September 2019

Genealogy Gems:

News from the Allen County Public Library at Fort Wayne No. 187, September 30, 2019

In this issue:

The Harvest of the Year

Black’s Law Dictionary

Geographic Dictionary of the Former Kingdom of Poland

Technology Tip of the Month: Adobe Elements 2018 continued, Fun Edits Guided Tab

PERSI Gems--Genealogy Gamble

History Tidbits: Yom Kippur

DNA Interest Group--Special Meeting Notice

October’s Family History Month Happenings

WinterTech is Coming

Finding the Lost: Holocaust-related Genealogical Research – November 17, 2019

Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming

Area Calendar of Events

Genealogy Center Social Media

Driving Directions to the Library

Parking at the Library

Genealogy Center Queries

Publishing Note

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The Harvest of the Year by Curt B. Witcher

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September becoming October, summer becoming autumn--certainly a clear indication that the harvest season will soon be upon us. Accept the challenge of making this a season of bountiful family history harvests. We can do that in a number of engaging ways. During this past summer of vacations and reunions, and maybe even a couple of research trips (!), many of us took hundreds of pictures (or more!). Let’s not leave those pictures exclusively on our smart devices, only to be shared at the office water-cooler or when dining with family and friends. Let’s not leave them at risk by only having them in one place. Let’s copy them to a hard drive, a USB drive, and maybe even put them in the cloud. Further, during this harvest season, let’s harvest our current knowledge of the individuals, events and locations in our pictures by robustly identifying them. We can identify them by keying metadata in the properties of the images. Or we can record the important information in and about the pictures by creating an Excel or CSV spreadsheets with rich amounts of data that are linked to the images themselves by a unique key or identifier. You’ll be glad you did, and your descendants will be as well. Indeed, harvest and identify all your images so many future generations can enjoy them and benefit from them. If you have done any research, in person or online, during these past summer months, make time right now to organize the data you collected. Did you obtain brand new information about a particular ancestor? Did the information you found resolve a “brick wall” challenge you have been struggling with for a while? Did new data call into question something you have long held as gospel relative to a particular ancestor or ancestral line? Record your answers to questions like these. Articulate your evaluation of newly gathered documents. Detail how those documents have advanced your research, and how those documents may have lead you in a completely different direction. Literally narrate in writing the data you have found on each new document. It’s a great way to “check” yourself to determine if you’re really getting all the information out of a particular source. Making this a routine when you research can actually be fun. If you attended any family gathering or reunion of any type this summer--family, school, church, etc.,-- harvest the data you have collected and the memories you have from those events by writing them down. If there was a reunion program or booklet produced for the event, consider sharing it with other family members, classmates, or church community members, whichever is appropriate for the type of gathering you had. Consider, too, offering copies of such booklets to local libraries and historical societies to help ensure their availability far into the future. And certainly know that the Genealogy Center here in Fort Wayne is also interested in copies of such important documents as well. Harvesting the data from your summer activities helps ensure that it will enlighten further research you conduct as well as be a part of the family’s history that you pass to your descendants. In addition, being more familiar with your family research helps you better prepare for the upcoming holidays. You will have pictures and stories to share with family members. That will almost assuredly generate stories from them. When gathering around the Thanksgiving table, your stories and images will be a hit. And on the “Day of Listening,” the Friday after Thanksgiving, you will have exciting new discussion prompts as you enjoy recording the life stories of your assembled family members. To continue with the harvest motif, too often we leave “crops in the field” when it comes to our research. We find records, have encounters, and interact with family members at special events, but then we don’t memorialize those experiences. We don’t write them down so we can further contemplate and study them, and share them with interested family members. We leave so much good data behind. Let’s use the harvest season as a time to change that. You’ll be glad you did. Truly, I hope your family history harvest this year is bountiful beyond your expectations.

