Genealogy Forum NEWS
March, 1998

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Little, Unknown Records

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Alien Records
Submitted by
GFSMOM@aol.com

From the Book New York Alien Residents, 1825-1848

Compiled by Kenneth Scott & Rosanne Conway,
Baltimore Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. 1978
Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number 78-57005
International Standard Book Number 0-8063-0814-1


In the Colonial Period an alien who came to England or one of the English colonies could neither hold nor bequeath real property; if he acquired such, it escheated tot he Crown upon his demise. Naturally, many aliens in New York sought to obtain the right to hold, dispose of, inherit and bequeath land. This privilege might be secured in England by denization granted by the king or by naturalization through an act of Parliament, while in New York it might be obtained by an act of the Provincial Assembly or, only up to 1700, by denization granted by the governor. (1)

After the Revolution the real estate of a resident alien escheated to the State of New York instead of to the Crown upon his demise, and he had no right to acquire, hold, convey, inherit or bequeath land except by act of the legislature. To deal with this problem the New York Legislature, on April 21, 1825, passed "An Act to enable resident Aliens to take and hold Real Estate and for other purposes.:"(2) In brief, the Act required an alien to make deposition that "he is a resident in, and intends always to reside in the United States, and to become a citizen thereof as soon as he can be naturalized; and that he has taken such incipient measures as the laws of the United States require, to enable him to obtain naturalization." Further, such alien was to have no power to lease any real estate held in virtue of the Act until he became naturalized. Such alien, moreover, was not to be capable of taking or holding lands which might have descended or been devised or conveyed to him before his having become such resident and having made the required deposition.

By the Act of 1825 the alien's deposition must be filed in a book or books in the office of the Secretary of State of New York. A fee of fifty cents was allowed for the recording. The Act provided that, if after six years the alien had not been naturalized or was not then a resident of the United States, his lands should be vested in the people of New York as though the law had not been made.

The aliens' depositions, now in the New York State Library in Albany, are a valuable source for genealogical research for the following reasons: the alien's place of residence, regularly by county and often by village, town or city, is stated; country of birth, sometimes with name of county or department, is often given; date of birth, the age when the alien arrived in the United States, or when he deposed, is occasionally recorded; date of arrival in America may be found; status of a woman (single, marries or widowed) is usually set forth, as is the name of a husband, with his trade or profession; rarely, the maiden name of a woman is reported; in a few instances filing on behalf of children is made by a parents; finally, the status of a resident alien is very often recorded, giving evidence of an enormous variety of occupations.

Places of Origin appear frequently: Great Britain or the United Kingdom or , more specifically, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and Isle of Man; Upper and Lower Canada, New Brunswick and Newfoundland; France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the Roman States, Piedmont, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Sardinia and Hungary; Germany, or more specifically, Prussia, Hessen, Hessen Darmstadt, Hessen Kassel, Wuertemberg, Bavaria, Hanover, Nassau, Westphalia, Saxony, Waldeck and the cities of Hamburg, Bremen and Frankfurt am Main; the West Indies, Cuba, Jamaica, St. Croix and Barbadow.

The first four volumes of depositions, covering the years 1825-1848, contain information about some 4,260 resident aliens. Ia very few instances it has been difficult to determine a name, for the clerk made some letters, u and n, for example, in the same way. Many of the resident aliens were illiterate and must have given information orally, all of which resulted in unorthodox spellings, especially in the case of Irish names of towns or villages. At the end of each item the date of the deposition is here given.

It is hoped that this book will provide valuable genealogical data and call attention to the 54 volumes of depositions in the New York State Library, a source of information hitherto little used and , in general, unknown to most researchers.

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(1) Kenneth Scott and Kenn Stryker-Rodda, Denizations, Naturalizations and oaths of Allegiance in Colonial New York (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1975), pp. v-vi. Both before and after the Act of April 21 1825 aliens were enabled to take and hold real estate by acts in which they were specifically named.

(2) Laws of the State of New York, 18925, pp. 427 and 432. See also Revised Statutes of the State of New York (Albany: Packard and Van Benthuysen, 1836), pp. 715-716.

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A Great Find
Submitted by
GFH Joy@aol.com

'Tis Here is one resource that I just found and I bet there are a lot more out there in the nooks and crannies. I found an "index" to this document in the Berkshire Antheneum, Pittsfield, Mass. (a great place to do research...ooh, maybe that would be a good topic! ) and I plan to go to Williams College Library, Williamstown, Mass. to see the original if they will let me.

Account Book of Stephen Potter and his son, William Freeborn Potter, dyers and finishers of cloth at Coventry, Warwick was crossed out, R. I.

