The Department of History, Arts and Libraries' Quarterly Genealogy Newsletter
Summer 2009

Comments or questions about Michigan Genealogist? Contact Special Collections Manager Randy Riley at (517) 373-5860 or rileyr1@michigan.gov.

Family History Conferences Offer Tremendous Opportunities

Recently I had the privilege of attending the National Genealogical Society's "The Building of a Nation: From Roanoke to the West" conference in Raleigh, N.C. I was surprised that I did not run into one person from Michigan at this national conference. I began to ask myself, "What benefits are there for attending regional and national family history conferences?" and "Is it important to have Michigan represented at national conferences?" So... why should you attend?

It is easy to come up with dozens of excuses for not traveling to genealogy conferences. "It is too expensive." "It is too far away." "I don't have anyone to go with." "I get all my information on the Internet." "I know more about family history than most of the speakers do." "I am a beginner and probably wouldn't take anything away from the conference." "I don't recognize the names of any of the speakers." "I have been doing family history for so long that there is little left to learn." "My people weren't from North Carolina, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Missouri or any of the other states that have recently hosted a conference." This list of excuses could go on and on.

Family history conferences and seminars offer tremendous opportunities for researchers. The National Genealogical Society and Federation of Genealogical Society conferences provide the most knowledgeable speakers from the United States and elsewhere. The hosting society's program committees are committed to offering a wide range of topics and look for the best speakers available. You can count on high quality content in almost every program offered. The conferences also are very careful about offering sections that appeal to beginners and expert researchers. There literally is something for everyone. The exhibit hall provides attendees with an opportunity to rub shoulders with vendors selling various family history products. Everyone has an opportunity to get "face time" with large vendors like Ancestry or to search through stacks of books to locate hard-to-find research tools.

I admit, attending a conference out of town is not cheap. There are several ways that you can stretch your limited dollars. Share a room with a group of friends to save expenses. Maybe the conference is within driving distance and instead of paying for an airline ticket you can get a carload of friends to help share the costs. Traveling with people who share your love of family history can also increase the amount of fun you have at the conference. If a conference is located in an area where you have relatives, you may be able to spend a few nights at their home to save money. Some of the conference-sponsored meals can be "spendy," but there are cheaper meal options within walking distance of most of the convention centers that host the conferences. If you start today, you can stash a few dollars away each week and by next summer you should have a decent sum of money saved as your conference fund. Planning in advance will help you budget and make attending one of the national conferences possible.

These conferences provide me with an opportunity to brag about the Library of Michigan's family history collection. They provide me with an opportunity to share ideas and educate researchers about the vast number of resources found in Michigan libraries and archives. Many conference attendees are surprised when I inform them of all the great things Michigan libraries offer and all of the amazing projects Michigan societies are working on. National conferences provide us with an opportunity to keep Michigan in the spotlight where genealogy is concerned.

After every conference I attend I feel re-energized. Gathering with "like-minded" folks, sharing information, swapping stories, learning new research methodologies and making new friends from across the country is a huge benefit of these conferences. At the end of the conference I am filled with enthusiasm and want to get home and share everything I have learned. There is something amazing about mingling with hundreds of people who are serious about genealogy. These are people willing and eager to listen to you talk about your latest find or help you get over your most frustrating hurdle. People are willing and eager to share what they know. You can't help but share this energy when you get home. Take a look at your calendar. The Federation of Genealogical Societies is meeting Sept. 2-5 in Little Rock, Ark. Will I see you there?

Happy searching.

Randy Riley
Special Collections Manager
Library of Michigan

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One Step, Many Solutions: Abrams Genealogy Seminar, Featuring Stephen Morse, to Be Held July 17-18

By Kris Rzepczynski
Michigan/Genealogy Coordinator, Library of Michigan

The Library of Michigan is pleased to announce that the 2009 Abrams Genealogy Seminar will take place on Friday and Saturday, July 17-18 at the Michigan Library & Historical Center in Lansing.

This fourth annual Library of Michigan signature event represents a unique opportunity for researchers to spend two full days at the Library utilizing our vast array of genealogy resources and learning about specific topics of interest including cemetery research, Michigan death records, online research for the British Isles, New England area research and much more.

A highlight of the seminar will be a keynote address, co-sponsored by the Eaton County Genealogical Society, featuring Stephen Morse, famous for his outstanding One-Step Webpages at stephenmorse.org. These online tools are an invaluable resource for genealogists for topics as diverse as Ellis Island ship lists, U.S., Canadian, and British census records, and even calendar conversions and language translation.

