Researching family history often relies on newspapers to understand the life and times of our ancestors. Minnesota Territory's Governor Alexander Ramsey knew that, calling them "the day books of history."
Having full issues of Minnesota newspapers in the future is threatened by cutbacks in funding at the Minnesota Historical Society, which has microfilmed them since 1948. For a couple of good articles check the Chaska Herald and MinnPost takes on the situation.
Access on-line is marvelous, but we've all had situations where the content we saw on-line a couple of days or weeks ago is now gone. Preservation is a more staid necessity: if something isn't preserved, it can never be accessed. And just check out on-line versions of the 'same' paper -- they really aren't identical. Some of the best stuff for genealogists is missing.
As a family historian, my wish for Santa is to preserve all Minnesota's newspapers in a way that isn't dependent on electricity, so that our children and grandchildren will have access.
Mary
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Southern Minnesota conference
Here's where to get more information on the Southern Minnesota Genealogical Conference to be held in Mankato on October 24th. This group puts on a great conference!
Mary
Mary
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Fall meetings
The fall meeting schedule is in full swing! One of the best ways (at least for me!) to figure out a brick wall is to talk to another genealogist, explain exactly what I want and what I've already tried, and listen to he/she tell me what I've overlooked! A slightly different perspective coming from someone with different experience often provides me with ideas I can pursue. And the best way to do that? Go to a conference, make some new friends, listen to the lectures for those new kernels or the old ones you forgot. Here's a couple major conferences for you to check out:
The Minnesota Genealogical Society conference is scheduled for Sept 18-19. More details are available on its website at http://mngs.org. There are classes on Friday afternoon, a banquet that evening and a full day on Saturday. You can attend parts or all, depending on your schedule. This one will be held in South St. Paul and features Claire Bettag (and she's a wonderful speaker)!
For those of you near Moorhead, you might want to consider the conference to be held held there on September 26, and described at http://survey.mnstate.edu/heritageed/index.php. They offer six (that's 6!) concurrent tracks, and if you can't find something to help with your problem, it's a real toughie. This is always one of my favorites, because of the diversity and scope of their program.
If those are too close in time for you to get there, consider the Southern Minnesota Conference October 24th on the campus of Mankato State University. Details are available at http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/genie/expo.html. The full schedule and program are linked, with .PDFs. Looks like an excellent program, too!
And there are more, too, generally smaller in attendance. If you can't get to a conference, how about checking out a local genealogy group? Exchanging stories face to face is a good way to get motivated and looking at some new ideas!
The Minnesota Genealogical Society conference is scheduled for Sept 18-19. More details are available on its website at http://mngs.org. There are classes on Friday afternoon, a banquet that evening and a full day on Saturday. You can attend parts or all, depending on your schedule. This one will be held in South St. Paul and features Claire Bettag (and she's a wonderful speaker)!
For those of you near Moorhead, you might want to consider the conference to be held held there on September 26, and described at http://survey.mnstate.edu/heritageed/index.php. They offer six (that's 6!) concurrent tracks, and if you can't find something to help with your problem, it's a real toughie. This is always one of my favorites, because of the diversity and scope of their program.
If those are too close in time for you to get there, consider the Southern Minnesota Conference October 24th on the campus of Mankato State University. Details are available at http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/genie/expo.html. The full schedule and program are linked, with .PDFs. Looks like an excellent program, too!
And there are more, too, generally smaller in attendance. If you can't get to a conference, how about checking out a local genealogy group? Exchanging stories face to face is a good way to get motivated and looking at some new ideas!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Cemetery research and compulsiveness
Many of the questions directed at me involve finding where an ancestor might be buried in Minnesota. "Where would my great-great-grandmother be buried?" While that may sound relatively simple, finding the right cemetery and analyzing all the available information can require dogged research. Lots of us are hooked on cemeteries, love to walk them looking for ancestors, and volunteer for them in some capacity. I've done it all!
Questions about cemetery record transcriptions came up as I was preparing the September 2009 issue of the Minnesota Genealogical Journal, I found some Quartermaster record books in the National Archives microfilm for Fort Snelling. (The September 2009 issue has an article about the cemetery there, and transcriptions of the records.) Fort Snelling was built circa 1820, in an extremely strategic location. It was built where what is now the Minnesota River from the western part of Minnesota pours into the Mississippi River. Years ago, far more than I want to admit, I checked out the burials where Rev. Ezekiel Gear officiated. Besides serving as chaplain at the fort, he also served settlers at Christ Church Episcopal, in St. Paul. That congregation had its own cemetery at the time. The cemetery became a part of what is now Oakland Cemetery, the oldest and largest non-denominational cemetery in St. Paul, founded in 1853.