List of Accounts copied by Elmer I. Shepard, August 25, 1938

Three pages /two columns of names some towns in this index alphabetically listed.
Sooooo many of recognizable names!!!! I can't wait to see the original but it's as I said in Williamstown...but that is just 30 minutes away from me!!

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Monuments
Submitted by
GFS Nance@aol.com

One month ago, a friend of mine called me. Some of the members of Toledo Area Genealogical Society are working on a book on LLOYD & WALKER BROTHERS MONUMENT COMPANY OF TOLEDO, OHIO. I do not know how they got started but anyway she was telling me that they went over to the building where they manufacture the monuments or tombstones around the tri-county area. I got up the gumption to ask her if I could go with her the next time she was going over there. She said she would pick me up in half an hour. YEA! We got there which on is Central Avenue in Toledo, I guess for others it would be wise to call before showing up at their doorstep. They were expecting Chris but not me. She took me downstairs to the basement. I dont think most places would keep their old records in the basement, but who knows, Right? Well, she showed me all the files they had already gone through. Each name had a separate file holder and each holder showed how, in drawings, how the purchaser wanted it. letters of inquirey, costs, dates of birth and death, survivor who bought the monument or tombstone. Then on shelves on the side there were stacks of financial journals showing how much the monument cost and dates of payments according to the number of the file. In another room were files from another Toledo Company that Lloyd-Walker Brothers bought out by the name of REYNOLDS CO. with all their files. Then also in that room were files from Companies that LLOYD-WALKER BROTHERS bought on the east coast. They also have a branch in Detroit Michigan. When the people get this book done and published it will be invaluable to anyone doing research in the U.S east of the Ohio to the Atlantic Ocean. Then in another room there are huge file walls that hold files of everyone from A -Z from 1950 - 1997 and you move a wall of files from and there are three layers and three walls wide. There are also file cabinets with other files. So I asked Chris if I could find my grandparents. She said "Sure, go ahead. I looked in the file cabinet since the death took place before 1950 My grandfather died one year after I was born in 1938. There he was Louis Malcom KREPLEEVER/CRIPLIVER. There was a rubbing from his tombstone which is invaluable to me. letters to the company from my grandmother.letter to the cemetery sexton at Wakeman Cemetery in Waterville, Ohio on what size they should make the platform for the monument. letter to them also on when the monument would be delivered. a statement of cost of $46 for the monument. Wow! considering now it would be over $400 I guess. drawings of it before it was done and a letter to grandma that it would be delivered as promised. a document with grandpas name, birthdate, date of death, where he would be buried and when.
I wanted to find Grandmas, but can you believe I was looking under Krepleever for hers instead of Rodemich who was her second marriage. DUH! I also wanted to find my paternal grandparents but they would be in the wall files and those are arranged by years of death and name of who BOUGHT the tombstone instead of name of deceased so that is one thing to think about finding out when doing your research.
Well then there is this box over in the corner. Chris said it held blueprints of MAUSOLEUMS that are in any of the many Toledo area Cemeteries. They are so neat. The TAGS also wants them checked out for how many crypts are in each mausoleum. so I brought the box of these big envelopes home. You wouldn't believe these. They are beautiful buildings, beautifully drawn, and some are done on very thin paper, so I have to be very careful on how I handle them after I take out of the envelope. there are side views. back views inside out. platforms, vases. stain glass window placements. There is one for a German man that is done in German so I have to find someone to translate it. Some of them have dates on the outside of the mausoleums and some don't no matter, they EXQUISITLY drawn. Can you believe me using that word? I have to ask Chris for a roll of the special tape because some of them are torn. She and her friend Sue has started a company that supplies special tape for taping pictures so they are not damaged, and for archival preservation of pictures and the plastic sheet holders. If you ever get to a Toledo Area Genealogical Society seminar in November, Look up Chris and Sue.

GFS Nance

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Passport Records
Submitted by
GFS Susanne@aol.com

In search for our ancestors, we look tirelessly for records that can help us learn who they were and from where they came. We dig for vital records, naturalization documents, and the passenger arrival manifests hoping to find the clues to our ancestor's history. For many of us, finding these documents is a frustrating search. But these are not the only documents that can provide us with the information we need to learn more about our family's history.

Our ancestors flocked to the United States in search of a new life filled with hope and prosperity. They loved their new country and pledged allegiance to it when they became citizens. But soon, for many, memories of home and relatives left behind drew them back to their homelands.

To go back home these new citizens of the United States needed documentation to prove their citizenship. Many of the countries they would go back to required people traveling to carry proof of who they where and citizen of what country. This documentation was a Passport, and to get one they would have to complete an application.