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Black’s Law Dictionary by Allison DePrey Singleton

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As genealogists, we often find ourselves pouring over court documents trying to decipher the words of long deceased attorneys. As with many professions, attorneys and judges use terms that are specific to their occupation. The roots of many of these terms come from Latin, and most retain the original meaning. To assist us with deciphering these foreign terms, a wonderful resource is the Black’s Law Dictionary. It takes these archaic words and puts them into modern terms. The best part is that there are multiple options for obtaining this information. The Genealogy Center has a print version available (5th Edition - 929.03 B56B) and an earlier online version available through “The Law Dictionary” (https://thelawdictionary.org/). For attorneys, it would probably be more fitting to have the newest edition (11th Edition) for their libraries, since it has up-to-date case and case law references included. They would also want the most recent online edition through Westlaw (a paid legal website). For genealogists, the terms we seek are typically from older cases, and the older versions will actually serve us better. The print version is a hefty book filled with entries in alphabetical order. The appendix with the Table of Abbreviations proves to be most helpful when trying to decipher some of the citations for the entries. When looking through the citations, you might find a symbol that seems to be foreign. It looks like two interconnected S and is followed by a number. This symbol is called a silcrow and signifies the exact section or citation of the statute or resource cited. Many of the entries will have the law cited that goes with the information. Use the Table of Abbreviations for assistance in finding the citation, if so desired. To dive into the citations of the entries might be a little unnecessary for most genealogical researchers. It might be best to note the citation and know that it comes from a trusted resource in the legal world. The online version does not have the Table of Abbreviations included. You may not have the option to peruse the citations as you can in the book version. That being said, you have the entire Internet at your fingertips to search an entry or citation that strikes your fancy. Another benefit of the online version is that it offers a mobile option for iPhones and Androids. You could use this wonderful tool anywhere you need to access it. No matter the way you access Black’s Law Dictionary, this resource is invaluable to those diving into any type of legal research. There may be terms within the definitions that need to be defined, but you will eventually have a grasp of the law used in your ancestors’ court records. You might gain further understanding of their lives and situations. Hopefully, next time you come across court records, you will be better prepared to work with them with this additional tool.

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Geographic Dictionary of the Former Kingdom of Poland by Cynthia Theusch

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Many family researchers are familiar with Meyers Gazetteer, a geographical name dictionary that covers in fine detail the localities in the former German Empire. Between 1880 and 1904, Professor Filip Sulimierski published the Slownik Geograficzny Krolestwa Polskiego (Geographic Dictionary of the Former Kingdom of Poland), the Polish equivalent to Meyer. This substantial dictionary, written in Polish, contains 15 volumes, each having about 1,000 pages. The Genealogy Center’s 15-volume set is part of its Microtext Collection. Slownik Geograficzny Krolestwa Polskiegois has a total of 173 microfiche pages and can be found in International Collection Cabinet H, drawer 10. The places are listed in alphabetical order and cover a wider geographical area than modern Poland, including the former Polish province of Russia, most localities in the former Austrian province of Galicia, the Belarusian provinces of the Russian Empire, and parts of other Slavic and eastern European nations. To find which volume may contain information about a particular village of interest, see the following website: https://bit.ly/2lWA39q. Familysearch (www.familysearch.org) has digitized these volumes, and they can be found by searching in “Books” in its online catalog. The abbreviations found in the Geographic Dictionary can be challenging to translate. Daniel M. Schlyter has compiled a brief guide and glossary of terms that are found in the Geographic Dictionary. This essential guide can be read online on the Polish Genealogical Society of America’s website at https://pgsa.org/polish-history/translated-descriptions-of-polish-villages-and-provinces/polishgeographical-dictionary/. Listed below are some translated abbreviations from the guide. - Locality: ws., wies – village; os., osada, - settlement; fol., folwark – manor; dobra – estate; mko., miasteczko – town mto., miasto – city; jez., jezioro – lake; rz., rzeka – river; and strumien – stream. - District: pow., powiat. - Community or Township: gmm., gmina. - Parish: par., parafia; Roman Catholic – par. Rz. Kat.; Evangelical Lutheran – par. ew.; Orthodox – par. prawosl.; and Greek-Catholic Uniate – par. gr. k. Besides providing geographical information and locations in greater Poland, the Geographic Dictionary also includes some historical information for certain cities and villages. For example, a translation of Radwanki found on PGSA’s web site - https://bit.ly/2lPxxBD, states: “German name Radwonke, in a 1578 document Redwaki, a village and rural district in the county of Chodziez, between Budzyn and Margonin, 6 km. away, in a hilly area; it is served by the parish in Chodziez, the post office in Margonin, and the railway station in Budzyn. Radwanki existed before 1578 (see Radwankowo); by the end of the last century it belonged to the Grudzinskis. The village has 69 houses, 584 inhabitants; net income from the land is 9 marks per hectare. Included in Radwanki district is Katarzynowo (2 houses, 134 inhabitants); the whole district has a total of 71 houses, 597 inhabitants (144 Catholic, 444 Protestant, and 9 Jewish). [Edmund Callier].” (From Vol. 9, page 456; and translated by William F. Hoffman, PGSA Summer Rozdiny 2004.) Poland and all of Eastern Europe can be challenging areas to research with fewer digitized records than what one finds in the West. This geographic dictionary is an excellent way to learn more about the area and its history, and it may help you pinpoint the exact location of an ancestral home village.

