National Archives Celebrates July 4 with New Logo and 1st Ever Parade Float!

I received this press release from the U.S. National Archives today. I was at the National 4th of July parade several years ago and it was rather neat to be in the nation's capitol on Independence Day! 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2010

National Archives Celebrates July 4 with New Logo and 1st Ever Parade Float!

Washington, DC . . .
On Sunday, July 4, the National Archives celebrates Independence Day with its annual ceremony, its first ever National Independence Day Parade float, and a brand new logo.

The first ever National Archives Independence Day Parade Float features the Declaration of Independence and other “National Treasures” from the holdings of the National Archives. This float will launch the National Independence Day Parade in front of the National Archives Building. The parade starts at 11:45 AM.

The float also features a brand new National Archives logo. The National Archives Building in Washington, DC, was designed by noted architect John Russell Pope. Inspired by Pope’s classical architecture and sculptural detail, the logo features a majestic stone eagle. The eagle symbolizes protection - underscoring the role of the National Archives as guardian of this nation’s records.

“Eagles traditionally represent strength, courage, farsightedness, and immortality, and wings symbolize forward movement, swiftness, and protection. The National Archives strives to carry out its mission with the vision to serve not only the citizens of today, but also those of the future,” said Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero. “Each day our staff across the country works to find new ways to make the rich resources in our holdings accessible and usable more quickly and efficiently. We are a strong, courageous advocate for transparent, participatory government that is accountable to its people,” the Archivist added.

The “Trajan” font selected for this new logo connects with inscriptions on the National Archives Building. Trajan font is named for Roman Emperor Trajan, known for his extensive public building program. The font is based on the letterforms of Roman square capitals, influenced by the style of the chiseled writings of the Romans during the first century A.D. The bronze color of the logo represents the large bronze doors of the National Archives Building that both guard and provide access to the records the National Archives holds in trust for the public.

For more information on the annual July 4th Celebration at the National Archives, see  http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/events/july-august.html#july4th

Combine genealogy, history, and a visit to part of Minnesota's beautiful lake country!

Combine genealogy, history, and a visit to part of Minnesota's beautiful lake country! The Becker County Historical Society and Heart O’Lakes Genealogical Society announce their first joint open house on Saturday, July 10, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Becker County History Museum. The museum is in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota at 714 Summit Ave at Front Street. Detroit Lakes is in Northwestern Minnesota and is definitely a vacation destination.

"Attendees will be given the opportunity to learn how both societies assist in historical and genealogical research requests." How perfect is this1 Check out the research library while your non-genealogy friends or family tour the museum, browse the gift shop, golf, swim, boat or even just sit and enjoy a wonderful summer day in Minnesota.

Check out the full notice from June 25th at D-L Online [Detroit Lakes].

Info on the Detroit lakes area:  http://www.visitdetroitlakes.com/
Info on Minnesota tourism:  http://www.exploreminnesota.com/

Yale Library to Digitize Documents on New England’s Native Americans

The Yale University Office of Public Affairs released this press release on June 22nd. I found reference to it in several of the news outlets I follow.

"New Haven, Conn. — Yale University Library has received a grant of $250,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to support “The New England Indian Papers Series: The Connecticut Colony Collection, 1603–1783,” an online compendium of important and rare historical documents relating to the Native American peoples of Connecticut during the colonial period from First Contact to 1783. The grant is part of the NEH’s “We the People” program, which encourages and strengthens the teaching, study and understanding of American history and culture."

It's a lengthy press release. One thing is doesn't mention is that it is somewhat more difficult to track Native Americans in New England because many members of those tribes moved out of New England, some by force and some by choice. During the 19th and 20th century when the Bureau of Indian Affairs was keeping track of Native Americans, those that remained in New England and New York were not included. If we find that some of those who moved westward interacted or married into other tribes that may yield some details. Native American in New England may have purchased land, had births, deaths, marriages, christenings and other things recorded. There may be some church, probate, or census records that include them.

Archives and historical societies have many materials that are helpful in researching New England Native American Ancestry, as does the New England Historic Genealogical Society. No matter the tribe or the locality, the search begins with the same basic records we use for all our ancestors. Then we branch off to other resources.

A family reunion based on Beer!

Well, sort of. Today's St. Paul Pioneer Press had a story about the reunion.

