March 2010

Genealogy Gems: News from the Fort Wayne Library No. 73, March 31, 2010

In this issue:

Learning Opportunities Abound

Guide to Researching Your French-Canadian Ancestor

Passengers in the Records of the St. Lawrence Steamboat Company, 1819-1838

Technology Tip of the Month--Photo Restoration with Adobe Photoshop, Version 9.02: Helpful Resources

Preservation Tip of the Month--Conversation vs. Preservation

Beginning Genealogy Questions About Ancestry.com

Genealogy Center Mini-Course: Family History 101

Genealogy @ Night

Librarians on Parade

Area Calendar of Events

Driving Directions to the Library

Parking at the Library

Queries for the Department

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

Learning Opportunities Abound by Curt B. Witcher

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

Learning opportunities really do abound with April‛s line-up of area seminars and the continual stream of new data coming online. And that‛s following a month of great attendance at our “March Madness--Genealogy Style” programs. Attendance figures far exceeded our numbers from last year. Like me, many of you also must have a passion for learning and exploring new resources. I hope wherever you are, you had opportunities to take advantage of seminars and workshops. Besides great information, they provide networking opportunities that are both amazing and motivating. The library and the Genealogy Center are hosting the Indiana Genealogical Society‛s Annual Meeting and Conference on Saturday, April 10, 2010, with a preservation seminar being offered the previous day, Friday, April 9th. A number of Genealogy Center staff will be presenting at the conference, with the featured presenter being Dick Eastman. It is a very engaging and timely lineup of topics. More information about the seminar and the conference can be found on the Indiana Genealogical Society‛s website at . Those attending either the conference or the seminar will be able to take advantage of extended research hours in the Genealogy Center from 6P to 12 midnight on April 9th. That is a real bonus for any educational endeavor! And never fear, we will have an opportunity for those taking advantage of the extra hours to enjoy the “Who Do You Think You Are” episode airing that Friday evening on NBC at 8 p.m. ET. It just so happens that episode is scheduled to be a repeat of the first episode featuring Sarah Jessica Parker and her ancestral quest. So, what do you think of the series? From my perspective, it is well done and has generated a lot of excitement--among those just contemplating getting started and those who did some genealogy in the past but for whatever reason gave it up. Although celebrities are featured, I really appreciate that one is left with the sense “Hey! I can do that!” The number of viewers the show is getting each week is impressive as well--between 6.2 and 7 million. Maybe that‛s why the Allen County Genealogical Society‛s Beginning Genealogy Workshop at the library this Saturday (April 3rd) has more than eighty people pre-registered rather than the usual twenty to thirty. For more information about that, visit the society‛s website at   This month, we saw the total number of digitized books and pamphlets from our new Lincoln Financial Collection eclipse the one thousand mark. As of this writing, there are 1,126 items available for free viewing and downloading on the Internet Archive. To access the Lincoln Financial Collection online, simply use this URL:  For Lincoln scholars, students, hobbyists and interested others, this is a rapidly growing collection to explore and enjoy.

