March 2023

Genealogy Gems:

News from the Allen County Public Library at Fort Wayne No. 229, March 31, 2023

In this issue:

Ancestors’ Passings Provide Great Information and Stories

Project Infant: A Database and Memorial for the Victims of Ireland’s Mother and Baby Homes

Genealogical Word Lists (FamilySearch Wiki)

Technology Tip of the Month: The Case of the Weird Font

PERSI Gems: Don't Drop It!

History Tidbits: April Fools’ Day

Genealogy Center’s April Programs

Genealogy Center Program Call Out—International German Genealogy Partnership Conference Discount

Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming

Genealogy Center Social Media

Driving Directions to the Library

Parking at the Library

Genealogy Center Queries

Publishing Note

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Ancestors’ Passings Provide Great Information and Stories by Curt B. Witcher

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I have often mused that genealogists and family historians are among a small group of individuals who actively seek to know the details surrounding a family member’s death, near or in the distant past, and are nearly gleeful when they find documents that evidence the death event. It is understandable, though, as the death event in an ancestor’s life hold an extremely high potential for record generation. Just for fun, I asked my colleagues to share with me some of the more interesting obituaries they have encountered. Reviewing those submissions reminded me all over again how important the recounting of a person’s life really is and how important access to those obituaries and memorials can be. The information from obituaries and memorials serves to both inform us about the individual’s life and to generate additional leads for us to explore. Elizabeth Hodges shared the obituary of her grandfather, Louis Nevin Hodges, from 2005. [“Times Picayune” (New Orleans, LA) 12 Dec 2005, pg. 26] It is rich in family, professional, and military related data. We learn in detail about his WWII experiences in the Army Air Force, his race track photography, and the names of his wife, three children, four step-children, three grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren as well as his church. Sara Allen shared the obituary of her mother who passed in 2018. https://www.fellerandclark.com/obituary/Aneita-Allen The nearly five hundred word obituary details her mother’s education and career, the clubs and organizations to which she belonged, and what gave her delight in life. Her family and her faith were clearly important to her through the details shared in the memorial, with numerous members mentioned along with the conversion of her husband. Kate McKenzie shared two obituaries about the same person, Mrs. Emily Hood Woodfin, published in two different newspapers. We frequently forget to check more than one newspaper for ancestors’ memorials. And the second obituary or memorial may be published several weeks after the first. The earlier memorial (Brevard News, 27 Oct 1922) details the various ministers who assisted with the funeral and the family members there to mourn. The later memorial (The Hendersonville News, 13 Dec 1922) listed her birth and death locations, and then talked at length about her virtues. John Beatty shared an obituary he wrote for a friend and patron of the Genealogy Center, Rev. C. Corydon Randal. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/fort-wayne-in/c-randall10156823 As Cory was an Episcopal priest and well networked throughout the Fort Wayne community, his more than twelve hundred word obituary(!) is truly a life story with so many organizational leads to chase down to find more documents and more of Cory’s story. In sharing a notable obituary, Allison Singleton commented that her grandmother, Joanna Hillman, “had a ridiculously long obit.” https://www.johnson-danielson.com/obituaries/joanna-khillman/ At nearly one thousand words, that is clearly true. Quotes from her daughter, Jana, are included in the obituary along with her vital dates and places, her education, and where she spent her time and talents. Her advocacy for disabled individuals and sorority engagement are articulated. One can really get to know Joanna through this amazing obituary. In addition to vast newspaper databases, the Genealogy Center also specializes in collecting and making accessible African American memorials and homegoing programs. In just the eight major collections listed below, there are more than 19,800 memorials comprising of greater than 81,500 images. Many of these homegoing programs provide robust obituaries, the order of the service, lists of all individuals involved with the services, and tributes. African/African American Hist. Soc. & Museum: 2.097 memorials comprising of 5,482 images. https://www.genealogycenter.info/search_aaahsmobits.php Genealogy Tracers (primarily greater Cleveland, OH area): 8,854 memorials comprising of 44,267 images. https://www.genealogycenter.info/search_gentracers.php Indiana African American Genealogy Group: 3,390 memorials comprising of 15,597 images. https://www.genealogycenter.info/search_iaaggmemorials.php Marsha Smiley African American Collection (Fort Wayne): 5,484 memorials comprised of 16,173 images. https://www.genealogycenter.info/search_smileymemorials.php Truly our ancestors’ deaths are times for reaping.

