© 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 for NSHS at their request and with their approval by T& C Miller
HISTORICAL Newsletter
Vol. 49 No. 2 - August 1996
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by Cindy S. Drake, Library Curator
NEBRASKA POPULATION CENSUS RECORDS, 1900 and
1910 (Part 7)
The 1890 federal census for Nebraska was destroyed by
fire in 1920 (noted in the previous newsletter). This means that
for fifteen years there are no state or federal census records
that record the residents of Nebraska. The 1900 federal census for
Nebraska contains the same categories of information as the 1885
census with some additional personal and statistical material. Of
importance to genealogists is the inclusion in 1900 of the month
and year of birth for each individual; the number of years a
couple was married; the number of children a married woman had
borne along with the number of children still living; and
naturalization information such as the year of immigration, if
naturalized, etc. Transcriptions of the 1900 census for the
counties of Hooker and Kimball are available in the NSHS
Library/Archives Reference Room.
The 1900 federal census includes a Soundex (the
Soundex was described in the April 1996 newsletter) that indexes
all heads of households in the 1900 census. The 1900 Soundex also
indexes separately persons in the household whose surname is
different from that of the head of the household. Unlike the 1880
Soundex, the 1900 Soundex indexes all families, not just those
with children under the age of ten.
The 1910 federal census for Nebraska contains the same
information as the 1900 census except only the age of an
individual is given instead of the month and year of birth. There
is some additional information provided on language, employment,
and military service.
Transcriptions of the 1910 census for the following
counties are in the L/A Reference Room: Hooker, Johnson, Kearney,
Knox, Lancaster, Perkins, and Nemaha.
The 1910 federal census has a soundex or miracode
index for twenty-one states. Unfortunately, Nebraska is not one of
them. The researcher will first need to locate the county and
precinct for rural areas and street addresses for urban areas.
Available county atlases and city directories for this time period
will help simplify these searches. The L/A Reference Room has
street guides available for Lincoln, Omaha, and York that help in
locating the street address on the 1910 census.
For more information on the 1890 federal census, see
"'First in the Path of the Firemen' The Fate of the 1890
Population Census," which appeared in the National Archives
journal Prologue, Vol. 28, No. 1, Spring 1996. Contact your
local library for further information in locating this article.
The L/A Reference Room has transcriptions of the 1890 Veterans
Census for Saunders and Washington Counties.
REFERENCE REMINDER: There is a benefit in using the Nebraska federal censuses and state census in our L/A Reference Room. We have our own census guides that list the order in which the precincts appear on the microfilm. Even when enumeration district numbers are known, these guides make it easier to read the microfilm when you know the order of your precinct within the county.
New Acquisitions of Interest to
Genealogists:
Ancestors and Descendants of William Browning
Greene and Mary Hoxsie Lewis with Allied Families compiled by
William E. Wright. (Families in Lancaster and Pawnee
Counties).
The Saunders Family: From Colonial Virginia to
Pioneers Out West by Edward E. Saunders. (Family in Garden
County).
A Student's Guide to British American Genealogy
by Anne E. Johnson.
A Student's Guide to Japanese American
Genealogy by Yoji Yamaguchi.
HISTORICAL Newsletter
Vol. 49 No. 2 - August 1996
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by Cindy S. Drake, Library Curator
Nebraska Population Census Records,
1920 (Part 8)
The Nebraska 1920 federal census closely
resembles the format and information of the 1910 census. However,
there are several differences. First, the census was to be
recorded "as of" January 1 rather than April 15. Second, the 1920
census did not have questions regarding unemployment, Union or
Confederate military service, number of children, or duration of
marriage. The 1920 census did ask the year of arrival and
naturalization status of every foreign-born person as well as
inquiring about the year of naturalization for those who did
become citizens. The statistics from the 1920 census revealed that
for the first time in the nation's history, a majority of
Americans were living in "urban" areas.
The 1920 federal census does include a soundex
(described in the April and July newsletters) for every state. The
soundex for the Nebraska 1920 census consists of ninety-six rolls.
