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he Genealogy Center, like the other agencies of the Allen County Public Library, will be closed on Monday, September 1 for Labor Day. We will be open our regular hours on Saturday, August 30, and will reopen for our normal winter schedule on Tuesday, September 2nd.

by Cynthia

While searching The Genealogy Center’s catalog for basic information on Michigan, I discovered “It Happened in Michigan: Remarkable Events That Shaped History” by Colleen Burcar (GC 977.4 B892IT). The table of contents of this book included the chapter “Thousands Vowing ‘I Do’,” which seemed intriguing. What did this mean? The author noted that beginning at the end of the 17th century through a change in law in 1925, thousands of people from neighboring states went to Michigan to marry because there was no waiting period. In 1897, Michigan adopted a secret marriage law (Act 180 of 1897) that allowed the issuance of marriage licenses without publicity. 
 
Issuance of Marriage License Without Publicity (Section 551.202  - excerpt of Act 180) stated that if a couple wanted anyone other than the judge of probate to perform a marriage, the judge of probate could issue a permit, as long as the official was legally competent to perform marriages in the state. However, only the probate judge could make a record of the marriage. The law also stated that the judge’s records and the copy that was filed in the State of Michigan’s Public Health Department were permanently sealed and could not be opened unless one of the couple produced legal identification to get a copy of their marriage record.

The cost of a “secret” marriage was three dollars. Two dollars were for the judge’s service and one dollar was forwarded to the state register to be added to the state general fund (Section 551.202). 

St. Joseph, Michigan, was a well-known wedding site of choice for individuals from other states. Thousands took advantage of the no waiting period. The majority of the marriages performed there were for residents of Chicago. On April 30, 1925, Michigan Governor Alexander Grosbeck took a huge step toward discouraging people from other states from coming to Michigan to be married. His new statute required a five-day waiting period after the license application.

While researching what was meant by secret marriages, I found that only two states have passed legislation on secret marriages; Michigan and California. If you are having trouble finding a public record of a marriage in Michigan for an ancestor or a collateral relative, he or she may have had a secret marriage. 

A circulating copy of Burcar’s book is in Readers’ Services (REA 977.4 B89I).

There are only two Digital Discoveries left for this summer’s series. August’s offering is “Discovering PERSI.” Cynthia Theusch will demonstrate the new Periodical Source Index that’s now available on FindMyPast. She will show you a variety of ways to search for items mentioned in the genealogical and historical newsletters, quarterlies, journals and magazines. This session will be held in Meeting Room A on Wednesday August 13, 2014, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM. To register for this free event, call 260-421-1225 or send us an email. Take the time to learn the new PERSI!

By Dawne

Two hundred years ago hundred years ago next month – on August 24, 1814, the British burned Washington, D.C., during the War of 1812. The centennial of this sometimes-forgotten war is being recognized throughout the end of this year. One ongoing project that is significant for genealogists is the Preserve the Pensions Project spearheaded by the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS).

FGS and its partners are raising money to digitize the 7.2 million pages of War of 1812 pension files that are among the most-requested record types at the National Archives research facility in Washington, D.C. These records are in danger of deterioration. Once digitized, the records will be freely accessible to everyone. As the images are scanned, they are being uploaded to the Fold3 website.

Ancestry.com, as one of FGS’s partners in the Preserve the Pensions Project, has offered to pay for half of the total cost of digitizing the record collection. Toward this end, Ancestry is matching every donation from an individual or society. Pages cost 45 cents each to digitize, so a donation of $45 will preserve 100 images. Counting the Ancestry match, 200 pages will be digitized for a donation of $45.

