Volume XXIX, Number 4
September-October 2009
General Meetings Tuesday, September 22nd , ( Tuesday. October 27th,
Location: Community Room – Basement Level | ||
Upcoming Meetings Tuesday, September 22nd at Google search engine has become so popular that “to Google” is now a verb in the These resources can facilitate your research and allow you to access printed resourced from thousands of miles away.
Tuesday, October 27th at
Tuesday, November 24th at
| Genealogy Library Hours of Operation Wednesdays, Saturdays, Open by Appointment
Location: Aurora Public Library – Basement Level
Plan to attend a meeting. You will learn how to further your research with invaluable information provided by experienced and very qualified presenters. If you need a ride to a meeting please contact any of the board members listed on Page 2.
| |
Established 1981
Member of
The
The Federation of Genealogical Societies
Friends of the Aurora Public Library
Officers
President
Gail Arnert
303-755-1179
gailarnert@yahoo.com
Membership Vice-President
Winnie Fulton
nightfire983208@yahoo.com
Program Vice-President & Publicity
Judy Holtus
303-364-5365
hpn6587@msn.com
Recording Secretary
Doris Livingston
303-341-9877
dorislivingston@comcast.net
Treasurer
Dick Kautt
303-683-3468
Corresponding Secretary
Marion Baumann
303-343-1190
BaumannCO@aol.com
Newsletter Editor
Dotty Sharp Hunt
303-873-7519
Deadlines for submission of articles to the
To Dotty Sharp Hunt
2009: 3 September: Sep/Oct Newsletter
5 November: Nov/Dec Newsletter
2010: 7 January: Jan/Feb Newsletter
4 March: Mar/Apr Newsletter
6 May: May/June Newsletter
2 September: Sep/Oct Newsletter
4 November: Nov/Dec Newsletter
Thank you for your many contributions to the
Genealogical Society Newsletter!
Refreshments in September will be provided by Dotty Hunt and Jan Frederickson. Those providing refreshments should be at the Community Room by
|
Message from the President
By Gail Arnert
Hope you all had a good summer and made some great genealogical finds. I can’t wait to hear about them at our September meeting.
On a more serious note, if you live in
Vote “YES” in November to save our libraries.
Currently the Aurora Library System is funded through the city’s general fund along with most other city services like Police, Fire and Streets.
In the November 2009 election, a mail-out ballot only election, there will be a proposal to create a General Improvement District (
If passed it would ensure the continued operation of the current 7 branches, increase hours at all, increase staffing, and increase resources to the public. If it fails,
For more information see your water bill insert, attend a Ward meeting, call your city council member, and visit www.saveauroralibraries.com.
Vote “YES” in November to save our libraries.
Finding Information on Your Family
Assume it is a million years from now and the human race is extinct. Intelligent beings from another planet landed on Earth and all they can find is a Penny. What can something as simple as a penny reveal about our society? Consider this:
(thus the copper in the penny)
How does this relate to genealogy? Next time that you are looking at an obituary, a tombstone or a census schedule think of how many ways that you can tied it into your family history (Remember there were 15 on a penny). If you study something long and hard enough, you might come up with a lot more than what appears on the surface.
When at last, after much hard work, you have solved the mystery that you have been working on for two years, your aunt says, "I could have told you that."
Member Profile
Dorothy E. Moore Bernay
Past President
I was born in
I was married at 18 and had two children before I was 21. When I realized I had a bad marriage, I went back to college while working full time. I got a Bachelor of Science degree with a Math major from the
After I retired from the Federal Government and my husband died, I moved to
My greatest success has been to find the parents of my 2 great-grandfather Matthew Moore. Moore being a very common surname, I had to learn so much more about quality research. After four years of research and documentation (22 pages), I have finally convinced the
Members should know that it is not impossible to find your common name ancestor. It just takes time and effort.
In our Library
The Aurora Genealogical Society has the privilege to include in our library rare census books acquired from the Aurora Central Library. Take advantage of one of the most valuable sources of genealogical research for your ancestors. These same books can only be found in major repositories in the
Census Index Books
Indiana, 1830 Census Index
Mass. 1800 Census Index
Lancaster Counties
Utah 1850, 1860 & 1870 Census Index (One book)
Census Books
First Census of
Virginia 1790 Census & 1850 Census Accomade County
Note: 1790-1840 Censuses are by head of household only.
Slate, the online magazine, has a story about how searching the Internet and keeping up with events through instant communication can fulfill biochemical needs within our brains. Research has shown that anticipation and simply "wanting" can stimulate dopamine production in the brain, and an Internet full of answers plays right into that.
The story describes the searching for information, and I suspect that includes searching for genealogy information, both online and off. While not specifically stated in the article, my guess is that seeking and finding genealogy information also stimulates dopamine production. Don't you feel a "high" when you find genealogy information that has eluded you for some time?
The article explains the work of
For humans, this desire to search is not just about fulfilling our physical needs. Panksepp says that humans can get just as excited about abstract rewards as tangible ones. He says that when we get thrilled about the world of ideas, about making intellectual connections, about divining meaning, it is the seeking circuits that are firing. ...The dopamine circuits “promote states of eagerness and directed purpose,” Panksepp writes. It's a state humans love to be in. So good does it feel that we seek out activities, or substances, that keep this system aroused — cocaine and amphetamines, drugs of stimulation, are particularly effective at stirring it.
