GENEALOGY WORKSHOP
by Robert Barnes and Chris Haley
The workshop on Researching African-American Families was held on Saturday, 19 April. At the end of the day the registrants felt that the four speakers had provided a vast amount of information. Sylvia Cooke Groce gave an overview of starting family history research. She warned that, "Genealogy can be habit forming." Usually very comfortable with public speaking, Sylvia admitted "...but that's not when Phebe Jacobsen is in the audience." In his introductory remarks Bob Barnes recognized Phebe as the archivist, now retired from the State Archives, who assisted Alex Haley with his research for "Roots" and so many others with African American family history studies.
Agnes Kane Callum gave an excellent talk on the United States Colored Troops. In concluding her session on African American military records, she encouraged everyone to pursue their search with vigor. She added, however, that it has been frustrating for her when she's given advice to some new genealogist for twenty minutes, or longer, on the phone and then never hears from them again. She grinned, "It may make me a little short or sharp to that next person who gets me." Roland N. Mills showed the workshop participants many different ways to present one's findings to family members. He displayed some of the booklets, charts, and collages he has produced.
The workshop provided many high points for all present. Jerry Hynson, who spoke about freedom records, received the best of rewards for his involvement as a presenter when one of the registrants informed him that she had pictures of his family from many years ago. Instead of calling ahead, the woman had noticed Hynson's name in the brochure and decided that she would attend and surprise him in person.
Another lady exclaimed "That's my Daddy!" upon seeing the signature on a replica of a military document displayed on the overhead projector during Agnes' presentation. It turned out to be her grandfather's name, but everyone was amazed and engrossed none the less. During one of the breaks participants had a chance to see some of the African-American Resources that are available on the Archives web site. During the lunch break Agnes showed videos of several television programs featuring her work at Sotterly in St. Mary's County.
AIIM EXPOSITION REVIEW
by Arian Ravanbakhsh
On Wednesday, April 16, Chris Haley and Arian Ravanbakhsh attended the annual Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM) Exposition, held this year in New York City. This exposition is the largest event for demonstration of emerging technologies in both digital and film-based imaging as well as traditional micrographics. Among the many vendors exhibiting products were industry leaders such as Eastman Kodak, Minolta, Cannon, Hewlett Packard, Panasonic, and Fujitsu. Also present were smaller companies that have worked with the Archives in the past such as Crowley Micrographics.
AIIM 1997 was filled with vendors offering many different products to the imaging community. There were two major categories of vendors present. In the smaller category were the strictly hardware vendors who displayed everything from color monitors to digital scanners. The larger category could loosely be described as information management. These included vendors who market software tools for managing the electronic workflow of documents and storage of image files. Some of their exhibits were quite elaborate, using brass bands and barbershop quartets to attract attention. One vendor was giving away a two year lease on a BMW convertible. Another was giving away a motorcycle. Needless to say, we did not win anything, although we did get a free, fresh baked chocolate cookie from one vendor and Chris got a t-shirt from another.
In summary, the exposition did provide us with an opportunity to survey the vast array of electronic imaging products. This knowledge will be quite beneficial as more and more state agencies begin to implement imaging systems and as the Archives continues to evolve into the future.
1880 CENSUS OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY
by Robert Barnes
Don Thompson, a reference volunteer, has presented the State Archives with an electronic index to the 1880 census for Anne Arundel County. Heretofore, researchers have only been able to use the federal government's index which is limited to those families who had at least one child 10 years of age or younger. If the children in a family ranged in age from 21 to 12, they were excluded from the index; if their ages ran from 21 to 9, they were included. This new Anne Arundel County index encompasses all names listed in the population schedules. The illegibility of some names did lead Don to guess at their spelling. But he has kindly noted these with a question mark.
Don has made researching Anne Arundel County families much easier. The entry for each person lists name, race, sex, age, month of birth if less than one year old, relationship to head of household, occupation, birthplace, and birthplaces of parents. Also shown are the enumeration district, page and line numbers, MSA series number, and microfilm number. The index is available through WordCruncher and on our web site off the Reference Services, Finding Aids and Indexes page. On our web site entries are grouped by the first letter of the surnames. Thereafter researchers should use the find function to check for specific names.
