| Genealogy Gems: News from the Allen County Public Library at Fort Wayne, No. 267, May 31, 2026 | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Genealogy Gems (genealogygems genealogycenter.info)
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| Date: Sun, 31 May 2026 21:26:03 -0400 | |
Genealogy Gems: News from the Allen County Public Library at Fort Wayne
No. 267, May 31, 2026
In this issue:
*News You Can Use: The May 2026 Edition
*Review of “Searching for Sisters: A Guide to Researching Catholic Nuns in the United States”
*Israeli Jewish genealogical records in MyHeritage
*PERSI Gems: NGS and Something New
*Preservation Tips: The History of Papermaking Part 2--The Spread of Paper
*History Tidbits: London Bridge Isn’t Falling Down, It’s in Arizona!
*Genealogy Center’s June 2026 Programs
*Genealogy Center Bits-o’-News
*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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News You Can Use: The May 2026 Edition
by Curt B. Witcher
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A National Conference
Just yesterday the National Genealogical Society concluded their 2026 annual conference in Fort Wayne. What a great event--what a great celebration of our families and their stories! The city, the Allen County Public Library (ACPL), and the Genealogy Center were proud and honored to host this terrific event! More than eight hundred individuals from across the continent came to our city to learn, network and discover their families’ stories. Individuals, exhibitors, and organizations found opportunities to share, to learn from each other, and to find new sources of information on the shelves and in the databases of the Genealogy Center.
More than fourteen thousand books were used during the week of the conference with many thousands of reference and informational questions answered. It was so terrific to see the trifecta of Genealogy Center offerings being engaged: a physical collection of more than 1.3 million physical items; nearly thirty licensed online databases, from Ancestry.com, MyHeritage, and FindMyPast to small ethnically and record focused databases; and a knowledgeable, dedicated staff. From the comments I received and the numerous amazingly happy faces, I am convinced all over again that national conferences in Fort Wayne create the near-perfect opportunity for genealogists.
The Periodical Source Index (PERSI)
A major enhancement to the Periodical Source Index was launched this month. In addition to the continual indexing that adds thousands of records to the database each quarter, and under the direction of the project supervisor, Adam Barrone, we started linking to digital copies of periodical issues indexed in PERSI and found available for free on the Internet. Whether the issues are on societies’ websites, the Internet Archive, the HathiTrust Digital Library, or any other posting entity and are available for free without need to login or acquire credentials, we are starting to link to those issues on the PERSI result pages!
When one conducts a search in PERSI (freely available 24/7 on the Genealogy Center website at www.genealogycenter.info/persi), one can navigate a path that leads to a results page. For 22% (and growing) of the 3.2 million PERSI records, there will be the international symbol for a link displaying after the ACPL call number. Clicking on that link will take one to the free site where a copy of the periodical issue you need will be presented. That’s right--for statistically one fifth of the results of searches in PERSI, one will be taken to the actual virtual copy of the periodical needed. If there is ever a reason to try PERSI, or go back to PERSI again, now is the time!
A Change in Our Virtual Programming
For more than six years, from the beginning of the pandemic to May 2026, the Genealogy Center has offered two virtual programs each week with very few exceptions. It has been wonderful bringing well-known as well as budding presenters to a wide and appreciative audience. We have covered so many subjects in the genealogy and family history space, and know there are many more to cover as well as revisit from time to time as new technologies are deployed and new records are being made more accessible or accessible for the first time.
We will be changing our virtual programming posture starting this June and moving forward over the next many months. We will still have a regular schedule of virtual programs, with that regular schedule being programs on Tuesday afternoons. To complement these every-Tuesday-afternoon programs, we will be partnering with more organizations, locally and across the country, to provide additional educational offerings. As an example, we have already planned a series of programs with the Northeast Indiana Jewish Genealogy Society for early 2027. Watch for those details toward the end of this year. Remember, too, that with presenters’ permissions, our library of YouTube program offerings continues to grow, now above 440. www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8AE558B5D8661B31
Continue to look for learning opportunities in your quest to find your families’ stories.
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Review of “Searching for Sisters: A Guide to Researching Catholic Nuns in the United States”
by John D. Beatty, CG, FASG
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Religious sisterhoods, orders, and communities have existed since the Middle Ages and are associated primarily with Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Anglicanism. The nuns and monks within these orders practice celibacy, and they also keep rich, detailed records that can be useful to family historians, even if the members of these orders do not themselves have descendants. These records have not been explored extensively in genealogical literature, but they deserve the attention of researchers for the unique clues about families they can provide.
A much-needed new guidebook on this topic is “Searching for Sisters: A Guide to Researching Catholic Nuns in the United States” by Sunny Jane Morton (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2026). The Genealogy Center’s copy is on order and forthcoming. Morton has burnished her credentials as an authority on religious records with the 2019 publication of “How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records: A Genealogist’s Guide,” which she co-authored with Harold Henderson (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2019), GC 929 M846h. The same useful insights the authors brought to that work continue in this new study.
