The Ohio Genealogical Society - Archive Tour

I live in the best place in the world.

My house is only about seven miles from the

Ohio Genealogical Society headquarters;

one of the largest genealogy societies 

in the United States.

It's beginnings go back to the year 1959, 

and my parents were among the first to attend the meetings at

Dr. David Massa's home.

Since my parents never, ever left me with anyone,

I'm sure I was at a few of those meetings, too.

Our own Richland County chapter meets in the building monthly.

This past week, our very own, much-appreciated Director,

Tom Neel, was our speaker.

He took us on a "behind the scenes" tour of 

the Archival Room.

I can't begin to tell you how many times I have been in this room.

But again, Tom showed us things I never knew were in there.

It was another opportunity to learn!

The above photo is of a German newspaper that existed in 1892.

There were two newspapers in Mansfield.

Think how many obituaries, marriage announcements, etc.

are in there; just waiting for someone who is able to read them

in German!

These photos showing brown paper packages tied up with string

are the Bibles that people donate.

 Some of these Bibles are huge!

I was particularly interested in the very old book on the

History of the Mission of the United Brethren.

I grew up hearing this story in my Ohio History classes in school

The United Brethren Church, also known as Moravians, 

 had sent missionaries to convert the Native Americans.

Unfortunately, it led to a very sad time in Ohio's history;

the converted Native Americans were massacred in a town

southeast of where I live -- Gnadenhutten.

You may read the story here:  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnadenhutten_massacre

Tom also showed us this book containing 

Oaths of County Officers.

I never thought to even look for a book like this.

If you were looking to join a lineage society,

think how valuable it would be to connect your family member

using a tool like this.

These dates were from very early 

Richland County - 1814 and beyond.

This book had me drooling.

It is an original copy of

The Wyandott Mission at Upper Sandusky Ohio.

Reverend Finley wrote those book 

about his experience in the mission.

And, in the back of the book,

he has written about and interviewed several Natives.

If you look carefully below, 

he writes about how "Brother Between the Logs" has gone to rest.

The following photos show why I would have no business

ever working in a library or archives.

Because, I would want to keep everything.

Absolutely everything.

A monument company in Cleveland 

donated its entire collection to OGS.

This is what it looked like when it arrived.

I love the gravestone sketches below.

This monument company made many of the statues

that were torn down in recent months

because of their association with the Confederacy.

So, when was the last time you visited your own 

local genealogy society?

When was the last time you attended a meeting,

and heard an excellent speaker?

Have you recently made a road trip across town,

or across the state, to visit the library and archives 

that may house the information you need

to further your research?

Even if you don't have ancestors that resided in the area you live in,

there are always opportunities to further your own learning.

OGS has a tremendous collection that goes beyond Ohio's borders.

Every state that touches Ohio 

has books and materials that may help you.

There are materials on the shelves 

from all parts of the United States.

My advice:  Join your local society.

Join your state society.

Go to learn.

Leave ready to research and help others.

One of My Most Humbling Moments Ever

I am sitting here on a quiet and rainy Sunday evening, contemplating the events of this past week attending the #2018OGS Conference.

I am humbled with the award of Fellow that was given to me at Saturday's luncheon. Humbled, yet overwhelmed at the thought of this recognition.

Let me tell you how this played out.

I had just finished teaching a class, and told Kerry to go on to the luncheon. I would get there as soon as I could, and was stopped several times on the way there.

The lunch was delicious! One of the most beautiful memories I had was of sitting at a table filled with people I didn't really know that well and hearing their lively conversations about their joys and challenges of their own genealogy.

It was awards time...and, my mind was on my next class that was to begin shortly. Chapters, chapter members, newsletters, etc. were all receiving their due recognition.

Then, it came time for the Fellow award. Again, I was looking at my watch, for I would need to leave to set up equipment in the next little bit.

Deborah Lichtner Deal began to read a beautiful description about someone that sounded so wonderful. I began to think about who it could be, for I really wanted to meet that person before the conference was over.

