Genealogy Gems: News from the Fort Wayne Library, No. 76, June 30, 2010 | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Genealogy Gems (genealogygemsgenealogycenter.info) | |
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:08:15 -0700 (PDT) |
Genealogy Gems: News from the Fort Wayne Library No. 76, June 30, 2010 In this issue: *Telling Our Stories . . . Many Opportunities *The Postal and Post Office History of Indiana *Ontario Archives Land Record Index *Technology Tip of the Month--Further Adventures with Adobe Photoshop: Using Color Channels to Correct Black and White Photos *Preservation Tip of the Month--Caring for Photographs *Preserve YOUR Story *Genealogy @ Night *Genealogy Center Mini-Course: Beyond the Basics *Help Us Keep and Tell the Stories *Librarians on Parade *Area Calendar of Events *Driving Directions to the Library *Parking at the Library *Queries for the Department *************************************** Telling Our Stories . . . Many Opportunities by Curt B. Witcher *************************************** To know you have a story to tell--little can be more empowering; to know you can tell your story--little can be more inviting; to actually tell your story--little will be more valued by your children’s children. In many ways, telling our stories--the stories of our families’ journeys through time, our families’ handling of triumphs and disasters--is the reason we do genealogical research. Yes, we enjoy the quest and take pleasure in all the discoveries that reveal who our forefathers and foremothers were, but in the end, it’s the stories we pen and the stories we tell that complete the work of discovering and preserving our heritage and history. This month will present Allen County and surrounding area residents with a unique story telling opportunity. As mentioned in a previous ezine, StoryCorps will be recording interviews the entire month of July after the holiday weekend in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana in their mobile studio at the Allen County Public Library. Show your support for this national initiative to preserve America’s stories by participating. Participants not only get a copy of their recorded stories, but in addition, their stories are preserved at the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress for future generations to enjoy. To date, more than thirty thousand interviews have been collected and archived. To include one of your family stories by interviewing a relative, neighbor, colleague, or friend, contact NIPR at <www.nipr.fm> and make a reservation. Also this month, and detailed below in this ezine, the Genealogy Center is offering a four-part series, “Preserving YOUR Story.” Make plans to fit at least one of those programs into your schedule. It’s a great way to spend part of a summer evening, and there will still be daylight left after each program for you to practice some of the things you learned. It’s a great complement to StoryCorps activities. Participants in the programs will receive a copy of the Genealogy Center’s new handout of the same title, “Preserve YOUR Story.” This handout provides good tips for conducting successful interviews. The Fourth of July holiday is just a few days away. And you guessed it--it’s another opportunity to share stories! There are many ways to create these mid-year stories. You might start a conversation at the family picnic by asking each person to talk about the first time he/she lived on his/her own away from home. Prepare yourself to hear some humorous anecdotes and perhaps a few enlightening ones as well. Asking what freedom means to each of the assembled at your cookout or campfire can start some great conversations and stories. And, of course, you can always talk about family members, those with us and those departed, who have served this great country so that we all can enjoy our freedom and independence. It’s important just to seize the moment. Happy Fourth of July! *************************************** The Postal and Post Office History of Indiana by Dawne Slater-Putt *************************************** Among the finding aids in the Genealogy Center for Indiana towns are “The Postal History of Indiana” by J. David Baker (GC 977.2 B16p) and “Indiana Post Offices” by V. A. Ross and Arthur R. Hadley (GC 977.2 R733i). Baker’s two-volume work is an extensive postal history for Indiana from territorial days to the time of publication in 1976, including information on routes, markings, rates, rural free delivery, stamps, envelopes and mail services. One chapter covers the movement of Indiana volunteer units during the Civil War and includes illustrations of postal markings of several units. Baker’s study includes illustrations of Indiana postmarks, covers and cancellations, as well as photographs of some of the early Indianapolis postmasters. Probably the most useful feature of “The Postal History of Indiana” for genealogists is a “List of Post Offices and Postmasters, 1800-1890.” This list includes the post office name, dates of opening, closure and change, county, names of postmasters and dates of appointment. For example, the post office in Xenia in Miami County opened 5 July 1854 and had thirteen postmasters before it was changed to Converse 25 June 1892. A researcher looking for Xenia, which no longer exists, would discover that the town name had changed. A supplemental “List of Postmasters in Indiana, 1890-1970” provides the