This Fall NARA Opens a New Location in New York City

Last month it was announced by The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) a fall 2012 opening of the new location for the National Archives at New York City—the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House at One Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan.

“This exciting new venture will bring the records of American history to life through exhibitions, educational and research opportunities, an expanded research room, and public programs for hundreds of thousands of new visitors each year. We are thrilled to bring the National Archives to New York City – a location close to my heart” said Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero, who formerly served as Director of the New York Public Libraries.

The National Archives’ New York research facility was on Varick Street in Greenwich Village for 20 years. The new location at the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House will provide greater visibility and accessibility to the important Federal records originating in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It will allow the Archives to expand its research functions in New York and create a new educational destination in a building that already welcomes museum visitors through the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. The new educational spaces and exhibitions are made possible by a public-private partnership between the National Archives and the Foundation for the National Archives.

Components of the National Archives at New York City, all free and open to the public, will include:

·    A Welcome Center to introduce visitors to the National Archives and the depth and diversity of Federal records. The Center will feature a small exhibition gallery with a changing selection of original documents from the National Archives, in addition to an opening exhibition in the grand rotunda of the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House.

·    A Research Center for scholars, genealogists, and the general public to conduct their own research using original records and microfilm holdings with the assistance of professional archivists. Researchers will have free access to resources including online subscription services such as Ancestry, Fold3, Heritage Quest, and ProQuest.

·    A Learning Center to welcome school groups and families and to encourage them to explore National Archives records through workshops, school programs, online access, “Archival Adventures,” and more.

·    Exhibitions in the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House Rotunda featuring holdings from the Archives. The opening exhibition, “The World’s Port: Through Documents of the National Archives,” opens September 21, 2012, and runs through November 25, 2012.

·    Public Programs in the Welcome, Research and Learning Centers and in the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House’s 300-seat theater and lecture halls to highlight the nation’s history and New York’s special role in shaping the nation. Outreach programs will increase awareness of National Archives resources in New York and nationwide.

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The following statement was released by the National Genealogical Society on the death of John T. Humphrey, CG

Arlington, VA 16 August 2012: The genealogical community and the National Genealogical Society have lost a dear friend and scholar with the death of John Thomas Humphrey on 12 August 2012.  John’s work in our field is some of the most important and essential for early Pennsylvania and German genealogy. His forty years of work with Pennsylvania records is represented in his fifteen volume Pennsylvania Births Series, two family histories, and numerous articles. He received critical acclaim for his Understanding and Using Baptismal Records. John’s deep knowledge of German genealogy and records included his ability to read and write in old German script and extended to repositories in Germany. He was a frequent teacher and lecturer, sharing his expertise in workshops, institutes, and conferences for genealogical learning as well as serving on many society boards. He extended the reach of his teaching in these specialties by authoring practical guides so that others might share his success in furthering their family history. His most recent publication is Finding Your German Ancestors: A Practical Guide for Genealogists.  

John’s contributions and dedication to the National Genealogical Society since the 1990s knew no bounds.  John shared key insights about the importance of original documents in NGS’s video Finding Your Family at the National Archives (http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/publications/videos/features/finding_your_family_at_the_national_archives). Over the years, John served as a director of the NGS Learning Center and also as the NGS Education Director managing online and home study courses. He led research tours to Germany and Salt Lake City. John actively volunteered and contributed to many of NGS’s national conferences as a lecturer, a consultant at the NGS booth, an exhibits chair, and supporter of many of the details for producing a high quality educational conference. John even rolled up his sleeves and made fine custom shelving for the former historic home of NGS, Glebe House. He was a man of grace and many unexpected talents.

Several years ago NGS produced a short video, Paths To Your Past (http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/paths_to_your_past), in which John told how “NGS had literally transformed my life.” He explained how he began family history research as a child but only joined NGS and attended his first conference in 1990, at the age of 42. He gave NGS much credit for his success and for helping him see new ways to solve research problems. But we at the National Genealogical Society, his many colleagues over the years, feel John has helped light the way for us and all genealogists. His painstaking and detailed scholarship in both his writings and his lectures lives on as his legacy to help guide the way for generations to come. 

For more information on John’s books, consult http://pagenealogybooks.com/Main.htm. John’s lectures at NGS conferences from 2007-2012 may be searched by his last name at http://www.jamb-inc.com/genealogy/ngs.

As expressions of sympathy, memorial contributions may be sent in John’s name to the Northampton County SPCA, the Maryland SPCA, and/or the annual fund of Moravian College, all C/O Guerro & Ruggiero Funeral Home, 126 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Pen Argyl, PA 18072. 

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogy education, high research standards, and the preservation of genealogical records.  The Arlington, Virginia,-based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, research guidance, and opportunities to interact with other genealogists.

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copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.

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Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

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First US Museum about Ireland's Great Famine Opens Next Month

A treat for those of you wishing to know more about their Irish Famine ancestors, next month Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum will open at Quinnipiac University in CT.

... [it] is home to the world’s largest collection of visual art, artifacts and printed materials relating to the starvation and forced emigration that occurred throughout Ireland from 1845 to 1850. Works by noted contemporary Irish artists are featured, as well as a number of important 19th and 20th-century paintings. Begun in 1997, this dynamic collection continues to grow.

