NEHGS eNews is your weekly source of information on the latest activities of the Society and the general genealogical community. Family history resources, research databases and articles added to NewEnglandAncestors.org, NEHGS and Newbury Street Press books, education programs and more.
eNews
Vol. 12, No. 52
Whole #459
December 30, 2009
Edited by Michael J. Leclerc and Valerie Beaudrault
enews@nehgs.org
Greetings from the New England Historic Genealogical Society! This newsletter has been sent to people who asked to receive it. If you would like to unsubscribe or change your email address, please click on the link at the bottom of the email and follow the instructions provided.
NEHGS collects, preserves, and interprets materials to document and make accessible the histories of families in America.
Contents:
* New Bible Records and City Directories in the Digital Library and Archive
* Holiday Closures
* Research Recommendations: Remembering the Aughties
* Name Origins
* New On NewEnglandAncestors.org
* Spotlight: Westport Historical Society, Massachusetts
* Stories of Interest
* Holiday Bundles
* Upcoming Education Programs
* NEHGS Contact Information
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New Bible Records and City Directories in the Digital Library and Archive
The following bible records and city directories have been added to the NEHGS Digital Library and Archive. If you plan to view multiple items in the Digital Library, we recommend that you begin by logging in at http://library.nehgs.org/patroninfo. Once you log in, you can click the “Search Catalog” button or the “New Books & E-books” link to start using the digital collections.
Bible records from the R. Stanton Avery Special Collections at NEHGS for the following families:
Alvord, Bowers,Carter, Field, Hartshorn, Myers, Richardson, Ripley, Sample, and Warburton.
City directories for the following locations and years:
Cleveland, Ohio: Boyd’s Directory, 1857
Medford, Mass.: 1930
Mobile, Ala.: 1838
Norwalk, Ohio: 1875
Sacramento, Calif.: 1882
Toronto, Ont.: 1856
Holiday Closures
The Society will have limited hours over the last two weeks in December to allow the staff to enjoy the holidays. The hours for the administrative offices and research library will be:
Thursday, December 31 (New Year’s Eve) Close at 1:00 p.m.
Friday, January 1 (New Year’s Day), Closed
Saturday, January 2, Research Library Open, Administrative Offices Closed
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Research Recommendations: Remembering the Aughties
by Michael J. Leclerc
Did you ever notice that the older you get, the faster time seems to move? It seems like only yesterday we were worried about Y2K, and now the first decade of the new millennium is about to end. And how much genealogical research has changed in that time.
In 1999, Google was less than a year old. Wikipedia wasn’t even born yet, coming online in January 2001. What genealogist today could imagine conducing research without either of these vital tools?
Ancestry.com was only beginning to offer information online, starting with the U.S. Census. Over the past decade their offering have increased to include databases and images of original documents and published works from countries around the world.
Ten years ago, the Society’s electronic newsletter was called HisGen Highlights, and was published every other week. It was filled with news of the Society’s activities, programs, products, and services. Since then, the name was changed to eNews, publication was bumped to once a week, and regular columns on names, research methodology and resources, and website resources have been added. Together with the stories of interest, they represent a dramatic increase in content for our subscribers.
In 1999 the website, www.nehgs.org, was mostly information, with limited benefits for members. Over the past ten years we have seen three iterations of www.NewEnglandAncestors.org, with more data and images of original records than we could have dreamed about a decade ago. And a brand-new, redesigned from the ground up website is in the process of being constructed for release in 2010.
Back then, the Society lent books via the postal service through the Circulating Library, but usage was already plummeting. Since then, the slow and highly costly service was discontinued, and many of those same titles are now easily available online at NewEnglandAncestors.org, GoogleBooks, and other websites.
I remember when it was big news that we could accept new memberships online as well as through the mail or in person. Today, more than 70% of our new members come to us online.
In addition to the hundreds of programs put forth by the Society over the past two years, two major national conferences were held here in Boston, with the Society as the local sponsor. In 2002 the Society was the host to the GenTech conference, and in 2006 we welcomed thousands of individuals from all over the world to the Federation of Genealogical Societies’ annual conference.
New England Ancestors magazine was also introduced in the first year of this decade, replacing NEXUS, which started publication in 1984. Today, NewEnglandAncestors.org, eNews, and New England Ancestors magazine are regarded by members as the three most important benefits of belonging to the Society.
What will the next decade bring? My bet is that today we cannot even imagine. And the most used tools of 2019 may not even be on the drawing board yet. With a new website and other exciting enhancements and improvements coming from NEHGS, I have no doubt that 2010 will be a bellwether year for our members. I wish you much luck in your research this year, and don’t forget to include your family history in your New Year’s resolutions this year. Who knows, perhaps they will be the ones you keep! Goodby Aughties and hello Teens!
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Name Origins
by Julie Helen Otto
LEVI (m): One of the twelve sons of Jacob (by the patriarch’s first, unloved wife, Leah). Levi was progenitor of the priestly tribe of the Levites.
