Thankful Thursday: Genealogy Buffs Fight for Georgia Archives

The recent news about the closing of the Georgia Archives by Secretary of State Brian Kemp is appalling.  Thanks to Mr. Kemp, the great state of Georgia is now the ONLY state in the union not to have public hours for research.

The battle cry for support has gone out, and fellow researchers are starting to respond. 

Ironic in all this is that just yesterday, Governor Nathan Deal signed a proclamation to designate October as Georgia Archives Month. 

Following is a list of action items for those who are interested in keeping genealogy alive in Georgia.  In doing so, not only are the residents of Georgia served, the thousands of visitors from out of state will continue to be served as well.   While there has been an ongoing project to digitize the information, many years of scanning remain.

From the Friends of Georgia Archives and History:

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 ACTION ALERT: SAVE THE GEORGIA ARCHIVES!

Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp has announced that the Georgia Archives will be CLOSED to all public access beginning November 1, 2012. He cites as reason the requirement for a 3 % budget reduction for all state agencies. Secretary Kemp has chosen to take the required cut of $750,000 entirely and only from the State Archives. In addition to the elimination of public access, staff reductions concerning the ten remaining staff are planned and will also be announced soon. 

This action further cripples an institution that was among the first state archives established (1918), has won many awards for its programs and state-of-the-art archival facility, and has been a respected leader in archives, government records programs, and research use. Over the past decade, however, the Georgia Archives has been eviscerated by regular budget cuts, reductions in staff and reductions in public hours to 2 days a week. Now Secretary Kemp wants to eliminate even those few hours of access for Georgia’s citizens, making Georgia Archives the only state archives without public access hours. 

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Tell the Governor, the Secretary of State and the Georgia Legislature to reverse this devastating decision. Write, call or visit and ask them to: 

Restore a minimum of $1 million to the Georgia Archives budget to return its operations to 5 days a week of public access hours and eliminate projected staff reductions.

Reverse the Secretary of State’s proposed budget cuts to the Archives by November 1 to ensure uninterrupted service to the public.

When you write/call or visit, focus on a few of the points below. Put this in your own words, and use your own examples, particularly if you are a citizen of Georgia: 

WHAT SHOULD YOU SAY?

Points to make in letters/phone calls or visits: 

1. The Secretary of State was directed to reduce his budget expenditures by 3%. The entire sum needed to accomplish that has been taken from the Archives budget alone and will result in the termination of all public hours. The proposed “access by appointment…limited based on the schedule of the remaining employees” effectively denies access based on “reasonable time and place” for inspection of public records as required by Georgia law.

2. Points to make regarding the importance of access to government records for accountability and legal purposes:

• This deprives citizens of regular and predictable access, as mandated in the Georgia Records Act, Title 50, Chapter 18, Article 4, section 70(b) of the Georgia Annotated Code that all public records “shall be open for a personal inspection by any citizen of this state at a reasonable time and place, and those in charge of such records shall not refuse this privilege to any citizen.”

• It is contrary to the practice of government transparency by depriving citizens of predictable and ready access to the records that are essential to providing evidence of government accountability.

• It deprives citizens, as well as Georgia’s own government, of access to records needed to support due process of law. The Georgia Archives holdings have been used for a range of court cases including land claims, boundary disputes, utility right-of-way, and claims against state agencies.

• Access to records is essential to avoid costly litigation that will result if records cannot be located or accessed.

3. Points to make regarding the importance of access to government records for research

purposes:

• As the Civil War Sesquicentennial begins, researchers need access to the historical record in the Georgia Archives to provide accurate, factual evidence of that experience. Many of Georgia’s governmental records were destroyed during Sherman’s March; closing the Archives similarly deprives Georgians of access to their heritage—but this time the fault does not lie with an invading army, but with Georgia officials themselves.

• The Georgia Archives holds records actively sought by genealogists and family historians; in particular, they provide essential evidence for African-American history and genealogical research not available in many private historical collections.

• The Georgia Archives has been an essential resource for environmental research and activities including efforts to reintroduce the American chestnut tree in the state and issues relating to pollution.

• The Georgia Archives has been the site of research for television and films, including the popular NBC series “Who Do You Think You Are” segments with Paula Deen and Spike Lee, as well as Emmy award-winner Ben Loeterman’s documentary “People v. Leo Frank.”

