Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Ethics in Genealogy

This past Saturday, at the Akron Main Library, Judy Russell presented an all day seminar on Ethics in Genealogy.

Floating Suns sculpture by Don Drumm studios outside the auditorium
at the Main Branch of Akron Summit County Public Library.
Photo provided courtesy of the State Library of Ohio.
https://library.ohio.gov/visit/akron-summit-county-public-library/



Ethics in genealogy is a almost unknown topic in the field, and it was reflected in the attendance numbers. Judy Russell is a nationally-known and top rated speaker in genealogy circles. Any time she speaks, all the seats are always filled.  Of the 400 available seats on Saturday, only 100 were filled. Weren't people interested?



Or perhaps, they just didn't understand exactly what ethics has to do with genealogy...


While I cannot and will not cover everything Judy talked about - besides trying to recreate 4 hours of lecture, it would by a copyright violation - I will share some of what I learned and some resolutions going forward.

Ethics in genealogy is the invisible underpinning that should be the bedrock of everything we do in genealogy and family history research.


First and foremost - DO NO HARM!*

Photo "Primum Non Nocere" provided courtesy of Wiki Commons.



All of the major professional genealogy groups have versions of their Code of Ethics, but it all boils down to the statement above.





If you need more detail, Judy Russell relates it to the rules we are learn in kindergarten:
  • Tell the truth - be honest
  • Play nice with others - courtesy
  • Don't tell tales out of school - respect confidentiality
These rules take many forms, but I will address the ones that I have personally struggled with:

Photo by geralt on pixabay (CC0)


Confidentiality - don't share the story if it isn't your story to tell. This is a hard one for most genealogists. We love to tell the stories. Especially the juicy ones. We love sharing our new discoveries. I have been guilty of violating this:
  • The marriage that took place years after the couple lived together and had children. While relating the story to one of my cousins, the adult child of the couple overheard. They had no idea that their parents weren't married at the time of their birth.
  • The first marriage of my great uncle. I told his adult child, who was from his second marriage,  who had only known their father as a young child, as he died young. I didn't hear from them for months.
Not only is the story not mine to tell. I didn't take into consideration the feelings of the living people who were effected by the information. While the information is true and factual, once it is divulged, you cannot control who learns about it and how it impacts them. 

Photo "Franklin-Benjamin" provided courtesy of
Wiki Commons.




Honesty - Sometimes, the truth destroys the family story, or can be uncomfortable in other ways, such as when we learn of ancestors who held slaves or committed other despicable acts. Sometimes, we have the uncomfortable job is setting the story straight. Our family oral history had several traditions that my research demolished.






  •  No, our 3 x great grandmother was not 3/4 Cherokee, despite the high cheekbones and dark complexion. The paper trail didn't prove it and now, extensive DNA testing of my siblings and various cousins proves there was NO Native American DNA passed down to any of us. DEMOLISHED family legend. At least our family story didn't say she was a "Cherokee Princess"...
  • Another great grandmother was supposed to be "Indian" based on her unusual surname, which proved to be Dutch, and the fact that dogs didn't like her. Her family line has been traced back to the state of Delaware in the 1700's. Family story DESTROYED!
  • My 2x great grandfather was NOT a nice man. He was married twice and had nearly 20 children with his two wives. But by one descendant's count he had over 40 children, 20 of them illegitimate. Not something to be proud of, but which definitely needs to be documented.
Photo provided from Max Pixel(CC0)


Courtesy - or "play nice with others". Judy gave examples of people taking "their" family information from public institutions, when clearly they need to be available to everyone. THAT I have never done. And it is also showing common courtesy to the clerks and volunteers that assist us in our ongoing quest. But I have my own examples of not playing nice with others:
  • I can be VERY impatient with people who are very new to family history research and who really don't know what they are doing. They don't want to put the work in to learn the process of researching and want it all to be laid out for them. Sometimes, genealogy is HARD. But that doesn't mean that I should dismiss their questions and assertions. I need to find a kinder and gentler way of steering them in the right direction. Luckily, I work with a great bunch of people who set a very good example for me.
  • Giving credit where credit is due. Whether it is citing my sources or making notations of who told me which family story, I can be a sloppy researcher. Even when I do cite my sources, as I try to for every blog, I can get sloppy about citation format and layout.  Another example of this is when I use photos from FindaGrave.com. I cite the source, but do not credit the photographer. I will try to do better in the future.
  • Respecting copyrights. I have a very basic understanding of copyright law. But I have often "looked the other way" believing  much of my use of copyrighted material would fall under "fair use". Or that it would only be a problem if someone objected to my use of their material and for that they would have to have stumbled upon my work. I can do better than that.
Photo by Tumisu on pixabay (CC0)


DNA testing. I have "urged" my siblings to have their DNA tested and most of them have agreed. When DNA testing first became available to the average consumer, I assured my siblings that their information could never be used against them without a court order. All of that has changed in the last 18 months. Because of the use of third party web sites, like GedMatch, law enforcement has been able to use peoples' DNA results, that were submitted for genealogical purposes, to track down violent criminals. Without the use of subpoenas. While I believe that to be generally for the public good, it is a substantial change in policy from what I understood and what I communicated to my siblings. Basically, when they gave their consent and their DNA, it wasn't informed consent. I need to go to each of my siblings and inform them of this change and give them the option to withdraw their DNA samples and findings. And also to admit that I cannot say with certainty how their DNA might be used in the future. Besides impacting my siblings in ways we could not have anticipated, it could impact anyone genetically related to us.

