52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy - Week 8 - Genealogy Libraries

For week 4 on free offline resources, I blogged about my gratitude for public libraries and touted the wonderful genealogical resources available in the Los Angeles Public Library’s History and Genealogy Department. It is where I do most of my library research.

My favorite genealogy library is at the Southern California Genealogical Society in Burbank. An overview of their collections can be found here. SCGS offers genealogical lectures, classes for beginners, and special interest group meetings, all at the library. One can order films from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and have them delivered to the SCGS library. The opportunities for research are almost boundless.

But the best part of going to the SCGS library is seeing friends who share my passion for genealogical research!

52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy by Amy Coffin is a series of weekly blogging prompts (one for each week of 2012) that invite genealogists and others to discuss resources in the genealogy community including websites, applications, libraries, archives, genealogical societies and more. You do not have to be a blogger to participate. If you do not have a genealogy blog, write down your thoughts on your computer, or simply record them on paper and keep them with your files.


© 2012 Denise Spurlock, Ancestral Trees Research

Wyatt Scrapbook - A Letter from Fairyland

In November 2011, I purchased a scrapbook at an antiques mall in Carson, California. The scrapbook is believed to have belonged to Laurine Wyatt. I am transcribing the articles and documents contained in the scrapbook with the hope that it may be of value to genealogists who may be researching the individuals named.

Laurine must have been very ill and much in need of cheering up, based on this letter sent to her at St. Joseph Hospital in August 4, 1928. This delightful letter was neatly folded and kept in the scrapbook in its original envelope. It does refer to another event for which Laurine had a news clipping—the engagement of Ora Beverly Goss and Lucian Leonard Davis of St. Louis, Missouri. Lucian Davis had two younger sisters, Edith and Helen, the likely writers of this letter. [Source: 1920 U.S. census, St. Louis (Independent City), Missouri, population schedule, St. Louis Ward 25, Enumeration District (ED) 510, Sheet 5A, dwelling 66, family 91, Albert S. Davis; online images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 February 2012); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm publication T625, roll 961.]

  

[the envelope]

E. & H. Davis

7577 Warner Ave.

St. Louis, Mo.

                                                Miss Laurine Wyatt

                                                St. Thomas Hospital

                                                Nashville, Tenn.

Room 416

Special Del.

[the letter]

“Just Anytime — Anywhere

Fairyland_

Dear little sick girl, we are thinking of you, and we hope you are feeling better, and will soon be back to the old job. [Every woman's job]

We know you will soon be up and out. We think about you every day, and would love so much to see you. And to, we hope you will be out before the wonderful summer breezes are gone. So you can stretch your arms and feel so free once again.

Everything is at the heigth of its beauty here now. Mother's flowers are all in bloom. We have red roses, yellow roses, pink roses, and white roses. Beautiful red zenias, colorful Petunias, happy larkspurs, towering Tiger Lilies, swaying Hollyhawks, dancing pansies, and Oh! ever so many more.

And I can't forget our rolly, poly vegetable garden. Saucy parsley, peppery radishes, slender pole beans, sqatty lettuce leaves, oderless onions, snippy, nippy parsnips, and red hot jazz mad peppers. Now, what do you think of that for a vitality giving, bone building, garden?

Now we aren't trying to tempt you, or anything like that, but you know these vitality giving, bone building, morsels are what you need, and we are only trying to help the doctor.

And, too, we want to tempt you with these healthy things so you will soon be strong enough to fill our mail tray—>

Our little fairies wish you nothing but luck. They say they enjoyed their visit very much. I know you must have liked them too. One little fairy goes with everyeach letter to bring you a good message of cheer. Oh! yes we fairies have a Queen, but she never travels away from our Castle _^^of happiness. If she did it would crumble and fall away. And so it is a great privilege to have her picture here. —>

This  picture was made especially for you.  —>

I suppose you know there is going to be a happy celebration at Turkey Time. And we shall be speeding toward your city to attend this magnificant affair. [Ora's and Lucian's wedding of course.]

And we hope to see our little friend when we arrive.

You can't imagine who we are, because fairies do not tell their names. So open this book and in it you will the images of two—Alas! —two Monkey Dunks.

Just feel how woozy we are.

