"Georgia Research: A Handbook for Genealogists, Historians, Archivists, Lawyers, Librarians, and Other Researchers"

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Davis, Robert S. and Ted O. Brooke. Georgia Research: A Handbook for Genealogists, Historians, Archivists, Lawyers, Librarians, and Other Researchers. Second Edition. Atlanta: Georgia Genealogical Society. 2012.

Did your ancestors migrate to or through Georgia? if "yes," this book will be great resource for finding elusive records. The 300 large format pages provide the reader with a knowledge of what records are available and where to locate them. As the title suggests, this book is for every person considering historical Georgia research. The second edition includes an additional 100 pages with updated repository addresses, state and county resources, and internet sources.

Georgia Research consists of four comprehensive chapters.

Chapter 1 federal and state sources include:

• Biographical directories
• Church records
• Georgia Archives
• Maps
• National Archives at Atlanta
• Newspapers
• Other state repositories
• Resources for women

Chapter 2 time period research sources include:

• Colonial period
• American Revolution
• Early republic
• Civil War
• Post-modern period
• Modern era

Chapter 3 county and area history sources include:

• County level dates and records
• City directories
• Maps
• Court records

Chapter 4 genealogical periodicals and resources include:

• Societies
• Repositories
• LDS branch libraries

Georgia Research: A Handbook for Genealogists, Historians, Archivists, Lawyers, Librarians, and Other Researchers by Robert S. Davis and Ted O. Brooke is a must for all Georgia researchers. It is available from the publisher, Georgia Genealogical Society.

Judge Advocate General, Naval Disciplinary Barracks, Port Royal, S.C. 1911-1915 records in the Federal Archives at Atlanta

The records for the Judge Advocate General, Naval Disciplinary Barracks, Port Royal, S.C. are located in the National Archives at Atlanta. Textual records for Record Group (RG) 125 are available for public research at the National Archives at Atlanta, 5780 Jonesboro Rd, Morrow, GA 30260, 770-968-2100. NARA at Atlanta is the repository for federal records created in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Record Group 125, Records of the Office of the Judge Advocate General (Navy) 1799-1950, was established 8 June 1880. Among other duties, the offices of the Judge Advocate General, JAG, administer military justice, enforce court-martial sentences, and handle claims against the navy. A complete history and record list is available online at the National Archives website www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/125.html.

Homer Albert Thayer - Navy discharge with honors

Other documents in this collection include name changes, enlistment records, and court martial.

Search this site!!!

How to research the National Archives at Atlanta by record group

The researcher may solve a brick wall or speed bump by using the textual records at the National Archives at Atlanta by record group. According to the Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States, each major government entity, bureau or independent agency is assigned a record group number. The record group number is assigned in the order in which the agency was established by the National Archives.

On the National Archives at Atlanta website, the genealogist will start by looking at the “Guide to Archival Holdings at the National Archives Southeast Region.” An introduction, subject and alphabetical list of the record groups with description is provided. An example, Army Air Forces – RG 18 after selecting RG 18, the researcher will see an administrative history and record description. For RG 18 the dates include 1918-1940 with 32 cubic feet of textual records.

The finding aids identify the textual records on the series or folder level. Using the example for Army Air Forces, the researcher will find daily logs from the balloon school in Macon, GA. The finding aids or preliminary inventories are listed on the National Archives website main page. Search for “Free Publications” then on the left side of the screen “Inventories and Special Lists.” If the publication is not found on this list, please contact the regional location for information on the desired records.

Examples of record groups of genealogical interest at the Atlanta office:

• RG 14 Records of the U.S. Rail Road Administration
• RG 18 Army Air Forces – Field Installations, 1917-1940
• RG 21 Records of District Courts of the United States
• RG 58 Records of the Internal Revenue Service

As a researcher, ask the question, what government agency would be involved? An example, Record Group 18: Army Air Forces includes petitions for commission and admittance to the school, class grades and requests for discharge.

