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COASTAL GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY NEWS & REVIEWS
[APRIL 2004] 18 APRIL
2004 Meeting will be held at 2:00 p.m. at the College Place United
Methodist Church on Altama Avenue. Patricia Barefoot, author of several
pictorial and local history and lore books, will be our guest speaker, she
will be giving a program about the Burney-Popwell family and her research
into this line, plus other genealogical tidbits on this family.
Refreshments will be provided also.
15 FEBRUARY 2004 Meeting
was a show and tell. Member Jerry Martin brought along his digital camera
and gave us some pointers on the ease of use, and what to look for when
buying. We also had a brief discussion on some of our obstacles in our
research.
NEW ONLINE SITE FOR OUR
GROUP
Recently, I have been
thinking of ways to keep us all in touch, without having me around. I
have a lot of our email addresses, and only I have them. If something
were to happen to me, the group would not fall apart, but a lot of people
will be lost from our contacts.
I had thought about making
a website, but one, I don't have the time to maintain a third site, and
two I don't want everyone's email out to the public, but I want our group
to be able to access it.
Yahoo has a system called,
conveniently enough, Yahoo Groups. Last month I started our group one of
these sites to test out the theory. The idea behind this web group is so
that anyone of us can get each other's email address when needed, or we
can post messages that can go directly to everyone in the group, with just
one click.
It is basically our own
message board, with perks. The perks are: we can add photos, a calendar
of events, one email goes to everyone, you can look up a certain
individual's email address, you don't need me to give you an email address
or relay a message to the group.
One of the biggest
downsides to this site, is the advertisements. Some of them block the
message text. There is no way around this.
Now, I know a few of you
are saying, but I don't want just anybody getting my email address. Well,
no one but members of our group will be able to access your email
address. This is a private group that I have to extend membership to
others. Not just anyone can get our contact list.
However, I have set the
group site up so that anyone can post a message or view our archived
messages. This is so that folks needing research help can email us, and
any one of us in the group can answer. I have also set the site up so
that if you do answer a post, the message goes back to the author and not
everyone in the group. That way we won't be getting a bunch of
unnecessary emails.
The mail list is also
moderated by me, so that messages sent to the site, go to me first for
approval, before they are posted to the site and sent to you. That way,
if some jokester gets on there and posts an obscene message, I can just
delete it, and no one ever sees it.
The newsletter can also be
sent via this email site, however, I will be maintaining the
cggsnews@hotmail.com address to
receive newsletter submissions, thus keeping them separate from the
massive amount of emails that I already receive.
The website address is at:
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cggs/>
The email address is:
cggs@yahoogroups.com
You can go directly to the
site and post a message or use your email application and send directly
from that.
The benefit to posting our
newsletter at this site, is that I can format it to look just like the
paper one we mail out. Making the reading of it easier on the eyes. It
will also be archived, so that we can go back if there was an article you
were interested in from the past newsletter, or a web address. This way
you won't have to save the emailed newsletters on your computer, they will
be on the CGGS group site.
Right now I have only
signed up three members, myself, Bill Smith, and Jim Wroton. This was to
test the site out and see what their thoughts on it would be.
Bill and Jim agree that
this is a good idea. So now I am presenting this to the group. What are
your thoughts?
In order to be a part of
this site, I will have to send you an invitation, or you can send an email
to this address:
cggs-subscribe@yahoogroups.com SUBSCRIBE in the subject box. No
message in the text box.
Please email me with any
questions. I would like all of our due paying members to sign up, it's
free, and no risk. If some of us don't agree with this, then it will not
be feasible. cggsnews@hotmail.com
A paper copy of the
newsletter will still be mailed out to those of us without email
addresses, as usual.
SAVING YOUR PAPER ANCESTORS
Many of us have clippings
of obituaries, or articles from newspapers, and of course they are turning
brittle and yellow. What to do? Here are some ideas.
First and for most, how
about Xeroxing those articles onto acid free paper? Or using one of the
many de-acidifying sprays [see the internet column for websites on
ordering archival products]. If using a spray, test it out first, and
follow the directions, do not assume it will work. Many paper types
differ and if you are not sure what you have, better safe than sorry.
Never use rubber bands or
paper clips. If you do have to use paper clips avoid the bare metal
kind. Paper clips rust, rubber bands will eventually bind to the
document. Store them in acid- and lignin-free paper or high quality
plastics like polypropylene or Mylar instead of binding them.
