| Genealogy Gems: News from the Allen County Public Library at Fort Wayne, No. 240, February 29, 2024 | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Genealogy Gems (genealogygems genealogycenter.info)
|
|
| Date: Thu, 29 Feb 2024 23:12:21 -0500 | |
Genealogy Gems: News from the Allen County Public Library at Fort Wayne
No. 240, February 29, 2024
In this issue:
*Leap Year Opportunities
*Review of Bruce Durie’s “Understanding Documents for Genealogy & Local History”
*Ethnicity Estimate Discrepancies Explained
*PERSI Gems: Leap Year Warning
*History Tidbits: Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned: The Remarkable Life and Afterlife of the Rani of Jhansi
*Genealogy Center’s March 2024 Programs
*March Program Call-outs
*Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming
*Genealogy Center Social Media
*Driving Directions to the Library
*Parking at the Library
*Genealogy Center Queries
*Publishing Note
***************************************
Leap Year Opportunities
by Curt B. Witcher
***************************************
For those of us who are continually in search of more hours in the day to continue pursuing, preserving and presenting our families’ stories, a leap year--the leap day in February--should be appreciated as a real blessing. I am in the front of that line for sure! Since we can only have a leap day every four years, maybe a better strategy for being able to do more is to be more intentional in our activities. I am going to use LEAP to outline one strategy.
L-LEARN
E-EXPLORE
A-ARCHIVE
P-PRESENT
LEARN: It’s not too late in 2024 to commit to supercharging our learning. A learning mind is often a more creative mind--a mind open to letting one record discovery and its context lead us to more record discoveries and, as importantly, more meaningful contexts in which to place our ancestors. Learning opportunities abound. This newsletter is being published during the RootsTech 2024 conference. So much of that conference is available online. www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/ You really must participate; it is that important. There are two full days left, and numerous recorded sessions will be available after that. Timely classes and extraordinary technology sessions will light the way to many more opportunities in your research.
EXPLORE: Exploring is quite related to learning. If you look at the same types of records and sources, if you search the same databases, and if you engage the same websites in the same way, you are greatly limiting your potential for finding all your families’ stories. Explore for opportunities to do more, and to do better. The large information aggregators in the family history space are not the only ones adding exciting, useful new content. Sources previously unknown are coming to life on websites of libraries, archives, and record repositories every day. Make the time to explore.
ARCHIVE: A question I often ask is, “Are we genealogists or are we stuff collectors?” Finding records and downloading them really is only half the work genealogists should be doing. If all you do is download data, then you’re a stuff collector. Genealogists archive their data; and I would offer that archiving data means organizing it in a manner that groups families together, links appropriate geographic locations and ethnic groups together, and employs a filing scheme in which specific data can be easily retrieved to share, append, or modify.
PRESENT: Presenting our data could also mean publishing our data. Think creatively about publishing. We don’t have to actually print a book. We can develop a website, create an online tree or post to existing online trees, write a blog, and so much more. When we “write-up our research” we necessarily have to analyze the data we have collected. This process often points to holes in our research and leads us to new explorations and discoveries. It is often hard to get started, but so very rewarding on so many levels when we actually write.
I hope you enjoyed the leap day and position yourself to LEAP into the rest of this year--and beyond.
***************************************
Review of Bruce Durie’s “Understanding Documents for Genealogy & Local History”
by John D. Beatty, CG
***************************************
Modern genealogists are accustomed to researching such familiar sources as vital and church records, census records, and probates. However, if they trace their pedigrees back to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in England and Scotland, they face a bewildering array of unfamiliar sources associated with manorial estates and ancient feudal customs extant at that time. For example, Scottish researchers will encounter sasines and retours - the former a kind of deed giving possession of legal property, while the latter was an extract from court chancery records in which an heir is proven to succeed or inherit real property (as opposed to moveable property listed in wills). In England, most of our ancestors lived tenants lived on landed estates and were subjected to a variety of fines, rents, feoffments, indentures, and other records that Americans will find strange and confusing. Moreover, many of these records are written in Latin in handwriting styles that can prove extremely challenging to decipher.
One of the most valuable guidebooks for researching these records is Bruce Durie’s “Understanding Documents for Genealogy & Local History” (Stroud, Gloucestershire: History Press, 2013), GC 929 D93u. Durie, who teaches professional postgraduate studies in genealogy at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, is well-equipped to guide researchers into understanding these difficult sources. As he states in his introduction, many family historians face brick walls that can only “be scaled by looking for different sorts of documents,” while professional genealogists are being asked by clients to “find and then interpret, explain, translate, and/or transcribe whole new classes of records, many in manuscript, that they may be unfamiliar with.” This volume addresses the needs of both.
Durie begins his discourse with an overview of the difficult paleography found in English and Scottish records from the twelfth through eighteenth centuries. He provides many illustrations of handwriting styles as well as common abbreviations and “brevigraphs” that might best be described as strange symbols used in records that were well understood by scribes at the time but less obvious to us. He follows this chapter with another on archaic Latin and sets forth many of the common words and phrases one will encounter in reading these documents. Further, he discusses strategies for extracting pertinent genealogical information and provides an extensive glossary. Reading this type of Latin in the hand they were written are skills that can take years to master, but Durie’s overview provides an excellent beginning. He also focuses on the problems of Old and New Style calendars, inscriptions found on ancient gravestones, heraldic documents, and Gaelic words that can creep into Scottish and English records.
