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Archiver > PAALLEGH > 2002-12 > 1041370901


From: "Kit McChesney" <>
Subject: Re: [ALL] City directory
Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2002 14:41:41 -0700
References: <20021230154919.OFHS12483.mtiwmhc12.worldnet.att.net@mtiwebc16> <5.1.0.14.2.20021231114326.02208d30@mail.stargate.net>


I have found city directories to be incredibly valuable to me. I was able to
trace relatives who were not listed in the census, find their professions,
locate their actual street addresses when the census never listed them,
track their movements around the city (Allegheny City) over the course of
many years (since they were published more often than census records were
taken, they are especially valuable for "inter-census" years) and locate
widows once the husbands died. I've used the Allegheny City directory from
1840 through every year available through 1902 and later. They are
invaluable tools for ancestry research if used properly and creatively! I
would never have known how many of my original ancestor's brothers (they all
had the same profession) were here and when had it not been for city
directories. The census is not fool-proof, and city directories often fill
in the gaps.

Can you tell I'm a HUGE fan of city directories? I hope so! :)

Kit McChesney (gg-grandaughter of Charles McChesney, b. 1816 in Ireland,
professions quarryman, stonecutter, and stonemason, brother of John M.
McChesney, stonemason, listed as resident on Walnut Street, Allegheny City,
1840!)


----- Original Message -----
From: "Al Lenkner" <>
To: <>
Sent: Tuesday, December 31, 2002 9:44 AM
Subject: Re: [ALL] City directory


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> Christine,
>
> I have a number of those directories but, for the most part, they are akin
> to the Yellow Pages.
>
> Al
>
>
>
> At 11:15 AM 12/31/2002, you wrote:
>
> >Two thoughts about the City Directories.
> >
> >1) I have a CD of the 1839 Directory, and will do look-ups as I get time
for
> >folks who don't have access. Please only send surnames where you have
some
> >reason to believe they were in Pittsburgh in that year - "fishing
> >expeditions" will take too much of my time for too little results -
sorry.
> >Please send them to me via e-mail.
> >
> >2) I purchased this CD some time ago via e-Bay. I periodically [when I
have
> >a bit of what my one fellow genealogist calls "genie-money" to spare] do
a
> >search on item names and descriptions for "Pittsburgh" and "Allegheny"
and
> >then choose the categories that would likely contain genealogical items.
> >At the time that I purchased this one - there were a # of directory CD's
for
> >very reasonable cost. They're not very dynamic in terms of search
> >capability, and I had to download a free viewer from an independent
> >shareware site to be able to read it efficiently - but it does work.
> >For folks who are interested in obtaining a directory for more frequent
> >use - it might be worth a shot.
> >
> >Christine
> >
> >
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> >
> >
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