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Technology Tip of the Month: Adobe Elements 2018 continued, Fun Edits Guided Tab by Kay Spears

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We are back for some more fun. Last month we left off with the Painterly guide, located in the Fun Edits tab in the Guided Tabs of Elements. We will begin with Photo Text. Now, Photo Text has been around for a while. It can even be done using Microsoft Word. What this effect does is make text out of a photograph. For instance, instead of adding color to your text, you will fill in your text with an image. The effect can really be interesting if you are working with layers, and you add a photo behind this text. But working with layers comes later. Let’s take a look at this effect and see if any creative light-bulbs go off. Open an image. In the Palette there are five steps. The first one is Type Tool. Click on type tool. In the lower left hand portion of your work board, there are some font tool options. This tool is where you would want to change the font you are using. Because I want to see what the effect does, I am going to change my font to a pretty thick font. Notice that your cursor has now changed to the font tool. The font tool looks like a capital I inside a rectangle. Click on your photo and start typing. Click on the green checkmark. Immediately your photo disappears, and you are left with text only. There is a difference now, and your text is filled with part of your photo. Don’t become too alarmed if you can’t see all of the text; you will need to go on to the second step to do that. Step 2. You have a choice of Fit or Fill. If you choose Fit, the text is stretched horizontally across the page. If you choose Fill, the text fills the whole page – sort of. Since I wanted to see the full effect, I selected Fill. Step 3. Select a background style. Hum, I wonder what that means. Well, we will see. Our large selection of choices are Black, White, and Clear. When I clicked on Black, the background changed to black. I’m assuming White changes to white. Yep, it does. However, what happens with Clear? We click. Clear turns the background into a transparency, and if we were working with layers, the transparency would come in really handy. However, for now, we are not working with transparency, so I’m sticking with white. Step 4. Crop Image. Because I had selected Fill to begin with, I didn’t have too much to crop. So this option could probably be skipped, or at least until we figure out what the Type Tool is actually doing. Step 5 is optional, but we are going to do it anyway. This tool adds a Bevel edge to your text. Your options are Small, Medium, and Large. Experiment, and click on all three just to see what they look like. I actually liked the look of Small. Did you notice when you clicked on Small, Medium, or Large, the Advanced button activated? Well, we can’t pass an Advanced button up, so let’s take a look. Click on Advanced. Guess what? An Advanced dialog box opens. And, there are tons of options available that allow us to change the Drop Shadow, Glow, Bevel, and the Stroke (which is the line around the text). Make sure your preview checkbox is selected, and experiment with each of these options. I think you will find some interesting things you can do to your text. For any of these options to work, the check box beside them must be selected. There is also an angle tool at the top of the dialog box. Because we all make mistakes, Adobe has given us a handy-dandy Reset button located at the bottom of the dialog box. If you are happy with the changes, click OK, and you are ready to save the text. You have now seen what the Photo Text tool does. Go crazy. Decorate all of your book pages! The next effect, Picture Stack, looked simple. Oh, those Adobe people are tricky. When I started to experiment, I ran into some fascinating conundrums. I knew right away that Picture Stack deserves it’s very own article. That’s what we will be doing next time. The adventure continues next time with Adobe Elements 2018 continued, Fun Edits Guided Tab.

