“Blaine Day” at Archives of Michigan

For over a month I have been helping a family member prepare and recover from a hip replacement surgery so genealogy time has been almost null. But an opportunity arose which I am thankful I was able to attend thanks to a family member covering for me.

Blaine Bettinger at the Fall Family History Event

Yesterday was the Michigan Genealogical Council and Archives of Michigan's Fall Family History Event in Lansing. It was titled, "A Day with Blaine Bettinger."

Or in my words, "Blaine Day." A day packed with four — yes four! — presentations by Blaine Bettinger on various DNA topics.

With a start time of 9:15 a.m., this meant getting up before the chickens, scraping the first frost off the windshield, and driving "an hour and a half" to arrive in time for the 8:30 a.m. start of registration. Thankfully the weather other than a bit cold was great for driving and traffic was strangely light despite game day while the sun raced up in the rear-view mirror. I arrived with plenty of time to spare.

The event seemed to be well organized (even with a good couple handfuls of early arrivals) and from the morning announcements this was the largest attendance they had in the 12 years of hosting this event.

The Archives of Michigan
(and Library of Michigan) in Lansing, Michigan.

Another morning announcement was regarding the digitization and indexing of the naturalization records for the 70 Michigan counties that the Archives of Michigan has in its collection. The images will eventually be at the AOM's SeekingMichigan.org website. There will also be an index to the collection on the SeekingMichigan website and at the FamilySearch.org website. They are not announcing a timeline for the project. (Remember Michigan Death Certificate anticipation?) And since the index will be done by volunteers aka us the genealogy public, when it gets done depends on our participation. The Archives of Michigan staff is working on obtaining the naturalization records from the remaining Michigan counties that have not turned their records over to the archives.

Now as for "Blaine Day" which ran from 9:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., the Forum auditorium was pretty much packed all day with a bit less attendance at the last of the four presentations. Bettinger's presentations were:

• Using Y-DNA and mtDNA to Explore Your Ancestry
• Using Autosomal DNA to Explore Your Ancestry
• Using Third-Party Tools to Analyze Your Autosomal DNA
• DNA and the Genealogical Proof Standard

I thought each presentation was really good. Bettinger covered enough of the basics that the DNA uninitiated could understand the concepts but also enough of the technical end that intermediates had something too. The handouts, which were sent out via email a day before the event, were informative following the main points of each presentation but not every detail. One handout was not in the order of how it was presented but it was easy enough to follow along. Bettinger also made time to answer questions after each presentation which was great because there were a lot of questions.

Couldn't make it to yesterday's Family History Event? Much of the content in the presentations also seems to be covered in Bettinger's new book, The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy. I bought a copy (along with another copy for a cousin too) about a month or so ago and I'm slowly reading it. It's not a hard read, it actually explains concepts very clearly, I have just been so busy and tired it is taking me longer than normal to read things.

So if you get a chance to see Bettinger speak or hear him via a webinar, do try to do so. I don't think you will be disappointed.

The drive home was just as pleasant. Towards the end the big moon was visible ahead of me as the sun was going down behind me. I arrived home in the driveway just as darkness fell.

Blaine Day aka a DNA Day for me was a good day. And as I learned upon getting on the internet after dinner, November 12th was also the day Family Tree DNA released its Ancient European Origins feature on it Family Finder tests. It was interesting seeing FTDNA's estimates of how much Metal Age Invader, Farmer, Hunter-Gatherer and Non-European DNA we are still carrying in our DNA. I don't think it will be of much use, but it is interesting.

©2016 All Rights Reserved, goneresearching. All text and photos in this post are copyrighted & owned by me (goneresearching) unless indicated otherwise. No republication (commercial or non-commercial) without prior permission. You may share (tell others) of this blog as long as you give credit and link to this site (not by downloading or copying any post). Thank you.

Troublesome Tombstone Tamed: Determining the Death Date of 5th Great Grandpa John Dunham

The row with the tombstones for John Dunham's family.

Old tombstones have their positive and negative sides. (And I don’t mean their fronts and backs.) On the positive side – they exist! On the negative side – they can be very worn with age from the elements (or accidents or vandals) which can make reading them difficult and photographing them challenging. With the internet and various gravesite/tombstone-focused websites, today it is quite likely you do not have to leave your couch/chair to see a desired tombstone.

But sometimes you just have to visit the darn thing in person if you really want learn the answer you seek.

Just such a case was the tombstone of my 5th Great Grandfather John Dunham. He is buried in the Quaker Cemetery in the town of Orchard Park (formerly East Hamburgh), Erie County, New York. The problem with his tombstone is that the death year is hard to read and has been that way for a long time.

