Monday, November 27, 2017

Using Tools to Organize Your DNA Results (SWOHDNA)

Southwest Ohio DNA Interest Group (SWOHDNA)
The next meeting of the SWOHDNA is Tuesday, December 12th, at 7:00 PM. As usual, we will be meeting at the MidPointe Library in West Chester.


Speaker: Kelli Bergheimer, Chair of the Central Ohio DNA Interest Group, will be returning for a follow-up to her wonderful October presentation.

Topic: Using Tools to Organize DNA Results

Description:  Now that you have your results, how do you organize them to make the most of the information? Learn how to make your matches work for you. Use tools like Excel and OneNote to get yourself organized and make progress in your search. 

If you missed the October meeting, you may want to watch Kelli’s present on X-Inheritance Patterns. This is a complex topic and the source of confusion for many genetic genealogists. You can watch it at this link: https://vimeo.com/238154161




Submitted by Kathy Reed
Co-Chair, Southwest Ohio DNA Interest Group

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Webinar: DAR Genealogical Research System with Carla Cegielski

Carla Cegielski

"The DAR Genealogical Research System: A Resource for Everyone"

Carla Cegielski


Wednesday, November 8, 8:00 pm

Register: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4853803262122703875

Are you getting everything you can from the Daughters of the American Revolution Genealogical Research System (DAR-GRS)? Whether you have a Revolutionary War ancestor or not, the indices and other genealogy resources on the DAR website are invaluable. Many are not available elsewhere.

Carla Cegielski is our tour guide in this webinar that demonstrates effective use of the DAR-GRS. Carla is a full-time family history researcher specializing in Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, and West Virginia research. She provides research services to attorneys, historians, genealogists, hobbyists, and others.

To attend the webinar, register at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4853803262122703875. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing a link that will allow you to join the webinar.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Cincinnati As a Navy Town - Cincinnati in the Civil War, November 18th, 1:00 PM, Main Library

In previous articles published in the Gazette and The Tracer, members were invited to submit stories of their ancestors who served in the Navy or related industry in Cincinnati during the Civil War. We were surprised at the response. This led our speaker, Gary Johnson, to search out genealogical records that would document their service and benefit other members who may be interested in researching their ancestor. 


Gary Johnson has documented more than 3000 people who enlisted in the Navy out of Cincinnati during the Civil War. Although 625 miles from blue water, the US Navy was a significant presence in Cincinnati during the Civil War.  Cincinnati had a long history of experienced rivermen and major steamboat infrastructure to support modifying steamboats into warships suited for fighting in the shallow water rivers of the west.  Armed and armored steam boats were needed to support Grant and Sherman as they recaptured the Mississippi River from the Confederacy.  Lightly armored "tinclad" steamboats then helped keep the rivers open.  Some 3300 Ohioans served in the Navy, many recruited at the Public Landing. 

Mark your calendar and plan on attending what promises to be a great program honoring our Navy Veterans from the Civil War.  If you don't have an ancestor who served, you will get great examples of some of the genealogical records that are available to the researcher interested in Navy and/or Civil War history. 


                                   The USS Rattler (tinclad #1) Cincinnati built and modified

Submitted by Kathy Reed
Program Director
programs@hcgsohio.org

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Migrations To and Through the Old Northwest Territory - Webinar by Dr. David McDonald


Were you unable to attend our HCGS Event with Dr. David McDonald on September 16th? Fortunately, David agreed to let us share his third talk with members of our society. It is now posted on our website, http://hcgsohio.org. Sign into the Members Only are and choose “Videos, members-only” as pictured below.





















Submitted by: Kathy Reed
Program Director

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Understanding X-Inheritance Patterns - SWOHDNA - October 10th, 7:00 PM - MidPointe Library

Kelli Bergheimer
Do you know that x-chromosomes have different inheritance patterns than other DNA? Learn about the differences in x-chromosome inheritance in men and women. We will learn about DNA recombination. We will talk about using fan charts to narrow down which ancestor may or may not have contributed to your x-DNA. Then we will talk about how to use this information within GedMatch to find our largest segment matches on the x-chromosome and how to organize the results using spreadsheets.

