New Resources for Revolutionary + Civil War Research-©2016 Michelle Novak-History Camp 2016

©2016 Michelle D. Novak | [email protected]

Revolutionary and Civil War— New and Overlooked ResourcesMichelle D. Novak | [email protected] ©2016

mailto:[email protected]

R E V O L U T I O N A R Y A N D C I V I L W A R R E S E A R C H — N E W A N D O V E R L O O K E D R E S O U R C E S


What Can a Genealogist Bring to History Camp?

We’re both working the same problems—but from opposite ends of the spy glass.

Genealogists tend to start with individual research and then evolve into researching historical context.

Many coming to genealogy as a second- or third-career, or personal passions, and with a wide-range of professional skill-sets. Most research is self-funded.*

*Please excuse my personal assumptions on both ends. in my own work, I tend to walk, and rely on those from, both sides of the spy-glass.

Historians tend to start with a wider view of society, context, and influences—and many find themselves focusing on individual histories.

Research methodology with structured paths for research, peer review, advanced accreditation, and paths for funding research.*


Let’s Start at the Top. National Archives, Washington DC and Archives II, College Park, MD



How do NARA records get to me?

Federal Agency

Some examples:

� US Citizens and Immigration Services (Passports, Passenger Lists, Immigration, Naturalization)

� Pentagon (Military Service Records, Pension)

� Department of Commerce (Censuses)

� Department of the Interior-Bureau of Land Management (Bounty Land, Western Land Grants)

De-acquisition, De-classification, De-cluttering

Time frame for hand-off of records depends on agency policies.

� Archive track for older records

� Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for more recent records

� Some records may never be publicly available

Public Access: You. Me. We the people.

� Access to original documents

� High-resolution scans of fragile Record Groups

� Online indexing through private-public partnerships (i.e., Ancestry/Fold3)

� On-site free access to microfilm and partner websites

� Copy services

Me.

Hand-off to NARA

� Strict chain of custody � Secure locations environmentally- and logistically-appropriate for type of records

� Some records, i.e., Kennedy assassination physical evidence, are not open to the public.

NARA Assesses and Organizes Materials

� Assesses, stabilizes, and preserves delicate archival materials

� Organizes materials by Record Groups

� NARA does not re-index materials. They adopt the filing system implemented by the original agency.

NARA Prepares Aids and Descriptive Pamphlets

� Descriptive Pamphlets (DPs) Summary of how the records are inherently categorized

� Finding Aids Suggestions for getting the most out of the collection

� Indexes Massive undertaking—public-private partnerships help NARA work through the backlog of indexes and improve the experience



Genealogists need a little like an Archivist.

Takeaways:NARA is not organized as a genealogy library.You need to think like

NARA in order to best understand NARA.

Me.

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records.We receive records in their original classification and organization, preserve those systems of classification, and strive to make those records available to the public—even those records that were never intended to be public documents. Our records are used by government agencies, researchers, academics, lawyers, economists, authors, historians, and genealogists—anyone who need to trace property, people, or ideas.

Many of our records are un-indexed, or if there are indexes, they correspond to the classification system of the original records. Most of our indexed records are indexed by primary name of applicant only.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg…

Do you have any records on my grandfather. I think his name was Bob.




Browsing Fold3 by Record CollectionSome Fold3 Research Tips

� Search engine is sticky—either too specific or too broad. Does not work like other search engines.

� Use the “Browse Records” function to see all available records, navigate to the “Revolutionary War” materials

� Or use the “Advanced Search” and enter who you are looking for in the “Keyword” field. (This field understand boolean, too.)


Some Fold3 Tips

� Search by combination of last name and state

� Every pension application listed information about the applicant and family; service and time served; friends and community; and included a reference from clergy.

� Some people come up as witnesses on the pension applications of others.

� Fold3 can be annotated, increasing the searchability of the files

� Images follow the order of the original microfilm

� Download high-res images to your computer!


www.archives.gov/digitization/digitized-by-partners.html

https://narations.blogs.archives.gov/category/digitization/

http://www.archives.gov/digitization/digitized-by-partners.html



What are they?Bounty Land applications that were somehow missed when the other files were being microfilmed.

Records mainly consist for those veterans serving after the Rev War up to the War of 1812.

How do I search them?The index only exists on a computer terminal in the microfilm room at the National Archives. You can call or email them to have them search the terminal.

Indexing is still in progress—up to M as of last count.

Why should I search it?If you have an ancestor who suddenly picks-up and moves West but cannot find a Bounty Land application fro them—they may be in this collection.

It will be worth a try—if only to rule it out for future searches.

National Archives—Un-indexed Bounty Land

More than 20k names in NY alone!



Never stop at an index card…



A typical Compiled Military Service Records (CMSR)



Bonus! An original enlistment document!



Note the quality between Fold3 and Ancestry—same Record Group, different card set, different image processing!

Left: Fold3 is digitizing NARA records from the original documents. Once they are filmed in high-resolution they may be taken out of circulation (such as M804 Revolutionary War Pension Files).

Below: Ancestry’s digitization is from the microfilm version—and much crustier.

Note that Ancestry acquired Fold3 but plans for merging the databases have not been announced. SO for now, check both.


