GenealogyandFamilyHistory.com

By:  Carolyn L. Barkley

A version of this article first appeared in this blog in March 2008. While not many postings collect comments, this article received five, from as far away as Ireland, from Holdcraft descendants with ties to the family in Frederick County, Maryland. Those comments were very rewarding to read and fulfilled one of the goals of this blog – connecting people with common interests or ancestors. Please note: Sometime after the original posting, the blog began to require registration in order to leave comments as a result of the enormous number of spam messages that were being received. I will be the first to acknowledge that the registration process does not always work, but please be assured that we are working on the problem as we value comments like the ones received for this article. Please revisit the original posting to read its interesting comments. The following article is an update to the original.

Wednesday, March 17^th will be the day when everyone claims to be Irish. For many of you, however, your research has documented a bit – or a lot – of green in your family tree. You may have known of such ethnic connections prior to your research, with family surnames such as O’Meara, Hennessey and others. For some of us, the discovery may have been more serendipitous.

Some years ago, tired of the brick walls in my own research lines, I turned to my son’s paternal ancestral lines for a fresh start. I knew that his great-grandmother’s maiden name was Susan Holdcraft and that she lived in Frederick County, Maryland, but not much more. Having looked at the name from time-to-time, I had assumed (never a good thing to do) that the surname was German. Knowing absolutely nothing about German genealogical research, I ran in the other direction! The time, however, had finally come to do some research into the Holdcrafts, German content or not.

An IGI search revealed that Susan was born 12 February 1870 at Brook Hill in Frederick County, Maryland, the daughter of James Patrick [alternately given as Patrick James] Holdcraft and Catherine Anne Sophia Dutrow. No sources were provided for the entry. The Dutrow line clearly would lead to German research as it included surnames such as Ramsburg and Devilbiss. A further IGI search (again no sources) indicated that James Patrick Holdcraft was born in September 1836 at Keagh’s Cross, co. Louth, Ireland, the son of James Holdcraft and Rose McCabe. A James Patrick Holdcraft was in the United States at the time of the Civil War, and in June 1861 enlisted in Co. K of the 5^th Regiment, Massachusetts Foot Volunteers, later Co. K of the 9^th Massachusetts Infantry. Left behind by his unit in Maryland in 1862, he stayed in Maryland so long that he feared arrest on charges of desertion and enlisted in Co. D of the H1^st Regiment Potomac Home Brigade, Maryland Cavalry, on 29 July 1863, but did so under the name of James E. McCabe. When I read all of his service records, an enormous (three folders) widow’s pension file and consulted Frederick County records, I was able to document that the James Patrick Holdcraft who was born in co. Louth and the James E. McCabe who served in the Maryland Cavalry were the same individual – the James Patrick Holdcraft who married Catherine Ann Sophia Dutrow. I then had Irish research to pursue (while letting the German lines continue to languish). I am sorry to say that in the intervening year between the first posting of this article and this year’s revision, I have not continued this work. I hope to do so during my trip to Salt Lake City during the National Genealogical Society conference in late April. If I find additional information, I will be writing further about this family.

Whenever you begin research in a new geographical area, whether in the United States or elsewhere, the best way to begin is by reading a good overall research guide. For Ireland, one of the best is the third edition of John Grenham’s Tracing Your Irish Ancestors (Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006). Grenham discusses major record groups (civil records, census records, church records and land records) as well as wills, emigration, deeds, newspapers, and directories. Ireland also has distinctive genealogical records, including Griffith’s Valuation (index available on CD from genealogical.com), Title Applotment Books (available on CD from genealogical.com), flax tax records and more. In addition to providing an understanding of these various types of records, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors includes county source lists. To assist me in my Holdcraft research, I was able to find a list of co. Louth census returns and substitutes beginning in 1600 and ending in 1911. The census substitutes include such things as voter lists, a 1796 Spinning-Wheel Premium List, and Brewers Lists. In addition, Grenham also lists local histories, local journals, directories and county guides, published gravestone inscriptions, and estate record lists. A section on Roman Catholic registers includes a map of co. Louth showing twenty-three churches in three dioceses and listing extant baptismal, marriage and burial registers. I now know what records are available, often where they are located, and can read about the purpose, content and use of each. Now I just need to find the time to continue my research!

An additional strategy for learning about new areas and resources is to attend national conference and to attend lectures by experts in the field. David Rencher, Elizabeth Kelly Kerstens, and Paul Milner are several lecturers to look for on conference programs. This year’s program for the National Genealogical Society Conference in the States in Salt Lake City (28 April – 1 May) includes four lectures related to Irish research.

Among the 172 Irish research titles available from genealogical.com are:

Irish Flax Growers List, 1796 (available on CD)

A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland by Samuel Lewis (Clearfield, 2004; two volume set currently out of print, but currently available on CD)

A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland by Brian Mitchell (second edition, Genealogical Publishing Co., 2008)

A Guide to Irish Parish Registers by Brian Mitchell (Genealogical Publishing Co., 2009)

General Alphabetical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland (Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006)

Land Owners in Ireland 1876 (Genealogical Publishing Co.; currently on sale at genealogical.com)

Selected additional resources include:

Duffy, Sean, ed. The Macmillan Atlas of Irish History (Macmillan, 1997)

Grenham, John. Grenham’s Irish Surnames (CD from Eneclann Ltd.)

Index of Irish Wills, 1848-1858 (CD from Eneclann Ltd.)

MacLysaght, Edward. The Surnames of Ireland (6^th edition from Irish Academic Pres, 1991)

Ryan, James G. Irish Records: Sources for Family and Local History (Ancestry, 1988)

Cyndi’s List. Ireland and North Ireland Section

Family History Library. Place name search for Ireland and research guides for Ireland.

National Archives of Ireland

By:  Carolyn L. Barkley

The United States Census Bureau reports that the country’s Hispanic population increased by 25.7 million people between 1970 and 2000 and projects a further increase of 67.3 million by the year 2050. As a percentage of the total population, the increase was 7.8% from 1970 to 2000, with an additional increase of 11.9% projected by 2050. The scale of these increases will undoubtedly be echoed in an increased interest in Hispanic genealogy. The slogan of the Hispanic Genealogical Society of New York, “somos una familia,” is very accurate. As librarians and researchers, we will be asked more frequently for information and research assistance in this subject area.

As I began my research for this article, I realized that I did not clearly understand the term “Hispanic research.” Exactly what countries are covered by this term? Does the word “Hispanic” differ in any substantive way from the word “Latino?” Does the designation include only Central and South American countries, or are Spain and Portugal included as well? A clear definition seemed to be my best starting point.

I quickly discovered that finding one, easily understood, definition would be difficult. In the broadest sense, the term “Hispanic” refers to Spanish-speaking nationalities, both in Europe and the western hemisphere. Since 1970 in the United States, the Census Bureau has used the term as a common denominator referring to diverse populations that share a connection through the Spanish language and/or through the shared culture of a Spanish-speaking country. Census questionnaires ask individuals to identify themselves as being of Hispanic origin, and the Bureau states that “Persons of Hispanic origin, in particular, are those who indicated that their origin was Mexican-American, Chicano, Mexican, Mexicano, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.” Complicating the need for a clear definition is the growing preference, among those previously designated “Hispanics,” to be described as “Latinos.” This latter term more accurately reflects an individual’s ties to Latin America and relegates the use of “Hispanic” to describe individuals with Iberian origins. Finally, how does one categorize Portugal and Brazil, which are not Spanish-speaking countries, within the use of the term “Hispanic?” Perhaps individuals of Portuguese or Brazilian origin fall into the “other Hispanic” census category, although as a second-generation Portuguese- American on my father’s side of the family, I have never thought to check this category, or any other Hispanic category for that matter. Clearly, a common, universally applied definition is not available to inform the scope of Hispanic genealogical research.