Governor Nathan Deal

206 Washington Street Suite 203, State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334

Phone: 404-656-1776 

Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle

240 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334 TEL: 404-656-5030 FAX: 404-656-6739 

Secretary of State Brian Kemp

214 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334 Phone: 404-656-2881 Fax: 404-656-0513 

Individual Georgia legislators: find specific legislators via Society of Georgia Archivists site: http://soga.org/involvement/legislative

If you’ve signed an online petition, that’s helpful, but direct contact is even more effective. For Georgians, a visit to your local legislator will have even more impact. There has been a great deal of attention on radio, newspapers, television and the Internet. In a democracy, however, nothing speaks to the governor or elected officials like direct contact from individuals. Speak up for the Georgia Archives.

Write, call or plan a visit today!

Please send copies of your letter, information on contacts, or any questions to:

Coalition to Preserve the Georgia Archives Co-Chair Kaye L. Minchew: kaye@trouparchives.org

THE COALITION TO PRESERVE THE GEORGIA ARCHIVES

Includes representatives of:

Friends of the Georgia Archives; Association of County Commissioners of Georgia; Georgia Salzburger Society, Greater Atlanta Chapter; Society of Georgia Archivists; Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board; Georgia Genealogical Society; Georgia Professional Genealogists; Association of Professional Genealogists, Georgia Chapter; Cobb County Genealogical Society; Troup County Historical Society; Georgia State Society, Daughters of the American Revolution

For updated information go to: www.FOGAH.org

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Note:  It was announced earlier this week that only three positions will remain--  and they are all management.  How can the state let the knowledge base of the other workers go?

Ahh, genealogy.  I am thankful for any support you can give.  Without the past, we have no future.

©2012 AS Eldredge 

Have a Retired Railroad Worker in Your Line?

These records are fabulous.  Check 'em out.

The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com. 


Railroad Retirement Board Records Available at the National Archives, Southeast Region/Atlanta

Records from the Railroad Retirement Board are now available at the National Archives, Southeast Region/Atlanta in Morrow.

The board was founded in 1936 and its records include applications that provide a retiree's career history, date and place of birth, parents, spouse and children. These records represent railroad retirees from all over the U.S., not just the Southeast, and were brought to Morrow from the Chicago headquarters of the board.

To have a file pulled for research, you must supply the person's full name, date of birth and, if possible, Social Security number. The records date from the 1930s through the 1960s. Sensitive information on any living person is redacted.

You can read more in an article by Kenneth H. Thomas Jr. in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution web site at http://goo.gl/8OT4A


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Ahh, genealogy.  Keep on movin' down the line to uncover those elusive clues!

©2011 AS Eldredge

Emory Libraries to Preserve Rare African American Scrapbooks

How many hours have we sat down to chronicle our lives and the lives of our children?  Scrapbooking has become so popular today, but it was also a very important part of our nation's history.  Thought you'd enjoy seeing some of the preservation efforts.

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Rare African American scrapbooks at Emory’s Manuscript, Archives and Rare Books Library (MARBL) can be saved from the perils of disintegration thanks to a $170,000 three-year matching Save America’s Treasures grant. 



The grant will be used to conserve African American scrapbooks and create digital surrogates to enhance access to the historical materials – the scrapbooks of artists, writers, students, vaudeville performers, preachers and former slaves. The Emory Libraries will provide the matching amount.

Thirty-four scrapbooks have been selected, with dates ranging from 1883 to 1975. They include the scrapbooks of author Alice Walker, vaudeville performers “Jolly” John Larkin and Johnny Hudgins, entertainer and playwright Flourney Miller, Spelman College graduate Virginia Hannon, and former slave and author W.S. Scarborough, who became a professor of classics at Wilberforce University, and eventually its president.

“Scrapbooks have often been treated as the unwanted children or the neglected orphans of the archives. They are difficult to handle, they are often in fragile physical condition, and they are a mix of memorabilia of every description and taste,” says Randall K. Burkett, MARBL’s curator of African American collections.

“These scrapbooks give us a glimpse into how these artists and students and former slaves thought about themselves, their families, their work. The funding for this project will allow us to preserve these important memory books.”

'The scrapbooks are deteriorating rapidly'

MARBL and the Emory Libraries’ preservation department and Digital Curation Center will collaborate on the project, says Laura Carroll, manuscript archivist and principal investigator for the grant.

