| Genealogy Gems: News from the Allen County Public Library at Fort Wayne, No. 214, December 31, 2021 | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Genealogy Gems (genealogygems genealogycenter.info)
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| Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2021 20:41:30 -0500 | |
Genealogy Gems: News from the Allen County Public Library at Fort Wayne
No. 214, December 31, 2021
In this issue:
*Writing in the New Year
*”Passage to America, 1851-1869: The Records of Richard Elliott, Passenger Agent, Detroit, Michigan”
*Jewish Transmigration Bureau Deposit Cards, 1939-1954
*Technology Tip of the Month: Adobe Elements Version 2019--Draw Tools continued: Eraser Tool
*PERSI Gems: Happy Returns
*History Tidbits: New Year’s Resolutions
*Genealogy Center’s January 2022 Programs
*The Genealogy Center at RootsTech 2022
*Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming
*Genealogy Center Social Media
*Driving Directions to the Library
*Parking at the Library
*Genealogy Center Queries
*Publishing Note
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Writing in the New Year
by Curt B. Witcher
***************************************
I recently happened upon Kris Spisak’s “Writing Tip 56: ‘Ring in’ or ‘Bring in’ the New Year.” https://kris-spisak.com/writing-tip-ring-in-or-bring-in-new-year. It gave me pause and a smile as weeks ago I mused about this end of 2021, beginning of 2022 column. I quickly happened upon a title and topic of “Writing in the New Year,” a play off of both “ringing in the New Year” and “bringing in the New Year.” I would like for us to make a special commitment to writing this year. I know we have written about this numerous times before; however, this time we really need to make it a consistent and enjoyable part of our entire 2022 year.
There are so many reasons why this is such a good thing to do. First and foremost, it preserves living memory. For my entire career in the family history space (and it’s been a few days now!) I have heard the lament, “Oh, if only Uncle Lester were still alive and I could ask him . . .” or “If only mother were around to ask . . .” Somewhat hidden in those laments is our responsibility to ensure our children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces don’t end up saying those same things about us. Second, writing helps ensure that the documents we have gathered and the research we have done is preserved and accessible for future generations of family historians. We do a lot of hunting and scanning but not much compilation and sharing. The Genealogy Center continues to receive many cubic feet of donated family papers each month. A significant number of these collections come with some kind of message from a family member who doesn’t want to see “all this work” recycled but really doesn’t know what it is and doesn’t want to deal with it. Finally, writing and sharing our life stories, memories and research interests others in our family. I really have tired of hearing the lament “no one in my family is interested--no one cares.” I am sorry to say, but that’s on us! If we spoke more, wrote more, and shared more, there would be all kinds of interest. There would be competition for our papers and our work.
How does one get started writing? Apologies, but there is no magic answer here. The best answer is, yes! Yes, just do it! In whatever way is comfortable for you, in whatever format is easiest for you, just starting writing. Don’t make it long or involved, and don’t make it complicated or burdensome. Do make it a part of your day’s routine. Position it in a way that makes it actually something fun that you look forward to doing. Some people have had success with a writing partner. That way you are able to inspire and motivate each other, and perhaps even share subjects, musings, questions and observations that may become writing prompts for you. How awesome would it be if your writing partner is a family member, sibling or distant cousin?
There are a number of additional writing helps to be found nearly everywhere one looks. I was recently introduced to a series of “books in the making” called the “Letters to My” series. I actually learned about this series when I was gifted my first book, “Letters to My Grandchild” with the subtitle, “Write Now. Read Later. Treasure Forever.” Measuring 4 x 8, it’s actually a series of small, lined writing sheets shaped into envelopes attached to stitch-bound pieces of paper. You don’t have to write a lot, just one side of smaller than 8 X 10 piece of paper. (Of course, you could include a copy of a photograph or document in the folded paper envelope.) On each envelope-looking piece of paper are the writing prompts. Some of those prompts are listed below.
***It may surprise you to learn that when I was young . . .
***When your mother/father was young . . .
***When I was younger, I wish I had known . . .
***What I want you to know about me . . .
And there are a couple of blank letter-envelopes at the end of the book with which you can be creative. Speaking of creative, you could probably think of more family history related phrases to substitute for the writing prompts.
Let’s all write in 2022!
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“Passage to America, 1851-1869: The Records of Richard Elliott, Passenger Agent, Detroit, Michigan”
by Cynthia Theusch
***************************************
In the past several years I have been asked a few times if any passenger records of ships that sailed through the Great Lakes existed. My answer focused usually on the ship lists of Quebec. In a recent search regarding ships on the Great Lakes, I came across a book titled “Passage to America, 1851-1869: The Records of Richard Elliott, Passenger Agent, Detroit, Michigan” by Mary Lou Straith Duncan (Gc 977.402 D48dun).
Richard Robert Elliott was employed as a passenger agent for immigrants wishing to come to Michigan and for those who wished only to visit and return to Europe. In 1859, Governor Wisner appointed Elliott as an “emigration agent” to promote immigration to Michigan. Advertisements, ticket costs, and ship schedules began to appear in the major U.S. ports and newspapers as well as in the newspapers of other countries. A large percentage of his passengers were Irish immigrants (due to the Famine), to whom he assisted by providing travel arrangements. During the years 1841 through 1868, more than $1 million was sent to Ireland to enable others to immigrate to Detroit.