365 descendants of August and Theresa Schell had a family reunion at the Schell Brewery in New Ulm, Minnesota to help celebrate the founding of the brewery. New Ulm is a heavily Germanic area. The article reports that Schell's is Minnesota's oldest brewery and the second-oldest family-owned brewery in the U.S. It began in 1860.

Now I need to figure out which is the first-oldest! Any guesses? 

Click here for the brewery's own history pages. 

Visit Duluth and include genealogy!

MGS/Twin Ports Genealogy Workshop - June 26

Genealogy is a hobby, a business, and an art form. Each of these will be explored at an exceptionally valuable and informative conference presented by the Minnesota Genealogical Society and the Twin Ports Genealogical Society (TPGS) in Duluth on June 26, 2010. It all starts at 9:00 a.m. and finishes by 4:00 p.m., which gives you enough time to drive home if you want - the sun doesn't set until 9:00 p.m.   Where:      Science Auditorium, College of Saint Scholastica,                  1200 Kenwood Ave. in Duluth. Cost:         $25 for the program, + $7 if you want the bag lunch Payment:   Mail check by June 23 to MGS (Duluth Program), 1185 N.                  Concord St., Suite 218, South Saint Paul MN 55075 or                  register online (at www.mngs.org) by June 24 using credit card or Paypal Questions: Contact Terry Kika (terrykita@earthlink.net) or Joanne Sher (joannemsher@hotmail.com)    Schedule: 9:00       Registration 9:30       Welcome and information 10:00     Using Postcards for Family History - Tony Dierckins 11:00     Break 11:30     Slovenian Research - Mary Lou Voelk              Using Maps in Genealogical Research - Mary Bakeman 12:30     Lunch / TPGS & MGS updates 1:30       The Blue Army, Grey Samaritans, and the White Cross: Polish Americans in France, 1917-1920 - Joanne Sher              Minnesota Reflections (digital collections) - Marian Rengel 2:30       Break 3:00       Scandinavian Research - Carrie Herfindahl              Solving Problems of Genealogical Identity: Two A.P. Overlands - Jay Fonkert   For visitor and hotel information, go to the Visit Duluth website (www.visitduluth.com) or call 1-800-438-5884, or Visit Superior (www.visitsuperior.com) 1-800-942-5313.

3d hotel added for FGS Genealogy Conference in Knoxville

As promised, an additional hotel has been added for the conference in Knoxville. It is just a few blocks from the Knoxville Convention Center and is on the free trolley line. The hotel is the Crown Plaza Knoxville.  Check the FGS Conference News Blog for full details and contact information.

Don't forget that you must register for the conference by midnight, CDT, Monday 21 June to save $50.00 on the full conference registration price.

Ancestry.com to acquire Genline.se

My Google News page just had this link to a press release from MarketWatch.com. Ancestry.com is poised to acquire Genline.se. This is a website for those researching Swedish ancestry.

As the article states, "Genline currently has more than 17,000 paying members with access to 26 million pages of digitized Swedish church records spanning more than 400 years from the 16th to the 20th century."

Conference Hotels in Knoxville are full -- more arrangements being made

Pat Oxley reports that both Federation of Genealogical Societies 2010 Conference hotels (Hilton and Holiday Inn) are now full.

Pat is working on adding additional hotels in the area. I will keep you posted here and on the FGS Conference News Blog.

U.S. National Library of Medicine Manuscripts

The National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine has an interesting website. One section is devoted to the "History of Medicine." You can browse the finding aids for manuscripts online, check the catalog, view digital images and learn about visiting the library in Bethesda, Maryland. I found the FAQ section quite helpful.

A finding aids entry looks like this:

Title: Zuriel and George Waterman Papers 1774-1817
Abstract: Daybooks, correspondence, ledgers and journals pertaining to medical practice, as well as memorandum books kept on board a privateer during the American Revolution.

The papers of John Shaw Billings include this description:

". . . was in charge of the Library of the Surgeon General's Office. Other items in the collection include genealogy information, diplomas and certificates, draft of History and literature of surgery, copies . . ." [I bolded the word genealogy.]

One set of digital images includes not only medical history of the 19th century, but lots of family history. It is part of "Physicians' Lives in the Shenandoah Valley."

