SAGA e-News Digest
April – June 2013
10 April 2013 e-Newsletter
We're Official!
As of now, the Southern Appalachians Genealogical Association is officially organized.
Thank you to everyone for your support and encouragement!
Election Results
Our recent election decided the amount of our dues ($15 annually), the bylaws, our name,
and who our founding officers would be. All matters were passed unanimously and will be
available on the web site for everyone to view as soon as we can get it there. A huge thank
you to Michael Hait, who designed the ballot, ran the election, and tallied the results.
Please note that we're still looking for two officers. We also need volunteers to serve as
Regional Representatives for five of our six districts. Anyone who is interested should
contact any current member of the Board of Directors, which is comprised of the officers and
the Regional Representatives.
Committees
If you've taken a look at the left sidebar, then you know we need more than officers and
Regional Representatives. We also need people to help with committee work. If you're
interested in volunteering, please let someone know!
Publications
Our editors are hard at work compiling publication guidelines for our journal and quarterly
newsletter. If you're interested in writing articles for either periodical or helping in some other
way, please contact the appropriate editor through the "Contact Us" form on the web site.
We'll also begin working on our first book-length transcription project soon. Dawn Watson will
likely serve as the editor and Abigail Banks Dennison as the Project Leader. Because of the
possibility of receiving a publication grant through the R. J. Taylor, Jr. Foundation, our initial
focus will be on Georgia records. If you would like to suggest a project or help with
transcribing, proofreading, indexing, or formatting, please let Dawn or Abigail know.
This will also be our first official fund raiser. Money from book-length publications will go
toward not only the Society's operating expenses, but also toward things like educational
programs for members, community outreach, and historical preservation activities, with the
added benefit of making the targeted records easier to use for the whole genealogical
community. Please consider donating your time. Many hands make light work!
Reunion of Upcountry Families
SAGA will have a society table at the Reunion of Upcountry Families on 27 April 2013, held
this year at Southern Wesleyan University in Central, South Carolina. Dawn Watson, Richard
SAGA e-News Digest, April – June 2013
E. Hopkins, Jr., and Caleb Watson will be manning the table. Two member authors will have
books for sale at the table, with part of the proceeds going to SAGA, and at least one author
will have a catalog of books available. We also hope to have a display set up with pictures of
area families, buildings, events, and/or historic sites, plus information on joining SAGA.
Please stop by and say hello. For more information on this fun event, see the Reunion's web
site: www.100yearreunion.com.
Pass the Word!
Do you know researchers who might have an interest in joining SAGA? Let them know that
we've organized! Interested individuals can find more information about SAGA on our web
site: www.sagenealogy.org.
17 April 2013 e-Newsletter
The Southern Appalachians Genealogical Association's first full week has been eventful. The
web site is in the process of being updated, our Publications Committee is working toward
publishing the first quarterly newsletter, and we're growing, slowly but surely.
Volunteers Needed
We have several vacancies on our Board of Directors for both Officers and Regional
Representatives. We also need individuals to chair and work on our committees. All of these
positions are necessary in order for SAGA to reach its full potential and meet its objectives.
We also need a book review editor, help with the e-newsletter, and help with Society
projects. Interested individuals should be members in good standing of SAGA. To learn more
about volunteering, visit our web site: www.sagenealogy.org/volunteeer.html.
The SAGA Newsletter
In addition to this e-newsletter, SAGA will eventually produce both a quarterly newsletter and
an annual journal. The journal is still in the formulation stage, but submissions are now being
accepted for the newsletter. We hope to have the first issue ready for publication in August,
which gives us only two and a half months before the standard publication deadline. More
information on materials needed and publication guidelines are available on the web site:
www.sagenealogy.org/newsletter.html. Other questions regarding the newsletter should be
directed to: newsletter@sagenealogy.org.
The Reunion of Upcountry Families
SAGA will have a table at the upcoming Reunion of Upcountry Families, which will be held
on 25 - 27 April 2013 at Southern Wesleyan University in Central, SC. We will be in
attendance on Saturday, 27 April. Please drop by if you're in the area. For more information,
visit the Reunion's web site: www.100yearreunion.com.
North Carolina Confederate Soldiers Burial Database
The NCGenWeb and the North Carolina Sons of Confederate Veterans have teamed up to
create a database of North Carolina Confederate Soldiers Burials. More than 8,000 names
have already been compiled. The database is freely open to the public and available at:
www.ncgenweb-data.com/csaburials/.
