1 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 9, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Finding British ancestors;
Site puts 19th-century newspapers at fingertips
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B7
LENGTH: 471 words
Genealogists hunting for 19th-century British ancestors could find their search enhanced by a new Web site designed primarily for them. Family historians can uncover details about their ancestors by searching among the 2 million newspaper pages recently digitized and made available to the general public.
The site, "19th Century British Library Newspapers" was developed jointly by the library and Gale, long known for providing information to libraries. It enables genealogists to search 49 small-town, regional and national newspapers for information on ancestors with ties to Britain from 1800 to 1900.
Newspapers found on the site include the Aberdeen (Scotland) Journal, Belfast (Ireland) Newsletter, Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh, Scotland), Freeman's Journal (Dublin, Ireland), Penny Illustrated Paper (London) and Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales).
Family history researchers can find birth, marriage and death notices in the newspapers. Those may help to confirm or refute stories about life events that have been handed down through generations. In addition, some newspapers contain property and legal notices that name ancestors and associates involved in transactions. Knowing an ancestor's associates, who often were kin, can help a genealogist break through brick walls and get past missing links in the research chain.
A genealogist also could find an ancestor's name on a ship's passenger list. That suggests another place where they lived or did business, and created records that might survive. News of a natural disaster in an ancestral region could explain a gap in records found. It also could explain why an ancestor disappears from records around a certain time.
In short, using newspaper databases makes it possible to uncover the details of a family's history. Using a database with a variety of newspapers makes it more likely to find information about those ancestors who were not particularly influential.
Genealogists can gain access to both free and subscriber content via the site at http://newspapers.bl.uk/blcs. One feature enables researchers to request that only free content be displayed among search results. Users can purchase a 24-hour pass and read up to 100 pages for about $12, or a seven-day pass and read up to 200 pages for about $17. They also can visit institutions, which subscribe to "19th Century British Library Newspapers" at no cost, and search the site.
The Web site is easy to navigate, provides users with many ways to configure searches, gives adequate citations and, best of all, is designed with the genealogist in mind. Like another site, www.newspaperarchive.com, featuring newspapers from Britain and numerous other countries, it could make a huge difference when trying to collect the details of a family's past.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 9, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
2 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 2, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Library resources aid search
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B7
LENGTH: 338 words
Once genealogists have collected information about ancestors from family Bibles, keepsakes and interviews, they typically take their research to the next level by looking for resources outside of the home.
Their first stop is usually the South Carolina Room of the local public library. That's where librarians with expertise in genealogy and family historians research. They can be counted on for technical and moral support.
Librarians and family historians are happy to teach new genealogists about useful records and research methods. They get excited when a genealogist finds an elusive ancestor. But they should not be asked to conduct the research for a patron.
Genealogists take what they learn from family Bibles and interviews with relatives to libraries. There, they try to verify and build on what they have learned. They may study documents that are on library shelves, in digitized collections, on microfilm, in vertical files and through online subscription services.
It's helpful for family historians to tell librarians about the research they already have done. They should ask for a tour of the South Carolina Room. They should note sources that sound as though they could be helpful. But it's a good idea to run those past the librarian.
Most genealogists start their library research by using city directories and censuses. Genealogists add to their repertoire of information sources over time, but directories and censuses continue to be useful.
There's so much information available from local, state and national information sources at the library, a genealogist can feel like the proverbial "kid in a candy store." It may take a little while to become proficient at using them, but don't give up.
And don't just use them to find the basics: Analyze them for clues. Those who concentrate on getting the most from city directories and censuses soon are amazed at how skilled they've become.
Pretty soon, the phrase, "I'm a genealogist" becomes easy to say.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 3, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
3 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 2, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Library resources aid search
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B7
LENGTH: 338 words
Once genealogists have collected information about ancestors from family Bibles, keepsakes and interviews, they typically take their research to the next level by looking for resources outside of the home.
Their first stop is usually the South Carolina Room of the local public library. That's where librarians with expertise in genealogy and family historians research. They can be counted on for technical and moral support.
Librarians and family historians are happy to teach new genealogists about useful records and research methods. They get excited when a genealogist finds an elusive ancestor. But they should not be asked to conduct the research for a patron.
Genealogists take what they learn from family Bibles and interviews with relatives to libraries. There, they try to verify and build on what they have learned. They may study documents that are on library shelves, in digitized collections, on microfilm, in vertical files and through online subscription services.
It's helpful for family historians to tell librarians about the research they already have done. They should ask for a tour of the South Carolina Room. They should note sources that sound as though they could be helpful. But it's a good idea to run those past the librarian.
Most genealogists start their library research by using city directories and censuses. Genealogists add to their repertoire of information sources over time, but directories and censuses continue to be useful.
There's so much information available from local, state and national information sources at the library, a genealogist can feel like the proverbial "kid in a candy store." It may take a little while to become proficient at using them, but don't give up.
And don't just use them to find the basics: Analyze them for clues. Those who concentrate on getting the most from city directories and censuses soon are amazed at how skilled they've become.
Pretty soon, the phrase, "I'm a genealogist" becomes easy to say.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
4 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 26, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Verbal interviews give life
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B7
LENGTH: 454 words
Do you know your family's ancestral town? What prompted your ancestors to move from there? What attracted them to the place the family now calls home?
The answers to those questions point the family historian toward places where there are records that include information on their ancestors.
The best means for collecting answers to those questions and other background information on ancestors is by conducting oral interviews with family members. Through oral interviews, family historians gain insights they probably could not find elsewhere.
Although there is nothing quite as valuable as these eyewit-ness testimonies, gathering oral histories is probably the most neglected aspect of the genealogical search. The interviews simply are not given the respect that they deserve.
That said, you should verify all information gathered during an oral interview just as you would information found in records. After all, interviewees can get things wrong, pass along misleading information, fabricate to hide a family secret or just plain fail to realize they don't really know all that they are telling you.
Begin your interviews by selecting several relatives who have been contemporaries of three or four generations of the family. They usually are older ones who can provide information that bridges the gap between ancestors you knew and those who died before you were born. Elderly relatives and those who are seriously ill should be interviewed first because when they pass on, their information goes with them.
There are many areas of your ancestors' lives that should be addressed in an oral interview. Plan to do more than one interview and try to limit each interview to one to three areas of inquiry. That probably will make it easier for interviewees to collect their thoughts and for you to understand what they are telling you.
Those areas include the family structure, community they lived in, their church life and whether any trades or occupations were prevalent in the family. It's also important to ask about cemeteries where ancestors are buried and schools they attended. Almost any genealogy guide from the public library should give you other ideas for helpful questions.
When the interview is completed, thank the interviewee. Ask if you might call again in the future. Leave a means for the interviewee to contact you. Provide them with general updates on your research periodically.
Information collected during oral interviews will go a long way toward painting a picture of your ancestors as they really were. It will help to keep them from becoming just a list of names and dates. And though most of them are long gone, it will give them life.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: October 28, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
5 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 26, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Verbal interviews give life
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B7
LENGTH: 454 words
Do you know your family's ancestral town? What prompted your ancestors to move from there? What attracted them to the place the family now calls home?
The answers to those questions point the family historian toward places where there are records that include information on their ancestors.
The best means for collecting answers to those questions and other background information on ancestors is by conducting oral interviews with family members. Through oral interviews, family historians gain insights they probably could not find elsewhere.
Although there is nothing quite as valuable as these eyewit-ness testimonies, gathering oral histories is probably the most neglected aspect of the genealogical search. The interviews simply are not given the respect that they deserve.
That said, you should verify all information gathered during an oral interview just as you would information found in records. After all, interviewees can get things wrong, pass along misleading information, fabricate to hide a family secret or just plain fail to realize they don't really know all that they are telling you.
Begin your interviews by selecting several relatives who have been contemporaries of three or four generations of the family. They usually are older ones who can provide information that bridges the gap between ancestors you knew and those who died before you were born. Elderly relatives and those who are seriously ill should be interviewed first because when they pass on, their information goes with them.
There are many areas of your ancestors' lives that should be addressed in an oral interview. Plan to do more than one interview and try to limit each interview to one to three areas of inquiry. That probably will make it easier for interviewees to collect their thoughts and for you to understand what they are telling you.
Those areas include the family structure, community they lived in, their church life and whether any trades or occupations were prevalent in the family. It's also important to ask about cemeteries where ancestors are buried and schools they attended. Almost any genealogy guide from the public library should give you other ideas for helpful questions.
When the interview is completed, thank the interviewee. Ask if you might call again in the future. Leave a means for the interviewee to contact you. Provide them with general updates on your research periodically.
Information collected during oral interviews will go a long way toward painting a picture of your ancestors as they really were. It will help to keep them from becoming just a list of names and dates. And though most of them are long gone, it will give them life.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
6 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 19, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Find family details generation by generation
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B7
LENGTH: 511 words
When new genealogists begin to trace their family histories, many start by recording what they've heard about grandparents and great-grandparents. Those budding family historians often record their recollections as gospel and move on to research ancestors in the U.S. Census.
While that's a popular way to begin researching family history, it's not the best way.
Solid genealogical research begins with the important details of the genealogist's life, his parents' lives, grandparents' lives and so forth. Successful family historians rely on information uncovered about ancestors in one generation to find information about ancestors the generation before. They continue that practice throughout their genealogical research.
As they proceed, they study ancestors on each generation as Columbo or Kojak would investigate a case. Good genealogists have that in common. When doing their genealogical investigations, they aim to think like a detective every step of the way.
So what's the best way to start the process?
Begin your research by rooting through boxes, trunks and other storage places in your home. Look for baby books, certificates, driver's licenses, funeral programs, letters, newspaper clippings, photographs and other types of keepsakes. Record each item you find, the names associated with it and every other scrap of biographical information you can glean from them.
One kind of certificate might tell you when and where an ancestor was born. Another might provide information about schooling. A driver's license can give the age, height, weight and an address. Funeral programs give information on those things and more.
Go through the family Bible and note the information, such as births, marriages and deaths there, too.
You get the picture.
All those details will help you to establish where your ancestors were and what they were doing at particular places and times throughout their lives. They will hint at other sources where you might find information. For example, a baptismal certificate might point to church records that can be scoured for more information.
Also, record clues and hints as well as questions that come to mind while examining the objects. You will want to use this information when interviewing older relatives. Maybe they can answer the questions and tell you where you can find more records or memorabilia.
Resist the temptation to visit a library or an online genealogy site before taking stock of your own life and going through the trunks.
It's also essential to get a couple of good genealogy guides written for beginners. "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy" by Christine Rose and Kay Germain Ingalls and "Black Roots: A Beginners Guide to Tracing the African American Family Tree" by Tony Burroughs are excellent. There are other very useful guides that can be found in public libraries. You may want to use a few of them before deciding which to buy.
Next week, this column will cover another topic designed to help genealogists starting out or starting again.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: October 20, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
7 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 12, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Research reveals family history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 426 words
It's a particularly good time of year to begin researching your genealogy. The holidays will soon arrive and with them more family members with information about the family's history.
Chances are good to excellent your relatives will have stories that can enlighten
you about your collective past.
Genealogy is determining, through research, where ancestors were and what they were doing at a particular place and time.
Such information about many ancestors, taken together, will reveal your family's history. And considering your family's history will help you to understand more about yourself.
No doubt you know that many people interview family members; read county and state records; and consult federal records to learn their family histories. The number of those genealogists, as well as genealogical sources and techniques, continues to grow.
But before you begin, try to be clear on some things that take many genealogists a while to understand and accept. Those things are as important to know as which sources contain which kinds of genealogical information. And it's best to consider them before beginning to dig for that information.
In the interest of sparing new or renewed genealogists more than a little pain and frustration, that's what this column is about.
Here are some things you should know before you begin:
--Don't expect your ancestors to be like someone else's ancestors. Your ancestors are unique. There will come a time in your research when their uniqueness will be the thing that tells you which "Joe Jones" is your "Joe
Jones."
--Always have a principal question or two when researching family history. Even records rich with information about your ancestors won't provide as many answers if you aren't really looking for them.
--Never disregard information in a record or from a person because it disagrees with other sources. There's often a story there. It's usually worth your while to determine what the story is before determining the value of the information.
--Birth, marriage, death and other records are popular information sources for genealogists. But being born, getting married and dying is hardly a full life. Ancestors did other things. Look at other types of records to find out more about your ancestors.
--Before you start to research ancestors in a geographic area, read a history of that location. The character of an area affects how the people who lived there were recorded.
--Expect big surprises. All genealogists get them. It's not necessarily a bad thing.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: October 13, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
8 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 12, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Research reveals family history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 426 words
It's a particularly good time of year to begin researching your genealogy. The holidays will soon arrive and with them more family members with information about the family's history.
Chances are good to excellent your relatives will have stories that can enlighten
you about your collective past.
Genealogy is determining, through research, where ancestors were and what they were doing at a particular place and time.
Such information about many ancestors, taken together, will reveal your family's history. And considering your family's history will help you to understand more about yourself.
No doubt you know that many people interview family members; read county and state records; and consult federal records to learn their family histories. The number of those genealogists, as well as genealogical sources and techniques, continues to grow.
But before you begin, try to be clear on some things that take many genealogists a while to understand and accept. Those things are as important to know as which sources contain which kinds of genealogical information. And it's best to consider them before beginning to dig for that information.
In the interest of sparing new or renewed genealogists more than a little pain and frustration, that's what this column is about.
Here are some things you should know before you begin:
--Don't expect your ancestors to be like someone else's ancestors. Your ancestors are unique. There will come a time in your research when their uniqueness will be the thing that tells you which "Joe Jones" is your "Joe
Jones."
--Always have a principal question or two when researching family history. Even records rich with information about your ancestors won't provide as many answers if you aren't really looking for them.
--Never disregard information in a record or from a person because it disagrees with other sources. There's often a story there. It's usually worth your while to determine what the story is before determining the value of the information.
--Birth, marriage, death and other records are popular information sources for genealogists. But being born, getting married and dying is hardly a full life. Ancestors did other things. Look at other types of records to find out more about your ancestors.
--Before you start to research ancestors in a geographic area, read a history of that location. The character of an area affects how the people who lived there were recorded.
--Expect big surprises. All genealogists get them. It's not necessarily a bad thing.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
9 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 5, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
100 columns on finding family
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 467 words
You never know how long something new will last. The first Kinship column appeared March 13, 2007, urging readers to begin their genealogical searches by rummaging through trunks at home for items that help to reveal their family's history. But I had no idea how many more columns would follow.
How much material would there be for a column on one subject? How long would readers remain interested? Could it attract and hold readers who had only an occasional interest in genealogy? What kind of feedback would it generate from those who did read it?
Well, this is the 100th installment of Kinship, a column fueled by the ever-deepening interest in genealogy and readers with a long and well-deserved reputation for being fascinated with their ancestors. Today, I've got a feeling there will be many more columns.
It's gratifying to hear from readers who have used information in a Kinship column to add an ancestor or two to their family trees. It's a pleasure to hear from and encourage those who read the column but lack the rudimentary knowledge of their families necessary to make use of the information. And I'm very happy to hear from those who are among the many with great-grandparents or earlier ancestors who gave them Lowcountry roots.
Locally, women call and e-mail more than men. But the number of females and males who contact me from other parts of the country are about equal.
I'll never forget the woman who called for ideas on how to research the genealogy of her father, who never knew his own background. And I often think about the young woman who was pretty sure she was adopted and suspected her natural mother was in the same family. Then there was the woman in a Piggly Wiggly parking lot who hugged me enthusiastically because Kinship inspires her.
Others have called from Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando and elsewhere. One wanted to know if a never-incorporated community that his great grandparents had reminisced about still existed. More than one wanted to connect with someone who shared their last name in the hope that they could work together and find ancestors in common. A couple of them planned to research in Charleston and wanted information to help find the facts behind family stories of tragedy and loss.
These readers and others have touched me.
But there are others who have not yet rummaged through the family trunks, read the notations in family Bibles or interviewed an elder to begin researching their family histories. So over the next few weeks, several Kinship columns will deal with starting or restarting the genealogical search.
Those columns will tell readers what it's like to be a genealogist, what steps to take and why those steps are strongly suggested.
I'm looking forward to it.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postand
courier.com.
LOAD-DATE: October 6, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
10 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 5, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
100 columns on finding family
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 467 words
You never know how long something new will last. The first Kinship column appeared March 13, 2007, urging readers to begin their genealogical searches by rummaging through trunks at home for items that help to reveal their family's history. But I had no idea how many more columns would follow.
How much material would there be for a column on one subject? How long would readers remain interested? Could it attract and hold readers who had only an occasional interest in genealogy? What kind of feedback would it generate from those who did read it?
Well, this is the 100th installment of Kinship, a column fueled by the ever-deepening interest in genealogy and readers with a long and well-deserved reputation for being fascinated with their ancestors. Today, I've got a feeling there will be many more columns.
It's gratifying to hear from readers who have used information in a Kinship column to add an ancestor or two to their family trees. It's a pleasure to hear from and encourage those who read the column but lack the rudimentary knowledge of their families necessary to make use of the information. And I'm very happy to hear from those who are among the many with great-grandparents or earlier ancestors who gave them Lowcountry roots.
Locally, women call and e-mail more than men. But the number of females and males who contact me from other parts of the country are about equal.
I'll never forget the woman who called for ideas on how to research the genealogy of her father, who never knew his own background. And I often think about the young woman who was pretty sure she was adopted and suspected her natural mother was in the same family. Then there was the woman in a Piggly Wiggly parking lot who hugged me enthusiastically because Kinship inspires her.
Others have called from Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando and elsewhere. One wanted to know if a never-incorporated community that his great grandparents had reminisced about still existed. More than one wanted to connect with someone who shared their last name in the hope that they could work together and find ancestors in common. A couple of them planned to research in Charleston and wanted information to help find the facts behind family stories of tragedy and loss.
These readers and others have touched me.
But there are others who have not yet rummaged through the family trunks, read the notations in family Bibles or interviewed an elder to begin researching their family histories. So over the next few weeks, several Kinship columns will deal with starting or restarting the genealogical search.
Those columns will tell readers what it's like to be a genealogist, what steps to take and why those steps are strongly suggested.
I'm looking forward to it.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postand
courier.com.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
11 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 28, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Celebrate family history in Oct.
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 406 words
October is National Family History Month, and many genealogists across the country will observe it by doing things to honor family histories.
There are many different ways to mark the observance over the coming weeks.
You know the kinds of activities that suit your family best, but if you don't have anything in mind, allow me to contribute my two cents.
Here are a few suggestions for projects that will help your family further line the branches of its family tree:
Choose one family story from among many that may have been told and retold by your relatives over the years. Write the story on your computer and print copies of it on attractive paper that is suitable for framing.
If you have genealogical information on anyone in the story, including their parents' names or their birth or death dates, be sure to include the information and tell how you acquired it.
You might prefer to record the story on a disc. If you are not thrilled at the sound of you recorded voice, ask another family member to tell the story while you record it.
Send copies of the paper or disc to relatives.
Another way to observe National Family History Month would involve copying ancestors' photographs and giving them to family members who lack them. Make an effort to identify everyone in the photographs and give any genealogical information you have about them.
When you can't be certain of the identity of people in your photographs, inform the relatives you are sending them to about that fact. Perhaps one of them can supply you with that person's name. Family members also may have pictures that you lack, so don't be shy about mentioning any photographs you need.
A third activity would involve making a blank map of the state or nation and designating locations where your ancestors have lived. Key the designated locations to genealogical information such as the date ancestors moved to a place, what prompted the move, how long they stayed there and any other information on family members.
Take time to provide accurate information on the map and make it attractive enough to hang on a wall.
Should you find yourself pressed for time and unable to complete a project to observe National Family History Month, do as one North Dakota Genealogical Society suggested on its Web site: Write a thank-you letter to the archivists, clerks and librarians who support your family history research.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: September 29, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
12 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 28, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Celebrate family history in Oct.
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 406 words
October is National Family History Month, and many genealogists across the country will observe it by doing things to honor family histories.
There are many different ways to mark the observance over the coming weeks.
You know the kinds of activities that suit your family best, but if you don't have anything in mind, allow me to contribute my two cents.
Here are a few suggestions for projects that will help your family further line the branches of its family tree:
Choose one family story from among many that may have been told and retold by your relatives over the years. Write the story on your computer and print copies of it on attractive paper that is suitable for framing.
If you have genealogical information on anyone in the story, including their parents' names or their birth or death dates, be sure to include the information and tell how you acquired it.
You might prefer to record the story on a disc. If you are not thrilled at the sound of you recorded voice, ask another family member to tell the story while you record it.
Send copies of the paper or disc to relatives.
Another way to observe National Family History Month would involve copying ancestors' photographs and giving them to family members who lack them. Make an effort to identify everyone in the photographs and give any genealogical information you have about them.
When you can't be certain of the identity of people in your photographs, inform the relatives you are sending them to about that fact. Perhaps one of them can supply you with that person's name. Family members also may have pictures that you lack, so don't be shy about mentioning any photographs you need.
A third activity would involve making a blank map of the state or nation and designating locations where your ancestors have lived. Key the designated locations to genealogical information such as the date ancestors moved to a place, what prompted the move, how long they stayed there and any other information on family members.
Take time to provide accurate information on the map and make it attractive enough to hang on a wall.
Should you find yourself pressed for time and unable to complete a project to observe National Family History Month, do as one North Dakota Genealogical Society suggested on its Web site: Write a thank-you letter to the archivists, clerks and librarians who support your family history research.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
13 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 21, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Mich. order would move archives
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
LENGTH: 446 words
One of the most unsettling things a genealogist can be threatened with is the removal of records from the place where they should be kept.
Just learning that a record might not be in its designated space is worrisome to the average family historian.
That's because records, especially the county and state records kept by state archives, contain the bits and pieces of information that are analyzed and correlated to assemble our family histories. They document our ancestors' interactions with county and state offices, and are worth their weight in gold.
So it's sad that the Library of Michigan, an official state archive, could have its collections moved from the building constructed to preserve them for future generations after Oct. 1. The move would come as part of cost-cutting measures by the state to balance its budget.
You think they'd find some other way.
Many family historians still can't wrap their minds around the fact that Gov. Jennifer Granholm issued an executive order to eliminate the state's Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Granholm's order would place the archives' collections and functions with other departments such as the Michigan Department of Education, Department of Natural Resources and Department of Information Technology.
The archives building would be redesigned for some other state tenant.
"Dismantling the department and moving the collections show a lack of appreciation for the value of that state's past," says W. Eric Emerson, director of S.C. Department of Archives and History. "It's a misguided attempt to save money at the expense of preserving the state's history."
Emerson also said finding a way to use the state's documented history for profit is preferable.
Genealogists and librarians in Michigan are beside themselves with worry and anger. Each group has organized a rally to try and keep the more than 180-year-old Library of Michigan's documents in tact and in the same building.
They have many supporters.
Given the mobile nature of society, genealogists across the country are as directly affected by what is happening in Michigan as those who live there.
And there are those with no Michigan roots who fear that a similar situation could occur in their state.
While the executive order was voted down in Michigan's Senate, no decision has been made in the House, which has until the end of the month.
The National Genealogical Society and Federation of Genealogical Societies are accepting signatures opposing the order at www.petition
online.com/RPAC2009.
The situation is frightening, but the state's genealogists have vowed not to go away.
Good for them!
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
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All Rights Reserved
14 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 14, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Sessions generate excitement
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
LENGTH: 427 words
Nothing quite matches the excitement generated by associating with people who are as passionate about genealogical research as you are.
That level of excitement can become electric when such associations occur at a genealogy conference such as "Passages Through Time."
The Federation of Genealogical Societies and Arkansas Genealogical Society recently held the annual conference in Little Rock, Ark. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to top the interesting mix of topics covered by speakers at the event.
Most of my encounters, both in and out of sessions, reaffirmed one thing: Research should be crafted with creativity, propelled by curiosity and executed with care if the family historian wants to enjoy very many "eureka!" moments.
No general approach to reconstructing the lives of our ancestors works very well because each ancestor is unique. One size does not fit all.
Some conference sessions focused on battles, and others on general military records. There were those that taught how to map ancestors' migrations and others to plat their neighborhoods.
Some focused on church and ministerial records, and one dealt with frontier religion. The issues of displacements and unforeseen events were covered. Some focused on finding tools useful in genealogical research and others on the skills needed to use them. There were sessions that covered learning and teaching.
The breadth of topics covered in the 195 sessions, which include meal events,
is indicative of the passion that propels people in their quests to make sense of their ancestors' lives and their own.
They also underscore an increasing willingness to evaluate and correlate the tiniest bits of information found in faded and fragile sources located at great distances.
Other conference activities involved taking advantage of an Ancestry.com offer to have its imaging specialists scan up to 100 family photographs on a high-speed scanner and save on a thumb drive for attendees at no cost.
Others took advantage of an opportunity to be interviewed about their lives and recorded by StoryCorps, a nonprofit project that stores the interview on a disc for interviewees, and places a copy at the Library of Congress for posterity.
Time passed far too quickly.
Before long, folks were focusing on future conferences, such as the National Genealogical Society Conference in Salt Lake City in April and the federation's conference in Knoxville next September.
And many said they plan to attend the national conference in Charleston in 2011.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: September 15, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
15 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 14, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Sessions generate excitement
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
LENGTH: 427 words
Nothing quite matches the excitement generated by associating with people who are as passionate about genealogical research as you are.
That level of excitement can become electric when such associations occur at a genealogy conference such as "Passages Through Time."
The Federation of Genealogical Societies and Arkansas Genealogical Society recently held the annual conference in Little Rock, Ark. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to top the interesting mix of topics covered by speakers at the event.
Most of my encounters, both in and out of sessions, reaffirmed one thing: Research should be crafted with creativity, propelled by curiosity and executed with care if the family historian wants to enjoy very many "eureka!" moments.
No general approach to reconstructing the lives of our ancestors works very well because each ancestor is unique. One size does not fit all.
Some conference sessions focused on battles, and others on general military records. There were those that taught how to map ancestors' migrations and others to plat their neighborhoods.
Some focused on church and ministerial records, and one dealt with frontier religion. The issues of displacements and unforeseen events were covered. Some focused on finding tools useful in genealogical research and others on the skills needed to use them. There were sessions that covered learning and teaching.
The breadth of topics covered in the 195 sessions, which include meal events,
is indicative of the passion that propels people in their quests to make sense of their ancestors' lives and their own.
They also underscore an increasing willingness to evaluate and correlate the tiniest bits of information found in faded and fragile sources located at great distances.
Other conference activities involved taking advantage of an Ancestry.com offer to have its imaging specialists scan up to 100 family photographs on a high-speed scanner and save on a thumb drive for attendees at no cost.
Others took advantage of an opportunity to be interviewed about their lives and recorded by StoryCorps, a nonprofit project that stores the interview on a disc for interviewees, and places a copy at the Library of Congress for posterity.
Time passed far too quickly.
Before long, folks were focusing on future conferences, such as the National Genealogical Society Conference in Salt Lake City in April and the federation's conference in Knoxville next September.
And many said they plan to attend the national conference in Charleston in 2011.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
16 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 7, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Studying neighbors opens doors
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 462 words
Most family historians have an Aunt Zanna or two floating around their family tree.
The challenge is to figure out which branch they belong on. The process of discovering connections between ancestors helps to reconstruct our family's history.
Some Aunt Zannas are called cousins by older family members during oral interviews. Inquiring about precise relationships among extended family in rural communities would have been seen as disrespectful.
Recently, I was listening to my grandmother's sister, who grew up on St. Helena Island, recall a few aunts, including Aunt Zanna, but did not know how they were related to the family. My grandaunt is almost 90 and knows a lot about the family, so her memories provide me with important clues. For genealogists, such memories are like signposts at crossroads pointing the way.
Aunt Zanna's real first name was not recalled by my grandaunt, but her last name was the same as my third great-grandmother's maiden name, Jenkins. Researching female ancestors is difficult because records usually are kept in the names of their husbands, fathers or brothers. But perhaps identifying Aunt Zanna in records and researching her life would lead me to my third great-grandmother's parents and siblings.
Using the name of her son, George, and his wife, Virginia, provided by my grandaunt, I searched the 1930 U.S. Census (the latest available) and proceeded backward through the 1880 Census. Analyzing and correlating information found among the censuses strongly suggests that Aunt Zanna was actually Susanna Jenkins.
I found a Susanna living in the same house or next door to a George who fit her son's description on three of the five censuses. She was listed with a husband, Cyrus Jenkins, in the 1880 Census, and the two lived two households from my third great-grandparents, Cato and Venus (Jenkins) Watson.
Cyrus, whose name would not have changed because of marriage, is more likely than Aunt Zanna to be related by blood to my third great-grandmother. My next step will be to study him and see where he leads me. Maybe he has deeds or tax records between 1866 and 1900. Perhaps he has records that include my third great-grandfather as a witness or in some other position that suggests family ties.
Studying family members, neighbors and others who would have associated with ancestors usually leads to more information about them. The process of analyzing and correlating information from various records probably will lead to more reliable conclusions.
Most genealogists refer to that approach as "studying the neighbors." It may seem laborious, but it's stimulating when you are open to possibilities.
It works. And sometimes studying the neighbors is the only way to proceed.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: September 9, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
17 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 7, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Studying neighbors opens doors
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 462 words
Most family historians have an Aunt Zanna or two floating around their family tree.
The challenge is to figure out which branch they belong on. The process of discovering connections between ancestors helps to reconstruct our family's history.
Some Aunt Zannas are called cousins by older family members during oral interviews. Inquiring about precise relationships among extended family in rural communities would have been seen as disrespectful.
Recently, I was listening to my grandmother's sister, who grew up on St. Helena Island, recall a few aunts, including Aunt Zanna, but did not know how they were related to the family. My grandaunt is almost 90 and knows a lot about the family, so her memories provide me with important clues. For genealogists, such memories are like signposts at crossroads pointing the way.
Aunt Zanna's real first name was not recalled by my grandaunt, but her last name was the same as my third great-grandmother's maiden name, Jenkins. Researching female ancestors is difficult because records usually are kept in the names of their husbands, fathers or brothers. But perhaps identifying Aunt Zanna in records and researching her life would lead me to my third great-grandmother's parents and siblings.
Using the name of her son, George, and his wife, Virginia, provided by my grandaunt, I searched the 1930 U.S. Census (the latest available) and proceeded backward through the 1880 Census. Analyzing and correlating information found among the censuses strongly suggests that Aunt Zanna was actually Susanna Jenkins.
I found a Susanna living in the same house or next door to a George who fit her son's description on three of the five censuses. She was listed with a husband, Cyrus Jenkins, in the 1880 Census, and the two lived two households from my third great-grandparents, Cato and Venus (Jenkins) Watson.
Cyrus, whose name would not have changed because of marriage, is more likely than Aunt Zanna to be related by blood to my third great-grandmother. My next step will be to study him and see where he leads me. Maybe he has deeds or tax records between 1866 and 1900. Perhaps he has records that include my third great-grandfather as a witness or in some other position that suggests family ties.
Studying family members, neighbors and others who would have associated with ancestors usually leads to more information about them. The process of analyzing and correlating information from various records probably will lead to more reliable conclusions.
Most genealogists refer to that approach as "studying the neighbors." It may seem laborious, but it's stimulating when you are open to possibilities.
It works. And sometimes studying the neighbors is the only way to proceed.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
18 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 31, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Microfilm becoming thing of past
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 489 words
The mere sight of a National Archives and Records Administration envelope in my mailbox caused euphoria to set in.
Initially, the envelope suggested that some ordered, then forgotten, document had come at last. But the envelope seemed too thin to hold the number of pages that the archives frequently sends in response to a genealogical request.
The white, business-size envelope's cellophane window revealed a real check. It was made out to me for a whopping $3.50. My spirit plummeted as I read the upper left corner: "Bright Key. We'll handle it for you."
Had some insensitive mass marketer used the prospect of a little free money from the government to grab my attention?
Not at all.
The National Archives sent me a refund because it will terminate its microfilm rental program Tuesday and has closed rental customer accounts.
It was a bit disconcerting to realize that the letter was postmarked three weeks after the archives took the last order on July 31, but I understand.
Demand for information on the Internet is high and for microfilm rentals is low. So the program cannot support itself anymore.
Roger Coren, senior archivist in the National Archives' customer service division, said Bright Key, the contractor formerly called PMDS, made only $20,000 last year. Film through the program used to rent for about $4 per reel per month.
Bright Key did not choose to raise rental rates, and the federal government cannot afford to subsidize the program to the tune of $15,000 to $20,000 annually.
The termination is more of a sentimental passing than a hardship for genealogists, because relatively few still used the program.
It provided the public with access to 1790 through 1930 federal census film, indexes to Revolutionary War and War of 1812 bounty land records, and Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands (Freedmen's Bureau) field office records from the post-Civil War era.
Ancestry.com, footnote.com or both are digitizing the records found on the microfilm and placing them on their Web sites.
It's best to check both of the subscription sites fairly regularly to keep up with what they are adding.
You can access ancestry.com for free through the Charleston County Public Library. A U.S. subscription to ancestry.com costs $155 annually, more if you pay quarterly or monthly. A subscription to footnote.com costs $79.95 annually.
In addition, the library on Calhoun Street purchased the entire collection of South Carolina Freedmen's Bureau field office records on microfilm a couple of years ago. It's not usually mentioned, but whites are among those who can be found in the bureau's records.
Whenever records change forms, mistakes and omissions occur.
That said, if you ever want to check the microfilms (which are not perfect either), visit the archives in Washington or at a regional office, such
as the one in Morrow, Ga., where you can have access to them.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: September 1, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
19 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 31, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Microfilm becoming thing of past
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 489 words
The mere sight of a National Archives and Records Administration envelope in my mailbox caused euphoria to set in.
Initially, the envelope suggested that some ordered, then forgotten, document had come at last. But the envelope seemed too thin to hold the number of pages that the archives frequently sends in response to a genealogical request.
The white, business-size envelope's cellophane window revealed a real check. It was made out to me for a whopping $3.50. My spirit plummeted as I read the upper left corner: "Bright Key. We'll handle it for you."
Had some insensitive mass marketer used the prospect of a little free money from the government to grab my attention?
Not at all.
The National Archives sent me a refund because it will terminate its microfilm rental program Tuesday and has closed rental customer accounts.
It was a bit disconcerting to realize that the letter was postmarked three weeks after the archives took the last order on July 31, but I understand.
Demand for information on the Internet is high and for microfilm rentals is low. So the program cannot support itself anymore.
Roger Coren, senior archivist in the National Archives' customer service division, said Bright Key, the contractor formerly called PMDS, made only $20,000 last year. Film through the program used to rent for about $4 per reel per month.
Bright Key did not choose to raise rental rates, and the federal government cannot afford to subsidize the program to the tune of $15,000 to $20,000 annually.
The termination is more of a sentimental passing than a hardship for genealogists, because relatively few still used the program.
It provided the public with access to 1790 through 1930 federal census film, indexes to Revolutionary War and War of 1812 bounty land records, and Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands (Freedmen's Bureau) field office records from the post-Civil War era.
Ancestry.com, footnote.com or both are digitizing the records found on the microfilm and placing them on their Web sites.
It's best to check both of the subscription sites fairly regularly to keep up with what they are adding.
You can access ancestry.com for free through the Charleston County Public Library. A U.S. subscription to ancestry.com costs $155 annually, more if you pay quarterly or monthly. A subscription to footnote.com costs $79.95 annually.
In addition, the library on Calhoun Street purchased the entire collection of South Carolina Freedmen's Bureau field office records on microfilm a couple of years ago. It's not usually mentioned, but whites are among those who can be found in the bureau's records.
Whenever records change forms, mistakes and omissions occur.
That said, if you ever want to check the microfilms (which are not perfect either), visit the archives in Washington or at a regional office, such
as the one in Morrow, Ga., where you can have access to them.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
20 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 24, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Genealogical guides help novices, experts
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 442 words
Family historians who don't use genealogical guides are making a big mistake. Guides are not just for novices but for all genealogists who want to become better researchers. General guides and ones designed to deal with ethnic, gender or regional differences are all important.
Below are a couple of guides that are well worth the time.
Inspiring, informative
Those seeking a genealogy guide that provides as much inspiration as information should consult "Discover Your Roots: Dig Up Your Family History and Other Buried Treasures" by Paul Blake and Maggie Loughran. The 237-page book is well-organized and easy to read.
Family historians who use the book can gain an excellent understanding of records used on the genealogical journey.
One of its most helpful features is the question-and-answer section at the end of each chapter that not only helps review research results, but provides additional guidance for dealing with well-known exceptions to the rule.
"Discover Your Roots" is in the "52 Brilliant Ideas" self-help series and includes 52 chapters to support and advance genealogical research. Beginners and more advanced researchers in need of a review can benefit from using the book, published by the Penguin Group (USA) and selling for $15.95. It's the kind of book the family historian will reach for again and again.
African-Americans
"The Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your African-American Ancestors" by Franklin Carter Smith and Emily Anne Croom covers a lot of territory very well.
It begins with sources usually consulted by all genealogists such as censuses and vital records, and it moves on to cover research skills needed to navigate recordkeeping on African-Americans before and after the Civil War.
The authors also provide guidance on research issues that can baffle genealogists tracing African-Americans. They include determining if ancestors were free or enslaved, who any slave owners were, how to find their records and how to trace ancestors in those records.
Another real strength of the book is the inclusion of case studies that illuminate research problems and give step-by-step discussions of methods and analyses that can lead to solid conclusions. It's among the best guides to African-American research, is published by the Genealogical Publishing Co. and sells for $34.95.
Both books can be obtained online at sites including Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.
In addition, reprints of "African-American Ancestors" can be found at www.genealogical.com and the original publication by Betterway Books at the Charleston County Main Library on Calhoun Street.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
21 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 17, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Mormons launch pilot site for digital records
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 465 words
Family historians who haven't hunted ancestors on http://pilot.familysearch.org probably should give the developing Web site a try.
The site is from Family-Search, a service organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons).
The online pilot is a big part of the church's effort to make information on its 2 1/2 million rolls of film available to the public. In addition, new digital records also will be put on the site, which will replace www.familysearch.org, the site in use since 1999.
LDS is believed to have the world's largest collection of records used by genealogists. Members believe that through genealogical research and rituals for deceased, unchurched ancestors, they can provide them with the opportunity to accept salvation in the afterlife.
More than 600 million names, those from 8 percent of film in the church's Granite Mountain Records Vault in Utah, are searchable on the pilot Web site, says Paul Nauta, public affairs manager for FamilySearch. Contracts with recordkeepers, such as counties and states, permit FamilySearch to put 80 percent of the filmed records on the site. The organization is negotiating new contracts with other recordkeepers in an effort to put more online.
If you visit the pilot site to search for a South Carolina ancestor's death certificate 1915-43, type the name of an ancestor who died during those years to see information extracted from the ancestor's death certificate. Not all information on the official death certificates are extracted. You also will have the option of going a step further and seeing an image of the actual death certificate at no cost.
Information from South Carolina's death certificates 1944-55 also has been extracted, but images of actual certificates are not yet on the site.
FamilySearch will index some records already found on ancestry.com, footnote.com and other subscription sites. But for the first three years, the familysearch.org user who tries to view digitized images on its site will be directed to the subscription site to see the image on a pay-per-view basis, or by signing in as a subscriber.
They also will have the option to visit a local family history center where access to those digitized images is free to all users.
Some recordkeepers will allow use of their records free through the family history centers, but not online. Others will only allow theirs to be consulted at the family history centers on film.
No launch date for the site has been set.
More than 100,000 volunteers, most working on personal computers, index about 1 million names each day, but Nauta says they need more volunteers. Those interested can sign up at pilot.familysearch.org where projects are categorized by degree of difficulty.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: August 18, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
22 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 17, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Mormons launch pilot site for digital records
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 465 words
Family historians who haven't hunted ancestors on http://pilot.familysearch.org probably should give the developing Web site a try.
The site is from Family-Search, a service organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons).
The online pilot is a big part of the church's effort to make information on its 2 1/2 million rolls of film available to the public. In addition, new digital records also will be put on the site, which will replace www.familysearch.org, the site in use since 1999.
LDS is believed to have the world's largest collection of records used by genealogists. Members believe that through genealogical research and rituals for deceased, unchurched ancestors, they can provide them with the opportunity to accept salvation in the afterlife.
More than 600 million names, those from 8 percent of film in the church's Granite Mountain Records Vault in Utah, are searchable on the pilot Web site, says Paul Nauta, public affairs manager for FamilySearch. Contracts with recordkeepers, such as counties and states, permit FamilySearch to put 80 percent of the filmed records on the site. The organization is negotiating new contracts with other recordkeepers in an effort to put more online.
If you visit the pilot site to search for a South Carolina ancestor's death certificate 1915-43, type the name of an ancestor who died during those years to see information extracted from the ancestor's death certificate. Not all information on the official death certificates are extracted. You also will have the option of going a step further and seeing an image of the actual death certificate at no cost.
Information from South Carolina's death certificates 1944-55 also has been extracted, but images of actual certificates are not yet on the site.
FamilySearch will index some records already found on ancestry.com, footnote.com and other subscription sites. But for the first three years, the familysearch.org user who tries to view digitized images on its site will be directed to the subscription site to see the image on a pay-per-view basis, or by signing in as a subscriber.
They also will have the option to visit a local family history center where access to those digitized images is free to all users.
Some recordkeepers will allow use of their records free through the family history centers, but not online. Others will only allow theirs to be consulted at the family history centers on film.
No launch date for the site has been set.
More than 100,000 volunteers, most working on personal computers, index about 1 million names each day, but Nauta says they need more volunteers. Those interested can sign up at pilot.familysearch.org where projects are categorized by degree of difficulty.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
23 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 10, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Jumping hurdles to Native American research
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 721 words
It's the rare genealogist who is not aware of at least one family historian with an elusive Native American ancestor. Many don't know the name of that ancestor or the tribe that he came from. It's a really big research problem, but not an insurmountable one.
Family historians who have researched their genealogy by starting with themselves and moving backward generation by generation have an edge. They can look for clues in the lives of other ancestors to help determine which ancestor was Native American and the tribe that ancestor belonged to.
Paul K. Graham, a board-certified genealogist, has studied Native American records at the National Archives facility near Atlanta and surveyed those in other regions. He said most Native Americans' records of the 1800s were the result of treaties between the federal government and their tribes. Records with genealogically valuable information record land allotments and annuities made to individuals.
But if a Native American ancestor left the tribe and assimilated with others, the records created after they departed would not include them, Graham said. And when a descendant is not in a family recognized as Native American, it's difficult to make the familial connections.
Native American women who married white men may be listed in records as "his Indian wife" with no mention of her name, Graham said. The five "civilized tribes" had African-American slaves, and some of their descendants have mixed ancestry.
In either case, if descendants have not been identifying themselves as Native American, uncovering the ancestor that links your family history to tribal ancestors, while not impossible, will usually require very painstaking research.
Frequently used records
That said, Graham named the records frequently used by those seeking to connect with their Native American ancestry.
One set of records is the United States Indian Census Schedules taken annually from 1885 to 1940. They enumerated those living on a reservation under a Bureau of Indian Affairs agent. The information requested for those censuses changed over time.
Generally, though, family history researchers who know the Native American ancestor's name may find his age, date of birth, relationship to head of family and marital status, as well as names of the tribe and reservation.
The Indian censuses can be searched on ancestry.com and footnote.com, both of which are paid subscription databases. Native Americans who lived in the general population first were identified as "Indian" on the 1860 federal census.
Another useful set of records is the "Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory," or Dawes Commission rolls, which includes those not enumerated on the censuses. Those referred to as being in the "civilized tribes" are Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole. The "freedmen" were African-Americans formerly enslaved by those tribes.
President Grover Cleveland established the Dawes Commission to determine which individual Native Americans were eligible for land allotments under federal treaties, based on membership in those tribes.
The rolls list more than 101,000 names from 1898 to 1914 and provide name, sex, blood degree and census card number. That card, in turn, may refer to earlier rolls or censuses with information on that ancestor and be accompanied by an application jacket with birth and death affidavits, marriage licenses and letters with personal information.
For these and other records created by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, visit that National Archives Web site at www.archives.gov/genealogy/
heritage/native-american. Also, a look at "American Indians: A Select Catalog of National Archive Microfilm Publications" provides information on records in other federal agencies, too.
Free workshop
"Researching Individual Native Americans at the National Archives," a free workshop, takes place 10 a.m.-noon Friday at the National Archives at Atlanta, 5780 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, Ga.
To register or obtain more information, call 770-968-2100. Graham will conduct the workshop, designed to provide a general idea of how to research Native Americans, what records are found at the regional facility and how to use an in-house guide that he has written about the topic.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: August 11, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
24 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 10, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Jumping hurdles to Native American research
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 721 words
It's the rare genealogist who is not aware of at least one family historian with an elusive Native American ancestor. Many don't know the name of that ancestor or the tribe that he came from. It's a really big research problem, but not an insurmountable one.
Family historians who have researched their genealogy by starting with themselves and moving backward generation by generation have an edge. They can look for clues in the lives of other ancestors to help determine which ancestor was Native American and the tribe that ancestor belonged to.
Paul K. Graham, a board-certified genealogist, has studied Native American records at the National Archives facility near Atlanta and surveyed those in other regions. He said most Native Americans' records of the 1800s were the result of treaties between the federal government and their tribes. Records with genealogically valuable information record land allotments and annuities made to individuals.
But if a Native American ancestor left the tribe and assimilated with others, the records created after they departed would not include them, Graham said. And when a descendant is not in a family recognized as Native American, it's difficult to make the familial connections.
Native American women who married white men may be listed in records as "his Indian wife" with no mention of her name, Graham said. The five "civilized tribes" had African-American slaves, and some of their descendants have mixed ancestry.
In either case, if descendants have not been identifying themselves as Native American, uncovering the ancestor that links your family history to tribal ancestors, while not impossible, will usually require very painstaking research.
Frequently used records
That said, Graham named the records frequently used by those seeking to connect with their Native American ancestry.
One set of records is the United States Indian Census Schedules taken annually from 1885 to 1940. They enumerated those living on a reservation under a Bureau of Indian Affairs agent. The information requested for those censuses changed over time.
Generally, though, family history researchers who know the Native American ancestor's name may find his age, date of birth, relationship to head of family and marital status, as well as names of the tribe and reservation.
The Indian censuses can be searched on ancestry.com and footnote.com, both of which are paid subscription databases. Native Americans who lived in the general population first were identified as "Indian" on the 1860 federal census.
Another useful set of records is the "Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory," or Dawes Commission rolls, which includes those not enumerated on the censuses. Those referred to as being in the "civilized tribes" are Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole. The "freedmen" were African-Americans formerly enslaved by those tribes.
President Grover Cleveland established the Dawes Commission to determine which individual Native Americans were eligible for land allotments under federal treaties, based on membership in those tribes.
The rolls list more than 101,000 names from 1898 to 1914 and provide name, sex, blood degree and census card number. That card, in turn, may refer to earlier rolls or censuses with information on that ancestor and be accompanied by an application jacket with birth and death affidavits, marriage licenses and letters with personal information.
For these and other records created by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, visit that National Archives Web site at www.archives.gov/genealogy/
heritage/native-american. Also, a look at "American Indians: A Select Catalog of National Archive Microfilm Publications" provides information on records in other federal agencies, too.
Free workshop
"Researching Individual Native Americans at the National Archives," a free workshop, takes place 10 a.m.-noon Friday at the National Archives at Atlanta, 5780 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, Ga.
To register or obtain more information, call 770-968-2100. Graham will conduct the workshop, designed to provide a general idea of how to research Native Americans, what records are found at the regional facility and how to use an in-house guide that he has written about the topic.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
25 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 3, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Gravestones hold many clues to family history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 456 words
Many genealogists wish to visit a cemetery and search for genealogical clues on their ancestors' gravestones. Many also postpone such a visit indefinitely because the cemetery is too far away. But family historians might be able to find a photograph of some ancestors' gravestones without ever leaving home.
There are a number of volunteer projects that photograph headstones and post them on the Web, where descendants can view them at no cost. Reading the inscription on a gravestone via a photograph is a step up from reading its transcription in a cemetery book.
