The Mayflower Society - General Society of Mayflower Descendants

In continuing our look at lineage societies, the next one on the list is “The Mayflower Society - the General Society of the Mayflower Descendants”.

“More than one hundred years ago, a group of descendants of the Pilgrims who sailed on the Mayflower in 1620, saw the need for a national society to honor their memory. The intention was to remember these Pilgrims who established Plymouth Colony, in what was then called the northern part of Virginia. Today there are tens-of-millions of individuals descended from these brave souls. It is the goal of The Mayflower Society to join together people who share this heritage and to carry on the memory of our Pilgrim ancestors.” Source: http://www.themayflowersociety.com/index.htm.

Established in 1897 in Plymouth Massachusetts, the Society strives to educate interested parties regarding the history of the Pilgrims. In addition, they endeavor to reveal the Pilgrims roles and contributions which helped shape the history of the United States of America. The Society is one of the three largest hereditary organizations in the U.S.

In regards to genealogical resources pertaining to the Society, the Jacksonville Public Library holds the following material:

Mayflower index, compiled and edited for the General society of Mayflower descendants by William Alexander McAuslan, historian general.

GEN 929.373 M117m

This resource gives the names of men who married daughters, granddaughters, and great granddaughters of Mayflower Pilgrims. Part One provides (1) the names of persons descended from the Mayflower pilgrims in alpha order numbered consecutively, (2) the name of their spouse, (3) and the parent’s number which corresponds to the parents’ names. Part Two contains the names of husbands and wives included in the list of descendants.

Mayflower families through five generations : descendants of the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth, Mass., December 1620.
GEN 929.2 A1M468

This is a 20 volume set. Each volume in this series contains detailed information on individual families, genealogies, histories, vital records, and much more.

Mayflower marriages: from the files of George Ernest Bowman at the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants.
GEN 929.3 R816m

Source provides information regarding 10,000 marriages spanning five centuries, with names, dates, and sources. It shows the line of descent within each marriage, as found in the Bowman files. Inter-marriage among Mayflower descendants is also shown with descent of the partner. Also included are names of partners who had a child together but were not married. All name index.

History and Genealogy of the Mayflower planters and first comers to ye olde colonie.

GEN 973.22 h555h

This item provides in-depth pedigree material on the Mayflower planters, and "first comers" to Plymouth and Cape Cod. Based largely on the genealogy of Mayflower planter Stephen Hopkins, includes both male and female lines through a number of generations.

The Mayflower Reader: a selection of articles from The Mayflower descendant.

GEN 929.374 M4682Bo

A comprehensive selection of articles from the first seven volumes of The Mayflower Descendant, an authoritative journal devoted to Pilgrim genealogy and history, discontinued in 1937. Includes transcriptions of wills, inventories, passenger lists, memoirs, genealogies and historical sketches

Mayflower source records : primary data concerning southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard: from the New England historical and genealogical register.

GEN 929.37448 R644m

Sixty articles from more than 150 issues of the Register. It identifies 25,000 persons of Mayflower descent and consists of church records, vital records, cemetery inscriptions and probate records - all referencing numerous offspring of the original Pilgrim fathers.

The May-flower & her log, July 15, 1620-May 6, 1621.

GEN 974.48202 A513m

This resource discusses the May-Flower's charter and information about the ship itself as well as the May-Flower's consort, the Speedwell. Also provides insight into the officers and crew, passengers, quarters, food and cooking. Appendix includes the agreement of the merchant adventurers and planters, many letters written by Robert Cushman and the May-Flower compact. Preface and index are new additions to original edition.

The English ancestry and homes of the Pilgrim Fathers: who came to Plymouth on the "Mayflower" in 1620, the "Fortune" in 1621, and the "Anne" and the "Little James" in 1623.

GEN 929.374482 B218e

This gives biographical sketches of 112 passengers who sailed on the first four ships to New England, including origins, family connections, and later histories. Passengers presented in alphabetical order by ship.

Mayflower increasings (for three generations).

GEN 929.3744 R816m

Based on a 37 page booklet published in 1922, this has revised and expanded the descent of the Mayflower passengers to three generations. Well documented sources. It is indexed by family name.

Mayflower births & deaths: from the files of George Ernest Bowman at the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower descendants.