Contributors can make their donations in the name of an ancestor and donations are tax deductible. For more information and to make a donation to this worthwhile project, visit Preserve the Pensions website.

by Delia

When I was in high school, I lived for a time in Texarkana, Arkansas-Texas. My mother had grown up there, and my grandmother lived there until she died. It was an interesting place, with the state line going right down the middle of town. That was the name of the street: State Line Avenue. We moved there in late summer, and before we actually had a house, I was registered to go to Arkansas High, but the house we moved into was on the Texas side. Every day, I had to drive across the state line to go to school. There were two different states, two different counties and two different cities. There were also different laws, especially of the blue variety: One could purchase liquor by the bottle in Arkansas, but not by the drink; one could not buy liquor by the bottle in Texas, but could join a “private club,” and get liquor by the drink (a private club was a legal fiction and anyone could be a member on the manager’s approval). When we lived in Texas, we went to church in Arkansas, but later, when my parents moved, they lived in Arkansas (lower taxes) but attended church in Texas (same tithe). My cousin, an Arkansas resident, attended church, married and had her wedding reception in Texas. And a number of Arkansas relatives are buried in Texas. So what’s my point? The county line and state line meant nothing to those of us who lived there. You crossed it several times a day, important for legal purposes, but not of much importance in our daily lives.

When you are seeking information on your ancestors, take a few minutes to look at maps. Many researchers examine plat maps. They show land ownership at the time of publication. But we also need to pay attention to the ponds, lakes, rivers and streams. These were valuable for water and transportation, but could also be barriers. Study county maps over the years to see how roads developed, what settlements came and went, where schools, churches and cemeteries were located, and how the railroad or canal moved through the area. Examine state maps to note where the roads and railroads went. What towns or villages were closest to your ancestor’s residence? Even if that place is in a different county, he or she may have gone there on a regular basis. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, people would catch a train to go to a city several counties away to do business, make purchases or for entertainment.

Many also visited neighboring states on a regular basis, even if they didn’t live in Texarkana! There were a number of places, referred to as a “Gretna Green,” where eloping couples would marry without family or neighbors knowing. Our ancestors visited health spas, sanitariums, and visited physicians in neighboring states. Or someone might find employment elsewhere and move away for a while. We need to examine maps of all sorts, and look them with fresh eyes as we contemplate what our forebears might have been doing.

So take a few minutes to examine older, and current, maps of your ancestors’ home areas. Study the water courses and terrain. See where the roads led. And think about your ancestors’ lives.

The last set of cemetery listings provided by Professsor Dawn C. Stricklin, MA of Southern Illinois UniversityMore MIssouri Cemeteries and her Department of Anthropology in Carbondale, Illinois. These cemeteries, which are all in Missouri, include Niswonger Church Cemetery in Cape Girardeau County; Glover Baptist, Graniteville, Mann, Russell, and Schwab cemeteries, all in Iron County; St. Michael's Cemetery in Madison County;  Lesterville and Walker Branch cemeteries in Reynolds County; and Thomas Chap/tman Cemetery in Washington County.  Our thanks to Professor Stricklin and her department for their efforts to preserve this information!

by Delia

Recently, a customer came in seeking information about parks in Fort Wayne. He was very clear the minute he walked in the door that information on the parks, of which Fort Wayne has a plethora, was his interest. We asked if he was interested in a specific park, but no, he wanted all of the parks. We have a great deal of material on local parks, including photographs, books, old newspaper clippings and pamphlets. We produced a lot of material for him to browse through, and he examined it all over the next couple of hours. We got distracted with other customers, but when we saw him leaving, we asked if he had found what he needed. Well, no, he hadn’t, he answered dejectedly. He was really looking for a piece of sculpture that was supposed to be in one of the parks. With that idea, we asked a few questions about the sculpture and found what he wanted, information on a piece of sculpture that was sitting on the lawn of the Performing Arts Center! He thought he knew what he needed, and felt he was being very specific about what he wanted.

Another time, an experienced researcher arrived for what she indicated was her first time here. The staff member on the desk provided a quick orientation to The Genealogy Center, complete with map and various guides, then asked, “So what are you looking for today?” She answered, “My family history.” The staff member, said, “No, I mean, what specifically are you looking for today?” And she answered, probably thinking the staff member wasn’t paying attention, “My ancestry.” Once they settled the definition of what the question meant, the researcher was provided with several good sources with which to start and was soon happily, and successfully, researching.

