Winter Reading: Legal and Political Status of Women in Iowa

Posted on January 25, 2012 by

Legal and Political Status of Women in IowaWinter is always a good time to settle in with some heavy-duty reading. I just finished Legal and Political Status of Women in Iowa: An Historical Account of the Rights of Women in Iowa from 1838 to 1918, by Ruth A. Gallaher. Even the title is heavy-duty!

Originally published in 1918 by the State Historical Society of Iowa, this historical study of women in Iowa is available as a reprint or as a free Google ebook. Since I like to highlight and annotate books that interest me, I purchased a copy from Amazon for $22.61.

My initial goal was to learn about 19th century property rights. Territorial Iowa relied on old English Common Law to define the rights of women; after statehood they gradually gained ground legally. Single women always had much the same legal rights as men, although they may not have exercised those rights fully due to the  pressures of society. Married women under common law surrendered all their basic legal rights and property to their husbands. Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa History | Tagged , | Comments Off

Federal Census Records: Index Options

Posted on January 19, 2012 by
1920 Soundex card

1920 Soundex card

If you want to use microfilm copies of the federal census for your family history research, you will first need to narrow your search by consulting an index. There are a variety of options available. Keep in mind that most published indexes will only list the heads of households. Continue reading →

Posted in Census Research, Just for Beginners, Methodology | Tagged | Comments Off

Federal Census Records: The Old-fashioned Way

Posted on January 13, 2012 by
Census 1870

Harper's Weekly, 1870

These days, it’s pretty easy to access Federal census records. The original enumeration schedules and federal copies for 1790 to 1870, and the surviving fragments for 1890, are housed at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, D.C. All have been microfilmed.

Originals for 1880 and copies for other years are housed in various state repositories. Originals for 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930 no longer exist—they were destroyed after microfilming. Continue reading →

Posted in Census Research, Just for Beginners, Methodology, Research Facililites | Tagged | 2 Comments

Iowa Calendar: January 2012

Posted on December 31, 2011 by

January 2012There’s so much to see and do in Iowa– even in the winter! Here are my favorite opportunities for January 2012:

  • Sunday January 8 – Friday, February 24: “The White Rose” Exhibit, German American Heritage Center, 712 West 2nd Street, Davenport. Hours: Tues. – Sat. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Admission: Adults $5, Seniors $4, Children $3. Under age 5 free.

The exhibit explores one of Germany’s most famous civilian resistance groups, formed by a small group of university students in Munich during 1941-42. The leaders were brother and sister Hans and Sophie Scholl and friends. Using only their ingenuity and youthful fearlessness, they outwitted the Nazis to issue several leaflets that urged their fellow students and citizens of Munich to resist Nazi tyranny. Continue reading →

Posted in Field Trips, Genealogical Societies, Historical Societies & Museums, Learning Opportunities | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Federal Census Records: History

Posted on December 28, 2011 by

Mary & JosephThe desire of a government to count its people is as old as civilization itself. The ancient Babylonians, Egyptians, Chinese and Greeks are all known to have counted their inhabitants on a regular basis.

Perhaps the most famous example is the Roman Empire’s mandatory enumeration which forced Mary and Joseph to make their fateful trek to Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. Continue reading →

Posted in Census Research, Just for Beginners, Methodology | Tagged , | Comments Off

Federal Census Records: An Overview

Posted on December 10, 2011 by

1900 censusYou’ve made the decision to research your family history, selected a genealogical software program, interviewed your entire family, exhausted Grandma’s Family Bible records, and located as many vital records (birth, marriage, and death) as possible. Now what?

Once you’ve completed all those “first steps” in your family history project, you’re ready to move forward into the next phase of your research. Remember, you’ll want to work backwards through time, one generation at a time, beginning with what you know and investigating what you don’t know.

You’re  ready to delve into the wonderful world of census records! The United States Federal Government has conducted a census of its people every ten years since 1790. These records are readily available in a variety of formats, and can help you trace your family back through time, answering many genealogical questions along the way.

This series of posts explores the Federal Census, providing guidelines, tips and techniques to help on your journey.

Posted in Census Research, Just for Beginners, Methodology | Tagged , | Comments Off

What Are You Reading This Fall?

Posted on November 15, 2011 by
President Zachary Taylor

President Zachary Taylor

Making time to read good books is not always easy, but it adds richness and perspective to life that we may otherwise lack. Reading is a great way to relax, unwind, and escape into another time and place. It’s also one of the best ways to learn history, and to understand your ancestor’s place in the past. Historical context is one of the most overlooked aspects of genealogical research.

So what are you reading this fall? Some time ago I decided to read my way through the United States presidents. Depending on the individual and the talents of the authors, some have been more interesting than others. Continue reading →

Posted in American History, Military Research | Tagged , | Comments Off

Education: Iowa Genealogical Society Fall Conference

Posted on October 30, 2011 by

IGS Fall Conference 2011The Iowa Genealogical Society sponsors two major conferences annually in Des Moines, Iowa. The Spring Conference is usually technology-based. Past years have focused on genealogical software. Spring 2012 will feature workshops on photography: software, restoration and preservation.

The Fall 2011 Conference, October 14 – 15, 2011,  carried no theme title, but featured Native American researcher Billie Stone Fogarty. Her presentations not only explored Native American ancestry, but a number of other topics of more general interest: Continue reading →

Posted in Genealogical Societies, Learning Opportunities | Tagged , , | Comments Off

A Revolutionary Tale

Posted on September 15, 2011 by

Lady LibertyThis summer a distant cousin persuaded me to join the Daughters of the American Revolution [DAR] through our Hoyt [also spelled Hoit] ancestry.We have two Hoyt ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War– father and son.

William Hoyt, born about 1726 in Exeter, New Hampshire, fought as a militiaman in the French and Indian War. His first son, Benjamin, was born in 1755, at the outset of the conflict. No more children were born to William and his wife, Sarah Smith, until about 1763, when my ancestor, Nicholas Smith Hoit was born.

William and his oldest son Benjamin joined New Hampshire’s 3rd Regiment [later known as the 2nd Continental Regiment] in 1775. Together, they fought the British across New England. July 1777 found them covering the retreat of the Continental Army from Fort Ticonderoga. Continue reading →

Posted in American History, Lineage Societies, Military Research | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

Make the Most of Family History Library Resources

Posted on August 10, 2011 by

FHL Salt LakeThe Family History Library [FHL], located in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the world’s premier family history resource. Committed to genealogical research as a part of their religious faith, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been collecting, preserving and sharing genealogical records for over one hundred years.

FHL resources are provided to patrons for free and can be accessed in a variety of ways. Continue reading →

Posted in Field Trips, Online Resources, Records Repositories and Archives, Research Facililites | Tagged , , | Comments Off