How To Do Research in a "Dry County"

Usually when you hear the term "Dry County" it involves the absence of alcohol, not in this blog post.

Today, I want to talk about a "Dry County" as it relates to the absence of genealogical records.

Have you ever been researching in a county and it seems like there are no genealogical records to be found. Maybe you've been told that the courthouse burned and no records survived or that records have been thrown away and no longer exist. Or maybe you have gotten the run-a-round from different officials in the county as to where the records are located, if they even exist.

This can be very frustrating to us as genealogists but I encourage you to not give up on that
"Dry County"!

Here are some tips that might help you unearth records that seemingly don't exist:

Be Sure to Talk to the Right People

When making inquiries about genealogical records in a particular county, make sure to seek out people who should know if those records exist or not. Contacting employees at the county courthouse may not be your best answer. While these employees are doing a great job with the records they are producing today and taking care of patrons that walk through their door, many times they have little or no knowledge of older records that have been transferred to an archive or other facility. Try to talk to the local archivist, librarian, historical/genealogical society officers and members to get the information about records that survive and where they can be located.

Stewart County, TN. Archives

Ask "Who is the Local County Historian"

In just about any county, there is a county historian. Whether or not they have been given that official title or not, there is that one person that "knows everything" about that county. You want to talk to that person. They will know what records survive and where they are located. Many times, these local county historians know about most of the surnames that were in the county and can give you information that may not even be written down on a record which we would call oral history or local folklore. That local county historian's name and contact information may not be listed on any website. You may have to make some phone calls to track down that county historian. Try contacting the local library, Chamber of Commerce, historical or genealogical society or any county office. These people live and work in that county, they will know who the county historian is and should be able to help you get in touch with them. Ask "Who in the county knows about the history of the county, the history of the people and where to find old records?" I bet you will get a name and phone number!

Check with the State Archives

Many times local county records are available either on microfilm or in original form at the state archives. It is quite possible that the local county officials don't even know that those records exist and are at the state archives. So, if you get a "Those records don't exist" answer from someone at the county level, contact the state archives in the state where that county is and ask them what they have for that particular county. Many times the old county records have been sent to the state archives and not very many people in the county know where they are or that they were transferred to the state archives. Also, many times genealogists or individuals will donate their family papers to the state archives because there is nowhere in the county to donate them.

Tennessee State Library and Archives

So, don't get stopped in your genealogy tracks when you feel like you have hit a "Dry County". Try these tips and hopefully you can dig up the records you are needing.



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


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Need more tips and advice on researching in libraries and archives?

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Researching in Libraries and Archives: Do's and Don'ts

http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1142

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Researching in Libraries and Archives

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Are Family Histories in the Archives? You Bet They Are!

Are Family Histories in the Archives? You Bet They Are!

As the archivist for the Houston County, Tennessee Archives & Museum, I am asked all the time if we have Family Histories or Family Genealogies in our collections.  I am always pleased to be able to say "YES".  While we may not have one for every surname known to have lived in Houston County, we do have many in our records collections.

Family histories that have been compiled by genealogy researchers are a great research tool for the genealogist.  While they may not be 100% correct, they can be used as a guide to help the researcher find more documents or give them an idea of where to look next for their ancestors.

Vertical File Drawer for the letter "C" containing Surname Files, located at the Houston County, Tennessee Archives

Most family histories are part of a larger collection of records that have been donated to the archives. Recently, the Houston County Archives & Museum received a records donation of someone's genealogy research that include several 3-ring binders full of information and compiled family histories. Some of these surnames are not native to Houston County but we will archive them anyway.  Once this collection is cataloged, it will be open to the public for research and in the Finding Aid it will indicated what family histories are included by surname.

There are times when family histories or family records are donated to an archive, historical society or library that are not native to the area where the facility is located. That is why it is very important for researchers to not give up looking for their ancestors records.

Compiled genealogy research in 3-ring binders donated to the Houston County, Tennessee Archives

When visiting an archive, family histories will be in one of two places.  First, they could be in the Vertical File Collections, sometimes called Subject File Collections. Ask the archivist if there is an index to the Vertical File Collection. This index will have surnames listed and if a surname of interest is found, ask for that file to be pulled for research.

Second, family histories could be found in Manuscript Collections. The manuscript collection contains the larger records collections that have been donated to the repository such as the collection mentioned above that the Houston County Archives just received. Also, see my blog post about Manuscript Collections here.

Ask the archivist to view the index of their Manuscript Collection and if a collection is of interest, ask to see the Finding Aid for that collection. Within the finding aid will be a folder by folder listing of what is contained in the entire collection and there should be listed "Family History" or "Family Genealogy".

Unfortunately, most of these types of records are not online and will have be accessed by visiting an archive or contacting them by email, snail mail or phone.

So, the next time you think to yourself, "Do archives have family histories?", you know the answer is YES!