The scrapbooks contain items that disintegrate quickly or are easily damaged, such as folded newspaper clippings, pressed flowers and single-use paper items such as ticket stubs, napkins and telegram paper. The objects usually were attached with adhesives such as cheap tape, pastes or cement glue, also harmful to the archival materials.

The project is urgent because the scrapbooks are deteriorating rapidly, Carroll says. “We’re losing original information. People annotate their photographs.” Walker, for example, wrote original poems in her scrapbook. “The clock is ticking.”

Once the project begins, the scrapbooks first will be sent to preservation to be stabilized to prevent further damage. Digital surrogates will be created, which will be used in classrooms and MARBL’s reading room, unless researchers request the originals.

“The originals will still be available,” Carroll says. “Nothing replaces the original.” The work is expected to begin when funds arrive mid-year and will take place over the next three years.

The Save America’s Treasures grant is awarded through the Department of Interior and the National Park Service, in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

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Ahh, genealogy.  Reading this article has me in the mood to pull out some old scrapbooks of my own.


©2011 AS Eldredge

Monday Madness: Identifying the Dead in St Mary's, Georgia

Not being able to identify the last resting place for a loved one can be downright frustrating, especially when you just know they are there.


I ran across the work done by the historians in St. Mary's, Camden, Georgia, and want to tip my hat to their hard work and dedication.  Keep up the great efforts!


Historians identify unmarked graves at Ga. cemetery

ST. MARYS, Ga. — Kay Westberry knows that most of the hundreds of unmarked graves in Oak Grove Cemetery will never be identified.

Worse still, many graves will never be found.

She knows no one can pay her and the group of Camden County historians working with her for the painstaking research they do — often in vain — to fill in the blanks.

But in just a matter of months,....http://savannahnow.com/latest-news/2011-02-06/historians-identify-unmarked-graves-ga-cemetery

Ahh, genealogy.  Can't you just dig it?

©2011 AS Eldredge

Happy 278th to the Peach State!

This year marks the 278th anniversary of the founding of the great state of Georgia.  How much do you know about General Oglethorpe?  


Thought you genealogy buffs would be interested in wishing Georgia "Happy Birthday."

Georgia Turns 278 Saturday

Sarah Beth Ariemma  

The Union Recorder

TThe Union-Recorder Thu Feb 03, 2011, 02:01 PM EST

MILLEDGEVILLE — The fifth annual celebration of the founding of Georgia will be held at the Georgia’s Old Capital Museum Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The celebration marks the 278th birthday of Georgia and the day that General Oglethorpe and the first colonists of Georgia landed at Yamacraw Bluff.
Read the rest of the story:  http://unionrecorder.com/local/x570479524/Georgia-marks-278th-birthday


©2011 AS Eldredge

Easier to Search Old Newspapers from Athens, Georgia

Love seeing how more and more historic newspapers are going online so we can continue our genealogy research from the comforts of our homes when the weather outside is frightful!


Thought you'd be interested in seeing this great news from UGA:


Historic Athens newspapers now available online via digital library

An archive of historic Athens newspapers is now available online via the Digital Library of Georgia at the University of Georgia.

The Athens Historic Newspapers Archive provides online access to five newspaper titles published in Athens from 1827 to 1922. Consisting of more than 57,000 newspaper pages, the archive provides historical images that are both full-text searchable and can be browsed by date. The site provides users with a view into the history of Athens in its early years as the home to the first state-chartered university in the nation and its eventual growth into the largest city in northeast Georgia.

The archive includes the following Athens newspaper titles: Athenian (1827-1832), Southern Banner (1832-1882), Southern Watchman (1855-1882), Daily/Weekly Banner-Watchman (1882-1889), Daily/Weekly Athens Banner (1889-1922).

The Athens Historic Newspapers Archive is a project of the Digital Library of Georgia as part of the Georgia HomePLACE initiative. The project is supported with federal Library Service and Technology Act funds administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Georgia Public Library Service, a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Digitization also was made possible through a grant provided by the Francis Wood Wilson Foundation, Inc. The Athens Historic Newspapers Archive is available at http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/athnewspapers.