Spotlight on Appalachia
Dave Tabler has been writing about Appalachia since 2006 via his blog Appalachian History:
Stories, quotes and anecdotes (www.appalachianhistory.net). Daily posts cover a range of
topics on the history, people, and culture of the Appalachians, and include a transcript of a
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SAGA e-News Digest, April – June 2013
weekly podcast. Recent posts pertinent to the Southern Appalachians include:
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10 March 2013, "The Meaders Family of White County GA keeps pottery traditions
alive"
8 April 2013, "Vance Birthplace: Goodbye, for Now" by guest author Kevin McGuire
10 April 2013, "Gov. Taylor immediately wired, 'The laws of Tennessee must be
upheld'"
Tabler often uses excerpts from out-of-print and public domain material in his posts. Source
citations are frequently included, a handy addition for those wanting to learn more.
Did you know?
The recent History Channel series on the Hatfields and McCoys was filmed in Romania. The
location was chosen because of its similarity to the Appalachians and its lack of modern
fixtures, such as power lines. Visit the History Channel online:
www.history.com/shows/hatfields-and-mccoys/.
24 April 2013 e-Newsletter
We're growing our web site! If you have suggestions for members-only content or would like
to volunteer to build such content, e-mail board@sagenealogy.org and let someone know.
The Reunion of Upcountry Families
A brief reminder that SAGA will be at the Reunion of Upcountry Families on Saturday, 27
April. This year's reunion will be held at Southern Wesleyan University in Central, SC. We
hope to see you there!
FamilySearch to Index Mississippi's Enumeration of Educable Children
FamilySearch is looking for volunteers to index Mississippi's Enumeration of Educable
Children, 1850 - 1892 and 1908 - 1952. These records provide invaluable information to
researchers on children living in Mississippi during those time periods, including their names
and ages and, after 1885, their parents or guardians. There are two parts to the indexing
project, Part A and Part B. For those needing more immediate access, images of these
records are currently available through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Spotlight on Education
The National Genealogical Society has announced the release of Mastering Genealogical
Proof by Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA. Jones is the co-editor of
the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and is a widely-known and well-respected
instructor at various genealogical institutes. The NGS describes this new volume as "a
unique textbook on genealogical methods and reasoning" that "guides readers in acquiring
genealogical skills transcending chronological, ethnic, geopolitical, and religious
boundaries." Mastering Genealogical Proof is available for pre-order. The price is $25 for
NGS members and $30 for non-members, which includes the costs of postage within the
Continental US. The estimated shipping date is 20 May 2013.
Can't wait until May to get your education fix? The companion web site to Evidence
Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace by Elizabeth Shown Mills,
CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA, is an inexpensive way to learn from one of the best
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SAGA e-News Digest, April – June 2013
genealogists in the world. Of particular note are the forums, where puzzled researchers can
ask questions regarding citation, evidence analysis, and record usage and interpretation.
(Hint: Read the book first.) Also noteworthy are Mills' sixteen QuickLessons, which guide
genealogists through everything from differentiating between sources and information to
solving identity problems, and a whole lot in between. An electronic version of Evidence
Explained is available for purchase on the companion web site. Hard copies may be ordered
from Heritage Books and other online retail merchants.
Post-nominals
CG and CGL are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, and stand for
Certified Genealogist and Certified Genealogical Lecturer, respectively. The "F" in the other
post-nominals stands for "Fellow," and in this case indicates an individual who has rendered
outstanding services to a society and/or made significant contributions to the field. The
societies referenced are the American Society of Genealogists, theNational Genealogical
Society, and the Utah Genealogical Association.
Did you know?
The Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace is one of four North Carolina historic sites that will likely
be closed to the public due to a lack of funds. The sites will still be maintained. Vance was a
two-time governor of North Carolina, the first time during the Civil War. He was later elected
to the U. S. Senate. The site of his birth is located near Weaverville, in modern Buncombe
County.
1 May 2013 e-Newsletter
Are you looking for an opportunity to serve the genealogical community? SAGA needs
volunteer members to fill leadership positions and to work on committees. A book reviewer
and an e-newsletter manager are also needed. Learn more.
The Reunion of Upcountry Families
SAGA's table at the Reunion garnered a lot of positive attention. We have several new
members, thanks to our appearance there, and many others who took home information on
the Society and member publications. We met many interesting researchers and even made
a few family connections. A huge and hearty thank you to all those who made this visit a
success, including Annette Sutherland Garland, Richard E. Hopkins, Jr., and Caleb Watson.
