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Archiver > APG > 2002-08 > 1029806518


From: Cindy Amrhein <>
Subject: Re: [APG] books on writing family history?
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 21:42:30 -0400
References: <2.2.32.20020819013112.0181bbf4@pop3.norton.antivirus>


Christine,
I do a lot of house histories. I'm working on 2 right now. One is a
tavern built in 1829 that was possibly on the underground railroad. The
other was purchased in 1828 and is an original County poor house. (In
use till 1849 when a new one was built) So basically they are
genealogies of a building from its construction forward, including the
people who lived in them. I guess how exactly to go about it depends if
you are talking about an institution meaning a building or an
institution meaning an organization, or sometimes both.
Both my current properties involve 2 distinct difficult cases. Title
searching of course provides my owners. But now I have to search out
what my owners did to add some meat to the story. So the use of census
records of course. Also microfilm of old newspapers. Not just the
"locals" section either. Since your friend is researching an
institution, read the want ads and advertisements too. You would be
amazed what turns up there.
The tavern has a weird brick room in the attic, accessed by a skinny
steep set of stairs behind a long thin cupboard looking door in a second
floor room. The building is close to known "hopping off " points on the
UGRR. Because UGRR was so secretive, and it involves slaves, it makes
the task a challenge. Which is where history comes in. I am trying to
use known routes on the UGRR, to help establish other routes. My
builder I knew by other records had been a blacksmith before he built
the tavern. So I knew by land records, and other things he had to be
there earlier than originally suspected. Sure enough by reading local
newspaper ads from 1826 I find his advertisement as a new business and
it told everything he did, including selling buggies, which no one had
known before. A great little ad with die-cut pictures, which of course
I copied to include in the final report. My third owner fits perfect
within the time frame when the UGRR was most active, 1839-1861. BUT I
still have to prove it. Whenever I need to do some serious historical
digging I like to consult books and periodicals which were printed at
the time the various events took place. There are 3 great web sites for
this to read these in their original form via digital images. Two are
the "Making of America" web sites.
The link for the one through Cornell University is
http://www.library5.library.cornell.edu/moa/
The link for the Michigan branch of MOA is http://www.moa.umdl.umich.edu/
Also the Library of Congress has a digital image site for books and
journals called "American Memory" http://www.lcweb2.loc.gov/

It is interesting what unusual things pop up on these sites by typing in
the type of institution. Many had annual meetings, that involved
several states. Usually they each gave reports of some kind.
I've been able to read several articles, books written by former slaves,
and minutes of meetings of abolitionists societies that is helping me
figure out other UGRR routes, and known active abolitionists throughout
my area.
As for the poorhouse, that's a lot of people! For that, aside from
deeds and census records, and newspapers, I've consulted the Counties
Supervisor Minutes which gave a good description on what was on the
grounds at the time they were selling it to build a new one. It also
gave how many came in and out etc. When it was sold it was purchased by
a doctor. I now come to find he was also a canal commissioner. Now I
can search historical records, on and off line, on the canal and find
out his involvement. I also found out that the poorhouse cemetery was
really never moved, just the stones! (Which is a whole other issue being
pursued.) By reading the locals and ads in the newspaper from 1827-1829
I know they bought it as a farm with the house already on it (which
dates the building earlier then suspected), when and who built the
addition on the main house to house the residents, and when it
officially opened to except residents. The poorhouse records I will
have to fight for. The county Social Services Dept. has them and insists
their sealed. But what I'm interested in is over 100 years old. But
there is always something I must INSIST upon and throw the law around to
get. Nature of the business I suppose.
If you can tell us what type of institution and in which state it is in,
we all might be able to give you our several two cents better too!

--Cindy Amrhein
Town of Alabama Historian
Genesee Co., NY

**********************
Historian's Page - Alabama, NY
http://www2.pcom.net/cinjod/historian/
Experience the town of Alabama in Genesee County, New York. History, tombstone inscriptions, census records, history of the Tonawanda Seneca Indians and the Iroquois. Enjoy a good murder mystery? Read about the murders of Polly Frisch.

APHNYS
(The Association of Public Historians of New York State)
http://www.tier.net/aphnys/

Genesee County, NY website. Includes History Department, (under "Historian")
http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/

The Genesee Area Genealogy Society lists the names and addresses for all the Genesee & Wyoming County Historians
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nygags/hist.htm



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