The second section of Durie’s book is devoted to the Scottish and English records themselves and represents a valuable overview. Indeed, his discussions are better and more detailed than what I have seen in most general guidebooks on English and Scottish research. He begins with an overview of old parish registers and how to find them (with numerous illustrations), together with useful examples of Latin phrases that can appear in them. He then offers a discussion of entail, when an estate can only be inherited by a specified succession of heirs. There are also chapters on wills and testaments; trust dispositions and settlements; sasines; retours; tacks, assedations, and maills; kirk sessions; fines, recoveries, and final concords; manorial documents; and finally, indentures, deeds and lands. The book’s third section consists of an extensive glossary of Latin, Scots, and English terms and phrases that can be found in historical documents of this era.
Durie’s book is not light reading for the beginning genealogist. Rather, it is aimed at intermediate and advanced genealogists who have traced ancestors to the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and are looking to extend their searches beyond the usual church registers. Its value comes in presenting a broad array of potential alternate sources. It is a gem of a book – one of the best of its types that I have encountered – and it certainly belongs in genealogical libraries that have significant British holdings.
***************************************
Ethnicity Estimate Discrepancies Explained
by Sara Allen
***************************************
Many folks take a DNA test because they are curious about their ethnic background and want to see a breakdown of places in the world where their family might have lived. This type of DNA is called autosomal DNA testing, and it is available from four major, reputable companies: AncestryDNA, FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritageDNA, and 23andme. This test looks at both your mother and your father’s side of your family and provides two results: an ethnicity report and a list of genetic cousin matches (people who share enough DNA with you to be a relative). We often hear about people who are disappointed with their ethnic results. In this article, we will briefly summarize some information on how to more properly interpret your ethnicity results at these DNA companies.
First, the DNA test for ethnic background is not a very specific or precise test. It truly is an estimate, which means it is subject to change, such as when the testing company refines their calculation processes or when they gather new data about ethnic groups that might change your categorization. Keep in mind that this testing does not follow current geographical or political boundaries, but is looking at more ancient DNA, such as which historical people groups lived in a general region of the world hundreds of years ago. Generally speaking, the results should be correct at the continental level and sometimes at the regional level within the continent, but the break-down into sub-regional categories like countries is much less reliable. Best advice is to enjoy the DNA ethnicity reports but don’t take them too seriously. Small differences to your known ethnic background are expected, especially within the same continent.
However, a situation that bears further scrutiny is when your results show a different continent than expected; this could be because of an unknown family secret such as adoption, sperm donation, or non-parental event (biological parent not the person that was said to be the parent) in your tree. Often the best way to shed more light on this type of discrepancy is to test more family members such as parents, aunts/uncles, siblings, and first cousins to see if they share that same unusual ethnicity result. Also see if they appear on your genetic cousin list as a DNA match and determine how much DNA they actually share with you. You might find that a known family member could be a surprise half-relation rather than a full relation.
Let’s look at some scenarios and discuss interpretation of the results:
1. You believe you are 100% European, but ethnicity tests show you are 25% Asian and 75% European. Pay attention to the 25% Asian, as this is from a different continent than expected and could indicate one of your grandparents is not who you believe they were.
2. You believe that you are 100% Ashkenazi Jewish, but ethnicity results show you are 50% Jewish and 50% non-Jewish European. This would mean that one of your parents was likely 100% Gentile (non-Jewish), which is not expected and definitely something to look into further.
3. You believe you are part Native American, part African, and part European, but ethnicity tests show you are only Native American and European, and not African. Again, with Africa being a different continent, you should have African ethnicity results if you are from that background, so look into this further.
4. You believe you are 100% German from a Germanic background, but DNA testing shows that while you are mostly Germanic, you also have small percentages of French, Italian and Polish. This is a plausible mixture of ethnicity results for a person from the region of Central Europe, and further, France, Italy and Poland all border Germanic countries, meaning that population groups in that area could easily have intermarried over the years. This is not usually a cause for concern.
5. You believe you are 50% Irish and 50% English, but your ethnicity estimate says you are part Welsh, Scots, Irish, English, and Norwegian. Again, these are all areas that border one another and whose ancient people groups could plausibly have married and become intertwined in your family DNA over time - not usually a cause for concern.
Ways to resolve serious discrepancies in your ethnicity estimate:
**Test your other relatives on both sides of your family, as mentioned above, to gather more data to compare and contrast with your results. Talk to your family about it.
**Test at multiple testing companies. Some companies do a better job of estimating ethnicity than others.
**Double-check your family history research to make sure you have accurate documentary evidence **about ancestors, but also remember there could be family secrets revealed by DNA that run counter to the documentary evidence.
**Consult an expert to review your DNA results and give their opinion
Good luck on your quest to better understand your DNA testing results!
***************************************
PERSI Gems: Leap Year Warning
by Adam Barrone and Mike Hudson
***************************************
Newspapers convey a great many announcements in the public interest: predictions of adverse weather, schedules of hearings and court proceedings, police blotters listing arrests of offenders, notices about the recall of unsafe products, and reports of scammers and criminals preying upon area residents. One hundred eight years ago, The Valley City Times Record of North Dakota issued a very particular warning, addressed to bachelors, of a potential life-changing occurrence. The newspaper predicted the possibility of a female-initiated proposal in the parlor:
"When you are sitting in the parlor alone with a young lady and she works her chair close to yours, looks dreamy and sentimental and sighs as she raised her eye to yours, don't get fussed and blush and move away. Just sit right still, and chew the corner of your handkerchief and wait. You're in no danger."