For more information on the 1920 federal census, see "The
Fourteenth Numbering of the People: The 1920 Federal Census,"
which appeared in the National Archives publication Prologue, Vol.
23, No. 2, Summer 1991. Contact your local library for further
information in locating this article.
The 1920 census is the last federal census
available for general public use. Since the federal census records
are released every seventy-two years, we will have to wait until
2002 for the 1930 census.
This is the last column devoted to the Nebraska
census records. If you have any further questions regarding census
records in Nebraska, please contact me. If new information becomes
available about census records in Nebraska we will include it in
this column.
REFERENCE REMINDER: As stated in our last column, the census guides that are used in our Library/Archives Reference Room are useful for all the Nebraska census material on microfilm. The 1920 Nebraska census guide is especially useful because the counties and enumeration districts do not appear on the microfilm in alphabetical order.
New Acquisitions of Interest to
Genealogists:
Antelope County Cemetery Records: also
included are Florence/Lee and Lambert Cemeteries in Holt County,
Hope/Enterprise and Grimpton Cemeteries in Knox County
compiled by the North Antelope County Genealogical Society,
Orchard, Nebraska.
Emmanuel Evangelical Cemetery, German:
[Murdock, Nebraska] [compiled by Maxine
Cline].
The Hosford Genealogy: a History of the
Descendants of William Hosford... compiled and edited by
Norman F. Hosford and David H. Hosford.
Our Leonard Family History: Constant(ine)
Leonard, Revolutionary Soldier, and his Descendants 1775-1995,
Volume I, Constant Leonard and his Descendants compiled and
edited by Mary E. Leonard.
Record and Remember: Tracing Your Roots
Through Oral History by Ellen Epstein and Jane Lewit.
HISTORICAL Newsletter
Vol. 49 No. 3 - September 1996
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by Cindy S. Drake, Library Curator
Nebraska Marriage Records
Nebraska marriage records have been on file
within each county since the county was organized. In 1987 the
county clerk in each county was assigned responsibility for
handling these records. In some cases the counties gave their
early marriage records to the Historical Society. Within the last
few years the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has made
a cooperative effort with the Historical Society to microfilm
marriage records in the counties, thereby making additional
marriage records available at the Society. At present we have the
marriage records for forty-three counties in the Library/Archives
reference room. There is no statewide comprehensive index for
Nebraska marriage records. There are various published and
unpublished indexes available for some counties.
The type of information found in a marriage
record may vary, but usually the record includes the date of
marriage, location, name of the person who performed the marriage,
names and ages of both parties, their birthplaces, names of
parents, and the names of the witnesses.
Since 1909 copies of marriage licenses in
Nebraska have also been placed on file with the Bureau of Vital
Statistics. These are the official records, and certified copies
must be obtained from them. Photocopies from our records will not
meet legal requirements.
REFERENCE REMINDER: The reference
staff will accept requests to check for marriage records when the
following information is provided: the names of the parties
involved, approximate date(s), and the county where the record may
be on file. The prepaid fee is $5 per record for one couple. All
marriage records available for public use may also be researched
by patrons who visit our facilities. The only fee involved with
onsite visits is the cost to make a photocopy of the record.
The address for the Bureau of Vital Statistics
is 301 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, NE 68509-5007. Please
contact that office for current prices and procedures.
New Acquisitions of Interest to
Genealogists:
Richardson County, Nebraska Cemeteries... :
volume... compiled by the Tri-State Comers Genealogical
Society.
Three Brothers from Nebraska by Ralph
Arthur Larson. (Gustafson Family in Phelps County).
A Taste of Home: Celebrating 50 Years of the
John and Agnes Hottovy Family [compiled by Steven A.
Hottovy ... ]. (Hottovy Family in Butler County).
Miller Family Recipes: incl. Miller
Genealogy [compiled] by Jeanne Cook Walsh. (Miller
Family in Polk County).
The Family of Cleveland Eldred Shook by
H. Earl Close. (Shook, Corwin and Rockwell families in Dakota
County).
