Houston Public Library: Genealogy Clayton Town Crier -- October 2014

Clayton Town Crier

October 2014

Your source for all the news from Clayton Library
Volume 8 Issue 1
Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research
5300 Caroline, Houston, TX 77004
832-393-2600

Manager's corner...

The oldest generation

In a discussion with my father recently, he brought up his and everyone’s mortality. We are not here forever. Among many other emotions that were elicited by the conversation, the stark reality that at some point, I will be the oldest generation in my family, hit home. As the oldest child, I carry not only historical information from the previous generations, but that from my own generation. Recently when speaking to a group of family history researchers at a conference I asked, as I often do, “how many wished they would have talked, asked, or listened to those of the older generations about the family, their experiences, and their lives?” Everyone raised their hand.

How many of us have written the story of OUR lives? We are so often directed in searching for the elusive 19th or 18th century ancestor. Who is documenting those who are from the 20th century, or even the 21st century? Who is documenting US? As we search for the historical documents of the more historical ancestors, including sources that chronicle our lives would be ideal. Along with the historical ancestors one of the most important activities is to tell OUR story, our siblings’ stories, and our parents’ stories. Sitting down with the interview questions we are currently asking the older generations, let’s look at ourselves and answer those same questions.

If you need help coming up with the questions to ask, sample questions can be found by doing a simple Google search using the keywords "interview genealogy questions." Try some of these questions as reflection, for you to write about your life, or as conversation starters.

What is your earliest memory?
What was your childhood home like?
What were your favorite school subjects?
Where were you when President Kennedy was shot? (or some other national/world event)
What are some of your favorite songs, and what memories do those songs bring to you?

More questions can be found at: http://www.familytreemagazine.com/article/20-questions

Others ideas might be:
Start a progressive letter between siblings/cousins talking about family events, holidays, summers, weddings, etc.
Starting a progressive taping of stories during the holidays beginning with open ended questions.
Talk about the pets you have had and the memories with them.

Examine things that are important, memorable, and significant to you and your family. We are trying to leave ourselves behind along with searching for our more historical ancestors. In time, we will be the historical ancestors. We have the opportunity to make sure our lives are remembered along with those we are researching. Carpe Diem and begin to write!!!

Sue Kaufman
Clayton Library Manager

Spotlight on...

World War I Research, More Than Draft Registration Cards!

2014 is the one hundredth anniversary of the start of World War I in Europe. Due to this centennial many books and magazine articles in genealogical circles are being written about looking for information on your ancestors’ contributions to the war. Unfortunately many of these focus on the “Draft Registration Cards 1917-1918” created by the Selective Service Act of May 18, 1917. These draft cards do list approximately 24,000,000 men in the United States, but these men were those with the potential to be drafted before any names were removed from the lists. Most of these men never had any service in World War I. Let’s look at some ways of finding out if your ancestor actually served in the US military in World War I.

The first and best document to search for to detail your ancestor’s involvement in the war is his service record. Service records for those involved in the First World War are held at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Unfortunately about 90% of the service records for the Army and Army Air Corps held at the National Personnel Records Center were destroyed by a fire in 1973. Service records for those in the US Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard were not housed in St. Louis until after 1973, so were not destroyed by the fire. If your ancestor was in one of these branches of the service during World War I you can send a request to the National Personnel Records Center for their service record. If your ancestor was in the Army or Army Air Corps during World War I start your search by sending a request to St. Louis for their service record in case their record was not destroyed or is one of the records that have been recreated since the fire. National Personnel Records Center, NARA, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138 Request records online (http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/index.html), or by telephone: 314-801-0800

The National Personnel Records Center is not the only holder of a service record. If your ancestor had any dealings with the Veteran’s Administration (VA) after their separation from service, then the VA would request a copy of their service record. This means that if you cannot get a copy of your ancestor’s service record from St. Louis then the second place you should try is the Veteran’s Administration. Start first with the local VA office where your ancestor lived after the war, if they cannot help you then try the national VA office. Many states also hold copies of service records from World War I. Check the holdings of the state archives for the state from which your ancestor joined the service. Listings of most state archives holdings can be found online on their official websites. For example, New York State’s website for its state archives shows that it contains a set of records abstracted from the records at the National Personnel Records Center before the 1973 fire. A description is found at: http://www.archives.nysed.gov/a/research/res_topics_mi_warsvc.shtml. Some of the state historical societies, like Kansas, even have searchable indexes for the service records they hold. This index can be found at: http://www.kshs.org/p/world-war-i-bounty-claims/15808.