Pulling another Berdan file…


Bonus! Invalid pension!




Hello, James J. Demarest…


Looks pretty typical so far. James served as a nurse and seemed to have been sick a lot.


Poor guy.



But, wait. There are more numbers on this card than there usually is…

Mr. Demarest, you have too many wives! (You dog.)


Wife #1 = DivorcedWife #2 = Married, one childWife #3 = Married, one child.


Wife #1 = Divorce papers. (Bet she doesn’t regret that divorce!)

And the file goes, on, and on, and on… for thousands of pages!

(Shot images for a full hour and didn’t even capture a third of the documents!)

Wife #3 charged with perjury for filing for a Widow’s Pension!!

Acquitted!

But in the process, we learned a lot about her bank records…


…and what the government thought about the trustworthiness of all those involved…

…and even get to see original letters, some written to the White House, from many of those involved, including family members, children, and friends and neighbors.


Wife #2 prevails.In the process, we learned about what it was like serving as a nurse in the Union Navy. Divorce and bigamy. And private, personal, and financial details about the lives of about a dozen individuals. And, a perjury case, to boot!Is this genealogy? Is it history? Somewhere in-between? Where does one end and the other begin?


National Archives Recap

Always search Fold3 and Ancestry before visiting any NARA location. Rev War records are not accessible any more (even if you beg).Tons of specialty records (interments abroad, court-martial, unit) and un-indexed records (bounty land, applications).


State Records—One-Stop Shopping!

Compiled Service Index Cards were created as an index to relevant manuscripts for each and each and every person’s service. Information spans state-only records (county muster rolls receipt books), AND records at NARA (Continental muster rolls, pensions). Some service members also have a Compiled Service Slips containing even more information and sources.Quality of the records may vary from state to state. (In NJ, we love General Stryker, pictured with his awesome mustache, for doing a great job with these records!)

Cards are on microfilm at State Archives, and some specialty libraries (e.g., David Library of the American Revolution). Card = Records and Manuscripts!


Cards!


Cards!


Index cards show a civil service receipt for stabling horses while Washington’s troops were at Preakness. Good man, that Jacob! Wait, original has a note to another document…

Oops. He was tried, and fined, for not showing up for the County Militia Muster. What a slacker, that Jacob!

(Don’t stop at the index card!)

State-Level Resources:



Let’s look at William Christie’s card…

Apparently, William wrote a letter…


…and WHAT a letter! Two identical letters signed by 107 residents of Bergen County in 1781!(And not so much as in support of the troops as (wildly paraphrasing) “we’ve suffered a lot, and have shown up when we need to, and we should ba able to seize Loyalists’ property”—a good old-fashioned Bergen County land grab! Note that, because of the many duplicate names, and Dutch naming patterns in Bergen County of the time, this letter is not listed on many other index cards. For example, who could tell WHICH John Demarest is the actual signatory—there are many individuals with that name!)


DAR Library



DAR Library—On-Site Application Database

� Genealogy-focused American Revolution era library

� Extensive family research, state history, and manuscripts collections—collective knowledge of generations

� On-site can browse Applications of other members, as well as the supplemental materials submitted with their applications (bible records, wills, etc.!)



Largest collection of British micro-form from the era outside of UK Archives and records concerning Loyalists and Hessians— all much more accessible than those held in London!

Revolutionary War-focused research library and seat to many fellows and independent scholars

Copies of many micro-form (maybe all) held at Trenton concerning Rev War

Specialty records, for example, records of Hessian soldiers, early American newspapers, prisoner of war vessels

40,000 publications and books, more than 10,000 reels of micro-form (microfilm and microfiche), nearly 2,500 original documents and letters, and an extensive map collection (original and copies)

Saturday hours (make sure to reserve a microfilm reader ahead of time, fellow may get priority on machines!)

Lectures, workshops, on-site consultations and experts

GREAT, highly-knowledgeable people and resident scholars!

The David Library of the American Revolution, Washington Crossing, PA (www.dlar.org)

www.DLAR.org


Your Local Libraries— NYPL Manuscripts Room



Tens of thousands of records for those ill, killed, or injured during the war

Family travel vouchers

Thousands of USSC staff and volunteers employment, pay, and records of work

Family correspondence and letters of inquiry on missing soldiers, pension, dependent relief, family emergencies requesting soldier leave

Records of internment and re-internments

Reports and news on strength and health of units, hospitals, towns, local populace, farm yields, and USSC equipage and supplies

Assistance with pensions—soldiers as well as dependents

New York Public Library—Records of the US Sanitary Commission. A Whole NEW Collection!



Finding aids—and name-indexed, too!


