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The Ellen Payne Odom Genealogy Library Family Tree
The Family Tree - October/November 2004
Wee Snippets


Long Distance Genealogy may hold a clue for you

            Most of us, who search for our family histories, don’t have access to unlimited funds nor are able to travel the world in search of the information we need.

            The very good news is that neither is needed!

            There are books available that will make it possible to work from your home…and still get the information vital to your family research.  Betterway Books is just one of the publishers who cater to genealogists.  (After all, genealogy is a multi-bazillion dollar industry!)

            Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer, MLS, is one of the names genealogists soon become familiar with.  Ms. Crawford-Oppenheimer has been doing genealogical research for more than twenty years.  Her training as a librarian and archivist is useful to her not only in her “day job”, but also in her second profession, genealogy.

            Ms. Crawford-Oppenheimer has spoken frequently at national conferences and seminars; she has addressed topics as varied as basic genealogy, networking, family health history and the published Pennsylvania Archives.

            Articles she has written have appeared in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, The Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly, and other magazines.  She writes a column for the Armstrong County (PA) Genealogy Club Quarterly.

            Just because the information you need is far away doesn’t mean it is out of reach!

            Whether the distance between them is two hundred miles or two thousand, every genealogist faces the challenge of gathering information from sources that they can’t visit in person.  This book is designed to specifically help “armchair researchers” access records and publications from afar, while providing techniques for overcoming problems associated with the process.

            Author Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer shares her insights and expertise, ensuring that your search starts off on the right foot.  You’ll begin by learning basic genealogy techniques for locating and obtaining documents through correspondence, inter-library loans, Family History Centers, archival repositories, microfilm and the Internet.

            You’ll learn how to get birth, marriage and death records and obtain federal and state census records, estate files, land records, military records and more.

            There are chapters on how to acquire copies of original documents, and how to locate others who are researching your family lines, and get maximum results from a research trip.

            This book will help you locate where your ancestors might be buried and how to conduct interviews.

            Perhaps, most importantly, you’ll learn when you should consider hiring a professional genealogist.

            This book, Long Distance Genealogy, will show you how to make the world just a little bit smaller – one in which the information you need waits no further than the post office, library or computer keystroke away.

            Order Long Distance Genealogy from Betterway Books, 1507 Dana Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45207.  Call 1-800-289-0963.  The book is $19.99.  ISBN 1-55870-535-X.

 

 

 

“It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.”


World War II veterans are honored

            In conjunction with the building of the National World War II Memorial, the American Battle Monuments Commission has established an online registry to honor the millions of American citizens who served in WWII.

            This registry is not just for veterans.  According to its website, “Any U.S. citizen who helped win the war, whether a veteran or someone on the home front, is eligible for the Registry.  Names in the Registry will be forever linked to the memorial’s bronze and granite representations of their sacrifice and achievement.”

            Names can be submitted directly on the website.  The Memorial was dedicated May 29, 2004.  The website also shows a fine gallery of photos of the construction process at www.WWIImemorial.com.

            Thanks for this article go to Appleland Bulletin, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society, PO Box 5280, Wenatchee, WA 98807-5280.

You can hear beautiful music from Castlebay

            The music of Castlebay blends Scottish heritage with inspiration from the rugged coast of Maine.

            Julia Lane is a self-taught harper whose unique style has twice won the New England Regional Scottish Harp Championship at the Loon Mountain Highland Games.  Fred Gosbee plays twelve string guitar, viola, fiddle and whistles.  They have toured both the Eastern United States and the British Isles, visiting Scotland annually since 1993.

            Julia Lane and Fred Gosbee have a deep appreciation for the Celtic lands and a commitment to cultural education.  They maintain an ongoing exchange with musicians and folklorists worldwide and present educational programs integrating music, culture and history at schools, museums, and elderhostels.

            Castlebay has recorded 17 albums of both traditional and original music.  The Tapestry Collection is a series of six instrumental recordings each with a unique theme – Ladies, In a Garden Green, Gentlemen, Cottage & Castle, Banks & Braes, and Sea & Skye.