North Carolina Loose Estates Records
The North Carolina Genealogical Society is more than halfway finished indexing North
Carolina's loose estates records. These valuable records are available in their original form
at the North Carolina State Archives or on microfilm at other locations.FamilySearch has
digitized many of these records from the microfilm and placed them online under the title
"North Carolina, Estate Files, 1663 - 1979." The estate records are organized by and
indexed using the name of the deceased.
Estate records are an excellent resource for learning more about an ancestor's life and
family. Even the records of ancestors who died intestate (i.e. without leaving a will) can be an
incredibly useful source of information. To learn more about using estate and other records,
see North Carolina Research: Genealogy and Local History (2nd ed.). This excellent
research guide was edited by Helen F. M. Leary, one of the South's leading genealogists,
and published by the North Carolina Genealogical Society, which offers it for sale. North
Carolina Research is also available through many libraries.
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SAGA e-News Digest, April – June 2013
Spotlight on Conferences and Institutes
The Summer genealogy conference season kicks off with the 2013 National Genealogical
Society Conference, held this year in Las Vegas, Nevada, from May 8 - 11. Other upcoming
conferences include the 44th annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree, held June 6 8 this year in Las Angeles, California, and the 2013 Federation of Genealogical Societies
Conference, which takes place August 21 - 24 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Genealogists from
around the world will travel to these conferences to attend lectures given by top-notch
genealogical speakers and to network with other researchers.
If you're looking to kick your research skills up a notch, there's no better way than to attend a
genealogical institute. Three such institutes will be held in June and July. Samford University
Library's Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) is held annually at the
University's campus in Birmingham, Alabama, and this year on June 9 - 14. The National
Institute on Genealogical Research (NIGR) is held annually each July in Washington, D. C.
and College Park, Maryland; this year on July 8 - 12. Finally, the Genealogical Research
Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), a relative new-comer, will be held July 21 - 26 in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. Although registration for these institutes generally fills quickly, there are still
spaces left for participants in select courses at IGHR and GRIP.
These are just a few of the many opportunities genealogists have, throughout the year, to
expand skills and interact with other researchers.
Did you know?
The National Historic Probate Project seeks to improve access to these important records
through digitization. FamilySearch and Ancestry.com are partnering with local and state
courts and archives to realize this goal.
15 May 2013 e-Newsletter
Would you like to see a members-only section on the web site? Contact the Board of
Directors at board@sagenealogy.org to voice your opinion, suggest content, or volunteer to
help with the web site.
SAGA's First Book-Length Project
The Board of Directors approved SAGA's first book-length project, which will cover select
newspapers published in Habersham County, Georgia. These records were chosen because
of the kinds of information contained in newspapers and the usefulness of these records
across a broader region. Proceeds from the eventual finished project will go toward funding
Society publications, educational opportunities, and other Society operations.
Volunteers will be needed to obtain copies of, transcribe, proofread, and index the
newspapers. A Project Leader will facilitate the project by keeping track of the volunteers. To
volunteer for any aspect of this project, contact Dawn Watson atboard@sagenealogy.org.
The South Carolina Digital Newspaper Program
The lack of official vital records prior to required registration in the early 20th century can
make research in South Carolina difficult. Fortunately, there are ways around this lack,
including the many extant newspapers published prior to that time.
The South Carolina Digital Newspaper Program (SCDNP) began placing digitized images of
historic newspapers online in 2009, thanks to a National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP)
grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Historic newspapers online through
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SAGA e-News Digest, April – June 2013
the SCDNP for the Southern Appalachians include The Keowee Courier, The Pickens
Sentinel, and The Anderson Intelligencer. The Easley Messenger is scheduled to be
digitized. Digitized issues are housed at the Library of Congress' Chronicling America.
Spotlight on Terms of Use
The Internet has been a huge boon to genealogists. The growing number of companies
offering databases of digitized records and forums for researchers to connect make the
genealogist's job much easier. There are limits to how those databases and forums can be
used, set in place by the companies themselves in a usually lengthy and jargon-laden
document called the Terms of Use. Wading through all the legal terminology can be an
intimidating experience, but it's a necessary one. Otherwise, how can one know if, say,
Ancestry.com allows individuals to download and save a digitized document or to share it
with distant cousins? More importantly, what are these companies' attitudes towards usercontributed data?