With a focus exclusively on the Catholic Church, Morton opens with a review of the types of records and people found in the records of these orders. An estimated 350,000 nuns and sisters have served within religious communities in the United States. They staffed schools, administered hospitals, tended the wounded in war, and treated victims of epidemics. In a society dominated by Protestants and men, these women became barely visible in the historical record, taking vows and often moving far from their family homes as part of religious communities. Accordingly, they removed themselves from the contexts of their own families, sometimes appearing in genealogies as children with unknown futures or death dates. However, they did not actually disappear. The religious orders they joined often maintained detailed records about these women, their parents, siblings, and extended families. The nuns also ran schools, hospitals, and orphanages that maintained detailed records of children, patients, inmates, enslaved people, clients, employees, and donors, all of which can be genealogically valuable.
As a way of background, Morton discusses the various “rules” or traditions that these communities have followed and offers a brief history of nuns and religious life in the U.S. For those unfamiliar with these traditions, her explanation of the process of how women came to accept religious vows, their use of post nominals, and the migrations they often undertook in such service provide important context for genealogists. She covers such sources as Catholic directories and almanacs, guides to Sisterhoods, and the process of finding the archives of these orders. Many of these repositories remain closed to visitors, so researchers should attempt to contact the record custodians beforehand about access. Types of sources can often include personnel files, death and burial registers, personal photographs, scrapbooks, and correspondence from the nuns. Other records may also exist of orphans, students, hospital patients, and others associated with the places these nuns administered. Morton also includes also a chapter on finding nuns in civil vital records, census records, newspapers, local histories, and cemetery records. With nuns often taking new names after taking their vows, they can prove challenging to find. Morton concludes the book by offering several case studies and an appendix with a directory of selected archives.
Genealogists with Catholic relatives will find this book an important resource. It will expand their understanding of the range of available sources for researching family members. For example, the biography of a nun may include a birthplace that will open the pathway to a place of origin in Europe, thereby unlocking other family records. This book is an important source for Catholic researchers.
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Israeli Jewish genealogical records in MyHeritage
by Sara Allen
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While sources for recent Jewish research in Israel may be sparse, the MyHeritage database has a good collection worth further exploration and highlighting. To access the MyHeritage database from home you need a subscription, but the Genealogy Center and some other public libraries have institutional subscriptions to offer free access to the database inside the library. A few of the resources discussed in this article are free, meaning that anyone can view them without a subscription to MyHeritage.
Most of these collections include records in the Hebrew language, but MyHeritage has a built-in translator in the software that will translate the names into English. Also, for the non-English speakers, the MyHeritage database interface can be set to display in 50 different languages from the home page. This feature will translate the search pages, the database descriptions, the tags and record descriptions into whichever language is selected.
Below you will find a list and descriptions of the major Israeli Jewish collections on MyHeritage.
Israel Immigration Lists (free)
Lists of immigrants to Israel begin in 1919 and are scanned from index books. Immigration lists may include the name, birth year, age, former residence, immigration date and place, ship, and relatives. Indexes are mainly in Hebrew, and the original passenger lists related to these indexes are in the Israel State Archives.
Israel, Marriages and Divorces (free)
Marriage and divorce records from Israel start in 1919. Records may include the names of bride and groom, birth year, residence, occupation, and ethnic community, date and place of event, names of parents and witnesses. Records are in Hebrew, but bride and groom’s names are translated into English.
Avelim – Israeli Obituaries (free)
Mourning notices, obituaries and Shiv’ah notices exist from Israel. They include the name of the deceased and date of notice. They are in Hebrew with translations of some of the information in English. The link to the original record at the Avelim website is also provided. These are mostly recent obituaries from the 2000s and later of persons who died in Israel or whose death was announced in Israel.
Israel Genealogy Research Association Index (IGRA) (free)
IGRA has indexed over 5 million various records found in Israel or related to Israel. The indexes include the name of the person, and sometimes the year of birth and other information, as well as the name of the source to which the index is pointing. These records can range in time from 1800 to 2020. To access the original source record, you must contact IGRA ($).
Eretz Israel Telephone Directory, 1944
A country-wide telephone directory is dated 1944. Scans of the original pages are available; the phone book was published in English.
Mandatory Palestine Naturalization Applications, 1937-1947
These applications are mostly related to Jewish persons applying for citizenship in British-administered Mandatory Palestine from 1937 to 1947. Most records are in English with some Hebrew throughout. These records include names, dates, places, photographs, letters of witnesses, and more. Some of these naturalization files contain upwards of 30 pages of scanned images of documentation about one person or family unit. This is an incomplete collection as many passports and immigration records from this time were lost or destroyed.
To learn about research in Israel generally, take a look at the FamilySearch Wiki article about Israel Genealogy at: https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Israel_Genealogy Happy hunting!
