Law enforcement historical societies and museums

Paula Stuart-Warren  Historical Societies  , , , , , ,  Leave a comment

 I’ve attended a couple events sponsored by the Saint Paul Police Historical Society. I have collateral relatives who served their communities in law enforcement roles here in Minnesota. Does your family have a police officer or other law enforcement official in the past? Check for a police or sheriff historical society. Some offer a website, meetings, and a museum. Look for them on social media, sign up for any newsletters that are offered, and don’t forget to make a donation. Genealogists may be looking for records, indexes, names, and other information but many don’t have such collections. Check catalogs and other finding aids of county and state historical societies and archives for publications and records. Content varies but in general a police historical society or similar organization may show history of the departments, artifacts, lists and biographies of law enforcement women and men who gave their lives while on duty, photos past and present, and information on laws, arrests, uniforms, badges, and more.

Check out this 1887 Saint Paul Police Manual https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/61b47caf-c64a-4744-87aa-b95a06427160/1887%20Manuel.pdf  It includes the names of officials and all the patrolmen. I’ve seen names of the police chiefs, sheriffs, commanders, or whatever the top official is called in year-by-year listings. Most are not fully staffed organizations and inquiries may not be answered quickly. I noted that several are struggling to stay afloat. Others are asking the public for monetary, photos, uniforms, and other artifact donations.

Some examples:

Saint Paul Police Historical Society, Minnesota: https://spphs.org/

San Bernardino Police, California: https://www.sanbernardino.gov/534/Police-Historical-Society

Milwaukee Police, Wisconsin: https://www.mphswi.org/

Kansas City Police, Missouri: https://kcmophs.org/

Indiana State Police Museum, Indianapolis:  https://www.in.gov/isp/indiana-state-police-museum/

Connecticut State Police Museum, Meriden: https://www.cspaaa.com/museum/

San Diego Sheriff’s Museum, California: https://sandiegosheriffsmuseum.org/

California Law Enforcement Historical Society: http://calpolicehistory.com/

Davidson County  Sheriff’s Office Museum, Nashville:  https://sheriff.nashville.gov/sheriffs-headquarters-museum/

 

 

 

My upcoming genealogy presentations and registration

Paula Stuart-Warren  Classes, Conferences, New York Genealogical and Biographical Society  , , , , , , , ,  Leave a comment

Some major events coming up. Click on the links to learn more and to register. Additional ones can be found by clicking on the Speaking tab above.

August 6-9, 2026.  Virtual Conference. PaGE. Pennsylvania’s Genealogy Event! Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania. Topics on Pennsylvania records, religions, and regions, military, immigration, and occupations. 32 top speakers! My two topics are:

  • Keys to Track Often Elusive 19th Century Pennsylvanians Moving Westward

  • Railroading in Pennsylvania and Beyond: Records, Schedules, Accidents, and Links

 

September 12, 2026. In-person event hosted by the Minnesota Genealogical Society at the Minnesota Genealogy Center, Mendota Heights, Minnesota. A GenElements Class: “Research Plans: Hands-On Workshop.”  It’s not as simple as opening the refrigerator and seeing that the milk jug is almost empty. You simply add that to the shopping list. Planning our shopping list for genealogical research is more involved but not beyond reach. In our research, success improves with planning, discussion, and techniques that develop step-by-step research plans. We need to add the who, what, and where. 36 Analyzing information, recognizing detail gaps, and creating research goals are key. No need to stare at a census, story, obituary, will, deed, or other item and stress about what’s next in the search. Learn steps to create a solid step-by-step research plan, including some audience participation. Tips and examples for creating such plan will be included in the presentation and handout. During this session we will work on some specific documents together and compile step-by-step research plans. These group exercises may show that you know more than you think! Register: https://mngs.org/Classes-and-Webinars 


September 18, 2026.  Afternoon virtual presentation for the two-day New York Genealogical and Biographical Society’s 2026 New York Family History Conference. 36 sessions! My topic is “Manuscript Finding Aids: Locating Migrating New York Ancestral Records Details.” You never know where family memorabilia, details, and records end up!

 

 

2026 North Star Genealogy Conference registration opens

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences, Genealogy, Minnesota Genealogical Society  , , , , , , ,  Leave a comment

Do you know why it’s called the North Star conference? Time for some online sleuthing to figure out why.

Registration is now open for the 2026 North Star Genealogy Conference and pre-conference, to be held October 29-31, 2026, at the Eagan Community Center in Eagan, Minnesota., 

  • Come to hear featured speakers Katherine R. Willson and Mark Thompson
  • Choose from 18 breakout sessions on a wide variety of topics
  • Enjoy “bidding” for door prizes
  • Visit with genealogy product vendors
  • “Ask a genealogist” your burning family history research questions
  • Join in recognizing fellow genealogists’ service and achievements late Friday afternoon with appetizers and beverages
  • Access to all the Friday and Saturday conference handouts.

ALL of this is included in your conference registration!

Sign up too for the pre-conference day and get a comprehensive look at Artificial Intelligence, its tools, and applications for genealogists, from Mark Thompson. Enrollment for the pre-conference is limited to 50 participants.

Yes, I will be presenting one of the breakout sessions and will be around to help answer general genealogy questions and on my presentation “Researching Midwestern and Plains States Native Americans.”

 

 

B&O Railroad Museum now the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation

Paula Stuart-Warren  Railroads  , ,  Leave a comment

Press release today from the B&O Railroad Museum as it changes its name and expands the focus of the museum. I have some presentations related to railroad history and records online and offline that I was planning to enhance for 2027 and some for the autumn of 2026.. ime to update some slides and handouts about the B&O.