GEN 929.3744 R816m

Compilation of birth and death records from the Bowman files, the largest manuscript resource on Mayflower genealogy in existence. It encompasses all vital records with references to 50,000 Mayflower relations. Also includes references to burial location, cause of death, and address at death gleaned from land and will records, court and church records, transcripts of personal letters, and more. Each volume separately indexed.

Mayflower deeds & probates: from the files of George Ernest Bowman at the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants.

GEN 929.3744 R816m

This is a compilation of deeds and probate records extracted and transcribed from the Bowman Files. Several thousand deed abstracts provide such information as name, occupation and residence, date, sale, price, acreage, and location of the land, witnesses, date of recording and much more. This index contains 25,000 entries.

The Mayflower Quarterly
First published in 1935, this quarterly publication contains societal news, events, and updates as well as articles regarding Mayflower genealogies. Although the Jacksonville Public Library does not have a current subscription, it does have issues between 1976 and 2006.

In short, the above resources are prime tools to begin searching your pilgrim connection. To learn more about the Mayflower Society and their resources, please visit their webpage at http://www.themayflowersociety.com/index.htm.

“Family History – Past, Present, and Future”

New Materials: Maryland Source Records

Last month, we received a sizable donation of source records pertaining to Maryland. They are now on the shelves and ready for you to use. Below are some of the new titles:

• Maryland Calendar of Wills, 1744-1749
• Roster of the Soldiers and Sailors Who Served in Organizations from Maryland during the Spanish-American War
• Baltimore County Atlas, 1877
• Inhabitants of Baltimore County, 1763-1774
• Settlers of Maryland
• Anne Arundel County, Maryland Marriage Records, 1777-1877
• Early Catholic Church Records in Baltimore, Maryland, 1782 through 1800
• The Maryland Militia in the Revolutionary War
• History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-5
• Sketches of Citizens of Baltimore City and Baltimore County
• Historic Graves of Maryland and the District of Columbia
• Index to the Roster of the Maryland Volunteers, 1861-1865
• Gleanings from Maryland Newspapers
• Index to Marriages in the Baltimore Sun, 1851-1860
• Index of Obituaries and Marriages in the Baltimore Sun, 1861-1865
• Maryland Mortalities, 1876-1915, from the Baltimore Sun Almanac
• Departed this Life: Death Notices from the Baltimore Sun, 1851-1860
• Index to Marriages and Deaths in the Baltimore County Advocate, 1850-1864
• Revolutionary Patriots of Harford County, Maryland, 1775-1783
• Historic Long Green Valley, Baltimore County, Maryland
• Baltimore Directory of 1799: Containing the Names, Occupations and Places of Abode of the Citizens
• The Particular Assessment Lists for Baltimore and Carroll Counties, 1798
• Signers of the Oath of Fidelity to Maryland during the Revolution
• Letter from the Secretary of War Transmitting a Report of the Names, Rank, and Line of Every Person Placed on the Pension List, in Pursuance of the Act of the 18th March, 1818
• A Supplement to the Early Settlers of Maryland: Comprising 8,680 Entries Correcting Omissions and Errors in Gust Skordas 'The Early Settlers of Maryland'

Thanks to Nina Searcy for this donation!

JPL Adds 33,000 Names to Online 1945 Florida Census Index

In accordance with the 1838 Constitution, Florida state censuses were conducted in 1845 and every ten years after until the state census was abolished in 1949. Although 10 state censuses were conducted, the only schedules that exist today are the 1885, 1935, and 1945 censuses. A printed index exists for 1885 but no index is available for 1935 or 1945.

Jacksonville Public Library is making the 1945 Florida State Census more accessible by digitizing and indexing each of the 90 Duval County precincts. The schedule includes the following information: name, address (whether inside or outside city limits), age, sex, race, relation to family, place of birth, degree of education, whether home owner or renter, and occupation.

Today we added 33,000 names to our online census index. We now have a total of 63,000 names indexed. You can access the census online at http://www.jaxpubliclibrary.org/coll/gen/1945census/.

Indexing the 1945 Florida State Census would not be possible without the help of our dedicated volunteers. The following people have worked hard to complete the portion that is now available on our website: Patricia McCullough, Rae Oliver, Bryan Batty, Pamela Gibson, Bertha Powe, Betty Lee, Marta Metcalf, Norma Guthrie, Jill Ross, Holly Timm, Renee Wilson, Wanda Hutton and Jennifer Workman.