What can be agreed upon is the fact that family is an essential value in the Hispanic culture and thus interest in Hispanic genealogical research should continue to increase. As we explore available resources, I will use the most inclusive definition of “Hispanic.”

As always, research begins at home. Start out by talking with your relatives and reviewing any pictures and documents owned by members of your family. As you analyze this information, look for naming practices.  Children from Hispanic cultures often have two-part surnames, the first surname coming from the father and the second from the mother. In addition, the fact that women retain their maiden names after marriage can make female research much easier.

Ultimately, you will want to trace your ancestors in this country back to their country and locality of origin. In doing so, be sure to consult Catholic Church records, particularly baptismal and marriage records, which may identify the town of origin, as well as other records available in this country. For example, while I knew that my grandparents came from Portugal, it was not until I located documents such as their alien registration files, passenger arrival records, and Social Security application papers, that was I able to determine their birthplaces, parents’ names, and dates of arrival.

After you have your determined country and, hopefully, town of origin, you need to learn about  the general methodology for Hispanic research, as well as records types available for the countries and localities you have identified.

Perhaps one of the best print sources is George R. Ryskamp’s Finding Your Hispanic Roots (Genealogical Publishing Co., 2005). In its first chapter, this book grapples with the Hispanic definition question and urges the reader to understand that the scope of research may also encompass the Philippines, Native American research, and the large number of other nationalities who have found a home in Central and South America including the English, Irish, French and Germans. Additional chapters cover United States record sources,  handwriting, abbreviations and naming systems, as well as civil, marriage, census, military, church and notarial records. Two helpful sections include a selected bibliography of Hispanic locality reference works by country and a list of Hispanic genealogical societies in the United States. A careful reading of Ryskamp’s book will provide an understanding of what’s available, where it is located, and how to plan effectively for your research project.

Lyman D. Platt’s Hispanic Surnames and Family History (Genealogical Publishing Co., 2005; currently on sale at genealogical.com) and Platt’s Census Records for Latin America and the Hispanic United States (Genealogical Publishing Co., 1998; also currently on sale at genealogical.com) will also prove helpful. Other titles of interest include George R. Ryskamp’s Finding Your Mexican Ancestors, A Beginner’s Guide (Ancestry, 2007), A Student Guide to Mexican American Genealogy (Greenwood, 1996), and the third edition of Angus Baxter’s In Search of Your European Roots: a Complete Guide to Tracing Your Ancestors in Every Country in Europe (Genealogical Publishing Co., 2008). This latter title includes separate chapters on Spain and Portugal that list archives and research institutions and their contact information. Detailed information on international vital records research is found in the fifth edition of Thomas Jay Kemp’s International Vital Records Handbook (Genealogical Publishing Co., 2009). Included in this title are sections on such countries as Argentina, Bolivia, Cuba, Costa Rica Puerto Rico, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, and many more.

I strongly recommend several resources available on the FamilySearch site, particularly the Hispanic Family History Resources article located in the FamilySearch – Research Wiki. Here you can access online digital Hispanic records by regions such as Caribbean, Central and South America, and Mexico. If you choose the Europe category, you can browse digital Spanish municipal and church records. In addition, links are provided to the advanced search screen for FamilySearch and to the Family History Library catalog where you can look for microfilmed records for your geographical location.

The article provides links to sites such as PARES – Portal de Archivos Españoles where you can search in Spanish archives–and the Hispanic Genealogy blog. This latter site is also in Spanish.  (Note: if Spanish is not your language and you use the Google toolbar, click the translate button at the upper right of your Google browser window) Need more? Check out the training programs, originally presented at the Family History Library. Six such presentations (some in English and some in Spanish) provide additional assistance, with an emphasis on research in Mexico and Spain.

You will also want to acquire several of the research guides published by the Family History Library. Search the list of guides and research outlines for the country of your choice. For example, there are twelve guides concerning Mexican research and a research outline for Latin America, all available for downloading as pdfs. Portugal and Spain have two guides each:  a genealogical word list and a letter-writing guide.

Finally, become active in a Hispanic-related genealogical society or discussion group. Cyndi’s List is always the best source in which to identify links to these groups. Perhaps as a sign of the growing interest in Hispanic research, Cyndi’s List has recently divided the former “Hispanic, Central & South America, & the West Indies” category into three separate ones: “The Caribbean/The West Indies,” “Central and South America,” and “Mexico.” Other categories for resources include Portugal and Spain and the Basque country. Interestingly, the word “Hispanic” is no longer used as a search term!

I hope you will investigate these resources and begin researching your Hispanic roots. If you are a librarian, I hope you will now be more confident in assisting your library customers who have an interest in Hispanic research. Remember…¡Se Puede!

By: Carolyn L. Barkley

On the first of January 1892, Annie Moore, aged fifteen, descended the gangplank of the barge that had transferred her from her ship to Ellis Island. She was the first immigrant to be processed at the new facility that had replaced the old receiving stations at Castle Garden and the Old Barge Office located at the Battery on the tip of Manhattan. [For more information on Castle Garden, read “Before Ellis Island.”] Annie was but the first in what would be an remarkable tide of immigrants who passed through Ellis Island before its last immigrant, Arne Peterssen, a Norwegian seaman who had overstayed his shore leave, passed through its doors (in 19??).

Immigration in the early twentieth century increased exponentially. For example, it is believed  that the one million immigrants who entered the country in 1905 alone exceeded all the newcomers who arrived during the 169 years between the founding of Jamestown and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This increase polarized politicians, contributed to a rapid increase in the size of government and number of federal employees (previously the Post Office had been the largest federal department), and touched off a debate about immigration that resonates today, over 100 years later. Teddy Roosevelt, who as President was very involved in the immigration debate and the trend for stricter regulation, in 1903 clearly stated the crux of the issue:: We can not have too much immigration of the right kind, and we should have none at all of the wrong kind.”

Today, many genealogical researchers hope to find an arrival record for their ancestor as he or she passed through Ellis Island. This research requires diligence and perseverance, as evidenced by the following steps.

1. Analyze what you already know. Your search will be more successful if you can determine the name your ancestor used prior to arrival, his or her approximate age, and approximate date of arrival. Can you also identify where the forebear(s) lived prior to emigration and who might have traveled with them? Did the family come as a group? Did the husband, father, or male relative come first and then send for the rest of the family? You may already know this information from previous research or you may be able to talk to relatives (family stories may help or hinder, depending on accuracy) or review family documents and other records.
2. Support family memorabilia and stories with research in census records. Depending on the arrival year, you may be able to find country of origin, immigration year and naturalization year in the United States census. Such information can then result in your acquiring copies of declarations of intention and petitions for naturalization. For the best source for an overview of naturalization and how to access records, refer to They Became Americans: Finding Naturalization Records and Ethnic Origins (Ancestry 1998) by Loretto Dennis Szucs.
3. Request copies of immigration files available on a fee-basis from the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services through the USCIS Genealogy Program. These files may include naturalization certificates (27 September 1906-1 April 1956), alien registration forms (1 August 1940-31 March 1944), Visa Files (1 July 1924-31 March 1944), registration files (2 March 1929-31 March 1944), and alien files and all the documents they contain prior to 1 May 1951. Please note that response time is lengthy. When I checked the USCIS web site today (16 February 2010), it indicated that they were currently answering requests received in mid-November 2009. For my own request for alien registration files, I found the wait worthwhile. My father’s parents immigrated to the United States from Portugal in 1920 and 1921. By requesting copies of their files (the copy quality was indescribably poor), I found several pieces of information that were new to my documentation of their lives as well as pictures, descriptions, and finger prints. One piece of information was my grandfather’s actual place of birth  – even though I have not yet been able to actually locate it on a map of Portugal. Since the family traveled back to Portugal numerous times before they became citizens, I could track changes and additions to their information as they aged.

