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Clayton Town Crier January 2015
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Your source for all the news from Clayton Library Volume 8 Issue 2 Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research 5300 Caroline, Houston, TX 77004 832-393-2600 |
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Manager's corner... 2015 Resolutions More vs. Less
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A new year again, time for looking forward, making plans for the next year, changing lives, or in other words the traditional time for making resolutions. Traditional resolutions usually involve less or more. Eat less. Walk more. Weigh less. Exercise more. In genealogy we tend toward the “more” resolutions. Research more. Go to the library more. Look for more proof. Get more records. Find more ancestors. Maybe this year we could all try to make our genealogy “mores” about quality instead of quantity. If we try to write one really good paragraph/page/article about one ancestor a month at the end of the year we could have a finished family history chapter about our grandparents and great-grandparents. If each day we enter the data, including source information, from one record we have found into our genealogy software, then at the end of the year we will be 365 records closer to a finished family history book. If each week we spend one hour sharing family stories with our kids/grandkids/siblings/parents/cousins, then we will be infinitely closer as a family, and just maybe will have recruited some others to genealogy also. This year go ahead and keep up the resolution tradition of “more” genealogy. Come to Clayton Library more. Ask the staff more questions. Try more databases. Read more of our books. Attend more of our classes and talks. Chip more pieces off of the brick walls. Look for more black sheep. Have more fun with your family, both the living and the dead in 2015.
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Genealogical research aids... Heritage books and county histories
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The reasons to consult: “Heritage books” and “County Histories” Heritage books and county histories are an often underutilized and overlooked collection of facts. Genealogists tend not to pursue these books, because: “My ancestor is not listed in the index so what value is the book to me?” Or, “Grandma lived in the town for two years and was not a founding member of the community. She won’t be in a history of the county.” If you open one of these books with an eye for ferreting out what information is contained in its pages, or for insights about the community in which your ancestor lived even for a short time period you might be surprised. Some examples:
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A history of the Holly Pond area and its people
by Dan J. and Brenda H. Scott and Michael B. and Amelia Wisener.
This book has historical information about the region’s schools and churches, as well as newspaper articles, early land records, and maps of the area and state. The information I gleaned in less than a minute were names of some of the local newspapers. The Cullman Tribune, Bright Alabama, The Mountain Gazette, and The Tribune-Gazette all served the Holly Pond, Alabama area. If I am looking for newspaper articles, I now have names of specific newspapers to research. The school section lists the schools, their locations, and the history of the school. A class picture or picture of the school building is included for most schools in the book. If grandma was a teacher or student the year the picture was taken, then she may be in the book after all. The local church information gives a short history of the congregation, names the clergy through the years, has pictures, and depending on the faith of the church gives the names of officers, delegates, or Sunday school superintendents. If grandma attended “Walter Missionary Baptist Church,” I now know where it was located, and who the pastor of the church was during the time she lived in the area. I can contact the church for baptism, marriage, or death information.
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The heritage of Lawrence County, Tennessee, 1817-2008
by Lawrence County Heritage Book Committee (Tenn.)
This book starts out with pictures on the endpapers. Take a look and see what the Lawrence County community looked like. Then take a few minutes to read the historical timeline and early history pages. Maybe your grandparents mentioned great great grandpa living in one of the small communities like Leoma, and that he worked at the post office. The Leoma paragraph mentions the post office. Progress through the cemetery, church, and military pages and before you know it you’ve painted a picture of the county where your ancestor(s) lived.
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It does not matter that your particular ancestor was not written about in a particular county history book. The material written about in their pages can assist you in your quest to find out where in the county they lived, names or places to research, and adventures to take with discovery in mind. Remember to look for family friends and loose relations that can add life to your family tree. Don’t forget to read the advertising pages for addresses to business data. Many modern county history books or “Heritage Books” as they are now being styled are being compiled by local historical and or genealogical societies. Write to them for historical facts and family information. Maybe you will ask the right question to locate that brick wall ancestor. Even if your grandfather did not live in the area for long, check the end of some or all of the family biographies for who wrote the entry and what sources were used to compile the piece. Bibliographic source materials can also be used to find out more about your family history. Older county histories are sometimes referred to as “Mug Books,” because of the pictures and biographies of locally “famous” people. Many of these older county histories can be found digitized online on the HeritageQuest Online database, in the digitized “ Family History Books” on FamilySearch, at the Internet Archive, at the HathiTrust’s digital library, or on one of the hundreds/thousands of other websites that host digitized books. So while you’re out there in Clayton Library’s book collection looking for inspiration, or browsing the Internet, why not “pick up” a Heritage of (So-n-So) County or The Biographical, historical, and genealogical history of (Where-your-ancestor-lived), “open the cover” and find historical information about the county your ancestor lived in. Don’t get stuck on a person or the family name. Go beyond the bare facts towards resources that can help you find that family in the context of their everyday lives in a place at a specific time. The next time a county history is written about your ancestor’s location maybe you can contribute and your family member can be included!