Many projects focus on photographing stones that are succumbing to the elements while the information on them still can be deciphered. The goal of others is to create an inventory of those buried in a cemetery and are part of a broader cemetery research project.
One such project, simply called the "Gravestone Photo Project" has photographs of gravestones in 23 states on its Web site. To search the site, gpp.jlconsulting.com, choose the state, then the county and search by the ancestor's name or the cemetery inventory. "Graveyards and Gravestones," which is found at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~langolier/cemeteries.html, has photographs from 18 states and the Bretagne region of France.
Numerous similar sites can be found through Google.com, Yahoo.com or some other search engine with keywords such as "gravestone photography projects" or something similar. You also can locate them through a site such as cyndislist.com, which links to other genealogy sites, by using the same keywords. Some of these sites will include information on how to submit gravestone photographs for posting.
Even genealogists who think they already know the vital information on their ancestor's stone can find other useful information such as hobbies or an epitaph that can suggest additional places to research. Knowing what is on an ancestor's gravestone just might be the ticket to further success in growing a family tree.
Research tip
When a gravestone provides the date of death and the exact age at death, but does not state a date of birth, genealogists figure the date by using something called the 8870 formula.
Here's an example:
Say your ancestor died on Jan. 1. 1950, was 85 years, four months and four days old and you want to figure her date of birth.
First, express the date of death as a numeral, 19500101, then the age at death as a numeral 850404. Now, subtract the age from the date of death to reach 18649697. Then, subtract 8870 (a constant) from that number to get 18640827.
Your ancestor's date of birth was Aug. 27, 1864, which professional genealogists would express as 27 August 1864.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: August 4, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
26 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 3, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Gravestones hold many clues to family history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 456 words
Many genealogists wish to visit a cemetery and search for genealogical clues on their ancestors' gravestones. Many also postpone such a visit indefinitely because the cemetery is too far away. But family historians might be able to find a photograph of some ancestors' gravestones without ever leaving home.
There are a number of volunteer projects that photograph headstones and post them on the Web, where descendants can view them at no cost. Reading the inscription on a gravestone via a photograph is a step up from reading its transcription in a cemetery book.
Many projects focus on photographing stones that are succumbing to the elements while the information on them still can be deciphered. The goal of others is to create an inventory of those buried in a cemetery and are part of a broader cemetery research project.
One such project, simply called the "Gravestone Photo Project" has photographs of gravestones in 23 states on its Web site. To search the site, gpp.jlconsulting.com, choose the state, then the county and search by the ancestor's name or the cemetery inventory. "Graveyards and Gravestones," which is found at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~langolier/cemeteries.html, has photographs from 18 states and the Bretagne region of France.
Numerous similar sites can be found through Google.com, Yahoo.com or some other search engine with keywords such as "gravestone photography projects" or something similar. You also can locate them through a site such as cyndislist.com, which links to other genealogy sites, by using the same keywords. Some of these sites will include information on how to submit gravestone photographs for posting.
Even genealogists who think they already know the vital information on their ancestor's stone can find other useful information such as hobbies or an epitaph that can suggest additional places to research. Knowing what is on an ancestor's gravestone just might be the ticket to further success in growing a family tree.
Research tip
When a gravestone provides the date of death and the exact age at death, but does not state a date of birth, genealogists figure the date by using something called the 8870 formula.
Here's an example:
Say your ancestor died on Jan. 1. 1950, was 85 years, four months and four days old and you want to figure her date of birth.
First, express the date of death as a numeral, 19500101, then the age at death as a numeral 850404. Now, subtract the age from the date of death to reach 18649697. Then, subtract 8870 (a constant) from that number to get 18640827.
Your ancestor's date of birth was Aug. 27, 1864, which professional genealogists would express as 27 August 1864.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
27 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 27, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Reading probate packets well worth the effort
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 513 words
Consider this:
Genie Genealogist is rummaging through an old chest and sees papers indicating when and where her ancestor's will went through probate, the court process to establish that a will is valid. She also sees notes by another ancestor indicating the will was transcribed into a book at the courthouse. Other notes say it was abstracted and published in a book found in a public library.
Should, Genie, a family historian, visit the county courthouse where the will was probated and look through the packet of papers related to the probate process? Should she visit the courthouse and read the will that a clerk of the court transcribed from the original will into a book? Or should she visit the library and read the abstract, a document containing the important details of the will?
The best thing for Genie to do is visit the courthouse and read all of the papers in that probate packet. It may seem boring and unnecessarily burdensome, but she'll probably find kith and kin she would not otherwise discover in those papers. They will point to a lot more family relationships, probable family relationships and possible family relationships than the most accurately transcribed will or the most carefully prepared abstract.
Information in each packet will be somewhat different because deceased ancestors, their families, jurisdictions and other factors are different. But the nature of the proceeding indicates that Genie would be likely to find a lot of information in the packet of papers that will advance her family history research significantly.
The packet may contain the original will providing personal information about Genie's ancestor and some of his closest relatives. The executor of the ancestor's estate would likely be someone he trusted, perhaps a brother that she had not known about before. Documents about the division of property might suggest unexpected social standing and other records to research.
She could learn that her ancestor had more than one wife and perhaps children and other descendants not named in his will. There could be reports providing information on disagreements among heirs and supporting information on the resolution of family issues.
Genie could discover that her ancestor used another name at some point in his life. She could learn that he was adopted and find clues indicating who his natural parents were. There could be indications that his birthplace was somewhere the family used to live and might still have relatives.
Researching the probate packet is not really for beginners. It's most fruitful after a bit of experience. It requires that the genealogist be able to study somewhat independently. (Probate court staffers are not paid to help genealogists line the branches of their family trees.)
That said, studying probate packets should be a highly rewarding part of tracking down ancestors. So, never assume your ancestors didn't have anything worth going through probate. Even the records regarding a simple estate can have loads of genealogical riches.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: July 29, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
28 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 27, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Reading probate packets well worth the effort
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 513 words
Consider this:
Genie Genealogist is rummaging through an old chest and sees papers indicating when and where her ancestor's will went through probate, the court process to establish that a will is valid. She also sees notes by another ancestor indicating the will was transcribed into a book at the courthouse. Other notes say it was abstracted and published in a book found in a public library.
Should, Genie, a family historian, visit the county courthouse where the will was probated and look through the packet of papers related to the probate process? Should she visit the courthouse and read the will that a clerk of the court transcribed from the original will into a book? Or should she visit the library and read the abstract, a document containing the important details of the will?
The best thing for Genie to do is visit the courthouse and read all of the papers in that probate packet. It may seem boring and unnecessarily burdensome, but she'll probably find kith and kin she would not otherwise discover in those papers. They will point to a lot more family relationships, probable family relationships and possible family relationships than the most accurately transcribed will or the most carefully prepared abstract.
Information in each packet will be somewhat different because deceased ancestors, their families, jurisdictions and other factors are different. But the nature of the proceeding indicates that Genie would be likely to find a lot of information in the packet of papers that will advance her family history research significantly.
The packet may contain the original will providing personal information about Genie's ancestor and some of his closest relatives. The executor of the ancestor's estate would likely be someone he trusted, perhaps a brother that she had not known about before. Documents about the division of property might suggest unexpected social standing and other records to research.
She could learn that her ancestor had more than one wife and perhaps children and other descendants not named in his will. There could be reports providing information on disagreements among heirs and supporting information on the resolution of family issues.
Genie could discover that her ancestor used another name at some point in his life. She could learn that he was adopted and find clues indicating who his natural parents were. There could be indications that his birthplace was somewhere the family used to live and might still have relatives.
Researching the probate packet is not really for beginners. It's most fruitful after a bit of experience. It requires that the genealogist be able to study somewhat independently. (Probate court staffers are not paid to help genealogists line the branches of their family trees.)
That said, studying probate packets should be a highly rewarding part of tracking down ancestors. So, never assume your ancestors didn't have anything worth going through probate. Even the records regarding a simple estate can have loads of genealogical riches.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
29 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 20, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Bookstore little-used resource
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 460 words
It's odd that the bookstore at the S.C. Department of Archives and History would have to hold a really big book sale. After all, many of the low-cost publications the store sells can help patrons get big payoffs when consulting the historic public records the department holds.
Some of the books and booklets sold in the small store provide invaluable descriptions of the local, county and state records housed there. Other publications provide the historical context a family historian needs to design solid research plans. And most, if not all, are written in simple language that genealogists and other researchers can easily understand.
Granted, there probably was no better time to have such a sale than the weekend of the S.C. Genealogical Society's annual workshop. But the fact that the store seemed almost desperate to move the materials, which can be bought online all year, tells me that many genealogists are not buying and using them.
That's too bad.
The publications often are written by current or former archives employees who are experts on the records and historical topics they write about.
Genealogists can study them and decide on the best sources to consult at the archives before they arrive. They also can make use of what they learn from them when requesting that records be photocopied and sent to them.
But you need not be a seasoned genealogist to benefit from some of the publications.
The "Genealogy Starter Kit" by Alexia Helsley and others is a booklet collection designed to help those getting started on family history research in South Carolina. It includes a number of titles: Research in the Archives; Destroyed County Records; Selected Civil War Bibliography; Sources for Genealogists; and African American Genealogical Research.
"South Carolina Court Records: An Introduction for Genealogists" by Alexia Helsley and Michael Stauffer deals with the early court records at the archives available to researchers, the information they contain and time periods that they cover. Discussed are the court of common pleas, general sessions court, county and intermediate court, court of equity and probate court and maps that show changes in their jurisdictions.
"Guide to Civil War Records" by Patrick McCawley provides a description of available Civil War and Confederate veterans' records. It covers state and county records for South Carolina, National Archives microfilms and other sources.
Those three titles are a small sampling of the publications for sale.
Visit the archives at http://scdah.sc.gov/publications to see more. Check out those listed under every topic. Some of the most useful are not listed under "Genealogy." Prices start around $4, and most are less than $8.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: July 21, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
30 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 20, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Bookstore little-used resource
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 460 words
It's odd that the bookstore at the S.C. Department of Archives and History would have to hold a really big book sale. After all, many of the low-cost publications the store sells can help patrons get big payoffs when consulting the historic public records the department holds.
Some of the books and booklets sold in the small store provide invaluable descriptions of the local, county and state records housed there. Other publications provide the historical context a family historian needs to design solid research plans. And most, if not all, are written in simple language that genealogists and other researchers can easily understand.
Granted, there probably was no better time to have such a sale than the weekend of the S.C. Genealogical Society's annual workshop. But the fact that the store seemed almost desperate to move the materials, which can be bought online all year, tells me that many genealogists are not buying and using them.
That's too bad.
The publications often are written by current or former archives employees who are experts on the records and historical topics they write about.
Genealogists can study them and decide on the best sources to consult at the archives before they arrive. They also can make use of what they learn from them when requesting that records be photocopied and sent to them.
But you need not be a seasoned genealogist to benefit from some of the publications.
The "Genealogy Starter Kit" by Alexia Helsley and others is a booklet collection designed to help those getting started on family history research in South Carolina. It includes a number of titles: Research in the Archives; Destroyed County Records; Selected Civil War Bibliography; Sources for Genealogists; and African American Genealogical Research.
"South Carolina Court Records: An Introduction for Genealogists" by Alexia Helsley and Michael Stauffer deals with the early court records at the archives available to researchers, the information they contain and time periods that they cover. Discussed are the court of common pleas, general sessions court, county and intermediate court, court of equity and probate court and maps that show changes in their jurisdictions.
"Guide to Civil War Records" by Patrick McCawley provides a description of available Civil War and Confederate veterans' records. It covers state and county records for South Carolina, National Archives microfilms and other sources.
Those three titles are a small sampling of the publications for sale.
Visit the archives at http://scdah.sc.gov/publications to see more. Check out those listed under every topic. Some of the most useful are not listed under "Genealogy." Prices start around $4, and most are less than $8.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
31 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 13, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Genealogists help coroners find families
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 427 words
Genealogists engage in family history research with a range of goals. Not all of them are trying to discover if there is really a John Smith on their family tree. Not all are trying to figure out whether the John Smith they find is the right John Smith.
Some are family reunion planners, family history tour planners, genetics specialists, heir searchers, house historians, lineage society experts, photography experts, Web designers and writers. And an increasing number of genealogists are doing research with a goal that would surprise just about everybody.
They are trying to find the living family members of deceased individuals whom coroners and medical examiners have been unable to locate. The identities of those individuals, in morgues and cemeteries, already are known, yet their relatives remain unidentified.
Genealogists in a group called Unclaimed Persons, which turned a year old in June, have put their skills to work to solve the problem experienced by coroners and medical examiners around the country. While the officials do try to locate family members of the dead, the job can exceed the capacity of their staffs or require different methods of researching.
This activity is not completely new to genealogists, but since the backlog of cases in many jurisdictions was brought to the attention of family historians by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, co-founder of rootstelevision.com and chief genealogical consultant to ancestry.com, the practice has been picking up steam.
Any genealogist can join Unclaimed Persons, which serves as the conduit for coroners and medical examiners to submit information on the cases and for genealogists to submit information they find to help solve them. The group solved 94 cases in California, Georgia, Florida and Texas during its first year.
Genealogists volunteering through Unclaimed Persons are asked never to contact family, friends or associates of the deceased because that should be done by the coroner. They code any information they leave about living people on the Unclaimed Persons Web site to protect their privacy. And they don't share information from the group with anyone out of respect for the deceased and their kin.
More than 500 volunteers have signed up with the group.
To get involved or learn more, visit www.unclaimedpersons.org. Videos about Unclaimed Persons featured on rootstelevision.com can be viewed with a link on the Unclaimed Persons Web site. The group also has a presence on Facebook, but you must register to access it.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: July 14, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
32 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 13, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Genealogists help coroners find families
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 427 words
Genealogists engage in family history research with a range of goals. Not all of them are trying to discover if there is really a John Smith on their family tree. Not all are trying to figure out whether the John Smith they find is the right John Smith.
Some are family reunion planners, family history tour planners, genetics specialists, heir searchers, house historians, lineage society experts, photography experts, Web designers and writers. And an increasing number of genealogists are doing research with a goal that would surprise just about everybody.
They are trying to find the living family members of deceased individuals whom coroners and medical examiners have been unable to locate. The identities of those individuals, in morgues and cemeteries, already are known, yet their relatives remain unidentified.
Genealogists in a group called Unclaimed Persons, which turned a year old in June, have put their skills to work to solve the problem experienced by coroners and medical examiners around the country. While the officials do try to locate family members of the dead, the job can exceed the capacity of their staffs or require different methods of researching.
This activity is not completely new to genealogists, but since the backlog of cases in many jurisdictions was brought to the attention of family historians by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, co-founder of rootstelevision.com and chief genealogical consultant to ancestry.com, the practice has been picking up steam.
Any genealogist can join Unclaimed Persons, which serves as the conduit for coroners and medical examiners to submit information on the cases and for genealogists to submit information they find to help solve them. The group solved 94 cases in California, Georgia, Florida and Texas during its first year.
Genealogists volunteering through Unclaimed Persons are asked never to contact family, friends or associates of the deceased because that should be done by the coroner. They code any information they leave about living people on the Unclaimed Persons Web site to protect their privacy. And they don't share information from the group with anyone out of respect for the deceased and their kin.
More than 500 volunteers have signed up with the group.
To get involved or learn more, visit www.unclaimedpersons.org. Videos about Unclaimed Persons featured on rootstelevision.com can be viewed with a link on the Unclaimed Persons Web site. The group also has a presence on Facebook, but you must register to access it.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
33 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 29, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Genealogical workshop set
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 421 words
Whether you need to know more about South Carolina land records to dig up information on your ancestors, Geographic Information Systems to map their movements or some other genealogical topic, the South Carolina Genealogical Society's workshop could be for you.
The 38th annual Summer Workshop in Columbia will be July 10-11. It will feature 14 lectures plus other informative sessions. It is filled with opportunities to collect much-needed tools for climbing your family tree, whether you are from the Lowcountry, Midlands, the Pee Dee or Upstate.
During the workshop, Sen. Glenn McConnell will provide a progress report on the Hunley restoration. And there is a session designed to help family historians trace Confederate ancestors.
Four of the workshop's sessions will help to overcome obstacles faced when climbing the African-American family tree. One provides an overview and the other three tell how to get the most from records that are often overlooked.
Genealogists in the Carolinas frequently lack information on tracking down their Cherokee lines. No doubt, many will solve that problem in a session designed to put them on the right trail.
Attendees also can get answers to their questions about DNA testing and consider the possibilities such tests hold for those who are female or an adoptee.
In other sessions, genealogists can learn how to read plats; about Colonial North and South Carolina border issues; and what's in collections at repositories such as Wake Forest and the Richland County Library.
The workshop will be held at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and the fee is $25 for members and $30 for nonmembers (add $5 to those applications not postmarked by today). You can download an application form and obtain more information by visiting the society's Web site at www.scgen.org.
Studying the neighbors
More genealogists are discovering that when they focus their research on clusters, such as neighbors and associates of ancestors, they usually find more ancestors.
Gather the names of people with your family's surnames who are shown living near ancestors on census records or in city directories and take them to your family reunion.
Others may recognize their names and identify them as kin.
Later, you may want to repeat the exercise with names of those buried near your ancestors in cemeteries. Or, you may want to have a relative look at old family photographs and identify the people you don't recognize.
Reach Wevonnneda Minis at wminis@postandcourier.com or by calling 937-5705.
LOAD-DATE: June 30, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
34 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 22, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Word meaning key in search
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 413 words
In genealogy, words and terms not typically used by the general population are encountered all of the time. When they are, it's important for genealogists to be sure they understand their meaning. Misunderstandings can cause complicated research problems that extend far into the future.
That's because sound family history research requires that each step in the process help to establish the foundation on which future steps can be based. Not knowing what the words in our information sources mean can result in foundations that are shaky at best.
Eventually, a string of conclusions we reached about our family histories will have to be re-evaluated, altered or abandoned. It might be necessary to eliminate people we thought were kin from our family tree. And, of course, a block of research will have to be repeated.
It's a genealogical nightmare.
Why not commit or recommit to learning such words or terms?
Here are some that you can start with:
--Banns: An announcement of an intended marriage, usually in a church.
--Chattel (chattels): Personal property, property that is moveable.
--Dower: The part of a husband's estate allotted by law to his widow for her lifetime.
--Guardian: A person appointed by the court to care for someone unable to care for himself, such as a minor or an invalid.
--Issue: People who are directly descended from one ancestor.
--Kith and kin: friends and neighbors.
--Now wife: The term, used in wills, implies there was a former wife.
--Primogeniture: An eldest son's exclusive right of inheritance.
--Pedigree: A list of someone's direct ancestors.
--Registrar: An official who registers or records things such as births, deaths and land transactions.
--Relict: The survivor of a married couple, usually the widow.
Genealogy workshop
The Old St. Bartholomew Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society will hold a free genealogy workshop for Lowcountry residents on June 27 at 609 Black St., Walterboro, (across from the football stadium).
Dr. David Hiott will speak at 10 a.m. on Lt. Col. William Washington, the hero of the American Revolutionary War, who settled in St. Paul's Parish.
At 11 a.m., Lillie Singleton will discuss using church literature to catalog and distribute African-American history during her presentation, "Genealogy and the African-American Church."
Chapter members will help attendees with their personal genealogical research 2-5 p.m.
Registration will be 9:30-9:45 a.m.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: June 23, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
35 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 22, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Word meaning key in search
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 413 words
In genealogy, words and terms not typically used by the general population are encountered all of the time. When they are, it's important for genealogists to be sure they understand their meaning. Misunderstandings can cause complicated research problems that extend far into the future.
That's because sound family history research requires that each step in the process help to establish the foundation on which future steps can be based. Not knowing what the words in our information sources mean can result in foundations that are shaky at best.
Eventually, a string of conclusions we reached about our family histories will have to be re-evaluated, altered or abandoned. It might be necessary to eliminate people we thought were kin from our family tree. And, of course, a block of research will have to be repeated.
It's a genealogical nightmare.
Why not commit or recommit to learning such words or terms?
Here are some that you can start with:
--Banns: An announcement of an intended marriage, usually in a church.
--Chattel (chattels): Personal property, property that is moveable.
--Dower: The part of a husband's estate allotted by law to his widow for her lifetime.
--Guardian: A person appointed by the court to care for someone unable to care for himself, such as a minor or an invalid.
--Issue: People who are directly descended from one ancestor.
--Kith and kin: friends and neighbors.
--Now wife: The term, used in wills, implies there was a former wife.
--Primogeniture: An eldest son's exclusive right of inheritance.
--Pedigree: A list of someone's direct ancestors.
--Registrar: An official who registers or records things such as births, deaths and land transactions.
--Relict: The survivor of a married couple, usually the widow.
Genealogy workshop
The Old St. Bartholomew Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society will hold a free genealogy workshop for Lowcountry residents on June 27 at 609 Black St., Walterboro, (across from the football stadium).
Dr. David Hiott will speak at 10 a.m. on Lt. Col. William Washington, the hero of the American Revolutionary War, who settled in St. Paul's Parish.
At 11 a.m., Lillie Singleton will discuss using church literature to catalog and distribute African-American history during her presentation, "Genealogy and the African-American Church."
Chapter members will help attendees with their personal genealogical research 2-5 p.m.
Registration will be 9:30-9:45 a.m.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
36 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 15, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Church records hold lots of data
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
LENGTH: 380 words
It was a search for the church that some of my ancestors attended that prompted me to examine the records of a religious congregation during the mid-1990s. While the investigation did not provide any information on my family, that first experience with researching church records, mostly the minute books, taught me to hold them in very high regard.
Minute books, generated by a church's councils or boards, can be very helpful in getting a clear picture of our ancestors' lives. Those sources should never be relegated to a genealogist's list of "records to consult when it's convenient" because they can contain lots of information about one ancestor or even generations of ancestors.
One look at the range of topics and the level of detail in some minute books makes it clear that church records are much more than lists of members.
They also are much more than registers that list christenings, marriages and burials.
Here are some of the things you might learn about ancestors:
--The date they joined the church and whether they arrived from another town.
--If someone brought them to the church and whether that person was kin.
--Whether someone gave permission for them to be baptized and if the person was their guardian or slave owner.
--That they received marital counseling and the effect marital problems had on the family unit.
--That the church gave them food or shelter and the situation that caused them to need it.
Information found in minute books will vary with the church and the time period when they were created. Some congregations may have all of theirs, and others may not have any. If you live near the church where your ancestors worshipped, ask the minister or secretary where the old minute books (and registers) are kept. If they don't know, offer to help find them and have them placed in a denomination or private archive where others can use them.
You should also search the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (www.loc.gov/coll/nucmc) to see if they are listed and the name of any repository that might be housing them. In addition, search the Web sites of historical society collections, including those of the South Carolina Historical Society (www.southcarolinahistoricalsociety.org).
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: June 16, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
37 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 15, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Church records hold lots of data
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
LENGTH: 380 words
It was a search for the church that some of my ancestors attended that prompted me to examine the records of a religious congregation during the mid-1990s. While the investigation did not provide any information on my family, that first experience with researching church records, mostly the minute books, taught me to hold them in very high regard.
Minute books, generated by a church's councils or boards, can be very helpful in getting a clear picture of our ancestors' lives. Those sources should never be relegated to a genealogist's list of "records to consult when it's convenient" because they can contain lots of information about one ancestor or even generations of ancestors.
One look at the range of topics and the level of detail in some minute books makes it clear that church records are much more than lists of members.
They also are much more than registers that list christenings, marriages and burials.
Here are some of the things you might learn about ancestors:
--The date they joined the church and whether they arrived from another town.
--If someone brought them to the church and whether that person was kin.
--Whether someone gave permission for them to be baptized and if the person was their guardian or slave owner.
--That they received marital counseling and the effect marital problems had on the family unit.
--That the church gave them food or shelter and the situation that caused them to need it.
Information found in minute books will vary with the church and the time period when they were created. Some congregations may have all of theirs, and others may not have any. If you live near the church where your ancestors worshipped, ask the minister or secretary where the old minute books (and registers) are kept. If they don't know, offer to help find them and have them placed in a denomination or private archive where others can use them.
You should also search the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (www.loc.gov/coll/nucmc) to see if they are listed and the name of any repository that might be housing them. In addition, search the Web sites of historical society collections, including those of the South Carolina Historical Society (www.southcarolinahistoricalsociety.org).
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
38 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 8, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Mentor teens who dig for history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
LENGTH: 389 words
It's clear the definition of a genealogist does not necessarily include the words senior citizen. The average age of the family historian has gotten younger and younger over the past couple of decades.
Yet it might surprise some to find a teen genealogist who is as dedicated to his research as older genealogists often are.
It really surprised me.
A few weeks back, I had the privilege of sitting beside a North Carolina teen who arrived at a genealogical community outreach event with a thick notebook of his family history information. In addition to the photocopies of records and charts he had in hand, there was a strong desire to learn more about his family's genealogy on his mind.
As we sat in the North Carolina Museum of History, listening to experienced genealogists discuss their family history research, I quickly became impressed by his familiarity with most of the terms and sources the genealogists used.
I don't remember which of us spoke first, but soon it was clear that a genealogy homework assignment two years before had whet his appetite for knowledge of his family's history. As with many genealogists, his desire to know more about his people just kept on growing.
As I listened, I made mental notes about his challenges, those related to both oral and to written sources. We talked about getting older relatives to open up when he interviews them and where to turn for information when he finds blank spaces in commonly used records.
Behind his mild demeanor, he had unbounded curiosity and drive and the belief that he eventually would overcome some missing family links.
He also had a mentor.
As I have said before, genealogists are an uncommonly generous bunch. But we usually tend to share information with our peers.
Maybe you've encountered teens with a budding desire to learn their family's history but lack information on how to do that. Or perhaps you've encountered teens who have taken the few research first-steps but still are mystified when faced with a genealogy Web site.
Most genealogists can do something to help a teen they encounter develop into a fine family historian. Just speak up the next time you see a teen exhibiting an interest in genealogy.
Say: "May I help you?"
Teaching a teen to use even one set of records could be a huge help.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: June 9, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
39 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 8, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Mentor teens who dig for history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
LENGTH: 389 words
It's clear the definition of a genealogist does not necessarily include the words senior citizen. The average age of the family historian has gotten younger and younger over the past couple of decades.
Yet it might surprise some to find a teen genealogist who is as dedicated to his research as older genealogists often are.
It really surprised me.
A few weeks back, I had the privilege of sitting beside a North Carolina teen who arrived at a genealogical community outreach event with a thick notebook of his family history information. In addition to the photocopies of records and charts he had in hand, there was a strong desire to learn more about his family's genealogy on his mind.
As we sat in the North Carolina Museum of History, listening to experienced genealogists discuss their family history research, I quickly became impressed by his familiarity with most of the terms and sources the genealogists used.
I don't remember which of us spoke first, but soon it was clear that a genealogy homework assignment two years before had whet his appetite for knowledge of his family's history. As with many genealogists, his desire to know more about his people just kept on growing.
As I listened, I made mental notes about his challenges, those related to both oral and to written sources. We talked about getting older relatives to open up when he interviews them and where to turn for information when he finds blank spaces in commonly used records.
Behind his mild demeanor, he had unbounded curiosity and drive and the belief that he eventually would overcome some missing family links.
He also had a mentor.
As I have said before, genealogists are an uncommonly generous bunch. But we usually tend to share information with our peers.
Maybe you've encountered teens with a budding desire to learn their family's history but lack information on how to do that. Or perhaps you've encountered teens who have taken the few research first-steps but still are mystified when faced with a genealogy Web site.
Most genealogists can do something to help a teen they encounter develop into a fine family historian. Just speak up the next time you see a teen exhibiting an interest in genealogy.
Say: "May I help you?"
Teaching a teen to use even one set of records could be a huge help.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
40 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 1, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Search engine for genealogists
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 428 words
So many Internet genealogy sites and not enough time to sort through them all? That's true for genealogists seeking electronic images of documents containing vital information about their ancestors. And it's true for those seeking an archive with a collection of documents that deals with life in an ancestral community.
Family historians often wonder if they have tapped all of the sources available for meeting their research needs. There is that nagging feeling that something else is out there, but their search did not uncover it. Or maybe there's the feeling that needed information is in a repository too short-staffed to have listed it online.
Maybe Live Roots (www.liveroots.com) can help.
It's an Internet search engine designed to help genealogists uncover information from databases, podcasts, blogs, transcriptions, microfilm repositories, book publishers, you name it. The tool is from IIlya D'Addezio, who developed GenealogyToday.com.
The free search engine tells family historians where to go for information they need. It also gives genealogists information for deciding which resource has more of the kind of information they are seeking. In addition, it states when exploration of a source it finds will require a fee.
To get the biggest benefit from Live Roots, family historians need to be researching a specific family name or looking for specific kinds of information about ancestors. The site is not set up to aid genealogists who want to peruse a broader list of topics.
Genealogists who use Live Roots get results from commercial online publishers as well as noncommercial ones. So far, the search engine has 21 Web site catalogs in its collection, including Accessible Archives, AfriGeneas, ancestry.com, distantcousin.com, familysearch.org (Labs), interment.com, jewishgen.org, Genealogy Bank, genealogytoday.com, National Archives and WorldVitalRecords. It also consults a names index it created from sources not published online and identifies the repositories that have them.
About half of the online catalogs that Live Roots uses allow only those with a subscription to do more advanced levels of research. The site is supported by contributions from fee-based organizations that could get clients from among the search engine's users.
Live Roots should prove a very useful tool for family historians.
It quickly leads genealogists to information that could
take a long time to find, or that might not be found at
all.
It is also available on Facebook and in Second Life, a virtual world.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: June 1, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
41 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 1, 2009 Monday
Final Edition
Search engine for genealogists
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
LENGTH: 428 words
So many Internet genealogy sites and not enough time to sort through them all? That's true for genealogists seeking electronic images of documents containing vital information about their ancestors. And it's true for those seeking an archive with a collection of documents that deals with life in an ancestral community.
Family historians often wonder if they have tapped all of the sources available for meeting their research needs. There is that nagging feeling that something else is out there, but their search did not uncover it. Or maybe there's the feeling that needed information is in a repository too short-staffed to have listed it online.
Maybe Live Roots (www.liveroots.com) can help.
It's an Internet search engine designed to help genealogists uncover information from databases, podcasts, blogs, transcriptions, microfilm repositories, book publishers, you name it. The tool is from IIlya D'Addezio, who developed GenealogyToday.com.
The free search engine tells family historians where to go for information they need. It also gives genealogists information for deciding which resource has more of the kind of information they are seeking. In addition, it states when exploration of a source it finds will require a fee.
To get the biggest benefit from Live Roots, family historians need to be researching a specific family name or looking for specific kinds of information about ancestors. The site is not set up to aid genealogists who want to peruse a broader list of topics.
Genealogists who use Live Roots get results from commercial online publishers as well as noncommercial ones. So far, the search engine has 21 Web site catalogs in its collection, including Accessible Archives, AfriGeneas, ancestry.com, distantcousin.com, familysearch.org (Labs), interment.com, jewishgen.org, Genealogy Bank, genealogytoday.com, National Archives and WorldVitalRecords. It also consults a names index it created from sources not published online and identifies the repositories that have them.
About half of the online catalogs that Live Roots uses allow only those with a subscription to do more advanced levels of research. The site is supported by contributions from fee-based organizations that could get clients from among the search engine's users.
Live Roots should prove a very useful tool for family historians.
It quickly leads genealogists to information that could
take a long time to find, or that might not be found at
all.
It is also available on Facebook and in Second Life, a virtual world.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
42 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 26, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Genealogists to gather here in 2011
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 360 words
Who would have thought?
Earlier this year, I wrote a column noting that it would be exceptionally convenient for Charleston genealogists to attend the National Genealogical Society's 2009 conference. The conference took place in mid-May in Raleigh, and I didn't think there would be a better opportunity for local family historians to attend an NGS conference in the near future.
In January, when the column ran, that just didn't seem likely.
But in March, it became clear that Charleston was a preferred site for the group's 2011 conference. No one person would be able to list all of the reasons why the Holy City is an ideal place for such a conference.
Obviously, the NGS board agrees, as it chose Charleston for the meeting site.
The S.C. Genealogical Society, the Charleston chapter and others will be the hosts. This will be a great opportunity for the Lowcountry to showcase its resources for researching family history.
Like many other organizations meeting in the Lowcountry that year, the observance of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War is a big draw. (And wouldn't it be great if the conference inspires an increase in the return of documents carried away from here during and just after the war?)
While the 2009 conference in Raleigh attracted about 1,500 attendees, the 2007 one in Richmond, Va., which coincided with the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, site of the first permanent English settlement in America, drew 2,000.
Unless the economy wreaks havoc with registrations, attendance at the Charleston conference should more closely match Richmond's numbers.
The Charleston conference should result in even more lectures on research topics, such as African-Americans, manuscripts, military records, Scottish and British research and South Carolina. It would be great if there also were sessions on adoption and Native American research.
Closer at hand, the 39th annual South Carolina Genealogical Society Workshop takes place July 10-11 at the S.C. Department of Archives and History, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia.
For more information, visit www.scgen.org/workshop2009.html.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: May 29, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
43 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 26, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Genealogists to gather here in 2011
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 360 words
Who would have thought?
Earlier this year, I wrote a column noting that it would be exceptionally convenient for Charleston genealogists to attend the National Genealogical Society's 2009 conference. The conference took place in mid-May in Raleigh, and I didn't think there would be a better opportunity for local family historians to attend an NGS conference in the near future.
In January, when the column ran, that just didn't seem likely.
But in March, it became clear that Charleston was a preferred site for the group's 2011 conference. No one person would be able to list all of the reasons why the Holy City is an ideal place for such a conference.
Obviously, the NGS board agrees, as it chose Charleston for the meeting site.
The S.C. Genealogical Society, the Charleston chapter and others will be the hosts. This will be a great opportunity for the Lowcountry to showcase its resources for researching family history.
Like many other organizations meeting in the Lowcountry that year, the observance of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War is a big draw. (And wouldn't it be great if the conference inspires an increase in the return of documents carried away from here during and just after the war?)
While the 2009 conference in Raleigh attracted about 1,500 attendees, the 2007 one in Richmond, Va., which coincided with the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, site of the first permanent English settlement in America, drew 2,000.
Unless the economy wreaks havoc with registrations, attendance at the Charleston conference should more closely match Richmond's numbers.
The Charleston conference should result in even more lectures on research topics, such as African-Americans, manuscripts, military records, Scottish and British research and South Carolina. It would be great if there also were sessions on adoption and Native American research.
Closer at hand, the 39th annual South Carolina Genealogical Society Workshop takes place July 10-11 at the S.C. Department of Archives and History, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia.
For more information, visit www.scgen.org/workshop2009.html.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
44 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 19, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Course an intense learning experience
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 374 words
Do you recall the February column on taking the opportunity to reflect and recharge at a genealogical institute? It's the one where I suggested that a weeklong immersion course in genealogy made more economic sense than a Caribbean vacation and could be just as much fun.
When the column ran, I had recently registered for a course at The Institute for Genealogy and Historical Research at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. After wrestling with whether to take "Writing and Publishing for Genealogists" or "Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis," I decided on the latter.
The description of the selected course is and always has been quite clear: This course concentrates on problem-solving techniques and advanced correlation of evidence for various types of records, the institute's Web site says.
For months I've dreamed of an idyllic university setting, a course practically tailored to fit my desire to learn more approaches to genealogical problem solving, and evenings free to contemplate at length on their individual merits.
Well, it's about a month from the start of the institute and I thought it time to get more details about the course, just in case I could begin doing some of the reading. As I read the syllabus, I was torn between being fascinated with the content and laughing uncontrollably at myself.
For a while, laughing uncontrollably seemed more appropriate.
Immersion? Absolutely! Reflection? Hmm.
Let's just say this won't be a Walden Pond experience. So much for those pensive evening sessions I thought would occupy my time outside the classroom. I think the coordinator has other plans for my evenings.
Nowhere does it say genealogists are expected to hit the ground running on Monday and come up for air on Friday, but that's my sharply altered vision of the way things will be.
My new mantra: Thorough, yes. Thoreau, no.
Yet, the institute still promises to be as fantastic a learning experience as I had envisioned:
--The syllabus covers some interesting areas of genealogy.
--The two instructors I'm familiar with are very insightful.
--And taking a course with other genealogists will certainly be stimulating.
Mid-June just can't roll around fast enough.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: May 20, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
45 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 19, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Course an intense learning experience
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 374 words
Do you recall the February column on taking the opportunity to reflect and recharge at a genealogical institute? It's the one where I suggested that a weeklong immersion course in genealogy made more economic sense than a Caribbean vacation and could be just as much fun.
When the column ran, I had recently registered for a course at The Institute for Genealogy and Historical Research at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. After wrestling with whether to take "Writing and Publishing for Genealogists" or "Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis," I decided on the latter.
The description of the selected course is and always has been quite clear: This course concentrates on problem-solving techniques and advanced correlation of evidence for various types of records, the institute's Web site says.
For months I've dreamed of an idyllic university setting, a course practically tailored to fit my desire to learn more approaches to genealogical problem solving, and evenings free to contemplate at length on their individual merits.
Well, it's about a month from the start of the institute and I thought it time to get more details about the course, just in case I could begin doing some of the reading. As I read the syllabus, I was torn between being fascinated with the content and laughing uncontrollably at myself.
For a while, laughing uncontrollably seemed more appropriate.
Immersion? Absolutely! Reflection? Hmm.
Let's just say this won't be a Walden Pond experience. So much for those pensive evening sessions I thought would occupy my time outside the classroom. I think the coordinator has other plans for my evenings.
Nowhere does it say genealogists are expected to hit the ground running on Monday and come up for air on Friday, but that's my sharply altered vision of the way things will be.
My new mantra: Thorough, yes. Thoreau, no.
Yet, the institute still promises to be as fantastic a learning experience as I had envisioned:
--The syllabus covers some interesting areas of genealogy.
--The two instructors I'm familiar with are very insightful.
--And taking a course with other genealogists will certainly be stimulating.
Mid-June just can't roll around fast enough.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
46 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 12, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Records breach walls of family history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 409 words
In the not-too-distant past, family historians spent a good deal of time exchanging harmless hearsay about new sources of information that soon could be made available.
Each rumor of some record being published or manuscript collection being processed caused genealogists to consider whether the information source contained even a crumb of evidence to help advance their research.
Now, it seems that new sources pop up every day. The flood of information is staggering. It's practically impossible to keep abreast of it. Sources to check have all but supplanted finding sources to investigate on most genealogists' "to-do" lists.
Family historians with a subscription to one of the online genealogy sites receive numerous e-mails announcing that some new set of records has been digitized. But what about all of that information being made available only in archives, libraries and more traditional locations?
Depending on who is estimating, only 10 percent of the records genealogists seek can be found on the Internet. Despite efforts by a tremendous number of institutions to digitize their best collections, there's a lot of stuff you'll just have to visit to use.
Do you have regular chats with your friendly archivists and librarians about sources of information they are making easier to access?
Birth records for the city of Charleston from November 1877 through 1926 are in the Charleston Archive, on the second floor of the Charleston County Public Library, says Nic Butler, archivist. The records, which include both blacks and whites, are being indexed for easier use, but can be searched now. They contain father's occupation, mother's name and a specific or general address. The first 10 years of non-white births, ex-slaves and children of ex-slaves have been indexed.
In addition, the city's archive has one House of Corrections volume dating from 1868 to 1885 that contains about 4,000 names, Butler says. Those who violated city ordinances prohibiting public drunkenness, loitering and other misdemeanors were confined by the facility from about one day to one week. Children as young as 10 are included in the volume, which lists birth places or previous residences and occupations.
Take a close look at your brick walls. Could something in these or other records you have not considered help you to break through.
Plan to have that chat with your friendly archivist or librarian soon.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: May 14, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
47 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 12, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Records breach walls of family history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 409 words
In the not-too-distant past, family historians spent a good deal of time exchanging harmless hearsay about new sources of information that soon could be made available.
Each rumor of some record being published or manuscript collection being processed caused genealogists to consider whether the information source contained even a crumb of evidence to help advance their research.
Now, it seems that new sources pop up every day. The flood of information is staggering. It's practically impossible to keep abreast of it. Sources to check have all but supplanted finding sources to investigate on most genealogists' "to-do" lists.
Family historians with a subscription to one of the online genealogy sites receive numerous e-mails announcing that some new set of records has been digitized. But what about all of that information being made available only in archives, libraries and more traditional locations?
Depending on who is estimating, only 10 percent of the records genealogists seek can be found on the Internet. Despite efforts by a tremendous number of institutions to digitize their best collections, there's a lot of stuff you'll just have to visit to use.
Do you have regular chats with your friendly archivists and librarians about sources of information they are making easier to access?
Birth records for the city of Charleston from November 1877 through 1926 are in the Charleston Archive, on the second floor of the Charleston County Public Library, says Nic Butler, archivist. The records, which include both blacks and whites, are being indexed for easier use, but can be searched now. They contain father's occupation, mother's name and a specific or general address. The first 10 years of non-white births, ex-slaves and children of ex-slaves have been indexed.
In addition, the city's archive has one House of Corrections volume dating from 1868 to 1885 that contains about 4,000 names, Butler says. Those who violated city ordinances prohibiting public drunkenness, loitering and other misdemeanors were confined by the facility from about one day to one week. Children as young as 10 are included in the volume, which lists birth places or previous residences and occupations.
Take a close look at your brick walls. Could something in these or other records you have not considered help you to break through.
Plan to have that chat with your friendly archivist or librarian soon.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
48 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 5, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Think like a detective in research
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 398 words
Have you arrived a point where it seems you've researched every source of genealogical information about some ancestors? Does it seem that sources for researching them dried up just as you were beginning to understand who they were?
Your situation is hardly hopeless. Whether you make further progress is up to you. There are no ancestors that the family historian cannot learn more about. You have entered the research phase in which it is essential that you make creativity your constant companion.
"Think like a detective" is a phrase often heard in genealogy circles. Thinking like a detective should not be limited to the genealogist's approach to problem-solving once he has sources. Thinking like a detective also should be a tool when a genealogist feels he has run out of sources.
Family historians need not limit themselves to using oral histories, census and vital records, and other sources that they are expected to consult.
Sources that contain genealogically significant information about ancestors are unlimited.
Be brave enough to step outside that comfort zone. Genealogists who research creatively can uncover information that other family historians would never find.
--A merchant's account book noting who paid your ancestors' bills: Could that person be a relative pointing the way to new information about your ancestors? Will that person lead to a branch of the family you didn't know about?
--Minutes of a local government meeting taking place before major changes in the layout of your ancestors' hometown occur: Do the minutes include comments indicating that some of your ancestors were to be relocated? Do they hint at where those ancestors would be going?
--A missionary's journal about religious practices found in your ancestors' area: Does it include the names of churches your ancestors may have attended? Can you find and search their rolls to determine whether your ancestors were members?
Be sure to learn why every source you use was created and who provided the information contained in each. That will help you assess
the value and limits of the source.
Whether you acquire information from a common source or a rare one, it ought to be evaluated alone and in conjunction with information obtained from other sources.
As family historians, we want full and accurate pictures of our ancestors' lives.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: May 6, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
49 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 5, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Think like a detective in research
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 398 words
Have you arrived a point where it seems you've researched every source of genealogical information about some ancestors? Does it seem that sources for researching them dried up just as you were beginning to understand who they were?
Your situation is hardly hopeless. Whether you make further progress is up to you. There are no ancestors that the family historian cannot learn more about. You have entered the research phase in which it is essential that you make creativity your constant companion.
"Think like a detective" is a phrase often heard in genealogy circles. Thinking like a detective should not be limited to the genealogist's approach to problem-solving once he has sources. Thinking like a detective also should be a tool when a genealogist feels he has run out of sources.
Family historians need not limit themselves to using oral histories, census and vital records, and other sources that they are expected to consult.
Sources that contain genealogically significant information about ancestors are unlimited.
Be brave enough to step outside that comfort zone. Genealogists who research creatively can uncover information that other family historians would never find.
--A merchant's account book noting who paid your ancestors' bills: Could that person be a relative pointing the way to new information about your ancestors? Will that person lead to a branch of the family you didn't know about?
--Minutes of a local government meeting taking place before major changes in the layout of your ancestors' hometown occur: Do the minutes include comments indicating that some of your ancestors were to be relocated? Do they hint at where those ancestors would be going?
--A missionary's journal about religious practices found in your ancestors' area: Does it include the names of churches your ancestors may have attended? Can you find and search their rolls to determine whether your ancestors were members?
Be sure to learn why every source you use was created and who provided the information contained in each. That will help you assess
the value and limits of the source.
Whether you acquire information from a common source or a rare one, it ought to be evaluated alone and in conjunction with information obtained from other sources.
As family historians, we want full and accurate pictures of our ancestors' lives.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
50 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
April 28, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Testing talents keeps genealogists on toes
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 454 words
Genealogists should occasionally test their knowledge of those little things that make a big difference in how their research turns out.
Knowing the answers to situations such as those below will help to ensure that their genealogical conclusions are solid.
In each case, choose the most likely answer. The best choices are noted below. For an explanation, see the online version of this column today.
1. In some old court papers, an ancestor is called an orphan.
a. Both of her parents had died.
b. She was considered for a place in a public orphanage.
c. At least one of her parents had died.
2. You know a genealogist who researches people named Sams, Samuels, Samuelson and Samuelsen.
a. One name can be shortened, translated and/or spelled in a variety of ways.
b. Most census takers in his ancestors' county didn't get it right.
c. His ancestors married only people with similar names.
3. You are kin to your mother's sister's granddaughter's child.
c. The relationship is too distant to be considered.
b. You are either third or fourth cousins.
c. You are first cousins twice removed.
4. You are looking for the funeral home record of an early 20th-century ancestor who is African-American.
a. If you don't find it at the black funeral homes, you should abandon the search.
b. African-Americans in many areas used white funeral homes, so check those, too.
c. Visit with the county clerk at the courthouse, they usually have a copy.
5. You overheard one genealogist explaining something called GPS to another genealogist.
a. Something in his car can map the way to important genealogical libraries.
b. He probably uses something called the Genealogical Proof Standard to improve the reliability of his research and conclusions.
c. One of them keeps get-ting lost and needs GPS in his car.
6. You can't find a soul in your great-grandfather's home county on the 1930 federal census with his last name.
a. The county's boundaries were redrawn in the early 1900s and their houses were excluded from the jurisdiction.
b. They remained rich after the stock market crash and changed their names so poor relations could not find
them.
c. You haven't looked hard enough and should search again.
Family Tree Maker
An Ancestry.com representative will visit Charleston 2-5 p.m. May 15 at the Charleston County Library Auditorium, 68 Calhoun St., to teach genealogists how to use Family Tree Maker 2009.
The South Carolina Genealogical Society's Charleston Chapter will host the event designed to provide all genealogists with the opportunity to ask questions about all versions of Family Tree Maker, the No. 1 selling genealogy computer software.
Answers to quiz: 1. c; 2. a; 3. c.; 4. b; 5. b; 6. a.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: April 29, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
51 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
April 28, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Testing talents keeps genealogists on toes
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 454 words
Genealogists should occasionally test their knowledge of those little things that make a big difference in how their research turns out.
Knowing the answers to situations such as those below will help to ensure that their genealogical conclusions are solid.
In each case, choose the most likely answer. The best choices are noted below. For an explanation, see the online version of this column today.
1. In some old court papers, an ancestor is called an orphan.
a. Both of her parents had died.
b. She was considered for a place in a public orphanage.
c. At least one of her parents had died.
2. You know a genealogist who researches people named Sams, Samuels, Samuelson and Samuelsen.
a. One name can be shortened, translated and/or spelled in a variety of ways.
b. Most census takers in his ancestors' county didn't get it right.
c. His ancestors married only people with similar names.
3. You are kin to your mother's sister's granddaughter's child.
c. The relationship is too distant to be considered.
b. You are either third or fourth cousins.
c. You are first cousins twice removed.