Researchers wishing to know whether individuals had been married within the year; number of months unemployed; whether sick or temporarily disabled; whether blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, maimed, crippled or bedridden; or whether the individual had attended school within the year, or could read or write, will still have to check the original record. Don is currently working on a similar index to the 1870 census for Anne Arundel County.
ADDITIONS TO SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
by Nancy Bramucci
Leonard Collection, 1736-1908 [MSA SC4685]. Materials relating to the documentation of Rosehill in Anne Arundel County. Includes Maryland Historical Trust Historic Sites Inventory Form and history. Original. Gift, Kenneth C. Leonard
Florence R. Bahr Collection, 1957-1992 [MSA SC 4686]. Sketchbooks, artist Florence Bahr. Includes sketches of significant events relating to civil rights and the peace movement, including the funeral of Senator Robert Kennedy and the trial of the Catonsville 8. Original. Gift, Florence Bahr.
Republican Central Committee Collection, 1960s-1970s [MSA SC4687]. Correspondence, minutes, treasurer's reports, press releases, newsletters, bylaws, directories, campaign literature, volunteer and precinct organization files, club material, photos, and other records of the Republican Central Committee for Prince George's County. Includes rules and results of the Prince George's Republican Assembly, 1970, press releases and position papers 1966, of the Agnew for Governor Committee, and programs, 1959-1976, of the annual Lincoln Day Dinner. Bulk of collection is dated 1962-1972. Original. Gift, Alan Virta.
Henry Maynadier Fitzhugh Family Collection, 1698-1902 [MSA SC4688]. Papers of the Henry Maynadier Fitzhugh family, including letters, journals and various items from Ellicott and Tyson families of Baltimore. Collection microfilmed prior to being sold at auction through C.G. Sloan & Co. Materials, some of which pertain to Benjamin Banneker, include the following: ledger, Ellicott & Co., 1774-1775; Ship's Log, Latham, John Prince, Commander On a voyage to Bencoolen and China, 1770, written by George Lee Mason Fitzhugh and listing the 113 officers, servants, and crew; letterbook, J.B. Ellicott, 1815-1816; genealogy of the Maryland branch of the Tyson family by Malcolm Van Vechten Tyson, 1902; guestbook at Jerico, 1841-1849; letterbooks, 1698-1851; wills and letters, ca. 1750s-ca. 1850s; Journal, Martha Ellicott, 1813; travel journal regarding North American Indians, George Ellicott, 1798; and Martha E. Tyson's description of her grand-uncle, Joseph Ellicott, and his sons. Original, microfilm. Deposit, Mrs. Charles Edward Wilde III.
Robert Cole Collection, 1654 [18th c.] [MSA SC4689]. Transcript, deed, Thomas Gerard, St. Clement's Manor, to Robert Cole. Collection includes history of Oakley. Photographs. Courtesy of James D. Stone.
White Collection, 1778-1986 [MSA SC4690]. Church history, "Christ Church Parish, Kent Island: Oldest Established Congregation in Maryland," compiled by Mary J. White, 1986; transcript, sheriff's book, upper and lower Kent Island, 1775-1778. Copies. Gift, Mrs. Mary J. White.
Taylor Collection, var.d. [MSA SC4691]. Greta Taylor, "Notes on Whaley Genealogy." Copy. Gift, Greta Taylor.
Massachusetts State Library Collection, 1915 [MSA SC4693]. Maps, Office of Chief Engineer, The Baltimore and Ohio System Railroads and Terminals in Baltimore. 2 copies. Original. Gift, Massachusetts State Library.
Moses Shepherd Newspaper Indices Collection, 1775-1794 [MSA SC4694]. Newspaper indices: Maryland Gazette, 1786-1789; American Newspapers, 1775-1777 (3 vols.), including Maryland Journal; Maryland Gazette, 1790-1791; Maryland Journal, 1778-1783, 1786-1791, 1793-1794. Original. Deposit, Enoch Pratt Free Library.
Fletcher Collection, 1653-1863 [1986] [MSA SC4695]. Maps: North American Indian Tribes, 1653 [1986]; North America in the Mid-Eighteenth Century, 1753 [1986]; Original Thirteen Colonies, 1776 [1986]; Thirteen United States of America, 1787 [1986]; American Heritage emerges from European Migration: The People Who Become Americans, 1790 [1986]; Louisiana Purchase, 1803 [1986]; Seventeen United States of America, 1803 [1986]; Twenty-four United States of America, 1823 [1986]; Republic of Texas: Annexation and Statehood, 1845 [1986]; Twenty-eight United Sates of America, 1845 [1986]; Pacific Coast and Gadsden Purchase, 1853 [1986]; Thirty-one United States of America, 1853 [1986]; Thirty-five United States of America, 1863 [1986]. Facsimiles. Gift, Harvey Fletcher.