This indexing project is still in progress. If you would like to participate, you can learn more at http://www.jaxpubliclibrary.org/coll/gen/volopp.html.

Voyages: The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database

"Voyages: The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database" launched Friday in conjunction with a conference at Emory University marking the bicentennial of the official end of the trans-Atlantic slave trade in 1808. Emory spearheaded the two-year interactive project, which is free to the public, accessible online at http://www.slavevoyages.com/. The database has information on almost 35,000 slaving voyages between the 16th and 19th centuries. It also includes an African Names database which identifies over 67,000 Africans aboard slave ships, using name, age, gender, origin, and place of embarkation.

Click here to view the press release.

The image above is of a map of West Africa published in William Snelgraves’ “A New Account of Guinea” in 1754. Snelgrave was captain of several slave vessels that sailed to the coast of West Africa in the first half of the eighteenth century. The map shows some of the major slave trading ports along the coast between the River Senegal and Cape Lopez as well as details about the peoples, cities and states located in the interior of West Africa. The image is reproduced courtesy of the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University.

Season's Greetings!

If it's been a while since your last visit, now is the perfect time to stop by the Library. For the month of December, the Main Library has been transformed into a Winter Wonderland. The Junior League and Jacksonville Public Library have partnered to bring us the Festival of Trees, a display of spectacularly decorated trees, each inspired by a different book. The Festival of Trees features 26 trees that encircle the grand staircase on three floors of the Library.

The holiday cheer continues as you enter the Special Collections area on the 4th floor. For the second year in a row, Genealogy Collection volunteer Patricia McCullough has lent her International Santa Collection and her decorating talent to design our annual holiday display. The theme of this year's display is "The International Spirit of Giving." Below are two of the featured Santas. You can view more pictures of the display on our flickr page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jplgenealogy/sets/72157610580777549/

Obituaries and Death Notices: Is There a Difference?

Obituaries and Death Notices are great resources for genealogist and for those tracing their ancestors. The information they provide varies in many respects and can lead to other forms or sources of information. Although obituaries and death notices are used synonymously, there is a difference.

An obituary generally is an announcement in the local newspaper regarding the death of an individual. It provides minimal information such as, name of the deceased, date of birth, date of death, place of residences, and perhaps a cause of death. Depending upon the town, city, or community obituaries may be published for free in the local newspaper or for a fee.

Death notices, on-the-other hand, have a tendency to contain more substantial information about the deceased. This includes information, such as the name of the deceased, his/her age, name of wife/husband, children’s names, parents, siblings, place of residence, cause of death, the name of the funeral home, occupation, and even a picture of the deceased. As with obituaries, death notices may cost to be published. If a fee is assessed, this may affect the amount of information contained in a notice, especially if the cost is per letter or per word.

Another item of note is that information contained in obituaries and death notices may not be accurate always. Errors in the information can occur anywhere in the process. Incorrect data may be provided by the individual supplying the information, or by the newspaper person taking the information, or by the editor proofing the obituary/death notice, or by the worker preparing it for press. Therefore, as with all genealogy research, you will want to verify the data using other sources of information, as much as possible.

Also, as mentioned earlier, obituaries & notices of death can lead to other primary and secondary sources for locating information regarding your ancestors. For example, an obituary/death notice can lead you (1) to funeral home data for funeral records, (2) to city directories (which you can use to trace the residential history of the deceased) which in turn may lead to court and land records, (3) to names of relatives and family members (who still may exist and be able to provide information about the deceased that cannot be found in a census record), and (4) to cemetery and other record types.

In short, when conducting genealogical research, don’t forget those obits and death notices.

New Arrivals: County Court Records

Without a doubt, the most frequently used items in our microfilm collection are the county court records for Duval and surrounding counties (including Clay and St. Johns). Because the court records for Northeast Florida counties are in such high demand, we've expanded our geographic coverage to include Baker and Nassau counties. This month, we received the following county court records on microfilm:

BAKER COUNTY

• Mortgage Records of Baker County, Florida, 1876-1907
• Baker County Deeds, 1877-1909
• Miscellaneous records of Baker County, Florida, 1912-1937
• Record of Administrations, Baker County, Florida, 1914-1938
• Soldier's and Sailor's of Baker County, Florida, Discharge Records, 1917-1945

NASSAU COUNTY

• Marriage records, 1867-1953
• Returns on Accounts in Estates of Deceased Persons, 1873-1930
• General Index to Files and Records of Estates
• Petitions and Orders in Estates of Deceased Persons, 1873-1897
• Inventories, Appraisements and Sales in Estates of Deceased Persons, 1873-1933

You can read more about our county court records on microfilm at http://jaxpubliclibrary.org/coll/gen/duval.html.