I was Publications Chair for the Minnesota Genealogical Society, and we had a volunteer who offered to help put together records for Oakland Cemetery. Because I'm compulsive, especially when it comes to understanding the context of what I'm working on, I decided to look at both the records kept by the congregation and those kept at the fort while the early cemetery interment records were transcribed.
One might imagine that the records, at least for the Episcopalians, would match up. They didn't. I could understand that non-Episcopalians would be buried at the Fort or in other places. But during Gear's time as Army chaplain, there were some that showed up in only one of the three places, others that showed up in two, along with some that were in all three. All three sets were original records, kept at the time of death/burial, and yet there were differences!
That discovery, combined with my experience in Maine with multiple transcriptions for my husband's family, convinced me that it was very unlikely that I would ever be able to 'finish' my family research. There would always be more to do, more brick walls, etc. to accompany the never ending multiplication of ancestors. I realized that people make mistakes; people don't always follow through on what they are supposed to do; people misunderstand, misread, misidentify, and set those of us who follow up for chasing the wrong path. It's not intentional, but sometimes those little discrepancies among sources open up fascinating new possibilities.
My latest research note goes through some of the analysis steps for finding the right cemetery, and a couple of the available resources that can help. Sometimes, especially for family, old or abandoned cemeteries, a researcher is dependent on other people's transcriptions. Perhaps the only grave marker was made of wood. Even stones can be damaged or just wear away with time and not photo exists. Vandals can help that process along, too. Finding multiple transcriptions for the same burials was an eye-opener in my research process. More than anything else, it showed me the benefit of a friend's instruction: "Turn over every rock when doing your research. You never know what you may find." Compulsiveness can be good!
Questions about cemetery record transcriptions came up as I was preparing the September 2009 issue of the Minnesota Genealogical Journal, I found some Quartermaster record books in the National Archives microfilm for Fort Snelling. (The September 2009 issue has an article about the cemetery there, and transcriptions of the records.) Fort Snelling was built circa 1820, in an extremely strategic location. It was built where what is now the Minnesota River from the western part of Minnesota pours into the Mississippi River. Years ago, far more than I want to admit, I checked out the burials where Rev. Ezekiel Gear officiated. Besides serving as chaplain at the fort, he also served settlers at Christ Church Episcopal, in St. Paul. That congregation had its own cemetery at the time. The cemetery became a part of what is now Oakland Cemetery, the oldest and largest non-denominational cemetery in St. Paul, founded in 1853.
I was Publications Chair for the Minnesota Genealogical Society, and we had a volunteer who offered to help put together records for Oakland Cemetery. Because I'm compulsive, especially when it comes to understanding the context of what I'm working on, I decided to look at both the records kept by the congregation and those kept at the fort while the early cemetery interment records were transcribed.
One might imagine that the records, at least for the Episcopalians, would match up. They didn't. I could understand that non-Episcopalians would be buried at the Fort or in other places. But during Gear's time as Army chaplain, there were some that showed up in only one of the three places, others that showed up in two, along with some that were in all three. All three sets were original records, kept at the time of death/burial, and yet there were differences!
That discovery, combined with my experience in Maine with multiple transcriptions for my husband's family, convinced me that it was very unlikely that I would ever be able to 'finish' my family research. There would always be more to do, more brick walls, etc. to accompany the never ending multiplication of ancestors. I realized that people make mistakes; people don't always follow through on what they are supposed to do; people misunderstand, misread, misidentify, and set those of us who follow up for chasing the wrong path. It's not intentional, but sometimes those little discrepancies among sources open up fascinating new possibilities.
My latest research note goes through some of the analysis steps for finding the right cemetery, and a couple of the available resources that can help. Sometimes, especially for family, old or abandoned cemeteries, a researcher is dependent on other people's transcriptions. Perhaps the only grave marker was made of wood. Even stones can be damaged or just wear away with time and not photo exists. Vandals can help that process along, too. Finding multiple transcriptions for the same burials was an eye-opener in my research process. More than anything else, it showed me the benefit of a friend's instruction: "Turn over every rock when doing your research. You never know what you may find." Compulsiveness can be good!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Which search engine is "best?"
As Google, Yahoo, and now Bing duke it out to be everyone's search engine of choice, you can now do a blind comparison of the three for yourself.
Visit http://blindsearch.fejus.com/, enter your search term, and you'll get back a column for each search engine on what was found. The order of the columns changes with each search, but by voting for the one that gave what you consider to be the "best" results, you can find out which is which.
All claim to put the better matches to the top of the results list, but of course that's in the opinion of the software folks and how they decided to evaluate the results against your search terms. Your opinion matters, too. If you find one of them 'thinks' like you do, that search engine might become your first choice when you find a new ancestor!
