This is Genealogy Gems I reveive from Allen Co., Public Library. If anyone
wishes to visit there for research this newsletter keeps one up on current
happenings of the Library plus where Seminars are being held in various states.
Access to current libraries in Fort Wayne that are open or closed for various
reasons. They are in a renovating mode for some time so alternate libraries in
Ft. Wayne are open with research capabilites.
In a message dated 7/30/04 3:48:09 PM US Mountain Standard Time,
Kspears(a)acpl.lib.in.us writes:
Genealogy Gems: News from the Fort Wayne Library
No. 5, July 31, 2004
In this issue:
**IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT**
*Your Family's History
*Nonpopulation Census Schedules
*Don't Forget the Microfilmed Soundex For Hard-to-Find Names
*Hotel of the month
*Area calendar of events
*Librarians on Tour
*Driving directions to the library & parking
*Genealogy Department Queries/Publishing Note
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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
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Friday, August 20, 2004, the entire Allen County Public Library System
will be closed for a staff in-service. Please make a note of this on
your calendar as we would hate for you to make a genealogical research
trip to Fort Wayne only to find our facilities closed. We will be open
Monday through Thursday of that week from 9A to 9P (regular hours) and
again on Saturday, August 21, 2004 from 9A to 6P. Repeating, we will be
closed on Friday, August 20, 2004.
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Your Family's History
Curt Witcher
**************************************
If you're like me, the end of July is a strong indicator that summer is
waning. Though there are certainly a number of summer days left, most
of us have taken the bulk of our summer vacations. The back-to-school
ads are invading our newspapers. Many of us have been to a family
reunion or, if we're lucky, two. A few of us may have even gotten to
research in a courthouse or archive that long had been on our list of
places we most wanted to visit. I hope the summer days that have passed
have provided you with some genealogical successes, and that the
remaining warm days ahead give hope for a few more discoveries.
With a little more than one half of 2004 in the books, I want to take
this opportunity to remind you of a long-standing service of the Allen
County Public Library. For many decades, individuals who have not had a
desire to officially publish their genealogical work have sent an
unbound "master copy" to the Historical Genealogy Department. In
exchange for the privilege of allowing us to make one photocopy for our
collection, we provide the compiler of the work with one complementary,
bound photocopy for his or her collection in addition to returning the
original master.
It is a great way to make sure your work is preserved and available for
future generations of researchers. In addition, having a copy at our
library ensures your work is secure from any disaster that might, heaven
forbid, befall your personal library. What to do with the extra copy?
How about a "draft" book to pass around at the next family reunion for
others to comment upon and update? Or a little surprise gift for the
relative or family friend who really helped you out?
If you are interested in taking advantage of this service, just mail
your unbound "master copy" to Steve Myers, Assistant Manager, Historical
Genealogy Department, P. O. Box 2270, Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270.
Include a note that simply reads, "Photocopy Exchange Program." You'll
be glad you did--and we will certainly be glad you did!
A final note: If you have Allen County, Indiana roots, be sure to
continually check the "Friends of Allen County" website at
<
www.FriendsOfAllenCounty.org>. There is always something new
happening there! Just this month we added a searchable index to Fort
Wayne and Allen County, Indiana obituaries from 1900 through May 2004.
Along with more than one century's worth of obituaries, a searchable
surname file and a list of the department's periodical titles are two
more new data files. And there will be a number of exciting searchable
indices added in August.
**************************************
Nonpopulation Census Schedules
Timothy Dougherty
**************************************
The Genealogy Department recently acquired Nonpopulation Census
Schedules for select states. These schedules include information
compiled in addition to the regular census at the time of census taking.
They cover 1850 through 1880 and include Agricultural, Manufacturing and
Mortality Schedules, Social Statistics, and Defective, Dependent and
Delinquent classes. An examination of these schedules may help paint a
more complete picture of an ancestor's life and community.
Agricultural Schedules list statistical information regarding the
inhabitant's farm. They help establish a clearer understanding of an
ancestor's role in the community. These schedules name the farmer, show
the amount of acreage, cash values, and breakdown of labor, livestock,
produce and products. Farms of less than 100 dollars in produce value
were excluded. As with the Population Schedules, information becomes
more detailed with the taking of each new census.
Manufacturing Schedules contain information on people engaged in the
following industries: agricultural implements, paper mills, boots and
shoes, leather and tanning, flourmills and gristmills, dairy,
slaughtering, salt, lumber mills and sawmills, brickyards and tile
works, coal mines, and quarries. They record details concerning
materials used, costs of labor, and capital invested and made. A person
appearing on the Agricultural Census may also appear on the
Manufacturing Census. For example, an ancestor may have been both a
farmer and saw miller, or a farmer and cheese-maker. Manufacturing
operations producing less than 500 dollars were not included.