You can read more at http://www.slate.com/id/2224932/pagenum/all/.
This is such a relief to hear. Now you can tell all your relatives and friends who don't understand your intense interest (okay...obsession) that you physically can't help yourself!!
Build on a Firm Foundation: Beginning
Genealogy Part 1
Lou-Jean Holland Rehn, CG
Welcome back. I hope you all had a good summer. With the end of summer comes a new beginning. School is starting and organizations are beginning their new program year. What better time is there to get started on your family history or to review what you have already done? Just as you want your home to be built on a foundation to withstand the forces of nature, you want your family history to be built on a firm foundation that will enable you to connect to the correct ancestors. So I thought this would be a good time to talk about some building blocks for a firm foundation for family history.
In genealogy you begin with yourself and work back. Have you documented yourself? Do you have your birth certificate, marriage license, etc? If not get them. While you are at it document your spouse, children, grandchildren, and siblings. Have you written a brief narrative of important events in your life? I write short pieces about events in my life that I call “Grandma Remembers…” Who better to let descendants know about you than you?
Always work backwards one generation at a time. Now that you have the present generation, document your parents. Again you will want to gather as much information as you can about them. Remember to get their siblings and spouses. Then move onto you grandparents and repeat the process. By working carefully back one generation at a time you will be less tempted to connect to the wrong line. This is especially true when working with common surnames.
Why am I suggesting that you always document the siblings and spouses of your ancestors? Murphy’s Law is alive and well in genealogy. Your direct ancestor will be the only one in the family to not leave a paper trail. But her siblings might have left a good paper trail that will take you further back. That coveted family Bible might be in the hands of great granny’s brother’s daughter. A good guideline is to do everyone in each generation, one generation down and one back. This is often referred to as “whole family research”.
As you gather documentation about each family member, cite your sources. You will be glad you did. By carefully recording where you get each piece of information at the time you get it, you will save yourself time, money and many a headache. My father left lovely 12-15 generation charts taking some lines of the family back to the 1500s in
Genealogy provides us with some forms that are useful aids. Use the Pedigree Chart and Family Group Sheet. Fill them out in pencil and double check your information. Do you have some blanks you need to fill in? Remember each couple on a Pedigree Chart should have a Family Group Sheet. Learn to use a research log. Keep a log for each individual or couple. It will save you time and keep you from going back to the same source for the same individual time and again. Keep a research log of internet sources as well as books, newspapers, microfilm, etc.
Develop a system of organization for all of your documents. The pile system is inefficient and costs both time and money. I suggest you keep records together by couple. I organize the records for each couple in reverse chronological order. Some researchers organize the records in straight chronological order. Do what works best for you. As you get further into your research you will bless the day you organized you genie treasures. Have fun getting started. We will continue this discussion next time.
Until then, Happy Hunting, Lou-Jean
P.S. Do you need some help or have some questions? I am at the
http://sos.ky.gov/land/search/default.htm
Department for Libraries & Archives:
Genealogy Links:
http://kdla.ky.gov/researchlinks/genealogy.htm
Kentuckian Digital Library: http://kdl.kyvl.org
Genealogy Classes at
Classes are free and open to the public.
Beginning Genealogy
Instructor: Lou-Jean Rehn, CG
October: NO CLASS Book Lover’s Ball
Instructor: Lou-Jean Rehn, CG
Instructor: Lou-Jean Rehn, CG
Special Interest Classes
Using Census Records
Instructor: Carol Darrow, CG
Hidden in Deed Books
Instructor: Carol Darrow, CG
Probate Records
For class information and updates go to the
http://www.cogensoc.us/cgsclasses.htm
W 6th Ave & Kipling St, Lakewood, CO
GENEALOGY WORKSHOPS
The National Archives and Records Administration is offering workshops for genealogists. The workshops will be held in the training room of their facility, located in Building 48. Please note this is the main building, not at the second building where microfilm research is done. Fees are $10.00 per class and prior registration is necessary for all classes. Checks, made payable to the National Archive Trust Fund, should be sent to:
National Archives and
Please include your address and phone number and indicated the sessions desired. Fees will not be refunded unless a scheduled class is full or canceled. Workshops are limited to the first 25 registrants. Questions can be directed to the regional staff at 303-407-5740, Monday-Friday,
Monday, September 21,
Tuesday, September 22,
Wednesday, September 23,
Thursday, September 24,
·
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries, including the main Family History Library in |
The American Battle Monuments Commission (
Guardian of
The principal functions of the commission are to commemorate the sacrifices and achievements of U.S. armed forces through the establishment of memorials outside the U.S. where American forces have served since April 6, 1917, and in the U.S. as directed by public law; to design, construct, administer and maintain permanent U.S. burial grounds in foreign countries; and to control and design and construction on foreign soil of U.S. military memorials, monuments and markers by U.S. citizens and organizations, public and private, and encourage their maintenance.