After you have completed steps 1 through 4, you will have amassed as much documented information about your immigrating ancestor as possible, including age, place of residence prior to emigration, approximate date of arrival, approximate location of arrival (remember, not everyone was received at Ellis Island), perhaps the name of the ship, names of other individuals in the family and other supporting documentation through the census, government records, and family memorabilia and stories.

You will need to decide, then, if Ellis Island records constitute an appropriate location in which to continue your research. For example, although their years of immigration and subsequent residence in Massachusetts might have suggested that my grandparents entered the United States through Ellis Island, they in fact entered through Providence, Rhode Island. Also keep in mind that steamships fostered clear distinctions between cabin passengers (first and second-class) and steerage. In doing so they maintained their profit margins by appealing to the innate class prejudice against steerage passengers. This practice is particularly important to your research as nearly all first and second class passengers bypassed Ellis Island. While their names should be included in the passenger manifests, a researcher might not discover them in Ellis Island receiving records. In addition, and more potentially frustrating to researchers, a fire broke out in the northeast tower of the main building during the early morning hours of 15 June 1897. Before the fire was contained, the building’s roof had collapsed and immigration records dating back to the Castle Garden era were completely destroyed.

Should Ellis Island research be appropriate, an obvious location to start your search is the American History Immigration History Center opened at Ellis Island in 2001. Through its web site, the center provides free access to 25 million immigrant arrival records. Although arrival record research is not for the faint hearted, you will gain enormous assistance by reading Sharon DeBartolo Carmack’s The Family Tree Guide to Finding Your Ellis Island Ancestor: A Genealogist’s Essential Guide to Navigating the Ellis Island Database and Passenger Arrival Lists (Family Tree Books, 2005). Ms. Carmack provides illustrated steps in the process,  including tips and strategies for successful searches, including information about medical records, ships, and the immigrant experience. Important on-line Ellis Island search assistance may be found in a series of sites recommended by Dr. Stephen P. Morse of San Francisco. Dr. Morse provides a streamlined process by which to search in the Ellis Island databases. He also furnishes search access to databases for Castle Garden and other ports of entry (Baltimore, Boston, Galveston, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Francisco, etc.) as well as to Hamburg outbound passengers, Canadian border crossings, and National Archives archival collections for Russians, Germans, and Italians. Definitely consider bookmarking this site for its inclusiveness and its ease of use.

Cyndi’s List provides five pages of Ellis Island-related URL’s that offer background information on the immigrant experience as well as access to records and articles. To gain an extensive understanding of Ellis Island and its history, read Vincent J. Cannato’s American Passage: the History of Ellis Island (Harper Collins, 2009) and Dennis Wepman’s Immigration: from the Founding of Virginia to the Closing of Ellis Island: an Eyewitness History (Facts on File, 2002). An overview of passenger arrival records can be found in Michael Tepper’s expanded and enlarged edition of American Passenger Arrival Records (Genealogical Publishing Co., 2001). Finally, for a list of early twentieth-century steamship arrivals, see the Morton Allan classic,  Directory of European Steamship Arrivals (Genealogical Publishing Co., 2001).

By Carolyn L. Barkley

From time to time I write about the value of continuing education for genealogists, one of my passions. With the 2010 National Genealogical Society’s Conference in the States (in Salt Lake City) just a mere eleven weeks away -perhaps the three feet of snow outside my window will have partially melted by then – now is a good time to focus on how you can make the most out of attendance at a national conference.

Many individuals look at the cost of travel, hotels, food and registration and think that it can’t possibly be worth the expense. Granted, cost is very important, more-so in today’s economy, but perhaps equally important is the enormous value that can be gained by attending. After you check out the online video “What to Expect” on the NGS web site, here are some things to consider:

1.  Surround yourself with the brightest and best.

The 2010 NGS Conference offers over 190 lectures and workshops, many taught by individuals who are recognized as the best in the profession. While a state or local organization might be able to schedule an annual seminar taught by one of these individuals, a national conference brings many experts together with the single purpose of sharing their expertise with you.

2.  Increase your knowledge in specific subjects or methodologies.

The 2010 NGS Conference will feature international workshops for Eastern Europe, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Hispanic countries. In addition, on Tuesday (the day prior to the conference opening), “Ask-an-Expert Consultations” will provide the opportunity to talk with expert researchers in German, British, and Canadian research – all at no extra cost beyond your conference registration! The conference offers a valuable opportunity to learn, or refresh, your knowledge of best practices.

3.  Learn new skills

Give some thought to your research goals for the coming year. Are there areas of research that you have been postponing because you need more methodology skills or resource training? If so, review the conference program. Several tracks (multiple lectures across all days of the conference) are available that concentrate on methodology, research essentials, skill building, technology, records, international research, immigration, African American, writing, the West, and more. By focusing on the lectures in a specific track you will be able to structure your time to meet your goals.

In addition, beginner workshops will be provided (on Tuesday and Saturday) for a minimal fee and conference registration is not required to participate. For more advanced genealogists, the Board for Certification of Genealogists Educational Fund Workshop on Tuesday offers a full-day of expert instruction.

3.  Network with colleagues.

I usually share a room with a friend when I attend conferences. Because we are also usually doing some research, we are able to discuss our research problems in the evening and gain new ideas for the next day’s work. This same opportunity can occur in larger groups, over the dinner table. I often learn about new resources, web sites, techniques, etc. during these conversations.

4.  Find new people researching your line or working in your geographical area of interest.

Genealogists from across the country (and the world) attend national conferences. When you go to a luncheon, attend a lecture or a social event, pay attention to information people display either on their name tags, clothing (really!), tote bags, or some other manner, that indicates family lines that they are researching or the state or locality in which they live. You may meet someone willing to find a court house record, take a cemetery picture, or consult a local history collection for you – they might even be a relative!

5. Spend lots of time in the exhibit hall.

Many individuals try to take in as many lectures as possible. Exercise some moderation (your brain will need a rest) and schedule several visits to the exhibit hall. Exhibits provide an opportunity to meet and talk to lecturers, authors and publishers. You will also be able to attend demonstrations of new software, find books and other materials to add to your home library, buy a genealogy-themed shirt, join a genealogical society or organization, stock up on all the filing and organizing materials (get those piles off the floor!), and win a door prize. The Exhibit Hall is a great place to relax with friends, find dinner companions, learn about volunteering with FamilySearchIndexing, and more… Oh, did I mention books, books, and more books?

6. Enjoy visiting a new city.

One of the reasons I love to attend national conferences is that I can go to cities I might never have a reason to visit. Enjoy the area while you are at the conference. Take advantage of conference-sponsored tours that may be available and special research hours that may be available at local libraries and archives. This year, the Family History Library will be providing extended hours, staying open two hours later on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights during the conference. Visit the conference city’s visitor information site for information about restaurants, museums, libraries, and public transportation.

7. Economize

Share a hotel room (at the conference rate) with a friend. Perhaps someone in your local genealogical or historical society would enjoy attending with you.

Consider driving instead of flying if the conference city is not too distant. Given the hassles of flying, baggage restrictions and costs, etc., driving is a much more attractive alternative than in the past – and you won’t have to think about the weight of books on the return trip home. Even better, combine your conference attendance with a family quick get-away vacation. (In this case, for example, Salt Lake City is within a few hours’ drive of some of the most beautiful natural parks in the world.)

Approach your local society to see if they will fund your registration in return for a program presentation when you return.

Attendance at national conferences plays a valuable role in creating a well-educated, professional, and skillful genealogical researcher. Remember – conferences are expensive, but the return on your investment – priceless. See you in Salt Lake!