Mortality Schedules list deaths occurring in the year immediately
before the census was taken. If the census was taken on June 1, 1850,
the Mortality Schedule will record deaths from June 1, 1849 through May
31, 1850. As with any other census record, some recording protocol was
interpreted loosely by the census-taker, so deaths occurring elsewhere
in the year may sometimes appear. These schedules reveal items such as
age, occupation, state or country of birth, marital status, and cause of
death. Given the paucity of death records for this time period, a
researcher may find death details that are not to be found anywhere
else.
The Social Statistics Schedules cover 1850 through 1870 and include
data on wealth, debt, taxes, churches, schools, libraries, newspapers,
crimes and wages. These schedules contain no personal information; they
list just statistical data. They are still valuable to the researcher,
however, for clues they may yield. For example, knowing there was only
one school in a community in 1870 might lead a researcher to seek a
record for that school, or knowing the names of community churches may
be particularly helpful.
The DDD Schedules, that is, "Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent
Classes," cover 1880. They archive information on "Insane Inhabitants,
Idiots, Deaf-Mutes, Blind, Homeless Children, Habitants in Prison, and
Paupers and Indigent Persons." Unlike the Social Statistics, the DDD
Schedules list personal data, and it is often very detailed. A
researcher may discover the nature of a disability or the reason for
incarceration, information that may not appear elsewhere. This
information may be especially important in monitoring diseases and
creating family health trees.
***************************************
Don't Forget the Microfilmed Soundex
For Hard-to-Find Names
John D. Beatty
***************************************
Online censuses are the current rage in genealogical research. Between
the schedules available on Ancestry Incorporated <
www.ancestry.com>,
those on Heritage Quest <
www.HeritageQuestOnline.com>, and the
every-name 1880 census index free through the Genealogical Society of
Utah <
www.FamilySearch.org>), genealogists now have access to all
federal schedules from 1790 to 1930, with the exception of the lost 1890
enumeration. ACPL patrons can freely access both subscription databases.
With comparative ease, one can enter a surname into a search template,
and through these sites, unlock the door to millions of names.
The convenience of these new tools does not render microfilm search
obsolete. Indeed, researchers may still want to examine microfilm to get
a clearer view of some images that did not scan or print well from the
digital image. The Soundex indexes for 1900 and 1910 can also help
reveal misspelled surnames. (Ancestry offers a Soundex search feature
for 1920 and 1930; Heritage Quest does not for 1900 or 1910.)
Both companies created their digitized censuses using National Archives
microfilm. Users may not know, however, that in rare instances through
camera operator error, some pages were never filmed, and these omissions
have been perpetuated in the digitized versions. A local researcher in
Fort Wayne recently discovered a missing page in the 1850 schedule for
Allen County, Indiana. Believing the omission to be a filming error, he
examined the original in Washington D.C. and found the missing page.
The names recorded there have been "lost" to genealogists using the
microfilm.
The destruction of the original schedules from 1900 to 1930 renders it
impossible to use them when filming errors are discovered. Researchers
should turn instead to the microfilmed Soundex indexes, which were
created from the original schedules, not the microfilm. A lost name may
well be lurking there. So for example, John Cahlan and his wife
Charlotte, who were enumerated in the 1900 schedule of Lassen County,
California, Enumeration District 49, page 5B, appear only in the
Soundex. The census film skips from page 4B to page 6A within E.D. 49,
thereby omitting their names from the Heritage Quest database.
As every genealogist knows, some families will continue to elude our
best efforts to find them. But knowing that filming errors may account
for some lost names offers the hope that they can be restored. Only a
careful reexamination of the original schedules and Soundexes by NARS,
Ancestry, and Heritage Quest staffs will ever restore these lost pages
to our use, and this writer knows of no current plans to do so.
***************************************
HOTEL OF THE MONTH
***************************************
Each issue we will feature a local hotel, for visitors from
out-of-town.
Best Value Inn
1401 W Washington Center Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825
260 489 3588; toll free reservations at 1 800 359 7366
This 45-room motel has park-at-door convenience and a location near
many restaurants and shopping. Rooms have microwaves, refrigerators,
computer dataport telephone, free HBO and local calls. Rooms with sofas
and jacuzzis available. Free continental breakfast and newspaper every
day. This hotel was brought to our attention by Joe Druse, a
genealogical visitor from Michigan, who said, "It is friendly and clean,
and very cheap." He stays there regularly.
Best Value is near the corner of Washington Center and Lima Road,
within sight of IHOP, KFC, Cracker Barrel and a Chinese restaurant. ACPL
is an easy drive, about ten minutes. The rates stay at AAA and AARP
levels all the time; for a king-size bed, one person, the rate is $35.95
plus tax. A real bargain.
