Week 1 – Jan 10

Discussion of projects and assignments

Introduction to the topic, Assignments and course requirements

Basic Genealogy Books – learning the basics

Arrangement of collections

Review of terminology and forms, family trees and ancestor charts, family group sheets and more

County Histories & Local History - Getting to know your collections and area

Genealogy Databases – Heritage Quest & Ancestry

Watch

• Elizabeth Shown Mills “We Are All Cousins” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY42QvEaV88

• History Detectives help genealogist Michael Henderson learn about  free people of color in his Revolutionary War New Orleans http://video.pbs.org/video/1575582583/?starttime=1176060

Week 2 – Jan 17

Reference Questions & Interviews

Sample Reference Q

Libraries vs. Archives; Genealogy & History Societies – Cooperate or compete?

Lineage Societies – who cares?

More Genealogy Databases – Family Search & 3Fold

What Genealogy & Local History resources are available in your community? Tour your local library or archive and create a brochure with brief descriptions and contact information – due week 3

Read

• Greenwood Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy Chapter 6 (Introduction to Research Tools: Reference Materials), Ch 1, 3, 6

• Smolenyak Who Do You Think You Are? Ch 1, 2

• Redmann, Gail R. “Archivists and Genealogists: The Trend toward Peaceful Coexistence” Archival Issues V18 no2 (1993) p121-32

• Little, Hannah. “Archive Fever as Genealogical Fever: Coming Home to Scottish Archives” Archivaria 64 (Fall 2007): 89-112.

• Kyvig, David E and Myron A Marty chapter 1 in Nearby History: Exploring the Past around You  3^rd Ed. Nashville, TN: AASLH 2010 p1-15.

We will be analyzing the sources and research methodology of "Who Do You Think You Are?" programs http://www.nbc.com/who-do-you-think-you-are/video/

• 2012 - the year of Genealogy Programs on TV - See the post about "Who Do You Think You Are?" and "Finding Your Roots" http://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=16353

• Here's the blog feed from Smolenyak: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-smolenyak-smolenyak/four-months-of-celebrity-_b_1192688.html

Week 3 – Jan 24

genealogical and historical centers in your county – due

Introduction to the US Census and Soundex

Census and Soundex records – continued

Understanding and Interpreting the Census

Geographic access to census records

Guest speaker - Julie Callahan - Columbus Metropolitan Library - Genealogy Division

Read

• Census 2010 and the future of census taking blogs.census.gov/

• Greenwood Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy Chapter 13 (Census Returns) and Chapter -14 (Using Census Records)

• Smolenyak Who Do You Think You Are? Ch 3.

• Prechtel-Kluskens, Claire “The WPA Census Soundexing Projects” Prologue  Spring 2002, Vol. 34, No. 1 http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2002/spring/soundex-projects.html

• “Census Facts and Figures”, “Often Overlooked Clues” and “Reading Between the Lines” Heritage Quest Issue #76 (July/August 1998) p9-16, 107-110; 24-26; 27-29.

• Measuring America: The Decennial Censuses From 1790 to 2000 (read Introduction, history of decennial censuses, and individual histories of US Censuses.)  http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/ma.html

• Crawford, Rebecca. “The Forgotten Federal Census of 1885.” Prologue 40 No. 3 (Fall 2008) http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2008/fall/1885-census.html

• Citation Style Sheet

• Review of terminology and forms, family trees and ancestor charts, family group sheets and more

• Introduction to the US Census and Soundex

• Census 2010 and the future of census taking http://blogs.census.gov/

• Family Group Sheets and Ancestor Charts http://www.ancestry.com/trees/charts/ancchart.aspx  and http://www.familytreemagazine.com/info/basicforms

• Blank Census forms for downloading http://www.ancestry.com/trees/charts/census.aspx

• and http://www.familytreemagazine.com/info/censusforms

• Genealogy Introduction - Census Records http://youtu.be/yl54NX_H1ko (This YouTube video give a great overview, but the examples are illegible. We will be examining census records in detail over the next few class sessions.)