Other newspaper archives available through the Digital Library of Georgia include the Atlanta Historic Newspapers Archive (1847-1922), the Macon Telegraph Archive (1826-1908), the Columbus Enquirer Archive (1828-1890), the Milledgeville Historic Newspapers Archive (1808-1920), the Southern Israelite Archive (1929-1986), and the Red and Black Archive (1893-2006). These archives can be accessed at http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/MediaTypes/Newspapers.html

“Georgia HomePLACE is very pleased to support digitizing and presenting online content for the Athens Historic Newspapers Archive, a project of the Digital Library of Georgia, which is an initiative of GALILEO (Georgia’s Virtual Library),” said Ed Johnson, director of Georgia HomePLACE.

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Ahh, genealogy.  What a great way to keep warm on these blustery winter days.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Are Your Roots in Georgia? Great Used Book Sale Online

While my genealogy roots are not in Georgia, I still am interested in the state.  I imagine it's because I have spent some time there in the Peach State.

There are some 20 used books for sale on Georgia that would be of immense value to those researching the state.  Included are some indices for early Georgia grants byb the English crown and some probates, as well as some Civil War letters and histories of some counties.

There are a couple of titles that really caught my eye.  One is on those beautiful old Savannah gardens and old Georgia courthouses.

If Fayette County is of interest to you, then you will most likely be interested in:
Fayette County, Georgia Probate Records 1824-1871 by Jeannette Holland Austin. Abstracts of court house records, 383 pp., hardbound, like new. Price: $15.00.

So go on and take a gander.  You may just find the perfect peach for your collection......
http://genealogy-books.blogspot.com/2010/12/used-georgia-books-for-sale.html

Ahh, genealogy.  Kinda like making the perfect peach pie.  You have to find just the right ones for your taste buds to explode in delight.


©2010 AS Eldredge

Call for Fayette County, Georgia Genealogy Buffs to Assist in Index

The US GenWeb Census Project is in need of help.  If you live in Fayette County, Georgia, or have old family ties to the area, then this is a great project to get involved in while sitting in the comfort of your home.

Fayette County Mortality Schedules attached to the 1850-1880 Census Project have been abstracted and are now in need of a second transcriber.

If you can help, visit the US GenWeb pages for Georgia.  According to the webmaster, more information can be found on the Fannin County pages.

Ahh, genealogy.  It's the gift that keeps on giving throughout the generations.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Ancestry Day in Atlanta Scheduled for September 18 at National Archives

The following is a blurb sent out by Ancestry.com and by the Afro-American Genealogy Society, Metro Atlanta Chapter.  Looks like it could be a fun day!

Saturday, September 18, 2010
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA South East Region),
5780 Jonesboro Road; Morrow, GA 30260

9:00am–4:00pm (doors open 8:30)
$10.00 Registration includes a box lunch at noon.

Free parking, seating is limited.

Presentations:    - Getting the Most from your Ancestry.com Membership
- Online Member Trees: Ancestry's Powerful Tool Keeps Getting Better
- Ancestry World Archives Project and You
- African American Collection at Ancestry
- Southern Claims Commission Records (Presented by Reginald Washington from the National Archives - Washington, DC)

Have you seen recent TV shows focusing on family history? If so, you may be wondering how you can get started on your own family history. Or you may be a long time user of Ancestry.com and are wondering how to get more from your membership. Register today to attend our Ancestry Day in Atlanta and learn about the premier family history website from a true insider.

Sponsored by: The Afro-American Genealogical Society Inc., Metro Atlanta Chapter (www.rootsweb.com/~gaaahgs) in partnership with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) South East Region (www.archives.gov/southeast/) are excited to host Ancestry.com at this event!

Your presenter, Lisa Arnold is a content manager for Ancestry.com and has been involved in genealogical research, teaching, and lecturing for more than 15 years. She holds a B.S. in Family History from Brigham Young University and is currently a Master's Degree candidate at the University of Limerick. From the Philadelphia area originally, she is the former Director of the Family History Center in Valley Forge, PA, and author of "Finding Your Quaker Ancestors". Lisa is the Chapter Coordinator for her local chapter for the Association of Professional Genealogists and is the proud grandmother of 5 (and counting!).

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Ahh, genealogy.  Live the life.  Love the life.