So remember:

  • Play nicely with others.
  • Be honest. But never do, say or write something that will in any way hurt a living person.
  • Tell only the stories that are yours to tell.


*While the ancient Greek Hippocrates did not actually say "Do no harm" in his famous Hippocratic Oath, which some doctors are still asked to abide by upon graduation, he did say it in his work Of the Epidemics.

SOURCES:
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Thursday, August 15, 2019

MEDINA'S RADIO STATION

WDBN - A Station of Firsts! 

Image result for antique radios 1960s

17 October 1960, Medina's own WDBN quietly debuted at 94.9 FM. There was no ribbon cutting ceremony. No fan fare. No headlines in the Medina Gazette. It was 1960 and FM radio stations were the "sad sisters" of AM radio.

This ad that appeared in the 15 Dec 1960 edition of the Orrville Courier
Crescent  was the earliest mention I could find about the station.


In a year when songs like "Cathy's Clown" by the Everly Brothers and "The Twist" by Chubby Checkers and "It Was an Its Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" were on the top of the charts, WDBN was playing "beautiful music" - instrumental recordings of Montovani and Broadway tunes. No vocals.

Their target audience was adults. Music would last for 15 minutes and then there would be 2 minutes of commercials. 24 hours a day. Much of the programming was automated with staff only broadcasting the news.

But Ted Niarhos and his fellow investors must have had a crystal ball, because FM radio was just coming in to its own. Slowly, talk radio and news programs became the province of AM radio and music went to FM.

With a 188,000 watt transmitter, the station was the most powerful FM station in Ohio (or even east of the Mississippi). Providing a 50 mile radius listening area, people from all over north east Ohio could listen in. Later, the FCC would set wattage limits on FM stations, but WDBN was grandfathered in.

In 1961, the station provided the first stereophonic broadcast service in Ohio.

But it was early years yet for FM radio, and the station struggled financially. Especially after a fierce wind storm in February of 1967 blew down their tower and the insurance wouldn't cover the replacement costs. Once saved by advertisers & citizens of Medina County.

Medina Gazette 16 Feb 1967 p. 1. After a wind storm in February
 1967, the station transmitted on half power for six weeks
while a new 236,000 watt transmitter was installed.
After replacing the antenna, the station had better reception than ever, especially in the Cleveland area.

By 1966, Ted Niarhos bragged to BillBoard Magazine that the station had enough listeners to compete with AM stations for advertising dollars and it was #1 in their market, ahead of 20 AM stations.

Early in 1968, the FCC approved the sale of WDBN-FM to Robert Miller and his associated investors. The price? $1 million dollars! This was the highest price ever paid for a FM station at this time.

Because of a conflict of interest, Miller was also a part owner of WERE in Cleveland, Bob had to resign as officer of the Cleveland Broadcasting Inc and put his stock in that company into a irrevocable trust. The Miller family owned 34% of the Cleveland Broadcasting and Bob owned 46.57% of WDBN's stock, giving the Millers the controlling interest.

Miller was already known in broadcasting circles because of his involvement with WERE. He was the son of former Cleveland Mayor, Ray Miller and had interviewed Presidents Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy.

Meanwhile, Ted Niarhos moved to Florida and bought another radio station, but harbored fond memories of Medina. He still lives there.


Plain Dealer 12 May 1968 p. 168. Bragging: "#1 station in Medina, River Styx (where studio & transmitter are), Remson Corners & Barberton, Penninsula, Hudson. #2 with Akron adults. “Darn near tops in Cleveland”


WDBN acquired a number of nicknames during this period, among them, "The Miracle in Medina" and "The Quiet Island." While WDBN never stood for anything in particular, Bob Miller coined the term "Wonderful Days, Beautiful Nights" to describe the listening experience.

Plain Dealer 7 Nov 1973 p. 15



Plain Dealer 9 June 1971 p. 82
In 1971, the station was the first in Ohio to schedule broadcasts in four-channel stereo.

In  order to alleviate "holes" in their broadcast area caused by the hills and valleys of northern Medina and Summit counties, WDBN  revamped the transmission system in 1973. Previously, they had two 15,000 watt transmitters, one in River Styx and one in Guilford Township on Tower Road. These were replaced by three 25,000 watt transmitters and an improved antenna system that gave the station "America's most powerful transmitting system".

In 1975, the station attained a waiver from the FCC that allowed them to move their station offices from the transmitters at Tower Road in Guilford Township to Gateway Drive in Montville Township.

The station remodeled the studios in 1981 to provide cleaner brighter sounds.

Pam Miller, who was Program Director at the time of the 1981 remodel.
Medina Gazette 25 Nov 1981 p. 11.