Sometimes a service record cannot be found for an ancestor, but a record of their service can be found in lists of soldiers for a particular state or county. Here are some examples of such lists that can be found at Clayton library.

Record of soldiers & sailors discharges [microform] by Texas State Library. Archives Division.

The official roster of Ohio soldiers, sailors and marines in the world war, 1917-18. by Ohio. Adjutant General's Department.

Index to Arkansas' World War I soldiers. by Desmond Walls Allen.

History of the soldiers and sailors of Ellsworth County in the Great World War, 1917-1918. by F.C. Robbins

Parke county in the world war : a list of its soldiers, sailors and marines compiled from official records and from as complete research as possible ; portraits of its gold star men and over six hundred pictures of soldiers, sailors, and marines. by Book Author

A salute to Pike County military men & women. by Pike County Archives & History Society.

Acadia Parish veterans of World War I. by Pointe de l'Eglise Historical and Genealogical Society.

Oregon County, Missouri in World War I. by Roscoe W. Mitchell.

Some of these books give more than just a barebones listing of soldiers’ names. When you search for and find something written about the contributions to the war efforts of a community it can add quite a bit of life to your family history.

If you already know what regiment your ancestor was in during the war, you may want to look for a regimental history to add more detail to the stories of what they did during the war. Regimental histories for the First World War can be found at Clayton Library and at other branches of the Houston Public Library system. Here are a few to get you started:

The Fourth division : its services and achievements in the world war. by Bach, Christian A. Bach.

The Ninth U.S. infantry in the world war. by Book Author

History of the 107th Infantry, U.S.A.. by Gerald F. Jacobson.

History of the 353rd Infantry Regiment, 89th Division, National Army, September, 1917-June 1919. by Capt. Charles F. Dienst

The official history of the Fifth division, U. S. A., during the period of its organization and of its operations in the European world war, 1917-1919. The Red diamond (Meuse) division. by Society of the Fifth Division. United States Army. Veterans of the World War.

4th division, summary of operations in the World War. by American Battle Monuments Commission.

Story of the 36th; the experiences of the 36th division in the world war. by Capt. Ben F. Chastaine.

There are many additional ways to find information about your ancestor’s contributions to World War I; searching lists of the dead, books about contributions of various ethnic groups, and memoirs written by soldiers of the Great War itself.

Pilgrimage for the mothers and widows of soldiers, sailors, and marines of the American forces now interred in the cemeteries of Europe as provided by the Act of Congress of March 2, 1929 : letter from the acting secretary of war, transmitting to Congress a report of the number of mothers and widows of the deceased soldiers, sailors, and marines of the American forces now interred in the cemeteries of Europe who desire to make the pilgrimage to these cemeteries during the year 1930 or later, a list of their names, addresses, and the probable cost. by United States. War Department.

Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and memorial. by American Battle Monuments Commission.

Officers and enlisted men of the United States Navy who lost their lives during the World War, from April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918. by United States. Bureau of Naval Personnel.

The World War honor roll of those South Carolinians, who entering the services from their state, died while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. by South Carolina. Office of the Adjutant General.

The Hellfighters of Harlem : African-American soldiers who fought for the right to fight for their country. by Bill Harris.

American Indians in World War I : at home and at war. by Thomas A. Britten.

Doughboy's diary. by C. Earl Baker.

Optimism at Armageddon : voices of American participants in the First World War. by Mark Meigs.

Last, but not least we look at some books that can give you other ideas and avenues to finding out more about your World War I ancestor during this centennial year.