4. You are looking for the funeral home record of an early 20th-century ancestor who is African-American.
a. If you don't find it at the black funeral homes, you should abandon the search.
b. African-Americans in many areas used white funeral homes, so check those, too.
c. Visit with the county clerk at the courthouse, they usually have a copy.
5. You overheard one genealogist explaining something called GPS to another genealogist.
a. Something in his car can map the way to important genealogical libraries.
b. He probably uses something called the Genealogical Proof Standard to improve the reliability of his research and conclusions.
c. One of them keeps get-ting lost and needs GPS in his car.
6. You can't find a soul in your great-grandfather's home county on the 1930 federal census with his last name.
a. The county's boundaries were redrawn in the early 1900s and their houses were excluded from the jurisdiction.
b. They remained rich after the stock market crash and changed their names so poor relations could not find
them.
c. You haven't looked hard enough and should search again.
Family Tree Maker
An Ancestry.com representative will visit Charleston 2-5 p.m. May 15 at the Charleston County Library Auditorium, 68 Calhoun St., to teach genealogists how to use Family Tree Maker 2009.
The South Carolina Genealogical Society's Charleston Chapter will host the event designed to provide all genealogists with the opportunity to ask questions about all versions of Family Tree Maker, the No. 1 selling genealogy computer software.
Answers to quiz: 1. c; 2. a; 3. c.; 4. b; 5. b; 6. a.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
52 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
April 21, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Hunting ancestors on a shoestring
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 439 words
Looks like that genealogical research trip to a faraway destination will have be postponed again this year.
Trips that make sense from a research perspective and those that make sense from a financial perspective are often different. So an opportunity to get creative about an ancestral hunt has presented itself.
A couple of genealogy buddies, a reliable car with a spacious back seat and one-third the cost of a moderately priced hotel room might be all you need for the research trip of a lifetime. The possibilities for uncovering new information in a less familiar, regional repository can be enticing.
Planning for a successful genealogical research getaway will take some effort. You'll have to be efficient before leaving home to be effective when you get there. So do more than map your route on the Web, make reservations at a hotel near the research facility and find good restaurants.
Visit the repository's Web site to read its hours and policies. Decide which documents you'll need and note whether they are stored on-site or off-site. (Make advance arrangements to use the latter.) Also, speak with a knowledgeable staff member at the facility about any potentially helpful documents not yet listed online.
Consider visiting one or more of the Southeastern facilities:
--South Carolina: The S.C. Department of Archives and History in Columbia has historic state and county public records; the University of South Carolina's Caroliniana Library, manuscripts from families, churches and more; and the Furman University Library, an extensive collection of Baptist records.
--Georgia: The Georgia Department of Archives and History in Morrow has historic state and county public records; the National Archives' regional office in Morrow, registers of aliens admitted to Charleston, original draft registration cards, Cherokee Census of 1899 and other federal records; Georgia Historical Society in Savannah, manuscripts from families; and the University of Georgia's Hargrett Rare Book & Manuscript Library in Athens, manuscripts and photographs.
--North Carolina: The N.C. Office of Archives and History in Raleigh has historic public records; State Library of North Carolina in Raleigh, family histories; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Southern Historical Collection, an extensive collection of Southern manuscripts; and Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, family papers and hard-to-find published materials.
Every genealogist studying Southern ancestors should consider researching in each of the facilities at least once.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: April 24, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
53 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
April 21, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Hunting ancestors on a shoestring
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 439 words
Looks like that genealogical research trip to a faraway destination will have be postponed again this year.
Trips that make sense from a research perspective and those that make sense from a financial perspective are often different. So an opportunity to get creative about an ancestral hunt has presented itself.
A couple of genealogy buddies, a reliable car with a spacious back seat and one-third the cost of a moderately priced hotel room might be all you need for the research trip of a lifetime. The possibilities for uncovering new information in a less familiar, regional repository can be enticing.
Planning for a successful genealogical research getaway will take some effort. You'll have to be efficient before leaving home to be effective when you get there. So do more than map your route on the Web, make reservations at a hotel near the research facility and find good restaurants.
Visit the repository's Web site to read its hours and policies. Decide which documents you'll need and note whether they are stored on-site or off-site. (Make advance arrangements to use the latter.) Also, speak with a knowledgeable staff member at the facility about any potentially helpful documents not yet listed online.
Consider visiting one or more of the Southeastern facilities:
--South Carolina: The S.C. Department of Archives and History in Columbia has historic state and county public records; the University of South Carolina's Caroliniana Library, manuscripts from families, churches and more; and the Furman University Library, an extensive collection of Baptist records.
--Georgia: The Georgia Department of Archives and History in Morrow has historic state and county public records; the National Archives' regional office in Morrow, registers of aliens admitted to Charleston, original draft registration cards, Cherokee Census of 1899 and other federal records; Georgia Historical Society in Savannah, manuscripts from families; and the University of Georgia's Hargrett Rare Book & Manuscript Library in Athens, manuscripts and photographs.
--North Carolina: The N.C. Office of Archives and History in Raleigh has historic public records; State Library of North Carolina in Raleigh, family histories; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Southern Historical Collection, an extensive collection of Southern manuscripts; and Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, family papers and hard-to-find published materials.
Every genealogist studying Southern ancestors should consider researching in each of the facilities at least once.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
54 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
April 14, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Black sheep ancestors worth the search
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 445 words
There are no firm figures when it comes to the number of family historians who qualify for membership in the International Black Sheep Society of Genealogists. But given the likelihood that every family harbors some secret or keeps company with denial, that number probably is pretty high.
Membership in the society is restricted to those directly descended from a criminal or social outcast. Those with an ancestor who was a kidnapper, murderer, member of a famous gang or on the FBI's Most Wanted List are among those who automatically qualify for membership. People descended from those who caused extreme public embarrassment, were involved in witchcraft trials or expelled from normal society automatically qualify, too.
Having an unacknowledged black sheep in the family can be problematic for genealogists because answers necessary for their research to progress are missing.
The society gives online
support to members by providing a link to other genealogists who have found their own black sheep and can
help.
Sometimes it seems impossible to find evidence that an ancestor was in a certain place at a certain time. At other times, family stories may say an ancestor went away and was never heard from again. In the first case, we may assume that our search of records that genealogists normally consult has not been thorough. In the second, we may assume our search was unsuccessful because the ancestor changed his name or simply died without a trace.
Not all answers are revealed by a family Bible, marriage license, death certificate, church record, school record, draft registration card or other usual source. They won't tell you that an ancestor was, in fact, taken away by state or federal authorities, banned from a community for sheep stealing or hanged for doing some dirty deed.
Such answers are more likely to be found in places genealogists usually do not check, starting with court and prison records or crime stories in old newspapers.
The International Black Sheep Society of Genealogists' online archives, at ibssg.org/blacksheep, is full of examples of members and associates assisting each other without being judgmental.
Information on the society's site makes no mention of a membership fee or physical meetings.
Family historians who
think they might have a
black sheep ancestor also
may find answers in records on an unrelated Web site at www.blacksheepancestors.com.
How genealogists handle any skeletons they find in the family closet while researching black sheep is up to them. But ignoring such ancestors is akin to judging someone you never met.
And frankly, it just doesn't seem right.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postand
courier.com.
LOAD-DATE: April 15, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
55 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
April 14, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Black sheep ancestors worth the search
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 445 words
There are no firm figures when it comes to the number of family historians who qualify for membership in the International Black Sheep Society of Genealogists. But given the likelihood that every family harbors some secret or keeps company with denial, that number probably is pretty high.
Membership in the society is restricted to those directly descended from a criminal or social outcast. Those with an ancestor who was a kidnapper, murderer, member of a famous gang or on the FBI's Most Wanted List are among those who automatically qualify for membership. People descended from those who caused extreme public embarrassment, were involved in witchcraft trials or expelled from normal society automatically qualify, too.
Having an unacknowledged black sheep in the family can be problematic for genealogists because answers necessary for their research to progress are missing.
The society gives online
support to members by providing a link to other genealogists who have found their own black sheep and can
help.
Sometimes it seems impossible to find evidence that an ancestor was in a certain place at a certain time. At other times, family stories may say an ancestor went away and was never heard from again. In the first case, we may assume that our search of records that genealogists normally consult has not been thorough. In the second, we may assume our search was unsuccessful because the ancestor changed his name or simply died without a trace.
Not all answers are revealed by a family Bible, marriage license, death certificate, church record, school record, draft registration card or other usual source. They won't tell you that an ancestor was, in fact, taken away by state or federal authorities, banned from a community for sheep stealing or hanged for doing some dirty deed.
Such answers are more likely to be found in places genealogists usually do not check, starting with court and prison records or crime stories in old newspapers.
The International Black Sheep Society of Genealogists' online archives, at ibssg.org/blacksheep, is full of examples of members and associates assisting each other without being judgmental.
Information on the society's site makes no mention of a membership fee or physical meetings.
Family historians who
think they might have a
black sheep ancestor also
may find answers in records on an unrelated Web site at www.blacksheepancestors.com.
How genealogists handle any skeletons they find in the family closet while researching black sheep is up to them. But ignoring such ancestors is akin to judging someone you never met.
And frankly, it just doesn't seem right.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postand
courier.com.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
56 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
April 7, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Local histories valuable sources
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 441 words
You spent hours wading through one set of records Monday. Then you spent all day wading through another set Tuesday. You know that Wednesday won't be too different because you've done this dreadful dance before.
Still, you haven't made any progress.
So you're no longer hopeful that the answer you seek is just a page or mouse click away. And you fear that you have come to the end of an ancestral line. You're thinking about digging even deeper and harder in those same records once again.
Stop!
Running into a brick wall is no reason to keep going in circles. It's time to admit that your strategies du jour are not really strategies at all. It's time to take a deep breath and set aside those notes on where you looked and what you failed to find.
Genealogy is about establishing that our ancestors lived and died in certain places at certain times. We expect to find them in certain records created at certain times, but we must be careful not to limit ourselves to the same sources over and over again.
At some point, we need to cast our nets a little wider.
It's very important to study the histories of the towns and counties where our ancestors lived. Knowing about those places helps us to understand what kinds of people they might have been, and that will improve our genealogical research. Understanding their backgrounds will suggest whether it's more reasonable to research in one set of records or another.
Local histories usually are found in the South Carolina Room of main county libraries. They also may be found in other parts of the library where books are circulated. But the librarians in the South Carolina Room probably will be in the best position to recommend what suits your needs.
If your ancestors were from another part of the country, go to the reference department at the local library and inquire about borrowing books about the towns through interlibrary loans. Also, the Family History Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. may be able to rent a microfilmed copy from the church's library in Utah. You also may find parts of local history books on the Web, but you'll probably need the physical copy to read the whole book.
Once you find a good book, you may want to buy it.
Wherever you find local histories, the best ones will be those that state their sources. Then, if you need to read more about something, you will know where to find it.
And remember, your ancestors do not have to be named in a local history for it to help you figure out the lives they led and provide you with new sources for research.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: April 8, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
57 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
April 7, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Local histories valuable sources
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 441 words
You spent hours wading through one set of records Monday. Then you spent all day wading through another set Tuesday. You know that Wednesday won't be too different because you've done this dreadful dance before.
Still, you haven't made any progress.
So you're no longer hopeful that the answer you seek is just a page or mouse click away. And you fear that you have come to the end of an ancestral line. You're thinking about digging even deeper and harder in those same records once again.
Stop!
Running into a brick wall is no reason to keep going in circles. It's time to admit that your strategies du jour are not really strategies at all. It's time to take a deep breath and set aside those notes on where you looked and what you failed to find.
Genealogy is about establishing that our ancestors lived and died in certain places at certain times. We expect to find them in certain records created at certain times, but we must be careful not to limit ourselves to the same sources over and over again.
At some point, we need to cast our nets a little wider.
It's very important to study the histories of the towns and counties where our ancestors lived. Knowing about those places helps us to understand what kinds of people they might have been, and that will improve our genealogical research. Understanding their backgrounds will suggest whether it's more reasonable to research in one set of records or another.
Local histories usually are found in the South Carolina Room of main county libraries. They also may be found in other parts of the library where books are circulated. But the librarians in the South Carolina Room probably will be in the best position to recommend what suits your needs.
If your ancestors were from another part of the country, go to the reference department at the local library and inquire about borrowing books about the towns through interlibrary loans. Also, the Family History Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. may be able to rent a microfilmed copy from the church's library in Utah. You also may find parts of local history books on the Web, but you'll probably need the physical copy to read the whole book.
Once you find a good book, you may want to buy it.
Wherever you find local histories, the best ones will be those that state their sources. Then, if you need to read more about something, you will know where to find it.
And remember, your ancestors do not have to be named in a local history for it to help you figure out the lives they led and provide you with new sources for research.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
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Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
March 31, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Volunteer genealogists are needed
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 456 words
Genealogists are noticing that hours and staffs are being cut at some of their favorite haunts as major economic woes continue.
One prominent sign of the times is the state's elimination of the S.C. Department of Archives and History's Saturday hours.
Family historians can't change the state of the economy, but those with research skills can help out by volunteering at repositories or for indexing projects over the Internet.
Those who volunteer are trained by the organizations they serve.
--Avery Research Center needs volunteers to assist intermediate and advanced genealogists researching mainly African-American ancestors in its collections. They include records of black funeral homes, churches and other organizations. The center asks for at least three hours per week between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and between noon and 5 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call Deborah Wright, special projects coordinator, at 953-7609.
--The Charleston County Library's volunteer program needs assistance in the South Carolina Room, where genealogical research is done. Volunteers set their own time and can work two hours or more per week. Library hours are 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through
Thursday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon-5 p.m. Sundays. Call volunteer coordinator Susan Bednar at the main library at 805-6926.
--The Catholic Diocese of Charleston's archive needs volunteers to index sacramental records used to establish marriage dates and approximate birth and death dates. Volunteers also are needed to survey all of the archive's records. Those who volunteer can help 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, contact archivist Brian Fahey at 724-8372.
--The South Carolina Historical Society needs volunteers to fill research requests from genealogists living out of state. Questions may deal with marriages, military service, companies and plantations. The society asks volunteers for three hours each week. It's open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call Jane Aldrich, archivist, or Mary Jo Fairchild, librarian, at 723-3225.
--Lowcountry Africana and the South Carolina Department of Archives and History need volunteers for a project to digitize 30,000 images of original records for Internet access. The 18th- and 19th-century South Carolina probate and other records were filmed and donated by Family Search International. They are useful for those who document slave family groups. Images will be accessible through the department and Lowcountry Africana Web sites. For more information, contact Toni Carrier, founding director of Lowcountry Africana, 813-246-2201.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: March 31, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
59 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
March 31, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Volunteer genealogists are needed
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 456 words
Genealogists are noticing that hours and staffs are being cut at some of their favorite haunts as major economic woes continue.
One prominent sign of the times is the state's elimination of the S.C. Department of Archives and History's Saturday hours.
Family historians can't change the state of the economy, but those with research skills can help out by volunteering at repositories or for indexing projects over the Internet.
Those who volunteer are trained by the organizations they serve.
--Avery Research Center needs volunteers to assist intermediate and advanced genealogists researching mainly African-American ancestors in its collections. They include records of black funeral homes, churches and other organizations. The center asks for at least three hours per week between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and between noon and 5 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call Deborah Wright, special projects coordinator, at 953-7609.
--The Charleston County Library's volunteer program needs assistance in the South Carolina Room, where genealogical research is done. Volunteers set their own time and can work two hours or more per week. Library hours are 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through
Thursday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon-5 p.m. Sundays. Call volunteer coordinator Susan Bednar at the main library at 805-6926.
--The Catholic Diocese of Charleston's archive needs volunteers to index sacramental records used to establish marriage dates and approximate birth and death dates. Volunteers also are needed to survey all of the archive's records. Those who volunteer can help 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, contact archivist Brian Fahey at 724-8372.
--The South Carolina Historical Society needs volunteers to fill research requests from genealogists living out of state. Questions may deal with marriages, military service, companies and plantations. The society asks volunteers for three hours each week. It's open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call Jane Aldrich, archivist, or Mary Jo Fairchild, librarian, at 723-3225.
--Lowcountry Africana and the South Carolina Department of Archives and History need volunteers for a project to digitize 30,000 images of original records for Internet access. The 18th- and 19th-century South Carolina probate and other records were filmed and donated by Family Search International. They are useful for those who document slave family groups. Images will be accessible through the department and Lowcountry Africana Web sites. For more information, contact Toni Carrier, founding director of Lowcountry Africana, 813-246-2201.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
60 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
March 24, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Statue of Freedom;
Magazine highlights Charleston connection to bronze cast
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
LENGTH: 1133 words
Charleston's connection to the Statue of Freedom, which stands on top of the U.S. Capitol Dome, will be highlighted when a story about the man who played an essential role in its completion is published in the May/June issue of "Ancestry," a genealogy magazine.
Philip Reid, once a Charleston slave, figured out how to perform the delicate job of separating the plaster model of Freedom and supervised casting its sections in bronze. A number of recent articles on the role of blacks in building the Capitol mention Reid.
"In the days leading up to the inauguration, I started getting calls from the media," said Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, co-founder of Roots
television.com and chief family historian for Ancestry.com. The inauguration of Barack Obama, the nation's first black president, prompted reporters to ask Smolenyak for information they needed to write roots-oriented stories about slaves who helped to build the Capitol.
An Italian artisan was hired to work on the plaster model sculpted by Thomas Crawford. He assembled the plaster model perfectly, then hiked his fee in 1859 when it was time to separate it and cast it in bronze, Smolenyak said in a phone interview. Clark Mills, a sculptor who owned a foundry used for the project, refused to pay more and gave the job of supervising the work to Reid, the slave he purchased in Charleston.
"There was a lot on him, but not a lot about him as a person," said Smolenyak, who searched for information on what became of Reid after his work on Freedom was done.
The search for Reid
When the family historian Googled for information on Reid, she found some information from the National Archives and Library of Congress on the United States Capitol Historical Society Web site, she says. A document showed that Mills petitioned the federal government for compensation because Reid was freed under the D.C. Emancipation Act. All slaves living in Washington, D.C., were freed April 16, 1862.
Mills, who was born near Syracuse, N.Y., in 1810, settled in Charleston by 1837 and worked as an ornamental plasterer here, according to an article by Anna Wells Rutledge found in the South Carolina Historical Society. In the mid-1840s, he sculpted a bust of John C. Calhoun from a "block of native white free stone procured near Columbia." He was listed in the 1852 Charleston City Directory. He went on to sculpt the life-size statue of Andrew Jackson on horseback that sits in New Orleans' Jackson Square.
In petitioning the government, Mills described Reid as a foundry worker who had been employed for his skills by the government and paid $1.25 per day. Mills described Reid as 42, mulatto, short, in good health, smart and a good workman worth $1,500.
Smolenyak said she located related papers not on the Web.
In those papers, Mills said he purchased Reid as a youth in Charleston for $1,200 because he showed a talent for his business. He went on to say that his papers, which had included his title to Reid, had been burned years before. Normal government reimbursement to those whose slaves were freed under the act was limited to around $300, Smolenyak says. However, she found documentation stating that Reid was ultimately valued at $800.
In life and death
On June 3, 1862, he was spelling his name as Reed and marrying a woman named Jane Brown, according to a marriage register, Smolenyak said. On the register where the marriage is recorded and on every record in which he would have provided his own name, it was spelled as Reed.
A few days after his marriage, June 6, 1862, about seven weeks after he was freed and 18 months before the statue was raised, the federal government paid him $41.25 for "keeping up fires under the moulds" on 33 Sundays between July 1860 and May 1861. The work, believed to have been for Freedom's bronze casting, was performed under Mills' approval and the money issued to "Reid."
In the 1870 Census, Reed was listed as a 50-year-old black male plasterer with a wife named Jane Brown and a son named Henry. However, the record states he was born in Scotland, not South Carolina. Smolenyak thinks someone wrote S.C., the abbreviation for South Carolina, and someone else interpreted that as an abbreviation for Scotland.
In the 1880 Census, she found Reed listed as a 55-year-old black male plasterer, born in South Carolina. He also had a different wife named Mary P. Additionally, the genealogist found him listed in assorted city directories, mostly as a Southwest D.C. resident, around that time.
On Feb. 6, 1892, a death certificate Smolenyak located shows that Reed died in Washington Asylum Hospital. He was described as a colored plasterer, about 75 years old, who had lived in the District of Columbia for 35 years. His birthplace was listed as South Carolina, but no father or mother's name was provided. He had been sick for about a week when he died.
Reed was buried in Graceland Cemetery, a little less than two miles from the Capitol two days after he died. But in 1895, his body was moved to Harmony Cemetery (also known as Harmonia Burial Grounds and Columbian Harmony Cemetery) when the government ordered all bodies removed from there. In 1959, bodies in Harmony, a historically black cemetery, were moved to Harmony Memorial Park in Maryland.
Smolenyak says the exact location of Reed's final resting place within Harmony Memorial Park is unknown.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
STATUE OF FREEDOM
These facts about the Statue of Freedom, the crowning feature of the U.S. Capitol Dome, were taken from Architect of the Capitol Web site and other Internet sources:
--Freedom is a classical female figure wearing flowing fringed robes.
--A brooch inscribed "U.S." secures her robes.
--The original, formal name is "Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace."
--Freedom's headdress is encircled by stars and features a crest of an eagle's head, feathers and talons, a reference to Native American dress.
--The sculptor, Thomas Crawford, intended Freedom to wear a liberty cap, the symbol of freed slaves, but U.S. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis (who would become president of the Confederacy) suggested a helmet instead. Crawford, the sculptor, came up with the eagle helmet idea.
--Freedom's right hand rests upon the hilt of a sheathed sword.
--Thin platinum-tipped points arise from the shield, shoulders and headdress as protection from lightning.
--Freedom's left hand holds a laurel wreath of victory and the shield of the United States, with 13 stripes.
--She stands on a cast-iron globe encircled with the words E Pluribus Unum, the national motto at the time the statue was placed atop the dome.
--The lower part of the base is decorated with fasces and wreaths.
--The Statue of Freedom, cast in bronze, was raised to the top of the Capitol, with gun salutes, in 1863, during the Civil War.
LOAD-DATE: March 25, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
61 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
March 24, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Statue of Freedom;
Magazine highlights Charleston connection to bronze cast
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
LENGTH: 1133 words
Charleston's connection to the Statue of Freedom, which stands on top of the U.S. Capitol Dome, will be highlighted when a story about the man who played an essential role in its completion is published in the May/June issue of "Ancestry," a genealogy magazine.
Philip Reid, once a Charleston slave, figured out how to perform the delicate job of separating the plaster model of Freedom and supervised casting its sections in bronze. A number of recent articles on the role of blacks in building the Capitol mention Reid.
"In the days leading up to the inauguration, I started getting calls from the media," said Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, co-founder of Roots
television.com and chief family historian for Ancestry.com. The inauguration of Barack Obama, the nation's first black president, prompted reporters to ask Smolenyak for information they needed to write roots-oriented stories about slaves who helped to build the Capitol.
An Italian artisan was hired to work on the plaster model sculpted by Thomas Crawford. He assembled the plaster model perfectly, then hiked his fee in 1859 when it was time to separate it and cast it in bronze, Smolenyak said in a phone interview. Clark Mills, a sculptor who owned a foundry used for the project, refused to pay more and gave the job of supervising the work to Reid, the slave he purchased in Charleston.
"There was a lot on him, but not a lot about him as a person," said Smolenyak, who searched for information on what became of Reid after his work on Freedom was done.
The search for Reid
When the family historian Googled for information on Reid, she found some information from the National Archives and Library of Congress on the United States Capitol Historical Society Web site, she says. A document showed that Mills petitioned the federal government for compensation because Reid was freed under the D.C. Emancipation Act. All slaves living in Washington, D.C., were freed April 16, 1862.
Mills, who was born near Syracuse, N.Y., in 1810, settled in Charleston by 1837 and worked as an ornamental plasterer here, according to an article by Anna Wells Rutledge found in the South Carolina Historical Society. In the mid-1840s, he sculpted a bust of John C. Calhoun from a "block of native white free stone procured near Columbia." He was listed in the 1852 Charleston City Directory. He went on to sculpt the life-size statue of Andrew Jackson on horseback that sits in New Orleans' Jackson Square.
In petitioning the government, Mills described Reid as a foundry worker who had been employed for his skills by the government and paid $1.25 per day. Mills described Reid as 42, mulatto, short, in good health, smart and a good workman worth $1,500.
Smolenyak said she located related papers not on the Web.
In those papers, Mills said he purchased Reid as a youth in Charleston for $1,200 because he showed a talent for his business. He went on to say that his papers, which had included his title to Reid, had been burned years before. Normal government reimbursement to those whose slaves were freed under the act was limited to around $300, Smolenyak says. However, she found documentation stating that Reid was ultimately valued at $800.
In life and death
On June 3, 1862, he was spelling his name as Reed and marrying a woman named Jane Brown, according to a marriage register, Smolenyak said. On the register where the marriage is recorded and on every record in which he would have provided his own name, it was spelled as Reed.
A few days after his marriage, June 6, 1862, about seven weeks after he was freed and 18 months before the statue was raised, the federal government paid him $41.25 for "keeping up fires under the moulds" on 33 Sundays between July 1860 and May 1861. The work, believed to have been for Freedom's bronze casting, was performed under Mills' approval and the money issued to "Reid."
In the 1870 Census, Reed was listed as a 50-year-old black male plasterer with a wife named Jane Brown and a son named Henry. However, the record states he was born in Scotland, not South Carolina. Smolenyak thinks someone wrote S.C., the abbreviation for South Carolina, and someone else interpreted that as an abbreviation for Scotland.
In the 1880 Census, she found Reed listed as a 55-year-old black male plasterer, born in South Carolina. He also had a different wife named Mary P. Additionally, the genealogist found him listed in assorted city directories, mostly as a Southwest D.C. resident, around that time.
On Feb. 6, 1892, a death certificate Smolenyak located shows that Reed died in Washington Asylum Hospital. He was described as a colored plasterer, about 75 years old, who had lived in the District of Columbia for 35 years. His birthplace was listed as South Carolina, but no father or mother's name was provided. He had been sick for about a week when he died.
Reed was buried in Graceland Cemetery, a little less than two miles from the Capitol two days after he died. But in 1895, his body was moved to Harmony Cemetery (also known as Harmonia Burial Grounds and Columbian Harmony Cemetery) when the government ordered all bodies removed from there. In 1959, bodies in Harmony, a historically black cemetery, were moved to Harmony Memorial Park in Maryland.
Smolenyak says the exact location of Reed's final resting place within Harmony Memorial Park is unknown.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
STATUE OF FREEDOM
These facts about the Statue of Freedom, the crowning feature of the U.S. Capitol Dome, were taken from Architect of the Capitol Web site and other Internet sources:
--Freedom is a classical female figure wearing flowing fringed robes.
--A brooch inscribed "U.S." secures her robes.
--The original, formal name is "Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace."
--Freedom's headdress is encircled by stars and features a crest of an eagle's head, feathers and talons, a reference to Native American dress.
--The sculptor, Thomas Crawford, intended Freedom to wear a liberty cap, the symbol of freed slaves, but U.S. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis (who would become president of the Confederacy) suggested a helmet instead. Crawford, the sculptor, came up with the eagle helmet idea.
--Freedom's right hand rests upon the hilt of a sheathed sword.
--Thin platinum-tipped points arise from the shield, shoulders and headdress as protection from lightning.
--Freedom's left hand holds a laurel wreath of victory and the shield of the United States, with 13 stripes.
--She stands on a cast-iron globe encircled with the words E Pluribus Unum, the national motto at the time the statue was placed atop the dome.
--The lower part of the base is decorated with fasces and wreaths.
--The Statue of Freedom, cast in bronze, was raised to the top of the Capitol, with gun salutes, in 1863, during the Civil War.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
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PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
62 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
March 17, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Codicil may help save papers
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 360 words
It was totally unexpected. Yet, there it was, staring back at me from the pages of The Carolina Herald and Newsletter. It was a simple form that could allay, if not completely satisfy, the two most pressing fears that family historians have.
The biggest fear, of course, is that they won't live long enough to complete all the genealogical research they want to conduct. The other is that the pieces they find to their family's puzzle will be lost, trashed or stored indefinitely once they pass away.
Officers of the South Carolina Genealogical Society, which publishes The Carolina Herald for its members, suggested that genealogists add a codicil to their wills expressing what should be done with their papers. Presumably, if you don't have a will, you simply could include it when you have it drawn up. Their suggestion was inspired by a member's story regarding the disposition of her family's papers.
Have you ever considered making a bequest for the disposition of your genealogical papers? And if you have a will, have you ever considered making a codicil to it for the same purpose?
Consider the time, emotions and money that are invested in a genealogical pursuit of any length. Your information is probably a valuable possession that ought to be shared.
Family historians and other historical researchers may benefit enormously from the work that you have done. (That's especially true if you cite your sources so they can determine for themselves if your George Washington is our George Washington.)
You either can leave your genealogical materials with a family member interested in continuing the work, or deposit it in an archive interested in preserving genealogical materials. Even a few generations of research would benefit those you leave behind and those not yet born.
Consider those many weeks, months and years of searching to find the information that lines the branches of your family tree.
Little can be done about genealogists' first fear: that they will pass on before their work is finished. But a lot can be done about the second. It does not have to be lost or underappreciated.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: March 19, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
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Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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63 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
March 17, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Codicil may help save papers
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 360 words
It was totally unexpected. Yet, there it was, staring back at me from the pages of The Carolina Herald and Newsletter. It was a simple form that could allay, if not completely satisfy, the two most pressing fears that family historians have.
The biggest fear, of course, is that they won't live long enough to complete all the genealogical research they want to conduct. The other is that the pieces they find to their family's puzzle will be lost, trashed or stored indefinitely once they pass away.
Officers of the South Carolina Genealogical Society, which publishes The Carolina Herald for its members, suggested that genealogists add a codicil to their wills expressing what should be done with their papers. Presumably, if you don't have a will, you simply could include it when you have it drawn up. Their suggestion was inspired by a member's story regarding the disposition of her family's papers.
Have you ever considered making a bequest for the disposition of your genealogical papers? And if you have a will, have you ever considered making a codicil to it for the same purpose?
Consider the time, emotions and money that are invested in a genealogical pursuit of any length. Your information is probably a valuable possession that ought to be shared.
Family historians and other historical researchers may benefit enormously from the work that you have done. (That's especially true if you cite your sources so they can determine for themselves if your George Washington is our George Washington.)
You either can leave your genealogical materials with a family member interested in continuing the work, or deposit it in an archive interested in preserving genealogical materials. Even a few generations of research would benefit those you leave behind and those not yet born.
Consider those many weeks, months and years of searching to find the information that lines the branches of your family tree.
Little can be done about genealogists' first fear: that they will pass on before their work is finished. But a lot can be done about the second. It does not have to be lost or underappreciated.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
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Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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64 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
March 10, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Case studies refine research skills
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 393 words
If you're a family historian who does not study genealogical cases, you're missing a tremendously helpful resource.
Many who would not hesitate to use cases for learning principles and methods in other fields have never thought of doing so to advance their genealogical research skills.
Why should you read how someone else figured out which Jane Smith was their Grand Aunt Jane, and not another Jane Smith who lived in the same town at the same time? Who wants to know which of three birthdays that are attributed to someone else's great-grandfather is most reliable? How about whether someone else's ancestor actually died or just disappeared and surfaced somewhere else?
The genealogical paths taken by one family historian can provide ideas about paths that will help others navigate their ways to answers.
Unless you're that rare genealogist who has never been baffled while researching ancestors, you could probably benefit quite a bit from some of the cases that are published.
It's one thing to follow a guide that explains records, techniques and tools you should learn to use. But genealogy guides can't contain everything that could be helpful when fleshing out the branches of your family tree.
Cases, sometimes referred to as essays, do not generally fall into the category of casual reading material. But they are not necessarily difficult to understand. In fact, reading them can be fun as well as informative.
Some of the most helpful ones are found in scholarly genealogical publications, or quarterlies. Those such as the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and The American Genealogist are widely read and respected.
The cases are generally written by family historians with quite a bit of expertise. Reading cases could result in taking your ability to "think like a detective" to the next level. Or you might track the most reliable version of the family story and get star treatment at your next family reunion.
If you'd like to purchase copies of quarterlies that include cases, visit www.ngsgenealogy.org and www.americangenealogist.com. The NGS Quarterly is included with the price of membership, but you can purchase issues separately. TAG is independent and has a $30 annual subscription rate. You can purchase back issues of both on auction Web sites such as eBay, www.ebay.com.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
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The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
March 3, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Study of women's genealogy important
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 486 words
As the popularity of genealogy continues to rise, family historians are developing genealogical specialities. They may focus on a country, ethnic group or subject area such as immigration.
But there is one area of genealogy that is important to everyone's family search. Yet, not nearly enough attention is being paid to it. This area involves at least 50 percent of everyone's parentage at every generation: women.
Family historians can be forgiven for pausing and taking deep breaths before researching female ancestors. It's reasonable for them to fear that after an enormous investment of time and effort all they'll have are blank spaces on a family chart.
Perhaps that is why many published family histories trace only the male lines.
It's something Shirley Gage Hodges, who lectures on the subject, found frustrating. So for the past two decades of her four-decade genealogy career, Hodges has made tracing female lines one of her specialties.
Genealogical research is done by moving back one generation at a time, identifying ancestors by name in census records, deeds, diaries, newspapers and more. Knowing a woman's maiden name is important to discovering who her parents (and their parents) were.
"Because of the name issue, it really is a lot more difficult," says Hodges, Genealogical Speaker Guild president and lecturer on the subject.
"In the early days, when a woman married, her legal existence was suspended, and the husband had absolute control (over her property and children). It was a sign of disrespect in some cultures for a woman to use her own name. She wouldn't even use her own first name. She literally became Mrs. John Smith. I found a case of that as late as 1969.
Usually, an unmarried woman's father or brother acted on her behalf, Hodges says. So her name might be buried in a record, but it would not be found in an index.
If the father or brother died, her name might begin to surface.
"But once she married, she could just kiss that goodbye," Hodges says. "Until the 20th century, women did not conduct many legal or business transactions on their own. When researching women, it's always important to trace the collateral lines."
Tracing collaterally involves examining family members and close acquaintances of an ancestor.
Here's a fairly straightforward example of tracing a collateral:
--You don't know the name of a grandmother's parents.
--You do know the name of your grandmother's brother.
--Trace the name of the brother to find his father.
--Study the name of the father to find the name of his wife.
--Then study them to learn if they had daughters while married to each other.
--Compare the daughters to your grandmother by name, birth year, etc.
--If they match those of your grandmother, it's likely you have identified her parents, your great-grandparents.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB: For more on genealogy,
visit Charleston.net/kinship.
LOAD-DATE: March 4, 2009
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The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
February 24, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Reflect, recharge at institutes
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 390 words
Ever dreamed of acquiring expertise in a genealogical specialty? Well, the poor economy just may be providing an opportunity to make that dream a reality.
Study at a genealogical institute is a way for those a little short on funds for that Caribbean vacation to reflect and recharge anyway.
A genealogist with an interest in a single study area can lay the groundwork for becoming an expert during such a week.
About $1,000 will cover tuition, a shared room, budget transportation and possibly meals at leading institutes. Those with great reputations are found in Birmingham, Ala., Washington, D.C., and Salt Lake City.
The Institute for Genealogy and Historical Research, which takes place at Samford University in Birmingham each June, focuses on sources, methods and analysis for family history research. The institute offers opportunities to advance in one of 10 areas of genealogy each summer. Specialties vary, but they usually include study defined by geography, ethnic group, record types and writing. Visit www.samford.edu/schools/ighr.
The National Institute on Genealogical Research in Washington is a weeklong learning opportunity for genealogists, historians, librarians and archivists. It's geared to improving attendees' expertise in researching federal records that have genealogical value.
Sessions this year will be held at the National Archives, Library of Congress and Daughters of the American Revolution's library. Those who register will attend more than 25 sessions on topics such as immigration, the Southern Claims Commission, Freedmen's Bureau and American Indian research. Visit www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~natgenin.
The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, sponsored by the Utah Genealogical Association, occurs each January.
Its location provides an opportunity to research at the Family History Library of
the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, which has the world's largest collection of genealogically useful records.
Next year's 12 courses include researching immigrant ancestors, technology, American land and court records and military records. There also are evening sessions that offer the opportunity to gain a bit of knowledge about some other area. Visit www.infouga.org.
Studying at any one of these three institutes should be unforgettable.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: February 25, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
67 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
February 24, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Reflect, recharge at institutes
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 390 words
Ever dreamed of acquiring expertise in a genealogical specialty? Well, the poor economy just may be providing an opportunity to make that dream a reality.
Study at a genealogical institute is a way for those a little short on funds for that Caribbean vacation to reflect and recharge anyway.
A genealogist with an interest in a single study area can lay the groundwork for becoming an expert during such a week.
About $1,000 will cover tuition, a shared room, budget transportation and possibly meals at leading institutes. Those with great reputations are found in Birmingham, Ala., Washington, D.C., and Salt Lake City.
The Institute for Genealogy and Historical Research, which takes place at Samford University in Birmingham each June, focuses on sources, methods and analysis for family history research. The institute offers opportunities to advance in one of 10 areas of genealogy each summer. Specialties vary, but they usually include study defined by geography, ethnic group, record types and writing. Visit www.samford.edu/schools/ighr.
The National Institute on Genealogical Research in Washington is a weeklong learning opportunity for genealogists, historians, librarians and archivists. It's geared to improving attendees' expertise in researching federal records that have genealogical value.
Sessions this year will be held at the National Archives, Library of Congress and Daughters of the American Revolution's library. Those who register will attend more than 25 sessions on topics such as immigration, the Southern Claims Commission, Freedmen's Bureau and American Indian research. Visit www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~natgenin.
The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, sponsored by the Utah Genealogical Association, occurs each January.
Its location provides an opportunity to research at the Family History Library of
the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, which has the world's largest collection of genealogically useful records.
Next year's 12 courses include researching immigrant ancestors, technology, American land and court records and military records. There also are evening sessions that offer the opportunity to gain a bit of knowledge about some other area. Visit www.infouga.org.
Studying at any one of these three institutes should be unforgettable.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
68 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
February 17, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Funeral records open vital doors
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 407 words
Most family historians don't spend nearly enough time researching their ancestors' funeral home records.
While they emphasize the importance of gathering information from death records, checking funeral home records is a step that is often skipped. It's not hard to understand why.
Funeral home records are not usually found on the Internet or in repositories where genealogists typically search. Finding and using the records can be something of a challenge, but it's worth it.
Funeral home records can be excellent aids in finding and verifying family data obtained from other sources, such as death certificates, cemetery records and oral interviews with older relatives.
The genealogist who reads them may discover another relative; who paid the funeral bill; whether there was an insurance policy; the type of casket used; the cemetery or burial plot used; an employer's name; names of people who spoke during the funeral; and the names of pallbearers.
Each of those bits of information could lead to other discoveries.
Access to funeral home records can vary widely from place to place. The unpredictability of the funeral business schedule may make it difficult to set appointments. Older records may have been improperly stored and in poor condition. Records may also have been lost or destroyed.
Still, those records are well worth finding and using, especially those created for ancestors who died before S.C. counties began recording deaths in 1915. The funeral home record may be the only place to find answers to a genealogist's questions.
The name of the funeral home that handled an ancestor's services may be found in a newspaper obituary. If not, check the city directory for funeral homes that existed when and where the ancestor died or was buried. Also check state and national directories for funeral homes and mortuaries that were published during that time.
If the funeral home you seek has gone out of business, ask current funeral home owners in the locality to help you contact the family who owned the defunct business. They may lead you to the records. If that fails, ask the local historical or genealogical society.
When attempting to find funeral home records, it is important to have at least an approximate date of death. Being able to search the records for a specific year or month will increase the chances of finding the record of your ancestor's funeral.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: February 19, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
69 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
February 17, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Funeral records open vital doors
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 407 words
Most family historians don't spend nearly enough time researching their ancestors' funeral home records.
While they emphasize the importance of gathering information from death records, checking funeral home records is a step that is often skipped. It's not hard to understand why.
Funeral home records are not usually found on the Internet or in repositories where genealogists typically search. Finding and using the records can be something of a challenge, but it's worth it.
Funeral home records can be excellent aids in finding and verifying family data obtained from other sources, such as death certificates, cemetery records and oral interviews with older relatives.
The genealogist who reads them may discover another relative; who paid the funeral bill; whether there was an insurance policy; the type of casket used; the cemetery or burial plot used; an employer's name; names of people who spoke during the funeral; and the names of pallbearers.
Each of those bits of information could lead to other discoveries.
Access to funeral home records can vary widely from place to place. The unpredictability of the funeral business schedule may make it difficult to set appointments. Older records may have been improperly stored and in poor condition. Records may also have been lost or destroyed.
Still, those records are well worth finding and using, especially those created for ancestors who died before S.C. counties began recording deaths in 1915. The funeral home record may be the only place to find answers to a genealogist's questions.
The name of the funeral home that handled an ancestor's services may be found in a newspaper obituary. If not, check the city directory for funeral homes that existed when and where the ancestor died or was buried. Also check state and national directories for funeral homes and mortuaries that were published during that time.
If the funeral home you seek has gone out of business, ask current funeral home owners in the locality to help you contact the family who owned the defunct business. They may lead you to the records. If that fails, ask the local historical or genealogical society.
When attempting to find funeral home records, it is important to have at least an approximate date of death. Being able to search the records for a specific year or month will increase the chances of finding the record of your ancestor's funeral.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
70 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
February 10, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Searching for black history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 435 words
It's February and groups across the nation are celebrating contributions that blacks, usually famous ones, have made to history. They celebrate at public programs, both large and small.
But there are also individuals who feverishly photocopy pages in the closing minutes of a library, walk through unfamiliar cemeteries in strange towns or sit alone before computer screens at 3 a.m.
As they research African-American ancestors, they celebrate black history, too.
We've come quite a long way since Alex Haley's "Roots," a novel and television mini-series based on genealogical research that led him to The Gambia in West Africa. The book and program inspired a tremendous desire among people of all races to trace their ancestors.
For blacks, Haley's work made it OK to believe that we could, to varying degrees, discover who our people were despite a legacy of racism. And he said it was perfectly normal to want to become familiar with our ancestors:
"In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage - to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainment in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness and the most disquieting loneliness."
In the 32 years since "Roots" aired on television, we have become far more aware of resources for information on our ancestors. We also know more about methods and techniques we can use to find a lot of information.
The availability of records on the Web has had a dramatic effect on black family history research. It shows us the range of sources that can be tapped for information. And we have come to expect successful searches.
Locally, quite a number of African-Americans have made a lot of progress in tracing their ancestors in relatively short amounts time.
The Lowcountry is rich in records on African-Americans. So in time, many more probably will discover how satisfying knowing their ancestors can be.
Nationally, a steady stream of blacks whose ancestors left the Lowcountry generations ago e-mail, phone and visit Charleston to advance their knowledge of their family's history.
They ask about the existence of surnames in certain areas, the latest information sources to become available or the best way to proceed when they visit here.
No doubt African-Americans will continue to appreciate and celebrate blacks whose lives made dramatic impacts on society. But as we learn more about our individual family histories, our links to everybody's history can only become clearer.
And that's the way it should be.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: February 13, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
71 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
February 10, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Searching for black history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 435 words
It's February and groups across the nation are celebrating contributions that blacks, usually famous ones, have made to history. They celebrate at public programs, both large and small.
But there are also individuals who feverishly photocopy pages in the closing minutes of a library, walk through unfamiliar cemeteries in strange towns or sit alone before computer screens at 3 a.m.
As they research African-American ancestors, they celebrate black history, too.
We've come quite a long way since Alex Haley's "Roots," a novel and television mini-series based on genealogical research that led him to The Gambia in West Africa. The book and program inspired a tremendous desire among people of all races to trace their ancestors.
For blacks, Haley's work made it OK to believe that we could, to varying degrees, discover who our people were despite a legacy of racism. And he said it was perfectly normal to want to become familiar with our ancestors:
"In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage - to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainment in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness and the most disquieting loneliness."
In the 32 years since "Roots" aired on television, we have become far more aware of resources for information on our ancestors. We also know more about methods and techniques we can use to find a lot of information.
The availability of records on the Web has had a dramatic effect on black family history research. It shows us the range of sources that can be tapped for information. And we have come to expect successful searches.
Locally, quite a number of African-Americans have made a lot of progress in tracing their ancestors in relatively short amounts time.
The Lowcountry is rich in records on African-Americans. So in time, many more probably will discover how satisfying knowing their ancestors can be.
Nationally, a steady stream of blacks whose ancestors left the Lowcountry generations ago e-mail, phone and visit Charleston to advance their knowledge of their family's history.
They ask about the existence of surnames in certain areas, the latest information sources to become available or the best way to proceed when they visit here.
No doubt African-Americans will continue to appreciate and celebrate blacks whose lives made dramatic impacts on society. But as we learn more about our individual family histories, our links to everybody's history can only become clearer.
And that's the way it should be.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
72 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
February 3, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Dig deep studying marriage data
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 522 words
When genealogists decide to research the marriage records of their ancestors, they usually plan to study the licenses.
While consulting ancestors' marriage licenses for information about them is not incorrect, a study limited to licenses certainly is incomplete.
There is more to studying marriage records than carefully reading those beautiful certificates family historians may find tucked away in chests, or receive through the mail from the county probate office.
When we search for the information a couple provided when they married, it's also important to consult their application for a marriage license and the registration papers filed by a minister or justice of the peace stating the marriage took place.
Information found in marriage records of the past century or so varies from state to state and changed over time within the same states. All, of course, provide the names of the bride and groom, but some will have important bits of information that the others do not.
On the marriage application, you'll likely find the couple's names, ages, parents' names, places of residence, previous marriages and more. Less information will usually be found on a marriage license which might not even include their ages. A marriage registration filed in the probate court by the minister or justice of the peace who performed the marriage will give that official's name.
Each of those pieces of information can help to advance genealogical research. The fact that the bride and groom provided the information themselves means it's probably more reliable than information found in some other places.
South Carolina counties have recorded marriages since July 1, 1911, and those records are found in county probate offices. Ones issued after July 1, 1950 can also be found at the Department of Health and Environmental Control's Bureau of Vital Statistics. Microfilmed marriage licenses and marriage books from many counties, through 1950, are at the S.C. Department of Archives and History.
Marriage records pre-dating July 1, 1911, including some that have been abstracted, are found among other records at the archives - www.state.sc.us/scdah/vit.htm. Use the abstracts to find the original documents or images of them and work with those.
When checking at the county probate office, search the index for marriage records under the bride's maiden name as well as the groom's name. Call ahead to determine if a county's probate judge has restricted what the public can examine or if the records needed have been lost or destroyed.
Don't forget that as late as the 1960s, some counties may have segregated records by race and some may not have, so those researching African-Americans should ask and check thoroughly.
If you can't find official records pertaining to a marriage, consult sources such as church records, old newspapers, funeral programs or pension applications filed by a widow or minor to ensure the marriage did not occur at some time or place not previously considered.
With more information, a second or third search for marriage records could be more successful.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: February 4, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
73 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
February 3, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Dig deep studying marriage data
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 522 words
When genealogists decide to research the marriage records of their ancestors, they usually plan to study the licenses.
While consulting ancestors' marriage licenses for information about them is not incorrect, a study limited to licenses certainly is incomplete.
There is more to studying marriage records than carefully reading those beautiful certificates family historians may find tucked away in chests, or receive through the mail from the county probate office.
When we search for the information a couple provided when they married, it's also important to consult their application for a marriage license and the registration papers filed by a minister or justice of the peace stating the marriage took place.
Information found in marriage records of the past century or so varies from state to state and changed over time within the same states. All, of course, provide the names of the bride and groom, but some will have important bits of information that the others do not.
On the marriage application, you'll likely find the couple's names, ages, parents' names, places of residence, previous marriages and more. Less information will usually be found on a marriage license which might not even include their ages. A marriage registration filed in the probate court by the minister or justice of the peace who performed the marriage will give that official's name.