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PERSI Gems: NGS and Something New
by Adam Barrone and Mike Hudson
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In honor of the National Genealogical Society’s annual conference which just concluded in Fort Wayne, we offer a sampling of citations to articles in their magazine. The NGS Magazine is known for its informative and practical articles on a wide variety of topics in genealogy research methodology:
Autograph books as a neglected genealogical resource, Mattie Shipley Culver example, 19th C.+, WA
NGS Magazine, v.38 n.2 (Apr 2012)
Be less sedentary, technology tips for genealogists using computers
NGS Magazine, v.40 n.4 (Oct 2014)
Early American handwriting, tips
NGS Newsmagazine, v.25 n.5 (Sep 1999)
Estate inventories, windows into ancestors' lives, resource guide
NGS Magazine, v.48 n.2 (Apr 2022)
From spit to screen, the journey of a DNA sample
NGS Magazine, v.46 n.3 (Jul 2020)
Fur trade permits granted in the district of Montreal, history and use as a resource, 1721-1752
NGS Magazine, v. 37 n.3 (Jul 2011)
Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library, resource guide
NGS Magazine, v.48 n.4 (Oct 2022)
History helpers, ten volunteer roles every genealogical society needs
NGS Newsmagazine, v.50 n.4 (Oct 2024)
Native-born aliens, the laws and records of expatriated women, 1907-1922, 1931
NGS Magazine, v.46 n.3 (Jul 2020)
Stone gravemarkers: composition and durability
NGS Newsmagazine, v.17 n. 3 (May 1991)
Using the Periodical Source Index aka PERSI, research tips, techniques, Adam J. Barrone story, 1986+
NGS Magazine, v. 52 n. 1 (Jan 2026)
The Periodical Source Index (PERSI) is built from print serials (like the NGS Magazine) shelved at the ACPL Genealogy Center, but a portion of our source material can also be accessed online. We set out to find these freely-available digital issues which are spread across hundreds of internet domains run by archives, governments, libraries, publishers, societies, and universities. So far, we’ve found 82,000 digital issues from 1,100 different publications.
To help you access these many online resources from home, we’ve added the web addresses to the PERSI database. Look for new links in your PERSI search results. None of these links require login credentials except for links to FamilySearch which may require a free user account.
https://www.genealogycenter.info/persi/
Links are available for 23% of the citations in PERSI. For the remaining 77%, you’ll still need to track down articles through the Genealogy Center, other libraries, or direct from the publisher.
The National Genealogical Society Quarterly, for example, has links in PERSI for its pre-1931 issues available at Internet Archive and HathiTrust. More recent issues of this publication are not linked to PERSI, because their digital availability is limited to NGS members who login at https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/ngsq/.
We are pleased to offer this new PERSI feature and we hope it will improve your research productivity.
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Preservation Tips: The History of Papermaking Part 2--The Spread of Paper
by Christina Clary, C.A.
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The invention of paper made from pulped plant fibers, or paper closer to what we have today, began in China around 105 C.E. A court official, Ts'ai Lun, is credited with standardizing the papermaking process. The paper was used for religious, governmental, and business purposes. From China, it spread to Vietnam, Korea, and Japan around 610 C.E. It was introduced to Central Asia and the Middle East in the 700s C.E., though exactly how and when remains unclear. The Moors brought this pulped papermaking process to the Iberian Peninsula in the 12th century, and Islamic traders introduced it to Italy through the Amalfi Coast in the 13th century. From these two points, it spread northward throughout Europe.
This process differed from earlier ones in that it involved creating a pulp from plants that was then washed and dried in a paper mold with a screen to create a sheet. Prior papermaking processes might involve boiling the plant, but the fibers were used as they were rather than mashed into a pulp. Used fishing nets, mulberry bark, bamboo, and hemp were among the earliest materials. The Koreans modified the process to make it more efficient, including using animal-powered methods to create the pulp, a laid paper mold, and moving the sheets to wooden boards to dry instead of leaving them in the molds. They also refined the production process of envelopes and toilet paper.
The first paper mills in Europe were in Spain, where water-powered stampers—essentially large wooden hammers—were used to smash fibers instead of beating them by hand. In Europe, cotton rags and linen were primarily used instead of traditional bark and hemp. The rags would be sorted, washed, and cut into strips before being rolled into balls and fermented in lime for several weeks. In the late 1200s, the paper mill in Fabriano, Italy, began including the process of sizing the paper. Sizing involves the inclusion of gelatin in the papermaking process to increase the paper’s water resistance, allowing ink and other writing materials to remain on the surface instead of absorbing into the paper. Fabriano is also considered the birthplace of the watermark.
The commercialization of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in 1455 created a new demand for books and, therefore, an increased demand for paper. Parchment was still used in monasteries to create religious tracts by hand, but paper quickly replaced it for bookmaking because of its efficiency in both time and cost. Papermaking traveled to North America in the 1500s, with the first North American paper mill opening in 1575 just outside Mexico City. In 1690, German immigrant William Rittenhouse established the first paper mill in the British colonies near Philadelphia. The mass production of books and pamphlets in the 18th and early 19th centuries led to the adoption of a new process around 1840 that was more efficient and less expensive. The use of rags to create paper was eventually abandoned.