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https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Revolutionary_War_Pension_Records_and_Bounty_Land_Warrants

https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Revolutionary_War_Pension_Records_and_Bounty_Land_Warrants

Fold3.com

©20

16 M

iche

lle D

. Nov

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vakd

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Rev

olut

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ivil

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earc

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ew a

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man

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at

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foun

d no

whe

re e

lse

or a

re lo

st. C

an

orde

r app

licat

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reco

rds

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t no

prev

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unte

er o

rgan

izat

ion

foun

ded

at th

e st

art o

f the

war

—an

d th

e un

offici

al p

re-c

urso

r to

the

Red

Cro

ss. I

nclu

des

tens

of

thou

sand

s of

reco

rds

for t

hose

ill,

kille

d, o

r inj

ured

dur

ing

the

war

; fam

ily tr

avel

vou

cher

s (M

arm

ee in

Litt

le W

omen

!);

thou

sand

s of

USS

C s

taff

and

volu

ntee

rs e

mpl

oym

ent,

pay,

an

d re

cord

s of

wor

k; fa

mily

cor

resp

onde

nce

and

lett

ers

of

inqu

iry

on m

issi

ng s

oldi

ers,

pen

sion

, dep

ende

nt re

lief,

fam

ily

emer

genc

ies

requ

esti

ng s

oldi

er le

ave;

reco

rds

of in

tern

men

t an

d re

-int

ernm

ents

; rep

orts

and

new

s on

str

engt

h an

d he

alth

of

uni

ts, h

ospi

tals

, tow

ns, l

ocal

pop

ulac

e, fa

rm y

ield

s, a

nd

USS

C e

quip

age

and

supp

lies;

new

s fr

om c

omm

uniti

es

isol

ated

by

war

and

ass

ista

nce

with

pen

sion

s—so

ldie

rs a

s w

ell

as d

epen

dent

s.

File

s ar

e ho

used

at t

he N

YPL

Man

uscr

ipts

Div

isio

n on

Fi

fth

Ave

nue

at 4

2nd

Stre

et. A

dvan

ce n

otic

e is

requ

ired

. �w

ww

.nyp

l.org

/loc

atio

ns/d

ivis

ions

/man

uscr

ipts

-div

isio

n

Gen

eral

Col

lect

ion

Ove

rvie

w—

Info

rmat

ion

on a

ll re

cord

gr

oups

with

in th

e co

llect

ion:

�ht

tp://

arch

ives

.nyp

l.org

/mss

/310

1

Arm

y an

d N

avy

Cla

ims

Age

ncy—

The

mos

t gen

ealo

gica

lly-

rich

par

t of t

he c

olle

ctio

n, th

is g

roup

con

tain

s m

ore

than

30

,000

cla

ims

for p

ensi

ons,

app

licat

ions

, and

lett

ers

of

corr

espo

nden

ce:

�ht

tp://

arch

ives

.nyp

l.org

/mss

/188

09

The

onl

ine

find

ing

aid

PDF

is n

ame-

sear

chab

le:

�ht

tp://

arch

ives

.nyp

l.org

/upl

oads

/col

lect

ion/

gene

rate

d_fi

ndin

g_ai

ds/m

ss18

809.

pdf

Hos

pita

l Dir

ecto

ry—

Con

ditio

ns o

f hos

pita

ls a

nd re

cord

s of

in

quir

y fo

r ser

vice

men

. �ht

tp://

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ives

.nyp

l.org

/mss

/198

77

PA

GE

6

TH

E G

EN

EA

LO

GIC

AL

SO

CIE

TY

OF

BE

RG

EN

CO

UN

TY

|

TH

E A

RC

HIV

IST

|

VO

LU

ME

42

, N

O.

2

| M

AY

201

5

| IS

SN

02

75

-0

30

9

A N

ew R

esou

rce

for C

ivil

War

Rec

ords

The

Rec

ords

of t

he U

.S. S

anita

ry C

omm

issi

on ( 1

861–

1872

) at t

he N

ew Y

ork

Pub

lic L

ibra

ryBy

Mich

elle D

. Nov

ak

It’s n

ot o

ften

that

one

can

poin

t to

an ar

chiv

al re

cord

gro

up an

d sa

y “n

o on

e has

use

d th

ese i

n 10

0 ye

ars.”

If yo

u’re

like

me,

an

d re

lish

in g

ettin

g ha

nds-

on w

ith o

rigin

al so

urce

mat

eria

l, th

is ne

w re

cord

gro

up m

ight

just

mak

e you

r nex

t 100

year

s. U

sual

ly, b

y the

tim

e res

earc

hers

get

to re

cord

s the

y’ve s

urvi

ved

deca

des o

f clu

msy

han

dlin

g, a

confl

agra

tion

or tw

o, w

ell-i

nten

-tio

ned

resto

rers

, hun

gry b

ugs,

and

may

be ev

en va

ndal

s. Bu

t the

se

reco

rds a

re d

iffer

ent.

Boxe

d up

in th

e lat

e 180

0s an

d do

nate

d

to th

e New

Yor

k Pu

blic

Lib

rary

(NYP

L), t

hese

reco

rds h

ave

rem

aine

d in

dee

p sto

rage

, with

lim

ited

acce

ss, a

t the

Lib

rary

ever

sin

ce. I

n 20

10, a

n in

itiat

ive w

as b

egun

to re

-hou

se an

d re

-cat

alog

th

e col

lectio

n, cr

eatin

g a n

ame-

inde

x and

ope

ning

acce

ss to

the

publ

ic o

nce a

subs

tant

ial p

art o

f the

wor

k w

as co

mpl

ete.