I first came across a tombstone reading of his resting place in October 2000 on a website for Erie County, New York, Cemeteries.(1) The researcher who did the reading was quite honest rather than arbitrarily picking a death year. It could be one of three years: 1846, 1812 or 1816.

Frustrating? Yes. Not knowing which death year was correct makes a big difference in this case because his tombstone is one that gives the age at death rather than a specific birth date. Change the death year and it changes the birth year and … who you might be dealing with.

During an email exchange in 2001, another researcher gave another reading of the tombstone with a death year of 1816.(2) Though, to be honest, we don’t know if it was her personal reading of the tombstone or another person’s reading because we didn't think to ask at the time.

Find-A-Grave Memorial Page

In December of 2009, a Find-A-Grave memorial page was created for John Dunham’s tombstone.(3, 3revised) Again, the entry gave the death year as 1816. Though I'm not positive, I think this was the page creator's reading since this person added a photograph of the tombstone also. Due to the photo being lower resolution and small in size, it could provide no solution to the death year problem regardless of who was looking at the photo.

But after studying this photo for some time, I was able to note a few things. Besides being worn in the location of the death year, the exaggerated thick/thin of the serif font used for the carving contributes to making this tombstone hard to read. I also could not help to think that a stone carver skilled enough to hand-carve the name in such a tight arc would not likely leave a large gap between the 8 and 6 if the number was a 1. But the space would be of an appropriate size if the number was a worn 4.

 Chart of Various Readings of John Dunham's Tombstone

Date of Reading	2000 Oct 17 (or earlier)	2001 Jan 29	2009 Dec 16	2009 Dec 16
Source/Reader	Partial Cemetery Reading by Leo J Katharine M. Koop with additional names by Mrs. Kritzer posted on Erie County, NY, Cemeteries website (1)	by Sue Kulp (researcher) in her email correspondence (no indication if this was her personal reading or another’s) (2)	Find A Grave Memorial Page Entry created by Mary Kester Rude (3)	Find A Grave Memorial Page photograph by Mary Kester Rude [note: my reading of this photograph at the time found]
Name	John Dunham	John Dunham	John Dunham	John Dunham
Date of Death	23 Jan 1846 or 12 or 1816	1/23/1816	22 Jan 1816	23d 1st mo. 1846 or 1816
Age at Death	91 yrs 2 mo 9 da lot #31	91-2-9	Not filled in	91 y’rs 2 mo 9 d’s

 

Now at the time I spotted the tombstone reading in 2000 I really was not sure if this John Dunham was my direct ancestor. He was one of two suspects but he was the one my gut said was the correct one. So as you do research looking for proof, you collect things and hang on to them … just in case. And you look at alternate records for the answers you seek.

In this John Dunham’s case:

• the Quaker meeting records yielded no answer what so ever to his death year; 
• there is no civil death record because New York did not start keeping civil records until much later; 
• a search of probate records resulted in no records found for him; 
• a search of land records resulted in no records found for him; 
• a search of census showed no entry for him as head of his own household and no corresponding tick mark in the right age bracket in his son’s household except for the year 1840. 

So I suspected the year 1846 was the correct death year BUT it was at best circumstantial. At a standstill, I researched elsewhere and on other parts of my family tree.

A few years ago as hard-to-access, original records started to be digitized, I was finally able to put some of the “stubborn” family pieces together. Though my evidence is still circumstantial in my link between the fourth and fifth generation, it is a well-researched and analyzed conclusion that as of this August includes some DNA evidence.

My research again lead me back to John Dunham buried in the Quaker Cemetery and the unanswered question of the death year carved into that tombstone.

What was I to do? Answer: Take a road trip to the grave to see it for myself and, hopefully, arrive at a decisive answer.

Since I knew the tombstone was hard to read, I came more prepared than I would for one of my typical cemetery visits. I decided that if I could not make a decisive reading either by simply reading/observing the carving in its natural state or by using plain water sprayed onto the carving, then if the tombstone was not flaking or deteriorating I would try two alternate methods: making an aluminum foil impression and/or a wax rubbing. (See my post on tombstone reading methods for more details, tips and do's and don'ts.)

An aluminum foil impression is done by placing a sheet of foil on the carved surface. Then a clean, soft, fluffy brush (like a makeup brush) is used to gently impress the carving onto the foil. Usually, this puts less stress on the surface of the tombstone than a traditional wax rubbing because far less pressure is needed to make the impression. The downside is that the foil rubbing is fragile and saving it for posterity can be difficult. But viewing/photographing the foil on the tombstone can greatly aid in reading the carvings. Viewing/photographing at different angles and even shining/bouncing light at different angles against the foil while taking pictures can further help you. (See my post on tombstone reading methods for more details, tips and do's and don't.)

