The Next Best Thing to Being There..The 2016 FGS Conference

This past week the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Annual Conference was held in Springfield, Illinois. As much as I wanted to attend, I was not able due to my duties at the Houston County, Tennessee Archives and not having the funds to travel.

In the past, when genealogy or archive conferences took place, I would get depressed about not being able to attend. Being a lecturer, teacher and writer of genealogy research, researching in archives and records preservation, my dream is to one day go to some of these conferences and even be a speaker at them. I can only imagine the joy of meeting my peers and attending their presentations.

Instead of wallowing in my self-pity, this time I decided to do something positive and constructive from home.

First: I downloaded and then printed out the "Program Schedule". The Program Schedule has the complete schedule for the 4-day conference. This schedule includes the title of each and every presentation and the speaker who is giving that presentation. I read each and every presentation title and I also read each every presenters byline that you get to see when you clicked on their name.

Second: I faithfully followed anyone and everyone that I knew was at the FGS Conference on social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter. It was very easy to catch up on what attendees were posting to their social media accounts because most of them knew to use the "#fgs2016" designation on their social media posts. So, all I had to do was put this hashtag designation in the Facebook and Twitter search bar and all posts that had "#fgs2016" in it, I could see and read. Many attendees even posted short videos of their experiences which added to what I was able to learn vicariously through them.

Third: I read as many blog posts from attendees as I could get my hands on. Attendees would blog about who they met, what they saw in the vendor hall and the wonderful speakers and presentations they were able to attend and enjoy. They also shared what they learned, which was invaluable.

Many times they included selfies with their favorite genealogist in their social media posts or blog posts. Like this one from Julie Tarr.....

Lisa Alzo, Thomas MacEntee and Julie Tarr, Photo Courtesy of Julie Tarr.

And another....

Amy Johnson Crow and Julie Tarr. Photo Courtesy of Julie Tarr.

After studying the Program Schedule, reading everyone's Facebook posts and Tweets and reading everyone's blog posts, what did I do with everything I read and studied from home? A LOT!

I ended up with two full pages of NEW IDEAS for my own blog posts, webinars, magazine articles,etc.

These new ideas, new ways of looking at genealogy subjects that I have learned by watching, reading and listening to those that did attend the 2016 FGS Conference will be an asset to my lecture, teaching and writing career.

So, to those of you that are like me and not able to attend genealogy conferences for whatever reason, don't let that keep you from learning and growing in your genealogy research and genealogy careers.

Learn from others that are there and sharing their experiences with all of us! In this day and age of technology and social media, it's the next best thing!

And to those that were at the 2016 FGS Conference presenting, blogging, posting to Facebook and Twitter, sharing your knowledge and experience, THANK YOU!!

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Remember: It's Not All Online, Contact or Visit An Archive Today!!

 

Our Ancestors' Daily Lives and What We Can Find in the Archive

As genealogists we are always searching for the basic genealogy records for our ancestors: birth certificates, marriage records, death certificates, census records, etc. But have you given any thought to your ancestor's daily lives, the daily activities and the records that could have been produced?

A local archive is the genealogist's gold mine when it comes to finding records and ephemera about our ancestor's daily lives and activities. Many times these types of records are not online and can only be accessed on site at the archive.

W.V. Pulley Probate File. Houston County, Tennessee Archives

For instance, your female ancestors and maybe even your male ancestors, shopped at the local grocery store. Maybe your curious about the prices of groceries or what was available. Local mercantile and store records can help you tell that story. You could even find store ledgers in the archive that may have your ancestor's account listed by name with the items they purchased and the cost of each item.

Skelton's Supermarket Flyer ca. 1962. Houston County, Tennessee Archives

Banking Records. Did your ancestor have a bank account or did their banking at the local bank? Banking records can help us when we are trying to piece together our ancestor's financial matters. Banking ledgers are a great resource and can sometimes be found at local or state archives.