In performing these functions,
The following information and services are provided without cost to relatives of those interred in or memorialized at
To learn more about
Guess-timating Dates
By Juliana Smith
You know more than you think! For those of us who aren’t good with dates, anyone who asks us when Great-aunt Alice died will likely be met with a blank stare, but if we put that question in light of dates that we do remember, it’s often easier to figure out then we think. Perhaps it was when your oldest child was a toddler? Or maybe it was the year you graduated and you remember having to rush back to school for finals. Perhaps you remember your grandmother saying that her mom died when she was ten. If you know when grandma was born, you can easily figure out that death date. Taking your estimated death date a step further, do you remember about how old
Estimating dates for generations past. In many cases, you’ll need to estimate a date for someone further removed in your family tree and you won’t have the benefit of being able to put that event in the context of your life. When this happens, you’ll want to look at the data you have gathered and base your guess-timates on the facts.
Look at the ages of children and make some generalizations. Perhaps you know the year your grandfather was born, but not his father. Try a search with the assumption that his parents were somewhere in their twenties when he was born. You can use 25 as a median age, and then add + or -5 years. If that doesn’t work, try age 30 with + or – 10 years. (Keep in mind that these flexible spans are in addition to the flexibility that is built into the lifespan filter which includes records of the five years prior to the birth year that you specify and two years after the death year.)
Label Your Estimations. One important thing to keep in mind when it comes to estimating dates is to always write down the rationale behind our estimate. Down the road when you’re reviewing those dates, you don’t want to be scratching your head and wondering, “Where in the heck did I come up with that?”
THE AURORA GENALOGICAL SOCIETY of
General meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of the month, alternating between afternoon and evening meetings. Afternoon meetings will begin with refreshments at
Society meetings are held at the
The AGS Library Room will be open from
Members may join upon paying annual dues of $15.00 per mailing address. Send your remittance along with name, address and telephone number to:
Membership Vice President, Aurora Gen Soc, PO Box 31732, Aurora, CO 80041-0732
All members are on the mailing list and will receive newsletters as they are published. Renewal fees are due January 1st.
Queries will be accepted for publication in the newsletter, as space permits. Members are allowed one free query per year; additional queries and queries from non‑members will be printed, at a charge of 10 cents per word.
THE
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Volume XXIX, Number 3 May-June 2009
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General Meetings Tues. May 26th, ( No Meetings in June, July & August
Location: Community Room – Basement Level | |||
Upcoming Meetings Tuesday, May 26th at Immediately following will be an opportunity to share your heirlooms and keepsakes. There will be an open forum for discussion. BRING YOUR QUESTIONS!!
Tuesday, September 22nd at Google search engine has become so popular that “to Google” is now a verb in the Other vendors have digitized published family and community histories and put them on line for free access. These resources can facilitate your research and allow you to access printed resourced from thousands of miles away.
Plan to attend a meeting. You will learn how to further your research with invaluable information provided by experienced and very qualified presenters. If you need a ride to a meeting please contact any of the board members listed on Page 2.
| Genealogy Library Hours of Operation Wednesdays, Saturdays,
Location: Aurora Public Library – Basement Level
Refreshments in May will be provided by Gail Arnet and Carol Shwayder. Those providing refreshments should be at the Community Room by
| ||
Established 1981
Member of
The
The Federation of Genealogical Societies
Friends of the Aurora Public Library
Officers
President
Gail Arnert
303-755-1179
gailarnert@yahoo.com
Membership Vice-President
Bill Stephens
303-343-7943
Program Vice-President & Publicity
Judy Holtus
303-364-5365
hpn6587@msn.com
Recording Secretary
Jan Frederickson
303-680-2569
jmfmail@comcast.net
Treasurer
Dick Kautt
303-683-3468
Corresponding Secretary
Marion Baumann
303-343-1190
BaumannCO@aol.com
Newsletter Editor
Dotty Sharp Hunt
303-873-7519
Quaker Birth Records
Early Quaker records are rich with information on births. Not only are the births listed, along with parents and the monthly meeting to which the family belonged, but following the family may show migration from one monthly meeting to another in a different state. Check William Hinshaw’s Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. His six volumes cover the
Note: The
G929.3088286 H596en. They have all six volumes, plus Vol. 7, parts 1-7.
Message from the President
By Gail Arnert
I just returned from my third annual research trip to the Family History Library in
With no summer meetings we should all have great finds to share at our September meeting.
Research Recommendations
Genealogical Writing: Decades
In genealogical writing, it is very common to refer to entire decades. There are only a couple of critical rules to follow, and one major (but all too common) error that you must never make!
When referring to decades, as with specific dates, always refer to the century as well as the decade. The only exception to this would be if the century is absolutely clear from the context of the paragraph. You can write the decade out in words, as in “the nineteen-forties”, but this looks clunky. If the century is unnecessary, you may write “the forties”, which is a lot easier to read. You can also use numerals instead, as in “the 1940’s” or “the 40’s”.
Please note that you should never use an apostrophe when referring to decades. You can only use “1940’s” when referring to something that was possessed by the decade – an extremely rare usage. Using the apostrophe is a major mistake that must be avoided at all costs if you are to be viewed as a quality researcher and writer.