1940 census:

o                    1940 Census Info at the National Archives http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/index.html 

o                    Indexing the 1940 Census http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2011/12/three-genealogy-powerhouses-join-forces-to-publish-the-1940-us-census-index.html

o                    Videos about the 1940 census (mostly for enumerators - provides background) http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/videos.html 

o                    NARA-Historical Decennial Census Population and Housing (a variety of readings) http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/hiscendata.html

o                    Federal Census Enumeration Forms and Instructions http://usa.ipums.org/usa/voliii/tEnumForm.shtml

o                    Steven Morse census pages, especially 1940 http://stevemorse.org/index.html#us

Week 4 - Jan 31

Building Collections (Mission Statements & Collection Development Policies

More Census including non-population

Census exercises

Create a mission statement & collection development policy for your library due Week 5

Read:

• Greenwood Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy  Chapter 10

• Dorman, Robert L. “The Creation and Destruction of the 1890 Federal Census.” American Archivist 71 (Fall/Winter 2008): 350-383.
• Maher, William J “Between Authors and Users: Archivists in the Copyright Vise” Archival Issues V26 no1 (2001) p62-75
• Phillips, Faye Intro and Chapter 2, Chapter 6: Users of Local History Collections and Chapter 7: Public Relations and Outreach in Local History Collections in Libraries Englewood Colorado: Libraries Unlimited 1995 [Z688.L8.P49 1994] – on reserve
• “Creating a Collection Development Policy for Local Historical Records in Public Libraries” Wisconsin Historical Records Advisory Board and Wisconsin Association of Public Librarians (April 1998) www.wisconsinhistory.org/libraryarchives/whrab/wapl.pdf

• Yakel, Elizabeth and Deborah A. Torres. "Genealogists as a 'Community of Records'." American Archivist 70 (Spring/Summer 2007):93-113 [available through KentLink.

 US City & State Gazetteer http://www.hometownlocator.com/

Steven Morse - One Step Lookup http://www.stevenmorse.org

Soundex & other coding systems http://www.avotaynu.com/soundex.htm

Cyndi's List for lots of info including Census & Soundex http://www.cyndislist.com/

• Deed of Gift Brochure (SAA) http://www2.archivists.org/publications/brochures/deeds-of-gift

• Donating Family Records (SAA) http://www2.archivists.org/publications/brochures/donating-familyrecs

• Donating Organizational Records (SAA) http://www2.archivists.org/publications/brochures/donating-orgrecs

Week 5 – Feb 7 

Mission Statements & Collection Policies Due

Wrap up Census records

Non Population Census Records, British census records

International Genealogical Index (IGI)

Handwriting

Read:

• Greenwood Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy Chapter 8 (Successful Correspondence)
• Sperry, Kip Chapter 1: Reading Early American Handwriting and Chapter 2: Guidelines for Reading Old Documents in Reading Early American Handwriting Baltimore, MD: Genealogy Publishing Co 2001
• Kammen, Carol. “Down for the Count.” History News 65 No. 3 (Summer 2010):3-4.
• Brown, D., Elliott, B., & McLean, L. “Historical Research Using Computer Files from the 1871 Census of Ontario.” Archivaria [Online] 1:33 No. 1 (1991) http://journals.sfu.ca/archivar/index.php/archivaria/article/view/11807/12758
• Forte, Eric J., Cassandra J. Hartnett, and Andrea L Sevetson. “Census” Ch 14 in  Fundamentals of Government Information NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers Inc, 2011 p 327-350. [e-reserve ]

Week 6 – Feb 14

Vital records, obits, cemeteries

Neighborhoods, Communities and Companies

City Directories– more than just addresses

Companies

Asking Questions

Read

• Greenwood Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy Chapter 6 (Introduction to Research Tools: Reference Materials), Chapter 12 (Vital Records) and Chapter 27 (Cemetery and Burial Records) pages 611-12, 618-620 only, Chapter 11 (Compiled Sources and Newspapers)
• Smolenyak Who Do You Think You Are? Ch 4 & 8
• Saxbe, William B Jr. “Nineteenth-Century Death Records: How Dependable Are They?” National Genealogical Society Quarterly 87 No. 1 (March 1999): 43-54 [E-Reserve]
• Bockman, Jeffrey A. “Search High, Low, Above, and Below: Cemetery Records.” Heritage Quest 19 No. 5 Issue 107 (Sept/Oct 2003): 36-41 http://sites.google.com/site/jeffbockman/gatj/cemetery
• Smolenyak, Megan. “Answers in the Cemetery: James Reynolds of Jersey City, NJ.” Heritage Quest 19 No. 5 Issue 107 (Sept/Oct 2003): 56-64.
• Cox, Richard J “The Importance of the Locality in American History and American Archives” Chapter 1 in Documenting Localities: A Practical Model for American Archivists and Manuscript Curators Chicago: SAA 2001 pgs 1-34
• Watson, Judith Green. “A Discovery: 1798 Federal Direct Tax Records for Connecticut.” Prologue 39 No. 1 (Spring 2007): 7-15 http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2007/spring/tax-lists.html