Sons of the American Revolution Lineage Society

Throughout American history, many societies have risen and have developed over the course of time. The purpose of such societies and organizations vary greatly, depending upon their founder(s), origin, and reason for existence. In America, there are many societal groups in many areas; such as medicine, law, and education as well as the arts, science, and religion. For researchers of family history though, two of the most noted types are historical and genealogical societies. Some of these organizations date their genesis back to the American Revolution (1775-1783). Others developed over time with their lineage centered on an individual(s) or based upon particular event(s).

One example of an ancestral society is the “the Sons of the American Revolution” lineage society. What is the “Sons of the American Revolution?” you might ask. Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) is a non-profit corporation that seeks… “to maintain and extend the institutions of American freedom, an appreciation for true patriotism, and a respect for our national symbols”… to name a few of their aspirations.

SAR was organized in 1876 by a group of patriot descendants from San Francisco California. At that time, the organization was called “Sons of Revolutionary Sires”. “Their objective was to have a fraternal and civic society to salute those men and women who pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to the battle of independence from Great Britain.”

SAR felt that through their stories, values such as patriotism would inspire future generations. From Sires on April 30, 1889, the “National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution” developed commemorating the 100th anniversary of George Washington’s inauguration. On June 9, 1906, the organization was chartered by Congress and signed by President Theodore Roosevelt. (Roosevelt himself was a member.) With twenty-six thousand members and with hundreds of chapters in various countries, the society remains active.

Although not a current subscription, the Genealogy collection does contain a few years of the SAR publication. Starting out as the “Official bulletin of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution”, this publication began in October 1906. From there, the title changed to “The Minute Man” in 1923. Later, the title changed again to “The Sons of the American Revolution Magazine” in 1930, and finally evolved into the current publication entitled, “The SAR Magazine” in 1967 to present time. Published quarterly, the magazine provides news and information regarding the society and its endeavors, such as updates, current events, and genealogical inquiries. In addition, it features articles written by and submitted by SAR members regarding historical events and figures.

Therefore if you believe that you have ancestors who contributed to America’s independence, you may wish to consider the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution as a resource. For more information about this lineage society and their endeavors, you may wish to visit their website at http://www.sar.org.

Fleming Island Genealogy Group Tour the JPL Genealogy Collection

One of my favorite parts of my job is showing our impressive genealogy collection to people who have never visited the library before. On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to give a tour of the collection to the Fleming Island Genealogy Group. Today I was delighted to find that Chris Mochocki of the Clay County Public Library posted some pictures from the tour on their blog. If you would like to request an individual or group tour of the Genealogy Collection, please contact us at 630-2409.

18th Century Obituaries: the First Celebrity Gossip Columns

As genealogists, we rely on obituaries to provide birth and death dates, biographical details, and the names of surviving relatives. Obituary content provided by the surviving relatives casts the subject in a flattering light. Modern obituaries list a person's achievements and omit any personal information that might be considered scandalous. Dr. Elizabeth Warwick, associate professor at the Univeristy of Warwick (UK) claims this was not the case in 18th century England. Instead, "the people featured in obituaries became the objects of scandal and public fascination, or indeed the UK's first celebrities."

Genie’s Genealogical Tip No. 1

When searching for marriage records, don’t forget to consider “marriage bonds” and “marriage banns”.

Marriage bonds were posted by the groom at the clerk of the court in the bride’s county of residence. The purpose was to show the groom’s intent on marriage and that there were no legal impediments to the marriage. The father or brother of the bride along with the groom also could post the bond to help with the cost in the event the marriage was invalidated. Some bonds go back to the mid to late 1700s. It must be noted that bonds were not required by all states or colonies.