As in previous years, the Abrams Seminar will include a library and archives research track, in which facilities with extensive genealogical and historical holdings will outline their collections. Participating libraries and archives include the Library of Michigan, the Archives of Michigan, the Burton Historical Collection at Detroit Public Library, the Capital Area District Library in Lansing and the Allen County (Ind.) Public Library.

The schedule for the seminar is as follows:

12:30 - 1 p.m.

A. Archives of Michigan Tour

1:15 - 1:45 p.m.

B. Library of Michigan Tour

2 - 3 p.m.

D. Researching Your Female Ancestors

- Edwina Morgan, Library of Michigan

E. Michigan Biographical Index

- James N. Jackson, Professional Researcher

F. Genealogical Research at the Library of Michigan

- Randy Riley, Library of Michigan

3:15 - 4:15 p.m.

F. Cemetery Records: Dying to Get in There!

- Karen Krugman, Professional Researcher

G. The Ultimate Michigan Civil War Resource

- Mark Harvey, Archives of Michigan

H. Resources from the Forest Parke Library & Archives Collection

- David Votta, Capital Area District Library, Lansing

9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

I. Welcome & keynote address: One-Step Webpages: A Potpourri of Genealogical Search Tools

- Stephen Morse

11:30 a.m. - noon

J. Presentation of the Carole Callard Genealogy Appreciation Award

Noon - 1 p.m.

Lunch

1 - 2 p.m.

K. One-Step Webpages: A Hodgepodge of Lesser-Known Gems

- Stephen Morse

2:15 - 3:15 p.m.

L. Casting the "Net" Over Your British Isles Ancestors

- Richard M. Doherty, Professional Researcher

M. Genealogy 2.0: Social Networking and Family History

- Gloriane Peck, Library of Michigan

N. Treasures for Researchers at the Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne

- Curt Witcher, Allen County Public Library

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

O. Researching Your New England Ancestors

- Charles Hagler, Library of Michigan

P. Seeking Michigan Death Records? A New Digitization Project

- Kris Rzepczynski, Library of Michigan

Q. Research at the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library

- Mark Bowden, Detroit Public Library

Additional information and the registration form are online. Questions? Please contact the Library at (517) 373-1300 or librarian@michigan.gov.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the seminar!

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Day Camp Teaches Kids How to Use Library of Michigan

By Gloriane Peck
Special Collections Librarian, Library of Michigan

The Library of Michigan is partnering with the Michigan Historical Museum for the Museum's Summer Sizzles day camp to show children ages 9 to 12 how to use different genealogical and historical resources at the Library of Michigan.

This weeklong camp features five half-day sessions on a different theme in Michigan's past. In addition to spending one session at the Library of Michigan, campers will spend time with Michigan Historical Center staff exploring:

• outhouse archaeology;
• art and history;
• woodcarving;
• the history of artifacts.

While at the Library of Michigan, campers will use newspapers on microfilm, online resources and historical print materials, including books and maps. Looking at newspapers on microfilm is usually especially popular among summer campers and the school groups that visit the Library of Michigan during the academic year. For most children, it's the first time they have even seen microfilm. The enthusiasm this activity creates is wonderful for getting kids hooked on historical and genealogical research.

The day camp will be offered two more times this summer:

• July 13 - 17, 1 to 4 p.m.;
• July 27 - 31, 9 a.m. to noon.

For more information or to register, go to www.michigan.gov/hal/ 0,1607,7-160-17447_18625_40016-8 9848--,00.html. The Michigan Historical Museum also is offering individual half-day camps on additional topics as well as a day camp for children ages 6 to 8.

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HAL News

New Public Hours at the Library of Michigan

The Library of Michigan's has new hours of operation starting Tuesday, July 7. The change of hours provides a more consistent schedule of hours of operation than the library was previously open. The changes will also help the facility to control overall costs.

Library hours will be:

• Main Library 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday
• Law Library: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
• Rare Book Room: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (other hours by appointment)
• Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

"Our number-one priority has always been to anticipate and meet the needs of every library customer who needs our services," said State Librarian Nancy Robertson. "This change in hours reflects our desire to be more consistent with day-to-day operations and to make it easier for our customers to know exactly when we are open."

Library of Michigan and Department of History, Arts and Libraries' administrative offices remain operational and accessible 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. weekdays. As always, the Library staff will continue to do our best to serve patrons as efficiently as possible. Your patience and understanding is appreciated.

If you have questions, e-mail the Library of Michigan at librarian@michigan.gov or call (517) 373-1300.

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Library, Archives Will Close Six Days This Summer to Accommodate Temporary Layoff Days for State Employees

The Department of Management and Budget recently announced that most of Michigan's state government offices will be closed for six days this summer to accommodate unpaid furlough days for state employees.