 

 

For the full press release with more information: 

https://nationalrailroad.org/bo-railroad-museum-the-birthplace-of-american-railroading-becomes-the-national-museum-of-railroad-history-innovation/

and directly to the Archives & Library https://nationalrailroad.org/explore-learn/collections/archives-library/

 

 

Southern Minnesota genealogy research? Do you know about the Dalby Database?

Paula Stuart-Warren  Genealogy, Minnesota  , , , , ,  Leave a comment

Indexes, transcripts, and added knowledge are great to find in our family history endeavors. In Minnesota, we have a unique collection that fits that sentence. Do you know about the Dalby Database? Many years ago I discovered this as I was working on my Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota Cooks. My Great Grandfather, John Thomas Cook, was born there to his Irish immigrant parents. His father James had a brother, Andrew, who was also a plasterer in Faribault. My James eventually moved his large family to Saint Paul. This bit of history about the databases is from the authors who have expanded it far beyond Rice County into surrounding southern Minnesota. Obituaries, births, deaths, censuses, city directories, histories, and more are included. Check it out for yourself at http://www.dalbydata.com/user.php?action=history

 

 

Life changes at unexpected times. Even for a genealogist

Paula Stuart-Warren  Family  ,  8 Comments

In the midst of my moving, my daughter’s moving, and the new great grandson, our family has suffered a sad loss. My baby sister passed away this past weekend.

 Sheila Anne Stuart, Mom, Grandma, Daughter, Sister, and Aunt. April 8, 1954 – June 6, 2026.

Her many health issues are no longer causing her pain and she has joined her beloved dog, Curly. At the same time, her family is sad to lose her at only the age of 72 and are thankful that several of us celebrated her April birthday with her and friends. She is survived by her beloved son, Shawn, little granddaughter Sloan, sisters Paula Stuart-Warren and Linda (Don) DuBois. Sheila is also survived by three nephews, Jim, Patrick, and Tim, and two nieces, Katie and Danielle. She has four grandnieces, six grandnephews, and two great grandnephews. Her extended family includes many cousins. She has friends who supported and cared for her over the years and the family especially thanks Julie, Barb, Brian, and Bill.

She was predeceased by her infant brother, Richard, her parents William and Patricia (Hanley) Stuart, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

Sheila will miss the annual “Sisters Picnic” recently scheduled for June 17th to celebrate their late mother’s birthday. The next time you have peanut butter on crackers, bread, or toast, think of Sheila.

 

 

Don’t miss it! 2 weeks left to register for June 22-26 virtual genealogy course!

Paula Stuart-Warren  Genealogy, GRIP, GRIP Genealogy Institute  , , ,  Leave a comment

Only 2 weeks left to register for the June 22-26 virtual “Digging Deeper: Records, Tools, & Skills” virtual blockbuster course. I lead this long running course and teach along with 4 specialists in the field of genealogy. We cover 19-21st century US records, online resources, “hidden” records, analysis, & methodology. This course can prepare you for other GRIP Genealogy Institute courses and for the future of your research ventures and success. June 18th is the last day to register. You know you want to join us!

More details on the instructors, class sessions, interactive activities to put leaning to immediate use, and other info at https://grip.ngsgenealogy.org/courses/digging-deeper-records-tools-and-skills/



June 2 means 19 years blogging. I’ve been a bit behind lately.

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  10 Comments

June 2, 2007. Seems so long ago that I began this blog. It was 19 years ago and that means next year will be the 20th Anniversary of this blog. I haven’t been blogging much over the last two months. The reasons are many and diverse.

  1. My landlord raised my rent big time, and I knew it was time to move. But where!
  2. Had lunch with a good genealogy friend and at the end of lunch, she asked if I wanted to house sit while they were out of the country. YES! Gave notice I was leaving the old apartment.
  3. My middle sister and my daughter joined forces to continue looking for a new apartment for me.
  4. Daughter and granddaughter helped a ton as I packed to move, packed, packed, packed, and moved most to storage. Donated 17 boxes of books, films, and related materials to the Minnesota Genealogical Society.
  5. Partially moved into my friend’s home. What a perfect bridge residence for me!
  6. Daughter found an apartment, I agreed, and signed a lease. Packing time again.
  7. Memorial Day weekend was moving time out of the storage facility and what I had brought to my friend’s home. My oldest son, daughter, adult grandson and granddaughter, and a family friend went above and beyond with the moving and more! We laughed a lot!
  8. In the midst of all this, I presented 6 webinars and prepared 8 handouts for presentations.
  9. On Friday of the moving weekend, my new great grandson was born. When he was 29 hours old, he and his parents surprised our crew at my new apartment. They said it was on the way home from the hospital. It was not!

 

 

 

Family Tree Webinars May Top 10 includes my genealogy presentation

Paula Stuart-Warren  Archives, Legacy Family Tree Webinars, Webinars  , , ,  1 Comment

A month ago I presented a webinar for Legacy Family Tree Webinars. It made the top 10 for May!  My topic was Insight into State Archives: ARCs, IRADs, ONAHRs, and Other Branches and is accompanied by a 6-page handout. No clue to those acronyms? Watch the webinar for that insight, finding aids, and records. It was free for a week and now is available for webinar members. If you aren’t a member, it’s easy to join. Don’t miss any of the other excellent May webinars. Learning never stops. That’s how we solve missing family details, learn about new records, or how to make better use of specific records, DNA, AI, Ethnic research, and the list could go on.

View the webinar https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/insight-into-state-archives-finding-records-in-regional-branches/?ref=566036

Become a member https://familytreewebinars.com/checkout?ref=566036

Top 10 Webinars of May 2026