Elliott issued his first passage ticket on 19 May 1841 to a family of Germans departing from the port of Hamburg. By 1868, he had sold 4,681 passage tickets involving some 11,000 people. His account ledgers list approximately 48 ports of departure and about 129 destinations. The primary port of departure was Liverpool, England. The fees listed included Inland (from the U.S. port) and Ocean (England or Europe). Elliott also kept records of the outbound passengers heading to Europe. Duncan, the book’s compiler, supplied an index.
The book includes such information as the date of the transaction; account number; by whom the passage was paid; port of departure; destination; passengers’ names, number of adults, children and total; Ocean Fee; and Inland Fee. Elliott’s account ledgers are housed in the Manuscript Collection of the Burton Historical Collection located in the Detroit Public Library.
According to Joel Stone’s book, “Floating Palaces of the Great Lakes: A History of Passenger Steamships on the Inland Seas” (Gc 977 ST71F), passengers traveled on steamships through the Great Lakes from 1817 to 1900.
Searching for records of how and where our ancestors migrated, from their point of entry in the U.S. to another location, may take time. Searches of online catalogs for universities, libraries, and archives, can be helpful but may require trying a variety of keywords or subjects for the specific locations where your ancestors lived. Unusual resources like Richard Elliott’s record book exist for other places but may take some effort to find.
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Jewish Transmigration Bureau Deposit Cards, 1939-1954
by Melissa C. Tennant
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The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) created the Transmigration Bureau in New York City on 21 June 1940 in order to assist with the emigration of Jewish refugees. The Bureau was responsible for the financial funds provided by Americans to fully pay or offset the costs of Jewish friends or family leaving Europe.
The Jewish Transmigration Bureau Deposit Cards collection primarily covers 1940 – 1942, but has deposit cards for travel through 1956. There are deposit cards for an estimated 60,000 beneficiaries; i.e. passengers or refugees. The deposit cards provide the name of the depositor and beneficiary, last residence for each, a case number, date and amounts of the deposits, the ship name, date of departure and arrival, and country of destination.
The Deposit Cards are available on the JDC Archives (free site) <https://archives.jdc.org/our-collections/>. The JDC website hosts records covering individuals and humanitarian efforts from 1914 to current in more than ninety countries. The JDC Archives have digitized and made available their World War II era records including photos, social services, aid, and rescue documents along with oral histories of staff and associates. These materials can be browsed or searched by keyword or geographical location in the following collections, Photographic; Historic Film, Video, and Audio; Text; and Artifacts, and by name in the JDC Names Index which links to the digitized image.
Searching within these documents, one can discover an index card for Gisella Kaufer of Krafftgasse 4 in Vienna, Austria as a beneficiary. A deposit card shows that funds were paid for Gisella’s transportation by the National Council of Jewish Women in Chicago for an Alfons Kaufer of 3928 W. Van Buren St. in Chicago, IL. Gisella embarked on the S.S. Nyassa on 15 April 1941.
The Jewish Transmigration Bureau Deposit Cards collection is also available at Ancestry.com (paid subscription). As with any genealogical collection, all potential access points should be considered. The indexing for the JDC site and Ancestry.com can yield different results. The Ancestry collection also permits the researcher to browse through the collection images. A researcher can find the identical index and deposit card for Gisella Kaufer on Ancestry. The next image includes an invoice for the transportation costs from Lisbon and a case history, which includes a note that Alfons Kaufer, the depositor, arrived in the U.S. on 15 April 1939 using an Immigration Visa. With these details, Gisella is easily located when searching passenger lists for the Nyassa, which arrived in New York from Lisbon, Portugal on 25 April 1939. From the passenger list, we confirm her husband, Alfons, is waiting for her at 3928 W. Van Buren St. in Chicago.
Not all stories found within the Jewish Transmigration Bureau Deposit Cards end with individuals returned to loved ones, but these records document the stories of those who needed assistance and the people who offered aid during a harrowing time. They are one piece of a grander story; one that should not be forgotten.
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Technology Tip of the Month: Adobe Elements Version 2019--Draw Tools continued: Eraser Tool
by Kay Spears
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Eraser. If you guess that this tool erases, you would be correct. This tool does a dandy job of erasing, and that’s one of its problems. Normally, I do not use the erase tool, but instead substitute a layer mask technique when I want to delete something from an image. Usually one would do this if one didn’t like the background of a photograph. Say instead of a stormy sky, you wanted a blue, sunshine sky. The eraser tool is one of the tools you could use to do that. Just remember the eraser tool is a destructive tool; it damages the pixels in the image. This destruction is why we always work on a copy of the photograph, and we have a duplicate layer copy in our layer palette. Let’s look at the Eraser.
The Eraser has three options: Eraser, Background Eraser Tool, and the Magic Eraser Tool. Open an image, I suggest a simple image with pretty good contrast. Maybe a simple mountain with a sky. Notice that when you open your image, your Layer Palette says “Background.” Now make a duplicate layer of your image, and then turn the bottom layer off by clicking on the Eye icon.
1. Eraser Tool. Pick the Eraser Tool. I usually pick a soft brush, and in this case, I have set my Opacity at 100%. Now I will move the Tool/Cursor over the area I want to erase. Because I am working on a copy of the background, and I have my Element Preference set on the Transparent setting, I have what appears to be a checker pattern when I erase. If you have detailed edging that you are trying to erase around, you may not be happy with the results. Erasing something out of an image isn’t perfect. You may have to resize your brush, if you have trouble erasing around an object.
2. Background Erase Tool. This tool does almost the same thing as the Eraser Tool. The difference would be if I were working directly on my original background image (which I would never do). Instead of seeing a checker background, I would see a white background as I erase. Once again, erasing isn’t perfect.