"But if she leads you to the sofa, sits down by you, take your hand in hers, or rather between hers, looks up into your face with a firm yet resolute _expression_ and gently whispers it is leap year and business is business, you'd better prepare to get out of the way, unless you think so, too."
If you are perplexed by this warning, perhaps you should consult the Periodical Source Index for a bit of historical context. Try a PERSI search here:
https://www.genealogycenter.info/persi/
Batdorf's Hall leap year ball notice, Oregon City Enterprise excerpt, Mar. 6, 1896
Clackamas (OR) Legacy, Vol. 28, Issue 2 (Apr 2015)
Leap year bachelors of Colchester, 1888
McDonough County (IL) Genealogical Society News Quarterly, Vol. 19, Issue 1 (Jan 1998)
Leap year ladies privilege, 1288
Highlander (Vandalia, OH), Vol. 38, Issue 1 (Jan 2000)
Leap year marriage proposals, women proposing to men, 1904-1960s
Journal of Family History, Vol. 37, Issue 1 (Jan 2012)
Leap Year mask Ball given by young ladies, note, Jan. 1889
Fulton County (KY) Genealogical Journal, Fal 2013
Leap year warning to men who are courting, c. 1866, 1916
Barnes County (ND) Quarterly, Vol. 20, Issue 2 (Spr 2016)
Slow leap year for marriage licenses, Carlinville Democrat note, Mar. 1, 1860
Macoupin County (IL) Searcher, Vol. 32, Issue 3 (Jan 2012)
Young Ladies' Leap Year Club party, list of club members, 1904
Maynard (MA) Memories, Issue 57 (Mar 2011)
***************************************
History Tidbits: Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned: The Remarkable Life and Afterlife of the Rani of Jhansi
by Logan Knight
***************************************
The female of the species is often deadlier than the male, or at least that’s what Kipling wrote. No individual proved the wisdom in this statement more than the Rani (queen) Lakshmibai. This ruler of a small princely state in what is now India would force the British East India Company to rue the day they had packed her off into forced retirement. Her actions during the Indian Mutiny (1857-1858) would eventually see her elevated to the pantheon of Indian national heroes. So, what is her story?
The future queen was born as Manikarnika Tambe, probably in 1828, in a city called Benares (today’s Varanasi). Her father was a minor civil servant in the employ of an exiled peshwa (ruler). The peshwa doted on little Manu (as she was affectionately called) and ensured that she had an excellent education. Most unusually, it included traditional masculine pursuits such as horseback-riding, archery, and fencing. In 1842, when Manu was still a young woman, she married the Maharajah Gangadhar Rao Newalkar of Jhansi, a very small state. In accordance with custom, she took a new name, Lakshmibai, in honor of the goddess Lakshmi. The new queen gave birth to a child, but he passed away tragically in just a few months. Soon afterward the royal couple adopted a cousin’s child and named him Damodar Rao, the same as that of their deceased child.
After her husband’s death in 1853, the British East India Company, which ruled much of India at the time, moved to depose the Rani and annex Jhansi to the company’s domains. The company had taken similar actions many times before, pensioning off large numbers of rulers and setting them up in retirement. It had no appeal for the queen, who made an immortal reply to the company’s representative: “I shall not surrender my Jhansi.” Her words did not have much of an immediate impact, however, as the company bundled her out of the palace and gave her some retirement money.
That would probably have been the end of the story but for larger events taking place in India. The origin and details of what became known as the Indian Mutiny (or the First War of Independence) are too lengthy and complicated to go into here, but suffice it to say that in 1857, large numbers of East India Company sepoys (soldiers) revolted, and other players joined in. Eventually, these rebels included the deposed Rani, who persuaded a number of sepoys to support her and reinstall her in Jhansi.
Inevitably, the British army came to besiege the city, and the fighting was fierce. The queen realized that the city could not hold out, and so she decided to escape and continue the fight later. The Rani climbed to the top of her tallest fort, saddled her horse and slung her adopted son onto her back. Spurring her horse forward, she jumped over the heads of the astonished besiegers, and with baby in tow, made good her dramatic escape.
Sadly, Lakshmibai would not long outlive her incredible act. Just a few weeks later, she would be killed in a minor skirmish with some British soldiers. Her body was burned to keep it from desecration at the hands of the enemy. The mutiny was eventually crushed, and Indian independence delayed until 1945. Her son, Damodar, may very well have ended up one of those pensioned off princelings. Today, the Rani of Jhansi is the subject of poems, movies, novels, and even video games. Statues of her famous leap abound in the subcontinent. Lakshmibai’s legacy of resistance remains cherished all over the world by those who value freedom.
***************************************
Genealogy Center’s March 2024 Programs
***************************************
Join us for another month of free, virtual programs!