Marriage banns (a practice during colonial times) are public announcements made usually in church regarding an upcoming marriage. They were read out loud at least three Sundays or meetings in a row, and were documented in parish church minutes and bulletins. Many times they were posted in public places. Their purpose was to give anyone the opportunity to object to the pending marriage based upon legitimate reasons or concerns, such as a pre-existing marriage, individuals’ consent, illegal age, and so on.

Spotlight on the Collection: Florida Voter Registration Lists 1867-68

There are a variety of records that can be used to fill in the gaps between censuses. These under-used resources include tax assessment list, property records and voter's registration lists. One such resource available at the library for people researching Florida ancestors is the Florida Voter Registration Lists 1867-68.

This book is a transcription of the original voter's lists held at the Florida State Archives, Voter Registration Rolls, 1968 [Record Group 151, Series 98]. These records contain the names of over 14,000 male Floridians of voting age from 19 counties. The records were created as a result of the Congressional Reconstruction Act passed in March 1867, which called for registration of qualified voters who would elect delegates to a Constitutional Convention to restore civil government to the state. For the first time in southern history, race was not a qualifying factor in registering to vote.

The entries contain the voter's name, his race, his length of residence in the state, where he was born and the date of his registration. The registration information is is more reliable than census information because the registrants themselves provided all the information to the registars. In a census enumeration, one family member provides data for the entire household, thereby increasing the chances of erroneous information.

Unfortunately, the 1867-1868 voters records for 20 Florida counties (including Duval) were lost or destroyed long before the state began preserving its history. The 19 counties included in this publication are: Hernando, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Orange, Polk, Putnam, St. Johns, Santa Rosa, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington.

The Politics of Our Ancestors

When you go to the voting booth this year, you'll be provided a ballot prepared by election officials and you'll be able to make your choices privately and cast your ballot in secret. We may take this for granted but most of our ancestors would be surprised by these practices.

Although the world's first votes were cast as early as 508 B.C. in ancient Athens, Athenian "democracy" resembled town meetings more than modern elections. Officials were chosen by lottery and voting was negative: Anyone receiving more than 6000 votes was exiled for 10 years. While negative voting may sound foreign to us, the practice of crossing out the names of unwanted candidates persisted into the 20th century in the Southern United States. Another example of negative voting is blackballing which comes from the Masonic practice of casting a black ball as a vote against a potential member.

Yet another form of voting was voice voting. The few Americans with voting rights would take an oath and announce their votes. Election officials would then record these voice votes. With voice voting, the fear of being recognized was the only deterrent to voting "early and often." Voice voting continued up until the 1860s in some locations.

The first paper ballots were scraps of paper, supplied by the voters themselves. As American political parties grew, partisans began printing ballots. More recently, new voting technologies such as electronic voting systems have been introduced.

Below is a timeline of voting milestones in the United States:

1789: The Constitution empowers states to set voting rights; most enfranchise only white male property owners over the age of 21
1830: Most restrictions based on property ownership had been abolished.
1838: Kentucky allows widows to vote.
1848: Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, NY launches suffragette movement
1855: Only 5 states allow blacks to vote.
1869: The territory of Wyoming grants voting rights to women.
1870: The 15th Amendment extends voting rights to African-American men.
1920: The 19th Amendment grants women's suffrage.
1924: The Indian Citizenship Act gives Native Americans the right to vote.
1965: The Voting Rights Act protects minority voters.
1971: The 26th Amendment lowers the voting age to 18.

You can learn more about the history of voting at the following websites:
A Brief Illustrated History of Voting
Vote: The Machinery of Democracy
Political Culture and Imagery of American Woman Suffrage
Voting Technology Timeline

Photo from the Proclaimation signing

We had a very nice turnout for the signing of the Family History Month Proclaimation! Thanks to the Mayor and the SGES for making this possible. Pictured from left to right are:
Gretchen Mitchell, Administrative Supervisor, Main Library David Fuller, Librarian, Genealogy Collection Bud Reed, SGES Carolyn Williams, Deputy Director, Jacksonville Public Library Jon Ferguson, SGES Mayor John Peyton David White, Librarian, Genealogy Collection Laura Minor, Senior Librarian, Genealogy Collection Dick Cardell, SGES Betty Reed, SGES Jim Vearil, SGES Barbara Gubbin, Director, Jacksonville Public Library Skip Brown, SGES

JPL Genealogy's Flickr page!

