Beginner s Genealogy Workshop Session 1: Introduction to Resources
Instructor Introductions and Class Information Drew Griffin Senior Librarian, Adult Services Department, Cambridge Public Library dgriffin@cambridgema.gov Alyssa Pacy Archivist and Manager of the Cambridge Room, Cambridge Public Library apacy@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-7757 Class Information Class Schedule Session Powerpoints (thecambridgeroom.wordpress.com)
Session 1: Overview What is an Archives? Brief Overview of Records Vital Records City Directories Military Records Church and Religious Institution Records Immigration and Naturalization Records Obituaries Cemeteries Explore Your Family History: Genealogy Questions from You Search Your Family Records Visit the Cambridge Room
What is an Archives? An archives collects, preserves, and makes available material that has enduring historic value. Ex. Local Libraries (local history rooms), Historical Societies, Public Research Libraries, Colleges and Universities, Presidential Libraries, State Repositories, and National Repositories (NARA) Archival Records Ex. Letters, Diaries, Photographs, Digital Photographs, Annual Reports (from a business), Home Movies, Audio Recordings, etc. Cambridge Room Storage, Cambridge Public Library s Archives and Special Collections
What is an Archives? Legal Records Ex. Birth Certificate Published Records Ex. Newspapers Rare Books Artifacts Ex. 18th Foot Warmer from local historic home Textiles Ex. Nurse s Cap from Civil War Artwork Ex. Painting of Library Director Maps A nursing bib, signed like a yearbook, worn by a student attending the Cambridge City Hospital nursing program in 1948
Vital Records What are they? Birth Marriage Divorce Death Where can they be found? Local, City or Town Clerk Offices State or County Ex. Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics Federal Ex. NARA Waltham (National Archives and Records Administration Regional Offices) How to get them? In person Call, e-mail, and online Note: there is often a nominal fee ($10-$25) for an official copy Note: access to birth records can be restricted (if parents were not married at the time of birth)
Vital Records Birth Register, Cambridge, 1888
Vital Records Other Sources Published City or Town Vital Records Baptism Records Social Security Records Ex. Death Index Federal Census Ex. 1790 to 1940 Mortality Schedule 1850-1880 Censes Slave Schedule 1850 and 1860 Census
Vital Records 1940 Census Record
Names, addresses, profession, and address of work. Businesses, business advertisements (occasionally graphically) Civic and religious organizations and clubs Local and state government officials City and Town Directories Wards and demographics Published Annually from approx. city/town s founding (superseded by telephone directories approx. 1930s) Found at: Local libraries, public research libraries Ex. Boston Public Library State libraries Ex. State Library of Massachusetts
City and Town Directory Cambridge City Directory, 1856
Military Records Pension and Land Grant Records American Revolution American Civil War Found at: NARA Draft Cards World War I World War II Found at: NARA
Military Records WWI Draft Registration Card, 1917-1918
Church and Religious Institution Records Types of Records Birth, marriage, death, funeral records Bar/bat mitzvah and circumcision records (synagogues) Published or unpublished registers City or Town Protestant Parishes Synagogue records Consolidated Repositories Congregational Library of Boston Archdiocese of Boston Jewish Heritage Center at the New England Historic Genealogy Society
Church and Religious Institution Records Baptism Register, 1836-1953
Immigration Records Immigration Records Found at: NARA Naturalization Records Found at: Local municipality Ship Manifests Found at: State or NARA
Immigration Records Ship Manifest, Port of New York, 1913
Obituaries Death Notice Circa 1840s-1940s Typically prominent people Detailed, often paragraphs long and including graphics or much later, photographs Often written by reporter Spread throughout the newspaper Death listing Circa 1840s-1940s Name, age, and date of death Obtained from the city or town hall Can be grouped or spread throughout the newspaper Obituaries (as we think of today) Circa 1950s Written and submitted by family Grouped in one section Found at: Local newspaper of record (public library) Historic Boston Globe or Historic New York Times
Obituaries Death listing, Cambridge Chronicle, 20 January 1877
Pre-1880s Local gravestone transcriptions Plot histories Cemeteries 1880-forward Municipal Cemeteries Religious Denominations Protestant Catholic Jewish Special Cemeteries Mount Auburn Cemetery and Forrest Hills Cemetery Poor Farms Self burial (difficult to determine)
Cemeteries Faded limestone gravestone, 1849 and page from William Thaddeus Harris, Epitaphs from Old Burying Ground in Cambridge, published in 1845.
Explore Your Family History Genealogy Questions from You Search for Your Family s Records Leave with a copy of one of the types of records covered in today s class. Visit the Cambridge Room 2 nd Floor Open tonight from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.