Collections NOT at NARA:

• birth, marriage, death
• newspapers
• obituaries
• current census (72 years)
• naturalization before 1906
• state court cases
• state prison or jail records

Digital records or publications at the government website consist of finding aids. Private agencies such as Ancestry, Family Search, and Fold 3 may choose parts of a collection to digitize, index, and publish online.

The online microfilm catalog offers both search and browse features. Read the FAQs. Microfilm available at the Atlanta Archives includes a variety of topics. Search examples for “Georgia” produced 43 records including Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims: Georgia, 1871-1880 on fiche and Final Revolutionary War Pension Payment Vouchers: Georgia on six rolls of film available for viewing in Atlanta. The researcher should always download and view the publication details. In a microfilm collection, not all of the text records may have been microfilmed. A list of related records is included in the publication details.

Textual record research requires creativity. A search may be started through either the Online Public Access system (OPA) or the Archival Research Catalog (ARC). These are descriptions only, not the actual text records. Study the information along the left side of the ARC home page. An ARC example, “world war 1 draft cards” search reveals results for 298 records. The item of interest “Draft Registration Cards, compiled 1917-1918” includes:

• Details - the creating federal entity, date, arrangement, and function
• Scope and content - details the contents
• Archived copies - location and physical description
• Hierarchy - record group number and name, creator, and series information

Spend time researching online; read the FAQs; go prepared. Contact the National Archives at Atlanta with your research question, phone 770-968-2100 or fax 770-968-2547.

Genealogists, do you have a topic for an article? contact Selma Blackmon.

Who were the postmasters of Frankfort, Will County, Illinois?

My dad, Henry Kampe (1916-1983) has a first cousin LeRoy Mager (1909-1986) who was a postmaster for Frankfort, Will County, Illinois. With this information, I am interested in the office locations and names of other postmasters from Frankfort. This research leads me to the following information.

National Archives microfilm publication M 1131. Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-Sept. 30, 1971. Printed at the National Archives at Atlanta. Scanned for publication by Selma Blackmon.

Postmasters appointed before 1832 are found in the NationalArchives microfilm publication M1131, Record of Appointment of Postmasters, Oct. 1789-1832. Postmasters appointed after 1832 are found in the National Archives microfilm publication M841, Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-Sept. 30, 1971. The Frankfort, Will County, Illinois microfilm records are not available after 1954. Also in Record Group 28 is the Post Office Department Reports of Site Location 1837-1950 on microfilm M1126.

I did view and print copies of the postmaster microfilm at the National Archives at Atlanta. The postmaster microfilm has been digitized and is available on Ancestry.com. The location microfilm has not been digitized.

YEAR	P.O.	NAME	APPOINTMENT
1832-68	Chelsea	Levi M. Clayes	1 February 1832
		Matthew VanHorne	8 September 1842
		Alonzo Higley	18 September 1855
		Matthew VanHorne	23 January 1856
		Edwin A. Stolp	22 May 1860
		Wm. H. [B] Cleveland	1 June 1861
1868-1905	Frankfort Station	Wm. B Cleveland	29 April1868
		David W. Hunter	12 May 1869
		Lewis Claus	21 February 1872
		Howard S. Barker	21 December 1882
		Jacob Miller [Mueler]	15 September 1885
		Howard S. Barker	31 May 1889
		John Kohlhagen	1 September 1893
		W. B. Norse	1894
		John Feil	23 June 1897
		Mrs John Feil	9 December 1901
		Esther E. Feil	21 January 1905
1905	Frankfort	Esther E. Feil	12 June 1905
		Max T. Haass	24 July 1907
		Robert E. Stephen	25 August 1914
		Mrs. Amelia K. Fink	15 February 1934
		Leroy J. Mager	30 September 1953

Happy tree climbing and roots digging,

Selma

How to plan your research before going to the National Archives at Atlanta

Consider the following before leaving home or how to plan a genealogical research trip to the National Archives at Atlanta, 5780 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, Georgia 30260. The nine regional archives have federal resources unique to their region. The National Archives at Atlanta maintains federal historical records for the eight southeastern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