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

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Get My Legacy Family Tree QuickGuide

Preserving Old Family Letters: Tips from an Archivist

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

3 Tips to Organizing Your Genealogy Research

Today, I would like to talk about organizing your genealogy research. Many of you make New Year's Resolutions every year that will have something to do with organizing genealogy research and records. Many of you will decide to go totally digital, many of you will try to eliminate piles of papers and many of you have tons of photographs to scan and organize. Well, it's April and how are you doing with that New Year's Resolution? That's what I thought!

In an archive, organization is very important and something I do on a daily basis as I process the records in my care. If I don't use the proper methods to process record collections, they won't be in a form that can be used by genealogy researchers. Also, using archival safe materials is essential to protecting and preserving original documents so they will be around for the next generations of genealogists to enjoy.

There are all kinds of ways to organize your genealogy research, I would like to give you three tips to help the organization go more smoothly and hopefully help you to not become overwhelmed during the process.

Choose an Organizational Method that Works for You and be Consistent

It's true, there are many methods and ways to organize your genealogy research. You can talk to 10 people and get 10 different methods of organization. I always tell genealogists to figure out the method that works for you and just be consistent in implementing it. An organizational method that works for me may not work for you and that's okay! If you don't like the organization method you are using, most likely you won't stay very organized. So, find what works for you and be consistent in using it everyday.

One of the best books out there to help you organize your genealogy records and one that I highly recommend is Organize Your Genealogy: Strategies and Solutions for Every Researcher.

Here are the links to get it at Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/2R81HyL
Kindle Version: https://amzn.to/2Asv4Sh

Take Small Bites

There is a saying that goes something like this "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." This is also true for tackling the job of organizing genealogy research. Don't try to do it all in one day. You will get overwhelmed and discouraged if you try to take on too much at one time. In the archives, when I have a large records collection to process, I take it slow and steady. It might take me a few days or even a few weeks to complete the processing of a large records collection. I have one particular collection right now that has taken me a couple of months and I am still not done. The reason I take my time is because I want to process the collection properly so when genealogists want to use the records collection, it is organized and easy to find what they are looking for. So, don't try to organize everything as fast as possible. Take your time, you will be glad that you did.

Use Archival Materials

As an archivist, I can not emphasis this tip enough. I encourage everyone to use archival file folders, archival sheet protectors and archival boxes for all genealogical documents. Even if you have decided to go totally digital, I am sure there will be some original records that you will want to keep and preserving them should be at the top of your organizational list. Many of the documents we own as genealogists are one-of-a-kind and should be protected for future generations to enjoy.

Archival Materials Used in an Archives, Houston County, TN. Archives

You can access archival materials stores online or you can request that a catalog be mailed to you, here are links to their websites:

Online Archival Supply Stores:

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/


Following these three tips as you organize your genealogy research will hopefully make the process more enjoyable and you won't get overwhelmed.

I would like to encourage those that follow me and read my blog, writings and watch my webinars and contact me with your questions about researching in archives and preserving records. My email address is just to the right of this blog post at the end of the "About Me" section. I love talking to genealogists about the in's and out's of researching in archives and I love helping them get the right archival materials to preserve and protect their genealogy records, photographs, memorabilia and artifacts. So, please feel free to email me anytime!

I encourage everyone to seek out the thousands of archives, libraries, historical societies, genealogical societies, university libraries and archives and museums that hold genealogical records. More and more these repositories budgets are being cut because of non-use. If you can't visit these archives, reach out to them by email or telephone, they are there to help! We need to keep these facilities OPEN, so.....



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



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Jump Start Your Genealogy by Getting My Legacy Family Tree Webinar:

Researching in Libraries and Archives: The Do's and Don'ts

http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1142

Get My Legacy Family Tree QuickGuide

Researching in Library and Archives

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

Disaster Planning for Genealogists

On November 9, 1872, The  Great Boston Fire started in a dry-goods warehouse that spread fast in windy weather, destroying nearly 800 buildings. Damage was estimated at more than $75 million dollars. The fire could be seen in the sky as far as 100 miles away.

Ruins after the Great Boston Fire of 1872

Disaster preparedness is something that every archive plans for and reviews on a yearly basis. If archives are preparing their facility and records for a disaster, shouldn't genealogists do the same?

I have long lamented that genealogists are also "home archivists". Most genealogists don't work as archivists but they do have some of the same responsibilities that archivists have, which are:

• Collect original records
• Collect original photographs
• Receiving donated records (from family and distant, new found, cousins)
• Organizing and preserving records

Would it not be pertinent to preserve these original records and have a disaster plan in place in case the unthinkable happens? It would be difficult to explain an entire disaster plan in this blog post, so here is an example of a Disaster Preparedness Plan from the New York State Archives that the genealogists can use as a guide:

http://www.archives.nysed.gov/publications/preparing-worst-managing-records-disasters

This plan describes the steps necessary to anticipate, prevent, plan for, and recover from a disaster affecting records in any format.