HISTORICAL Newsletter
Vol. 49 No. 4 - October 1996
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By Cindy S. Drake, Library Curator
This month's column will be devoted to two
new and exciting developments in our Library/Archives. First, we
have a new guide titled "A Guide to Genealogical Research at the
Nebraska State Historical Society." It is available upon request
from the reference staff. This guide updates "A Guide to Resources
in the Library/Archives." There are plans to publish guides
pertaining to Library/Archives material on other topics of
interest to historical researchers.
On September 16 we introduced our new online
patron access catalog (OPAC} to the public in the reference room.
The name of this Windows-based program is Athena. At the present
time there are more than 14,500 titles from our library collection
in Athena. We estimate that we have over 80,000 library titles. As
of May 1, 1996, catalog cards are no longer being filed in the
manual card catalog. All newly cataloged titles will be located
only by using Athena.
The following categories may be located in
Athena: (1) cataloged library titles donated or purchased since
1984 (2) more than 95 percent of all the Nebraska local history
material (which is shelved in the reference room) (3) more than 90
percent of the family histories/genealogies located in the library
stacks. Other categories that are complete in Athena include
library/museum science and religion (which includes local church
histories not available in the reference room).
The library card catalog in the hallway outside
the reference room will still be available for all library
materials cataloged before May 1, 1996. Please visit our reference
room and use Athena. The reference staff will welcome your
questions and comments about this new service.
New Acquisitions of Interest to
Genealogists
The Connecticut Barbers: A Genealogy of
the Descendants of Thomas Barber of Windsor, Conn.
[compiled] by Donald S. Barber. (Families in Burt,
Thurston, Douglas, and Cuming counties)
The Drake Family in England and America
1360-1895: and Descendants of Thomas Drake of Weymouth, Mass.
1635-1691 by Louis S. Drake (Descendants settled in Gage
County)
Paul Hugo Ritter and Related Families:
Rottweil, Germany to Cumberland, Maryland compiled by Ruth R.
Runner. (Family in Douglas County)
Schwarztrauber, Stewart, and Related
Families [compiled] by Sayre A. Schwarztrauber.
(Family in Lancaster County)
HISTORICAL Newsletter
Vol. 49 No. 5 - November 1996
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by Cindy S. Drake, Library Curator
Nebraska Place Names
Do you have a record for an ancestor that gives
the name of a place in Nebraska you are unable to locate on
current maps? Most often the first reference we check at the
Society is Perkey's Nebraska Place Names. Originally published in
1982, this guide was revised and republished in 1995 by J & L
Lee Company in Lincoln. Eldon Perkey used library and archival
sources as well as postal records when he researched this work.
Some of these sources included the works compiled earlier by
Lillian Fitzpatrick and J. T. Link. Link's work is still referred
to frequently in the library when the county is known for the
place name.
Many researchers are surprised to find that the
majority of post offices in Nebraska did not have established
communities. These post offices were located in the homes of the
postmasters and may have moved when a new postmaster was assigned.
In some cases the post office existed only for a short time or the
name may have been changed.
How do you locate the exact location of these
post offices and thereby determine the vicinity of your ancestor's
home? First, determine how long the post office was in existence.
(Perkey's will give these dates.) Second, locate a map for the
county or the state of Nebraska for that time period. Finally,
check available county histories for data regarding the location
of the post office. Hopefully from this information you may
continue your research with county plat books and available county
records.
Reference
Reminder. If you are still unable to locate a Nebraska
place name in the material listed, contact the reference staff for
other sources. There are regions in the state that were given
local names, but a post office or town was never established. The
reference staff is familiar with several published and unpublished
sources that may be checked either onsite or by mail requests.
New Acquisitions of Interest to
Genealogists
Immigrants from Great Britain and Ireland: A
Guide to Archival and Manuscript Sources in North America
compiled by Jack W. Weaver and Deegee Lester.
Marriage Records, Dodge County, Nebraska:
1904-1907, Book 11 by the Eastern Nebraska Genealogical
Society.
Guide to Swedish-American Archival and
Manuscript Sources in the United States by the
Swedish-American Historical Society.
Your Family History: How to Use Oral History,
Personal Family Archives, and Public Documents to Discover Your
Heritage by Allan J. Lichtman.