The great war : a guide to the service records of all the world's fighting men and volunteers. 940.3 by Christina K. Schaefer.

How to locate anyone who is or has been in the military: Armed Forces locator guide. 8th ed. by Richard S. Johnson.

U.S. military records: a guide to federal and state sources, Colonial America to the present. by James C. Neagles.

Source limitations…

Using County Tax Rolls to Track Known and Potential Slaveholders

Pre-Civil War county tax records are an important and seldom used resource when researching African American slave and free ancestors. Slaves, considered chattel property, were taxed with other personal/chattel property. In most states only numbers of taxable slaves are enumerated, however, some early Virginia tax records from the late 1700’s to the early 1800’s may identify slaves by name. Slaves will only appear on personal or combined personal/land tax rolls. They will not appear on land only tax rolls.

Creating a timeline of slaves owned from tax records can assist researchers in tracking the number of slaves held by a known or potential slaveholder for a specific time and place. This is especially helpful between census years. In addition, you may also discover:
-When the slaveholder first appears on tax rolls with slaves.
-When significant changes in the number of slaves held occurs, which may indicate a purchase, sale, inheritance, or distribution by gift.
-When a slaveholder died and the commencement of probate proceedings started.
-Track slaveholder movements from one county or state to another.
-Identify other slaveholder family members and in-laws that also held slaves.

However, as with many records there are source limitations with tax records. While all slave states taxed slaves, many of the records did not survive. Some states compiled and retained excellent records, but others may only have a few, if any. Originally collected at the county level the most complete records are those that were forwarded to the state for reporting and retention. The original records may still be found in county courthouses in some states, otherwise they may be found on microfilm at Clayton Library, state archives, genealogy libraries, the Family History Library, and online at FamilySearch.org, and Ancestry.com. In addition not all slaves were taxed, only slaves of a certain age, check the law and tax returns for each jurisdiction. For example, in Mississippi most years slaveholders were taxed for slaves under the age of 60 and over the age of 5, although this was not always mentioned on the tax rolls.

Many tax records available at Clayton Library are part of our microprint collection. Clayton has extensive holdings of microfilmed tax records for Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. There are also many scattered microfilmed holdings for other states. To find out what our microfilm holdings are please search here: http://www2.houstonlibrary.org/cgi-bin/clayton/microprint.pl by choosing your state and then the word TAX from the “Record type” drop down menu. You can also limit by county once you chose your state. To search Clayton’s book collection click here https://halan.sdp.sirsi.net/client/hou and do an advanced search for your state, and either the word “taxation” or “tax.” This will bring up a list of the books that contain tax lists or abstracts of tax lists for your state.

If no tax records exist for a state or county look for state and territorial censuses. Many times they denote the number of slaves held and were usually done between federal censuses and will reflect the actual number of slaves held not just those taxed. Also study your county history and boundaries, if not found in one county they may have lived or had slaves in an adjoining county. Some cities, towns and other municipalities may have also taxed slaves if the owner resided in the city even though the slaves were outside the city boundary.

Family History Month classes (or) October is Family History Month!

Family History Month Book Sale

October 1-31, 2014

Join us for that one special month when Clayton makes all its duplicate family history books available for sale. These are donated copies of books that have never been part of our collection.

Gathering History: Start the Conversation with Toys
Saturday, October 4 | 1 PM-2 PM
Family stories and painless interviews can revolve around a simple toy. This class discusses how to start the conversation using some of our most cherished keepsakes. This session will be presented by staff member Mel Hayes. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

A Potpourri of Tex/Mex Resources
Tuesday, October 7 | 10:30 AM-11:30 AM
This presentation will discuss connecting some of Clayton’s Texas/Mexico collections with other sources; ranging from films, Internet, and CD-ROMs, to databases. This session will be presented by staff member Julia Ramirez. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

Convicts to the Colonies
Wednesday, October 8 | 6:30 PM-7:30 PM
A major form of criminal punishment observed by Britain was to transport convicts to the colonies across the sea. Records and sources are discussed. This session will be presented by staff member Sue Kaufman. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