Or for your techies, just
scan these articles, and store them on the computer, or print them on acid
free paper. However, not all printer ink is alike either. Make sure your
ink is water and light resistant, or you are back at square one.
The ultimate of horrors to
me, is seeing something laminated. Have you ever stopped to think what is
actually happening to the article you are laminating? You are exposing it
to high heats, glue, and inferior plastic products. Encapsulating is
best, and you can even seal them off permanently. But remember to
de-acidify those articles first or they will just continue to deteriorate.
Storage is a key factor
too, you don't want a hungry rodent to eat all that yummy Mylar and sweet
tasting paper. It is recommended to store articles at 77° F with a 50%
humidity and away from light. I bought a fire proof box for my old
photos. No light, hopefully will withstand a fire, and not edible by cats
and rats!
Whatever you do, do it
soon, paper can last forever with the proper care.
INTERNET
<http://www.hollingercorp.com/>
Hollinger Corp. Providing the finest quality archival storage products
since 1945.
<http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/servlet/OnlineShopping>
Light Impressions offers the highest quality archival supplies including
photo albums, frames, mat board, slide, negative, film, and print storage,
portfolios, storage boxes and bags, scrap-booking supplies, and much more
for your photographs, artwork and other valuable materials.
STORING YOUR MEMORIES
Now that we have talked
about preserving your memories, what about your digital memories? How are
they stored? Where are they stored? If someone were to look into your
records, would they be able to find your photos and documents?
I have so much information
in my computer, that I would probably just hang myself if I lost it all.
My fear, however, is not a computer crash, but a house fire. Because I
have quite a bit of paper too.
I recently looked into
buying a fire proof safe to store some of my valuable papers.
Unfortunately, you have to buy a special safe that costs hundreds of
dollars in order to save media, like CDs, or videos. But, the less
expensive fire safes will store hardware, like a hard drive.
A lot of my photos,
documents, website designs, etc., are all on discs. One swift fire, and
my years of work will be gone. It's not as frightening to me now, as I
have taken precautions. Here is what I have done.
Number 1: I have uploaded
my family tree to the internet. Now, many of you scoff at this, but think
about it. Would you rather have some one skim information from it, and
possibly sell it, or would you rather loose it all when your computer
crashes, or some sort of disaster occurs? Also, you can upload your
family history online so that no one can view it. It will be your free
personal storage space.
If you use genealogy
software, you can save your files in a GedCom format, and upload them to
Rootsweb.com, for free, and choose your preferences. I chose to allow
mine to be viewed by others. In the first week I had several queries and
responses! Not only have I saved my work, but I am getting more
information to go with it.
Theft is going to occur, no
matter what you put online. But think about this also, people can buy a
book that someone else compiled about your information without your
permission, or they can view your information, in your format, and contact
you, for free.
Number 2: On my Glynn
County website work, I have everything saved on CD. From the beginning I
have burned two CDs, one for me, and one for a friend to store. That way
if my computer crashed, or my house burned down, someone would have this
information.
Number 3: I have bought an
external hard drive to put in a fire proof safe. This convenient critter
works just like your computer. You plug it into a USB port, and save
things right to the drive, no floppy discs or CDs needed, and it has a lot
of room.
You can purchase one for
around $100 or more, depending on how much space they hold. I wanted to
get a 200GB one, but that was about $300, so I settled for a 40GB at $50,
and so far have only used 2GB of space, and have put everything that I
have, on it! The wiser choice for my money.
Whatever your choice may
be, don't procrastinate. We all hear those horror stories of folks
loosing their life's work, don't be a victim. There are many options out
there. Your safest may be to keep copies with a family member or friend.
But remember, CDs and floppy discs can become corrupt and non-usable just
after one use. All your information can be lost quickly.
Paper copies are the number
one best bet, as paper lasts a long time, it's only downside is the space
it may take up in your home, plus that pesky fire or natural disaster
striking. My personal choice would be to upload the family file in GedCom
format to Rootsweb.com, you can keep it private, no one can view it but
you.
UPCOMING EVENTS
4 April 2004, Sunday Author
Catherine Clinton will be speaking on her new book "Harriet Tubman: The
Road to Freedom" at the Brunswick Library at 3 p.m. Call (912) 267-1212
for more information.