• Rutherford B. Hayes Obituary Index http://www.rbhayes.org/hayes/index/

• Links for vital records   http://www.mbkcons.com/wkshp/geneaology/ksu genealogy/ksugenlinks.htm#Death records & Social Security Indexes

• Cleveland City Cemetery Index A Project of East Cuyahoga County Genealogical Society http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohcdrt/clecems/index.html

• Digitized City Directories for Summit County (Akron) http://www.akronlibrary.org/internetresources/sc/CityDirectories/index.html

• Digitized City Directories for Hamilton County (Cincinnati) http://virtuallibrary.cincinnatilibrary.org/VirtualLibrary/vl_CityDir.aspx

• Fairmount Cemetery, Maine - Using GIS to locate plots while providing historical and social context http://www.fairmountcemeterypresqueisle.com/map.html

Week 7 – Feb 21

Guest Lecturer Edith Scarletto, Map Librarian

MAPS – visual & spatial

What maps tell you what?

Finding your way and your destination

Neighborhoods

Read

• Along the Ohio Trail (Ohio State Auditor Site http://www.auditor.state.oh.us/Publications/General/AlongTheOhioTrail.pdf

·         USGS – “Using Maps in Genealogy” Fact Sheet 099-02 (September 2002) http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/factsheets/fs09902.html

• USGS – “The Public Land Survey System” (PLSS) 2006 http://nationalatlas.gov/articles/boundaries/a_plss.html
• Herbert, John R. “Panoramic Maps of American Cities” Special Libraries (Dec 1972): 554-562 (available through KentLink)
• Cloud, John. “The 200th Anniversary of the Survey of the Coast.” Prologue 39, No. 1(Spring 2007) http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2007/spring/coast-survey.html

• Take the Library of Congress – Analyzing Primary Sources: Maps http://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/selfdirected/

Telegraph, Maps and the Civil War - Schulten, Susan. "Disunion: News of the Wired"  (How the telegraph — and an innovative mapmaker in Boston — changed the way Americans followed the Civil War.) New York Times (Jan 13, 2012)  http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/news-of-the-wired/

Vancouver Island - maps, census records, and more http://vihistory.ca/index.php

Ohio Historical Society Blog - The Weather Factor in Choosing Site for Ohio Capital http://ohiohistory.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/we-were-on-the-channel-4-news-with-ben-gelber/

Week 8 – Feb 28

Midterm due March 1 @ 6pm

Military Records and Veterans records

Regiments, actions, pensions

History

NARA materials

 Asking Questions

Read

• Val Greenwood. Chapter 25 (Military Records: Colonial Wars and the American Revolution) and Chapter 26 (Military Records: After the Revolution)

•  Smolenyak Who Do You Think You Are? Ch 5

• Hull, Theodore J. “The World War II Army Enlistment Records File and Access to Archival Databases” Prologue Vol. 38, No. 1( Spring 2006) http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2006/spring/aad-ww2.html

• Rafuse, Ethan S. “The Twenty-Third Goes to War: From Camp Chase to the Antietam.” Timeline 18 No.1 (Jan-Mar 2011): 3-15, 56.

• Schamel, Charles E. ”Untapped Resources: Private Claims and Private Legislation in the Records of the U.S. Congress” Prologue Vol. 27, No. 1 (Spring 1995) http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1995/spring/private-claims-1.html

• Prechtel-Kluskens, Claire. "A Reasonable Degree of Promptitude": Civil War Pension Application Processing, 1861–1885. Prologue 42 No. 1 (Spring 2010) http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2010/spring/civilwarpension.html

• Hamilton, Neil A. “A French Spy in America” American History 34 No. 3 (August 1999): 22-28 [Available through KentLink]

• White House Diaries – Celebrations

Look at arrangement and indexing method – compare the two “Official Records” sites. Which would you use when? What site has the best access? The best indexing? How would you improve each site?

