Genealogy Gems: News from the Fort Wayne Library, No. 43, September 30, 2007
From: Genealogy Gems (genealogygemsgenealogycenter.info)
Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 16:47:42 -0700 (PDT)
Genealogy Gems:  News from the Fort Wayne Library
No. 43, September 30, 2007

In this issue:
*Family History Month 2007
*Gazetteers for Canadian Place Name Research
*American Home Missionary Society Papers
*Preservation Tip of the Month
*Librarians on Tour
*Area Calendar of Events
*Family History Month Line-up of Programs
*Driving Directions to the Library
*Parking at the Library
*Queries for the Department

***************************************
Family History Month 2007
by Curt B. Witcher
***************************************
Family History Month 2007 officially begins in just a few hours.  That
the entire month of October is designated nationally as Family History
Month should speak to each of us about the importance of engaging in
this worthwhile activity.  And that something so informative and
enlightening also can be so enjoyable should entice everyone to do at
least one family heritage activity in the next thirty-one days, even
if it's just looking at an old family photo album, organizing those
family letters before they are lost, or watching one of the many
fantastic programs on Roots Television (click on the Roots Television
link found at <www.GenealogyCenter.Info>).  Further on in this ezine
is a complete list of Family History Month programs at the Allen
County Public Library's Main Library.  Participating in a few of those
sessions could be quite worthwhile as well.

This past Thursday, the 2007 edition of the "Periodical Source Index"
(or PERSI as it is often called) was loaded on the
HeritageQuestOnline.com web site.  This latest edition of PERSI brings
the total number of periodical titles indexed to 6,652 and the total
number of article citations to 2,038,494!  PERSI is the largest and
most comprehensive subject index to genealogy and local history
periodicals published in North America and the British Isles.  It
really should be a must-check source for every family line and
geographic location one is researching.  If you've never used PERSI or
don't believe you're getting the full benefit from the index, sign up
for the "Using PERSI" program on Tuesday, October 22nd from 2 p.m. to
3 p.m. in the Main Library's Computer Classroom by calling (260)
421-1225.

Happy Family History Month!!

***************************************
Gazetteers for Canadian Place Name Research
by Don Litzer
***************************************
Alan Rayburn notes that place names are "a significant reflection of a
nation's cultural and linguistic heritage."  For genealogists, place
names can also be important clues to revealing successful research
opportunities.

It is important to analyze place names in their historic and legal
contexts. As the lands which became Canada were developed, their place
names evolved as well. For example, in 1841 the British province of
Upper Canada became Canada West, which became Ontario in 1867. More
recently, municipal reorganization has combined numerous previously
independent Canadian townships, villages, and cities into entities
with often completely different names. The establishment of
Metropolitan Toronto in 1953 was the first such large-scale
restructuring, followed by a second round beginning in 1969 that
included establishment of the Ottawa-Carleton regional municipality.
Since the late 1990s, extensive amalgamation has taken place.
According to the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, as
of January, 2004, there were only 445 municipalities in Ontario,
consolidated from 815 in July, 1996.

The Genealogy Center has several historical sources published with the
purpose of comprehensively identifying Canadian places.  Lovell's
"Gazetteer of British North America" (971 L943), published in 1873,
includes entries for more than 6,000 communities and more than 1,500
lakes and rivers.  These entries frequently include information about
business and industry, churches, and institutions—with a separate
section detailing railway and steamboat connections to those
communities. The 1919 edition of Bullinger's "Postal & Shippers Guide
for the United States and Canada" (973.003 B87) identifies the
smallest populated Canadian places.

A novel source is the "Guide Officiel du Service Postal Canadien"
(971.003 C16g) which lists, for every Canadian post office operating
on December 1, 1916, the township or parish (or, in the case of
prairie and western provinces, legal descriptions down to the section
number) and electoral district for its location, in addition to the
postmaster's name.

A valuable, contemporary Internet resource to complement these
historical works is the "Geographical Names of Canada" website at
http://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/index_e.php  Here some 500,000 place names
in the "Canadian Geographical Names Data Base" can be searched in
English.

Selective place-name dictionaries can help identify a place with
greater certainty, and/or provide more context for it. Alan Rayburn's
"Dictionary of Canadian Place Names" (971 R213p), published in 1997,
provides such detail on 6,225 names, the most comprehensive of any
such work. Additionally, the book's introduction identifies current
and historical province or territory-level resources (many of which
the Genealogy Center owns) that provide useful leads for further
research.