Beginning with the program "Celebrating Family History", we will be posting pictures of our various activities and programs on our Flickr site!

Flickr is a photo sharing website that offers a generous free membership. If you would like to view our photos from the October 11th program, co-sponsered by the Southern Genealogist Exchange Society, please click on the following link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jplgenealogy/

We hope you'll enjoy the photos. We'll be posting more as we have more events.

National Society United States Daughters of 1812

The War of 1812 was a conflict between the United States and Great Britain. It involved several issues, such as the seizure of American sailors by the British navy, England’s ongoing conflict with France, and "War Hawks" in congress wanting to expand American territory into Canada. The War lasted from 1812 to 1815. Although the "Treaty of Ghent" (which was to officially end the war) was signed on December 24th, 1814, news of the treaty did not reach the U.S. for several months. During the interim, military struggles continued with Great Britain. The war finally ended in somewhat of a stalemate with neither side with an indisputable victory. However for the United States, it appeared to had given the county (as a whole) a spirit of unity. The sentiment that it could pull together and defend itself from outside forces created a common element around which it could rally.

Throughout history organizations and groups have been established or created around such events. In this tradition of commemorating events in history, the National Society United States Daughters of 1812 (U.S.D 1812) was organized on January 8, 1892 by Mrs. Flora Adams Darling. This date also marked the anniversary of the "Battle of New Orleans". Incorporated in 1901, the society’s mission is recorded as "…to promote patriotism, to preserve and increase knowledge of the history of the American people by the preservation of documents and relics, the marking of historic spots, the recording of family histories and traditions, the celebration of patriotic anniversaries, teaching and emphasizing the heroic deeds of the civil, military and naval life of those who molded this government between the close of the American Revolution and the close of the War of 1812, to urge Congress to compile and publish authentic records of men in civil, military and naval service from 1784 to 1815 inclusive, and to maintain at National Headquarters a museum and library of memorabilia of the 1784-1815."

In regards to resources of the U.S.D. of 1812, the Genealogy collection contains a few references that may assist you in locating ancestors who might have served in the war. One source for example is the 1812 Ancestor Index, 1892-1970: National Society United States Daughters of 1812. This text provides a roster of established ancestors who rendered military or other service during the close of the American Revolution until the end of the War in 1815. Service took the form of civil and/or military. Entries provide the name of the ancestor, their spouse, their children, and their children’s spouses. Also, individual entries may vary. For example, those entries with volume numbers listed indicate that future applicants must prove lineage to their ancestor.

Volume II of this index, lists the names of member’s ancestors. These individuals served in civil, military, or naval capacities during the War of 1812 and from periods between 1784 and 1815. The information given is type of service, birth place, birth date, death date, name of spouse, names of children, as well as the names of their spouses through which the lineage is traced.

Another resource that is available is the National Society United States Daughters of 1812 News-Letter. The newsletter provides a calendar of events, articles submitted by individuals, a membership roster, as well as news and updates. The Jacksonville Public Library has from volume 4 of June 1923 to August 2008. Check at the fourth floor Genealogy/Florida desk for location.

If you believe that you have ancestors who service in the war of 1812, you may wish to consider reviewing these resources. For more information about this lineage society and their endeavors, you may visit their website at http://www.usdaughters1812.org.

The Jacksonville Public Library – Your Family History Center

For those who may not know, the Jacksonville Public Library is an official Family History Center of the Family History Library. The Family History Library (FHL) is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is apart of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints. The Family History Library is the main repository for most of the genealogical information that the Church has collected. It was founded in 1894 with the purpose of collecting and disseminating genealogical records of church members and non-church affiliated historical records. The FHL contains a variety of record types, such as land, vital, historical, church, directory, and county to name a few.

The Family History Center (FHC) is a branch of the Family History Library. Over 4,000 centers operate in more than 88 countries. The benefit of the family history centers is access to a rich resource of genealogical records without the need or expense to travel to Salt Lake City. Through the public library, our customers have access to all types of resources ranging from census, land, and court records to cemetery, newspaper, and international material. The great plus of this service is that it extends your family research beyond the geographical boundaries of Florida. Materials may be ordered from the Family History Library via the Genealogy service at the Main Library downtown. Items that are held in microfilm or microfiche format may be requested via JPL. The FHL charges a fee of $5.50 per microfilm reel supplied and a fifteen cents charge for each microfiche supplied. This fee is billed to our customer’s library account. Materials that are in book or monograph format are restricted and cannot be ordered via the FHC. However, photocopy service is provided and must be ordered directly from the Family History Library via customers. Photocopy forms may be accessed and printed from the FamilySearch website.