It is easy to distinguish between paper made from rags and later paper made from wood pulp. The earlier type of paper looks gray or off-white and feels thicker. It also feels softer. It is more durable and does not tear as easily, although it is not immune to mechanical damage. It suffers less chemical damage because it is less acidic; it was made to last, unlike its successor.
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History Tidbits: London Bridge Isn’t Falling Down, It’s in Arizona!
by Logan Knight
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Children the whole world round know the famous rhyme, “London Bridge is falling down.” Yet, what if I were to tell you that London Bridge has not fallen but stands in Lake Havasu City, Arizona? Strange but true!
It first must be said that this story is not about the famous Tower Bridge, but rather a different London Bridge. This bridge, a replacement for an earlier medieval bridge, opened to great fanfare on August 1, 1831. King William IV and Queen Adelaide were there and attended a party in a large tent on the bridge. The “New Bridge” quickly became a fixture of Victorian London. It spanned nine hundred and twenty-eight feet and was just about fifty feet wide. Good thing too, because, by 1896, around 8,000 pedestrians and 900 horse-drawn vehicles crossed every hour.
All good things must come to an end. By the late 1960s, it was clear the bridge was ready for the scrapyard. What to do with it? Enter Robert McCullough, a chainsaw manufacturer and oil man. McCullough had made a fortune in those industries. The entrepreneur was seeking to enter the outboard boat motor market when he stumbled upon Lake Havasu in Arizona. The area was initially thought of as a test site, but McCullough fell in love with it and decided to build a city there. In 1963, he purchased a twenty-six-mile plot of land and set about developing it. He even opened a chainsaw factory to attract people. McCullough felt like he needed something else to draw eyes to his new city.
The City of London decided to try and sell the historic bridge rather than simply demolish it. Hearing of this, Mccullough knew he had found his attraction and bought said bridge (for around $2.4 million) and had it shipped to Lake Havasu City.
It took about three years to carefully dismantle the bridge with each block marked with a number for easier reassembling (like a piece of Ikea furniture). The giant granite blocks were loaded onto a ship and sailed through the Panama Canal, landing at Long Beach, California. From here, trucks carried them several hundred miles to the city, where they were painstakingly put back together. Lake Havasu City did not actually have a river that needed bridging, so McCullough had an artificial waterway dug, so that the bridge didn’t just span the desert.
Finally, on October 10, 1971, the bridge was formally rededicated. Close to one hundred thousand people attended the festivities. Attractions included skydivers, a hot air balloon, fireworks, and a parade. The Lord Mayor of London was present along with stars from the popular western television series, Bonanza. A grand banquet was served in a tent erected on the bridge. The main course was steak and lobster, exactly what King William IV had enjoyed when the bridge was first unveiled back in 1831.
Developers tried quickly to maximize the impact by developing the bridge as a tourist attraction. They built an open-air mall complete with a hedge maze and historical museum. The whole thing was built in an England-by-way-of-Hollywood style. Charming businesses included the Hog-in-Armor Pub and City of London Arms Restaurant. One can practically see Dick Van Dyke singing in the background. It never quite took off but has since been revitalized as a condominium development and riverwalk, complete with boutiques and even a microbrewery. The bridge remains a pleasant backdrop and scenic walkway to this very day, and that is the story of Arizona’s very own London Bridge.
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Genealogy Center’s June 2026 Programs
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June’s engaging programs are listed below. Take a look and register for a few programs today!
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET “Reflecting on Yourself to Discover Your Ancestors ” with Dai Davies - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/16453136
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET “Catching the Waves: Italian Transatlantic Migrations to the U.S” with Pamela Vittorio - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/16501603
Thursday, June 11, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. ET “IN-PERSON Preservation Workshop: Identifying Historic Photos and the People in Them” with Christina Clary - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/16453212
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET “An Oral History: How to Find the Truth” with Annela Buffin - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/16467024
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET “The Five Forts That Make up Fort Wayne” with John D. Beatty - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/16411513
Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET “Polish Beneficial Records in Genealogy” with Claire Gene Esker - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/16453204
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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 Bits-o’-News
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Look for the Genealogy Center merch! You really should check it out! The special Genealogy Center section of the store with some pretty cool items. Just added: some holiday ornaments! http://acpl.dkmlogo.online/shop/category/4726261?c=4726261 Please remember that your purchases support the Friends of the Allen County Public Library, and they in turn support the Genealogy Center. As much as ever, this support is so very important.
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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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The library’s current parking system started on November 3, 2025, and may still be new to some. It is a real advantage for those using the Genealogy Center because the first three hours of parking are free. Then, as before, it is $1 per hour up to a maximum of $7 per day.
One can read all about the new system at www.acpl.lib.in.us/parking-at-main. There is a great FAQ section that will answer many questions one may have. And of course, one can always reach out to your friends in the Genealogy Center.