The United States began issuing Passports in 1795. There was no law at that time requiring a person to use a Passport and any court could give one. On August 18, 1856 the US Department of State was given the sole authority to issue Passports. With the outbreak of the US Civil War in 1861-1865, the Secretary of State prohibited anyone from departing or entering the country without proof of citizenship between 1861-1862. A Passport became necessary, but was still not required by law. It was not until the outbreak of World War I in 1914 that a Passport became a necessity. On November 14, 1914, the Department of State required that Americans have a Passport to travel abroad, and to re-enter the United States.

A US Passport application just might be the answer to all your researching problems if you can find no other documents! You will jump with excitement at all the information your ancestor was required to provide.

To obtain a US Passport, a foreign born applicant was required to provide documented proof of naturalization. That means they had to give the date of naturalization and from what court. They also were asked how long they resided "continuously" in the United States, when they arrived, on what ship, and to what port. Other items required were, date and place of birth, name of spouse, date and place of birth of spouse, and permanent residency.

The second page of the application was an Oath of Allegiance. Here you will find your ancestor's signature, dated with a seal. A physical description was included; height, hair and eye color. For Passports after 1914, a photo was included and an occupation was given. Finally, for their travel overseas a date of departure, from where, and on what ship, and who was traveling with them was asked. And then it was all witnessed. The passports would be good for 3 years.

For children, the name of the father, his date and place of birth, and naturalization were listed.

Not all of the earliest Passports will contain as much information as stated above, but at least place of birth will be provided. As you can see, Passport Applications can resolve the problem of locating your ancestral home! And look at what else you can learn.

Now where to look ...

Passport application indexes from 1795-1925 are available on film at your local LDS Family History Center. (Mormon Church.)
There are indexes for 1830-1831,
Alphabetical index for 1850-1852, and 1860-1880
LDS FHC microfilm numbers are 1429876 - 1429903.

The National Archives has application records from
October 27, 1795 - November 30, 1812. February 22, 1830 - November 15, 1831.
May 13, 1833 - December 31, 1905.
Emergency applications done overseas for 1877 - 1907.

The National Archives also has originals and copies of Passports for 1794 - 1901.
Diplomatic Passports 1829 - 1897.

National Archives and Records Administration
Archives 1
8th and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20408

1906-1923 Applications are available from
Civil Reference Branch
Textual Reference Division
National Archives and Records Administration
Suitland, MD 20409

There is an alphabetical card index for 1850 - 1852. 1860 - 1880.
Other indexes are either alphabetical or chronological for 1810 - 1817, 1834 - 1904.

1923 - 1925
Passport Office
Bureau of Consular Affairs
FAIM/RS
Room 1239
Department of State
22nd and C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20520

After 1925,
U. S. Passport Office
1425 K Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20520
*Note: After 1925 you will need either a letter from the applicant, or proof of death and your relationship to deceased.

From 1923 there is an alphabetical index.

It will cost you $10.00 for a certified copy of the passport, and $15.00 for a file search if you don't have the passport number. (Fees at the time of this writing - March, 1998)

Information about Passport Application Records
http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/passport/

GFSSusanne

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German Naming Customs
Submitted by
GFS LynnB@aol.com

From: VA Roots

Keywords: PA GERMAN NAMES CUSTOMS TRADITIONS PENNSYLVANIA

1. At baptism, if two given names were given to the child, the first given name was a spiritual, saint's name, originally developed from Roman Catholic tradition and continued by the Protestants in their baptismal naming customs. The second given name was the secular or call name, which is the name the person was known by, both within the family and to this rest of the world.

The spiritual name, usually to honor a favorite saint, was usually repeatedly given to all the children of that family of the same sex. Thus the boys would be Johan Adam Kerchner, Johan George Kerchner, etc., or Philip Peter Kerchner, Philip Jacob Kerchner, etc. Girls would be named Anna Barbara Kerchner, Anna Margaret Kerchner, etc., or Maria Elizabeth Kerchner, Maria Catherine Kerchner, etc. But after baptism, these people would not be known as John, Philip, Anna, or Maria, respectively. They would instead be known by what we would think of now as their middle name, which was their secular name. Thus these people would be known respectively as Adam, George, Peter, Jacob, Barbara, Margaret, Elizabeth, and Catherine in legal and secular records. For males, the saint's name Johan or John was particularly heavily used by many German families. The child's secular name was really John, if and only if, at baptism he was named only John, usually Johannes, with no second given name.

