DIARY UPDATE

Morgan Andrew's Diary

Since I first posted about the Civil War Diary of Morgan Andrews on December 5th, I have continued transcribing it, and within its pages additional information came to light about Morgan's death.

Morgan Andrew's Civil War Diary

In my previous posting I quoted what I thought were the last entries in the diary that were dated July 6-8 1862, in which Morgan very matter-of-factly says that he isn't feeling well for several days and then blank pages.  The image from the company roster said Morgan died on July 30 in Cumberland Maryland of disease.

Roster of the 84th Regiment, showing that Morgan died of disease.

However, several pages in, the diary continues in someone else's handwriting...

The first entry, under July 21 lists the names of the household where Morgan is being cared for: "Jacob Riser, Cumberland Maryland When (sic) Julia Riser Mary E Riser }Daughters"

July 21st Diary entry. It is not certain that this entry was made on the 21st.

At first, I thought one of the members of the Riser family had undertaken to update Morgan's diary.

But further down, this entry tells a different story:

Diary entry dated 23 July 1862.

It reads in part, "Got to Cumberland 9 P.M. Found M. deranged Continued so untill morning when partly rational   recognized us"...

Got to Cumberland? The Rizers lived in Cumberland they would not have arrived in Cumberland. This is someone else. Recognized us? Who would Morgan recognize?

His family! Someone in Morgan's family had traveled to Cumberland to assist in his recovery. The diary does not give many clues, but since it was had been handed down in his brother Fairman's family, it was most likely Fairman Andrews.

The entries continue for several days as Morgan's condition varied, sometimes giving hope and sometimes offering none, until the final entry:

Morgan died at 2 oclock this afternoon...

The disease that took Morgan's life is never named. It could have been any of a dozen diseases that took the majority of the casualties of the Civil War. Whichever disease it was, it was probably waterborne because in this entry from July 5th...

The July heat in the Washington D.C. area was taking a toll. The young soldiers did not drill and
took the opportunity to bathe in the Potomac River.

Morgan brags, "I swam across 6 times without touching (the bottom)"

Even before the Army camped on it's shore, the Potomac was a foul river as this quote from Wikipedia illustrates:
      "Beginning in the 19th century, with increasing mining and agriculture upstream and urban sewage and runoff downstream, the water quality of the Potomac River deteriorated... It is said that President Abraham Lincoln used to escape to the highlands on summer nights to escape the river's stench"

Particularly at the beginning of the Civil War the importance of proper sanitation measures was not understood. The soldiers would drink from the same water that was used for bathing and as a toilet. Tens of thousands of soldiers died from diseases like typhoid and dysentery as a result.

Morgan was one of them.

2019 Genealogy Goal - Organizing my files.

Here's an update on my 2019 goal of organizing my genealogy files. 2-4 hours each weekend have been dedicated to filing all the many, many papers that were piled in different areas of my house. I was convinced that I was going to conquer this mountain of paperwork. Until...

Sequestered "educational" papers.

I found several "hidden" piles of paperwork; in the bottom of a file drawer, shoved between two shelves and filed in with published histories.  UGH!  Most of the papers were from workshops and conferences that I had attended and covered topics of particular interest to my personal genealogy education. BUT, among those educational papers were family history documents and printouts.

But thanks to a minor snow storm and a quiet Saturday, all the papers have been evaluated, sorted and filed. Whew! That was some marathon session of organizing!

Now, on to my digital files!

MEET THE TEAM!!

It's Official!

The Medina Library has an official Genealogy Team!

While fireworks haven't gone off, Lisa and I have squealed like school girls at the prospect of being an official
library team.

For years, Lisa and I have been answering countless questions, educating scores of co-workers and assisting thousands of members with local history and genealogy questions. Just a part of our many other duties at the Medina Reference Desk. It has never been specifically part of our job description, and it still isn't.

Lisa Rienerth and I before one of the bi-annual Genealogy Lock-Ins.

And we have been happy (mostly) to do it. Because we love the research, the quest, the delving into the past and making people come alive again. We love seeing the look of wonder and discovery on people's faces when we connect them to their past. And yes, we have shed tears with a few...

Lauren Kuntzman, Manager of the Family History
and Learning Center

In February of 2018,  Lauren Kuntzman, the new Manager of the Family History and Learning Center (coming to the Medina Library in 2019) joined the Library staff. She has been busily processing the Virginia Wheeler Martin Collection that will make the Center possible. She has assimilated into the Library seamlessly, sharing information with Lisa and myself, seeking our input and meeting unofficially with us regularly this past year.

This past week, the Assistant Director, Julianne Bedel, approved Lauren's request that we become members of the Medina County District Library's first ever Genealogy Team!

The Genealogy Team
Kathy Petras, Lisa Rienerth, Lauren Kuntzman

Right now, it is just the three of us, but we will be looking for other Library staff members to join us in the near future.

