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Subject: [URBAN] Ancestry Daily News, 16 June 2000 (part 1)
Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2000 08:29:40 EDT
Ancestry Daily News
http://www.ancestry.com/DailyNews
Brought to you by the publisher of
"The Source" and "Ancestry" Magazine
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16 June 2000
In this issue:
-Database of the Day:
----- Cambridge, Massachusetts Directories, 1887-90
----- Revolutionary War Pension Index, 1813
----- Brunswick County, Virginia Births, 1853-62
----- Cincinnati Enquirer (Ohio), Obituaries, 1998-2000 (Update)
- Today's Featured Map:
----- St. Mihiel Offensive, 12-18 September 1918
- George G. Morgan: "Along Those Lines . . ."
----- "In Search of the Graves of Our War Dead"
- Ancestry Quick Tip
- Thought for Today
- Share Your Opinion
- Products of the Day at the Online Store
----- "Ancestry" Magazine/"Genealogical Computing" Set --$34.95
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CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS DIRECTORIES, 1887-90
Home to Harvard University in Massachusetts, Cambridge boasted a population
of
more than 50,000 in 1890. This database is a collection of four directories
for
the city originally published between 1887 and 1890. It is a listing of city
residents in those years. In addition to providing the residents’ names, it
provides their addresses and occupational information. It includes the names
of
over 114,800 people, mostly heads of households. For the researcher of
ancestors
from metropolitan Boston, this can be an extremely valuable collection.
Source Information:
"Cambridge City Directory, 1887." Boston: W. A. Greenough and Co, 1887.
"Cambridge City Directory, 1888." Boston: W. A. Greenough and Co, 1888.
"Cambridge City Directory, 1889." Boston: W. A. Greenough and Co, 1889.
"Cambridge City Directory, 1890." Boston: W. A. Greenough and Co, 1890.
To search this database, go to:
http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/inddbs/4690.htm
This database is also included in the 1890 Census Reconstruction Project and
can
be searched through its main page at:
http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/census/1890sub/main.htm
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION INDEX, 1813
Affecting the lives of millions of people in North America, the Revolutionary
War involved thousands of Americans fighting for independence. This database
is
an index to a list of pensions awarded to U.S. veterans of the war. It was
taken
from "Letter from the Secretary of Way, Communicating a Transcript of the
Pension List of the United States Showing the Number of Pensioners in the
Several Districts. Also, the Amount Allowed to Each Pensioner" dated June 1,
1813. The "Letter" was referred to the Committee of Claims and originally
published by A. and G. Way, Printers in Washington, D.C. in 1813. It provides
the name of the pensioner, state or district of residence, number in the
roll,
rank, and annual stipend. The districts included are New Hampshire,
Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana territory, Michigan, and the
District of Columbia. It reveals information regarding more than 1,700 men.
For
those Ancestry.com patrons seeking ancestors who may have been awarded a
pension
for service in the War of Independence, this can be an informative database.
Source Information: Graden, Debra, ed. "Revolutionary War Pension Index."
[Database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2000. Taken from a book in the
collection of the Leavenworth County Genealogical Society titled "Letter from
the Secretary of Way, communicating A Transcript of the Pension List of the
United States showing the Number of Pensioners in the Several Districts.
Also,
The Amount Allowed to each Pensioner" dated June 1, 1813, Referred to the
Committee of Claims, Washington: A. and G. Way, Printers, 1813.
To search this database, go to:
http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/inddbs/4691.htm
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BRUNSWICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA BIRTHS, 1853-62
Bordering North Carolina in central Virginia, Brunswick County was formed in
1732 from three nearby counties. This database is a collection of birth
records
for nearly 5,500 children born in the county between 1853 and 1862. Taken
from
microfilm copies of the original documents, this database offers researchers
information regarding the child's name, sex, race, birth date, and names of
parents. The page numbers refer to the original documents from which these
entries were taken. To those seeking ancestors from Virginia, this collection
can be a valuable source of information.
Source Information: Fridley, Beth. "Brunswick County, Virginia Birth
Records,
1853-1862." [Database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry, Inc., 2000. Taken from a
microfilm copy of "Bureau of Vital Statistics - Birth Register for Brunswick
County, 1853-1862" located in the Library of Virginia at Richmond.
To search this database, go to:
http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/inddbs/4692.htm
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CINCINNATI ENQUIRER (OH), OBITUARIES, 1998-2000 (Update)
Source Information: Bell and Howell Information and Learning Company.
"Cincinnati Enquirer (Ohio), Obituaries, 1998-2000." [Database online] Provo,
UT: Ancestry.com, 2000. Original electronic data from the electronic
newspaper
newsfeed service of the Bell and Howell Information and Learning Company.
To search this database, go to:
http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/inddbs/3488.htm
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TODAY’S FEATURED MAP
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Today's featured map is:
ST. MIHIEL OFFENSIVE, 12-18 SEPTEMBER 1918
To view this map, go to:
http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/reference/maps/freeimages.asp?ImageID=6
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For a printer-friendly version of articles in this issue, to e-mail an
individual article to a friend, or to submit feedback on something you have
read
here, visit the Daily News Desk at: http://www.ancestry.com/dailynews/
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GEORGE G. MORGAN: "ALONG THOSE LINES . . ."