Many researchers, new to German names, who find a baptism of an individual with a name such as Johan Adam Kerchner, thus mistakenly spend a lot of time looking for a John Kerchner, in legal and census records, when he was known after baptism, to the secular world, as Adam Kerchner. Also when reading county histories, etc., especially those written by individuals in the 20th century, and the author is referring to someone as John Kerchner, and you are not looking for a John Kerchner, but the history sounds otherwise familiar, further research may turn up that this person was really not a John Kerchner, but instead was someone else such as a Johan George Kerchner. You would thus find all his 18th century records recorded under the name George Kerchner and not John Kerchner and therefore after checking the data and correlating the facts you may find this is really a story about your missing George Kerchner.

2. The term "Senior" and "Junior" following a name did not necessarily imply a father and son relationship, as it does now. It could have been an uncle and nephew who had the same name and lived near each other. It could be a grandfather and a grandchild living together, where the father has died. It could even be two unrelated individuals with the same name but of different ages who lived near each other. So to help friends and business associates keep track of who-was-who in their discussions and records, they added on the "Sr." or "Jr." which merely meant the older and the younger, respectively.

3. The term cousin was widely used to mean an extended family, not the specific legal definition we understand it to be today.

4. It was a common practice in some German families to name the first born son after the child's paternal grandfather and the second born son after the maternal grandfather. Here are several more detailed naming patterns practiced by some families.

Pattern A

1st son after the father's father
2nd son after the mother's father
3rd son after the father
4th son after the husband's father's father
5th son after the wife's father's father
6th son after the husband's mother's father
7th son after the wife's mother's father

1st daughter after the wife's mother
2nd daughter after the husband's mother
3rd daughter after the mother
4th daughter after the father's father's mother
5th daughter after the mother's father's mother
6th daughter after the father's mother's mother
7th daughter after the mother's mother's mother


Pattern B

The pattern B for the sons is the same as the above
but this pattern for daughters was different

1st daughter after the father's mother
2nd daughter after the mother's mother
3rd daughter after the mother
4th daughter after the mother's father's mother
5th daughter after the father's father's mother


Pattern C

1st son after the father's father
2nd son after the mother's father
3rd son after the father's oldest brother
4th son after the father

1st daughter after the father's mother
2nd daughter after the mother's mother
3rd daughter after the mother's oldest sister
4th daughter after the mother

Whenever a duplicate name occurred in these patterns, the next name in the series was used. If a child died in infancy the name was often reused for the next child of the same gender.

If you are lucky enough to find a family with a lot of children, who strictly followed one of these naming patterns, then it may give you useful clues to determining the possible names of family members in earlier generations.

5. An "in" or "en", added to the end of a name, such as Anna Maria Kerchnerin, is a Germanic language name ending suffix denoting that the person is female. Thus the correct spelling of the last name in the example would be Kerchner, not Kerchnerin.

6. An "er" or "ner", added to a surname based on the name of something, denoted that the person worked with that object or at that occupation, if the main portion of the name was an object or an occupation, or that the person was from that geographic location or city, if the main portion of the name was a geographic location. Examples: Forst is German for a forest, thus Forster is one who worked in a forest or with woodlands or was from a forest. Berlin is a city in Germany, thus Berliner is one who is from Berlin. Since English is a Germanic rooted language we do the same thing in English, i.e., Paint(er), Garden(er), New York(er).

To a genealogist, everything is relative!
Preston, Madaline H
prestomh@jmu.edu

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Genealogy Research Tips
Submitted by
GFH GOFAR@aol.com

If you have any questions after reading this, email me I'll get back to you when I can.

I suggest that you print this file, since you may need some of the information when visiting a library.

It is not my intention to talk down to anyone, I have been doing genealogical research for about 30 years, and started a family association in 1983. I have been running it (not too effectively recently) ever since.

The following tips are some that I developed with clues from others, and the help of a couple of dedicated librarians. I do not claim that they are unique in any way. They are methods to hundreds of other genealogical researchers, fewer than one in twenty make effective use of the many indexes available. Showing you how to do this is the purpose of this document.

If you want more info on using the computer, and web sites, be sure to ask for my file Web sites.

Those beginning the study of genealogy get wrapped up in making connection after connection, and their records are filled with names, dates, and places. Many eventually get bored and quit.

I feel this happens because the data they spend many hours acquiring is similar to a skeleton: all bones and no meat. Who these people are and what they did with their life is what makes the study interesting. It will be even more interesting to future generations that will have the results of your research. Much of this historical information will be found in both family and county histories.

