The Florida State Genealogical Society is hosting its annual conference on March 28th – 30th in Gainesville. The conference will host keynote speaker Lisa Louise Cooke, and over 15 different speakers on various genealogical topics. Registration can be completed online at www.flsgs.org, or by mail.
Looking for early New England settlers? Take a look at the American Genealogical Biographical Index during your next visit to the John F. Germany Library. The AGBI is one of the best starting points for those looking for ancestors in the New England area. This 200 volume set includes four million names with citations to various genealogical sources (a lot of which we have on site). The AGBI can also be searched digitally on http://www.ancestry.com and http://www.familysearch.org.
On Saturday, February 15th, at 10:15 a.m., learn how to use online newspapers and digital books which provide digital images helping unlock the door to a family’s history @ North Tampa Branch Library – 8916 North Blvd Tampa, FL 33604.
Doing genealogy research from home just got easier! A wide variety of genealogy related eBooks are now available for checkout through OverDrive Digital Media. Click here to visit the “New eBooks” section of OverDrive, and browse the new arrivals.
A valuable and often overlooked resource @ John F. Germany Public Library is our wide variety of local cemetery records on microfilm. Donated to our library by Julius Gordon, these microfilm reels include records for Oaklawn Cemetery, Woodlawn Cemetery, Marti/Colon Cemetery, and St. Louis Catholic Cemetery dating back as early as 1895. Many records include photocopies of cemetery ledger books, sale of lots, as well as grave relocations and removals.
We own five digital microform readers that capture high quality scans of microfilm, microfiche, and micro card. Feel free to bring a flash drive and save digital copies of your findings, or email them to yourself.
In partnership with the National Archives, Fold3 recently finished scanning and publishing the complete set of compiled military service records of the United States Colored Troops (USCT). The collection is comprised of over 3.6 million document images for the 1st through 138th USCT Infantry, the 1st through 6th USCT Cavalry, and the USCT Artillery.
Notably, it was 150 years ago this month, on May 22, 1863, that the U.S. War Department established the Bureau of Colored Troops under General Orders, No. 143. Prior to the Civil War, African American soldiers had served in many battles on American soil, but it wasn’t until the Bureau was created that official regiments were formed. And, while Union regiments had African American soldiers within their ranks prior to Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, it was that famous announcement that officially authorized the service of African Americans in combat.
The most recently published USCT records, the Union Colored Troops 56th-138th Infantry, were scanned directly from the original textual records, while the rest of the collection was digitized from microfilm.
Additional documents from the file of Adam Hamilton, a private in the 67th USCT, illustrate the many types of records we can uncover in this rich collection of military records. Hamilton enlisted January 24, 1864, in Mexico, Missouri. His physical characteristics and place of birth appear on a Volunteer Descriptive List. He was absent from duty in March and April as he was sick with smallpox in hospital at Port Hudson, Louisiana. He died of Variola (smallpox) on April 7, 1864. Although his military service was short, his file includes 24 pages as Hamilton was a slave of John Vivian of Boone County, Missouri, and Vivian was awarded compensation of $300.
Read more about the U.S. Colored Troops, their service in the Civil War, and access descriptive pamphlets and related resources from the Fold3 description page for Union Compiled Military Service Records – Colored Troops. Explore the complete set of compiled military service records of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) on Fold3.
The above text is courtesy of the Fold3 database. Access to Fold3 is available at any of our library branches or from any location with a valid Hillsborough County Library card.
Since we honor our mothers in May, I decided to create a book display about finding our female ancestors – Finding Those Elusive Females. The number of books dedicated to finding females is limited. Why are these anscestors so elusive? The following quote by Elizabeth Shown Mills, editor of Reassembling Female Lives is very revealing as to what early ancestors thought about women: “When Thomas Jefferson wrote, ‘It is not fitting and proper that a woman should appear in a court of law or a public assemblage of men,’ he echoed the wisdom of the ages. … Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) decreed: ‘A woman is to be from her house three times: when she is christened, married, and buried.’ Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-73) was blunter: ‘The dignity of woman {sic} consists in being unknown to the World.” No wonder there are fewer records for women.
The following books on display give the basics of researching females:
Discovering Your Female Ancestors: Special strategies for uncovering hard-to-find information about your female lineage by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack.
The Hidden Half of the Family: a Sourcebook for Women’s Genealogy by Christina K. Schaefer. In addition to giving the basics of searching for female ancestors, this book gives resources for every state.
Reassembling Female Lives: A Special Issue of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. This booklet consists of 6 articles on how the authors found their missing females.
Women and the Law of Property in Early America by Marylynn Salmon. Being familiar with the laws at the time your ancestors lived will help you find what records are available and why, sometimes, there just are no records.