By:  Carolyn L. Barkley

When I began my genealogical research many years ago, like many other beginners, I focused on marriage records, birth and death records when they were available, as well as wills. With experience came more knowledge and I began to use deeds and other land records. As I started research in Virginia I attended various workshops and seminars in order to become more knowledgeable about the specific records available in that state. One of my educational goals was to learn about those things called “chancery records” that I kept hearing my colleagues discuss. By doing so, I was able to add depth and detail to my research, learning to piece together information about individuals who might have otherwise gone unknown and their stories untold.

To understand these records, a definition of chancery, or chancery courts, is necessary. Not all courts judge cases in the same manner. Some courts decide cases based on the written laws that either specifically allow or specifically proscribe various actions in certain circumstances. There is no latitude for judicial interpretation in these cases; there is no “grey area” as the legal requirements are defined quite clearly.

Other courts, however, deal with issues of equity or fairness and these courts are called Chancery Courts (in Virginia and Tennessee, for example), Courts of Pleas and Quarter Sessions (in North Carolina, for example), or some other name or distinction. According to Black’s Law Dictionary, justice in these courts is “administered according to fairness, as contrasted with strictly formulated rules of common law.” In other words, codified law cannot decide these cases readily and a judge must weigh all the elements and decide what a fair resolution is for the complainants and defendants. Chancery Courts handle such types of suits as divisions of estates, land disputes, divorce petitions, and business partnership issues.

Chancery suits are initiated by a bill (bill of complaint or injunction) which outlines the plaintiff’s grievances against the defendant. The defendant then responds to the complaint and, after consideration of all the evidence presented, a judge issues a final decree or decision. The case file may include subpoenas, depositions of witnesses, affidavits, reports of court-appointed commissioners, a docket listing plaintiff and defendant names, and dates of court actions. In land disputes, a plat or survey may be attached; in other instances wills, deeds, receipts, accounts, and other types of records necessary to fully document the case are also included. By identifying a pertinent chancery case and reading the entire record for the suit, you may discover biographical, genealogical, and historical information that will further your research.

The Library of Virginia in Richmond makes a wonderful resource available through its Virginia Memory site, namely, the Chancery Record Index, an ongoing archival processing and indexing project covering cases from the early eighteenth century through World War I. The database indexes 188,000 cases with four million associated images.

Since I live in Nelson County, Virginia, I decided to search that county for a chancery suit to use as an example for this article. As I did not have a specific individual or case in mind, I decided to search for the surname “Rose,” one of the historical names in the county. First, however, I searched the “what’s available” link to see if Nelson County chancery cases had been completed. Since Nelson County was not included, I decided to search its parent county of Amherst. I found an 1803 complaint (numbered 1803-18) by Robert H. Rose, son of Hugh Rose of Amherst County, brought against the executors of his father’s will, Patrick Rose and William Cabell, as well as Caroline M. Rose, his mother and the widow of Hugh Rose, who was added to the list of defendants during the course of the case.

In his suit, Robert indicated that his father’s will specified that land owned in Henry County was to be sold and the proceeds used to pay his debts. In addition, Robert also noted that his father, in addition to land, left him a negro, Joshua. Although the executors had sold Hugh’s personal property and applied the proceeds to the outstanding debts of the estate, they had also sold Robert’s legacy – Joshua. Moreover, they had not sold the Henry County lands “refusing to do so unless compelled by legal action,” i.e., a decree from a court of equity. Robert requested that the court compel the executors to sell the land as per the conditions of the will and to reimburse him for the value of Joshua when sold, or the sale price plus interest from the time of the sale.

In an undated entry, Carolina Matilda Rose, who held life estate in the Henry County land under the terms of the will, answered the complaint by indicating that she had no objection to the sale of the land in Henry County and that she would “cheerfully join in any instrument of writing for conveying her right and interest in the same” as long as she received a part of the sale equal to her interests in the property. She would rely on the court to decide the proper proportion and indicated that she was free of any fraud in the matter.

Patrick Rose and William Cabell, the executors, answered the complaint in a document sworn in court on  21 June 1803. They agreed with the major points of the complaint, specifically the sale of personal property and the application of the proceeds to Hugh Rose’s debts and the sale of Joshua and the application of the proceeds to the estate’s debts. However, with regard to the Henry County land, they stated that it had remained unsold because Caroline Rose, the widow, refused to join in the sale. They went on to state that the she had now agreed to the sale and that the land had since been sold for £800 which they believed sufficient to pay all debts. They agreed to repay Robert the sum of Joshua’s sale of £125 that had occurred about 12 September 1797. However, they outlined several credits they expected to receive against that amount including £33/7/3 that Patrick Rose had lent to Robert on 29 November1794 and which remained unpaid plus interest; £4/6 which Robert had spent at the sale of his father’s personal property on 30 November 1795, but that also remained unpaid plus interest; and £60 which the executors had paid Robert in 1801. They noted that they held Robert’s bond of £15 for the hire of Joshua before his sale. Patrick and William felt “doubt as to the propriety of compelling the complainant to pay the bond,” but wished “to act properly and correctly” leaving it to the Court to decide.

In addition to these documents, the case file also includes various summonses for the parties to appear in court, receipts, several accounts of Hugh Rose’s estate and Robert’s payments and receipts, and a copy of Hugh Rose’s will, dated 16 October 1794 and probated 19 January 1795. Various court actions and hearings were held in November/December 1802, January/February 1803, and March/April 1803. In June 1803 [specific date is illegible], the court issued a final decree in which Robert would recover £4/5/1 from the executors, which represented the balance owed him. Caroline initially was apportioned one-fifth of the value of the sale of the Henry County land, or £160. This decree was later revised on 24 June with the consent of all parties, and Caroline received one-quarter of the value, or £200.

An in-depth reading of this case provides several pieces of useful information and suggests other information to be pursued in further research:

• Relationship between Robert Henry Rose and his father Hugh
• Name of Hugh Rose’s wife, Caroline Matilda Rose
• Death of Hugh Rose between 26 October 1794, and 19 January 1795
• Will of Hugh Rose, including notation of land owned and the names of  his children:
  • Judy
  • Nancy
  • Robert Henry
  • Caroline, married to ____ Turpin
  • Sukey
  • Polly
• Information for further research:
  • Other undefined names from Hugh Rose’s will: Henry Rose (no relationship given), Gustavus (no last name or relationship given)
  • Henry County deeds
  • Deeds for Harris Creek land in Amherst County (previously given to Robert)
• Relationship of Robert Henry Rose and Patrick Rose

Clearly, this suit contains considerable information about the Rose family and poses potential avenues for research.

In conducting chancery or equity research, you will want to determine the correct court and location of such suits for the state and county appropriate to your research. You should then ascertain if suits have been digitized and made available online, or if you will need to visit the courthouse in person. Regardless of method of access, chancery records will prove very helpful in your research.

There are many published indices and abstracts of chancery suits. Some of these include William Ronald Cocke’s Hanover County [Virginia] Chancery Wills and Note: a Compendium of Genealogical, Biographical and Historical Material… (Genealogical Publishing Company, 2005) and Thomas E. Partlow’s Wilson County, Tennessee Chancery Court Records 1842-1892 (Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997). You will also want to search Google for chancery court records your counties of interest and check for possible links on Cyndi’s List.

By Carolyn L. Barkley

I think that genealogical minds sometimes work together in a type of mystical synergy. As I was working on background research for this article, I found the latest issue (December 2009) of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly in my mailbox. Scanning the table of contents, I noted an article by Willis H. White, Ph.D., CG, entitled Using Vessel Documentation to Identify Nineteenth-Century Captains: The Mott Coastal Captains of Long Island Sound. Mr. White’s article is a case study in identifying the ships of a group of captains in a specific locality, but I discovered that several of the sources he cited were already on my growing list of resources for this article. I read his article appreciatively as a part of my preparation.