Bio:

Kelli Bergheimer is a writer, teacher, and editor. Kelli holds a Bachelor’s in Biology, a Master’s in Education: Curriculum and Instruction, and a Master’s in Business Management. Kelli is a math and science editor for Smart Education—a K-12 textbook company located in Dubai writing textbooks for the MENA region—Middle East Northern Africa. Kelli runs two small businesses—Geo-Centric Learning and Mess on the Desk, a genealogical organization company with an accompanying blog, YouTube channel, and online store. Kelli is the Central Ohio DNA Interest Group facilitator. Kelli is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Genealogical Speaker's Guild.

Want to be better prepared?

Read Chapter 7 from Blaine Bettinger's book The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy pp. 123-136. The chapter is entitled "X-Chomosomal (X-DNA) Testing. You can also go to http://GedTree.com and create an X-inheritance chart for both females and males. Basic charts are free of charge.



Submitted by: Kathy Reed
Co-Chair, Southwest Ohio DNA Interest Group





Sunday, September 17, 2017

Annual Heritage Luncheon Scheduled for Saturday, October 21st





You can make a reservation in one of two ways:
1) Go to the September Tracer mailed to you or posted electronically in the Members Area of the website. The registration form is on the last page.

Fill it in and mail it to: HCGS, P.O. Box 15865, Cincinnati, OH  45215.

2) To reserve using Paypal, click on the link: http://tinyurl.com/HeritageLuncheon2017


Click to enlarge.

Come celebrate with us our newest First Families, Settlers and Builders, and Century Families inductees.

Submitted by:  Kathy Reed
Member, Heritage Committee

Friday, September 15, 2017

Day with the Genealogy Experts - October 7th, Main Library


October is Family History Month! It's the most wonderful time of the year. Mark your calendar for the all-day event at the Main Library. In addition to Debra Dudek, who will be speaking on resources for your English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish ancestors, she will also discuss our UK ancestors who may have run afoul of the law. There will be free consultations provided by 20 experts from noon - 2:00 PM. Interested in the Genealogy Lock-In? Make sure you make a reservation for this very popular program on October 21st. 

Submitted by:
Kathy Reed, Program Director

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

HCGS Estate Records Series: Registration is Open!

With more and more estate records available on FamilySearch and Ancestry, there is no better time to learn how to use these valuable records. The "Estate Records Series" consists of three hands-on workshops. Sessions include time to research your own ancestors. For best results plan to attend all sessions. Space is limited and preregistration is required. Register online at https://goo.gl/MMgB2C or email Education@hcgsohio.org

Except as noted, all sessions will be held in the 3rd floor computer lab behind the Genealogy and Local History Department at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Main Branch, 800 Vine.

Sunday, September 10, 1:30-3:30 pm"Where There's a Will, There's a Way"  
Wills often include a wealth of genealogical information by identifying married names of daughters, establishing parentage and migration routes. Learn where to find wills and how to get the most from them. Discover how to use wills as a stepping stone to further research.
Sunday, September 17, 1:30-3:30 pm, "Even is there is no Will, There's a Way"    
Learn to locate wills that have not been made available online or on microfilm. Explore the many documents created during the estate settlement process. Discover how to locate estate records even when there is no will.
Sunday, September 24, 1:30-3:30 pm, "Getting the Most from Estate Records" 
Learn how to use estate records to discover relationships, birth dates and death dates even when they are not directly stated. Understand regional and historic variations in inheritance law and their impact on women’s inheritance.

If you have any questions, contact Liz Stratton at Education@hcgsohio.org.

Submitted by Liz Stratton, Education Director, HCGS
 

Monday, July 17, 2017

The 2017-18 Kick-Off Event - Nationally-Recognized Speaker Rev. David McDonald - September 16th

It's never too early to think "fall." We are going to begin the new genealogical season with an event at the Kolping Center. Note: This location is different from the previously-announced location. Reservations Required.