3. Magic Eraser Tool. This tool is also known as the Smart Eraser Tool, and we know what that means. Be very careful. What this tool does is erase pixels that match what you have selected. Say you want to erase a blue sky, well if someone has the same shade of blue in their eyes, that’s going to go away also. So, when using this tool, watch what is being deleted. However, the Magic Eraser Tool is pretty speedy.
Honestly, this tool is very simple. It can be frustrating because sometimes you accidently erase something you don’t want to. If you are working on a duplicate copy, you can always repair the damage. Experiment with the Eraser Tools and become comfortable with them. Adjust the brush sizes, tolerance, and opacity. Have fun.
Next article: Adobe Elements 2019, Draw Tools continued: Paint Bucket.
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PERSI Gems: Happy Returns
by Adam Barrone and Mike Hudson
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We at PERSI send greetings for the New Year and wishes that the hope of new beginnings will return again and again.
We yearn for loved ones to return home, for lost possessions to be recovered, for important news to be reported back, and for simple pleasures to again be available. As genealogists and historians, we seek to return artifacts and bits of knowledge to those who will appreciate and share them. Our thoughts turn to the past so we might learn and teach with the aim of brightening the future for the next generation.
When you resume your research after the holiday, try a search in the Periodical Source Index (PERSI).
http://search.findmypast.com/search/periodical-source-index
We hope your search will return intriguing results. Here are some we found.
Bodies of P. N. Walters and J. Philip of sloop Happy Return not recovered, 1799
Greenwood Tree (Somerset & Dorset Fam. Hist. Soc., Eng.), v.39n.2, May 2014
Bullock to return Confederate pensioners letters
Texas Kin (Dallas County East Gen. Soc.), v.12n.2, Jun. 1983
Fort Delaware water returns to moat, photo and note, c. 1979
Fort Delaware (DE) Notes, v.29, Apr. 1979
Genealogical fertilizer, returning favors, spreading interest, ways to increase research returns
Prospector (Clark Co. NV Gen. Soc.), v.26n.6, Jan. 2006
Marilyn Monroe saloon girl outfit from River of No Return, photo and auction sale note, 1954, 2011
True West, v.59n.3, Mar. 2012
Ohio farmer lost wallet, recovered in exported hay in Japan and returned, note, 2002
Kinsman Courier (Coshochton Co. Chap., OH Gen. Soc.), v.36n.4, Win. 2013
Pats Island and returned Long fam. cem. stones
Southern Genealogists Exchange Quarterly, v.31n.13, Mar. 1990
President Coolidge returns a check
Vermont Quarterly, v.18n.3, Jul. 1950
Pretzel bending industry and return of beer, newspaper item, Apr. 7, 1933
Whitley Co. (IN) Hist. Soc. Bulletin, v.54n.2, Jun. 2016
Receiving election returns by long distance telephone, photo and note, Nov. 6, 1900
Nebraska History, v.95n.3, Fal. 2014
Returning orphaned heirlooms to their families
American Spirit (DAR), v.148n.3, May 2014
Returns of the season, why you should join genealogical societies, list of links
Jefferson (LA) Gen. Soc. Newsletter, Jan. 2013
Silver service of USS Iowa returned to IA
Polk County (IA) Hist. Soc. Newsletter, v.32n.1, Oct. 1992
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History Tidbits: New Year’s Resolutions
By Allison DePrey Singleton
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As we go into the New Year, many people make New Year’s resolutions. These resolutions can range from diet and exercise to relationships to beginning new hobbies. They are personal journeys that people make to improve their lives in the coming year. But why do we do this? Is there a history behind the tradition?
The short answer is yes! People have been making resolutions for centuries. For instance, the Babylonians began a tradition that was similar to our New Year’s resolutions. Their new year was celebrated at the first new moon after the vernal equinox and was the time when they made promises to the gods. If they did not fulfill their promises, the gods would not be favorable to them in the coming year. Later, after Julius Caesar established a new calendar, the Romans also made promises to the deity Janus, for whom January was named, at the first of the year.
Eventually, making resolutions became part of the Christian tradition as well. The first of the year was the day to reflect on mistakes and improvements to be made. In 1740, John Wesley created Covenant Renewal Service, which was commonly held on New Year’s Day or Eve. The event was a time to pray and make resolutions for the new year, and it is still practiced in many churches.
Today, New Year’s resolutions are mainly secular and rooted in our desire for self-improvement. It is a tradition of reflection and looking forward to opportunities that many people eagerly await. If you make a New Year’s resolution, hopefully it will be fulfilled. Happy New Year!
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Genealogy Center’s January 2022 Programs
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Join us for another month of free, virtual programs!
January 04 2022, 2:30 p.m. EST “Using US Records to Find Your Immigrant's Link to the Old Country” with Sara Allen - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6008785
January 06 2022, 6:30 p.m. EST “Fireside Chat - DNA” with Sara Allen and Allison Singleton - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6009517
January 11 2022, 2:30 p.m. EST “Welcome to the New, FREE, Periodical Source Index (PERSI)!” with Allison Singleton and Elizabeth Hodges - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6009522
January 13 2022, 6:30 p.m. EST “Fireside Chat - Legal Genealogy” with David Singleton, Allison Singleton, and Elizabeth Hodges - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6009687
January 18 2022, 2:30 p.m. EST “Explore the Research Indiana Index” with Vicki Casteel - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6009867
January 20 2022, 6:30 p.m. EST “Family Research in Germany” with Sven Grewel - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6010562
January 25 2022, 2:30 p.m. EST “Researching Scots-Irish Ancestors” with John Beatty - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6010585
January 27 2022, 6:30 p.m. EST “Genealogy Resources at the Missouri State Archives” with John Dougan - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6013737
Please register in advance for each program.