The following books are also on display but limited to either a geographic area or timeframe:
Runaway Women: Elopements and Other Miscreant Deeds as Advertised in the Pennsylvania Gazette – 1728-1789 compiled by Judith Ann Highley Meier.
Bastardy Cases in Baltimore County, Maryland by Henry C. Peden, Jr.(two volumes covering 1673-1844)
Pennsylvania Women in the American Revolution by William Henry Egle.
Women of the War: Their Heroism and Self-Sacrifice by Frank Moore (Civil War).
Please stop by and look at the above books or if you’re not in this area, check your own library for a copy.
Since this is much longer than usual, I’ll save my own hints for another blog. Happy Hunting.
’til next time – Librarianna
They Built Railway Cars: The Pullman Social Experiment and the Swedish Immigration by Allan Nilson, translated by Raymond E. Johnson (2002).
I came across a thin paperback with an eye-catching cover, featuring seven men of apparent European descent in suits and ties, enjoying, it seemed, the accordion music of their companion. The book cover was a collage superimposing the men over railway cars and an urban skyline. It was an interesting image and it piqued my sense of curiosity about these suited fellows and what they had to do with skyscrapers , railroad cars, and of course , the accordion.
It all ties together in the story of George Mortimer Pullman (1831–1897) and his idea that turned him into a millionaire and led him to be known as one of the “world’s most creative entrepreneurs”. He was born in upstate New York and dropped out of school at an early age and yet he was successful at bringing his vision to full fruition. Pullman founded an enormous railway car dynasty which revolutionized railway travel on an international level, establishing the model factory town of Pullman, Illinois, creating a cradle of Swedish – American culture. Then, finally and most unpredictably, he ironically and unwittingly set the stage for the legendary African American civil rights organization, “The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters” from which iconic Floridian A. Philip Randolph emerged as one of the power brokers of the 20th century American labor movement.
This slim volume includes stories culled from the Swedish immigrants’ letters and memoirs, a bibliography of Swedish American sources and, of special genealogical significance, a list of nearly 200 emigrants from Nykyrke Parish from 1850-1910. The roster includes the town of origin, year of emigration, occupation and family relationships.
At the close of the book, the seven suited Swedish gentlemen reappear as if to say good-bye. The caption reads: “Feelings of solidarity found expression in gathering around the accordion on a Saturday afternoon. Oscar Karlsson from Göteborg plays the accordion for his companions, several of whom are newly arrived. Dreams of a better life.”
Submitted by Phyllis McEwen, Librarian, Florida History and Genealogy Library
While researching Florida history to verify a death date for Maria Jane Post, I became fascinated with a woman I would have liked to have known. I decided to highlight her since March is Women’s History Month. She is one of many interesting women who helped shape Hillsborough County and probably known to very few people. I hope you find her as interesting and intriguing as I did.
From Social History of Pioneer Tampa, Florida by Julius J. Gordon, 2001 (self-published), p. 104:
“Mrs. Maria Jane (Moore) Post, born 11 June 1837, died 30 March 1923 at Ft. Meade, the daughter of Joseph Moore and Elpenice (Stanford) Moore. She married Madison Post, third mayor of the city of Tampa, and was the mother of another mayor of Tampa, Dr. Duff Post. She was a fluent speaker in the Seminole Indian Language, as was her Father, Joseph Moore. She was one of the oldest inhabitants of the city of Tampa at the time of her death. She is shown here in the dress attire of the day, covered by a woolen cape to break the wind.”
Her obituary was found in the Tampa Morning Tribune, March 31, 1923, p. 12A: (Click on the obituary to enlarge it)
She was buried in Tampa at Oaklawn Cemetery. To see photos of her gravesite, go to findagrave.com.
’til next time – Librarianna
Last week, I was excited to see we received The Florida Sentinel Bulletin on microfilm. The Florida Sentinel Bulletin has been part of the Tampa Bay community since the end of 1945. It is the only African American publication in Florida that delivers twice a week. Our acquisition of microfilm from July 1946 until March 2008 enhances research for anyone researching African American history in this area. We also have paper copies of issues from September 2002 through today.
The microfilm is not indexed but offers a wonderful opportunity for anyone who would like to volunteer. Just call the library (273-3652) to find out what the job entails. The lack of indexing didn’t stop a young woman from Pennsylvania from finding obituaries. Her father grew up in Tampa and because she knew the dates when family members passed away, she was able to find several entries for his side of the family. What perfect timing for her since she had to return to Pennsylvania the next day.
For more information about the newspaper, check their website at http://flsentinel.com/.
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