Battle of Antennas

In 1982, the FCC approved WDBNs request to increase height of antenna from 300 to 700 feet & move it to Paradise Road in Montville Township. What seemed like a simple request at the time became much more complicated:
  • Believing the radio station is a public utility, Miller did not seek zoning permit from the township.
  • Montville Township officials sought an injunction as they opposed the move and did not believe that a radio station was a public utility. 
  • FCC said it was not clear if township officials have zoning authority over broadcast towers. 
  • Medina County Common Pleas Court Judge Neil Whitfield said WDBN could be considered a public utility and would not have to seek zoning permission from the township.
  • Montville Township Trustees appealed. 
  • The Appeals court sent the issue back to Medina County Common Pleas Court.
  • The Case went back to Appeals court & they ruled WDBN was not a public utility.
  • In 1984, WDBN said it will take its case to OH Supreme Court but later dismissed the case.
Picture of this promotional button provided courtesy of Max Grubb, who was the Account Executive  in the 1970's and 80's.

Meanwhile, also in 1982, the NAACP filed a discriminatory hiring case against WDBN and four other radio stations because no minorities worked at the stations. The group maintained that the stations' licenses should not be renewed. The NAACP said that hiring at the station should reflect the  employment pool represented by standard metro area of the broadcast area, which for WDBN included Cleveland and Akron, both of which had significant black populations.  The NAACP representative admitted that no one from their group had ever examined the company's employment records.

The Millers believed that the case was prompted by the publicity surrounding their zoning issues and their request for their license renewal. WDBN had had black employees in the past and had made efforts to employ black people. Over the years, they had offered jobs to several African Americans who had turned down the employment opportunities. The Millers blamed the station's rural location.

The American Legal Foundation, a conservative public-interest law group that fought inaccuracies in the media, came out in support of WDBN.

It was found that the NAACP case was misguided and contained no substance. WDBN's license was renewed unconditionally. The station made some adjustments to their hiring practices, like reaching out to Reverend Burton of the Medina Second Baptist Church,  to further encourage minority employment.

Photo of promotional mug provided courtesy of Max Grubb.

Because of the popularity of the station and in FM radio in general the station was experiencing windfall profits. With those profits, the Millers decided to broaden their market in 1985 by buying other radio stations. They bought WKSW-RM in Urbana in November and had plans on acquiring more Ohio Stations.

By 1985, WDBN boasted 250,000 listeners per week.

Deregulation of the industry in the 1980's made it much easier to buy and sell radio stations. The Millers received a great offer and sold WDBN in 1988 for 4.5 million to Thom Mandel.

The station changed to “adult Contemporary” format and became Mix 94.9  and the call sign changed to WQMX. The station moved east into Summit County.

WQMX switched to country format on Dec. 6, 1993 - “Akron’s Own Country”

SOME OF WDBN-FM'S FIRSTS:
  1. Pioneer FM stereo station – first in Cleveland Metro area & Ohio in 1961
  2. 1961 first stereophonic broadcast service in Ohio.
  3. Bought for $1,000,000 in 1968, highest price ever paid for a FM station at that time
  4. 1971 first in Ohio to schedule broadcasts in four-channel stereo.
  5. 1973 "America's most powerful transmitting system".