In our research, most of us probably have focused on information that may be gleaned from passenger arrival records and ship manifests. Unfortunately, the microfilm copies of these records can be some of the ugliest looking records known to man. Compounding the problem is that fact that we often have to know the very information we are seeking (date of arrival, port, and ship’s name) before we have any success, thus making the process very frustrating.

I would like to suggest that in addition to these conventional records, you consider adding to your understanding of your immigrant ancestor’s experience by learning something about the ship itself. In addition, if you have an ancestor who was a captain of a vessel or a member of a ship’s crew, such information is even more important in telling the full story of your ancestor’s life. (For the purposes of this article, I will be talking about resources for nineteenth and twentieth century ships.)

When you have determined the name of a specific ship, you may be able to locate an illustration in Michael J. Anuta’s Ships of Our Ancestors (Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006). For example, this book includes an 1870 photograph of the S. S. Caspian (Allan line). A list of all the ships included in Anuta’s Ships of Our Ancestors can be found at http://germanroots.hom.att.net/ships.html.

By Googling this ship’s name, you will find a Wikipedia entry on the Allan Line Royal Mail Steamers that lists the Caspian and its sister ships (although a note indicates that original information in the entry needs further research and documentation). In addition, you will find a Rootsweb page that reproduces the Anuta photograph and includes the information that “The CASPIAN was a 2,728 gross ton steam ship owned by the Allan Line of Liverpool. She was built by the London & Glasgow Co., Glasgow and was launched on 1 February 1870. Her details were – length 349.6 ft x beam 38 ft, clipper stem, one funnel, three masts (rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 11 knots. There was capacity for 80-1st and 600-3rd class passengers. She started her maiden voyage on 5 November 1870 when she sailed from Liverpool for Quebec and Montreal. On 8 December 1870 she made her first Liverpool – Baltimore sailing and in 1882 was fitted with compound engines by Laird Bros, Birkenhead. In 1882 she was used as a troopship for the Egyptian Expedition and then returned to the North Atlantic trade. She started her last Liverpool – Baltimore voyage on 27 September 1892 and was then laid up until 1896 when she made a single round voyage between Glasgow and Boston (commencing on 11 December 1896). On 20 March 1897 she commenced a single round voyage between Glasgow and Portland and was scrapped later the same year.”

The Caspian’s descriptive information was taken from the website, The Ships List. This important source provides a wealth of information about ships, along with information about passenger lists. In addition to the detailed description of the Caspian, The Ships List includes a photograph (also dated 1870). This site also includes fleet lists and ship wreck information. This latter category provides detailed information about ships lost at sea. If your ancestor sailed on the City of Boston, for example, there are newspaper and telegram transcriptions detailing her presumed loss at sea in March 1870, as well as the ship’s passenger list. The Ship’s List provides free access to over 140,000 entries, but for a subscription of $9.95, “it is possible to access over a million citations from books, magazines, CDs, websites, online databases and more.”

As you continue your search for ship information, you will want to investigate the following resources:

1. The Mariner’s Museum Library in Newport News, Virginia, makes some information accessible online, but it is well worth visiting the library in person. It is located on the campus of Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. Their collections include books, periodicals, over 10,000 vessel plans and drawings, maps, manuscripts and registers, steamship ephemera, and more. During a visit I was able to locate descriptive information on the May Flower (no, not that one!), a spice merchant ship from New Haven, Connecticut, captained by Aaron Lanfair, the recently discovered brother of my maternal third great-grandmother. I had learned from his wife’s Civil War pension application fie that Aaron had been lost at sea along with his ship in the late 1870s. Using the information from the pension application, during my visit to the museum library, I discovered a notice of his ship’s departure from New York in the “Shipping News” section of a contemporary New York newspaper. By scanning successive day’s newspapers, I was able to trace his vessel from its departure from New York City to its arrival in Nassau and then its departure from Nassau bound for New York (or perhaps New Haven).  It was on the trip homeward, then, that the ship was lost.

Other collections include the Elwin M. Eldredge Collection of “images, artifacts, and archival material about the rise of steamship transportation [and] extensive documentation of the history of American steamship companies. With thousands of photographs, extensive notes, ephemera, and clippings from nautical publications, newspapers, and other media, this collection chronicles an important era in our maritime and economic history.” The steamship ephemera collection includes baggage tags, ships plans, menus, advertisements, etc. for a large number of ships.

2.  G. W. Blunt White Library at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut, provides online access to the “Ship Register (1857-1900)” database. By searching for the bark May Flower, I was able to obtain digitized images of the 1871, 1872, 1873, 1875, 1876 and 1877 Record of Foreign and American Shipping indicating that the ship was owned by H. Trowbridge’s Sons of New Haven, Connecticut, and was built in 1852 in Scarboro, Maine. Although the ship’s master was listed in the first three listings, no name was provided for 1875-1877. As there are many ships by the same name, it is important to know the type of vessel (bark, for example) in order to find the correct entry.

3.  The National Archives Record Group 41 contains a collection of vessel documents. One of the most important sections of this record group includes certificates of enrollment or registration for coastal vessels over twenty-tons. These documents usually include the certificate number; the vessel’s official number and call letters; the name and address of the owners; name of the vessel and its home port; name of the master on the date the certificate was issued; the date and place of constructions; name of builder; number, place,  and date of issue of any previous certificate; number of decks and masts; dimensions and tonnage; type of  stern, gallery, figurehead, and rig; and place and date of issue of certificate. The finding aid notes that the reverse side of the certificate included “an endorsement giving the place, date, and reason for surrender of certificate. Sometimes, endorsements of changes of master, renewal of license, or other information.” By researching these registers, it is possible to document a vessel’s service history.

4.  Cyndi’s List includes 743 links to sites in the category of “Ships and Passenger Lists.” While numerous sites contain passenger list information, many others include historical information about specific ships or shipping lines, photographs and images. Links to libraries and archives include the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Collection in London that houses Indexes to Lloyd’s Captains Registers. The Maritime History Virtual Archives includes many informative listings of ships, rigging, etc.

It is well worth your time to work through all the various links to see what might be pertinent to your research. Finally, you may wish to subscribe to US-SHIPSLISTS-POST1820, a mailing list for the “posting of information and queries regarding all aspects of the ships that carried our ancestors from place to place after 1820, including ship descriptions, ports of arrival and departure, passenger lists, fleet lists, shipping schedules, and wreck data.”

I hope this brief overview of ship information resources will prompt you to move beyond passenger lists and add detail to your ancestor’s story by researching the interesting world of transatlantic vessels.

by Jean L. Cooper

University Library, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.

Having worked for twenty-six years in a variety of positions at the University Library, Ms. Cooper currently serves as Library Grants Officer and University Library Genealogical Resources Specialist.  She is the author of Virginia Genealogy; a Guide to Genealogical Resources at the University of Virginia and A Guide to Historic Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia. The second edition of her Index to Records of Ante-Bellum Southern Plantations was recently published by McFarland Publishing.  Ms. Cooper has a B.A. from Alma College, Alma, Michigan, and an M.L. from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.

I’ve been asked the question “What Do I Do With My Research?” frequently over the past few months.

Genealogists tend to take a long view of history, and with that comes a long view of the future. It’s no surprise, then, that sooner or later, genealogists start wondering about what to do with their research files and books when that inevitable day comes. The perfect solution would be to pass one’s research on to the next generation, but there isn’t always someone younger who is interested in the family history. So what does one do? Many times we offer our material, the results of our hard work, to a library nearby, and then are disappointed when the offer is declined. Why would a library refuse a free gift?

Everything Has a Cost

In the library world, a free gift is never truly free. There are significant costs involved in sorting, listing, preserving, and cataloging every single item acquired by a library.

