as they appeared in the books, including variations in spelling and format. Some include peoples’ names for the sections listing extracts from wills and from military pension records. By including these names in the contents notes, we have made them searchable in the catalog, simply by doing a keyword search using the individual’s name. Unfortunately there are the usual spelling discrepancies which may make imaginative searching necessary. Also, the page numbers in both the table of contents and indexes may be only approximate, so hunt a little if you have trouble. Occasional volumes consist of one kind of record only. The most common specific records are marriages and probate records. Some volumes are completely newspaper extracts, usually from Huntsville (Madison County) papers. How can we use these? Researchers should find them in the catalog if they do a general search for resources on a particular county: for example, “Madison County (Ala.)” in the subject line. If you are inclined to simply go to the shelves, however, the volumes are not as accessible, because the Madison County volumes do not sit with the other Madison County materials. So, use of the catalog is a good idea to obtain an exact volume number. Also remember that if you are looking for military pensions, wills or probate records, the names of the principals involved are in the record and searchable. This is also true of the (more limited) sections of genealogies of specific families. Most of the pensions are for Revolutionary soldiers and War of 1812, with a scattering of others (Mexican War, Indian Wars, Civil War). This series contains a massive amount of data. It is indexed and it is cataloged in a way so that it can be used to maximum advantage by researchers. You should now be able to access the contents to a much greater extent than previously. Ways to access these volumes through the catalog: Put in an author’s name—Kathleen Paul Jones or Pauline Gandrud Do an advanced search with “Alabama records” in the title line and the name of the county in the subject line Put your relative’s name in the keyword (‘word or phrase’) line Remember, this searching can be done from your home computer as well as in the library.

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New Medieval Sources

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The Historical Genealogy Department has many volumes of medieval English records of various kinds. We have recently added to this collection with reprinted finding aids and indexes for documents in the Public Record Office (now The National Archives) in London. Among them are Patent Rolls for all reigns from 1216-1509 (Henry III to Henry VII), and also 1547-1572 (Edward VI-Elizabeth I). These have nothing to do with what we call patents, which concern intellectual or proprietary ownership. They are official listings of Letters Patent. Wikipedia describes Letters Patent as “...a type of legal document which is an open letter issued by a monarch or government granting a right, monopoly, title, or status to someone or some entity such as a corporation...Letters patent can be used for the granting of coats of arms, for the creation of corporations, or by a monarch to create an office.” A great many names of individuals appear in the Patent Rolls, and all the volumes are indexed, so finding your relations will be relatively easy--if they are there.

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Preservation Tip of the Month by Becky Schipper

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ACPL’s Preservation Technician Becky Schipper offers advice on conserving your documents: Scapbooks which contain acidic photographs and documents should be interleaved with buffered tissue. This will help to prevent acid migration. Store scrapbooks in ph-balanced, lignin-free, boxes to protect them from light and pollutants.

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HOTEL OF THE MONTH

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Each issue will feature a local hotel, for visitors from out-of-town. Sleep Inn 2881 E Dupont Rd Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825 (260) 490-8989; fax (260) 490-8848 The Sleep Inn is located at I69 and Dupont Road (Exit 116). It is about eight miles from downtown Fort Wayne, north of the city in the developing commercial area which has grown up near the new Parkview and Dupont hospitals. Every room includes coffeemaker, HBO and cable, refrigerator, microwave, high-speed Internet, data port, dual-line phone, iron, large work desk with office chair. There is an indoor pool, fitness room and business center. Full hot breakfast is included, with Belgian waffles. Nearby restaurants include the usual chains, Fort Wayne’s own Casa Grill and the new Cebolla’s (Mexican). Rates start at $75.