Then, things began to click. Some "Peggy-isms" were mentioned, then the number of presentations that I had given last year was brought up, and I'm sure a few more things were mentioned. But, at this point the tears were falling.

The entire room stood on its feet to clap and cheer for me as I made my way to the front. Never, ever in my life had I ever received anything like this. Never.

The rest is a blur. I made my way back, where Kerry embraced me with pride. I let him wear my corsage to church today, for I wouldn't be where I am without his firm, yet gentle support through the years.

Years and years ago, my parents were among the small group of genealogists who met in Dr. David Massa's home in downtown Mansfield to form what would eventually become the Ohio Genealogical Society. I'm sure they didn't know that 62 years later, their daughter would receive one of the awards stemming from those beginnings.

Now, that said, let me also point out that I am still the same Peggy that I was the moment before I received this. I am the same as you...I research like you do, I laugh with you, I cry with you, I pray for those who have asked to be remembered, and I worship with many of you. I am not above a single one of you.

May I never, ever forget that.

I humbly thank you all who have sent your love and greetings from around the world.

I thank my mom and dad.

I thank Mr. Kerry, who has known about this since January!

And, I thank the Lord for all of you who have enriched my life so greatly.

The Faces of Volunteerism

I make frequent trips to the Ohio Genealogical Society. 

Many times I'm there on Monday, when the facility is closed.

Each Monday, for at least the past five years, 

a group of volunteers have met to work on probate files from the Richland County, Ohio courthouse.

Volunteers meet each Monday at OGS to work on probate files.

Past-president of OGS, Sunda Peters (seated in green) has been the fearless leader of this group.

They are unfolding, unstapling, and getting massive amounts of folders ready for digitizing.

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A small portion of the probate files coming from the Richland County, Ohio courthouse.

These probate files are some of the earliest records in Ohio, beginning in 1813.  That's just ten years after Ohio became a state!

The box in the upper right corner represents the many staples and other items used to attach papers together.

They are currently working on the year 1900, and have about five more years of work to do.

FamilySearch has hired a contractor, who is at the courthouse filming the files that have been taken apart, unstapled, and put into manila folders.

Currently, she is on the year 1847, so Sunda and her staff are trying to keep her from catching up with them.

After they are sent to FamilySearch (weekly, I assume), they will be available for viewing, just like on a microfilm reader.

Then, they will be up for indexing.

That's how this process works.

Eventually, researchers will be able to search for ancestors by name, and bring up the actual image.

The final product will be probate files that cover the years

1813 - 1935.

Then, the project will be finished.

That's how it all comes together.

OGS - A Treasure Trove Close to Home

I live real close to the headquarters of the Ohio Genealogical Society.  Real close.

Ohio Genealogical Society

Taken Jun 2014

So today, I ventured out to finish up some client work at the library.  The first place I went was into a back room where Al and Julia Hoffman are serving a Family History Mission.  They are scanning all of the obituaries that are in card catalogs.  The first estimation was at 500,000.  But, that estimate was not taking into account that many are on both sides of the index card.

As of today, they have done over 570,000.  There are 51 boxes for the letter "S", and they are on box 48.  When that is complete, they will do some from Crawford County, and Ohio obituaries from Florida.

Al and Julia Hoffman

FamilySearch Missionaries

After finding what I came looking for, I chatted with the staff for awhile.  Then, just before leaving, I noticed some activity going on in one of the conference rooms.  Newspapers were spread out everywhere.

Old, old newspapers.  Just look at some of the things I got to see today!

A great little map showing how our county was formed from so many others.

 A man lost his Pocket Book in 1848.

 Section 16 was set aside for schools in each township.  However no one paid the taxes on this land in 1848, so it was being sold.

 I really liked this one.  It's a land indenture from 1823.  The village of Perrysville is still a village 192 years later.

 At the bottom of the land indenture, it states that Mary and Nancy, wives of the two involved in the transaction, were "examined separately and apart from their said husbands".

A petition for divorce, based on "adultery and more than three years wilful absence".

I love to go to different facilities to do research.  But sometimes, we can find a treasure trove right in our own neck of the woods.