More on the U.S. National Archives Central Plains Region in Kansas City

Check out online finding aids and indexes for selected Archival Holdings at NARA's Central Plains Region (Kansas City) http://www.archives.gov/central-plains/kansas-city/finding-aids

Thanks to Evie Brissette, CG, a volunteer at this branch of NARA for suggesting that I include this in the blog. She also reminds us that via NARA's website you may submit an email inquiry for items such as the actual record tied to an entry in the online naturalization database.

If you haven't checked the NARA website for other regional locations and their holdings, visit www.Archives.gov and click in Locations in the left column.

Do you have old family recipes?

I am looking for a old family recipe or two - one that has notes on it that might relate to family history. Do you have a handwritten recipe from your grandmother that has a notation such as "this was originally Aunt Mary Smith's recipe." Or perhaps "I always served this when the Fishers came for dinner." Maybe your great grandma made similar notes in a cookbook. I have a couple of recipes that came from my mother-in-law and I noted that on the recipe card. My spaghetti sauce recipe says "Mom's recipe."

I am writing an article that will be based on such a recipe. The aim will be to gather clues from the recipe and notations to learn more about the person and family history. For example, who is this Aunt Mary or the Fishers? Maybe the notation says "this dish was served at Cousin Elizabeth's wedding reception." Does the recipe have this notation: "My mother brought this recipe with her from Greene County when she moved westward." Which Greene County!

If you have a recipe or two like these, would you be willing to share a copy for use in the article? I would list you and your state of residence as the contributor of the recipe. The recipe would be reproduced in the article. You could scan it and send as an email attachment to PaulaStuartWarren@gmail.com or mail a photocopy to me at P.O. Box 1054, Elk River, MN 55330-1054.

Still more books with a genealogy connection

Myke Rachu, a fellow Minnesota resident and also a genealogist, sent a few more titles of books that have some genealogy content. Myke says: "I recently read a book (with English genealogy bits) recommended by Theresa Dirksen [another genealogist]. It is a mystery entitled Bloodline by Fiona Mountain. Another genealogy related mystery series is by Rett McPherson (light reading but fun). I believe there are 9 titles by this author. Another two mysteries are Second Sorrowful Mystery by Jonathan Harrington and The Heir Hunter by Chris Larsgaard.

Fort Wayne, Here We Come

I hope to see many of you at the 2007 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana this August 15-18. The Allen County Library is the local host. The ACPL main branch holds a world-renowned genealogy collection.

Tonight I was browsing the list of vendors and societies that will be in the Exhibit Hall. If you want to do some pre-planning of which ones you absolutely must visit, check the Exhibitor's List at http://www.fgsconference.org/.

There is still time to register for the conference and the Exhibit Hall does have several spaces open if you are interested in having a booth. The website has the details.

Nu? What's New

Nu? What's New is a free bi-weekly newsletter edited by Gary Mokotoff and published by Avotaynu. It is designed for researching Jewish family History. HOWEVER, I have found much useful info for searching in Eastern European countries, Canada, the U.S. and good updates on the Family History Library. You can sign up via the website below and the back issues are available online. Avotaynu is a magazine with the same aims and my subscription to it has been valuable in the same ways. http://www.avotaynu.com/nu.htm

Where is she now?

Earlier this week a friend sent an email that began with the words "where are you now?" I am actually in St. Paul for the next month. This coming week is federal jury duty. This is all while I am in the midst of meeting client work and writing deadlines. As if that is not enough, I am packing to move! When I moved out of the four bedroom, two story house three years ago, I thought that was difficult. Lots was tossed, shared with family members, and much was put into storage. It is time to condense once again.

Where am I going? Well – when I figure out where I want to live when I grow up, I will have that answer. It will likely be condo in a northern suburb of the St. Paul -Minneapolis area. I have seriously thought about Washington, DC, Salt Lake City, Boston and other places -- but leaving the grandchildren would be too difficult for me right now.