Erin Bank and Trust Notes Left at the Bank, ca. 1898. Houston County, Tennessee Archives

Entertainment! Your ancestor's worked hard but they also played when they got the chance. Maybe your ancestor's went dancing, went to the local church social or maybe they saw the latest movie release. Don't think of your ancestors as always putting in a hard days work, when they had the chance they may have attended to the local movie theatre and checked out the latest movie release!

Erin Theatre Handbill, ca. 1958. Houston County, Tennessee Archives

These are just some of the types of records that are in our archives, the possibilities are endless!

It is important that we collect those normal records that give us dates of when our ancestor's lived and the milestones in their lives. But it is just as important to seek out records and ephemera that help to tell our ancestor's full story. Finding records about all aspects of their daily lives will help us to understand our ancestor's better and hopefully bring them to life!

Remember: It's Not All Online, Contact or Visit and Archive Today!

It's Not All Online: Researching In Archives Webinar!

Researching in archives, libraries, historical societies, genealogical societies, courthouses and any other repository can be intimidating. This webinar will show you how to plan ahead for a successful research trip and also help you with your "To-Do List" once you get there. Contacting or visiting an archive will help the genealogist be more successful in their genealogy research.

http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1145

Voting Records and Your Ancestors

"And the next President of the United States is.....". We will once again, for the 45th time in United States history, here these words come November 8, 2016. As a people, the United States will elect a President to govern our country.

Have you ever wondered what your ancestor's thought about politics? Did they vote in the Presidential Elections, state elections or even the local county or community elections? Did they participate in the political process in some way?

City of Erin Election Returns, August 7, 1924, Houston County, Tennessee Archives

Voting and election records are available to the genealogist at many of our different archives. Seeking out these types of records adds to our ancestor's life story. If you haven't researched your ancestors in these types of records, you should!

So, just what kinds of voting records can be found, I am highlighting just a few here but there is so much more. Be sure to check with all local archives, historical societies, genealogical societies, libraries and university archives in the areas where your ancestor's lived and voted to see what is available.

The Poll Tax:  One of the first types of records that I always suggest researchers look for are Poll Tax records A poll tax was a prerequisite to the registration for voting in many states. This Poll Tax would have been included on the regular tax records of the area or county where your ancestor lived. So, even if your ancestor didn't own property, you will want to check the tax records for this Poll Tax.

Voting Records: Many archives have voting records. These could be in the form of Election Returns, Voter Registrations, etc. These records are a great place to find your ancestor's names and possible signatures. These records could also have local election officials who worked the elections or were in charge of operating the elections and counting the ballots.

Listing of Voters in the 1924 Erin City Elections, Houston County, Tennessee Archives

Election Workers Records: Your ancestors may not have run for office but maybe they were still part of the election process by being an Election Worker. Maybe they worked the polls and registered voters. Maybe they campaigned for a local candidate. Possibly they were an election official or served on the local Election Board. There could be records for your ancestors that showed their service during an election.

Election Worker's Pay Roll, District 7, May 9, 1963, Houston County, Tennessee Archives

Availability of voting/election records will vary from place to place. Be sure to call ahead to the local archives and ask if they have these kinds of records. Or possibly check their website to see if they have their holdings listed. Never travel to an archive without knowing if they have the records you are looking for, this will save you time and disappointment.

The United States has been holding elections since our very founding. It only makes sense to include searching for voting/election records to the genealogists to-do list. As genealogists we want to tell our ancestor's full story and that includes voting/election records.

Remember: It's Not All Online, Contact or Visit an Archive Today!!

Check Out My Legacy Family Tree Webinars:

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

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

It's Not All Online: Researching in Archives

http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1145

Scrapbooks: A Genealogist's Gold Mine

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

Preserving Old Family Letters: Tips from an Archivist

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

Vertical Files: What are They and How To Use Them

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

Check Out My Legacy Family Tree QuickGuides:

Researching in Libraries and Archives

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

It's Not All Online: Researching in Archives

http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1202

A Box is Just a Box, Or is It?

