Fall 2008 Volume 17 WE ARE ALL RESEARCHERS, SO… WE WANT to HEAR from YOU!!

"Chains……" A Publication of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Oregon

Fall 2008 Volume 17 WE ARE ALL RESEARCHERS, SO… WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!

One of the many things that we like about genealogy as a hobby is the opportunity to interact with others to pursue our goals. We all have stories about how we pursued some item of information and the results we achieved. We have learned much from people who are researching geographical areas far from our homelands, and surnames totally unrelated to ours. Learning from each other will helps to break through those brick walls.

Now is your chance to share. For our September 16, 2008 "SOS - share our successes" meeting we are asking for several volunteers to give a brief (just a few minutes long) presentation to tell our group about some research techniques they have found to be invaluable, some great finds they have made and how they made those finds, or the stories behind some terrific photos or heirlooms they have acquired. We want you to share the process you used to obtain your long sought or serendipitous result.

If you need some help structuring your talk, or adding photos, etc., we have someone who will help you.

Please respond to the Program Chair of the JGSO, [email protected] and provide the following summary: what issue did you work on what were your results what tools did you use to get the results how many minutes do you need to tell us about it.

Note: If we receive too many responses, we will use some in future programs.

POWER GOOGLE’ING Domain Searches By Hal Bookbinder What if you want to search only in a single domain, like “.ucla.edu”, It’s hard to find anyone unfamiliar “ca.gov” or “Jewishgen.org”. You with the GOOGLE Internet search can use the Advanced Search to tool. However, most are unaware of specify a domain the additional features of GOOGLE http://www.google.ca/advanced_sea that make it even more powerful. rch?hl=en. When you next use GOOGLE take notice of the links above (Web, Excluding Phrases Images, Maps, News, Video, Gmail, For example, you can include in more) and to the right (Advanced your search a rule to exclude some Search, Preferences, Language sites. One of my family names is Tools) of the search box. Here are a “Barenberg.” But, if I use GOOGLE few features and techniques that to search for this name, I come up you might find useful. with a lot of sites mentioning “Russ Barenberg,” a folk guitarist in whom Addresses & Phone I am not interested. Using the Numbers “Advanced Search” button GOOGLE is a U.S. phone book in (immediately to the right of the disguise-you can look up street GOOGLE search field), allows me to addresses and phone numbers search for “Barenberg”, but exclude directly through the search box. pages with “Russ Barenberg” http://www.google.ca/advanced_search? Type in an address or phone hl=en. number and you'll see the corresponding publicly listed phone Images numbers and addresses at the top Interested in pictures from your of the results page. You can search Shtetl? Click on “Images” and then by name and address, or by phone search for your Shtetl by name. number. Searching this way for Dubno, returned a series of pictures and Alerts maps. You can have GOOGLE send you an email each time it uncovers a Including Synonyms particular term. So, say you want to What if you are searching for be notified each time a new page is Bookbinder genealogy, but want to found with your Shtetl or family include any page that contains name. To access this tool, click on “genealogy” or a synonym for “more” at the top of the GOOGLE genealogy, like “family tree” or search page, then “even more”, and “family research”. Place a “~” before finally on “Alerts” the word in the search box. So, you http://www.google.ca/alerts?hl=en. would enter, Bookbinder ~genealogy.

Quotation Marks Bookbinder” and one to “Hal. A simple technique to focus your Bookbinder”, a typo that I would not research is to put quotation marks have found by just searching for around the full name of the person “Hal Bookbinder”. for whom you are searching. Searching for Hal Bookbinder Maps returns 21,000 sites. Searching for GOOGLE Earth lets you fly “Hal Bookbinder” returns only 582! anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings Translations and even explore galaxies in the Another tool available through Sky. You will need to download the GOOGLE provides translations, free GOOGLE Earth software. Do including German, Polish, you want to see an aerial view of Romanian and Russian. You can your house? Or see a view of the use this to obtain a quick translation family Shtetl? To access this tool, of any words, phrases, or click on “more” at the top of the paragraphs that you type in, or to GOOGLE search page, then “even view translations of web pages. more”, and finally on “Earth” While the translations are imperfect, http://earth.google.com. they generally are helpful, quick and free. To access this tool, click on Wand More, Check Cyndi's List “more” at the top of the GOOGLE Cyndi’s List devotes a section to search page, then “even more”, and GOOGLE for genealogy. Check out finally on “Translate” http://www.cyndislist.com/google.ht http://translate.google.com/translate_t. m and you are likely to find new and creative ways to use GOOGLE. Number Ranges A little-known Google feature lets (This is updated from an article you retrieve search results originally published in the February containing numbers within a given 2006 issue of Dates & Updates. range. In your browser's search box, Some material is taken from an type your search term, followed by article by Tom McNichol in the April the two numbers defining your 2008 issue of the California Lawyer desired number range and Magazine, separated by two periods (no http://californialawyermagazine.com.) spaces). For example, if you are searching for references to a New Procedure to Obtain particular name, but only where a 19th century date is mentioned, you Naturalization and could include 1801..1900 in the Citizenship Records search field. New rules for a fee-for-service Wild Cards genealogy program to obtain visa You can also use * as a wild card in and citizenship documents have your search. When I tried “Hal * gone into effect. Requests will no Bookbinder”, I found several longer be made through the references to “Hal and Marci Freedom of Information Act. Instead,