Each of those pieces of information can help to advance genealogical research. The fact that the bride and groom provided the information themselves means it's probably more reliable than information found in some other places.
South Carolina counties have recorded marriages since July 1, 1911, and those records are found in county probate offices. Ones issued after July 1, 1950 can also be found at the Department of Health and Environmental Control's Bureau of Vital Statistics. Microfilmed marriage licenses and marriage books from many counties, through 1950, are at the S.C. Department of Archives and History.
Marriage records pre-dating July 1, 1911, including some that have been abstracted, are found among other records at the archives - www.state.sc.us/scdah/vit.htm. Use the abstracts to find the original documents or images of them and work with those.
When checking at the county probate office, search the index for marriage records under the bride's maiden name as well as the groom's name. Call ahead to determine if a county's probate judge has restricted what the public can examine or if the records needed have been lost or destroyed.
Don't forget that as late as the 1960s, some counties may have segregated records by race and some may not have, so those researching African-Americans should ask and check thoroughly.
If you can't find official records pertaining to a marriage, consult sources such as church records, old newspapers, funeral programs or pension applications filed by a widow or minor to ensure the marriage did not occur at some time or place not previously considered.
With more information, a second or third search for marriage records could be more successful.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
74 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
January 27, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Workshops can offer new tools
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 579 words
Genealogical talks and workshops are about giving people the tools to find and present facts about a family. Those who attend them should leave knowing how to resolve a few more of the challenges standing between them and a family's history.
The information needed to present a clear picture of African-American family histories is often missing, located in unexpected places or presented in a way that makes it difficult to recognize.
"Digging Your Roots: A Beginner's African American Genealogy Workshop," is designed to show attendees how to find information about black ancestors who lived in the 1900s. It will cover many of the things that those who research African-Americans can benefit from during the first several phases of their research.
I'm conducting the workshop next month on behalf of Lowcountry Africana, a Web site project sponsored by the Magnolia Plantation Foun-dation, www.lowcountry
africana.net. It is one of Family Tree Magazines' 101 best Web sites for 2008.
The workshop will cover extracting essential genealogical information from objects that may be found in African-American homes, conducting genealogical interviews with African-Americans, what to do when there's no birth certificate and things to keep in mind when using early 20th-century federal censuses.
Everyone who researches the lives of African-Americans living in the 1900s or plans to start doing so can benefit from the workshop. Afterward, attendees will have time to ask for advice on resolving research issues that are not the focus of the 90-minute workshop.
Those interested in African-American genealogical research from the mid-1800s to early 1900s might enjoy "Meet My Uncle Sandy: Documenting African-Americans in the Wake of the Civil War."
In this 40-minute talk, held Feb. 8 in Walterboro and Feb. 15 in West Ashley, I'll explain my research on the life of my great-great-great-granduncle Sandy Watson, who was enslaved, lived free and died on St. Helena Island. As with most African-Americans who lived during those periods, documenting his life was no simple matter, but not impossible.
While the lack of obvious records to answer genealogical inquiries can be frustrating, this talk will show that accurate research is not impossible even if records that hold simple, straightforward answers are unavailable.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
IF YOU GO
Listed are three genealogy sessions to be held during Black History Month. News of all other genealogy sessions open to the public will be listed in Kinship's print or electronic version whenever information on them is submitted via e-mail to wminis@postandcourier.com
--"Digging Your Roots: A Beginner's African-American Genealogy Workshop" will be held at 1 p.m. Feb. 7 at Magnolia Plantation on Highway 61, about 10 miles from downtown Charleston. It will be a 90-minute workshop with opportunities to ask questions afterward. Free to those whose ancestors were enslaved at Drayton Hall or Magnolia Plantations. Others pay a $15 fee that includes admission to the gardens.
--"Meet My Uncle Sandy: Documenting African-Americans in the Wake of the Civil War," at 3 p.m. Feb. 8 at the South Carolina Genealogical Society's Old St. Bartholomew Chapter, Clemson Extension Center, 609 Black St., Walterboro.
-- "Meet My Uncle Sandy" at 3 p.m. Feb. 15 at the South Carolina Genealogical Society's Charleston Chapter, St. Andrews Regional Library, 1735 N. Woodmere Drive (off Sam Rittenberg), West Ashley.
LOAD-DATE: January 28, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
75 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
January 27, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Workshops can offer new tools
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 579 words
Genealogical talks and workshops are about giving people the tools to find and present facts about a family. Those who attend them should leave knowing how to resolve a few more of the challenges standing between them and a family's history.
The information needed to present a clear picture of African-American family histories is often missing, located in unexpected places or presented in a way that makes it difficult to recognize.
"Digging Your Roots: A Beginner's African American Genealogy Workshop," is designed to show attendees how to find information about black ancestors who lived in the 1900s. It will cover many of the things that those who research African-Americans can benefit from during the first several phases of their research.
I'm conducting the workshop next month on behalf of Lowcountry Africana, a Web site project sponsored by the Magnolia Plantation Foun-dation, www.lowcountry
africana.net. It is one of Family Tree Magazines' 101 best Web sites for 2008.
The workshop will cover extracting essential genealogical information from objects that may be found in African-American homes, conducting genealogical interviews with African-Americans, what to do when there's no birth certificate and things to keep in mind when using early 20th-century federal censuses.
Everyone who researches the lives of African-Americans living in the 1900s or plans to start doing so can benefit from the workshop. Afterward, attendees will have time to ask for advice on resolving research issues that are not the focus of the 90-minute workshop.
Those interested in African-American genealogical research from the mid-1800s to early 1900s might enjoy "Meet My Uncle Sandy: Documenting African-Americans in the Wake of the Civil War."
In this 40-minute talk, held Feb. 8 in Walterboro and Feb. 15 in West Ashley, I'll explain my research on the life of my great-great-great-granduncle Sandy Watson, who was enslaved, lived free and died on St. Helena Island. As with most African-Americans who lived during those periods, documenting his life was no simple matter, but not impossible.
While the lack of obvious records to answer genealogical inquiries can be frustrating, this talk will show that accurate research is not impossible even if records that hold simple, straightforward answers are unavailable.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
IF YOU GO
Listed are three genealogy sessions to be held during Black History Month. News of all other genealogy sessions open to the public will be listed in Kinship's print or electronic version whenever information on them is submitted via e-mail to wminis@postandcourier.com
--"Digging Your Roots: A Beginner's African-American Genealogy Workshop" will be held at 1 p.m. Feb. 7 at Magnolia Plantation on Highway 61, about 10 miles from downtown Charleston. It will be a 90-minute workshop with opportunities to ask questions afterward. Free to those whose ancestors were enslaved at Drayton Hall or Magnolia Plantations. Others pay a $15 fee that includes admission to the gardens.
--"Meet My Uncle Sandy: Documenting African-Americans in the Wake of the Civil War," at 3 p.m. Feb. 8 at the South Carolina Genealogical Society's Old St. Bartholomew Chapter, Clemson Extension Center, 609 Black St., Walterboro.
-- "Meet My Uncle Sandy" at 3 p.m. Feb. 15 at the South Carolina Genealogical Society's Charleston Chapter, St. Andrews Regional Library, 1735 N. Woodmere Drive (off Sam Rittenberg), West Ashley.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
76 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
January 20, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Conference hits close to home
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E3
LENGTH: 513 words
If you're a family historian living in the Carolinas, this is a very good year.
The National Genealogical Society's annual family history conference will be held in Raleigh this year. Genealogists will be flying from around the United States and beyond to reach a conference that you can drive to in half a day.
"The Building of a Nation: From Roanoke to the West," as it is called this year, takes place May 13 to 16, with preconference sessions on May 12. It is being hosted by the North Carolina Genealogical Society.
Conference tracks will include: skill building, migration, the Carolinas, ethnic, working with records, state, methodology, National Archives, libraries, basics and working with records. There also will be several workshops and luncheons that present opportunities to learn for an additional fee.
There are well over 200 separate conference sessions and workshops, and there are bound to be at least two in every time slot providing information that will help you to advance your genealogical research. In addition, you'll find quite a bit of information, including tips from very experienced researchers, that you probably will not encounter elsewhere.
A few things to consider
In the Carolinas track, only one of the eight sessions is specifically geared to South Carolina, "South Carolina Research." None is geared to those needing to research the Southern Historical Collection at the University of North Carolina's Wilson Library, an extremely important place for those who need to research manuscripts generated by South Carolinians. There is a preconference research trip there, which costs extra.
In the ethnic track, only one of the 18 sessions deals specifically with researching African-American ancestors, "African American Research Seminar." The three-hour session (most are one hour) covers federal records pertinent to African-American research that are at the National Archives.
There is a free preconference African American Genealogy Forum that is open to the public. It features an impressive line-up of speakers, including Henry Louis Gates (PBS' "African American Lives" series) and Dorothy Spruill Redford (the book, "Somerset Homecoming"). Gates and Redford will be among four individual presenters who also will join Bill Haley, son of Alex Haley of "Roots" fame, for a panel.
Both the research trip to Wilson Library and the African American Genealogy Forum are held the same day as the librarians' program.
That said, you really should attend the conference. It's a great opportunity to learn a tremendous amount. You'll get more than your money's worth. And your ancestral quest will benefit greatly.
For details (including those on the preconference events) visit www.ngsgenealogy.org.
Beginner's Genealogy
"Genealogy for Beginners," a class in the Community Education Program will be held at West Ashley High School beginning Jan. 27. It is designed for those who are starting out, starting again or anyone needing to learn more about the most common sources used for genealogical information. For more information, visit Charleston.net/kinship.
LOAD-DATE: January 22, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
77 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
January 13, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Road map aids genealogical journey
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 384 words
The feeling that you soon could discover something new about an ancestor is a fantastic one. Few things are as satisfying as being able to add another piece to your genealogical puzzle.
With diligent research, we can learn so much about those ancestors whose lives so heavily influenced who we are today.
An important aid for ensuring that family historians continually make progress on learning more about their ancestors is a research plan. To the genealogist, a research plan is a well-thought-out and very detailed to-do list.
A great way to develop your research plan is to choose one ancestor and list everything you have discovered about him or her. Afterward, write a story about that ancestor's life based on the list.
The story might be short. The story might be long.
Regardless, the next step is to read the story as if you are learning about the ancestor for the first time.
When you finish reading the story, ask yourself what is missing. What important questions did your story fail to answer? What answers must be found to make the story more complete?
Then, write a research plan, a sort of road map, for finding those answers.
Begin by writing a list of records that probably contain the information you need. If you find it difficult to create the list, ask a librarian.
You also can consult a genealogy guide such as "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy" by Christine Rose and Kay Germain Ingalls, or "The Online Genealogy Handbook" by Brad and Debra Schepp.
Make a list of the places that keep those records. Include Internet sites that provide images of the actual documents, borrow microfilm through interlibrary loan and rent microfilm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Family History Center.
Consult the sources.
Record the question you research, the date you check, the sources you examine, the repository you visit, what you find and what you do not find on a research log.
You can print and use free logs found under "supplies, charts, forms etc." at www.cyndislist.com.
Some answers you find will be unclear and require help to understand. Other answers will be clear but raise more questions.
Don't give up.
Even genealogists who only learn where answers are not found, have made progress.
So, enjoy the journey.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: January 14, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
78 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
January 13, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Road map aids genealogical journey
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 384 words
The feeling that you soon could discover something new about an ancestor is a fantastic one. Few things are as satisfying as being able to add another piece to your genealogical puzzle.
With diligent research, we can learn so much about those ancestors whose lives so heavily influenced who we are today.
An important aid for ensuring that family historians continually make progress on learning more about their ancestors is a research plan. To the genealogist, a research plan is a well-thought-out and very detailed to-do list.
A great way to develop your research plan is to choose one ancestor and list everything you have discovered about him or her. Afterward, write a story about that ancestor's life based on the list.
The story might be short. The story might be long.
Regardless, the next step is to read the story as if you are learning about the ancestor for the first time.
When you finish reading the story, ask yourself what is missing. What important questions did your story fail to answer? What answers must be found to make the story more complete?
Then, write a research plan, a sort of road map, for finding those answers.
Begin by writing a list of records that probably contain the information you need. If you find it difficult to create the list, ask a librarian.
You also can consult a genealogy guide such as "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy" by Christine Rose and Kay Germain Ingalls, or "The Online Genealogy Handbook" by Brad and Debra Schepp.
Make a list of the places that keep those records. Include Internet sites that provide images of the actual documents, borrow microfilm through interlibrary loan and rent microfilm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Family History Center.
Consult the sources.
Record the question you research, the date you check, the sources you examine, the repository you visit, what you find and what you do not find on a research log.
You can print and use free logs found under "supplies, charts, forms etc." at www.cyndislist.com.
Some answers you find will be unclear and require help to understand. Other answers will be clear but raise more questions.
Don't give up.
Even genealogists who only learn where answers are not found, have made progress.
So, enjoy the journey.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
79 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
January 6, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Tracking clues of family history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 425 words
I sometimes wonder if clues to solve some of my genealogical mysteries are scribbled in the margins of notebooks that no longer are read or on the backs of business cards that have slipped into some domestic crevice.
It's always best to jot down promising information sources, focus on the research at hand and follow through on potential leads later. Going off on some tangent when something new pops up often results in failure and frustration.
Trouble is, I often forget to look at those new sources later.
Ferreting out and following those promising little guideposts is my New Year's resolution.
Last year, I resolved to study the orphan trains that moved children from East to West; the routes ancestors traveled to migrate from one part of the country to another; revisit files I have that are five years and older; and read "Only a Few Bones: A True Account of the Rolling Fork Tragedy and Its Aftermath" by John Philip Colletta.
I accomplished one and two. I'd still like to do three and four.
Maybe this year.
Great news!
Images of death certificates that South Carolina counties have been required to create since 1915 are online at ancestry.com. It's no longer necessary to travel to the S.C. Department of Archives and History in Columbia and view the images on microfilm.
Death certificates are consulted by genealogists for much more than death dates. They also provide the burial date, some details of any illness, cause of death, doctor who provided treatment, funeral home, cemetery and quite a bit more.
They also provide the names of the deceased ancestor's parents, enabling a family historian to begin adding another generation to the family tree. And they give the mother's maiden name, something often lost to descendants, enabling the genealogist to research another line.
There are, however, a few things you should remember when using death certificates:
--Until fairly recently, the spelling of names was not standard, and uniformity was not even expected within the same family. So you might have to try variant spellings to find your ancestor's certificate.
--People who provide information found on death certificates are usually upset and may make mistakes or be misunderstood. So information found on them should be compared with information found elsewhere.
--Pay attention to the name of the informant. People who inform officials that a death has occurred usually are trusted family members. You might discover a relative or group of relatives you didn't know you had.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: January 6, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
80 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
January 6, 2009 Tuesday
Final Edition
Tracking clues of family history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 425 words
I sometimes wonder if clues to solve some of my genealogical mysteries are scribbled in the margins of notebooks that no longer are read or on the backs of business cards that have slipped into some domestic crevice.
It's always best to jot down promising information sources, focus on the research at hand and follow through on potential leads later. Going off on some tangent when something new pops up often results in failure and frustration.
Trouble is, I often forget to look at those new sources later.
Ferreting out and following those promising little guideposts is my New Year's resolution.
Last year, I resolved to study the orphan trains that moved children from East to West; the routes ancestors traveled to migrate from one part of the country to another; revisit files I have that are five years and older; and read "Only a Few Bones: A True Account of the Rolling Fork Tragedy and Its Aftermath" by John Philip Colletta.
I accomplished one and two. I'd still like to do three and four.
Maybe this year.
Great news!
Images of death certificates that South Carolina counties have been required to create since 1915 are online at ancestry.com. It's no longer necessary to travel to the S.C. Department of Archives and History in Columbia and view the images on microfilm.
Death certificates are consulted by genealogists for much more than death dates. They also provide the burial date, some details of any illness, cause of death, doctor who provided treatment, funeral home, cemetery and quite a bit more.
They also provide the names of the deceased ancestor's parents, enabling a family historian to begin adding another generation to the family tree. And they give the mother's maiden name, something often lost to descendants, enabling the genealogist to research another line.
There are, however, a few things you should remember when using death certificates:
--Until fairly recently, the spelling of names was not standard, and uniformity was not even expected within the same family. So you might have to try variant spellings to find your ancestor's certificate.
--People who provide information found on death certificates are usually upset and may make mistakes or be misunderstood. So information found on them should be compared with information found elsewhere.
--Pay attention to the name of the informant. People who inform officials that a death has occurred usually are trusted family members. You might discover a relative or group of relatives you didn't know you had.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
81 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
December 30, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Use city directories in research
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 419 words
When looking for genealogical information, don't forget to search city directories, especially the older ones. The directories, which often were published annually, provide information on the residents and places such as businesses, churches and schools in a geographical area.
City directories, which predate the telephone books that would be used to locate a residence today, contain valuable genealogical information. They give names of heads of household, their spouses, addresses, neighbors, occupations and employers.
When you can't find an ancestor on the federal census, you may be able to find them in a city directory. Even when you do find ancestors on the census, use the directories to analyze changes in their lives between census years.
Also, study the neighbors of ancestors found in city directories just as you would those found on censuses. Use the section where residents are cross referenced by addresses to learn who they are. Pay special attention to those who move from and to the same streets an ancestor does because some of them might be relatives.
When searching for black ancestors in the older directories, you may find them mixed among others with a "c," for colored, after their names. But you often will find them listed in a separate section of the directory designated for blacks.
If an ancestor is found in one directory but is not found in a subsequent one, the ancestor may have died. So, if no other research indicates the ancestor lived after information in the directory was collected, use that fact to help narrow the range of years when the ancestor may have died. You'll need to have a short range when requesting a death certificate.
Sometimes an ancestor who moved or changed jobs experienced an economic upturn or downturn. Ask yourself what records such a change in status would have generated and be sure to search them.
In South Carolina, county libraries have city directories in South Carolina Rooms and other repositories may have them, too. The Charleston County Library's Main Branch on Calhoun Street has transcriptions of Charleston city directories from 1782 to 1861 and original city directories from 1867 to the present in hardcopy and on microfilm.
You also may want to check for directories scanned online at www.ancestry.com and www.footnote.com, which are paid subscription services. And do an Internet search to determine if some precious soul has scanned in just the one you need.
Happy hunting!
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: December 30, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
82 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
December 30, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Use city directories in research
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 419 words
When looking for genealogical information, don't forget to search city directories, especially the older ones. The directories, which often were published annually, provide information on the residents and places such as businesses, churches and schools in a geographical area.
City directories, which predate the telephone books that would be used to locate a residence today, contain valuable genealogical information. They give names of heads of household, their spouses, addresses, neighbors, occupations and employers.
When you can't find an ancestor on the federal census, you may be able to find them in a city directory. Even when you do find ancestors on the census, use the directories to analyze changes in their lives between census years.
Also, study the neighbors of ancestors found in city directories just as you would those found on censuses. Use the section where residents are cross referenced by addresses to learn who they are. Pay special attention to those who move from and to the same streets an ancestor does because some of them might be relatives.
When searching for black ancestors in the older directories, you may find them mixed among others with a "c," for colored, after their names. But you often will find them listed in a separate section of the directory designated for blacks.
If an ancestor is found in one directory but is not found in a subsequent one, the ancestor may have died. So, if no other research indicates the ancestor lived after information in the directory was collected, use that fact to help narrow the range of years when the ancestor may have died. You'll need to have a short range when requesting a death certificate.
Sometimes an ancestor who moved or changed jobs experienced an economic upturn or downturn. Ask yourself what records such a change in status would have generated and be sure to search them.
In South Carolina, county libraries have city directories in South Carolina Rooms and other repositories may have them, too. The Charleston County Library's Main Branch on Calhoun Street has transcriptions of Charleston city directories from 1782 to 1861 and original city directories from 1867 to the present in hardcopy and on microfilm.
You also may want to check for directories scanned online at www.ancestry.com and www.footnote.com, which are paid subscription services. And do an Internet search to determine if some precious soul has scanned in just the one you need.
Happy hunting!
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
83 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
December 16, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Each relative adds to family's story
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 405 words
What genealogist doesn't enjoy hearing old family stories? Some of our warmest feelings stem from listening to tales in which our ancestors played starring roles.
While they are inspiring to hear, storytelling relatives don't always delve into the details most helpful in reconstructing a family tree. Perhaps they assume we would find listening to so many family facts boring.
Who needs to know the details about the things that happened 30, 60 or 90 years ago? Who needs to know about the family members who never left home and the ones who went away forever? Who needs to know about schools, churches, clubs, occupations, military service, burial places, social climates and more.
If you're a family historian, you do.
That's why it's so important for family historians to interview many family members one at a time. That's how genealogists get the information that will never be found on a census form or by trolling the Internet genealogy sites.
Start with older relatives because they tend to know more than anyone imagines and will be gone before you know it. And don't write off those suffering with dementia because they can know more than those with perfect recall.
There's a saying that when an elder dies, it's like a library has been burned. And it's true.
Details about the family's life not only provide answers not written anywhere, they raise questions that need to be answered.
When preparing for the interview, call and ask how your interviewee will allow the responses to be recorded. Can you use a video camera? What about a tape recorder? Should you only take notes?
But, you also should use common sense.
If you know that videotaping Aunt Jane will compel her to focus more on emulating a movie star than answering your questions, don't mention it. The quality of information you get from her under those conditions won't be the best.
But if those are her conditions for being interviewed, go for it.
In either case, leave a phone number where she can reach you later. Your questions will stir memories. And she may think of information that you will find useful long after the interview has ended.
Consult your genealogy guide or borrow one from the library for more details on preparing and formulating questions for the interviews. They'll also cover how to evaluate and use the information.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB: For more on genealogy,
visit Charleston.net/kinship.
LOAD-DATE: December 17, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
84 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
December 16, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Each relative adds to family's story
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 405 words
What genealogist doesn't enjoy hearing old family stories? Some of our warmest feelings stem from listening to tales in which our ancestors played starring roles.
While they are inspiring to hear, storytelling relatives don't always delve into the details most helpful in reconstructing a family tree. Perhaps they assume we would find listening to so many family facts boring.
Who needs to know the details about the things that happened 30, 60 or 90 years ago? Who needs to know about the family members who never left home and the ones who went away forever? Who needs to know about schools, churches, clubs, occupations, military service, burial places, social climates and more.
If you're a family historian, you do.
That's why it's so important for family historians to interview many family members one at a time. That's how genealogists get the information that will never be found on a census form or by trolling the Internet genealogy sites.
Start with older relatives because they tend to know more than anyone imagines and will be gone before you know it. And don't write off those suffering with dementia because they can know more than those with perfect recall.
There's a saying that when an elder dies, it's like a library has been burned. And it's true.
Details about the family's life not only provide answers not written anywhere, they raise questions that need to be answered.
When preparing for the interview, call and ask how your interviewee will allow the responses to be recorded. Can you use a video camera? What about a tape recorder? Should you only take notes?
But, you also should use common sense.
If you know that videotaping Aunt Jane will compel her to focus more on emulating a movie star than answering your questions, don't mention it. The quality of information you get from her under those conditions won't be the best.
But if those are her conditions for being interviewed, go for it.
In either case, leave a phone number where she can reach you later. Your questions will stir memories. And she may think of information that you will find useful long after the interview has ended.
Consult your genealogy guide or borrow one from the library for more details on preparing and formulating questions for the interviews. They'll also cover how to evaluate and use the information.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB: For more on genealogy,
visit Charleston.net/kinship.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
85 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
December 9, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Query a want ad for information
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 399 words
Genealogists in need of hard-to-find information about an ancestor often make public requests for help. They write a query, a short statement that provides some details about their ancestor and asks for more information.
Queries are published in certain sections of newspapers, historical or genealogical newsletters and magazines and on surname Web sites. They should be placed in local, state and national publications read by people who are likely to have the information being sought.
Think of a query as a want ad.
When writing a query, provide the name of the ancestor you are researching. Say exactly what you want to know about them: descendants, marriage date, spouse's name, etc. Tell readers when and where your ancestor lived. You may also tell a bit about why you think those things are true.
Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Be as brief as you can without sacrificing that information. Being wordy is likely to result in confusion, not clarity. Also, some publications charge to print queries, and shorter ones cost less to run than longer ones.
Limit your query to one question. Write one something like this:
Need the marriage date for Jane DOE (1883-1903) of Charleston, South Carolina, to Steven BROWN. She is the daughter of John DOE and Martha SMITH.
Or:
Seeking descendants of Robert SIMONS (1840-?) of Charleston, South Carolina. Graham married Elizabeth JOHNSON around 1873 and moved to Orangeburg. He may have been active in the Episcopal Church in Charleston.
A query sometimes generates information from a part of the family that has not been heard from for generations. They may answer your question and offer additional information about the family.
A query also might prompt a response from people with the same surname who are not relatives. They may have come across information about your family while researching their own.
A query also can generate information from those who are inclined to be helpful. Perhaps a genealogist or historian will respond to it with relevant information sources that you have not discovered.
Use all capital letters in the surnames to make them stand out. Abbreviate words only after asking the publication if it's acceptable. Proofread your query and have someone read it to ensure that it is clear. And be sure to give a street or e-mail address where those responding can contact you.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: December 10, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
86 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
December 2, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Draft cards offer wealth of data
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 422 words
When you hear the words "draft card," you may not picture a rich resource for genealogical information. Most of us probably would think of a card bearing basic information about a draft registrant.
When thinking about a Vietnam-era draft card, or Selective Service registration certificate, that's correct. But when the subject is World Wars I and II draft cards, that's incorrect.
World Wars I and II cards bear far more information than name, height, weight, and eye and hair color found on later cards. They have so much more information that when family history research is dealing with male ancestors who were adults in the 1910s or 1940s, they are well worth examining.
World War I draft registration cards, which were completed in 1917 and 1918, are accessible to the public. And World War II draft registration cards, completed in 1942, when men as old as 65 still registered, also are accessible to the public. But other World War II cards are closed to the public because of federal privacy laws.
When examining a World War I card, a genealogist can find the registrant's address, date of birth, race, citizenship, place of birth, father's place of birth, occupation, employer, address of employer, dependents, marital status and nearest relative. Information on cards completed during the first, second and third drafts during the war vary slightly.
World War II cards include the registrant's name, place of residence, mailing address, telephone number, age, place of birth, date of birth and employer as well as the employer's address. They also include the name and address of someone who always would know where the registrant lived.
Look at each piece of information on the cards as keys that can lead to more information. Or use them to discover what happened in an ancestor's life between censuses. And compare information on World Wars I and II cards for an ancestor to track changes in his life.
If you can't find an ancestor's name via ancestry.com or footnote.com, don't despair. A transcriber for the subscription service may have missed him. Or his draft card may have been lost.
When you find an ancestor's name online, click on the image of the original document and read further. If you don't find an ancestor's name and you think he probably registered, contact the National Archives and Records Administration regional office closest to where that ancestor lived. You can find a list of regional offices with contact information at www.archives.gov.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: December 2, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
87 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
December 2, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Draft cards offer wealth of data
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 422 words
When you hear the words "draft card," you may not picture a rich resource for genealogical information. Most of us probably would think of a card bearing basic information about a draft registrant.
When thinking about a Vietnam-era draft card, or Selective Service registration certificate, that's correct. But when the subject is World Wars I and II draft cards, that's incorrect.
World Wars I and II cards bear far more information than name, height, weight, and eye and hair color found on later cards. They have so much more information that when family history research is dealing with male ancestors who were adults in the 1910s or 1940s, they are well worth examining.
World War I draft registration cards, which were completed in 1917 and 1918, are accessible to the public. And World War II draft registration cards, completed in 1942, when men as old as 65 still registered, also are accessible to the public. But other World War II cards are closed to the public because of federal privacy laws.
When examining a World War I card, a genealogist can find the registrant's address, date of birth, race, citizenship, place of birth, father's place of birth, occupation, employer, address of employer, dependents, marital status and nearest relative. Information on cards completed during the first, second and third drafts during the war vary slightly.
World War II cards include the registrant's name, place of residence, mailing address, telephone number, age, place of birth, date of birth and employer as well as the employer's address. They also include the name and address of someone who always would know where the registrant lived.
Look at each piece of information on the cards as keys that can lead to more information. Or use them to discover what happened in an ancestor's life between censuses. And compare information on World Wars I and II cards for an ancestor to track changes in his life.
If you can't find an ancestor's name via ancestry.com or footnote.com, don't despair. A transcriber for the subscription service may have missed him. Or his draft card may have been lost.
When you find an ancestor's name online, click on the image of the original document and read further. If you don't find an ancestor's name and you think he probably registered, contact the National Archives and Records Administration regional office closest to where that ancestor lived. You can find a list of regional offices with contact information at www.archives.gov.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: December 3, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
88 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
December 2, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Draft cards offer wealth of data
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 422 words
When you hear the words "draft card," you may not picture a rich resource for genealogical information. Most of us probably would think of a card bearing basic information about a draft registrant.
When thinking about a Vietnam-era draft card, or Selective Service registration certificate, that's correct. But when the subject is World Wars I and II draft cards, that's incorrect.
World Wars I and II cards bear far more information than name, height, weight, and eye and hair color found on later cards. They have so much more information that when family history research is dealing with male ancestors who were adults in the 1910s or 1940s, they are well worth examining.
World War I draft registration cards, which were completed in 1917 and 1918, are accessible to the public. And World War II draft registration cards, completed in 1942, when men as old as 65 still registered, also are accessible to the public. But other World War II cards are closed to the public because of federal privacy laws.
When examining a World War I card, a genealogist can find the registrant's address, date of birth, race, citizenship, place of birth, father's place of birth, occupation, employer, address of employer, dependents, marital status and nearest relative. Information on cards completed during the first, second and third drafts during the war vary slightly.
World War II cards include the registrant's name, place of residence, mailing address, telephone number, age, place of birth, date of birth and employer as well as the employer's address. They also include the name and address of someone who always would know where the registrant lived.
Look at each piece of information on the cards as keys that can lead to more information. Or use them to discover what happened in an ancestor's life between censuses. And compare information on World Wars I and II cards for an ancestor to track changes in his life.
If you can't find an ancestor's name via ancestry.com or footnote.com, don't despair. A transcriber for the subscription service may have missed him. Or his draft card may have been lost.
When you find an ancestor's name online, click on the image of the original document and read further. If you don't find an ancestor's name and you think he probably registered, contact the National Archives and Records Administration regional office closest to where that ancestor lived. You can find a list of regional offices with contact information at www.archives.gov.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
89 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 25, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Perfect gifts for genealogists
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 465 words
Do you have friends who begin reading books by turning to the index? How about ones who are disappointed to find that the subject of a lively conversation is still living? Got any who never saw a cemetery with inhabitants they didn't want to know better?
Sounds like you associate with genealogists.
For them, the best holiday gifts are ones that will help in their hunt for dead relatives. You don't have to break the bank to make a family historian smile. There are gifts at just about all price points that are perfect.
Consider the range of choices below:
--Annual membership in a genealogical, historical or library society. It can be a local, regional or national one. Choose one covering a place where at least some of the genealogists' ancestors lived. Cost: $18-$75.
--Tools such as eyeglass chains; pencil sharpeners; white erasers; compasses and rulers; dome, pocket or sheet magnifiers; highlighters; library bag and zippered plastic case; or thumb drive. Cost; $4-$40.
--"Google Your Family Tree" by Daniel M. Lynch, $35. "Unpuzzling Your Past: The Best-Selling Basic Guide to Genealogy" Emily Ann Croom, $20. "Black Roots: A Beginners Guide To Tracing The African American Family Tree" by Tony Burroughs, $21.
--"Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace," $50; "Quicksheet: Citing Online Historical Resources," $6; and "Evidence! Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian," $40, all by Elizabeth Shown Mills.
--Computer program such as Family Tree Maker, Legacy, RootsMagic or The Master Genealogist for organizing research. Cost: $30-$40.
--Subscription to a Web site used for family history research such as ancestry.com, footnote.com, worldvital
records.com, genealogybank.com or the newspaper archive.com. Basic memberships range from about $75-$175.
--National Genealogical Society, community or online genealogy course. They can last from a couple of hours to a couple of years. Fees: $30-$585.
--Registration fee for a state or national genealogical society annual workshop or conference. Cost: $50-$250.
--Genealogy Cruise such as: Legacy Genealogy Cruise; RootsMagic Family History Cruise; and Wholly Genes Genealogy Conference and Cruise would be great. Cost: $850-$3,500.
--A list of podcasts such as "Dear Myrtle's Family History Hour," "The Family Tree Magazine Podcast," "Genealogy Gems Podcast," "Genealogy Guys Podcast" or "Genealogy Tech Podcast." They can be accessed via computer or downloaded onto an MP3 automatically via iTunes. Free.
--Funstuffforgenealogists.com has an array of essential, useful and humorous items. They include family reunion cards, library bags, pins, wall charts, T-shirts and far too many other things to name. Cost: $25 or $50 for gift certificates.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 25, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
90 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 25, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Perfect gifts for genealogists
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 465 words
Do you have friends who begin reading books by turning to the index? How about ones who are disappointed to find that the subject of a lively conversation is still living? Got any who never saw a cemetery with inhabitants they didn't want to know better?
Sounds like you associate with genealogists.
For them, the best holiday gifts are ones that will help in their hunt for dead relatives. You don't have to break the bank to make a family historian smile. There are gifts at just about all price points that are perfect.
Consider the range of choices below:
--Annual membership in a genealogical, historical or library society. It can be a local, regional or national one. Choose one covering a place where at least some of the genealogists' ancestors lived. Cost: $18-$75.
--Tools such as eyeglass chains; pencil sharpeners; white erasers; compasses and rulers; dome, pocket or sheet magnifiers; highlighters; library bag and zippered plastic case; or thumb drive. Cost; $4-$40.
--"Google Your Family Tree" by Daniel M. Lynch, $35. "Unpuzzling Your Past: The Best-Selling Basic Guide to Genealogy" Emily Ann Croom, $20. "Black Roots: A Beginners Guide To Tracing The African American Family Tree" by Tony Burroughs, $21.
--"Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace," $50; "Quicksheet: Citing Online Historical Resources," $6; and "Evidence! Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian," $40, all by Elizabeth Shown Mills.
--Computer program such as Family Tree Maker, Legacy, RootsMagic or The Master Genealogist for organizing research. Cost: $30-$40.
--Subscription to a Web site used for family history research such as ancestry.com, footnote.com, worldvital
records.com, genealogybank.com or the newspaper archive.com. Basic memberships range from about $75-$175.
--National Genealogical Society, community or online genealogy course. They can last from a couple of hours to a couple of years. Fees: $30-$585.
--Registration fee for a state or national genealogical society annual workshop or conference. Cost: $50-$250.
--Genealogy Cruise such as: Legacy Genealogy Cruise; RootsMagic Family History Cruise; and Wholly Genes Genealogy Conference and Cruise would be great. Cost: $850-$3,500.
--A list of podcasts such as "Dear Myrtle's Family History Hour," "The Family Tree Magazine Podcast," "Genealogy Gems Podcast," "Genealogy Guys Podcast" or "Genealogy Tech Podcast." They can be accessed via computer or downloaded onto an MP3 automatically via iTunes. Free.
--Funstuffforgenealogists.com has an array of essential, useful and humorous items. They include family reunion cards, library bags, pins, wall charts, T-shirts and far too many other things to name. Cost: $25 or $50 for gift certificates.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
91 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 18, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Pictures offer wealth of info
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 437 words
Few things in family history research are as frustrating as holding unlabeled photographs of ancestors whose names you don't know.
When a photograph is old and its subjects have passed on, the experience is even more frustrating.
Yet, gleaning information about ancestors' lives from photographs is a standard part of the genealogical research process.
And we may think of photographs as revealing everything, but there's always more to see.
Deciphering what photographs are saying is just as important as analyzing written documents and as likely to yield valuable information.
Treat it as you would information from sources such as censuses, vital records and manuscripts. Consider it as you take additional steps to uncover your roots.
Here are some tips that will put you a step or two closer to figuring out who ancestors in photographs are:
--Take a look at the clothing worn, automobiles, the things that help to date a photograph. Make timelines of your ancestors' lives. Use age and other information in the timelines to help determine if any are in the photograph.
--Decide if the clothing or anything else indicates the photograph was taken on a special occasion. Rely on historical information to tell you what group held such events. Consider whether information you previously gathered tells you about an ancestor who was affiliated or associated with such a group.
--Look at the environment. A photograph taken on a New York City street probably will look quite different from one taken on a Charleston street. The birds, foliage and styles of structures and more should be studied. Think about ancestors who were likely to have been at the place in the photograph.
--Take your photographs with you when visiting older relatives. Even if they were children when the ancestors in the photographs lived, they may remember them. Or they may remember the location in the photograph.
--Check the photographic albums of family members when you visit. Ask if anyone else in the family has the same or similar photographs. Ask whether anyone has labeled copies. Ask if they can see clues in your photograph that you have not seen.
--When you can identify one or more people in a photograph, think about those who may be dressed alike. They could be siblings or cousins. Maybe the way they posed in relation to each other suggests something about their relationship.
Mather School photos
Does anyone have labeled Mather School (Beaufort) photographs 1905-15? If so, I would appreciate hearing from you.
My grandmother, Louisa Oswell, attended the school about that time.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 19, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
92 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 18, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Pictures offer wealth of info
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 437 words
Few things in family history research are as frustrating as holding unlabeled photographs of ancestors whose names you don't know.
When a photograph is old and its subjects have passed on, the experience is even more frustrating.
Yet, gleaning information about ancestors' lives from photographs is a standard part of the genealogical research process.
And we may think of photographs as revealing everything, but there's always more to see.
Deciphering what photographs are saying is just as important as analyzing written documents and as likely to yield valuable information.
Treat it as you would information from sources such as censuses, vital records and manuscripts. Consider it as you take additional steps to uncover your roots.
Here are some tips that will put you a step or two closer to figuring out who ancestors in photographs are:
--Take a look at the clothing worn, automobiles, the things that help to date a photograph. Make timelines of your ancestors' lives. Use age and other information in the timelines to help determine if any are in the photograph.
--Decide if the clothing or anything else indicates the photograph was taken on a special occasion. Rely on historical information to tell you what group held such events. Consider whether information you previously gathered tells you about an ancestor who was affiliated or associated with such a group.
--Look at the environment. A photograph taken on a New York City street probably will look quite different from one taken on a Charleston street. The birds, foliage and styles of structures and more should be studied. Think about ancestors who were likely to have been at the place in the photograph.
--Take your photographs with you when visiting older relatives. Even if they were children when the ancestors in the photographs lived, they may remember them. Or they may remember the location in the photograph.
--Check the photographic albums of family members when you visit. Ask if anyone else in the family has the same or similar photographs. Ask whether anyone has labeled copies. Ask if they can see clues in your photograph that you have not seen.
--When you can identify one or more people in a photograph, think about those who may be dressed alike. They could be siblings or cousins. Maybe the way they posed in relation to each other suggests something about their relationship.
Mather School photos
Does anyone have labeled Mather School (Beaufort) photographs 1905-15? If so, I would appreciate hearing from you.
My grandmother, Louisa Oswell, attended the school about that time.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
93 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 11, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
State archives a good site for research
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 451 words
It's practically become chic to have subscriptions to two, three or more genealogy Web sites, including ones such as footnote.com and worldvitalrecords.com, which are gaining on the giant, ancestry.com.
Each of those sites has something that the other doesn't. And each one has collections that include records created by and about South Carolinians. But if you're a family historian with South Carolina ancestors, and you're not using the South Carolina Department of Archives and History's free Web site, archives.sc.gov, you're missing the boat.
The department is the official repository for state, county and municipal government records and has many 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century ones. Many of those records were created up to 50 years ago.
In other words, there's a greater chance you'll find South Carolina ancestors' names in its collections than in others. So using the department's resources dramatically increases your chances of achieving the fruitful searches needed to grow your family tree.
The archives' free online record indexes include more than 300,000 individual items in eight reference categories. That's more than 50 individual types of records. Users can search by names, locations and topics.
Digital images found with a lot of the indexes make the site even more useful. They include links that allow you to see images of actual documents with a single mouse click. Some of the more popular digitized collections are wills transcripts, 1869 militia enrollments, Civil War pension applications, Colonial plats and school insurance photographs.
The department wants to have images for every index published online in five to seven years.
Of course, not everything in the department's collections is indexed online. The records found there represent about 1 percent of its holdings.
Many valuable records such as state census records and death certificates are not found there. But you can find bills of sale, mortgages, renunciation of dowers and more than 13,000 miscellaneous records.
The current version of the Web site, which came online in early 2008, is structured so that records can be added much more easily. And this version is far easier to navigate than the previous one.
True, ancestry.com does have digitized images of South Carolina records that you won't find on the state's Web site. They include useful ones such as delayed birth certificates. An agreement between the state and ancestry.com means the archives won't publish them on its site before 2013.
It's still a tremendously valuable resource, both for genealogists planning a visit to the archives and those who can't get there.
It's yours. It's free. Use it.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 12, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
94 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 11, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
State archives a good site for research
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 451 words
It's practically become chic to have subscriptions to two, three or more genealogy Web sites, including ones such as footnote.com and worldvitalrecords.com, which are gaining on the giant, ancestry.com.
Each of those sites has something that the other doesn't. And each one has collections that include records created by and about South Carolinians. But if you're a family historian with South Carolina ancestors, and you're not using the South Carolina Department of Archives and History's free Web site, archives.sc.gov, you're missing the boat.
The department is the official repository for state, county and municipal government records and has many 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century ones. Many of those records were created up to 50 years ago.
In other words, there's a greater chance you'll find South Carolina ancestors' names in its collections than in others. So using the department's resources dramatically increases your chances of achieving the fruitful searches needed to grow your family tree.
The archives' free online record indexes include more than 300,000 individual items in eight reference categories. That's more than 50 individual types of records. Users can search by names, locations and topics.
Digital images found with a lot of the indexes make the site even more useful. They include links that allow you to see images of actual documents with a single mouse click. Some of the more popular digitized collections are wills transcripts, 1869 militia enrollments, Civil War pension applications, Colonial plats and school insurance photographs.
The department wants to have images for every index published online in five to seven years.
Of course, not everything in the department's collections is indexed online. The records found there represent about 1 percent of its holdings.
Many valuable records such as state census records and death certificates are not found there. But you can find bills of sale, mortgages, renunciation of dowers and more than 13,000 miscellaneous records.
The current version of the Web site, which came online in early 2008, is structured so that records can be added much more easily. And this version is far easier to navigate than the previous one.
True, ancestry.com does have digitized images of South Carolina records that you won't find on the state's Web site. They include useful ones such as delayed birth certificates. An agreement between the state and ancestry.com means the archives won't publish them on its site before 2013.
It's still a tremendously valuable resource, both for genealogists planning a visit to the archives and those who can't get there.
It's yours. It's free. Use it.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
95 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 4, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
There are substitutes for vital records
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 400 words
Will you spend Friday night rearranging first, middle and last names? Will you spend Saturday night devising 13 spellings of each? Will you spend Sunday night praying to hit upon the right combination of them?
Sounds like you've been trying to find birth, marriage or death records without any luck.
Vital records, as they are called, are among those most commonly used by genealogists. They contain the names, dates and places so important to finding out other information about our ancestors.
Genealogists can be obsessive about finding vital records. We can't wait to examine them. And few things are more devastating that reading a birth, marriage or death certificate riddled with question marks and "don't knows."
But our genealogical searches are not doomed just because we can't find vital records.
They may be vital records, but they are not essential to documenting an ancestor's life. Here are some substitutes that can help to establish important dates, the names of parents or both. Some can substitute for more than one vital record.
--Birth dates: Baptismal and christening records. Hospital discharge records. Midwife's books. School records. Delayed birth certificates. Orphan's records.
--Marriage dates: The 1880 and 1900 federal censuses tell if a couple were married. The 1900 Census also tells how many times they were married. Military service and pension records. Newspaper notices that a wedding took place. Church records of a wedding ceremony.
--Death dates: A newspaper obituary. Church record of a burial. Sexton's record at a cemetery. A will and probate records. Gravestone.
Roots and Branches
The final session of the 2008 Roots and Branches: African American Genealogical Workshops takes place 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Family History Center, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. The workshops teach skills needed to meet the extra challenges of researching African-American ancestors.
To learn more about Saturday's session, plans for a 2009 workshop series or other Roots and Branches activities, visit www.gullahroots.com, e-mail info@gullahroots.com or call 670-6115. Roots and Branches workshops are funded by the Humanities Council of South Carolina and Carolina Lowcountry and Atlantic World Program at the College of Charleston. It is hosted by the Family History Center.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
96 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 4, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
There are substitutes for vital records
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 400 words
Will you spend Friday night rearranging first, middle and last names? Will you spend Saturday night devising 13 spellings of each? Will you spend Sunday night praying to hit upon the right combination of them?
Sounds like you've been trying to find birth, marriage or death records without any luck.
Vital records, as they are called, are among those most commonly used by genealogists. They contain the names, dates and places so important to finding out other information about our ancestors.
Genealogists can be obsessive about finding vital records. We can't wait to examine them. And few things are more devastating that reading a birth, marriage or death certificate riddled with question marks and "don't knows."
But our genealogical searches are not doomed just because we can't find vital records.
They may be vital records, but they are not essential to documenting an ancestor's life. Here are some substitutes that can help to establish important dates, the names of parents or both. Some can substitute for more than one vital record.
--Birth dates: Baptismal and christening records. Hospital discharge records. Midwife's books. School records. Delayed birth certificates. Orphan's records.
--Marriage dates: The 1880 and 1900 federal censuses tell if a couple were married. The 1900 Census also tells how many times they were married. Military service and pension records. Newspaper notices that a wedding took place. Church records of a wedding ceremony.
--Death dates: A newspaper obituary. Church record of a burial. Sexton's record at a cemetery. A will and probate records. Gravestone.
Roots and Branches
The final session of the 2008 Roots and Branches: African American Genealogical Workshops takes place 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Family History Center, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. The workshops teach skills needed to meet the extra challenges of researching African-American ancestors.
To learn more about Saturday's session, plans for a 2009 workshop series or other Roots and Branches activities, visit www.gullahroots.com, e-mail info@gullahroots.com or call 670-6115. Roots and Branches workshops are funded by the Humanities Council of South Carolina and Carolina Lowcountry and Atlantic World Program at the College of Charleston. It is hosted by the Family History Center.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
97 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 28, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Do you know your cousins?
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 448 words
There's an adage that advises caution when making unflattering remarks about Lowcountry residents. There's a real good chance that the person whose ear you're bending is kin to the one you're running your mouth about.
Yes, kinship among people who hail from the Georgia and South Carolina coasts is a funny thing. The researcher smart enough to do a study of the situation will never be born.
However, I'm dealing with
a piece of that puzzle right now.
I was chatting with Cynthia McCottry-Smith about her paternal relatives from Williamsburg County. They were the subject of a story in the Avery Messenger, an Avery Research Center and Avery Institute publication.
Cinny, a well-known Charlestonian, mentioned she'd like to know more about her family from St. Helena Island.
Well, have I got family from St. Helena Island.
When Cinny mentioned her grandmother's parents, Queen and Isiah Haywood, I got an eerie feeling. They sounded awfully similar to my great-great-great-grandfather Cato Watson's sister and brother-in-law, Queen and Isaac Haywood.
Now Cinny and I have talked about genealogy before: at social events, as she prepared to donate her papers to Avery and when I made a genealogical presentation to the Phillis Wheatley Literary and Social Club at her home.
I had researched my ancestors' Freedman's Savings and Trust Company registers and knew that three of Cato's brothers had named a Queen as their sister. Two of them described her as Isaac Haywood's wife.
A couple of days ago, Cinny and I sat in her dining room examining federal census pages and Freedman's Savings and Trust Company records. It appears that we are cousins.
Right now, there is no reason to believe that we are not.
But in genealogy, we "exhaust all reasonable avenues of inquiry" before reaching a conclusion, so I still have some work to do. I will examine deeds, federal records created because of the Civil War and The Penn Center's collection at the University of North Carolina with the kinship question in mind.