In addition to tips for finding family histories in Genealogies in the Library of Congress (GILC)as given below, the same tips can be used to locate County histories. Similar Indexes exist. One of the best references is in the Genealogical and Local History Books in Print (GLHBP). More about this later. Also, near the end of this document, there is a tip about searching the AOL member directory. I would try this. In a short time I found three (now 14 cousins). One is doing a local search for me. Another got me a great URL for NY! Try these ideas, they work. I've gotten over 300 (now close to 400) books sent to my small town public library and our local community college. If all else fails, join New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) in Boston. They have a mail order circulating library with lots, and lots of good stuff.

Make friends with a librarian, and after he/she has helped you a few times, send a letter to the library board praising him/her. The librarian will never forget you, and you'll get mucho help.If your local library is not helpful, go to the community college in your taxing district, get a library card there, you pay taxes to the library, and are entitled to the card even if you are not a student. They are often more willing to help researchers. Also join your local genealogy society and/or historical society. Their library can probably give you locations and names. Their members can often help direct your search. If you don't know how to locate them, ask at your local library.

In addition to what follows, after you have done steps 1 and 2, try using your local library computers to see if any of the books you want are readily available, you will be surprised at what can be gotten through interlibrary exchange.

Remember, reprints of older books that are listed in GLHBP are more readily available and easier to get through interlibrary exchange than the originals that you may find listed in GILC, but if you can get to some of the libraries that have decent genealogical collections you may be able to access books that have not been reprinted and/or do not circulate. GILC lists more family histories. However, Gen. Books in Print lists all kinds of county histories, county records and other books about specific areas, also books of old maps, and census available on microfilm. As long as your library has a microfilm reader, they can usually borrow microfilms from other libraries.

PROCEDURES FOR LOCATING BOOKS, MICROFILMS, ETC.

STEP 1) Go to your nearest library with a Gen. collection, and see if they have a set of books titled Genealogies in the Library of Congress (GILC). (They will.) Each of the books covers the LOC acquisitions for a specific period of time, check them all. Look for family histories of the names that interest you. You should find many listings of such families if they are European names, especially English, Irish, Scotch, and many others. Unfortunately, there are few Asian, African, or other uncommon names. Photocopy the pages with books about families that interest you. REPEAT. PHOTOCOPY THE PAGES, YOU WILL NEED ALL OF THE INFO ON THE BOOKS. Look for references to names you are researching in book about other families. There are many that will have specific information. Make sure that you check all the volumes of the GILC, especially the one covering 1986 to 1995. It has a section listing microfilms of family histories available from the LOC at modest cost. The LOC will microfilm almost any book in its collection, but the first time it is done is quite expensive. If you have money to spend, you might ask the price if there is a book you want in your collection. Your library or your community college will have readers that will let you read the microfilm, and most will also allow you to copy of any page for about ten cents. However, if the book has already been microfilmed, the cost for the microfilm from LOC is usually very modest. Let's hope someone else has underwritten the initial cost.

STEP 2) Look for a set of reference books in the library, two or three volumes, titled Genealogies and Local History Books In Print (GLBHBP). There have been several editions, if the library has more than one edition, check all of them, since they add and delete books as they go in and out of print. The reason you do this is because many of the books you located in STEP 1 do not circulate because they are too rare. The GLBHBP indexes more than 30,000 titles that are in print, and should be available through interlibrary exchange. Photocopy the pages you are interested in. The last volume in each set has an index to surnames. What is important, is they list surnames found in books that may cover a different family, or a whole group of families from one location, but have significant info on the names that interest you so look up each book in the index. There is usually a summary of the book which tells about the area the family covers. For example, there were STEELE immigrants to both New England and to VA. Each has their own migration pattern. Elsewhere in the GLBHBP they list county histories, census records, etc. etc. They also list microfilms. Get familiar with the GLBHP, take notes. If you can't access a library with these references, try to get them through interlibrary exchange.

STEP 3) See if your library has any of the books listed in the indexes, or microfilms of the books or records and order through interlibrary exchange. Then ask your library if they have a set of the National Union Catalogs (NUC). If they don't, use the phone to locate a set. Try nearest community colleges, universities, and large city main libraries. NUC indexes ALL of the books in the Library of Congress. It is actually a wall of books consisting of several sets. Each set covers the books acquired by the LOC, during a specific period of time. This is why I said to photocopy the pages from the index. You need ALL the data including date of publication. Also, NUC are indexed by author, not title!!!!

The advantage of the NUC is each edition has a guide to libraries that have copies of the books. When you locate the NUC, take your photocopies of the pages from the indexes described above to the research librarian where the NUC are located and ask her/him to show you how to use the catalogs to locate which libraries have copies of the books that interest you. Take notes. It takes too much time to tell you about using the indexes, because each edition may have a different way of indexing locations. Sometimes it is with the book listing, others have a separate set of books indexing locations. It's worth it to go through this procedure if you are serious about genealogy, trust me!!!! Once you have done it, it is quite easy the next time.

