By: Carolyn L. Barkley
I have always felt closely connected to the Civil War era. My great-grandmother, whom I remember well, was born in 1869. My living room exhibits my great-great-grandfather’s Union officer’s dress sword and a “crazy quilt” incorporating Union regimental reunion ribbons and other Civil War commemorative ribbons. Just to balance the display and [...]
By: Carolyn L. Barkley
Since its summertime, you might like to take a break from the concentration of your regular research to have some fun (after all, genealogy should be fun) and take the following genealogy quiz that first appeared in Genealogical Pointers in February of 2009. If you are a librarian, you will want to [...]
By Carolyn L. Barkley
Part Two: Records Relating to Impressed American Seamen
Last week’s article discussed seamen’s protection certificates, first authorized by a Congressional act (1 Stat.477) in 1796. These documents were intended to protect an individual from being “pressed” into service, principally into the British Navy, but occasionally by French or Spanish vessels, by documenting his [...]
By Carolyn L. Barkley
Part 1: Seamen’s Protection Certificates
Between the end of May and the beginning of July, Americans observe two holidays, Memorial Day and Independence Day, that celebrate generations of statesmen, soldiers, sailors, militia men, merchant seamen, and others who helped form and preserve this nation. When we celebrate Independence Day, we are not only [...]
By Carolyn L. Barkley
I began writing articles for this blog in January 2008 and it’s hard to imagine that almost 130 articles have been posted between then and now. In that inaugural article I discussed the small world of the 1600s and mentioned how Stephen Hopkins, a passenger on the ill-fated Sea Venture, en route [...]