Freedmen’s Bureau Records
Friday, October 10 | 1 PM-2 PM
An overview of the agency’s history, purpose, records, and type of documents found in each record group. This presentation provides an explanation of the sources, and guidance on how to use the records to achieve the most productive results. This session will be presented by staff member Franklin Smith. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

Medical Genealogy : Defining Obscure Medical Terms Used by Our Ancestors
Saturday, October 11 | 10:30 AM–12 PM
You may have heard that Great Aunt Mary was consumptive and know that means she had tuberculosis, but what if someone had phthsis pulmonalis, phthisis, potter's asthma, or white plague. Come and learn about some of the diseases our ancestors faced and where to find out what the medical terms you see in obituaries or death certificates mean. (By the way, all the terms above have been used for tuberculosis.) This session will be presented by staff member Irene B. Walters. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

Overview of the Microfilm Special Collections
Wednesday, October 15 | 6:30 PM-7:30 PM
Join us for a discussion and brief overview of the many unique collections stored in the “Special Collections” microfilm cabinets. Find out which collections might pertain to your geographic areas and time periods of research. This session will be presented by staff member Steven Bychowski. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

3rd Annual Genealogy After Dark (Lock-in)
Friday, October 17 | 6:30 PM-11 PM
In celebration of October as Family History Month, the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research / Houston Public Library will be sponsoring the “3rd Annual Genealogy After Dark” event at Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, 5300 Caroline Street, Houston, TX 77004. This event is free and open to any members of the public who have an interest in genealogy. Various webinars will be offered throughout the afternoon and evening. Attendees are encouraged to bring a brown bag dinner or snacks. The library will close at 5 PM; check-in will begin upon reentry at 6PM. To attend the evening programming, the person MUST be registered for Genealogy After Dark. Clayton Library will be open to registered attendees for research until 11 PM. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

FamilySearch.org Live: Search Strategies, Tools and Tips
12 PM-1:30 PM
Presented by Robert Lawrence Kehrer, Sr. Product Manager, Search Technologies
This live demonstration uses real research scenarios. Join expert Robert Kehrer as he shares his research strategies and experience in using FamilySearch.org website tools to find records and then link those sources to the Family Tree.

Genealogical and Historic Records Available at the Texas Military Forces Museum
1:45 PM-2:50 PM
Presented by Lisa Sharik, Director
This program will provide information on the records which are available for research at the Texas Military Forces Museum and from Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas. The material spans from 1910 to the present day and includes everything from WWI service records to material from the deployment of our Texas troops in the Global War on Terror.

Building the West Texas Digital Archives
3 PM-3:50 PM
Presented by Edward J. Smith, Executive Director Abilene Library Consortium
The West Texas Digital Archives is a collaborative project run by the Abilene Library Consortium containing more than 50,000 digital items from many organizations across the region. ALC Executive Director Eddy Smith will highlight the Archives and discuss some of the experiences in building a large-scale, collaborative digital project.

Using Evernote for your Genealogical Research
4 PM-4:50 PM
Presented by Melissa Meadows, Programming and Outreach Librarian at Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, Houston Public Library
This presentation will highlight the importance of embracing emergent technology to genealogists of all experience levels. It will include a walkthrough of Evernote, as well as a discussion of the various ways in which the organizational platform can benefit anyone with their family history. Please feel free to bring your devices with Internet access enabled.

5 PM-6 PM
Clayton Library will close to begin Genealogy After Dark Check-In

Fundamentals for Beginning Genealogy Research
6 PM-7:20 PM
Presented by William D. Buckner, Manager, Genealogy Center, Waco-McLennan County Library

This class covers the basic concepts, skills, search strategies and resources needed to become a proficient family history researcher. Join us as we walk through the process of recording what you already know, getting organized, collecting information, and evaluating the information you find for additional clues about your ancestors. Learn to use some of the more common records of ‘genealogical value’ – vital, cemetery, obituaries, census and immigration records.