It is our pleasure to introduce you to Rev. David McDonald. He recently held a week-long institute at GRIP (Geneaological Research Institute of Pittsburgh) on the Northwest Territories. As an ordained minister, Rev. McDonald has also developed expertise in the use of religious records for genealogical use.

Schedule: 
9:45 – 10:00 Check-in
10:00 – 11:00 Session 1
11:00 – 11:15 Break
11:15 – 12:15 Session 2
12:15 – 1:00 Time for snacks, drinks and socialization.
1:00 – 2:15 Session 3 – including time for questions.
                                                   

The following topics will be discussed:

Session 1: Primer on Religious Records and Jewish Resources Session 

Conversation and consideration of various types of religious records and their utility to genealogists as tools to advance your research. Special focus on realities and records for Jewish research.

Session 2: Catholic and Protestant Churches and Their Records 

  • Catholic records with emphasis on German Catholic churches.
  • German Protestant churches with emphasis on records likely to be accessible to advance your research.
Session 3: Migration To and Through the Old Northwest Territory.

America's westward expansion began with the Northwest Territory, which included what would become the state of Ohio. We will consider the native peoples and early explorers, migratory paths to and through the region, and the land platting systems in-play when researching the area. 

You will be able to purchase soft-dough pretzels, condiments and struedel, as well as beer, wine, liquor, soft drinks and coffee during the breaks and lunch.

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

The last time we met at this venue, we almost exceeded the capacity. To avoid this issue, reservations are required. There is no cost for the event. You can reserve by completing and submitting  the online form linked below.

********************************************************************************* 

https://formsmarts.com/form/1vqz?mode=h5


Submitted by Kathy Reed

Program Director
programs@hcgsohio.org

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

SWOHDNA - What is Y-DNA and How Will It Help My Research?

Photo Credit: FTDNA

What: Meeting of the Southwest Ohio DNA Interest Group (SWOHDNA)
Where: MidPointe Library, West Chester
When: 7:00 - 8:45 PM, Tuesday, August 15th
Who: Doug Beezely
Why: Learn about Y-DNA and how it can help your genealogical research

We are fortunate to have among our members, Doug Beezley. He has worked with Y-DNA and manages a One-Name Study on the Beasley (and its variations) surname. It is connected to the Guild of One-Name Studies

Up until now, we have only discussed autosomal (atDNA). Y-DNA is unique to males. It is passed from father to son, and so on, with little change. We will discuss the following:


  • What is the difference between a SNP and A STR? What do they have to do with Y-DNA?
  • Where can I purchase a Y-DNA test? Is there more than one kind?
  • How do I interpret the test results?
  • Why is research still important?
  • How can I use my results? 
  • How can I use my results to contribute to a surname or regional Y-DNA group?
Come join other group members in learning about Y-DNA. This talk will also be presented as a webinar. More information on how to sign up for the webinar with be provided soon.

Submitted by:

Kathy Reed
SWOHDNA Co-Chair
programs@hcgsohio.org



Thursday, June 22, 2017

Cincinnati's Role in the Navy during the Civil War

Our Rivermen Ancestors



I recently had lunch with Gary Johnson who has an interest in Cincinnati’s history as a naval center during the Civil War. You heard that right – we were a naval center. He has been researching this topic for quite a while and has been invited to give presentations on the topic.
I immediately became interested because I knew my gg-uncle, Robert Willis Darby, had served in the Navy at the end of the Civil War. Part of his obituary mentions his service:

R.W. Darby was in River Fighting at Close of Conflict. Robert W. Darby, 81 years old, 726 Whittier Street, last surviving member of the crew of the United States steamer Carondelet, active at the close of the Civil War, died at his home late Saturday. He had been ill several months. At the beginning of the Civil War, Mr. Darby enlisted with the One Hundred and Ninety -- first Ohio Regiment and later became a member of the crew of the Carondelet, operating on the Mississippi River. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Naval Veterans and Knights of Pythias. Surviving him are five daughters and three sons. Mr. Darby was born in Cincinnati.