• Genealogists researching at the National Archives at Atlanta will find valuable sources in three forms: online, microfilm and textual.
• The free online databases including Fold3, AncestryInstitutional and Heritage Quest are available at many libraries or at home by subscription.
• Examples of microfilmed documents include Native American records, Freedman Bureau records, appointments of postmasters, and southern claims court records. The National Archives in Washington, D.C. has all microfilm rolls. The regional branches have copies of selected film. Contact the Atlanta regional facility for specific rolls, 770-968-2100.
• A far greater number of manuscripts are available only as textual documents. These are the original paper form. The documents have been neither digitized nor microfilmed. As these documents are fragile, special precautions are necessary for their use. After filling out an application and presenting a photo ID, an archives researcher receives a free identification card. To the family historian holding the World War I draft card signed by an ancestor connects the generations. Textual records that may interest genealogists in Atlanta include the List of Aliens Admitted to Citizenship at Charleston, 1790-1860, World War I draft cards, slave sale documents and Tennessee Valley Authority documents.

Questions to consider:

• How did your family interact with federal government, examples, census, federal land, military, federal court, federal prison, immigration, ship passenger or Native American? The Atlanta archives unique records include the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, World War I draft registration cards for all states.
• Why all records are not open for research? Due to confidentially, each federal agency has specific guidelines for releasing documents. Due to the 72 year access restriction, the most recent Federal Census is 1940. Other records are available on individual basis with information redacted such as a Social Security number. When a researcher identifies textual records, the record may be reproduced on a flatbed scanner, non-flash digital camera, or paper copy.
• Who is the agency that created the document and what was the purpose, examples, census or weather bureau? The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, contacted the weather bureau when planning test flights. Many of their letters are in Record Group 27, Records of the Weather Bureau.
• How are the records arranged? The records are arranged by record groups. Every federal government entity is given a name and number, example Bureau of the Census RG 29. Not every record created by an agency will be transferred to the archives. Records are maintained at the archives in the same order as the sending agency. As the records are not arranged by topics, the NARA staff creates finding aids. The collection of original material may be available as digital, microfilm, microfiche, or text.
• Has the document been digitized: Private agencies such as Ancestry, Family Search, and Fold 3 may choose parts of a collection to digitize, index, and publish online.

Spend time researching online; read the FAQs; go prepared. Contact the National Archives at Atlanta with your research question, phone 770-968-2100 or fax 770-968-2547.

Sources for U.S. Census images

1940 U.S. census. Illinois, Will County, Frankfort. ED 99-11. Sheet 5B. William Kampe. National Archives. Washington, D. C. Ancestry.com. accessed 15 April 2013.

For family information, the census images offer great clues. Depending on the census year, the information may include everything from occupation to birth location to parent’s nativity. The U.S. Census Population Schedule, 1790-1940, pages have been microfilmed. The 1940 census is available only digitally. ALWAYS cite your source. Genealogists reference the Chicago Manual Style, with Evidence Explained specific to genealogy. A citation example for a census: 1850 U.S. census, Lockport Township Will County, Illinois, population schedule, town of Lockport. Micropublication M432, roll 133. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.

Complete census microfilm sets through 1930 are available at the National Archives and the regional branches. Our metro Atlanta branch is the National Archives at Atlanta, 5780 Jonesboro Rd, Morrow, GA 30260, Phone: 770-968-2100. Partial census microfilm sets through 1930 may be available in state archives, area historical and genealogical society repositories.

Complete or partial digitized census pages are available online. In the earlier years, several sources were used for the digitization such as state or federal copies. Please check more than one site as the clarity and indexing may be different. Online sites for digitized census records include:

• Ancestry.com
• Heritage Quest.com (library subscription)
• Family search.org
• Fold3.com

Additional census suggestions:

• Print both the index page and the census page. 
• Most database programs offer a download option which can be enhanced and enlarged on your personal pc or mac.
• Search the census by name, year, and location. Each method may offer different results.
• Remember, all of the online sites are constantly updating records, so check back frequently.
• Different web browsers may display and print the database information differently.
• A few census resources are Birth Year Calculator and Cyndi’s List
• Volunteer to index, contact Family Search.org.