March 5, 2024, 2:30 p.m. ET “Finding Her: Our Female Ancestor” with Melissa Tennant Rzepczynski - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9961533
March 7, 2024, 6:30 p.m. ET “Sorting Your DNA Match Lists” with Kelli Bergheimer - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9951976
March 12, 2024, 2:30 p.m. ET “Digging for Courthouse Records” with LaDonna Garner - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9952027
March 13, 2024, 7 p.m. ET “The Explosion of the Steamer Eclipse: A Forgotten Civil War Disaster” with Dieter Ullrich. An Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana program. This is a hybrid program, available in-person at the Main Library Genealogy Center in the Discovery Center or online by registering at the following link. - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HJy0afLeS-21907gK9q87g#/registration
March 14, 2024, 6:30 p.m. ET “Getting out of the Archives and Into the Pubs to Trace Your Irish Ancestry” with Elizabeth Watson - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9953109
March 16, 2024, 2 p.m. ET “AAGSFW Research Tools & Tips: How to Search Like A Genealogy Pro” with Dr. Al Brothers. An African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne program. This is a hybrid program, available in-person at the Main Library Genealogy Center in the Discovery Center or online by registering at the following link. - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ATAMFHJ5Teuamwp4GTxY5Q
March 19, 2024, 2:30 p.m. ET “Vital Records of Pennsylvania from 1682 to Today” with Denys Allen - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9953246
March 21, 2024, 6:30 p.m. ET “United States Military Records: A General Overview” with Robert Wilbanks - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9953342
March 26, 2024, 2:30 p.m. ET “Specifics of Genealogical Research in Russia” with Elena Burtseva - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9989453
March 28, 2024, 6:30 p.m. ET “Discover Your Irish Ancestors Using the Periodical Source Index (PERSI)” with Elizabeth Hodges - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9958817
Please register in advance for these engaging programs.
***************************************
March 2024 Program Call-Outs
***************************************
+++Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana+++
The Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana is offering a hybrid program on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET either at the Main Library Genealogy Center in the Discover Center meeting room or online by registering through the link below. Dieter Ullrich will present “The Explosion of the Steamer Eclipse: A Forgotten Civil War Disaster” with Dieter Ullrich. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HJy0afLeS-21907gK9q87g#/registration
+++African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne+++
The African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne is offering a hybrid program on Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 2 p.m. ET either at the Main Library Genealogy Center in the Discover Center meeting room or online by registering through the link below. The topic is “AAGSFW Research Tools & Tips: How to Search Like A Genealogy Pro.” Learn how to organize, search, log, and document your genealogy research like a pro. We will also discuss how to analyze and evaluate the family information and data you gather. Join Dr. Al Brothers, vice chair of the African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne, for this exciting and informative presentation! https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ATAMFHJ5Teuamwp4GTxY5Q
+++Indiana Genealogical Society+++
*****A MUST ATTEND EVENT*****
The Indiana Genealogical Society 2024 Conference and Annual Meeting will be held April 19-20, 2024.
Conference theme: “More to Discover: Researching Indiana Records & Repositories”
It will be a hybrid meeting: virtual and in-person at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, IN
Register online: www.indgensoc.org/conference2024.php
Only $40 for members to attend both days, $25 for a single day. See the website for all the details.
General Conference Schedule:
**Friday, 19 April 2024
8:30 AM (Eastern Standard Time) Registration Table opens
9:30 Welcome
9:45 Researching Indiana Territorial Records, Ron Darrah
An overview of Indiana's territorial records, as well as how to research and prepare an application for the IGS Territorial Guard.
10:45—Break
11:00 Researching with IARA, Jamie Webb
This presentation is a brief overview of the function and holdings of Indiana Archives and Records Administration with special emphasis on genealogical resources.
12:00 PM—Lunch on your own
1:15 Indiana Memory and Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana State Library's Digital Programs for Researchers, Justin Clark and Emily McGuire
This presentation will unlock some of the many treasures discoverable through the Indiana Memory and Hoosier State Chronicles Digital Programs.
2:15—Break
2:30 Unlocking Hoosier Heritage: Navigating The Genealogy Center's Extensive
Collection, Allison DePrey Singleton
Join us for an opportunity to learn about The Genealogy Center's extensive collection, known worldwide for its family and local history treasures. This program offers a glimpse into the vast resources available for your family history journey, with a focus on the treasure trove of Indiana-specific collections, databases, and documents. Let us help you piece together your family's Indiana legacy and provide a window into the past of this remarkable state.
3:30—Break
3:45 Ask the Experts Q & A Session
4:45 Networking and research time
6-9 Extended research hours in The Genealogy Center.
**Saturday, 20 April 2024
8:30 AM (Eastern Standard Time) Registration Table opens
9:30 Welcome
9:45 Researching Indiana Fraternal Groups, Ron Darrah
A discussion of where records can be found for Indiana ancestors who were members of fraternal organizations. Coverage will include information on where to find data on fraternal organizations no longer in existence.
10:45—Break
11:00 School Daze: Important Family Information Resides in Educational Records, Lori
Samuelson
Does the thought of researching your ancestor's school enrollment leave you dazed? School records are a valuable source of family information that is often overlooked. A brief history of education in the U.S., the type of information that is found in school records, and where to obtain those documents will be discussed. Several cases will be presented showing the importance of taking the time to acquire details about your ancestor's school days.
12:00—Lunch on your own
1:15 Indiana Genealogical Society Annual Business Meeting
2:45—Break
3:00 An Introduction to the New Indiana Genealogical Society Website, Rhonda Stoffer
This presentation will offer an overview and introduction to the brand-new IGS website, explaining the new features and how to navigate and search for information.
No. 240, February 29, 2024
In this issue:
*Leap Year Opportunities
*Review of Bruce Durie’s “Understanding Documents for Genealogy & Local History”
*Ethnicity Estimate Discrepancies Explained
*PERSI Gems: Leap Year Warning
*History Tidbits: Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned: The Remarkable Life and Afterlife of the Rani of Jhansi
*Genealogy Center’s March 2024 Programs
*March Program Call-outs
*Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming
*Genealogy Center Social Media
*Driving Directions to the Library
*Parking at the Library
*Genealogy Center Queries
*Publishing Note
***************************************
Leap Year Opportunities
by Curt B. Witcher
***************************************
For those of us who are continually in search of more hours in the day to continue pursuing, preserving and presenting our families’ stories, a leap year--the leap day in February--should be appreciated as a real blessing. I am in the front of that line for sure! Since we can only have a leap day every four years, maybe a better strategy for being able to do more is to be more intentional in our activities. I am going to use LEAP to outline one strategy.