In the meantime I will be living in Zimmerman, Minnesota. I am temporarily moving into the lower level of my oldest son’s house (his invitation!). I will get to see my oldest granddaughter, age 13, all the time. One of the youngest grandchildren, age 8 who lives in Duluth, asked why I wasn’t moving in with them. Ah, cousin rivalry.

The next trip will be a combination research, visiting friends, and speaking at a genealogy conference adventure. The conference is the Federation of Genealogical Societies/Allen County Public Library 4 day extravaganza. Check it out at http://www.fgsconference.org/

I will let you know my new address and e-mail address shortly.

One if by land, two if by sea . . .

Another of those memories from my long-ago youth is learning part of the poem The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. "Listen my children and you shall hear . . . begins the lengthy poem that tells about the lantern signals and other warnings Paul Revere used to warn that the British were on the march to the Boston area.

On that night of April 18, 1775, the steeple of the Old North Church in Boston held the church sexton who displayed two lanterns for all to see that Paul Revere signaled that the British were marching by sea and not by land. Today this church is also known as the Christ Church in the City of Boston, an Episcopal church built in 1723. Ten months ago I visited the church and gazed at the steeple for the third time in my life. It was still a thrill to see it. Did I recall all the words of that poem? The answer is a definite "no" and to be honest, I only remembered a few lines. For more on the history of the church and the events surrounding Paul Revere visit http://www.oldnorth.com/hist.htm.

Do any of you have family members who were members of that church around 1775? If so, you might want to contact the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston. Its Research Services team is cooperating with the Church’s Foundation to assemble information on these families. If you do know of a family member who was a member of that congregation between the years of 1750 and 1800, please contact Joshua Taylor, NEHGS Research Services Coordinator at jtaylor@nehgs.org.

Topographical Maps

Tonight as I read the San Jose Mercury News online I saw an interesting article about U.S. Geological Survey topograpical maps and genealogical research. Genealogy was even spelled correctly! To read the article in the July 8th edition: http://www.mercurynews.com/lifeandstyleheadlines/ci_6328874

You may be wondering why I was reading the San Jose newspaper when I live in St. Paul? Many moons ago we lived in neighboring Mountain View, California when my husband was stationed at the Moffett Field Naval air base. My oldest son was born while we lived there and I occasionally check websites related to the area.

More books with a genealogy connection

Fellow genealogist Betty Malesky of Green Valley, Arizona shared the following titles of fiction books with a genealogical connection. If any of you have additional suggestions send them to me at PSWResearch@comcast.net and I will share them with all the readers.

Night Journal by Elizabeth Crooks
Eve's Daughters by Lynn Austin
Death on the Family Tree by Patricia Sprinkle
Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky

Thanks Betty!

Ancestry.com and the August FGS/ACPL Conference

Thinking about attending the August 15-18, 2007 Genealogy Conference sponsored by the Federation of Genealogical Societies and the Allen County Public Library? Four full days of genealogical education, luncheons with interesting speakers, extended hours access to the renowned Genealogy Center at the ACPL, a large exhibit area of genealogical and historical vendors, and non-stop opportunities for networking with fellow genealogists and asking questions of the speakers and vendors, and now one more big reason to attend.

The exhibit area will be open to everyone (registrant or not) on Thursday through Saturday. Ancestry.com is sponsoring a live computer lab at its huge space in the exhibit hall. This will be the place to see live class type demos that will help you use Ancestry.com, Family Tree Maker, and Ancestry publications. Each session is repeated several times so that you won't have to miss those lectures that are musts on your schedule. For a full Ancestry line-up see:

http://blogs.ancestry.com/circle/index.php?paged=2


To register for the conference, check out the lectures and speakers, see the lineup of meal events (complete with menus,) and learn about lodging visit http://www.fgsconference.org/

Free Genealogy News

From time to time I will post the links to genealogical and historical electronic newsletters and blogs that are available at no cost. I do happen to be one of the writers for the first two.

24/7 Family History Circle http://blogs.ancestry.com/circle/

Ancestry Weekly Blog http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=dailynews

Dick Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter http://www.eogn.com/
Dick also has a Plus Edition that is fee based.

Leland Meitzler and Everton Publisher's Blog http://www.genealogyblog.com/