I sure am glad Cinny is someone I've admired tremendously since coming to Charleston and that prior to this genealogical search, she expressed her fondness for me. We believe in our hearts that we are kin, descended through Queen and Cato from their parents, Toby and Nancy.
We've decided that if more research proves we're not third cousins twice removed, we'll go on feeling as if we're kin anyway.
I can feel it in my bones.
But, I'll rest easy. If we're not kin through Queen and Cato, there's always the possibility that we're kin a couple of dozen other ways.
Heck! I might even find that I had ancestors in Williamsburg County, too.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: October 29, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
98 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 28, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Do you know your cousins?
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 448 words
There's an adage that advises caution when making unflattering remarks about Lowcountry residents. There's a real good chance that the person whose ear you're bending is kin to the one you're running your mouth about.
Yes, kinship among people who hail from the Georgia and South Carolina coasts is a funny thing. The researcher smart enough to do a study of the situation will never be born.
However, I'm dealing with
a piece of that puzzle right now.
I was chatting with Cynthia McCottry-Smith about her paternal relatives from Williamsburg County. They were the subject of a story in the Avery Messenger, an Avery Research Center and Avery Institute publication.
Cinny, a well-known Charlestonian, mentioned she'd like to know more about her family from St. Helena Island.
Well, have I got family from St. Helena Island.
When Cinny mentioned her grandmother's parents, Queen and Isiah Haywood, I got an eerie feeling. They sounded awfully similar to my great-great-great-grandfather Cato Watson's sister and brother-in-law, Queen and Isaac Haywood.
Now Cinny and I have talked about genealogy before: at social events, as she prepared to donate her papers to Avery and when I made a genealogical presentation to the Phillis Wheatley Literary and Social Club at her home.
I had researched my ancestors' Freedman's Savings and Trust Company registers and knew that three of Cato's brothers had named a Queen as their sister. Two of them described her as Isaac Haywood's wife.
A couple of days ago, Cinny and I sat in her dining room examining federal census pages and Freedman's Savings and Trust Company records. It appears that we are cousins.
Right now, there is no reason to believe that we are not.
But in genealogy, we "exhaust all reasonable avenues of inquiry" before reaching a conclusion, so I still have some work to do. I will examine deeds, federal records created because of the Civil War and The Penn Center's collection at the University of North Carolina with the kinship question in mind.
I sure am glad Cinny is someone I've admired tremendously since coming to Charleston and that prior to this genealogical search, she expressed her fondness for me. We believe in our hearts that we are kin, descended through Queen and Cato from their parents, Toby and Nancy.
We've decided that if more research proves we're not third cousins twice removed, we'll go on feeling as if we're kin anyway.
I can feel it in my bones.
But, I'll rest easy. If we're not kin through Queen and Cato, there's always the possibility that we're kin a couple of dozen other ways.
Heck! I might even find that I had ancestors in Williamsburg County, too.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
99 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 21, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Archive opens voting registries
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 643 words
Has the search for ancestors who lived in the Holy City during the 1870s left you feeling genealogically cursed? If so, take heart, this could be the day that a blessing comes your way, compliments of the Charleston Archive.
The department is making the names of about three-fourths of the men who registered to vote in the city elections in 1877 available via the Internet today. That's about 7,189 of the estimated 11,000 men who lived in the city then.
Data being published include names, addresses, races and registration dates for the white, black, Asian and Spanish-speaking West Indians who registered in November of that year for December elections. The information was transcribed from 12 original precinct registers once stored in a building on East Bay Street where humidity took its toll. Four registers that contain information on the remaining registrants are lost.
Some family historians will be able to overcome research challenges posed by other missing data by using the registrations. The 1875 South Carolina census for Charleston is lost. Many African-Americans changed their names between the 1870 and 1880 federal censuses. Some registrants of all races were not found by the archive's staff in the 1870 or the 1880 federal population censuses. Nearly all of the 1890 federal population census was destroyed by a fire or the water used to extinguish it in Washington.
Names of the men, streets or structures that were spelled in unusual ways are followed by brackets that include more familiar spellings. Street names that have been changed are followed by brackets including the new names.
The men are listed in the order in which they registered, making it easy to determine who stood in line next to an ancestor. Men with the same surname who stood near an ancestor should be researched as a possible relative. Those with different last names who were in line near an ancestor, but whose name is found in other documents with that ancestor's name, should be researched as well.
Registrants spoke their names to a poll manager, who wrote them in the registers, so no evidence of ancestors' handwriting will be found. While the public can download the information from the Internet by going to http://charlestonarchive.org/2008/10/15/voters-1877/, an appointment to view the registers can be made by calling 805-6968.
The archive also has 10 of the 17 volumes of the 1879 precinct registers that it plans to transcribe.
Civil War, Barbados
Genealogists who have been unable to verify that their ancestors were surrendered at Appomattox Court House, Va., or in Greensboro, N.C., when the Confederacy surrendered to the Union in April 1865 may find a new book helpful.
"Steadfast to the Last," by Randolph W. Kirkland Jr., gives the name, rank, position, company, regiment, brigade and date and place paroled for more than 9,008 South Carolinians.
The book, which also includes surrender terms and details, is the third in a trilogy including "Broken Fortunes" and "Dark Hours."
The 212-page hardcover book costs $45 and can be bought from Brent Holcomb, P.O. Box 21766, Columbia, S.C. 29221. For more information, e-mail Holcomb at scmar@juno.com/.
Another book, "Freedmen of Barbados: Names and Notes for Genealogical and Family History Research," could be an ideal reference for those researching Barbadian roots. The revised edition includes the names of 1,800 more black or mixed-race people who were manumitted or born free than its previous edition.
Researchers will find names, a description such as colored, mulatto or Negro, and biographical notes.
The 100-page paperback book costs $17.50 and can be purchased from Jerome S. Handler, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, 145 Edam Drive, Charlottesville, Va. 22903-4629. For more information, e-mail Handler at h3v@virginia.edu/.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: October 22, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
100 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 21, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Archive opens voting registries
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 643 words
Has the search for ancestors who lived in the Holy City during the 1870s left you feeling genealogically cursed? If so, take heart, this could be the day that a blessing comes your way, compliments of the Charleston Archive.
The department is making the names of about three-fourths of the men who registered to vote in the city elections in 1877 available via the Internet today. That's about 7,189 of the estimated 11,000 men who lived in the city then.
Data being published include names, addresses, races and registration dates for the white, black, Asian and Spanish-speaking West Indians who registered in November of that year for December elections. The information was transcribed from 12 original precinct registers once stored in a building on East Bay Street where humidity took its toll. Four registers that contain information on the remaining registrants are lost.
Some family historians will be able to overcome research challenges posed by other missing data by using the registrations. The 1875 South Carolina census for Charleston is lost. Many African-Americans changed their names between the 1870 and 1880 federal censuses. Some registrants of all races were not found by the archive's staff in the 1870 or the 1880 federal population censuses. Nearly all of the 1890 federal population census was destroyed by a fire or the water used to extinguish it in Washington.
Names of the men, streets or structures that were spelled in unusual ways are followed by brackets that include more familiar spellings. Street names that have been changed are followed by brackets including the new names.
The men are listed in the order in which they registered, making it easy to determine who stood in line next to an ancestor. Men with the same surname who stood near an ancestor should be researched as a possible relative. Those with different last names who were in line near an ancestor, but whose name is found in other documents with that ancestor's name, should be researched as well.
Registrants spoke their names to a poll manager, who wrote them in the registers, so no evidence of ancestors' handwriting will be found. While the public can download the information from the Internet by going to http://charlestonarchive.org/2008/10/15/voters-1877/, an appointment to view the registers can be made by calling 805-6968.
The archive also has 10 of the 17 volumes of the 1879 precinct registers that it plans to transcribe.
Civil War, Barbados
Genealogists who have been unable to verify that their ancestors were surrendered at Appomattox Court House, Va., or in Greensboro, N.C., when the Confederacy surrendered to the Union in April 1865 may find a new book helpful.
"Steadfast to the Last," by Randolph W. Kirkland Jr., gives the name, rank, position, company, regiment, brigade and date and place paroled for more than 9,008 South Carolinians.
The book, which also includes surrender terms and details, is the third in a trilogy including "Broken Fortunes" and "Dark Hours."
The 212-page hardcover book costs $45 and can be bought from Brent Holcomb, P.O. Box 21766, Columbia, S.C. 29221. For more information, e-mail Holcomb at scmar@juno.com/.
Another book, "Freedmen of Barbados: Names and Notes for Genealogical and Family History Research," could be an ideal reference for those researching Barbadian roots. The revised edition includes the names of 1,800 more black or mixed-race people who were manumitted or born free than its previous edition.
Researchers will find names, a description such as colored, mulatto or Negro, and biographical notes.
The 100-page paperback book costs $17.50 and can be purchased from Jerome S. Handler, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, 145 Edam Drive, Charlottesville, Va. 22903-4629. For more information, e-mail Handler at h3v@virginia.edu/.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
101 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 14, 2008 Tuesday
Beware relationship meanings
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E3
LENGTH: 561 words
There you are, magnifying glass in hand, reading carefully to absorb everything that a few precious pages you've found in an old desk have to offer. Behind the fancy script on those papers are the answers to simple genealogy questions you've had for years.
It's your great-grandfather's will, and amid all that giving is a veritable litany of who was kin to him and how. The information will go a long way toward helping you to fill in the blanks on your family's pedigree chart.
There's the wanton son, the thrifty daughter and numerous cousins previously unknown to you.
Who could ask for more?
You could.
A will may represent the end for the deceased, but it's just the beginning for a genealogist. So before you start charting those fantastic genealogical gems, make sure you understand what the relationships stated in the will meant in your ancestor's time and place. Then go to the probate court in his county and find out if the will went through an estate proceeding. (Whether a person dies and leaves a valid will, testate, or dies without leaving one, intestate, there might have been an estate proceeding.)
The loose papers filed while an estate is being distributed do much more than simply state relationships. The papers can include receipts, newspaper clippings and property details containing intriguing bits of information a family historian never dreamed would be available.
When genealogists are dealing with wills and estate papers, especially those from several generations ago, knowing the following can reduce the risk of making mistakes while assembling the family history.
--Brother-in-law can refer to a stepbrother or an adopted brother. The same is true for sister-in-law. In addition, son-in-law or daughter-in-law can refer to stepchildren.
--Infants have not reached the age of majority, but they are not necessarily babies.
--Orphans sometimes have one living parent. Losing just one parent makes a child an orphan.
--Guardians can be in charge of a person's estate without having control of the person.
--Sons and daughters who are willed just $1 may not have been disinherited. They may have received part of the estate while the parent was alive.
--Don't assume that the deceased was childless because no children are named in a will. And don't assume that all children are named.
--A relict does not only refer to a widow. Either surviving partner to a marriage can be a relict.
--The word cousin can refer to just about anyone.
Whether you begin to research wills and estate proceedings by finding a will among old papers or locating one in an index at a courthouse, read more on how to research them by visiting www.cyndislist.com/wills.htm or http://genealogy.about.com/od/wills/Wills_and_Probate.htm.
Genealogy workshops
Later this month, two local groups will hold genealogy workshops.
--On Oct. 25, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., will hold sessions 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The cost, including lunch, is $5 in advance and $8 on-site.
--The Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina, 89 Wentworth St., will hold a two-day workshop Oct. 25 and 26. The cost is $90 for members and $125 for nonmembers.
For more information on the Latter-day Saints sessions, call 766-6017, and on the
Jewish Historical Society, call 953-3918. Visit this column online.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: October 16, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
102 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 14, 2008 Tuesday
Beware relationship meanings
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E3
LENGTH: 561 words
There you are, magnifying glass in hand, reading carefully to absorb everything that a few precious pages you've found in an old desk have to offer. Behind the fancy script on those papers are the answers to simple genealogy questions you've had for years.
It's your great-grandfather's will, and amid all that giving is a veritable litany of who was kin to him and how. The information will go a long way toward helping you to fill in the blanks on your family's pedigree chart.
There's the wanton son, the thrifty daughter and numerous cousins previously unknown to you.
Who could ask for more?
You could.
A will may represent the end for the deceased, but it's just the beginning for a genealogist. So before you start charting those fantastic genealogical gems, make sure you understand what the relationships stated in the will meant in your ancestor's time and place. Then go to the probate court in his county and find out if the will went through an estate proceeding. (Whether a person dies and leaves a valid will, testate, or dies without leaving one, intestate, there might have been an estate proceeding.)
The loose papers filed while an estate is being distributed do much more than simply state relationships. The papers can include receipts, newspaper clippings and property details containing intriguing bits of information a family historian never dreamed would be available.
When genealogists are dealing with wills and estate papers, especially those from several generations ago, knowing the following can reduce the risk of making mistakes while assembling the family history.
--Brother-in-law can refer to a stepbrother or an adopted brother. The same is true for sister-in-law. In addition, son-in-law or daughter-in-law can refer to stepchildren.
--Infants have not reached the age of majority, but they are not necessarily babies.
--Orphans sometimes have one living parent. Losing just one parent makes a child an orphan.
--Guardians can be in charge of a person's estate without having control of the person.
--Sons and daughters who are willed just $1 may not have been disinherited. They may have received part of the estate while the parent was alive.
--Don't assume that the deceased was childless because no children are named in a will. And don't assume that all children are named.
--A relict does not only refer to a widow. Either surviving partner to a marriage can be a relict.
--The word cousin can refer to just about anyone.
Whether you begin to research wills and estate proceedings by finding a will among old papers or locating one in an index at a courthouse, read more on how to research them by visiting www.cyndislist.com/wills.htm or http://genealogy.about.com/od/wills/Wills_and_Probate.htm.
Genealogy workshops
Later this month, two local groups will hold genealogy workshops.
--On Oct. 25, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., will hold sessions 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The cost, including lunch, is $5 in advance and $8 on-site.
--The Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina, 89 Wentworth St., will hold a two-day workshop Oct. 25 and 26. The cost is $90 for members and $125 for nonmembers.
For more information on the Latter-day Saints sessions, call 766-6017, and on the
Jewish Historical Society, call 953-3918. Visit this column online.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
103 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 7, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Deep in the heart;
Finding kin who died at Alamo fulfills Hanahan woman's dream
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
LENGTH: 741 words
Mary Wilks was a little girl with a big imagination when she saw the name on the plaque at the Alamo in San Antonio. It was "Melton," the same as her grandmother's maiden name. So, she allowed herself to think she might have an ancestor who gave his life for Texas.
Wilks didn't tell anyone about the man, Elijah Melton. She could not risk having someone burst her bubble. But every time Wilks studied the Alamo, the site of the famous Texas revolution battle, she thought about the hero who might be kin.
The battle at the Alamo was part of Texas' fight for independence from Mexico. The main portion occurred March 6, 1836, between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. Within the hour, 250 Texans were killed, and as many as 600 Mexicans were either killed or wounded. The legendary event inspired the battle cry "Remember the Alamo!" said to have been shouted by the Texans who later fought and won independence.
Last year, 50 years after she visited the Alamo, the Hanahan woman sat in her darkened bedroom researching her Melton family on rootsweb.com, an online genealogy site, when her eye landed on the name Eliel Melton.
She read his date of death. She read "Died at the Alamo." Then she got that feeling.
Wilks checked census records and history books that mentioned people who were at the Alamo to verify that he was the same Melton. She searched under "Eliel" instead of "Elijah" as she had done for decades.
"I said, 'That's him!' I almost turned cartwheels. I almost cried. I wanted to fall down and weep. I let out a shout that I'm sure people heard at the Cooper River bridge. I felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude that I had finally found him.
"A lot of my family members were Texans and I knew part of my heart was Texan. But to have had an ancestor at the Alamo! That's like someone in South Carolina having an ancestor who fired a cannon at Fort Sumter."
Eliel Melton, Wilks' first cousin four times removed, was born in 1798 in Franklin, Ga. He was a merchant who moved from Georgia to Nashville-on-the-Brazos, Texas, when he was 30, about eight years before he died. He is listed as the quartermaster of the Alamo and died that day.
"I am proud of him, but it does not matter to me if my ancestors were farmers or moonshiners. I want to know who they were. I want to know the paths they walked. The blood of these people is running in my veins. I am who I am not just because of my mother and father. I am their child also.
"They lived in Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia. That makes me who I am. It's the reason for my thought processes. It's why I yearn for the things that I yearn for. I guess you might say I'm a voyeur. I like thinking about their lives. And like every genealogist, I think it's fun just to read their names."
Melton is among the countless relatives Wilks has researched.
The family tree she has assembled extends back into the 16th century. She wishes that she could study all of their lives and learn from them.
Others share her sentiment. That's why genealogy consistently ranks high on surveys that measure the popularity of pastimes.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
GENEALOGY WORKSHOPS
If you want to become a genealogist or a better genealogist, you can pick up valuable skills at two workshops set for the Holy City Oct. 25 and 26.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will hold a free "Family History Workshop" Oct. 25. The Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina will hold "Explore Your Family Tree: Jewish Genealogy" on Oct. 25 and 26.
LDS will have 18 sessions on topics such as beginners research, organizing research, war records and tracing ancestors in several ethnic groups, including African-American, English, Irish and Scottish. There also will be sessions on how to research in various repositories.
The Jewish Historical Society has two nationally recognized speakers: Stephen P. Morse and Karen S. Franklin. Cost is $90 for members and $125 for nonmembers. Morse will present his widely acclaimed "One-Step Webpages: A Potpourri of Genealogical Search Tools" and "Playing Hide and Seek in the U.S. Census." Franklin, director of the Family Research Program at the Leo Baeck Institute, will present a case study on the European roots of a Southern Jewish family.
For schedules, visit www.charleston.net/kinship. To register for the LDS workshop, call 556-9480. To register for the JHSSC workshop, call 953-918 or go online at www.jhssc.org.
LOAD-DATE: October 8, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
104 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 7, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Deep in the heart;
Finding kin who died at Alamo fulfills Hanahan woman's dream
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
LENGTH: 741 words
Mary Wilks was a little girl with a big imagination when she saw the name on the plaque at the Alamo in San Antonio. It was "Melton," the same as her grandmother's maiden name. So, she allowed herself to think she might have an ancestor who gave his life for Texas.
Wilks didn't tell anyone about the man, Elijah Melton. She could not risk having someone burst her bubble. But every time Wilks studied the Alamo, the site of the famous Texas revolution battle, she thought about the hero who might be kin.
The battle at the Alamo was part of Texas' fight for independence from Mexico. The main portion occurred March 6, 1836, between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. Within the hour, 250 Texans were killed, and as many as 600 Mexicans were either killed or wounded. The legendary event inspired the battle cry "Remember the Alamo!" said to have been shouted by the Texans who later fought and won independence.
Last year, 50 years after she visited the Alamo, the Hanahan woman sat in her darkened bedroom researching her Melton family on rootsweb.com, an online genealogy site, when her eye landed on the name Eliel Melton.
She read his date of death. She read "Died at the Alamo." Then she got that feeling.
Wilks checked census records and history books that mentioned people who were at the Alamo to verify that he was the same Melton. She searched under "Eliel" instead of "Elijah" as she had done for decades.
"I said, 'That's him!' I almost turned cartwheels. I almost cried. I wanted to fall down and weep. I let out a shout that I'm sure people heard at the Cooper River bridge. I felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude that I had finally found him.
"A lot of my family members were Texans and I knew part of my heart was Texan. But to have had an ancestor at the Alamo! That's like someone in South Carolina having an ancestor who fired a cannon at Fort Sumter."
Eliel Melton, Wilks' first cousin four times removed, was born in 1798 in Franklin, Ga. He was a merchant who moved from Georgia to Nashville-on-the-Brazos, Texas, when he was 30, about eight years before he died. He is listed as the quartermaster of the Alamo and died that day.
"I am proud of him, but it does not matter to me if my ancestors were farmers or moonshiners. I want to know who they were. I want to know the paths they walked. The blood of these people is running in my veins. I am who I am not just because of my mother and father. I am their child also.
"They lived in Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia. That makes me who I am. It's the reason for my thought processes. It's why I yearn for the things that I yearn for. I guess you might say I'm a voyeur. I like thinking about their lives. And like every genealogist, I think it's fun just to read their names."
Melton is among the countless relatives Wilks has researched.
The family tree she has assembled extends back into the 16th century. She wishes that she could study all of their lives and learn from them.
Others share her sentiment. That's why genealogy consistently ranks high on surveys that measure the popularity of pastimes.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
GENEALOGY WORKSHOPS
If you want to become a genealogist or a better genealogist, you can pick up valuable skills at two workshops set for the Holy City Oct. 25 and 26.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will hold a free "Family History Workshop" Oct. 25. The Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina will hold "Explore Your Family Tree: Jewish Genealogy" on Oct. 25 and 26.
LDS will have 18 sessions on topics such as beginners research, organizing research, war records and tracing ancestors in several ethnic groups, including African-American, English, Irish and Scottish. There also will be sessions on how to research in various repositories.
The Jewish Historical Society has two nationally recognized speakers: Stephen P. Morse and Karen S. Franklin. Cost is $90 for members and $125 for nonmembers. Morse will present his widely acclaimed "One-Step Webpages: A Potpourri of Genealogical Search Tools" and "Playing Hide and Seek in the U.S. Census." Franklin, director of the Family Research Program at the Leo Baeck Institute, will present a case study on the European roots of a Southern Jewish family.
For schedules, visit www.charleston.net/kinship. To register for the LDS workshop, call 556-9480. To register for the JHSSC workshop, call 953-918 or go online at www.jhssc.org.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
105 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 30, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Untangling tricky genealogical web
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 398 words
There's a recurring genealogical question that I've grown weary of sidestepping, and cluster genealogy is going to help me resolve it. The research process could be a long one, but I'm excited about applying the method to my problem.
The recurring question is about a man named Peter Watson who lived on St. Helena Island more than a century ago. He was black. He had the same last name as some of my ancestors. He owned land near theirs.
But was he a relative?
Cluster genealogy involves studying the activities of cousins, in-laws, neighbors, friends, ministers, business partners, professional associates and even merchants in a community to resolve a genealogical question. It involves more than studying the lives of direct ancestors.
Researching a cluster is not new. I used it during the 1990s to find out who owned my ancestors in the Bahamas 200 years ago. I researched five planter families on the wrong side of the American Revolution who settled in the Bahamas and some of their neighbors there.
While relatively few genealogists use cluster genealogy, quite a few people are talking about it these days. So I've had the opportunity to learn about cases where cluster genealogy was used to solve genealogical mysteries such as mine.
It has been used to sort out relationships in many kinds of communities, including rural ones such as Watson's.
A couple of centuries ago, Watson would have been called a cousin, period. Few would have dared to ask for details about his connection. Even if Watson was just a neighbor who shared their lives, inquiring about him would have been an insult.
I don't want to draw the wrath of the ancestors, but with all due respect, I'll be inquiring.
Organizing tool
Those who use paper charts and forms while researching in repositories may want to consider buying the "Family History Research Toolkit" by Michael Hait.
The compact disc published by Genealogical Publishing Co. has 20 forms that can be printed as needed or filled out on the computer and saved for future reference.
In addition to standard forms such as the family group record, pedigree chart and research log, the kit includes forms such as those to record census neighbors, land histories, probate extractions and more. All of the forms are formatted for citing sources.
The $19.95 kit can be purchased at www.genealogical.com.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: October 1, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
106 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 30, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Untangling tricky genealogical web
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 398 words
There's a recurring genealogical question that I've grown weary of sidestepping, and cluster genealogy is going to help me resolve it. The research process could be a long one, but I'm excited about applying the method to my problem.
The recurring question is about a man named Peter Watson who lived on St. Helena Island more than a century ago. He was black. He had the same last name as some of my ancestors. He owned land near theirs.
But was he a relative?
Cluster genealogy involves studying the activities of cousins, in-laws, neighbors, friends, ministers, business partners, professional associates and even merchants in a community to resolve a genealogical question. It involves more than studying the lives of direct ancestors.
Researching a cluster is not new. I used it during the 1990s to find out who owned my ancestors in the Bahamas 200 years ago. I researched five planter families on the wrong side of the American Revolution who settled in the Bahamas and some of their neighbors there.
While relatively few genealogists use cluster genealogy, quite a few people are talking about it these days. So I've had the opportunity to learn about cases where cluster genealogy was used to solve genealogical mysteries such as mine.
It has been used to sort out relationships in many kinds of communities, including rural ones such as Watson's.
A couple of centuries ago, Watson would have been called a cousin, period. Few would have dared to ask for details about his connection. Even if Watson was just a neighbor who shared their lives, inquiring about him would have been an insult.
I don't want to draw the wrath of the ancestors, but with all due respect, I'll be inquiring.
Organizing tool
Those who use paper charts and forms while researching in repositories may want to consider buying the "Family History Research Toolkit" by Michael Hait.
The compact disc published by Genealogical Publishing Co. has 20 forms that can be printed as needed or filled out on the computer and saved for future reference.
In addition to standard forms such as the family group record, pedigree chart and research log, the kit includes forms such as those to record census neighbors, land histories, probate extractions and more. All of the forms are formatted for citing sources.
The $19.95 kit can be purchased at www.genealogical.com.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
107 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 23, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Hope, help for adoption researchers
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 371 words
When I answer the phone on my desk and the caller says Kinship, I anticipate a conversation about a brick wall that they are trying to break through. Most genealogists know there are usually a number of ways to resolve family history research problems. Those readers who call often want me to suggest one or two.
Usually, I can provide assistance. But there are times when I've struggled to find a way to help and couldn't.
Sometimes the person calling is facing a brick wall cemented by adoption. It might be their own adoption or their suspected adoption. It might be the adoption of a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent.
Sometimes the problem is that the genealogical researcher knows nothing about the family ties that were severed. Sometimes it's that they know some things, but not enough to convince them that they have a chance of filling in the blanks of a pedigree chart.
I've done some research in an effort to help those genealogists struggling with adoption issues to find solutions.
Before beginning or continuing to research, I strongly suggest reading "All About Adoption Research," a very informative Internet article by Maureen Taylor, an accomplished professional genealogist.
Taylor gives many tips and techniques for researching family histories when adoption is an issue. What helps most is that she discusses which sources usually contain information about adoptions during particular time periods. Type the name of the article into the search box at www.genealogy.com.
In addition, you'll find a number of genealogists exchanging information about issues at http://genforum.genealogy.com/adoption/. Even if you don't join the discussion, reading the messages will give you many examples of what the process can be like.
As you proceed, remember that most genealogical research is challenging and emotional. It's often necessary to control our feelings to perform that research successfully. And while family history research involving adoption can be quite different, it's possible that once a genealogist puts a few cracks into that brick wall, things will start to fall into place.
Solving family history mysteries is always worth the effort.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: September 24, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
108 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 23, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Hope, help for adoption researchers
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 371 words
When I answer the phone on my desk and the caller says Kinship, I anticipate a conversation about a brick wall that they are trying to break through. Most genealogists know there are usually a number of ways to resolve family history research problems. Those readers who call often want me to suggest one or two.
Usually, I can provide assistance. But there are times when I've struggled to find a way to help and couldn't.
Sometimes the person calling is facing a brick wall cemented by adoption. It might be their own adoption or their suspected adoption. It might be the adoption of a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent.
Sometimes the problem is that the genealogical researcher knows nothing about the family ties that were severed. Sometimes it's that they know some things, but not enough to convince them that they have a chance of filling in the blanks of a pedigree chart.
I've done some research in an effort to help those genealogists struggling with adoption issues to find solutions.
Before beginning or continuing to research, I strongly suggest reading "All About Adoption Research," a very informative Internet article by Maureen Taylor, an accomplished professional genealogist.
Taylor gives many tips and techniques for researching family histories when adoption is an issue. What helps most is that she discusses which sources usually contain information about adoptions during particular time periods. Type the name of the article into the search box at www.genealogy.com.
In addition, you'll find a number of genealogists exchanging information about issues at http://genforum.genealogy.com/adoption/. Even if you don't join the discussion, reading the messages will give you many examples of what the process can be like.
As you proceed, remember that most genealogical research is challenging and emotional. It's often necessary to control our feelings to perform that research successfully. And while family history research involving adoption can be quite different, it's possible that once a genealogist puts a few cracks into that brick wall, things will start to fall into place.
Solving family history mysteries is always worth the effort.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
109 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 16, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
New source gets documents quickly
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 435 words
Most genealogists know the frustration of wanting a document that is not published on the Internet and is in a place far away. It's a recurring frustration, but one many family historians never learn to handle well.
Documents requested from an agency, court or private collection often take four or more weeks to arrive. Such places don't exist to serve genealogists and as tightening budgets cause staffing cuts, fulfilling genealogical requests will be low on the priority list.
How to get such documents quickly is an issue that was discussed by family historians at the Federation of Genealogical Societies conference in Philadelphia recently.
Today, family historians usually pay a professional genealogist a $50-plus research fee and expenses for a simple lookup and copy; use a volunteer with Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness, who is under no obligation to perform the service they request; or wait until they can travel and get the document themselves.
But one vendor at the conference, Genlighten.com, a company being created by Dean and Cynthia Richardson, an Illinois couple, will provide another option. Dean a genealogist, and Cynthia, who runs a Family History Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are recruiting genealogists around the country to provide lookups quickly and cheaply.
They want people who frequent agencies, courthouses, historical societies and other places that hold documents genealogists need to see, Dean Richardson says. The goal is to have people who can fill requests from several genealogists in one trip for about $10-$20.
To use Genlighten.com, genealogists would visit its site and enter the geographical jurisdiction where the birth, marriage, death, probate, naturalization or other record they want would be located. The names of researchers in that area, the services they provide and fees they charge would appear. Genealogists would select the researcher that best meets their need.
The goal of the company is to have an average turnaround time of five to seven days. The documents they provide will be photocopies sufficient for genealogical purposes, not certified or official copies.
Customers would get an e-mail when the researcher fills their request and can download the record from Genlighten.com. They also can rate the researcher on their timeliness, level of service and price.
For prelaunch access to the site, to offer development suggestions or remain informed about Genlighten's progress, e-mail them at info@genlighten.com Plans are to launch Genlighten.com in January.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: September 17, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
110 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 16, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
New source gets documents quickly
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 435 words
Most genealogists know the frustration of wanting a document that is not published on the Internet and is in a place far away. It's a recurring frustration, but one many family historians never learn to handle well.
Documents requested from an agency, court or private collection often take four or more weeks to arrive. Such places don't exist to serve genealogists and as tightening budgets cause staffing cuts, fulfilling genealogical requests will be low on the priority list.
How to get such documents quickly is an issue that was discussed by family historians at the Federation of Genealogical Societies conference in Philadelphia recently.
Today, family historians usually pay a professional genealogist a $50-plus research fee and expenses for a simple lookup and copy; use a volunteer with Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness, who is under no obligation to perform the service they request; or wait until they can travel and get the document themselves.
But one vendor at the conference, Genlighten.com, a company being created by Dean and Cynthia Richardson, an Illinois couple, will provide another option. Dean a genealogist, and Cynthia, who runs a Family History Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are recruiting genealogists around the country to provide lookups quickly and cheaply.
They want people who frequent agencies, courthouses, historical societies and other places that hold documents genealogists need to see, Dean Richardson says. The goal is to have people who can fill requests from several genealogists in one trip for about $10-$20.
To use Genlighten.com, genealogists would visit its site and enter the geographical jurisdiction where the birth, marriage, death, probate, naturalization or other record they want would be located. The names of researchers in that area, the services they provide and fees they charge would appear. Genealogists would select the researcher that best meets their need.
The goal of the company is to have an average turnaround time of five to seven days. The documents they provide will be photocopies sufficient for genealogical purposes, not certified or official copies.
Customers would get an e-mail when the researcher fills their request and can download the record from Genlighten.com. They also can rate the researcher on their timeliness, level of service and price.
For prelaunch access to the site, to offer development suggestions or remain informed about Genlighten's progress, e-mail them at info@genlighten.com Plans are to launch Genlighten.com in January.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: September 18, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
111 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 16, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
New source gets documents quickly
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 435 words
Most genealogists know the frustration of wanting a document that is not published on the Internet and is in a place far away. It's a recurring frustration, but one many family historians never learn to handle well.
Documents requested from an agency, court or private collection often take four or more weeks to arrive. Such places don't exist to serve genealogists and as tightening budgets cause staffing cuts, fulfilling genealogical requests will be low on the priority list.
How to get such documents quickly is an issue that was discussed by family historians at the Federation of Genealogical Societies conference in Philadelphia recently.
Today, family historians usually pay a professional genealogist a $50-plus research fee and expenses for a simple lookup and copy; use a volunteer with Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness, who is under no obligation to perform the service they request; or wait until they can travel and get the document themselves.
But one vendor at the conference, Genlighten.com, a company being created by Dean and Cynthia Richardson, an Illinois couple, will provide another option. Dean a genealogist, and Cynthia, who runs a Family History Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are recruiting genealogists around the country to provide lookups quickly and cheaply.
They want people who frequent agencies, courthouses, historical societies and other places that hold documents genealogists need to see, Dean Richardson says. The goal is to have people who can fill requests from several genealogists in one trip for about $10-$20.
To use Genlighten.com, genealogists would visit its site and enter the geographical jurisdiction where the birth, marriage, death, probate, naturalization or other record they want would be located. The names of researchers in that area, the services they provide and fees they charge would appear. Genealogists would select the researcher that best meets their need.
The goal of the company is to have an average turnaround time of five to seven days. The documents they provide will be photocopies sufficient for genealogical purposes, not certified or official copies.
Customers would get an e-mail when the researcher fills their request and can download the record from Genlighten.com. They also can rate the researcher on their timeliness, level of service and price.
For prelaunch access to the site, to offer development suggestions or remain informed about Genlighten's progress, e-mail them at info@genlighten.com Plans are to launch Genlighten.com in January.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
112 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 9, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Roots TV a valued resource
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 416 words
In thumbing through the latest issue of NGS Newsmagazine, some words caught my eyes and demanded that I pay closer attention: "Coroners and genealogists join forces to tackle quiet epidemic of unclaimed persons."
The story in the magazine, from the National Genealogical Society, was about a new program on Roots Television, a Web channel for those who are interested in family history. It said the problem of dead bodies that go unclaimed inspired a new show on the channel called "Unclaimed Persons."
I reached for my computer keyboard and typed in www.rootstelevision.com. One mouse click led to another and I never got around to viewing "Unclaimed Persons." I'm still fascinated by Roots Television.
If I had heard about it before, I certainly don't remember - and if you haven't checked it out, you should.
One of Roots Television's founders is Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, chief family historian and North American spokeswoman for Ancestry.com (and yes, that is her real name). The other is independent media producer Marcy Brown.
The channel has a wide variety of programming that reflects its stated goal of appealing to a broad range of family historians. That includes those interested in "roots travel," Civil War re-enactors, family reunion planners, armchair historians, cemetery buffs, mystery solvers and others, along with diehard researchers who've never heard of an archive they weren't compelled to visit.
Roots Television has many shows that are professionally produced, but that doesn't mean the average Joe or Jane can't appear. Family historians can be considered for Roots Television by submitting content for its Roots Tube.
The content can be about research tips, family reunions, oral history, anything that would interest people who like genealogy and related topics. Preferred submissions are 30 seconds to five minutes long, but longer ones will be considered. You can learn more about the guidelines and how to upload content to the Web site by visiting www.rootstelevision.com and clicking on Roots Tube.
There's also Roots Central, where viewers can post and read about events, brick walls and speaking schedules.
The founders say the majority of the programs on Roots Television will remain free, but there are plans to institute a pay-per-view or download-to-own option.
There's already so much to see there, it's difficult to remain in control.
Maybe tonight I'll finally get around to viewing "Unclaimed Persons."
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: September 10, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
113 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 9, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Roots TV a valued resource
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 416 words
In thumbing through the latest issue of NGS Newsmagazine, some words caught my eyes and demanded that I pay closer attention: "Coroners and genealogists join forces to tackle quiet epidemic of unclaimed persons."
The story in the magazine, from the National Genealogical Society, was about a new program on Roots Television, a Web channel for those who are interested in family history. It said the problem of dead bodies that go unclaimed inspired a new show on the channel called "Unclaimed Persons."
I reached for my computer keyboard and typed in www.rootstelevision.com. One mouse click led to another and I never got around to viewing "Unclaimed Persons." I'm still fascinated by Roots Television.
If I had heard about it before, I certainly don't remember - and if you haven't checked it out, you should.
One of Roots Television's founders is Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, chief family historian and North American spokeswoman for Ancestry.com (and yes, that is her real name). The other is independent media producer Marcy Brown.
The channel has a wide variety of programming that reflects its stated goal of appealing to a broad range of family historians. That includes those interested in "roots travel," Civil War re-enactors, family reunion planners, armchair historians, cemetery buffs, mystery solvers and others, along with diehard researchers who've never heard of an archive they weren't compelled to visit.
Roots Television has many shows that are professionally produced, but that doesn't mean the average Joe or Jane can't appear. Family historians can be considered for Roots Television by submitting content for its Roots Tube.
The content can be about research tips, family reunions, oral history, anything that would interest people who like genealogy and related topics. Preferred submissions are 30 seconds to five minutes long, but longer ones will be considered. You can learn more about the guidelines and how to upload content to the Web site by visiting www.rootstelevision.com and clicking on Roots Tube.
There's also Roots Central, where viewers can post and read about events, brick walls and speaking schedules.
The founders say the majority of the programs on Roots Television will remain free, but there are plans to institute a pay-per-view or download-to-own option.
There's already so much to see there, it's difficult to remain in control.
Maybe tonight I'll finally get around to viewing "Unclaimed Persons."
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
114 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 2, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Unraveling handwriting not easy
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 371 words
When researching a family's history leads you to old handwriting, it's time to be patient and focused.
One misunderstood word in a document written centuries ago can cause a genealogist to reach incorrect conclusions that will have a ripple effect.
It doesn't matter whether a researcher is reading a personal letter or government record, knowing what's being said is the best insurance against moving in the wrong direction.
Reading old documents can be difficult. They often have fading, smudges and tears that can frustrate efforts to get through them. But those are not the only things that can try a genealogist's patience. Deciphering letters and abbreviations in the most perfectly preserved documents can drive a researcher up a wall.
To guard against losing focus, patience or both, it's important to be familiar with some of the characteristics of old handwriting that might cause a family historian problems.
They include words that appear to include the letters "fs." The first letter is shaped differently and is much larger than the second, but they are both "s." If you didn't know that, you might read the name "Bass" as "Bafs."
While some writers of old script had terrible penmanship, others took pains to make their writing attractive. That sometimes led to a lot of loops that are meaningless. So when reading their writing, be careful not to mistake fancy penmanship for small "e's."
In addition, figuring out abbreviations can pose challenges to family historians because many are improvised. Even abbreviations that are not improvised may be written in ways you would not expect.
For example, the letters "yt" are an abbreviation for the word "that." And while many people think that "ye" is an abbreviation that really doesn't mean anything, it actually means "the."
The best thing to do before delving into old handwriting is to read some tips that will help you to decipher it.
You can find tips on the Web site at www.cyndislist.com/handwrit.htm. Click on "General Resources Sites."
If you don't understand an old document, consult an archivist or research librarian. They deal with old handwriting frequently and usually are more than happy to assist.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: September 3, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
115 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 2, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Unraveling handwriting not easy
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 371 words
When researching a family's history leads you to old handwriting, it's time to be patient and focused.
One misunderstood word in a document written centuries ago can cause a genealogist to reach incorrect conclusions that will have a ripple effect.
It doesn't matter whether a researcher is reading a personal letter or government record, knowing what's being said is the best insurance against moving in the wrong direction.
Reading old documents can be difficult. They often have fading, smudges and tears that can frustrate efforts to get through them. But those are not the only things that can try a genealogist's patience. Deciphering letters and abbreviations in the most perfectly preserved documents can drive a researcher up a wall.
To guard against losing focus, patience or both, it's important to be familiar with some of the characteristics of old handwriting that might cause a family historian problems.
They include words that appear to include the letters "fs." The first letter is shaped differently and is much larger than the second, but they are both "s." If you didn't know that, you might read the name "Bass" as "Bafs."
While some writers of old script had terrible penmanship, others took pains to make their writing attractive. That sometimes led to a lot of loops that are meaningless. So when reading their writing, be careful not to mistake fancy penmanship for small "e's."
In addition, figuring out abbreviations can pose challenges to family historians because many are improvised. Even abbreviations that are not improvised may be written in ways you would not expect.
For example, the letters "yt" are an abbreviation for the word "that." And while many people think that "ye" is an abbreviation that really doesn't mean anything, it actually means "the."
The best thing to do before delving into old handwriting is to read some tips that will help you to decipher it.
You can find tips on the Web site at www.cyndislist.com/handwrit.htm. Click on "General Resources Sites."
If you don't understand an old document, consult an archivist or research librarian. They deal with old handwriting frequently and usually are more than happy to assist.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
116 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 26, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Genealogy's seventh heaven
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 390 words
A week from now, I'll be in seventh heaven. The signs will say Pennsylvania, but they'll be wrong. From Tuesday through Saturday, I'll be in a state of genealogical bliss, and it'll be seventh heaven to me.
It's the Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference, a major gathering where I hope to learn just about everything that is happening or is about to happen in the national genealogy community.
The huge number and variety of sessions to be offered at the federation's conference in Philadelphia is tantalizing. The program promises a feast that makes it hard to decide which ones to attend. The syllabus for the event covers 220 sessions and has 660 pages.
Here's hoping the genealogy gods will ensure that every session is recorded, no human errors, no equipment malfunctions.
So far, it seems they are on my side.
The sessions look great. Some are led by my genealogy heroes and heroines. Others are led by those whose work I've found helpful. And there aren't so many scheduling conflicts that I'd accept an offer to be cloned.
Sessions that I plan not to miss are "Margaret's Baby's Father and the Lessons He Taught Me"; "The Courthouse Burned!: Alternate Approaches & Treasures"; "Finding a Woman's Maiden Name"; "Wills & Probate Will Be the Death of Me"; "Anatomy of a Pension File"; "Forty (40) Overlooked Sources"; and "Leaping to Erroneous Conclusions."
Maybe I'll get to hear about glitches in some of the Web genealogy sites. I passed up the opportunity to hear that in favor of something else once. Bad choice. I've regretted making it for quite a while. Can't recall what I attended instead.
In addition to skills sessions, the conference will be loaded with sessions that provide information that can be used in my work as director of Roots and Branches and second vice president of the S.C. Genealogical Society's Charleston chapter.
Now, I'm not promising to return with gifts for my genealogical buddies, but I can't wait to shop with vendors in the conference exhibit hall. First on my shopping list is a powerful sheet magnifying glass.
My wish is that the airline will fail to notice all the stuff I'll bring back. (I hate to ship.) Maybe I'll call upon the genealogy gods or some other deities to help me with that. After all, I'll be on my way back from seventh heaven.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: August 29, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
117 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 26, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Genealogy's seventh heaven
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 390 words
A week from now, I'll be in seventh heaven. The signs will say Pennsylvania, but they'll be wrong. From Tuesday through Saturday, I'll be in a state of genealogical bliss, and it'll be seventh heaven to me.
It's the Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference, a major gathering where I hope to learn just about everything that is happening or is about to happen in the national genealogy community.
The huge number and variety of sessions to be offered at the federation's conference in Philadelphia is tantalizing. The program promises a feast that makes it hard to decide which ones to attend. The syllabus for the event covers 220 sessions and has 660 pages.
Here's hoping the genealogy gods will ensure that every session is recorded, no human errors, no equipment malfunctions.
So far, it seems they are on my side.
The sessions look great. Some are led by my genealogy heroes and heroines. Others are led by those whose work I've found helpful. And there aren't so many scheduling conflicts that I'd accept an offer to be cloned.
Sessions that I plan not to miss are "Margaret's Baby's Father and the Lessons He Taught Me"; "The Courthouse Burned!: Alternate Approaches & Treasures"; "Finding a Woman's Maiden Name"; "Wills & Probate Will Be the Death of Me"; "Anatomy of a Pension File"; "Forty (40) Overlooked Sources"; and "Leaping to Erroneous Conclusions."
Maybe I'll get to hear about glitches in some of the Web genealogy sites. I passed up the opportunity to hear that in favor of something else once. Bad choice. I've regretted making it for quite a while. Can't recall what I attended instead.
In addition to skills sessions, the conference will be loaded with sessions that provide information that can be used in my work as director of Roots and Branches and second vice president of the S.C. Genealogical Society's Charleston chapter.
Now, I'm not promising to return with gifts for my genealogical buddies, but I can't wait to shop with vendors in the conference exhibit hall. First on my shopping list is a powerful sheet magnifying glass.
My wish is that the airline will fail to notice all the stuff I'll bring back. (I hate to ship.) Maybe I'll call upon the genealogy gods or some other deities to help me with that. After all, I'll be on my way back from seventh heaven.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
118 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 22, 2008 Friday
Final Edition
Noisette family to gather;
Descendants of famed botanist to travel from France, Haiti, U.S.
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, The Post and Courier
SECTION: LOCAL & STATE; Pg. B1
LENGTH: 439 words
There's a special kind of reunion that is occurring more and more. It's the kind where blacks and whites reach across the racial divide to explore a shared history, no matter what the relationships among their ancestors were.
They meet on plantations, at houses of worship and in urban settings for long weekends to share their pieces of the stories that illuminate who they are and how they came to be.
Over the past 30 years such gatherings have taken place in Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina and elsewhere. Each occurrence was a little miraculous.
This weekend, the descendants of 18th century French botanist Philippe Noisette (1773-1835) and Celestine, the mulatto wife he brought to Charleston when he fled the Haitian Revolution, will meet in North Charleston with Noisettes from France, Haiti and the United States.
Noisette is the botanist who developed the Noisette class of roses. Experts say they are the only variety or roses that originated in the United States.
As genealogical inquiries go, discovering even a partial answer to a long-held question can bring a tremendous amount of satisfaction. The Noisettes have a couple of big questions to consider while gathering.
Those hosting the reunion can document their kinship with those in France, but don't know how they are connected to other Noisettes in this country, including another local branch.
In addition, they want to know if Noisette, who purchased Celestine 15 years after they came to Charleston to protect her, bought others as well.
Lately, many Noisettes in different branches of the family have been working on the family history, and encountered each other via the Internet. But as far back as the 1930s, Noisettes here and ones in France wrote several letters of inquiry trying to reconnect.
The hosts reached out to as many Noisettes as possible and are expecting 159 people to attend the reunion, which has been two years in the making.
About six of them will represent the French line and three will represent those from Haiti. They eventually want to get those in Australia involved in the genealogical search.
Louise Noisette Merrell, the family's main genealogist, died in 1997. Her daughter Peggy Clement, reunion co-chairwoman, said the gathering is something her mother wanted, and the family is just trying to follow through.
Clement visited Noisettes in France earlier this year to prepare for the reunion.
While most of the reunion is private, the public is invited to attend a rose garden dedication in Philippe Noisette's honor at 11:30 a.m. today, at the Charleston Navy Base, near the dead house at North Charleston Riverfront Park.
LOAD-DATE: August 22, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
119 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 19, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Variant spellings the rule
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 388 words
You started researching a McCrae ancestor and could not find his name recorded in the county where relatives say he lived. So you searched the state, the nation, even other countries, thinking he must have moved.
M-c-C-r-a-e.
You found Mcraes, McCrays, Mcrays, McCreas, Mcreas and even McCreighs during your search. But you think they couldn't be your ancestors. You say your kin would be found using only McCrae. You insist that considering those with similar last names would be a waste of time.
Actually, genealogy is about researching people, not looking up names. But family historians, unfortunately, sometimes think that if they can't find an ancestor using a specific spelling, the ancestor can't be found.
Some family historians even refer to variant spellings as wrong.
Nearly every genealogist probably has done that at some point.
But neglecting to research variant spellings shortchanges us, living relatives and descendants. Variant spellings are not really the exception; they are the rule.
A family historian could overlook or fail to connect several lines on the family tree by insisting on a certain spelling. They could miss family stories and situations behind a spelling change. Those stories, in turn, could provide more clues about the family's history.