Not only may you find some references to your family or your current brick wall you didn't know about before, but by experimenting with the search terms you use, you will discover how to choose better search words for each of the three.
Try it! It's kind of fun.
Visit http://blindsearch.fejus.com/, enter your search term, and you'll get back a column for each search engine on what was found. The order of the columns changes with each search, but by voting for the one that gave what you consider to be the "best" results, you can find out which is which.
All claim to put the better matches to the top of the results list, but of course that's in the opinion of the software folks and how they decided to evaluate the results against your search terms. Your opinion matters, too. If you find one of them 'thinks' like you do, that search engine might become your first choice when you find a new ancestor!
Not only may you find some references to your family or your current brick wall you didn't know about before, but by experimenting with the search terms you use, you will discover how to choose better search words for each of the three.
Try it! It's kind of fun.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Common sense and census indexes
I'm a firm believer in using all available censuses and the data they contain. But there's also a good reason to use common sense.
Minnesota is home to many different ethnic groups, and has been for centuries. However, if you are researching in Minnesota, be aware that the Ancestry.com indexes were not done by people who knew about Minnesota ethnicity. For example, the letter "I" used for 'Indian' as a race indicator looks a little like "J." Under instructions to use full words for the index, the transcriber reported the race to be 'Japanese' for some people were really Dakota Indians. In another, the letter "H" for 'half-breed' was expanded to Hindu for many entries for both Ojibwe and Dakota Indians. In the first case, it was a mis-read of one letter; in the second list, it was choosing the wrong term. Both kinds of errors can mess you up if you don't use a little common sense and look beyond the index.
Of course, it's always worthwhile to look at the original source, but especially if you aren't having luck with the index. If people working with hundreds of entries can make errors like these, what did they do to your ancestor's name or to the remainder of the information they indexed?
Minnesota is home to many different ethnic groups, and has been for centuries. However, if you are researching in Minnesota, be aware that the Ancestry.com indexes were not done by people who knew about Minnesota ethnicity. For example, the letter "I" used for 'Indian' as a race indicator looks a little like "J." Under instructions to use full words for the index, the transcriber reported the race to be 'Japanese' for some people were really Dakota Indians. In another, the letter "H" for 'half-breed' was expanded to Hindu for many entries for both Ojibwe and Dakota Indians. In the first case, it was a mis-read of one letter; in the second list, it was choosing the wrong term. Both kinds of errors can mess you up if you don't use a little common sense and look beyond the index.
Of course, it's always worthwhile to look at the original source, but especially if you aren't having luck with the index. If people working with hundreds of entries can make errors like these, what did they do to your ancestor's name or to the remainder of the information they indexed?
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Using the Minnesota State Census Indexes
One of my current projects involves gathering information about the widows and children who fled from the Dakota Indians during the 1862 war. I've been curious about how they rebuilt their lives -- did they return to the Minnesota River valley? if not, where did they go? how did they support themselves? and so on. Because some of the widows remarried quickly, this can be slow going. But it was curious that, while I could find families in the 1857, 1860, and 1870 censuses, I could not find them in the 1865. Why would that family 'disappear' for that census, when there is other evidence the family group remained in Minnesota?
As I gain more experience with the Minnesota State Census Indexes (both at Ancestry.com and on the Minnesota Historical Society website), I'm learning that effective use may involve more than the usual options. To understand why some different techniques are needed, it was useful to me to discover how the index was constructed. The indexes for all the State Censuses at Ancestry.com were outsourced and created in a very short period of time, from microfilm copies of the census records. MHS's search works a little differently, but is based on the same index database. Fortunately, MHS can make corrections more easily than Ancestry.com, and updates to some records have already taken place. There remain other problems, including those resulting from illegible microfilm and unfamiliarity with our ethnic surnames.
One of the larger unresolved problems exists with the 1865 Index, where many records were entered into the index database with no surname at all. If the census taker wrote the family surname for the head of household and only assumed but didn't enter that surname for the rest of the family, the database index has only the given name. Therefore, just entering the surname with a given name for the spouse and children will result in no record found.
For example, let's say the family includes John Doe (head), wife Mary, and children James and Ellen. Searching for Mary Doe on the index will not find her or the children with John. To find her, the search should be based on her given name, the specific census and the most specific location you know. For sure, include the county, and if at all possible the name of the township or village where the family lived. You may be able to find the specific location from the U.S. census for 1860 and 1870. Your result will come back with a blank surname, but you'll have the opportunity to match up each potential match with the right family.
It's unclear when, if ever, this problem will be completely resolved. Don't give up! When you find one of these in your family, you can make a WOTR (Write On The Record) entry to add the surname, which will eventually make it into the MHS index (see my research notes at).
Good luck in all your searches.