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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 sspearswells [at] acpl.lib.in.us with "unsubscribe e-zine" in the subject line.
Curt B. Witcher and John D. Beatty, CG, FASG co-editors
No. 267, May 31, 2026
In this issue:
*News You Can Use: The May 2026 Edition
*Review of “Searching for Sisters: A Guide to Researching Catholic Nuns in the United States”
*Israeli Jewish genealogical records in MyHeritage
*PERSI Gems: NGS and Something New
*Preservation Tips: The History of Papermaking Part 2--The Spread of Paper
*History Tidbits: London Bridge Isn’t Falling Down, It’s in Arizona!
*Genealogy Center’s June 2026 Programs
*Genealogy Center Bits-o’-News
*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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News You Can Use: The May 2026 Edition
by Curt B. Witcher
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A National Conference
Just yesterday the National Genealogical Society concluded their 2026 annual conference in Fort Wayne. What a great event--what a great celebration of our families and their stories! The city, the Allen County Public Library (ACPL), and the Genealogy Center were proud and honored to host this terrific event! More than eight hundred individuals from across the continent came to our city to learn, network and discover their families’ stories. Individuals, exhibitors, and organizations found opportunities to share, to learn from each other, and to find new sources of information on the shelves and in the databases of the Genealogy Center.
More than fourteen thousand books were used during the week of the conference with many thousands of reference and informational questions answered. It was so terrific to see the trifecta of Genealogy Center offerings being engaged: a physical collection of more than 1.3 million physical items; nearly thirty licensed online databases, from Ancestry.com, MyHeritage, and FindMyPast to small ethnically and record focused databases; and a knowledgeable, dedicated staff. From the comments I received and the numerous amazingly happy faces, I am convinced all over again that national conferences in Fort Wayne create the near-perfect opportunity for genealogists.
The Periodical Source Index (PERSI)
A major enhancement to the Periodical Source Index was launched this month. In addition to the continual indexing that adds thousands of records to the database each quarter, and under the direction of the project supervisor, Adam Barrone, we started linking to digital copies of periodical issues indexed in PERSI and found available for free on the Internet. Whether the issues are on societies’ websites, the Internet Archive, the HathiTrust Digital Library, or any other posting entity and are available for free without need to login or acquire credentials, we are starting to link to those issues on the PERSI result pages!
When one conducts a search in PERSI (freely available 24/7 on the Genealogy Center website at www.genealogycenter.info/persi), one can navigate a path that leads to a results page. For 22% (and growing) of the 3.2 million PERSI records, there will be the international symbol for a link displaying after the ACPL call number. Clicking on that link will take one to the free site where a copy of the periodical issue you need will be presented. That’s right--for statistically one fifth of the results of searches in PERSI, one will be taken to the actual virtual copy of the periodical needed. If there is ever a reason to try PERSI, or go back to PERSI again, now is the time!
A Change in Our Virtual Programming
For more than six years, from the beginning of the pandemic to May 2026, the Genealogy Center has offered two virtual programs each week with very few exceptions. It has been wonderful bringing well-known as well as budding presenters to a wide and appreciative audience. We have covered so many subjects in the genealogy and family history space, and know there are many more to cover as well as revisit from time to time as new technologies are deployed and new records are being made more accessible or accessible for the first time.
We will be changing our virtual programming posture starting this June and moving forward over the next many months. We will still have a regular schedule of virtual programs, with that regular schedule being programs on Tuesday afternoons. To complement these every-Tuesday-afternoon programs, we will be partnering with more organizations, locally and across the country, to provide additional educational offerings. As an example, we have already planned a series of programs with the Northeast Indiana Jewish Genealogy Society for early 2027. Watch for those details toward the end of this year. Remember, too, that with presenters’ permissions, our library of YouTube program offerings continues to grow, now above 440. www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8AE558B5D8661B31
Continue to look for learning opportunities in your quest to find your families’ stories.
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Review of “Searching for Sisters: A Guide to Researching Catholic Nuns in the United States”
by John D. Beatty, CG, FASG
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Religious sisterhoods, orders, and communities have existed since the Middle Ages and are associated primarily with Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Anglicanism. The nuns and monks within these orders practice celibacy, and they also keep rich, detailed records that can be useful to family historians, even if the members of these orders do not themselves have descendants. These records have not been explored extensively in genealogical literature, but they deserve the attention of researchers for the unique clues about families they can provide.
A much-needed new guidebook on this topic is “Searching for Sisters: A Guide to Researching Catholic Nuns in the United States” by Sunny Jane Morton (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2026). The Genealogy Center’s copy is on order and forthcoming. Morton has burnished her credentials as an authority on religious records with the 2019 publication of “How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records: A Genealogist’s Guide,” which she co-authored with Harold Henderson (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2019), GC 929 M846h. The same useful insights the authors brought to that work continue in this new study.