Then go to the library you intend to use for interlibrary exchange with the list of books and your notes on locations, and order the ones that are available through the interlibrary exchange. Knowing which library has copies of books helps the interlibrary exchange process. Hope this helps you, if you have questions, just ask the librarian, or email me. This is basic research, works for non-genealogical research as well. As I said before, if the local library won't help, go to your community college. If all else fails go to a genealogical or local history association, and see what they do. If necessary, I would go to a library board meeting and complain.

Another thought, while you are using the NUC, look for books authored by surnames that interest you. There are many such books with good genealogical information that may not be listed as a family history. For example, I found a book by a preacher that was a history of his church. It had a great deal of information about the preacher's family. Autobiographies are another good place to look. I found one written in the 1700's that had been reprinted, and was available from a nearby library. Look for books written by the person that interests you. You may not realize he he/she had something published. It may just be a technical treatise, etc. These often have biographical data about the author.

The following is something I discovered yesterday, now, it's some time ago, and it is now being mentioned in the chat rooms haven't seen it mentioned. I've had remarkable success and I just started doing this. The explanation is rough, but you should be able to follow it.

Click on Members at the top of the AOL screen, click on Members Directory, click on advanced search, in the hobbies/interests window, put in the surname you are researching. For example, Steele. and then click on search, neat results. You get a list of people searching the same name. Sometimes, it can get bogged down, One example, there is a rock star with the name of FARRELL. Seems like hundreds of groupies have listed FARRELL in interests. Another example, my main interest is GOODRICH. If I simply enter GOODRICH, I get many listings of tire dealers. Other ways of using this: In hobbies, type: "genealogy+SURNAME". (actually use the plus sign with no spaces) It thins out the other interests. Another way to search is in location, type town and state, and search. You may get several hits. Email them. Some may be willing to check records for you. Or you can ask them to get name and address, and/or telephone numbers,or email addresses of local gen. and/or historical societies, their local records offices, etc. You can write the societies, some will search their cemetery records, county histories, etc. for non-members, some may ask you to join, or you can offer a small donation, but I find it works if I offer to do similar look-ups at my local societies. Much of what some societies have is unpublished and difficult to get in other ways.

The following is a good library source to obtain books through interlibrary loan, contact them.

Genealogical Department
MID-CONTINENT public library
15616 E. 24 Hwy
Independence M0. 64050
phone 816 252-0950

Web site: http://www.mcpl.lib.mo.us

They have a wonderful selection on Genealogy and local History. Over 5,000 titles including family histories, state and county records, how-to books for beginners and advanced, adoption, Native American, African-American, census records, etc., etc. Their books are available to researchers nationwide through interlibrary loan (FREE). You will need to contact your local public library, or college library as described above to start the proceedings, as they only send books to libaries. Some libraries will do it for free, others will want you to pay the postage. Since there is a special book rate for postage, it is not terribly expensive. They print a catalog called HeartLand Catalog which has the Genealogy Circulating Collection.

Call or write for their catalogs, they have been FREE. The basic catalog is 1992 with 1994 and 1996 supplements. The 1994 and 1996 supplements are on their web site.I was also able to get them to send their catalogs to my local library.

By the way, if you use a Mormon church FHC, be kind to the volunteers, so many people abuse them. I've seen it happen. If you intend to make repeat visits, and you probably will, after two or three visits bring a box of candy or home-made cookies for the staff, and thank them for their help. You will be remembered and in the future, probably find them actually eager to help.

Another thought just occurred. Did the person go to college, belong to a fraternity, social club, Masons, Knights of Columbus, etc., union, trade organization, etc. It is possible you could get information through their offices.

Happy hunting!
George Farrell
GENEALOGY RESEARCH TIPS, VOL. 1

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What Happened To The 1890 Census
Submitted by
GFS Linda@aol.com

The following article came from GRS Newsletter Volume 1, Edition 1.

1. Genealogist's Greatest Loss: What Happened to the 1890 Federal Census?

Many genealogy researchers have become frustrated once they began searching for the 1890 US Federal Census. Soon, the researchers learn the 1890 Schedules was destroyed by a fire in the National Archives in 1921. This statement is only partially true. Part of the census was lost in 1921 but the fate of the remaining schedules stands testament to the dangers of government miscommunication and red tape.

The Eleventh Census of the United States taken in June 1890 would have provided a wonderful study of our country if available today. Over 47,000 enumerators usually chosen by political appointment, distributed the schedules in advance to give the residents time to complete the forms. Once completed the population of the US topped over 62 million individuals.