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Project Infant: A Database and Memorial for the Victims of Ireland’s Mother and Baby Homes

by Elizabeth Hodges

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For generations, one of Ireland’s darkest and largely unspoken secrets was the horrific treatment of thousands of unmarried mothers and their children in institutions known as “mother and baby homes.” With the blessing of the Irish government, mother and baby homes were institutions run primarily (but not exclusively) by the Catholic Church, and they housed unmarried pregnant women and their babies from 1922 to the 1990s. These homes took in women who were sent there by their families or the Church. There they were subjected to forced (often illegal) adoptions of their children (including more than 2,000 children were sent to the United States) and harsh living conditions that centered around poor medical care and forced unpaid labor. Historically, it has been difficult to determine the exact death toll of the homes, but an investigation into the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, County Galway, and the 2017 discovery of the remains of 796 infants in an unmarked grave by local historian Catherine Corless, have proven the high mortality rate while simultaneously bringing the atrocities onto an international stage. Released in January 2021, the final report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes states: “A total of about 9,000 children died in the institutions under investigation - about 15% of all the children who were in the institutions. In the years before 1960, mother and baby homes did not save the lives of ‘illegitimate’ children; in fact, they appear to have significantly reduced their prospects of survival. The very high mortality rates were known to local and national authorities at the time and were recorded in official publications (“Executive Summary of the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes”, 4). Project Infant (https://projectinfant.ie/), a new free database project created by Irish genealogist Daniel Loftus, aims to give a voice to the women and children who have died in these institutions. As of March 2023, this ever-growing searchable database includes 2,510 entries of six mother and baby homes. Each individual has their own profile page that includes a link to their civil birth or death registration on IrishGenealogy.ie as well as any additional family information to link individuals together. While Project Infant was initially intended to focus only on the mother and baby homes, Magdalen homes (see link to definition below), and the county homes (which replaced workhouses), this database ultimately will include other institutions of the same nature, such as the industrial schools. This project, a massive undertaking, has not been attempted before and will become an incredible resource for those who are survivors or relatives of the victims of these homes. However, if your family’s story includes one of these institutions, and you don’t see it in the database, I would strongly encourage you to check back on the Project Infant website or search social media for updates. Additionally, Project Infant needs volunteers to help compile the names of women and children to add to the database. If you are interested in volunteering or learning more about the project, you can email Daniel Loftus at daniel@projectinfant.ie. Resources to learn more: Carter, Erica. “Inside Historian Catherine Corless's Personal Life, Career and Tuam Babies Investigation.” RSVP Live. Sep. 18, 2021. https://www.rsvplive.ie/news/celebs/inside-historiancatherine-corlesss-personal-25000816 Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes - Final Report: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/d4b3d-final-report-of-the-commission-of-investigationinto-mother-and-baby-homes/#executive-summary Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes - Executive Summary: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/22c0e-executive-summary-of-the-final-report-ofthe-commission-of-investigation-into-mother-and-baby-homes/ Corless, Catherine. Belonging: a Memoir of Place, Beginnings and One Woman's Search for Truth and Justice for the Tuam Babies. Dublin, Ireland: Hachette Books Ireland, 2021. WorldCat entry: https://www.worldcat.org/title/1263805720 Lonergan, Aidan. “Heartbreaking report reveals over 2,000 Irish children were 'sold' to the US for adoption from Mother and Baby Homes.” Irish Post, October 16, 2018. https://www.irishpost.com/news/heartbreaking-report-reveals-2000-irish-children-sold-usadoption-mother-baby-homes-160891 Loftus, Daniel. “Mother and Baby Homes: A Tour through Time.” YouTube: https://youtu.be/mEUAYPAYADU Magdalen Homes (not to be confused with Magdalene Laundries): http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/MH/ Specia, Megan. “Report Gives Glimpse Into Horrors of Ireland’s Mother and Baby Homes.” New York Times (New York, NY), Jan. 12, 2021. https://nyti.ms/401kqei Ryan, Orla. “'These were babies, not numbers': New website documents deaths in mother and baby homes.” The Journal, Sep. 11, 2022. https://www.thejournal.ie/project-infant-mother-andbaby-homes-5859800-Sep2022/ Hogan, Caelainn. Republic of Shame: Stories from Ireland’s Institutions for ‘Fallen Women’. New York: Penguin Books, 2020. WorldCat entry: https://www.worldcat.org/title/1108740935