Love, Oooze & Wooze”

© 2012 Denise Spurlock, Ancestral Trees Research

Tuesday’s Tip – Two Great Chicago Resources

Holy Trinity Russian & Green Orthodox Church
Chicago, Illinois
[public domain image, from Wikimedia Commons]

For those researching in the Chicago area, here are two websites you will want to add to your favorites list:

ChicagoAncestors.org, a project created by those wonderful folks at the Newberry Library, includes city directories, maps, architecture and building history, and much more. Click on the TOOLS tab at the top or BROWSE to see all the great collections they have available! The WHAT’S NEW tab will take you to their blog.

Genealogy Online provides access to historical Cook County vital records. Search for birth, marriage and death records from 1872! Access is restricted to birth records 75 years or older, marriage records 50 years or older, and death records 20 years or older. If you find a record, ordering it is quick and easy! For a relatively small fee, you can order a record and download a copy of it in just minutes.

© 2012 Denise Spurlock, Ancestral Trees Research

Wyatt Scrapbook - A Christmas Letter

In November 2011, I purchased a scrapbook at an antiques mall in Carson, California. The scrapbook is believed to have belonged to Laurine Wyatt. I am transcribing the articles and documents contained in the scrapbook with the hope that it may be of value to genealogists who may be researching the individuals named.

Only two letters addressed to Laurine were in her scrapbook. The first, transcribed below, was signed by B.M.C., her room-mate. Where did they live? Perhaps the YWCA, which seems to have figured prominently in Laurine’s life. How did they know each other? The stationery is from the Executive Offices of The Castner-Knott Dry Goods Company: did the writer work there? Were they both members of one of the groups the YWCA sponsored for young women? I wonder what Laurine gave her friend as a Christmas gift. Did they remain friends for life? I hope someday to learn the answers to my many questions.

“THE CASTNER-KNOTT DRY GOODS COMPANY

NASHVILLE

EXECUTIVE OFFICES

Dear Laurine:

I wish that I was going to be here on Xmas. morning, and I could know you were happy as I want you to be. But I'll think of you even though I'm away.

The atmosphere of Xmas. seems to be on your table. It all goes to prove as I'm going to say - You're one of the sweetest girl's I've ever known, and after all that's what counts in life. Wasn't it Franklin, who said, Character is what God and the Angels know about us.

If I were a  poet I'd write a poem If I were  a rich girl I'd leave you wealth, But since I'm a poor girl I leave you all I have-

My love, with best wishes for Your Health, Happiness, and a New Year of Joy.

Love,

Your room-mate

B.M.C.

P. S. Many thanks for the Xmas. gift, you couldn't have given me anything else that I'd appreciate more.”

© 2012 Denise Spurlock, Ancestral Trees Research

Wyatt Scrapbook - The Bible Defended

In November 2011, I purchased a scrapbook at an antiques mall in Carson, California. The scrapbook is believed to have belonged to Laurine Wyatt. I am transcribing the articles and documents contained in the scrapbook with the hope that it may be of value to genealogists who may be researching the individuals named.

  

This is one of the few items in the scrapbook that mentions Laurine Wyatt. In what I believe was a short play presented by the John L. Hill B.Y.P.U. (Baptist Young Peoples Union), she was cast in the role of a shop girl. Perhaps because she was a shop girl at Tinsley’s department store? Several of the surnames in the program are familiar from THE FIDELIAN, the class paper of the Fidelis Bible class of the First Baptist Churc

  

“JOHN L. HILL B.Y.P.U

September 14, 1930

6:45 P.M.

THE BIBLE DEFENDED

in a

COURT OF JUSTICE

INTRODUCTION - Leola Schneider

COURT SCENE

DEFENDANT - Holy Bible

Angel - Ila Joyner

Magistrate - Frank H. Leavell

Prosecutor - Leola Schneider

The Spirit of Love - Bobbie Chambers

Witnesses

Education - Mrs. R. B. Brantley

Mother and Child - Mrs. W. O. Gray,

Mary Elizabeth Brantley

Business Man - C. E. Wood

Art - Elizabeth Denmark

Peasant Woman - Lucille Burgess

Science - R. B. Brantley

Shop Girl - Laurine Wyatt

A Passer-By - W. J. Issacs

Music - Mrs. Margaret Smith

An Industrial Worker - Vivian Leffler

Church - Mai Holt

Keeper of the Court - Frank Cummins”

© 2012 Denise Spurlock, Ancestral Trees Research

Wyatt Scrapbook - The Fidelian - December 29, 1931

In November 2011, I purchased a scrapbook at an antiques mall in Carson, California. The scrapbook is believed to have belonged to Laurine Wyatt. I am transcribing the articles and documents contained in the scrapbook with the hope that it may be of value to genealogists who may be researching the individuals named.