As I gain more experience with the Minnesota State Census Indexes (both at Ancestry.com and on the Minnesota Historical Society website), I'm learning that effective use may involve more than the usual options. To understand why some different techniques are needed, it was useful to me to discover how the index was constructed. The indexes for all the State Censuses at Ancestry.com were outsourced and created in a very short period of time, from microfilm copies of the census records. MHS's search works a little differently, but is based on the same index database. Fortunately, MHS can make corrections more easily than Ancestry.com, and updates to some records have already taken place. There remain other problems, including those resulting from illegible microfilm and unfamiliarity with our ethnic surnames.
One of the larger unresolved problems exists with the 1865 Index, where many records were entered into the index database with no surname at all. If the census taker wrote the family surname for the head of household and only assumed but didn't enter that surname for the rest of the family, the database index has only the given name. Therefore, just entering the surname with a given name for the spouse and children will result in no record found.
For example, let's say the family includes John Doe (head), wife Mary, and children James and Ellen. Searching for Mary Doe on the index will not find her or the children with John. To find her, the search should be based on her given name, the specific census and the most specific location you know. For sure, include the county, and if at all possible the name of the township or village where the family lived. You may be able to find the specific location from the U.S. census for 1860 and 1870. Your result will come back with a blank surname, but you'll have the opportunity to match up each potential match with the right family.
It's unclear when, if ever, this problem will be completely resolved. Don't give up! When you find one of these in your family, you can make a WOTR (Write On The Record) entry to add the surname, which will eventually make it into the MHS index (see my research notes at
Good luck in all your searches.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Forest Lawn Cemetery tour (Ramsey County)
The Forest Lawn Cemetery is located at 1800 Edgerton Street, just south of Minnesota Hwy. 36 in Maplewood. It is relatively small, especially compared to the enormous Calvary and Oakland cemeteries, both in St. Paul. But in terms of beautiful tombstones, it's one of the nicest in the area. Established in 1893, there are about 15,000 burials, many of which have unique artistic Victorian-era stones.
On Saturday, June 13, 2009 at 1 p.m., the Maplewood Area Historical Society is sponsoring a guided walking tour, titled "Cemetery Symbols and Superstitions." Ever wondered about the use of anchors on stones in Minnesota, far from the ocean? Or why some are tree trunks and others stumps? Here's your chance! The beliefs and superstitions behind those symbols will be explained, and costumed characters reminiscing about their lives will appear.
Advance reservations are $6, and should be mailed directly to Forest Lawn Cemetery, 1800 Edgerton St., Maplewood, MN 55117. Registration the day of the tour will be $8. This is a fund raiser for the Society.
On Saturday, June 13, 2009 at 1 p.m., the Maplewood Area Historical Society is sponsoring a guided walking tour, titled "Cemetery Symbols and Superstitions." Ever wondered about the use of anchors on stones in Minnesota, far from the ocean? Or why some are tree trunks and others stumps? Here's your chance! The beliefs and superstitions behind those symbols will be explained, and costumed characters reminiscing about their lives will appear.
Advance reservations are $6, and should be mailed directly to Forest Lawn Cemetery, 1800 Edgerton St., Maplewood, MN 55117. Registration the day of the tour will be $8. This is a fund raiser for the Society.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Using the MHS Territorial/State Census Index
As usual with on-line indexes, some creativity will help you be successful as you use the Minnesota Historical Society's new index for the Minnesota Territorial and State Censuses.
First, like their birth and death indexes, it has some very helpful options in searching both surnames and given names in the pull down menu. These are in addition to 'exact,' which is a letter-for-letter match:
Finally, continue to carefully analyze your results. Some of the censuses included in the index were taken before Minnesota became a state, and a place of birth may be listed as 'MT.' This is very common on the 1857 census, and stands for 'Minnesota Territory,' and NOT the state of Montana. And don't forget, county borders changed considerably between the 1849 census and the 1905 version.
There is some great information only available in the state census, like the residency questions in the latter versions -- "How long have you lived in the state? in the enumeration district?" can help answer those questions about your family's migration. It's a great tool!
Mary
First, like their birth and death indexes, it has some very helpful options in searching both surnames and given names in the pull down menu. These are in addition to 'exact,' which is a letter-for-letter match:
- 'contains' allows you to enter a sequence of letters that you are confident will be in the name, when a person may have a nickname or two versions of the name. For example, if Elizabeth was sometimes known as Liza, you could use "contains Liza" and get hits for Elizabeth and Eliza in addition to Liza. Or if the family sometimes was O'Leary and other times just Leary, entering 'contains Leary' will get you both possibilities. (This option is particularly useful for the death record index, where some names are entered with Mrs., Dr., Prof., etc.)
