There's An Archival Box for That!

Let's face it, many of the items we as genealogists have in our family history collections are unique and even odd shaped. These are usually called family artifacts or family heirlooms. These items help to tell our ancestor's story and also help to remind us of our family members that are no longer with us.

Trying to archive or preserve these items can be a challenge but with the right box it can be done!

These items are those 3-dimensional items that we might display on a shelf or bring out at family gatherings to show to our family members.

They are a point of contact with our ancestors and they have true family history meaning to us and are items we cherish.

Just like our paper documents, our family artifacts should be preserved and stored correctly so that they survive for future generations to enjoy.

Do you have your Grandfather's bowler hat? There's an archival box for that! Check out this hat box:  http://amzn.to/2kpngvf

Archival Hat Box from Gaylord Archival

Do you have an American flag that was draped over your ancestor's casket during a military funeral service? There is a wonderful archival box just for American flags: https://bit.ly/2NFW5pl

Clamshell Flag Box from Gaylord Archival

Do you have your Grandmother's favorite doll? Or maybe your favorite doll from when you were young? There is a perfect archival box for dolls: http://amzn.to/2koBfRV

Doll Preservation Box from Gaylord Archival

Do you have Christmas ornaments that are special and you consider family heirlooms? There is a great archival box available to keep them safe when they are stored: http://amzn.to/2nARL2i

Christmas Decorations Box from Gaylord Archival

And there is even an archival box to store Christmas wreaths: http://amzn.to/2koDaG7

One of the best ways to find these wonderful and unique archival boxes is to search the archival store catalogs. I always encourage genealogists to order a FREE paper catalog and have it delivered to your home so that you can sit down and easily look at all the wonderful archival boxes that are available.


Here is a listing of several archival stores that will send out FREE paper catalogs:

Gaylord Archival: http://www.gaylord.com/

Hollinger Metal Edge:  http://www.hollingermetaledge.com/

University Products: https://www.universityproducts.com/

Light Impressions: http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/



Our family artifacts and heirlooms are very important and mean so much to us. Make sure they are being preserved in the right archival box!


REMEMBER: IT'S NOT ALL ONLINE, CONTACT OR VISIT AN ARCHIVE TODAY!


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Get My Legacy Quick Guide

Preserving Old Family Letters: Tips from an Archivist

PDF Version: http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1283

Loose Marriage Records...What Are They?

Marriage records are one of those record groups that is a staple in genealogy research. After census records, birth and death records, we as genealogists always look for marriage records.

Marriage License Certificate, located in the Loose Marriage Records Collection at Houston County, Tennessee Archives

Most marriage records are recorded in large volumes or books and are referenced by Book and Page #.  Did you know there is another set of marriage records called "Loose Marriage Records"?

"Loose Marriage Records" are a record source that a lot of archives, historical/genealogical societies and libraries who hold Manuscript Collections have on their shelves. These records are called "loose" because they are documents separate from the bound volumes and are considered the "working papers" of the marriage licensing process. These files can hold just about anything but most of them have a copy of the original marriage license among other records.

Marriage License located in Loose Marriage Records Collection at Houston County, Tennessee Archives

In the Houston County, Tennessee Archives we have these types of records dating from 1871-2010.  Our files have such things as parental permission to marry letters, blood test results, letters from clergy stating the couple went through pre-marriage counseling and much more!

Loose Marriage Records can hold interesting and unique records not found in the bound volumes.  When a genealogist visits an archive they should ask the archivist or clerk if they have "Loose Marriage Records". Hopefully, the repository will have an index that can be quickly checked to find the surname your looking for in these records.

Parental consent form located in Loose Marriage Records at the Houston County, Tennessee Archives

This group of records is just another example of hidden treasures in our archives. Some of these records have been microfilmed but very few are online.

The next time you are at an archive researching marriage records, don't forget to ask if they have "Loose Marriage Records", you might surprised by what you find.



REMEMBER: IT'S NOT ALL ONLINE, CONTACT OR VISIT AN ARCHIVE TODAY!


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Researching in Libraries and Archives

PDF Version: http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1159

Vertical files vs Manuscript Collections: What's the Difference?

Working in a county archive on a daily basis, I am surrounded by original records, photographs and ephemera. It is my job to organize the records we have in the Houston County, Tennessee Archives so that they are accessible to the pubic and that includes many of the wonderful genealogists that come through my door everyday.

Houston County, Tennessee Entrance

In my opinion, Vertical Files and Manuscript Collections are two of the most underused and misunderstood record collections that a genealogist has at their disposal. A lot of genealogists don't even know to ask about these specific collections when they are doing research at an archive. One of the reasons for the "mystery" surrounding these record sources is these records are not sitting on shelves in the research area for the researchers to access themselves. These record sources are usually stored in back rooms or vaults and they have to be requested to be seen. Normally, genealogists have to request files be pulled from the Vertical Files Collection and boxes to be pulled from the Manuscript Collections and brought to them in the research room. Genealogists need to know that archivist are there to help them. They stand at the ready to pull records that you request and they are ready to share the fantastic records found in Vertical Files and Manuscript Collections.

Vertical Files Cabinets, Houston County, TN. Archives

Vertical Files are a "hodgepodge" of all different kinds of documents, newspaper clippings, ephemera and memorabilia. These items are normally donated to the archive by patrons piece by piece or they could have been found in a box of "stuff" that was donated to the archives. The archives staff then files the items by either Surname or by Subject. For instance, if there is a newspaper clipping of an obituary for John Brown, it would go in the BROWN file in the Vertical Files Collection. If someone donated a letterhead document from the WISEMAN FUNERAL HOME, that document would be filed in the WISEMAN FUNERAL HOME file. The archivist should have an index available for the researcher to consult to see if there are any surnames or subjects that are of interest to them and then they can request that those files be pulled and brought to them for researching.

The "A-B" Drawer in Vertical Files Collection, Houston County, TN. Archive

Manuscript Collections are a completely different type of record source but one that I believe is essential and should be on every genealogists "To-Do List".

One of the best ways to explain what Manuscript Collections are is to use this visual:

I have been doing my personal genealogy research for my family and my husband's family for the past 26 years. Let's say I have decided that I want to donate everything I have collected to my local archive. This includes all documents, photographs, ephemera, notes and artifacts. I box everything up in cardboard boxes, load them in my car, drive them to the archive and drop them off. Now, the archive will take all those boxes and will give it a collection name like "The Melissa Barker Records Collection" or possibly "The Melissa Barker Genealogical Papers". Then the archivist will organize the records by type, style and date. The records will be organized into file folders and each file folder is given a number like Folder #1. Then all these folders are places in boxes and these boxes are given a number like Box #3. Most importantly a "Finding Aid" is produced to go with the Manuscript Collection. Vertical Files do not have Finding Aids! The Finding Aid is a written guide explaining what is contained in the manuscript collection and includes a box-by-box and folder-by-folder listing of what the boxes and folders have in them. Now the collection is ready for researchers!

The Irish Celebration Manuscript Collection, Houston County, TN. Archives

I truly hope that all genealogists will start asking about Vertical Files and Manuscript Collections in our many wonderful archives. They are just sitting there waiting for genealogists to discover their contents. Just because you can't see them on the shelves in the research area doesn't mean they don't exist. Ask the archivist about Vertical Files and Manuscript Collections on your next research trip!


REMEMBER: IT'S NOT ALL ONLINE: CONTACT OR VISIT AN ARCHIVE TODAY!

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Want to know more about Vertical Files?

Watch My Legacy Family Tree Webinar:

Vertical Files: What Are They and How To Use Them

Link: http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1167