"The Henkel Family Correspondence collection (MS C 291; 1.5 linear feet) consists of 828 letters and is largely the product of Caspar C. Henkel's (1835-1908) life. . . Items dating before 1850 were written by ancestors of both Caspar and his wife, Margaretta . . . Caspar retained letters written to him while he was away at medical school and in the field during the Civil War. Upon returning home from these extended absences, he apparently also collected several letters he himself had written to New Market. He also kept letters written to him from his two brothers during their medical training and afterwards when they lived and practiced away from New Market. Letters written to Margaretta from her sisters during the late 1860s and early 1870s are also included."

Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy 2011 Course I: American Records

Registration opened today, June 10th for the 2011 (January 10-14) edition of the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy!

Course I for 2011 is American Records and Research: Focusing on Localities. I coordinate and teach in this intermediate level course that covers 19th-21st century U.S. records and strategies with seventeen classroom hours that assist researchers in learning about and using varied sources and methods. It goes beyond basic research tools and can also serve as a refresher. Learn more about unusual records, county, state and federal records, manuscripts, finding aids, specialized indexes, case studies, and websites. Additionally, seven hours of one-on-one assistance and consultations at the Family History Library are provided by instructors. Course I participants get more hours than other courses for the same price!

This course alternates every other year with a second half of this course with resources related more directly to families and individuals. The instructors represent a wealth of knowledge and experience. This course helps you extend your research skills with suggested homework assignments to immediately apply the classroom information to research on your own families. Class work is in the morning on all five days, one afternoon, and with hands-on library assistance on three afternoons. There is ample time for open research in the afternoon and evening or for SLIG evening classes.

SLIG Course I instructors are: Paula Stuart-Warren, CG℠ (classes plus consultations); Karen Mauer Green (consultations), Michael J. Leclerc (class), Kory L. Meyerink, AG® (class), D. Joshua Taylor, MLS (classes), and Cath Madden Trindle, CG (classes plus consultations)

Prerequisites for this course:
Participants should have advanced beyond the “bare bones” beginner. We suggest rereading one or more basic genealogy guidebooks and being familiar with the Family History Library Catalog. (www.familysearch.org). It will help if you have taken a basic level genealogical class or two and attended at least one genealogical seminar or conference. Students should bring along some of their own family research materials including ancestor charts and family group sheets (either paper or on your computer) to use in immediately applying what they learn in class. There will be suggested homework to also help you put the learning to work and one group assignment that will necessitate some library research.


Scheduled class and instructor lineup (subject to some time tweaking):

Monday       
8:00-9:00       SLIG Opening Breakfast & Announcements    SLIG Staff
9:15-10:30     Intro & General Class Information; "Strategies and Organizational Tips & Tools
                      for Busy Researchers at the FHL and Elsewhere" presented by Paula Stuart-Warren
10:45-12:00   "Delving into County Courthouse and Town Hall Records" presented by Paula Stuart-Warren
2:00-4:30       Family History Lab: one-on-one help with consultants, Karen Mauer Green,
                      Paula Stuart-Warren, and Cath Madden Trindle
Tuesday       
8:30-9:30       "Land Records: Digging Deeper Online and Off" presented by Cath Madden Trindle
9:45-10:45     "Building a House History from a Variety of Records" presented by Cath Madden Trindle
11:00-12:00   "Dissecting a Document: Getting from Point A to Point Z. Part I" (Group Exercise)       moderated by Paula Stuart-Warren
2:00-4:30       FHL Lab: one-on-one help    Stuart-Warren & Trindle

Wednesday       
8:30-9:30       "Lawyers, Judges, and Trials: Using the Law in Genealogy" presented by D. Joshua Taylor
9:45-10:45     "Locality Resources: Using Maps, Gazetteers, Atlases and More" presented by Michael J. Leclerc
11:00-12:00   "The WPA Era: What It Created for Genealogists" presented by Paula Stuart-Warren
12:00-1:30     Opportunity to have lunch together as a class with discussion
1:30-2:30       "Records Related to Ancestral Arrivals in the United States" presented by Paula Stuart-Warren
2:45-3:45       "Greater Success through Source Citation" presented by Kory L. Meyerink

Thursday       
8:30-9:30      Vanity Sketches: Sources and Truths Behind Mugbook Entries" presented by D. Joshua Taylor
9:45-10:45    "The U.S. National Archives: The Nation’s Attic" presented by Paula Stuart-Warren
11:00:12:00   "Finding Ancestral Places of Origin in U.S. Records" presented by Paula Stuart-Warren
2:00-4:00       FHL Lab: one-on-one help    Stuart-Warren & Green

Friday       
8:30-9:30       "Newspaper Research: The Dailies, Weeklies, and Beyond" presented by Paula Stuart-Warren
9:45-10:45     "Genealogical and Historical Periodicals In Print & Online" presented by Paula Stuart-Warren
11:00-12:00   "Dissecting a Document: Research Results and Recommendations
                      Part 2" (Group Exercise) moderated by Paula Stuart-Warren
12:00-12:30   Wrap-up; Completion Certificate; Q&A    Paula Stuart-Warren

Register online today for this or other courses: www.infouga.org

What I did on my summer vacation . . .