HISTORICAL Newsletter
Vol. 49 No. 6 - December 1996
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by Cindy S. Drake, Library Curator
Burlington Railroad Land Records
By the Union Pacific Land Grant Act of July
1, 1862, as amended July 2, 1864, the federal government granted
land in Nebraska from the public domain to the Burlington
Railroad. This was in lieu of cash payments to subsidize
construction of the railroad. The railroad sold this land on
contract to settlers to finance its work. These tracts of land
were mostly in the vicinity of the proposed railroad line to
encourage settlement in the area. The Burlington Land Office
opened in Nebraska in October 1863 and remained open until the
last tract of land was sold in 1905.
In 1978 the Burlington Northern Railroad and the
Newberry Library allowed the NSHS Library/Archives to microfilm
its land records. This collection is known as the Burlington and
Missouri River Railroad in Nebraska Land Department Records
(MS466). The Union Pacific Railroad retains custody of records
relating to the sale of its land in Nebraska.
If you have an ancestor who bought land from the
Burlington Railroad, his/her sale contract would be in this
collection. To locate a settler the researcher must first check
the index to the contract ledger. This index is not in strict
alphabetical order. Once you are in the correct letter for your
surname, the index is next divided by all individuals whose first
name began with "A," "B," and so on, When the contract number is
located the researcher should be able to locate the "Application
to Buy Land in Nebraska." There are cases in which the contract
number may be wrong and the settler cannot be located in
surrounding records. The contract will give the legal description
of the property along with the current post office address,
nationality, previous residence, and in the case of immigrants, it
may give their birthplaces.
A good map to help verify the location of
railroad land in Nebraska is the Official Railway Map of Nebraska,
1915. The Library/Archives will sell photocopies of this oversize
map for $15 each plus $3 for shipping. Nebraska residents ordering
this map by mail must include local and state tax. Residents from
other Plains states must pay their local taxes when ordering.
Contributors to this column were NSHS staff
members Andrea Faling, Jim Potter, and Chad Wall.
Reference Reminder: The Reference staff will check the Burlington Land Records when the full name is given along with the prepaid fee of $5. Providing the county will help determine the correct individual. Researchers may request these records on interlibrary loan through their local library for $5, but it will require two transactions (a total of $10) because you need to check the index first, then request the land contract after you locate the number.
New Acquisitions of Interest to Genealogists
German-Americana: A Bibliography,
compiled by Don H. Tolzmann.
The Herndons of the American Revolution:
Being the Herndon Family of Virginia, Volume Two, presented in
parts by Dudley L. Herndon. (Families in Scotts Bluff, Frontier
and Phelps counties).
From Generation to Generation:: How to
Trace Your Jewish Genealogy and Personal History, by Arthur
Kurzweil.
Home for 100 Years: Spencer, NE
1891-1991, by the Spencer Centennial Committee.
DONATION NEEDED TO ACQUIRE GENEALOGY BOOK
Edgar E. Hotchkin of Pasadena, California, is offering the Library his genealogy entitled Descendants of John Hotchkin of Guilford, CT at a special price of $30 (normally $50). According to his flyer this title includes an early Nebraska family and "preserves the diary of the Michigan family's 1904 wagon trip from Nebraska back to Michigan." The Library will accession this title to our collection if funds are donated for its purchase. Donations can be directed to Library Curator Cindy S. Drake.
HISTORICAL Newsletter
Vol. 49 No. 7 - January 1997
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By Cindy S. Drake, Library Curator
Nebraska School Census
Records
In 1855 the First General Assembly of the
Territory of Nebraska passed an act to establish the common school
system. A county superintendent was to be elected in each
organized county. As one of their duties, these superintendents
were required to "take and keep and record a list of the names of
all the white persons in the district between the ages of five and
twenty-one years."
The information contained in the school census
records varied until the 1920s, when the forms became more
uniform. In Cass County the 1880 school census gave only the name
of parent or guardian, name of youth, age, sex, and the number in
each family. A provision for the legal description of where the
family lived was on the form, but it was not always noted. By 1932
the form for Cass County included the name of parent or guardian,
address, name of children with date of birth by month, day, and
year, sex, and the distance the family lived from the school.