L-LEARN
E-EXPLORE
A-ARCHIVE
P-PRESENT
LEARN: It’s not too late in 2024 to commit to supercharging our learning. A learning mind is often a more creative mind--a mind open to letting one record discovery and its context lead us to more record discoveries and, as importantly, more meaningful contexts in which to place our ancestors. Learning opportunities abound. This newsletter is being published during the RootsTech 2024 conference. So much of that conference is available online. www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/ You really must participate; it is that important. There are two full days left, and numerous recorded sessions will be available after that. Timely classes and extraordinary technology sessions will light the way to many more opportunities in your research.
EXPLORE: Exploring is quite related to learning. If you look at the same types of records and sources, if you search the same databases, and if you engage the same websites in the same way, you are greatly limiting your potential for finding all your families’ stories. Explore for opportunities to do more, and to do better. The large information aggregators in the family history space are not the only ones adding exciting, useful new content. Sources previously unknown are coming to life on websites of libraries, archives, and record repositories every day. Make the time to explore.
ARCHIVE: A question I often ask is, “Are we genealogists or are we stuff collectors?” Finding records and downloading them really is only half the work genealogists should be doing. If all you do is download data, then you’re a stuff collector. Genealogists archive their data; and I would offer that archiving data means organizing it in a manner that groups families together, links appropriate geographic locations and ethnic groups together, and employs a filing scheme in which specific data can be easily retrieved to share, append, or modify.
PRESENT: Presenting our data could also mean publishing our data. Think creatively about publishing. We don’t have to actually print a book. We can develop a website, create an online tree or post to existing online trees, write a blog, and so much more. When we “write-up our research” we necessarily have to analyze the data we have collected. This process often points to holes in our research and leads us to new explorations and discoveries. It is often hard to get started, but so very rewarding on so many levels when we actually write.
I hope you enjoyed the leap day and position yourself to LEAP into the rest of this year--and beyond.
***************************************
Review of Bruce Durie’s “Understanding Documents for Genealogy & Local History”
by John D. Beatty, CG
***************************************
Modern genealogists are accustomed to researching such familiar sources as vital and church records, census records, and probates. However, if they trace their pedigrees back to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in England and Scotland, they face a bewildering array of unfamiliar sources associated with manorial estates and ancient feudal customs extant at that time. For example, Scottish researchers will encounter sasines and retours - the former a kind of deed giving possession of legal property, while the latter was an extract from court chancery records in which an heir is proven to succeed or inherit real property (as opposed to moveable property listed in wills). In England, most of our ancestors lived tenants lived on landed estates and were subjected to a variety of fines, rents, feoffments, indentures, and other records that Americans will find strange and confusing. Moreover, many of these records are written in Latin in handwriting styles that can prove extremely challenging to decipher.
One of the most valuable guidebooks for researching these records is Bruce Durie’s “Understanding Documents for Genealogy & Local History” (Stroud, Gloucestershire: History Press, 2013), GC 929 D93u. Durie, who teaches professional postgraduate studies in genealogy at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, is well-equipped to guide researchers into understanding these difficult sources. As he states in his introduction, many family historians face brick walls that can only “be scaled by looking for different sorts of documents,” while professional genealogists are being asked by clients to “find and then interpret, explain, translate, and/or transcribe whole new classes of records, many in manuscript, that they may be unfamiliar with.” This volume addresses the needs of both.
Durie begins his discourse with an overview of the difficult paleography found in English and Scottish records from the twelfth through eighteenth centuries. He provides many illustrations of handwriting styles as well as common abbreviations and “brevigraphs” that might best be described as strange symbols used in records that were well understood by scribes at the time but less obvious to us. He follows this chapter with another on archaic Latin and sets forth many of the common words and phrases one will encounter in reading these documents. Further, he discusses strategies for extracting pertinent genealogical information and provides an extensive glossary. Reading this type of Latin in the hand they were written are skills that can take years to master, but Durie’s overview provides an excellent beginning. He also focuses on the problems of Old and New Style calendars, inscriptions found on ancient gravestones, heraldic documents, and Gaelic words that can creep into Scottish and English records.
The second section of Durie’s book is devoted to the Scottish and English records themselves and represents a valuable overview. Indeed, his discussions are better and more detailed than what I have seen in most general guidebooks on English and Scottish research. He begins with an overview of old parish registers and how to find them (with numerous illustrations), together with useful examples of Latin phrases that can appear in them. He then offers a discussion of entail, when an estate can only be inherited by a specified succession of heirs. There are also chapters on wills and testaments; trust dispositions and settlements; sasines; retours; tacks, assedations, and maills; kirk sessions; fines, recoveries, and final concords; manorial documents; and finally, indentures, deeds and lands. The book’s third section consists of an extensive glossary of Latin, Scots, and English terms and phrases that can be found in historical documents of this era.
Durie’s book is not light reading for the beginning genealogist. Rather, it is aimed at intermediate and advanced genealogists who have traced ancestors to the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and are looking to extend their searches beyond the usual church registers. Its value comes in presenting a broad array of potential alternate sources. It is a gem of a book – one of the best of its types that I have encountered – and it certainly belongs in genealogical libraries that have significant British holdings.
