Inside
Internet Genealogy: August/September 2015 -- How Do You Utilize Historical Societies
for your Genealogy Research?
By Lisa A. Alzo, M.F.A.
Several years ago, I received an email from a
woman who was indexing obituaries from the local paper in my hometown of
Duquesne, Pennsylvania. She noticed an entry for an infant named “Mary Alza”
who died in 1916. The indexer asked me if this was one of my relatives and sent
me the obituary. From just a few printed
lines I obtained enough information to order the death certificate. I discovered that this baby girl was the
first child born to my grandparents, but she was never mentioned in any of our
family stories. This was just one of several genealogical gems I located for my
family thanks to the Mifflin Township Historical Society—the
local organization that collects and preserves historical information for my hometown
of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, and its surrounding communities. Some of the other valuable
resources uncovered in the society’s archives included city directories that contained
entries for several of my ancestors, and records from a local funeral home that
included the burial information for my stillborn older sister.
I tell this story to illustrate how some of my best
and most unexpected family history finds did not come from online genealogy
databases, but from records housed in various societies in and museums in
Pittsburgh and in other locations across the United States.
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| Mifflin Township Historical Society, West Mifflin, PA (courtesy of Daniel J. Burns) |
In addition to Epperson’s article, the August/September
2015 issue of IG is packed full of research tips, case studies, reminders about
backing up your research, and much more. This issue is perfect for your late
summer reading list. Here’s a list of
the articles from the complete Table of Contents.
· Rich Resources: Online State Archives
Carol Richey reveals the wealth of resources you
can uncover in online archives
· Col. Joseph B. Dorr’s Vases
Constance R. Cherba researches the life of Civil
War Colonel J.B. Dorr, and locates a missing heirloom through some persistent
online searching
· Seven Resources For World War II Reunion Groups
and Associations
Jennifer Holik shares her findings on websites
that carry on the memory of those who fought in the US Military in WWII
· Digitization Project: Snapshots from The Korean
War!
Tony Bandy examines a great resource for anyone
researching Korean War ancestors
· Uncovering the Bairnsfather Story
Gabrielle Morgan discovers a link to her family
in an historic Australian newspaper article that leads her to uncover the real
story behind her aunt’s marriage
· National Folklore Collection of Ireland:
Schools’ Collection
Joe Grandinetti shows how a 1930s homework
assignment in Ireland captured the words and wisdom of elders for posterity
· The Wellington Boulder
Constance R. Cherba digs down to find the
secrets behind a unique gravestone
· Know Your Historical Societies and Find Your
Ancestors
Amanda Epperson reveals that there is much more
to historical societies than you think
· Published and Digital Record Sources of the
Revolutionary Era: A State-by-State List
David A. Norris gives us a peek at some of the
resources available for researching Revolutionary War ancestors
· Four Essential Keys for Genealogy Backups!
Tony Bandy reminds us that there is nothing more
important than preserving your research work with a diligent backup plan
· The Back Page
Never Give Up On a Difficult Ancestor!
Want to be sure you don’t miss an issue?
Subscribe today at http://internet-genealogy.com/shop.html
***
And…speaking of history, you won’t want to miss
the August/September 2015 issue of History
Magazine. It’s the only place you can read about playing cards, Laudanum
and Paul Harvey in one sitting!
When I first received my sneak peek at the
August/September 2015 issue of History
Magazine, I was immediately drawn to the article “It’s All in the Cards!”
by Gloria Tietgens Sladek—a fascinating look at the history and popularity of
playing cards. One of my clearest
memories of my maternal grandfather was how he loved to play cards. He would
sit at the kitchen table for hours playing Solitaire (he called it “Beat the
Devil”) and he never missed an opportunity for a game of poker or euchre with
his buddies at the local bar—the Union Grill in Duquesne, Pennsylvania. Grandpap
died when I was nine-years-old and this article brought back many memories for
me. In addition to the article on
playing cards, the new issue of History
Magazine covers a wide range of interesting topics including orphan trains,
the use of Laudanum, and a piece on Samuel F. B. Morse, and a look at the life
of famed newscaster Paul Harvey.
Here’s
a look at the complete Table of Contents for the August/September 2015 issue.
Opening Notes
Trivia:
Renaissance Teeth, The Chuck Wagon
The Town Destroyer
Don
Hollway follows George Washington's army on its 1779 invasion of New York and
the Battle of Newtown
The Art of Samuel F.B.
Morse
William
Floyd Jr. examines the life of the accomplished painter and inventor of the
telegraph
Taylor Gordon:
"Negro Singer Who Put Montana on the Map"
Brian
D'Ambrosio explores the life of a man who became a vibrant figure in the
"Harlem Renaissance"
America's Orphan Trains
Clark
Kidder examines a primitive social experiment that resulted in orphaned and
neglected children being sent across the United States
The War of Jenkins' Ear
David
A. Norris examines a tumultuous period in 18th century Spanish-English
relations
First Blood at Mulhouse
In
an excerpt from his book, Imperial Germany's "Iron Regiment" of the
First World War, John K. Rieth offers some insight into the opening battle of
World War I
It's All in the Cards!
Gloria
Tietgens Sladek deals the low-down on the history and popularity of playing
cards
Harvey "Panned for
Gold and Struck it Rich"
Dorothy
Rieke looks at the life of famed newscaster Paul Harvey
Laudanum: The Wondrous
Remedy
Melody
Amsel-Arieli looks at the history of the use of Laudanum down through the ages
Hindsight
A
look at a selection of books and other media you might want to add to your
shelf
Not
a subscriber? Take advantage of special
promotional pricing and sign up today at http://history-magazine.com/shop.html
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