First African American in Georgia to be Inducted into National Society Sons of the American Revolution

Last winter, some 200 Americans gathered for the first Sons of the American Revolution Grave Marking for a black man in Georgia.  Black men and women did provide service to the colonies during the time of the colonies' quest for freedom from England.  If I recall correctly, some 20,000 black men served during that time.  Some were slaves who served in the place of their owners.  Others were slaves who were promised their freedom if they fought.  Still, others were free black men who chose to fight. 

Click here to read more of the grave marking for Austin Dabney.

It is more of a task for the descendants of black patriots to prove the early lineage lines due to a lack of documentation.  Michael Henderson's patriot was a French National who had a relationship with a former slave in Louisiana.

Ahh, Creole genealogy.  Now there's a fun look into different bloodlines. 

The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com. 

The following announcement was written by the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution:

Atlanta, GA (June 15, 2010) -- On Tuesday, June 29th at 11:30 a.m., history will be made as the first African American in the state of Georgia will be inducted into the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR). In a ceremony at the Georgia State Capitol, Lieutenant Commander Michael Nolden Henderson, a retired U.S. Naval Officer and graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana, will be acknowledged by induction into the Button Gwinnett Chapter, the Georgia Society SAR for his efforts in tracing his Louisiana Creole ancestry to an American Revolutionary War patriot.

Michael N. Henderson, USN Retired

Henderson, a native of New Orleans, La. who currently lives in metro-Atlanta, discovered his unique lineage while researching his French ancestry. His fourth generation great-grandfather, Mathieu Devaux, a French National, served as a militiaman under the command of the Spanish Governor General Bernardo de Galvez, who led troops in several major battles in Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast. Devaux had a relationship with his former slave, Agnes Mathieu, in Spanish Colonial Louisiana. Henderson is descendent from one of their seven children, all of whom were born free prior to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

Henderson first learned of the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution in 2006 when Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Director of the W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University, discovered his own ancestral link to the Revolutionary War and one year later was himself inducted into the national lineage organization.

"I'm the first in my family to pursue membership in the NSSAR, so the process was especially detailed for me," says Henderson, who had to compile birth, marriage and death certificates, as well as other documents from the 1700s and 1800s to prove his connection to Devaux. "It was truly a labor of love and it's an honor to have my family tied to an American Revolutionary War patriot. I'm proud to be an example to others that they too can be a part of the narrative of America's history."

The story of Henderson's fourth generation great-grandparents and their connection to General Galvez is the subject of an upcoming segment on the PBS series "The History Detectives."

Georgia's Virtual Library Just Keeps Growing

Have you visited the Digital Library of Georgia recently?  This worthy ongoing project has resulted in adding numerous old items of genealogy and historical value to readers everywhere.  There is no cost to use the service, although a plug in (free) may be required to view some of the collections.  It's been about a year since I spent time on the DGL and now I think I waited about 11 months too long to go back! 

Recently added are old Atlanta newspapers which span the War of Northern Aggression time period.  For those who are not familiar with the Recent Unpleasantness, the history books refer to it as the War Between the States.


Here is Dick Eastman's tidbit on the Atlanta collection.


The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com. 

Historic Atlanta Newspapers Online

A new digital database providing online access to 14 newspaper titles published in Atlanta from 1847 to 1922 is now available through the Digital Library of Georgia, housed at The University of Georgia Libraries. The Atlanta Historic Newspapers Archive (http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/atlnewspapers) contains more than 67,000 newspaper pages and provides historical images that are both full-text searchable and can be browsed by date.

The archive includes the following Atlanta newspaper titles: Atlanta Daily Examiner (1857), Atlanta Daily Herald (1873-1876), Atlanta Georgian (1906-1911), Atlanta Intelligencer (1851, 1854-1871), Atlantian (1911-1922), Daily/Georgia Weekly Opinion (1867-1868), Gate-City Guardian (1861), Georgia Literary and Temperance Crusader (1860-1861), New Era (1869-1872), Southern Confederacy (1861-1864), Southern Miscellany, and Upper Georgia Whig (1847), Southern World (1882-1885), Sunny South (1875-1907), Weekly Constitution (1869-1882).
You will note that the above list includes a lot of Civil War newspapers. They should provide valuable information to historians, genealogists, reenactors, and many others.