There is help, in the form of a blog written by Judy G. Russell, who is affectionately known
as the Legal Genealogist. While Judy is careful to point out that her blog does not constitute
legal advice, her conversations do help others untangle the complicated laws that govern the
many records genealogists frequently use. Additionally, Judy offers occasional series on
issues of particular interest to the genealogy field, including her series on terms of use. The
latest post in this series focuses on FamilySearch, in which Judy discusses the concerns
researchers should rightly have over this particular company's terms of use. Other posts
feature Pinterest, the Digital Public Library of America, Microsoft clip art, and Instagram, just
to name a few. Many of her posts on terms of use cross over into discussions of copyright,
also an important issue for genealogists to be aware of.
Did you know?
The location of the Revolutionary War battle at Carr's Fort was found in Wilkes County,
Georgia, earlier this year. The battle took place in February 1779 and was a victory for patriot
forces.
29 May 2013 e-Newsletter
Would you like to connect with others researching the same families? Placing a query in our
quarterly newsletter is a great way to reach out! Members may submit one query per fiscal
year, although this limit may be expanded if room permits. To learn more about submitting a
query for publication, e-mail newsletter@sagenealogy.org.
Call for Authors: The SAGA Newsletter
Are you an expert on a particular historical event and would like to share that knowledge with
others? Have you ever wanted to write about an interesting ancestor? Would you like to
share a special research experience with like-minded individuals?
Now's your chance! The staff of SAGA's newsletter is seeking submissions across a wide
variety of subjects of interest to Society members. General guidelines are available on our
web site, or contact the editor for more information.
The War of 1812 Pension Records
The 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 has brought much-needed attention to the records
created to reward service in that war. Pension and bounty land warrant applications are
among the most useful records in the genealogist's toolbox, so when these records are
threatened, as those for the War of 1812 are, researchers should take notice.
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SAGA e-News Digest, April – June 2013
And fortunately, they have. Preserve the Pensions is a collaborative partnership between
the Federation of Genealogical Societies, the National Archives, fold3, Ancestry.com, and
the public that provides funds to digitize original War of 1812 pension application files, all of
which will be available for free indefinitely through fold3. About 1/3 of the money needed to
complete the project has been raised. Ancestry.com has pledged to match donations, while
the FGS has created the Society of Preservation Patriots to honor those contributing more
than $250.
For more information on researching the War of 1812 period, see Military Resources: War of
1812.
Spotlight on Local Restaurants
The Internet makes preparing for an on-site research trip easier than ever before. Many
archives and other institutions have web sites containing hours of operation, access issues,
and other important information. More mundane necessities, like local restaurants, can be
found with just a few clicks using guides such as Restaurants.com and Zagat. Another option
is to keep an eye out for reviews and articles on local restaurants published in online or print
magazines, like Smoky Mountain Living.
Still another option comes from food television shows and networks, like Food
Network's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. A recent Food Network article, On the Road Eats:
FN-Approved BBQ, reviews 16 barbecue restaurants from around the country. Included in
this list are Buz and Ned's Real Barbecue in Richmond, VA, site of the 2014 National
Genealogical Society Conference, and The Pit, located in Raleigh, NC, less than one mile
from the North Carolina State Archives. Restaurants like these give genealogists something
to look forward to at the end of a long day of research.
Did You Know?
Begun in 1986, the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) indexes 11,000 genealogical and
historical society periodicals held by the Allan County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana,
as well as nearly a dozen other major institutions.
12 June 2013 e-Newsletter
The minutes of the April 2013 Board of Directors meeting are now online in the Aboutsection
of the web site.
Newsletter Naming Contest
In anticipation of the publication of the first issue of SAGA's quarterly newsletter, the
Publications Committee is holding a newsletter naming contest. Members in good standing
are invited to submit an entry prior to 15 June 2013. The top three entries will be chosen by
two members of the Board of Directors and presented for a vote to the membership at large
in July. The winning entry will be announced in the e-newsletter and on the web site.
All entries should be sent to board@sagenealogy.org.
Regional Representative Appointed for Mississippi
Therese Fisher of Horn Lake, MS, has been appointed to fill the position of Regional
Representative for Mississippi. Therese is an Accredited Genealogist with two areas of
specialization, the Gulf South and the Mid South. She has compiled several volumes on
marriages in Virginia, and authored a book on beginning genealogy methodology. In addition
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SAGA e-News Digest, April – June 2013
to her work with the U. S. Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operation Center and the U.
