Upper Midwest family genealogy connections? Join us for a new institute, UMGI!

Paula Stuart-Warren  Institutes, Minnesota Genealogical Society  , ,  Leave a comment

August 8-9, 2025. Two-day in-person Institute as part of the Minnesota Genealogical Society‘s education programs. The NEW Upper Midwest Genealogical Institute (UMGI)! Join us for this special institute and related activities held at the Midwest Genealogy Center in the Saint Paul suburb of Mendota Heights. Free parking, an extensive syllabus, comfortable classroom, and a pizza fest. Along with other knowledgeable presenters, I am presenting two sessions.

  • Finding and Using Manuscripts, Special Collections, and Repositories (All in the upper Midwest.)
  • .Upper Midwest Military Records (Interesting records before, during, and after military service.)

Full details https://mngs.org/upper-midwest-genealogy-institute.

 

 

 

U.S. National Archives free online genealogy presentations

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  , ,  Leave a comment

Press release info from the U.S. National Archives. “This year’s #Genealogy Series begins TODAY, May 13! Join us for a series of five presentations, all free and available on YouTube, by experts on US National Archives staff. See the full list of times and topics: https://www.archives.gov/calendar/genealogy-series/2025.” Missed today’s? Catch up on these and past years on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=national+archives

 

 

The first Maternity Hospital in Minneapolis, Part 2

Paula Stuart-Warren  Minnesota, Minnesota Historical Society  , , , ,  Leave a comment

For Part 2, this is an exercise in following up on something written or told to you. Where should we look for additional information on the general topic or specific item. Because the newspaper article discussed in my blog post of May 10th was referring to a Minnesota place, I began some searching for more information in Minnesota repositories. The following items are only some of the information and links I found that relate to that first Maternity Hospital.

Minnesota Historical Society, Saint Paul, Minnesota https://www.mnhs.org/

Ripley Memorial Foundation Hospital and foundation records. https://www2.mnhs.org/library/Ripley Memorial Foundation Hospital and foundation records.

Minnesota. Department of Human Services. Adoption Unit. Minnesota. Department of Human Services. Adoption Unit. (Note: Many data access restrictions.) https://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/dhs022.xml#a8

Library and Archives Catalog for several books and collections about Martha Ripley and the hospital.  https://mnpals-mhs.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=01MNPALS_MHS:MHS&lang=en

Minnesota History: The Quarterly of the Minnesota Historical Society index. https://mnhs.gitlab.io/archive/minnesotahistory/index/indexr.html Click on the linked volume and page numbers to read the items for free.

The MNHS Library and Archives Catalog also shows several books and other collections about Martha Ripley and the hospital.  https://mnpals-mhs.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=01MNPALS_MHS:MHS&lang=en

Minnesota History: The Quarterly of the Minnesota Historical Society index. https://mnhs.gitlab.io/archive/minnesotahistory/index/indexr.html Click on the linked volume and page numbers to read the items for free. 


Read the full James Lileks article here https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-first-maternity-hospital-was-a-savior-for-unmarried-mothers-and-unwanted-babies/601344982

Part 3? In a few days!

 

 

The first Maternity Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Part 1

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  , , , ,  Leave a comment

The 10 May 2025 Minnesota Star Tribune has an interesting article titled “Minneapolis’ first maternity hospital in 1886 was a savior for unmarried mothers and unwanted babies.” The subtitle says “Founder Martha Ripley was not only an obstetrician but also a mother figure to the women and infants at the facility.”

The article by long-time writer for the newspaper, James Lileks, is full of information about her, the hospital, and its evolution into related care.

“Mothers of the early- to mid-19th century had a wide choice of places to give birth — the bedroom, the living room, the spare room, the kitchen. Births, after all, happened at home. But what if one had no home? Where could the poor or unmarried expectant mothers go? Options were few until a maverick doctor created Minneapolis’ first maternity hospital.”

The specific phrase “unwanted babies” is somewhat erroneous. My belief is that some of those babies were definitely wanted by the mothers of all ages. Family and societal pressures plus financial and housing issues were some reasons that some birth mothers were forced to give their child up for adoption. I have attended lectures on the general subject and the reasons are numerous for giving up the babies. Martha Ripley helped the birth mothers in many way, more than only delivering babies.

My interest in history and genealogy immediately sent me to ArchiveGrid to locate possible manuscript collections related to Dr. Ripley and the hospital.