All libraries have a space problem. If a library accepted each gift that was offered, there would be no space to shelve everything. Also problematical, library materials require appropriate space for storage that will allow the library not merely to shelve the materials, but to preserve them as well. Paper items must be stored at a specific humidity and temperature or they will crumble into pieces.

Because each item in the library involves a cost, every library has a collection policy, whether it’s codified in writing, or exists only in the librarian’s head. These collection policies define what the purpose of the library is and what it will collect. Some libraries even have very detailed collection policies that specifically list the subdivisions of each subject that will be collected. For instance, a public library’s policy might be to collect materials strictly related to its community, while a special library might collect only those materials having to do with a specific area or a particular time period of interest to the organization that it serves.

Most libraries, therefore, find themselves limited in what they can accept due to their collection policies, finite storage space, and lack of funds.

Improving the Odds

How can we improve the odds that we’ll find an appropriate home for our research?

1. Inventory your materials. If your research includes published books, list each one individually. Organize your manuscript materials in folders by topic. Consider the possibility that you may have to offer different types of materials to different libraries depending on the nature of collection they have.

2.  List the family names, locations, and time periods covered by your research. Your goal is to discover the areas in which your material can help other researchers.

3. Locate appropriate libraries that might be interested in your research. Begin with libraries in the area your research covers, as they are more likely to be able to use such a gift. There are not many individual libraries dedicated to genealogy in the United States, but there are a few, including the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana; the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah; and the DAR Library in Washington, D.C.

In general, public libraries do not have large genealogical research collections, although there are some that do. For instance, the Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Library’s Virginia Room in its Main Library, contains extensive materials on regional history and genealogy, and the Virginia Beach (Virginia) Public Library has a large genealogy collection in its Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library.  Publiclibraries.com can be helpful in finding which libraries are located in your area of interest. This website not only provides links to public libraries, but also to state libraries and university libraries.

Usually, the primary mission of a university library is to collect materials in areas that support the curriculum and degree programs of the university. Many universities and colleges have special collection libraries, but their collection policies are often quite restrictive. Study these policies carefully before deciding to offer your research to an academic institution.

Remember that local historical societies, and sometimes genealogical societies, also have libraries that might be receptive to a carefully placed gift. In addition, include state and private entities on your list, such as a state library or an historical or genealogical society. For instance, in Virginia, you should consider the Library of Virginia (state) and the Virginia Historical Society (private). It’s more difficult to find one site that lists historical and genealogical societies, but usually a state library will have this information somewhere on its site, such as the list of state societies found on the Library of Virginia site.

Study your chosen libraries. Find out what their collection policies include – you can usually find this information on their websites, but you might need to write to the library for this information. Look at their current collections and note areas of strength and weakness. This information will be useful as you consider your approach. Before you’re done, you should be able to rank the potential libraries for your donation from your preferred library to your least preferred.

Approaching the Library

Once you have done the legwork, it is time to consider your approach carefully. Your materials probably comprise what is called a “special collection.” It’s important to be able to give a concise description of your research collection, so spend some time writing a “punchy” description, the shorter the better. For instance, a fictional family collection centered around a historic house in the area could be described as

The papers of the Smith family of Smithton House in Essex County, Virginia, collected by John Smith. This collection contains 4 legal file boxes of manuscript papers (handwritten and typed) of the Smith family, dating from 1770 to 1950, plus 100 published books about Essex County, 20 volumes of manuscript diaries of Percy Smith (1770-1810), a postcard collection of Essex County scenes from 1900-1915, and 2 legal file boxes of genealogical research by John Smith.

In this sample description, 1) I was specific about the size, dates, and geographic coverage of the collection, and 2) I featured specific contents that might peak interest in the collection, i.e., reasons why the “target” library would want this collection.

So, you’ve identified the library, or a small group of libraries, that would be an appropriate home for your collection. You’ve described what’s in the collection. Now you have to sell it!

At this point in the process, you will want to make personal contact with the librarian in charge of the special collections library or library acquisitions. You might start by calling the librarian for an introduction, then following up with a letter giving your brief descriptive paragraph and explaining in more detail why your collection would be valuable to the library. Do not expect instant results. Libraries have hierarchical governing structures, so there are a lot of people who might have to sign off on your gift.

Don’t Be Discouraged

Don’t be discouraged when a library turns down your gift. That’s why you identified more than one possible home for your research collection. If possible, ask the librarian why her library made the negative decision, and if she can recommend another potential recipient. You may learn that the librarian didn’t think she had the physical storage resources necessary to house your gift collection, or that there was some other constraint on the library’s part that made accepting the gift impossible. If you are in a position to afford it and wish to “sweeten the pot,” you might ask if a donation of funds to support the collection would change the librarian’s mind. At the very least, you will know more than you did when you started out and will be able to apply your new knowledge to your offer of a gift collection to the next library on your list.

Finally your life’s research is too important to leave to chance (or to relatives who may not understand its value). So, if you don’t get around to donating your research in your lifetime, by all means be sure to furnish the name of an appropriate repository in your estate documents which represent your last chance to preserve your efforts and make your work accessible to others.

By:  Carolyn L. Barkely

I recently completed a client project which included information about the author’s family members from the Kovno area of Lithuania who died during the Holocaust of 1933-1945. In several instances, the author was able to document the ultimate fate of his relatives using resources – new to me – termed “Shoah documents” by the author, but actually “Pages of Testimony” submitted to the Yad Vashem organization by a survivor or acquaintance of an individual. These records are essential in tracing one’s ancestors if it is possible that they may have been caught up in the enormity of the death or disappearance of entire families and communities that occurred during that twelve-year period. As these resources may be unknown to many researchers, this article shares several opportunities to access their contents.

Shoah is the Hebrew word meaning “catastrophe” and is used to refer to the Holocaust of the World War II era. The term is becoming more widely used outside of Israel, where the Knesset previously designated the 27^th day of the Hebrew calendar month of Nisan (the anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising) as Yom ha-Shoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), an official day of commemoration. In 2010, Yom ha-Shoah falls on Sunday, 11 April. (When the actual date falls on a Sunday, it is observed on the following Monday.)

Three major repositories offer access to information about Shoah victims and, in some cases, survivors:

1.  Yad Vashem. Located in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority, was established in 1953 as the “world center for documentation, research, education and commemoration of the Holocaust.” It remains committed to what it terms the “four pillars of remembrance: commemoration, documentation, research, and education.” In partnership with other organizations, it has collected and recorded names and biographical information for approximately half of the six million Jews who perished.

This site provides access to “The Central Database of Shoah Victims’ Names.” Entering the name Shmuel Girshowitz and his location (Kovno), I was able to retrieve a page of testimony submitted by his son Nekhemia in 1955. The page was translated into English from Hebrew, but the original image was accessible to the left of the translated information. From this page of testimony, I learned variant spellings of both the individual’s given name (Szmuel, Shmuel) and surname (Girszowitz, Girshovitz), his father’s given name (Ber), his mother’s first name (Badana/Bohdana), his date of birth (1862), his place of birth (Kelm, Raseiniai, Lithuania), his spouse’s given name (Roza) and surname (Epshtein), his permanent residence (Wilna, Poland), his profession (merchant), his place during the war (Kovno), his place of death (Kovno Ghetto), date of death (1943), and the name and relationship of the individual providing the information. What a wealth of information this record provides for someone searching for Shmuel Girshowitz! Similar information is provided for Naphtali Vaintraub (Waintraub), who was born in 1878 in Kovno where he died in 1943. He was a textile merchant and his wife’s given name was Friedel (Frida). This testimony was provided in 1957 by Zahava Saker, an acquaintance.

A good rule of thumb would be to analyze the relationship between the individual providing the information and the person(s) to whom it refers. Like death certificates, the closer the relationship, the more accurate the data may be. As seen in the Vaintraub entry, the “informant” is unable to provide Friedel’s maiden name.