So stop by the Medina County History Fair at the Medina Library this Saturday from 12-4 p.m. to say "Hello!" and "Congratulations!"

We will be the ones sporting HUGE smiles on our faces!

MEDINA COUNTY HISTORY FAIR

January 26th 12-4 p.m.

@ The Medina Library

Curious about Medina County History? Have questions? Want to learn more? Want to talk to other people who are as fascinated by Medina County's unique history, events and people?

COME TO THE HISTORY FAIR!

Genealogy Goals for 2019

Resolutions can be made at any time, but we tend to make them at the beginning of the year. Studies
have shown that by setting specific goals, we are  ten times more likely to succeed.*

My 2019 genealogy resolution, or maybe goal would be a better term, is to concentrate on organizing my genealogy files - paper and digital.

Most experts say not to worry about organizing past research, but to start with the present and go forward. But if I don't make this a priority, I may never do it. Plus it will help guide my future research.

Lisa will cover the specifics on how to organize your genealogy files next month in great detail so that is not what this post is about. She does a GREAT job in teaching this all important skill.

Generally, this is my plan of action:

1. Dedicate a  minimum of 2 hours per week on the project. Preferably, Friday or Saturday mornings, before the rest of the household awakens. It is important to schedule time for this task.
2. File all of my loose papers that are currently covering multiple surfaces in my home. My only consolation is that I don't have huge plastic tubs of files waiting to be organized. Seriously, an instructor at a genealogy conference a few years ago admitted that he had several large tubs waiting to be organized. His speaking topic - Organization!  

   

   There's more that isn't pictured!

                                                  Desk Clutter!!
   

   

   Shelf clutter.

   
   

   

   Unfortunately, this is only part of the clutter.
3. Organize my digital files. I have most of my digital files in folders, but these need to be cleaned up. I use a naming scheme that works for me which needs to be  applied to ALL my files. And picture files need to be reformatted from JPEG files into a format that isn't "lossy**", such as TIFF. I want to do this before tackling my paper files, so that any papers that I want to scan can go into the newly cleaned up digital folders. 

   

   Some files need to be renamed, some need to be reformatted and some new folders need to be created.

4. YES! I keep both digital and paper files. L.O.C.K.S.S. - Lots Of Copies Keep Stuff Safe. And  I back up my computer files regularly.
5. Tackle my paper file folders. Again, I have created a system that works for me, but it needs to applied to all the file folders.  

   

   At least my file folders are in filing
    cabinets. At least most of them are!

6. Tackle my binders (remember #4!) No one wants to look at file folders or even digital files, so I have created binders that family members can browse. And they need to be updated, and cleaned up, using better materials.
7. Rest on my laurels... HECK NO! Now it is time to get back to research. 
8. Who am I kidding? I will not stop researching during this project!

BTW, I spent 2 hours this past Saturday tackling some of the backlog of filing! WOOT! WOOT!

* Family Tree Magazine January/February 2019, page 6.

**Lossy Definition from Photokonnexion.com - *.jpg format is great for displaying the final image ...(it) contains only the data which it needs to show the image... result(s) in a smaller file that is easier and quicker for computers to use...and use small storage space... makes them good for use on the Internet... lost data is not retrievable ... Every time the file is re-edited/saved further data is lost... lost data compromises the file for archiving.

Getting Started

The first installment of family history research how-to's that will be posted once every month in 2019.

GETTING STARTED

1. Preliminary guidelines:

• Research from the known, you, in the present, and work your way backward into the past.
• NEVER start researching from a famous "relative" or story and try to make them fit into your family.
• You do have to know what you are looking for Or you will find anything that looks good, whether it is your family or not.
• Evaluate ALL your information. Is is it from a reputable source? What was the purpose in creating the information? 
• Don't rely 100% on the Internet! A lot of information on the Internet is WRONG, having been uploaded by misguided or inexperienced researchers. And eventually, you will find that some of the information you need is NOT on the Internet. People did genealogy for thousands of years before the Internet!
• Document where you find your information. You may need to retrace your steps. And you ALWAYS want to be able to tell others where you found the information.
• Learn how to spell genealogy G-E-N-E-A-L-O-G-Y 

2. Start with yourself - To get started in family history research, you need to start at the beginning, at YOU, and work backwards in time.

So many of us don't start here and chose instead to focus on a family story or a famous "relative". But a misstep early in your quest can derail you in unimaginable ways.

So, how do you start with you? You know everything there is to know about you, right?

Yes, you do. But can you DOCUMENT every fact about your life? Just like when you are applying for a driver's license or a passport or a car loan, you need to provide proof of the facts of your life.

So, go digging through those desk drawers and boxes stashed away in closets or the basement, and start documenting your life!

What kind of information should you be looking for? The same information that you want to collect on all your ancestors:

• Full name including women’s maiden names - found on birth and marriage records
• Date and place of birth - found on birth records
• Date and place of marriages & divorces - found on marriage records
• Date and place of death & burial - found on death records
• List of siblings and children

3. You can use these handy charts to start organizing the information you are gathering into one location.

An Ancestry Chart like this one lets you see multiple generations at a glance.