Lord Baltimore Video Collection, 1996 [MSA SC4696]. Videos: "Voyages of the Ark, the Dove, and the Pride of Baltimore II," "Reverend Taylor's interview regarding the discovery of Lord Baltimore's grave." Original.
Edwin Barry Collection, 1945 ca.-1976 ca. [MSA SC469]. Slides of scenes in Annapolis and the U.S. Naval Academy, and reports, clippings, and other materials related to the Severn River Watershed. Original, slides. Gift, Edwin Barry.
Valley News Echo Collection, 1859-1865 [MSA SC4698]. Newspaper, Valley News Echo (Hagerstown, Washington County: Potomac Edition Co.). Facsimile. Gift, Orwin Talbott.
Thomson Collection, 1787 ca. [1996] [MSA SC4699]. Don Thomson, "Cecil County, Maryland Land Owners Residing in the Nottingham Lotts. Based on Surveys ca. 1787 as Contained in Files from Index 114 at the Maryland State Archives, Annapolis, Maryland," 1996. Typescript. Gift, Don Thomson.
Hoff Collection, var.d. [1988] [MSA SC4700]. Herve Douxchamps, "How Peter Paul Rubens has Numerous Descendants in the U.S.A." Includes information on the Stier family and the Calverts and the art collection that once hung in Paca House, Annapolis. Copy. Gift, Henry B. Hoff.
Fredericktown Bank Collection, 1860 ca.-1890 ca. [MSA SC4702]. Photographs, most taken by J. Davis Byerly, of Frederick and the surrounding area. Photographs include laying of cornerstone of the Maryland Institute for the Deaf and various floods and street scenes. Copy prints and negatives. Courtesy of the Fredericktown Bank.
Bennett Collection, 1852-1870 [MSA SC4703]. Bennett Family Papers. Original. Deposit, Historical Society of Frederick County.
Brown Collection, 1852-1897 [MSA SC4704]. Brown Family Papers. Original. Deposit, Historical Society of Frederick County.
Byerly Collection [MSA SC4705]. Byerly Family Papers. Original. Deposit, Historical Society of Frederick County.
Potomac Home Brigade Collection [MSA SC4706]. Civil War (Potomac Home Brigade). Original. Deposit, Historical Society of Frederick County.
Dennis Collection [MSA SC4707]. Dennis Family Papers. Original. Deposit, Historical Society of Frederick County.
Kemp Collection [MSA SC4708]. Kemp Family Papers. Original. Deposit, Historical Society of Frederick County.
Markell Collection [MSA SC4709]. Markell Family Papers. Original. Deposit, Historical Society of Frederick County.
Maulsby Collection [MSA SC4710]. Maulsby Family Papers. Original. Deposit, Historical Society of Frederick County.
Nelson Collection [MSA SC4711]. Nelson Family Papers. Original. Deposit, Historical Society of Frederick County.
Edward C. Papenfuse, State Archivist
Patricia V. Melville, Editor
Mimi Calver, Assistant Editor
Lynne MacAdam,Production Editor
Rita Molter, Circulation
The Maryland State Archives is an independent agency in the Office of Governor Parris N. Glendening and is advised by the Hall of Records Commission. The Chairman of the Hall of Records Commission is the Honorable Louis L. Goldstein, Comptroller, and the Vice Chairman is the Honorable Robert M. Bell, Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals.
The Archivists' Bulldog is issued bi-monthly to publicize records collections, finding aids, and other activities of the Archives and its staff. Subscription cost is $25 per year, and the proceeds go to the State Archives Fund. To subscribe, please send your name, address, and remittance to: the Maryland State Archives, 350 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, Maryland 21401-1686. Phone: MD toll free: (800) 235 4045; or (410) 260-6400. FAX: (410) 974 3895. E-mail: archives@mdarchives.state.md.us. The Editor welcomes editorial comments and contributions from the public.
The Archives maintains a Website on the Internet at: http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us