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The Genealogy Center at RootsTech 2022
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Join us for the FREE 2022 Virtual RootsTech event and learn new ways to take your family history research to the next level. Registration for this amazing event is now open. Simply go to the RootsTech website: www.familysearch.org/rootstech/next. The Genealogy Center’s very own, Allison Singleton, will be presenting a couple of programs during the conference, and you can discover the Allen County Public Library exhibitor booth featuring new resources and materials from the experts at the Genealogy Center.
Family history research starts with a question. As you enjoy the RootsTech sessions, be sure to let us know if you have any family history questions of your own via our booth chat. The genealogists at the Genealogy Center would love to help you dig deeper to find the answers to your family’s mysteries. So be sure to register for this free event and visit the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center-Visit Fort Wayne booth!
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Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming
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Do you want to know what we have planned? Are you interested in one of our events, but forget? We offer email updates for The Genealogy Center’s programming schedule. Don’t miss out! Sign up at http://goo.gl/forms/THcV0wAabB.
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Genealogy Center Social Media
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenealogyCenter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genealogycenter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ACPLGenealogy
Blog: http://www.genealogycenter.org/Community/Blog.aspx
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/askacpl
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Driving Directions to the Library
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Wondering how to get to the library? Our location is 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the block bordered on the south by Washington Boulevard, the west by Ewing Street, the north by Wayne Street, and the east by the Library Plaza, formerly Webster Street. We would enjoy having you visit the Genealogy Center.
To get directions from your exact location to 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana, visit this link at MapQuest:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&addtohistory=&address=900%20Webster%20St&city=Fort%20Wayne&state=IN&zipcode=46802%2d3602&country=US&geodiff=1
>From the South
Exit Interstate 69 at exit 302. Drive east on Jefferson Boulevard into downtown. Turn left on Ewing Street. The Library is one block north, at Ewing Street and Washington Boulevard.
Using US 27:
US 27 turns into Lafayette Street. Drive north into downtown. Turn left at Washington Boulevard and go five blocks. The Library will be on the right.
>From the North
Exit Interstate 69 at exit 312. Drive south on Coldwater Road, which merges into Clinton Street. Continue south on Clinton to Washington Boulevard. Turn right on Washington and go three blocks. The Library will be on the right.
>From the West
Using US 30:
Drive into town on US 30. US 30 turns into Goshen Ave. which dead-ends at West State Blvd. Make an angled left turn onto West State Blvd. Turn right on Wells Street. Go south on Wells to Wayne Street. Turn left on Wayne Street. The Library will be in the second block on the right.
Using US 24:
After crossing under Interstate 69, follow the same directions as from the South.
>From the East
Follow US 30/then 930 into and through New Haven, under an overpass into downtown Fort Wayne. You will be on Washington Blvd. when you get into downtown. Library Plaza will be on the right.
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Parking at the Library
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At the Library, underground parking can be accessed from Wayne Street. Other library parking lots are at Washington and Webster, and Wayne and Webster. Hourly parking is $1 per hour with a $7 maximum. ACPL library card holders may use their cards to validate the parking ticket at the west end of the Great Hall of the Library. Out of county residents may purchase a subscription card with proof of identification and residence. The current fee for an Individual Subscription Card is $85.
Public lots are located at the corner of Ewing and Wayne Streets ($1 each for the first two half-hours, $1 per hour after, with a $4 per day maximum) and the corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Harrison Street ($3 per day).
Street (metered) parking on Ewing and Wayne Streets. On the street you plug the meters 8am – 5pm, weekdays only. The meters take credit cards and charge at a rate of $1/hour. Street parking is free after 5 p.m. and on the weekends.
Visitor center/Grand Wayne Center garage at Washington and Clinton Streets. This is the Hilton Hotel parking lot that also serves as a day parking garage. For hourly parking, 7am – 11 pm, charges are .50 for the first 45 minutes, then $1.00 per hour. There is a flat $2.00 fee between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m.
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Genealogy Center Queries
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The Genealogy Center hopes you find this newsletter interesting. Thank you for subscribing. We cannot, however, answer personal research emails written to the e-zine address. The department houses a Research Center that makes photocopies and conducts research for a fee.
If you have a general question about our collection, or are interested in the Research Center, please telephone the library and speak to a librarian who will be glad to answer your general questions or send you a research center form. Our telephone number is 260-421-1225. If you’d like to email a general information question about the department, please email: Genealogy [at] ACPL.Info.
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Publishing Note
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This electronic newsletter is published by the Allen County Public Library's Genealogy Center, and is intended to enlighten readers about genealogical research methods as well as inform them about the vast resources of the Allen County Public Library. We welcome the wide distribution of this newsletter and encourage readers to forward it to their friends and societies. All precautions have been made to avoid errors. However, the publisher does not assume any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, no matter the cause.
To subscribe to “Genealogy Gems,” simply use your browser to go to the website: www.GenealogyCenter.org. Scroll to the bottom, click on E-zine, and fill out the form. You will be notified with a confirmation email.
If you do not want to receive this e-zine, please follow the link at the very bottom of the issue of Genealogy Gems you just received or send an email to kspears [at] acpl.lib.in.us with "unsubscribe e-zine" in the subject line.