As a result, the Library of Michigan and the Archives of Michigan will be closed on:

• Friday, June 19
• Monday, July 6
• Friday, July 24
• Friday, Aug. 7
• Friday, Aug. 21
• Friday, Sept. 4

The closures will apply to all general offices and services in state government. Public notice of the closures is being provided well in advance so the Library users can plan accordingly and avoid the inconvenience. The unpaid furlough days are estimated to save the state almost $22 million before Sept. 30, the end of the state's fiscal year. Approximately 37,400 state employees will be furloughed for the six days while another 15,500 are exempt to maintain public health and safety services.

Questions concerning furlough days should be directed to librarian@michigan.gov or (517) 373-5860.

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Special Collections

The Library of Congress and Digital Preservation: Chronicling America: Historic America Newspapers

By Leelyn Johnson
Reference/Documents Coordinator, Library of Michigan

Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers is an Internet-based, searchable database of U.S. newspapers and select digitized newspaper pages. The National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP), a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress, produces it, and the Library of Congress gives access to it on its Web site at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/. Chronicling America stems from the United States Newspaper Program, 1980-2007. State-level projects were funded to locate, catalog and selectively preserve the historic newspapers in each state, published from 1690 to the present. The Library of Michigan and Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University participated in the program for Michigan. These records are updated annually.

Newspaper Title Directory
This is derived from library catalog records created by state institutions during the NEH-sponsored United States Newspaper Program. The directory lists newspapers published in the United States from 1690 to the present and can be searched or browsed by state, county, city, date, keyword, frequency, language, or whether it is an ethnicity press or a labor press. The records include title, place of publication, geographic coverage, publisher, dates of publication, frequency, language, and the library or libraries that own it and their holdings.

Selected Digitized Newspaper Pages
The pages currently available are digitized from newspapers published between 1880 and 1910 in California, District of Columbia, Florida, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, Texas, Utah and Virginia. The state, name of the newspaper, year or date range, and keyword can be searched. The search results may be viewed as a citation list or thumbnails of the pages. The thumbnail view has the search words marked in orange. The images may be downloaded and printed. There is also a link to the newspaper's record in the directory.

The National Digital Newspaper Project will give awards to participants to continue selecting and digitizing newspaper pages through 2011. Each state will select and digitize about 100,000 newspaper pages representing that state's regional history, geographic coverage and events for the chosen time period. By the last award year, the time period covered will be 1836 to 1922.

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Find County Clerks Using Seeking Michigan

Are you "seeking" a Michigan county clerk's office? Seeking Michigan provides a new way to get you there!

The new Michigan County Clerks Map merges the Archives of Michigan's Michigan County Clerks Directory with a Google Maps function. Visitors will find the various county clerk offices represented as virtual "pins" on a Michigan state map. Click on a pin, and you'll retrieve genealogical records information. The information includes descriptions of county clerk office holdings, lists of copying fees, and the office's mailing address and phone number. Scroll to the bottom of the information window, and you will see links to street maps, driving directions and the office's Web site.

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What's New at the Library of Michigan?

By Charles Hagler
Reference Librarian, Library of Michigan

Do you want to know what new Michigan and Genealogy materials have been added to the Library of Michigan's collection? Access ANSWER, the Library's online catalog, at www.answercat.org. You can view the new Michigan and Genealogy materials each month by clicking on the Check for New Books button at the bottom of the ANSWER homepage.

Please note, many of the Library's genealogical resources are part of the non-circulating collection and are only available for on-site use at the Library. ANSWER does not provide access to periodical articles, microforms, or CD-ROM and Internet databases, but it does indicate the location and call number where the item can be found in the Library of Michigan.

Here are a few notable titles that have arrived since the last issue of Michigan Genealogist.

Massachusetts Vital Records: West Bridgewater, 1762-1900. Jay Mack Holbrook. 54 microfiches. Oxford, MA: Holbrook Research Institute, 1995.
Microfiche F 74 .B7 M377 1995
These are microfiche copies of the original vital records from the town of West Bridgewater, Mass.

Naeseth, Gerhard B. Norwegian Immigrants to the United States: A Biographical Directory, 1825-1850. 5 volumes. Madison, WI: G.B. Naeseth, 1993-1997.
Genealogy E 184 .S2 N24 1993
These five volumes are an attempt by the author to record the basic data concerning each of the immigrants who arrived in the United States from Norway before 1851. Gift of Yvonne Martin.