Both of these scenarios happen on a regular basis. When you arrive, whether you realize it or not, we may subject you to a “reference interview,” where we ask questions to determine exactly what you want. It may feel that we are trying to stall you while we think. While that might be the case sometimes, we are really just trying to get a better handle on what you need. It’s also important for you to think about what you want. You may think that by asking for material on parks or a specific war or a specific place, you will find what you need, but if we have some clarification about what your ultimate goal is, we may have a better suggestion.

So come on in and visit us, and answer our questions, so that we may help answer yours!

Eight new cemeteries  gathered and compiled by Dawn C. Stricklin, MA, of Southern Illinois University's Department of Anthropology in Carbondale, Illinois have been added to our Other States databases. They are Chapman Cemetery in Dent County, MO; Big Creek Baptist Cemetery and Crocker Stricklin Cemetery in Iron County, Missouri; Fredericktown Negro Cemetery in Madison County, Missouri; Swiney Cemetery in Reynolds County, MIssourih: Potosi Colored Cemetery and Trinity Colored Cemetery in Washington County, Missouri; and Bostick Cemetery in Jackson County, Illinois. Each citation includes photo(s) of the markers, even those that are illegible. Some of these cemeteries are large and others quite small, but kudos to the professor and her group for preserving this information, and our appreciation for allowing us to post this material on our website!

Recently, 1939 entries have been uploaded to the Evangelical Messenger Obituary Database, bringing that collection to 178,883 records. The Evangelical Messenger was the English-language, weekly denominational publication associated with The Evangelical Church. This index now covers January 1848 through December 1939 and includes the names of the decedents and their spouses. There are more than 178,000 entries in this database. As with many of our Free Databases, more information is added on a regular basis, so check back frequently!

New entries have been added to the Fort Wayne and Allen County Area Obituary Index, bringing coverage up to June 1, 2014! Additionally, staff and volunteers have been adding citations for local obituaries for the 1800s and early 1900s.

 

You may search the database by exact name, choose to Soundex the name or do a “fuzzy search” (put in part of the name: Paul to get Paul, Paula and Paulette or Brand for Ahlbrand, Brand, Brandon and Brandt, among others). Once you locate a citation, you may request a copy to me mailed to you along with a bill for $2.50 per obituary by sending an email.

If you are interested in local obituaries, it's time to recheck this wonderful database!

by Delia

We really don’t care.

Sounds mean, doesn’t it? I don’t intend it to be. We care that you have an enjoyable experience here at The Genealogy Center. We want to help you find information to further your family or historical research. We care when you hit a brick wall and will do all that we can to help you break through it.

But we don’t care if your great-grandparents were married two months before their first child was born. We understand that the situation might have been difficult, and perhaps embarrassing, for them and the family. We at The Genealogy Center have seen plenty of that kind of situation, including in our own families, so we aren’t judging you or your ancestors.

Do you have an ancestor who spent time in a mental institution? How sad for that person and the family, but we don’t look askance at you because of it.

Have a criminal in your background, or someone who so scandalized his or her congregation that an excommunication resulted? We think, “Cool! Just think of the interesting records!”

Adoptions can be the worst in terms of acquiring information. Many court systems severely regulate the freedom of the records, and, even when the documents become more available, well-meaning clerks may continue to “protect” everyone involved by blocking access. By the time people come into the library seeking sources, they have learned to not even say the word adoption, so they verbally dance around, asking but not quite asking questions. We finally ask if this is an adoption, then proceed to ask even nosier questions: Do you know how old the mother was? Do you have any clues as to the father’s situation? Do your adoptive parents have any information? And in all of this, we have to try to convey that, although we want to help, we aren’t taking notes to share with others later. We sympathize that it is a difficult situation, and a difficult type of search, but the most we would ever do is to try to develop new ideas for the future, or perhaps share a research option in a forum like this one, with all pertinent identifying information deleted.

All of this is to reassure you that your search is no one’s business but your own. We might indicate to a researcher that we recently had a similar situation and discovered a new source. We could share a complicated search strategy with our colleagues, so they can assist others in the future. But we won’t break your confidence. That is our ethical standard.