I’m not sure why Laurine Wyatt saved this particular issue of THE FIDELIAN, class paper of the Fidelis Bible class of the First Baptist Church of Nashville, dated December 20, 1931. I did not find her name in it; perhaps it was for the list of names and numbers included on the last page.

The newsletter was printed in red ink so it is not easy to read. I have listed the names of individuals mentioned below the image of each page.

[page 1]

  

[page 2]

 [page 3]

Individuals mentioned on the above page:

Miss Alia E. Landers, Mrs. M. F. Mortimer, Mrs. Harry G. Fisher (Jacksonville, Florida), Miss Margaret Lawrence (Lewisburg, Tennessee), Mr. Whittaker, Mr. Muensch, Miss Kathleen Ligon, Mrs. Baker, Miss Madge Dorider, Mrs. Margaret Rich Ackerman, Miss Christine Lamb, Mr. George Nevins, Ovid Collins,  Miss Frank Hollowell, Ethel Jaques Bradley, Mrs. Jack Steele, Jr., Lois Thomason, Mrs. C. Hamlin

[page 4]

  

Individuals mentioned on the above page:

Mrs. Ida Baker, Mrs. Leslie B. Holmes, Mrs. Herbert P. Strack, Mattie Moore, Mrs. Ben A. Tanksley, Mrs. Willis P. Bearden, Mrs. E. H. Brown, Mrs. Elizabeth Denmark, Mrs. Robert Paull, W. Ovid Collins, John L. Hill, Miss Mai Hite, Mrs. W. P. Wooten, Miss Jennie Parham, Miss Jo Lena Bond, Miss Nina Pardue, Miss Anne Farrar, Miss Marie Stevens, Mrs. B. C. Moses, Miss Lena McAskill, Miss Libbie Tegarden, Miss Bessie Kirkland, Mrs. H. O. Kelly, Miss Irene Million, Mrs. Jas. C. Bartlett, Mrs. L. G. Haswell, Miss Sallie Gibbs, Mrs. H. P. McClurken, Miss Addie Tillou, Miss Addie Wise, Miss Golda Moorman, Mrs. Ella Johnson, Miss Eldridge McKay, Mrs. Evans Sprott, Miss Lois Thomason, Miss Bertha Dixon, Miss Lucille Burgess, Miss Mildred Dortch, Miss Della Rogers, Miss Lurla M. Rollins, Miss Nelle Chaffin, Mrs. F. G. Westenberger, Miss Georgia Herndon, Miss Mayver Moore, Miss Ida France, Miss Ruth Bonner, Miss Evelyn Butts, Mrs. H. B. Thurston, Miss Ruby Stover, Mrs. Maude Parkes, Miss Laura Ryan, Mrs. R. H. Bruce, Miss Elizabeth Neblette, Mrs. J. A. Whittaker, Miss Lottie Holman, Miss Ila Joyner, Miss Nina Smartt, Mrs. R. R. Arterburn, Miss Ruby Shemwell, Miss Emma Baldwin, Miss Ola Maddox.

© 2012 Denise Spurlock, Ancestral Trees Research

Tuesday's Tip - Wisconsin Historical Society

Sand Island Lighthouse  in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. 
By United States Coast Guard [Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons

If you researching ancestors in Wisconsin, you will want to check out the Wisconsin Historical Society website.

Click on genealogy in the navigation bar to go to some of the amazing resources they have available:

• Pre-1907 vital records (literally millions of birth, death and marriage records!)
• More than 150,000 obituaries and biographical sketches published before 1999
• Memoirs and other material written by early Wisconsin residents
• Civil War rosters and research images
• Historic images

Historical materials include diaries (including one written by a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition), a map and atlas collection, county histories and much more!

© 2012 Denise Spurlock, Ancestral Trees Research