Houston County Lions Club Records Donation, Houston County, TN. Archives

Many of the steps in this plan are ones that the genealogist or "home archivist" can implement to protect and preserve original records, photographs and artifacts in their possession. The main idea is to be prepared and keep your records in a state of preparedness in case of a disaster.

None of us know when the next fire, tornado, earthquake or flood may happen to us or our home. But we can prepare and plan ahead to save and preserve our genealogical records.

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

I have written a Legacy QuickGuide about this subject! Get Your Copy Today!

Disaster Planning for the Genealogist

PDF Version: http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1905

How to Not Be Overwhelmed at the Archives

Since I became an archivist 13 years ago, I have had the pleasure of meeting genealogists, historians and other types of researchers. I have met them in person at the Houston County, Tennessee Archives & Museum, by telephone while they are making records requests and by email while doing the same. I always stand at the ready to help each and very researcher anyway I can and to find the records they are seeking.

Inside the stacks at the Stewart County, TN. Archives

One emotion that I encounter more times than not when a genealogist walks in the archives door is that feeling of being overwhelmed. They don't even have to say a word, I can see it on their face and feel it when they speak. I can truly relate to this emotion because years ago when I was a beginning genealogist, I would get so overwhelmed when I walked into an archive. I truly have empathy for those that are intimidated and overwhelmed by entering an archive.

Irish Celebration Manuscript Collection, Houston County, TN. Archives & Museum

Since 2015, I have been actively educating the genealogist through this blog, webinars, lectures, writing quick guides and just talking to genealogists on Facebook, Twitter and by email about researching in libraries and archives. The most important tip I can give anyone is to plan ahead before actually traveling to an archive.

• Call the archive and make sure they are going to be open on the day of your visit. Ask them about the availability of parking. These seem like simple steps but they will help you know what to expect and to not be caught off guard which could cause you to become overwhelmed.

• If the archive has a website, check to see if they list the records they have available. Search their website for any indexes that might have records of interest and make notes about what is found in the index to take with you to the archive.

• Make a "To-Do List". This tip is highly recommended. If you have your to-do list in front of you and stick to it, becoming overwhelmed may not occur. Address each item on the to-do list, one at a time, moving through the list methodically.

• When you walk into the archive, stay focused, try not to let the enormity of the facility overtake you. You are there on a mission and you want to accomplish that mission.

• Talk to the archivist, tell them what you are looking for. Do not say "I want everything for the Smith family", rather, ask for specific records for your specific ancestors.

• Don't be upset if you don't finish your to-do list. Some items take more time to research and we need to spend that time to research completely and properly.

These are just a few tips to help you not become overwhelmed when you walk into an archive. If you would like more tips and helps on visiting libraries and archives, you can get these great resources:


Legacy Family Tree Webinar:

"Researching in Libraries and Archives: The Do's and Don'ts"

http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1142

5 Easy Steps to Preserving Newspaper Clippings

Obituaries, marriage announcements, birth announcements are just a few of the types of newspaper clippings that can be in genealogical records. Are you archiving and preserving them so they don't harm other documents? Yes, newspaper clippings and newsprint can harm, even damage, other documents.

Various Newspaper Clippings

The chemicals in newspaper print, if in contact with another documents, can leave an orange or dark stain. You don't want this to happen to original documents such as death certificates, birth certificates and marriage records. The damage is not reversible!

"Golden Wedding" announcement newspaper clipping, ca. 1944, Houston County, TN. Archives.

Here are 5 steps that the home archivist can use to archive newspaper clippings:

1. Digitize the newspaper clippings. This can be done by scanning or photographing them, then saving them to a computer, thumb drive or backup hard drive.

2. Make good quality photocopies of the clippings. Be sure to record the source citation of the clipping, if there is any, on the photocopy with a pencil. Many newspaper clippings don't have the date or name of the newspaper because that information was clipped off. 

3. Purchase archival safe sleeves to store the clippings. These sleeves can be purchased at any online archival materials store or through Amazon.com.

4. Only put one clipping in one sleeve. Stuffing the sleeve with newspaper clippings could damage them. Newspaper clippings, in sleeves, will insure that they don't touch any other documents.

5. File the preserved newspaper clippings in genealogy files, 3-ring binders or wherever you store your genealogical records.

These 5 steps will insure the newspaper clippings are preserved and the information contained in them is saved.

CAUTION: Do not laminate newspaper clippings or any genealogical documents. The laminating sheets contain chemicals that can leech into the documents and destroy them over time. Lamination is very difficult to reverse. Do not do anything to documents that can't be undone.

Erin Lodge No. 382 I.O.O.F., undated, Houston County, TN. Archives

Be sure to store all genealogical records, newspapers and newspaper clippings in a cool, dry and dark place. Newspapers deteriorate rapidly when stored in a warm and humid environment.

Newspapers and newspaper clippings can be gold mine for the genealogist, be sure to preserve the ones you have!

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

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Check out these two Legacy Family Tree Webinars:


Preserving Old Family Letters: Tips from an Archivist

http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1168

Scrapbooks: A Genealogist's Gold Mine

http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1161