            Artful expressions of love abound in the Scottish tradition on their CD titled Ae Fond Kiss – Romantic Scottish Songs.  Castlebay presents twelve musical kisses of friendship, passion and flirtation, including seven songs of Burns.  Stunning vocals by Julia Lane and Fred Gosbee are accompanied by award-winning Celtic harp, guitar, fiddle and cello.

            For more information, contact Castlebay, PO Box 168, Round Pond, Maine 04564, phone 207-529-5438, or email castlebay@castlebay.net

.  You can also visit their website at http://www.castlebay.net.

 

I’m sure you’ll agree with this Scottish proverb

            I hae had better kail in my cog, and ne’er gae them a keytch.

An answer given by a girl teased about a suitor she dislikes.  The phrase refers to the old farming practice of busy reapers throwing their broth up in the air to cool it, which they could do without spilling a drop.

                                                                        Scottish Proverbs

                                                                                    Colin Walker

Why write your With Love recollections down when there are so many other ways to make permanent records?

            Most families have photo albums.  The word “photography” was coined in 1839 by Sir John Hershel, so we can say photos have been with us for about 160 years.  In that relatively brief time, photo archiving has become a specialist art, while the robust permanent photographic image has yet to be made   Far fresher looking than any 100-year-old photograph are the 1100-year-old ink on vellum illuminations of The Book of Kells.

            Nevertheless, of the readily available “modern” media, photocopying excluded, black and white negatives a re probably the most durable.

            Photographic color prints, on the other hand, are among the least durable.

            To give your photographs relative permanence, it is probably best to have a computer scan made, and take black and white photocopies of these as required.  Otherwise, store black and white negative strips singly in acid-free paper pockets at reasonably stable levels of temperature and humidity.

            Some people dictate their recollections, or collect oral histories onto audio and videotapes.  But, as well as being vulnerable to heat, dust, fungal and chemical damage, tapes will be damaged by magnetic fields, which give you a good excuse not to use the vacuum cleaner too often.  Because the rewind and fast forward functions often put too much tension on tapes for long-term storage, video and audiotapes should be stored after a play through at normal speed.

            However, the thin base of most audiocassette tapes allows eventual “print through” and some tapes break easily.  Reel-to-reel tapes will survive longer.  A problem is that they will soon be as unplayable on readily obtainable equipment as wax cylinders are today.

            A solution there is to devise a way whereby they will be regularly copied onto new systems, but there is likely to be a slight quality loss at each copying.  Video tape recordings, more than audio tape recordings, lose quality with each playing.  Ever since I was advised that significant quality losses can be expected within 20 years, those “forever” wedding videos have seemed a bit of a con to me.  Obsolescence is in store anyway, as digital video discs (DVDs) gain ground.

            Similarly, the greatest problem about storing computer discs is likely to be the availability in several decades of hardware and software systems to read them.  They are likely to need transferring onto new systems relatively frequently.  They are also vulnerable to the things affecting video and audiotapes.

            CD-ROM storage probably has some archival advantages over magnetic tape and

floppy disc storage methods, but again is heavily dependent on technology.

            All of these are reasons why I would urge you to hand on your stories in the form of photocopies on acid free paper which are then professionally bound using, again, acid free materials.

            It is the cheapest reliable way to create a document that will readily survive everything but total cataclysm until the midpoint of the new millennium, and will probably last considerably longer than that.  Moreover, while it may see old fashioned at the moment, come even 100 years and the written word will be a lot more accessible than any alternative that is open to you or me today.

            I love doing the With Love workshops and would like to be in touch with you at any point.  Write to Mike Paterson, The Wesley Manse, Shieldhill Road, Reddingmuirhead, Falkirk, Scotland, FK2 ODT, or you might wish to email Mike.Paterson@btinternet.com.

 

“It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate.”


Upcoming genealogy seminars sponsored by Jefferson County Chapter, Ohio Genealogical Society

            The Jefferson County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society will be sponsoring A Day of Genealogy Seminars on Saturday, October 9, 2004.  The location of the seminars will be at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Powells Lane in Wintersville, Ohio.