Google Your Family Tree
by Daniel M. Lynch
This book will help you understand some of the most powerful and sometimes hidden features of the world’s best search engine by teaching you the simple commands and approaches that unlock this power. Recommended by Mary K. Thayer.
|
Sponsored by the
Special Interest classes are held on the third Saturday of the month (except October and December) from
16 May 2009
Researching Back Before 1850
Presented by Carol Darrow
Using the Genealogical Proof Standard to Prove or Disprove Relationship Problems
Presented by Lou-Jean Rehn
And
Putting Pen to Paper – Writing the Narrative of Your Ancestor’s Life (
For class information and updates go to the
NO MEETING IN JUNE, JULY & AUGUST
Sponsored by the
Beginners' classes are held on the second Saturday of the month from
not required. The classes are
This is a one-time, basic course for the beginner. Attendees will be introduced to thinking genealogically through the exploration of the following:
· Stacks of paper: How to organize
· Home Sources: Paper and People
· Pedigree Charts and Family Group Sheets
· Beginning Internet Sources
· Six Major Record Groups
Upcoming scheduled beginners' classes are on:
· 9 May
· 13 Jun
CGS-CIG Spring Seminar
Genealogical Research on the Internet and
Advanced Genealogical Research Methods for the Internet
Presented by George G. Morgan
Mr. Morgan will be presenting an all day seminar on using the Internet for genealogical research. The Internet is expanding at an exponential rate, and online genealogical resources are growing larger and better every day. The effective genealogist or family history researcher is using the Internet to help locate helpful leads.
In the morning, George will focus on the three different types of Internet-based materials that can be of the most help to genealogical researchers: Web pages, message boards, and mailing lists. In the afternoon, George will help us learn how to maximize our effectiveness by using all of the Internet Web resources together with traditional research and documentation. He will focus on how to combine the use of all types of Internet genealogical resources to locate information and leads. George will present a sample case.
The registration fee is $30.00 for CIG members. The registration fee for non-members is $40.00, which includes a one-year CIG membership. Doors open at
Magazines and Periodicals
· Family Tree Magazine
· Everton’s Genealogical Helper
·
· Federation of Genealogical Societies Forum
· The
www.sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcidx.htm State Library of www.mass.gov/lib/digital_collections.htm
|
Member Profile
Dotty Sharp Hunt
Newsletter Editor
Being born and raised in
I was in the first graduating class of
I have done genealogy for six plus years, with two trips to
Disease
By Juliana Smith
When we think about disease in relation to family history, it's often in relation to our own health and of conditions that are hereditary. This is of course important and a great reason to investigate your family health history. In fact, it is so important that the Surgeon General here in the
When family historians run across records that show family members dying in rapid succession, one of the first things to consider is a contagious disease, and possibly an epidemic. Check local histories to learn about epidemics in the area in which your ancestor lived.
When you're dealing with contagious diseases, it's not uncommon to see families decimated. In
When you do find a family member living in an orphanage, keep in mind that it doesn't necessarily mean that both parents were dead. In many cases, after one parent died, the surviving parent may have placed the children in the orphanage as a matter of necessity while he or she had to work for a living and couldn't care for the child or children. When Catherine Tobin died of consumption (tuberculosis) at age 26 leaving two small daughters, they were sent to an orphanage where they were enumerated in 1850. But by 1860, their father had remarried and the girls returned home to live with him and their new step mother. When you learn of a disease that affected your family history, take a little time to learn more about it. Death records, where available, should be checked for causes of death for all family members. You may learn not only the cause of death, but how long a doctor had been treating an illness. What were the symptoms? What kinds of treatments were available at that point in time? Think about it in the context of how it would have impacted the entire family. You may see the implications of illness in other records as well. The 1880
(Copyright 2009 The Generations Network Free Weekly Discovery Newsletter)
www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/geneal.htm
www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/digital/index.htm
IT’S GARAGE SALE TIME AGAIN! Don’t pass up those old atlases or vintage photos with names on the back. Old atlases may have names and locations of places no longer in existence. Old photos that are marked can be united with their proper families. There are many free websites where old photos can be posted. One of those is called “Dead Fred”. Yes, that really is the name of the website. In genealogy there is really no such thing as “out dated”.
Web Database Catalogs Slaves’ Trans-Atlantic Treks
Historians hope a new Web database will help bring millions of blacks closer to their African ancestors, who were forced onto slave ships, connecting them to their heritage in a way that has long been possible for white Europeans.
“Voyages: The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database” launched Friday in conjunction with a conference at Emory University marking the bicentennial of the official end of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade in 1808. Emory spearheaded the two-year interactive project, which is
Posted by Dick Eastman
Lou-Jean Rehn, CG
I love to go on genealogy trips and I go prepared. Now that you have had some time to think about a genealogy trip, let’s look at some of the things you might want to do and some ways to prepare.
There are two major genealogy conferences every year, NGS in the spring and FGS in the fall. The three major institutes are
If the Family History Library, local archive, historical society or library is your destination, then you can prepare for success from home. Check the on-line catalogs for the items you wish to research. Write down the name of the record, call number and surname you are researching. The larger facilities often offer orientations to their collections and buildings. Be sure to take advantage of that if this is your first visit to the facility. Avoid disappointment by taking time to call before you leave home to get the hours of operation and any closings during your stay. Remember to have change for the copy machines and printers. Don’t forget the pedigree charts and family group sheets for the folk you want to research.
