Manuscript collections
probably stand first in line among records least utilized in genealogical
research. Two reasons for this could be:
1.
Researchers do not know how to
access manuscript collections.
2.
Researchers do not understand the
types of records found in manuscript collections.
Though the
focus of her article was African American research, most of what she talks
about holds true for anyone’s research. All
of the types of records she has mentioned, I have found these in manuscript
collections. Additionally I have found
court records (loose, minutes and dockets), tax records and much more. There
are such hidden gems to be found in manuscript collections.
The really
nice part is that it’s getting easier and easier to access these collections in
terms of determining what records they include.
Many finding aids are being put online and increasingly, content from
collections is being digitized and made available. It used to be that you physically had to
visit these university libraries and access their old-fashioned card catalog to
even determine what collections they held.
Nowadays, I can determine online for many manuscript collections what
their holdings are and sometimes even access what I need directly. If I’m not able to personally visit a
particular manuscript collection, I have found that most will provide a
“researchers” list upon request or I use the Association of
Professional Genealogists (APG) directory to find someone local.
I have easy
access to several university libraries including NC State, Duke, and UNC (Chapel Hill). All
of these have excellent manuscript collections not just for NC records. I have accessed audio tapes, civil war
diaries, Texas
railroad records, the records for a British publishing house, church records,
plantation account books, doctor’s records, court records, Cherokee Indian
documents, etc.
Though it’s
always good to look and see if a manuscript collection for a particular
surname, don’t give up when you don’t find a match! Any records created in the county or
community or by a neighbor can be invaluable.
Not too long ago I wrote a piece, Alcohol
-- Legal and Illegal has a long history in the U.S. -- Did your ancestor's
imbibe? where I talk about the extant account books of a Burke County (NC)
businessman which tells all about the local citizenry and it’s purchases of
alcohol in the community. Talk about
getting a personal glimpse at your ancestors!
Additionally, I have acquired records from these collections that are currently being abstracted (or transcribed) for the Wake County Genealogical Society including church records, a diary, an African-American family’s private papers, a plantation book, and volumes created by a local physician and in the past we found loose court records, registers of a local business and other materials where many many names of the local citizenry can be found.
All of the
mentioned university collections have easy ways to search their finding aids
and determine what material has been digitized.
And,
manuscript collections aren’t limited to university and college libraries. State archives, religious archives,
historical properties, county history museums and many other facilities have
manuscript collections.
Check out
those where you live and also check out those where your ancestors lived. Recognize
that “where” a descendant ended up often becomes the “last home” for
collections which may not have any connection to that locale! So, knowing where the other descendants ended
up might provide access to invaluable records when you search those local
manuscript collections. After all, here
in NC I have researched Texas railroad records,
read letters received from relatives who lived outside of NC, examined
plantation records from Alabama
for a family with deep NC roots, etc.
What’s your favorite manuscript
collection?
Do you have a particular “type” of
record found in manuscript collections that you find invaluable?
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