Virgnia: Black or Indian?

Paula Stuart-Warren  African American, American Indian, Black Americans, Virginia  1 Comment

Some Virginia researchers may already be aware of this, but for others this information may explain some difficulties as you research vital records of Native Americans and African Americans in that state.

Walter Ashby Plecker was the first head of the Virginia Bureau of Vital Statistics and served from 1912-1946. He did some beneficial things such as “great strides in educating midwives, inventing a home incubator, and prescribing home remedies for infants. His efforts are credited with an almost 50 percent decline in birthing deaths for black mothers.”

Unfortunately, he also believed that American Indians and African Americans had no separate ethnic identity and set about to reclassify Indians as colored. He actually changed the designation on some vital records from Indian to black. He also decided that anyone with even a little bit of black ancestry would not be allowed to pass as white and brought about changes on their vital records based on information that he said his office had gathered.You can read more about Walter Plecker at the Library of Virginia’s Virginia Memory project. That page lists some article for further reading. Also check out this link for a disturbing 1942 letter from Plecker to local vital records registrars.

Thanks to Brenda Hudson of Florida for telling me about this during last week’s NGS Conference. It does affect some researchers trying to do a good job of researching and documenting their forebears.

Some websites and blogs you might want to check

Paula Stuart-Warren  Blogs, Websites  3 Comments

FGS Press Release on War of 1812 Pension Project

Paula Stuart-Warren  Federation of Genealogical Societies, National Genealogical Society, War of 1812  Leave a comment

The Federation of Genealogical Societies just issued this exciting press release. Please share the news with your friends in genealogical, historical, and military society circles. You can also make a contribution to the fund by visiting the FGS booth in the Exhibit Hall during this week’s National Genealogical Society Conference in Salt Lake City. The Exhibit Hall opens Wednesday, April 28th at 9:30 a.m. and is open during daytime hours Wednesday-Saturday this week.

April 27, 2010:  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Federation of Genealogical Societies Launches National Fundraiser, Preserve the Pensions!, to Digitize the War of 1812 Pension Files

SALT LAKE CITY — With the approaching bicentennial of the War of 1812, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, a non-profit genealogical organization headquartered in Austin, Texas, is pleased to announce a national fundraising initiative to raise $3.7 million to digitize of the War of 1812 pension files. 
The digitization process will enable online access by historians and family researchers to the memories and biographies of those who fought to protect our nation’s independence.  This announcement is being made at the start of the National Genealogical Society’s 2010 conference, an event that will draw more than two thousand genealogists to Salt Lake City, Utah.

The War of 1812, often referred to as America’s second war for independence, significantly shaped this country’s identity both internationally and domestically.Many remember the War of 1812 as the war that give us the “Star-Spangled Banner” and the burning of the White House.  Some of the great leaders of our country, including three presidents, took part in this conflict. Nearly 300,000 men served, including members of at least eighteen Native American tribes.

he pension records for the War of 1812 consist of more than 7.2 million documents in 180,000 files.  The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) receives more than three thousand requests per year for War of 1812 pensions, placing them among the most requested sets of records.  Digitizing these valuable records will preserve the originals by removing them from continued heavy use.  It will also make the images of the records much more widely available.  NARA reports these important historical records already have been conserved and readied for digitization, so scanning could start as soon as funds are received.  With the cost for digitizing and saving a single page from a pension file being fifty cents, supporters will see progress from the earliest days of the fundraising initiative. 

Genealogists, historians, and scholars of military history have long appreciated the value of pension files.  A typical pension file may contain documents that describe a veteran’s service as well as why he, his widow, or his dependents qualify for a pension.  In the cases of widows’ and dependents’ filings, there are typically a number of documents proving the claimant is related to the veteran.  The testimony of a veteran’s comrades can provide unique and valuable data on what military life entailed, the rigors of everyday camp life, and details of particular skirmishes and battles.  One may discover numerous details of an ancestor’s life in these pension files, some of which may be many dozens of pages long. 

The Federation of Genealogical Societies is committed to projects that link the genealogical community and advance the cause of preserving records and making them more accessible.  The Federation will be working with the genealogical and historical societies nation-wide, particularly in states where War of 1812 activities took place, as well as the many War of 1812 societies and bicentennial commissions, to raise awareness about this vital preservation and access project and to raise the funds necessary to complete the project. 