Is the local courthouse on your itinerary? Confirm the hours and dates ahead of time. Ask if the records you want to access are available there. If they are stored off site ask how to request them so that they will be available when you arrive. Space is limited in many courthouses so don’t rely on your computer to take notes. It is a good idea to have the records you want to access written out on paper. Many courthouses have electronic indexes that only the staff can use. Please remember your manners. The clerks are there to conduct the day to day business of the county. They are often understaffed. Give them a little sympathy if they are having a bad day. A please and a sincere thank
you will go along way in getting you the records you need.
A family reunion can be a lot of fun. Remember the camera or camcorder. Have those family group sheets handy so that you can get some of those empty blanks filled. Be ready to share and exchange information. Take copies of those old photos that aren’t identified. Some one there may just have that same photo with the names. Make an effort to meet that on-line cousin while you are in the area.
A visit to an ancestor’s grave is a must. Locate the cemetery and get directions before leaving home. Take a picture of the cemetery sign when you enter the cemetery and when you leave. All the pictures in between the signs are of that cemetery. Take pictures of the headstone and record the inscription on paper. Remember to take your cemetery bag: hat, garden gloves, garden clippers, spray bottle of water, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, rain poncho, pencil, paper, camera, extra batteries, cell phone,
Is the family farm one of your destinations? Get the land description and plot on a topo map. Locate that land on a current map. You may need a county map for that. Don’t be afraid to ask directions. Always get permission from the current owner before entering the land. If the land is posted “NO TRESSPASSING” do not go on the land.
Does your packing list include a laptop computer, PDA, digital camera or cell phone? Remember to take along extra batteries or chargers. Not every location will have wireless internet or cell phone service.
Now that you have your research planned, put together your itinerary and pack your bags. You are ready to go. Remember to take care of yourself. Get enough rest, don’t forget to eat and drink plenty of water. Enjoy yourself and take some time to soak up the atmosphere. Have some fun.
Until next time, Happy Hunting, Lou-Jean
The Year was 1770
The year was 1770 and tensions that had been building in the American Colonies erupted on the evening of March 5 with the
Although there was hostility on both sides on the night of the Massacre, engravings of the incident immediately began being circulated that helped stir up American anger towards the British. Eventually the British Captain, Thomas Preston, and eight other soldiers, were tried for the deaths of five Americans, including its most famous victim, Crispus Attucks, an African American who would become the first causality of the American Revolution.
Future American President, John Adams, was among the lawyers on the defense team for the soldiers. All but two of the soldiers were acquitted and they had their charges reduced to manslaughter under a medieval relic called “benefit of clergy” that allowed them to escape the death penalty.
Lieutenant James Cook charted and claimed for
In
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries, including the main Family History Library in
|
The CDP, the Colorado State Library (
View articles individually or in the context of the full page of the paper. Search topics in single papers or across the entire state.
Some family trees have beautiful leaves, and some have just a bunch of nuts. Remember, it is the nuts that make the tree worth shaking.
Author Unknown
ScotlandsPeople www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/
Is one of the largest online sources of original Scottish genealogical information. It’s a partnership between the General Register Office for Scotland, the National Archives of Scotland, The Court of the Lord Lyon and brightsolid (formerly Scotland Online.) ScotlandsPeople is the official online source of parish register, civil registration, census and wills & testament records for
THE AURORA GENALOGICAL SOCIETY of
General meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of the month, alternating between afternoon and evening meetings. Afternoon meetings will begin with refreshments at
Society meetings are held at the
The AGS Library Room will be open from
Members may join upon paying annual dues of $15.00 per mailing address. Send your remittance along with name, address and telephone number to:
Membership Vice President, Aurora Gen Soc, PO Box 31732, Aurora, CO 80041-0732
All members are on the mailing list and will receive newsletters as they are published. Renewal fees are due January 1st.
Queries will be accepted for publication in the newsletter, as space permits. Members are allowed one free query per year; additional queries and queries from non‑members will be printed, at a charge of 10 cents per word.
THE
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Volume XXIX, Number 2 March - April 2009 |
Established 1981
Officers
President
Gail Arnert
303-755-1179
gailarnert@yahoo.com
Membership Vice-President
Bill Stephens
303-343-7943
Program Vice-President & Publicity
Judy Holtus
303-364-5365
hpn6587@msn.com
Recording Secretary
Jan Frederickson
303-680-2569
jmfmail@comcast.net
Treasurer
Dick Kautt
303-683-3468
Corresponding Secretary
Marion Baumann
303-343-1190
BaumannCO@aol.com
Newsletter Editor
Dotty Sharp Hunt
303-873-7519
Up Coming Board Meetings
Wednesday, April 1st,
Wednesday, May 6th, 1:00 p.m., Aurora Genealogical Society Board Meeting The Board Meeting is open to the membership of the Aurora Genealogical Society.