My suggestion is that you begin your research using the spelling that you are familiar with first. And consider giving priority to those based on ethnic and regional preferences.
In every case, consider all the possibilities.
Standardized name spellings were not even tried in many places until well into the 19th century.
A surname might be spelled differently because it was written by someone who learned to spell it differently. It might be spelled phonetically by someone who did not understand your ancestor's accent. It may have been changed by someone, but your ancestors found changing it back more trouble than it was worth.
So, when tracing your family's history, it's best to make a list of the last names involved and the various ways they might be spelled.
Include the common and traditional spellings, as well as ones that are phonetic. Also, include other names that sometimes are confused with the ones in your family.
Again, genealogy is about researching people, not looking up names.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: August 20, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
120 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 19, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Variant spellings the rule
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 388 words
You started researching a McCrae ancestor and could not find his name recorded in the county where relatives say he lived. So you searched the state, the nation, even other countries, thinking he must have moved.
M-c-C-r-a-e.
You found Mcraes, McCrays, Mcrays, McCreas, Mcreas and even McCreighs during your search. But you think they couldn't be your ancestors. You say your kin would be found using only McCrae. You insist that considering those with similar last names would be a waste of time.
Actually, genealogy is about researching people, not looking up names. But family historians, unfortunately, sometimes think that if they can't find an ancestor using a specific spelling, the ancestor can't be found.
Some family historians even refer to variant spellings as wrong.
Nearly every genealogist probably has done that at some point.
But neglecting to research variant spellings shortchanges us, living relatives and descendants. Variant spellings are not really the exception; they are the rule.
A family historian could overlook or fail to connect several lines on the family tree by insisting on a certain spelling. They could miss family stories and situations behind a spelling change. Those stories, in turn, could provide more clues about the family's history.
My suggestion is that you begin your research using the spelling that you are familiar with first. And consider giving priority to those based on ethnic and regional preferences.
In every case, consider all the possibilities.
Standardized name spellings were not even tried in many places until well into the 19th century.
A surname might be spelled differently because it was written by someone who learned to spell it differently. It might be spelled phonetically by someone who did not understand your ancestor's accent. It may have been changed by someone, but your ancestors found changing it back more trouble than it was worth.
So, when tracing your family's history, it's best to make a list of the last names involved and the various ways they might be spelled.
Include the common and traditional spellings, as well as ones that are phonetic. Also, include other names that sometimes are confused with the ones in your family.
Again, genealogy is about researching people, not looking up names.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
121 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 12, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Timelines put lives in context
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 383 words
One of the pitfalls of researching family history is getting so bogged down in collecting all the little details about your ancestors that you never take the time to step back and look at the big picture.
It's true for those who record the family data they collect on family group sheets and pedigree charts by hand. And it's true for those who use computer programs such as Family Tree Maker or Legacy to ensure easy access to their genealogical information.
One way to get a good look at your ancestors' lives and to understand why they developed as they did is to view them within the context of their times. You can look at an individual, nuclear family or larger group. You can look at entire lives or parts of lives.
Genealogists who want a better view of their ancestors' lives use timelines, chronologies of events.
To find the events, visit a Web site such as Wikipedia http://tinyurl.com/5f5ne8 to view United States timelines. Try worldatlas.com at http://tinyurl.com/5h835w or another site to view a South Carolina timeline. Consult a librarian in your county library's South Carolina Room to find good local timelines.
Of course, if you want to know why your ancestors might have immigrated to the United States, find a timeline in their previous country and study what was happening there around the time they left.
Review the people on your family tree in relation to important events in their nation, state, county or city as well as in their institutions such as churches. Don't just study the war, disaster, urbanization or invention of a tool that dramatically changed farming. Instead, think about the ways these things might have affected your ancestors' lives.
Finding information in birth census, marriage, school and other records is essential. But taking a good look at your ancestors' lives within the context of their times is very important. It will help you to understand many of the choices they made and to answer some questions about your own life.
If you decide to review the lives of many ancestors using timelines, think about getting computer software designed to make the job manageable. Begin by exploring ones such as Genelines from Progeny Software, http://tinyurl.com/5u726k, and http://ourtimelines.com.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: August 13, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
122 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 12, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Timelines put lives in context
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 383 words
One of the pitfalls of researching family history is getting so bogged down in collecting all the little details about your ancestors that you never take the time to step back and look at the big picture.
It's true for those who record the family data they collect on family group sheets and pedigree charts by hand. And it's true for those who use computer programs such as Family Tree Maker or Legacy to ensure easy access to their genealogical information.
One way to get a good look at your ancestors' lives and to understand why they developed as they did is to view them within the context of their times. You can look at an individual, nuclear family or larger group. You can look at entire lives or parts of lives.
Genealogists who want a better view of their ancestors' lives use timelines, chronologies of events.
To find the events, visit a Web site such as Wikipedia http://tinyurl.com/5f5ne8 to view United States timelines. Try worldatlas.com at http://tinyurl.com/5h835w or another site to view a South Carolina timeline. Consult a librarian in your county library's South Carolina Room to find good local timelines.
Of course, if you want to know why your ancestors might have immigrated to the United States, find a timeline in their previous country and study what was happening there around the time they left.
Review the people on your family tree in relation to important events in their nation, state, county or city as well as in their institutions such as churches. Don't just study the war, disaster, urbanization or invention of a tool that dramatically changed farming. Instead, think about the ways these things might have affected your ancestors' lives.
Finding information in birth census, marriage, school and other records is essential. But taking a good look at your ancestors' lives within the context of their times is very important. It will help you to understand many of the choices they made and to answer some questions about your own life.
If you decide to review the lives of many ancestors using timelines, think about getting computer software designed to make the job manageable. Begin by exploring ones such as Genelines from Progeny Software, http://tinyurl.com/5u726k, and http://ourtimelines.com.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
123 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 5, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Old papers at home can offer family facts
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 396 words
Genealogical data found at home often does not get the respect from family historians that government documents or historical collections do. But the yellowed and tattered papers found in old trunks and shoe boxes were created by ancestors and the people who knew them best.
Our ancestors chose to save them because they chronicle the triumphs, trials and tribulations of their lives. These papers deserve more than a cursory look and relegation to the trash heap.
While all genealogical information must be evaluated for accuracy, old papers found at home will provide you with facts not found in censuses or county records. So use both. Among those old papers that can be particularly valuable are letters and funeral programs.
Letters can provide a road map to relatives undiscovered due to a series of moves or unfamiliar surname. Even a small group of them can constitute a continuing conversation with periodic updates on things important to a family.
Changes in religion, occupation or financial standing of ancestors can be mentioned in letters and direct a genealogist to additional records. Severed or newly established business or personal relationships can be covered as well.
Other great sources of information found among old papers at home are funeral programs. While the information in them varies by region and ethnic group, printed materials given out at funerals can be quite helpful to genealogists.
Note the ancestor's religion and house of worship. Consider the relationship of the person who delivered the eulogy. The funeral home in charge or cemetery where the ancestor was buried could have records. Research the people named as pallbearers. Do the same for those who were flower attendants. They also may include the names of relatives, including deceased parents and survivors.
Genealogists occasionally hear stories of letters and funeral programs being tossed because someone in charge didn't see their usefulness. The answers to questions about a family's history may have been tossed along with them.
If you have letters, funeral programs or items documenting family history, contact a historical or genealogical society about preserving them. You also might consider donating them so that others can use them. See the online version of this column for a list of places that might be interested.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: August 6, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
124 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
August 5, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Old papers at home can offer family facts
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 396 words
Genealogical data found at home often does not get the respect from family historians that government documents or historical collections do. But the yellowed and tattered papers found in old trunks and shoe boxes were created by ancestors and the people who knew them best.
Our ancestors chose to save them because they chronicle the triumphs, trials and tribulations of their lives. These papers deserve more than a cursory look and relegation to the trash heap.
While all genealogical information must be evaluated for accuracy, old papers found at home will provide you with facts not found in censuses or county records. So use both. Among those old papers that can be particularly valuable are letters and funeral programs.
Letters can provide a road map to relatives undiscovered due to a series of moves or unfamiliar surname. Even a small group of them can constitute a continuing conversation with periodic updates on things important to a family.
Changes in religion, occupation or financial standing of ancestors can be mentioned in letters and direct a genealogist to additional records. Severed or newly established business or personal relationships can be covered as well.
Other great sources of information found among old papers at home are funeral programs. While the information in them varies by region and ethnic group, printed materials given out at funerals can be quite helpful to genealogists.
Note the ancestor's religion and house of worship. Consider the relationship of the person who delivered the eulogy. The funeral home in charge or cemetery where the ancestor was buried could have records. Research the people named as pallbearers. Do the same for those who were flower attendants. They also may include the names of relatives, including deceased parents and survivors.
Genealogists occasionally hear stories of letters and funeral programs being tossed because someone in charge didn't see their usefulness. The answers to questions about a family's history may have been tossed along with them.
If you have letters, funeral programs or items documenting family history, contact a historical or genealogical society about preserving them. You also might consider donating them so that others can use them. See the online version of this column for a list of places that might be interested.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
125 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 29, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Look to West Indies for Scots
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 391 words
Genealogists tracing Scottish ancestors with a research strategy that doesn't include the West Indies should amend it now. That's particularly true if you are researching a family with branches in South Carolina or Georgia.
If the trail for an ancestor has gone cold, he might have sided with the British during the American Revolution and made a new home in the West Indies. Ancestors you are not yet aware of might have gone there, too.
Take a look at Volumes I and II of "Scots in the West Indies: 1707-1857" by David Dobson, a dedicated researcher of families who emigrated from Scotland to America and elsewhere. The two 8 1/2-by-5-inch books are printed for the Clearfield Co. by Genealogical Publishing Co.
Together, they contain more than 270 pages of alphabetized names from sources Dobson found in archival records of Cuba, Denmark and Jamaica as well as Scotland and England. He also found information in dozens of newspapers and other publications that you might not hear of otherwise.
A significant number of people from South Carolina and Georgia who supported the British were of Scottish descent. Many of those who moved to eastern Florida (the St. Augustine area) later went to the Bahamas. Others went to Caribbean islands, such as Jamaica and St. Martin, where they had relatives or friends.
African-Americans researching slave owners for records of their ancestors should note that many owners took their slaves to the West Indies with them.
Dobson found information on masons, merchants, ministers, planters, physicians and those in other occupations. The books can lead family historians to papers that can help document births, deaths, marriages and more.
Be aware that records in other countries might not be controlled by the archive. In some cases, they are listed with the archives, but in the possession of the owner. Whether to grant access to such records is a decision made by the owner on a case-by-case basis.
Genealogists also should check Dobson's "Scottish Transatlantic Merchants, 1611-1785."
The Charleston County Public Library has 25 books, including Vol. I of "Scots in the West Indies," on Scottish emigrants, by Dobson. All three mentioned in this column can be purchased from Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, www.genealogical.com, 410-837-8271.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
126 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 29, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Look to West Indies for Scots
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 391 words
Genealogists tracing Scottish ancestors with a research strategy that doesn't include the West Indies should amend it now. That's particularly true if you are researching a family with branches in South Carolina or Georgia.
If the trail for an ancestor has gone cold, he might have sided with the British during the American Revolution and made a new home in the West Indies. Ancestors you are not yet aware of might have gone there, too.
Take a look at Volumes I and II of "Scots in the West Indies: 1707-1857" by David Dobson, a dedicated researcher of families who emigrated from Scotland to America and elsewhere. The two 8 1/2-by-5-inch books are printed for the Clearfield Co. by Genealogical Publishing Co.
Together, they contain more than 270 pages of alphabetized names from sources Dobson found in archival records of Cuba, Denmark and Jamaica as well as Scotland and England. He also found information in dozens of newspapers and other publications that you might not hear of otherwise.
A significant number of people from South Carolina and Georgia who supported the British were of Scottish descent. Many of those who moved to eastern Florida (the St. Augustine area) later went to the Bahamas. Others went to Caribbean islands, such as Jamaica and St. Martin, where they had relatives or friends.
African-Americans researching slave owners for records of their ancestors should note that many owners took their slaves to the West Indies with them.
Dobson found information on masons, merchants, ministers, planters, physicians and those in other occupations. The books can lead family historians to papers that can help document births, deaths, marriages and more.
Be aware that records in other countries might not be controlled by the archive. In some cases, they are listed with the archives, but in the possession of the owner. Whether to grant access to such records is a decision made by the owner on a case-by-case basis.
Genealogists also should check Dobson's "Scottish Transatlantic Merchants, 1611-1785."
The Charleston County Public Library has 25 books, including Vol. I of "Scots in the West Indies," on Scottish emigrants, by Dobson. All three mentioned in this column can be purchased from Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, www.genealogical.com, 410-837-8271.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
127 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 22, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Death certificates revealing
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 367 words
People compelled to learn more about their ancestors read more pieces of paper than they can keep up with. Death certificates, of course, are among the papers a family historian consults most often when trying to uncover the details of an ancestor's life.
Without a doubt, most genealogists start out thinking of the certificates as a means of proving when an ancestor died. But those who read them carefully usually learn new and surprising things about ancestors.
Of course, many death certificates contain inaccurate information. So give the ones you read a little thought before considering what they say. Ask yourself if the person who gave the information should have known whether it was correct. Ask yourself whether the time between the death date and recording date suggests that some things may have been forgotten.
As you proceed with your answers to those questions in mind, pay attention to what the certificate suggests, as well as what it does and does not say. That's especially important when information on it suggests there are additional information sources to consult.
If your Grand-aunt Gracie's birth, raising and death in Charleston is well-documented, you might think she lived in the Holy City as an adult. But a death certificate, created by Charleston County, could name Greenville as her usual place of residence. If it does, then it's important to search records in Greenville County to learn more about Gracie and her closest relatives.
Say the parents' names on her death certificate are not the ones you've heard older relatives say. Could Gracie have had parents and stepparents? Whose names are on the certificate? Is there someone who can tell you why their names were provided?
Information in a death certificate also can shine a light on family secrets.
It might reveal that an ancestor died in a terrible accident, committed suicide or was killed. You may be upset by such a revelation, but don't let that prevent you from going on to research police, coroner or court records or searching for newspaper stories about the event.
Think of death certificates as gateways to information you might never have found without them.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
128 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 22, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Death certificates revealing
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 367 words
People compelled to learn more about their ancestors read more pieces of paper than they can keep up with. Death certificates, of course, are among the papers a family historian consults most often when trying to uncover the details of an ancestor's life.
Without a doubt, most genealogists start out thinking of the certificates as a means of proving when an ancestor died. But those who read them carefully usually learn new and surprising things about ancestors.
Of course, many death certificates contain inaccurate information. So give the ones you read a little thought before considering what they say. Ask yourself if the person who gave the information should have known whether it was correct. Ask yourself whether the time between the death date and recording date suggests that some things may have been forgotten.
As you proceed with your answers to those questions in mind, pay attention to what the certificate suggests, as well as what it does and does not say. That's especially important when information on it suggests there are additional information sources to consult.
If your Grand-aunt Gracie's birth, raising and death in Charleston is well-documented, you might think she lived in the Holy City as an adult. But a death certificate, created by Charleston County, could name Greenville as her usual place of residence. If it does, then it's important to search records in Greenville County to learn more about Gracie and her closest relatives.
Say the parents' names on her death certificate are not the ones you've heard older relatives say. Could Gracie have had parents and stepparents? Whose names are on the certificate? Is there someone who can tell you why their names were provided?
Information in a death certificate also can shine a light on family secrets.
It might reveal that an ancestor died in a terrible accident, committed suicide or was killed. You may be upset by such a revelation, but don't let that prevent you from going on to research police, coroner or court records or searching for newspaper stories about the event.
Think of death certificates as gateways to information you might never have found without them.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
129 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 15, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Get familiar with old terms
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 384 words
When genealogists investigate the cause of an ancestor's illness or death, they can be confronted by a strange word. When that happens, the temptation is to try to decipher the word's meaning from the way it is used in the sentence.
But figuring out the meaning of words when uncovering a family history is a bad idea. Even genealogists who recognize a word's root should consult a medical dictionary or Web site to find the precise meaning.
If they don't, they could overlook something significant.
Words that describe cause of death and health frequently require that we study them.
Say an ancestor died of consumption on what turns out to be Thanksgiving Day. If you guessed that the death was related to food intake, you would be wrong. Knowing that "consumption" once described the disease we now call tuberculosis would lead a diligent genealogist to search death, funeral home and cemetery records from that time for other ancestors who may have succumbed to the contagious disease.
Consumption, of course, is not the only such word that can be unfamiliar to 21st- century family historians.
Other terms include: bilious fever (typhoid or malaria), dropsy (fluid accumulation related to heart failure), fits (convulsions, seizures), miasma (air believed to have lethal elements), nephritis (kidney failure), gripe (influenza) and pyrosis (indigestion). Try searching one of the "Diseases & Medical Terms" sources found at www.cyndislist.com/medical.htm when you encounter archaic medical terms.
Words that can confuse genealogists also include ones that refer to occupations. Knowing how ancestors made their living can tell you a lot about how they spent their days. It also can suggest more sources to search, including pension or professional association records.
Job titles that are not commonly used today include drayman (someone who drives a low, flatbed wagon to transport goods), carder (combs cotton in a textile mill), factor (transacts business for merchants), huckster (hawker or street vendor), stevedore (loads and unloads ships) and wheelwright (builds and repairs wheels).
To learn what jobs other archaic words refer to, visit http://tinyurl.com/6bjq7d, a Rootsweb site, or Google them.
One word can make a world of difference.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: July 16, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
130 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 15, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Get familiar with old terms
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 384 words
When genealogists investigate the cause of an ancestor's illness or death, they can be confronted by a strange word. When that happens, the temptation is to try to decipher the word's meaning from the way it is used in the sentence.
But figuring out the meaning of words when uncovering a family history is a bad idea. Even genealogists who recognize a word's root should consult a medical dictionary or Web site to find the precise meaning.
If they don't, they could overlook something significant.
Words that describe cause of death and health frequently require that we study them.
Say an ancestor died of consumption on what turns out to be Thanksgiving Day. If you guessed that the death was related to food intake, you would be wrong. Knowing that "consumption" once described the disease we now call tuberculosis would lead a diligent genealogist to search death, funeral home and cemetery records from that time for other ancestors who may have succumbed to the contagious disease.
Consumption, of course, is not the only such word that can be unfamiliar to 21st- century family historians.
Other terms include: bilious fever (typhoid or malaria), dropsy (fluid accumulation related to heart failure), fits (convulsions, seizures), miasma (air believed to have lethal elements), nephritis (kidney failure), gripe (influenza) and pyrosis (indigestion). Try searching one of the "Diseases & Medical Terms" sources found at www.cyndislist.com/medical.htm when you encounter archaic medical terms.
Words that can confuse genealogists also include ones that refer to occupations. Knowing how ancestors made their living can tell you a lot about how they spent their days. It also can suggest more sources to search, including pension or professional association records.
Job titles that are not commonly used today include drayman (someone who drives a low, flatbed wagon to transport goods), carder (combs cotton in a textile mill), factor (transacts business for merchants), huckster (hawker or street vendor), stevedore (loads and unloads ships) and wheelwright (builds and repairs wheels).
To learn what jobs other archaic words refer to, visit http://tinyurl.com/6bjq7d, a Rootsweb site, or Google them.
One word can make a world of difference.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
131 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 8, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Verify family tales with care
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 437 words
People who attend one of the many family reunions held this time of year are bound to hear many stories. Some will certainly be funny. Some will certainly be sad. And some will certainly be fantastic.
Genealogists, anxious to expand their family's history, sometimes behave as if a story becomes more accurate as it is told over several generations. But even a story passed from person to person within a few minutes will be altered by the time it reaches the last person.
Yet family stories, called "traditions" among genealogists, usually contain some truths. And those can be used to help fill in the blanks they encounter when constructing the family's tree. So it's a good idea to analyze each element of the story, determine what probably happened and see how that information can help.
There are some questions you can ask yourself to get started.
--Did you listen to the story carefully? Do you understand what was said? Was there a term that was unfamiliar? Could a word have meant something different during your ancestors' time? Could something have been left unsaid?
--Did the place where the action took place exist? Could it have been called something else? Are you sure people in the story had been born? Were they still alive? Might several ancestors have had the same name?
--Do tax records, deeds or city directory entries support the facts you've been told? Are there old letters or diaries that shed light on them? Is there someone who might provide more information about the story?
It would be disrespectful to tell elderly relatives that you doubt the stories they have been told all their lives. And you certainly shouldn't expect any of your relatives to accept your findings at once.
But you, too, are telling the family's history, and you owe it to your ancestors, yourself and other family members to come as close to uncovering the truth as possible.
So get it straight. And pass it on.
'Roots and Branches'
In lieu of the July 12 session, "Roots and Branches: An African-American Genealogy Workshop Series" will attend the South Carolina Genealogical Society's annual workshop in Columbia July 11-12. Those who planned to participate in a July session of "Roots and Branches" in Charleston can meet to research with a team leader at 7 p.m. July 15, 22 or 28 at the usual location: Family History Center, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.
Call 670-6115 to register at least 24 hours in advance. Participation in previous sessions is not required.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
On the Web
For more on genealogy,
visit www.charleston.net/kinship.
LOAD-DATE: July 9, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
132 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 8, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Verify family tales with care
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 437 words
People who attend one of the many family reunions held this time of year are bound to hear many stories. Some will certainly be funny. Some will certainly be sad. And some will certainly be fantastic.
Genealogists, anxious to expand their family's history, sometimes behave as if a story becomes more accurate as it is told over several generations. But even a story passed from person to person within a few minutes will be altered by the time it reaches the last person.
Yet family stories, called "traditions" among genealogists, usually contain some truths. And those can be used to help fill in the blanks they encounter when constructing the family's tree. So it's a good idea to analyze each element of the story, determine what probably happened and see how that information can help.
There are some questions you can ask yourself to get started.
--Did you listen to the story carefully? Do you understand what was said? Was there a term that was unfamiliar? Could a word have meant something different during your ancestors' time? Could something have been left unsaid?
--Did the place where the action took place exist? Could it have been called something else? Are you sure people in the story had been born? Were they still alive? Might several ancestors have had the same name?
--Do tax records, deeds or city directory entries support the facts you've been told? Are there old letters or diaries that shed light on them? Is there someone who might provide more information about the story?
It would be disrespectful to tell elderly relatives that you doubt the stories they have been told all their lives. And you certainly shouldn't expect any of your relatives to accept your findings at once.
But you, too, are telling the family's history, and you owe it to your ancestors, yourself and other family members to come as close to uncovering the truth as possible.
So get it straight. And pass it on.
'Roots and Branches'
In lieu of the July 12 session, "Roots and Branches: An African-American Genealogy Workshop Series" will attend the South Carolina Genealogical Society's annual workshop in Columbia July 11-12. Those who planned to participate in a July session of "Roots and Branches" in Charleston can meet to research with a team leader at 7 p.m. July 15, 22 or 28 at the usual location: Family History Center, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.
Call 670-6115 to register at least 24 hours in advance. Participation in previous sessions is not required.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
On the Web
For more on genealogy,
visit www.charleston.net/kinship.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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133 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 1, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Church rents reels of records
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 404 words
Are you a genealogist who has moved to Charleston and found that your research has come to a grinding halt? Are there so many holes in your research that you've put off tracing your ancestors until you make that yet-to-be-scheduled trip back home?
Well, it doesn't have to be that way.
Even if the records you want can't be found on an Internet Web site, you don't have to be at home to gather information on the folks back home.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a monumental collection that can help to solve your problem.
Want the birth, marriage and death records from the county court in Kentucky or Ohio? Need the official dentist's register for California from 1885 to 1919? Can't wait to read the immigration records for mid-1855 to 1960 for Alabama?
There's a very good chance that the church's Family History Library in Utah has microfilmed the records you want and can lend them to you through its local family history center.
The church's Utah Genealogical Society began collecting and microfilming records in 1938 and has more than 2.5 million reels of microfilm.
Think of its lending program as an interlibrary loan for family historians.
The quickest way to find out if the society has what you need is to visit its Web site, www.FamilySearch.org. Click Library, then Family History Catalog, and type the name of your state and county or town in the search boxes.
You also can find and rent their film of records from more foreign countries than you can count.
When you see one you need, copy the catalog number and visit the Family History Center at 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. and order it. You don't have to be a member of the church or have a subscription to a service, just a desire to do genealogy.
You can order the records on microfilm through the Family History Center. It is open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
The rental fee is $5.75 per reel for a film, which arrives in two to three weeks and can be used at the center for 30 days. Rentals also can be extended for 30 days twice at a cost of $5.50 per extension. After two extensions, a film remains at the center for as long as it is needed.
In addition, if the film you want already is on indefinite loan at the center, you won't have to rent it, but can use it at no cost.
For more information, call the Family History Center at 766-6017.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: July 3, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
134 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 1, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Church rents reels of records
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 404 words
Are you a genealogist who has moved to Charleston and found that your research has come to a grinding halt? Are there so many holes in your research that you've put off tracing your ancestors until you make that yet-to-be-scheduled trip back home?
Well, it doesn't have to be that way.
Even if the records you want can't be found on an Internet Web site, you don't have to be at home to gather information on the folks back home.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a monumental collection that can help to solve your problem.
Want the birth, marriage and death records from the county court in Kentucky or Ohio? Need the official dentist's register for California from 1885 to 1919? Can't wait to read the immigration records for mid-1855 to 1960 for Alabama?
There's a very good chance that the church's Family History Library in Utah has microfilmed the records you want and can lend them to you through its local family history center.
The church's Utah Genealogical Society began collecting and microfilming records in 1938 and has more than 2.5 million reels of microfilm.
Think of its lending program as an interlibrary loan for family historians.
The quickest way to find out if the society has what you need is to visit its Web site, www.FamilySearch.org. Click Library, then Family History Catalog, and type the name of your state and county or town in the search boxes.
You also can find and rent their film of records from more foreign countries than you can count.
When you see one you need, copy the catalog number and visit the Family History Center at 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. and order it. You don't have to be a member of the church or have a subscription to a service, just a desire to do genealogy.
You can order the records on microfilm through the Family History Center. It is open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
The rental fee is $5.75 per reel for a film, which arrives in two to three weeks and can be used at the center for 30 days. Rentals also can be extended for 30 days twice at a cost of $5.50 per extension. After two extensions, a film remains at the center for as long as it is needed.
In addition, if the film you want already is on indefinite loan at the center, you won't have to rent it, but can use it at no cost.
For more information, call the Family History Center at 766-6017.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
135 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 24, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Deeds contain family data
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 431 words
Just when you thought you'd checked everywhere, another source of genealogical information becomes apparent. No matter who your ancestors were, there's always another record that you can check.
After family historians interview elders, examine items in their attics and evaluate typical genealogical information sources, they may turn to deeds.
Like other sources, those land transfer records contain information about family members that may support or cast doubt on information you already have. They may also reveal things that you never would have suspected and suggest other research avenues.
Before you head for the Register of Deeds in the county where your ancestors lived, called the Register of Mesne Conveyance in Charleston, get organized.
Decide which ancestral surname and time period you will research. Then, visit Family Tree Magazine at http://tinyurl.com/9vs66 for forms to help you stay organized as you search deed indexes for land transfers involving your ancestors.
Print the "Deed Index - Grantor" form to make notes of the transactions that show your ancestors ceasing to own land. Also print the "Deed Index - Grantees" form to note transactions that show your ancestors acquiring land.
Afterward, use the book and page numbers found with those transactions in deed indexes to find the deeds. Ask a clerk in the deed office whether the deeds you want have been microfilmed or digitized and how to access them.
Some genealogists prefer to abstract or write down the essential information from deeds when at the deed office, but I favor copying. It's easy to grow tired while researching and not realize that your mental sharpness has declined and that you'll probably miss something while abstracting. It's better to take copies of deeds with you and search for clues to your family's history when you are rested.
While reading a deed, take note of every name on it and research all the people who are not officials. Land was very likely to change hands among relatives, or people who knew each other well enough to become relatives.
Types of deeds may also be clues. A "quit claim" deed or a "deed of trust" may signal that a transfer took place between family members. A sheriff's deed may indicate that an ancestor had financial difficulties and prompt you to look for financial documents or even poor house records their circumstances caused to be generated.
For more information on deeds, consult a genealogy guide such as "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy" by Christine Rose and Kay Germain Ingalls.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: June 25, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
136 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 24, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Deeds contain family data
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 431 words
Just when you thought you'd checked everywhere, another source of genealogical information becomes apparent. No matter who your ancestors were, there's always another record that you can check.
After family historians interview elders, examine items in their attics and evaluate typical genealogical information sources, they may turn to deeds.
Like other sources, those land transfer records contain information about family members that may support or cast doubt on information you already have. They may also reveal things that you never would have suspected and suggest other research avenues.
Before you head for the Register of Deeds in the county where your ancestors lived, called the Register of Mesne Conveyance in Charleston, get organized.
Decide which ancestral surname and time period you will research. Then, visit Family Tree Magazine at http://tinyurl.com/9vs66 for forms to help you stay organized as you search deed indexes for land transfers involving your ancestors.
Print the "Deed Index - Grantor" form to make notes of the transactions that show your ancestors ceasing to own land. Also print the "Deed Index - Grantees" form to note transactions that show your ancestors acquiring land.
Afterward, use the book and page numbers found with those transactions in deed indexes to find the deeds. Ask a clerk in the deed office whether the deeds you want have been microfilmed or digitized and how to access them.
Some genealogists prefer to abstract or write down the essential information from deeds when at the deed office, but I favor copying. It's easy to grow tired while researching and not realize that your mental sharpness has declined and that you'll probably miss something while abstracting. It's better to take copies of deeds with you and search for clues to your family's history when you are rested.
While reading a deed, take note of every name on it and research all the people who are not officials. Land was very likely to change hands among relatives, or people who knew each other well enough to become relatives.
Types of deeds may also be clues. A "quit claim" deed or a "deed of trust" may signal that a transfer took place between family members. A sheriff's deed may indicate that an ancestor had financial difficulties and prompt you to look for financial documents or even poor house records their circumstances caused to be generated.
For more information on deeds, consult a genealogy guide such as "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy" by Christine Rose and Kay Germain Ingalls.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
137 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 17, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
History found in photos
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 396 words
About 15 years ago, I noticed an old photograph that had seen better days on my grand-aunt's wall. The picture featured a dark-skinned woman who wore a white cap, collar, cuffs and a very long apron.
I asked my aunt who the woman was and learned she was my great-great-grandmother, Flora Watson Scott. The baby she held in the photograph was a cousin I had met at a family gathering the day before. The toddler who stood at her right is my mother's big sister.
I've looked at my copy of that photo many times since that spring day in 1993. In a way, it's been as valuable to me as reading how her family composition changed over the Census years or the many pieces of information found on her death certificate.
Genealogists sometimes get so focused on finding what is written about an ancestor, they forget that family history also is recorded in images. We forget that a photograph tells us more than what a person looked like, even when it has no documentation.
The style of clothing ancestors wear in a picture can tell us when they lived, their occupations or their hobbies. Fraternal or civic group insignia can shed light on their causes or lead us to biographical sketches that have new details. Old pictures sometimes include family members or close friends we had not known about. Papers in the background that are read with a magnifying glass can yield surprising tidbits.
For years I regretted the photo did not provide a sharper view of my great-great-grandmother's face. A shadow prevented me from looking into her eyes. But over the years, I've learned about the things I could see, but did not understand.
The clothes my great-great-grandmother wore in the picture was the uniform for midwives trained at the Penn School, founded on St. Helena Island during the Civil War to help freed slaves make the transition to self-sufficiency. The cottage seen behind her supports a family story that the photograph was taken at Penn.
Over the years, the picture has been a starting point for conversations about the way she delivered babies; how she added rooms to her house for sick relatives to live in; her measured way of speaking; and, by contrast, her pipe smoking.
I'd like to be familiar with every wrinkle in her face. But that picture has led to my knowing so much. Honestly, her face seems to get clearer all the time.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: June 19, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
138 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 17, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
History found in photos
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 396 words
About 15 years ago, I noticed an old photograph that had seen better days on my grand-aunt's wall. The picture featured a dark-skinned woman who wore a white cap, collar, cuffs and a very long apron.
I asked my aunt who the woman was and learned she was my great-great-grandmother, Flora Watson Scott. The baby she held in the photograph was a cousin I had met at a family gathering the day before. The toddler who stood at her right is my mother's big sister.
I've looked at my copy of that photo many times since that spring day in 1993. In a way, it's been as valuable to me as reading how her family composition changed over the Census years or the many pieces of information found on her death certificate.
Genealogists sometimes get so focused on finding what is written about an ancestor, they forget that family history also is recorded in images. We forget that a photograph tells us more than what a person looked like, even when it has no documentation.
The style of clothing ancestors wear in a picture can tell us when they lived, their occupations or their hobbies. Fraternal or civic group insignia can shed light on their causes or lead us to biographical sketches that have new details. Old pictures sometimes include family members or close friends we had not known about. Papers in the background that are read with a magnifying glass can yield surprising tidbits.
For years I regretted the photo did not provide a sharper view of my great-great-grandmother's face. A shadow prevented me from looking into her eyes. But over the years, I've learned about the things I could see, but did not understand.
The clothes my great-great-grandmother wore in the picture was the uniform for midwives trained at the Penn School, founded on St. Helena Island during the Civil War to help freed slaves make the transition to self-sufficiency. The cottage seen behind her supports a family story that the photograph was taken at Penn.
Over the years, the picture has been a starting point for conversations about the way she delivered babies; how she added rooms to her house for sick relatives to live in; her measured way of speaking; and, by contrast, her pipe smoking.
I'd like to be familiar with every wrinkle in her face. But that picture has led to my knowing so much. Honestly, her face seems to get clearer all the time.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
139 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 10, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Expert to share Web sources
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 398 words
There's no doubt that the Web has altered the pace at which family history research is conducted. Records that once took genealogists months to locate now can be found in a matter of days.
There's a Worldwide Web out there. And the vastness of cyberspace can make what already is a very challenging pursuit as frustrating as reading a centuries-old diary by a person who had poor penmanship.
It's easy to click on site after site and not remember where you've been or where you're supposed to be going. Add that to the somewhat addictive nature of genealogy and you've got research gone awry.
While the Web has brought about some changes, genealogical goals and principles remain the same. There's quite a bit to learn about using sites to find good sources and do solid research.
Those interested in learning more should be at the Charleston County Public Library on Sunday for a talk by Elizabeth Powell Crowe. She's the author of "Genealogy Online," a book I mentioned in a column last year.
The library is hosting Crowe, who will talk about her five favorite genealogy sites. You might want to become familiar with them before the talk. That will help you to understand more and take better advantage of what she says.
Here's what she told me during a telephone interview Thursday:
"I'll give them Cyndi's List, Dear Myrtle, FamilySearch.org, National Archives and Records Administration, RootsWeb and two surprise lagniappe," says Crowe, who has roots in southern Mississippi and lives in Florida.
Crowe will have three main goals in making her presentation.
The first will be to teach those who attend how to find primary sources of information on the Web; second, where to find secondary sources on the Web that will lead to primary sources; and third, how to connect via the Web with genealogists who have information they need.
Crowe has more than 30 years of experience in doing genealogical research. She will tell those who attend how to find wills, deeds and scanned photographs on the Web. She'll also give tips on writing queries for genealogical information that will increase the chances of getting responses from those who read them.
The free event will be 2-4 p.m. in the Main Library Auditorium at 68 Calhoun St. For more information about the event, call 805-6956. For more information about Crowe, visit www.epcrowe.com.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: June 11, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
140 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 10, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Expert to share Web sources
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 398 words
There's no doubt that the Web has altered the pace at which family history research is conducted. Records that once took genealogists months to locate now can be found in a matter of days.
There's a Worldwide Web out there. And the vastness of cyberspace can make what already is a very challenging pursuit as frustrating as reading a centuries-old diary by a person who had poor penmanship.
It's easy to click on site after site and not remember where you've been or where you're supposed to be going. Add that to the somewhat addictive nature of genealogy and you've got research gone awry.
While the Web has brought about some changes, genealogical goals and principles remain the same. There's quite a bit to learn about using sites to find good sources and do solid research.
Those interested in learning more should be at the Charleston County Public Library on Sunday for a talk by Elizabeth Powell Crowe. She's the author of "Genealogy Online," a book I mentioned in a column last year.
The library is hosting Crowe, who will talk about her five favorite genealogy sites. You might want to become familiar with them before the talk. That will help you to understand more and take better advantage of what she says.
Here's what she told me during a telephone interview Thursday:
"I'll give them Cyndi's List, Dear Myrtle, FamilySearch.org, National Archives and Records Administration, RootsWeb and two surprise lagniappe," says Crowe, who has roots in southern Mississippi and lives in Florida.
Crowe will have three main goals in making her presentation.
The first will be to teach those who attend how to find primary sources of information on the Web; second, where to find secondary sources on the Web that will lead to primary sources; and third, how to connect via the Web with genealogists who have information they need.
Crowe has more than 30 years of experience in doing genealogical research. She will tell those who attend how to find wills, deeds and scanned photographs on the Web. She'll also give tips on writing queries for genealogical information that will increase the chances of getting responses from those who read them.
The free event will be 2-4 p.m. in the Main Library Auditorium at 68 Calhoun St. For more information about the event, call 805-6956. For more information about Crowe, visit www.epcrowe.com.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
141 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 1, 2008 Sunday
Final Edition
From the ground up;
Novice gets emotionally involved in vegetable gardening
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: HOME&GARDEN; Pg. D1
LENGTH: 786 words
Novice gets emotionally involved in vegetable gardening
As spring sprung and the people around me began to talk of gardening, I recalled how difficult it had been to find white acre peas last summer. I considered the wisdom of trying to grow my own and immediately thought about my brown thumb.
But I do like to see things grow.
So, encouraged by my mental images of the corn and snap beans I grew back in the third grade, I decided to grow my own white acre peas. In fact, I decided to go ahead and grow a container garden of Southern favorites.
First, I learned a lot about gardening by reading information on the Internet and talking to people who grow vegetables they aren't ashamed to show in public. I concluded that for a few dollars, I could supply my friends with enough of my produce for the winter.
It would cost about $25 for the seeds, containers, potting soil and a watering can. The more food prices climbed, the more a container garden seemed like an excellent idea - gleaming white containers and all.
I could hardly press the seeds into the soil for patting myself on the back: white acres, Dixie Lees, butter peas, green limas, snap beans, okra and tomatoes. I planted from the first week in April through the end of the month. With air, water, soil, sunshine and Mother Nature, my potential had to be unlimited.
Has-beans?
About two weeks later, I awoke to a container of Kentucky wonders (snap beans) with leaves that looked as if little teeth had attacked them. Over the next day or two, I noticed that some of the leaves on those snap beans had curled. Before long I found big holes in leaves that had been perfectly fine the evening before.
"Kill it!"
I was advised that the culprits might be snails, and that I should put some stale beer around in bowls and they would drown. Snails? I was tempted to put some salt around the containers but decided to try the beer.
Didn't stop the problem.
I took one of the bugs to a garden center and was told it was some kind of worm. The staff recommended an insecticide that others had recommended as well, so I bit.
I had reservations about using something toxic, having been an environmental reporter for more than a decade. But I was desperate and rationalized: It was container gardening, so I wouldn't be releasing toxins into the environment. The bugs would be gone with a few applications, so the amount that could be ingested by a human would be far less than if he ate most store-bought vegetables.
The holes were looking bigger and bigger every day. The spiders and the little flies that kept hanging around were a nuisance. I figured I had spider mites and maybe whiteflies. Then people started talking about aphids. Nothing looked like any of the photos of aphids on the Internet.
Soon the insects made several meals of pea and bean leaves.
They ate the butter pea sprouts before they even grew leaves. The okra leaves turned red, dried out and pointed to the sky. Removing the bad leaves wasn't helping.
Mother Nature clearly was not on my side.
All natural
I decided to go natural and was about to mix garlic oil, red pepper and detergent, as a Clemson University Web site recommends. But then one of our Home & Garden section columnists, Tony Bertauski, wrote a story on natural insecticides, and I decided to go that route instead.
Pyrethrum, the story said, would be fast-acting. Neem oil would interrupt their ability to molt.
I searched shelves and shelves of insecticides before finding neem oil. A few days later, I found pyrethrum mixed with rotenone. I spent the next morning picking off bad leaves and the bugs that were making meals of them. Then I bathed each leaf in one or two of the natural insecticides.
After a week of daily spraying, the plants are somewhat better. That pyrethrum doesn't seem to stick. I've read that there's a wax that you can add to make it stick better. I'm thinking about buying that, and maybe a stronger magnifying glass to face down the bugs.
Cost-conscious
What was to have been a $25 enterprise is getting pretty costly.
I've spent about $30 on containers (others are recycled), $45 on soil, $12 on marble chips and beach stone for drainage, $35 on insecticides, $2 on spray bottles and quite a few dollars more on gasoline to drive around looking for stuff I've needed. I still haven't bought one of those pretty watering cans.
I'm emotionally vested in these plants, which now occupy 17 buckets. Tomato seeds I planted have decided not to grow. But only one leaf on two tomato plants given to me has been attacked.
I think beans, okra and tomatoes really taste great when cooked together. But this year, I'm willing to settle.
"Lord, just give me tomatoes!"
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: June 3, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
142 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 27, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Sharing genealogy ideas valuable
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 404 words
Odds are pretty high that much of what a genealogist learns about researching family history is learned from other genealogists. If one faces a brick wall, others will suggest ways to break through it.
In fact, genealogists who don't spend very much time with other genealogists really lose out. While a few minutes spent chatting with a fellow family historian is time well-spent, extended periods spent sharing with many genealogists are best.
If you started researching your family's history within the past several years and conduct most of your research in records on the Internet, you might not realize the value of associating with other family historians.
Believe me, it's priceless.
Successful genealogists think like detectives as they hunt down dead relatives. And it's universally accepted that genealogical research takes insights, observations and tips. Whether deal-
ing with old repositories, new sources or interpreting information, there's always a lot to be learned.
So where should South Carolina genealogists who want guidance, understanding and support go? They should attend the 37th S.C. Genealogical Society Workshop in Columbia on July 11-12.
The workshop is not solely for people who are retired and spend their lives researching their ancestors. Nor is it a gathering designed only for those who have prominent ancestors. If you're a genealogist or you want to become one, and you can pay the very reasonable workshop fee, then the workshop is for you.
One goal of the society is to raise the standards of genealogists. Another is to support the preservation of South Carolina's state and Colonial records. The first reflects a national trend to promote discovery of the most reliable information about a family's history. The second reflects the need to have original records to do the research.
The SCGS, which has 19 chapters statewide, including ones in Charleston and Walterboro, will hold the workshop at the S.C. Department of Archives and History at 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia. Speakers from South Carolina and other states will speak on many significant genealogical topics.
The registration fee is $25 for members and $30 for nonmembers, with an additional $5 fee for those registering at the door.
For more specific information on speakers, sessions, lodging and lunch, visit www.scgen.org. and click on "2008 Annual Workshop."
And go.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postand
courier.com.
LOAD-DATE: May 29, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
143 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 27, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Sharing genealogy ideas valuable
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 404 words
Odds are pretty high that much of what a genealogist learns about researching family history is learned from other genealogists. If one faces a brick wall, others will suggest ways to break through it.
In fact, genealogists who don't spend very much time with other genealogists really lose out. While a few minutes spent chatting with a fellow family historian is time well-spent, extended periods spent sharing with many genealogists are best.
If you started researching your family's history within the past several years and conduct most of your research in records on the Internet, you might not realize the value of associating with other family historians.
Believe me, it's priceless.
Successful genealogists think like detectives as they hunt down dead relatives. And it's universally accepted that genealogical research takes insights, observations and tips. Whether deal-
ing with old repositories, new sources or interpreting information, there's always a lot to be learned.
So where should South Carolina genealogists who want guidance, understanding and support go? They should attend the 37th S.C. Genealogical Society Workshop in Columbia on July 11-12.
The workshop is not solely for people who are retired and spend their lives researching their ancestors. Nor is it a gathering designed only for those who have prominent ancestors. If you're a genealogist or you want to become one, and you can pay the very reasonable workshop fee, then the workshop is for you.
One goal of the society is to raise the standards of genealogists. Another is to support the preservation of South Carolina's state and Colonial records. The first reflects a national trend to promote discovery of the most reliable information about a family's history. The second reflects the need to have original records to do the research.
The SCGS, which has 19 chapters statewide, including ones in Charleston and Walterboro, will hold the workshop at the S.C. Department of Archives and History at 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia. Speakers from South Carolina and other states will speak on many significant genealogical topics.
The registration fee is $25 for members and $30 for nonmembers, with an additional $5 fee for those registering at the door.
For more specific information on speakers, sessions, lodging and lunch, visit www.scgen.org. and click on "2008 Annual Workshop."
And go.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postand
courier.com.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
144 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 13, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Diaries offer window on past
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 405 words
There's nothing quite like getting your hands on the diary of someone who was an ancestor's contemporary, who frequented the same places they did, and who may have lived on the same road or near the same plantation.
A diary is a manuscript and often provides a consistent historic account of a time and place with details that a genealogist isn't likely to get from another source.
It can mention the births, deaths, joys and sorrows that would have affected the way your ancestors lived.
Believe it or not, a good diary, set of plantation or general store records or another type of manuscript can be more valuable to the family historian than a closet full of more general documents that mention them. That's because they, along with things such as letters, agricultural records and other papers, are handwritten by witnesses to events.
For the genealogist, a manuscript is the next best thing to having been there.
It's usually better to consult them only after doing a significant amount of family history research in the more usual sources such as censuses, vital records and published histories. Having a general understanding of facts about ancestors and their times will help put the rich details often found in manuscripts into perspective.
Manuscripts are usually found in private collections, such as those maintained by historical societies. While they may be found in a local or state historical society or other private archive, they may also be in a regional one or one across the country.
There are several good sources for locating manuscripts that might be of interest to you because of the subject, geography, the people mentioned in them or the person who wrote the document. They include the Web sites of historical societies and the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections, online and bound in libraries.
While manuscripts can be a godsend, like other sources, they are not gospel and the information found in them should be evaluated for reliability.
Free workshop
"All War Records" will be the subject of a free genealogy workshop set for tonight at the Family History Center, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., West Ashley. The workshop will teach family historians about the kind of information they can find in war records and how to use it.
The session starts at 7 p.m.
and will be taught by Emmett
McKinney.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: May 14, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
145 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 13, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Diaries offer window on past
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 405 words
There's nothing quite like getting your hands on the diary of someone who was an ancestor's contemporary, who frequented the same places they did, and who may have lived on the same road or near the same plantation.
A diary is a manuscript and often provides a consistent historic account of a time and place with details that a genealogist isn't likely to get from another source.
It can mention the births, deaths, joys and sorrows that would have affected the way your ancestors lived.
Believe it or not, a good diary, set of plantation or general store records or another type of manuscript can be more valuable to the family historian than a closet full of more general documents that mention them. That's because they, along with things such as letters, agricultural records and other papers, are handwritten by witnesses to events.
For the genealogist, a manuscript is the next best thing to having been there.
It's usually better to consult them only after doing a significant amount of family history research in the more usual sources such as censuses, vital records and published histories. Having a general understanding of facts about ancestors and their times will help put the rich details often found in manuscripts into perspective.
Manuscripts are usually found in private collections, such as those maintained by historical societies. While they may be found in a local or state historical society or other private archive, they may also be in a regional one or one across the country.
There are several good sources for locating manuscripts that might be of interest to you because of the subject, geography, the people mentioned in them or the person who wrote the document. They include the Web sites of historical societies and the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections, online and bound in libraries.
While manuscripts can be a godsend, like other sources, they are not gospel and the information found in them should be evaluated for reliability.
Free workshop
"All War Records" will be the subject of a free genealogy workshop set for tonight at the Family History Center, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., West Ashley. The workshop will teach family historians about the kind of information they can find in war records and how to use it.