"In Search of the Graves of Our War Dead"
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I received an e-mail from a friend and business associate last week with a
simple inquiry. Vince Mariner wrote: "My wife's grandfather died in WWII
and is
buried in Europe. How can I find out where he is buried?" Certainly, this
is
one of the burning questions among families who lost a loved one during a war
overseas. In "Along Those Lines . . ." this week, let's discuss how to
approach
the problem of obtaining such information about both U.S. and British
Commonwealth service personnel, and what we can expect from our research.
PREPARING FOR THE SEARCH
Your search for any military ancestor should begin with everything you know
about him or her. Start with the full name, date of birth and location,
place
of enlistment or induction, the branch of service, unit, rank, serial number,
and any information known about the person's places of service. Most of us
will
not have all of these details, but it is important to start with everything
you
know. Certainly there are many John Smiths in the service, and you need a
way
to help narrow the search.
WHERE TO START
Depending on the war in which your ancestor or relative participated,
military
service records can be located in multiple places. For example,
Revolutionary
War, War of 1812, and Civil War military service and pension records may be
found at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), and copies
can
be obtained by completing the NATF Form 80. Civil War records for persons
serving from a specific state may also be held at state archives, don't
overlook
writing for those. These records probably will not tell you where your
ancestor
is buried. However, by reviewing military records, muster rolls, or
correspondence, or by determining where a final pension payment was made, you
may gather details or clues to help you locate the person's place of
interment.
When you begin looking for information on U.S. service personnel who
participated in WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, and other conflicts, you
may
want to look elsewhere. An excellent starting point for researching U.S.
personnel is James C. Neagles' book "U.S. Military Records: A Guide to
Federal
and State Resources." Here you will find names and addresses of contact
points
for all branches of the service and descriptions of the types of records they
maintain.
NOTE: Please make sure to contact each military branch's office before
sending
an inquiry, as some of the addresses and telephone numbers (especially area
codes) may have changed since publication of this or other books.
If you are specifically looking for U.S. service personnel who were
casualties
of overseas battles and who are buried overseas, an excellent place to look
is
the American Battle Monuments Commission's Web site. A site for Vietnam War
casualties is "The Wall," and a site for Korean and Vietnam War listings is
NARA's Center for Electronic Records site.
If you are searching for information about service personnel from the British
Commonwealth, an excellent place to look is the Web site for the Commonwealth
War Graves Commission. Let's examine each of these Web sites and what they
provide.
THE AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION
In the course of researching Vince's wife's grandfather, I located the
American
Battle Monuments Commission's Web site at http://www.abmc.gov. It is a
relatively new site, and yet it contains a tremendous amount of information.
The Commission is a small independent agency of the Executive Branch of the
federal government. It is charged with commemorating the services of the
American Armed Forces at the locations where they have served since April 6,
1917 (the date the U.S. entered into World War I); establishing memorial
shrines; designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining permanent
American
military burial grounds in foreign countries; and arranging for maintenance
of
these facilities.
Of particular interest to researchers of U.S. service personnel, however, are
the databases of the WWI, WWII, and Korean War dead. Vince's wife's
grandfather's name was Carl Hanson. On entering his name at the search site
(http://www.americanwardead.com/searchww.htm), the site was slow (be patient
or
try later) but the detail presented was impressive:
Carl G. A. Hanson
Private, U.S. Army
42063656 [his serial number]
330th Infantry Regiment, 83rd Infantry Division
Entered the Service from: New York
Died: December 12, 1944
Buried at: Plot B Row 36 Grave 42
Ardennes American Cemetery
Neupre, France
Awards: Purple Heart
In addition to the databases, the Commission also offers some important
services. These include helping you locate an individual's grave (or
memorial
site), providing information and photographs (at no charge) of the headstone
or
marker of any individual buried or memorialized at their cemeteries or
memorials, placing of floral tributes (for a charge) on graves and at
memorials,
and providing an honor roll certificate for service persons who died during
the
Korean War.
"THE WALL" - THE VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL WEB SITE’S DETAILS
One of the most popular and most visited sites in Washington, D.C., is the
Vietnam War Memorial, also called "The Wall." It is difficult not to be
affected as you walk down the ramps and the wall surrounds you. As your own
image is reflected in the dark, polished stone, you are drawn into the wall
and
can appreciate the enormity of the Vietnam War and the massive loss of U.S.
life
involved.
The Web site for "The Wall" is located at http://thewall-usa.com. From here,
you can perform a search for a specific individual by name or view records by
panel on the wall. (Be sure to read the search tips.) You can also link to
another page (http://thewall-usa.com/alpha.html) to perform an alphabetic
search
by first letter of a surname. I located the record for a soldier from my
hometown who was killed in Vietnam--Harry Truman Satterfield. His record at
the
Web site includes the following:
CPL - E3 - Army - Selective Service
1st Infantry Division
21-year-old, Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Nov 14, 1945
From MADISON, NORTH CAROLINA
His tour of duty began on Oct 10, 1966
Casualty was on Feb 28, 1967 in TAY NINH, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered
Religion: BAPTIST
Panel 15E - - Line 122 [Location of name on the wall]
In addition, from each person's individual record Web page, there is a
button to
link to personal comments and pictures that may have been posted to the site.
This Web site is not affiliated with the U.S. government, but it can provide
you
with significant details to extend your search. You should consider
contacting
the branch of the service in which the individual served for more detailed,
official information.
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