A family group sheet displays more detailed information on each individual.

Similar forms and many others are available on the Ancestry.com web site HERE.

GUIDELINES FOR FILLING OUT THE CHARTS:

• Use a pencil to fill in the information, so that it can be corrected, if needed.
• Last names are written in ALL CAPS. This makes them stand out and makes it easier to find the name you are looking for.
• Women are always listed under their maiden names.
• Dates are entered day/month/year (from the smallest unit, a day, to the largest unit, a year)
• Places are listed as city or township/county/state/country (again listed from smallest to largest unit)

4. But if that is all you have in your  history, it will be very boring. Use these additional sources to start filling in the gaps and make your family history come alive!

Adoption Records
Baby Announcements
Baby Books
Baptism Records
Birth Certificates
Citizenship Papers
Confirmation Record
Death Announcements
Death Certificates
Diaries & Journals
Diplomas
Discharge Papers
Divorce Papers
Employment Records
Family Bibles
Family Business Papers
Family Stories
Family Letters
Family Pictures
Funeral Guest Books
Graduation Records
Heirloom Jewelry

Immunization Records
Income Tax Forms
Insurance Records
Land Records
Marriage Records
Military Awards
Mother's Certificates
Naturalization Papers
Newspaper Clippings
Obituaries
Oral Histories
Photo Albums
Property Tax Receipt
Report Cards
Resumes
School Records
Scrapbooks
Social Security Cards
Wedding Albums
Wedding Guestbook
Wills & Estate Records
Yearbooks

Now you are ready to start gathering information on your extended family; spouses, children, parents, siblings and grandparents.

INTERVIEWING RELATIVES

5. Collect family stories and personal testimonies. These should be verified in other sources. Talk to all of your relatives, particularly the older ones, and collect family stories and information from them.
   a. Interview the oldest relatives as soon as possible. ALL of us have missed interviewing a relative because of dementia or early death. Who knows what information was lost.
   b. Be considerate of the person you are interviewing.If they get tired, reschedule. If they don't want to talk about a certain subject, move on to something else. Don't interrupt too often.
   c. Set up an appointment and be prepared. Have all the tools you will be using handy:
       1) Notebook, pencils and extra forms
       2) Camera & spare batteries
       3) Memorabilia to share and trigger memories
   d. Ask open ended questions to trigger more information. "What was your grandfather's name?", not, "Was your grandfather's name John Mason?"
   e. Thank your relative for helping you.
   f. Follow up by sharing new information with your interviewee.

Topics to ask about:

Full Name
Parents
Siblings
Childhood Home
Family Relations
Hobbies
Family Income
Seasons & Special Occasions
Religion
Birthdate & Place
Marriage

Children
Politics
Military
Friends
Schools
Games
Career
Hometown
Historic Events
Family Traditions
Sports

AND… Be sure to ask if anyone else has ever worked on the family history!

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS OF FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH

6. First of all, get acquainted with the help that is already available to you. Most major genealogy web sites have a how-to or wiki section. And the Medina County District Library has several useful aids to get you started:
   a. From our web site: Medina County District Library Genealogy- Getting Started 
   b. In our genealogy/local history area we have a very concise and useful kit:

Available in the local history genealogy area, the Kit contains basic
instructions, useful forms and lists of other sources.

      c. The Library also has a collection of very helpful books. These are recommended for beginners:

         1) Cite Your Sources and Evidence Explained - guides you in always documenting the source of your information. An essential step in any research project.
          2) Complete Idiots Guide to Genealogy - don't take the title personally! Like all the Idiot and Dummy  books they explain the process as if you are starting from scratch.
         3) Genealogy Online - so much research can be done online. Just not ALL of it!
         4) How to Do Everything with Your Genealogy - a highly readable but comprehensive guide to the search.
         5) International Vital Records Handbook - this 2018 edition lists where to find the essential records throughout the U.S. and most of the rest of the world.
         6). Unpuzzling Your Past - is a more compact coverage of the research process and includes many useful forms and examples.
     d. Take classes. Libraries, and local & state genealogical societies frequently offer classes for a skill levels of family history researchers.
        1) The Medina County District Library list their classes on the EVENTS tab on the web site.
        2) The Medina County Genealogical Society incorporates classes into their monthly meetings. To find out what is coming up, contact them at MCGS.
        3) The Ohio Genealogical Society is one of the largest state genealogy organizations. Their excellent conferences and classes can be viewed under EVENTS.
        4) The Akron Summit County Public Library offers great classes also. Their current listing can be found HERE.

NEXT MONTH, LISA WILL COVER ORGANIZING YOUR RESEARCH AND KEEPING IT ORGANIZED

Thank you Jay for making this post better!