 

Part 2 of my blog post will appear tomorrow, 11 May, with many more connections to records and books. In the meantime, read the full article https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-first-maternity-hospital-was-a-savior-for-unmarried-mothers-and-unwanted-babies/601344982

 

MyHeritage honors 80th anniversary of VE Day with free access to WW II collections

Paula Stuart-Warren  Military, MyHeritage  ,  Leave a comment

From the MyHeritage Blog: “On May 8, 1945, World War II came to an end in Europe. Known as VE Day — Victory in Europe Day — it marks the official surrender of Nazi Germany and the beginning of the end of the most devastating conflict in modern history. This year marks the 80th anniversary of that historic moment. At MyHeritage, we’re taking the opportunity to reflect, remember, and help people everywhere reconnect with the stories of those who lived through it. To commemorate VE Day, MyHeritage is offering free access to all collections related to World War II during May 7–11, 2025. Whether your relatives served in the military, worked behind the scenes, or were affected by the war in other ways, this is your chance to uncover their stories through historical records.”

To view the long list of records available, check the MyHeritage blog: https://blog.myheritage.com/2025/05/honoring-the-80th-anniversary-of-ve-day-with-free-access-to-wwii-records/

 

 

 

 

More Minneapolis and Hennepin County City Directories Now Online

Paula Stuart-Warren  City directories, GRIP Genealogy Institute, Hennepin County  , , , , , ,  2 Comments

Exciting news from the Hennepin County Library System! More online and free city directories have been added for Minneapolis and other cities in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The following can now be accessed from the already valuable online collection.

  • Bloomington, 1963-1966
  • Brooklyn Center, 1966-1982
  • Brooklyn Park, 1964-1980
  • Crystal, 1969-1983
  • Edina, 1941-1977
  • Golden Valley, 1951-1981
  • Hopkins, 1942-1977
  • Lake Minnetonka, 1940-1977
  • Minneapolis, 1859-1963
  • Morningside, 1962-1966
  • New Hope/Plymouth/Wayzata, 1964-1983
  • Osseo/Maple Grove, 1977-1982
  • Richfield, 1950-1976
  • Robbinsdale/Crystal, 1937-1981
  • Louis Park, 1933-1977

This announcement fits into one of the sessions I am teaching online June 23-27 . It’s part of GRIP Genealogy Institute and share about ways to learn things like this even before many others know about it! “Mining the Written Words of Repositories, Societies, and their Staff” is just one of the amazing sessions being offered in the virtual course, “Beyond Digging Deeper: Sources, Methods, and Practices.” More details at https://grip.ngsgenealogy.org/courses/beyond-digging-deeper-sources-methods-and-practices/

 

Oh, and the link to view the city directories is https://box2.nmtvault.com/Hennepin2/jsp/RcWebBrowse.jsp

 

 

 

Debuting 2025–2026 NEW Half-Day Single Topic Virtual Seminars

Paula Stuart-Warren  Seminars, Webinars  , , , , ,  Leave a comment

I love my webinar audiences. They listen and learn for an hour and then have great questions and comments that I love to address then or research more after the webinar. Questions at the end of some one-hour presentations show me that more info is needed on certain subjects. Commenters say “you didn’t mention” or “did you know about” and that tells me I need to expand on certain subjects. I have files and files of the information from my research but one hour doesn’t always allow for more to be included. I have a plan to remedy that.

In January 2025, I presented a half-day seminar on railroad records for the Peoria, Illinois, Public Library. It was accompanied by a handout totaling 22 pages. As that seminar did and any that I offer will have:

.• Background info on the subject
• What the records include
• Methodology for finding and using the records discussed
• Details on specialized finding aids to locate records
• A section related to the state or region in which the sponsoring organization is located
• Some have mini case studies related to the topic
• Time for questions, comments, and any warranted discussion


An extended handout for these events, covers all these sections with reminders of the content, tips, suggested books and articles on the topic, website links, and a section covering the region in which the virtual seminar is being presented. Handout distribution is sometime reserved for host organization members per the choice of the organization, especially if registration for the seminar is free. It’s a member benefit.

Whether the half-day seminar will be offered free or will have a cost to register is also the choice of the sponsoring organization and their budget. Education is not always free.

When an organization contacts me about doing a virtual presentation, I email a detailed set of details on my presentation services and the fees for different types of presentations and recording availability. I have updated that to reflect the NEW offering of a half-day seminar on one topic. More topics will be added later.