The museum offers a unique opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to explore the largely unrepresented, unspoken and unresolved causes and consequences of this tragedy, as well as to appreciate the art that it continues to inspire.

And, there is more than “art.”  The museum also has a collection of British Parliamentary Papers (1801-1893) and Killarney Workhouse Minutes (1845-1848) which are or are coming online.

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copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.

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Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

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Scottish Genealogy Research Resources

Given my one Scottish branch on my ancestral tree, I keep my open for Scottish genealogy research resources which might help my quest to learn more about the Nelson family!

Here are some of my recent finds.  Maybe they will help you with your Scottish research:

            i.     Scottish Post office Directories

           ii.     Gaelic Place names of Scotland

          iii.     Hebrides People

         iv.     Scottish Poor Law

Are there any other somewhat “new” Scottish genealogy resources we should be aware of?

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copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.

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Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

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Quilt Depicting the House Built by a Grandfather

You may remember that last month we did a piece “Rockdale Township woman dives into family history in creating historic quilt.” Upfront with NGS reader Francis Taylor shared this in response ...

I'm not sure this qualifies as "something to honor an ancestor", but I have made a quilt depicting the house my grandfather built on his homestead in Montana.  The house was ordered from Montgomery Ward and replaced the one-room cabin he built with materials he took west in his "immigrant car."  I spent time in this house every summer from 1937 when I was 4 until I was in college.  Our family had reunions in the house from 1938 until hosting 70 plus people became too great a chore for my aunt and uncle in 2000.The house and land represent family in the memories of my grandparent's descendants and I am not the first of the family to create an image of it.  I have just returned from a reunion where there were about 100 descendants present.  My grandparents not only created a place but a tightly knit family.  We enjoy each other, help each other in times of illness and gather from places as distant as Australia and Europe.

I think you’ll agree that this is a wonderful homage to her grandfather, his house and the emotions that can be imbued in a quilt!

Do you have a quilt, handicraft or something similar to share with Upfront with NGS readers?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.

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Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

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Upfront with NGS Now Feeds to Alltop -- Top Genealogy News

Upfront with NGS is now part of the “Top Genealogy News” as presented by Alltop!

We stumbled across this news aggregating service and think it’s an exciting way to see the genealogy news headlines of the week, including the news from your very own NGS!  With so much information out there, it can be overwhelming to “keep up!”  It’s simple, clean-looking format makes it very easy to "see" current news feeds.

Since Upfront is the newbie, you will need to scroll to the bottom of the genealogy page to see us (or just hit F3 and type Upf)!

As stated by the website ...

• The purpose of Alltop is to help you answer the question, “What’s happening?” in “all the topics” that interest you. You may wonder how Alltop is different from a search engine. A search engine is good to answer a question like, “How many people live in China?” However, it has a much harder time answering the question, “What’s happening in China?” That’s the kind of question that we answer.
• We do this by collecting the headlines of the latest stories from the best sites and blogs that cover a topic. We group these collections — “aggregations” — into individual web pages. Then we display the five most recent headlines of the information sources as well as their first paragraph.

 Check it out.  What do you think?

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copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.

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Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

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NGS will be at FGS -- Hope to see you in Birmingham later this month!

The National Genealogical Society (www.ngsgenealogy.org/) is looking forward to meeting attendees and to participating in the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2012 Conference, Indians, Squatters, Settlers and Soldiers in the “Old Southwest.” As a long standing resource for family historians and genealogists, NGS continues its commitment to excellence in publications, educational offerings, and research guidance, providing opportunities for everyone from the beginner to the most advanced family historian.

Stop by the NGS booth (319/418) and learn how we can help enhance your journey through your family’s history. There you can purchase one of our Research in the States publications, pick up our newest course—Genetic Genealogy, the Basics—or chat with NGS education director Patricia Walls Stamm, CG, CGL, about one of the other NGS educational opportunities. There will also be a number of raffle prizes. So don’t forget to come by the booth and see what NGS has for you.

On Saturday at 11:00 a.m. in the demo area, Jordan Jones, a member of the NGS Board of Directors, and Pat Stamm will discuss The Next Generation of Learning from Home. Put it on your calendar and be among the first to learn about a new educational system coming from the National Genealogical Society.

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copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.

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Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

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Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

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A misty shot of the world to come: 'First ever photo' featuring French field and dating from 1826

Image as accompanied original article

I am a very visual person and I incorporate images into all the research that I do.  I am definitely a believer that “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Images help me give me a sense of the past.  And so this news item just fascinated me!

What is believed to be the world's first ever photograph is set to go on display in Germany.

The snap called View From The Window At Le Gras dates back to 1826.

It was created by photographic pioneer Nicéphore Niépce at his Le Gras country estate in Saint-Loup-de-Varennes, France.

Read the full article:

Thanks to Dick Eastman for posting about this.

What is the earliest photograph in your families’ possession?  Unfortunately, though I may have a love of photographs, the earliest in my possession are from the early 1900s.

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copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.

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Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

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Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

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Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com