Wha

t res

ulte

d is

a new

, and

surp

risin

gly c

ompl

ete,

reco

rd g

roup

th

at o

ffers

insig

ht in

to ci

vilia

n an

d m

ilita

ry li

fe d

urin

g and

dire

ctly

af

ter t

he C

ivil

War

. All

just

acro

ss th

e riv

er in

Man

hatt

an.

WH

AT

WA

S T

HE

U.S

. S

AN

ITA

RY

CO

MM

ISS

ION

?

The U

.S. S

anita

ry C

omm

issio

n (U

.S.S

.C.)

was

a ci

vilia

n or

gani

za-

tion

foun

ded

by al

trui

stic

wea

lthy N

ew Y

orke

rs an

d Bo

stoni

ans,

to

aid

the h

uman

itaria

n as

pect

s of t

he W

ar an

d su

pplem

ent t

he

gove

rnm

ent’s

med

ical

ope

ratio

ns. L

ike t

he m

oder

n-da

y Red

C

ross

, thi

s org

aniz

atio

n, fu

nded

entir

ely b

y don

atio

ns, w

as

gran

ted

first-

resp

onde

r acc

ess t

o as

sist i

n th

e afte

rmat

h of

bat

tle

and

the d

evas

tatio

n th

at it

bou

ght u

pon

the l

ocal

pop

ulac

e.

Orig

inal

ly au

thor

ized

to p

rovi

de “s

anita

ry” a

ssist

ance

(e.g

., fo

od, m

edic

al su

pplie

s) to

the U

nion

Arm

y, th

e org

aniz

atio

n’s r

ole

wou

ld m

orph

and

grow

with

the n

eeds

they

face

d. Th

ey o

pera

ted

and

supp

lemen

ted

front

line

field

hos

pita

ls, h

elped

sold

iers

get

m

essa

ges h

ome a

nd fa

mili

es fi

nd m

issin

g so

ldie

rs, i

dent

ified

the

wou

nded

and

dead

and

notifi

ed n

ext o

f kin

, pro

vide

d tr

avel

vo

uche

rs fo

r fam

ilies

, ran

supp

ly li

nes a

nd ca

ntee

ns, o

pera

ted

Sold

iers

’ Hom

es w

here

the w

ound

ed an

d di

sabl

ed co

uld

conv

a-le

sce a

nd re

cove

r, in

spire

d pu

blic

mor

ale t

hrou

gh sp

eech

es an

d ra

llies

, com

mun

icat

ed n

ews t

o an

d fro

m co

mm

uniti

es, r

epor

ted

to

the A

rmy a

nd P

resid

ent o

f the

stre

ngth

, hea

lth, a

nd co

nditi

on o

f th

e for

ces,

and

help

ed su

rviv

ors,

wid

ows,

and

orph

ans a

pply

for

bene

fits a

nd p

ensio

ns. [

Of t

he m

any n

otab

le U

.S.S

.C. n

urse

s was

Lo

uisa

May

Alc

ott,

who

serv

ed as

a nu

rse i

n G

eorg

etow

n. In

her

life-

insp

ired

nove

l, Li

ttle W

omen

, Mar

mee

trav

els t

o vi

sit h

er

wou

nded

hus

band

with

a tr

avel

vouc

her p

rovi

ded

by th

e U.S

.S.C

.]It’

s har

d to

imag

ine t

oday

, but

bef

ore t

he C

ivil

War

, the

U.S

. m

ilita

ry h

ad fe

w p

roto

cols

in p

lace

to k

eep

trac

k of

thei

r sol

dier

s be

yond

mus

ter r

olls

and

head

coun

ts. S

oldi

ers o

f the

tim

e did

not

w

ear i

dent

ifyin

g do

g ta

gs b

ut, i

nste

ad, p

inne

d sc

raps

of p

aper

and

a far

ewel

l let

ter h

ome t

o th

e ins

ide o

f the

ir ja

cket

— in

the h

ope

that

som

eone

mig

ht fi

nd an

d se

nd it

. Man

y let

ters

nev

er m

ade i

t ho

me,

leav

ing

fam

ilies

with

no

way

of k

now

ing

wha

t had

hap

-pe

ned

to th

eir l

oved

one

s. Th

ose w

ho tr

ied

to re

scue

the w

ound

ed

cam

e und

er fi

re, t

oo, a

nd m

any w

ere l

eft t

o di

e whe

re th

ey la

y. M

any s

oldi

ers l

ived

off

the l

and,

fora

ging

and

eatin

g w

hat t

hey

coul

d fin

d an

d ho

ping

that

the e

nem

y did

not

foul

the w

ell,

kill-

off

lives

tock

, or b

urn

crop

s upo

n re

trea

t. Th

ose w

ho w

ere g

iven

bur

ials

wer

e usu

ally

don

e so

hast

ily, w

ith g

rave

s mar

ked

with

scra

p w

ood

or st

ones

, and

man

y with

out n

ames

. Man

y Uni

on so

ldie

rs w

ere

late

r re-

inte

rred

in o

ffici

al ce

met

erie

s (C

onfe

dera

te d

ead

wer

e lef

t to

be h

andl

ed b

y the

loca

l tow

nspe

ople)

and

in so

me c

emet

erie

s, th

e num

ber o

f “U

nkno

wns

” nea

rly eq

ual t

hose

nam

ed.