A wax rubbing involves placing a sheet of paper, cloth or Pellon interfacing (not the iron-on version) over the carved surface. Once the material is secure, colored wax is gently rubbed over the material sitting on top of the carved surface to transfer the impression. Wax, be it a cake of tombstone wax or a child’s thick width crayon, is more durable than other materials sometimes mentioned. With this method you need to use a gentle touch and be sure not to leave wax marks on the stone. Testing on a non-tombstone surface is advised to ensure there is no bleed-through of the wax through the paper/material that can damage a tombstone. (See my post on tombstone reading methods for more details, tips and do's and don't.)

As it would turn out, John Dunham’s tombstone sits under a tree which is part of the reason why it does not photograph well no matter the time of day. But the stone itself is very worn in the area on the death year. A reading by simple observation and photographs of this scenario did not result in a decisive answer. Applying plain water using a clean spray bottle to the carved area and photographs of this scenario also did not yield a decisive answer.

Plain water sprayed on carving.

Natural, nothing done to stone.

So after studying the tombstone for any loose/flaking stone or other signs of a weak surface and finding none, I made an aluminum foil impression using lightweight foil and a clean, soft brush. The result? At first I wasn’t sure (was I seeing what I wanted?) but upon reviewing the photographs I saw the answer: 1846.

An Aluminum Foil Impression makes the carving readable.

Additional tweaking of the image in PhotoShop further confirmed this.

Posterization added to photo.

Extra Contrast added to photo.

Since the stone surface was not weak or in danger, I proceeded to make a tombstone rubbing using Pellon interfacing and wax. This also brought the answer to the surface: 1846.

Pellon Interfacing and wax rubbing.

So now I have my answer, the tombstone reads:

John Dunham
DIED
23 d. 1st mo. 1846
AE. 91y’rs. 2 mo.
& 9 d’s.

And, that would make his birth date: 14 November 1754

Thanks Mary at Find-A-Grave for transferring John Dunham's memorial page to me. I have now updated his page.

Now, it would not be a road trip without something humorous happening or possibly happening to us.

We made several aluminum foil impressions at various cemeteries during this trip. Rather than throw them out, I stacked them in the trunk on top of the luggage. While at the international border waiting in line, I expressed to my passengers a concern that had just popped up in my head: If we get searched, we may have some explaining to do about the "odd" tin-foil pile in the trunk. "Well, you see officer, we're genealogists ..." Thankfully, no explanation was necessary at any of our crossings.

And remember that odd box from my second post? That box never made it to recycling. So now the "tombstone box" is holding the stack of tombstone foil impressions brought home from this trip. (I wonder if I "misplace" the box with some of the tin foil impressions in the attic if some future homeowner might discover it and an interest in family history?)

Finally, no this post does not answer my August 6th post, I've Gone Researching ... More to Follow. Though this cemetery visit is from the same trip, that answer to August 6th will be coming soon.


Note: Since some cemeteries and localities have banned tombstone rubbings to protect fragile tombstones, remember to check with each cemetery to make sure rubbings are permitted.


©2014, goneresearching. All text and photos in this post are copyrighted & owned by me (goneresearching) unless indicated otherwise. No republication (commercial or non-commercial) without prior permission. You may share (tell others) of this blog as long as you give credit and link to this site (not by downloading or copying any post). Thank you.
____________________
Sources
1 K., Kathy M., Erie County, New York Cemeteries Past and Present. (http://wnyroots.tripod.com/ : accessed 17 October 2000), “Quaker Cemetery Town of Orchard Park, Erie County, New York,” partial listing (date not stated) by Leo J. and Katharine M. Kopp with additional names listing by Mrs. Kritzer, Jewett-Holmwood Rd., Orchard Park, NY

2 Sue Kulp, New York ([email address] for private use), to (private), e-mail, 29 January 2001, “Re: John Dunham research,” Dunham Correspondence file, Dunham Research Files, Genealogy; privately held files by (private), ([email] and residence for private use.)

3 Find A Grave, Find A Grave, database and images, digital images (www.findagrave.com), memorial page for John Dunham (unknown - 1816), Find A Grave Memorial no. 45537622, citing Quaker Cemetery, Orchard Park, Erie County, New York; the entry created by Mary Kester Rude with photos submitted by Mary Kester Rude and Donna Casey. John Dunham DIED 23 d. 1 mo. 18?6 AE/ ?1 y'rs. 2 mo. & 9 d's. [note: tombstone photo is hard to read in areas, not sure of the years at death] Quaker Cemetery (Route 62, south of Eden Valley Bridge, on west side of road.).