date of appointment for each and is available on one sheet of microfiche in Cabinet I, drawer 4. The book by Ross and Hadley expands and corrects Baker’s list of post offices. “Indiana Post Offices” includes for each location the name, alternate spellings, county, official opening date and official closing date if applicable. The list also indicates changes in name, location or status. The first and main section of “Indiana Post Offices” is an alphabetical listing by the name of the post office. A second section features Indiana counties listed alphabetically, showing the post offices, historical and current, located within each. The last half of the book includes several sections listing types of cancels used in Indiana post offices and actual images of the cancels. Statewide postal or post office histories are available in the Genealogy Center for dozens of other states. In addition, the collection includes many county-specific postal histories, as well as Canadian postal histories. To find these volumes, search the online catalog using the word “postal” as the subject. *************************************** Ontario Archives Land Record Index by Cynthia Theusch *************************************** Land records are a great way to find out when and where your ancestor settled in a particular area. The Ontario Archives Land Record Index, on microfiche in the Genealogy Center (Cabinet H-1), lists more than 230,000 names of the original settlers on, or owners of, property in the Province of Ontario. The Land Record Index provides access to Crown Land records as well as some land-related materials of the Canada Company and Peter Robinson settlers. The time period covered is about 1780 to about 1920. Researchers should know that some settlers never acquired ownership of the property involved, and that the index does not include the names of those who subsequently purchased the property from the original owner. The Index is presented in two series. The first is an alphabetical listing by name of the settler or “locatee,” and the second is a listing by township or town. Information provided includes the name of the person involved, current residence, township, lot and concession, type of property transaction, issue date, type of free grant or lease sale, and a reference source for the original record. Researchers will need to check all spelling variations of names. The Ontario Archives has a research guide available online that will help you interpret the codes and understand the information provided in the index. (www.archives.gov.on.ca) The following two examples show the information provided for a land purchase and a lease identified in the name index. 1) Saml C. Kenney, residence not given, land in Trafalgar Township, SE ½ Lot 13, Concession 2NDS, Date ID 5 (sale), issued 27 October 1831 transaction type sale, Clergy Reserve, Record Group 01, Series C1113, Volume 001, page 057. 2) John Woodrow, Sr., residence King Township, land in King Township, Lot 24, Concession 2, Date ID 8 (Order-in-Council awarding him the right to reside on Crown land), issued 26 May 1836, transaction type lease, Clergy Reserve, Record Group 01, Series C13, volume 152, page 136. The township index is useful for identifying the neighbors of an ancestor and occasionally for learning more about that ancestor as well. For example, the township index for Trafalgar indicates that the same parcel of land offered to Saml C. Kenney (noted above) was offered by assignment just ten years later on 14 May 1841 to Evan E. Jones. Information from the type of transaction will indicate other land records you may wish to research. A free grant points to the Crown land records, lease and sale transactions generally indicate records of the Canada Company, and assignment indicates that this person is not the first grantee offered a particular piece of land (as in the example above). If your ancestor received a free grant, various regulations and administrative fees created additional records worth exploring, some involving United Empire Loyalists, their children, or those who had served in the military or militia. *************************************** Technology Tip of the Month--Further Adventures with Adobe Photoshop: Using Color Channels to Correct Black and White Photos by Kay Spears *************************************** This is a little trick I picked up from Katrin Eismann’s book “Photoshop Restoration & Retouching.” Whether scanning black & white, sepia or color photographs, I always scan and save using the highest color setting the scanner allows. Why do I save my black and white images as color? One reason is that they have more depth when viewed. Another reason is I can use the Color Channels tool to correct some problems that may arise with black and white photographs. One of those problems may be a close encounter with a child who had a pencil or pen in their hand. Or there may be dust, specks, or dirt of unknown origin on the surface of the photograph. For this lesson, let’s imagine a child and pen have left a scribble on the photo. Open the scanned photograph in Photoshop, making sure the Layers Palette is selected. Click the Channels tab on the Layers Palette. This is the Color (RGB) Channels palette, and there will be four channels: RGB, Red, Green, and Blue. Next, view the photograph on each channel (except the RGB channel) by clicking on them one at a time. Click on the channel itself, not the eye. As