With a focus exclusively on the Catholic Church, Morton opens with a review of the types of records and people found in the records of these orders. An estimated 350,000 nuns and sisters have served within religious communities in the United States. They staffed schools, administered hospitals, tended the wounded in war, and treated victims of epidemics. In a society dominated by Protestants and men, these women became barely visible in the historical record, taking vows and often moving far from their family homes as part of religious communities. Accordingly, they removed themselves from the contexts of their own families, sometimes appearing in genealogies as children with unknown futures or death dates. However, they did not actually disappear. The religious orders they joined often maintained detailed records about these women, their parents, siblings, and extended families. The nuns also ran schools, hospitals, and orphanages that maintained detailed records of children, patients, inmates, enslaved people, clients, employees, and donors, all of which can be genealogically valuable.
As a way of background, Morton discusses the various “rules” or traditions that these communities have followed and offers a brief history of nuns and religious life in the U.S. For those unfamiliar with these traditions, her explanation of the process of how women came to accept religious vows, their use of post nominals, and the migrations they often undertook in such service provide important context for genealogists. She covers such sources as Catholic directories and almanacs, guides to Sisterhoods, and the process of finding the archives of these orders. Many of these repositories remain closed to visitors, so researchers should attempt to contact the record custodians beforehand about access. Types of sources can often include personnel files, death and burial registers, personal photographs, scrapbooks, and correspondence from the nuns. Other records may also exist of orphans, students, hospital patients, and others associated with the places these nuns administered. Morton also includes also a chapter on finding nuns in civil vital records, census records, newspapers, local histories, and cemetery records. With nuns often taking new names after taking their vows, they can prove challenging to find. Morton concludes the book by offering several case studies and an appendix with a directory of selected archives.
Genealogists with Catholic relatives will find this book an important resource. It will expand their understanding of the range of available sources for researching family members. For example, the biography of a nun may include a birthplace that will open the pathway to a place of origin in Europe, thereby unlocking other family records. This book is an important source for Catholic researchers.
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Israeli Jewish genealogical records in MyHeritage
by Sara Allen
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While sources for recent Jewish research in Israel may be sparse, the MyHeritage database has a good collection worth further exploration and highlighting. To access the MyHeritage database from home you need a subscription, but the Genealogy Center and some other public libraries have institutional subscriptions to offer free access to the database inside the library. A few of the resources discussed in this article are free, meaning that anyone can view them without a subscription to MyHeritage.
Most of these collections include records in the Hebrew language, but MyHeritage has a built-in translator in the software that will translate the names into English. Also, for the non-English speakers, the MyHeritage database interface can be set to display in 50 different languages from the home page. This feature will translate the search pages, the database descriptions, the tags and record descriptions into whichever language is selected.
Below you will find a list and descriptions of the major Israeli Jewish collections on MyHeritage.
Israel Immigration Lists (free)
Lists of immigrants to Israel begin in 1919 and are scanned from index books. Immigration lists may include the name, birth year, age, former residence, immigration date and place, ship, and relatives. Indexes are mainly in Hebrew, and the original passenger lists related to these indexes are in the Israel State Archives.
Israel, Marriages and Divorces (free)
Marriage and divorce records from Israel start in 1919. Records may include the names of bride and groom, birth year, residence, occupation, and ethnic community, date and place of event, names of parents and witnesses. Records are in Hebrew, but bride and groom’s names are translated into English.
Avelim – Israeli Obituaries (free)
Mourning notices, obituaries and Shiv’ah notices exist from Israel. They include the name of the deceased and date of notice. They are in Hebrew with translations of some of the information in English. The link to the original record at the Avelim website is also provided. These are mostly recent obituaries from the 2000s and later of persons who died in Israel or whose death was announced in Israel.
Israel Genealogy Research Association Index (IGRA) (free)
IGRA has indexed over 5 million various records found in Israel or related to Israel. The indexes include the name of the person, and sometimes the year of birth and other information, as well as the name of the source to which the index is pointing. These records can range in time from 1800 to 2020. To access the original source record, you must contact IGRA ($).
Eretz Israel Telephone Directory, 1944
A country-wide telephone directory is dated 1944. Scans of the original pages are available; the phone book was published in English.
Mandatory Palestine Naturalization Applications, 1937-1947
These applications are mostly related to Jewish persons applying for citizenship in British-administered Mandatory Palestine from 1937 to 1947. Most records are in English with some Hebrew throughout. These records include names, dates, places, photographs, letters of witnesses, and more. Some of these naturalization files contain upwards of 30 pages of scanned images of documentation about one person or family unit. This is an incomplete collection as many passports and immigration records from this time were lost or destroyed.
To learn about research in Israel generally, take a look at the FamilySearch Wiki article about Israel Genealogy at: https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Israel_Genealogy Happy hunting!