The society has some school census records for
at least thirty-three Nebraska counties. They include some
published records as well as original school census records on
microfilm. If school census records for a county are not available
at the Historical Society, you will need to contact the county
superintendent of schools. In some cases this office may have
limited hours or the position may have been eliminated. Contact
the county courthouse before you visit. We recommend that you
contact us first to see if the records are here and available for
public use.
School census records are a primary source and
may be used when birth certificates are not available. The Bureau
of Vital Statistics will accept a school census record when
corrections need to be made to birth certificates.
Contributors to this column were NSHS staff
members Pat Churray and Steve Wolz.
Reference Reminder. The reference staff will accept requests to check available county school census records when the following information is provided: name of parent(s), children, and location of where the family lived in the county. The prepaid fee of $5 should accompany your request. No fee is charged for inquiries about school census holdings.
HISTORICAL Newsletter
Vol. 49 No. 8 - February 1997
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By Cindy S. Drake, Library Curator
This month's column will review the
interlibrary loan policies for NSHS Library/ Archives material.
All original material such as books, manuscripts, public records,
and photographs are not available for interlibrary loan. Microfilm
copies of this material are available for loan if: 1) we filmed
the material or hold the negatives; 2) there are no restrictions
regarding access to the material, and; 3) the material is not
heavily used by the public in the Library/Archives reference room.
We also loan some National Archives microfilm because it is easily
replaceable.
All requests for our microfilm must be on
standard Interlibrary Loan forms (ILL) or on library letterhead.
Requests should be made to Interlibrary Loans, Nebraska State
Historical Society, P.O. Box 82554, Lincoln, NE 68501. The prepaid
fee is $5 per roll. Patrons are allowed two reels at a time with a
two-week loan period. The material must be used in the library to
which they are loaned. The borrowing institution must return the
film prepaid first class, and each roll must be insured for
$35.
The following materials will not be
loaned even though they are on microfilm: census records,
naturalization records, G.A.R. rosters and burial cards, World War
I service cards, World War II servicemen's index, probate records,
land tract entry books, and restricted public records or
manuscripts.
Most frequently requested interlibrary loans are
for Nebraska newspapers. A list of all newspapers that can be
loaned is available on microfiche for $10 and on computer disc for
$15.
Some older Nebraska county plat books, as well
as the 1885 Atlas of Nebraska, are on film and available
for loan. Other published material available on film includes
Nebraska History, Nebraska Gazetteer and Business
Directories, and a limited number of cemetery transcriptions,
theses, telephone books, and city directories.
Rosters of soldiers who served in Nebraska units
during the Civil War were published in Andreas's 1882 History
of Nebraska, which we filmed. Andreas also includes the best
early general history of Nebraska, including county histories and
brief biographical sketches.
Various manuscript collections have been filmed.
Reference Leaflet No. 6 (available at no charge) lists Nebraska
church records. Other popular collections available on film
include the Eli S. Ricker Tablets and the Burlington Railroad
personnel records.
More than 50,000 photographs have been
microfiched. There is no fee for the printed inventories and
microfiche for specific collections. However, the Native American
photograph collection on VHS tape has a loan fee of $10.
1 hope you are watching the PBS series
Ancestors. It is a ten-part series about genealogy and
family history which started in January 1997. Check your local
listings for dates and times.
Contributors to this column were NSHS staff
members Cynthia Monroe, Ann Billesbach, and Paul Eisloeffel.
New Acquisitions of Interest to
Genealogists
A Genealogy of Charles and Nancy (McNinch)
Booth, compiled by Jerry A. Kaufman. (Family in Custer
County.)
Ord Weekly Quiz; Valley County, Ord,
Nebraska... Events in the Lives of the Pioneers Who Settled Here
January 25-December 30, 1892, by Patricia J. Turek.
Altman Genealogy, compiled by Helen L.
Dorman et. al. (Family in Saline County.)