Thes

e nee

ds, a

nd m

any m

ore,

wer

e fille

d by

the U

.S.S

.C.

Foun

ded

by a

slate

of n

otab

le, w

ealth

y citi

zens

, the

U.S

.S.C

. ta

pped

talen

t far

and

wid

e for

its m

issio

n an

d se

t abo

ut th

eir w

ork

in a

high

ly-o

rgan

ized

and

regi

men

ted

way

. Not

ed la

ndsc

ape

arch

itect

, Fre

deric

k La

w O

lmste

d, h

elped

farm

ers i

ncre

ase c

rop

yield

s and

reco

ver t

heir

field

s afte

r sca

rrin

g ba

ttle

s. N

urse

Cla

ra

Bart

on d

evelo

ped

man

y of h

er re

volu

tiona

ry in

fect

ion-

cont

rol

prac

tices

whi

le w

orki

ng u

nder

bat

tle-c

ondi

tions

at U

.S.S

.C.

hosp

itals

— ex

perie

nces

whi

ch w

ould

be l

ater

inco

rpor

ated

into

R

ed C

ross

pro

toco

ls. M

ary A

nn “M

othe

r” B

icke

rdyk

e ros

e to

the

rank

of C

hief

of N

ursin

g, an

d w

as so

wel

l res

pect

ed b

y the

Uni

on

Arm

y tha

t She

rman

calle

d he

r “on

e of h

is be

st G

ener

als.”

U.S

.S.C

. “bo

ots o

n th

e gro

und”

cons

isted

of v

olun

teer

s and

pa

id w

orke

rs, m

en an

d w

omen

, bla

ck an

d w

hite

, fro

m su

rgeo

ns to

ca

rt-m

en. Th

e U.S

.S.C

. eve

ntua

lly ex

pand

ed in

to m

ore t

han

All

imag

es c

ourt

esy

of th

e M

anus

crip

ts a

nd A

rchi

ves

Div

isio

n, T

he N

ew Y

ork

Pub

lic L

ibra

ry (

http

://di

gita

lcol

lect

ions

.nyp

l.org

), U

nite

d Sta

tes

San

itar

y C

omm

issi

on R

ecor

ds. L

EF

T TO

RIG

HT:

Lett

er fro

m P

resi

dent

Lin

coln

, in

supp

ort o

f the

“w

ork

of g

reat

hum

anit

y an

d of

dir

ect p

ract

ical

val

ue”

of th

e S

anit

ary

Com

mis

sion

, co-

sign

ed b

y W

infie

ld S

cott

, 30

Sep

tem

ber 1

861

; Jo

hn F

. Cla

ghor

n, 2

14 G

old

St.

, Bro

okly

n, L

I, d

ocum

enting

his

inju

ries

; Uni

on s

oldi

ers

conv

ales

cing

at t

he U

.S. S

anit

ary

Com

mis

sion

, Lod

ge 4

, 38

9 H

Str

eet,

Was

hing

ton,

D.C

.;

A le

tter

of i

nqui

ry b

y A

. Bow

en, A

pril

25, 1

86

5, p

oste

d fr

om N

ebra

ska

Terr

itor

y w

here

Bow

en, a

Doc

tor w

ith

the

U.S

.S.C

., w

ho w

as u

sing

his

leav

e to

fun

d-ra

ise

for t

he o

rgan

izat

ion.

Th

e le

tter

is a

n in

quir

y in

to o

f th

e w

here

abou

ts a

nd c

ondi

tion

of hi

s so

n, M

arce

llus

Bow

en, 1

st V

erm

ont C

alva

ry, l

ast k

now

n se

rvin

g un

der “

Cus

ter’

s D

ivis

ion

of S

heri

dan’

s A

rmy.

”

Bow

en g

oes

on to

wri

te “

Ever

y m

ale

desc

enda

nt o

f m

y Fa

ther

, as

old

as s

ixte

en h

as b

orne

arm

s in

the

last

fou

r yea

rs.”

Alo

ng th

e le

ft m

argi

n, h

e ad

ds, “

We

hear

d of

the

Pre

side

nt’s

as

sass

inat

ion

wit

hin

an h

our af

ter h

is d

eath

…S

tron

g m

en b

roke

dow

n &

cri

ed li

ke c

hild

ren.

”

(Con

tinu

ed o

n fo

llow

ing

page

.)

TH

E G

EN

EA

LO

GIC

AL

SO

CIE

TY

OF

BE

RG

EN

CO

UN

TY

|

TH

E A

RC

HIV

IST

|

VO

LU

ME

42

, N

O.

2

| M

AY

201

5

| IS

SN

02

75

-0

30

9

PA

GE

7

2,50

0 co

mm

uniti

es, f

rom

tiny

vill

ages

to ci

ties o

n bo

th si

des o

f th

e App

alac

hian

s, br

ingi

ng n

ews a

nd h

ope t

o a w

ar-w

eary

nat

ion.

