Memorial Day 2011: War of 1812 Ancestry

Paula Stuart-Warren  Fed, National Archives, Preserve the Pensions, War of 1812  Leave a comment

Several times this past week I drove by Fort Snelling National Cemetery. My father and mother, father-in-law and mother-in-law, and some other relatives are buried there. Seeing all those rows of stark white stones against the vibrant green grass is both sobering and exquisite.

I have U.S. ancestors and family that participated in the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, Korea, and Vietnam. I have no known Revolutionary War or War of 1812 ancestry.

But, no matter the war, I am happy when the stories of those who served are preserved. Diaries, journals, letters to and from, photos, pension and service records, enlistment and discharge papers, and other documents tell us more about each person.

During our Federation of Genealogical Societies board meeting this past week we talked about the War of 1812 pension and bounty land papers because FGS is in the midst of the “Preserve the Pensions Project.” This project is a joint venture of FGS, the National Archives,the genealogical community, and now Footnote.com. The goal is to get all 7.2 million pages digitized and online for anyone to view. Right now 5,000 images are free to view on Footnote.com. This will remain FREE viewing if we all pull together and raise the funds to do so. It takes money for the digitization equipment and operators among other costs. 

Click here to read a press release about the initial posting on Footnote.com and the commitment of iArchives to this project. 

These more than 5,000 documents are online and free to view, download, or print at http://go.footnote.com/1812pensions/. This is less than 1% of the total records to be digitized. We need to keep this number growing. For every $100 donated, 200 more images can be done. For $500 that means 1,000 more pages. In 2012 we will celebrate the bicentennial of the beginning of this war. Wouldn’t it be neat to have this fund-raising effort nearing completion before the end of 2012!

Click here to donate to this worthwhile effort.

To learn more about records at the federal level that are related to those who served in the War of 1812, visit the website of the U.S. National Archives at www.archives.gov. Enter the phrase “War of 1812” in the search box you see in the upper right hand corner.

Minnesota Vital Records

Paula Stuart-Warren  Minnesota, Vital records  1 Comment

This is an overview of what exists for Minnesota birth, death, and marriage records and ways to access them. This is not a 100% comprehensive finding aid, but it should lead you to more records.

Birth & Death Records
Birth and death records were generally created at the county level beginning in 1870 or later if the county was not in existence in 1870. Most early recordings were a one line entry across two pages in a registration volume and the information is not extensive. In some localities these were also recorded at the township level until the mid 1950s. Many of the township records books can be found at the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS). For many years, the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis also registered births and deaths. Today these are found with their respective counties. Beginning in 1900 for birth records, and in 1908 for death records, the event was also reported to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). You may find differences in all versions in the years there were multiple reportings.

For death records before 1908, contact the county in which the person died. Some are also at the Family History Library and the Minnesota Historical Society. MHS has microfilms of the MDH death record cards for 1900-1907. The microfilmed records may be viewed on-site at MHS,

Even though there are early registrations of births and deaths in Minnesota, not all events were registered. It was well into the 20th century before the registrations were “complete.” In the 1940s the state health department was still urging complete compliance with the registration laws. You may be among the fortunate researchers who find that a delayed birth certificate was created and there might be supporting documentation. The person
filing a delayed birth certificate and who no longer lived in Minnesota, may have applied for the certificate in the place of residence at the time of the application.

By law, the birth and death  records in Minnesota are public records. This does not always mean that researchers have “hands-on” access to the original records. The record books may be in deteriorating condition, they may contain non-public information such as illegitimate births, or the office which holds the records may not have room to let researchers check the record themselves. And, yes, in some cases, the record keeper simply does not wish to have researchers on-site. With the proper MDH form and the payment of the fee of $13.00 for death records (either certified or non-certified), $26.00 for a certified birth record ($13.00 non-certified) a record may usually be obtained.  The fee includes payment for the search time and the fee is not returned if no record is found.

The MDH no longer accepts walk-in vital record requests, but the county registrars do. The MDH website has information on this. The counties have direct access to the electronic database MDH has created for many of the twentieth century records for all counties. Some of the registrars already have computers that may be used by customers to check for records. The electronic format is an excellent way to find the initial information, but this does not contain all the  original details. It is important to request a photocopy of the actual certificate from the MDH, from the county where the event occurred, or from the microfilmed records at MHS.

Marriage records
Marriage records were generally created from the time a county officially began and the marriage records generally remain in the county. The majority of Minnesota marriage records do not contain large amounts of genealogically significant information. Marriage records are generally more open to “hands-on” research. In most counties, the researcher can hand copy the data. Marriage records ion microfilm for some counties are at MHS and at the FHL.

Divorce Records
Divorce records for Minnesota are part of the District Court’s civil court records at the county level. Some older county civil court records are found at the Minnesota Historical Society.


Many Minnesota vital records are also available through the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Check under both the county and the state categories. As mentioned earlier, for the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, births and deaths were also filed at the city level and the FHL has microfilmed these up to the 19teens, but some indexes are for later years.

