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Ancestry Magazine
5/1/2002 - Archive
| May/June 2002 |
Vol. 20 No.3 |
Book View
Finding Answers in U.S. Census Records
By Loretto Dennis Szucs and Matthew Wright.
Ancestry.com,
2001. 163 pages. Softcover. $16.95
plus s/h. To order, visit
http://shops.ancestry.com.
With the April opening of the 1930 U.S. Census, serious
researchers and the simply curious have been lured into the census world.
Explorers have benefitted from understanding the history of census creation and
the value of its contents.
Finding Answers in U.S. Census Records explains both, along
with giving an introduction to census indexes and finding aids. A section
devoted to the non-population schedules explains the mortality, veterans,
slave, agriculture, manufacturers, and social statistics groupings, along with
state and local censuses. Substitute schedules for people who were not viewed
as part of the “counted” population are suggested, including some that focus on
African Americans and Native Americans. When faced with the prospect of no copy
machine, the researcher will appreciate the reproducible forms found in the
back of this book. Knowing where to search the census is also made easy:
sections give a state-sorted listing of repositories and a directory of
electronic census information providers.
William Bradford of the Mayflower and his Descendants for
Four Generations
Compiled by Robert S. Wakefield. General Society of
Mayflower Descendants, 2001. 112 pages. Softcover. $10 plus s/h. Order online
at www.mayflower.org.
William Bradford was one of the original settlers at
Plymouth in the year 1620. He replaced the original governor of the colony, who
died during the first harsh winter in the New World. Bradford proved himself a
wise and equitable leader as well as a gifted writer. His History of Plimmoth
Plantation chronicles the world the settlers left behind in Holland and
describes the New World they came to know.
This booklet is one of a series that portrays the current
status of research on a Mayflower family. It presents the expected genealogy:
dates, places, and issue. But it also includes the last will and testament of
several individuals, including Bradford’s, quotes from other official
documents, and interesting fragments that have been learned about descendants.
A comprehensive list of works published about
Bradford and a descendant index with related surnames will assist in a
reader’s quest to link into this important Mayflower family.
Irish Church Records: Their History, Availability and Use in
Family and Local History Research
Edited by James G. Ryan. Flyleaf Press, 2001. 208 pages.
Softcover. IR£33.00. Order online at www.flyleaf.ie.
Eight authors have contributed to this new edition of the
popular 1992 publication Irish Church Records. The major and several minor
denominations of the last three centuries are covered, including Irish Quakers,
Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist, Irish Jewish, Irish
Huguenot, and Irish Baptist.
The introduction gives important information about the
distribution of religions over time and blends that information with events in
Irish history. Each chapter defines historical context and the pertinent
recording policies and procedures. The noting of record-keeping idiosyncrasies
may make the difference between finding or missing an elusive entry.
Embellishment at the end of every chapter might produce some
of the following: references to published works (primarily denominational
histories), lists of chief surnames associated with the faith, archives,
registers availability, and Web sites. Church records can provide births,
marriages, and burial information, and often in Ireland this is the only source
for detail on such events.
The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Genealogy, the Internet,
and Your Genealogy Computer Program
By Karen Clifford, AG. Genealogical Publishing
Company,
Inc., 2001. 167 pages. Softcover. $24.95 plus s/h. To order, call (800)
296–6687.
Suitable topics sensibly arranged mark this newest edition
of Clifford’s work. The setup allows newcomers to quickly absorb the
fundamentals, including principles of success, organizing, documenting,
resolving conflict, analyzing, maintaining a notebook, and sharing information.
A discussion of “environment” (geography) promotes the use of maps, historical
events, and chronology. The Family History Library and its major databases are
emphasized, along with specifics on using the Centers. The National Archives
and its regions are detailed while public libraries, courthouses, and
historical societies are addressed in the Vital Records chapter. The other
source with its own chapter is Census Records. The computer content relates
features needed in genealogy programs and tells how to print records. Each of
the sixteen chapters has a related assignment and selected Web site
recommendations. The arrangement shows how students should conduct research, making
the guide useful for self-study and as a teaching manual.
Your Guide to the Family History Library: How to Access the
World’s Largest Genealogy Resource
By Paula Stuart Warren and James W. Warren. Betterway Books, 2001. 258 pages. Softcover. $19.99 plus s/h. To order, call (800) 289–0963.
Visiting Salt Lake City is wonderful if you take the perfect
travel companion. This book is just that. Read about accommodations (with an
area map), restaurants (note the price ratings), attractions, and services (child
care tips and options for non-genealogists). Explore twelve pages of A to Z
basics for the latest on such things as altitude and dryness, safety, and the
zoo. Read about the new TRAX lightrail line and the many businesses and
restaurants listed at each stop.
After digesting this wisdom, open the sections on the
Library. Here, 160-plus pages about this genealogical mecca will streamline and
target your research. Special maps reflect the new library layout. Major
collections, the catalog, Internet services, the family history centers, and
associated repositories are all explained in a straightforward manner. There
are even suggestions to get the most out of just a few hours as well as tips
on working well with a professional.
Nothing is left to chance; this book is the perfect trip mate.
Sandra H. Luebking, FUGA, a genealogical and historical
lecturer and researcher, is the editor of the Forum and co-editor of The
Archives and the revised edition of the The Source.
Return to the Ancestry Magazine May/June 2002 Table of Contents.
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