• United States. War Dept The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies – (or the Official records of the Union and Confederate armies) Washington, D.C.: Govt. Print. Off Series I, 1-53; Series II, 1-8; Series III, 1-5; Series IV, 1-4 (1880 - 1901) http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/moa/browse.monographs/waro.html - AND

• Ohio State University’s version http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/sources

 Resource:

• Immel, Paul "Civil War Bibliography" Columbus, OH: State Library of Ohio, 2008. available at www.mbkcons.com/wkshp/geneaology/ksu%20genealogy/ksugenbibl3.htm#Immel

• New York State Archives and Historical Society - 9/11 Memory and History: What to Save and How" http://www.nyshrab.org/memory/

• Gallia County Genealogical Society - Civil War Obits http://galliagenealogy.org/Civil%20War/CW_obits/cwobits_a-b.htm

Week 9 – Mar 6

NARA materials continued (AAD and ARC)

Government Documents

US Serial Set,

Legislative records,

American State Papers

Read

• A Century of Lawmaking http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html - look at the resources on this website. Which ones will be most useful for genealogists? For local historians?

• Hartley, Jeffery. “Using the Congressional Serial Set for Genealogical Research.” Prologue 41, no. 1 (Spring 2009): 54-59. http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2009/spring/congressional-serial-set.html

• Read two articles at http://www.archives.gov/legislative/features .

What government resources and public records does the National Archives use for their research? Where else could you look for information in ‘your’ library?

• Genealogical resources in U.S. federal depository libraries [electronic resource] / compiled by Kevin D. Motes; with assistance by Fred Gomeringer and Steve Beleu. Oklahoma City: Oklahoma Dept. of Libraries, US Government Information Division, 2002, updated & edited by Clifton Broadworth,  2006. http://www.odl.state.ok.us/usinfo/GenealogicalResources.pdf

Locate 2 items from this publication that are in your Government Documents or Genealogy Department and bring the titles with you or call numbers and descriptions of book if they do not circulate. Be prepared to talk about the books and their importance for historical or genealogical reference

Week 10 - March 13

Local Government Records – what’s in your local courthouse?

Tax and Land Ownership Records,

Property Maps,

Courts & Wills

Read

• Greenwood Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy " Chapter 22 (Property Rights of Women as a Consideration), Chapter 15 (Understanding Probate Records) pages 309-318 only, Chapter 16 (What About Wills?) pages 331-342 only

• Sherman, C.E. Original Ohio Land Subdivisions Ohio Cooperative Topographic Survey Vol. III p1-11 [e-reserve]
• Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives 3^rd Edition – Introduction and Chapter 15 “Land Records” [on reserve]
• Take the Library of Congress – Analyzing Primary Sources: Maps http://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/selfdirected/

• www.landaccess.com
• www.co.franklin.oh.us
•  http://recorder.cuyahogacounty.us/ (is more difficult to use)

March 24 

Spring Break – no class

Week 11– March 27

Research Day  - NO CLASS MEETING

Courthouse & Public Library day

Gather info for Local Government Report (due week 12)

Week 12 – April 3

Report about your visit to the courthouse and the records you uncovered

Analyzing records

1940 CENSUS DAY – geographical access

 Newspapers, journals and diaries

Pick formats to analyze on History Matters

Read:

• Greenwood Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy  Chapter 11 (Compiled Sources and Newspapers)
• Smolenyak Who Do You Think You Are? Ch 7

• Ferris, John “Discovering the Past in the Papers of First Ladies” OAH Magazine of History V15 no3 (Spring 2001) p26-28

• Prechtel-Kluskens, Claire “Researching the Career of a Nineteenth-Century Physician” Prologue (Summer 2004) http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2004/summer/genea-doctor.html

NARA 1940 Official Website http://1940census.archives.gov/

Find Your Family in the 1940 Census

Week 13 – April 10 

Primary & Secondary sources (photos, oral histories, etc)

Non-text & non-bound materials Recordings, photographs, prints & 3D objects

Preservation

Copyright

Read:

•  Larson, Philip. “American River Prints” Design Quarterly No 101/102 The River: Images of the Mississippi (1976): 42-51.