Mr. Johnson is interested in speaking with members of the Hamilton County Genealogical Society whose ancestors may have served in the Navy or in the boatbuilding infrastructure of Cincinnati at the time. With enough information, he may write a book. Here is his letter:

I appreciate your offer to communicate with the Hamilton County Genealogical Society to see if your members have ancestors who were involved with the Navy during the Civil War or the Cincinnati area infrastructure that supported the riverboat industry.  Here are some professions who supported the industries below for which there may be some existing histories of the Cincinnati people who did the work.

Riverboat men
  • Steamboat pilots
  • Steamboat engineers
  • Steamboat company owners/operators
Supportive infrastructure for riverboats
  • Boatbuilders/carpenters
  • Foundrymen (iron or brass)
  • Machinists (like Miles Greenwood's Eagle Iron Works, etc.)
  • Boilermakers
  • Iron miners and furnace operators from the Hanging Rock iron area in Ohio
  • Coal miners, coal processors, coal tipples and suppliers who brought the coal to Cincinnati


If you have an ancestor who was a riverboat man, Navy man or worked in related fields, contact Kathy Reed, Program Director at programs@hcgsohio.org. I will get you in touch with Mr. Johnson.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

DNA Ethnicity Estimates - How Reliable Are They?


What: Southwest Ohio DNA Interest Group (SWOHDNA) Presentation
When: Tuesday, June 13th, 7:00 - 8:45 PM
Where: MidPointe Library, West Chester (in person)
Webinar Registration Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2720064606922795010

ancestry.com
One of the main motivations for taking a DNA test is to find out "who we are." We wait with excitement for our results to arrive, only to be disappointed. "I know I'm German, Why doesn't it say that?" "I'm not aware of any Scandinavian ancestry. Why does it have such a high percentage?"

What's worse is that if you've tested with more than one company, the results are not comparable. How can this be? Well, there really is a reason.

Join us for a discussion of what is "real" and "not so real" about these results. Can't make it? Live out-of-town? We are simultaneously presenting this talk as a webinar. In order to participate, you must preregister using this link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2720064606922795010
Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation.

Questions? Email Kathy Reed, Program Director at programs@hcgsohio.org.

Sunday, May 28, 2017

"Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: The Google Maps of their Day" with Jill Morelli, CG

Sanborn Fire Map
HCGS is pleased to sponsor a free webinar "Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: The Google Maps of their Day" with Jill Morelli, CG on Jun 6, 2017 8:30 PM EDT. 

Jill Morelli, CG
The Sanborn Fire Insurance maps were generated for insurance purposes between 1880 and 1930. Over 55,000 maps were made of communities large and small from New York City to Ackley, Iowa. These maps are particularly helpful for genealogists tracing a reluctant urban ancestor or for providing historical context to the lives of our ancestors. We will review the history of the maps, how to read the maps and where to find the originals. Various uses of the maps will be illustrated using case studies.

The webinar will be presented by Jill Morelli, CG. A passionate genealogist, Jill Morelli, CG(sm) lectures about her Midwestern, northern German and Scandinavian ancestors nationwide. Her lively presentations on intermediate and advanced methodologies, unique records sets, Scandinavian research and house histories convey information that is readily usable by attendees whatever heir skill level. She blogs about her experiences researching, writing and receiving her credential as a Certified Genealogist at http://genealogycertification.wordpress.com.

Please preregister for the webinar at:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Submitted by Liz Stratton, Education Director and Webinar Content Creation Committee member.

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Webinars -- A New Member Benefit

Many members of the Hamilton County Genealogical Society do not live in Hamilton County.
The Board is constantly discussing ways to better serve our out-of-town members. To that end, the Board recently approved the purchase of GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar software. Over time, we hope to present several webinars on a variety of topics.