Afte

r the

War

, the

U.S

.S.C

. con

tinue

d its

miss

ion,

help

ing

scar

red

com

mun

ities

hea

l the

ir ph

ysic

al an

d em

otio

nal w

ound

s, re

conn

ectin

g fa

mili

es w

ith th

eir l

oved

one

s, an

d he

lpin

g th

ose

brok

en an

d lef

t beh

ind

rece

ive t

heir

due p

ensio

ns. Th

e org

aniz

a-tio

n offi

cial

ly b

roug

ht it

s affa

irs to

a cl

ose o

n 7

Janu

ary 1

879

with

th

e for

mal

tran

sfer o

f its

reco

rds t

o th

e Asto

r Lib

rary

(NYP

L).

WH

AT

’S I

N S

TO

RE

FO

R R

ES

EA

RC

HE

RS

?

This

colle

ctio

n is

a lar

gely

unt

appe

d re

sour

ce fo

r gen

ealo

gist

s.

The r

ecor

ds co

ntai

n te

ns o

f tho

usan

ds o

f cor

resp

onde

nce b

y fa

mili

es an

d so

ldie

rs; e

mpl

oyee

reco

rds a

nd p

ay b

ooks

for t

hose

in

serv

ice t

o th

e U.S

.S.C

. as n

urse

s, ca

rt-m

en, o

rder

lies,

supp

liers

, fu

nd-r

aise

rs, a

nd ad

min

istra

tors

; and

repo

rts o

n co

nditi

ons f

aced

by

uni

ts, t

hose

in h

ospi

tals,

and

civi

lians

. Som

e of t

he co

llect

ion

is

inde

xed

by n

ame w

hile

othe

rs ar

e org

aniz

ed b

y loc

atio

n.Yo

u ca

n st

art b

y exp

lorin

g th

e NYP

L’s w

ebsit

e: �G

ener

al C

olle

ctio

n O

verv

iew

— In

form

atio

n on

all r

ecor

d gr

oups

w

ithin

the c

ollec

tion:

htt

p://a

rchi

ves.n

ypl.o

rg/m

ss/3

101

�A

rmy

and

Nav

y Cl

aim

s A

genc

y —

The m

ost g

enea

logi

cally

-ric

h pa

rt o

f the

colle

ctio

n, th

is gr

oup

cont

ains

mor

e tha

n 30

,000

cl

aim

s for

pen

sions

, app

licat

ions

, and

lette

rs o

f cor

resp

onde

nce:

ht

tp://

arch

ives

.nyp

l.org

/mss

/188

09 . Th

e onl

ine fi

ndin

g ai

d

PDF

is na

me-

sear

chab

le: h

ttp:

//arc

hive

s.nyp

l.org

/upl

oads

/co

llect

ion/

gene

rate

d_fin

ding

_aid

s/mss1

8809

.pdf

�H

ospi

tal D

irect

ory

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ondi

tions

of h

ospi

tals

and

reco

rds o

f in

quiry

for s

ervi

cem

en. h

ttp:

//arc

hive

s.nyp

l.org

/mss

/198

77

AC

CE

SS

TO

TH

E U

.S.S

.C.

CO

LL

EC

TIO

N

File

s are

hou

sed

at th

e NYP

L M

anus

crip

ts D

ivisi

on, R

oom

328

, on

Fift

h Av

enue

and

42nd

Str

eet.

Adva

nce n

otic

e is r

equi

red.

ht

tp://

ww

w.ny

pl.o

rg/lo

catio

ns/d

ivisi

ons/m

anus

crip

ts-d

ivisi

on

This

artic

le w

as in

spire

d by

and

deta

ils b

ased

on

Terr

y Koc

h-Bo

stic’

s lec

ture

A M

ajor

New

Rese

arch

Reso

urce

: The A

stoni

shin

g Re

cord

s of t

he U

nite

d St

ates

Sani

tary

Com

miss

ion

pres

ente

d at

the

April

201

5 N

ERG

C C

onfe

renc

e in

Prov

iden

ce, R

I. K

och-

Bost

ic

will

be l

ectu

ring

on th

is to

pic a

t the

New

Yor

k St

ate F

amily

H

istor

y Con

fere

nce i

n Sy

racu

se, N

Y, in

Sep

tem

ber,

2015

( w

ww.

nysf

hc.o

rg )

and

publ

ishin

g an

acco

mpa

nyin

g ar

ticle

fo

r the

NYG

&B

late

r thi

s yea

r. Fo

r mor

e inf

orm

atio

n ab

out u

sing

the c

ollec

tion,

see t

he W

inte

r 20

14 is

sue o

f the

NYG

&B

Resea

rche

r mag

azin

e, av

aila

ble a

t the

Bo

lger

or f

rom

the N

YG&

B ( h

ttp:

//new

york

fam

ilyhi

story

.org

).Fo

r mor

e on

the U

SSC

and

cond

ition

s dur

ing

the w

ar, w

atch

PB

S’ h

eart

brea

king

doc

umen

tary

, Dea

th a

nd th

e Civ

il W

ar:

http

://w

ww.

pbs.o

rg/w

gbh/

amer

ican

expe

rienc

e/fil

ms/d

eath

/ .

“A N

ew R

esou

rce

for C

ivil

War

Rec

ords

— T

he R

ecor

ds o

f the

U.S

. San

itar

y C

omm

issi

on (1

861

–1872

) at t

he N

ew Y

ork

Pub

lic L

ibra

ry”

(Con

tinu

ed fro

m p

revi

ous

page

.)

