Four Month Presentation Wrap Up

“Thank you so much for your assistance, and sharing your wealth of knowledge about this field.   I have already made progress as a result of your help.  If you do another set of lessons, I will definitely attend.”  - Claude Newton

That was just one comment from those who attended four presentations over a four month span that I did here in Middletown, Delaware at the Middletown Historical Society Museum. It always feels good knowing that what I love to do helps others, wither it be in breaking that brick wall or helping them and encouraging them to continue the research that they started.

For a quick look back it all started on the 28^th of May with the first presentation title “Where do I begin?” the turnout was fantastic. The presentation was what you read in the title, we covered the research process, where to start and the process of collecting and organizing your research. The feedback and questions were some that many of have heard before, “where do I get birth certificates”, “can I compile all information on one surname into a folder” and “is it better to keep everything on a computer or in binders on paper”.

The second presentation happened on the 25^th of June with “Records? What Records?” and just like the last presentation was great. With this one we went a step further and I guess you could say piggy backed on the presentation in May. I mentioned the importance of records in not only the beginning of your research but throughout the whole process. So we went over what records are available, the information that some records contain and how to obtain those records. I have to say the feedback and questions were good, “are the death certificates 100% accurate”, “why are some name’s misspelled from one year to the next on census records” and “why can’t I find a death certificate for all of relatives”.

The third presentation was on the 30^th of July “Researching from Your Couch” again another great turn out with fantastic questions and comments. Yes going to a facility to conduct our research is a must for most of us. But at the same time we like to conduct some of our research from the comfort of our own homes. This was the perfect opportunity to take a different approach on presenting. I thought it might be fun to ask those who would be at this presentation to email me someone they would like to receive more information about or maybe a brick wall they have hit. So during the presentation I would actually plug in those surnames into many different research sites. I was a nice new way to present and they not only learned how to navigate some sites but also get some answers.

Then the fourth and final presentation was last night the 27^th of August “Middletown’s Treasure Trove” with yes, another nice turn out for the final presentation. For the final presentation I wanted to be able to not only show everyone the wonderful treasures of information that is available in the research room. But I also know that there were still questions about research and I wanted to make sure that everyone had a chance to get answers to some of those questions. The class was split up into two sections and half went up into the research room and took a tour with George Contant, who answered question and showed the request for records process. While the other half stayed with me and took the opportunity to ask questions and get some additional information. Then they switched so everyone had a chance to take a tour and get those answers.    

   

Hide and Seek

     

     I've been so involved in this baby book of Diana Lewis and wondering what her childhood must have been like. Then as time went on realizing that I was not only holding some of her childhood memories but also information that stretched into her adulthood, and even had the opportunity to see who she married. There were numerous reasons that I chose to share this particular piece that I purchased off of eBay. One of those, which I believe is obvious to many of you, was to bring awareness of the additional places to locate information about our ancestors. I received mixed comments from some of you; for the most part there was shock as to who would sell such a piece of family history. I’m sure there are many different reasons these items end up on sites like eBay, cleaning of the estate, families don’t know what to do with it, they might be the last surviving member of the family or simply the saddest possibility is that they have passed away and the family just doesn't want it.  

     The other reason I wanted to share this was because of all the hidden information within the book. I touched on this in some of the postings. We know when we are conducting our research we look closely at the “official documents”, birth and death certificates, census records, marriage license. But let’s not forget about the photographs, they can offer not only hand noted information on the back, but also information within the photograph. You can look at the style of clothing, background, were they in a city or country side, the weather, neighborhood or even the make and model of a car and of course the obvious others in the photograph. Sometimes you might only see a stamp on the back showing where the photograph was developed.   You might be surprised how that can also be helpful in viewing your photographs; you might have the name of the store, the date it was developed and even state and city.

     Of course I can’t forget to bring some focus to the information that can be found in some newspaper clippings. I strongly believe the clippings included in this book are a perfect example of information. Not only did I have clippings of the birth announcements but her years through school. I was able to find out about the clubs she belonged to, what the purpose was of those clubs, the difference she helped to make in the community. The information offered on her school achievements showed not only those achievements but also listed some of her classmates and even their parents and their addresses. Of course you can’t forget there is always a chance you might be lucky enough to see a photograph of your ancestor included in the article.

     I must also mention one not so common find are the play flyers or event brochures. The ones that I found in the baby book of Diana Lewis are fun and informative. You had the opportunity to see a role she had in a 3^rd grade play and see who her classmates were and the role they played. Of course the Eastern Slope Chapter that listed those who were soon to be installed along with those who were already installed. It was a small peek into an organization that many aren't aware of. Again I had a list of those she knew and even a couple dates to show when she became part of the organization or club.

     I have other pieces of family history that I’ve collected over the years and over time I will continue to share what I have. Now I must point out I’m not related to Diana Lewis or anyone named in any of the documents that I found. I just thought this was interesting and maybe someone who enjoys my blog might recognize one of the surnames listed and possibly aid them in their research. I look forward as always to hearing your comments and feedback and thank you for the visit.