Those interested in contributing to the Preserve the Pensions! Project or wanting additional information should contact the Federation of Genealogical Societies via their website at www.fgs.org/1812, or contact Curt Witcher at 260-421-1226 or [email protected].

New episode of “Who Do You Think You Are?” this Friday

Paula Stuart-Warren  Ancestry.com, WDYTYA, Who Do You Think You Are?  Leave a comment

Lou Szucs from Ancestry.com sent a reminder about this Friday’s show! Lou said:

“With just two episodes left, the Who Do You Think You Are? season is nearly over. Don’t forget to remind friends and family to tune in as two more fascinating family stories are revealed. Genealogical societies, libraries and archives are continuing to enjoy increased traffic as the series grabs the attention of many individuals who are now intrigued and determined to solve their own family mysteries.

This Week’s Episode – Susan Sarandon

This week’s episode will feature leading actress Susan Sarandon, who sets out to learn more about her grandmother Anita, who led a life shrouded with mystery and who disappeared out of Susan’s mother’s life when her mother was just a child. In the episode, Susan visits the New York City Public Library and the New City Library in Rockland, New York.

Check out the teaser featuring Susan Sarandon, and tune into NBC for the full episode on Friday at 8/7c.

Have you seen these blogs?

Paula Stuart-Warren  Blogs, Libraries  Leave a comment

Special collections departments or libraries on college and university campuses often hold much for the study of local history and genealogy. Yes, they likely include the university’s archives but the other manuscripts, oral histories, newspapers, and books can be a gold mine for research. Local history collections in city and county public libraries are also the home of many resources for family history research. Check out these blogs that are produced by staff at such collections. 

Spring 2010 FGS FORUM is ready!

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

I just received an email telling me that the Spring 2010 issue of FGS FORUM is ready for me to read online. This quarterly publication of the Federation of Genealogical Societies is now in its 22nd year.

FORUM is an inexpensive publication — just $15.00 for access to four issues (one year or $25.00 for two years). Check out the online FREE issue at http://fgs.org/forum/ to see why you should order this neat publication today. Each issue is 45 pages long, viewed in PDF format, links to websites are live (my favorite), and the contents include news on technology and genealogy, ethnic, international and genealogical society activities, extensive book and CD reviews, news on records including access issues, specialized topics written by recognized experts, and so much more.

I particularly enjoyed Wendy Bebout Elliott’s article on the “War of 1812: Brief Background and Genealogical Resources” and the project of FGS, the National Archives,
and genealogists to digitize the War of 1812 Pension and Bounty land records. Editor Sandra Hargreaves Luebking tested us on our census knowledge and I answered both questions correctly.

The article on the FGS Knoxville Conference this coming August was helpful. It is written by Lori Thornton, who is very familiar with the city. Do you want to honor a genealogical society or individual for their contributions to the field of genealogy? Info on that is in this issue. Randy Seaver’s article on Wikis for genealogists was intriguing.

Check out the free issue today and then sign up! Once you sign up you can access the other issues that have already been sent electronically.

Minnesota Genealogical Society Family History Fair, April 17th

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences, Minnesota Genealogical Society, Seminars  Leave a comment
Immigration and roots across the Atlantic are themes of the annual MGS Family History Fair that will be held April 17 at the MGS Library and Research Center in South Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Anduin Wilhide of the University of Minnesota’s Immigration History Research Center will give the keynote talk on 19th Century immigration. Afterward, an experienced researcher will lead discussions on genealogy research in nine areas:

  • Danish – Scott Jkar
  • African-American – Myrtice Orr
  • English – Lois Mackin and Jay Fonkert
  • Bavarin (German) – Kent Cutkomp
  • Irish – Beth Mullinax
  • Yankees – Barbara Oestreich
  • Italian – Pat Ricci
  • Dutch and Belgian – Jay Fonkert
  • Scottish – Bergetta Monroe and John McKeen.

And you can get answers to your research questions at a lunch-time “Ask a Genealogist” forum.

Register online, by mail (checks only sent to: Family History Fair, MN Genealogical Society, 1185 Concord St. N., South Saint Paul 55075), or at the door. Registration is $25; an optional lunch is available for $7. Please register by Wednesday, April 14. For more information, contact Terry Kita (by e-mail or phone:612-927-0719).

