UpFront with NGS: Manuscript Collection

Showing posts with label Manuscript Collection. Show all posts

18 November 2015

Did you know that the the Library of Congress has an Extensive Manuscript Collection?

The Library of Congress (LOC) never ceases to amaze me with the breadth of its collection. I frequently use these LOC collections -- Chronicling America and Maps. I occasionally dabble in other collections and somehow have managed to overlook the Manuscripts collection! Sacré Bleu.

The other week on FB there were a few posts pointing to finding aids for these two LOC manuscript collections -- Hillcrest Children's Center (Washington, D.C.) records, 1815-1966 and Aaron Ziegelman Foundation collection.

Of course that just whetted my appetite to know what else the LOC Manuscripts collection has.

You can search by keywords or browse by collection as well as by subject and other options.

As always, I started by searching on North Carolina and was surprised to find this genealogical collection (see entry below). The Contents list provides detailed information about what is included. You can also print out any located finding aids in various formats (e.g. PDF) which is the most useful format for me as the “Scope and Content Note” was very helpful.

If you are researching Northumberland & Henrico Counties VA this looks like it could be an excellent resource.

Walter Jones (1745-1815) ... because of Walter Jones’s association with the county court, his papers include several non-family legal documents, actions brought before the court, lists of fees due the clerks, and bills and receipts for legal services rendered by Jones that often cite specifies of the cases involved. These documents supplement the public records of the transactions of the Northumberland County Court ...

... a memorandum book of notes and drafts of legal documents pertaining to Thomas Jones’s service as justice of the peace of Henrico County between 1783 and 1794...

I next searched on Connecticut, my home state, and found these two interesting sounding collections ...

John Fisher papers, 1777-1802 -- Military supply agent and merchant. Correspondence, memoranda, accounts, purchase and delivery orders, receipts, requisitions, invoices, and other financial and mercantile records relating primarily to the distribution of food and supplies to the Continental Army in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

William Torrey papers, 1777-1904 -- Continental Army officer. Orderly books of the Second Massachusetts Regiment, 1777-1783, kept primarily by Torrey, including general, division, brigade, and regimental orders, a muster roll of the regiment, memorandum book containing returns, Continental Congress resolves, and miscellaneous material.

I then searched on South Carolina – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 and there were 14 finding aids found!

Some collections seem to also have been microfilmed. In that case, you may find that a local library may have a copy or be able to borrow one via interlibrary loan (ILL). I used Worldcat to search on “Edmund Ruffin diaries” + microfilm and I found that several nearby university libraries have microfilm copies from this collection. So, this gives me an option to see the contents of a collection held in DC just a few miles from my house.

If you haven’t checked out the LOC Manuscript collection, I really suggest that you do.

What is your favorite newly discovered LOC Manuscript collection? Do you have an all time favorite one that has greatly assisted your research?

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02 April 2014

Are you using manuscript collections for your genealogy research? If not, the gems you might be missing!!

Robin Foster recently wrote a neat post for the examiner.com, Records among manuscripts document the former owner and enslaved where she talks about ...

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.

Duke Search Finding Aids Digital Collection

NC State Search Finding Aids Digital Collection

UNC Search Finding Aids Digital Collection Digitized Southern Historical Collection (alphabetical list)

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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Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

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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