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PERSI Gems--Genealogy Gamble by Adam Barrone and Mike Hudson

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In the course of conducting the research detective work required to learn about my family history, I have invested time, effort, money, and the physical space required to organize and store the results of those searches. Efforts to publish my findings in print and online have required further investment of resources. All of these resources are invested with goals in mind: to track down an illusive ancestor, to reunite with distant relatives, to find a home village in a faraway land, to solve family mysteries, and to share answers with family members. Making investments, though, does not always immediately result in accomplishing the goals desired. In this way, the study of genealogy is a gamble in the short term. After thirty years of genealogical persistence, I believe the value of the sum of my genealogy successes has far exceeded the underlying costs. I suppose, though, that the thrill of even one genealogy JACKPOT can erase the memory of hours of tedious searching. I encourage you to invest what you can, when you can, to further your research so that you might assemble a treasure chest of genealogical loot for the long term. The kind of loot collected by family historians has lasting value when preserved for future generations. In your search for loot, look for clues in the Periodical Source Index (PERSI). Along the way, you might find tales of wagers, games, wins and losses. Genealogists, gamble away! Try a PERSI search here: http://search.findmypast.com/search/periodical-source-index Benton J. Bloom rides mule on a wager, Feb. 1929, Columbia City, IN Whitley County (IN) Historical Society Bulletin, v.43n.1, Mar. 2005 David Garrick records searched at All Saints Church to settle a wager, 1716, 1773 Bristol & Avon (Eng.) Fam. Hist. Soc. Jrnl., n.11, Spr. 1978 Dice game arrests in alley near Felix Street, St. Joseph News Press excerpt, 1940 Northwest Missouri Genealogical Soc. Jrnl., v.36n.2, Fal. 2016 Douglas S. Vance (Rev.) vs. slot machines, ID Nez Perce County (ID) Historical Society, v.11n.1, Spr. 1991 George Kettering stood on one leg for four hours, won wager, 1821 Bristol & Avon (Eng.) Fam. Hist. Soc. Jrnl., n.22, Win. 1980 Henry Downs pays his debt in the great peanut wager of 1916 over Woodrow Wilson election Settler's Gazette (Tehachapi Museum, CA), Jun. 2006 In the black, gambling items for faro and poker True West (True West Publishing, AZ), v.53n.9, Nov. 2006 Mrs. Croft finds poker game, men charged, 1925 Cottonwood County (MN) Historical Society Newsletter, Fal. 2006 Waterloo as a gambling mecca, Waterloo High School alumni recollections, 1933+ Dekalb County (IN) Recorder, v.8n.5, Sep. 2011 William Sawrey and Christopher Curwen penance for gambling and fornication, 1464 and 1546-1579 Furness (Eng.) Families, n.52, Nov. 2000 Wolverhampton man discharged from hospital after eating 14 pigeons on a wager, 1906 Furness (Eng.) Families, n.79, Aug. 2007

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History Tidbits: Yom Kippur by Allison DePrey Singleton