***************************************
Ethnicity Estimate Discrepancies Explained
by Sara Allen
***************************************
Many folks take a DNA test because they are curious about their ethnic background and want to see a breakdown of places in the world where their family might have lived. This type of DNA is called autosomal DNA testing, and it is available from four major, reputable companies: AncestryDNA, FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritageDNA, and 23andme. This test looks at both your mother and your father’s side of your family and provides two results: an ethnicity report and a list of genetic cousin matches (people who share enough DNA with you to be a relative). We often hear about people who are disappointed with their ethnic results. In this article, we will briefly summarize some information on how to more properly interpret your ethnicity results at these DNA companies.
First, the DNA test for ethnic background is not a very specific or precise test. It truly is an estimate, which means it is subject to change, such as when the testing company refines their calculation processes or when they gather new data about ethnic groups that might change your categorization. Keep in mind that this testing does not follow current geographical or political boundaries, but is looking at more ancient DNA, such as which historical people groups lived in a general region of the world hundreds of years ago. Generally speaking, the results should be correct at the continental level and sometimes at the regional level within the continent, but the break-down into sub-regional categories like countries is much less reliable. Best advice is to enjoy the DNA ethnicity reports but don’t take them too seriously. Small differences to your known ethnic background are expected, especially within the same continent.
However, a situation that bears further scrutiny is when your results show a different continent than expected; this could be because of an unknown family secret such as adoption, sperm donation, or non-parental event (biological parent not the person that was said to be the parent) in your tree. Often the best way to shed more light on this type of discrepancy is to test more family members such as parents, aunts/uncles, siblings, and first cousins to see if they share that same unusual ethnicity result. Also see if they appear on your genetic cousin list as a DNA match and determine how much DNA they actually share with you. You might find that a known family member could be a surprise half-relation rather than a full relation.
Let’s look at some scenarios and discuss interpretation of the results:
1. You believe you are 100% European, but ethnicity tests show you are 25% Asian and 75% European. Pay attention to the 25% Asian, as this is from a different continent than expected and could indicate one of your grandparents is not who you believe they were.
2. You believe that you are 100% Ashkenazi Jewish, but ethnicity results show you are 50% Jewish and 50% non-Jewish European. This would mean that one of your parents was likely 100% Gentile (non-Jewish), which is not expected and definitely something to look into further.
3. You believe you are part Native American, part African, and part European, but ethnicity tests show you are only Native American and European, and not African. Again, with Africa being a different continent, you should have African ethnicity results if you are from that background, so look into this further.
4. You believe you are 100% German from a Germanic background, but DNA testing shows that while you are mostly Germanic, you also have small percentages of French, Italian and Polish. This is a plausible mixture of ethnicity results for a person from the region of Central Europe, and further, France, Italy and Poland all border Germanic countries, meaning that population groups in that area could easily have intermarried over the years. This is not usually a cause for concern.
5. You believe you are 50% Irish and 50% English, but your ethnicity estimate says you are part Welsh, Scots, Irish, English, and Norwegian. Again, these are all areas that border one another and whose ancient people groups could plausibly have married and become intertwined in your family DNA over time - not usually a cause for concern.
Ways to resolve serious discrepancies in your ethnicity estimate:
**Test your other relatives on both sides of your family, as mentioned above, to gather more data to compare and contrast with your results. Talk to your family about it.
**Test at multiple testing companies. Some companies do a better job of estimating ethnicity than others.
**Double-check your family history research to make sure you have accurate documentary evidence **about ancestors, but also remember there could be family secrets revealed by DNA that run counter to the documentary evidence.
**Consult an expert to review your DNA results and give their opinion
Good luck on your quest to better understand your DNA testing results!
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PERSI Gems: Leap Year Warning
by Adam Barrone and Mike Hudson
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Newspapers convey a great many announcements in the public interest: predictions of adverse weather, schedules of hearings and court proceedings, police blotters listing arrests of offenders, notices about the recall of unsafe products, and reports of scammers and criminals preying upon area residents. One hundred eight years ago, The Valley City Times Record of North Dakota issued a very particular warning, addressed to bachelors, of a potential life-changing occurrence. The newspaper predicted the possibility of a female-initiated proposal in the parlor:
"When you are sitting in the parlor alone with a young lady and she works her chair close to yours, looks dreamy and sentimental and sighs as she raised her eye to yours, don't get fussed and blush and move away. Just sit right still, and chew the corner of your handkerchief and wait. You're in no danger."
"But if she leads you to the sofa, sits down by you, take your hand in hers, or rather between hers, looks up into your face with a firm yet resolute _expression_ and gently whispers it is leap year and business is business, you'd better prepare to get out of the way, unless you think so, too."