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PERSI Gems: NGS and Something New
by Adam Barrone and Mike Hudson
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In honor of the National Genealogical Society’s annual conference which just concluded in Fort Wayne, we offer a sampling of citations to articles in their magazine. The NGS Magazine is known for its informative and practical articles on a wide variety of topics in genealogy research methodology:
Autograph books as a neglected genealogical resource, Mattie Shipley Culver example, 19th C.+, WA
NGS Magazine, v.38 n.2 (Apr 2012)
Be less sedentary, technology tips for genealogists using computers
NGS Magazine, v.40 n.4 (Oct 2014)
Early American handwriting, tips
NGS Newsmagazine, v.25 n.5 (Sep 1999)
Estate inventories, windows into ancestors' lives, resource guide
NGS Magazine, v.48 n.2 (Apr 2022)
From spit to screen, the journey of a DNA sample
NGS Magazine, v.46 n.3 (Jul 2020)
Fur trade permits granted in the district of Montreal, history and use as a resource, 1721-1752
NGS Magazine, v. 37 n.3 (Jul 2011)
Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library, resource guide
NGS Magazine, v.48 n.4 (Oct 2022)
History helpers, ten volunteer roles every genealogical society needs
NGS Newsmagazine, v.50 n.4 (Oct 2024)
Native-born aliens, the laws and records of expatriated women, 1907-1922, 1931
NGS Magazine, v.46 n.3 (Jul 2020)
Stone gravemarkers: composition and durability
NGS Newsmagazine, v.17 n. 3 (May 1991)
Using the Periodical Source Index aka PERSI, research tips, techniques, Adam J. Barrone story, 1986+
NGS Magazine, v. 52 n. 1 (Jan 2026)
The Periodical Source Index (PERSI) is built from print serials (like the NGS Magazine) shelved at the ACPL Genealogy Center, but a portion of our source material can also be accessed online. We set out to find these freely-available digital issues which are spread across hundreds of internet domains run by archives, governments, libraries, publishers, societies, and universities. So far, we’ve found 82,000 digital issues from 1,100 different publications.
To help you access these many online resources from home, we’ve added the web addresses to the PERSI database. Look for new links in your PERSI search results. None of these links require login credentials except for links to FamilySearch which may require a free user account.
https://www.genealogycenter.info/persi/
Links are available for 23% of the citations in PERSI. For the remaining 77%, you’ll still need to track down articles through the Genealogy Center, other libraries, or direct from the publisher.
The National Genealogical Society Quarterly, for example, has links in PERSI for its pre-1931 issues available at Internet Archive and HathiTrust. More recent issues of this publication are not linked to PERSI, because their digital availability is limited to NGS members who login at https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/ngsq/.
We are pleased to offer this new PERSI feature and we hope it will improve your research productivity.
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Preservation Tips: The History of Papermaking Part 2--The Spread of Paper
by Christina Clary, C.A.
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The invention of paper made from pulped plant fibers, or paper closer to what we have today, began in China around 105 C.E. A court official, Ts'ai Lun, is credited with standardizing the papermaking process. The paper was used for religious, governmental, and business purposes. From China, it spread to Vietnam, Korea, and Japan around 610 C.E. It was introduced to Central Asia and the Middle East in the 700s C.E., though exactly how and when remains unclear. The Moors brought this pulped papermaking process to the Iberian Peninsula in the 12th century, and Islamic traders introduced it to Italy through the Amalfi Coast in the 13th century. From these two points, it spread northward throughout Europe.
This process differed from earlier ones in that it involved creating a pulp from plants that was then washed and dried in a paper mold with a screen to create a sheet. Prior papermaking processes might involve boiling the plant, but the fibers were used as they were rather than mashed into a pulp. Used fishing nets, mulberry bark, bamboo, and hemp were among the earliest materials. The Koreans modified the process to make it more efficient, including using animal-powered methods to create the pulp, a laid paper mold, and moving the sheets to wooden boards to dry instead of leaving them in the molds. They also refined the production process of envelopes and toilet paper.
The first paper mills in Europe were in Spain, where water-powered stampers—essentially large wooden hammers—were used to smash fibers instead of beating them by hand. In Europe, cotton rags and linen were primarily used instead of traditional bark and hemp. The rags would be sorted, washed, and cut into strips before being rolled into balls and fermented in lime for several weeks. In the late 1200s, the paper mill in Fabriano, Italy, began including the process of sizing the paper. Sizing involves the inclusion of gelatin in the papermaking process to increase the paper’s water resistance, allowing ink and other writing materials to remain on the surface instead of absorbing into the paper. Fabriano is also considered the birthplace of the watermark.
The commercialization of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in 1455 created a new demand for books and, therefore, an increased demand for paper. Parchment was still used in monasteries to create religious tracts by hand, but paper quickly replaced it for bookmaking because of its efficiency in both time and cost. Papermaking traveled to North America in the 1500s, with the first North American paper mill opening in 1575 just outside Mexico City. In 1690, German immigrant William Rittenhouse established the first paper mill in the British colonies near Philadelphia. The mass production of books and pamphlets in the 18th and early 19th centuries led to the adoption of a new process around 1840 that was more efficient and less expensive. The use of rags to create paper was eventually abandoned.