    SOURCES:
    • Brewer, Mary Jane, “Public Servant Pamela Miller Gets the Job Done: Medina Local Legends” Cleveland.com, 20 Feb 2018, accessed: https://www.cleveland.com/medina/2018/02/local_legend_pamela_miller_ded.html
    • “MILLER, Raymond Thomas” from Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, Case Western Reserve University, accessed: https://case.edu/ech/articles/m/miller-raymond-thomas
    • "Robert McBride Miller" Akron Beacon Journal, 27 Aug, 2006 accessed on: www.legacy.com
    • "The Dividends of Automation" Broadcasting, 31 July 1967 accessed: https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1967/1967-07-31-BC.pdf 
    • Brack, Ray "FM Broadcasters Pain Bright Future" in BillBoard, 9 Apr 1966, page 30 accessed at: https://bit.ly/2Z1oEa0 
    • "$1-Million FM Sale Sets New High" Broadcasting, 15 Apr 1968, p. 46, accessed: https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1968/1968-04-15-BC.pdf
    • "VOX JOX" BillBoard, 18 Dec. 1965, p. 49, accessed: https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1968/1968-04-15-BC.pdf
    • "WDBN-FM", Cleveland Broadcast Radio Archives, accessed:  http://www.cleve-radio.com/index2.htm#WDBN-FM
    • "WQMX" WikiWand, accessed https://www.wikiwand.com/en/WQMX
    • "WQMX" Wikipedia, accessed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WQMX
    • "Top 100 Songs of 1960", Bob Borst's Home of Pop Culture, accessed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WQMX
    • Grubb, Max, interview with Kathy Petras via phone, 7 Aug. 2019. 
    • Miller, Pamela, phone conversation with Kathy Petras, 13 Aug. 2019.
    • "Bennet's Furniture advertisement" Orrville Courier Crescent, 15 Dec 1960, p. 14, accessed from NewspaperArchive.com. 
    • Medina County Gazette
      • "County Suffers Extensive Wind Damage", 16 Feb., 1967, page 1.
      • "Salmagundi" (editorial", 10 Jan. 1968, p. 2.
      • "Purchase of WDBM Approved by FCC", 12 April 1968, pp. 1 & 3.
      • "The Miracle of Medina WDBN", 26 March 1969, p. 3.
      • "WDBN At Half Power For Week", 15 Aug., 1970, p. 2.
      • "WDBN To Finalize Change of Location", 29 March 1975,p. 12.
      • "Anniversary WDBN Celebrates No. 18", 18 Oct. 1978, p. 25.
      • Long, Pam, "WDBN Upgrades Sound", 25 Nov., 1981 p. 11.
      • Long, Pam, "Court Battle in Making? WDBN Tower Approval Signals Fight", 22 Sep. 1982, p. 1 & 7.
      • Nofel, Pete, "NAACP Files Against WDBN", 29 Sep. 1982, p. 1.
      • Nofel, Pete, "Foundation Lends Support to WDBN" 9 Oct. 1982, p. 3.
      • Long, Pam, "WDBN Can Build Tower", 31 Dec 1982, p. 1 & 18.
      • "Montville Appeals WDBN Court Ruling", 11 Mar., 1983, p. 1'
      • Bailey, Steve, "Appeals Court: WDBN is Not a Public Utility", 2 Sep 1983, p. 1.
      • Bailey, Steve, "Montville, WDBN Fight On", 30 Nov. 1983, p. 3.
      • Bailey, Steve, "Appeals Court Nixes WDBN's Tower", 20 July 1984, p. 3.
      • Bailey, Steve, "Public Status WDBN to Seek Higher Ruling on Utility Claim", 26 July 1984, p. 1.
      • Bailey, Steve, "WDBN Drops Court Appeal", 26 Sep. 1984, p. 1.
      • Webb, Dennis, "WDBN Looking At New Markets", 12 Nov. 1985, p. A-1.
    • Plain Dealer
      • "Pendulum", 11 April 1967, p. 41.
      • "The Miracle in Medina", 12 May 1968, p. 168.
      • "WDBN, Medina's FM Voice", 9 Jun 1970, p. 80.
      • WDBN Advertisement", 9 June 1971, p. 82.
      • "The Struggling Years at WDBN Have Finally Paid Good Dividends", 22 May 1970.
      • "Medina's WDBN-FM Now Is Beaming More 'Structured" Adult Music", 16 Apr. 1972, p. 21-E.
      • Hart, Raymond, "WDBN To Improve Signal Next Week", 28 Mar. 1973, p. 39.
      • "WDBN-FM Stereo" advertisement, 7 Nov. 1973,p. 15.

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    Wednesday, August 7, 2019

    Using Newspapers in Your Genealogy Research









    Newspapers can be a gold mine of information about your ancestors!

    The earliest US newspapers focused on national news and politics. Starting in the mid 1800's the focus shifted to more local news reporting, but it wasn't until the 20th century that objective non-biased reporting appeared.

    So what can you learn about your family in the newspaper?  A LOT!

    Newspapers were the social media of their day and they covered everything. Here is a partial list of the types of information that can be found in newspapers:

    From the Cleveland Plain
    Dealer,      6 Nov, 1929, p. 7.
    Clara Tagg Brewer
    My first cousin 3 X removed.




    • Details about life's major events, such as the wedding announcement that describes the bride's gown and menu in great detail.
    • Can provide a woman's maiden, or previous married names.
    • Military Service
    • Scholastic achievements
    • Photos - see photo of my 1st cousin 3 X removed at right
    • Gossip, personal notices, and social columns. Who had Thanksgiving at your great grandparents house?
    • Business ads - Did you ancestor have a business? Did they advertise? 
    Portage Sentinel, 24 Feb., 1847 page 4.
    Ad for the painting business of my 3X great uncle,
    William TAGG.

    • Unclaimed mail - in the earlier papers this could serve as an indicator of just how early your ancestor moved into an area.
    • Help distinguish people of the same name. (Three Thomas BARRYs lived in the same rural Ohio county.)
    • Family reunions, with lists of all those who attended from out-of-town.
    • Legal occurrences, property transfers, estate records, arrests & convictions, and civil suits.
    • Give clues to your ancestor's personality for richer, more fleshed out portrayals of their lives. My one ancestor was described as a jovial storyteller. 
    Jackson Standard 29 Sep 1887, p. 2, article describing
    a reunion of Civil War army veterans in Jackson, OH.
    My 3 X great grandfather was a member of the
    91st Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Found on the
    Chronicling America web site.

    • Provide a social & historical context for the community your ancestors lived in. Did the bars outnumber the churches (as I have seen in some villages.)? 
    Cleveland Plain Dealer, 7 Feb 1911 page 14,
    dramatic heading for the obituary for my
    3 X great grandfather, Rev. J.H. TAGG.