If you are perplexed by this warning, perhaps you should consult the Periodical Source Index for a bit of historical context. Try a PERSI search here:
https://www.genealogycenter.info/persi/
Batdorf's Hall leap year ball notice, Oregon City Enterprise excerpt, Mar. 6, 1896
Clackamas (OR) Legacy, Vol. 28, Issue 2 (Apr 2015)
Leap year bachelors of Colchester, 1888
McDonough County (IL) Genealogical Society News Quarterly, Vol. 19, Issue 1 (Jan 1998)
Leap year ladies privilege, 1288
Highlander (Vandalia, OH), Vol. 38, Issue 1 (Jan 2000)
Leap year marriage proposals, women proposing to men, 1904-1960s
Journal of Family History, Vol. 37, Issue 1 (Jan 2012)
Leap Year mask Ball given by young ladies, note, Jan. 1889
Fulton County (KY) Genealogical Journal, Fal 2013
Leap year warning to men who are courting, c. 1866, 1916
Barnes County (ND) Quarterly, Vol. 20, Issue 2 (Spr 2016)
Slow leap year for marriage licenses, Carlinville Democrat note, Mar. 1, 1860
Macoupin County (IL) Searcher, Vol. 32, Issue 3 (Jan 2012)
Young Ladies' Leap Year Club party, list of club members, 1904
Maynard (MA) Memories, Issue 57 (Mar 2011)
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History Tidbits: Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned: The Remarkable Life and Afterlife of the Rani of Jhansi
by Logan Knight
***************************************
The female of the species is often deadlier than the male, or at least that’s what Kipling wrote. No individual proved the wisdom in this statement more than the Rani (queen) Lakshmibai. This ruler of a small princely state in what is now India would force the British East India Company to rue the day they had packed her off into forced retirement. Her actions during the Indian Mutiny (1857-1858) would eventually see her elevated to the pantheon of Indian national heroes. So, what is her story?
The future queen was born as Manikarnika Tambe, probably in 1828, in a city called Benares (today’s Varanasi). Her father was a minor civil servant in the employ of an exiled peshwa (ruler). The peshwa doted on little Manu (as she was affectionately called) and ensured that she had an excellent education. Most unusually, it included traditional masculine pursuits such as horseback-riding, archery, and fencing. In 1842, when Manu was still a young woman, she married the Maharajah Gangadhar Rao Newalkar of Jhansi, a very small state. In accordance with custom, she took a new name, Lakshmibai, in honor of the goddess Lakshmi. The new queen gave birth to a child, but he passed away tragically in just a few months. Soon afterward the royal couple adopted a cousin’s child and named him Damodar Rao, the same as that of their deceased child.
After her husband’s death in 1853, the British East India Company, which ruled much of India at the time, moved to depose the Rani and annex Jhansi to the company’s domains. The company had taken similar actions many times before, pensioning off large numbers of rulers and setting them up in retirement. It had no appeal for the queen, who made an immortal reply to the company’s representative: “I shall not surrender my Jhansi.” Her words did not have much of an immediate impact, however, as the company bundled her out of the palace and gave her some retirement money.
That would probably have been the end of the story but for larger events taking place in India. The origin and details of what became known as the Indian Mutiny (or the First War of Independence) are too lengthy and complicated to go into here, but suffice it to say that in 1857, large numbers of East India Company sepoys (soldiers) revolted, and other players joined in. Eventually, these rebels included the deposed Rani, who persuaded a number of sepoys to support her and reinstall her in Jhansi.
Inevitably, the British army came to besiege the city, and the fighting was fierce. The queen realized that the city could not hold out, and so she decided to escape and continue the fight later. The Rani climbed to the top of her tallest fort, saddled her horse and slung her adopted son onto her back. Spurring her horse forward, she jumped over the heads of the astonished besiegers, and with baby in tow, made good her dramatic escape.
Sadly, Lakshmibai would not long outlive her incredible act. Just a few weeks later, she would be killed in a minor skirmish with some British soldiers. Her body was burned to keep it from desecration at the hands of the enemy. The mutiny was eventually crushed, and Indian independence delayed until 1945. Her son, Damodar, may very well have ended up one of those pensioned off princelings. Today, the Rani of Jhansi is the subject of poems, movies, novels, and even video games. Statues of her famous leap abound in the subcontinent. Lakshmibai’s legacy of resistance remains cherished all over the world by those who value freedom.
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Genealogy Center’s March 2024 Programs
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Join us for another month of free, virtual programs!
March 5, 2024, 2:30 p.m. ET “Finding Her: Our Female Ancestor” with Melissa Tennant Rzepczynski - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9961533
March 7, 2024, 6:30 p.m. ET “Sorting Your DNA Match Lists” with Kelli Bergheimer - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9951976
March 12, 2024, 2:30 p.m. ET “Digging for Courthouse Records” with LaDonna Garner - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9952027
March 13, 2024, 7 p.m. ET “The Explosion of the Steamer Eclipse: A Forgotten Civil War Disaster” with Dieter Ullrich. An Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana program. This is a hybrid program, available in-person at the Main Library Genealogy Center in the Discovery Center or online by registering at the following link. - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HJy0afLeS-21907gK9q87g#/registration
March 14, 2024, 6:30 p.m. ET “Getting out of the Archives and Into the Pubs to Trace Your Irish Ancestry” with Elizabeth Watson - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9953109
March 16, 2024, 2 p.m. ET “AAGSFW Research Tools & Tips: How to Search Like A Genealogy Pro” with Dr. Al Brothers. An African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne program. This is a hybrid program, available in-person at the Main Library Genealogy Center in the Discovery Center or online by registering at the following link. - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ATAMFHJ5Teuamwp4GTxY5Q
March 19, 2024, 2:30 p.m. ET “Vital Records of Pennsylvania from 1682 to Today” with Denys Allen - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9953246
March 21, 2024, 6:30 p.m. ET “United States Military Records: A General Overview” with Robert Wilbanks - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9953342
March 26, 2024, 2:30 p.m. ET “Specifics of Genealogical Research in Russia” with Elena Burtseva - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9989453
March 28, 2024, 6:30 p.m. ET “Discover Your Irish Ancestors Using the Periodical Source Index (PERSI)” with Elizabeth Hodges - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9958817
Please register in advance for these engaging programs.