Vital records indexes online
Ancestry.com Minnesota vital record indexes to records filed at the state level
    Birth Index 1935-2002
    Death Index 1908-2002
    Marriage Index 1958-2001
    Divorce Index 1970-1995

Minnesota Historical Society www.mnhs.org; vital records indexes to state level registrations. Be sure to read the FAQs for each of these indexes as they are extremely helpful.
    Birth Index 1900-1934
    Death Index 1904-2001
MHS also has the actual records on microfilm. You may copy the death records at MHS for .35 but must pay the state imposed fee of $9.00 for the copies of birth records made at MHS.

MOMS Minnesota Official Marriage System www.mncounty.com.Free online index to county marriage records. Some counties are more complete than others at this time.

Additional links:
DeathIndexes.com  http://deathindexes.com/minnesota/index.html
Minnesota Department of Health  http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/osr/index.html

FGS Conference early registration deadline

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences, Federation of Genealogical Societies, National Genealogical Society  Leave a comment

I just returned from several days in Charleston, South Carolina where I was attending the National Genealogical Society Conference. I lectured, shopped, learned, volunteered, networked, laughed, ate, slept a bit, and just basically enjoyed the time.

I am now staying home all summer getting ready for the Federation of Genealogical Societies’ 2011 conference that is this September 7-10 in nearby Springfield, Illinois. As full disclosure, I am a member of the board of directors of FGS and the co-chair of the 2011 FGS conference. If you live in the Midwest, this is such a perfect spot. It’s the Land of Lincoln and a great place for research and historical siteseeing. Added to that it’s an easy place to drive to!

The FGS Office reports that there are already people registered from four countries and the full conference registrations and special event interest is
growing. To attend this fun and educational event:

  • You do not have to be a member of any genealogical organization
  • If you do belong to a genealogical society that isn’t a member of the Federation of Genealogical Societies, you may still attend. (FGS does hope you take the membership info and some helpful suggestions back to your society, though!)
  • If you have even the slightest interest in genealogy, family history, community history, DNA, software, Abraham Lincoln, slave research, Twitter, 
  • or maybe you are interested in post-adoption research, photo restoration, Swedish research, writing your family history, Canadian border crossings, becoming certified, Swiss research, Ohio ancestry, Apps for the professional genealogist
  • Maybe you have roots in Ireland, Germany, Scotland, England, Missouri, or have Native American Ancestry
  • Love to browse and shop in a sold-out Exhibit Hall full of software demos, genealogy and history books and databases for sale, some genealogy gift ideas, historical and genealogical society booths, the National Archives, and even hotels in Salt Lake City
  • If you fit into any of the above interests, we hope to see you in Springfield in September
  • And if these are not your interests, we have many more sessions you will find helpful

Just  click here to see the full program and then look under the other topics to see what else is going on during the week of the conference. Full conference paid registrants just might win a trip for two to Salt Lake City for a “vacation” at the Family History Library, including airfare, meals, and copy cards. But you need to attend the FGS 35th anniversary celebration on Friday evening for that chance! Read the FGS Conference News Blog for these and many other details.

Update on Railroad Retirement Board records

Paula Stuart-Warren  National Archives, Railroads  Leave a comment

I emailed the National Archives Southeast Region in regard to access to the Railroad Retirement Board records mentioned in my earlier post and received this almost immediate reply:

“This is in reply to your inquiry regarding researching the records of the Railroad Retirement Board in person at the National Archives at Atlanta.  The simple answer is Yes.  However, we will need to screen the records first to make sure we do not release any personal information about living retirees or their dependents named in the files.  This screening can usually done in about 20 minutes.  It is best to notify us ahead of time so we can first, locate the file, and second, have it screened before arrival.  If we receive ‘drop-ins’ we do a quick
screening while the patron waits.

Thank you for inquiring about these records.  We have 54,000 cubic feet of these records equating to about 1.5 million files.  We are anxious to see them used.”

Thank you Rob Richards, Director of Archival Operations at NARA Atlanta!

My Hanley and Welch families and the Minnesota Genealogical Society in Winona

Paula Stuart-Warren  Ballyferriter, Hanley, Minnesota, Minnesota Genealogical Society, Walsh, Welch, Winona  Leave a comment

I am looking forward to being a part of the MGS all day meeting in Winona, Minnesota on June 25th. It’s the birthplace of my Grandpa Mike.

My maternal grandfather Maurice Michael Hanley was born there 12 September 1893. His parents were Michael Hanley and Johanna Welch/Walsh. Johanna was the sister of other Welch’s who came to Winona from the parish of Ballyferriter which is situated on the beautiful Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland.

Among the families that some of these Welch siblings and others married into were Feiten, Hinds, McGrath, and Kellner.

Michael Hanley, the father of Maurice Michael (Grandpa Mike), was first married to Margaret Carney and they had six children. Michael and Johanna also had six children. Grandpa Mike’s sister Mabel Hanley Hewson was the one who gave me the family connections.

It will be my first time to present a lecture in Winona. The day has many other speakers. To see the full program, register for the day, and order your lunch, click here. The day is co-hosted by the Winona County Historical Society.