    • Newspapers can serve people of different religious, ethnic, racial or political groups:
      • A German newspaper was the first foreign language newspaper in the US and that nationality dominated the field until about 1900.
      • After 1900, Eastern European immigrants from Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia predominated.
      • Foreign language newspapers helped immigrants stay connected to the old country while helping them integrate into their new  homeland.
      • Gradually, foreign language newspapers lost their influence and today, only a few survive. 
      • Shipping News tracks the travels across the oceans of our ancestors and their ships.
    "Value of a dog" Niles Weekly Register, 1 Oct. 1836, No.5 Vol. 1.
    This snippet from a shipping newspaper recounts an incident on
    the trip that brought my 4 X great grandparents, James and Rebecca
    TAGG and family to America. If the dog hadn't alerted the crew,
    would I even be here?
    SEARCHING GUIDELINES:
    • Newspapers sometimes are biased and can be untrustworthy.
    • Newspapers often used initials or abbreviations instead of printing the full name. Remember to search using initials also!
    • Prior to 1980's women are more likely to be listed under their husband's name.
    • Small weekly newspapers can have more detail than a large daily paper. 
    • Don't limit your search to just one newspaper. Newspapers often picked up stories and obituaries in former hometowns and in places where other family members lived. 
    • If your family lived in a small town, look for a larger nearby city newspaper which might have included local news. 
    • Don't limit your search to your direct ancestors. Search for the names of siblings, cousins, in-laws, and other family members who lived in the same area.
    • Except for the New York Times, newspapers do not index themselves and rely on libraries and historical societies to do the indexing.
    IDENTIFYING WHAT NEWSPAPERS ARE AVAILABLE:
    The quickest way to discover what newspapers are published currently is to google "location name newspapers". But what if you want to know what newspapers were published in Litchfield, Connecticut in 1770?  Consult these directories of published newspapers:
    Some of these directories also describe where copies of the newspaper can be found.

    Newspapers can also be found in local, regional, state, & college libraries or  historical societies, archives and repositories.

    The Ohio History Connection has an extensive collection of Ohio newspapers that can be ordered though your local library for a fee. For other states, check for newspaper holdings at WorldCat.org.

    HOW DO YOU ACCESS NEWSPAPERS?
    There are only three choices for accessing newspapers:
    • Paper copies - this is usually only an option for recent newspapers. Newsprint degrades quickly and takes a lot of room for storage. And they are flammable. Paper copies are usually only available at the newspaper office and at local libraries. Very limited or non-existent indexing.
    • Microfilm copies - Starting in the mid-20th century, microfilming became the preferred method for preserving newspapers. Theoretically, under optimal conditions,  microfilm can survive for hundreds of years. It can be very tedious to wind though miles of film. Nearby libraries, archives, state libraries, historical societies and colleges are the most likely repositories of newspaper microfilm. Very limited or non-existent indexing. Who owns the microfilm can be searched on Worldcat.org/
    • Digitized copies - only a small percentage of newspapers have been digitized. It is an expensive and labor intensive project. Most digitization projects use the microfilm copies of the paper. The number of digitized papers keeps growing. 
      • Most use OCR character recognition for indexing.Problems can occur with OCR indexing. The OCR software has trouble interpreting the sometimes small or smudged newsprint from the original paper.
    NEWSPAPER DATABASES:
    • Ancestry.com $$ or Ancestry Library Edition (ALE) 
      • Access though subscription or from inside a public library 
      • Limited publication coverage 
      • Easy to search, view and print 
      • ALE is available within all of the branches of Medina County District Library - www.mcdl.info 
    Screen shot from Ancestry LE that indicates they have 159 "Newspapers & Publications" in their holdings.

    • British Newspaper Archive - www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk from FindMyPast.com
    • Chronicling America -http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ 
      • Has a directory of all US newspapers that includes listing (incomplete) where to find copies of the paper – does not include MCDL or Ohio History Connection 
      • Provides access to information about historic newspapers & select digitized newspaper pages 
      • Represents less than 2% of US newspapers 
      • Easy to save and print 
    Launching page for the directory portion of the Chronicling America site.

    • FindMyPast $$ or ££ https://www.findmypast.com/
    • Genealogy Bank - $$ - https://www.genealogybank.com/explore/newspapers/all
      • They claim that 95% of their newspapers are exclusive to GenealogyBank (doubtful)
      • Can browse by location to see if they  have the paper you are looking for. 
      • 14 day free trial
      • Parent company is Newsbank. Includes papers covered by
        Chronicling America and Newspaper Archives
    • Google News Archive - https://news.google.com/newspapers - a discontinued project by Google to digitize the world's newspapers. Although they are no longer adding new content, the old content is there.
    • Newspapers.com $$ 
      • From Ancestry.com 
      • 5,800+ newspaper titles 
      • 336+ million pages 
      • Coverage from 1700s to 2000s 
      • Different subscription levels 
    • Newspaper Archives 
      • Subscription Database 
      • Some libraries subscribe - Akron Summit County Public Library
      • Does the smaller, local papers 
      • Map guide to which newspapers digitized 
      • Easy to search, save and print 
      • Search Limiters: 
        • Date - Exact, Range of dates, Between two years 
        • Location - Country, State, City 
        • Name of Publication 
    Newspaper Archive is available from many libraries, including the Akron Summit County Public Library.
    It has digitized many smaller town newspapers. Clipping, printing and saving the articles is possible




