            The day will begin with a breakfast buffet at 8:00 a.m., and the seminars will begin at 9:00 a.m. and run through until 4:00 p.m.  There will be two morning seminar time slots, a lunch break and two afternoon time slots.   Each of these four time slots will have a selection of three different seminars to choose from.  The cost of these seminars will be $15.00 if paid before September 9th, and $20.00 if paid before September 30th.  There will be NO registration or payment received at the door on the day of the seminars.  The registration fee includes all of the following costs – breakfast bar, all handouts, and sack lunch and drinks.  The included lunch will consist of your choice from two different sack selections, a snack and a soft drink.

            Among those who will be teaching seminars will be featured speaker John Humphrey, as well as Sandy Day, Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, Marilyn Holt, Cindy Macsuibhne, Jeff Evans, Joseph VerStraten, and Flora VerStraten.  Be sure to check out the web site listed below for a listing of all of the seminars.  Non-members are invited and welcome to attend.

            For more information, you can go to the web site at www.jeffcochapter.com and find detailed bios for those teaching the seminars, lodging information, directions to the seminars, a printable seminar application form, and other important information.  You can also send an email to either Flora VerStraten (president of the Jefferson County Chapter) at verstraten@prodigy.net or to Gail Komar (vice president of the Jefferson County Chapter) at gkomar@eohio.net.  You can also write to Jefferson County Chapter, OGS, PO Box 2367, Wintersville, Ohio 43953.  Once again, please remember that there will be NO registration or payment received at the door on the day of the seminars.  So, be sure to get your registration form and send it in with your registration fee before the deadlines listed above.

Source:  Trail Blazer, publication of the Cumberland Trail Genealogical Society, PO Box 576, Clairsville, OH 43950.

 

A Scottish Quotation

            I was not long, however, in making the grand discovery,

 that in order to enjoy leisure,

 it is absolutely necessary it should be preceded by occupation.

                                                                        Sir Walter Scott, Introductory Epistle to

                                                                        The Monastery

 

Source: Scottish Quotations, compiled and edited by David Ross

2004 Federation of Genealogical Societies convention will be in Austin, Texas September 8 – 11, 2004

            The Federation of Genealogical Societies will be holding their 2004 annual conference on September 8-11, 2004 at the Hilton Austin, 500 East 4th Street, Austin, Texas.  The theme for the conference is Legends Live Forever: Researching the Past for Future Generations.  The local co-hosts are the Texas State Genealogical Society and the Austin Genealogical Society.  The conference is located near many genealogical research facilities for state and local information.  Detailed information on the FGS 2004 Conference is available on the FGS web site at http://www.fgs.org/ or can be requested by mail at Federation of Genealogical Societies, PO Box 200940, Austin, TX 78720-0940 or by phone at 888-FGS-1500.

Thanks for this information to Trail Blazer, publication of the Cumberland Trail Genealogical Society, PO Box 576, Clairsville, Ohio 43950.

 

Books, books and more books to enjoy from our favorite authors!

Organizing Your Family History Search

by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack

            Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, a Certified Genealogist, has written more than 75 genealogical columns, articles and book reviews.  She is also the author of five books, including A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your Female Ancestors and The Genealogy Sourcebook.  Carmack was the keynote speaker at the 2998 National Genealogical Society conference and currently lectures to several thousand people annually on family history research and organization.

            Here, at last, is a book to help you organize your genealogical research.  In this practical guide, professional genealogist Sharon Carmack shows you how to reduce the ever-mountain piles of papers, books and other materials, so you can spend more time researching and less time hunting for information lost somewhere on your desk or your computer.

            Following Carmack’s advice, you’ll save time, money and space as you learn to organize everything from filing cabinets to research trips.  Whether you have a whole room dedicated to your family history search or just a few storage boxes, you’ll find a system that puts information right at your fingertips.  Easy-to-copy charts, forms and checklists take you through every step.

            You’ll create filing systems that not only keep your research straight, but also grow with your records.  You’ll get a handle on correspondence, so that you can eliminate duplicate requests and locate your findings quickly and easily.

            With this book, you’ll plan productive research trips using special journals that help you record essential information while you’re on site.  You’ll define your research goals and establish projects around those goals.