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

Guide to Researching Your French-Canadian Ancestor by Cynthia Theusch

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

French Canadian researchers are fortunate in their descent from one of the most well-documented population groups on the planet. The nearly complete survival of church records from the 17th century to the present allows genealogists to readily construct lengthy pedigrees just by linking the evidence provided in marriage records. Of course, there is much more than that to be done and the resources that can be applied to the task might easily overwhelm someone new to this area of research. Most of the important sources are available in the Genealogy Center Collections. “FrenchCanadian Sources: A Guide for Genealogists” (971.4 F887) is a useful handbook that can aid the researcher in navigating the wealth of material available. Important introductory chapters provide a timeline for genealogists and explain French-Canadian naming patterns that may be quite unfamiliar to American researchers. For example, married women helpfully appear in official government and church documents under their maiden name, while the varied use of one or more middle names can sometimes be confusing and a stumbling block to recognizing an ancestor in the records. The dominant use of French also means that your ancestor Jean de Quesey may actually be an Irishman, John Casey, in disguise. In addition, many French Canadian families used alternate surnames or “dit” names. The French word “dit” literally means “called.” In records, Jean Baptiste Vilat dit Beausoleil may appear alternately as J. B. Vilat dit Beausoleil, J. B. Vilat or J. B. Beausoleil, so researchers must be on the lookout for all variations. In many cases, the “dit” name eventually replaced the original surname. Separate chapters describe each major reference work and give tips for its use. Basic printed sources such as Tanguay‛s “Dictionnaire Genealogique des Families Canadiennes” (971.4 T156D) and Jette‛s “Dictionnaire Genealogique des Families du Quebec” (971.4 J51D) are covered, as are basic microfilm sources such as the “Loiselle Marriage Index” (cabinet 87-O-5) and the “Repertoire Alphabetique des Mariages des Canadiens-Francais 1760-1935” (cabinet H-1). The Genealogy Center also has the “Drouin Collection” of church records on microfilm (cabinets 87-89). Researchers can access the index at Ancestry.com Other chapters of “French-Canadian Sources” discuss the use of notarial records and devote 35 pages to an annotated bibliography of additional secondary sources. Useful appendices include a map of historic Quebec counties, lists of censuses and census substitutes, dates in French, and an extensive list of French vocabulary. Anyone venturing into the realm of French Canadian research will find this guide valuable.

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

Passengers in the Records of the St. Lawrence Steamboat Company, 1819-1838 by Steven W. Myers

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

Genealogists whose ancestors traveled to or through Canada before 1865 are often challenged by the lack of passenger arrival lists. One source that came to light just a few years ago is a boon to researchers and helps fill this void. The records of the St. Lawrence Steamboat Company, operated by the Molson family of brewery fame, include information on the passengers and freight carried between Montreal and Quebec by 15 steamboats and two barges in the years 1819 to 1838. Part of the Molson Archives, these records are now available in the Genealogy Center on 16 reels of microfilm (cabinet 89-O-2). The lists include thousands of names and indicate whether the passenger traveled in cabin or steerage, their destination, including some intermediate ports such as Sorel and Three Rivers, the amount charged and the amount paid. The identification of passengers is often scant. Sometimes only the initial of the first name is supplied and groups usually appear as “Wm. Robinson, wife and 2 children” or “John Smith and 2 friends.” Still, even that could be useful when other sources are lacking and some entries do provide more. For example, among passengers on the “Malsham‛s 8th Trip, Quebec to Montreal, 3rd July 1819” were “Widow Caldwell & 5 Child[ren], 4 above 12 yrs [and] 1 under 12 yrs.” Jean Stamel‛s passage on July 10th 1819 was “to be paid by Maitland & co” according to the remarks column, indicating a relationship worth investigating. Some passenger names appear regularly and probably represent local residents traveling on business or making social visits, but many are immigrants just passing through. Crew lists and wage books provide additional opportunities for researchers and record the name, position, rate, lost time and remarks. Among the crew of the New Swiftsure were Pierre Beaumont, Seaman, who “June12th went ashore sick, returned July 5th” and Thomas Armstrong, Cook, who was “sent ashore for thievery” on June 2nd. The wage book for 1832 indicates that on May 17 Antoine Bibeau, sailor, was paid “in full for 12 days” service on the steamboat Chambly. Even the freight lists could be useful to those researching local businesses, merchants and others. Among the freight on the Chambly‛s 7th trip from Quebec to Montreal on May 22-24, 1828 were one horse and one piano forte for Col. Brown of the 79th Regiment Highlanders, resident in Montreal, as well as one basket for Mrs. Ogden of St. Paul Street. The freight lists can also indicate a consignee‛s occupation as when two boxes of tin and one sheet of lead were shipped to E. Hart & Sons at Three Rivers, or when a consignee was identified as “R. Penn, ordnance store keeper.” If you have ancestors who lived in or traveled through the Quebec-Montreal corridor in the years 1819-1838, these lists are worth a look. An index and transcripts of the passenger lists are available online at www.theshiplists.com

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

Technology Tip of the Month--Photo Restoration with Adobe Photoshop, Version 9.02: Helpful Resources by Kay Spears