The session starts at 7 p.m.
and will be taught by Emmett
McKinney.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
146 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
April 22, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Family research goes global
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 509 words
The hourly hashing and rehashing of economic woes might have led you to cancel any overseas genealogy trips you planned for the summer. But that doesn't mean you should postpone taking your genealogical research to the international level.
For the cost of Internet access, a few well-chosen online subscriptions, a little money to hire researchers in your ancestral home and a great little guide book, you can learn a lot that will advance your overseas family history research without leaving home.
Those who have Irish roots should take a look at "Basic Guide to Irish Records for Family History" by Brian Mitchell. The author, who lives in Ireland, wrote the book to dispel the myth that most Irish records of use to genealogists were destroyed during the 1922 civil war, and he gives quite a lot of guidance in 52 pages.
One of the best things about this book is that Mitchell begins with the importance of creating a picture of those first emigrant ancestors and using their surname and family stories to connect them to their ancestral home in Ireland on the most local level possible.
"As a general rule, the knowledge of the county of origin of your ancestor is insufficient information for locating records about them," says Mitchell, who goes on to tell how to access the names of baronies, parishes, towns, town lands and, in some cases, streets.
His book leads Irish family historians on an informative journey of the eight sets of administrative records they should consult for areas where their ancestors lived. He gives both names of repositories managing the records and Web sites to gain access to those that have been digitized.
The records named are civil registers of births, marriages and deaths; church registers of baptisms, marriages and deaths; gravestone inscriptions; wills; 1901 and 1911 census returns; and census substitutes, including the mid-19th century Griffith's Valuation; early 19th-century tithe applotment books; and others.
After reading Mitchell, researchers should know what pieces of information the records can provide; their potential usefulness; if they are indexed; and differences in earlier and later records; as well as those in Catholic and Protestant areas.
While Mitchell notes that only a small percentage of the population had gravestones or wills, he gives valuable information to search them, such as when and where Catholics and Presbyterians shared graveyards, and which wills and indexes were not destroyed during the civil war and where to find them.
Mitchell completes the journey by giving locations and contact information for more than 35 Irish genealogy centers. His book, published by Clearfield, can be purchased for $14.95 plus shipping and handling, from Genealogical Publishing Co. at www.genealogical.com or 800-296-6687.
Until the economy improves, Mitchell's tour of the Irish records for family history research, seems like a very worthwhile route to take.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB
For more on genealogy, visit
http://www.charleston.net/ kinship.
LOAD-DATE: April 23, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
147 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
April 22, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Family research goes global
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 509 words
The hourly hashing and rehashing of economic woes might have led you to cancel any overseas genealogy trips you planned for the summer. But that doesn't mean you should postpone taking your genealogical research to the international level.
For the cost of Internet access, a few well-chosen online subscriptions, a little money to hire researchers in your ancestral home and a great little guide book, you can learn a lot that will advance your overseas family history research without leaving home.
Those who have Irish roots should take a look at "Basic Guide to Irish Records for Family History" by Brian Mitchell. The author, who lives in Ireland, wrote the book to dispel the myth that most Irish records of use to genealogists were destroyed during the 1922 civil war, and he gives quite a lot of guidance in 52 pages.
One of the best things about this book is that Mitchell begins with the importance of creating a picture of those first emigrant ancestors and using their surname and family stories to connect them to their ancestral home in Ireland on the most local level possible.
"As a general rule, the knowledge of the county of origin of your ancestor is insufficient information for locating records about them," says Mitchell, who goes on to tell how to access the names of baronies, parishes, towns, town lands and, in some cases, streets.
His book leads Irish family historians on an informative journey of the eight sets of administrative records they should consult for areas where their ancestors lived. He gives both names of repositories managing the records and Web sites to gain access to those that have been digitized.
The records named are civil registers of births, marriages and deaths; church registers of baptisms, marriages and deaths; gravestone inscriptions; wills; 1901 and 1911 census returns; and census substitutes, including the mid-19th century Griffith's Valuation; early 19th-century tithe applotment books; and others.
After reading Mitchell, researchers should know what pieces of information the records can provide; their potential usefulness; if they are indexed; and differences in earlier and later records; as well as those in Catholic and Protestant areas.
While Mitchell notes that only a small percentage of the population had gravestones or wills, he gives valuable information to search them, such as when and where Catholics and Presbyterians shared graveyards, and which wills and indexes were not destroyed during the civil war and where to find them.
Mitchell completes the journey by giving locations and contact information for more than 35 Irish genealogy centers. His book, published by Clearfield, can be purchased for $14.95 plus shipping and handling, from Genealogical Publishing Co. at www.genealogical.com or 800-296-6687.
Until the economy improves, Mitchell's tour of the Irish records for family history research, seems like a very worthwhile route to take.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB
For more on genealogy, visit
http://www.charleston.net/ kinship.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
148 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
April 8, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
A reunion booklet to remember
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 424 words
If I were attending a family reunion this summer, my dream souvenir would be the best reunion booklet possible. I'm not simply thinking about a family tree printed with a fancy font on colorful, high-quality stock.
My unforgettable reunion booklet would provide me with answers to questions I might never have thought to ask. It would give me plenty of new details about things I thought I already knew so well. It would inspire me and other family members to become experts on different aspects of our shared past and then to share our findings.
In addition to the names of family members, present and past, my dream booklet would include their nicknames and the stories behind those monikers. Every questionable birth date and death date in the family would be accompanied by the other possibilities.
My dream booklet tells which ancestors sang like birds, had a propensity to read everything they got their hands on, exhibited great style or culinary skills, and couldn't keep a secret if you paid them twice. What were their missed opportunities and unmet goals? And what were the things that just plain weren't in the cards?
One of the best parts of my booklet would be a road or street map of all the places where the family has roots. The location of churches, schools, farm lands, recreation clubs and other places that are often part of family stories would be pinpointed and highlighted. The map would help me trace the route that Grandfather took on his famed multimile walk to school. It would give me a real good idea of the things he passed along the way.
Photos? They would be at least 25 years old and commemorate birthday parties, christenings, picnics, graduations and holiday dinners. Every photo in my booklet would reveal something about the subjects' personalities through smiles, scowls and sheepish grins that I would not otherwise get to see.
This dream booklet would include newspaper articles written in the aftermath of earthquakes, epidemics, hurricanes and tornadoes that the ancestors experienced as part of a community. It also would have church and ethnic newsletter stories about the passing of icons and fundraisers and other things.
The main idea behind my dream reunion booklet is to provide people who attend the event with an opportunity to learn where the family came from and how it got to where it is. That involves learning more about those ancestors who were part of that process.
That involves making sure they are part of their family's reunion.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: April 9, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
149 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
April 8, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
A reunion booklet to remember
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 424 words
If I were attending a family reunion this summer, my dream souvenir would be the best reunion booklet possible. I'm not simply thinking about a family tree printed with a fancy font on colorful, high-quality stock.
My unforgettable reunion booklet would provide me with answers to questions I might never have thought to ask. It would give me plenty of new details about things I thought I already knew so well. It would inspire me and other family members to become experts on different aspects of our shared past and then to share our findings.
In addition to the names of family members, present and past, my dream booklet would include their nicknames and the stories behind those monikers. Every questionable birth date and death date in the family would be accompanied by the other possibilities.
My dream booklet tells which ancestors sang like birds, had a propensity to read everything they got their hands on, exhibited great style or culinary skills, and couldn't keep a secret if you paid them twice. What were their missed opportunities and unmet goals? And what were the things that just plain weren't in the cards?
One of the best parts of my booklet would be a road or street map of all the places where the family has roots. The location of churches, schools, farm lands, recreation clubs and other places that are often part of family stories would be pinpointed and highlighted. The map would help me trace the route that Grandfather took on his famed multimile walk to school. It would give me a real good idea of the things he passed along the way.
Photos? They would be at least 25 years old and commemorate birthday parties, christenings, picnics, graduations and holiday dinners. Every photo in my booklet would reveal something about the subjects' personalities through smiles, scowls and sheepish grins that I would not otherwise get to see.
This dream booklet would include newspaper articles written in the aftermath of earthquakes, epidemics, hurricanes and tornadoes that the ancestors experienced as part of a community. It also would have church and ethnic newsletter stories about the passing of icons and fundraisers and other things.
The main idea behind my dream reunion booklet is to provide people who attend the event with an opportunity to learn where the family came from and how it got to where it is. That involves learning more about those ancestors who were part of that process.
That involves making sure they are part of their family's reunion.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
150 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
March 25, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Cousins once or more removed
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 448 words
I interviewed cousin Henrietta, who lived in Jasper County, about our deceased relatives 10 years ago. Each time that I asked her a question, she would close her eyes and doze off for a few minutes. It seemed to happen just when I thought an answer was forthcoming.
Although another cousin introduced us, Henrietta asked who I was a number of times. And I answered her using slightly different words each time. It was beginning to seem as if we were never really going to connect.
But about the fourth time that I told her my great-great-grandmother, Louisa, was her grandmother's cousin, she grasped it.
"Oh! I didn't know we were that close," she said as she began telling me what she remembered, or had heard, about Louisa, who died when Henrietta was about 9 or 10.
Across the generations, we had begun to connect.
You may have distant cousins who are as close as siblings. And you may have close cousins who are so distant that you are connected only by blood.
But when lining the branches of your family tree, you'll need to be able to express how you are related to other family members.
That usually involves cousins because there are many more of them than other relatives.
When figuring the relationships among family members, genealogists use something called a consanguinity chart. It's called that because it helps to figure relationships among those who are consanguine: related by blood.
At other times, they are simply referred to as cousin charts, because most of the relationships they show are cousins.
When figuring your relationships to cousins or other relatives, you must consider the relationship with regards to a common ancestor.
For example, if you are Sally's great-great-granddaughter and Susan is her great-granddaughter (assuming that Susan is not your mother), what is your relationship to Susan?
You are Susan's second cousin once removed.
If you are Sally's great-great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter and Susan is her great-great-granddaughter what is your relationship to Susan?
You are Susan's third cousin four times removed.
Of course, if you are descended from Sally's first husband and Susan is descended from her second husband, you would be half-second cousin once removed in the first case, and half-third cousin four times removed in the second.
If there's a cousin or other relative whose connection you'd like to define, you can find one helpful chart at http://tinyurl.com/x1bk and others at www.cyndislist.com/cousins.htm.
By the way, assuming that Henrietta's grandmother and my great-great-grandmother were first cousins, as it appears, then Henrietta was my third cousin, twice removed.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: April 25, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
151 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
March 25, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Cousins once or more removed
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 448 words
I interviewed cousin Henrietta, who lived in Jasper County, about our deceased relatives 10 years ago. Each time that I asked her a question, she would close her eyes and doze off for a few minutes. It seemed to happen just when I thought an answer was forthcoming.
Although another cousin introduced us, Henrietta asked who I was a number of times. And I answered her using slightly different words each time. It was beginning to seem as if we were never really going to connect.
But about the fourth time that I told her my great-great-grandmother, Louisa, was her grandmother's cousin, she grasped it.
"Oh! I didn't know we were that close," she said as she began telling me what she remembered, or had heard, about Louisa, who died when Henrietta was about 9 or 10.
Across the generations, we had begun to connect.
You may have distant cousins who are as close as siblings. And you may have close cousins who are so distant that you are connected only by blood.
But when lining the branches of your family tree, you'll need to be able to express how you are related to other family members.
That usually involves cousins because there are many more of them than other relatives.
When figuring the relationships among family members, genealogists use something called a consanguinity chart. It's called that because it helps to figure relationships among those who are consanguine: related by blood.
At other times, they are simply referred to as cousin charts, because most of the relationships they show are cousins.
When figuring your relationships to cousins or other relatives, you must consider the relationship with regards to a common ancestor.
For example, if you are Sally's great-great-granddaughter and Susan is her great-granddaughter (assuming that Susan is not your mother), what is your relationship to Susan?
You are Susan's second cousin once removed.
If you are Sally's great-great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter and Susan is her great-great-granddaughter what is your relationship to Susan?
You are Susan's third cousin four times removed.
Of course, if you are descended from Sally's first husband and Susan is descended from her second husband, you would be half-second cousin once removed in the first case, and half-third cousin four times removed in the second.
If there's a cousin or other relative whose connection you'd like to define, you can find one helpful chart at http://tinyurl.com/x1bk and others at www.cyndislist.com/cousins.htm.
By the way, assuming that Henrietta's grandmother and my great-great-grandmother were first cousins, as it appears, then Henrietta was my third cousin, twice removed.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
152 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
March 11, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Help available from many sources
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 479 words
A year has passed since the first Kinship column urged readers to rummage through old trunks, rarely opened closets and other domestic spaces for items with information nuggets that tell a family's story.
Diplomas, old membership cards and faded newspaper articles might not be as sexy as ships' passenger lists, diaries from previous generations or the minutes of a church meeting where a member is suspended, but they can be just as important to a genealogist.
Hopefully, the 27 previous columns were inspirational, encouraging and supportive both to novice and longtime genealogists. Hopefully, they led you to valuable sources and tools and helped you use them.
You'd have to be living under a rock not to know that interest in genealogy is booming. The number of sources available for uncovering new family details is increasing by leaps and bounds, both on the Web and in more traditional repositories.
Yet the basic guidelines for doing sound genealogical searches remain.
Try starting with yourself and moving backward as you research each generation in the places genealogy guides recommend. Read papers carefully and listen well during interviews. Be alert to clues that will help you find even more information. Record the information you acquire and note where you got it.
Ask for a relative's help if you constantly postpone researching your family's history due to the prospect of solitary hours before a computer screen or in libraries. Some family searches are done as group projects by making use of the Web. Others may be conducted by family members who each trace a line, then meet and share their findings.
If you want advice or help to research your family history:
--Visit the South Carolina Room of the Charleston County Public Library or the Berkeley County Public Library, where librarians can assist you.
--Go to the Family History Center at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., where volunteers are there to help. The center also holds free classes and workshops. In addition, it hosts "Roots and Branches: An African-American Genealogy Workshop Series." See classes and workshops in the Kinship column online.
--Try an online genealogy course such as those from the National Genealogical Society at http://tinyurl.com/yu8cdn; Brigham Young University at http://tinyurl.com/hqgma; and Genealogy.com at http://tinyurl.com/yrjco4. They are a great solution for those with limited time or limited mobility.
--The S.C. Department of Archives and History in Columbia has old records including those created by state, county and municipal government offices.
--The S.C. Historical Society in Charleston and the South Caroliniana Library at the University of South Carolina have old, private papers created by individuals. The former charges nonmembers a small fee.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: March 12, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
153 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
March 11, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Help available from many sources
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 479 words
A year has passed since the first Kinship column urged readers to rummage through old trunks, rarely opened closets and other domestic spaces for items with information nuggets that tell a family's story.
Diplomas, old membership cards and faded newspaper articles might not be as sexy as ships' passenger lists, diaries from previous generations or the minutes of a church meeting where a member is suspended, but they can be just as important to a genealogist.
Hopefully, the 27 previous columns were inspirational, encouraging and supportive both to novice and longtime genealogists. Hopefully, they led you to valuable sources and tools and helped you use them.
You'd have to be living under a rock not to know that interest in genealogy is booming. The number of sources available for uncovering new family details is increasing by leaps and bounds, both on the Web and in more traditional repositories.
Yet the basic guidelines for doing sound genealogical searches remain.
Try starting with yourself and moving backward as you research each generation in the places genealogy guides recommend. Read papers carefully and listen well during interviews. Be alert to clues that will help you find even more information. Record the information you acquire and note where you got it.
Ask for a relative's help if you constantly postpone researching your family's history due to the prospect of solitary hours before a computer screen or in libraries. Some family searches are done as group projects by making use of the Web. Others may be conducted by family members who each trace a line, then meet and share their findings.
If you want advice or help to research your family history:
--Visit the South Carolina Room of the Charleston County Public Library or the Berkeley County Public Library, where librarians can assist you.
--Go to the Family History Center at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., where volunteers are there to help. The center also holds free classes and workshops. In addition, it hosts "Roots and Branches: An African-American Genealogy Workshop Series." See classes and workshops in the Kinship column online.
--Try an online genealogy course such as those from the National Genealogical Society at http://tinyurl.com/yu8cdn; Brigham Young University at http://tinyurl.com/hqgma; and Genealogy.com at http://tinyurl.com/yrjco4. They are a great solution for those with limited time or limited mobility.
--The S.C. Department of Archives and History in Columbia has old records including those created by state, county and municipal government offices.
--The S.C. Historical Society in Charleston and the South Caroliniana Library at the University of South Carolina have old, private papers created by individuals. The former charges nonmembers a small fee.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
154 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
February 26, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Genealogists find way with GPS
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 418 words
Say that you just purchased a car. Chances are high that people will respond by asking if it's equipped with a Global Positioning System. Drivers with cars that have GPS can determine their location, direction, speed and time instantly.
Genealogists use GPS, too.
They use the Genealogical Proof Standard when faced with conflicting information about an ancestor, both from different sources and within the same source, but they don't get an answer instantly.
To be sure, some genealogists routinely accept conflicting dates or other information if they find it in several sources.
Others are more likely to accept what the most official source says. And those who want to be as accurate as possible turn to the GPS advanced by the Board for Certification of Genealogists.
In the decade since the board has used the GPS to explain the evaluation process it recommends, genealogists who are not certified or professional have been acknowledging its value even if they don't always use it.
That's at least partly because it provides more reliable answers not only to genealogists, but to descendants and other researchers.
It's helpful for those who read a written genealogy not only to understand where the information came from but how conflicts were resolved.
Meeting the GPS involves doing an exhaustive search of reliable records for a birth date, death date, family relationship, etc.
It requires genealogists to collect the pertinent evidence. It also requires that if evidence from one or more sources contradicts others, genealogists try to resolve the question that raises.
In resolving questions raised, genealogists must figure out if the source of the information is in an original or derivative form; if the informant would have had firsthand or secondhand knowledge; and whether the information can be considered direct or indirect evidence when answering the question.
To see the GPS applied, go online to the Web version of this column and look for "GPS links."
You can learn more about the GPS by purchasing a copy of the 54-page "Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case" by Christine Rose at Amazon.com for $8.95.
'Roots and Branches'
See this column on the Web for details on "Roots and Branches: African American Genealogy Workshop Series," which continues 10 a.m.-1 p.m. March 8 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB
For more on genealogy, visit
http://www.charleston.net/ kinship.
LOAD-DATE: February 27, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
155 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
February 26, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Genealogists find way with GPS
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 418 words
Say that you just purchased a car. Chances are high that people will respond by asking if it's equipped with a Global Positioning System. Drivers with cars that have GPS can determine their location, direction, speed and time instantly.
Genealogists use GPS, too.
They use the Genealogical Proof Standard when faced with conflicting information about an ancestor, both from different sources and within the same source, but they don't get an answer instantly.
To be sure, some genealogists routinely accept conflicting dates or other information if they find it in several sources.
Others are more likely to accept what the most official source says. And those who want to be as accurate as possible turn to the GPS advanced by the Board for Certification of Genealogists.
In the decade since the board has used the GPS to explain the evaluation process it recommends, genealogists who are not certified or professional have been acknowledging its value even if they don't always use it.
That's at least partly because it provides more reliable answers not only to genealogists, but to descendants and other researchers.
It's helpful for those who read a written genealogy not only to understand where the information came from but how conflicts were resolved.
Meeting the GPS involves doing an exhaustive search of reliable records for a birth date, death date, family relationship, etc.
It requires genealogists to collect the pertinent evidence. It also requires that if evidence from one or more sources contradicts others, genealogists try to resolve the question that raises.
In resolving questions raised, genealogists must figure out if the source of the information is in an original or derivative form; if the informant would have had firsthand or secondhand knowledge; and whether the information can be considered direct or indirect evidence when answering the question.
To see the GPS applied, go online to the Web version of this column and look for "GPS links."
You can learn more about the GPS by purchasing a copy of the 54-page "Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case" by Christine Rose at Amazon.com for $8.95.
'Roots and Branches'
See this column on the Web for details on "Roots and Branches: African American Genealogy Workshop Series," which continues 10 a.m.-1 p.m. March 8 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB
For more on genealogy, visit
http://www.charleston.net/ kinship.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
156 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
February 12, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Seek signs of doubtful dates
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 426 words
Genealogists can be reluctant to ask questions about information they receive from family members. Questioning can cause them to appear doubtful and disrespectful and their relatives to feel hurt.
But even birth, marriage and death dates written in family Bibles, one of the first places many people turn for genealogical information, should be questioned. Each item recorded in the book will be used as a compass to point the way to more of a family's history, but the information is not gospel.
Genealogists agree on some of the signs that indicate a Bible record probably is unreliable. Those who pay attention can avoid the frustrations of proceeding down the wrong paths.
One sign deals with the publication date. If a Bible was published in 1950 and the births, marriages and deaths recorded in it took place from 1900 to 1940, the information predates the book and may have been copied from an unreliable written source. It also could have been written by someone trying to recall what happened decades before.
Another deals with handwriting. When the events listed in a Bible take place over a century, but are recorded in one handwriting, beware. It's unreasonable to think that one person could attest to events that took place over the course of a century. The information could be the product of several people's well-meaning speculation about events that occurred long before their time.
Writing instruments also are telling. A birth, marriage or death that occurs in the late 19th or early 20th century should not be recorded with a ballpoint pen. It would have been rare for people to have used such a pen until well into the 20th century. Even if they were copying correct information written at the time of the event, they might not have copied it exactly as written.
Take a look at chronology.
If the births of younger siblings are listed before those of the older ones, births of the latter may have been added years after they were born. Similarly, entries that are sandwiched between others or written in margins might also have been made after a lot of time had passed. Both may have been written by someone trying to leave a complete record without realizing how much he had forgotten.
Family members make errors in passing on their histories because they are human. So, no family history is perfect. But histories gathered by genealogists who work to validate facts and enjoy the process of discovery are best.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB
For more on genealogy, visit
http://www.charleston.net/ kinship.
LOAD-DATE: February 13, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
157 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
February 12, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Seek signs of doubtful dates
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 426 words
Genealogists can be reluctant to ask questions about information they receive from family members. Questioning can cause them to appear doubtful and disrespectful and their relatives to feel hurt.
But even birth, marriage and death dates written in family Bibles, one of the first places many people turn for genealogical information, should be questioned. Each item recorded in the book will be used as a compass to point the way to more of a family's history, but the information is not gospel.
Genealogists agree on some of the signs that indicate a Bible record probably is unreliable. Those who pay attention can avoid the frustrations of proceeding down the wrong paths.
One sign deals with the publication date. If a Bible was published in 1950 and the births, marriages and deaths recorded in it took place from 1900 to 1940, the information predates the book and may have been copied from an unreliable written source. It also could have been written by someone trying to recall what happened decades before.
Another deals with handwriting. When the events listed in a Bible take place over a century, but are recorded in one handwriting, beware. It's unreasonable to think that one person could attest to events that took place over the course of a century. The information could be the product of several people's well-meaning speculation about events that occurred long before their time.
Writing instruments also are telling. A birth, marriage or death that occurs in the late 19th or early 20th century should not be recorded with a ballpoint pen. It would have been rare for people to have used such a pen until well into the 20th century. Even if they were copying correct information written at the time of the event, they might not have copied it exactly as written.
Take a look at chronology.
If the births of younger siblings are listed before those of the older ones, births of the latter may have been added years after they were born. Similarly, entries that are sandwiched between others or written in margins might also have been made after a lot of time had passed. Both may have been written by someone trying to leave a complete record without realizing how much he had forgotten.
Family members make errors in passing on their histories because they are human. So, no family history is perfect. But histories gathered by genealogists who work to validate facts and enjoy the process of discovery are best.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB
For more on genealogy, visit
http://www.charleston.net/ kinship.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
158 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
January 29, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Take second look at research
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 431 words
Genealogists often talk about plans to return to the information they noted or collected, then filed and forgot. It was one of those things I resolved to do in a recent column and would like to encourage others to do.
It's probably necessary to commit to doing it.
Why?
Because the lure of records that we have not seen before is so strong. Giving a second look to information already visited just can't compete with the thrill of flipping through fresh pages or clicking onto Web sites for the first time.
Hunting for bits and pieces of a family's history, like hunting for anything else, seems more promising when you are searching along new paths. But things are not always as they seem.
Chances are pretty good that information a genealogist noted in the past can shed some light on his family's history. The answers to some of a genealogist's most pressing questions could be in pages that didn't get a second look.
I am not advocating setting aside an entire weekend to examine every word in a lengthy record, but instead spending a few minutes here and there rereading pages or checking the hunches you scribbled in the margins of old notebooks or getting back to a Web site you bookmarked.
Don't force the process; just read and see if anything clicks. You know more now than you did when you noted that record or scribbled that hunch. There's probably a lot more there than you thought.
Your family's story
"You Can Write Your Family History" by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack (Genealogical Publishing Co.) provides guidance to those who want to write interesting, highly readable family histories.
The step-by-step, 245-page book contains a wealth of suggestions for bringing ancestors to life, whether a publication is intended to be read by family members or a wider audience. It also has suggestions on how to figure out the type and scope of family history that should be written and how much genealogical research is needed to write it.
Carmack gives detailed advice on incorporating oral histories, portraying family characters in the setting that they lived in, handling skeletons that may come out of the closet and much more. Even if you don't intend to write your family's history, using the book as you research can provide ideas about getting more information from the sources you use. It also can remind you that your family is more than a list of names and dates.
And that's important.
To purchase the $19.95 paperback, go to www.genealogical.com.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB
For more on genealogy, visit
http://www.charleston.net/ kinship.
LOAD-DATE: January 30, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
159 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
January 29, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Take second look at research
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 431 words
Genealogists often talk about plans to return to the information they noted or collected, then filed and forgot. It was one of those things I resolved to do in a recent column and would like to encourage others to do.
It's probably necessary to commit to doing it.
Why?
Because the lure of records that we have not seen before is so strong. Giving a second look to information already visited just can't compete with the thrill of flipping through fresh pages or clicking onto Web sites for the first time.
Hunting for bits and pieces of a family's history, like hunting for anything else, seems more promising when you are searching along new paths. But things are not always as they seem.
Chances are pretty good that information a genealogist noted in the past can shed some light on his family's history. The answers to some of a genealogist's most pressing questions could be in pages that didn't get a second look.
I am not advocating setting aside an entire weekend to examine every word in a lengthy record, but instead spending a few minutes here and there rereading pages or checking the hunches you scribbled in the margins of old notebooks or getting back to a Web site you bookmarked.
Don't force the process; just read and see if anything clicks. You know more now than you did when you noted that record or scribbled that hunch. There's probably a lot more there than you thought.
Your family's story
"You Can Write Your Family History" by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack (Genealogical Publishing Co.) provides guidance to those who want to write interesting, highly readable family histories.
The step-by-step, 245-page book contains a wealth of suggestions for bringing ancestors to life, whether a publication is intended to be read by family members or a wider audience. It also has suggestions on how to figure out the type and scope of family history that should be written and how much genealogical research is needed to write it.
Carmack gives detailed advice on incorporating oral histories, portraying family characters in the setting that they lived in, handling skeletons that may come out of the closet and much more. Even if you don't intend to write your family's history, using the book as you research can provide ideas about getting more information from the sources you use. It also can remind you that your family is more than a list of names and dates.
And that's important.
To purchase the $19.95 paperback, go to www.genealogical.com.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB
For more on genealogy, visit
http://www.charleston.net/ kinship.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
160 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
January 15, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Cemetery ideal for family history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 472 words
The weather is cool, the snakes are hibernating. It's a great time to make a genealogy visit to a cemetery.
While you may not have thought of graveyards as ideal places to visit, they can be very informative for family historians.
Information found in cemeteries and related records can be used to shed light on that collected from family Bibles, censuses and other sources. So use information from elders, obituaries and death certificates to identify the cemeteries that are final resting places for family members.
If you have the cemeteries' names, but are unfamiliar with them, call their managers or the historical and genealogical organizations near them before you go. If you don't know the names, but have a general idea of the localities, they might assist you with that, too. When searching for burial sites, don't forget to consider church, denominational, ethnic, fraternal, national and religious cemeteries, as well as sections of cemeteries that were designated for blacks.
It might be tempting to locate and read cemetery records published on the Web. And it's not a bad idea unless you are using that as a substitute for reading the original records or visiting the cemetery.
While original records may not be absolutely correct, they are better sources than copied ones because copying often introduces errors. Seeing gravestones and the layouts of graves can help you to figure out relationships among the deceased, as well as inform you of direct or indirect ancestors buried there. Markers also may state familial relationships and list affiliations, even hobbies. They also may be your only clue that a relative actually is buried somewhere else.
Whether records are kept at the cemetery, a church or a historical society, the information in them can differ. Most include section, range, plot and lot numbers so that you can find the graves. Some also give burial dates (which usually differ from death dates) and include birth and death places and more. And always write down visible information and photograph the stone.
But avoid taking rubbings of gravestones to get a clearer view of what is written on them, unless you have been briefed on currently acceptable ways of doing so. Gravestones can be fragile because of age and exposure to the elements and rubbings can harm them. If you must rub, ask the cemetery manager or a state preservation official for acceptable guidelines.
While you should not rely on published transcriptions of gravestones or cemetery records, it might be interesting to start by reading those pertaining to your ancestors online. Try the sites for transcriptions at www.cyndislist.com. Also, check the online version of this column for tips on preparing a cemetery kit to take with you.
Have an idea for a future column? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: January 16, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
161 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
January 15, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Cemetery ideal for family history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 472 words
The weather is cool, the snakes are hibernating. It's a great time to make a genealogy visit to a cemetery.
While you may not have thought of graveyards as ideal places to visit, they can be very informative for family historians.
Information found in cemeteries and related records can be used to shed light on that collected from family Bibles, censuses and other sources. So use information from elders, obituaries and death certificates to identify the cemeteries that are final resting places for family members.
If you have the cemeteries' names, but are unfamiliar with them, call their managers or the historical and genealogical organizations near them before you go. If you don't know the names, but have a general idea of the localities, they might assist you with that, too. When searching for burial sites, don't forget to consider church, denominational, ethnic, fraternal, national and religious cemeteries, as well as sections of cemeteries that were designated for blacks.
It might be tempting to locate and read cemetery records published on the Web. And it's not a bad idea unless you are using that as a substitute for reading the original records or visiting the cemetery.
While original records may not be absolutely correct, they are better sources than copied ones because copying often introduces errors. Seeing gravestones and the layouts of graves can help you to figure out relationships among the deceased, as well as inform you of direct or indirect ancestors buried there. Markers also may state familial relationships and list affiliations, even hobbies. They also may be your only clue that a relative actually is buried somewhere else.
Whether records are kept at the cemetery, a church or a historical society, the information in them can differ. Most include section, range, plot and lot numbers so that you can find the graves. Some also give burial dates (which usually differ from death dates) and include birth and death places and more. And always write down visible information and photograph the stone.
But avoid taking rubbings of gravestones to get a clearer view of what is written on them, unless you have been briefed on currently acceptable ways of doing so. Gravestones can be fragile because of age and exposure to the elements and rubbings can harm them. If you must rub, ask the cemetery manager or a state preservation official for acceptable guidelines.
While you should not rely on published transcriptions of gravestones or cemetery records, it might be interesting to start by reading those pertaining to your ancestors online. Try the sites for transcriptions at www.cyndislist.com. Also, check the online version of this column for tips on preparing a cemetery kit to take with you.
Have an idea for a future column? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
162 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
January 1, 2008 Tuesday
Final Edition
Resolving to be better genealogist
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. F2
LENGTH: 440 words
It's been several years since making New Year's resolutions stopped seeming like such a great idea. I didn't resolve to stop making resolutions. The habit of doing so just seemed to have run its course.
For a while, anyway.
This year, for some reason, I feel compelled to resolve to do a few things. But I'm really not into self-denial right now. So, all four of my resolutions are going to yield information that will make me a better genealogist.
Here they are:
--Re-examine genealogy research notes I took more than five years ago in light of what I have learned since. Answers to some of the questions that I currently ponder may already be in those notes.
--Learn more about the orphan trains that carried impoverished children, mostly from the Northeast to the Midwest, but also to Canada and Mexico, from the early 1850s to the late 1920s. Estimates of the number of children moved range from 100,000 to 400,000.
--Read "Only a Few Bones: A True Account of the Rolling Fork Tragedy and Its Aftermath" by John Philip Colletta. The book covers Colletta's 30 years of research to find and document an ancestor's death in an 1873 fire in Mississippi.
--Learn more about the routes that were used to migrate from one part of the country to another. Become more familiar with the ways that travelers' movements can be documented at points along the routes.
The best thing about these particular resolutions is that they involve things I have thought about doing off and on for some time.
Genealogy workshops
Roots and Branches African-American genealogy workshops will begin Jan. 12. The bimonthly sessions, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., will be hosted by the Family History Center, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., through 2008. Genealogists Elwood Stith, Giselle White-Perry and I will lead the sessions. Together we have 50 years of experience in African-American family history research.
Those researching African-American ancestors and their research partners should attend the workshops. Sessions will cover genealogical issues specific to African-Americans, focus on attendees' individual research and establish research plans for attendees to follow between sessions.
Our goal is to develop a network of people with expertise in African-American genealogy throughout Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. The workshop series is a follow-up to the Roots and Branches conference hosted by the College of Charleston in October.
For more information on the workshops, visit www.gullahroots.com, e-mail, info @ gullahroots.com or call 670-6115.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: January 3, 2008
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
163 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
December 18, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Family search tools increase
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 478 words
Opportunities to do more and better family history research were brought about by a number of things that happened during 2007. Here are the nine that I think are the most significant to you.
You can add the 10th.
My opinion of which are most significant changes by the hour, so I decided not to rank them:
--Paid genealogy subscription services increased as Footnote.com, Genealogybank.com and Worldvitalrecords.com joined established services such as Ancestry.com. Each service has carved out a clearly identifiable niche for itself.
--More than 8,000 city of Charleston birth records have been indexed by name from original ledgers by the Charleston County Public Library. The records, spanning 1877-1926, are among an estimated 100,000 to be indexed and provide the names of parents, physicians and midwives.
--The Charleston County Library purchased the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands field office records for South Carolina. The microfilmed originals include post-Civil War plantation activities and are among the earliest records to link newly freed slaves with surnames to specific locations.
--FamilySearch, a nonprofit sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced plans to assist archives and other repositories to digitize, index, publish and preserve their collections free. The project should ensure that a tremendous amount of new records will be online.
--"Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources From Artifacts to Cyberspace" by Elizabeth Shown Mills was published. This clear and thorough reference book is used to cite a range of research sources, including those not covered in traditional style manuals.
--Genealogy social networking sites on the Web grew fast. The sites are designed to facilitate collaboration to build family trees and plan family reunions and other activities even when relatives live far apart. Popular sites include http://familylink.com, http://famiva.com, http://kincafe.com, www.myheritage.com and www.werelate.org.
--U.S. Indian Census Schedules: 1885-1940, a resource most genealogists probably have never heard about, were made available by Ancestry.com this year. The censuses sometimes were taken annually on reservations.
--A multiyear project to assist Charleston residents researching black ancestors was launched in October. Tony Burroughs and Dorothy Spruill Redford, internationally known genealogists, delivered keynote addresses.
--Legacy 6 received higher praise than Family Tree Maker 2008 as a top computer program for managing genealogical research. Legacy's new program suggests sources a family historian might not think to research. Family Tree Maker's new program seems to have disappointed many.
Readers with an idea for a 10th item that could have been listed in this column are encouraged to provide it.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: December 19, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
164 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
December 18, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Family search tools increase
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 478 words
Opportunities to do more and better family history research were brought about by a number of things that happened during 2007. Here are the nine that I think are the most significant to you.
You can add the 10th.
My opinion of which are most significant changes by the hour, so I decided not to rank them:
--Paid genealogy subscription services increased as Footnote.com, Genealogybank.com and Worldvitalrecords.com joined established services such as Ancestry.com. Each service has carved out a clearly identifiable niche for itself.
--More than 8,000 city of Charleston birth records have been indexed by name from original ledgers by the Charleston County Public Library. The records, spanning 1877-1926, are among an estimated 100,000 to be indexed and provide the names of parents, physicians and midwives.
--The Charleston County Library purchased the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands field office records for South Carolina. The microfilmed originals include post-Civil War plantation activities and are among the earliest records to link newly freed slaves with surnames to specific locations.
--FamilySearch, a nonprofit sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced plans to assist archives and other repositories to digitize, index, publish and preserve their collections free. The project should ensure that a tremendous amount of new records will be online.
--"Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources From Artifacts to Cyberspace" by Elizabeth Shown Mills was published. This clear and thorough reference book is used to cite a range of research sources, including those not covered in traditional style manuals.
--Genealogy social networking sites on the Web grew fast. The sites are designed to facilitate collaboration to build family trees and plan family reunions and other activities even when relatives live far apart. Popular sites include http://familylink.com, http://famiva.com, http://kincafe.com, www.myheritage.com and www.werelate.org.
--U.S. Indian Census Schedules: 1885-1940, a resource most genealogists probably have never heard about, were made available by Ancestry.com this year. The censuses sometimes were taken annually on reservations.
--A multiyear project to assist Charleston residents researching black ancestors was launched in October. Tony Burroughs and Dorothy Spruill Redford, internationally known genealogists, delivered keynote addresses.
--Legacy 6 received higher praise than Family Tree Maker 2008 as a top computer program for managing genealogical research. Legacy's new program suggests sources a family historian might not think to research. Family Tree Maker's new program seems to have disappointed many.
Readers with an idea for a 10th item that could have been listed in this column are encouraged to provide it.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
165 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
December 4, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Files peek into family history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 383 words
You would think that an information source that's rich with possibilities for family historians would be well-known in genealogical circles. But that's not true for one collection of records created in the aftermath of the Civil War.
The collection was created by the Southern Claims Commission, established to consider reimbursement for those claiming that they remained loyal to the Union and furnished property to its soldiers, or had their property seized by the soldiers.
The records, created and considered between March 1871 and March 1880, have the potential to benefit many family historians, especially those who are researching ancestors with roots in the South. More than 22,000 claims, including an unknown number filed by blacks, were submitted for things such as crops, horses, wagons and tools. More than 7,000 of those claims were approved for payment.
According to one archivist and genealogy specialist at the National Archives, 220,000 witnesses provided the information used to evaluate the claims.
Commission staff members and special agents took depositions and testimonials and interviewed claimants, relatives, friends and, in many cases, former slaves.
The records provide numerous details about the claimants and those who attested to the facts in their claims. Much of the information in the commission's records probably cannot be found elsewhere.
All claimants were asked how they acquired the property listed in their claims, details about what happened to the property and when, the location of farms or plantations where the property was taken, the size of that farm or plantation, and whether the owner had filed a petition of bankruptcy.
Female claimants were asked whether they were married or single and the names and ages of any children. Black claimants were asked if they were slave or free at the start of the war, when they were freed and the name and residence of former owners.
Most of the barred and disallowed case files of the Southern Claims Commission have been put online at Footnotes.com, a service that offers trial, monthly and annual subscriptions. A directory of the case files can be found in "Southern Loyalists in the Civil War: The Southern Claims Commission" by Gary B. Mills, at the Charleston County Public Library.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705.
LOAD-DATE: December 5, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
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Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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166 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
December 4, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Files peek into family history
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 383 words
You would think that an information source that's rich with possibilities for family historians would be well-known in genealogical circles. But that's not true for one collection of records created in the aftermath of the Civil War.
The collection was created by the Southern Claims Commission, established to consider reimbursement for those claiming that they remained loyal to the Union and furnished property to its soldiers, or had their property seized by the soldiers.
The records, created and considered between March 1871 and March 1880, have the potential to benefit many family historians, especially those who are researching ancestors with roots in the South. More than 22,000 claims, including an unknown number filed by blacks, were submitted for things such as crops, horses, wagons and tools. More than 7,000 of those claims were approved for payment.
According to one archivist and genealogy specialist at the National Archives, 220,000 witnesses provided the information used to evaluate the claims.
Commission staff members and special agents took depositions and testimonials and interviewed claimants, relatives, friends and, in many cases, former slaves.
The records provide numerous details about the claimants and those who attested to the facts in their claims. Much of the information in the commission's records probably cannot be found elsewhere.
All claimants were asked how they acquired the property listed in their claims, details about what happened to the property and when, the location of farms or plantations where the property was taken, the size of that farm or plantation, and whether the owner had filed a petition of bankruptcy.
Female claimants were asked whether they were married or single and the names and ages of any children. Black claimants were asked if they were slave or free at the start of the war, when they were freed and the name and residence of former owners.
Most of the barred and disallowed case files of the Southern Claims Commission have been put online at Footnotes.com, a service that offers trial, monthly and annual subscriptions. A directory of the case files can be found in "Southern Loyalists in the Civil War: The Southern Claims Commission" by Gary B. Mills, at the Charleston County Public Library.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
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Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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167 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 20, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Newspapers good hunting grounds
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 475 words
Many genealogists don't spend a lot of time searching through old newspapers for family history. For some reason, newspapers just don't seem as sexy as census records, cemetery records and some other sources.
Family historians may assume that their ancestors were not prominent and therefore would not be featured in a newspaper. Or they may assume that their ancestors would not be found in a newspaper because they lived in very small communities.
The amount of information that can be found depends on both the newspaper and the ancestor being researched, so it varies case by case. But local newspapers are the best record of what has taken place in a community and that makes them great hunting grounds for genealogists.
Ancestors' names can appear in articles or notices about accidents, arrests, births, baptisms, christenings, graduations, engagements, marriages, divorces, civil lawsuits, criminal trials, land transactions, probate notices, obituaries and even advertisements.
Each one of those sources could tell where a deceased family member was at a particular time and something about what was happening in his or her life. Each also could provide the names of other relatives and associates.
In addition, the nature of the activity mentioned might suggest that a researchable public record was created, that a life change occurred, or both. What is only suggested may be as valuable as what is actually said if it points to other research avenues.
If your ancestor is mentioned in an urban newspaper story about a bus accident during a church outing, check the church's newsletter. It might provide more details because its readers are so closely connected to those involved.
For the same reason, make it a point to read organizational newsletters and ethnic newspapers that may have covered your family members.
The easiest way to access old newspapers is online through subscription services such as ancestry.com, genealogybank.com or worldvitalrecords.com, which focuses on small-town newspapers. Some newspapers can be accessed through ccpl.org.
In general, many newspapers are indexed in volumes, some further back than others and some in more detail than others. The degree and dates of indexing in South Carolina newspapers vary widely.
You can call or visit the public library where your ancestors lived and request a name search of newspapers and any clip files they may have. Or you can call the newspapers, which may or may not accept genealogical inquiries.
Both may charge a fee.
If you search newspapers and can't find your ancestors' names, don't despair. Having read about the communities they lived in will help to place them in context as you search other sources.
And the value of that just can't be overstated.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 21, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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168 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 20, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Newspapers good hunting grounds
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 475 words
Many genealogists don't spend a lot of time searching through old newspapers for family history. For some reason, newspapers just don't seem as sexy as census records, cemetery records and some other sources.
Family historians may assume that their ancestors were not prominent and therefore would not be featured in a newspaper. Or they may assume that their ancestors would not be found in a newspaper because they lived in very small communities.
The amount of information that can be found depends on both the newspaper and the ancestor being researched, so it varies case by case. But local newspapers are the best record of what has taken place in a community and that makes them great hunting grounds for genealogists.
Ancestors' names can appear in articles or notices about accidents, arrests, births, baptisms, christenings, graduations, engagements, marriages, divorces, civil lawsuits, criminal trials, land transactions, probate notices, obituaries and even advertisements.
Each one of those sources could tell where a deceased family member was at a particular time and something about what was happening in his or her life. Each also could provide the names of other relatives and associates.
In addition, the nature of the activity mentioned might suggest that a researchable public record was created, that a life change occurred, or both. What is only suggested may be as valuable as what is actually said if it points to other research avenues.
If your ancestor is mentioned in an urban newspaper story about a bus accident during a church outing, check the church's newsletter. It might provide more details because its readers are so closely connected to those involved.
For the same reason, make it a point to read organizational newsletters and ethnic newspapers that may have covered your family members.
The easiest way to access old newspapers is online through subscription services such as ancestry.com, genealogybank.com or worldvitalrecords.com, which focuses on small-town newspapers. Some newspapers can be accessed through ccpl.org.
In general, many newspapers are indexed in volumes, some further back than others and some in more detail than others. The degree and dates of indexing in South Carolina newspapers vary widely.
You can call or visit the public library where your ancestors lived and request a name search of newspapers and any clip files they may have. Or you can call the newspapers, which may or may not accept genealogical inquiries.
Both may charge a fee.
If you search newspapers and can't find your ancestors' names, don't despair. Having read about the communities they lived in will help to place them in context as you search other sources.
And the value of that just can't be overstated.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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169 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 6, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Raising questions of ethics
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 509 words
Ethics.
Generally, ethics is about doing what is considered morally correct in a certain situation. The ethical thing to do is often discussed in connection with how people should conduct themselves based on occupational or professional guidelines.
Ethics questions are frequently discussed in connection with the practice of law, medicine and accounting. But increasingly, family historians are considering ethical issues and the Board for Certification of Genealogists is one body with a code of ethics for genealogists.
In many cases, deciding on the morally correct course of action is difficult. Here are situations genealogists might find themselves in. Consider how you might behave in each.
Sharing, sharing
Your cousin Angie shares her genealogy research findings with you. Is it OK for you to reveal her findings during your genealogical society meeting without her permission? If she gives you permission to join her research with yours, is it OK to publish the joint findings on the Internet without her permission? Should Angie get credit for her findings whenever you use them?
Finders keepers?
You buy a 200-year-old Bible at a yard sale and it lists births, marriages and deaths of an acquaintance's ancestors. Do you keep it, but allow him to see it? Is it all right to give it to him if he won't share the information with his family?
Should you give it to a historical society and say nothing to the descendants? Is it OK to auction it on eBay and tell the family, hoping they will bid higher than others?
Sticky, sticky
You find that an elderly relative with little income is not your great-uncle's child. A family member's will is soon to be probated, and based on kinship, the elderly relative will inherit some money. Is it OK to tell the elderly relative about the find and promise to keep it a secret? Should you notify the administrator of the deceased relative's estate? Do you hold off on telling anyone until after the elderly relative dies?
Oh my!
A white genealogist researching his pre-Civil War ancestors discovers papers showing they enslaved the ancestors of a genealogist, who is black. Is it OK for the first genealogist to burn the papers knowing the second genealogist needs to analyze them to make progress on his genealogical research? Would it be all right for the first genealogist to hide them, but encourage the second genealogist to keep searching?
If a black family historian finds documents leading back to his ancestor's enslavement by those of a local white family, should he tell members of that family about the find before revealing it at his own family reunion? Is it OK for him to reveal his findings while touring a plantation the white family once owned?
Please write and tell me what you would do in these situations. Provide your name, e-mail address and telephone number in case I need to contact you. I may use what you say, but not your name, in a future column.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705, wminis@postandcourier.com, The Post and Courier, Features Department, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, SC 29403.
LOAD-DATE: November 8, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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170 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
November 6, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Raising questions of ethics
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 509 words
Ethics.
Generally, ethics is about doing what is considered morally correct in a certain situation. The ethical thing to do is often discussed in connection with how people should conduct themselves based on occupational or professional guidelines.
Ethics questions are frequently discussed in connection with the practice of law, medicine and accounting. But increasingly, family historians are considering ethical issues and the Board for Certification of Genealogists is one body with a code of ethics for genealogists.
In many cases, deciding on the morally correct course of action is difficult. Here are situations genealogists might find themselves in. Consider how you might behave in each.
Sharing, sharing
Your cousin Angie shares her genealogy research findings with you. Is it OK for you to reveal her findings during your genealogical society meeting without her permission? If she gives you permission to join her research with yours, is it OK to publish the joint findings on the Internet without her permission? Should Angie get credit for her findings whenever you use them?
Finders keepers?
You buy a 200-year-old Bible at a yard sale and it lists births, marriages and deaths of an acquaintance's ancestors. Do you keep it, but allow him to see it? Is it all right to give it to him if he won't share the information with his family?