Family History of Leonhard F. W. Bischof
(William Bischof), compiled by Paul F. Sand. (Family in Otoe
County.)
HISTORICAL Newsletter
Vol. 49 No. 9 - March 1997
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By Cindy S. Drake, Library Curator
Ancestors Television Series (Part
1)
As I prepare this article, five out of ten
programs from the Ancestors television series have already
aired on PBS. I received the brochures advertised for the series,
which include the viewer's guide, teacher's guide, and the special
edition of the Ancestry magazine. The viewer's guide and
Ancestry magazine should give beginners an excellent start
in genealogical research. The teacher's guide contains challenging
projects for students in grades seven through twelve. Each episode
included mailing information on how to obtain the guides and
magazine. In the next few newsletters I plan to review the general
content of each program, recommend some additional sources, and
review Nebraska sources that are applicable to certain
episodes.
In the first episode, "Getting Started," the
focus was on the use of pedigree charts and how to record data on
them. Friends who are genealogists and local genealogical
societies may be able to tell you where to purchase charts in your
area. If not, you can contact me for a Genealogy Supply Address
List, which will give you a few addresses of major suppliers
in the United States.
The second episode, "Looking at Home," explains
the type of information sources that you can look for in your
home. Some genealogical guidebooks cover this subject in lesser
detail than others. Linda Swisher's article, "Home Sources A to
Z," from the Ancestry magazine (mentioned above) has a good
listing of the home sources that could be available. There is also
a "Family and Home Information Sources Checklist" in the
Ancestors series teacher's guide. This episode mentioned
briefly how to care for the items you locate
and the type of data recorded on a Family Group Record. The third
episode, "Gathering Family Stories," gave suggestions on how to
interview living relatives and document family stories. The
genealogy guidebooks I enjoy the most contain the types of
questions you ask in oral and written interviews. If you request
my handout, "Family Historian," I will send you a list of some of
my favorite titles about family oral history, reminiscences,
videotaping, and prepared questions for interviews. I also have a
section on caring for your collection, mentioned in the previous
episode.
If you tape (audio or video) or publish your
interviews, contact the local or state historical society where
the families spent most of their lives. These societies might be
interested in adding your material to their collection.
New Acquisitions of Interest to
Genealogists
Dorman Genealogy, compiled by Duane D.
Dorman and Carole A. Wanek Dorman. (Family in Jefferson
County).
Writing Family Histories and Memoirs, by
Kirk Polking.
A Student's Guide to German American
Genealogy, by Gregory Robl.
Malone and Allied Families, compiled by
Randolph A. Malone. (Family in Richardson County).
A Student's Guide to Scandinavian American
Genealogy, by Lisa 0. Paddock and Carl S. Rollyson.
Turner Family History: With the History of
the Beavens, Coe, Masterson, Shroyer & Hall Families, by
Paul E. Turner et al. (Family in York County).
HISTORICAL Newsletter
Vol. 49 No. 10 - April 1997
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By Cindy S. Drake, Library Curator
Ancestors Television Series (Part 2)
In the third episode of The Paper
Trail, the theme is based on the relationship of records to
life events. The following records are defined: original (primary)
records are created by eyewitnesses at the time of an event and
compiled (secondary) records consist of information that may have
come from original records.
Since many ancestors of Nebraskans immigrated to
this country, immigration and naturalization records are important
original records. Presently the Society has the original
naturalization records for fourteen counties in Nebraska as well
as naturalizations handled by the Supreme Court for this area
prior to statehood.
Although we do not have ship passenger lists, we
do have the complete set of Passenger and Immigrations Lists
Index ... edited by P. William Filby (commonly known as the
Filby Index). This source indexes citations to names in published
passenger and naturalization lists. The base set and annual
supplements include over 2.5 million names. We recently purchased
the 1996 and 1997 supplements with funds from our donation box in
the Reference Room.
Other sources mentioned in this episode were
census records and newspapers, compiled family histories, and
cemetery records. We have all available Nebraska census records
(territorial to 1920) and the largest collection of Nebraska
newspapers in the state. Our library has over three thousand
family histories as well as transcribed cemetery material from
across the state.