Be sure to check out other sections of this easy-to-use site in order to search for possible photographs (my search for Kovno yielded over 1000 photographs), access user guides, search library collections (a keyword search for Kovno yielded 263 resources), and explore the various educational opportunities provided. If you are aware of a Holocaust victim who has not been included in the database, you may submit pages of testimony (forms are available in Hebrew, English, Russian, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Hungarian, Dutch and Yiddish) and send related photographs. In addition, survivors’ registration forms are also available.

2. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM).  This museum, dedicated in 1993, is located in Washington, D.C. Its web site is described as “the world’s leading online authority on the Holocaust.” The Museum’s Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies promotes research into the ever-growing body of Holocaust resources.

I found the Museum’s web site more difficult to use and less rewarding than the Yad Vashem site. The USHMM offers access to a Name List Catalog. Please be aware that searching this catalog does not immediately provide specific information about an individual, nor is it a comprehensive listing. None of the specific names I entered (even just surnames) provided matches. In addition, the online version contains only a small portion of the names that are available in the version used at the museum.

My research was most productive when I searched first for a specific geographic location such as, Kovno. That geographic search yielded a list of 111 names, but I was unable to locate either of the Girshowitz or Vaintraub individuals whom I was using as examples. I did, however, locate an entry for a Sophie Hirschovitz (a variant spelling of Girshowitz), who was born in Kovno on 15 December 1884 and who died on 25 January 1944. The entry indicated that the information came from a list of Jews born in Russia who were deported from France to Nazi camps between 1942 and 1945 and provided additional source information as well. When I checked for Sophie at the Yad Vashem site, I found additional information from the same list of deportees (but no Page of Testimony) indicating that she was transported from Drancy (an internment camp outside of Paris) to Auschwitz on 20 January 1944, only five days before her death. In addition, the title page of the list was available in digitized format on the site. From my limited search on the USHMM site, it appeared to be a useful locator, but its partner site, Yad Vashem, would be my first choice in searching for Shoah information about an individual.

The USHMM also provides information about the Benjamin and Vladka Meed Registry of Holocaust Survivors that “honors as survivors any persons, Jewish or non-Jewish, who were displaced, persecuted, or discriminated against due to the racial, religious, ethnic, social, and political policies of the Nazis and their collaborators between 1933 and 1945. In addition to former inmates of concentration camps, ghettos, and prisons, this definition includes, among others, people who were refugees or were in hiding.” Inclusion in this list is voluntary and focuses on those individuals who survived the Holocaust and who came to the United States after World War II. Registration forms are available online. One of the specific goals of the registry is to assist survivors and their families to trace missing relatives and the registry may be visited on the second floor of the Museum where the database can be accessed.

3.  The International Tracing Service. The International Tracing Service (ITS), located in Bad Arolsen, Germany, is an “internationally governed archive which is tasked to document the fate of millions of civilian victims of Nazi Germany.” Its collection includes “original records from concentration camps, details of forced labour, and files on displaced persons.” Formed in 1943 to find missing persons, it operates under administrative oversight by the International Committee of the Red Cross and is funded by the German government. Its archives have been accessible to researchers since late 2007. In addition, the USHMM provides access to the International Tracing Service Archives and has been providing archival information to survivors and/or their families since 2008. Further information about how to access this information is available both at the USHMM site and the ITS site.

Genealogical research into families affected by Shoah events will be difficult, but careful research in such locations as those described above may locate much-needed information.

Other Shoah resources include CyndisList which provides a Holocaust section under the heading of Military-World War II. Of particular interest to researchers is Gary Mokotoff’s How to Document Victims and Locate Survivors of the Holocaust (Avotaynu, 1995). In addition, you will also want to refer to Dan Rottenberg’s Finding Our Fathers: a Guidebook to Jewish Genealogy (Genealogical Publishing Co., 1977, reprinted 1998) and the three-volume Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust, edited by Shmuel Spector and Geoffrey Wigoder, and published in conjunction with Yad Vashem.

By: Carolyn L. Barkley

I hope each of you has had a wonderful holiday season. Nevertheless, it’s once again that time of year when our minds make plans for the coming new year of genealogical work. Because of our well-intended resolution thoughts, this article has become an annual feature of GenealogyandFamilyHistory.com. We can’t receive too many reminders about how important it is to be organized in our research activities.

Did you make a New Year’s resolution last January to organize your research files and piles?  How successful were you in keeping your promise to clean up the piles of papers on the floor, and best of all, organize, label, and use those file folders?

I know I have made a similar resolution every year for many years, and the piles are still there under the eaves calling to me in the wee hours of the morning. Unfortunately, I have new piles on the office floor as well. That is not to say that I haven’t done some filing and organizing in energetic moments during the year (probably when I had some deadline I was ignoring), so I am feeling virtuous enough to share the following tips with you (again!) as you also begin to fulfill your 2009 resolutions  - in 2010!

1. Before you file the first piece of paper, develop a clear and easily understandable organizational scheme for your file folders. How you file them should be based on what best supports your research and your work methods. You might choose to file by surname, by generation, by geographical location, or by time period. In addition to labeling the hanging file folder, clear labeling of individual file folders within hanging files will allow you to make adjustments in your filing scheme as your retrieval needs increase or become more sophisticated.
2. Take time for some fun. Visit your local office supply store to see what types of folders and storage systems are available. While at the store invest in a good label maker to produce consistent, readable labels. If you do not need a filing cabinet, or do not have space for one, look for stackable containers that will accommodate your folders and that will fit under your desk or table, on book shelves, or in your closet
3. Set up your new file container and folders based on the organizational scheme you have chosen.
4. Pace yourself over several sessions. In order to keep from being discouraged, set yourself an attainable goal for each “cleanup” session. Tackle one pile at a time and place each document in its appropriate folder. IMPORTANT: Handle each document ONCE. Do NOT separate the pile into separate piles and then even more separate files until you have no more floor space and can’t reach the file container. To repeat – pick up the document ONCE. Place it in its appropriate file, adding new file folders and folder labels as necessary. Repeat these actions until you have completed all of the piled-up papers and the carpet/chair/desk/table you forgot you owned can be seen once again
5. When you are finished, congratulate yourself on a job well done, admire the new sense of spaciousness. Treat yourself to chocolate. BUT…
6. Make a new resolution to prevent the dreaded piles from returning. This resolution will not be as difficult to accomplish as you might think if you employ one strategy in the future. As soon as possible after every research trip, write a research report “for the file.” In the report, set out your research findings, analyze their impact on your project, and set new goals for any future research on this person or topic. Attach to the report all the documents that pertain to the research just completed and immediately file in the appropriate folder. Voila! No piles of stray documents on the floor, no lost documents. Instead you have an easily retrievable report that will provide you with all of the information what you need for future research.

I invite each of you to comment on these tips and to share your successes in keeping the dreaded document pile-ups from taking over your workspace.

To help you in your organization of documents and research project materials as well add to your knowledge of research methodologies, you may want to consider the following titles available from genealogical.com:

• William Dollarhide. Managing a Genealogical Project. Updated and Revised Edition (1999, reprinted 2001)
• Handybook for Genealogists. 11^th ed. (2006). A book and CD combination version of this title is currently out-of-print.
• Val Greenwood. The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy. 3^rd ed. (2000, reprinted 2005).
• Elizabeth Shown Mills. Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians. (currently out0of-print).
• Elizabeth Shown Mills. Evidence Explained. Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace. (2009).
• Harriet Stryker-Rodda. How to Climb Your Family Tree: Genealogy for Beginners. (1977, reprinted 1995).