Downriver Genealogical Society. City of Wyandotte Death Records: 1987-1990: Located in Wayne County, MI. Lincoln Park, MI: Downriver Genealogical Society, 200_.
Michigan F 574 .W9 C596 200_

Knox, Mary and Leslie Mancell. An Index to Chatham Park Street Wesleyan Methodist Church Marriages, 1858-1890. Merlin, ON: L. Mancell, 1989.
Genealogy F 1059.5 .C432 K56 1989
One of several dozen church, cemetery, local history and census records from the Kent and Oxford County Branches of the Ontario Genealogical Society that have been added to our collection. Gift of Beverly Weidendorf.

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Every Job Has Its Perks: Gift Giving to the Library of Michigan

By Edwina Morgan
Special Collections Librarian, Library of Michigan

It is super nice to enjoy what you do for a living and even better to receive a paycheck. But along with those good things many jobs have extra special perks, which make it just that much better. For me I get extra perks all the time in my role as the gift coordinator at the Library of Michigan. Often good people donate book materials to the Library, and it is my job to place them in the most appropriate collection within the Library. As part of that, I have to look at the material enough to know if it meets the mission needs of the Library and in which collection it might best fit. As a result I have learned quality things about my own genealogy as well as the state of Michigan.

Truth be told, I was born in Iowa as were both my parents, but regardless I have fully benefited from the books people and organizations have donated to the Library. One fine day, after having hit a genealogical brick wall with regard to a line going back to western Virginia in the mid-18th century, a gift came across my desk that took a big cement block out of that wall. A helpful book that we previously did not hold had my ancestor listed in Lord Dunmore's War, Lord Dunmore's Little War of 1774 (Genealogy E 83.77 .S56 2002x).

Materials closer to home have come in handy as well. Because my grandmother graduated from high school after the stock martket crash of 1929, I have never seen a senior picture of her. It was pretty common for schools to pass up publishing for a few years during the Depression. However, she had both an older and younger sister and I was super delighted to have their yearbooks come across my desk as gifts for the small town of Buchanan, Mich. There still is no picture of my grandmother in her senior year, but she was there as a freshman.

Just recently, I received a gift that really helped to color in the character of one of my ancestors. A lady in my family, daughter of the man who served for Lord Dunmore, was born in Virginia and ended her life in Oregon after having traveled west in 1852. This last week I received a copy of a journal and letter collection written by a doctor on that very same wagon train. He even specified the jargon used by people on the route and translated for the reader what they meant. Frequently cited were terms that I will not repeat here in this article, so much for prim and proper.

My state has also become more colorful for me because of the things I learn from these gifts. I had no idea that the racehorse Seabiscuit first ran with his new jockey Red Pollard in Detroit. One of Seabiscuit's earliest wins came in 1936 at the Detroit's Governor's Handicap.

While I am grateful, I do not feel it is luck to find all of this information at the Library of Michigan. Our collections are such that almost anyone from any state in the Union could find good information on their family, and much of that is due to the brilliant gifts given to the Library by friends and patrons.

Interested in donating materials to the Library of Michigan? See the Library's Gift Policy Form, or contact the Library at librarian@michigan.gov or (517) 373-1300.

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New Genealogy Collection Subject Guides Available Online

By Gloriane Peck
Special Collections Librarian, Library of Michigan

• Footnote.com at the Library of Michigan
• Indiana: Seeking Ancestors in the Heartland
• National Archives Genealogy Sources at the Library of Michigan
• Newspapers: Finding the Scoop on Your Family Tree
• Revolutionary War Ancestors

These subject guides are a great source to explore when you're starting research on a new topic or to review ahead of a visit to the Library of Michigan to help maximize your research time here.

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Archives of Michigan

Civil War Recruiters Relied on Michigan

By Bob Garrett
Archivist, Archives of Michigan

You certainly can't accuse the Union Army of false advertising. This 1862 recruitment poster promises an "excursion party for the sunny South!" Northern enlistees did, of course, participate in exactly that. One suspects, however, that a warmer climate proved scant compensation for enduring the horrors of war. The American Civil War sprung from long-standing tensions between North and South. Those tensions came to a boil during the 1860 Presidential election.

When Abraham Lincoln emerged the victor, many Southerners objected. Lincoln represented the then-relatively new Republican Party, which they associated with the Northern anti-slavery movement. Several Southern states seceded, forming the Confederate States of America. Many Northerners insisted that states did not possess the right to secede. The crisis reached a head when the Confederacy began seizing federal forts within its territory. When President Lincoln assumed office, he decided to reinforce Fort Sumter, located in the Confederate state of South Carolina.