Should you give it to a historical society and say nothing to the descendants? Is it OK to auction it on eBay and tell the family, hoping they will bid higher than others?
Sticky, sticky
You find that an elderly relative with little income is not your great-uncle's child. A family member's will is soon to be probated, and based on kinship, the elderly relative will inherit some money. Is it OK to tell the elderly relative about the find and promise to keep it a secret? Should you notify the administrator of the deceased relative's estate? Do you hold off on telling anyone until after the elderly relative dies?
Oh my!
A white genealogist researching his pre-Civil War ancestors discovers papers showing they enslaved the ancestors of a genealogist, who is black. Is it OK for the first genealogist to burn the papers knowing the second genealogist needs to analyze them to make progress on his genealogical research? Would it be all right for the first genealogist to hide them, but encourage the second genealogist to keep searching?
If a black family historian finds documents leading back to his ancestor's enslavement by those of a local white family, should he tell members of that family about the find before revealing it at his own family reunion? Is it OK for him to reveal his findings while touring a plantation the white family once owned?
Please write and tell me what you would do in these situations. Provide your name, e-mail address and telephone number in case I need to contact you. I may use what you say, but not your name, in a future column.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705, wminis@postandcourier.com, The Post and Courier, Features Department, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, SC 29403.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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171 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 23, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Sapelo Cultural Day time of thanksgiving
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 471 words
Thanksgiving is several weeks away, but I've already started making a special effort to be grateful. As I prepare to visit Sapelo Island, my maternal grandfather's home, I can't help but think of a great big reason to give thanks.
By the time you read this, something special will have happened on Sapelo, the fourth largest of Georgia's barrier islands. The 13th annual celebration of ancestry, hosted by the Sapelo Island Cultural and Revitalization Society, will have taken place. The society mainly is an organization of the descendants of more than 40 early 19th-century family groups enslaved on the island.
Simply called Cultural Day, it's an occasion to observe the customs our ancestors followed to make the transition from life in Africa and the Caribbean to life on Sapelo. Those customs are part of a culture called Geechee in Georgia and Gullah in South Carolina.
Each year, the island's population grows tenfold or more on Cultural Day, from 65 to at least 650. People come from many cities in the Southeast, and there's always a contingent or two from the Northeast.
For some visitors, the excitement begins to build as they are transported to Sapelo by ferry because no bridge connects it to the mainland. This year, some will ride on the new ferry, a 150-passenger vessel named in honor of Katie Underwood, a midwife and descendant of those enslaved families who is said to have delivered babies on Sapelo for nearly 50 years.
Once on the island, visitors become fascinated by explanations of medicinal uses for plants that look like weeds. They eat smoked mullet, oyster rice and red rice, ask incessantly where the deviled crabs are and join my cousins in making a mad dash for cracklin' bread.
Others sing spirituals and gospel songs that often are too short and speeches that are bound to be too long in front of the Farmers Alliance Building. The two-story wooden structure was used first by the farmers and later by Sapelo's Eastern Star, Masons and other organizations.
It's comforting to hear details about relatives who passed on before I was born - their habits, challenges and accomplishments are fascinating. And it's always gratifying to hear about the four ancestors who banded together to buy land, then sold otter skins, timber and vegetables and animals they raised to pay for it.
I'm very grateful for the visitors, some who've never heard of our ancestors by name but come out of respect for a Lowcountry culture that went uncelebrated by all for far too long.
Their visits are appreciated, and right on time.
(Please see the online version of this column at www.charleston.net for information on "Roots and Branches: An African-American Genealogy Conference" taking place Saturday.)
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postand
courier.com.
LOAD-DATE: October 24, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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172 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 23, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Sapelo Cultural Day time of thanksgiving
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 471 words
Thanksgiving is several weeks away, but I've already started making a special effort to be grateful. As I prepare to visit Sapelo Island, my maternal grandfather's home, I can't help but think of a great big reason to give thanks.
By the time you read this, something special will have happened on Sapelo, the fourth largest of Georgia's barrier islands. The 13th annual celebration of ancestry, hosted by the Sapelo Island Cultural and Revitalization Society, will have taken place. The society mainly is an organization of the descendants of more than 40 early 19th-century family groups enslaved on the island.
Simply called Cultural Day, it's an occasion to observe the customs our ancestors followed to make the transition from life in Africa and the Caribbean to life on Sapelo. Those customs are part of a culture called Geechee in Georgia and Gullah in South Carolina.
Each year, the island's population grows tenfold or more on Cultural Day, from 65 to at least 650. People come from many cities in the Southeast, and there's always a contingent or two from the Northeast.
For some visitors, the excitement begins to build as they are transported to Sapelo by ferry because no bridge connects it to the mainland. This year, some will ride on the new ferry, a 150-passenger vessel named in honor of Katie Underwood, a midwife and descendant of those enslaved families who is said to have delivered babies on Sapelo for nearly 50 years.
Once on the island, visitors become fascinated by explanations of medicinal uses for plants that look like weeds. They eat smoked mullet, oyster rice and red rice, ask incessantly where the deviled crabs are and join my cousins in making a mad dash for cracklin' bread.
Others sing spirituals and gospel songs that often are too short and speeches that are bound to be too long in front of the Farmers Alliance Building. The two-story wooden structure was used first by the farmers and later by Sapelo's Eastern Star, Masons and other organizations.
It's comforting to hear details about relatives who passed on before I was born - their habits, challenges and accomplishments are fascinating. And it's always gratifying to hear about the four ancestors who banded together to buy land, then sold otter skins, timber and vegetables and animals they raised to pay for it.
I'm very grateful for the visitors, some who've never heard of our ancestors by name but come out of respect for a Lowcountry culture that went uncelebrated by all for far too long.
Their visits are appreciated, and right on time.
(Please see the online version of this column at www.charleston.net for information on "Roots and Branches: An African-American Genealogy Conference" taking place Saturday.)
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postand
courier.com.
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
173 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 9, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Excitement builds for 'Roots and Branches' forum
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 475 words
Taking the opportunity to tackle a long-standing problem can give you a very good feeling.
That's the kind of feeling I've had while planning and pitching "Roots and Branches: An African-American Genealogy Conference and Workshop Series." The conference takes place Oct. 27, and I can hardly contain myself.
The event will inform, inspire and support those who research African-American ancestors. Such searches usually are more challenging because blacks were recorded differently during slavery and segregation. Those who research them often end up confused and frustrated.
Two people who belong on every short list of the best African-American family history researchers have committed to speak.
Tony Burroughs, the leading authority on African-American genealogy, will deliver the morning keynote address. Burroughs appeared as a guest expert on "Oprah's Roots" and several other PBS genealogy programs. He also consulted on the Sharpton/Thurmond families' historical connection so widely covered in the media.
He is a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association and recipient of the National Genealogical Society's Distinguished Service Award.
Dorothy Spruill Redford, executive director of Somerset Place, a North Carolina plantation where her family was enslaved for four generations, will deliver the afternoon keynote address. She researched her family's genealogy and that of other families enslaved on Somerset. She is the recipient of the North Carolina Humanities Council's John Tyler Caldwell Award.
In addition, two panels of experienced genealogists will discuss researching both free and enslaved blacks. A panel of archivists and librarians will discuss the records available within their organizations to make such research a success.
The Carolina Lowcountry and Atlantic World Program (CLAW) at the College of Charleston is my partner in presenting "Roots and Branches." I was inspired to organize it when Simon Lewis, program director, was asking public agencies and cultural organizations if they planned to observe the 200th anniversary of the U.S. ban on international slave trading, which takes place in 2008.
"Roots and Branches," the conference and six follow-up workshops, is a fitting way to honor African-American ancestors. My goal is for the project to produce about 25 people in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties who will be resources for others who are researching African-American ancestors.
The free conference will be held 8:15 a.m.-4:45 p.m. Oct. 27 in the Physicians Auditorium at the College of Charleston. Its sponsors are the Humanities Council of South Carolina, The Post and Courier Foundation and CLAW. For information, visit www.gullahroots.com, e-mail info@gullahroots.com or call 670-6115.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: October 12, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
174 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 9, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Excitement builds for 'Roots and Branches' forum
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 475 words
Taking the opportunity to tackle a long-standing problem can give you a very good feeling.
That's the kind of feeling I've had while planning and pitching "Roots and Branches: An African-American Genealogy Conference and Workshop Series." The conference takes place Oct. 27, and I can hardly contain myself.
The event will inform, inspire and support those who research African-American ancestors. Such searches usually are more challenging because blacks were recorded differently during slavery and segregation. Those who research them often end up confused and frustrated.
Two people who belong on every short list of the best African-American family history researchers have committed to speak.
Tony Burroughs, the leading authority on African-American genealogy, will deliver the morning keynote address. Burroughs appeared as a guest expert on "Oprah's Roots" and several other PBS genealogy programs. He also consulted on the Sharpton/Thurmond families' historical connection so widely covered in the media.
He is a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association and recipient of the National Genealogical Society's Distinguished Service Award.
Dorothy Spruill Redford, executive director of Somerset Place, a North Carolina plantation where her family was enslaved for four generations, will deliver the afternoon keynote address. She researched her family's genealogy and that of other families enslaved on Somerset. She is the recipient of the North Carolina Humanities Council's John Tyler Caldwell Award.
In addition, two panels of experienced genealogists will discuss researching both free and enslaved blacks. A panel of archivists and librarians will discuss the records available within their organizations to make such research a success.
The Carolina Lowcountry and Atlantic World Program (CLAW) at the College of Charleston is my partner in presenting "Roots and Branches." I was inspired to organize it when Simon Lewis, program director, was asking public agencies and cultural organizations if they planned to observe the 200th anniversary of the U.S. ban on international slave trading, which takes place in 2008.
"Roots and Branches," the conference and six follow-up workshops, is a fitting way to honor African-American ancestors. My goal is for the project to produce about 25 people in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties who will be resources for others who are researching African-American ancestors.
The free conference will be held 8:15 a.m.-4:45 p.m. Oct. 27 in the Physicians Auditorium at the College of Charleston. Its sponsors are the Humanities Council of South Carolina, The Post and Courier Foundation and CLAW. For information, visit www.gullahroots.com, e-mail info@gullahroots.com or call 670-6115.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2009
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
175 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 25, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
When family tree branches elsewhere
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 494 words
You know your roots are in South Carolina, Charleston in fact. You have no doubt; your ancestors have been here for a very long time. They didn't arrive in 1670, but you have every reason to believe they came soon afterward and have been here ever since.
Then one day you're reading your grandmother's baptismal certificate and you can't believe your eyes. Her place of birth is listed as Distance, Miss.
Where?
You're tempted to burn the baptismal certificate, pretend it never existed.
Wait.
Even if the birth place is correct, your roots could still be in Charleston. The certificate does suggest, though, that at least two generations of your ancestors might have lived in Mississippi for a time. So, there could be records on the family in that state. If there are, you'll need to evaluate the information they contain to fill out the branches on your family tree.
Trouble is, you can't find Distance on maps or in gazetteers (geographical dictionaries). You Google it. No Distance. The archivist at the Mississippi Historical Society says there might have been a Distance in the western part of the state, but that's all she can come up with.
You can't go there.
Now what?
Start by finding Mississippi genealogists via Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG), Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) or International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen) Web sites (click on the Web address of this column) - or ask the historical society's archivist for a list of them.
Select and interview a few Mississippi genealogists about their experience, familiarity with Distance and whether they have seen Distance records.
Ask about their hourly rates and whether they charge a retainer. Tell them what you want to know in precise terms. Do you want specific data from the forms a family living at that time might have filled out? Do you want an exhaustive search of every document that might contain information on them?
Choose one of the genealogists you interviewed and decide how much time he can search before reporting to you in writing and seeking authorization to research further.
Ask for a letter stating the terms you agreed to before the work starts, including which of you will have the copyright to written reports of the research.
Will a genealogist always find something? No. Not even the best genealogists.
Will you have to pay if no information is found? Yes.
You pay a genealogist $45 to $75 an hour for his ability, the time it takes him to perform a "reasonably exhaustive search" and the expenses he incurs during the search. You don't pay for the information.
BCG-certified genealogists, ICAPGen-accredited genealogists and APG members are expected to adhere to a code of ethics. The board, commission and association all will arbitrate disputes between genealogists and clients if necessary.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: September 26, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
176 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 25, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
When family tree branches elsewhere
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 494 words
You know your roots are in South Carolina, Charleston in fact. You have no doubt; your ancestors have been here for a very long time. They didn't arrive in 1670, but you have every reason to believe they came soon afterward and have been here ever since.
Then one day you're reading your grandmother's baptismal certificate and you can't believe your eyes. Her place of birth is listed as Distance, Miss.
Where?
You're tempted to burn the baptismal certificate, pretend it never existed.
Wait.
Even if the birth place is correct, your roots could still be in Charleston. The certificate does suggest, though, that at least two generations of your ancestors might have lived in Mississippi for a time. So, there could be records on the family in that state. If there are, you'll need to evaluate the information they contain to fill out the branches on your family tree.
Trouble is, you can't find Distance on maps or in gazetteers (geographical dictionaries). You Google it. No Distance. The archivist at the Mississippi Historical Society says there might have been a Distance in the western part of the state, but that's all she can come up with.
You can't go there.
Now what?
Start by finding Mississippi genealogists via Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG), Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) or International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen) Web sites (click on the Web address of this column) - or ask the historical society's archivist for a list of them.
Select and interview a few Mississippi genealogists about their experience, familiarity with Distance and whether they have seen Distance records.
Ask about their hourly rates and whether they charge a retainer. Tell them what you want to know in precise terms. Do you want specific data from the forms a family living at that time might have filled out? Do you want an exhaustive search of every document that might contain information on them?
Choose one of the genealogists you interviewed and decide how much time he can search before reporting to you in writing and seeking authorization to research further.
Ask for a letter stating the terms you agreed to before the work starts, including which of you will have the copyright to written reports of the research.
Will a genealogist always find something? No. Not even the best genealogists.
Will you have to pay if no information is found? Yes.
You pay a genealogist $45 to $75 an hour for his ability, the time it takes him to perform a "reasonably exhaustive search" and the expenses he incurs during the search. You don't pay for the information.
BCG-certified genealogists, ICAPGen-accredited genealogists and APG members are expected to adhere to a code of ethics. The board, commission and association all will arbitrate disputes between genealogists and clients if necessary.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: October 1, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
177 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 11, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Consider choices before hiring a researcher
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 481 words
Been thinking about hiring someone to research your family's history? Maybe you've begun your genealogical search several times and decided that you don't have the time, patience or unbridled curiosity for the hunt.
You're just not one of those people who can devote every weekend, holiday and vacation to compiling an awesome record of their ancestors.
Not everyone can do what they do.
And not everyone should run right out and hire a professional genealogist either, say two who live and work in South Carolina.
So who should? And who shouldn't?
If you live in the same place your ancestors did, do as much of the research as possible, say professional genealogists Anne Dodenhoff of Charleston and Brent Holcomb of Columbia.
If you live locally but have a tight schedule because you care for young children or elderly parents, or you have poor eyesight and your research is progressing slowly, seek help from other family historians.
Dodenhoff, who is president of the Charleston Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society, suggests joining a genealogical society.
Once a member, take a look at its surname index to find out if another member is researching a family with the same name as yours. They might have encountered others in your family who can provide you with more information.
If you don't live where your ancestors did and the information you need will take more time to find than a researcher at the local archive, historical society or library can provide, then you might need to hire a genealogist.
While family historians can do some of their searching on the Web, all eventually will need to travel to the area where their ancestors lived or hire a researcher there, Holcomb says.
For South Carolina, those unfamiliar with available records may want to consult Holcomb's book, "A Guide to South Carolina Genealogical Research and Records."
You also may want to consult a professional genealogist when you have a complex question about your family history, he says.
In some instances, finding the answer will be as simple as finding and deciphering a record or two.
While the fee won't be cheap, it probably will be a lot less than the cost of the transportation, hotel stay and meals required to travel to your ancestors' home.
Most libraries, historical societies and other repositories where genealogical research is done keep a list of those who research in their area for a fee. Generally, you can expect to pay about $40 to $75 an hour depending on the region you need information from and the complexity of the research.
But select with care.
Repositories do not guarantee the competence of researchers for hire. And not all of them are equally able.
So, if you've decided to hire a family history researcher, watch for a future column on what to expect.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: September 14, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
178 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 11, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Consider choices before hiring a researcher
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, Kinship, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 481 words
Been thinking about hiring someone to research your family's history? Maybe you've begun your genealogical search several times and decided that you don't have the time, patience or unbridled curiosity for the hunt.
You're just not one of those people who can devote every weekend, holiday and vacation to compiling an awesome record of their ancestors.
Not everyone can do what they do.
And not everyone should run right out and hire a professional genealogist either, say two who live and work in South Carolina.
So who should? And who shouldn't?
If you live in the same place your ancestors did, do as much of the research as possible, say professional genealogists Anne Dodenhoff of Charleston and Brent Holcomb of Columbia.
If you live locally but have a tight schedule because you care for young children or elderly parents, or you have poor eyesight and your research is progressing slowly, seek help from other family historians.
Dodenhoff, who is president of the Charleston Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society, suggests joining a genealogical society.
Once a member, take a look at its surname index to find out if another member is researching a family with the same name as yours. They might have encountered others in your family who can provide you with more information.
If you don't live where your ancestors did and the information you need will take more time to find than a researcher at the local archive, historical society or library can provide, then you might need to hire a genealogist.
While family historians can do some of their searching on the Web, all eventually will need to travel to the area where their ancestors lived or hire a researcher there, Holcomb says.
For South Carolina, those unfamiliar with available records may want to consult Holcomb's book, "A Guide to South Carolina Genealogical Research and Records."
You also may want to consult a professional genealogist when you have a complex question about your family history, he says.
In some instances, finding the answer will be as simple as finding and deciphering a record or two.
While the fee won't be cheap, it probably will be a lot less than the cost of the transportation, hotel stay and meals required to travel to your ancestors' home.
Most libraries, historical societies and other repositories where genealogical research is done keep a list of those who research in their area for a fee. Generally, you can expect to pay about $40 to $75 an hour depending on the region you need information from and the complexity of the research.
But select with care.
Repositories do not guarantee the competence of researchers for hire. And not all of them are equally able.
So, if you've decided to hire a family history researcher, watch for a future column on what to expect.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: October 1, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
179 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 31, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Which approach would you take in family search?
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 531 words
Hearing how others confront the challenges involved in filling in the branches of a family tree is always interesting. It's something that is second only to hearing about the various issues themselves.
None of us goes about resolving these questions in the same way. That's because every family and every family historian are different.
Yet, there are some approaches that tend to make more sense than others.
Following are a few situations that you might have to confront as you proceed with your family history research.
How would you go about resolving them?
To see my approaches and my reasons for choosing them, click on the link at www.charleston.net/columnists.
Situation 1
The only record that you have found of your great-grandfather's death is his tombstone in the family cemetery. It bears his name, his spouse's name and his death date, Aug. 1, 1879. But now you want to know his birthplace, occupation, place of death, cause of death and how long he was ill.
Question: Which of the following could provide you with this information?
Choices: South Carolina death certificate. Records of the cemetery where he was buried. Charleston city death records. The 1880 mortality schedule of the U.S. Census.
Situation 2
Your deceased grandmother was adopted and you need her natural parents' last name to make progress on your genealogy. The couple who raised her moved frequently from town to town and you don't know where her natural family lived. Your father, her son, tells you that while she used her adoptive parents' surname, she was always known by the first name her natural parents gave her. He also says that she had natural siblings who were raised by their parents and that they telephoned her several times in their final years.
Question: Which of the following might help?
Choices: Your grandmother's obituary from the local newspaper. A box of cards and florist tags that your father's sister has saved. A conversation with the daughter of your grandmother's quilting friend. Your grandmother's vocational school records.
Situation 3
You're planning a visit to the courthouse of the county where your family lived to view some documents when you learn that it burned three times during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of the records that would include information about your family predate all three fires, but you don't know if they were destroyed or if they survived.
Question: If you want to know as soon as possible, which of the following should you do first?
Choices: E-mail the courthouse and ask if they have the records you need. Make the four-hour drive to the courthouse and request the records you need in person. Ask yourself who would have received copies of such records and search for their descendants who might know where the copies are. Check FamilySearch.org, the Web site of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Best bets
--Situation 1: The mortality schedule.
--Situation 2: Both the obituary and the cards and tags.
--Situation 3: FamilySearch.org.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB
For more on genealogy, visit
http://www.charleston.net/kinship/
LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
180 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 31, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Which approach would you take in family search?
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 531 words
Hearing how others confront the challenges involved in filling in the branches of a family tree is always interesting. It's something that is second only to hearing about the various issues themselves.
None of us goes about resolving these questions in the same way. That's because every family and every family historian are different.
Yet, there are some approaches that tend to make more sense than others.
Following are a few situations that you might have to confront as you proceed with your family history research.
How would you go about resolving them?
To see my approaches and my reasons for choosing them, click on the link at www.charleston.net/columnists.
Situation 1
The only record that you have found of your great-grandfather's death is his tombstone in the family cemetery. It bears his name, his spouse's name and his death date, Aug. 1, 1879. But now you want to know his birthplace, occupation, place of death, cause of death and how long he was ill.
Question: Which of the following could provide you with this information?
Choices: South Carolina death certificate. Records of the cemetery where he was buried. Charleston city death records. The 1880 mortality schedule of the U.S. Census.
Situation 2
Your deceased grandmother was adopted and you need her natural parents' last name to make progress on your genealogy. The couple who raised her moved frequently from town to town and you don't know where her natural family lived. Your father, her son, tells you that while she used her adoptive parents' surname, she was always known by the first name her natural parents gave her. He also says that she had natural siblings who were raised by their parents and that they telephoned her several times in their final years.
Question: Which of the following might help?
Choices: Your grandmother's obituary from the local newspaper. A box of cards and florist tags that your father's sister has saved. A conversation with the daughter of your grandmother's quilting friend. Your grandmother's vocational school records.
Situation 3
You're planning a visit to the courthouse of the county where your family lived to view some documents when you learn that it burned three times during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of the records that would include information about your family predate all three fires, but you don't know if they were destroyed or if they survived.
Question: If you want to know as soon as possible, which of the following should you do first?
Choices: E-mail the courthouse and ask if they have the records you need. Make the four-hour drive to the courthouse and request the records you need in person. Ask yourself who would have received copies of such records and search for their descendants who might know where the copies are. Check FamilySearch.org, the Web site of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Best bets
--Situation 1: The mortality schedule.
--Situation 2: Both the obituary and the cards and tags.
--Situation 3: FamilySearch.org.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB
For more on genealogy, visit
http://www.charleston.net/kinship/
LOAD-DATE: October 1, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
181 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 17, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Search for black ancestors challenging, rewarding
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 446 words
Blacks about to embark on a genealogical quest frequently ask how different the search for their family's history will be from that of their white counterparts. Regardless of the words they choose, the basic question always seems to be: Can I find enough information on my ancestors?
Probably.
Will it be easy? No. It's not easy for anyone.
Think of it this way: All genealogy is like detective work. It involves being open to possibilities, sorting through clues, reaching conclusions and getting around brick walls. And all genealogical searches start out pretty similar - not identical, but similar.
They involve interviewing older relatives, consulting city directories and ordering copies of birth, marriage and death records. But blacks must remember to do things such as check the "colored" section of directories and registers because records often were segregated in the past.
Black genealogy becomes very different as the family historian progresses back to Reconstruction. Ancestors who were emancipated by the Civil War may be found in the records unique to that period, including those of the Freedman's Savings Bank and Freedmen's Bureau. In addition, many can be found listed in census, tax, voter registration and other records for the first time.
Ancestors free before the war also may be listed in census, tax and other records, before and after the war. In addition, many of them also can be found on capitation tax lists (a tax on free persons of color) before the war.
Researching enslaved ancestors requires knowing the name of their family's last slave owners and checking their records in state archives and the collections of historical societies and universities. Without those, it's impossible to research the lives of enslaved ancestors. That's because slave owners, not slaves, generated records that document their lives.
But that does not mean that enslaved blacks were undocumented. They may not have had wills, but they were bequeathed in wills. They may not have had mortgages, but they were mortgaged. They may not have filed lawsuits, but they were the reason for lawsuits. Their names may not have been on plantation records, but their names were written in such records.
Of course, there are many other documents that can and should be searched.
In truth, most blacks who do genealogy are amazed at the amount of information they uncover over time. Like every family historian, they experience many emotions. But I've never encountered one who didn't firmly believe that the search, no matter how difficult, was well worth it.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB
For more on genealogy, visit
http://www.charleston.net/kinship/
LOAD-DATE: July 19, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
182 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
July 17, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Search for black ancestors challenging, rewarding
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 446 words
Blacks about to embark on a genealogical quest frequently ask how different the search for their family's history will be from that of their white counterparts. Regardless of the words they choose, the basic question always seems to be: Can I find enough information on my ancestors?
Probably.
Will it be easy? No. It's not easy for anyone.
Think of it this way: All genealogy is like detective work. It involves being open to possibilities, sorting through clues, reaching conclusions and getting around brick walls. And all genealogical searches start out pretty similar - not identical, but similar.
They involve interviewing older relatives, consulting city directories and ordering copies of birth, marriage and death records. But blacks must remember to do things such as check the "colored" section of directories and registers because records often were segregated in the past.
Black genealogy becomes very different as the family historian progresses back to Reconstruction. Ancestors who were emancipated by the Civil War may be found in the records unique to that period, including those of the Freedman's Savings Bank and Freedmen's Bureau. In addition, many can be found listed in census, tax, voter registration and other records for the first time.
Ancestors free before the war also may be listed in census, tax and other records, before and after the war. In addition, many of them also can be found on capitation tax lists (a tax on free persons of color) before the war.
Researching enslaved ancestors requires knowing the name of their family's last slave owners and checking their records in state archives and the collections of historical societies and universities. Without those, it's impossible to research the lives of enslaved ancestors. That's because slave owners, not slaves, generated records that document their lives.
But that does not mean that enslaved blacks were undocumented. They may not have had wills, but they were bequeathed in wills. They may not have had mortgages, but they were mortgaged. They may not have filed lawsuits, but they were the reason for lawsuits. Their names may not have been on plantation records, but their names were written in such records.
Of course, there are many other documents that can and should be searched.
In truth, most blacks who do genealogy are amazed at the amount of information they uncover over time. Like every family historian, they experience many emotions. But I've never encountered one who didn't firmly believe that the search, no matter how difficult, was well worth it.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at wminis@postandcourier.com
ON THE WEB
For more on genealogy, visit
http://www.charleston.net/kinship/
LOAD-DATE: October 1, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
183 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 4, 2007 Monday
Final Edition
How-to book helps focus online genealogical search
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 489 words
Long, long ago, those who did genealogy could probably be found in a library, historical society or other repository many nights and most weekends.
In those days, heaven was a reference room with an available microfilm reader. It had a collection of films that didn't have more crimps than you could count. And those films were clear enough for you to think you knew what you were reading.
OK. So it may not have been that long ago, but it sure seems like it.
Today, researching family history on the Web is growing faster than mites in old manuscripts attacking genealogists. And just as fast, genealogists are learning it takes more than a few well-
chosen key words to do genealogy online.
It's easy to become confused.
"Getting Started in Genealogy Online" (Genealogical Publishing Co., $12.95) by William Dollarhide can help. The 64-page how-to book, written mainly for beginning genealogists, also can be helpful to experienced genealogists who are new to online genealogy.
Dollarhide, a veteran genealogist and well-known author, simplifies the process of navigating the Web to find information on families. His organization of the book creates a research framework that should help genealogists resist the temptation to wander when exposed to the Web's vast resources.
The book's five chapters focus on how to start and where to find more, genealogy resource centers in the United States, research help for the addicted and master forms for keeping track of research.
Dollarhide begins with the essentials. He lays out a seven-step system for gathering family facts offline that are necessary for family historians to be successful online.
The veteran genealogist then provides guidance for using genealogy search engines such as CyndisList.com, Linkpendium.com and RootsWeb.com to connect with databases that have genealogically useful information. But he warns beginners against relying on information found in genealogies online without verifying accuracy.
Dollarhide's book also gives the names of state and local repositories and descriptions of their genealogy collections and Web addresses. He suggests that genealogists visit them in the order arranged under the state headings for the best research results.
In a field where GenealogyBank.com, WorldVitalRecords.com and other new sites are fast joining established ones such as Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org and HeritageQuestOnline.com, the Dollarhide book is a great tool.
Genealogists with significant online experience might prefer another source such as "Finding Your Family on the Internet" by Michael Otterson, "Genealogy Online" by Elizabeth Powell Crowe or "Genealogy Online for Dummies" by Nick Barratt.
But "Getting Started in Genealogy Online" is an excellent resource for those who are starting to grow family trees and plan to do their genealogy online.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: June 7, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
184 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
June 4, 2007 Monday
Final Edition
How-to book helps focus online genealogical search
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, KINSHIP, THE POST AND COURIER
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
LENGTH: 489 words
Long, long ago, those who did genealogy could probably be found in a library, historical society or other repository many nights and most weekends.
In those days, heaven was a reference room with an available microfilm reader. It had a collection of films that didn't have more crimps than you could count. And those films were clear enough for you to think you knew what you were reading.
OK. So it may not have been that long ago, but it sure seems like it.
Today, researching family history on the Web is growing faster than mites in old manuscripts attacking genealogists. And just as fast, genealogists are learning it takes more than a few well-
chosen key words to do genealogy online.
It's easy to become confused.
"Getting Started in Genealogy Online" (Genealogical Publishing Co., $12.95) by William Dollarhide can help. The 64-page how-to book, written mainly for beginning genealogists, also can be helpful to experienced genealogists who are new to online genealogy.
Dollarhide, a veteran genealogist and well-known author, simplifies the process of navigating the Web to find information on families. His organization of the book creates a research framework that should help genealogists resist the temptation to wander when exposed to the Web's vast resources.
The book's five chapters focus on how to start and where to find more, genealogy resource centers in the United States, research help for the addicted and master forms for keeping track of research.
Dollarhide begins with the essentials. He lays out a seven-step system for gathering family facts offline that are necessary for family historians to be successful online.
The veteran genealogist then provides guidance for using genealogy search engines such as CyndisList.com, Linkpendium.com and RootsWeb.com to connect with databases that have genealogically useful information. But he warns beginners against relying on information found in genealogies online without verifying accuracy.
Dollarhide's book also gives the names of state and local repositories and descriptions of their genealogy collections and Web addresses. He suggests that genealogists visit them in the order arranged under the state headings for the best research results.
In a field where GenealogyBank.com, WorldVitalRecords.com and other new sites are fast joining established ones such as Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org and HeritageQuestOnline.com, the Dollarhide book is a great tool.
Genealogists with significant online experience might prefer another source such as "Finding Your Family on the Internet" by Michael Otterson, "Genealogy Online" by Elizabeth Powell Crowe or "Genealogy Online for Dummies" by Nick Barratt.
But "Getting Started in Genealogy Online" is an excellent resource for those who are starting to grow family trees and plan to do their genealogy online.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
LOAD-DATE: October 1, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
185 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 22, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Guidelines to help you use archive or library wisely
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 482 words
There's never enough time to finish the research you plan to do when visiting an archive or library away from home. Researching public records stored in archives or manuscripts in regional libraries is different from researching in a local library.
By following some simple guidelines, you can have a fruitful visit to an archive or regional library even when time is tight and the records it holds are unfamiliar.
The key is preparation.
Before you visit a repository in an area where your ancestors lived, decide which ancestors you will research and the kind of information you want. Then, consult a genealogy guide to learn which documents contain that kind of information.
Go online to the facility's Web site to see if it has the documents you need. If it does, be sure they cover the period that your ancestor lived in the area and that critical years are not missing.
Some repositories have a searchable online index that allows you to search before you leave home for documents in which your ancestors are mentioned. When that's the case, copy document titles and page numbers so you won't have to look for them again when you visit.
Once you know which records you will need to consult, prioritize them so that you can move quickly to the most important records when you arrive.
It's also a good idea to note whether the records you want are actually at a repository. Sometimes documents are stored off-site and you have to request them days in advance. The Web site should tell which ones are, but it never hurts to call ahead and ask.
Some of the records kept on-site will be on the reading room floor, and others in another part of the building. When you arrive, ask the staff how much time it takes for them to retrieve documents from other parts of the building. If it takes an hour to retrieve a document, request it an hour before you finish working with another document.
When you start working on a set of records, try to stick with them until you have finished. The more you work with them, the more familiar you will become with where the information you seek is contained. That helps you to read them more quickly and understand them better.
However, if you become tired of working with a complicated document, move on to another one and come back to it later. Don't sit there as eyes wander and you struggle to pay attention.
Unfortunately, it's become fairly common for patrons to hold conversations about their research in areas where others are working. Don't hesitate to tell another patron when his talking interferes with your concentration.
But be generous if another family historian cries, or cries out, because they can finally document an ancestor.
It's what we all want.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column written on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
On the Web
For more on genealogy, go to http://www.
charleston.net/kinship/.
LOAD-DATE: May 24, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
186 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
May 22, 2007 Tuesday
Final Edition
Guidelines to help you use archive or library wisely
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS, The Post and Courier
SECTION: FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
LENGTH: 482 words
There's never enough time to finish the research you plan to do when visiting an archive or library away from home. Researching public records stored in archives or manuscripts in regional libraries is different from researching in a local library.
By following some simple guidelines, you can have a fruitful visit to an archive or regional library even when time is tight and the records it holds are unfamiliar.
The key is preparation.
Before you visit a repository in an area where your ancestors lived, decide which ancestors you will research and the kind of information you want. Then, consult a genealogy guide to learn which documents contain that kind of information.
Go online to the facility's Web site to see if it has the documents you need. If it does, be sure they cover the period that your ancestor lived in the area and that critical years are not missing.
Some repositories have a searchable online index that allows you to search before you leave home for documents in which your ancestors are mentioned. When that's the case, copy document titles and page numbers so you won't have to look for them again when you visit.
Once you know which records you will need to consult, prioritize them so that you can move quickly to the most important records when you arrive.
It's also a good idea to note whether the records you want are actually at a repository. Sometimes documents are stored off-site and you have to request them days in advance. The Web site should tell which ones are, but it never hurts to call ahead and ask.
Some of the records kept on-site will be on the reading room floor, and others in another part of the building. When you arrive, ask the staff how much time it takes for them to retrieve documents from other parts of the building. If it takes an hour to retrieve a document, request it an hour before you finish working with another document.
When you start working on a set of records, try to stick with them until you have finished. The more you work with them, the more familiar you will become with where the information you seek is contained. That helps you to read them more quickly and understand them better.
However, if you become tired of working with a complicated document, move on to another one and come back to it later. Don't sit there as eyes wander and you struggle to pay attention.
Unfortunately, it's become fairly common for patrons to hold conversations about their research in areas where others are working. Don't hesitate to tell another patron when his talking interferes with your concentration.
But be generous if another family historian cries, or cries out, because they can finally document an ancestor.
It's what we all want.
Got a genealogy issue you'd like to see a column written on? Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or at wminis@postandcourier.com
On the Web
For more on genealogy, go to http://www.
charleston.net/kinship/.
LOAD-DATE: October 1, 2007
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
All Rights Reserved
187 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
September 17, 2000, Sunday, SUNDAY EDITION
I DREAMED OF AFRICA
Lowcountry native discovers her ancestral past.
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS; Of The Post and Courier
SECTION: E, Pg. 1
LENGTH: 2058 words
While the Lowcountry of Georgia and South Carolina has been home all of my life, I am also emotionally attached to a place that is far away from here.
It's called the Fouta Djallon, home base for the more than 2 million members of the Foulbe tribe who live in the Republic of Guinea. I made my third visit to Fouta this past summer - part of a genealogical quest I hope will keep my family on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean connected.
I'm linked to the Fouta Djallon through my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather,Line is overdrawn Mohammed Bilali, who died enslaved in southeast Georgia around 1857.
A member of the Foulbe tribe, Bilali (sometimes called Ben Ali or BuAllah in popular texts) was captured and sold into slavery between the late 1770s and the late 1780s.
By 1791, he was enslaved on a Bahamian plantation near those who fled South Carolina and Georgia after the American Revolution. About 1803, he, his wife and children were purchased by Thomas Spalding of Sapelo Island, where he worked as the driver (supervisor of field hands) on Spalding's South End Plantation.
Sapelo is a place that bears little resemblance to Fouta, a land of numerous elevations with long winding roads running from village to village. Vegetation near the edges of those roads is comprised of sparse palm tree clusters. Farther from them, numerous varieties of dense vegetation ascend the mountainsides, where, sometimes, other villages are found.
My first visit to Fouta occurred in 1996, three years after I learned of Bilali's existence while connecting with relatives on Sapelo. Georgia Historical Society collections and oral tradition said Timbo - capital of the Fouta Djallon - was Bilali's home.
I spent an afternoon in Timbo as part of a vacation trip to West Africa. It seemed that telling elders in Bilali's tribe about him was my obligation, so, I fulfilled it.
A devout Muslim, Bilali managed to keep his faith and family together. He is best-known for having written 13 Arabic pages that have kept scholars and armchair historians interested in his life nearly 150 years after his death.
The folder containing those pages, preserved at the University of Georgia's Hargrett Library, contains numerous new and old letters of inquiry about him. They show that interest in his life continues to broaden and increase.
During my second visit, I spent 13 weeks studying Foulbe history and conducting interviews that would allow me to connect the dots of Bilali's life. I also experienced daily life as a member of his tribe in the Fouta Djallon.
My feelings for the place and its people are strong. When I returned for a month this past summer, it was as much to visit with those I consider family as it was to learn more about my ancestry.
I spent a lot of time sitting and listening in places with names I hadn't heard of five years ago - Dabola, Saramoussaya, Sokotoro, Mamou, Dalaba, Fougoumba and Labe. But I also returned to Bilalya, just north of Timbo, where my research indicates Biali most certainly had many family members.
Bilalya
"The place you're looking for, it must be very close to Bilalya," an old man in Conakry, Guinea's capital, had said as I prepared for another trip to Fouta.
"Even if you go to Fougoumba, Dabola and many other places, the road will lead you back to Bilalya. ... so try to take some comfort from that. Many blessings will come your way."
It was early one Saturday morning as I sat in the compound of Ibrahima Sory, son of Bilalya's chief, when one of those blessing came my way.
My three-day visit there would come to a close within hours and tears were streaming down my cheeks as those with whom I have a common ancestry gathered round.
It was not that I was leaving Bilalya and would not return for at least two years that caused us sadness. The tears had started as we discussed a 199-year-old property list appraising the estate of John Bell, owner of a plantation in the Bahamas.
Bilali was first on the list. My fifth great-grandmother, Phoebe, their three eldest daughters and two sons were next. While the names of all seven of his daughters were known, the appraisal provided me with the names of his sons for the first time.
It was the youngest son, 6-month-old "Abagado," who had been the focus of our attention in Bilalya that morning. For months, I had wondered: "What Islamic name had the writer intended to note on that inventory?"
By the time I visited Bilalya, several people had said it was probably Abdoul Ghadiro. Had Bilali named him for the Grand Almamy who came to power on the other side of the Atlantic just about the time this child as born?
I knew Foulbe men usually named their sons for their own fathers or their older uncles? If villages are the smallest unit of an extended family, my next question would be, could Almamy Abdoul Ghadiro, associated with the adjacent and more prominent village of Sokotoro, have actually come from Bilalya? Was there a close kinship?
It was a question I had wanted to ask during my entire visit. But during my previous visits, villagers there had been far more reluctant than any others to answer my questions? And no one from another village would ever answer such a direct question relating to another village.
Suddenly, as we prepared to say our first round of "goodbyes," the words came tumbling out of my mouth in French: "Did Almamy Abdul Ghadiro ever live in this village?"
Someone translated it into Pulaar and asked the chief who was sitting beside me.
"Yes," the chief replied without hesitation. "He lived here before he became almamy and he came back here after he became almamy." The answer and the fact that it was given so freely, as if I was entitled to know, prompted me to cry.
I finally accepted the fact that my family in America must somehow be members of the family of Almamy Sory Mawdo, Abdoul Ghadiro's father, and the first great spiritual and temporal head of the theocratic state of the Fouta Djallon.
Emotionally, it's one of the most important steps I've ever taken.
Fougoumba
Visiting Fougoumba was the kind of experience that's hard for a black American to dream about. I thought of that the morning I prepared to go there - the place where grand almamys like Sory Mawdo and Abdoul Ghadiro were invested.
Their rites of enthronement included receiving nine turbans, symbols of Fouta Djallon's nine provinces.
Maintaining the site was the responsibility of those descended from Sedianke, the brother of Soryianke from whom the leaders around Timbo, Bilali's area, were descended.
Sory Mawdo, Saadu, Abdoul Ghadiro, Oumar, Bokar Biro, I mentally repeated the names of those from the Soryia family who had been honored with such power.
I was excited when told that the actual building where the pre-investiture retreat took place is still there - the building with the three doors. Although my ancestors in Fouta were devout Muslims and I'm Catholic, I was still going to visit sacred ground.
It was a treacherous road we took to Fougoumba. Sharp stones at its center forced the driver to hang close to the edge. We passed, narrowly missing the edges of cliffs, waterfalls and deep ravines on the 20-mile trip - which lasted more than 90 minutes.
I had no doubt that any man who made it up that roadway centuries ago was truly committed to lead. I wondered how many tired or unruly horses suddenly bolted and went over the edge, taking riders with them.
When we arrived at Fougoumba, a student was with me to interpret the tribal language, Pulaar. We met El Hajj Boubacar, Fougoumba's caretaker, and presented him with the letter of introduction.
As El Hajj Boubacar and I talked about the structure we were in, he assured me it was the same building where all the almamys had spent time before receiving authority.
The floor, he said, had been paved over because of an ant problem. And the straw roof had been repaired many times, but the walls that I ran my fingers over were original.
As I examined the scratches, marks and texture of the worn old walls, El Hajj Boubacar repeated a history of the Foulbe that I had heard many times before.
He he assured me that many people still come to see this place where people have been praying for hundreds of years. They included the religious council of the nine-province theocratic state of Fouta Djallon whose seat had been there.
Sometimes his memory failed, and he gave me papers so that I would get a more accurate picture, but I didn't mind. This search has strengthened my ability to listen to these stories - the points always become clear a bit later on.
Sory Mawdo
I leaned against the rough concrete of the mausoleum being refurbished in the yard of the Grand Mosque at Labe, Fouta's largest city. As I looked inside at the rectangle of blue ceramic tiles, I knew they covered the remains of a well-respected man - Sory Mawdo.
From 1730 until his death in 1793, Sory Mawdo had been at the forefront of the establishment of the nine-province government of the Fouta Djallon. This first grand almamy commanded his people in more than 50 battles, had many wives and 51 sons and was a leading figure in the spread of Islam in West Africa.
It was July 4. The next day would mark seven years since I unexpectedly learned of Bilali's existence. I thought about the fact that he would have been in command when the opportunity for my ancestor to be captured into slavery was created.
His home village was Sokotoro, next to Bilalya. His sons and descendants, including Bokar Biro, the last grand almamy murdered by French colonial forces, had come from Bilalya.
The patrilineal group that would have decided on Bilali's education and other major life events was directly under him. I wasn't quite sure why, but on this emotional journey, I had become upset when I arrived at the mosque burial ground to find that the gate was locked. Perhaps I should have expected it, but I wanted so badly just to go in and be alone. And I suppose on some level, I took the locked gate personally.
Finding the facility locked, I had no choice but to find El Hajj Mamadou Samba and spend more than two hours trying to collect a representative group from the mosque to accompany me to the mausoleum.
Several times I insisted that I wanted no fanfare, just to be alone at the mausoleum. Eventually, he agreed that only a few people would accompany me, then after about five minutes said he was leaving and I had to leave also.
Suddenly I heard myself shouting at him in French. I was telling him how far I had come, how meaningful this visit was to me, that he should be ashamed of himself. Finally, I said if he wanted me to leave, he would have to pick me up and throw me out.
Looking back, I think he probably just wanted me to join him and the others in afternoon prayer at the mosque. What better way to honor Sory Mawdo, who was reputed to have done an enormous amount of fasting and praying in his life.
When El Hajj Mamadou Samba returned from the prayer, he was laughing. I got the impression he'd found my outburst and insistence amusing. He appeared to be pleased when I listened to his friend tell me things about Sory Madwo's life, then respectfully interrupted him to add the dates and ask a few questions.
As I caught the car the next morning for the ride back to Conakry. I knew that in less than a week I would arrive in London, where the records of slaving companies and at least one diary of those who visited Timbo in the late 1700s existed.
Meanwhile, I enjoyed the seven-hour drive down the long, winding road from Labe to Conakry - listening to music sung in the language of my ancestors, while those going my way alternately sang and translated the words for me.
Wevonneda Minis is writing a memoir of her experiences in tracing her family's history, called "Long, Winding Road." She can be reached at (843) 937-5705. FACTS ON THE FOULBE PEOPLE:Staple foods: Beef, fonio, rice, milk solids (clabber), cola nuts.Dress: Traditional African robes made of indigo cloth.Lifestyle: Polygamous society with families living in compounds within a village.Religion: Islam.Homeland: Fouta Djallon region of the Republic of Guinea.Population: 2.6 million.Occupations: Traditional cattle herders, very little agriculture, many businessmen.
LOAD-DATE: September 25, 2000
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
GRAPHIC: Four color photos; one color map;one b&w photo Staff photos by Wevonneda Minis Members of the extended Timbo family leave a sacrifice, a traditional Muslim celebration, held in the village of Sokotoro. The village is located just outside of Timbo, an old theocratic government capital. Wevonneda Minis, second from left, with the women of Bilalya. Women in the Muslim culture who are middle-aged and older typically wear a cloth over the African headties- especially during prayer. In this mausoleum, now being restored, lie the remains of Almamy Sory Mawdo, ruler of the region during much of the tumultuous 18th century, when Mohammed Bilali was captured and enslaved. Staff photo by Juliette Coughlin This indigo cloth, called leppi (laypee), is dyed and spun in the Fouta Djallon region of Labe. The fabric is the official cloth associated with the Foulbe people. Wevonneda Minis stands outside the "building of three doors" at Fougoumba with its caretaker, El Hajj Boubacar (in white), and a visitor. Men poised to become ruler of the Fouta Djallon were required to spend seven days alone on retreat here.
Copyright 2000 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
188 of 188 DOCUMENTS
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
October 18, 1998, Sunday, SUNDAY EDITION
Publications are celebrating female bonding
BYLINE: WEVONNEDA MINIS; Of The Post and Courier
SECTION: G, Pg. 1
LENGTH: 271 words
Avirtual avalanche of recently published books celebrate female friendships.
"We have a number of girlfriends books in our women's studies section," says David Templeton of Chapter Two Book Store, an independent bookstore on Meeting Street.
One major bookseller, Amazon.com, offers no fewer than 40 titles - most released in 1997 and 1998 - about girlfriends. Company spokesman Bill Curry says several of them are among the company's best-selling relationship books.
Women having strong relationships with each other is not new, says Nikki Hardin, publisher of Skirt! Magazine. But there is a lot of public interest in the entire subject of women friends because of the newer roles they are playing in each other's lives.
"Now, so many of us live far away from our families," says Hardin, "that other women form an extended family for us. They are our support network, especially if you're a single woman or a single mother. Your girlfriends can help you get through so many things."
Many female bonding books deal with the types of things that women help each other through at various stages of life. Others are filled with stories or letters from actual relationships. And still others really are aids to maintain such relationships - guides, calendars, diaries and photo memory albums.
Among the top sellers are: "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" by Rebecca Wells; "Girlfriends: Invisible Bonds, Enduring Ties" by Carmen Renee Berry and Tamara Traeder; "The Kinship of Women" edited by Pat Ross; and "Just Between Girlfriends: African-American Women Celebrate Friendship" by Chrisena Coleman.
LOAD-DATE: October 20, 1998
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
Copyright 1998 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)