- 'starts with' allows you to enter the beginning sequence, or just one letter. For example, you only have initials from your other sources. You can enter just one letter, the county, and the year, and get a list of possibilities. Or the name is one that is sometimes translated and sometimes not -- Lorenz, Lawrence, for example.
- 'ends with' allows you to enter the ending sequence.
Finally, continue to carefully analyze your results. Some of the censuses included in the index were taken before Minnesota became a state, and a place of birth may be listed as 'MT.' This is very common on the 1857 census, and stands for 'Minnesota Territory,' and NOT the state of Montana. And don't forget, county borders changed considerably between the 1849 census and the 1905 version.
There is some great information only available in the state census, like the residency questions in the latter versions -- "How long have you lived in the state? in the enumeration district?" can help answer those questions about your family's migration. It's a great tool!
Mary
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Minnesota State Census Indexes free, and on-line
Not having a personal subscription to Ancestry.com, I'm thrilled that the Minnesota Historical Society now has available on its website an index for the Minnesota State Census, 1849-1905. Best of all, it's free! It can be found at http://people.mnhs.org/census/. Though the front page only mentions the decennial 1865-1905 state censuses, the index covers the pre-statehood censuses too, including the 1849 Territorial Census, the 1857 Census (taken to prove there were enough residents to become a state), and several very local censuses taken in 1853 and 1855.
The index works like the MHS's birth and death certificates indexes, giving the researcher more control over searches: drop-down menus for "exact," "contains," "starts with," and "ends with" for both last and first names and the ability to limit the search by year and county, as well as Soundex. Some of these censuses use initials only, making "starts with" one of my favorite features. And WOTR (Write On The Record), MHS's comment feature, can be used on the census index. This means that you can report errors and MHS will make corrections. You can purchase copies of the images over the net, too, for electronic delivery.
The eight counties in the extreme southwest part of the state are an interesting study on the 1857 census. All are heavily populated with highly educated settlers, in addition to the farmers. These people have been called 'mythical,' because they exactly fill pages in the various counties, and don't show up again in 1860. Of course, in March of 1857 Inkpaduta and his band went through that area on their way from Spirit Lake, Iowa, where they wiped out several settlements. The settlers in Minnesota banded together for safety, but many left the area. You can read more about the census in this region in Minnesota Genealogical Journal: 10, September 1993, and about Spirit Lake in Legends, Letters and Lies: Readings on the Spirit Lake Massacre, both available from my bookstore. Many saw Spirit Lake as the precursor of the U.S./Dakota War in 1862.
This is a great addition to the researcher's arsenal!
The index works like the MHS's birth and death certificates indexes, giving the researcher more control over searches: drop-down menus for "exact," "contains," "starts with," and "ends with" for both last and first names and the ability to limit the search by year and county, as well as Soundex. Some of these censuses use initials only, making "starts with" one of my favorite features. And WOTR (Write On The Record), MHS's comment feature, can be used on the census index. This means that you can report errors and MHS will make corrections. You can purchase copies of the images over the net, too, for electronic delivery.
The eight counties in the extreme southwest part of the state are an interesting study on the 1857 census. All are heavily populated with highly educated settlers, in addition to the farmers. These people have been called 'mythical,' because they exactly fill pages in the various counties, and don't show up again in 1860. Of course, in March of 1857 Inkpaduta and his band went through that area on their way from Spirit Lake, Iowa, where they wiped out several settlements. The settlers in Minnesota banded together for safety, but many left the area. You can read more about the census in this region in Minnesota Genealogical Journal: 10, September 1993, and about Spirit Lake in Legends, Letters and Lies: Readings on the Spirit Lake Massacre, both available from my bookstore. Many saw Spirit Lake as the precursor of the U.S./Dakota War in 1862.
This is a great addition to the researcher's arsenal!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Emergency Aid for the Sufferers now available
Volume 5 of our series on claims from the Dakota War of 1862 is now available. The first four volumes concern claims to support the military: this volume concentrates on those who fled in terror, and the relief efforts to help them. The original records are in the State Auditor's files at the State Archives at the Minnesota History Center.
In its Special Session held in late September of 1862, the Minnesota Legislature authorized $25,000 for the 'sufferers.' Stories of attacks on farms fueled the exodus of settlers to places of safety. Some gathered together to build stockades, others took their children and fled to St. Anthony, St. Paul and places further east. Mankato and St. Peter became major points of refuge.
This book contains transcriptions of the requests from individual sufferers as well as from the people and businesses that provided relief to them. It includes passenger lists from steamboats, the names of those who obtained flour and/or beef from the supplies in Mankato, bills from the coffin maker in St. Peter, the doctors and pharmacists who provided medical care, lists of those still needing assistance in January of 1863, and more. The extensive index allows researchers to put together an account of what happened to families during this relatively short period.