Five Civilized Tribe Indian Research
7:30 PM-8:20 PM
Presented by Aaron Holt, Archives Technician Fort Worth Regional Archives NARA
Learn how to research the Dawes Final Rolls. This program will touch on aspects of researching for Indians and Indian records utilizing the US Census and Indian Rolls within the National Archives at Fort Worth.

Think Like a Historian to Expand Your Research
8:30 PM-9:20 PM
Presented by Sara Gredler, Genealogist/Historian/Architectural Historian
Thinking like a historian puts your ancestors in their historic, social, and community context. Sara Gredler explores the resources available to expand the “big picture” of your ancestors’ lives along with their location.

DNA – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
9:30 PM-10:30 PM
Presented by Jim Wright, Family historian
Discussion will include what DNA results you can and can’t expect from an Ancestry DNA test (Autosomal test) with or without an Ancestry tree. Mr. Wright will use actual online Ancestry trees and DNA test results for the discussion.

Clayton Library Orientation
Saturday, October 18 | 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. This session will be presented by a Clayton staff member. Adults/Teens. No reservations needed, meet at the Information Desk in the library.

Cemetery Removal: Where did it go? How can I find it?
Wednesday, October 22 | 1 PM-2 PM
This class discusses resources to help you find a missing cemetery. We will discuss strategies to find out where the grave was moved, and what you can do to document your findings. This session will be presented by staff member Mel Hayes. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

Louisiana Death Records: Where to locate them
Thursday, October 23 | 11 AM-12 PM
This presentation will discuss both the resources Clayton has on-site for Louisiana death records, as well as online avenues that are made available on this subject through the Houston Public Library’s databases. This session will be presented by staff member Becky Grimes. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

Authenticity in Genealogical Research
Friday, October 24 | 2 PM-3 PM
Not every source is held by Clayton Library is reliable. Do you know how to tell if a source is reliable, or authoritative? This presentation will explore several source formats and types and discuss the methodology behind determining a source to be reliable, or how to identify the most reliable source available for a specific query. This session will be presented by staff member Clinton Drake. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

Old and the New Day: Research Strategies with Michael Leclerc
Saturday, October 25 | 10:30 AM-4:30 PM
Please join us for a full day of presentations, ranging from Finding Your Family in Canada; Reading and Understanding Old Documents; Sources for New England Research, and a discussion of the innovative family history database Mocavo. These sessions will be presented by guest speaker Michael Leclerc, chief genealogist for Mocavo. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

Cemetery Symbolism
Friday, October 31 | 2 PM-3 PM
This talk discusses the ways in which ancestors marked their final resting places to indicate various accomplishments in life, through death. Topics will include iconography, recurrent themes, and symbols of organizations. This session will be presented by staff member Melissa Meadows. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

Monthly classes and Other upcoming events...

November 2014
Clayton Library Orientation
Saturday, November 15 | 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. This session will be presented by a Clayton staff member. Adults/Teens. No reservations needed, meet at the Information Desk in the library.

Quick Start your Genealogy!
Saturday, November 29 | 2014 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. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

December 2014
Genealogy Basics Boot Camp
Saturday, December 6 | 1 PM-3 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. This session will be presented by a Clayton staff member. Adults/Teens. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600.

Clayton Library Orientation
Saturday, December 20 | 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. This session will be presented by a Clayton staff member. Adults/Teens. No reservations needed, meet at the Information Desk in the library.

Additional information about Clayton Library

Hours of operation:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 am-6:00 pm
Wednesday: 10:00 am-8:00 pm
Thursday: 10:00 am-6:00 pm
Friday and Saturday: 10:00 am-5:00 pm

We are closed on City of Houston holidays. Click here for the holiday schedule. http://www.houstonlibrary.org/library-holidays.

To search the Houston Public Library catalog for Clayton’s materials, choose the "Advanced Search" option here: https://halan.sdp.sirsi.net/client/hou, then limit your search by library to Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research.

If you need driving directions to Clayton from Houston's major freeways, click here: http://www2.houstonlibrary.org/clayton/about_directions.html

For more information, visit the Clayton Library webpage at: http://www.houstonlibrary.org/clayton