            You’ll develop a storage system for CD-ROMs, discs, books, conference materials, microforms and other miscellaneous research materials.

            You’ll learn how to prepare a “bag of essentials” for special trips to gravesites, interviews, repositories and more.

            You’ll protect delicate family artifacts, including documents, photographs, diaries and other materials.

            And, you will organize and preserve your research for future generations by publishing your genealogy, making provisions in your will or donating your work to a library or archive.

            There’s even information for professional genealogists, including how to set up client files with contracts, reports and invoices.  Easy-to-reference icons make it fast and simple to find what you’re looking for.

            Whether genealogy is your part-time hobby or full-time obsession, you can get organized and stay that way.  This one-of-a-kind guide will have your family history research neat and accessible in no time.

            Order Organizing Your Family History Search from Betterway Books, 1507 Dana Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45207.  Call 1-800-289-0963.  The book is $17.99.  ISBN 1-55870-511-2.

 

A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your English Ancestors: How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage

by Paul Milner & Linda Jonas

            Paul Milner and Linda Jonas have put their heads together to produce a book valuable to most American genealogical researchers.

            Paul Milner is a native of northern England.  He is a professional genealogical researcher who has specialized in British Isles research for the past twenty years.  For the last six years he has been president of the British Interest Group of Wisconsin and Illinois (BIGWILL).  During the same time, he has written and edited the society’s newsletter.  He writes book reviews for the Federation of Genealogical Societies quarterly journal, Forum.

            He is a nationally known and popular speaker at genealogical conferences and seminars.  His specialty is the British Isles and his lectures typically draw audiences of several hundred genealogists.

            Linda Jonas, a United States native, is the president of the British Interest Group of Wisconsin and Illinois.  During her presidency, the society has become a well-respected international organization.  The society hosts a prestigious annual three-day seminar on British Isles research; it is consistently sold out.  Linda has acted as seminar chair for the past three years and under her guidance the event has offered up-to-date information by the most respected and experienced speakers from around the world.  She has also designed the high acclaimed society web site and writes the BIFHS-USA Guide to British Isles Research found there.

            Linda Jonas has been a full-time professional family historian for the past twenty years and has focused on helping Americans find their British Isles ancestry.  She is also a popular lecturer and writes on all aspects of US and British Isles research.  She has been a supervisor, staff trainer and instructor at the Los Angeles Family History Center, which holds the largest British Isles resource collection outside of Salt Lake City.  She now lives in McLean, Virginia.

            With today’s technology, you can trace generations of your English family history without ever leaving the United States.  Even better, this step-by-step guide will help you get started – with confidence.

            Unlike other books on English ancestry, this guide provides a well-rounded perspective on your research.  Not only does it show what records you’ll need and where to find them, it explains why those records were created and how they can reveal more about your ancestors’ lives.  You’ll find clear and basic instructions to help you learn how to: focus your research and maximize your results by setting goals and keeping organized; find information right at home by utilizing the Internet, public libraries and Family History Centers; and search major indexes with speed and efficiency.

            This book will help you locate crucial English records like civil registration, census returns, parish registers and probate materials by utilizing the International Index and the FHL catalog.

            You’ll be able to conduct effective research on the Internet, using the Family History Library on-line and other key genealogical sites.

            You’ll be able to analyze documents and records and determine their accuracy by following visual examples that explain each piece of information.

            And, you will be able to overcome special challenges associated with English research, such as geographic and political terms, unstandardized record keeping and other social and historical issues.

            To help you navigate your research, this book features an in-depth case study that illustrates the research process using several different sources.   There’s also a chapter for planning an effective research trip to England, should you decide to trace your genealogy even further.

            You will go beyond standard genealogy books and learn to read between the lines of your English family pedigree chart.  With the information you’ll find using this special guide, you’ll have more than just names and dates, you’ll have what you need to create a compelling family history that brings your English ancestry to life.

            Order A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your English Ancestors from Betterway Books, 1507 Dana Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45207.  Call 1-800-289-0963.  The book is $18.99.  ISBN 1-55870-536-8.