3revised Find A Grave, Find A Grave, database and images, digital images (www.findagrave.com), memorial page for John Dunham (unknown - 1846), Find A Grave Memorial no. 45537622, citing Quaker Cemetery, Orchard Park, Erie County, New York; the entry maintained by goneresearching, originally created by Mary Kester Rude with photos submitted by Mary Kester Rude Donna Casey and goneresearching. John Dunham DIED 23 d 1st mo. 1846 AE. 91 y'rs. 2 mo. & 9 d's. Quaker Cemetery (Route 62, south of Eden Valley Bridge, on west side of road.)

I've Gone Researching ... More To Follow

Until I can write the post, you'll have to guess where I was today.

©2014, goneresearching. All text and photos in this post are copyrighted & owned by me (goneresearching) unless indicated otherwise. No republication (commercial or non-commercial) without prior permission. You may share (tell others) of this blog as long as you give credit and link to this site (not by downloading or copying any post). Thank you.

My Vist to the Midwest Genealogy Center of the Mid-Continent Public Library

Midwest Genealogy Center in Independence, Missouri

The main focus of our trip last week to Missouri was not a visit to the Midwest Genealogy Center of the Mid-Continent Public Library. Rather it was for us (my sister and I) to drive my mother to her eldest granddaughter's house to meet the newest member of the family -- a great grandson who now makes three in that generation.

But while there (after an eleven or so hour drive) why not visit the library since it is less than thirty minutes away in Independence, Missouri? We, as genealogists, would be crazy to pass up that opportunity, right?

Like for our trip to the Allen County Public Library the key is to plan ahead.

MCPL Home Page

Begin with the Library's Website

The Mid-Continent Public Library's website is the place to start your planning. From the library's homepage click on the "Genealogy" tab to get to the page for the Midwest Genealogy Center page. Besides the About, Directions and Hours, there is information for beginners in genealogy/family research that covers what to look for and a variety of family history forms to download.

The Genealogy Center Page

The Digital Collections contains links to "Jackson County and Kansas City Plat books" and "Digitized Books." The Mid-Continent Public Library-Midwest Genealogy Center (MCPL-MGC) actually participates in the FamilySearch Family History Books Collection so this link takes you there.

The Archival Collections takes you to a page with a variety of finding aids and indexes for the library's archival collection that focuses on Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri. So if you have ancestors in these areas it seems a great place to check out.

I don't have ancestors in those counties. In fact, I maybe have a couple really distant collateral relatives in Missouri ... like count on one hand with plenty of fingers left over. So why did we take the time to visit this library? For all the other stuff they have. Read on.

In my opinion, the main links of importance to your planning are the Library's Catalog (located in the tabs at the top of the page) and categorized lists of online databases available at the library located (kind of hidden) under Related Information.

MCPL-MGC's Library Catalog. While the Library's Catalog does not have a cute name, it does have some helpful features like the ability to create a list -- think shopping list -- of the books you want to explore.

Advanced Search

Remember to search the catalog like you would for any other genealogy library visit. Do searches using your Surnames of interest. Do searches using your locations of interest remembering to try all types (County, Town/Township, City/Village) of locations. Make your fingers walk the book shelves before you even enter the building. Remember when doing a county search to include the state.

Once at the catalog page, I suggest clicking on the Library Catalog Advanced Search. Here you can empower your search a bit more. You can limit your search to "Genealogy Materials." You have the option to search by key words or exact phrase, tell it not to show you items with specific words, or search by title, author, or subject.

Check the box for items of interest.

As you scan the results page, check the box to the left of each item you are interested in looking at when at the library. Before you move to the next results page, click the "Select an Action" button and choose one of the following: Add to My Lists, Email, Text it to Me, or Print. Now if you just print, what ever you selected on this page prints together. But if you select Add to My Lists, you can create a shopping list by subject (i.e. all items of interest regarding Dutchess County, New York, or all items of interest for the surname Dunham.)

When you are done selecting items for the subject, click on the My Lists at the top of the webpage. After selecting everything in the Temporary My List you can print or email the whole list at one time. After that is done, delete the items and perform a new search to create a new shopping list. You do not have to log in to use the My Lists feature. If you are fortunate to have a library card, you could save your various subject lists.