What U.S. census questions do you have? Contact Selma Blackmon.

How to research at the National Archives at Atlanta

Wm Kampe WWI draft registration. Original document scanned by Selma Blackmon at the National Archives at Atlanta

    Genealogists researching at the National Archives at Atlanta will find valuable sources in three forms: online, microfilm and textual. The National Archives at Atlanta is located at 5870 Jonesboro Rd, Morrow, GA 30260.

    Fold3, AncestryInstitutional and Heritage Quest are free online databases available using the National Archives and Record Administration computers. Please limit the use of these NARA computers and printers to historical or family research. NARA staff and volunteers are available to aid the researcher with the database operations. As the staff is not able to research for each patron, a basic knowledge computer use is desirable. The computers are equipped with headsets. A computer is equipped for visually impaired patrons. Bring a USB flash drive to download images. The National Archives at Atlanta is setup for wifi, so bring your laptop.

    A greater part of the government documents have not been digitized, but have been microfilmed, examples of microfilm include Native American records and southern claims court records. Microfilm rolls are a source to check for clarity, example spelling on census records. Since microfilm rolls require less storage space that textual documents, many digitized original documents have been destroyed, example census records. The Atlanta branch has five microfilm or microfiche readers. One machine is read only; four machines have the capability to print or to download to a USB flash drive.

    A far greater number of manuscripts are available only as textual documents. These are the original paper form. The documents have been neither digitized nor microfilmed. As these documents are fragile, special precautions are necessary for their use. After filling out an application and presenting a photo ID, an archives researcher receives a free identification card. To the family historian holding the World War I draft card signed by an ancestor connects the generations. Textual records that may interest genealogists in Atlanta include the List of Aliens Admitted to Citizenship at Charleston, 1790-1860, World War I draft cards, slave sale documents, federal court cases, federal prison records and Tennessee Valley Authority documents.

    Please contact me, Selma Blackmon, with any questions or comments on researching at the National Archives at Atlanta.

National Archives at Atlanta offers genealogical information

"How can I find her parents?" and "Why is it important to search all records?" these two question pop up over and over again. This article offers an example of digging into text records.

The birth of  George Kennedy on 28 August 1896 in Augusta, GA was found in the Augusta Arsenal Files (1869-1913). Following up on the First Friday Freebie talk by Nathan Jordan on military records, this author found genealogical nuggets in the two volumes. These text records may be viewed at the National Archives at Atlanta, 5780 Jonesboro Rd, Morrow, GA 30260 or contact the staff.

Other family history finds include:

The birth names identify the baby; father’s name, age, rank; mother’s age, maiden name. Birth surnames include: Adams, Carruth, Clark, Ford, Fuller, Helfiker, Huff, Kennedy, Simmons, Smith, Tyler, Young  

The marriage names include the couples’ ages, occupation or rank, other relatives and/or birth place. Marriage surnames include: Burum:Taylor, Fletcher:Heckle, Muscroft:Kennedy

The death names include cause and other details such as Sapp’s suicide. Death surnames include: Ford, Sapp

Oak Ridge TN, the Secret City

   "Secret City in the Tennessee Hills: From Dogpatch to Nuclear Power" was a symposium held 15 Sept 2012 at the National Archives at Atlanta. One of my personal highlights was to meet Tommy Dorminy. Tommy is an eighth grade home-school student from McDonough, Georgia. He represented Georgia at the National History Day exhibition with his exhibit on the Secret City. 

   While talking about his research, Tommy said, "I took on the project as something different. I did not realize how interesting the records would be." The research for his project lasted over eight months with travel to Oak Ridge for a tour and interview with Mr. Ray Smith, the historian at Y-12 National Security Complex. His 19 page bibliography demonstrates many hours in his area library and at the National Archives at Atlanta. The exhibit is well documented with a timeline and photographs from his research of daily life to the scientific program.

   Congratulations, Tommy. Thank you for your interest in history and the documents of the National Archives at Atlanta.