The fourth episode, Libraries &
Archives, looks at repositories in the United States where
genealogical records are found. Although the hosts took you on
location to the largest genealogical library in the world, the
Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, they stressed the
importance of starting locally before exploring state and national
resources. Local Nebraska genealogical societies (and the state
genealogical society) are included on our recently updated
Reference Information Guide No. 5 titled "Genealogical Societies
in Nebraska." You might also want to request "A Guide to
Genealogical Research at the Nebraska State Historical Society. "
Both of these items are available upon request at no charge. The
Ancestors series will be rebroadcast on Sundays at 12:30 P.M.
beginning March 23 on Nebraska ETV.
I am updating a leaflet titled "Serving the
Genealogist/Family Historian," which I used for our genealogy
workshops several years ago. It includes references to genealogy
guidebooks, compiled sources for genealogy and local history and
material for locating immigrant ancestors. If you contact me I
will send you a copy when it is completed.
New Acquisitions of Interest to
Genealogists
Traphagen: A Family History of the Traphagen
Family, compiled by Arthur C. and Lillian B. Wardlow.
(Families in Frontier, Lincoln, Arthur, McPherson, Lancaster,
Jefferson and Gage Counties).
Wisner, 1871-1996: Q125, Strong and
Steadfast, by the Wisner Q125 Book Committee.
The Bingham Family in the United States,
compiled and written by Donna Bingham Munger. (Families in Pierce,
Dodge and Dakota Counties).
Sloan, Hale and Smith Family History,
compiled by Jean Fitch Justice ... [et al.]. (Families in
Richardson and Thurston Counties).
HISTORICAL Newsletter
Vol. 49 No. 11 - May 1997
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By Cindy S. Drake, Library
Curator
Library Curator Ancestors Television Series
(Part 3)
NOTE: Correction to April column: The Paper
Trail is episode four and the fifth episode is Libraries
and Archives.
The types of personal information that may be
found in federal records are described in the sixth episode titled
Census & Military Records. Researchers were reminded
that once they have located their family on the census records,
they should check for relatives in the same area. Spelling errors
are common in census records as well as situations in which
neighbors may have given information regarding families who were
not at home when the census taker was in the region.
Military service records are documents that
indicate a person served in a branch of the armed services.
Pension records give the most biographical information about a
veteran. This material may lead to other documents with pertinent
information. My husband's Civil War ancestor's pension record
provided information regarding his first and second marriages
along with names of all of his children from both marriages with
their birth and death dates.
As mentioned previously the Library/Archives has
all available Nebraska census records (territorial to 1920) in the
Library/ Archives Reference Room. Military records pertaining to
Nebraskans include G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) membership
rosters and burial cards; Spanish-American and World War I Service
Cards for Nebraska servicemen/women. Other sources include rosters
of Nebraska soldiers in the Civil War and their compiled service
records; the 1890 federal census of Civil War Veterans and their
widows; and a World War II Servicemen's Index that cites
references to Nebraska servicemen from local newspapers in the
state.
Episode seven is devoted to African American
Families. Oral history was stressed as well as three time
periods in African American history: (1) Segregation (1896-1954);
(2) Reconstruction (1865-77); and (3) Slavery (1526-1865). Major
records for genealogical research during the segregation period
include vital records. African American researchers are reminded
that their records in most cases are separate from the white
listings. For example, some city directories have a separate
section titled "Colored Department." Another source may be
listings of lynchings. Sources from the Reconstruction period
include bank records, letters, and records from the Freedmen's
Bureau, which helped former slaves after the Civil War. Civil War
records exist for African Americans who served in the Union
Army.
Researchers were reminded that not all African
Americans were slaves; some were free men. Slaves appeared with
only their first names on slave owners' wills, deeds, and
mortgages. African Americans are urged to join an African American
genealogical society and learn about their history and the records
available.
The society has various materials pertaining to
African Americans in the state. They include photographs, oral
history interviews, organizational records, newspapers, military
uniforms, paintings, and books illustrated by African Americans
from Nebraska. African Americans (the buffalo soldiers) served in
units at Fort Robinson and Fort Niobrara in the late nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries.