I've put a description and order form on my website, with information about this book. The story told in these records is a sad one, further illuminating the tragedy of the U.S./Dakota War of 1862.
In its Special Session held in late September of 1862, the Minnesota Legislature authorized $25,000 for the 'sufferers.' Stories of attacks on farms fueled the exodus of settlers to places of safety. Some gathered together to build stockades, others took their children and fled to St. Anthony, St. Paul and places further east. Mankato and St. Peter became major points of refuge.
This book contains transcriptions of the requests from individual sufferers as well as from the people and businesses that provided relief to them. It includes passenger lists from steamboats, the names of those who obtained flour and/or beef from the supplies in Mankato, bills from the coffin maker in St. Peter, the doctors and pharmacists who provided medical care, lists of those still needing assistance in January of 1863, and more. The extensive index allows researchers to put together an account of what happened to families during this relatively short period.
I've put a description and order form on my website, with information about this book. The story told in these records is a sad one, further illuminating the tragedy of the U.S./Dakota War of 1862.
Monday, March 9, 2009
This and that!
Time flies! and I haven't been blogging. Here's a few updates:
1. The Minnesota Genealogical Journal: 41 is ready for mailing this week. It will still be a few days before the contents make it to my on-line catalog, but you can see them at http://www.parkbooks.com/Html/mgj41.html.
2. The Annual Civil War Symposium, sponsored by several Roundtables in the area, will be held at Fort Snelling on April 25. It will feature presentations on Gettysburg, Corinth and the Home Front. Go to http:www.parkbooks.com/Html/2009_Symposium_Notice.pdf for the flyer advertising this event.
3. The Minnesota Genealogical Society will host its spring meeting on April 18, at their offices in South St. Paul. You can find details on their website, at http://mngs.org.
4. On a more personal note: Volume 5 of my series on Claims from the Dakota War of 1862 is at the printers. This has been underway for a llllllooooonnnngggg time! It covers Emergency Aid for the Sufferers, those who requested aid from the state to help them during the War and in the following year as they fled their homes with little or nothing. This should be available in the coming weeks. There are 100 or so pages of specific requests plus another 14 of index, in 3-column format, helping researchers put together detailed information on specific people.
I'm still looking for the personal stories about people who lived in Minnesota during the Dakota War, especially those who were directly affected. Where were your ancestors?
Mary
1. The Minnesota Genealogical Journal: 41 is ready for mailing this week. It will still be a few days before the contents make it to my on-line catalog, but you can see them at http://www.parkbooks.com/Html/mgj41.html.
2. The Annual Civil War Symposium, sponsored by several Roundtables in the area, will be held at Fort Snelling on April 25. It will feature presentations on Gettysburg, Corinth and the Home Front. Go to http:www.parkbooks.com/Html/2009_Symposium_Notice.pdf for the flyer advertising this event.
3. The Minnesota Genealogical Society will host its spring meeting on April 18, at their offices in South St. Paul. You can find details on their website, at http://mngs.org.
4. On a more personal note: Volume 5 of my series on Claims from the Dakota War of 1862 is at the printers. This has been underway for a llllllooooonnnngggg time! It covers Emergency Aid for the Sufferers, those who requested aid from the state to help them during the War and in the following year as they fled their homes with little or nothing. This should be available in the coming weeks. There are 100 or so pages of specific requests plus another 14 of index, in 3-column format, helping researchers put together detailed information on specific people.
I'm still looking for the personal stories about people who lived in Minnesota during the Dakota War, especially those who were directly affected. Where were your ancestors?
Mary
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Anton Rost and the Dakota War of 1862
As I promised, here are the bare bones of the story of my ancestor during the Dakota War of 1862. His name was Anton Rost, and he and his family were living in Henderson, Sibley County. Anton was a butcher, and his wife Rosina ran the local hotel. The story was published in Rosina's obituary in 1913 [St. Peter Free Press, 11 Oct 1913] (but not in his!), after the family had moved to St. Peter, Nicollet County.
"In attempting to drive across the ice of the Red River it gave way and precipitated him and team into the icy water. Mr. Rost was unable to swim but managed to unhook the horses. The team, however, got away from him and left him struggling alone in the water. He succeeded to keep afloat until he reached a clump of willows in mid-stream and after being in the water for several hours attracted the attention of an Indian who rescued him. This Indian never afterwards failed to recall the attention of Mr. Rost to the fact that he had saved his life. Just before the Indian outbreak his recuer came to him and told him of the plans of the Indians, and requested Mr. Rost to take him and his family with him until the uprising had been put down. This Indian and family stayed with Mr. Rost at Henderson until hostilities were at an end."
I had a lot of questions. Is the story true? How did they take in the Indians? Who were they? Since Anton's mishap happened on the Red River in NW Minnesota, it's most likely the Indian family were Upper Sioux. When had Anton gone through the ice and specifically where? Basically, I wanted to know what was fact in the story, and what was oral tradition?