The

Fed

erat

ion

of G

enea

logi

cal S

ocie

ties A

nnua

l Con

fere

nce

Repo

rted

by L

aure

n M

aehr

lein,

GSB

C F

GS

Repr

esent

ativ

eTh

e G

SB

C is

a m

embe

r of t

he F

eder

atio

n of

Gen

ealo

gica

l Soc

ietie

s (F

GS)

, an

orga

niza

tion

com

pris

ed o

f hun

dred

s of

Soc

ietie

s fr

om a

cros

s th

e U

.S.

The

FGS h

elps

Soc

ietie

s ho

ne th

eir o

rgan

izat

ions

and

gro

w th

eir m

embe

rshi

ps, p

artn

er w

ith o

ther

Soc

ietie

s on

pro

ject

s an

d in

itiat

ives

, mak

e co

nnec

-tio

ns, a

nd o

rgan

ize

to a

ssis

t with

the

pres

erva

tion

of v

ital

gen

ealo

gica

l rec

ords

— s

uch

as th

e pr

eser

vatio

n of

the

1812

U.S

. Pen

sion

Rec

ords

.

This

yea

r, th

e FG

S h

eld

thei

r ann

ual c

onfe

renc

e in

Feb

ruar

y,

inst

ead

of in

the

sum

mer

, and

in p

artn

ersh

ip w

ith th

e 201

5

Roo

tsTe

ch C

onfe

renc

e. C

ombi

ning

two

maj

or c

onfe

renc

es a

nd

hold

ing

it in

Sal

t Lak

e Cit

y, th

e ge

neal

ogis

ts’ M

ecca

, pro

ved

to

be a

hug

e dr

aw a

nd o

ver t

he n

ext f

our d

ays

mor

e th

an 1

8,0

00

pe

ople

att

ende

d —

blo

win

g aw

ay p

revi

ous

atte

ndan

ce re

cord

s.

A la

rge

chun

k of

the

big

num

bers

cam

e on

Sat

urda

y w

hen

the

exhi

bitio

n ha

ll, w

hich

was

als

o do

ublin

g as

a le

ctur

e ve

nue,

was

ope

ned

to L

DS

m

embe

rs fo

r “Fa

mily

Dis

cove

ry D

ay.”

The

re w

ere

spec

ial e

xhib

its

and

prog

ram

s ge

ared

to e

ncou

ragi

ng c

hild

ren

to g

et in

volv

ed in

gen

ealo

gy

and

the

exhi

bitio

n ha

ll w

as o

verfl

owin

g w

ith k

ids,

par

ents

, and

str

olle

rs.

Ano

ther

dra

w fo

r man

y w

as c

eleb

rity

spea

kers

. Gen

ealo

gica

l hea

vy-h

it-te

rs s

uch

as S

cott

Sor

ense

n of

Anc

estr

y.co

m, a

nd D

. Jos

hua

Tayl

or o

f Fi

nd M

y P

ast a

nd a

freq

uent

con

trib

utor

to T

he G

enea

logy

Roa

dsho

w o

n PB

S, w

ere

join

ed b

y La

ura

Bus

h, J

enna

Bus

h H

ager

, and

Don

ny O

smon

d.Th

e FG

S p

ortio

n of

the

conf

eren

ce w

as th

e us

ual m

ix o

f lea

rnin

g op

port

uniti

es g

eare

d fr

om b

egin

ners

to a

dvan

ced

rese

arch

ers.

The

re w

ere

also

mul

ti-se

ssio

n pr

ogra

ms

for g

enea

logi

cal c

ertifi

catio

n an

d us

ing

DN

A

as a

rese

arch

tool

. I w

as p

artic

ular

ly in

tere

sted

in th

e of

ferin

gs o

f “Fo

cus

on S

ocie

ties

Day

,” w

hich

was

hel

d th

e W

edne

sday

bef

ore

the

offic

ial s

tart

of

the

conf

eren

ce. I

t pro

vide

d a

wid

e ra

nge

of le

ctur

es a

imed

at h

elpi

ng

gene

alog

ical

soc

ietie

s to

thriv

e an

d gr

ow. T

he fi

rst l

ectu

re I

atte

nded

“E

ngag

ing

Long

-Dis

tanc

e M

embe

rs,”

by

Jen

Bal

dwin

, inc

lude

d se

vera

l im

port

ant a

nd s

ome

new

idea

s to

enc

oura

ge m

embe

rs w

ho a

ren’

t re

gula

rly a

ble

to a

tten

d in

-hou

se o

ffer

ings

. Oth

er s

ocie

ty-o

rient

ed

lect

ures

dea

lt w

ith e

cono

mic

al w

ays

to s

tay

in to

uch

with

you

r mem

ber-

ship

, and

how

to p

rovi

de a

“ro

bust

” w

ebsi

te. A

par

ticul

arly

goo

d pr

ogra

m

disc

usse

d th

e ro

le o

f loc

al g

roup

s in

the

twen

ty-fi

rst c

entu

ry, e

spec

ially

as

an

inst

rum

ent t

o pr

omot

e an

d pr

eser

ve lo

cal h

isto

ry a

nd g

enea

logy

. Alth

ough

man

y of

the

gene

ral s

essi

on le

ctur

es c

once

rned

rese

arch

st

rate

gies

to h

elp

thos

e w

hose

anc

esto

rs h

eade

d W

est,

ther

e w

as p

lent

y fo

r tho

se o

f us

with

New

Yor

k/N

ew J

erse

y ro

ots.