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Holidays are wonderful interludes into our daily lives. While we celebrate or know of the celebration, we may not understand the history of the holiday itself. One holiday that falls in October this year is Yom Kippur. Let’s explore the customs and history of Yom Kippur to understand the reason behind the observance. The first thing to note is that Yom Kippur takes place in either September or October. The holiday is based on the Hebrew calendar, which splits Gregorian calendar months. Yom Kippur takes places on the 10th of Tishrei (seventh month of the Hebrew calendar). Another thing of note is that it is a day of atonement and not a celebration. Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) is the 1st of Tishrei and ushers in the Ten Days of Repentance (Aseret Yemei Teshuvah). Yom Kippur is the last day and most important of the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe). Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year in the Jewish religion. The origins vary depending on the source. Some sources say it is a reminder of atonement from when Moses descended the mountain with the 10 Commandments and destroyed them upon discovering his people worshipping an idol. Upon his making an atonement, Moses received a second set of the 10 Commandments. Other sources say the origins are from when the temple was destroyed by the Babylonians and rebuilt. All agree that it is a time to atone for sins for the past year. The customs of Yom Kippur include fasting, praying, and practicing self-denial. Observers are to abstain from work, food, bathing/washing, anointing with perfumes/deodorants, wearing leather shoes, and engaging in sexual activities. Many wear white to signify their purity during the holiday, and many spend the holiday in the Synagogue in prayer. The period of fasting lasts more than 25 hours and has food involved at the beginning and the end. The holiday has been controversial in some regards when observers refused to skip or ignore the holiday in a public way. For example, Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher Sandy Koufax refused to pitch in Game 1 of the 1965 World Series in order to observe the holiday. Other athletes, such as Shawn Green, Laetitia Beck, and Gabe Carimi, have also not participated in sporting events to observe Yom Kippur. Next time a family member, friend, colleague, or acquaintance takes the day off to observe the Yom Kippur holiday, wish them to “have an easy fast.”

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DNA and Genealogy Interest Group

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Our next DNA and Family History Interest Group meetings will be on Thursday, October 3, 2019. Have you done a DNA test for genealogical purposes? Do you completely understand the results you received? Do you need advice in interpreting your results? Are you interested and wonder what the best test is for you? Come to the DNA Interest Group Meeting to share and learn from one other! The basic information meeting is from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., followed by a more advanced discussion from 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

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October’s Family History Month Happenings