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New On NewEnglandAncestors.org
Vital Records of Stamford, Connecticut to 1825
www.newenglandancestors.org/database_search/StamfordCT_VR.asp
From the introduction to the book:
“The records contained in this volume are all found in the first three folios, containing this class of records, in the Town Clerk's office. The first folio is made up of such leaves as have been saved from the earliest records of the town, and contains all the classes of records used in the town for several of the earliest years. It carries the registration down to 1723.
The second, duplicating some of the records of the first, continues them down to 1780.
The third, repeating some of the later records of the second, carries on the registration down to 1852. From this volume our printed copy has every record dawn to 1825, and, as will be seen, the records of four families a little later.
In some of the following records, two dates will be found for the same event—this double-date being sometimes of the year and sometimes only of the month. This is simply a copy of the double dating in the records themselves. In a few instances, impossible dates are printed, as will be readily detected—this, also, is to the author, a necessity from the original records, and in some instances, for fear of being suspected of clerical error on his part, he has indicated them as original errors. For other dates which may seem to be errors, neither the Town Clerk nor the author is responsible.”
This database contains the records of 6,963 births, 3,363 marriages, and 918 deaths. Images of the original book pages can be accessed from the search results page.
Vital Records of Hartford, Windsor and Fairfield Connecticut, 1631 – 1691
www.newenglandancestors.org/database_search/HartfordCT_VR.asp
From the introduction to the book:
“Within fifteen years of the settlement of the Connecticut Colony, steps had been taken to have official records kept of births, marriages and deaths.
"The first suggestion of such records is contained in an order of the Court of Election, April 10, 1640, that 'the Magestrate who solemnizeth Mariedge betwixt any, shall cause a record to be entered in Courte of the day & yere thereof.'
"Four years later, on June 3, 1644,3 an order was passed that the town clerks or registers should record marriages and births, — strange, as it now seems, the importance of recording deaths was not appreciated at that date, though the evolution of all such entries was progressing with the progress of the plantations.
"It is in the Colonial Laws of 1650 that we find the provision which covered the three classes of these records, — births, marriages and deaths. It likewise included a paragraph requiring an annual transmission by the town clerks, of copies of their records of births, marriages and deaths, to the Secretary of the Court. And it is due to this section of the law that the records here printed are found in the first volumes of the Colony's Land Records.”
This database contains the records of 54 baptisms, 594 births, 427 marriages, 331 deaths and 18 burials. Images of the original book pages can be accessed from the search results page.
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Spotlight: Westport Historical Society, Massachusetts
by Valerie Beaudrault
www.westporthistory.com/
Westport is located in Bristol County, in southeastern Massachusetts. The Westport Historical Society’s website offers a myriad of resources for family history researchers. Resources include:
Click on the Timeline link in the menu bar to access a chronological overview of Westport history covering important events during the period from the early seventeenth century through the Bicentennial.
Online Exhibits: Three online exhibits may be found on the website. The first is “A Perilous Life — an Online Exhibit of Westport Whaling,” which includes text, photographs and drawings and digitized images letters, documents, and accounts of whaling in Westport and the people who went whaling, or supported the industry on shore. The second online exhibit is titled “I Remember. . .Visions of Yesterday Sparking Memories Today — a Dialogue Through Pictures.” To access it, you must click on the link in the list below the page title. These images come from postcards from the collection of Al Lees Jr. Captions have been added. The focus of this exhibit is Westport and it has been by category, such as Schools of Westport, Horseneck Beach, and Westport Factory. “Do You Remember? A Stroll Down Memory Lane. . .” comprises a collection of historical photos of Westport and surrounding communities from the collection of the late Al Lees. Mr. Lees made this collection available through a searchable archive.
Town Records: This searchable database is a work in progress. It contains the official minutes of Westport town meetings from town’s incorporation in 1787 to 1860. While the description states that the records go to 1846, the search results returned include the years between 1847 and 1860. The Westport Historical Commission published the first twenty-four years of these records in 1991 in a booklet, which is now out of print. These years of records, plus additional years through 1860, have been incorporated into the database and made more widely available to townspeople and the general public. The records are organized by decade and year. Researchers may browse through the records by year or perform a keyword search. If you are interested in reading the story of how this contemporary copy of the records came about, you may click on the link at the end of the page.
General Search of Westport History Online: The Westport Historical Society has provided information for users of its website on how to search the site. Click on the Search tab in the menu bar to access the guide to the search function. The Society has put its entire collection of photographs, postcards, and archives resources online in the form of a searchable database. In the guide under “How can I access the online database?” you will find a link to the database search page at http://westhist.pastperfect-online.com/31326cgi/mweb.exe?request=ks>=. The database contains 2100 photographs of Westport people, places and events, 1200 postcards, 600 pages of scrapbooks and newspaper clippings, and documents of all types—maps, manuscripts, logbooks, diaries, letters, deeds, account books, wills and ephemera.
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Stories of Interest
Recording Family Histories Before It’s Too Late
The Los Angeles Times ran this story recently about the importance of capturing family stories before they are gone.
Adoptive Families’ Quests to Trace Chinese Roots Often Meet Dead Ends
Also from the Los Angeles Times, a story on the difficulty Americans adopted from China can have in tracing family history.