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Genealogical Word Lists (FamilySearch Wiki) by Cynthia Theusch

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[NOTE: This is Cynthia’s last “Genealogy Gems” column. After fifteen great years of service in the Genealogy Center, Cynthia is retiring. We wish her well, and will always be grateful for her fine service to our patrons.] When researching our ancestors who immigrated to the United States or Canada, we will sometimes come across various records that are written in Latin, German, or another language. We can quickly pick out their names, but we may feel uncomfortable or intimidated translating fully what was written. Help is available. A few months ago, I attended virtually two 3-hour workshops on reading Latin and German handwriting that were offered by FEEFHS before their 2022 conference. There I got some tips on how to approach these records. The instructor explained that we would need to know some “key words” in the foreign language to help identify which record we are trying to read and decipher. These key words are birth, burial, christening, child, death, father, godparent, husband, marriage, marriage banns, mother, given name, surname, parents, and wife. Besides these words, we will also need to recognize the month, day, and year. To find a Genealogical Word list for Latin and German, access FamilySearch’s Research Wiki at https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Main_Page. Click in the search box and type “Genealogical Word list” https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Genealogical_Word_Lists. Just below this group is a category listed as “Other Word Lists,” which include Denmark, Germans from Russia Language, Sweden, International Characters, Dutch, Quebecois (Quebec French), and Yucatan Languages. An individual word list may also have a link to handwriting. After viewing both programs, I searched for some church records of my husband’s family that lived in Europe, including Luxembourg, Posen, Saarland, Silesia, and West Prussia. I was able to understand which record (birth, marriage, or death) I was reading. I could also locate the date and time, godparents or witnesses, and the father’s occupation. When assisting a patron recently who was having trouble searching for Italian records, I printed off the Italian Genealogical Word List and the Italian Handwriting from FamilySearch. I explained that she should review basic “Key Words” and other sections as well as study the Handwriting List while she was looking at the digitized records of her ancestors in Italy. Within a few days, she came up to me very excited and stated that she was able find at least 25 relatives and ancestors, and had gone back at least three generations with the help of the Genealogical Word List and Handwriting packets that I gave her. After working with the basic keywords, you will want to translate the full record. I often use “Google Translate” for help.

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Technology Tip of the Month: The Case of the Weird Font by Kay Spears