Curt B. Witcher and John D. Beatty, CG, co-editors
No. 214, December 31, 2021
In this issue:
*Writing in the New Year
*”Passage to America, 1851-1869: The Records of Richard Elliott, Passenger Agent, Detroit, Michigan”
*Jewish Transmigration Bureau Deposit Cards, 1939-1954
*Technology Tip of the Month: Adobe Elements Version 2019--Draw Tools continued: Eraser Tool
*PERSI Gems: Happy Returns
*History Tidbits: New Year’s Resolutions
*Genealogy Center’s January 2022 Programs
*The Genealogy Center at RootsTech 2022
*Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming
*Genealogy Center Social Media
*Driving Directions to the Library
*Parking at the Library
*Genealogy Center Queries
*Publishing Note
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Writing in the New Year
by Curt B. Witcher
***************************************
I recently happened upon Kris Spisak’s “Writing Tip 56: ‘Ring in’ or ‘Bring in’ the New Year.” https://kris-spisak.com/writing-tip-ring-in-or-bring-in-new-year. It gave me pause and a smile as weeks ago I mused about this end of 2021, beginning of 2022 column. I quickly happened upon a title and topic of “Writing in the New Year,” a play off of both “ringing in the New Year” and “bringing in the New Year.” I would like for us to make a special commitment to writing this year. I know we have written about this numerous times before; however, this time we really need to make it a consistent and enjoyable part of our entire 2022 year.
There are so many reasons why this is such a good thing to do. First and foremost, it preserves living memory. For my entire career in the family history space (and it’s been a few days now!) I have heard the lament, “Oh, if only Uncle Lester were still alive and I could ask him . . .” or “If only mother were around to ask . . .” Somewhat hidden in those laments is our responsibility to ensure our children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces don’t end up saying those same things about us. Second, writing helps ensure that the documents we have gathered and the research we have done is preserved and accessible for future generations of family historians. We do a lot of hunting and scanning but not much compilation and sharing. The Genealogy Center continues to receive many cubic feet of donated family papers each month. A significant number of these collections come with some kind of message from a family member who doesn’t want to see “all this work” recycled but really doesn’t know what it is and doesn’t want to deal with it. Finally, writing and sharing our life stories, memories and research interests others in our family. I really have tired of hearing the lament “no one in my family is interested--no one cares.” I am sorry to say, but that’s on us! If we spoke more, wrote more, and shared more, there would be all kinds of interest. There would be competition for our papers and our work.
How does one get started writing? Apologies, but there is no magic answer here. The best answer is, yes! Yes, just do it! In whatever way is comfortable for you, in whatever format is easiest for you, just starting writing. Don’t make it long or involved, and don’t make it complicated or burdensome. Do make it a part of your day’s routine. Position it in a way that makes it actually something fun that you look forward to doing. Some people have had success with a writing partner. That way you are able to inspire and motivate each other, and perhaps even share subjects, musings, questions and observations that may become writing prompts for you. How awesome would it be if your writing partner is a family member, sibling or distant cousin?
There are a number of additional writing helps to be found nearly everywhere one looks. I was recently introduced to a series of “books in the making” called the “Letters to My” series. I actually learned about this series when I was gifted my first book, “Letters to My Grandchild” with the subtitle, “Write Now. Read Later. Treasure Forever.” Measuring 4 x 8, it’s actually a series of small, lined writing sheets shaped into envelopes attached to stitch-bound pieces of paper. You don’t have to write a lot, just one side of smaller than 8 X 10 piece of paper. (Of course, you could include a copy of a photograph or document in the folded paper envelope.) On each envelope-looking piece of paper are the writing prompts. Some of those prompts are listed below.
***It may surprise you to learn that when I was young . . .
***When your mother/father was young . . .
***When I was younger, I wish I had known . . .
***What I want you to know about me . . .
And there are a couple of blank letter-envelopes at the end of the book with which you can be creative. Speaking of creative, you could probably think of more family history related phrases to substitute for the writing prompts.
Let’s all write in 2022!
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“Passage to America, 1851-1869: The Records of Richard Elliott, Passenger Agent, Detroit, Michigan”
by Cynthia Theusch
***************************************
In the past several years I have been asked a few times if any passenger records of ships that sailed through the Great Lakes existed. My answer focused usually on the ship lists of Quebec. In a recent search regarding ships on the Great Lakes, I came across a book titled “Passage to America, 1851-1869: The Records of Richard Elliott, Passenger Agent, Detroit, Michigan” by Mary Lou Straith Duncan (Gc 977.402 D48dun).
Richard Robert Elliott was employed as a passenger agent for immigrants wishing to come to Michigan and for those who wished only to visit and return to Europe. In 1859, Governor Wisner appointed Elliott as an “emigration agent” to promote immigration to Michigan. Advertisements, ticket costs, and ship schedules began to appear in the major U.S. ports and newspapers as well as in the newspapers of other countries. A large percentage of his passengers were Irish immigrants (due to the Famine), to whom he assisted by providing travel arrangements. During the years 1841 through 1868, more than $1 million was sent to Ireland to enable others to immigrate to Detroit.
Elliott issued his first passage ticket on 19 May 1841 to a family of Germans departing from the port of Hamburg. By 1868, he had sold 4,681 passage tickets involving some 11,000 people. His account ledgers list approximately 48 ports of departure and about 129 destinations. The primary port of departure was Liverpool, England. The fees listed included Inland (from the U.S. port) and Ocean (England or Europe). Elliott also kept records of the outbound passengers heading to Europe. Duncan, the book’s compiler, supplied an index.