***************************************
American Home Missionary Society Papers
by John D. Beatty
***************************************
 "The American Home Missionary Society Papers," available on microfilm
in the Genealogy Center, offer a rich, primary source of information
about religious missionaries in nineteenth century America. A valuable
tool for local history, as well as for religious and social history,
they can sometimes yield names of residents in various communities
that can be useful, as well, to genealogists.

In 1826 at a convention in New York City, representatives of the
Congregational, Presbyterian, Dutch Reformed, and Associate Reformed
churches organized the society as a means of raising revenue to
support missionaries of these denominations and help them establish
churches, providing a salary stipend and advice as they worked to form
new congregations in communities that could not otherwise afford them.
The resulting papers, which date between 1816 and 1936, consist of
incoming correspondence from missionaries in the field, outgoing
correspondence from administrators at the home office, miscellaneous
administrative material, annual reports, and copies of the Home
Missionary, a periodical published between 1828 and 1909. The original
papers are housed in the Amistad Research Center at Tulane University
and are available on microfilm through Thomson Gale.

Local historians and genealogists will likely find the incoming
correspondence to be the most valuable part of the set. As
missionaries entered various communities, they reported back,
sometimes in considerable detail, their personal assessment of each
locale and the prospects for churches. These first-hand accounts can
help place an ancestral community into a broader cultural and social
context, and if an ancestor was a Presbyterian or Congregationalist at
a time when a missionary visited, especially if they were a financial
contributor, he or she may have been mentioned in a letter.

While many states are represented in the collection, California,
Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin dominate the holdings.

Regrettably, there is no every-name index to the papers. David G.
Horvath's guide (GC 929.102 Am3g, located in the Microtext Guides
section) offers a series-by-series overview and state-by-state
descriptions, but does not identify specific correspondents. However,
incoming correspondence on the microfilm is arranged by state, by
year, then alphabetically by author. The Indiana series has been
abstracted in detail under the editorship of L. C. Rudolph and
published in a three-volume typescript, "Indiana Letters: Abstracts of
Letters from Missionaries on the Indiana Frontier to the American Home
Missionary Society 1824-1893" (977.2 R83i in the Microtext Guides
section). While this volume lists every correspondent, describes each
letter in some detail, and includes an index, it is still possible for
names to appear in a letter that were not otherwise abstracted.

"The American Home Missionary Society Papers" provide excellent
coverage for persons researching and writing local and congregational
history. While genealogists may find them esoteric, they should not be
dismissed as a useful research tool.

***************************************
Preservation Tip of the Month
by Becky Schipper
***************************************
The Conservation Center for Art & Historical Artifacts is sponsoring a
workshop entitled
"Race Against Time: Preserving Audiovisual Media." This workshop is
being presented at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in
Cleveland, OH on October 24 – 25, 2007.
For a description and information go to <www.ccaha.org> and click on
Education and then Program Calendar .

***************************************
Librarians on Tour
***************************************
Curt Witcher:
++October 2, 2007--"Bricks, Books and Bytes: A New Era of Collections
and Services at Fort Wayne's Genealogy Center."  6:30P at the Jackson
County (MI) Dept. of Aging, 1715 Lansing Avenue, Jackson, Michigan.
Sponsored by the Jackson County Genealogical Society.
++October 13, 2007--Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois 2007
Annual Fall Conference and Book Fair. Four lectures: Using Military
Records, Using Periodical Literature & PERSI, Using Government
Documents, and Getting More from the Internet for Your Genealogy.  8A
to 4P at the Ray Hancock Conference Center, John A. Logan College,
Route 13 & Greenbriar Road, Carterville, Illinois.

***************************************
Area Calendar of Events
***************************************
Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI)
++Oct. 10, 2007 at 6:30 pm at the Allen County Public Library's Main
Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne.  John Kalb of the Indiana
Postal History Society will speak about early correspondence and
stampless folded letters.
++Nov. 14, 2007 at 6:30 pm at the Allen County Public Library's Main
Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne.  John Hannigan will speak
about 21st Century military veterans of Allen County and an effort to
record them.

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) "First Wednesday" program
of lineage assistance is Wednesday, October 3rd from 9 am – 7 pm.
Expert help from members of the DAR on becoming a member of that
organization.