Lec

ture

s on

DN

A; e

thni

c gr

oups

; sea

rchi

ng a

rchi

ves;

and

var

ious

mig

ratio

ns w

ere

wel

l rep

rese

nted

.

For v

ario

us re

ason

s, in

clud

ing

the

chan

ge fr

om a

sum

mer

to

a w

inte

r eve

nt, s

ome

FGS “

regu

lars

” w

ere

not a

ble

to p

artic

ipat

e th

is y

ear,

incl

udin

g th

e In

tern

atio

nal S

ocie

ty o

f Fam

ily H

isto

ry

Writ

ers

and

Edi

tors

(ISFH

WE

). T

his

may

hav

e al

so b

een

a re

ason

w

hy th

ere

wer

e m

any

mor

e R

oots

Tech

spo

nsor

ed le

ctur

es th

an

FGS. T

hose

who

had

sig

ned

up fo

r bot

h FG

S a

nd R

oots

Tech

m

ay n

ot h

ave

notic

ed, a

s th

e tw

o tr

acts

wer

e se

amle

ssly

inte

grat

ed a

nd

desp

ite th

eir s

pons

orsh

ip, t

he R

oots

Tech

off

erin

gs w

ere

not n

eces

saril

y te

chno

logy

-foc

used

. I w

as p

artic

ular

ly im

pres

sed

with

a p

rese

ntat

ion

by m

y fr

iend

, W

arre

n B

ittn

er, I

mpo

ssib

le Im

mig

rant

! Exh

aust

ing

Res

earc

h to

Fin

d an

An

cest

or’s

Orig

ins.

As

a G

erm

an e

xper

t, h

is e

xam

ples

wer

e al

l gle

aned

fr

om h

is G

erm

an re

sear

ch, w

hich

is ri

ght u

p m

y al

ley.

Com

bini

ng tw

o m

ajor

con

fere

nces

in “

gene

alog

y ce

ntra

l” a

llow

ed

for a

n ex

hibi

tion

hall

all b

ut b

urst

ing

with

eve

ry s

ort o

f off

erin

g a

fam

ily

hist

oria

n co

uld

imag

ine

— in

clud

ing

data

she

ets

prov

ided

by

man

y of

th

e so

ciet

ies

(incl

udin

g th

e G

SB

C), a

ll th

e la

test

tech

nolo

gies

and

pu

blic

atio

ns, o

n-si

te h

elp

with

dec

iphe

ring

your

DN

A re

sults,

iden

tifyi

ng

old

phot

ogra

phs,

and

raffl

es fo

r priz

e ba

sket

s. A

min

i-ar

cade

in th

e ce

nter

of

the

floor

add

ed to

the

exci

ting,

car

niva

l-lik

e at

mos

pher

e.

The

stre

ngth

of a

con

fere

nce

is in

the

educ

atio

nal a

nd re

sear

ch

oppo

rtun

ities

it a

ffor

ds a

tten

dees

. A g

reat

add

ed b

onus

is th

e ch

ance

to

spen

d qu

alit

y tim

e w

ith fr

iend

s w

ho m

ay li

ve o

n op

posi

te c

oast

s. N

o on

e is

eve

r at a

loss

for a

din

ner p

artn

er, o

r ten

or t

wel

ve, o

r for

con

vers

atio

n.

Dro

ppin

g in

at a

ny o

f the

nea

rby

rest

aura

nts

will

alm

ost g

uara

ntee

at l

east

a

tabl

e or

two

of g

enea

logi

sts

catc

hing

up

on g

ossi

p, n

ews,

sw

appi

ng

stor

ies

and

expe

rienc

es, a

nd d

oing

a lo

t of l

augh

ing.

A

nd in

that

is a

poi

nt th

at w

e sh

ould

all

rem

embe

r. G

enea

logy

isn’

t jus

t ab

out r

ecor

ds, i

t is

abou

t peo

ple.

All

gene

alog

ists

sho

uld

mak

e a

poin

t of

goin

g to

con

fere

nces

— a

s of

ten

as p

ossi

ble.

The

edu

catio

nal o

ppor

tuni

-tie

s ar

e ph

enom

enal

and

the

chan

ce to

gat

her w

ith li

ke-m

inde

d pe

ople

: to

sha

re e

xper

ienc

es, n

etw

ork,

hav

e a

mea

l, or

just

to h

ang

out a

nd e

njoy

ea

ch o

ther

’s c

ompa

ny is

alw

ays

wor

th th

e pr

ice

of th

e tr

ip.

http://archives.nypl.org/mss/3101


http://archives.nypl.org/uploads/collection/generated_finding_aids/mss18809.pdf

http://archives.nypl.org/uploads/collection/generated_finding_aids/mss18809.pdf


http://www.nypl.org/locations/divisions/manuscripts-division

http://www.nysfhc.org

http://newyorkfamilyhistory.org

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/death/

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