Genealogy Gems: News from the Fort Wayne Library, No. 37, March 31, 2007
From: Genealogy Gems (genealogygemsgenealogycenter.info)
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 19:05:34 -0700 (PDT)
Genealogy Gems:  News from the Fort Wayne Library
No. 37, March 31, 2007

In this issue:
*FGSConference.org--It's Time!
*Women in the Western Reserve Before 1840
*Catholic Church Histories
*Countdown to Conference 2007
*Preservation Tip of the Month
*Area Calendar of Events
*Driving Directions to the Library
*Parking at the Library
*Queries for the Department

***************************************
FGSConference.org--It's Time!
by Curt B. Witcher
***************************************
"Time to Shine!"  Many of us remember that educational slogan of
yesteryear meant to inspire young people to give one hundred percent
in their academic endeavors.  I'd like to change one word in that
slogan: "Time to Sign!" And that would be an encouragement to sign-up
for the Federation of Genealogical Societies' conference in Fort
Wayne, August 15 through 18 of this year!   It is going to be an
amazing four days of family history fun, learning, and networking!

You no doubt have noticed the informative columns about this
genealogical event which my colleague, Elaine Kuhn, has penned in the
"Countdown to Conference 2007" section of this e-zine.  (Another good
one about the exhibit hall is in this issue.)  You may have picked-up
an information flyer when last you were in the Genealogy Center or
your favorite genealogy hangout.  You might have heard some mention of
it at a local genealogical society meeting or read about it in a
number of publications that have announced the event.  Now, it's truly
time to make the decision to attend.

Go to the conference website <www.FGSConference.org> and take a good
look around.  Along the left-hand side of that webpage you will find a
number of useful links.  Among the first links, and one of the most
important, is the "Program" link.  Go ahead and click on that one.
You'll be presented with a day-by-day, hour-by-hour listing of the
programs that will be offered during the four days of the conference.
If you have a favorite speaker and would like to see what that person
is presenting, click on the "Sort by Speaker" link near the top-center
of the page.  Next to that link is a "Sort by Track" link so you can
quickly see the presentations arranged by general topics such as 20th
Century, British Isles, Computer/Internet, Land, Military, and
Occupational.  There are quite a substantial number of methodology
sessions as well.  These sessions tend to be among the most beneficial
for attendees.

In the center of the FGSConference.org main page as well as along the
left side, you will notice a link to register online.  After you've
looked through the lecture offerings and descriptions, this link is
the quickest and easiest way to get signed up for the conference.  The
links will take you to a secure registration system called Cvent.
Sign-in, mark the classes you think you'd like to take (you can always
change your mind when you're at the conference), choose your method of
payment, enter your card number, and be prepared to have one of the
most enjoyable times you have ever had learning from experts as well
as networking with vendors and fellow attendees.

Are you looking for a place to stay while you're in town for the
conference?  Well first, don't be disappointed that the downtown
hotels are full for the dates of the conference.  There are still some
great buys on Orbitz, Travelocity, and Expedia.  Check them out.
Coming with a friend or two can really drive down hotel costs as well.
And speaking of driving, there is plenty of very cheap parking in
downtown Fort Wayne close to the library and the convention center.

Excellent presentations, a super exhibit hall with an amazing variety
of vendors, an outstanding research facility across the street from a
new convention center, and nearly countless opportunities to
network--the time to sign up for this fantastic event is now.

***************************************
Women in the Western Reserve Before 1840
by John D. Beatty
***************************************
The Western Reserve consists of all or part of 14 counties in
northeastern Ohio (Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning, Portage, Geauga,
Lake, Cuyahoga, Summit, Medina, Ashland, Lorain, Erie, Huron, and
Ottawa), an area once owned by Connecticut and settled heavily by
pioneers from New England beginning in 1796. During the 1890s, the
Women's Department of the Cleveland Centennial Commission began
collecting material on women who settled in the Reserve between 1796
and 1840. The effort brought together some valuable historical and
genealogical information that fell into two different categories. Some
of this material consisted of anecdotal and biographical information
for thousands of women, describing their hardships or experiences in
taming the wilderness. The bulk of the material gathered, however, was
more skeletal in nature, consisting of typewritten lists of names for
tens of thousands of women, giving their date, county, and township of
settlement, and in many instances, their maiden names, birth dates,
and places of origin.

Gertrude Van Rensselaer Wickham, the group's historian, gathered the
biographical and anecdotal information in a series of three volumes
under the title, "Memorial to the Pioneer Women of the Western
Reserve" (977.1 W63m). The pages of these volumes are consecutively
numbered with an index to the set in the third.