A Genealogy Resolution: Record Your Sources
Perhaps the best piece of advice that can ever be given to a genealogist.
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Holiday Bundles
The NEHGS Holiday Bundles are still available through December 31st, 2009. If you didn’t get everything you wanted for your genealogical research this holiday season, now’s your chance to get what you really wanted! To see our entire list of holiday bundles and other items at discounted prices, visit www.newenglandancestors.org/store/holiday_discounts.asp.
Did you know that the NEHGS Book Store offers library-quality copies of over 10,000 rare and out-of-print books? Some titles ordered by recent customers include:
You can search the entire Classic Reprints catalog online at www.newenglandancestors.org/store.asp. If you would like a list of FAQs and search tips for the Classic Reprints catalog, simply send an email with "Classic Reprints" in the subject line to sales@nehgs.org.
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Upcoming Education Programs
Each year the Society presents a number of dynamic lectures, seminars, and tours for genealogists and the general public. Programs are held at 99 Newbury Street unless otherwise indicated. For more information, please contact D. Joshua Taylor at 617-226-1226 or jtaylor@nehgs.org.
You can view a full listing of upcoming programs: www.newenglandancestors.org/events/6816.asp.
Lectures
New Visitor Welcome & Library Orientation
Saturday, January 2, 10:00 A.M.
Starting your family genealogy can seem a little daunting at first. There is so much information found in a variety of locations. Let NEHGS help you make sense of it all by attending this FREE lecture for both members and non-members. This talk introduces you to the NEHGS research library, located at 99 Newbury Street in Boston. Founded in 1845, NEHGS is the country’s oldest and largest non-profit genealogy library and archive. With more than 15 million artifacts, books, manuscripts, microfilms, journals, photographs, records, and other items, NEHGS can provide researchers of every level some of the most important sources of information.
You will also have an opportunity to describe your research interests to one of our expert genealogists on staff, who can offer some advice on how to proceed. The program starts with a thirty-minute introductory lecture and will be followed by a tour of the library and its vast holdings. Make plans to start your genealogy with this great tour.
Using NewEnglandAncestors.org
Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 10:00 A.M.
With over 110 million names in 2,200 databases, NewEnglandAncestors.org is the primary internet resource for New England genealogy. This free lecture will offer an overview of the Society’s website and online databases.
Lafayette: Symbol of Franco-American Friendship
Wednesday, January 27, 2010, 6:00 PM
Join members of the Massachusetts Lafayette Society and the New England Historic Genealogical Society for Lafayette: Symbol of Franco-American Friendship, presented by Alan R. Hoffman. A book signing will follow the lecture.
Seminars and Tours
Boston University Certificate in Genealogical Research
Saturdays, January 9–April 17, 2010.
Developed in collaboration with nationally-recognized experts, the Certificate in Genealogical Research is ideal for those who wish to develop the knowledge and skills essential to conducting quality genealogical assignments. Offered on Saturdays over a 14-week period, the program provides hands-on training in basic genealogical principles, techniques, and core competencies, and leads to a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University.
NEHGS members receive a 10% tuition discount. For more information, visit www.professional.bu.edu/cpe/Genealogy.asp
Online Boston University Certificate in Genealogical Research
Boston University’s Online Certificate in Genealogical Research will help you reach the next level of professionalism. Whether you are a serious amateur, a budding professional, or an expert with a CG®, this rigorous 14-week program will help you take your genealogical work to the next level. NEHGS members get a 10% tuition discount.
http://genealogyonline.bu.edu/
Winter Research Weekend Getaway
February 4-6, 2010
NEHGS’ “Weekend Research Getaways” are among the most popular programs we offer. Escape to 99 Newbury Street in downtown Boston and experience a guided program with one-on-one consultations and expert reviews of your research. Whether you are a new genealogist or a longtime member, this three-day onsite visit to NEHGS is certain to advance your research — and you make new friends too. Registration includes breakfast, daily lectures, and group dinners to share your progress. For more information visit www.newenglandancestors.org/9067.asp.
Technology Seminar
March 26–27, 2010
Explore the important relationship between technology and genealogy with NEHGS experts. You will have hands-on training learning how to customize your internet experience, build your own electronic databases, and gain valuable insight into using genealogical software for the preservation and sharing of your family history. For more information visit www.newenglandancestors.org/9070.asp.
Irish Genealogy Research Tour
May 23–30, 2010
Discover your Irish heritage with the New England Historic Genealogical Society. This weeklong guided research tour will give you access to a treasure trove of records in Dublin and the benefit of consultations with some of the foremost experts in Irish genealogy. Your tour features guided research at various repositories in central Dublin, including the General Register Office, National Library, National Archives, and Registry of Deeds, among others. Daily programming includes tutorials, research tips and techniques lectures, personalized consultations and group dinning events. For more information visit www.newenglandancestors.org/9062.asp.
For more information about NEHGS programs, visit http://www.newenglandancestors.org/programs_events.asp or email education@nehgs.org.
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NEHGS Contact Information
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Copyright 2009, New England Historic Genealogical Society
101 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116
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