The Atlanta Historic Newspapers Archive is a project of the Digital Library of Georgia as part of the Georgia HomePLACE initiative. The project is supported with federal LSTA funds administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Georgia Public Library Service, a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

Other newspaper archives available through the Digital Library of Georgia include the Macon Telegraph Archive (1826-1908), the Columbus Enquirer Archive (1828-1890), the Milledgeville Historic Newspaper Archive (1808-1920), the Southern Israelite Archive (1929-1958, 1984-1986), and the Red and Black Archive (1893-2006). These archives can be accessed at: http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/MediaTypes/Newspapers.html

My thanks to Jean Cleveland for letting me know about this valuable new resource.

History Made in Georgia with Revolutionary Grave Marking for a Black Patriot

The morning had the feel of another winter morning in Pike County, Georgia. The thermometer was hovering right at the freezing point, and there was a light mist in the air. People began to congregate and soon over 200 citizens were deep in the woods at a site just off of the old Mitchell Plantation in Zebulon. They were all there for a cause. They were all there to honor a true American Patriot from the American Revolution.

Austin Dabney (abt 1760-1830) was a slave. Austin Dabney was a great American, even though he didn't know it.

Dabney entered the Georgia Militia in the late 1770s as a substitute for his master. Dabney fought under Elijah Clarke and was wounded at the Battle of Kettle Creek in 1779. The Battle of Kettle Creek was one of the most significant battles (and wins) during colonists' fight for freedom in Georgia. The anniversary of Kettle Creek is February 14 and is celebrated each year by the Sons of the American Revolution.

Dabney, who is believed to be the only black man in the battle, was deeply wounded and taken home by a white militiaman by the name of Giles Harris. Harris and his family cared for Dabney during his recuperation and a bond was formed. A bond so strong that it would last for the rest of their lives. They became friends and Harris would later name children after Dabney.

Dabney remained close to the Harris family and eventually relocated with them to what is now Pike County, GA.

Dabney was honored on January 30, 2010, by the crowd assembled deep in the woods. While the grave dedication was sponsored primarily by the Sons of the American Revolution, the crowd consisted of Americans, black, white, Army, Navy, and history lovers, who came to learn more of this particular patriot.

Dabney was granted his freedom by the state of Georgia, received land for his service to America and received a federal pension. At his death, Dabney left his land and property to the Harris family. At the death of William Harris, he requested to be buried with his friend and mentor, Dabney Harris.

At the ceremony, a young black child was looking at the grave site, which is piled high with stones, and asked, "Where is he buried? Why is this such a big deal?" Well, my young friend, Austin Dabney is buried below those stones with his best friend. The marking of a true American Patriot's final resting spot is history. This marking and honoring of Austin Dabney is the first marking of a black Revolutionary Patriot in Georgia and one of only a handful in the Nation. This man knew the meaning of liberty and fought for it, alongside his American brothers. We thank Austin Dabney and all the patriots for believing in the American Cause and for the making of this country.

Dabney left no known blood descendants. Well, Americans, then and now, are proud he's part of American history and his story will continue to be told.

Did you know that it is estimated that close to 20,000 black men were part of the American forces in the Revolution?

Genealogy. It can bring the past to life. And what a phenomenal life Austin Dabney had. Wouldn't it be grand to spend time hearing of his life in his words?

Volunteer Shots in Hopewell Cemetery

Deciding to brave the cold freezing temperatures this morning, I ventured out to do a bit of genealogy volunteer work. After checking the email which had come in during the bitter cold (as opposed to just freezing cold) for a volunteer to go to Hopewell Cemetery in Tyrone, GA, for a photo, I bundled up and thought, "Hey, why not? It's downright balmy here at 25 degrees today."

Have I done everything?
Found the map to the cemetery. Check.
Looked online for a way to contact the cemetery- no such luck. No problem as it is a sunny day.

I easily found the cemetery next to the government building for the town of Tyrone. Since the way into the cemetery was through the official town driveway, I thought that this would be easy. I assumed the cemetery belonged to the town. As it was a weekday, I strolled in and asked about the cemetery records and a plot map.

Well, it seems the cemetery is not owned by the city. It's owned by the Hopewell UM Church which is several miles away. Huh? Ok. They used to be here. Makes sense.

I got the number to the church and called. Cemetery records? Hmmm. Why, they think the town of Tyrone has them. It was suggested I call back on Monday morning when the church secretary is in. Ok, will do.