So when you come to us to ask for research assistance, remember that our ethical standards guarantee that we will keep your confidences, and that, beyond asking questions to try to aid your search, we don’t care to judge your family.

by Delia

“The other day, I looked at that document again, and noticed….”

I’ve heard that many times from our customers, and have experienced it myself. One looks at a document for the umpteenth time, but for the first time notices a piece of information that answers a question or opens a new line of thought on research.

The first time I experienced it, years ago, was when I was trying to make sense of a family story that stated that a husband and wife died at the same time (supposedly murdered), leaving the children for the grandparents to raise. In the family Bible, I had noticed that the death dates for the two were really months apart, but was told by an older relative that there had been a mistake in the Bible. After examining the difference in the dates multiple times, I finally noticed that the wife’s supposed death date was three days after her last child was born, leading me to conclude that she may have died from postpartum infection. This cast doubt on the whole story of the murders, so I could back up completely and start over.

Then recently, a customer told me that she’d been re-examining records for siblings of an ancestor, and one actually had a birth place listed! She’d been concentrating on her direct ancestor and had totally missed this in earlier perusals. Again, this opened up a whole new avenue for research.

Sometimes, when we acquire a new document, we are so busy gleaning just what we need right now, that we barely see what else might be noted, so multiple examinations are often helpful. Also, as we gain experience in research or new insights into the family dynamics, information we failed to note earlier may become of greater import.

So I make a habit, at least once a year, to browse through the various research and original documents I have in my possession, either in print or digital format. I try to think about each person as I do this. If I know or knew the individual in life, I contemplate what his or her life was like, challenges faced and how that person fit into the family and society. If this is an ancestor from further back, I contemplate what the documents tell me and consider that person’s life and times.

The benefits of this process are twofold. It allows me to re-examine my research in light of knowledge gained, which often yields new possibilities to energize the search. It also allows me time to remember that each of these people was not just a name with dates, but an individual who lived a life which, while vastly differing from my own, was still similar in terms of happiness and tragedy. Making our ancestors live in our imaginations is what family history is all about.

• The Declaration of Independence was written by five people: Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, the main author; John Adams of Massachusetts; Robert Livingston of New York; Roger Sherman of Connecticut; and Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania. It was submitted to the Continental Congress on June 28, 1776. No minutes were kept of the writing of the document, nor of the discussions that took place during the following days.
• Although July 4th is celebrated as Independence Day, John Adams always felt it should have been July 2nd, the date the document was approved by Congress.
  John Hancock, President of the Second Continental Congress signed first, and his was the largest signature, making his name a synonym for the word “signature.”
  Benjamin Franklin, at 70, was the oldest signer, and Edward Rutledge of South Carolina was the youngest at 26 years.
• John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only two Signers to become President, both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary. As he was dying, Adams comforted himself by noting that Jefferson still lived, but Jefferson had actually preceded him in death by five hours.
• Fifth President James Monroe died on July 4, 1831, and Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872.
• In 1870, Congress made Independence Day a holiday for federal employees, but it wasn’t a paid holiday until 1938!
• The Genealogy Center’s Our Military Heritage has biographies, unit histories and rosters, individual biographies and other information on Revolutionary soldiers, as well as photos, letters and other material on soldiers from all American conflicts.You can add material on your family’s military ancestors to this great site as well. Contact us for information. And take a few minutes today to remember what our nation’s founders have provided for us.

There are two exciting ways in which you can honor all War of 1812 soldiers in the month of July!

On July 1st, the Federation of Genealogical Societies launched a major fundraising campaign for the Preserve the Pensions Project, seeking to raise an average of $1,812 each day for the 31 days of July. The pension files have never been microfilmed and these original records are in danger of deterioration. So far, the Preserve the Pensions Project has digitized and made available pension records for surnames A through Ha, but there are many records left to digitize. This is a costly process and your aid is needed. If you would like to participate in preserving this valuable part of America’s documented history, you can make a single contribution or become a monthly contributor to the Preserve the Pensions project.