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So, Hercule and I are continuing our journey through the mystery of "things that give you headaches on a computer." This month I am exploring fonts and some of the issues you might run into with them. You may or may not be like me, but over the years I have collected different fonts. I don't know why, it's just that who doesn't need a Tolkien or Fairy font. So, with every computer I have had, I've always downloaded all of my unique fonts, never overriding the fonts that are in the Windows font library. I would imagine that a MAC computer/laptop also has its own font library. If you have any design program on your computer, that program will also have a font library. And, all of these hundreds of fonts are there for your use. It's all so very exciting, and you can just go crazy trying to match a subject matter with a font. This leads me to a tiny little warning: be careful what font you choose for your document. Once upon a time, I was compiling a syllabus which consisted of program information sent by different speakers. There were a lot of speakers, and they all compiled their own program overview. I received them in PDF format. Everything was going swimmingly until one day, I opened one and the font turned into something not recognizable as a font. The speaker was going to talk about Sweden and had chosen a font for a heading that reminded them of Sweden. Here's the problem: I did not have that font on my computer. Even though I received it as a PDF, because I didn’t have that specific font on my computer, Adobe Acrobat automatically converted it to something in their library. The paper had to be resubmitted. There are little things to remember when choosing a font for publication. Try to keep it simple and stick with those boring fonts that have been around for a while: Times New Roman, Arial, Tahoma, Century, etc. If your artistic persona will not allow you to do that, here are a few things to remember: 1. If Adobe Acrobat/Reader does not have your font in its library, it will substitute a font that closely resembles the one you have picked. That may be ok, or it might throw everything off. 2. Embed your font in the document you are writing; most programs allow you to do that. Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Microsoft Word, all have the embed option available. I'm sure other programs do also; you just need to find where that option is located. In Adobe Illustrator you should also change your fonts to Outlines. Just remember that once they are an Outline, you cannot change them. That's why it's nice to have a before and after document. 3. In the old days, before PDFs, one of the methods for moving fonts from one computer to another was to prepare a folder to give to the printer. That folder contained a lot of information about the document along with the font that was used. The printer would then load that font on their machine. As long as there wasn’t a virus, everything worked just fine. So, there you have a few little font tips. Just remember, not everyone has the same font on their computer that you have on yours. And, if they don't have the same font, they will not be able to read your document as you intended. So, to be on the safe side, embed those fonts as one of the final steps in your production. Next article: the case of the moving image.

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PERSI Gems: Don't Drop It! by Adam Barrone and Mike Hudson

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"Oops!" is not something you want to hear from a bridge designer, a crane operator, a piano mover, a pilot, a railroad executive, or a window installer. Gravity has been the friend and foe of each ancestor who ever tried to grab a piece of fruit from a branch or carry a container of water. Every hand tool ever invented has slipped from the fingers of some poor soul just trying to finish a job. Collectively, we have an epically-long history of dropping stuff. We hope you'll drop in and search the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) for evidence of your ancestors in action, whether those actions are intentional or accidental: https://www.genealogycenter.info/persi/ Adelia Wixon West finds fresh fish dropped by an osprey, c. 2011, MA Dennis (MA) Historical Society Newsletter, Vol. 34, Issue 6 (Jul 2011) B&O railroad track drops into sink hole, June 1924 Pioneer Echoes (Noble County Historical Society, IN), Jul 2009 Bud Russell praises whiskey, Gov. Tillman drops apple in it, Edgefield Advertiser excerpt, 1894 Quill (Old Edgefield District Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society), Vol. 30, Issue 1 (Jan 2014) Breach of promise suits, women getting back at the cads who dropped them, 1673-1970 Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine (Eng.), Issue 12 (Aug 2008) Cage dropped three levels at D Shaft, Chapin Mine, Range Tribune excerpt, Jan. 4, 1896 Dickinson (MI) Diggings, Vol. 38, Issue 2 (May 2019) Carrie Elmore finds 30-year-old bottle of beer that Sam Creed dropped in well, 1925, IL Cass County (IL) Historian, Issue 87 (Sep 2004) Court House Big Ben clock drops weights, n.d. Fond Du Lac County (WI) Historical Society & Historic Galloway House and Village, Vol. 16, Issue 3 (Feb 2008) Dr. Wesley Meyers accused of dropping dental tools down throat of Charles Gall, Jr., 2006- 2007, FL Solitude in Stone (Jan 2010) Kaye Gillman confessed to profanity-laced tirade after dropping pie, age 83, 2015, MN Heritage Network (Cuyuna Iron Range, MI), Dec 2015 Molly Goettsch tested five-second rule for dropped food at Connecticut College, note, 2007 Vereinsnachrichten (German Society of Maryland), Issue 58 (Jul 2007) Mr. Porteous and wife hotel owners fined, she dropped her clothes during arrest, Oct. 1887 Rooting Around Huron (Ont.), Vol. 33, Issue 4 (Nov 2012) Railroad workshop at Wyoming accident, locomotive dropped, Dec. 1941 Heartland Rails (3 Rivers Railroad Heritage Council, IN), Issue 1 (Jan 2014)

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History Tidbits: April Fools’ Day By Allison DePrey Singleton