Save items to My Lists

So what were my lists like? I went to a very large genealogy library in Missouri and I looked at vast number of books (usually I prefer original records) on: Dutchess County, New York; Albany County, New York; Greene County, New York; Bristol County, Massachusetts; Newport, Rhode Island; York County, Ontario; Catahoula, Louisiana; Bedfordshire, England; Hertfordshire, England; and a few other places. The closest we came to Missouri was my sister looking at a couple counties in Oklahoma. Now some of these books I have not seen before. Some I may have seen before but I wanted to look for names discovered since that last time I looked at the book. I used these "My Lists" to keep track of: if I looked at the item, what I looked for and the results. I'll transfer that information to an overall list later.

My Lists button at top of page.

Looking for a periodical? Check out the Midwest Genealogy Center Periodical Collection to see if they have the one you seek or one that covers the area/surname you are researching. The list is sorted in several ways for your convenience.  The link to this on the Genealogy page is located under Related Information.

My Lists

Print or Email My Lists

The Databases. The vast quantity of these databases makes it a jewel of this library. Most libraries have a few, this library has a ton. They have been organized in several ways so a particular database may appear on more than one list. Online Database Categories of interest to genealogists include: Genealogy Databases, US History Databases, World History Databases, Newspaper Databases, and Geography Databases.

You can click on the different databases to learn what each contains that may be of interest to you during your visit to the library. For those that don't give much indication, usually a Google search can locate a listing of each service's particular offerings.

Guest Pass. I spent sometime in the various newspaper databases that I do not normally have access to through my libraries or paid subscriptions. Visitors to the Midwest Genealogy Center, who are not residents with library cards, can get a guest pass good for that day at the MGC. (See the main desk.) This is needed to use the computers and it gets you 60 minutes of time on the computer. Don't forget to log out to stop your minutes. There are certain computers designated for genealogy research though there is a computer room for residents doing other computer/internet work.

Years back when the internet was moving from message boards and mail lists to what today is more subscription websites with digitized content, the MCPL-MGC used to sell library cards to non-residents through the postal mail. A few years ago this practice stopped but those who had the card already were "grandfathered in." Lucky those people who have access to this online jewel.

Research Card. But, if you are there physically visiting the Mid-Continent Public Library's Midwest Genealogy Center, non-area residents can purchase a Research Card for $20 that is good for six-months and it gets you off-site access to all of the online databases (except Ancestry and Fold3.) Though the Research Card is non-renewable, if you visit again in person you can purchase another Research Card. Too bad Missouri is so far away for me. But I will be happily playing with these databases until the end of the year.

First view of the Midwest Genealogy Center

The Service and Information Desk

At the Library

Welcome Package and My Lists

Parking is plentiful at the library and there is no charge. The building itself is HUGE! Don't forget to stop by the main desk on your right-hand side once you enter the main floor. Sign the visitor log and if it is your first visit let them know so you receive a welcome package. It contains a map of each floor so you can see where things are located -- including restrooms. There is an eating area on the first floor near the entrance so you can brown bag your lunch (and dinner?) if you want. There are eating establishments in the area but not real close.

Reading Tables next to Copy Area

Cash, Card or USB Drive. There are a variety of ways to make copies ... depending on what you are copying. If you are using microfilm/microfiche, unfortunately, the only way to make a copy is to make a paper copy. These machines have not gone digital yet. And to make a paper copy, you need to get a copy card. There is no charge for the card itself and there are two dispensers in the microform room to add value to the card. (When I found this out I suggested they look at the film/fiche scanners that the Archives of Ontario uses -- those are sweet.)

Now for books, etc., there are photocopiers with two ways to use them. Insert coin (sorry, I did not look to see how much) and get a paper copy. But insert a USB drive into the same machine and get a free digital scan of your item.

Also, available for use (for free) at the MCPL-MGC, is a Zeta Overhead Book Copy and Scan System. This is what we used. It also requires a USB drive. Once you understand the "what-to-dos" of how to scan, it is fast and easy. The advantage of the book scan system over the photocopier scan is that you do not have to flip your book over face down then pick it up to turn the page then flip it back over to scan the next page. You simply place the book and level it on the floating base, lay the clear Plexiglas panel on top of the pages, use the touch pad to scan, lift the clear plastic panel, flip the page and replace it on top of the book and press scan. Repeat as necessary.

Zeta Book Copy and Scan System by Zeutschel

The book scan system offered many choices for file type (pdf, tiff, jpg, etc.) and three DPI resolutions (200, 300, and 600.) The book scan system worked wonderfully though we did freeze it at one point -- copies from many books in one session may have warmed it up too much. But nothing was lost because we were telling it to save the page/file directly after scanning it and not waiting for it to save the file when we pressed the scan button for the next page. Thankfully we did it that way though if we had done it the other way, we would have only lost one page (the last one scanned before the freeze). Another advantage of the book scan system is that it scans both pages of the book as separate files at the same time instead of both as one file.