Happy Holidays from GenealogyandFamilyHistory.com, Genealogical Publishing Company and Clearfield Company. As a holiday gift for 2009, we hope you’ll enjoy this article, originally published in the Genealogical Pointers issue for October 14, 2008. If you don’t currently receive the weekly Genealogical Pointers e-mail, you can subscribe at genealogical.com.

by Brent H. Holcomb

One of the biggest disappointments to researchers is the lack of marriage records for South Carolina. At least several times a week, persons arrive at the South Carolina Archives asking for marriage records. South Carolina does not have regular marriage records prior to 1911, the marriage license law having taken effect on July 1 of that year. There is no clear reason for this lack of early marriage records, except that in the colonial period the parishes of the Church of England were supposed to record all marriages within the parish (whether the parties were members of the Church or not). Whether this was done is a moot point; however, it is a fact that after the Revolution no state marriage license statute was passed until 1911.

Nevertheless, some counties or districts did issue marriage licenses. We find a handful from the 1780s in Camden District and Ninety Six District records. Additionally, the following counties or districts issued some marriage licenses or bonds, of which we have either recorded copies or originals: Charleston, Chester, Darlington, Fairfield, Horry, Marion, Marlboro, Newberry, Pendleton, Spartanburg, Sumter, and York. There is extant one marriage return for Pickens District for the years 1859 and 1860, which I published in my periodical, South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research (SCMAR).

In some church records, marriage references can be gleaned from the membership lists. Baptist records often contain separate male and female lists. You might find an entry in a female list, such as “Mary Jones, now Smith.” The manual of the Second Presbyterian Church in Charleston, which I am publishing in part in my quarterly, SCMAR), shows such examples. There are entries such as “Miss E. H. Simonon, now Mrs. Geo Moffett,” “Miss Louisa Burdell, now Mrs. Agnew,” “Miss Quintana Smith, now Mrs. Paxton,” and others.

South Carolina does have a number of marriage settlements, which are usually pre-marital agreements concerning property. Frequently, these marriage settlements are second marriages for one or both parties. Quite often, family information is found among these in statements of the origins of the property (inherited from a relative or obtained in some other way). These marriage settlements are found in Miscellaneous Records, Main Series for the Colonial Period, and for 1787-1885 in a separate series titled Marriage Settlements at the South Carolina Archives. Additionally, some marriage settlements are recorded in Miscellaneous Records (Columbia series) after 1787, for some unknown reason. Supposedly, these marriage settlements (after 1787) were also recorded in the deed books for the counties where the couples resided. However, this recording does not appear to have been consistent. Conversely, some marriage settlements are found recorded in the deed books of various counties and are not recorded in the Marriage Settlement volumes.

Eleven marriage settlements prior to 1821 have been abstracted and published within my two volumes available from Genealogical Publishing Company (GPC), South Carolina Marriages, 1688-1799 and South Carolina Marriages, 1800-1820. Genealogical Publishing Company has also released my supplement to these volumes. These three books also contain marriages from other sources: church records (including the colonial parish registers), diaries, the above-mentioned marriage licenses and bonds, etc.

The aforementioned volumes, on the other hand, do not include any marriages reported in newspapers, which probably represent the best source for 19th-century marriage records in South Carolina. Marriage notices from newspapers are found in several volumes published by myself and several other persons. Prior to the Civil War, newspapers were regional in scope, covering several counties or districts. A marriage from Fairfield District might be reported in a newspaper of Columbia, Newberry, or Camden, for example. The Greenville newspapers covered most of the upper part of South Carolina, 1826-1863.

Religious newspapers should also be consulted. The religious newspaper of the appropriate denomination may have been published outside of South Carolina, such as The Lutheran Observer (Baltimore, Maryland) and The Southern Christian Advocate (the Methodist newspaper, sometimes published in Augusta or Macon, Georgia). Presbyterian newspapers included the Charleston Observer, The Watchman and Observer (published in Richmond, Virginia, but contains South Carolina notices), and the Southern Presbyterian. I have published the marriage records from the first two of these. Lowry Ware and I have published notices from the Association of Reformed Presbyterian newspapers in two volumes. The South Carolina Temperance Advocate was a quasi-religious newspaper that published notices from all over South Carolina. Because it was published in Columbia, for the most part, researchers can access its notices in my Marriage and Death Notices from Columbia, South Carolina, Newspapers 1838-1860 (Southern Historical Press, 1981).

Such marriage notices are NOT limited to prominent persons. Consider the following example from the Southern Times and State Gazette (Columbia, South Carolina) of 6 January 1831:

Economical Marrying. Married on Thursday evening, the 23d ult., by Thomas Johns Esq., Mr. John Hendrix to Miss Mary Marbut; Mr. Joshua Hendrix to Miss Sarah Mills, and Mr. Euclidus Hog to Miss Kisiah Marbut, all at the same place, and all of Newberry District. Four of the persons married are the grandchildren of Mrs. Sarah Marbut, who was present and participated in the festivities of the evening.

Now, what does this tell us? If four of the persons who were married (out of six) were grandchildren of Mrs. Sarah Marbut, then one couple being married had to be first cousins. Such was not at all unusual at the time. Double cousins, first cousins, second cousins, etc., often married, but it was not legal for closer relatives to marry. One could not marry his niece or aunt, her uncle or nephew, for example.

Odd marriages were often reported in the newspaper. The following notice was abstracted from the Columbia Telescope of 25 February 1837:

Married in Fairfield District, near Twenty Five Mile Creek, on Thursday evening, 23d inst., by Mr. Jonathan Watts, Esq., Mr. Jacob Blizard aged 17 years, to Mrs. Wilson aged about 75.

Interracial marriage in South Carolina was not prohibited until 1895. Therefore, willing parties could be married, no matter what their race. We have examples of whites and blacks marrying, Indians and whites (though not often documented), etc. Many people have a “tradition” of Indian ancestry, but this is fairly rare, or at least it cannot be proved. The reasons are fairly obvious. Indians had already been removed from a given area, allowing whites to occupy the abandoned land.

Before 1872, divorce in South Carolina was not possible except by an act of the legislature. There are a dozen petitions for divorce on file prior to 1872, but all were denied. The 1872 statute was repealed in 1878, and the next divorce law was not instituted until the mid-20th century.

Ms. Barbara Langdon has begun to publish a series of South Carolina marriage records that can be inferred from various records. There are volumes available from her on Barnwell, Spartanburg, Edgefield, York, Chester, Fairfield, and some state-wide reference works. These are excellent sources, but you must understand what they are. They are records that prove that a marriage took place; however, the date of the record might be many years after the marriage took place. Ms. Langdon will provide a list of her works by request with a SASE. Her address is 132 Langdon Road, Aiken, SC 29801.

Sometimes we find proof of marriages in court cases, especially the quit court, and in obituary notices. Also, death certificates (which begin in South Carolina on January 1, 1915) might prove a marriage, as the name of the father and the maiden name of the mother of the decedent are often included. However, such information is subject to question and should be verified through other sources.

Don’t forget records of various wars and pension applications for participants and their widows–not only the Revolution but also the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and various Indian and “old wars.” There are published indices to most of these pension applications now. Additionally, the pension applications for Confederate widows are supposed to contain marriage dates inasmuch as the widow’s pension applications asked for a date of marriage if it could be supplied. Sometimes only a year is given, and rarely is the maiden name of the widow included. Often, these widows submitted depositions from persons who had attended their marriage or from persons who had known that she and her husband had lived as husband and wife for so many years. Sometimes, Bible records are included in such applications.

Deed Records: It is not unusual to find deeds of gift from a mother or father to children, frequently married daughters. In this way, some people avoided probate. Such records are to be found in the deed books of the individual counties in South Carolina. Therefore, there are numerous sources to find proof of a South Carolina marriage.

The titles in this article plus several others are available at genealogical.com.