The book includes such information as the date of the transaction; account number; by whom the passage was paid; port of departure; destination; passengers’ names, number of adults, children and total; Ocean Fee; and Inland Fee. Elliott’s account ledgers are housed in the Manuscript Collection of the Burton Historical Collection located in the Detroit Public Library.
According to Joel Stone’s book, “Floating Palaces of the Great Lakes: A History of Passenger Steamships on the Inland Seas” (Gc 977 ST71F), passengers traveled on steamships through the Great Lakes from 1817 to 1900.
Searching for records of how and where our ancestors migrated, from their point of entry in the U.S. to another location, may take time. Searches of online catalogs for universities, libraries, and archives, can be helpful but may require trying a variety of keywords or subjects for the specific locations where your ancestors lived. Unusual resources like Richard Elliott’s record book exist for other places but may take some effort to find.
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Jewish Transmigration Bureau Deposit Cards, 1939-1954
by Melissa C. Tennant
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The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) created the Transmigration Bureau in New York City on 21 June 1940 in order to assist with the emigration of Jewish refugees. The Bureau was responsible for the financial funds provided by Americans to fully pay or offset the costs of Jewish friends or family leaving Europe.
The Jewish Transmigration Bureau Deposit Cards collection primarily covers 1940 – 1942, but has deposit cards for travel through 1956. There are deposit cards for an estimated 60,000 beneficiaries; i.e. passengers or refugees. The deposit cards provide the name of the depositor and beneficiary, last residence for each, a case number, date and amounts of the deposits, the ship name, date of departure and arrival, and country of destination.
The Deposit Cards are available on the JDC Archives (free site) <https://archives.jdc.org/our-collections/>. The JDC website hosts records covering individuals and humanitarian efforts from 1914 to current in more than ninety countries. The JDC Archives have digitized and made available their World War II era records including photos, social services, aid, and rescue documents along with oral histories of staff and associates. These materials can be browsed or searched by keyword or geographical location in the following collections, Photographic; Historic Film, Video, and Audio; Text; and Artifacts, and by name in the JDC Names Index which links to the digitized image.
Searching within these documents, one can discover an index card for Gisella Kaufer of Krafftgasse 4 in Vienna, Austria as a beneficiary. A deposit card shows that funds were paid for Gisella’s transportation by the National Council of Jewish Women in Chicago for an Alfons Kaufer of 3928 W. Van Buren St. in Chicago, IL. Gisella embarked on the S.S. Nyassa on 15 April 1941.
The Jewish Transmigration Bureau Deposit Cards collection is also available at Ancestry.com (paid subscription). As with any genealogical collection, all potential access points should be considered. The indexing for the JDC site and Ancestry.com can yield different results. The Ancestry collection also permits the researcher to browse through the collection images. A researcher can find the identical index and deposit card for Gisella Kaufer on Ancestry. The next image includes an invoice for the transportation costs from Lisbon and a case history, which includes a note that Alfons Kaufer, the depositor, arrived in the U.S. on 15 April 1939 using an Immigration Visa. With these details, Gisella is easily located when searching passenger lists for the Nyassa, which arrived in New York from Lisbon, Portugal on 25 April 1939. From the passenger list, we confirm her husband, Alfons, is waiting for her at 3928 W. Van Buren St. in Chicago.
Not all stories found within the Jewish Transmigration Bureau Deposit Cards end with individuals returned to loved ones, but these records document the stories of those who needed assistance and the people who offered aid during a harrowing time. They are one piece of a grander story; one that should not be forgotten.
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Technology Tip of the Month: Adobe Elements Version 2019--Draw Tools continued: Eraser Tool
by Kay Spears
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Eraser. If you guess that this tool erases, you would be correct. This tool does a dandy job of erasing, and that’s one of its problems. Normally, I do not use the erase tool, but instead substitute a layer mask technique when I want to delete something from an image. Usually one would do this if one didn’t like the background of a photograph. Say instead of a stormy sky, you wanted a blue, sunshine sky. The eraser tool is one of the tools you could use to do that. Just remember the eraser tool is a destructive tool; it damages the pixels in the image. This destruction is why we always work on a copy of the photograph, and we have a duplicate layer copy in our layer palette. Let’s look at the Eraser.
The Eraser has three options: Eraser, Background Eraser Tool, and the Magic Eraser Tool. Open an image, I suggest a simple image with pretty good contrast. Maybe a simple mountain with a sky. Notice that when you open your image, your Layer Palette says “Background.” Now make a duplicate layer of your image, and then turn the bottom layer off by clicking on the Eye icon.
1. Eraser Tool. Pick the Eraser Tool. I usually pick a soft brush, and in this case, I have set my Opacity at 100%. Now I will move the Tool/Cursor over the area I want to erase. Because I am working on a copy of the background, and I have my Element Preference set on the Transparent setting, I have what appears to be a checker pattern when I erase. If you have detailed edging that you are trying to erase around, you may not be happy with the results. Erasing something out of an image isn’t perfect. You may have to resize your brush, if you have trouble erasing around an object.
2. Background Erase Tool. This tool does almost the same thing as the Eraser Tool. The difference would be if I were working directly on my original background image (which I would never do). Instead of seeing a checker background, I would see a white background as I erase. Once again, erasing isn’t perfect.