2009 Election of Officers
The Nominating Committee has proposed the below listed individuals for
For 2-year terms:
Program VP/Publicity Judy Holtus
Treasurer Richard Kautt
Secretary Doris Livingston
For 1-year term to complete existing term:
Membership VP Winnie Fulton
Recommended Changes to the By-Laws and Standing Rules
The
BY-
ARTICLE VI OFFICERS
Section 2.c.
From
c. With the approval by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, the President shall appoint Appointed Officers at the August Board of Director's meeting following the President's election with appointments to be effective October 1st.
To:
c. With the approval by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, the President shall appoint Appointed Officers at the September Board of Director's meeting following the President's election with appointments to be effective October 1st.
STANDING RULES -
From
7. The
To:
7. The
From:
8. Board of Directors' meetings shall be held the first Monday of each of the above scheduled months in which regular meetings are held, except for the September board meeting which is held on the last Monday in August. A meeting place or date may be changed if necessary, with proper notification. The meeting is held at
To:
8. Board of Directors' meetings shall be held at
Message from the President
Although I have heard and read of instances of serendipity events in genealogy I didn't think it would ever happen to me. My third cousin Susan and I have been pursuing our elusive great-great-grandfather Samuel Horn who just appears in the 1850 Federal Census as a farmer living in a boarding house in Lehigh Co., PA. Finally, after exhausting, all written records we could find (and many of them in German), she convinced another male Horn cousin to submit his
Keep attending those lectures, cranking the microfilm, submitting tests, surfing the Internet and reading obscure books. You too will get an unexpected breakthrough.
By Gail Arnert
In my city of
residents. While most of it is frankly boring, do not ignore it as a genealogical resource. For example, the local port newsletter mentioned the fund raising efforts for a fisherman’s memorial monument. This might help me find out where related fisherman in extended family disappeared. Most of them will contain a history article every so often, which could give you valuable information. Also, even if you are not of that age, check out the lobby of a senior center or nursing home. While visiting the apartments where my dad lives, I found a free newspaper put out for seniors that contained reminiscences of a senior who used to be a wildlife agent for the state. In talking about a lake where he had worked, he mentioned it was created by a local mill dammed off a creek. It happened that the company was owned by my great-aunt’s family. So don’t overlook local information you might normally discard as “boring”. Teri Anne Beachamp
NEED HELP WITH YOUR RESEARCH? Volunteers at the library are experienced and knowledgeable genealogists who can answer questions and assist you in your research. Plan to visit the library on a Wednesday or Saturday and use this valuable resource. Want to volunteer at the library? Contact Marion Baumann at 303-343-1190. Our thanks to the many volunteers who give of their valuable time. |
Nearly 108 years of Denver Catholic Register are now available online. The new web site contains digital copies of the Register dating back to its first issue on March 17, 1900, and copies of its predecessor, the Colorado Catholic from 1892-1898. Previously only recent issues were available online, but that has changed according to Karyl Klein, Archivist for the Archdiocese of
Are you a direct descendent of someone who was in
The applicant need not currently reside in
Eligibility for the certificates is as follows:
To date 808 certificates have been issued. 180 First Families, 290 Territorial Families and 338 Centennial Families.
Proof of eligibility: Proof of relationships between generations is required from the applicant back to the earliest
For further information and application forms please visit the CCGS website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~coccgs/ and click on Family Recognition Program. Included in this area are databases of Pioneers indexed by the Pioneer’s name and by the applicant’s name.
Upcoming Classes & Programs
Monthly Special Interest Classes
Sponsored by the
Special Interest classes are held on the third Saturday of the month (except October and December) from
“Researching Back Before 1850”
Presented by Carol Darrow
“Researching House History”
Presented by Bruce Hanson
16 May 2009
“Researching Genealogy on the Internet”
Presented by Barbara Price
For class information and updates go to the
Aches and Pains
Sponsored by the
Wednesday, 6 May 2009 - Walking Tour of downtown Denver
For more information about Aches and Pains Tours, call Tour Coordinator Karen Shuman at 303-759-0331..
June 2009 - September 2009 Schedule
June, 2009 – No Meeting – Enjoy your Summer!
July, 2009 – No Meeting
August, 2009 – No Meeting – See you in September!
.
Tuesday, September 22,
Sponsored by the
Beginners' classes are held on the second Saturday of the month from
This is a one-time, basic course for the beginner. Attendees will be introduced to thinking genealogically through the exploration of the following:
Upcoming scheduled beginners' classes are on:
CGS-CIG Spring Seminar
Genealogical Research on the Internet and
Advanced Genealogical Research Methods for the Internet
Presented by George G. Morgan
Mr. Morgan will be presenting an all day seminar on using the Internet for genealogical research. The Internet is expanding at an exponential rate, and online genealogical resources are growing larger and better every day. The effective genealogist or family history researcher is using the Internet to help locate helpful leads.
In the morning, George will focus on the three different types of Internet-based materials that can be of the most help to genealogical researchers: Web pages, message boards, and mailing lists. In the afternoon, George will help us learn how to maximize our effectiveness by using all of the Internet Web resources together with traditional research and documentation. He will focus on how to combine the use of all types of Internet genealogical resources to locate information and leads. George will present a sample case.