    AFRICAN AMERICAN NEWSPAPER RESEARCH - here are some unique sources for African American Genealogy:
    • Finding and Using African American Newspapers by Timothy Pinnick 
    • Runaway slave advertisements  
    • Reunion with lost family post-Civil War generally 1865-1885  
    • Freedom on the Move www.freedomonthemove.org - ads for runaway slaves 
    • Last Seen: Finding Family after Slavery http://informationwanted.org/about digitization of the Christian Recorder about trying to find lost family 
    • Chronicling America has 20+ African American Newspapers 
    • African American/Black columns in large newspapers, such as: 
      • Pittsburgh Courier 
      • Chicago Defender 
      • The Freeman 
      • Norfolk Journal and Guide 
      • Cleveland Gazette
      • Call and Post

    NEWSPAPER DATABASES FROM LOCAL LIBRARIES

    MEDINA COUNTY DISTRICT LIBRARY
    • Newsbank, providing access to:
      • Cleveland Plain Dealer 1991-present 
      • The (Toledo) Blade Oct 1996-Present (4 week lag)
      • The Cincinnati Post 1990-2007 
      • The Columbus Dispatch 1882-2019 
      • Dayton Daily News 1889-2019
    CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY - for holders of CPL Library cards ONLY (can’t have MCDL & CCPL Cards):
    • Akron Beacon Journal 1997-2016 (not death notices)
    • Call and Post (African American) 1934-1991
    • Cleveland News Index
    • Ethnic Watch 200 ethnic newspapers 1985-present
    • New York Times Historical 1851-2013
    • Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers
    • Plain Dealer 1991- present
    • Plain Dealer Historical 1845-1991
    • The Times (London) 1785-2010
    • USA Today 2002-present
    • Wall Street Journal 1984-present
    CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY- for holders of CCPL library cards (Can have MCDL & CCPL cards at same time)       
    • America’s Obituaries & Death Notices 1800s-present
    • Cleveland Jewish News
    • Cleveland Jewish News Archive 1964-present
    • Cleveland Call & Post 1934-1991
    • Newspaper Source - (see above)
    • New York Times Historical 1851-2014
    • Plain Dealer 1991-present
    • Plain Dealer Historical 1845-1991
    • Press Reader - Newspapers from all over the world
    AKRON SUMMIT COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
    • Akron Beacon Jounral 1984- present
    • akron Reporter - for Akron's African American Communitye, 1969-1999, 2003-2017
    • New York Times - access from within the library 
    • NewspaperArchive
    • Newspaper Source - 25 national & international newspapers
    • Regional Business News - 75 regional, metropolitan and rural business newspapers
    • Wall Street Journal - 2008 to present
    LIBRARY SUBSCRIPTIONS - Not available locally:
    • Proquest Historical Newspapers- seen at academic and a few public libraries
    • READEX- Provider of subsets like “Early American Newspapers”
    • Gale - Nineteenth Century Newspapers, etc
    • Ebscohost - provider of current newspaper articles
    SOURCES:
    • Biedler, James, Family Tree Historical Newspapers Guide, 2018.
    • Greenwood, Val D., Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, 2017 pp. 273-276. 
    • Kahn, Miriam, PhD, "Newspapers: Easy Ways to Find and Use Current & Historical Content", webinar for OHIONET presented February 18, 2016. webinar on newspapers from 2016 
    • Morgan, George G., How to Do Everything Genealogy, 2015, pp. 44-46.
    WEBSITES:

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    Wednesday, July 31, 2019

    Return to Spring Grove

    The Friends of the Cemetery host a tour of Spring Grove Cemetery every year. This year it will be this Saturday on August 3rd at 1 p.m. and is FREE!



    Highlighted people include:
    • Sophia Huntington Parker: Her estate provided the funding for the Sophia Huntington Parker home for women. Of course her home is a hot topic of discussion currently in Medina.
    • R.M. and Elizabeth McDowell and their daughter Bessie: Prominent members of Medina community. Their home has been in the news as the Medina County Historical Society is raising funds to buy it.
    • Florence Phillips: Daughter of F.O. Phillips. Well known and loved history teacher.
    • James Collins: died tragically due to suicide in Spring Grove Cemetery.
    • Earl Foote, Sr.: was a local housing developer
    And this year, the tour will include the Mausoleum:

    The 1920's Mausoleum is seldom open to the public and was restored in 2013.
    Mausoleum highlights:
    • Cornell W. Starr and his wife Sally He was a deputy sheriff and she was a teacher in the Medina Schools.
    • And other familiar names: Branch, Spieth, and Foskett.
    Join Teresa Merkle and the other Friends of the Cemetery at 1 p.m. for a pleasant and informative stroll around this Medina Landmark.

    Meet up at the Chapel.

    Tour will be over at 2:30 P.M.
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    Wednesday, July 17, 2019

    Mid-Year Review of 2019 Genealogy Goals



    My Genealogy Goals for 2019  are to organize my genealogy files, digital and paper.

    Several weeks ago Lauren asked me about the progress on my resolution and I thought it would be useful  to review how the Goals are coming along.

    It keeps me accountable to accomplishing my goals and lets you know how we all struggle with our genealogy research.