3. Magic Eraser Tool. This tool is also known as the Smart Eraser Tool, and we know what that means. Be very careful. What this tool does is erase pixels that match what you have selected. Say you want to erase a blue sky, well if someone has the same shade of blue in their eyes, that’s going to go away also. So, when using this tool, watch what is being deleted. However, the Magic Eraser Tool is pretty speedy.
Honestly, this tool is very simple. It can be frustrating because sometimes you accidently erase something you don’t want to. If you are working on a duplicate copy, you can always repair the damage. Experiment with the Eraser Tools and become comfortable with them. Adjust the brush sizes, tolerance, and opacity. Have fun.
Next article: Adobe Elements 2019, Draw Tools continued: Paint Bucket.
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PERSI Gems: Happy Returns
by Adam Barrone and Mike Hudson
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We at PERSI send greetings for the New Year and wishes that the hope of new beginnings will return again and again.
We yearn for loved ones to return home, for lost possessions to be recovered, for important news to be reported back, and for simple pleasures to again be available. As genealogists and historians, we seek to return artifacts and bits of knowledge to those who will appreciate and share them. Our thoughts turn to the past so we might learn and teach with the aim of brightening the future for the next generation.
When you resume your research after the holiday, try a search in the Periodical Source Index (PERSI).
http://search.findmypast.com/search/periodical-source-index
We hope your search will return intriguing results. Here are some we found.
Bodies of P. N. Walters and J. Philip of sloop Happy Return not recovered, 1799
Greenwood Tree (Somerset & Dorset Fam. Hist. Soc., Eng.), v.39n.2, May 2014
Bullock to return Confederate pensioners letters
Texas Kin (Dallas County East Gen. Soc.), v.12n.2, Jun. 1983
Fort Delaware water returns to moat, photo and note, c. 1979
Fort Delaware (DE) Notes, v.29, Apr. 1979
Genealogical fertilizer, returning favors, spreading interest, ways to increase research returns
Prospector (Clark Co. NV Gen. Soc.), v.26n.6, Jan. 2006
Marilyn Monroe saloon girl outfit from River of No Return, photo and auction sale note, 1954, 2011
True West, v.59n.3, Mar. 2012
Ohio farmer lost wallet, recovered in exported hay in Japan and returned, note, 2002
Kinsman Courier (Coshochton Co. Chap., OH Gen. Soc.), v.36n.4, Win. 2013
Pats Island and returned Long fam. cem. stones
Southern Genealogists Exchange Quarterly, v.31n.13, Mar. 1990
President Coolidge returns a check
Vermont Quarterly, v.18n.3, Jul. 1950
Pretzel bending industry and return of beer, newspaper item, Apr. 7, 1933
Whitley Co. (IN) Hist. Soc. Bulletin, v.54n.2, Jun. 2016
Receiving election returns by long distance telephone, photo and note, Nov. 6, 1900
Nebraska History, v.95n.3, Fal. 2014
Returning orphaned heirlooms to their families
American Spirit (DAR), v.148n.3, May 2014
Returns of the season, why you should join genealogical societies, list of links
Jefferson (LA) Gen. Soc. Newsletter, Jan. 2013
Silver service of USS Iowa returned to IA
Polk County (IA) Hist. Soc. Newsletter, v.32n.1, Oct. 1992
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History Tidbits: New Year’s Resolutions
By Allison DePrey Singleton
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As we go into the New Year, many people make New Year’s resolutions. These resolutions can range from diet and exercise to relationships to beginning new hobbies. They are personal journeys that people make to improve their lives in the coming year. But why do we do this? Is there a history behind the tradition?
The short answer is yes! People have been making resolutions for centuries. For instance, the Babylonians began a tradition that was similar to our New Year’s resolutions. Their new year was celebrated at the first new moon after the vernal equinox and was the time when they made promises to the gods. If they did not fulfill their promises, the gods would not be favorable to them in the coming year. Later, after Julius Caesar established a new calendar, the Romans also made promises to the deity Janus, for whom January was named, at the first of the year.
Eventually, making resolutions became part of the Christian tradition as well. The first of the year was the day to reflect on mistakes and improvements to be made. In 1740, John Wesley created Covenant Renewal Service, which was commonly held on New Year’s Day or Eve. The event was a time to pray and make resolutions for the new year, and it is still practiced in many churches.
Today, New Year’s resolutions are mainly secular and rooted in our desire for self-improvement. It is a tradition of reflection and looking forward to opportunities that many people eagerly await. If you make a New Year’s resolution, hopefully it will be fulfilled. Happy New Year!
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Genealogy Center’s January 2022 Programs
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Join us for another month of free, virtual programs!
January 04 2022, 2:30 p.m. EST “Using US Records to Find Your Immigrant's Link to the Old Country” with Sara Allen - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6008785
January 06 2022, 6:30 p.m. EST “Fireside Chat - DNA” with Sara Allen and Allison Singleton - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6009517
January 11 2022, 2:30 p.m. EST “Welcome to the New, FREE, Periodical Source Index (PERSI)!” with Allison Singleton and Elizabeth Hodges - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6009522
January 13 2022, 6:30 p.m. EST “Fireside Chat - Legal Genealogy” with David Singleton, Allison Singleton, and Elizabeth Hodges - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6009687
January 18 2022, 2:30 p.m. EST “Explore the Research Indiana Index” with Vicki Casteel - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6009867
January 20 2022, 6:30 p.m. EST “Family Research in Germany” with Sven Grewel - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6010562
January 25 2022, 2:30 p.m. EST “Researching Scots-Irish Ancestors” with John Beatty - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6010585
January 27 2022, 6:30 p.m. EST “Genealogy Resources at the Missouri State Archives” with John Dougan - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6013737
Please register in advance for each program.