 

A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your Irish Ancestors

by Dwight A. Radford and Kyle J. Betit

            Maybe you seek a grater sense of self by learning more about your family roots.  Or, maybe you simply want to explore the special mysteries that wait to be discovered about your family.  Whatever your motivation, genealogy is a great hobby, and now you can find your way back home to Ireland and the origins of your family with this book.

            A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your Irish Ancestors helps you define the challenges of Irish family research, and then provides strategies to overcome them.  You’ll learn how to investigate the various generations of your family, the events that shaped their lives, the details about how they lived, and the story of their emigration.

            You’ll find answers to common questions: How far back in time can you expect to trace your family?  How does Protestant Irish research differ from Catholic Irish research?  What’s the most efficient way to use archives and libraries?

            There’s a wealth of information inside, including guidelines for determining an Irish ancestor’s place of origin and also advice for researching Irish records domestically and overseas.  There are basic strategies of Irish research that are essential to your success.

            This book contains special advice about tracing Scots-Irish ancestors and advice for accessing Irish cemetery, land, church, estate, census and military records.  You’ll learn about civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths, as well as emigration lists.  There are sources and strategies for researching Irish ancestors that settled in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Wales and the Caribbean.

            You’ll also find information on Internet resources and favorite sites.

            In fact, this book contains everything you need to get started and this book is the beginning of a journey that will transform your family’s history from legend to fact.

            Dwight A. Radford and Kyle J. Betit, the authors, are widely respected in the field of genealogy as Irish researchers.  For the past six years they have built their reputations through articles in their highly acclaimed journal, The Irish At Home and Abroad, as well as other genealogical publications.  They speak internationally on the subject of Irish research and live in Salt Lake City, Utah.

            Order A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your Irish Ancestors from Betterway Books, 1507 Dana Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45207.  Call 1-800-289-0963.  The book is $19.99.  ISBN 1-55870-577-5.

 

The Delaware People

by Allison Lassieur

            A 24 page, full color hardback book entitled The Delaware People is another in a series of 30 books published by Bridgestone Books about American Indian people.  Each book features a particular Indian tribe.

            The book is written by author Allison Lassieur for school age children who are learning for the first time about the American Indian.  This book will answer most questions a child would have about the historical clothing, foods, homes and language of the Delaware Tribe.  It is presented in a simple topical way and the pictures even tell the story.

            A child could read it himself or a teacher could read it out loud to her class.

            Photographs of members of the Delaware Tribe of Indians are featured in the book.  The Delaware People provides suggested projects a child could do and directions on how to acquire information for those who want to further study the Delaware people.

            The Delaware People is carried in the Delaware Tribe of Indians’ Gift Shop.  It regularly sells for $13.  To order the book by credit card, call 1-800-700-9870, or contact the Delaware Indian Gift Shop, 220 N.W. Virginia Avenue, Bartlesville, OK 74003.

            This book review is by Annette Ketchum.  Thank you to the Delaware Indian News.

 

Crafting Your Own Heritage Album

             With this book from Betterway Books, you’ll immortalize your family’s cherished photographs, documents and memorabilia for generations to come.  Crafting Your Own Heritage Album shows you how to showcase and preserve the special people, stories, traditions and keepsakes of your ancestors.

            Even if you’ve never attempted a heritage album before, you’ll create elegant, timeless pages as you learn to use archival-safe materials to preserve your family’s photos, records and heirlooms.  You’ll learn to mount and protect three-dimensional mementos and to organize and restore old photographs.  You’ll learn to incorporate journal entries and anecdotes that personalize and commemorate each layout.

            You’ll learn to weave bits of genealogy, family lore and tradition into a cohesive family portrait, and to fill in the missing pieces of your ancestral history.  You’ll create a unique and colorful family tree and to involve the entire family in your special heritage album project.

            What you will learn to make is a priceless family resource and one of the most rewarding projects you will ever undertake.

            What a marvelous and unique gift for a new bride!  This book is for genealogists, scrapbookers and family historians.

            Order Crafting Your Own Heritage Album from Betterway Books, 1507 Dana Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45207.  Call 1-800-289-0963.  The book is $23.99.  ISBN 1-

55870-534-1.

“It is the soldier,not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press.”


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