    First a quick review. I broke up the process into six steps:
    1. Dedicate a  minimum of 2 hours per week on the project. 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.  
    3. Organize my digital files.
      • Assign naming scheme to ALL my files. 
      • Convert JPEG files into a format that isn't "lossy", such as TIFF. 
      • Do this before tackling my paper file folders, so that any papers that I want to scan can go into the newly cleaned up digital folders.  
      1. Keep both digital and paper files. L.O.C.K.S.S. - Lots Of Copies Keep Stuff Safe.  I back up my computer files regularly.
      2. 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.  
      3. Clean up my binders (remember #4!) 
        • Binders that family members can browse. 
        • Updated, and cleaned up
        • Using archival materials.
        So how are my Genealogy Goals coming along?
        1. Dedicate 2 hours per week on the project. I will admit that I don't always get in 2 hours every week. But then there are weeks that I work 4-10 hours on the project, so it evens out. I have gotten distracted several times. A first cousin once removed contacted me about our DNA connection. Since we had lost contact with that branch of the JOHNSON family, I couldn't let that sit. I now have filled in that branch considerably. Several "cousins" were very active on a Facebook page dedicated to the home county. We were comparing notes on what we knew about the many, many, many offspring of our common Great Great Grandfather.
        2. The loose papers are filed. And while it seems that I am constantly generating more and more paperwork, I am keeping up with it.
        3. Organize my digital files. Oy vey! First, know that I only meant the digital files that comprise my FAMILY HISTORY Research. Not all my photo files from the 90's onward taken with various digital camera devices. But still, I should have evaluated just how many files that encompasses.  Several months into the project, I did an inventory and this is what I discovered: 
        Screen shot of my Family History folder on my computer. Each
        surname has a folder. Folder names that are all in capital letters
        have been "cleaned up."





          1. I had over 10,000 files in 30 main folders and 344 subfolders. 
          2. The smallest folder, the COCKERELL surname, had only 1 file in it. 
          3. My largest folder, the JOHNSON surname, contains 78 subfolders and 3,018 files.
          4. Another inventory shows that only 1,403 files have been "cleaned up", or only 14%.

        WHEW!

        The project suddenly seemed really overwhelming.

        Okay, knowing this, maybe it isn't reasonable to get this all done in one year.

        But that doesn't mean that I have to give up on my goals.

        I will just keep plugging away at it and if I don't get everything done by the end of the year, I won't beat myself up about it.

        But I won't stop working on it either...

        Since I started this blog last week, I have finished 3 of the 78 sub-folders in the JOHNSON folder...

        How are you doing with your 2019 genealogy goals?












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          Wednesday, July 10, 2019

          Rutherford B. Hayes OHIO OBITUARY INDEX

          Several weeks ago, the MCDL Genealogy Team took a trip to the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum for training on the Ohio Obituary Index. I blogged about it HERE.


          In the blog, I promised that in a future blog to provide some hints on how to get the best results when searching the index.

          TA-DA! This is that blog!

          Basic information;
          • This is an INDEX and as such does not give you all the information that the original death notice would. It just points to where to find a copy of the original.
          • The spelling in the index is as the name as it appears in the newspaper. If the newspaper got it wrong, the index will reflect that.  
          This obituary of my Mom appeared in the 25 June 1995
          Marion Star. Her first name is misspelled. Although on
          her birth certificate her name is given as "Janette" she
          always spelled it as Jeannette - double n and double t.
          The nickname shown is "JJ" which some of her friends
          used. But by the majority of people called her
          "Jeannie".

          • Alternate spellings - try all the variations of spellings that can be applied to the name. Ex. SMITH, SMYTH, SMYTHE.
          • The index covers all sorts of death notices, such as administrative & probate notices, news items and obituaries. It is called an OBITUARY index for simplicity. Not every entry is for a full biographical sketch.
          • Periods, quote marks and hyphens are not used.
          • If the name is hyphenated, it is entered under both names separately. Ex. PALMER-WILCOX, will have a listing under PALMER and a listing under WILCOX. 
          • If you are searching a common surname, like JOHNSON, it is best to also use the first name.
          • For uncommon names just using the surname may suffice.
          • The Ohio Obituary Index has over 3.5 MILLION RECORDS. Medina County District Library only has about 150,000 ENTRIES - or less than 5% of the records. So you will see many entries from other libraries in Ohio.

          SEARCHING TIPS

          Before jumping in, take a look at the menu on the right side of the page. It has lots of useful features to know about. Here are some of the most important features:

          • List of Newspapers Indexed - 528 newspapers from around Ohio are indexed for obituaries. Maybe your ancestors' hometown is among them.
          • Map of participating counties -  42 out of Ohio's 88 counties have participating libraries. See map below.
          • Table of participating Libraries - 73 libraries participate in the indexing. Why is this more than the number of counties? Because some counties have multiple library systems participating - like MCDL and the Wadsworth Library!
          • The Shopping Cart is only for items that can be ordered from the Rutherford B. Hayes Library.

          Map of Ohio counties participating in the Ohio Obituary Index.




























          BASIC SEARCHES

          • A last name MUST be entered.
          • Optional fields are; First Name, Middle Name and Year of Death.