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AREA CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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Allen County Public Library 3rd floor atrium display area Passages: Immigration Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI) Refreshments at 6:30, meeting at 7:00. Questions: contact Marge Graham, 260 672-2585 or gramar57@aol.com Wednesday, April 12: 6:30 p.m. at the Dupont Branch. Shirley Harris will speak about the adventures of her Revolutionary War ancestor who fought with Daniel Boone. Computer Users Group Wednesday, April 19: 7 PM at Aboite Branch Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) First Wednesday of each month in the Genealogy Department 9am – 7pm. Expert help from members of the DAR in becoming a member of that organization

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ACPL LIBRARIANS ON TOUR

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Curt Witcher April 24: South Bend. South Bend Area Genealogical Society, “New Collections and New Facilities for Genealogy in Fort Wayne.” April 26: Fort Wayne, Grand Wayne Convention Center. Emmanuel Lutheran Older Adult Seminar, “Discovering and Sharing Your Family History.” April 28: Toledo, Ohio. Ohio Genealogical Society Conference, “Exploring the Crossroads of the Nation: Indiana Records & Repositories.” Elaine Kuhn April 20: Columbia City, Indiana, Peabody Public Library. Whitley County Genealogical Society, “PERSI” April 29: Toledo, Ohio. Ohio Genealogical Society's Annual Conference, “Heritage Quest Online.” Steven W. Myers April 29: Vincennes, Indiana. Northwest Territory Genealogical Society Workshop “Resources for Tracing Early Settlers in the Old Northwest Territory” “Doing Your Irish Homework in North American Sources” “Irish Church Records & Heritage Centres” “Irish Civil Registration & Other Vital Records Sources” Ryan Taylor April 7: Ottawa, Ontario. All-day workshop on English parish registers and online census, sponsored by British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa, and Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society. April 8: Ottawa, Ontario. British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa. “Family History in the Newspaper.” May 18: Columbia City, Indiana. Genealogical Society of Whitley County. “Common Errors in Genealogical Research.” May 26-28: Oshawa, Ontario. Ontario Genealogical Society Annual Seminar.

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DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO THE LIBRARY

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Wondering how to get to the library? Our exciting transition location is 200 E. Berry, Fort Wayne, Indiana. We will be at this location until late 2006. We would enjoy having you visit the Genealogy Department. To get directions from your exact location to 200 E. Berry, Fort Wayne, Indiana, visit this link at MapQuest: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&countryid=250&addtohistory=&sear chtab=address&searchtype=address&address=200+E+Berry+St&city=Fort+Wayne&state=I N&zipcode=46802-2706&search=++Search++&finditform=1 From the South Exit Interstate 69 at exit 102. Drive east on Jefferson Blvd. into downtown. Turn left on Barr Street to Berry Street. The library is located on the corner of Berry and Barr Streets. From the North Exit Interstate 69 at exit 112. Drive south on Coldwater Road, which merges into Clinton Street. Continue south on Clinton, the library will be on your left when you cross Berry Street. From the West Using US 30: Drive into town on US 30. US 30 turns into Goshen Road. Coming up to an angled street (State Street.) make an angled left turn. Turn right on Wells Street. Go south on Wells to Wayne Street. Left on Wayne Street. When you cross Clinton, the library will be on your left on Wayne Street. 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. Turn right on Barr Street. Turn left on Berry Street. The library is on your left on Berry Street.

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PARKING AT THE LIBRARY

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Lot in front of the library, east side of the lot. Available for short-term library parking. Limited to one hour. There are handicapped parking spots near the door. Tippman Parking Garage Clinton and Wayne Streets. Across from the library, however the skybridge is NOT accessible. Hourly parking, $1.25 per hour up to a maximum of $5.00 per day. Park Place Lot Covered parking on Barr Street at Main Street. This lot is one block away from the library. Hourly parking Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm. Street (metered) parking on Wayne Street and Berry Street. 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 Covered parking 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 DEPARTMENT QUERIES

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The Historical Genealogy Department 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 Historical Genealogy Department, 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.FriendsOfAllenCounty.org. 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. Ryan Taylor, editor