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

I will close this series on photo restoration by providing you with a list of books and websites that I have found to be very helpful. BOOKS: Eismann, Katrin. “Photoshop Restoration and Retouching.” Berkeley, California: New Riders, 2006. McClure, Rhonda. “Digitizing your Family History.” Cincinnati, Ohio: Family Tree Books, 2004. WEB SOURCES: www.cnet.com An “everything you want to know about technology” website. Great if you are looking to purchase something and don‛t know what to do. An amazing website! www.adobe.com Adobe website www.elementsvillage.com/forums/index.php Wonderful message board. www.designer-info.com/Writing/bmp_tiff_jpeg_gif.htm Info on TIFF, JPEG, etc. www.hp.com/#Product Hewitt Packard website www.loc.gov/preserv/care/photolea.html Library of Congress information on the “Care, Handling, and Storage of Photographs,” with a table of photographic processes. www.knaw.nl/ecpa/sepia/ Safeguarding European Photographic Images for Access website. There is a lot of information about scanning, preservation and the history of photographs. DIGITAL COLLECTIONS: www.loc.gov/pictures Library of Congress “Prints & Photographs Online Catalog” www.archive.org Internet Archive is currently scanning books for free viewing on the web. The Library of Congress, Cornell Library, National Library of Scotland and Allen County Public Library are a few of the organizations involved. www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1158_lafayette/ Victoria and Albert Museum. This site has one of my favorite photographic collections from the Lafayette studio, located in Dublin and open from about 1897 to 1925. www.sos.mo.gov/mdh/ The Missouri Digital Heritage Initiative website has a great AfricanAmerican studio portrait collection. www.acpl.lib.in.us/database/index/acpl_digital_library.html Allen County Public Library Community Album OTHER STUFF: web.forret.com/tools/megapixel.asp? Megapixel calculator. www.vividlight.com Vivid Light Photography, a monthly online photo magazine. www.lightimpressionsdirect.com Light Impressions online catalog for archival supplies. www.cgsociety.org The Computer Graphics Society, a Society of Digital Artists, has a fun site if you are interested in digital art. Some of the latest Photoshop techniques are explored in the forums on this site. Next month: Further Adventures with Adobe Photoshop: Exploring the Layers Palette, Part I

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

Preservation Tip of the Month--Conservation vs. Preservation by Becky Schipper

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

Over the course of a year I am asked many questions about preservation and conservation topics. Two of the more frequently asked questions and my responses are listed below. How is conservation different from restoration? There is some confusion regarding the terms “restoration” and “conservation.” Restoration is one type of conservation treatment. Restoration specifically refers to an attempt to bring an item closer to its original appearance. The other type of conservation treatment is stabilization. Stabilization refers to an attempt to maintain the integrity of an item by minimizing or arresting deterioration. How and where can I get something appraised? Conservation professionals can identify or provide more information about an item, but they should not appraise it for monetary value. The American Institute for Conservation recommends that you solicit appraisals from a designated appraisal expert. Two recommended sources are the Appraisers Association of America  and the American Society of Appraisers < www.appraisers.org.>

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

Beginning Genealogy

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

Take a minute to register for the Beginning Genealogy seminar scheduled for Saturday, April 3, 2010, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 PM. Margery Graham, C.G., will provide information on beginning research, methodology and organization, and finish with a tour of the Genealogy Center. Remember that even experienced researchers may need to review these basics. This program is sponsored by the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana. Fee $10. Pre-registration required. Call 260-672-2585 for more information, or use the registration form at http://www.acgsi.org/workshop.pdf .

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

Questions About Using Ancestry.com?

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

Want to improve your Ancestry search techniques? Feel that you‛re not fully using the tools at your disposal? Come learn from Delia Bourne as she talks about “Searching Ancestry.com,” on Saturday, May 15, 2010. Ancestry.com is a collection of valuable research databases. Maximize the possibilities for success by attending Saturday, May 15, 2010, in Meeting Room A, from 10-11 a.m. For more information, visit our website at http://www.acpl.info/genealogy/programs.html and register via email at Genealogy@ACPL.Info or by calling 260-421-1225.