           ADVANCED SEARCHES - Requires patience.  Fields are:

          • Last Name - search as Exact Match or Begins With
          • First Name - search as Exact Match or Begins With
          • Middle Name - search as Exact Match or Begins With
          • Nickname - search as Exact Match or Begins With
          • Spouse's Last Name - search as Exact Match or Begins With
          • Maiden Name - search as Exact Match or Begins With
          • Anywhere in Notes
          • Year of Death Between ______ and ______

           LIBRARIES and NEWSPAPERS

          • MUST enter a Last Name.
          • Optional fields are; First Name, Middle Name and Year of Death.
          • Choose one of the 73 participating libraries from the drop down menu and/or
          • Choose one of the 528 newspapers.

           LIBRARIES and OTHER SOURCES 

          • Some libraries have indexed other Sources on the Ohio Obituary Index.
          • All of the other Sources indexed can be viewed on the menu.

          ORDERING COPIES 



        1. The Shopping Cart is only for items that can be ordered from the Rutherford B. Hayes Library.
        2. For all other libraries, use the HOW TO ORDER button that is provided within  each listing and follow the instructions on that screen.

          3. If you have any questions not answered here, contact the MCDL Genealogy Team at:330-722-4257 or me-team.genealogy@mcdl.info or the staff at the Rutherford B. Hayes Library at: 419-332-2081 or hayeslib@rbhayes.org
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          Wednesday, July 3, 2019

          How to Find Church Records

          Guest Blogger: Lauren Kuntzman, MCDL Family History & Learning Center Manager

          In this next installment of our instructional blog posts, we will take a look at church records.  This post will focus on the United States -- but many of the research strategies could be applied to your ancestors regardless of the place where they lived or the faiths that they practiced.

          Church records aren’t always easy to find.  Since the United States has no state church, there is more variation in the records, both in terms of their completeness and how they have been archived, than what is seen in other countries.  While more of these records have been digitized in recent years, the vast majority remain held by churches, libraries, historical societies, and archives.

          Records from Island Creek Presbyterian Church in Toronto, Ohio. 
          Records include child's date of birth and parents' names. 
          Image from Ancestry.   
          Despite these challenges, church records are worth the effort to locate.  Most frequently, church records include Baptisms (or Christenings), Marriages, and Burials.  These records can act as substitutes for civil birth, marriage, and death records -- especially during the years before vital records were kept.  Church records can provide evidence of major vital events in one’s life and may help connect children to parents -- and sometimes even their grandparents, too!

          Beyond baptisms, marriages, and burials, church records can also include documents when individuals joined or left a church.  These documents can help track a family’s migration from one part of a country to another.  Other church records include membership lists, financial reports, excommunications, newspapers/newsletters, and more.  All of these records have details that can help give you a better understanding of your ancestor’s life.

          As author Val D. Greenwood points out, finding church records is a two-step problem.  First you need to know which religious denomination your ancestor practiced; then you need to find the records for your ancestor’s church. 
          Medina Sentinel. May 4, 1905.
          Page 5.  Obituary notes that Spellman
          belonged to the Methodist
          Episcopal Church.  

          To determine which church your ancestor attended, try the following tips:

          • Read your ancestor’s obituary - it may list a church where their funeral services were held and/or name a member of the clergy conducting the service.
          • If your ancestor is buried in a cemetery, consider if the burial ground had a religious affiliation. (This could be the cemetery in its entirety, or the specific section in which your ancestor is buried.)
          • Look at maps.  Which churches are closest to your relatives’ home?
          • Consider you or your parents’ religious denomination.  Has this been passed down through your family?


          Once you’ve determined which church your ancestor attended, it’s time to try to locate their records.  According to the FamilySearch Wiki article on "United States Church Records," there are over 25 major religious denominations practiced in the USA  (see the full list here).  Since there is no way to cover all of these religions in-depth in a single blog post, here are some strategies for research that can be applied to any religion:



          If you still aren’t having luck finding your church records, connect with others and ask for help.  You can do this…

          • online through social media/message boards
          • in-person at genealogy conferences
            • Note: Later this month, Cleveland will host the International Conference on Jewish Genealogy.  This conference is a great resource for anyone with Jewish ancestors.  Learn more at https://www.iajgs2019.org/index.cfm.
          • at your local library -- you can always reach out to the MCDL Genealogy Team for help!  Contact us at me-team.genealogy@mcdl.info.  


          When you find records for your ancestor’s church, here are a few tips to make the most of what you find:

          • Cite your source and analyze it.  Note the repository who holds the records (library, church, etc.), as well as details about the particular set of records you’re searching.  Make notes about the following topics: What time period does the records cover?  Can you tell who the author was?  How are the records arranged - by record type or chronologically?
          • If it is a bound volume, check the front/back of the book for an index.
          • Even if there is an index, browse other pages of the book.  (You might find other relatives!)  This is especially true with online records, many of which aren’t completely (or accurately) indexed.
          • Be prepared, that depending on the denomination and your ancestor’s ethnicity, some of the records might not be in English.  FamilySearch’s Wiki offers great word lists that can help with reading these records.  (Here’s a link to their Latin Word List as an example.)


          Want to learn more?  Here are a few resources that were used in writing this article:




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