• Ogden, Sherelyn “Storage Methods and Handling Practices” Technical Leaflet – Storage and Handling Section 4 Leaflet 1 in Preservation of Library & Archival Materials: a Manual. Third Edition Revised and Expanded Edited by Sherelyn Ogden 1999 http://www.nedcc.org

• Copyright: Review the information in the chart and look at the articles referenced on pages after the copyright chart http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/resources/publicdomain.cfm Alter, Alexandra. The Photo Detective: Does the shoebox in the attic hold family secrets? Alexandra Alter on how one expert unlocks the past.“ Wall Street Journal. October 12, 2007; Page W1. http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119214969916756801.html

• Take the Library of Congress Analyzing Primary Sources: Photographs and Prints http://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/selfdirected/

• Look at the Multimedia History units created at OSU http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu

•  History Matters: Read the articles about maps, oral history, and photographs. - Select a medium to analyze. Topics to be selected in class. http://historymatters.gmu.edu/browse/makesense/

Apply the analysis technique to your documents –  Discussion in class

• Photodetective Maureen Taylor http://blog.familytreemagazine.com/photodetectiveblog/

• Personal and public: Civil War portraits (Smithsonian Museum of American History)  http://youtu.be/oouCmDCh84Q

Week 14 – April 17  

Genealogy in Russia

Religious records

Ethnic Groups & Communities

Migration

(East to west, South to North, Rural to Urban)

Read:

• Greenwood Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy Greenwood, Val. Research’s Guide to American Genealogy and Chapter 23 (Church Records) 

• Smolenyak Who Do You Think You Are? Ch 6

• Nickerson, Janice. “Learning About Our Ancestors’ Ships.” Family Chronicle 10 No. 1 (Sept/Oct 2006): 32-35.

• Everly, Elaine C. “Freedmen's Bureau Records: An Overview Federal Records and African American History” Prologue (Summer 1997, Vol. 29, No. 2) http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1997/summer/freedmens-bureau-records.html

• Carter, Kent “Snakes & Scribes The Dawes Commission and the Enrollment of the Creeks” Prologue Spring 1997, Vol. 29, No. 1 http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1997/spring/dawes-commission-1.html

• Giannini, Diane L. “Locating the First Courthouse of Charles County, Maryland.” NGS Magazine 34 No. 4 (Oct-Dec 2008): 28-31.

LINKS

• National Geographic Magazine - What’s in an American Name? (Indian Names on the Map) http://blogs.ngm.com/blog_central/2009/05/whats-in-an-american-name.html

• The Digital Library on American Slavery (U North Carolina – Greensboro) http://library.uncg.edu/slavery/

•  Free at Last? Slavery in Pittsburgh in the 18th and 19th centuries http://www.library.pitt.edu/freeatlast/

• Maps of Indian Territories, Dawes Rolls, and more http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/fed-indian-policy/

Raising questions about race and American Indians:

• Smithsonian Webcast / Seminar: Quantum Leap: Does "Indian Blood" Still Matter (214 minutes or 3.5 hours) http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17314991

• Panama and the Canal, a Digital Collection at UFL http://ufdc.ufl.edu/pcm

Week 15 – April 24

Immigration &

Passenger Lists

Naturalization

Ties with “The Old Country”

• Greenwood Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy Chapter 24 (American Aids to Finding the Home of the Immigrant Ancestor)
•  Smolenyak Who Do You Think You Are? Ch 9
• Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives 3^rd Edition –Chapter 3 “Naturalization Records.
• Ellis, Robert. “Looking for an Ancestor in the Panama Canal Zone, 1904–1914.” Prologue 39 No. 3 (Fall 2007) http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2007/fall/panama.html
• Gagel, Diane VanSkiver. “They Went West: Colonial and Territorial Records.” NGS Magazine 34 No.4  (Oct-Dec 2008): 35-39.
• Colletta, John Phillip They Came in Ships 3rd Edition Provo, Utah : Ancestry, 2002 (read chapters 1&2)
• White, Willis H. “Using Vessel Documentation to Identify Nineteenth-Century Captains: The Mott Coastal Captains of Long Island Sound.” National Genealogical Society Quarterly 97 (Dec 2009): 299-310.

•  US Customs & Immigration - http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/   Citizenship, Naturalization & Immigration Questions

• Angel Island - entry point from the Pacific Ocean (Chinese Immigrants) and military fort from the Civil War through WWII http://www.angel-island.com/history.html   http://casefiles.berkeley.edu/    

• NYT US Mixed America's Family Trees - NYT 27 Jan 2011(Examine the mixed-race family trees submitted by readers and listen to them describe their families) http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/family-trees.html

• Danish Genealogy Records (Danish National Archives) http://www.sa.dk/content/us/genealogy/online_services

Week 16 – May 1

Research Project Due – in class

Final Exam distributed due May 3 @ 6pm

Putting it all together

Share  your research project with your classmates

Each student will give a 5-minute presentation about their semester long research project.

Presentations of your research findings

take home – due 3 May 2012 @ 6 pm – must be submitted via e-mail