It is easy to distinguish between paper made from rags and later paper made from wood pulp. The earlier type of paper looks gray or off-white and feels thicker. It also feels softer. It is more durable and does not tear as easily, although it is not immune to mechanical damage. It suffers less chemical damage because it is less acidic; it was made to last, unlike its successor.
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History Tidbits: London Bridge Isn’t Falling Down, It’s in Arizona!
by Logan Knight
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Children the whole world round know the famous rhyme, “London Bridge is falling down.” Yet, what if I were to tell you that London Bridge has not fallen but stands in Lake Havasu City, Arizona? Strange but true!
It first must be said that this story is not about the famous Tower Bridge, but rather a different London Bridge. This bridge, a replacement for an earlier medieval bridge, opened to great fanfare on August 1, 1831. King William IV and Queen Adelaide were there and attended a party in a large tent on the bridge. The “New Bridge” quickly became a fixture of Victorian London. It spanned nine hundred and twenty-eight feet and was just about fifty feet wide. Good thing too, because, by 1896, around 8,000 pedestrians and 900 horse-drawn vehicles crossed every hour.
All good things must come to an end. By the late 1960s, it was clear the bridge was ready for the scrapyard. What to do with it? Enter Robert McCullough, a chainsaw manufacturer and oil man. McCullough had made a fortune in those industries. The entrepreneur was seeking to enter the outboard boat motor market when he stumbled upon Lake Havasu in Arizona. The area was initially thought of as a test site, but McCullough fell in love with it and decided to build a city there. In 1963, he purchased a twenty-six-mile plot of land and set about developing it. He even opened a chainsaw factory to attract people. McCullough felt like he needed something else to draw eyes to his new city.
The City of London decided to try and sell the historic bridge rather than simply demolish it. Hearing of this, Mccullough knew he had found his attraction and bought said bridge (for around $2.4 million) and had it shipped to Lake Havasu City.
It took about three years to carefully dismantle the bridge with each block marked with a number for easier reassembling (like a piece of Ikea furniture). The giant granite blocks were loaded onto a ship and sailed through the Panama Canal, landing at Long Beach, California. From here, trucks carried them several hundred miles to the city, where they were painstakingly put back together. Lake Havasu City did not actually have a river that needed bridging, so McCullough had an artificial waterway dug, so that the bridge didn’t just span the desert.
Finally, on October 10, 1971, the bridge was formally rededicated. Close to one hundred thousand people attended the festivities. Attractions included skydivers, a hot air balloon, fireworks, and a parade. The Lord Mayor of London was present along with stars from the popular western television series, Bonanza. A grand banquet was served in a tent erected on the bridge. The main course was steak and lobster, exactly what King William IV had enjoyed when the bridge was first unveiled back in 1831.
Developers tried quickly to maximize the impact by developing the bridge as a tourist attraction. They built an open-air mall complete with a hedge maze and historical museum. The whole thing was built in an England-by-way-of-Hollywood style. Charming businesses included the Hog-in-Armor Pub and City of London Arms Restaurant. One can practically see Dick Van Dyke singing in the background. It never quite took off but has since been revitalized as a condominium development and riverwalk, complete with boutiques and even a microbrewery. The bridge remains a pleasant backdrop and scenic walkway to this very day, and that is the story of Arizona’s very own London Bridge.
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Genealogy Center’s June 2026 Programs
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June’s engaging programs are listed below. Take a look and register for a few programs today!
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET “Reflecting on Yourself to Discover Your Ancestors ” with Dai Davies - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/16453136
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET “Catching the Waves: Italian Transatlantic Migrations to the U.S” with Pamela Vittorio - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/16501603
Thursday, June 11, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. ET “IN-PERSON Preservation Workshop: Identifying Historic Photos and the People in Them” with Christina Clary - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/16453212
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET “An Oral History: How to Find the Truth” with Annela Buffin - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/16467024
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET “The Five Forts That Make up Fort Wayne” with John D. Beatty - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/16411513
Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET “Polish Beneficial Records in Genealogy” with Claire Gene Esker - https://acpl.libnet.info/event/16453204
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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 Bits-o’-News
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Look for the Genealogy Center merch! You really should check it out! The special Genealogy Center section of the store with some pretty cool items. Just added: some holiday ornaments! http://acpl.dkmlogo.online/shop/category/4726261?c=4726261 Please remember that your purchases support the Friends of the Allen County Public Library, and they in turn support the Genealogy Center. As much as ever, this support is so very important.
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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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The library’s current parking system started on November 3, 2025, and may still be new to some. It is a real advantage for those using the Genealogy Center because the first three hours of parking are free. Then, as before, it is $1 per hour up to a maximum of $7 per day.
One can read all about the new system at www.acpl.lib.in.us/parking-at-main. There is a great FAQ section that will answer many questions one may have. And of course, one can always reach out to your friends in the Genealogy Center.
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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 sspearswells [at] acpl.lib.in.us with "unsubscribe e-zine" in the subject line.
Curt B. Witcher and John D. Beatty, CG, FASG co-editors
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