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Get ready for Family History Month! Aside from great programs, extended research hours and daily one-on-one consultations, The Genealogy Center is offering short video tips published on social media throughout the month! Keep an eye on our social media platforms! We will also be taking Brick Wall questions on specific subjects through our Facebook page. Make plans to engage with us in October! Tuesday October 1, 2019 Genealogy Video Tip - Find amazing resources through the use of the African American Gateway. Wednesday October 2, 2019, 7:00 p.m., Shawnee Branch Food For Thought: Recipes as Memoir – Allison DePrey Singleton Genealogy Video Tip – Discover what we have in our state and subject guides, and where you can get a copy of them. Thursday October 3, 2019, 6:30 & 7:30 p.m., Discovery Center DNA & Family History Interest Group Meetings - Sara Allen Genealogy Video Tip – Find out what the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) is and how it is used. Friday October 4, 2019 Genealogy Video Tip – Do you want to be a better genealogist? Come and take a look at some of the guidebooks we have listed on our Next Steps Pathfinder. Saturday October 5, 2019, 2:30 p.m., Discovery Center Beginning Your Family History Journey – Melissa Tennant Sunday October 6, 2019, 2:30 p.m., Discovery Center I Seek Dead People: Using America’s GenealogyBank to Find Obituaries and More! – Allison DePrey Singleton Monday October 7, 2019 Genealogy Video Tip – Having trouble finding the church your family attended in Germany? Your problem may be geographical. Have a look at Kevan Hansen’s awesome map guides to German parish registers. Tuesday October 8, 2019 Genealogy Video Tip 1 – Discover the various types of records we have to help you as you begin researching your house’s history. Genealogy Video Tip 2 – Learn how to use DNA testing to identify an unknown grandparent. Wednesday October 9, 2019, 7:00 p.m., Discovery Center Allen County Genealogical Society Monthly Meeting: Tips for Interviewing Military Veterans – Kayleen Reusser Genealogy Video Tip – Discovery tools for finding African American materials in The Genealogy Center’s collection. Thursday October 10, 2019 Genealogy Video Tip 1 – Beginning your Native American/First Nations family history research. Genealogy Video Tip 2 – Discover how to find post 1819 passenger lists at The Genealogy Center. Friday October 11, 2019 Genealogy Video Tip - Discover why Civil War battle site names are so confusing. Saturday October 12, 2019, 1:30 p.m., Georgetown Branch Morbid Genealogy – Allison DePrey Singleton Genealogy Video Tip – Explore the African American Newspapers databases available at The Genealogy Center. Sunday October 13, 2019, 2:30 p.m., Discovery Center Working with a Single Record – Cynthia Theusch Genealogy Video Tip – What does an Ambrotype look like? Hints for spotting an Ambrotype. Monday October 14, 2019, 6:30 p.m., Discovery Center Exploring MyHeritage Library Edition - Sara Allen Tuesday October 15, 2019 Genealogy Video Tip – Discover the “dangers” of OCR and digital newspapers. Wednesday October 16, 2019 Genealogy Video Tip - Explore Native American history and heritage with the Native American Gateway. Thursday October 17, 2019, 6:30 p.m., Discovery Center PERSI Help Session – Adam Barrone Friday October 18, 2019 Genealogy Video Tip - Have Canadian roots? Check out the types of records we have available. Saturday October 19, 2019, 10:00 a.m., Discovery Center Allen County Genealogical Society Technology Interest Group Genealogy Video Tip – Learn about the extensive physical and digital collection of family histories at The Genealogy Center. Sunday October 20, 2019, 2:30 p.m., Discovery Center What Doesn’t Kill Us: Historical Illnesses and Causes of Death – Delia Cothrun Bourne Monday October, 21, 2019, 6:30 p.m., Discovery Center Saving Digitally from Genealogy Center Resources - Delia Cothrun Bourne Genealogy Video Tip – What does a Daguerreotype look like? Hints for spotting a Daguerreotype. Tuesday October 22, 2019, 6:30 p.m., Discovery Center Selected Midwestern Resources at The Genealogy Center – Delia Cothrun Bourne Wednesday October 23, 2019, 6:30 p.m., Discovery Center Ancestry DNA 101 – Sara Allen Genealogy Video Tip - Some hints for storing photographs, journals, etc. Thursday October 24, 2019, 6:30 p.m., Discovery Center Railroad Pension Records: Their Value for Genealogical Answers – Kim Harrison Genealogy Video Tip - A richness of resources for Cherokee and Five Civilized Tribes family history in our snapshots. Friday October 25, 2019, Midnight Madness Extended Research Hours, 6:00 p.m. – Midnight 6:30 p.m.: Finding & Using Catholic Church Records – Pat Stamm 7:30 p.m.: What’s in the Collection? Tour and Introduction to The Genealogy Center Collection – Allison DePrey Singleton 8:30 p.m.: Biographical Works in Genealogical Research - Curt Witcher Saturday October 26, 2019, 8:45 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Theater A Day with Judy Russell (Paid Event) Lectures include:

“An Act for the Relief of Gregory Thomas and Others—The Private Laws of the Federal and State Governments”

“No Person Shall . . . Gallop Horses in the Streets--Using Court Records to tell the Story of our Ancestor’s Lives”

“When Worlds Collide: Resolving Conflicts in Genealogical Records”

“2019: The Year of the Copyright.”