Next seminar: April 23-24, Norfolk, Nebraska

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences  2 Comments

My next stop is the Nebraska State Genealogical Society’s Conference in Norfolk, Nebraska. The local host is the Madison County Genealogical Society. Are you getting a nagging feeling that you know something about Norfolk? As area residents know, that is the home place of Johnny Carson.

Click here for the full two day program which includes other speakers.This is also the spot to learn more about hotels, meals and the registration form. The pre-registration deadline is April 15th, just ten days away.

I will be presenting six lectures over the two days:

  • The Three Rs: Reading, ‘Riting, and Research In School Records
  • Organizing your Genealogical Materials
  • Where Are The Records They Told Me to Check?
  • The WPA Era: What is Created for Genealogists
  • Finding Ancestral Places of Origin
  • Railroad Records and Railway History: Methods for Tracking

Norfolk is a great place for a conference as the driving distance to there from these places runs about 2 hours or less: Council Bluffs and Sioux City in Iowa, Omaha, Lincoln, and Grand Island in Nebraska, and Sioux Falls, Yankton, and Vermillion in South Dakota.

The following week is the NGS Family History Conference in Salt Lake City! I will also see you there for a full week of activities.

Who Do You Think You Are? Renewed for a second season!

Paula Stuart-Warren  WDYTYA, Who Do You Think You Are?  Leave a comment

Suzanne Russo Adams from Ancestry.com just shared this press release. Thanks Suzanne! I am so glad that Ancestry.com and other advertisers helped to make sure this show got on TV, that the viewers have responded, and that a whole bunch of people are now taking the steps to learn more about their personal history. I am also grateful to my fellow professional genealogist who helped with the research.

NBC announced today that popular TV show “Who Do You Think You Are?” has been renewed for a second season. NBC published the following press release earlier this afternoon. The full press release text follows and can be read at this link. The following words are selected from that NBC press release.

NBC Picks Up Three Freshman Series As ‘The Marriage Ref,’ ‘Minute To Win It’ and ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ are Renewed for 2010-11

April 5, 2010 1:14 PM

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – April 5, 2010 – NBC has picked up three freshman alternative series as “The Marriage Ref,” “Minute to Win It,” and “Who Do You Think You Are?” are renewed for the 2010-11 season.  The announcement was made today by Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, NBC and Universal Media Studios.

“All of these new series have demonstrated increasing popularity and generated far-reaching interest among viewers,” said Telegdy.  “Equally important, each has a compelling and innovative format, and a second season will allow these shows to grow creatively and attract an even wider audience.”  . . .

“Who Do You Think You Are?  from executive producer Lisa Kudrow is averaging a 1.6 rating, 6 share in adults 18-49 and 6.8 million viewers overall in “most current” results for its season thus far. In preliminary results for last Friday, “Who Do You Think You Are?” won the 8-9 p.m. ET hour in adults 18-49, marking the first time any regular competitor in this slot has beaten an original episode of CBS’s “Ghost Whisperer” in 18-49 rating since November 17, 2006. “Who Do You Think You Are?” has improved the time period by 23 percent in adult 18-49 rating versus NBC’s average for the traditional 2008-09 season in “live plus same day” results.

“Who Do You Think You Are?” gives viewers an up-close and personal look inside the family history of some of today’s most beloved and iconic celebrities. Among the celebrities featured this season are Matthew Broderick, Lisa Kudrow, Spike Lee, Sarah Jessica Parker, Susan Sarandon, Brooke Shields and Emmitt Smith. Ancestry.com is currently NBC’s official partner on the series.

“Who Do You Think You Are?” is produced by Wall to Wall productions (a Shed Media company) in association with Is Or Isn’t Entertainment. Alex Graham from Wall to Wall, and Lisa Kudrow and Dan Bucatinsky from Is or Isn’t Entertainment, are the executive producers. The unique, award-winning series is based on the popular BBC television documentary series created and executive-produced by Graham.

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Change in WDYTYA? schedule

Paula Stuart-Warren  WDYTYA  Leave a comment
Ancestry.com provided this update in today’s email:
Change in Episode Schedule
NBC has altered a few of the Who Do You Think You Are? episode dates. The updated schedule is as follows:
–          April 2nd – Brooke Shields
–          April 9th – Sarah Jessica Parker (Repeat)
–          April 16th – No episode
–          April 23rd – Susan Sarandon
–          April 30th – Spike Lee