So, what are the initial half-day seminar topics?

  • Research in Railroad Records and Railroad History: Methods for Tracking Workers

  • The WPA Era? A New Deal of a Free Records Boon from the Government

  • Sources and Methods for Researching Native American Connections

  • Finding Astounding Family and Business Details in Manuscripts and Special Collections Repositories

 

Genealogical, historical, business, and community organizations may email me at PaulaStuartWarren at gmail.com for this information. Please provide me with some options as to when you might wish to schedule so I can check my calendar. I have open times throughout May-December of 2025 and into 2026

 

 

My April webinar is a Top 10 for April at Legacy Family Tree Webinars

Paula Stuart-Warren  Webinars  , ,  Leave a comment

From Geoff Rasmussen at Legacy Family Tree Webinars! Always a delight to hear good news from Geoff and the team.

 

 

“We’ve crunched the data and unveiled the Top 10 most-watched webinars of April 2025! Did your go-to genealogy gurus make the cut? Ready to discover fresh insights? This list is your passport to new learning adventures! With 2,404 classes in our exclusive Legacy Family Tree Webinar library, thousands of genealogists dive in each month to sharpen their research skills. These Top 10 (well, 30) were the absolute favorites this April! Have you explored these gems? Are your favorites on the list? Or are you about to uncover a hidden treasure? Let this inspire you to unlock new discoveries and make your genealogy journey even more thrilling!”

The Top 10 for April 2025

Foundations in DNA 2 of 5: Understanding and Using Y-DNA and mtDNA by Blaine Bettinger, Ph.D., J.D

Translating, Transcribing and Summarizing Documents Using AI by Thomas MacEntee

Beautifully lay out and print your family history book on any budget by Rhonda Lauritzen

DNA Meets the Paper Trail: Pedigree Triangulation Strategies for Early 19th-Century Research by Diana Elder, AG, AGL

Picture the Past: An Introduction to AI Images for Family Historians by Steve Little and Mark Thompson

Neglected Gold in Older Genealogical and Historical Periodicals by Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA

Organizing Your Genealogy Files by Drew Smith

Finding Great-Granny’s Family: Four Words and DNA by Cathie Sherwood

“A Matrimonial Advertiser:” Tracing the Treacherous Trail of an Early 20th-Century Romance Scammer by Sharon Hoyt, CG

From Research to Writing: AI Tools for Genealogists by Nicole Elder Dyer

 

A $49.95 annual membership in Legacy Family Tree Webinars provides handouts and access to more than  2,400 past webinars and 9,500 pages of accompanying syllabus material. My affiliate link for memberships is  http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1739. 

My webinar syllabus on periodicals is 6 pages long with tips, reminders, and lots of links! Don’t forget that the accompanying syllabus for each webinar is a membership benefit.

 

 

Minnesota State Capitol mall to honor tribal nations with a Tribal Flag Plaza

Paula Stuart-Warren  Minnesota, Native American  ,  Leave a comment

29 April 2025 on Minnesota Public Radio.

Many of my readers know of my years of extensive Native American research for Tribes and individuals. I was pleased to learn about the Tribal Flag Plaza being built on the Capitol Mall in the beautiful area of the Minnesota State Capitol building. The mall area has several such dedicated areas.

Excerpts from the story: “The state’s Capitol Mall will see some changes over the next decade. The Capitol Mall Design Framework aims to develop the mall into a welcoming space for more Minnesotans and to represent the state’s diversity better.”

“The design plan includes a Tribal Flag Plaza, located in the Lower Capitol Mall. The plaza will feature flags from each of the 11 federally recognized tribes in the state. He says the board worked with tribal liaisons from the Office of Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan to coordinate meetings with tribes.”

Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan is a member of one of those 11 Tribes, the White Earth Nation.
.https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/04/29/minnesota-state-capitol-will-honor-tribal-nations-with-a-tribal-flag-plaza

 

National DNA Day April 25th means sales on DNA testss

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  Leave a comment

“National DNA Day is a unique day when students, teachers and the public can learn more about genetics and genomics. The day commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 and the discovery of DNA’s double helix in 1953.” https://www.genome.gov/dna-day.

Check the various genealogy DNA testing companies (Ancestry.com, FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritage, 23andMe, and Living DNA) to see what test kit sales are available to commemorate this day.