The Southwest Ohio Regional DNA Interest Group (SWOHDNA) used GoToMeeting to record a video on how to use Gedmatch to identify possible cousins. This past week we used the webinar software to record a presentation on the use of DNA to identify the biological family of an adoptee. Fourteen people from as far away as Houston signed up to watch the presentation “live.”

You can find this webinar by clicking on this link: https://vimeo.com/214124083 If you choose to watch this one, try to watch it to the end. You aren't going to believe how this story evolves! It falls into the "truth is stranger than fiction" category.



We’d love to hear from your suggestions for future webinar topics and whether or not you find them valuable. Email Kathy Reed, Program Director at programs@hcgsohio.org or click on "comments" below to post your input.

Submitted by Kathy Reed
Program Director

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Did You Miss the Irish Genealogy Webinars?

Perhaps mid-March found you busy or at work during the time that a series of Irish webinars were broadcast in conjunction with the Fountaindale Public Library. Two speakers from the Ulster Historical Foundation shared their expertise with particular focus on the Scots-Irish from Northern Ireland and the Famine Immigrants. The good news is that these webinars are online and available for you to watch at any time.

To take advantage of this opportunity, click on this link and click on "Webinars."


Scroll down the page until you find the Irish Genealogy series.



Watch them at your leisure. The information is invaluable to those engaged in Irish Genealogy. A donation was made on behalf of HCGS members to the Ulster Historical Foundation, so you can watch them guilt-free! I hope you take advantage of this opportunity.

Submitted by Kathy Reed
HCGS Program Director

Saturday, March 25, 2017

"How Could a City Named 'Porkopolis be Anything but Funny?" by Robert J. Wimberg

This looks to be an entertaining presentation-a perfect outing for April Fool's day!

"Humor in History or How Could a City Nicknamed 'Porkopolis' be Anything but Funny" by Robert J. Wimberg
Saturday, April 1, at 11 am in the Genealogy and Local History Program Space, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County Main Library
"From its original name of Losantiville to Mrs. Trollope's Bazaar to August Herrmann's love for wursts, German fried potatoes and baseball, Cincinnati has provided the stuff to make us smile if not burst out laughing.  From a trained bear that escaped the People’s Theater in Over-the-Rhine to beer suds popping sewer lids, our town has hundreds of humorous stories that are a part of its history."
This program is sponsored by the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. 

 

Friday, March 24, 2017

April 8 Annual Seminar with Judy G. Russell is Nearly Full

Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL
The Legal Genealogist
Only a few spaces remain for the Annual Seminar on Saturday, April 8 with Judy G. Russell. If you have not already registered, please check our website to ensure spaces available before sending in your registration, Annual Seminar. You can also register online: https://goo.gl/DjCqRr.

The annual seminar is held at the Mill Race Banquet Center in Winton Woods, Great Parks. Admission to the park, continental breakfast, and lunch are included with your registration.

The Legal Genealogist Judy G. Russell is a genealogist with a law degree. She writes, teaches and lectures on a wide variety of genealogical topics, ranging from using court records in family history to understanding DNA testing. Her blog – chosen as one of the American Bar Association’s top 100 in 2013, 2014 and 2015 – appears at The Legal Genealogist website, http://www.legalgenealogist.com.

Judy will be presenting four lectures:
When Worlds Collide: Resolving Conflicts in Genealogical Records
The Gentlemen Judges: Justices of the Peace
Beyond X and Y: The Promise and Pitfalls of Autosomal DNA Testing
NARA Mythbusters: Your Family is in the Archives

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

A Visit to the Waldschmidt House and Civil War Museum - May13th

A Visit to the Waldschmidt House and Civil War Museum
10:30 am
7567 Glendale Milford Road Camp Dennison, Ohio 45111
Waldschmidt House


If you are not an "east-sider", you may not be familiar with the post-Revolutionary War home in Camp Dennison near Milford. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) own and are caretakers of the Christian Waldschmidt home and Civil War Museum located on the property. The home, built in 1804, included a store and a tavern. Waldschmidt helped encourage industries that would be necessary if the community was to thrive. He staffed a church and helped found a school. Ohio's first paper mill, a cooperative distillery, woolen mill, sawmill and blacksmith shop were built in the surrounding area.
The Camp Dennison Civil War Museum tells the history of Camp Dennison, a Civil War Camp and Hospital. As many as 50,000 Union soldiers were mustered in or out of service at Camp Dennison, with as many as 12,000 occupying the camp at any one time. In 1862, Confederate Gen. John Hunt Morgan threatened this camp with his "raiders" who attacked the railroad north of the camp.