Black Sheep Sunday - Atlanta Federal Prison

PRISON DOORS SHUT IN EARNEST
Six Prisoners Entered Federal Prison Yesterday.
Two of Them on Whom the Steel Door Shut Are Past Sixty-Five Years of Age-Both Sentenced for Pension Fraud.
 The first prisoners to pass through the steel door of the new federal prison went in yesterday afternoon. The men-six in number-were under the watchful eye of Chief Deputy Marshal J.H. Rinard.
 Two of the prisoners,m whose ages made them particularly noticeable, were G.W. Clarke, an white man, 65 years old, and Caesar Davis, a negro, who has recently passed the prescribed limit of three score and ten years. The two old men are serving sentences of five years each for violating the United States pension law. The prisoners transferred to the new prison yesterday began serving their sentences in the Fulton county jail, as the new prison was not ready for occupancy at the time of their conviction, which was at the October term of the United States court before Judge Newman. The other lawbreakers transferred to the new prison yesterday were R.D. Stallings, of Carroll county, who will serve a five years' sentence for counterfeiting. Handy Middlebrook, a negro, will serve three years for a similar offense. John Sanford, convicted of robbing a postoffice, will serve three years and J.H Henson and Oscar Bishop will serve fifteen months each for making "moonshine" whisky.
 Davis is the only one of the prisoners received yesterday whose home is in this county.
 United States Marshal Walter Johnson received a message yesterday stating that the federal prison was ready for the reception of prisoners. He notified Warden Hawk, who had the seven federal prisoners in his charge, to remove them to the new prison. None of the prisoners expressed any dissatisfaction at the change of quarters.
 There was no formal ceremony at the opening of the new prison. A deputy marshal, under instructions from Marshal Johnson's office, brought the prisoners to the new prison, where they were assigned to their respective cells without delay.

source citation:
"PRISON DOORS SHUT IN EARNEST," news, The Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, 31 January 1902, six prisoners entered federal prison yesterday; online image, Ancestry.com (search.ancestryinstitution.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=6789&path=1902.1.31.5 : accessed 7 August 2012).

Surname Saturday – Cemetery relocation surnames

The following surnames are from the thirty-one cemeteries relocated by the Army Corps of Engineers during the Grayson Dam Project in eastern KY in 1964.l

The article “RG 21 case #718 land condemnation records at NARA at Atlanta” posted on metro Atlanta Genealogy on www.examiner.com provides more information regarding cases. The textual records are available for research at the National Archives at Atlanta, 5780 Jonesboro Rd, Morrow, GA 30260, 770-968-2100.

Abbott, Adams, Arnett, Ballard, Barker, Barry, Birchum, Blankenbeckler, Bledsoe, Blevins, Boggs, Bowling, Branham, Brickey, Browning, Bryant, Carpenter, Carroll, Church, Clay, Clayton, Cole, Conley, Craig, Creech, Crockett, Davidson, Duncan, Edmiston, Ely, Evans, Fraley, Gause, Gibson, Gilbert, Grave, Gray, Greer, Hale, Hall, Harper, Harris, Hearberlin, Hollingsworth, Horton, Hylton, Johnson, Justice, King, Kitchen, Knipp, Lander, Leadingham, Lewis, Maggard, Mainus, McDavid, McMeans, Miller, Mobley, Newland, Oney, Palmer,

Parsons, Pennington, Pope, Qualls, Rayburn, Rice, Salmons, Salyers, Sexton, Simpson, Smith, Sparks, Stirgill, Tackett, Templeton, Toliver, Trivett, Vicars, Walker, Wallace, Wilcox, Williams, Wilson, Workman, Wright

Tombstone Tuesday:1965 31 cemetery relocations in Carter County, KY

Photos scanned from the case records for the relocation of thirty-one cemeteries in Carter County, KY in 1965 by the Corps of Engineers for the Grayson Reservoir Project. For information regarding these textual records, contact the National Archives at Atlanta. The information needed for a textual search include the Record Group 021, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky, Catlettsburg, KY. civil case #718, United States vs 303.39 acres of land, more or less. 27 August 1965.