requests will be made to the US The forms to use are: Form G-1041 Citizenship and Immigration Service for the index (which will give you the (CIS - formerly the INS). The reason file numbers you need to get the for the new rules was to streamline actual records) and Form G-1041A and improve the process for for the records request. These forms acquiring genealogically relevant must be printed off and mailed to the historical records of deceased address given on the site. individuals. When completing the forms, give Types of records available ALL the information you have. If you don't provide what is requested you The types of historical records may have to reapply with paying a available under the new program second application fee. are: • Naturalization certificate files(C- The G-1041A form for record copies files) from September 27, 1906 to requires you to include file number(s) April 1, 1956 (from all federal, State (for example an Alien (A) number or municipal courts and more) naturalization certificate number). • Microfilmed alien registration Remember, the VISA number on the forms from August 1, 1940 to March passenger manifest is not the VISA 31, 1944 number for USCIS purposes. You • Visa files from July 1, 1924 to may already have the certificate March 31, 1944 number if you have the court • Registry files from March 2, 1929 naturalization records or the original to March 31, 1944 certificate. • Alien files numbered below 8 million and dated prior to May 1,1951 Continue to file Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for: Genealogical request information may only be obtained on deceased • Files for living subjects individuals. The person is presumed naturalization records after April 1, dead if the birth date is over 100 1956; years old. For information on deceased persons who were born • Visa records for immigrant arrivals less than 100 years ago, proof of on or after May 1 1951 in "A" files; death such as death record, published obituary, etc. must be •"A" files above 8 million and provided with the request form. documents dated on or after May 1, 1951; How to Request Records • Registry documents after May 1, Go to the UCSIS website at: 1951; http://www.USCIS.gov/genealogy • Alien registration files on or after May 1, 1951 (in A Files).

Fees Paul Shapiro is Director of the As a result of the comments made, Center for Advanced Holocaust the amount per index or record/file Studies and since 1997 has led the request (from a microfilm) will be $20 Museum's effort to provide focused and $35 for a textual record. You leadership to the field of Holocaust would want to do an index search Studies in the US and abroad. because documents relating to your subject might be contained in many Mr. Shapiro is a member of the separate files. Congressionally-mandated Interagency Working Group on Nazi The $20 fee to find the file numbers War Crimes and Japanese Imperial that you need, if they exist, covers Government Records and serves the time spent by the archivist to look on the Academic Advisory up your names. There is no refund if Committee of the Center for Jewish no files are found. Assuming that History in New York. In 2003-4 he files exist, the $35 fee covers wrote major sections of the final duplication, mailing, and other costs. report of the International Commission on the Holocaust in When submitting a written request, Romania, chaired by Elie the only form of payment accepted is Wiesel. He led the Museum's effort a cashier's check or money order in to open the archives of the the exact amount. No personal International Tracing Service-the checks or cash will be accepted and largest and last major inaccessible no request will be processed without collection of Holocaust-related payment submitted with the request. records anywhere.