S. Air Force Mortuary Affairs to locate family members of POWs and MIAs, Therese is a
local and national genealogy speaker.
Therese has also graciously agreed to take on the duties of the chair of the Programs
Committee. Welcome aboard!
Spotlight on Paleography
One of the toughest jobs a genealogist has is deciphering old handwriting. Fortunately, there
are plenty of resources available for that purpose. Kip Sperry's Reading Early American
Handwriting (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1998) is a standard reference
that deserves an honored spot in every genealogist's home library.
There are also a growing number of online paleography resources, several of which were
compiled and featured in Yale University Library's 17th and 18th Century Paleographic (and
other) Resources Online, which includes links to tutorials. The avid genealogist can find
regular practice by following Michael John Neill's blog, Daily Genealogy Transcriber.
Did You Know?
Project 1950 is looking for volunteers to help prepare searchable Enumeration District data
prior to the release of the 1950 U. S. census. It took seven years to accomplish this for the
1940 U. S. census.
26 June 2013 e-Newsletter
Voting will soon begin on a name for our quarterly newsletter. Additional information,
including voting instructions, will be distributed by e-mail around 1 July 2013.
Last Call for Member News and Queries
The publication deadline for the first issue of SAGA's quarterly newsletter is fast
approaching. One column will be devoted entirely to member news and announcements.
Please feel free to share important genealogical and historical events with your fellow
researchers, such as the publication of a new book, completion of a genealogical course,
attendance at a conference or institute, a new position in or recognition by another society,
placing in a genealogical writing contest, or participation in historical preservation activities.
Any member who would like to place a genealogical or historical query in the newsletter is
encouraged to do so. Each member may have one such query published per year, or more if
space is available.
All news and queries intended for publication in the August issue should be sent to the
newsletter's editor by 1 July 2013 via newsletter@sagenealogy.org.
Georgia Tax Records a Good Substitute for Missing Federal Censuses
Georgia researchers are plagued by the loss of several sets of federal censuses. One
particularly troublesome loss was the 1890 census, which was destroyed on 10 January
1921 by a fire at the Commerce Department.
Fortunately, researchers have a remedy to such losses in county-level tax records. The
availability of extant tax records for each county are partially described in Georgia Research:
A Handbook for Genealogists, Historians, Archivists, Lawyers, Librarians, and Other
Researchers, 2nd. ed., by Robert S. Davis and Ted O. Brooke (Georgia Genealogical
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SAGA e-News Digest, April – June 2013
Society, 2012). The records themselves are located at various places, including county
archives and courthouses, and at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. Some lists are also
available as digital images online through Georgia's Virtual Vault orAncestry.com; many of
the 1890 tax digests are available through the latter.
Tax records usually list the name of the person with a tax liability and the kind of liability,
such as polls and property. Tax payers include administrators of an estate, guardians of the
property of minors, women who owned property, and free persons of color or freedmen. Tax
records are particularly useful for tracking migrations, and for locating people who are
otherwise "hidden" or not named in pre-1850 federal censuses.
To learn more about how to use tax records in genealogical research, see The Genealogist's
Guide to Researching Tax Records by Carol Cooke Darrow and Susan Winchester (Heritage
Books, 2007).
Spotlight on Forensic Genealogy
In May 2011, a group of researchers came together and created the Council for the
Advancement of Forensic Genealogy. CAFG members strive to "[a]dvance public awareness
and understanding of the profession" as well as promoting high standards and encouraging
professional advancement and education. Membership is open by sponsorship only,
primarily to professionals whose work encompasses forensic genealogy.
CAFG sponsors the annual Forensic Genealogy Institute consisting of two tracks,
Foundations in Forensic Genealogy and Advanced Forensic Evidence Analysis, of which the
Foundations track is a prerequisite. The upcoming Institute will be held 24 - 29 March 2014
in Dallas, TX. Attendees are expected to have competence in professional-level research
and report writing.
If you're not ready for the intensive schedule of the Institute, but would still like to learn about
Forensic Genealogy, then check out Colleen Fitzpatrick's Forensic Genealogy (Rice Book
Press, 2005), which covers many of the basics of this fascinating subject.
Did You Know?
The Public Records Office of Ireland was destroyed on 30 June 1922 during the Irish Civil
War. In remembrance of this event, FindMyPast is offering free access to Irish birth,
marriage, and death records from 27 - 30 June 2013.
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