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March 2024 Program Call-Outs
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+++Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana+++
The Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana is offering a hybrid program on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET either at the Main Library Genealogy Center in the Discover Center meeting room or online by registering through the link below. Dieter Ullrich will present “The Explosion of the Steamer Eclipse: A Forgotten Civil War Disaster” with Dieter Ullrich. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HJy0afLeS-21907gK9q87g#/registration
+++African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne+++
The African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne is offering a hybrid program on Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 2 p.m. ET either at the Main Library Genealogy Center in the Discover Center meeting room or online by registering through the link below. The topic is “AAGSFW Research Tools & Tips: How to Search Like A Genealogy Pro.” Learn how to organize, search, log, and document your genealogy research like a pro. We will also discuss how to analyze and evaluate the family information and data you gather. Join Dr. Al Brothers, vice chair of the African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne, for this exciting and informative presentation! https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ATAMFHJ5Teuamwp4GTxY5Q
+++Indiana Genealogical Society+++
*****A MUST ATTEND EVENT*****
The Indiana Genealogical Society 2024 Conference and Annual Meeting will be held April 19-20, 2024.
Conference theme: “More to Discover: Researching Indiana Records & Repositories”
It will be a hybrid meeting: virtual and in-person at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, IN
Register online: www.indgensoc.org/conference2024.php
Only $40 for members to attend both days, $25 for a single day. See the website for all the details.
General Conference Schedule:
**Friday, 19 April 2024
8:30 AM (Eastern Standard Time) Registration Table opens
9:30 Welcome
9:45 Researching Indiana Territorial Records, Ron Darrah
An overview of Indiana's territorial records, as well as how to research and prepare an application for the IGS Territorial Guard.
10:45—Break
11:00 Researching with IARA, Jamie Webb
This presentation is a brief overview of the function and holdings of Indiana Archives and Records Administration with special emphasis on genealogical resources.
12:00 PM—Lunch on your own
1:15 Indiana Memory and Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana State Library's Digital Programs for Researchers, Justin Clark and Emily McGuire
This presentation will unlock some of the many treasures discoverable through the Indiana Memory and Hoosier State Chronicles Digital Programs.
2:15—Break
2:30 Unlocking Hoosier Heritage: Navigating The Genealogy Center's Extensive
Collection, Allison DePrey Singleton
Join us for an opportunity to learn about The Genealogy Center's extensive collection, known worldwide for its family and local history treasures. This program offers a glimpse into the vast resources available for your family history journey, with a focus on the treasure trove of Indiana-specific collections, databases, and documents. Let us help you piece together your family's Indiana legacy and provide a window into the past of this remarkable state.
3:30—Break
3:45 Ask the Experts Q & A Session
4:45 Networking and research time
6-9 Extended research hours in The Genealogy Center.
**Saturday, 20 April 2024
8:30 AM (Eastern Standard Time) Registration Table opens
9:30 Welcome
9:45 Researching Indiana Fraternal Groups, Ron Darrah
A discussion of where records can be found for Indiana ancestors who were members of fraternal organizations. Coverage will include information on where to find data on fraternal organizations no longer in existence.
10:45—Break
11:00 School Daze: Important Family Information Resides in Educational Records, Lori
Samuelson
Does the thought of researching your ancestor's school enrollment leave you dazed? School records are a valuable source of family information that is often overlooked. A brief history of education in the U.S., the type of information that is found in school records, and where to obtain those documents will be discussed. Several cases will be presented showing the importance of taking the time to acquire details about your ancestor's school days.
12:00—Lunch on your own
1:15 Indiana Genealogical Society Annual Business Meeting
2:45—Break
3:00 An Introduction to the New Indiana Genealogical Society Website, Rhonda Stoffer
This presentation will offer an overview and introduction to the brand-new IGS website, explaining the new features and how to navigate and search for information.
4:00 —Break
4:15 Researching Indiana Church Records, Curt Sylvester
This presentation will discuss early Indiana church records and their associated congregations. Information will be provided on where records can be found including baptisms, marriages, deaths, etc. Where to find records of congregations no longer in existence also will be covered, as well as information on repositories of records for various denominations.
5:15 Closing
***************************************
Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming
***************************************
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.
***************************************
Genealogy Center Social Media
***************************************
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
***************************************
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
***************************************
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.
***************************************
Genealogy Center Queries
***************************************
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.
***************************************
Publishing Note
***************************************
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 sspearswells [at] acpl.lib.in.us with "unsubscribe e-zine" in the subject line.
Curt B. Witcher and John D. Beatty, CG, co-editors
4:15 Researching Indiana Church Records, Curt Sylvester
This presentation will discuss early Indiana church records and their associated congregations. Information will be provided on where records can be found including baptisms, marriages, deaths, etc. Where to find records of congregations no longer in existence also will be covered, as well as information on repositories of records for various denominations.
5:15 Closing
***************************************
Staying Informed about Genealogy Center Programming
***************************************
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.
***************************************
Genealogy Center Social Media
***************************************
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
***************************************
Driving Directions to the Library
***************************************
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.
***************************************
Parking at the Library
***************************************
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.
***************************************
Genealogy Center Queries
***************************************
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.
***************************************
Publishing Note
***************************************
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 sspearswells [at] acpl.lib.in.us with "unsubscribe e-zine" in the subject line.
Curt B. Witcher and John D. Beatty, CG, co-editors
- (no other messages in thread)
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