Ohio Daughter of the American Revolution Member (DAR) Darlene West, will do a short presentation on the Christian Waldschmidt family and its impact on this early post-Revolutionary War community. Following lunch, we will tour both the homestead and the Civil War Museum located on the property. 

We will gather in the Memorial Barn behind the home which the Ohio Society DAR added in 1989 built to honor the Bicentennial of the Northwest Ordinance. It houses an extensive collection of stone-cutting and farm tools as well as a restored Conestoga wagon and a vehicle used by James Garfield.

To make a reservation and/or order a box lunch, please complete the form below and mail it to the address listed. You can also order and pay for lunch using PayPal through our website. For directions and a more detailed description of the Waldschmidt properties, click on this link.

_________________________________________________________________________________

                                                    http://tinyurl.com/waldschmidthouse
_________________________________________________________________________________

Adapted from the Waldschmidt Homestead website by Kathy Reed, HCGS Program Director.

Friday, February 3, 2017

Genealogy Roundtable: A New Discussion Group for Beginning-Intermediate Researchers

The Genealogy Roundtable is a new discussion group intended for beginning and intermediate genealogists. The purpose of the Roundtable is to give researchers the opportunity to get questions answered, learn, share ideas, and network.  Each Roundtable will consist of a short overview and discussion of one topic. The floor will then be opened to the attendees to discuss any genealogy topics of interest. Sessions will be held bi-monthly beginning in February 2017. In the first Roundtable we will identify future discussion topics and set the times and locations for future roundtables.

Genealogy Roundtable: Planning Session
Saturday, February 18 @ 10:30am - Blue Ash Branch Library
Genealogy Roundtable: First Discussion Topic: City Directories
Saturday April 22 @ 10:30am - Main Library Room 3A

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Spessart Roots: A History of the People of a German Forest

Saturday, April 22nd, 1:00 PM 

Main Library - Third Floor Program Area

Many members of HCGS have German roots. Whether your ancestors came from northwest Germany or The Bavarian southeast, have you ever wondered how your ancestors actually lived? Fortunately, HCGS member and native Cincinnatian, Mary E. Wuest, has written an exciting book -- Spessart Roots: A History of the People of a German Forest. This non-fiction work gives a vivid account of how events and circumstances played out in one location—Spessart Forest—in northwest Bavaria. Travel the road of peasant life through the centuries: through the wars, witch persecutions, famines, and heavy governance. Learn about life as a serf from the time of earliest settlements until the time of mass emigrations; and how religion, schooling, and customs affected everyday existence. Read gripping stories of individuals, including stories of the author’s own ancestors, which bring the forest’s history to life. Finally, in the last few chapters, travel with the emigrants as they transplant their roots in new lands. And, as a bonus, in the last chapter, learn what DNA can tell us about our deep ancestry, our original roots. 