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Electronic resources we like... Free database of World War I prisoners
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When the term Red Cross is in the news it is usually accompanied by images of workers helping out people who are recovering from natural disasters, such as flooding, fires, severe storms, earthquakes, etc.. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is a global humanitarian organization, which coordinates and directs international assistance following natural and man-made disasters in non-conflict situations. Its mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. The American Red Cross and 188 other national societies currently make up this organization. One of the key service areas of the American Red Cross is supporting military families. To this end their Emergency Communications Center can quickly and efficiently obtain the required information and send emergency communication messages to service members of every branch of service wherever in the world they happen to be. They can also work with the commanding officers if emergency leave is warranted and possible for the service personnel to travel home. This aid connects back through the years to the original mission of the parent organization, The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to help wounded soldiers in wartime. The ICRC started in 1863 with the desire to create national relief societies to attend to wounded soldiers and promote the adoption of a document protecting the war wounded and those who care for them. Adopting a symbol of a red cross on a field of white, the organization helped write the humanitarian laws adopted at the Geneva Convention, and has continued their mission to this day. The ICRC expanded their mission during World War I to include prisoners of war. On August 21, 1914 the ICRC established the International Prisoners of War Agency in Geneva. Its role was to restore contact between people separated by war, including prisoners of war, civilian internees, and civilians in occupied territories. About seven million soldiers and two million civilians were sent to detention camps during World War I. The ICRC’s International Prisoner of War Agency requested information on those prisoners from the belligerent countries. Many of the countries began to periodically submit lists of prisoners to the agency. The documents received could include prisoner’s names, capture, transfers between camps, and deaths while detained. Index cards were made for each prisoner that information was received for. These index cards were then filed by nationality and then by military or civilian status. Information on two million prisoners was received by the agency by wars end and comprises the largest collection of data on the war’s prisoners. Correspondence by relatives trying to find information on their captured loved ones was also indexed on what are known as “Enquiry Cards.” Volunteers would then pull an Enquiry Card and then search the index cards of the prisoners to see if a match could be made and contact between the family members restored. The agency also passed on correspondence between the prisoners and their families, and enabled families to send relief packages to the prisoner of war camps where their family members were being held. Six million cards comprising information on two million prisoners were created and have been kept at the organization's headquarters in Switzerland since the war’s end. The ICRC has been working to preserve the original records in their archives and to this end the ICRC has been digitizing the index cards and the records about the World War I prisoners of war. In 2014 the ICRC opened a free database on their website http://grandeguerre.icrc.org of these records. Ninety percent of the 5 million records on prisoners and 500,000 pages of corresponding records are searchable on the site. The ICRC has card indexes for fourteen nationalities: American, Austro-Hungarian, Brazilian, British, Bulgarian, Franco-Belgian, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian and Turkish. On this site ( http://grandeguerre.icrc.org) first click the “Search for a person” link. This takes you to the actual database where you choose the person’s nationality from the dropdown menu, then choose their status (military or civilian). After you choose these two things you may have to choose between multiple “Available files.” The database will take you to the beginning of the section of card images where the name would be found alphabetically. Then scroll through the images to search for the names you are looking for. If you find a relative's card, hover over it and a link will appear “for more information about the person.” You need to click on this link and then depending on the index card, the site takes you to a place where you enter one of the reference numbers from the card to see other documents. There is also a help link for reading the card. Most numbers link to a document that can be viewed. The site also has examples of index cards (click the link on the sites navigation bar), prison camp information, postcards, etc.. Some of the choices in the dropdown menus do not have any available files associated with them, and there is no explanation on the site as to why there are no files. It may be that the files have not been digitized and indexed yet, so as researchers we should keep coming back to the databases periodically and checking. Currently, if you choose American or Portuguese from the “Nationality” dropdown there are no files for under either Military or Civilian status. For Italian and Turkish there are no files under Military status. For Bulgarian there are no files under Civilian status. There is also no Brazilian choice under nationality even though the ICRC says in documentation about the archives that they have card files for this nationality. Also much of the correspondence from family members has been destroyed since the end of the war. Many people did not like to talk about their experiences of war, especially if they were a prisoner of war. If your family had soldiers in World War I or relatives who lived in the areas where fighting occurred give this database a try. You may find relatives that you never knew of. Or you may find out about a military relative’s time as a prisoner of war that is not in the family stories.
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Monthly classes and other upcoming events...
