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THE GENCLASS NEWSLETTER - January 2008
http://www.genclass.com
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TOPICS:
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Tip of the Month: How They Met.
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Cupid’s Arrow
By Lisa A. Alzo, M.F.A.
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Upcoming classes: February and March
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Welcome
to the latest issue of the GenClass newsletter.
If
this is your first time reading this newsletter, welcome!
Our
monthly newsletter includes a featured article by
an expert GenClass instructor, a tip of the month, and
a list of upcoming courses.
We’ve got some new offerings coming up:
“Brick Wall Research” in February,
“Finding Female Ancestors” in March,
and “Genealogy for Kids” in May to name a few.
With
Valentine’s Day around the corner, this edition of
the newsletter focuses on love & marriage—ancestor
style!
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The
photographs I have depicting my maternal and paternal grandparents
and on their respective wedding days have always intrigued
me.
My father’s parents were married in 1915 in Duquesne,
Pennsylvania
—my 21-year-old grandfather, John Alzo, dapper in his
dark suit,
locking arms with his bride, Elizabeth Fenscak (who was not
yet 18),
in her gown and hand embroidered sheer veil outlined in ivy.
My
mother’s parents were a bit older when they tied the
knot in 1924
in Barton, Ohio. He was nearly 26 and she was 23. I have two
photographs from the occasion. One shows my grandfather
sitting down in a chair in his dark suit, with a carnation
pinned to the lapel.
My grandmother is standing beside him in her ankle-length
white dress
that was covered with beads, a thin, sheer veil and ankle-high
lace-up boots.
The second photograph is of the bride and groom with their
wedding party
—thirty-one people in the photograph—all dressed
in their Sunday best.
The men were attired in plain, dark suits, and the women wore
dresses
of varied lengths and colors (some white, some dark).
As
I look at the faces of my grandparents staring back at me
from
these pictures, I can’t help but wonder what thoughts
were going
through their minds. While these photographs are treasured
possessions,
I am fascinated even more by the stories behind the images.
Each couple
came together through matchmaking efforts of family members.
As the story
goes, my Grandpap Alzo was a boarder at my grandmother’s
sister’s house
in Duquesne and she introduced them. My maternal grandfather,
John Figlar, was looking for a wife, but wanted his prospective
bride
to be a new arrival from the old country (Slovakia). He was
matched
in marriage by a fellow coal miner to his sister-in-law, Verona
Straka.
Stories such as these helped breathe life into my family tree.
Perhaps,
like me, you’re lucky to have similar snapshots of
your ancestors in their wedding day finery. Even better, some
savvy sleuthing may lead you to a copy of their marriage license
or other pertinent records documenting that pivotal time in
their lives.
Locating
Marriage Records
If
you’ve already scoured the closets and drawers of your
parents’
or grandparents’ homes for marriage documents, and/or
have asked
your relatives to no avail, then you will need to try and
locate them
some other way. Each state (and country) differs in the year
that
marriages were officially recorded, and you may find applications
for licenses and other documentation either at the municipal,
county
(province or territory for Canada), or state level. Fortunately,
for 21st century genealogists, a growing number of marriage
indexes
can be found online. Simply, go to Google <www.google.com>
or any favorite search engine and type in “marriage index.”
For more specific results, narrow down the search by adding
in a locality. For example, try “marriage index”
“Ohio.” You’ll find
a surprisingly large number of municipal Web sites with online
searchable indexes, and also a number of state-level projects.
If you’re looking for U.S. records, Joe Beine, makes
it even
easier to see what indexes can be found on the Web with his
“Online Birth & Marriage Records Indexes for the
USA”
<http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/vitalrecords.html>
You
may find many indexes on paid subscription sites such
as Ancestry.com <www.ancestry.com> and World Vital Records
<www.worldvitalrecords.com>.
The Family History Library (FHL) <www.familysearch.org>
has microfilmed copies of marriage indexes, as well as other
interesting records, for many locations. You may view
microfilm/microfiche at the main library in Salt Lake City
or
borrow them through your local Family History Center (FHC).
When
searching online, if there is a box to search by keyword,
type in "marriage.” This usually will turn up some
interesting results.
Once you locate the record in an index, be sure to follow
up by
ordering a copy of the original.
Where
indices aren't available, begin your search at the local level.
The USGenWeb page <www.usgenweb.org> for your county
of
interest may contain addresses and links to information on
requesting
records via snail mail, or in some cases online using a credit
card.
There
are also a number of other great resources to consult for
marriage records.
Check local libraries and societies, and as well as ethnic
resources.
Church
Records
Often you can locate a record of your ancestors’ nuptials
through the church.