As long as I am here, I might as well look around. Crunching around on the morning frost, the cemetery appears peaceful. There are even numerous graves of Confederate Soldiers to see. You just have to admire about those young men who were willing to fight for their way of life so long ago.

While strolling around and waiting for the sun to start to warm me up, I found it. Yes, the family plot for which I was searching. There looks to be three people buried here- a man, a woman and a child. The man and woman have their headstone, but the child's is blank.

Who was this child?

After coming home and grabbing some hot coccoa, I started looking online. The GA Death Index holds the clue.

The child appears to be Thomas A GOSNELL who died at the age of 2 months on January 6, 1942, in Fayette County.

There also appears to be some spots in the plot which have no markers at all.

Perhaps I'll have more to share soon. In the meantime, giving someone else a genealogy gift is quite satisfying on a cold day-- or any day.

Rare Finds at Georgia Archives This Weekend

Now, this may just be the ticket to encourage some genealogy buffs to trek over to Morrow to the Georgia Archives. Will there be some great treasures to find?

The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.

Rare Books for Sale at Georgia Archives

You never know what treasures may be buried among the 25,000 books that go on sale Thursday at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. Volunteers at the state’s repository for historic documents have amassed an assortment of volumes from around the country that just may include a few hidden gems.

Volunteer coordinator Dee Thompson described the genealogy books: “They are a very small percentage of the 25,000 books we’ll sell,” she said. “They may take up two full shelves. But there are some good ones, even a few rare genealogy books. And they’re not expensive, between $10 and $20. Everything this year is priced much lower than it’s been in the past.”
Hours for the Friends of Georgia Archives and History book sale are Thursday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for members only. (New members who join that evening are also welcome.) Public hours are 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Details may be found at http://foga.pbworks.com and at http://www.ajc.com/news/henry/rare-books-a-top-203235.html.

Treasure Chest Thursday: New Additions to Digital Library of Georgia

Have you been to the Digital Library of Georgia lately? If not, then you may be in for a nice treat.

Old newspapers from Millegdeville, Columbus and Macon have just been released for the digital library through the Georgia HomePLACE. The Georgia HomePLACE is a collaboration of the Georgia Public Library Service, GALILEO and the Digital Library to help ensure Georgia history is not lost.

Check it out here to see a full list of recent databases added. And then, let the genealogy fun begin!

This could be a great find for you history buffs that have early 1800s Georgia family to find.

Drying Out Those Precious Family Memories After the Flood

With all the recent rain and flooding, now is a great time to review tips on how to try and recover all those photographs, documents and other family treasures for genealogy.

Do you know how to clean pictures? Do you know if you can put them in water or not?

Here's a great tip page from the state of Georgia: http://www.sos.ga.gov/archives/how_may_we_help_you/emergency_advice/emergency_response_wet_damaged_objects.htm

Bottoms Family Cemetery in Fayetteville is Online

The James Waldrop Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution in Fayetteville recently spent an afternoon cleaning up the Bottoms Family Cemetery. Now, pictures of the remaining gravestones are online and can be viewed.

Among those buried in the cemetery is James Waldrop, a soldier of the American Revolution, and descendants of James Madison Bottoms.

Many of the tombstones are gone. Old fieldstones were also found marking the graves of the 1800s.

Here is the link: http://jameswaldrop.georgiastatedar.org/bottomsfamilycemetery.html

Got Kin Buried in Rome, GA?

The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com

Rome, Georgia Cemetery Burial Data Now Online


Thanks to a new burial data program on the city of Rome’s web site, genealogy researchers and loved ones may have an easier time locating their ancestors buried in Rome’s public cemeteries. The service can assist those looking for the plots of ancestors, family or friends buried in city-owned cemeteries — Eastview, Oakland and Myrtle Hill.

The information only covers burial records, the cemetery lot number and plot location number. The site can also generate clickable maps of the cemeteries that allow the user to navigate and find the exact placement of the plot.

Many of the birth dates for older interments may read 01/01, an indication that the birth date is unknown. As records are updated, or in some cases found, they will update the birth date information, according to city officials.

The site can be found at www.romega.us/cemetery.

World Archives Project Launced by Ancestry.com

Note: This is pretty exciting.