JGSO OCTOBER ANCESTRY TO HOST PROGRAM TO FEATURE SOME JEWISHGEN PAUL SHAPIRO DATABASES

The holocaust records held by the JewishGen.org, and Ancestry.com, International Tracing Service will be have entered into a cooperative the topic of Paul Shapiro's agreement resulting in some presentation at the October 22, JewishGen databases being 2008 JGSO meeting. These available for no charge on important holocaust documents Ancestry.com. Hardware and were, until recently, unavailable for network support for JewishGen research by the public. Mr. Shapiro website will be provided by Ancestry. was instrumental in opening that archive so that other institutions and There will be many benefits flowing private researchers could have out of the agreement. Among them access to this vast quantity of will be improvements in the speed of information. the JewishGen website; greater accessibility in searching databases;

and more people being exposed to from 1875-1908 were destroyed. Jewish genealogy. One can search by name, departure, date, hometown, JewishGen will remain an destination, or ship name. independent non-profit organization affiliated with the Museum of Jewish The website is: Heritage - A Living Memorial to the http://db.genealogy.net/maus/gate/in Holocaust and there will be no dex_en.html change in JewishGen management team or structure. JewishGen will Index cards reflecting personal continue to independently manage information relating to many the JewishGen Website, mailing lists emigrants who left from the port of and affiliates. JewishGen's extensive Bremen, from 1904-1914, have resources will remain available for no been microfilmed and are available charge and all of the JewishGen through FHL library. Search data licensed to Ancestry.com will be "Bremen, Germany" and then available on Ancestry.com for free. "emigration & immigration indexes" in the library catalog for film Personal information for JewishGen numbers at: users and registrants will not be http://www.familysearch.org shared. For example, data in the JewishGen Family Finder and the LVOV RECORDS Family Tree of the Jewish People will Abstracted from a post on Gesher not be shared with Ancestry.com. Galicia SIG There will be no changes to the Many of the records of the AGAD content of the JewishGen website, Archives in Warsaw for the or any of JewishGen's programs or years1863-1903B; 1870-1903M; and mailing lists. 1900-1901D have been indexed by Jewish Records Indexing - Poland. BREMEN PASSENGER These indices can be searched by LISTS surname at www.jri-poland.org by Posted on H-SIG clicking on search database. If you find a record of interest, you can The Bremen Chamber of Commerce order that record directly from the and Bremen Society for AGAD Archive. Genealogical Investigation has a searchable database of Bremen The remaining records 1904-05 BM Passenger Lists for the years 1920- and 1864-1899, 1902-05 D have not 39. According to information on the been indexed and may only be home page, the database was searched at the AGAD Archives. The created from 3,017 passenger lists 1814-1837 birth records have been that were hidden in a salt mine in microfilmed by the Mormon (LDS) 1942 and turned over to the Church. Moscow Archives at the end of WWII. Older Bremen lists Records from the Ukraine State

Archive in Lviv for the years 1805- 16, 1823-68, 1894, 1896B; 1801- This 2 volume set is quite expensive 1866M; 1805-64, 1866-80, and and we are very happy that the 1891D have been microfilmed by Multnomah County Library will be the Mormon (LDS) Church and these adding it to its collection. microfilms may be ordered and viewed at a LDS Family History GENEALOGICAL FORUM Center near you. OF OREGON SEMINAR Records held at the Civil Records Abstracted from a post by Pat Office (USC) in Warsaw covering Burling the years 1906-39, 1941B; 1906- 39M; 1906-39, and1941-42D, are Get a head start on fall and winter protected from public use by genealogical researching by regulation. You may acquire an planning to attend the Ann Carter official extract of a record if you can Fleming Fall Genealogical Forum of provide enough information for them Oregon Seminar Saturday, to find it (year of birth, name of September 27, 2008 at Milwaukie subject. names of parents, etc.). Elks Lodge, 13121 SE McLoughlin However, this extract does not Blvd, Milwaukie, Oregon, beginning provide all the information on the 8 am with Registration. First class record. Usually these official starts 9:15 am. Program ends about extracts are delivered through the 3:30 pm. nearest Polish Consulate. You may want to first contact your nearest Ann Carter Fleming is a nationally Consulate to inquire. known author, lecturer, researcher, BCG trustee, co-editor of the NGS Contact information for the Warsaw series "Research in the States." She USC (Urzad Stanu Cywilnego) may is a former president of NGS and the be found at: St. Louis Genealogical Society, http://bip.warszawa.pl/Menu_podmi co-author of "Research in Missouri" otowe/Urzad_Stanu_Cywilnego/defa and a NGS Fellow. ult.htm Topics include:

YIVO ENCYCLOPEDIA "What is the Serial Set:" a good OF JEWS IN EASTERN basic introduction to government EUROPE documents with an emphasis on the U. S. Serial Set. Often little YIVO has recently published a new, understood, these documents have comprehensive encyclopedia of answers to many roadblocks. Jews in Eastern Europe. This excellent resource has been "When Your Ancestor Speaks, Are purchased by the Multonomah You Listening?": When our ancestors County library, central branch, and try to talk to us via their stories, will be available in the near future. photographs, memorabilia, and documents, are we listening? Clues

abound we do not recognize - Ann local libraries and regional Family Fleming will help us see these clues. History Centers without charge.