***************************************
Family History Month Line-up of Programs
***************************************
---All programs listed are going to be held at the Main Library at 900
Library Plaza in Fort Wayne, Indiana.---

Monday, October 1, 2007
"Using Ancestry.com"
Delia Bourne
Computer Classroom, 2 pm – 3pm

Tuesday, October 2, 2007
"Irish Civil Registration & Other Vital Records Sources"
Steve Myers
Meeting Room C, 2 pm – 3 pm

Wednesday October 3, 2007
Daughters of the American Revolution
Research Assistance for Membership
Genealogy Center, 9 am – 4 pm

Thursday October 4, 2007
"Griffith's Valuation & The Land Ordinance Survey Maps—What They Are,
Why They Are Useful, and How to Use Them."
Steve Myers
Meeting Room C, 2 pm - 3 pm

Friday October 5, 2007
"Genealogy Searching in the Online Catalog"
Don Litzer
Computer Classroom, 10 am – 11 am

Saturday October 6, 2007
"Beginning Genealogy"
Margery Graham, Instructor
Sponsored by the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana
Main Library Meeting Room C, 9:30 – 12 N
Fee $10. Pre-registration required

Monday October 8, 2007
"Image Restoration"
Kay Spears
Meeting Room C, 2 pm - 4 pm,

Tuesday October 9, 2007
"Making Genealogy Contacts via the Internet"
Don Litzer
Computer Classroom, 10 am – 11 am

Wednesday October 10, 2007
Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana Meeting
"Uses of Early Correspondence and Stampless-Folded Letters"
Speaker John Kalb, Indiana Postal History,
Meeting Room, 7 pm

Thursday October 11, 2007
"Preserving Your Family History Through Scrapbooking"
Dena Williamson
Meeting Room A.10 am – 11 am

Friday October 12, 2007
"WeRelate – the Genealogy Wiki"
Mary Kraeszig
Computer Classroom, 10 am – 11 am

Saturday October 13, 2007
"Indiana Court Records"
John Beatty
Room B, 10 am -11 am

Sunday October 14, 2007
"The History of the Bourbon Whiskey Industry in Kentucky"
Mary D. Kraeszig
Meeting Room C, 2 pm – 3 pm

Monday October 15, 2007
"Using Flickr to Document Your Genealogy"
Sara Patalita
Meeting Room C, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Tuesday, October 16, 2007
"Who Went Where and Did What? Using Directories in One's Genealogical Research"
Curt Witcher
Meeting Room C, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Wednesday October 17, 2007
Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana
Computer Interest Group meeting
Meeting Room B, 7 pm

Thursday October 18, 2007
"Choosing and Using a Digital Camera for Genealogy"
Jeanne Stump
Meeting Room C, 7 pm

Friday October 19, 2007
"Genealogy Searching in the Online Catalog"
Don Litzer
Computer Classroom, 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Saturday October 20, 2007
"Picturing Your Past: Scrapbooking Workshop"
Dena Williamson
Meeting Room A, 2 pm – 4 pm

Sunday October 21
"Introduction to Scottish Research"
Jeanne Stump
Meeting Room C, 2 pm - 3 pm

Monday October 22, 2007
"Using PERSI (Periodical Source Index)"
Delia Bourne
Computer Classroom, 2 pm – 3 pm

Tuesday October 23, 2007
"Using the Online Catalogs for Genealogy"
Mary Kraeszig
Computer Classroom, 2 pm - 3 pm

Wednesday October 24, 2007
"Using Local Sources"
Delia Bourne
Meeting Room C, 2 pm – 3 pm

Thursday October 25, 2007
"Creating a Family History Website 101"
Mary D. Kraeszig
Computer Classroom, 2 pm - 3 pm

Friday October 26, 2007
Midnight Madness--Extended Research Hours
6 pm – Midnight
Genealogy Center

Saturday October 27, 2007
"Using Ancestry.com"
Delia Bourne
Computer Classroom, 2 pm - 3 pm

Sunday October 28, 2007
"What's in a German Place Name"
Don Litzer
Meeting Room A, 2 pm - 3 pm

Monday October 29, 2007
"Not Just Ancestry -- Learning About Genealogy and the Internet'
Don Litzer
Computer Classroom, 2 pm - 3 pm

Tuesday October 30, 2007
"Hidden Treasures: Genealogical Resources in Small Community Libraries"
Gregg Williamson
Meeting Room C, 7pm - 8 pm

Wednesday October 31, 2007
"Haunted Fort Wayne"
Angie Quinn
Meeting Room A, 3 pm – 4 pm

***************************************
Driving Directions to the Library
***************************************
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%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 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.

***************************************
Parking at the Library
***************************************
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.  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 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 [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.GenealogyCenter.Info. 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
  • (no other messages in thread)

Results generated by Tiger Technologies Web hosting using MHonArc.