Organizing and preserving family documents, photographs and artifacts are something that all genealogists have to contend with. In the Houston County, Tennessee Archives we work on processing and preserving county records and local historical records everyday.

Tools of the trade, Houston County, Tennessee Archives

Part of the preservation process is having the right tools for the job. I am asked all the time by genealogists about the boxes, file folders and other materials that we use here in the archives to preserve records. Many times I am asked, "A box is just a box, right?" and my answer was NO!

Storing documents, photographs and artifacts in archival storage boxes is the only way to properly preserve these items so that future generations can enjoy them.

The most popular boxes used in an archive setting and perfect for any genealogist to use with their own records is a Flip-Top Archival Storage Box also called a Hollinger Box. These boxes are used the most in archives. They are durable, sturdy and will repel moisture. They come in different sizes to accommodate all documents.

Flip Top Style Hollinger Box

You can view and purchase these types of Hollinger boxes on Amazon at: http://amzn.to/2abLkHj

Another type of archival storage box that can be used is a Record Storage Carton with a Shallow Lid. These types of boxes are great for a large amount of records as well as to store 3-dimensional objects or artifacts.

Archival Storage Boxes with lids, Houston County, Tennessee Archives

You can view and purchase these types of Storage boxes on Amazon at: http://amzn.to/2a2Hi49

Whichever box you choose to use for your genealogical records and artifacts, make sure it has passed the P.A.T. test. This is the Photographic Activity Test and is a worldwide standard for archival quality.

Irish Celebration Records Collection 1963-Present Day, Houston County, Tennessee Archives

So, the next time you start thinking "A box is just a box, right?". Thank again and make sure you get archival safe and archival quality boxes to store your precious family records and artifacts.

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

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When Your Genealogy Has Gone to the Dogs!

As genealogists we are constantly searching for records for our ancestors that we have not seen before. Records that are unique and will fill in those gaps in our ancestor's timeline.

Archives, historical societies, genealogical societies, libraries, University archives and museums are full of these types of records. One such set of records in the Houston County, Tennessee Archives is a "Dog Registration" book.

Houston County, Tennessee Dog Registration Record Book spine, Houston County, Tennessee Archives

This particular "Dog Registration" book dates from 1901-1923. The purpose of this record book was to register dogs who were over 6-months old. The owner had to pay a fee or tax which started out in 1901 to be $1.00 and by 1923 was up to $3.00 per dog.

W.H. Griffin dog registration entry, July 16, 1907, Houston County, Tennessee Archives

The fees that were collected were put into what was called the Sheep Fund. The Sheep Fund was there for any farmers who had a sheep killed by a dog or had one damaged by a dog, they would be able to ask for funds from the Sheep Fund to replace the dead or damaged sheep. At the end of the year, if there was still funds left in the Sheep Fund, it would be given to the local schools to help purchase books and supplies.

W.R. Boone dog registration entry, May 16, 1901, Houston County, Tennessee Archives

Information that can be found on the dog registration receipts include the dog owner's name, the owner's address, the name of the dog, the description of the dog and the date of the receipt. Who knew that our ancestor's dogs could help us with genealogy information today!

As genealogists we can get some great information from records sources like this "Dog Registration".

Remember: It's Not All Online, Contact or Visit an Archives Today!

Using Archives to Fill the Gaps in Your Ancestor's Timeline

Do you have gaps in your ancestor's timeline? Are you curious about what your ancestor's did in-between the time the census was taken? You might just find what your looking for in the many records collections of an archive.

Working daily in an archive, I get to work with many kinds of records that are not your "normal" genealogical records. A lot of these unique records are not online and have to be sought out by the genealogist. Records in archives can help you fill in the gaps in your ancestor's timeline.