8 April 2004, Thursday
Patricia Barefoot will be speaking about coastal history at 7 p.m. at the
Wayne County Library.
9 & 10 April 2004, Friday &
Saturday Annual Used Book sale at the Ida Hilton Library in Darien,
McIntosh Co., Georgia from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
15 April 2004, Thursday
CGHS Field trip to historic downtown Brunswick directed by Meredith
Hanak. From morning to early afternoon. Meet at the lighthouse on St.
Simons Island. FEES $5 for CGHS members and $7 for non-members. Call
(912) 638-4666 for reservations and more information.
27 April 2004, Tuesday The
Coastal Georgia Historical Society and the Marshes of Glynn Chapter, Sons
of the American Revolution will cosponsor a presentation by J. G. (Jerry)
Braddock Sr., at 7:00pm; at the Coastal Heritage Center, 620 Beachview
Blvd; St. Simons Island, Georgia. Jerry Braddock will discuss the
Revolutionary War Engagement that occurred in Glynn and McIntosh Counties
during April 1778 in which Jerry's Great (4 times) Grandfather, Captain
John Cutler Braddock and others played a significant role. Jerry is proud
to be one of the many descendants, currently living in Coastal Georgia and
Nassau County, Florida, of these Revolutionary War Patriots. For more
information, call Bill Ramsaur, President, Marshes of Glynn Chapter,
GASSAR Telephone 912-634-1293
St. Simons Island Ghost
Tours are being held at 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday starting at
Beaches & Cream near the pier in the village. This is a 90 minute,
lamp-light tour of Olde St. Simons with tales of murder, mystery, and the
strange and unusual. Call (912) 638-2756 for more information. FEES
Children [4-12] $6, Adults $10.
PUBLICATIONS
"Journal of a Residence on
a Georgia Plantation 1838-1839" Originally written by Frances Ann Kemble
Butler, this journal has been reprinted by various publishers and authors
throughout it's first publication in 1863. The journal was kept by Fanny
Kemble Butler during her stays at Butler's Island in the Altamaha River
near McIntosh County, and at Hampton Plantation on St. Simons Island.
Due to family obligations,
Fanny did not publish her journal until 1863, she had separated from her
husband long before that, and would have been denied the right to see her
children if she published her journal at all. When her children were of
age, Fanny finally published the journal during a tumultuous time in
American History.
This is a must read for
local historians, as there are daily notes on people and places, your
ancestors may be mentioned in this book. There are numerous accounts of
slaves, their names, family information, and more. I have noticed on the
Glynn County Message Board at Rootsweb, that some African-American
researchers were searching for the Valliant [and various spellings]
family. One slave was mentioned in this book, Jem Valiant, a Mulatto, son
of slave Judy, and Roswell King, Jr.
This is a great account of
the times and trials of a few Glynn County plantations. For those of you,
who like me, ramble all over the county, reading this book is like
stepping back into time.
YEARBOOK PROJECT
A favorite hobby of mine is
to visit yard sales, flea markers, antique stores, etc. On one such trip
to Darien, I found two yearbooks for the Georgia State Womans College in
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.
I was immediately intrigued
by these yearbooks, as they were from 1926 and 1927, plus women from
Brunswick, and all over the state of Georgia attended. This was a rare
genealogical find in a shop. After leaving and coming back several weeks
later [fretting over not buying them then], the books were still there, I
bought them both, as I had an idea.
I have been working on
getting them to the general public via the Glynn County GenWeb page that I
host. After getting one of the books online, I posted messages on several
message boards telling people about what I am doing. By the next day, I
had two folks email me saying that their ancestors were pictured, and that
this was the only photo they had ever seen.
One gentleman told me that
he has a yearbook from 1929, and another for the Valdosta High School from
1926 and asked if I would be interested in digitally restoring them. Of
course I said yes, and he mailed them to me, a very trusting soul.
So now, on top of numerous
other projects, I am recreating these lost treasures online, for folks to
view. Check them out at: <http://www.rootsweb.com/~gaglynn/history/gswc.htm>
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
Annual membership to the CGGS is only $15 for one person or $18 for a
family. Membership extends from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004.
Remit payment to our treasurer:
Barbara Baethke
119 Bayberry Circle
St. Simons Is. , GA 31522 |