Patron Baskets

Reading Tables. There are plenty of small (four person) reading tables throughout the library. But each table only has two chairs. If you have a party of three and all want to share a small table, don't be afraid to ask someone at another table if you can borrow a chair. We visited the library twice, once on Tuesday (11 a.m. - 5 p.m.) with just my sister and I; and once on Friday (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.) with all three of us. Tuesday was quite busy with a bus group from the Iowa State Genealogy Society. While Friday it was pretty close to empty. So it is going to vary day-to-day what you find crowd-wise.

Book Carts. The 411 on the book carts at this library is this: Black Metal Book Carts are the book return carts. They are located at the ends of many of the aisles of shelves. MCPL-MGC patrons have the option of using shopping baskets to carry their selections from shelf to table. There are also a few "shopping carts" to roll around two baskets for your convenience. On Tuesday available baskets and carts were scarce and black metal book carts were stacked full all over the library. On Friday there were many baskets/carts to choose from and lots of black carts with available space. Both days of our visit were productive.

View from top of stairs at Midwest Genealogy Center

Second Floor view of Midwest Genealogy Center

Second Floor view of Midwest Genealogy Center

Second Floor view of Midwest Genealogy Center

Library Staff. Though we really did not need much help, the interactions that we did have with the staff were all positive and friendly.

Summing it Up

We got A LOT looked at and checked off our To-Do Lists for this library. Now comes the sit down and review what we found and enter the information. Desk work is not always as fun as research work unfortunately.

So is this library a must visit if you don't have Missouri ancestors? That depends.

Judge for yourself by what you find in the library's catalog and the library's distance from you. Like I said at the beginning of this post, our purpose for the trip was to see family and since the library was close we made a point to visit it. Yes, we might have found some of those items at a closer library (like Allen County Public Library) but likely not at our home town/state library since we looked at resources for states other than our own.

On our Friday visit, I overheard a couple talking to a librarian (after seeking help) that the library was midway between their home and their travel destination so they decided to stop in and check out the resources. That is one way to make the visit. (Since their visit was very short, they were taking the team effort approach: she did the seeking in the books and he did the scanning of the finds.)

A Side Note With a Bit of Funny

For this long drive to territories unknown we used a combination of directional aids to help us. We had our Google Map directions printed out with maps. We had an early TomTom GPS Directional Device. We had up-to-date, old-fashioned folded paper AAA maps of each state we would drive through. None of these aids were without problems.

• Google and TomTom could not agree which route was the fastest route. So TomTom would get mad at us -- I kid you not. I realized it would have been better to make sure the laptop we had with us had the software installed where we could better tweak the routes ahead of time rather than just rely on the device itself and hope recalculate would magically match Google. Bringing TomTom was a last minute, oh yeah we should take this with us thought.
• Part way through the trip I realized that when printing the Google Map directions something strange had happened. The printout of the directions from the Hotel to the Destination had the correct text but the maps were for the Destination to the Hotel -- they didn't go with each other. (And no I did not mix up the pages, this mismatch was on the same piece of paper.) The appearance of the directions seemed different than in the past so I think Google did an update to its Map/Directions feature and it still has some bugs. Also the maps for the directions (that were correct) were not as good as in the past.
• Old-fashioned folded paper maps worked good when the manual navigator knew for sure our present location. Thank you TomTom for at least knowing that aside from the couple times it said we were in the corn field next to the road. (Lost GPS signal maybe?)

In the end, we relied on all three aids to guide us which is probably why TomTom got mad. Now this might have been really annoying with the standard voice that comes with TomTom, but over a year ago I installed a free voice as a joke (the device belongs to my sister). Since I forgot TomTom on our trip to Ontario the year before this was the first time the voice made "an appearance." The voice I selected was that of a Cylon from Battlestar Galactica. So now imagine that Cylon voice announcing the directions as you drive. I knew I was really in trouble (a.k.a. not going where it told me) when Cylon TomTom announced that "colonial vipers were circling, take evasive action."

But Cylon TomTom had us really laughing when it kept insisting that I turn right ... at the Land Fill. I asked my sister and mother, "Is the Cylon trying to ditch US at the dump or Itself?" Needless to say, I didn't listen -- again -- and eventually a long way up the road Cylon TomTom shut up, recalculated and figured out which way were were headed home.

If you are traveling, have a safe trip and don't listen to every direction a Cylon gives you.