To explore the “FamilySearch.org” homepage, you may open your web browser to http://www.familysearch.org. Once there, you also may click on the text at the top of the page that says “Library”. This page will tell you about the library and will allow you to search their online catalog.

In short, the Family History Library is a superb addition to your genealogy research. In addition, with the Jacksonville Public Library as an official Family History Center, access to these materials is available to you. For more information regarding the FHC, please contact the Special Collections staff at the 630-2409 or you may send your queries or questions to this announcement by clicking on the “comment” link at the end of the post.

“We make Family History Everyday”

Scanning microfilm

At one point or another in our genealogy research, we all hope to manage to gain access to a great roll of microfilm that knocks down that brick wall, or has more information than we imagined or bargained for. As you’re sitting in the library making dozens of copies, maybe you wonder if there is a better way. Maybe you plan on scanning the copies at home from that flatbed scanner you bought just to get that document onto your genealogy software? You can take a step out of that process and scan directly from the microfilm here at the library!

We have two dedicated microfilm readers and computers, which will enable you to scan from microfilm onto cd-r, cd-rw, or a flash drive, or if you have a laptop, directly to your hard drive. We have printed step-by-step instructions at the reference desk, or, if you need one-on-one instruction, you can make an appointment with us through Book-A-Librarian, where we can give you in-depth training on how to create and store your scans from microfilm.

Family History Month Proclamation

Today, at the request of Betty Reed and members of the Southern Genealogist's Exchange Society, Mayor John Peyton proclaimed October as Family History Month in Jacksonville. The ceremony was held at City Hall and was attended by representatives of the SGES and Jacksonville Public Library. We are all very excited to see Family History Month officially recognized in our city. Thanks to Betty and the SGES for making this happen. To view the full text of the proclamation, click on the image at the left.

ILL Tips for Genealogists

Recently, JPL's Special Services manager, Heather Campbell, reminded me of a frequently asked question regarding Interlibrary Loan. She offers some helpful advice about how to get around this problem and obtain the information you are seeking.

Q: I'm trying to trace my family tree. I found the title of a book that may be helpful but wasn't able to borrow it through Interlibrary Loan. The reason the lady gave me was that libraries wouldn't loan it. How can I get this book through Interlibrary Loan?

A: Many libraries keep their genealogy books in a special reference collection that cannot be checked out to anyone. A few libraries will lend genealogy books if they have extra copies of the title. There's no way to tell ahead of time.

So, how do you get the information you need? Submit an ILL copy request for information from the book. You can ask for copies of pages from the book dealing with the specific ancestor or specific family name you're looking for.

1. You would enter this information in the Photocopy form in your Customer Interface account.
2. The name of the book would go in the Title space.
3. The Article Author would be the author of the book, in most cases.
4. The information you're looking for would go in the Article Title space. You will have a greater chance for success in getting what you're looking for if you are as specific as possible about what you're looking for. For example- if you entered : "I'm looking for James William Hill. Born 1876. Died 1914. ", you would have more success than if you entered: "I'm looking for Jimmy Hill."
5. Please limit each request to one name.

You may be pleasantly surprised. In some cases, we've asked for a photocopy and the owning library lent the book for use in the library only.

Upcoming AncestryLibrary Edition class

I will be conducting a class on how to use the databases available through the AncestryLibrary Edition. The class will be on Saturday, October 4, 2008, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Prior experience on how to navigate around Windows and an Internet browser is highly advised, as this is not a class on how to use the computer, but how to use a sophisticated website/database. The class is limited to no more than 16 people, due to the numbers of computers available. You can register by calling 630-2409.

FAMILY HISTORY MONTH

As most of you may know, October is "Family History Month". Many individuals and families will be celebrating this month with events, such as family reunions. In addition to family reunions, listed here are a few activities that you and/or your family might find interesting.