Shortly before publication in 1896, the original 1890 special schedules for mortality, crime, pauperism and benevolence, special classes, and portions of the transportation and insurance schedules were damaged and finally destroyed by the Department of the Interior. However, according to a 1903 census clerk the general population schedules seem to be in good shape.

In the afternoon of January 10, 1921, the schedules were located in the basement of the Commerce Building. That afternoon, building fireman James Foster reported seeing smoke. The fire department was called.

The fire was contained to the basement level of the building but flooded most of the area. Once extinguished no immediate surveys were done of the damage. The records were allowed to remain soaking in water overnight. The next morning when the damage was assessed. The census director, Sam Rogers sent a note to the Secretary of Commerce reporting:

"...a cursory examination show that the census schedules from 1790 to and including 1870, with the exception of those for 1830 and 1840, are on the fifth floor of the Commerce Building and have not been damaged. The schedules of the censuses of 1830, 1840, 1880, 1900 and 1910 have been damaged by water, and it is estimated that ten percent of these schedules will have to be opened and dried and some of them recopied." These schedules were located in the basement in a vault considered at the time to be fire and waterproof. However, the archivist had discovered a small broken pane of glass, which allowed water to seep in damaging the schedules located in low shelves.

The 1890 schedule did not fair as well. It was located outside the vault. Director Sam Rogers continued and reported in the same document to the Secretary of Commerce the damage.

"Approximately 25 percent of these schedules have been destroyed and it is estimated the 50 per cent of the remainder have been damaged by water, smoke and fire."

The preliminary report by Census Bureau Clerk T. J. Fitzgerald was much more pessimistic. Fitzgerald reported that the 1890 records were ruined and that no method of restoration would be capable of restoring the records.

The cause of the 1921 fire was never determined. Although some speculate that a worker in the basement was smoking and set off the blaze. Others believe that bundles of papers spontaneously combusted causing the blaze.

The remaining schedules of the 1890 census abandoned by the government, survived for many years. Rumors speculated that Census Director Sam Rogers had recommended that the schedules be destroyed. The public and historians were outraged and began a letter writing campaign. Each letter received much the same reply. Everyone was told that the records were no going to be destroyed and plans were being made to provide a suitable archive.

In May of 1921, the census remained in temporary storage and the new census director William Steuart reported they would gradually deteriorate. The records were returned to the census building for storage at Stueart's order.

Ten years would pass and finally in December of 1932, the Chief clerk of the Bureau of Census sent the Librarian of Congress a list of papers to destroy.

Included in the list was Item 22, "Schedules, Population-1890, Original." The librarian gave the okay to destroy the list of records including the 1890 Census Schedule. Congress authorized the destruction and February 21,1933. Only a small note in the census bureau file marks the official demise of the record. It state "remaining schedules destroyed by Department of Commerce in 1934 (not approved by the Geographer.)"

Sadly, just one day before Congress authorized the destruction of the census; President Herbert Hoover laid the cornerstone of the permanent National Archives building.

Of course, many researchers fail to realize that some of the original schedule still exists. In 1942 during the move to the new building a bundle of the Illinois schedules appeared during a shipment. In 1953, more fragments were discovered including those from Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and the District of Columbia. The remnants of the 1890 census have been filmed and are available through many sources. There are only three rolls of microfilm containing the records. Only about 6,000 names are listed on these precious pieces of our past.

Many researchers lament over the loss of these records but we must be grateful that most pages of the United States Federal Census Schedules survived. Imagine just how difficult North American research would be without the census.

"The following article if from GRS Monthly Newsletter and is copyright 1997 by GRS. It is re-published here with permission of the author."

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Census Takers
Submitted by
GFS LynnB@aol.com

Census Takers -- True Stories

The Texas 1850 Federal Census schedule, Volume 3, written by H. Swaringen, Asst. Marshall, 23 October 1850 contains this note written by the census taker.

I certify these to be sixty-four pages and a piece of the inhabitants and done as near in accordance with my oath as I could do it. The people was hard to get along with!
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OCUPYUSHIEN CENSUS TAKER--

I am a census taker for the City of Bufflow. Our city has groan very fast in resent years and now in 1865, it has become a hard and time consuming job to count all the peephill. There is not many that can do this work, as it is necessarie to have an ejucashun, wich a lot of person still do not have. Ahnuther atribert needed for this job is good speling for many of the peephill to be counted can harle speak inglish, let alon spel there names.

Are you still wondering why you can not find your ancestors on the census?

< grin >

Now on a serious note!!