***************************************
AREA CALENDAR OF EVENTS
***************************************
Allen County Public Library
3rd floor atrium display area
Passages: Immigration
Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI)
http://www.ipfw.edu/ipfwhist/historgs/acgsi.htm
No meeting until September 8, 2004. The meeting will be held at the
Dupont Library.
Computer Users Group
No meeting until September 15, 2004. The meeting will be held at the
Aboite Library.
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
First Wednesday of each month in the Genealogy Department 9am - 3pm.
Expert help from members of the DAR in becoming a member of that
organization
Federation of Genealogical Societies
www.fgs.org
September 8 - 11, 2004
Austin, Texas / Austin Convention Center
"Legends Live Forever: Researching the Past for Future Generations"
http://www.fgs.org/2004conf/FGS-2004.htm
***************************************
ACPL LIBRARIANS ON TOUR
***************************************
Sue Kaufman
September 8-11Austin, TX: Federation of Genealogical Societies
www.fgs.org
Steve Myers
August 27-28 Minneapolis, MN: Irish Genealogical Society
International
http://www.rootsweb.com/~irish/
October 24-30 Research Academy in Salt Lake City: Irish Research
www.genealogicalstudies.com/SLC.htm
Ryan Taylor
September 25 Waterloo, ON: Waterloo Region Branch OGS workshop
September 26 Brampton, ON: Halton-Peel Branch OGS branch meeting
October 2 Barrie, ON: Simcoe County Branch OGS workshop
October 24-30 National Institute for Genealogical Studies
Research Academy in Salt Lake City: English Research
www.genealogicalstudies.com/SLC.htm
Curt Witcher
August 27-28 St. Louis, MO: St. Louis Public Library Genealogy
Seminar
September 8-11Austin, TX: Federation of Genealogical Societies
www.fgs.org
September 18 Farmington Hills, MI: Farmington Genealogical Society
Program
October 9 Lancaster, OH: Fairfield County Genealogical Society
Seminar
October 23 Elkhart, IN: Elkhart County Genealogical Society Fall
Seminar
November 13 Cincinnati, OH: Hamilton County Genealogical Society
Program
***************************************
DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO THE LIBRARY
***************************************
Wondering how to get to the library? Our exciting transition location
is 200 E. Berry, Fort Wayne, Indiana. We will be at this location until
late 2006. We would enjoy having you visit the Genealogy Department.
To get directions from your exact location to 200 E. Berry, Fort Wayne,
Indiana, visit this link at MapQuest:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&countryid=250&add...
archtab=address&searchtype=address&address=200+E+Berry+St&city=Fort+Wayne&stat
e=IN&zipcode=46802-2706&search=++Search++&finditform=1
From the South
Exit Interstate 69 at exit 102. Come east on Jefferson Blvd. into
downtown. Turn left on Barr Street to Berry Street. The library is
located on the corner of Berry and Barr Streets.
From the North
Exit Interstate 69 at exit 112, coming south on Coldwater Road. Follow
this south, merging onto Clinton Street. Continue south on Clinton, the
library will be on your left when you cross Berry Street.
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. Left on Wayne
Street. When you cross Clinton, the library will be on your left on
Wayne Street.
Using US 24:
After crossing under Interstate 69, follow the same directions as from
the South.
From the East
Follow US 30 into and through New Haven, under an overpass into
downtown Fort Wayne. You will be on Washington Blvd. when you get into
downtown. Turn right on Barr Street. Turn left on Berry Street. The
library is on your left on Berry Street.
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PARKING AT THE LIBRARY
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Lot in front of the library, east side
Available for short-term library parking. Limited to one hour.
Tippman Parking Garage
Clinton and Wayne Streets. Across from the library, however the
skybridge is NOT accessible. Hourly parking, $1.25 per hour up to a
maximum of $5.00 per day.
Park Place Lot
Covered parking on Barr Street at Main Street. This lot is one block
away from the library. Hourly parking Monday through Friday, 9am to
6pm.
Street (metered) parking on Wayne Street and Berry Street.
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
Covered parking 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 Department 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: CWitcher(a)ACPL.Lib.in.us. Look for a general genealogy
query email address coming soon.
***************************************
Publishing Note
***************************************
This electronic newsletter is published by the Allen County Public
Library's Historical Genealogy Department, 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
taken 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. If you do not want to receive this
e-zine, please send an email to kspears(a)acpl.lib.in.us with "unsubscribe
e-zine" in the subject line.
Sue Kaufman, Editor
Outgoing mail from this location is verified virus-free:
McAfee ViruScan 2004 (8.0), Data file: 4.0.4380, dated 07/21/2004