1. Start a Family History Family Tree Chart

This activity will get the research pistons going by allowing you to think about the members of your family in a new way. It may spark memories of aunts, uncles, grandparents, and other relatives who might be excellent sources of information regarding the family. These relatives may not live in the same town, but may be contacted by phone, email, or post. This also provides the opportunity for a fun "road-trip".

2. Organize and host a Family Potluck or Cook-Out Event

This activity is less formal and requires far less preparations than an official Family Reunion. The Potluck lunch or cook-out would be an invitation to immediate and extended family members living in the same area, town, city, or county. Everyone would bring a dish and the expectation of having a good time, which will foster establishing and reestablishing connections with folks they have not seen in awhile. Sometimes family members may live in the same area and go without seeing one another for months or even longer.

3. Create a Family MySpace or Social Networking Account and Share with Family

This web resource may provide another means of connecting with family members - no matter where they are located. It also provides the opportunity to share family histories, stories, and/or upcoming events & activities, such as family reunions. In addition, you may share family photos and momentos electronically; thus enhancing the experience and research.

4. Start a Family History Book Club

Book clubs are a splendid way to bring people together. It allows individuals to share ideas and perspectives, as well as opionions involving a particular title, author, event, or subject. For example, the book entitled, Genealogy for the first time: research your family history is a good book with which to begin. Those who have experience conducting genealogy research will be able to provide insight and experience at the discussion. In addition, the book titles do not have to be about conducting research, they could be titles centering on historical or literary figures that help to shape the lives of our ancestors, such as "Gone With the Wind", "Uncle Tom's Cabin", and many others. Even if the title does not have anything to do with history, events, or people, that's okay. If its fun and it brings the family together, you've started a family tradition. The idea is to bring family together and to have fun while doing so.

These are just a few ideas to celebrate Family History Month. There are many others. Let the sky be your limit.

For Those Who Adore Quilts and Quilting

The Daughters of the American Revolution will exhibit quilts at the Internatioanl Quilt Festival. The festival is scheduled to be held on October 30th through November 2nd, 2008 in Houston Texas. The location is the George R. Brown Convention Center. For more information regarding this event, please visit http://www.quilts.com. Also, you may read more about celebrating Quilt Art in the September/October 2008 issue of "American Spirit". This issue is held in the genealogy periodical collection on the fourth floor of the Main Library downtown.

Tell Us Your Genealogy Story

I've always been fascinated by the interesting stories that people share with one another. For example, how we chose our profession, why we married the person we did, why we chose to attend this particular school as oppose to other schools to name a few. There are many people with many wonderful acounts of various aspects of their lives and experiences. Some will make you laugh hysterically; others may bring a heart-warming tear to your eye. The reason(s) behind your family history research may be no exception, and we would love to hear them. Therefore, if you would like to share your family history story, we encourage you to do so. You may submit your story via this post or send us an email at genealogy@coj.net.

Genealogy 101 Classes

For those who like to plan in advance, we are pleased to announce the upcoming schedule for our "Genealogy for Beginners" class. The first class will be held on Saturday, November 8th, 2008 at the Main Library downtown. The class time is from 10:00am to 11:00am and will be conducted in the Electronic classroom on the 1st floor.

This class also will be held on the following dates:

• February 21st, 2009
• May 16th, 2009
• August 15th, 2009
• November 7th, 2009

This is a lecture class with a Powerpoint presentation. The class is designed to assist those are considering tracing their family history and those who are just starting out. Even seasoned family history researchers may find the session to be a refresher course.

"Celebrating Family History" Seminar

On Saturday, October 11th, Jacksonville Public Library and the Southern Genealogists Exchange Society, Inc. will co-present an all-day seminar “Celebrating Family History.”

Location: Multipurpose Room #1, Conference Level, Main Library
Time: Registration begins @ 9:00 a.m.
Morning session: 9:30 a.m. – noon
Afternoon session: 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Speakers & Topics (in this order):
Jon Ferguson -- "Where Might My Family Be Hiding In The Courthouse?"
Karen Rhodes -- "Quirks of the Florida Census"
Jim Vearil -- "The War and Its Hardship: Using Social History to Understand the Impact of the Civil War on a Florida Family."
Dick Cardell -- "Documentation, Proving the old Family Stories"

The event is free of charge. Pre-register to avoid the line and receive forward seating in the seminar. You can pre-register at the SGES website (http://www.sgesjax.com/) or by calling 778-100.