The registration fee is $30.00 for CIG members. The registration fee for non-members is $40.00, which includes a one-year CIG membership. Doors open at
Membership Profile
Janice Marie Frederickson
I was born and raised on a farm in
I moved to
I started doing family research when I retired from
I have done limited research on my mother’s family which is Danish and Norwegian including names Nelson, Nielson, Thompson and Johnson.
My husband’s father, Elmer Frederickson, Sr. had done research on his family before he passed away so I have records that he left for the names Frederickson, Haskell, Dudley, Karns and Brett but I have not spent much time doing research for those names at this time. My husband has some interest in finding out about his family but he would like ME to do the research. He just recently received his grandfathers, Markus Ludwig Fredrickson, bibles (2) from his cousin in
I accepted the duties of recording secretary for the Aurora Genealogical Society in May, 2002 and have been serving in that capacity since then. I am looking forward to turning these duties over to someone new at the annual meeting in May.
In our Library
Books for
· History of the City of
· Early Settlers of
· 10,000 Vital Records of
· 10,000 Vital Records of
· 10,000 Vital Records of
· 7,000
· History of
· Guide to Records in the
Suggested On line sources for
· State Archives – Genealogy www.archives.sed.gov/a/research
· State Archives, Digital Collections www.archives.nysed.gov/d/index.shtml
CHANGE IN LIBRARY SCHEDULED DAYS OF OPERATION Due to budget cuts for the City of |
CREATIVE SEARCHING PAYS OFF
This is a note to tell you not to give up if you can not find your ancestors. I knew that Timothy Mahagan and his family had emigrated from
Mary Mahagan,
Lou-Jean Rehn, CG
It is a cold and blustery day as I write this. An occasional snow flake drifts past the window and my thoughts turn to summer. Summer is travel time. It is a time to visit friends and family, time to see new places, to make that big break through on the family tree. Summer is time to attend genealogy conferences or institutes. Now is the time to plan that genealogy trip.
A successful genealogy trip requires planning. Even with good planning there won’t be enough time to do everything. There will be glitches. You will want to change your plans when you find something that you want to follow up on in a particular location.
Start your planning by asking yourself a few questions:
Where do you want to go? Do you want to go to a genealogy conference or an institute, visit a courthouse near an ancestor’s home, research in the Family History Library in Salt Lake or the state historical society in the state of your ancestor, attend a family reunion, meet an on-line cousin, locate a cemetery or family farm? Each of these wonderful places will require some special planning.
When do you want to go? Most of the conferences and institutes are in the summer time. Is summer the best time to explore your southern roots? Are you into locating a tombstone with 2 feet of snow on the ground? Consider the weather. It will impact how you travel and what you will need to pack.
How are you going to get there? Remember the best airfares require at least 21 days advance booking for the best rate. Are you going to rent a car when you get to your destination? Will you be driving your own car? The price of gas may make your driving cost prohibitive. How you travel will impact what you will be able to do and what you will be able to take with you. Remember the overweight luggage surcharges can get pricey.
Where are you going to stay? Does that little town of 457 people have a motel? How far is it to the nearest town with a motel? Is there a location that is central to all the places you want to visit that you can make your headquarters and take day trips? Make your reservations in advance. You don’t want to arrive at your destination and find no room in the inn because it is the weekend of college graduations or the annual sunflower seed festival.
If it is a research trip, who or what do you want to research? Take the appropriate family group sheets and pedigree charts with you. You might want to have a file folder or a notebook with sections for each surname you are researching. If you are taking your information in an electronic format, do you have a backup? You might want to take extra batteries or power source along.
Now while you think about planning that genealogy trip, I think I will start planning my trip. Next time we will discuss some special planning for specific things you might want to do that will help insure a successful trip.
Until then, HAPPY HUNTING. Lou-Jean
The year was 1861 and in addition to Kansas joining the United States as a free state, the territories of Dakota, Nevada and Arizona were all formed, even as the Confederate States of Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, and Kentucky followed South Carolina in seceding from the Union.
The Confederacy was taking shape, and before Abraham Lincoln even took the oath of office, Jefferson Davis had been sworn in as its president.
As the president-elect made his way to
A little more than a month after President Lincoln took office, the first shots of the Civil War were fired when Confederate troops opened fire on Fort Sumter, where federal troops were stationed in
As the war got underway, it became clear that money would be needed to fund the war and so legislation was passed creating the first income tax--3% on incomes more than $800. This tax was never put to use, but the following year, Congress passed follow-up legislation that placed a 3% tax on incomes between $600 and $10,000 and 5% on incomes greater than $10,000. It was increased in 1864 to 5% on incomes between $600 and $5,000, 7.5% for those earning between $5,000 and $10,000, and 10% for those making more than $10,000. The income tax was declared unconstitutional in 1872, but many of the Tax Assessments created by this brief income tax are now available online at Ancestry.com for members with a
While the
Only 6,160 names saved from 1890 census tragedy
By Tamie Dehler
Special to the Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE — Over the past weeks, I have been discussing the tragedy of the 1890 census — what was lost and what was saved from the fires and the subsequent mismanagement of the damaged fragments. Only 6,160 names out of a population of nearly 63 million on the 1890 census were saved. That is only about one-hundredth of 1 percent. Yet, if your ancestor was living in one of the counties recovered, the name is worth looking for because they are all indexed.