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January 2015 Gathering History: Crafting Traditions Saturday, January 3, 2015 | 11 AM - 12 PM Every family has a history, and it takes many forms. This class, part of a series at Clayton, addresses the textile heirlooms that are part of a family's story. You'll learn the historical significance of textiles, proper preservation for your current treasures, and even how to create a legacy to share. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens. “They Worked Hard for the Money- Your Ancestors at Work” Saturday, January 10, 2015 | 2 PM - 4:15 PM A pair of classes presented by local genealogist and author Nancy Matheny. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens. - Great-Granddaddy was no Rockefeller!: Discover your blue-collar ancestor at work in the U.S.A.
- Saturday, January 10, 2015 | 2 PM - 3 PM
- Meet the working ancestor you never knew. Learn how to uncover often overlooked records to find your ancestor's amazing backstory at work in the U.S.A. Discover how historical business records can help you, what they are, where to find them, and what to do with them once found.
- Paper Hangers and Harness Makers: Discover your ancestor using city, trade, and professional directories in the U.S.A.
- Saturday, January 10, 2015 | 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
- City, trade, and professional directories are a snapshot in time which tell us a vast array of information about our ancestors' amazing past. We can use that information to prove our relationship with them or fill in the colorful backstory of their lives. Paper Hangers tells you the why, what, how, and where to get started using historical city, trade, and professional directories today.
Clayton Library Orientation Saturday, January 17, 2015 | 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM Learn about the vast resources and how to efficiently utilize genealogical research materials housed at the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research. No reservations needed, meet at the Information Desk in the library. Adults/Teens. February 2015
“From Slavery to Freedom; Researching Pre and Post Civil War African American Ancestors” Saturday, February 7, 2015 | 11 AM – 4:30 PM A series of classes presented by Clayton Library staff member and author Franklin Smith. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens. - Beginning African American Genealogy Research
- Saturday, February 7, 2015 | 11 AM – 12 PM
- This presentation is geared towards those just starting their family history journey. The presentation will cover basic research tips and strategy for researching African American genealogy with an emphasis on records that specifically relate to African Americans.
- Researching Pre-Civil War Slave Ancestors- Identifying the Slaveholder
- Saturday, February 7, 2015 | 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
- Learn tips and strategies for identifying the Slaveholder using Post-Civil War records and information. From the 1870 community use the surname and location approach to narrow the potential slaveholder candidates.
- Learn How to Identify and Locate Slaveholder Records and Documents
- Saturday, February 7, 2015 | 3 PM – 4:30 PM
- Once a Slaveholder candidate is identified learn what type of records will name your Slave ancestors, how to locate those records and analyze those records.
Quick Start your Genealogy! Saturday, February 14, 2015 | 1 PM - 3 PM Overview of genealogical research tools: - 1 PM - 1:30 PM HPL Catalog
- 1:40 PM - 2:20 PM Ancestry Library Edition; FamilySearch
- 2:30 PM - 3 PM Ordering microprint from Salt Lake City
This session will be presented by a Clayton staff member. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens. Clayton Library Orientation Saturday, February 21, 2015 | 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM Learn about the vast resources and how to efficiently utilize genealogical research materials housed at the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research. No reservations needed, meet at the Information Desk in the library. Adults/Teens. March 2015 Genealogy Basics Boot Camp Saturday, March 7, 2015 | 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Interested in your family history, but not quite sure where to start? Found some information, but need to know what else is available? Join the boot camp for an exercise in genealogical research resources! This session focuses on starting genealogical research by examining basic tools, such as the pedigree chart, and basic research strategies. Learn about the different genealogical materials available to researchers and how they lead to other sources. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens. Grandma was a WAC, Aunt June was a WAVE and Sister Mary was a WASP : Women in the Military during WW I and WW II
Saturday, March 14, 2015 | 1 PM - 2:30 PM Searching through grandma’s things I found her military service record. Have you wanted to verify a female ancestor’s service in World War I or World War II? Come along on my venture to locate information that could be used to verify women’s service in the military during WW I and WW II. Our discussion will help guide you in your quest to search for resources that include data about grandma’s military career, and direct you to resources to help you locate evidence of your female relative’s military service. Clayton Library Orientation Saturday, March 21 | 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM Learn about the vast resources and how to efficiently utilize genealogical research materials housed at the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research. No reservations needed, meet at the Information Desk in the library. Adults/Teens. Texas Resources Saturday, March 28, 2015 | 1 PM - 2 PM Are you just getting started with researching your ancestors in Texas? This class will focus on a few of the vast historical resources available for researching your Texas ancestors. We will discuss resources available at Clayton, both in-house and through online databases, and from other institutions, such as the Texas State Library, Texas General Land Office, and records held at the county level. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens. Reserve Your Seat Online To reserve your seat for these or any of the classes offered at Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, please follow this link: Clayton Events.
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Additional information about Clayton Library
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