The Federation of Genealogical Societies and cemetery website BillionGraves also announced a joint project to image all of the gravestone markers for participants of the War of 1812. “The images from these markers, coupled with the Federation’s current project to raise the funds to digitize the 7.2 million images of the pensions for those who participated in the War of 1812 are a natural fit,” said D. Joshua Taylor, President of FGS.

Hudson Gunn, President of BillionGraves said, “This July our focus is to see that the nation’s military headstones are documented and preserved for future generations. Headstones from early American history are quickly deteriorating, making it only a matter of time before they are lost forever. We are very pleased to have the Federation lend its help to spread this message for the War of 1812 veterans.” It is estimated that as many as 350,000 men may have served in the war. Although it is impossible to know how many may have cemetery markers, there could be as many as 50,000 to 80,000 markers for these veterans.

BillionGraves and the Federation of Genealogical Societies are asking anyone with knowledge of a cemetery marker for a War of 1812 veteran to upload the image of the marker to the BillionGraves website using their free mobile application during the month of July to honor and remember the service of those who served in the “Second Revolution.”

If you upload an image for a War of 1812 veteran during the month of July or anytime thereafter, please publicize it on Facebook or Twitter by using the hashtag #1812today and/or #warof1812 and/or #billiongraves. The Federation will also be posting the progress toward the fundraising goal of $1,812 per day on Facebook and Twitter, so check often and pass the word!

The efforts from these two organizations will provide a very valuable asset for those researching 1812 veterans. With the Federation raising awareness of the project to digitize the War of 1812 pension records during the month of July and BillionGraves making the cemetery markers of War of 1812 veterans immediately searchable, it should be an exciting month for all genealogists and historians – everyone wins!

The third part of The Genealogy Center's "Digital Discoveries" concentrates on "Discovering FamilySearch." Dawne Slater-Putt will guide you on a tour of the new and improved FamilySearch.org. She will discuss what the site has to offer, and tips for searching its historical databases, catalog and other prominent features. Make plans today to attend on Wednesday, July 9, 2014, from 3PM to 4PM in Meeting Room A.

Future sessions will include “Discovering PERSI,” on August 13, and “Discovering Newspaper Databases,” on September 10. For more information, see the brochure. To register for any of these free events, send an email or call 260-421-1225.

by Sara

1. Road trip! It’s summertime, the weather is grand, and now is the time to pursue your hobby, and introduce your kids or grandkids to family history. Take a trip this summer, locate a family cemetery or attend a reunion, and don’t forget to stop by our library while on your trip. You never know what you might find! We have a large collection of non-digitized material from all 50 states, Canada and the British Isles, as well as other countries. Check our print and microtext catalogs for details.

2. We have historical and current city directories!  Are you trying to locate persons who live in various U.S. locations? Use our nationwide city directory collection to track down old Army buddies, college classmates, high school sweethearts or to help plan a reunion.

3. Attend a class, ask a genealogical question, or schedule a one on one consultation. We offer monthly how-to classes on a variety of genealogical topics and 30 minute scheduled genealogical consultations. See our website for details. While you are here, be sure to ask our librarians your burning questions, like how do I find grandpa Bob’s military records or great-grandpa Joe’s immigration record. Our librarians are also experienced genealogists and want to help you!

4. Order records from your ancestral village in Europe or a far-away state on microfilm from Family Search. Because we are a Family Search Affiliate, you may request the order be sent here, so that you can view those microfilmed records on our microfilm viewers, make prints for free, or save images to your USB drive.

5. Use our in-house use only databases such as Ancestry.com, Fold3, African American Historical Newspapers, Newspaper Archive, American Ancestors, and others.  On these free-to-use-here databases, you can find your relatives in census records, immigration papers, military lists, newspaper articles and obituaries and much more. And remember, should you have questions while using the databases, our librarians are only a few steps away, ready to assist.

