Check out online finding aids and indexes for selected Archival Holdings at NARA’s Central Plains Region (Kansas City) http://www.archives.gov/central-plains/kansas-city/finding-aids

Thanks to Evie Brissette, CG, a volunteer at this branch of NARA for suggesting that I include this in the blog. She also reminds us that via NARA’s website you may submit an email inquiry for items such as the actual record tied to an entry in the online naturalization database.

If you haven’t checked the NARA website for other regional locations and their holdings, visit www.Archives.gov and click in Locations in the left column.

Earlier this week a friend sent an email that began with the words “where are you now?” I am actually in St. Paul for the next month. This coming week is federal jury duty. This is all while I am in the midst of meeting client work and writing deadlines. As if that is not enough, I am packing to move! When I moved out of the four bedroom, two story house three years ago, I thought that was difficult. Lots was tossed, shared with family members, and much was put into storage. It is time to condense once again.

Where am I going? Well – when I figure out where I want to live when I grow up, I will have that answer. It will likely be condo in a northern suburb of the St. Paul -Minneapolis area. I have seriously thought about Washington, DC, Salt Lake City, Boston and other places — but leaving the grandchildren would be too difficult for me right now.

In the meantime I will be living in Zimmerman, Minnesota. I am temporarily moving into the lower level of my oldest son’s house (his invitation!). I will get to see my oldest granddaughter, age 13, all the time. One of the youngest grandchildren, age 8 who lives in Duluth, asked why I wasn’t moving in with them. Ah, cousin rivalry.

The next trip will be a combination research, visiting friends, and speaking at a genealogy conference adventure. The conference is the Federation of Genealogical Societies/Allen County Public Library 4 day extravaganza. Check it out at http://www.fgsconference.org/

I will let you know my new address and e-mail address shortly.

Another of those memories from my long-ago youth is learning part of the poem The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. “Listen my children and you shall hear . . . begins the lengthy poem that tells about the lantern signals and other warnings Paul Revere used to warn that the British were on the march to the Boston area.

On that night of April 18, 1775, the steeple of the Old North Church in Boston held the church sexton who displayed two lanterns for all to see that Paul Revere signaled that the British were marching by sea and not by land. Today this church is also known as the Christ Church in the City of Boston, an Episcopal church built in 1723. Ten months ago I visited the church and gazed at the steeple for the third time in my life. It was still a thrill to see it. Did I recall all the words of that poem? The answer is a definite “no” and to be honest, I only remembered a few lines. For more on the history of the church and the events surrounding Paul Revere visit http://www.oldnorth.com/hist.htm.

Do any of you have family members who were members of that church around 1775? If so, you might want to contact the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston. Its Research Services team is cooperating with the Church’s Foundation to assemble information on these families. If you do know of a family member who was a member of that congregation between the years of 1750 and 1800, please contact Joshua Taylor, NEHGS Research Services Coordinator at [email protected].