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April 1st brings to mind Spring, warmer weather, and pranks. As unofficial holidays go, April Fools’ Day is one of the more popular and widespread. Where did this prank filled day come from and how long has it been celebrated? Let’s explore. Unfortunately, there is not a consensus for the origins of the unofficial holiday. The most common origin story comes from when the calendar was changed from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar in 1582. The Julian calendar ended the year at the end of March and began the new year around April 1st. The Gregorian calendar begins the year on January 1st. Those who still celebrated the new year on April 1st after the calendar change were called “April fools.” Another origin story has to do with Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, where a trick is played on April 1st in the Nun’s Priest’s Tale. The Netherlands has an origin story of the Dutch victory in the Capture of Brielle in 1572. Lastly, though no historiography mentions it, some people believe it goes back to Noah’s Ark, where the dove is sent out to find land before the water receded on April 1st. None of these origin stories can be verified, but some have more credence than others. Many pranks have been played throughout history. Most are meant to mildly embarrass but not cause too much harm. As technology has developed throughout the years, so have the hoaxes. Newspapers, television, radio, and photography first increased the widespread nature of the pranks. Eventually, the internet created a whole new and huge audience for the hoaxes. Sometimes, true stories have been discounted, because they were reported on or around April 1st. Hopefully April Fools’ Day is a lighthearted day for everyone.

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Genealogy Center’s April Programs

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Join us for another month of free, virtual programs.

April 4, 2023 at 2:30 p.m. ET, “Researching Your Ukrainian Roots: An Introduction” with Kate McKenzie - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/8241702

April 6, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. ET, “Your DNA Match is Adopted: Now What?” with Sara Allen - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/8102212

April 11, 2023, 2:30 p.m. ET, “Myaamiaki (Miami People): Preserving and Protecting their History and Culture” with Diane Hunter - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/8244993

April 12, 2023, 7:00 p.m. ET, An Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana program, “Forget Me Not: Remembering our Grandmother’s Stories” with Jane Wilcox – https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-Ar90GZEQVy_JOI5gYsA1g [Also available in-person in the Genealogy Center’s Discovery Center.]

April 13, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. ET, “Database Dive: MyHeritage” with Kate McKenzie - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/8248894 April 15, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. ET, An African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne program “Research Tools & Tips: Searching for DNA connections? It's all in the FAN!” with Adrian Wells – https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcudemrqjgjE9VmL7diYBtgaMAgn1DNLgxI [Also available in-person in the Genealogy Center’s Discovery Center.]

April 16, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. ET, “1700 Years of Jewish Life in German-Speaking Lands” with internationally-known genealogist, Karen Franklin, and IJHS Executive Director, Mike Brown, to present about the history and genealogy of German-speaking Jews in Europe and in Indiana – https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvcuqpqDsqH9Ytx-f5GAgB94rs5Ifey9sQ [Also available in-person in the Genealogy Center’s Discovery Center.]

April 18, 2023 at 2:30 p.m. ET, “Honoring Holocaust Remembrance Day: A Second-Generation Voice” with Peppy Margolis – https://acpl.libnet.info/event/8249343

April 20, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. ET, “Eastern European Family History Online!” with Dave Obee - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/8249537

April 25, 2023 at 2:30 p.m. ET, “Database Dive: Exploring Gale Databases at the Genealogy Center” with Hannah Roudebush - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/8249957

April 27, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. ET, “Researching Genealogy at the State Archives of North Carolina” with Katherine Crickmore - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/8251070 Please register in advance to enjoy these engaging programs.