On April 12, 1861, the Confederates bombarded the fort, forcing the federal troops within to surrender. The Civil War had officially begun. On April 15, 1861, President Lincoln called for 75,000 troops. At that time, individual states recruited soldiers and organized regiments. Describing the process, Civil War historian (and Michigan native) Bruce Catton explained that, "the state governor was all-important at the start...it was largely up to him to make certain that his state met its quota when enlistments were called for." (This quote is from Catton's book Reflections on the Civil War.)

Michigan's initial quota was one regiment. Governor Austin Blair acted quickly, procuring privately donated funds while the Legislature was out of session. The resultant regiment, designated the 1st Michigan Infantry, consisted of two companies from Detroit and eight additional companies from Jackson, Coldwater, Manchester, Ann Arbor, Burr Oak, Ypsilanti, Marshall and Adrian. On May 16, 1861, the 1st Michigan became the first regiment from a western state to reach Washington, D.C. Legend has it that Abraham Lincoln exclaimed, "Thank God for Michigan!" upon its arrival.

In the war's early days, patriotism motivated many to enlist. As the war dragged on, however, fewer volunteers came forward. Volunteerism increased when prospective volunteers were offered a sum of money - or bounty - upon enlistment. The federal government - and many state and local governments - authorized bounties in varying amounts at various times. Bounties, however, required funds, which weren't always readily available. Finally, Congress passed the Enrollment Act of 1863, which established a draft. (For more on the federal Civil War draft, see the Archives of Michigan's Civil War Principals and Substitutes Index.)

Northern military recruiters faced special challenges throughout the Civil War. Ultimately, however, the Union prevailed, and Michigan unquestionably did its part. On page 1 of his book Michigan Soldiers in the Civil War, Frederick D. Williams notes that, "Besides raising a total of 45 regiments - 31 infantry, 11 cavalry and one each of engineers and mechanics, artillery and sharpshooters - Michigan contributed soldiers to over 50 other military units and sent nearly 600 men to serve in the Union Navy." Abraham Lincoln would have had good reason to exclaim, "Thank God for Michigan!"

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Across the State

Library of Michigan Staff Presenting Around the State

Charles Hagler

- July 18: Researching Your New England Ancestors

Library of Michigan Abrams Genealogy Seminar, Lansing

Edwina Morgan

- July 17: Researching Your Female Ancestors

Library of Michigan Abrams Genealogy Seminar, Lansing

Gloriane Peck

- July 18: Genealogy 2.0: Social Networking and Family History

Library of Michigan Abrams Genealogy Seminar, Lansing

- Sept. 26: Genealogy 2.0: Social Networking and Family History, and Accessing Obituaries on the Internet

Detroit Public Library Family History Festival, Detroit

Randy Riley

- July 17: Genealogy Research at the Library of Michigan

Library of Michigan Abrams Genealogy Seminar, Lansing

Kris Rzepczynski

- July 18: Seeking Michigan Death Records? A New Digitization Project

Library of Michigan Abrams Genealogy Seminar, Lansing

- Aug. 6: Getting Started: Researching Your Family's Heritage

Westland Public Library, Westland

- Sept. 10: Seeking Michigan Death Records? A New Digitization Project

Ingham County Genealogical Society, Mason

- Sept. 26: Utilizing Footnote at the Library and from Home

Detroit Public Library Family History Festival, Detroit

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About the Michigan Genealogist

Publisher's Note

The Michigan Department of History,Arts and Libraries (HAL) electronically publishes Michigan Genealogist on a quarterly basis. It is intended to provide family history-related information to interested researchers and to inform readers about resources found in the Library of Michigan, Archives of Michigan and other HAL agencies.

We encourage wide distribution of this newsletter and invite readers to share it with their friends, families and fellow researchers. We have made every effort to provide accurate information. However, the publisher does not assume any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions related to any of the issues of Michigan Genealogist.

If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter, please contact HAL at librarian@michigan.gov.

Driving Directions and Parking

Information concerning driving directions and parking is on the following Web sites:

• Driving Directions: www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-17445_19274_20004-55205--,00.html
• Parking: www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-17445_19274_20001---,00.html

Research

Due to the length of time needed to conduct genealogical research, the staffs of the Library of Michigan and Archives of Michigan are unable provide extensive research services. Check the Library of Michigan and Archives of Michigan Web pages at www.michigan.gov/familyhistory and www.michigan.gov/archivesofmi for more information on policies and procedures regarding genealogical research.

Ask a Librarian

Genealogy queries can be sent to the Library of Michigan at librarian@michigan.gov. While staff members cannot do extensive research, they can point you in the right direction and assist you in determining if the library's collection contains the information you seek. If necessary, the Library's staff will refer you to a researcher or local genealogical society that will conduct research for a fee. Questions relating to the Archives of Michigan should be sent to archives@michigan.gov.

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