Railroad Retirement Board records moved to NARA Southeast

Paula Stuart-Warren  National Archives, Railroads  1 Comment

In his 3 May 2011, column Ken Thomas reports that the great records from the Railroad Retirement Board have been moved from Chicago to the National Archives Southeast Region in Morrow, Georgia. Morrow is just outside Atlanta.

This is FANTASTIC news. I will do some further checking to see if this means we are now able to personally view a file or have a professional researcher do that at NARA Southeast.

The Railroad Retirement Board was created in 1936 and has no records for workers who retired or died before 1937. If an ancestor still worked for or began service for a railroad after that date, there may be a file. To see if a file exists, it is best to have that person’s social security number. Other helpful details would be the complete name, the railroad(s) worked for, time period of employment, birth and death dates. Common surnames may need additional details. Recent files are not included.

The social security number generally begins with a 7 and may be found in some old records left by the worker. It is also likely you will find it on the official death record. I have files I obtained for two of my great granduncles and they were helpful with many genealogical details.

Read the NARA Southeast page on the RRB records by clicking here.

Read Ken’s full column in the Atlanta Journal Constitution by clicking here. 

New genealogical institute in 2012

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences/Institutes  1 Comment
NEW GENEALOGY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY IN 2012
Announcing The Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2011 – Pittsburgh, PA – GRIP – The Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh – a new genealogical institute of learning announces a genealogy educational opportunity planned for July 2012. Consisting of four courses, it will be held Monday, July 23 through Friday, July 27, 2012, at LaRoche College, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. According to Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL, and Deborah Lichtner Deal, directors of GRIP, “the demand for in-depth genealogical education is so high that week-long courses sell out shortly after registration opens, disappointing many potential students. At the same time genealogists who have
taken many courses want new content.” GRIP seeks to satisfy this growing need for high quality genealogy education through its week-long courses with internationally recognized instructors.
Nestled in the Pittsburgh suburbs, LaRoche’s campus includes economical air-conditioned “en suite” dormaccommodations steps from the classrooms, a buffet-style cafeteria, and free parking. The instructors are all experienced researchers, lecturers, and writers who bring their expertise into the classroom with case studies and problem solving exercises. Registration will begin in February.
·         Intermediate Genealogy: Tools for Digging Deeper with Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA. Warren focuses on unusual resources, manuscripts, methodology, and analyzing records. She researches across the U.S. and has coordinated and taught at multiple genealogical institutes and conferences. Warren serves on the Federation of Genealogical Societies board and is President of the Northland Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists.
·         Advanced Research Methods with Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS. Jones has edited the National Genealogical Society Quarterly since 2002. A former trustee and a past president of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, he works as a researcher, writer, editor, and educator. Jones coordinates courses at Samford University’s Institute on Genealogy and Historical Research, at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, and he teaches in Boston University’s Genealogical Research Certificate program.
·         Beneath the Home Page: Problem Solving with Online Repositories with D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS. Taylor is Director of Education and Programs at New England Historic Genealogical Society, and has appeared on the television program “Who Do You Think You Are?” A frequent speaker at various venues, Taylor is a course coordinator for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. He is also Vice President of Administration for the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), where he serves as co-chair of the FGS/ISGS 2011 National Conference.
·         German Genealogical Research with John T. Humphrey, CG. Humphrey is an award winning author who specializes in German and Pennsylvania research. In 2010 he was invited to give a presentation on researching Germans in America in the Rhineland-Palatinate; in 2008, at the request of the German Embassy, he presented the keynote address at the 400th Anniversary Celebration commemorating four centuries of German immigration into the United States. Humphrey is a past president of the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society and past vice president of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania.
Read about it at www.GRIPitt.org. Watch for the full course outlines and instructors over the next few weeks.

200th anniversary of the Coppings leaving London

Paula Stuart-Warren  Copping, Rawdon  Leave a comment

Two Hundred years ago today, May 5th,1811, my ancestors left London and sailed for Canada on the SS “Lively.” George and Elizabeth (Saggers) Copping and the four children they had at that point arrived in Canada on July 2, 1811. The first lived in Quebec City, then Montreal, and lived out their lives in Rawdon, Montcalm County, Quebec, Canada. George kept a journal and portions survived. Today the remnants of his journal are on the McGill University (Monteal) website.

They added seven more children and among those was my Great Great Great Grandmother Clarinda Copping. Elizabeth was said to be Irish, George was a staunch Anglican. Several of their children and grandchildren married French-Canadian Catholics. George did not always speak favorably of the Irish or of the Catholics. 

FGS Conference Update

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences, Federation of Genealogical Societies, FGS  Leave a comment

Just a quick reminder that the deadline for saving $50 off the conference price ends July 1st. It’s been ten years since FGS was in my part of the Midwest. I was co-chair then and am co-chair now. We have some wonderful lectures, workshops, special events. special discussion opportunities, and neat door prizes that we will begin telling you about very soon.

Check the FGS Conference News Blog to see the many recent posts including a way to get a refund of some of the registration fee by giving some volunteer time during the conference week.