P.S. We have tons of other cool stuff. Don’t forget to check out our Abraham Lincoln, Memorial Day, and 1950’s Memorabilia exhibits!

The Genealogy Center, like all agencies of the Allen County Public Library, will be closed Friday, July 4th and Saturday July 5th, in observance of the Fourth of July holiday. We will reopen on Monday, July 6, 2014, at our regular time of 9 a.m. We wish you a safe Fourth!

by Delia

Now, I know all of you are going on a genealogy vacation this year. You’ll go visit court houses, cemeteries, churches, make contact with some distant cousins, maybe even take in a conference, or visit The Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Good for you! We’re hoping to see you! I know that you will take copious notes as you research and add them to your paper or digital files. Again, good for you!

But what if you (gasp!) take another type of vacation, one with only a few libraries and cemeteries along the way? What if you go to the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone? Maybe your have a huge family reunion with lots of cousins at some resort. Or even, my favorite, you visit the overpriced land of the famous Mouse in central Florida to spend a week standing in lines and sweating. But once your trip is over, what do you have except a lot of photos, a few postcards and a handful of souvenirs? This year, keep a trip diary for your vacation. You can use a small tablet and pen or use your digital tablet to note highlights of your journey.

When recalling a vacation, it’s easy to remember the big memories such as visiting the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (the St. Louis Arch) or Zoo Atlanta, but you might also want to remember the great tour guide at the Warren G. Harding Home, the terrific barbecue place in Murfreesboro or how miserable changing a tire in the driving rain at mile marker 81 on Interstate 30 in Arkansas can be. Take a few minutes during the day to keep notes and/or write an account of the day each evening. Record your impressions and feelings, what your companions said and did, and what you saw – or smelled – during the day. Later on, you can create a trip scrapbook, either in paper or in digital form, adding photographs and souvenirs.

In a perfect world, all of your friends and neighbors would be clamoring to view your vacation diary. In reality, maybe not. First and foremost, this is the type of record to keep for yourself, so that you will be able to recall of those golden, and not-so-golden, moments. But eventually, your descendants may be very interested to know what you did on your summer vacation – in 2014!

By Dawne

Are you familiar with the Our Military Heritage area of The Genealogy Center’s website?  This area of our website is a place to preserve military documents, photographs and any other type of ephemera that can be digitized, with a goal of making the material available to researchers and preserving it for future generations.

The documents and photos at Our Military Heritage are from all branches of the military and from conflicts of all time periods, from wars during America’s Colonial period through the Gulf and Afghanistan wars of recent days. There is also material from peacetime military service.

Some examples of the types of material that can be found in the Our Military Heritage collection are Civil War letters and pension files, World War II unit histories and rosters, photos of military markers for all time periods for Maplewood Cemetery in Williams County, Ohio, and individual soldiers’ photos from Afghanistan. These are just a few of the items that individuals have allowed The Genealogy Center to digitize and add to the page.

Please consider allowing The Genealogy Center to scan your military letters, diaries, soldiers’ pension files, photographs and other material to add to this growing collection.

by Dawne

“What did you do on your summer vacation?” If assigned a report on this topic, school librarian Ben Moore might report that he spent his summer on a “busman’s holiday,” working as a reference assistant at the Allen County Public Library.  Ben, librarian for Smith-Green Schools in Churubusco, is helping patrons 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays in The Genealogy Center for his 10th summer. This year he is also working at the Ask desk in Reader’s Services part time in the evenings.

Ben started working summers in The Genealogy Center back in 2005 when the main library departments were temporarily housed in the Renaissance Center building (now Citizens Square) during renovation of 900 Library Plaza. He said he applied for a summer job at the library and expected, since he was a teacher at that time, that he might be assigned to Children’s Services. Instead, he found himself in Genealogy. Ben said he remembered coming to what was then called the Genealogy Department with his grandmother when he was a boy and he found the subject interesting, but wasn’t really “a genealogist” when he started working summers in The Center. He has since dabbled in working on his family history.

He said he very much enjoys helping the patrons of The Genealogy Center every summer and finds the variety of their questions interesting.