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

Genealogy Center Mini-Course: Family History 101

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

Our very popular mini-course, "Family History 101," will be offered June 18 and 19, 2010. Instructors Margery Graham, CG and Steve Myers, MLS, will again provide an excellent way for the beginner to get started, for newer researchers to review important concepts and sources, and for seasoned researchers to refresh their skills. "Family History 101" will cover the following topics: Session 1: Getting Started on Your Family History--Start your family history adventure off on the right foot. Learn about important first steps, home sources, interviewing, organizing what you collect, standard forms, using computer catalogs, and more! Session 2: Basic Research Methods--Learn how to plan a successful search, gather evidence, and record and document what you find. Session 3: Census Records - A Cornerstone Source--Learn how federal population schedules, state census records, as well as auxiliary schedules and census substitutes can all help advance your research. Session 4: Vital Records - Birth, Marriage & Death--Learn how to use published and online sources for vital records, how to contact record offices, and how newspaper and cemetery records can fill in the gaps. Session 5: Published Local History & Family History Sources—Learn about the wealth of information available in local history publications, how to track down obscure sources, and how to find out what others have already done on your families. Session 6: Directories, Maps & Gazetteers--Learn about the many features of directories, maps and place name dictionaries that can help you pin down exactly where your ancestors lived and what they were doing there. The registration fee for the "Family History 101" mini-course is $50. Checks should be made payable to "ACPL Foundation" and mailed to: 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. Additional information and a workshop schedule will be posted soon on our Web site at http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/programs.html Margery Graham and Steve Myers are already scheduled to offer "Family History: Beyond the Basics," covering more advanced sources and problem solving, on Friday and Saturday, September 17-18, 2010.

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

Genealogy @ Night

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

This summer, take the opportunity to expand your research knowledge after the heat of the day but before the Sun goes down. On the third Tuesday of June, July, and August, the Genealogy center will offer a research guidance lecture. Cynthia Theusch will offer information on doing "French Canadian Research at ACPL" on June 15, John Beatty will present "Researching Indiana Court Records" on July 20, and Dawne Slater-Putt will cap the series by telling us about "Cataloging 3-D Items & Heirlooms" on August 17. All of these are at 6:30 PM in Meeting Room A. Look for more information at our Website http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/programs.html and remember to register soon via email to Genealogy@ACPL.Info or by phone at 260-421-1225. Plan to visit us in the evenings this summer!

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

Librarians on Parade

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

Curt Witcher April 10, 2010, Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Ft. Wayne, IN, Indiana Genealogical Society Annual Meeting and Conference, 2 p.m. Presentation: “‛Our Military Heritage‛ and WeRelate: Two Digital Initiatives of the ACPL Genealogy Center.” April 23, 2010, SeaGate Convention Centre, downtown Toledo, OH, Ohio Genealogical Society Annual Conference. 8 a.m. presentation: “This I Believe: The Urgent Need to Record Living History.” 1 p.m. presentation: “More Toys & A Bigger Sandbox: Online Advances for Genealogists.” Melissa Shimkus April 10, 2010, Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Ft. Wayne, IN, Indiana Genealogical Society Annual Meeting and Conference, 11 a.m. Presentation: “Voyages At Your Fingertips: Online Immigration Records.” April 14, 2010, Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Ft. Wayne, IN, 7 p.m., Meeting Room A. Presentation: “Before Crossing the Ocean: American Records of Our Immigrant Ancestors.” Kay Spears April 10, 2010, Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Ft. Wayne, IN, Indiana Genealogical Society Annual Meeting and Conference, 3:30 p.m. Presentation: “Photo Restoration Using Adobe Photoshop.”

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

Area Calendar of Events

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

Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI) April 14, 2010, 6:30 p.m. social time; 7 p.m. program. Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN, Meeting Room A. Melissa Shimkus will present “Before Crossing the Ocean: American Records of Our Immigrant Ancestors.” Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society, 302 East Berry, Ft. Wayne, IN April 4, 2010, 2:00 p.m. – Mac Parker will present “Economic History of Fort Wayne."

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

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 Genealogy Gems you just received or send an email to kspears@acpl.lib.in.us with "unsubscribe ezine" in the subject line. Steve Myers & Curt Witcher, co-editors