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The Genealogy Center at RootsTech 2022
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Join us for the FREE 2022 Virtual RootsTech event and learn new ways to take your family history research to the next level. Registration for this amazing event is now open. Simply go to the RootsTech website: www.familysearch.org/rootstech/next. The Genealogy Center’s very own, Allison Singleton, will be presenting a couple of programs during the conference, and you can discover the Allen County Public Library exhibitor booth featuring new resources and materials from the experts at the Genealogy Center.
Family history research starts with a question. As you enjoy the RootsTech sessions, be sure to let us know if you have any family history questions of your own via our booth chat. The genealogists at the Genealogy Center would love to help you dig deeper to find the answers to your family’s mysteries. So be sure to register for this free event and visit the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center-Visit Fort Wayne booth!
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Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming
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Do you want to know what we have planned? Are you interested in one of our events, but forget? We offer email updates for The Genealogy Center’s programming schedule. Don’t miss out! Sign up at http://goo.gl/forms/THcV0wAabB.
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Genealogy Center Social Media
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenealogyCenter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genealogycenter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ACPLGenealogy
Blog: http://www.genealogycenter.org/Community/Blog.aspx
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/askacpl
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Driving Directions to the Library
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Wondering how to get to the library? Our location is 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the block bordered on the south by Washington Boulevard, the west by Ewing Street, the north by Wayne Street, and the east by the Library Plaza, formerly Webster Street. We would enjoy having you visit the Genealogy Center.
To get directions from your exact location to 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana, visit this link at MapQuest:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&addtohistory=&address=900%20Webster%20St&city=Fort%20Wayne&state=IN&zipcode=46802%2d3602&country=US&geodiff=1
>From the South
Exit Interstate 69 at exit 302. Drive east on Jefferson Boulevard into downtown. Turn left on Ewing Street. The Library is one block north, at Ewing Street and Washington Boulevard.
Using US 27:
US 27 turns into Lafayette Street. Drive north into downtown. Turn left at Washington Boulevard and go five blocks. The Library will be on the right.
>From the North
Exit Interstate 69 at exit 312. Drive south on Coldwater Road, which merges into Clinton Street. Continue south on Clinton to Washington Boulevard. Turn right on Washington and go three blocks. The Library will be on the right.
>From the West
Using US 30:
Drive into town on US 30. US 30 turns into Goshen Ave. which dead-ends at West State Blvd. Make an angled left turn onto West State Blvd. Turn right on Wells Street. Go south on Wells to Wayne Street. Turn left on Wayne Street. The Library will be in the second block on the right.
Using US 24:
After crossing under Interstate 69, follow the same directions as from the South.
>From the East
Follow US 30/then 930 into and through New Haven, under an overpass into downtown Fort Wayne. You will be on Washington Blvd. when you get into downtown. Library Plaza will be on the right.
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Parking at the Library
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At the Library, underground parking can be accessed from Wayne Street. Other library parking lots are at Washington and Webster, and Wayne and Webster. Hourly parking is $1 per hour with a $7 maximum. ACPL library card holders may use their cards to validate the parking ticket at the west end of the Great Hall of the Library. Out of county residents may purchase a subscription card with proof of identification and residence. The current fee for an Individual Subscription Card is $85.
Public lots are located at the corner of Ewing and Wayne Streets ($1 each for the first two half-hours, $1 per hour after, with a $4 per day maximum) and the corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Harrison Street ($3 per day).
Street (metered) parking on Ewing and Wayne Streets. On the street you plug the meters 8am – 5pm, weekdays only. The meters take credit cards and charge at a rate of $1/hour. Street parking is free after 5 p.m. and on the weekends.
Visitor center/Grand Wayne Center garage at Washington and Clinton Streets. This is the Hilton Hotel parking lot that also serves as a day parking garage. For hourly parking, 7am – 11 pm, charges are .50 for the first 45 minutes, then $1.00 per hour. There is a flat $2.00 fee between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m.
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Genealogy Center Queries
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The Genealogy Center hopes you find this newsletter interesting. Thank you for subscribing. We cannot, however, answer personal research emails written to the e-zine address. The department houses a Research Center that makes photocopies and conducts research for a fee.
If you have a general question about our collection, or are interested in the Research Center, please telephone the library and speak to a librarian who will be glad to answer your general questions or send you a research center form. Our telephone number is 260-421-1225. If you’d like to email a general information question about the department, please email: Genealogy [at] ACPL.Info.
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Publishing Note
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This electronic newsletter is published by the Allen County Public Library's Genealogy Center, and is intended to enlighten readers about genealogical research methods as well as inform them about the vast resources of the Allen County Public Library. We welcome the wide distribution of this newsletter and encourage readers to forward it to their friends and societies. All precautions have been made to avoid errors. However, the publisher does not assume any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, no matter the cause.
To subscribe to “Genealogy Gems,” simply use your browser to go to the website: www.GenealogyCenter.org. Scroll to the bottom, click on E-zine, and fill out the form. You will be notified with a confirmation email.
If you do not want to receive this e-zine, please follow the link at the very bottom of the issue of Genealogy Gems you just received or send an email to kspears [at] acpl.lib.in.us with "unsubscribe e-zine" in the subject line.
Curt B. Witcher and John D. Beatty, CG, co-editors
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