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Genealogy Center Program Call Outs--IGGP

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The International German Genealogy Partnership conference is just around the corner, and the Allen County Public Library and its Genealogy Center are hosting this event June 9 to 11, 2023. From the IGGP website, in no particular order, are the top ten reasons to attend the conference. __________ 1 __________ More than 100 presentations, and no two the same! The topics cover the range of the German experience on multiple continents and during multiple time periods. Most will be presented during the conference weekend. But another set will be recorded for viewing at your convenience. And ALL will be accessible for 3 months after the end of the conference. You also can buy the USB and watch the programs for years to come. __________ 2 __________ The conference app, Whova, makes it easy to connect with other attendees, whether in Fort Wayne or online. You’ll set up your Whova account weeks before the conference, giving you plenty of time to post on the message board, plan your schedule and a lot more. __________ 3 __________ A DNA panel that’s not about chromosomes. We want to explore attitudes in different cultures toward DNA testing for genealogical reasons. And — maybe — foster some change. __________ 4 __________ Sponsors and exhibitors with a story to tell. You can visit those present in Fort Wayne and explore their products and services. Then join your fellow attendees in cyberspace to wander the virtual exhibition hall. Even more to explore there! __________ 5 __________ The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library. The second-largest family research center in the United States is a hop and a skip from the conference center where IGGP will be meeting. Virtual attendees can set up appointments for research assistance and catch up with some of the many recorded webinars about genealogy. Anyone attending in person is welcome to head over and check out the collections or do research. Or make a research appointment with the genealogy librarians. __________ 6 __________ Speaking of librarians — the family researcher’s best friend — IGGP is offering its first Librarians’ Day on June 8, the day before the conference opens. We hope librarians at facilities small or large, archivists managing collections small or large, or those curating collections at local historical societies will participate, either in person or virtually. The speakers will share tips for locating German genealogy resources, and allow you to show off your new knowledge when a patron comes to you for help. PS: And maybe you’ll want to hang out with us at the conference, too. __________ 7 __________ Make new friends. Connection sessions bring together people with an interest in the same topic, encouraging you to share your experiences and get help from others. And no one will know if you exchange email addresses and stay in touch after the conference ends. Because it’s all about connecting. Take a look at the list of sessions; just about every corner of the historic German empire is covered, with a few extras to boot! __________ 8 __________ Party time! One of Fort Wayne’s top events, Germanfest, is in town the same weekend as the IGGP conference. Gather with your new friends and take the short walk to the park where you can enjoy the beer, the food and the entertainment provided by local German organizations. Then join us at the IGGP gala Saturday night to celebrate our wonderful partnership and honor those who have done so much for German genealogy. __________ 9 __________ All the extras and new elements we’re giving a try. There will be document translation and transcription assistance. We’re running our first hands-on workshops. Programs timed so that virtual attendees can be online when they are wide awake. Syllabus and individual handouts in Whova. Museum displays you can visit and learn from. Presentations in German AND English. Extending the excitement with speaker Q&As in the weeks after the conference. Etc. etc. etc. __________ 10 __________ If we’re being honest, this is THE most important reason to attend the IGGP 2023 conference, in-person or virtually. It’s German genealogy and only German genealogy all day long for three wonderful days! Whether you ride an elevator or rush to the bathroom during a break or grab a box lunch to quickly eat, everyone will be there for German genealogy. It’s a big family reunion! The IGGP conference team has provided an amazing discount code for individuals to get $50 off the current registration price! The discount code is indygen. Simple go to https://iggp.org/cpage.php?pt=179, select their ticket type and enter the discount code. It only works from 12:00 AM, April 1, 2023 through 11:59 pm on April 7, 2023. Again, discount code: indygen. Questions? Email: info@iggp.org

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Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming

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Do you want to know what we have planned? Are you interested in one of our events, but forget? We offer email updates for The Genealogy Center’s programming schedule. Don’t miss out! Sign up at http://goo.gl/forms/THcV0wAabB.

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Genealogy Center Social Media

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenealogyCenter/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genealogycenter/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ACPLGenealogy

Blog: http://www.genealogycenter.org/Community/Blog.aspx

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/askacpl

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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%20 Webster%20St&city=Fort%20Wayne&state=IN&zipcode=46802%2d3602&country=US&geodiff =1 >From the South Exit Interstate 69 at exit 302. 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 312. 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 $85. 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. The meters take credit cards and charge at a rate of $1/hour. Street parking is free after 5 p.m. 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 5 p.m. and 11 p.m.

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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. Curt B. Witcher and John D. Beatty, CG, co-editors