Tim Trainor, Writer and Editor, provided an excellent review of this book on Amazon.
More than a million Germans immigrated to the United States from the mid-1840s through the following decade, fleeing repression, political turmoil and bleak futures. Andreas Wust and his future wife Maria Magdalena Gessner were among this diaspora, joining fellow countrymen in 1848 in a noisome Cincinnati enclave called Over-the-Rhine, where German language and customs prevailed through the twentieth century. Former U. S. Navy Commander Mary E. Wuest, great-granddaughter of this Bavarian couple, tells their story through the broad sweep of German history, focusing on the Spessart Forest, a forbidding and magical realm where wild animals, poachers, rogues and robber knights roamed the dense woods and feudal nobility ruled a network of farms and villages.
A model of meticulous research and crisp, clear writing, Spessart Roots traces forest inhabitants to the twelfth-century settlements of the Kahlgrund Valley, a mining and glassmaking region known for crystal clear "talking" mirrors immortalized in Snow White, the Grimm Brothers fairy tale. The book chronicles eras of famine, epidemics, invasions and pillaging punctuated by times of quiet prosperity. The stream of events flows through the centuries-long reign of the Holy Roman Empire, the Thirty Years War, Napoleonic conquests and other epochs that uprooted and shaped German society and culture.
Spessart Roots also is the story of America revealed through the microcosm of poor immigrants seeking freedom and opportunities denied them in their homelands. After settling in Cincinnati, Andreas Wust (Americanized to Andrew Wuest) started a mattress-making business that grew and prospered, staying in the family until its sale to Serta International in 1999 -- the American Dream fulfilled.
We hope to see you there.

Submitted by Kathy Reed
Program Director

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Two-Day Irish Genealogy Workshop and Streaming Webinar - Main Library - March 15th and 16th

We are excited to announce our participation in a two-day webinar presented by The Fountaindale District and the Plainfield Public Library District. The webinar will feature speakers from the Ulster Historical Foundation on Wednesday,March 15 and Thursday, March 16, 2017. We have reserved the Huenefeld Tower Room at the Main Library as well as one of the adjoining meeting rooms and kitchen so that participants will be able to spend the day in a relaxing atmosphere. Because we use Eastern Standard Time and the library hosting the webinars is in the Central Time Zone, sessions will be scheduled from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM each day. Participants should feel free to come and go as desired as well as watch the webinars from home. Here is the schedule. (Note: All times have been converted to EST from the original website posting).


Irish Genealogy – Resources for Success! irelandPublic Library (Wednesday, March 15 10:30 am to 6 p.m.)
Morning Session
010:30 a.m.  Introduction to Irish and Scots-Irish Family History Research
(1 hr)
11:30 a.m.   Irish Education and School Records (30 mins)
12 p.m.  BREAK (30 mins)
12:30 p.m.   Introduction to archives in Ireland (45 mins)
Afternoon
1:00 p.m.  LUNCH
2:30 p.m. Sources available for Irish research by county (1 hr)
3:30 p.m. Gravestone inscriptions and newspapers as sources for Irish research (45 mins)
4:15 p.m. BREAK
4:30 p.m. Using the Registry of Deeds, with a short introduction to Irish wills (55 mins)
5:30 p.m. Q&A and solving brick walls
Famine Era Records and Emigration imrs(Thursday, March 16 10:30 am to 5:30 p.m.)
Morning Session
10:30 a.m.  The Great Famine in Ireland, 1845–51: A brief historical overview (1 hr)
11:30 a.m.   BREAK
11:50 a.m.   Emigration from Ireland to North America: An Overview (1 hr)
12:50 p.m.   The Great Famine in Ireland: Sources for Research Part 1 (45 mins)
Afternoon Session
1:45 p.m.   LUNCH
3:00 p.m.   The Great Famine in Ireland: Sources for Research Part 2 (45 mins)
3:45 p.m.   Emigration from Ireland to North America: Strategies for Researching Emigrant Ancestors (1 hr)
4:45 p.m.   BREAK
5:00 p.m.  Q&A and Solving Brick Walls
Online Webinar Available!
Can’t attend the presentation in person? No problem! Both programs will be available for free as a streaming webinar on YouTube!  Free reminder event and registration for the webinar is available on our site.
Streaming participants, please make a donation to the Ulster Historical Foundation to support their genealogical projects and programming.  The donation site is powered by PayPal, and you have the ability to donate without creating an account by checking out as a ‘guest’. If you are a member of HCGS, a donation from the society will be made in lieu of individual donations.