New Acquisitions of Interest to
Genealogists
Young Family History: Christophue Jung to
Robert Earl Young, 1819-1960, compiled by Dale Robert Keagy.
(Family in Gage County).
Descendants of Josef Buresh and Anna
Kulhnova, compiled by Elma W. Carpenter. (Families in Colfax,
Stanton, Cuming, and Dodge Counties).
The Canonical Church Register of Christ
Episcopal Church, Sidney, NE, 1890-1947 by the Fort Sidney
Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
HISTORICAL Newsletter
Vol. 49 No. 12 - June 1997
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By Cindy S. Drake, Library Curator
Ancestors Television Series (Part 5)
The eighth episode, Your Medical
Heritage, shows how family history can be used to discover a
family's medical history. Creating a family medical pedigree that
documents your ancestors' health may save your life or that of
other family members. Sharing family medical information is a
matter of choice. Even if you don't want to know about your
ancestors' medical history, someone in your family might need this
information now or in the future. Instructions were given on how
the use of a medical pedigree chart may be used to describe a
family's medical history.
Death certificates are important records in this
search since they contain valuable medical and family history
information. Even old death certificates were usually completed by
an attending physician. The information recorded may help other
physicians in diagnosing possible medical conditions in your
family. Birth and death records for Nebraska were not consistently
kept prior to 1904 at either the state or county level. The
Historical Society does not have official records of births and
deaths on file, with the exception of an Omaha Birth Registry,
1869-1907; an Omaha Death Registry, 1873-1915; and a few vital
records for early eastern Nebraska, which can be found in The
Nebraska and Midwest Genealogical Record. Some earlier birth
and death records exist for Lincoln and Omaha and have been filed
with the Bureau of Vital Statistics. For available records of
births and deaths after 1904, contact the Bureau of Vital
Statistics, 301 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, NE 68509-5007 to
obtain prices and procedures.
The use of computers in doing genealogy is the
topic of the ninth episode titled High-Tech Help. Computers
help genealogists and family historians store personal data (such
as census records and genealogies), retrieve personal data from
CD-ROM, and share data via the Internet. Going online allows you
to network with other genealogists who may be working on the same
family lines. The speakers stressed that you need to verify
information you locate online the same as you do with published
sources.
Digital imaging of photographs makes it easier
to share family photographs with others researching the same
family lines. If you don't have a computer, it is important to
become aware of resources in your community that can help you with
your introduction to family history in cyberspace! The Ancestors
Home Page on the Internet will link you to sites on family history
information. Their address is
http://www2.kbyu.byu.edu/ancestors.html.
Next month I'll review the last episode of the
Ancestors series as well as the half-hour call-in special that
followed the final episode on March 9, 1997.
Reminder: If you have genealogical
topics you would like to see covered in this column, please
contact me at our address.
New Acquisitions of Interest to
Genealogists
A Student's Guide to Jewish American
Genealogy, by Jay Schleifer.
In the Long Run: The Sun and the
Substance, compiled by Vada L. Whetham and Maxine W. Kaul.
(Long family in Otoe and Boyd Counties).
The History and Genealogy of the Family of
Fredrick Philip and Kunigunde Stohlmann (1996 update),
compiled by John C. Stohlmann and Eleanor J. Box. (Family in Cass
County). On a personal note, this is the family of my
brother-in-law, Danny Stohlmann, who passed away in 1994. My
sister, Shirley, and her children continue to live on the farm
that was originally settled by the Stohlmanns in the late
1850s.
The Ancestry of My Children: Anna Maarit
Threlfall ... compiled by John B. Threlfall. (Family in
Lancaster County).
[Peter Beghtol Family] (Families
in Lancaster and Phelps County).
Descendants of Martin Benz-Dorothea
Schmeller, compiled by John D. Bentz. (Families in Dodge and
Platte Counties).
Descendants of John Blaw (Blue): d. 1757,
Somerset Co., NJ, compiled by William H. Blue. (Family in
Adams County).
© 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 for NSHS at their request and with their approval by T& C Miller