Many people aren’t aware, however, that much more of the 1890 census was saved — in the form of the Special Enumeration of Union Veterans and Widows. This enumeration was requested by the
Although this special enumeration was supposed to include only Union veterans of the Civil War, a funny thing happened. Some enumerators included all veterans in the questionnaire. Therefore, a researcher might just find a veteran of the War of 1812, Mexican War, or one of the Indian wars. In addition, many Confederate veterans of the Civil War were also enumerated. Veteran schedules for the southern states often include large lists of Confederate veterans. These names might be crossed out, but still readable.
If a veteran was deceased, but had a surviving widow, her information was compiled as well as the data for her late husband. Many widows had remarried and their new name, as well as their current address, were listed. For genealogists looking for African ancestry, service in the “Colored Troops” is documented on the veterans’ schedule. It also is interesting to note that some persons deceptively claimed to be veterans, perhaps hoping to get an undeserved pension.
The original intent of the census office was to publish this veteran information and make it available to the public as well as to veterans’ organizations and associations. However, funding for the project was lacking and in 1894 the schedules were transferred to the Commissioner of Pensions to be used in the government Pension Office. In 1930 the schedules were delivered to the newly created Veterans Administration. In 1943 they were transferred to the National Archives, where they remain today. More than 1 million Union veterans were originally documented as well as more than 163,000 widows.
Although there is no evidence that the 1890 veterans’ schedules were involved in either fire that annihilated the actual census, a significant portion of these schedules is missing. Almost all schedules from the states of
Research Recommendations:
Genealogical Writing: Decades
by Michael J. Leclerc
In genealogical writing, it is very common to refer to entire decades. There are only a couple of critical rules to follow, and one major (but all too common) error that you must never make!
When referring to decades, as with specific dates, always refer to the century as well as the decade. The only exception to this would be if the century is absolutely clear from the context of the paragraph. You can write the decade out in words, as in "the nineteen-forties," but this looks clunky. If the century is unnecessary, you may write "the forties," which is a lot easier to read. You can also use numerals instead, as in "the 1940s" or "the 40s."
Please note that you should never use an apostrophe when referring to decades. You can only use "1940's" when referring to something that was possessed by the decade - an extremely rare usage. Using the apostrophe is a major mistake that must be avoided at all costs if you are to be viewed as a quality researcher and writer.
The Births Death and Marriage Historical Records website, at www.bdmhistoricalrecords.identityservices.govt.nz/, provides access to information about:
· Births that occurred at least 100 years ago
· Stillbirths that occurred at least 50 years ago
· Marriages and eventually Civil Unions that occurred 80 years ago
· Deaths that occurred at least 50 years ago or the deceased's date of birth was at least 80 years ago.
The new website can also be accessed from the Department of Internal Affairs website at www.dia.govt.nz.
The
General meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of the month, alternating between afternoon and evening meetings. Afternoon meetings will begin with refreshments at
Society meetings are held at the
The AGS Library Room will be open from
Members may join upon paying annual dues of $15.00 per mailing address. Send your remittance along with name, address and telephone number to:
Membership Vice President, Aurora Gen Soc, PO Box 31732, Aurora, CO 80041-0732
All members are on the mailing list and will receive newsletters as they are published. Renewal fees are due January 1st.
Queries will be accepted for publication in the newsletter, as space permits. Members are allowed one free query per year; additional queries and queries from non‑members will be printed, at a charge of 10 cents per word.
THE
Volume XXVIII, Number 4 November, December 2008, January 2009 Volume XXVIII, Number 4 November, December 2008, January 2009 General Meetings Tues. November 25th, ( NO DECEMBER MEETING – HAPPY HOLIDAYS Tues. January 27th, Tues. February 24th, Location: Community Room – Basement Level Upcoming Meetings Tuesday, November 25, 1:00 p.m. – Searching For Your Families On The Internet presented by our past President, Dorothy Bernay. This presentation will present the various sources to find your family on the internet. Dorothy will discuss the quality of the information on various sites and the confidence you should have of the information furnished. December There is No Meeting – Happy Holidays Tuesday, January 27, The time period, technology, geographic barriers, the social and cultural standards all shaped the lives of our ancestors. Travel the time machine back to learn how events large and small affected your ancestors and how those events resulted in records that document their lives. Tuesday, February 24th, Presented by Birdie Monk Holslaw, CG. A winner of the National Society Family History Writing Contest tells how to find stories in your ancestors’ lives. Learn how to see everyday documents in a new light, and how to turn cold facts into biographical information about personality, historical events and social conditions. Please plan on attending a program. You will be greatly surprised at what you can learn and receive help from others. If you are in need of a ride to a program please contact any of the board members. Genealogy Library Hours of Operation Thursdays, Saturdays, Location: Aurora Public Library Basement Level “The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.” Oliver Wendell Holmes If you are unable to serve as scheduled, please phone Helen Suggs at 303-344-5676. NOTE: Please consider receiving your newsletter by e-mail. Doing so would reduce the cost of printing and mailing it. Should you decide to do that please e-mail Dotty Hunt at ldhunt4445@msn.com