My Tips from a Visit to the Allen County Public Library's Genealogical Collection

Last week was a first. Instead of driving straight home from a trip to one of my sisters, we veered and ended up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, for a visit to the Allen County Public Library’s Genealogical Collection.

This was not our first visit to the library. It was actually our third or fourth visit. But it was the first time we had thought of working a visit to the library in with this well-worn drive to my sister. The veer was not close but do-able. Our last library visit was when the library was at a temporary site ... so it has been quite a while between visits.

I thought I would share my tips and thoughts about visiting this library.

First, plan everything before you depart! Use the library’s website. Use your favorite trip/hotel planning sites for the non-library stuff. Do not wait until you arrive to figure out where to stay and what to search.

The Library Website

Using the library’s website is a must before you visit. By searching the various catalogs and making a To-Do List, you get more time to do research on-site. From the Allen County Public Library’s main page, click on the genealogy tab to enter The Genealogy Center. Or just go straight there from the link here.

The Genealogy Center website is your hub for planning your visit. Add it to your bookmarks/favorites.

Check boxes to the left of entries allow lists to be made.

There are several links throughout the main site page to the main ACPL Catalog. I suggest using the Advanced Search to control your searches better. Looking for a specific book, put it in the title to see if the library has it. To catch the most possibilities, use the subject to search by County and State, or Surname. Make a list of items to look at by clicking the check box by each individual item you want and when done, select the print link under the Genealogy Center Catalog logo. (I “printed” my choices to PDF files and then printed certain ones to paper later.) This catalog shows you books, microfilm & microfiche, online documents, and magazines & newspapers.

But this is not the only catalog you should investigate.

Under the Databases tab, you’ll find two choices. On-site Databases is a listing of the subscription databases available for use while at the library. See one you don’t have access to already? Add it to your list with what you want to investigate on it. The Free Databases is where you will find links to a wide variety of specialized catalogs. Definitely click this link.

The Microtext Catalog is segmented into specific categories. The best way I found to make a To-Do List from this catalog is to copy and paste into a Word or Excel document file. This way I got specifically what I wanted instead of everything on the page. If the main catalog shows microfilm and microfiche, why use this catalog? Because I spotted that not all of the microtext shows up in the main catalog. And, the microtext catalog gives you links to more details about what is on each film/fiche for most collections.

For example, I discovered searching the Microtext Catalog by state “New York” that ACPL has microfilm of the Robert Livingston Papers. I was not expecting this! A search of the main catalog with Robert Livingston as the subject brings up 7 items. One item is a book guide to the films but the others are just books. So back in the microtext catalog, clicking on the name “Robert Livingston Papers” brings up a list describing the 57 reels of film for this collection. I printed this detailed list for later use.

Also among the Free Databases are specialized catalogs for Family Bible Records; Family Resources; Allen County, Indiana, Resources; Indiana Resources; African-American and Native American Resources; Other States Resources; and Our Military Heritage. Another catalog is the Genealogy Center Surname File which can be searched to find others who have visited ACPL that are searching your surnames.

I think you can see how quickly your To-Do List will grow. Make sure to prioritize your list so you get to those items you really want to see first.

From the main tab links at the top of the main page, Pathfinders will take you a variety of help guides including ones on how to search the catalogs better. Most of these are the same handouts at the library. Why wait to find out what goodies they contain? Find the topics and states that you need, read the PDF version of the handout and add items to your To-Do List.

Near the bottom of the page on the left is the "Planning to Visit?" section which organizes more than just the library hours. The Local Information button will take you to a page with the library address, a Google map showing the location and buttons to PDF files of the library layout, eateries map and parking map that you can save/print. The Orientation Video link on the page did not work for me. But I was able to find the orientation video on the library’s YouTube channel. Though it is about six years old, the video which is in two parts (part 1 and part 2) is still relevant. You get a good lay of the land for the Genealogy Center by watching these videos.

The Events Section lets you see what is going on at the library. Got a question you have not found the answer to on the website? Use the Contact Us link. The response is fairly quick.

At the Library

A USB drive turns a printer into a scanner.

Ask Desk. Once you get to the library, do stop at the main Ask Desk as you enter the Genealogy Collection. Pick up a handout with the more detailed floor layout for the collection. If you plan to use the computers and on-site databases, pick up a temporary library card printout. (These are good for just that day.)

Copy Cards. Do you have an older ACPL Copy Card from a previous visit? Not sure if there is any money left on it? Bring the card with you. If you stop at the main Ask Desk, they can check the card for value and if there is, they will transfer it to a new copy card. My ACPL Copy card had the logo printed in red. Sometime after the logos were printed in maroon (as seen in the orientation video). Currently the ACPL Copy Cards have a black logo with a bar code instead of a magnetic strip.