Credit: Fountaindale Library and Genealogy Website

Submitted by Kathy Reed
Program Director

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Weil Funeral Home Records
By Rick D. Cauthen & Paul K. Cauthen

The Hamilton County Genealogical Society is very excited to announce we have completed filming and digitizing the Weil Funeral Home Index card catalog. This represents a huge repository of information to the Jewish Genealogical community with more than 25,000 funerals dating back to as early as 1913. These records have been made available to the Hamilton County Genealogical Society through the generosity and kindness of present-day owners, Mr. Robert Weil and Mr. William Kahn. This tremendous collection will serve as an incredible tool and resource for the entire Jewish Genealogical community. Weil Funeral Home was established in January 1912 and has continued to meet the needs of the local Greater Cincinnati Jewish community to the present day. The funeral home can be found on the web at: www.weilfuneralhome.com. Their current location: 8350 Cornell Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45249.
Weil Funeral Home has an interesting history. It had its earliest roots not as a funeral home, but as a livery service. As a livery, essentially, the Weil family would rent horses and horse-drawn carriages. Yes, as a livery, they even would have provided such rentals to established funeral homes that would have needed the horses and carriages to function as a modern day hearse. The livery service itself dates back to the 1890s. The Weil family originally came to Cincinnati from Alsace. Robert Weil’s great grandfather Isaac Weil was born August 5, 1860, in Cincinnati and started out as a produce vendor. He ended up dealing in horses by going into the business around 1895 with his brother-in-law Leo Mook under the business name Mook & Weil. The story goes that some 16 years later, Isaac went to a local Cincinnati funeral home that was closing and selling off their horses to make a deal. Well, you guessed it, he ended up buying not just the horses, but the entire funeral business.
 That the Weil Funeral Home has been nearly the sole resource for Jewish funerals for Greater Cincinnati as well as Hamilton, Butler, and Warren Counties for more than 100 years means that almost every Jewish family has had their final arrangements for their loved ones made using their services. Weil Funeral Home has maintained excellent records dating back to the 1940s. Within the card catalog, there were cards created that alphabetized the funerals dating back to 1913. Unfortunately, those cards contain very minimal information. It was not until 1940 when the funeral home began to maintain extremely detailed records all the way forward until the present day. We have digitized these records through December 31, 2015.
The Weil Funeral Home records are maintained in the Member’s Area of the Hamilton County Genealogical Society website located at www.hcgsohio.org and are available exclusively to the Society’s members. If you are not a member of the Society, you can easily join via our website with memberships beginning at $15.00 annually. Archival copies of the microfilmed records are being maintained at the American Jewish Archives located at Hebrew Union College and the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Main Library Downtown.

How to Find the Funeral you want

The 25,000 3" x 5" index cards of funerals from 1940 to Dec. 31, 2015, are divided into 86 Acrobat PDF files alphabetized by last name and one PDF for funerals from 1913 through 1939.  These files contain the actual images of the funeral record cards.  After accessing the Weil Funeral Home Records link from the member’s area, click on the surname pair in the list where the family name of interest would be in alphabetical order between the first surname and last one in each pair. Within each group of identical surnames, the cards are in alphabetical order by the first name. As the card images are in alphabetical order, it would be simple enough to locate your ancestor by browsing. However, the OCR technology makes it possible to use the find function (usually Control Key + the F key) to access a popup window by which you can do a search for any keyword you desire. It will then give you all the possible index points to locate that record. These index cards have a wealth of genealogical information such as: birth and death dates, Hebrew date of death, surviving spouse, Rabbi who performed the service, place of death (particularly valuable when out-of-state), cemetery of interment (or if cremation was chosen), where the body was sent if not buried locally, marital status, and the individual who was responsible for paying for the funeral. You can search for virtually anything, such as the cemetery name, the rabbi who did the services, but the first or last name of the deceased will probably be the most popular way of finding your ancestor. Be advised, however, that the OCR indexing is not perfect. If you do not have success using the find option, always follow up by browsing.
If you have any specific questions, feel free to write to Jewish Interest Group leader, Rick Cauthen at jewish.interest@hcgsohio.org.


 
Sample record from our collection