The lists of names, which comprise the bulk of the collection, have
never been formally published and are a part of the collection of the
Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland. They have been
microfilmed on a single roll, a copy of which can be found at the
Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne. Arrangement is alphabetical
by county and township. An essential guide to the film, providing a
complete name index, is the "Index to the Microfilm Edition of
Genealogical Data Relating to Women in the Western Reserve before 1840
(1850)," compiled in 1976 by the Genealogical Committee of the Western
Reserve Historical Society (977.1 W52i, shelved in the Microtext Guide
section). The numbers that appear after the names are not page
numbers, as the pagination of the original typescript is only
haphazard at best. Instead the index uses meter numbers that are found
in the dark space beneath the pages on the microfilm.

This collection is not heavily used but is worth a closer look if you
are researching a pioneer woman in northeastern Ohio before 1840.

***************************************
Catholic Church Histories
by Don Litzer
***************************************
Church histories of congregations can include names of members,
photographs, and occasionally even sacramental recipients. However, if
a denomination is known, but a specific congregation is not, try
researching church histories covering a broader geographic area. Such
histories exist more often for denominations with a well-developed
institutional hierarchy and organizational structure. It is therefore
unsurprising that many such histories exist for the Roman Catholic
Church.

The Roman Catholic hierarchy generally places individual
congregations, or parishes, under the authority of a bishop or
archbishop, whose territory is, respectively, a diocese or
archdiocese. Histories can be found for dioceses or archdioceses, or
for temporal jurisdictions such as states, with which church districts
often share boundaries.

Many Catholic histories, especially older ones, are collections of
individual parish histories, such as Harry H. Heming's "The Catholic
Church in Wisconsin" (977.5 H372CAT). Photographs of church structures
and pastors, dates of pastoral changes and new building construction,
and listings of affiliated organizations (Knights of Columbus, rosary
societies, etc.) can be found. Descriptions of other Catholic
institutions such as schools, hospitals, sanatoria, and orphanages are
also featured. Another work, "Catholicity in the Carolinas and
Georgia" by J. J. O'Connell (975 Oc5C), while written as a narrative,
shares with the Heming book a geographical arrangement, allowing for
systematic perusal by researchers.

Catholic histories can indicate whether congregations were missions of
established parishes before becoming full parishes themselves—possibly
providing clues to early record availability and location. They can
also help identify national parishes, a phenomenon especially
prevalent in the nineteenth century, whereby Catholics affiliated with
others of like ethnicity at the parish level to maintain language,
ethnic identity and traditions. Roger Fortin's "Faith and Action: A
History of the Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, 1821-1996" (977.102
C49FOR) highlights specific Irish and German Catholic parishes.
"Highways of Destiny: A History of the Diocese of Pembroke, Ottawa
Valley, Canada" (971.301 R29O) by William C. O'Dwyer prominently notes
ethnic intermingling and definition, principally among French, Irish,
and Polish Catholics.

Some works, such as "Alaskana Catholica: A History of the Catholic
Church in Alaska" by Louis L. Renner (979.8 R295AC), are simply
remarkable history—in this case, an exhaustive work recounting a
missionary undertaking as vast and unique as the state itself.

Browsing the Genealogy Center's shelves by geographic area, or
searching the library catalog with keywords such as "(diocese name)
diocese" or "catholic church (state name)" can identify Catholic
church histories that may prove useful for your research project,
whether you're a beginner or an experienced researcher.

***************************************
Countdown to Conference 2007!
by Elaine M. Kuhn
***************************************
One of the many exciting things to experience at a conference such as
the FGS/ACPL 2007 Conference taking place this August 15th-18th is a
visit to the Exhibit Hall to check out the latest and greatest in
books, software and collectibles. This year's conference will be no
different -- a wide variety of vendors will have literally something
for everyone interested in the fields of genealogy and local history.

The Exhibit Hall will be located in the Grand Wayne Center. The Grand
Opening of the Exhibit Hall -- always a thrilling event -- will take
place Thursday morning, August 16th at 9:30 am. The Exhibit Hall will
then have open hours Thursday from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm, Friday from
8:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Saturday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Along with some of the well-known companies such as Ancestry.com, the
National Archives, and the Genealogical Publishing Company, visitors
to the Exhibit Hall will encounter goods from companies such as
Colonial Roots, the Fossil Tree, Stoney Way, GenSmarts, and the
ever-popular Fun Stuff for Genealogists. Book vendors like the
Genealogy Shelf and Jonathan Sheppard Books will also have booths full
of merchandise.

Finally, here's a tip to help you prepare for your visit to the
Exhibit Hall: many of the vendors draw for door prizes throughout the
conference. So, as not to slow down your shopping experience, have
some business cards or mailing labels affixed to 3x5 cards at hand.
When you encounter a drawing you'd like to enter, simply drop your
card in the appropriate entry box. Door prize winners are usually
posted near the entrance to the Exhibit Hall.

