Wishing Some A Genealogical Christmas
Tom Mooney
Sunday, December 19, 1999 Page: 1E
Wouldn’t it be great if you could come downstairs on Christmas morning and
see under your tree a gaily wrapped package bearing the answer to your most
nagging genealogical problem?
Imagine tearing open the wrappings to find the married name of a female
ancestor from the 1840s, or the passenger list of the ship that brought
great-great-grandfather over from Europe.
If I had my way, here are the gifts some of us would discover.
Mary Lou Swingle, president of the Northeast Pennsylvania Genealogical
Society: A permanent home at last for the society’s growing library of
microfilms and books. The materials have been held so far in private
residences. Also nice would be additional volunteers to help Dean and Margery
Sawyer with compiling cemetery lists, a long-term program that is still in its
early stages.
Tammy Lamb, Graham Van Slyke and all other public-spirited genealogists:
Ever-greater inspiration for new projects. Lamb is Webmaster for the Luzerne
County Genweb Internet site, a newsletter editor and a visitor to schools on
behalf of genealogy. Van Slyke (a New Jersey resident with local ties) has
compiled a huge list of Luzerne County place names, including long-forgotten
neighborhoods and sections of communities, for the Genweb.
Researchers of Pennsylvania ancestors: A commitment by authorities in
Harrisburg for a system of local historians, similar to New York’s. Based
mostly in libraries, New York’s local historians are a godsend to family
genealogists calling or writing from out of state.
All of our young people: Relatives and teachers to show them the joys of
learning their families’ histories and patiently helping them get started on
the great quest.
Boscov’s Department Store and its Campus of Courses director, Doreen
Fronzoni: Thousands of people to sign up for the courses, which include an
introduction to genealogy.
Genealogists who need Luzerne County records: A pledge from commissioners
Tom Makowski, Tom Pizano and Stephen Urban to expand and improve the county’s
records center.
Newspaper readers throughout America: More editors like The Times Leader’s
Allison Walzer and Chris Ritchie who will encourage and develop new print and
online genealogy columns. Unfortunately, these columns have been vanishing
from papers as their writers retire and are not replaced.
Companies selling “coats of arms” and book-length lists of people with
the same last name: A cease-and-desist order from postal authorities.
The staff at the Clarks Summit Family History Center of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints: Everybody’s blessing for helping the public use
the church’s immense genealogical holdings. A lot of material is now being put
online.
The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society and its board president, John
Orlandini: A few hundred more dues-paying members to carry the society into
its third century.
Janice Williams and her colleagues in the General Federation of Women’s
Clubs, who have devoted their Saturdays for the past two years to cleaning up
and restoring the old Shawnee Cemetery: Additional support through grants and
volunteers. Perfect weather, too.
The region’s libraries: More state aid of the sort that allowed the
Pittston Library to move to larger quarters. A continuation of the community
effort that enabled the Osterhout Free Library to renovate and modernize.
Ryan Lindbuchler: Publication of his book listing about 8,000 Civil War
soldiers buried in cemeteries throughout the region. It will be of huge value
to ancestor hunters.
Searching: A woman from Vero Beach, Fla., is trying to trace local
ancestors named KIRKENDALL, but unfortunately, she did not provide her name or
address when she left a phone message recently, and I was unable to reach her
with the phone number she listed. If she will contact me with the appropriate
information, I will run her query. The Kirkendalls she is looking for are
related to a former mayor of Wilkes-Barre.
Tips: Pennsylvania’s state publications office is offering some volumes
that could be of interest to local genealogists. One is the “Guide to
Genealogical Sources at the Pennsylvania State Archives” ($12.95). It tells
what the archives have in the way of ship passenger records, military records
and many other documents.
Another is “Anthracite People: Families, Unions and Work, 1900-1940”
($6.95), which deals with the daily lives of the people who lived in the
Nanticoke area many years ago. A third is “A Fine, Substantial Piece of
Masonry, Scranton’s Historic Iron Furnaces” ($6.95), about the iron industry
in that city.
For ordering information, contact the State Bookstore by postal mail at
at (717) 787-6379; or by the Internet at the General Services address
www.dgs.state.pa.us.
You can also ask about getting a copy of the State Publications Directory,
which lists all state publications available to the public.
News Notes: Michael Bertheaud has left his post as executive director of
the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society for a position at Washington
Crossing, near Philadelphia. Bertheaud had headed the society since 1995. No
word yet on a successor.
Some local Civil War re-creators are looking to increase their knowledge of
the regiment they portray – the 143rd Pennsylvania, which was raised in
Luzerne County – and they are asking for the public’s help. They would like to
talk to descendants of the 143rd’s soldiers and locate any diaries, photos or
uniforms that exist. They also want to find out where the soldiers of the
jl [email protected] , Mark Kahn by phone (570) 283-3445 or e-mail at
acctn [email protected] , or Mark Brojakowski by e-mail at [email protected] .
Family Chronicle, a Canadian genealogy bimonthly magazine, is appearing on
American newsstands. The current issue has some interesting articles on
colonial-era church records, valuable Web sites and the tendency of immigrant
families to arrive and migrate together. It also runs an annual index of
articles. The publishers say they are pitching it to an American audience.
Remember, this column is now accessible through your computer at
www.leader.net. Then click on “Genealogy.” All back columns are available
there as well.
Have you solved some tough genealogical problems in your research? Do you
have some tips you’d like to share with others? Would you like to report a
success story? Drop me a line here at the paper. I’ll get in touch with you
and help you bring the benefits of your experience to others. Tom Mooney, The
Times Leader, 15 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711.