One of the Reading Table Areas.

USB Flash Drives. ALSO, bring a USB flash drive with you. With a USB flash drive inserted into a photocopier you can turn it into a scanner. The scans are free but you need a copy card with value on it to activate/unlock the copier. Check the settings prior to scanning anything. The default setting is a 200 resolution PDF file. So everything scanned in one session will end up in one file. I preferred to scan my various books at a resolution of 300, grayscale or color and saved with the tiff/jpg setting. This gave me individual files for each scan. That way I can rename each individual file with a meaningful name for each page image later. If you forget your USB drive, the Ask Desk has some for sale. (I don’t know for what price but at least you don’t have to find the nearest store.)

Wood versus Black Metal.

Reading Tables. Reading tables are located in two spots of the Genealogy Collection. Most of the tables have built in power outlets. The library has wireless internet so your laptop/tablet/smart phone can stay connected. (Obviously don’t leave your valuables unattended. There are no patron lockers.)

The Book Carts. Here’s the 411 on the book carts. The wood book carts are return carts that staff periodically roll away to reshelf the books. So when you are done with a book place it on a wood cart. The black metal book carts are for the use of patrons. Don’t feel shy about using them. The book shelf you want is likely a good distance away from where you are seated. For the safety of yourself and the books, use a black metal book cart to move the books around.

Microfilm Cabinet

Microfilm/Microfiche and Scanning. At the desk in front of the Microtext Reading Room, pick up a handout with the detailed layout of the microtext cabinets. Finding a specific microfilm/microfiche is quicker with a map. In the reading room, you will find row after row of film readers. And, a couple rows of microfilm/microfiche scanners. If the library is busy, find your item with a reader and then use the scanner. With the film scanners, you do not need a copy card to activate them. Just insert your USB flash drive into the computer. Directions on how to use the scanners are not readily available, so ask a librarian for help. There are two different scan programs. One is overly simplistic but the librarian could not give me details on the settings used and there was no cropping available. The other has many user selectable scan settings but the program is very slow to make each scan.

I found these scanners were not as easy to use as the film scanners at the Archives of Ontario which is a different system. Film scanning was the last thing we did before leaving. If I had more time to play with the settings and check the results on my laptop right there, I think I would be a bit happier with the results. The next visit we make to this library, these films are at the top of the To-Do List.

Microtext Reading Room with scanners.

The Other Stuff

As far as hotels, we did not see any need for us to stay in downtown Fort Wayne where prices are much higher. The hotel we picked was not the cheapest nor the most expensive. What it did have was good reviews for cleanliness/service and a location just 15 minutes from the library. Now for some that may sound too far away but it really was a super quick and easy drive from the hotel to the parking garage below the library.

Speaking of parking, though the library’s website shows where the closest parking is in relation to the library it does not mention costs. The garage and lots nearby are $1 per hour with a maximum of $7 per day. Don’t leave your parking ticket in the car, take it with you. You pay by cash or credit card at the kiosk in the library’s lobby to the right of the check-out counter. You have 15 minutes to get back to the car and exit the lot. Otherwise, you can pay at the gate with a credit card when exiting. I also noted a sign in the garage said you have to have your car out of the garage by 9:30 pm. (I think for security reasons you get towed if it is still there.)

Summing it Up

We got a lot checked off our To-Do List for this library, but there is still plenty left on it.

ACPL has a large collection of Ontario cemetery readings and other books. (I feel Canada is a bit behind in getting cemetery tombstones on the internet. There does not seem to be as many posted as for the United States.) So we concentrated on Ontario for a good part of the day and then moved onto New York books that we had not seen yet. The last thing we looked at were the microfilms of the Robert Livingston Papers. Unfortunately, we ran low on energy and did not get through the films that looked promising. We scanned several pages but have a list of other pages found that will need to be copied during the next visit. This collection will be at the top of our revised To-Do List.

One of my next steps now that we are home, besides entering our finds, is to investigate the Robert Livingston Papers more thoroughly. I want to determine the origin of the collection on these microfilm. The catalog entry mentions the New York Historical Society. Are these books/papers the same or different than the what is in the Livingston collection at Princeton University? The ones at Princeton are on my wish list of sources to see one day.

It was a long, productive and exhausting day. (Probably because I was the driver.) We could have stayed a day or two more but we kept it short. Hopefully, our next visit to Allen County Public Library will be before the library remodels or moves again.