The first step was sorting out what information could be found in other records. Census records assured me that the family was in Henderson, and various other sources told me he was a butcher and she ran the hotel. Since he was reportedly delivering beef to the Indians, I looked for a contract with the U.S. Government. I found payment records for deliveries for the Upper Sioux, on order of John Grininger, as well as deliveries to the Lower Sioux. Nothing about going through the ice, nor a rescue by an Indian, however. On the other hand, it did mean that he could have developed relationships with individual Dakota, and could have known his rescuer. There are many stories of such relationships, including other warnings of the outbreak by Indians to settlers.
I looked at the newspapers for Henderson for the last part of 1862, and found no pertinent reference. Though the family had arrived in the U.S. in 1855, they lived first in Washington county, before heading for Henderson. His first land purchase in Henderson was in January 1858 [land records, Sibley county], but they could have been there earlier.
Was the hotel operational during the Dakota War? The answer to that is unequivocally "Yes!" Anton received payments for board and room provided to the military forces that stayed there [Claims from the Dakota Conflict, in 4 volumes], but he and/or Rosina are not mentioned in the 5th volume to be published in March on Emergency Aid for the Refugees. They didn't move to St. Peter until 1865.
So soldiers were staying at the hotel as they passed through town. That could be scary for an Indian, even if a non-combatant with a family. Could it be a mixed-blood family, who was fleeing from the necessity to join Little Crow? How would Anton protect them? The story suggests they remained in the Minnesota River valley. Where did they go afterwards? Even after my attempts to find evidence to prove the details of the family story, my questions haven't gone away.
Is this family story factual or true? While I couldn't identify collaborative evidence for all of the facts in the story, I didn't find any that suggests that it didn't happen either. And there is definitely enough other supporting evidence for a few of the facts to make me a believer of the truth in it.
Incidentally, any light you can shed on this story would be welcome! I'd still like to know who that Indian was and what happened to him and his family.
Your stories wanted
Has your ancestors' stories about the Dakota Conflict been passed along in your family? Share it with others, and pass it along here. You just may find a cousin who holds the key.
"In attempting to drive across the ice of the Red River it gave way and precipitated him and team into the icy water. Mr. Rost was unable to swim but managed to unhook the horses. The team, however, got away from him and left him struggling alone in the water. He succeeded to keep afloat until he reached a clump of willows in mid-stream and after being in the water for several hours attracted the attention of an Indian who rescued him. This Indian never afterwards failed to recall the attention of Mr. Rost to the fact that he had saved his life. Just before the Indian outbreak his recuer came to him and told him of the plans of the Indians, and requested Mr. Rost to take him and his family with him until the uprising had been put down. This Indian and family stayed with Mr. Rost at Henderson until hostilities were at an end."
I had a lot of questions. Is the story true? How did they take in the Indians? Who were they? Since Anton's mishap happened on the Red River in NW Minnesota, it's most likely the Indian family were Upper Sioux. When had Anton gone through the ice and specifically where? Basically, I wanted to know what was fact in the story, and what was oral tradition?
The first step was sorting out what information could be found in other records. Census records assured me that the family was in Henderson, and various other sources told me he was a butcher and she ran the hotel. Since he was reportedly delivering beef to the Indians, I looked for a contract with the U.S. Government. I found payment records for deliveries for the Upper Sioux, on order of John Grininger, as well as deliveries to the Lower Sioux. Nothing about going through the ice, nor a rescue by an Indian, however. On the other hand, it did mean that he could have developed relationships with individual Dakota, and could have known his rescuer. There are many stories of such relationships, including other warnings of the outbreak by Indians to settlers.
I looked at the newspapers for Henderson for the last part of 1862, and found no pertinent reference. Though the family had arrived in the U.S. in 1855, they lived first in Washington county, before heading for Henderson. His first land purchase in Henderson was in January 1858 [land records, Sibley county], but they could have been there earlier.
Was the hotel operational during the Dakota War? The answer to that is unequivocally "Yes!" Anton received payments for board and room provided to the military forces that stayed there [Claims from the Dakota Conflict, in 4 volumes], but he and/or Rosina are not mentioned in the 5th volume to be published in March on Emergency Aid for the Refugees. They didn't move to St. Peter until 1865.
So soldiers were staying at the hotel as they passed through town. That could be scary for an Indian, even if a non-combatant with a family. Could it be a mixed-blood family, who was fleeing from the necessity to join Little Crow? How would Anton protect them? The story suggests they remained in the Minnesota River valley. Where did they go afterwards? Even after my attempts to find evidence to prove the details of the family story, my questions haven't gone away.