Do you remember that annual school writing assignment each September? I am challenging you with such an assignment. As you travel for genealogical education, research in libraries, courthouse, historical societies and archives, and to walk the streets where you ancestors lived, make notes for your paper to turn in. Of course I would be thrilled to post your assignment result here on my blog, but maybe one of the genealogical societies of which you are a member might like to publish your assignment in their blog, newsletter, or quarterly. It's a great way to share experiences with each other. It might make a good presentation for a fall meeting of your society.

Tell others about topics such as these:

• Does the research place and/or city have a website and what helpful info is found online
• What other prep did you do before your trip
• Do you live in the town where you did the research or learned more about the place? Share that experience too.
• What was the parking like at the place? Did you take public transportation?
• What were the hours of the research place? 

Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy 2011 registration opens June 10th!

This Press Release just received from the Utah Genealogical Association. Visit www.infouga.org to see the list of classes.

Get in on the ground floor.  Registration for the 2011 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy opens at 9 AM MST Thursday, June 10, 2010 online at www.infouga.org. Some of the country’s best genealogical educators are gathering to help you gain expertise in a flash with small class sizes and hands-on research. Whether you are a beginner or are looking for advanced skills, you can’t afford to miss this wonderful opportunity to learn from the experts. Register early as all class are expected to fill to capacity.

The 2011 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy will be held 10-14 Jan 2011 at the downtown Radisson Hotel located at 215 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah. Registration is $320 before 30 October 2010, thereafter $345. UGA members are eligible for a $40.00 discount. Registration includes course materials, an orientation breakfast and the Friday night banquet. Evening classes and additional dinner tickets are extra.


Courses for 2011  and the name of the coordinator include:

• American Records and Research: Focusing on Localities with Paula Stuart-Warren, CG

• NEHGS part 1 --New England and New York with D. Joshua Taylor, MLS

• Irish Family History Research with David Ouimette, CG

Breaking News: New Archivist of the United States to appear at the FGS Conference!

Breaking News from the Federation of Genealogical Societies. I am so excited about this as his schedule is so full but he is taking time to meet with genealogists. atch the FGS Conference News Blog for more breaking news in the next few weeks.

"FGS is pleased to announce that the Archivist of the United States, David Ferriero, will be speaking at our FGS Focus on Societies Luncheon on Wednesday, August 18th. If you have already registered you can still purchase a ticket -- this luncheon is open to everyone! Mr. Ferriero will be speaking on the Citizen-Archivist and about the War of 1812 Digitization Project and will also have a question and answer period. We wish to thank Mr. Ransom Love, and the FamilySearch team for graciously welcoming the Archivist to speak in their place at this luncheon. To register for the conference and to add this luncheon click here.

Recording the life stories of hospice patients

Today's Salt Lake Tribune carried a story titled "Preserving their voices: S.L. County hospice records patients' stories." This is such a neat project. Hospice volunteers were trained to interview the patients and their families. The surviving family members each receive a CD of the interviews. The article states. "The Memory Catcher program was inspired by University of Utah English professor Meg Brady, who initiated an audio history program for terminal patients at the Huntsman Cancer Institute." 

I hope this Memory Catcher at Silverado Hospice of Utah spreads to other places. I have heard of projects to preserve family memories of patients in regular nursing home, but not those in hospice care. Just think of how neat it will be for these family members to listen to the recorded stories. I imagine that the interviews also helped the patient and family members in other ways -- including taking their minds off the inevitable end of life.

Blog anniversary: 1 June 2007

I have no idea why I began blogging on the first of June in 2007, but I am glad that I did. It has given me a place to talk about my own family and family history, tell about research discoveries, and share news about genealogical methodology, resources, and events. I am now working on a series dedicated to Minnesota research resources that are found online and other items in historical societies, archives, university libraries, and in courthouses.