Last Saturday, October 6th, was Family History Day at the Main Library. This annual event is always a hit with local genealogists and provides "one-stop shopping" for members of the public who have an interest in family history.
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| Liz Stratton |
Since 2012 is part of the sesquicentennial of the Civil War (1861-65), the theme for this year's talks was the Civil War. HCGS Board Member, Liz Stratton, discussed "Researching Your Civil War Ancestor Online." Included were online sources and strategies for Civil War genealogy research, along with additional historical, photographic and military resources available online. Liz's talk went way beyond "order your ancestor's Civil War pension file." I don't think a person in attendance walked away without additional resources for their research arsenal.
The second part of the day provided patrons with the opportunity to "Ask the Experts." Representatives from a variety of area organizations were available to answer individual questions and share their expertise on a variety of topics.
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| Ask the Experts |
The final speaker of the day was Mike Rhein representing the Cincinnati Civil War Roundtable. He discussed William Haines Lytle, Cincinnati's legendary military officer, Congressman and poet. As I had a gg-grandfather who served under William Lytle, I very much looked forward to hearing about this exceptionally brave leader who never shirked his responsibility to those he led. Lytle, who had been previously injured in battle in what is now West Virginia, was fatally shot at the Battle of Chicamauga. Soldiers from both the north and the south paid tribute to Lytle following his death, reciting his poetry around their campfires and preserving his body for its return to Cincinnati.
Anyone familiar with Spring Grove Cemetery is undoubtedly aware of the monument marking the grave of this proud Cincinnatian. One of the panels on the memorial displays Col. Lytle leading his men in that final battle.
We Cincinnatians have a proud heritage. Thanks to the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County for helping us get in touch with our roots by bringing in experts on all aspects of our history. I look forward to next year.
Submitted by: Kathy Reed
Thanks Kathy. As luck would have it, this week's Sepia Saturday theme was on the military. For an example of what can be done focusing on the photographic side of military research, see my blog post, http://atticsandoldlace.blogspot.com/2012/10/sepia-saturday-147-william-h-velsor.html.
ReplyDeleteI'll definitely check it out.
DeleteThanks Kathy for the synopsis and all the great pics!
ReplyDeleteKathy , It was definately worth everbody's time to attend the History Fair. They are always informative. Liz gave an execellent talk. It was extremely informative. Mike's talk was top grade. As an aside I had the pleasure of attending the Campbell County Civil War Roundtable the following Wednesday. Mike gave a talk on a different aspect of the same topic. It is always good to hear someone speak on a subject that they have thourghly researched. Paul Schewene
ReplyDeleteThanks, Paul. We can always count on your support.
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