Is this family story factual or true? While I couldn't identify collaborative evidence for all of the facts in the story, I didn't find any that suggests that it didn't happen either. And there is definitely enough other supporting evidence for a few of the facts to make me a believer of the truth in it.
Incidentally, any light you can shed on this story would be welcome! I'd still like to know who that Indian was and what happened to him and his family.
Your stories wanted
Has your ancestors' stories about the Dakota Conflict been passed along in your family? Share it with others, and pass it along here. You just may find a cousin who holds the key.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Where were your ancestors?
The Minnesota Genealogical Journal #41 is now at the printers, and will be mailed in early March. It includes a compiled list of those who likely fled for safety at the Hutchinson stockade, almost 450 people. (You can read the Editor's letter here.) It also includes a challenge in the Editor's letter for those whose ancestors were in Minnesota at the time of the U.S./Dakota War of 1862.
Most of those in the Hutchinson stockade were 'ordinary' people -- children ranging in age from a few days to teenagers who helped take care of the wounded in the hospital, at least two adults who decided to marry, women and the elderly, and farmers, in addition to the members of the militia. And the same type of scene happened all over central Minnesota, as the panic spread. For the most part, their stories haven't been told. Is your ancestor among these ordinary people?
The literature neglects them and the stories of their daily activities, because only the more sensational stories were published. What were they able to save when they fled? How did they feed their families? Where did they go after the crisis was over? I invite you to share their stories, and I'll include them on this blog, and perhaps in an upcoming issue of the Journal.
This may even be a way for you to meet up with others who are researching families from the same area, and perhaps cousins you don't know yet.
Mary
Most of those in the Hutchinson stockade were 'ordinary' people -- children ranging in age from a few days to teenagers who helped take care of the wounded in the hospital, at least two adults who decided to marry, women and the elderly, and farmers, in addition to the members of the militia. And the same type of scene happened all over central Minnesota, as the panic spread. For the most part, their stories haven't been told. Is your ancestor among these ordinary people?
The literature neglects them and the stories of their daily activities, because only the more sensational stories were published. What were they able to save when they fled? How did they feed their families? Where did they go after the crisis was over? I invite you to share their stories, and I'll include them on this blog, and perhaps in an upcoming issue of the Journal.
This may even be a way for you to meet up with others who are researching families from the same area, and perhaps cousins you don't know yet.
Mary
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Local historical societies
One of my favorite places is the library at the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS). The Society is a combination of a museum, state library (e.g., all the state's newspapers are sent there, and are on microfilm, and most of the books published in the state as well), and the archives for state and local governments. The range of resources is very wide, and I love poking around the on-line catalog for materials that are relevant to my current project.
But at the same time, there are other sources in the state which are goldmines in their own right--the local historical societies and groups that focus on smaller areas. I grew up in Freeborn County, and there are four smaller historical groups in addition to the county historical society. And the county historical society has a relationship with the county genealogical society as well. And the same is true in many of Minnesota's 87 counties. There are local groups that have local collections with materials that can help further your family history.
Here is the on-line list of local historical societies:
<www.mnhs.org/localhistory/mho/chsclo.html>
Check out your county at to see if there is a local organization for your area of interest. And thanks to MHS for providing the information!
Mary
But at the same time, there are other sources in the state which are goldmines in their own right--the local historical societies and groups that focus on smaller areas. I grew up in Freeborn County, and there are four smaller historical groups in addition to the county historical society. And the county historical society has a relationship with the county genealogical society as well. And the same is true in many of Minnesota's 87 counties. There are local groups that have local collections with materials that can help further your family history.
Here is the on-line list of local historical societies:
<
Check out your county at
Mary
Minnesota Genealogy
I've been publishing on-line research notes for Minnesota since 1994, and have been the Ramsey County MnGenWeb coordinator since the USGenWeb hit Minnesota. 2008 was Minnesota's 150th birthday, and the anniversary for the Civil War and the U.S.-Dakota Conflict of 1862 is soon approaching. (Minnesota was the first state to offer troops to President Lincoln, after war was declared.) A new state perhaps, but her citizens were heavily involved in the nation's history!
I'm finding that waiting for the monthly notes or just responding to Ramsey County questions takes care of a few of the things I'd like to share with family historians doing research on the Minnesota-area relatives. So, I'm going to try blogging. You can expect research hints, notices of new and old resources, upcoming meetings, and more. I hope you'll join me on this adventure.
Mary
I'm finding that waiting for the monthly notes or just responding to Ramsey County questions takes care of a few of the things I'd like to share with family historians doing research on the Minnesota-area relatives. So, I'm going to try blogging. You can expect research hints, notices of new and old resources, upcoming meetings, and more. I hope you'll join me on this adventure.
Mary
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