Happy shopping!

***************************************
Preservation Tip of the Month
by Becky Schipper
***************************************
The following is a very good website covering many aspects of
preservation from the Library of Congress.  <www.loc.gov/preserv/>

There are three major sections on the main page: Preservation at the
Library, Preservation of Your Materials, and Special Topics &
Presentations.  The second link in the second section called,
"Preparing, Protecting, Preserving Family Treasures" is a particularly
good link to explore.

***************************************
Area Calendar of Events
***************************************
Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI)
Refreshments at 6:30, meeting at 7:00. Questions: contact Katie Bloom
kathrynabloom [at] verizon.net
Wednesday, April 11, 2007, Main Library at 900 Library Plaza: Marshall
Brinkman will speak about the 44th Indiana Infantry Regiment in the
Civil War.

Computer Users Group--Third Wednesday of each month.
Questions? Contact Marge Graham, gramar57 [at] aol.com or 672-2585.

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) "First Wednesday" program
is suspended for January of 2007 during the Genealogy Center's major
move to its newly expanded location at 900 Library Plaza.  Look for
them on February 7, 2007 in the new department from 9A – 7pm.  Expert
help from members of the DAR in becoming a member of that organization

***************************************
Driving Directions to the Library
***************************************
Wondering how to get to the library?  Our location is 900 Library
Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana, on the block bordered on the south by
Washington Boulevard, the west by Ewing Street, the north by Webster
Street, and the east by the Library Plaza, formerly Webster Street.
We would enjoy having you visit the Genealogy Department.

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%20Webster%20St&city=Fort%20Wayne&state=IN&zipcode=46802%2d3602&country=US&geodiff=1

From the South
Exit Interstate 69 at exit 102.  Drive east on Jefferson Boulevard
into downtown. Turn left on Ewing Street. The Library is one block
north, at Ewing Street and Washington Boulevard.

Using US 27:
US 27 turns into Lafayette Street. Drive north into downtown. Turn
left at Washington Boulevard and go five blocks. The Library will be
on the right.

From the North
Exit Interstate 69 at exit 112.  Drive south on Coldwater Road, which
merges into Clinton Street.  Continue south on Clinton to Washington
Boulevard. Turn right on Washington and go three blocks. The Library
will be on the right.

From the West
Using US 30:
Drive into town on US 30.  US 30 turns into Goshen Road.  Coming up to
an angled street (State Street.) make an angled left turn.  Turn right
on Wells Street.  Go south on Wells to Wayne Street.  Turn left on
Wayne Street.  The Library will be in the second block on the right.

Using US 24:
After crossing under Interstate 69, follow the same directions as from
the South.

From the East
Follow US 30/then 930 into and through New Haven, under an overpass
into downtown Fort Wayne.  You will be on Washington Blvd. when you
get into downtown.  Library Plaza will be on the right.

***************************************
Parking at the Library
***************************************
At the Library, underground parking can be accessed off of 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.
ALPC card holders may use their cards validate the parking ticket in
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 $65.

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.  It is free to park on the
street after 5pm and on the weekends.

Visitor center/Grand Wayne Center garage at Washington and Clinton
Streets. This is the Hilton Hotel parking lot that also serves as a
day parking garage.  For hourly parking, 7am – 11 pm, charges are .50
for the first 45 minutes, then $1.00 per hour.  There is a flat $2.00
fee between 5pm and 11pm.

***************************************
Genealogy Center Queries
***************************************
The Historical Genealogy Department 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 [at] ACPL.Info.

***************************************
PUBLISHING NOTE:
***************************************
This electronic newsletter is published by the Allen County Public
Library's Genealogy Center, and is intended to enlighten readers about
genealogical research methods as well as inform them about the vast
resources of the Allen County Public Library.  We welcome the wide
distribution of this newsletter and encourage readers to forward it to
their friends and societies.  All precautions have been made to avoid
errors.  However, the publisher does not assume any liability to any
party for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, no matter
the cause.

To subscribe to Genealogy Gems, simply use your browser to go to the
website:  www.FriendsOfAllenCounty.org. Scroll down toward the bottom
of the first screen where it says, "Enter Your Email Address to
Subscribe to "Genealogy Gems."  Enter your email address in the yellow
box and click on "Subscribe." You will be notified with a confirmation
email.

If you do not want to receive this e-zine, please follow the link at
the very bottom of the issue of GenealogyGems you just received or
send an email to kspears [at] acpl.lib.in.us with "unsubscribe e-zine" in
the subject line.

Curt Witcher, editor pro-tem
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