Ancestry.com Launches World Archives Project to Help Digitally Preserve Millions of Historical Records Worldwide

/PRNewswire/ — Ancestry.com, the world's largest online resource for family history, today launched the World Archives Project, a new initiative dedicated to digitally preserving millions of the world's historical treasures. The World Archives Project accelerates the rate at which important historical records are digitized and made available online by giving people everywhere the opportunity to play an important part in preserving history.

The World Archives Project allows individuals to transcribe historical documents at their convenience, from their home computer. Using a free transcription program, contributors select from the many historical record collections that Ancestry.com has digitized – from naturalization records to ship manifests to marriage records, and type in the information from the scanned image. All of the online indexes that are transcribed as part of the World Archives Project are easily searchable and available for free on Ancestry.com.

"Because digitizing historical records and making them available online is both costly and time consuming, many governments and libraries don't have the budget to do so," said Tim Sullivan, CEO of The Generations Network, Inc., parent company of Ancestry.com. "The World Archives Project contributors who donate their time play a critical role in preserving these important stories by helping us publish more historical content online, extending the opportunity for others to explore their family history."

Since the project's beta launch in June 2008, more than 11,000 contributors have collectively put in more than 200,000 indexing hours and have helped digitally preserve 6 million records. Devoted to making these documents easily available online, many of these contributors spend numerous hours each week transcribing from their home.

"Family history is about sharing," says Paula Bradley, a member of Ancestry.com from Wichita, Kansas. "The Ancestry.com World Archives Project has given me a chance to give back to the community and help other people discover their own family history."

Ancestry.com estimates that it will be able to digitize and index 20 percent more historical content in 2009 to put on its site as a result of the World Archives Project. Many of these transcription projects are small collections that would likely never be digitized were it not through this project and the dedication of these unsung heroes.



There are millions of historical records from around the world that are available to index through the Ancestry.com World Archives Project. Some of the current collections include:

Naturalization Index Cards – Index cards that can easily lead researchers to the documents created when their ancestors became U.S. citizens.

Slave Manifests Filed at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1807-1860 – These records document the transporting of more than 30,000 slaves to the port of New Orleans from other stateside ports as a result of the growing tobacco industry in the southern states.

England Newspaper Index Cards – Compiled in England between the 1880s to 1965, these index cards contain information on individuals taken from next of kin advertisements, will notices, unclaimed estates and missing persons listings found in several national and overseas newspapers.

For more information about the World Archives Project and how to play an active role in preserving history by becoming a contributor, visit http://www.ancestry.com/worldarchive

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Ancestry.com Adds Huge New Content Addition for More Recent Years

The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com

The following was written by Gary Gibb and published on the Ancestry.com Blog:

We are launching huge new content additions over the next few weeks. We are excited because it helps provide records from 1935 to today. We have great census and vital records from 1930 and before but more recent records are difficult to acquire. These new records are being provided in 4 major releases.


First, we launched a 1940 census substitute. This is a project that we have been working on for years. Since we can’t get the real 1940 census until 2012 we have pulled together a huge collection of city directories from about 1935 to 1945. This collection has over 100 million names and covers most of the US.

Second, we will launch in the next week (or two) the first ever collection of U.S. Public Records (USPRI) database with more than 525 million names, addresses, ages, and possible family relationships of people who lived in the United States between roughly 1950 and 1990. This will be an invaluable tool in piecing together family stories and histories. This new addition will replace the current USPRI database on Ancestry which is mainly profiles of living people. This database is built from a variety of city directories and other public records.

Third, we launched search results and links to living people records on MyLife.com. We are excited about this partnership because MyLife has a much better collection of records about living people and continues to update this collection. MyLife.com includes current public information and more than 700 million profiles of living people. They are much better equipped to offer these services than we are. If you want to find a living cousin or second cousin or other living relative we believe these links to MyLife will be the best service to help you contact your family.

Finally, we launched a new obituary collection. We have had several very popular obituary collections for several years. We have now upgraded our collection that we extract from obituaries posted in newspapers around the world with much better fielding and from more papers. This should help you more easily identify the right obituary and find family relationships.

In the coming months look for additional significant improvements to all the US Federal Census from 1800 to 1890. We will also continue to release millions of vital records every month. We are also excited about the upcoming large addition to our newspaper and military collections over the next few months.

We hope these additions help you discover more of your family story.