you click on each channel, watch your photograph change. The image should look better on one channel than the other two – the scribble will appear very light or will have disappeared. That is the channel you are going to use. With the best channel selected, go to Image>Mode>Grayscale and click. A dialog box will ask “Discard other Channels?” Click OK. Now you will have only a “Gray” channel. Once this is done, you can continue to tweak the photograph in whatever manner needed. If you want to add a sepia tone or color back in when you are finished tweaking, go to Image>Mode>RGB Color and click. When you do this, the photograph will once again be in color mode and ready to have color added; however, there shouldn’t be any scribble on it. Next: Further Adventures with Adobe Photoshop, Photomerge Tool *************************************** Preservation Tip of the Month--Caring for Photographs by Becky Schipper *************************************** Photographs capture not only happy memories but our family histories as well. Often they are the first thing that we think of saving during a disaster such as fire or flood. But it does not necessarily take an act of nature to damage photographs. Many times our own negligence causes the damage. Incorrect storage and display of the items can lead to fading and deterioration over time. The greatest threat is exposure to direct sunlight. To reduce the threat of overexposure, always frame your photographs with glass or Plexiglas that has a layer of UV protection. Select walls or tabletops that are not in direct sunlight to display your photos. Photos in albums that date from the late 1960s through the 1980s may suffer damage because the paper and adhesives used were highly acidic. Albums that were used a century ago are more archivally sound. They usually contained cotton rag paper and used photo corners for attachment. There are numerous companies that provide archival albums, storage boxes, paper, and framing materials. Appropriate supplies may be purchased from the following companies. 1. Light Impressions -- lightimpressionsdirect.com 2. Archival Products -- archival.com 3. Hollinger Metal Edge -- hollingermetaledge.com *************************************** Preserve YOUR Story *************************************** The Genealogy Center will offer the following lectures on preserving personal, family and community history to supplement NIPR's activities during StoryCorps' visit to northeast Indiana. <http://storycorps.org> All of the programs will be at the Allen County Public Library's Main Library at 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN, 2PM - 3PM in Meeting Room A. Basics of Scanning by Kay Spears This lecture will cover the essentials of organizing, scanning, and storing family (or other) photographs digitally, as well as provide suggestions on the equipment you may need. (Basic computer knowledge is helpful in getting the most from this presentation.) Wednesday, July 7, 2010 Preserving Your Family History by Rebecca Schipper Discover how to care for and store documents, photos, books, textiles and other precious family treasures. Tuesday, July 13, 2010 "Cataloging" 3-D Items & Heirlooms Dawne Slater-Putt Many of the objects in our homes are heirlooms - they were passed down to us from someone else. Others have a story or an anecdote associated with them that have become part of our family's oral history. As genealogists, we organize our paper files, but when we are gone who will know that the sugar bowl in the cupboard belonged to Great Grandma Mattie, or which child made the clay handprint in kindergarten? And who will know why a particular wine cork was saved? This talk will discuss ways of recording information about three-dimensional objects so that future generations can enjoy not just the objects, but the history and special stories that go along with them. Monday, July 19, 2010 Being Creative with Your Family History Cynthia Theusch You've spent a lot of time gathering information about your ancestors, but you're not quite ready to write the family genealogy book. This program will highlight a variety of creative ways to present your family history and gift ideas for family members. Thursday, July 29, 2010 Please register via email to Genealogy [at] ACPL.Info or by phone at 260-421-1225. ************************************** Genealogy @ Night ************************************** Our summer series continues on Tuesday, July 20, at 6:30 p.m. when John Beatty will present "Researching Indiana Court Records” in Meeting Room A of the Main Library. This session will examine the various types of documents of genealogical value created by Indiana's courts over the last two hundred years, with many examples and tips on accessing and interpreting these records. The series will continue August 17, when Dawne Slater-Putt presents "Cataloging 3-D Items & Heirlooms." Look for more information at our Website www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/programs.html and register via email to Genealogy [at] ACPL.Info or by phone at 260-421-1225. Plan to visit us in the evenings this summer! ************************************** Genealogy Center Mini-Course: Beyond the Basics ************************************** The popular mini-course, "Family History: Beyond the Basics," will be offered September 17 & 18, 2010. Instructors Margery Graham, CG and Steve Myers, MLS will share their knowledge as