As a genealogists for the past 26 years, I have been working diligently on my own family history and that of my husbands. Recently, I was able to combine both archives work and genealogy research all in one with a fantastic result.

The Stewart County, Tennessee Archives is just one of our wonderful archives here in Tennessee and the area where my husband's family lived back in the 1800's. I recently became aware of a packet of records that had been found in the Stewart County, Tennessee Archives for a Jesse Glasgow (1816-1892), my husband's great great grandfather. I requested copies of these original records that included over 50 pages of documents and receipts that have never been microfilmed and are not online anywhere.

Inside the Stewart County, Tennessee Archives. Photo courtesy Stewart County, Tennessee Archives

One of the documents that was sent to me was a copy of a receipt for a Louisiana Lottery Ticket that Jesse Glasgow had purchased in June 1888. Jesse bought 1 ticket and the ticket number was #92074.

Courtesy Stewart County, Tennessee Archives, Jesse Glasgow Louisiana Lottery Ticket Notification, June 9, 1888

I found it interesting that Jesse Glasgow was buying a lottery ticket from Louisiana while living in Tennessee. And I didn't even know there was a lottery in the 1800's. So I did some research and found that the Louisiana Lottery was a very controversial even in the history of the State of Louisiana. You can read about the Louisiana Lottery here: http://www.nola.com/175years/index.ssf/2011/09/1888_the_louisiana_lottery_was.html

It is not known if Jesse Glasgow won anything from the Louisiana Lottery but the fact that he bought a ticket and I have a copy of the receipt from the Stewart County, Tennessee Archives helps me to document an event in his life that happened between the 1880 and 1900 census records. I had nothing recorded for Jesse between these census years and now I do because of a county archive with records that they have archived and preserved.

Courtesy "The Times-Picayune" Newspaper Photographs, an example of a Louisiana State Lottery Ticket, May 8, 1888

Remember: It's Not All Online, Contact or Visit An Archive Today!

Genealogy Has Gone To The Dogs!

As genealogist we are always looking for the next set of records that we can hopefully find information about our ancestors. One of the places we search are in archives because they have records that are not found online and are usually unique.

One such set of records that I would like to share with you is a "Dog Registration" book. This dog registration book dates from 1901-1919 and is located in the Houston County, Tennessee Archives.

Dog Registration Book 1901-1919 Spine, Houston County, Tennessee Archives

In Tennessee, about 1875, there was legislation passed that said counties were to collect a "dog tax". This dog tax was to be collected from anyone that owned a dog that was 6-months old or older. The dog tax was usually collected by the County Court Clerk.

Dog Tax Receipt for L.C. Powers and his dog Guard, May 16, 1901

As you can see by the recordings in the book the information given when the person paid his dog tax was:

Dog Owned by

Owner's Address

Dogs Name

Description of the Dog

Date the Tax was Paid

Signature of the Official Accepting the Tax

I love some of the names of the dogs, believe it or not there were a lot of people who named their dog "Fido".

The best part about this record source is the dog owner's name which could be one of your ancestors!

Dog Tax Receipt for A. L. Hayes and his dog Spot, May 16, 1901

Now, once the dog tax was collected it went into what was called the "Sheep Fund". When someone in the county had a sheep what was killed by a dog, they could request funds from the Sheep Fund to replace that sheep. At the end of the year, if there was money left over in the Sheep Fund, it would go to the schools to help with expenses.

The Dog Registration book is a great asset to any genealogists. To my knowledge, none of these have been digitized and put online. I hope one day to get the Houston County Archives Dog Registration book digitized so it can be shared.

I am also uncertain if the Dog Registration or Tax took place in other states, I know it took place in Tennessee.

Dog Tax Receipt for Dr. J.H. Stokes and his dog Jack, May 16, 1901

So, when you visit or contact archives, libraries, historical societies, genealogical societies and University repositories, ask them about unique collections of records that they have, like a Dog Registration Book!

Remember: It's Not All Online! Contact or Visit An Archives Today!!