For a description of each presentation and information on time schedule, go to www.acgsi.org. This special event is sponsored by the Doug and Joni Lehman Charitable Foundation and is a ticketed/paid event. Genealogy Video Tip – Learn how The Genealogy Center is a great resource for South Africa records. Sunday October 27, 2019, 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., Discovery Center Brick Wall Panel – Genealogy Center Librarians Monday October 28, 2019 Genealogy Video Tip - Do you know that our library has a great collection of Irish local history? Have a look at some of the fabulous and hard-to-find books, right here in our Irish aisles. Tuesday October 29, 2019 Genealogy Video Tip – Suggestions for searching for a missing man (or woman). Genealogy Video Tip - What does a Tintype look like? Hints for spotting a Tintype. Wednesday October 30, 2019 Genealogy Video Tip - See what City Directories can do for you. Thursday October 31, 2019, 6:30 p.m., Discovery Center Find My Past: A Tool for British, Irish, and American Ancestry – John Beatty You can now register online at https://acpl.libnet.info/events! Just search Genealogy to find any of our programs. You also can register for any of these free programs by calling 260-421-1225 or emailing Genealogy@ACPL.Info.

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WinterTech is Coming

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As Winter approaches, The Genealogy Center prepares for the frigid months by planning a way for you to keep warm by cozying up to technology! We plan one event per month, November through February, at 2:30 p.m., on the second Wednesday of each month, to coincide with the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana monthly meetings, which begin at 7:00 p.m. First up, on November 13, 2019, at 2:30 p.m. in the Discovery Center, is “How “Smart” Are You? Using Technology to Gather Stories.” Presenter Allison DePrey Singleton will discuss using devices you already own or can borrow to share your stories, covering smart phones, tablets, and other audio and visual recording devices. “A Look at GIMP & Vivid Pix for Restoring Photographs,” presented by Kay Spears, follows on December 11, 2019. Then on January 8, 2020, Sara Allen will explain “Using the Maker Lab to Preserve Family History,” and finally Melissa Tennant will describe the “African American Digital Collections at The Genealogy Center” on February 12, 2020. Remember, all are at 2:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month in the Discovery Center. Registration is recommended for all events. Register online at https://acpl.libnet.info/events! Just search Genealogy to find any of our programs. You can also register for any of these free programs by calling 260-421-1225 or emailing Genealogy@ACPL.Info.

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Finding the Lost: Holocaust-related Genealogical Research – November 17, 2019

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In conjunction with the community-wide "Violins of Hope" program November 9-24, 2019 (more details can be found at ViolinsOfHopeFW.org), the Northeast Indiana Jewish Genealogy Society will host United States Holocaust Museum's Megan Lewis on November 17, 2019. She will present two programs about Holocaust research from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in The Discovery Center. Following the "Basics" presentation, she will provide case studies from different parts of Europe. Megan is currently a research librarian in the museum's Library and Archives reading rooms. All are welcome to attend this informative and moving event.

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Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming

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Do you want to know what we’ve got planned? Are you interested in one of our events, but forget? We are now offering 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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Area Calendar of Events

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Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana October 9, 2019 - Allen County Public Library, Genealogy Center, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN, Discovery Center, 7 p.m. Kayleen Reusser will present “Tips for Interviewing Military Veterans.” Mary Penrose Wayne DAR Chapter Library Help Day for Prospective DAR Members October 2, 2019 - Allen County Public Library, Genealogy Center, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Miami Indian Heritage Days October 5, 2019 - Chief Richardville House, 5705 Bluffton Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Saturday. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wiikiaami Cattail Matting at the Longhouse with M.I.A.M.I. (Miami Indian Alliance of Miami Indians). The George R. Mather Sunday Lecture Series October 6, 2019 - History Center, 302 E. Berry Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 2 p.m. Lecture presented by Irv Adler, who will speak on "Families Lost and Found: Tracing My Viennese Roots after the Holocaust."

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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%20Web ster%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 $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. 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