well as guide tours of the Genealogy Center and provide assisted research and personal consultations. "Family History: Beyond the Basics" will cover the following topics. Day One: Session 1: Problem Solving: Breaking through Brick Walls in Your Research - Every family historian eventually encounters obstacles in their research that seem insurmountable. Learn some basic strategies for tackling these so-called "brick walls" that can lead you to genealogical breakthroughs. Session 2: Probate Records - Learn how to find and use wills, administrations and guardianships, as well as the other "goodies" contained in probate records. Session 3: Land Records and Tax Lists - Learn the basics of land descriptions and how deed and land grant records, as well as associated tax lists, can all help advance your research. Day Two: Session 4: Military Records - Following an overview of military record sources, learn the basics of researching ancestors who served in the American Civil War (1861-1865) and in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Session 5: Church Records - Learn how to identify, locate and use these important sources of early birth, marriage and death information for a time period that pre-dates government registration of so-called "vital records." Session 6: Tracing Your Ancestors Across the Atlantic - Learn how to find and use the many sources that bear on this crucial research step. Naturalization records, passenger lists, European emigration records and other sources will be discussed. This course will be in Room BC of the Main Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana. The registration fee for the "Family History: Beyond the Basics" mini-course is $50. Checks should be made payable to "ACPL Foundation" and mailed to: Genealogy Center, Allen County Public Library, P.O. Box 2270, Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270. Mini-course attendance will be limited, so register early to avoid disappointment. Additional information and a workshop schedule will be posted soon on our Web site at www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/programs.html. *************************************** Help Us Keep and Tell Our Stories by Curt B. Witcher *************************************** To acquire, process, maintain, and provide access to hundreds of thousands of records, documents, and publications is a significant undertaking in any economic climate. In today’s economic climate, the challenge is even greater as traditional tax-based funding sources are decreasing dramatically. Help us keep and make available the records that both document our heritage and assist with our stories by supporting the Genealogy Center Endowment Fund. One hundred percent of the money donated to this endowment supports the collections and activities of the Genealogy Center. And it’s easy to contribute. Go to <www.ACPL.Info>, click on the “Support Your Library. . .” link in the bottom right corner, then click on “Donate to the ACPL Foundation,” and fill out the secure form, choosing “Genealogy Center” from the list of giving options. If you prefer a more traditional payment method, checks to the ACPLF--Genealogy Endowment can be sent to Allen County Public Library, P. O. Box 2270, Ft. Wayne, IN 4680-2270. Thank you for helping us provide the best for you. *************************************** Librarians on Parade in June 2010 *************************************** Curt Witcher July 28-30, 2010, Conference on Family History and Genealogy, Brigham Young University, BYU Conference Center, Provo, UT. Presentations: “This I Believe: The Urgent Need to Record Living History,” “Preserving Your Family History: A Practical Mini-Course” (Parts 1 & 2), and “The Papers Before the Records: Exploring Old Northwest Territory Sources.” August 18-21, 2010, Federation of Genealogical Societies annual conference, Knoxville, TN. Presentations: “SOS! SOS! Saving Our Societies: Answering Our Distress Beacons,” “The Dollars and Cents of Fundraising,” “Being a Leader in Your Society: Tactics and Techniques,” and “Marching On: The Allen County Public Library’s ‘Our Military Heritage” Project.” John Beatty July 20, 2010, Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN, Meeting Room A, 6:30 p.m. Presentation: “Researching Indiana Court Records” Dawne Slater-Putt July 19, 2010, Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN, Meeting Room A, 2 p.m. Presentation: "’Cataloging’ 3-D Items & Heirlooms” Cynthia Theusch July 12, 2010, Wabash Valley Genealogy Society, Vigo County Public Library, Terre Haute, IN, 6:30 p.m. Presentation: "Civilian Conservation Corps” and “Works Project Administration" July 29, 2010, Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN, Meeting Room A, 2 p.m. Presentation: “Being Creative with Your Family History” *************************************** Area Calendar of Events *************************************** Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI) Next meeting--September 8, 2010 Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society, 302 East Berry, Ft. Wayne, IN Lecture series will resume in the fall. *************************************** 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 Genealogy Gems you just received or send an email to kspears [at] acpl.lib.in.us with "unsubscribe e-zine" in the subject line. Steve Myers & Curt Witcher, co-editors
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