Availability depends on denomination and where they were married.
Church records may often predate civil registrations and may
be the
only record available for earlier ancestors. To locate churches
open
during the time period you seek, consult telephone books (print
or online).
For some denominations, you may be able to consult the church
archives.
You may also uncover other useful records such as photographs
of the
church or its history. Check web sites such as USGenWeb among
others for indexes to church records as well.
If
you're not certain of the church with which your ancestor
may have
been affiliated, check local histories for clues.
Newspapers
Local newspapers may also include announcements of marriages.
But don’t just check in one town. Sometimes have couple
may have
traveled to a place with fewer restrictions, or perhaps to
be married
amongst family in another area. Also check local newspapers
for
announcements of honeymoon or anniversary trips. Ancestry.com,
World Vital Records, and Genealogy Bank <www.genealogybank.com>
are good places to check for historical newspapers online.
The local library or historical in your ancestor’s hometown
may
also have old newspapers on microfilm.
As
cupid’s arrow gets ready to strike again in less than
a month,
it’s the perfect opportunity to explore the “love
stories” hidden away
in your own family lore.
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TIP OF THE MONTH ----------------------+
Perhaps you’ve already located a marriage record for
Mom and Dad
or Grandma and Grandpa that provides the marriage date and
place,
but do you know the story behind their coupling? Interview
your
family members and ask how they met, where they went for their
first date, how and where they proposed or were proposed to,
what their wedding day was like, etc. These stories could
help
you transform what may be just a sterile list of facts
into a compelling family history.
Until
next time—Happy Hunting!
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UPCOMING CLASSES -------------------+
Register for a class at http://www.genclass.com
FEBRUARY
2008: Classes start February 1, 2008
*
Adoption Investigative Class:
Detailed search advice and assistance for successfully
locating and reuniting adoptees and birth families.
*
Basic English Research:
Learn how to start researching your English ancestors -
historical background, geography, finding the "bones"
of your family.
*
Brick Wall Research:
Brick Walls are common in genealogy.
Learn tips, tricks, solutions and strategies to bust through
them.
*
Canadian Research - Internet Resources - Part 2:
Part 2 builds on Part 1 and advances your research using the
most
helpful records – with lots of practical search tips,
tricks,and advice.
* Eastern European Genealogy Research -Part 1:
This class will continue on from the basic Eastern European
research
class, focusing on how to expand your research beyond your
own
family into a more community-oriented protocol.
*
Family Tree Maker 2008 - Advanced:
Advanced features, like books, trees, reports and web sites.
*
Jewish Genealogy - Internet (Part 2):
This class builds on the basics course, providing detailed
information
about search engines, general genealogy sites, Jewish genealogy
sites.
*
Lost Friends and Family Investigative Class:
Detailed search advice and assistance on the methods to use
for successfully tracing "lost" relatives and friends.
*
Northeastern United States Genealogy:
Research in the NE states is fundamental to the trees of many
Americans.
*
Salt Lake City - Part 2: the Largest Genealogical Library
in the World!:
Access the largest genealogical library in the world. Continuing
on from Part 1,
this course takes you into the sections that most people never
use
- and what a mistake that is!
*
Scottish Genealogy:
This extensive class will provide a detailed description of
what you
need to know to track your Scottish ancestry.
MARCH 2008: Classes start March 1, 2008
*Adoption
Investigative Class
Detailed search advice and assistance for successfully
locating and reuniting adoptees and birth families.
*Canadian
Research - Part 1
This course does more than get you started. It takes you
deep into some of the country's best records - many on the
Internet.
*Eastern
European Genealogy Research - Part 2
This class will continue on from the basic Eastern European
research class, focusing on how to expand your research beyond
your own family into a more community-oriented protocol.
*Family
Tree Maker 2008 - The Basics
Advanced features, like books, trees, reports and web sites.
*Finding
Your Female Ancestors
Do you have elusive female ancestors in your family tree?
This course will show you how to track them down!
*Genealogy
Research in the Great Lakes States
This course will focus on generalized and locality specific
resources of six area states -Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
*Lost
Friends and Family Investigative Class
Detailed search advice and assistance on the methods to use
for successfully tracing "lost" relatives and friends.
*Native
American Genealogy
Learn how to start your research for your Native American
Ancestors.
*Organizing
Your Family History
Learn the techniques to ensure efficient organisation of your
research.
*Salt
Lake City: Part 1
Access the largest genealogical library in the world. Perform
searches,
knowledgeably; and understand what you've found.
Learn more at http://www.genclass.com
Register for a class at http://classes.genclass.com
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That's
all for now, until next month!
-- LISA ALZO, Newsletter Editor
============[
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