"Research by Time Period": By LOMZA CENSUS dividing your research into four time Posted on JRI Poland periods, you will learn about the most important and genealogically Jewish Records Indexing - Poland rich records in each area. has announced that the very detailed 1897 Lomza Area "Squeezing the Records Until They Census project is now online. Talk": In reviewing a document, The database contains more than consider why it was made, who the 14,000 entries for Jewish informant was, and what information residents of the city of Lomza and was pertinent to the record. Then many nearby towns. Towns highly learn to identify the facts and clues. represented as the "place of Registration forms are available residence" (other than Lomza and online at the GFO website: Piatnica) are Gac, Nowogrod, Rutki, www.gfo.org. Or phone GFO: Sokoly, Wizna and Zambrow. 503-963-1932. The seminar costs members $38 if received by Sept. Many more towns are mentioned as 18th, $45.00 if received after Sept. the "place of birth," even if the 18th (no lunch). Non-members: $43 individual was residing in Lomza or before Sept. 18th, $50 after Sept. elsewhere during the census. 18th. Lunch is $12 if requested by Towns highly represented as the Sept. 18th. "place of birth" include the above, plus Jedwabne, Kolno, Ostroleka, 1891 CANADIAN CENSUS Sniadowo, Stawiski, Szczuczyn Posted on IAJGS Forum and Tykocin.

Ancestry.com launched the online Researchers will quickly recognize 1891 Census of Canada. The 1891 that the 1897 Lomza Area Census Canadian census contains 4.5 contains a goldmine of information, million searchable names and often about previously unknown 90,000 images of original census children (whose births were not pages. Much personal information registered) or entire family branches. may be learned from this census. Included is information from all 10 The census contains individuals present-day Canadian provinces and grouped by families (in the its three territories. The 1891 census extreme right hand field called is fully indexed and searchable and "Family"), ages, places of birth, may also be accessed on places currently living, occupations, Ancestry.ca, as well as on information about army service and Ancestry.com places of study.

Ancestry.com is a paid subscription A copy of the entire Excel file, which service. It can be accessed at some enables one to search the 14,000

entries by various fields and browse has recently put state census surnames, is available for a records and vital records on-line. minimum donation of $100, which This is a work in progress, therefore, donation will be used for future not all records are yet indexed-keep indexing projects. The web site for returning to the website. the credit card contribution form is www.jri-poland.org/visa.htm Records currently posted include birth, marriage, and death records MORE STATE VITAL for several counties, naturalization for many counties, military records, RECORDS ON LINE land records and a professional Posted on IAJGS Forum and license database. The available Nu? What's New? years for the records vary, but the website includes a description of Missouri what years are available for each category of documents. Missouri has posted its death certificates on-line for the The fee schedule for the different periods1910-1957 (50 years old and records is listed on the site. over). There is a searchable index that links to a digitized image of the New York original death certificate. The index may be searched by first name and The German Genealogy Group has last name, county, and by year and added indexes to late 19th-century month. The index may be found at: births, marriages and deaths for the http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/reso Queens and Brooklyn sections of urces/deathcertificates/#search New York City. A complete list of vital record databases at their site This is ongoing project and all can be found at records have not yet been included. http://www.germangenealogygroup. To obtain records more recent than com/otherdb.stm 50 years old, there is a link to the Missouri Bureau of Vital Records.

Pre- 1910 death and birth records MISKOLC, HUNGARY are on microfilm at the State SHETLINKS SITE archives. For more information on Posted on Helene Kenvin on H-SIG these records, go to: http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/ There is a new Shtetlinks website resources/birthdeath/ for Miskolc, Hungary, the capital of Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen county, at http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/ Washington miskolc/index.html.