I got it out of the Connecticut Genealogical Society Newsletter:

You might try the Social Security Administration, Office of Central Records Operations, 300 N. Greene St., Room 11312, Tower Metro West, Baltimore, MD 21201. It states, "Looking for a missing heir or long lost friend? The SSA letter-forwarding service will send a letter from you to the missing person providing the purpose of your search is either humanitarian (Locating an estranged family member or lost friend) or monetary (tracing a missing heir)." The letter has to contain information that we determine the missing person wants to know. YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE THE PERSON'S DATE OF BIRTH, PARENTS NAMES, OR OTHER IDENTIFYING INFORMATION. The agency wont reveal the persons whereabouts or verify that the letter was received. It simply acts as the intermediary. There's no charge for humanitarian requests; other searches cost $3.00.

You might also try THE SALVATION ARMY, MISSING PERSONS SERVICES, 1424 NORTHEAST EXPRESSWAY, ATLANTA, GA 30329. Give them as much information as possible (i.e. the person's name, birth data, parents' names, marriage data, last known residence).

Hey, if all else fails, it might help!

Lynn

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Miscellaneous Court Records
Submitted by
GFS HOOK@aol.com

I was never aware of the information that might be contained in court records concerning my ancestors, until a kind person guided me to the Common Pleas Court Records of Crawford County, OH. I had never understood the great resources such records might contain. When I obtained a copy of these records, I found much information on the relationships, and some more mysteries. In this particular circuit court case, the two youngest children of Jane BODLEY CRIBBS, filed a petition to the court, against Jacob CRIBBS (Jane’s second husband), Jane, and three of her older children and their spouses, and one John WATTS, specifying that the interests of the children in a parcel of real estate, had been conveyed to Mr. WATTS 'in fee simple', and that Mr. WATTS is 'committing waste' to said real estate. The suit requests repartitioning the more than 100 acres of land in Crawford County. There is much more to this suit - however, these papers helped answer some questions regarding the ages/birth order of the children, and then raised further questions regarding the relationships between the younger children and their mother, especially since the guardian of the two younger children as named in this suit was the brother of Jane BODLEY CRIBBS!

More answers to questions, and again more mysteries were uncovered with the discovery of three Probate Court cases, these in Colerain Township, Ross County, OH involving my MOSS/COEY/STRAWSER ancestors. These court records not only helped prove that my Sabra E. COEY was indeed the child of John COEY and Margaret HUTCHINSON, but also presented me with further questions on her husband Daniel MOSS’s family, since in another case, the court was requested to assign guardianship of Daniel's younger siblings to their father, Jesse who had previously relinquished custody of his children to their Grandfather STRAWSER after the death of Jesse’s wife (and Daniel’s mother) Sarah Sally STRAWSER.

These court records are but an example of what can be found out there with a little searching and to me at least, they were little known resources. Great ones though!

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St. Albans Border Crossing Records
Submitted by
GFS CarolA1@aol.com

This is about the St. Albans Border Crossing Records for little known records.

My area of expertise is French Canada: Quebec Province and the New England states, as many french canadian came there during the industrial revolution. Many crossed the border during this time (1895+) and that is when these records were developed.

As a co-host of several Quebec chats I am always amazed at how many folks do not know about these. They are all filmed by LDS and they are also available from your Federal Archives. Some Federal Archives have a better supply than others I've noticed. It behooves every french canadian researcher to look at these records as they contain valuable information. The neat thing about the St. Albans is that they are all soundexed, just like the US Census records, making them easy to work with. Again, Salt Lake has them all numbered and there are approx. 1500 reels of films -- WOW!!!

I just wanted to make sure that as many people knew about these as possible. Also, I just received an e-mail from our fearless leader, GFSChuck informing us that he has received the name and address of someone who has developed a guide on how to use the St. Albans. Here is the address:

GUIDE TO BORDER CROSSING RECORDS................$10.00 (At time of this writing - 3/1998)
(make check payable to J.S. Zaleski)
mail to: J. S. Zaleski
Dept. OC97
Box 10416
Detroit MI 48210-0416

Contains the LDS microfilm numbers for the four different groupings of the records, with background information, and sample records.

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Maps
Submitted by
GFH Maria@aol.com

It just amazes me at the number of people that ask where is that town or where is that county? Also, it is hard to figure out county lines.

I couldn't LIVE without my Rand McNally Motor Carriers Road Atlas, we take it on all our trips and there is a hole worn in the cover of it, when I look up a town that a cousin lived in in Ohio I circle the town, then a couple of years later, I wondered why I had circled that town, so now I write the surname on that page.

I keep my atlas by my computer desk. I bought a new map last year, but left it home and took the old ratty one to Iowa again.