The Washington State Digital The new website includes numerous Archives photographs, stories about Miskolc http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/ families and luminaries from Miskolc;

information about the Holocaust in Merkine, Nemunaitis, Nemaksciai, Miskolc and a gallery of Miskolc Pumpenai, Punia, Raseiniai, Holocaust martyrs; travel reports; Rietavas, Silale, Siluva, Skaudvile, suggested resources for Miskolc Stakilskes, Sveksna, Taurage, researchers; and many other exciting Trakai, Varena, Veivirzenai, Vidukle, articles of interest. Vievis,Zaslai, Zemaiciu Naumiestis, Ziezmariai and many others. NEW URL FOR Visit www.LitvakSig.org where you ROOTSWEB can learn more about the Research Abstracted from Nu? What's New? Groups or search the All Lithuanian Database. RootsWeb, the world’s oldest and largest free genealogy website, is a popular American genealogy site MEXICAN BORDER owned by the parent company of CROSSINGS Ancestry.com. Until now, it has Abstracted from a post on enjoyed its own web address: JewishGen rootsweb.com. Shortly, it will be changed to a new address: Some of our relatives came across rootsweb.ancestry.com. All old the border from Mexico in order to RootsWeb URLs will continue to enter the USA. Here are some work; there are no immediate plans suggestions for searching those to eliminate them. records.

Look for the Spanish spelling of your MORE LITHUANIAN ancestors' names. Uncle Mosche RECORDS AVAILABLE and Aunt Ruchle, might be in the Abstracted from a post on records as Moises and Raquel. JewishGen There are often two surnames, LitvakSig has announced the according to Spanish custom. addition of 21,191 new records to For a man, the surname consists of the All Lithuania Database. These his father's surname and then his include Revision Lists as well as mother's surname. For women (who Tax and Voters lists. The in Spanish tradition would not have information on the more than 70 lists adopted their husband's surname) represented in this latest upload the name is often shown with her was distributed to qualifying donors maiden name and then the prefix at least a year ago as Excel "de" before his surname. (e.g. spreadsheets. Some of the towns Bertha Cohen de Levy whose included are: Alytus, Antakalnis, husband's name was Gregorio Batakiai, Birzai, Butrimonys, Levy). Darsuniskis, Daugai, Erzvilkas, Girkalnis, Jieznas, Jurbarkas, The Mexican immigration records Kelme, Kraziai, Kvedarna, often show place of birth, last residence, nearest relative. The

National Archives holds many rolls of Jewish Genealogical Society microfilm relating to Mexico border of Oregon (JGSO) crossings. A description of the available information and location of Membership is open to all, materials may be found at: regardless of religious background or http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/ level of experience. Members range immigration/border-mexico.html from those just starting in genealogy to long-time family researchers. PHILADELPHIA Membership is for the calendar year. MARRIAGES Send checks to: From Nu? What's New? Jewish Genealogical Society of The new FamilySearch web site Oregon located at PO Box 19736 http://pilot.familysearch.org now has Portland, Oregon 97280 images of a Philadelphia marriage index. The index shows the person’s Yearly dues name, sex, surname of spouse, year $23 for individuals of marriage and certificate number $30 for family $10 student AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BURIAL Membership benefits include a free RECORDS copy of Getting Started in Jewish Genealogy: A Handbook for Abstracted from a post on Gesher Beginners Galicia Quarterly newsletter Shalshelet Meeting notices The Beverley Davis Burial Database Monthly meetings Sept-June (free) lists information on nearly 50,000 Free access to JGSO reference Jewish burials at all cemeteries library within Australia and the surrounding With checkout privileges for cd-roms region, plus Australian War Graves and videotapes located overseas. JGSO BOARD The database contains much Joe Mayer, Pres. valuable genealogical information; [email protected] however it is not a complete listing. st Joan Teller, 1 VP, Programs The database may be found at: nd Sandra Shapiro, 2 VP, Outreach http://www.bd-bd.info/ Golda Edwards, Secretary Julian Kaufman, Treasurer Ronald Doctor, Membership Harvey Shulzinger, Librarian . Nadene Goldfoot, Publicity Barbara Hershey, Programs Debbi Korman, Newsletter

Address correction requested MEETING SCHEDULE

September 16, 2008 - Our Stories October 22, 2008 - Paul Shapiro - Co-sponsored with MJCC November 18, 2008 December 16, 2008

Nov & Dec programs to be announced

From: Jewish Genealogical Society of Oregon PO Box 19736 Portland, OR 97280

TO: