Cheyenne Genealogy Journal Inside ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ with One of Musings by the President

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17 Oct 2019 “How-To with ‘Who-Do’: Cheyenne Genealogy Journal Inside ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ With One of Musings by the President . . . Their Talking Heads” Welcome to fall...I hope your summer was spectacular. The summer has just flown by for Larimer County Genealogi- me. It seems like I was just getting ready for the Annual May Banquet and here it is fall cal Society Monthly Meet- already and the Society’s new year. Your Executive Board met in August to plan for the year. ing, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Good Suzanne Anderson and Dan Lyon have stepped into their positions as Vice President and Sec- Samaritan Society, 508 retary respectively. Treasurer Tom Bonds presented Trilby Road, Fort Collins the budget which was approved by the board to be brought to the membership for approval. Programs for 21-25 Oct 2019 the upcoming year were discussed and suggested, and “German/Slavic Seminar” our big summer fund-raising event, the Lakeview Ceme- Family History Library tery Walk, Remembering the Ladies, was planned down Webinar to the last detail. The Cemetery Walk committee (Click link above for list of worked hard since last spring to ensure a successful seminar topics about event. Heartfelt thanx to Jo and her committee, Dan, Dutch, German, Latin, Gloria, Jan, Jeanette, Joan, Judy, Sharon, Suzanne, Polish & Russian handwrit- Wanda, Wendy and me—and to all the actors for the ing offered at various many, many hours each one contributed. I won’t try to times) delineate the work each person did because inevitably I’ll leave something out—just know everyone worked 23 Oct 2019 extremely hard. Please thank them for their time and “Virtual Genealogy Fair” labor for a very successful event. We tried a few new presented by the U.S. things this year which proved to work well. Most nota- National Archives bly we had two tours which enabled us to accommodate more participants. Another major 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., change was having it on a Saturday. Everyone seemed to enjoy and appreciate the walk...and Presented on YouTube getting to know some of the interesting and notable females who were part of Cheyenne’s (see article on left) history...and we’ll be able to add lots of new books to the genealogy collection at the library. Starting with that event, 2019-2020 looks to be exciting and I am looking forward to our 1-2 Nov 2019 Colorado Palatines to upcoming programs, meetings and research get-togethers! Sue Seniawski, President America Fall Seminar Lower Level Conference Center, Denver Public The National Archives Will Present Its Seventh Annual Library Virtual Genealogy Fair-October 23, 2019 on ‘YouTube’ Fri 1:00-4:00 p.m. “Conducting Family Histo- Participate in the U.S. tails, visit the Virtual Geneal- tions will be: ry Research in Europe,” National Archives biggest ge- ogy Fair web page at 8 a.m. - Welcoming Remarks “German Research Mate- nealogy event of the year when www.archives.gov/calendar/g 8:05 a.m., Session 1 - Exploring rials on Family Search,” they host a free, live, virtual enealogy-fair. History Hub for Genealogists free but registration is Genealogy Fair via webcast on Every year since 2013, the and Researchers required YouTube on Wednesday, Octo- National Archives has hosted 9 a.m., Session 2 - Preserving Sat 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. ber 23, 2019, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. a free, virtual Genealogy Fair Personal Collections “German Immigrants in eastern (8 a.m.-2 p.m. mountain via live webcast on YouTube 10 a.m., Session 3 - Immigrant American Church Rec- time) No reservations are where each presentation dur- Records: More Than Just Ship ords,” “German Census needed. Six sessions will pro- ing the day can be viewed or Passenger Arrival Lists Records 1816-1915,” vide advice for all skill levels downloaded, with handouts 11 p.m., Session 4 - Using Na- “German Residential Reg- on family history research us- available just prior to the tional Archives Records to Re- istration Records,” ing federal records. For de- event. This year’s presenta- search World War I Naval and “Surnames in German- Marine Corps Records for Ge- Language Regions of Eu- nealogical Research rope,” materials fee of 12 p.m., Session 5 - Discovering $35; register at and Researching Bureau of In- https://www.palam.org/co dian Affairs School Records lorado-palam-chapter.php 1 p.m., Session 6 - The Home- stead Act: Land Records of Your Ancestors 2 p.m. - Closing Remarks

Get to Know Your Genealogy Colleague: Vanelda Novak Mellblom

This newsletter column will introduce you to My cousins. the genealogical work of members of the What is the furthest back that you Cheyenne Genealogical & Historical Society, have researched; what have you to help you get to know your colleagues and found?: perhaps to provide a few ideas or hints— maybe even a family connection! I have family back to Charlemagne. Once I did my papers for Colonial What is your full name? Dames XVIIC using Gov. John En- Vanelda “Van” Elane Novak dicott, first governor of the Mas- Mellbloom sachusetts Bay Colony, I did sup- Are you named after any relative; if so plementals on Shatuck, Lippincott, who & why? Gaskill (Gascoyne), and Southwick. That research took me a long time No, but my parents wanted another and sent me in may different direc- “V” name for their children and my Anna and Vaclav (William) Novak, Van’s paternal grandparents, taken before 1866. tions. However, it was my 13th or aunt, who was a nurse in Canada, 14th great grandmother (Gov. En- suggested my given name. After Howard and I were married dicott’s wife) Elizabeth Cogan, What is your maternal ethnic heritage? (in Washington, D.C.), we lived in whose line took me back to Charle- New Jersey, Virginia, Oregon, Cali- magne. My mother’s heritage is English, fornia, returning to Havre at the Irish, Scottish, Pennsylvania Dutch end of WWII. We owned and oper- What is the most interesting/funniest/ (probably German), and lots more ated a small grocery store until the most bizarre story you have uncov- when you go back far enough. ered? Explain what it was and was it Korean War when Howard volun- accurate? If not, why not? What did What is your paternal ethnic heritage? teered to go back on active duty. you discover that disproved the initial My father’s heritage is Czechoslo- He flew off the Valley Forge air- information? craft carrier and when he returned vakian. One of the first female counter- we moved from California to Dallas, feiters was a distant relative by Give your maternal surnames three gen- Texas, Seattle, Washington, Bos- erations back: ton, Massachusetts, back to Cali- marriage! You will find her story in STEVENS (STEPHENS), STREET, fornia and finally to Cheyenne, several books. The other was that where he was CO of the Naval Sup- my Uncle John (according to an CIMERLY (ZIMMERLE) online post) was married and had port center. After he retired we two children in Minnesota while he Give your paternal wives or mothers’ opted to stay in Cheyenne. I have surnames three generations back: was actually married to my Aunt remained active in Women’s Civic Etta and living in Montana. I found YONAK, KUMHERA, KOZEBOVA League, Genealogy Society, Colonial birth records for the children and Dames 17th Century, Artists Guild, Provide some information about your- the father was another Stephens— P.E.O. Chapter AD, Military Offic- self, your background, your family… so don’t believe everything you find ers Wives Club, and Ascension Lu- I was born in Rudyard, Montana, online until you can prove it! the fifth of six children. My broth- thern Church. Do you have anyone famous in your When did you start doing genealogy? er, Victor, was the oldest and then tree? If so, tell us who and a bit about there was Vivian, Verda, Valeria , Probably in 4th grade when we had this ancestor: Vanelda, Valencia. I graduated from to do those family charts. Luckily In addition to Charlemagne (;-), my high school in Rudyard and then af- my maternal grandmother was still most famous ancestor is Governor ter a summer of welding at Kaiser alive and helped me out. I actually John Endicott. He was the first Shipyards in Portland, Oregon, I started serious researching in the governor of the Massachusetts Bay returned to attend college at early 1970s. Colony and served in office as the Northern Montana College in Havre, Assistant Governor or Governor for MT. During college, I worked part- What got you interested in this crazy hobby? 17 years. There is one exception— time as secretary to the president the year he cut the red cross out My sisters thought I should re- of the college and in the Placement of the English flag! You can read search our Czech line. Office which helped place gradu- about that in “Endicott and the Red ates in jobs. I also did bookkeeping Are you doing direct-line only or collat- Cross” written by Nathaniel Haw- for the Farmers Union Wholesale eral research? thorne. He was instrumental in Co. The following summer I worked Mostly direct line, but I have also bringing many early varieties of in Los Angeles as a secretary for done some collateral lines. trees and vines to America from the Mission Orange Corp., returning England. The Endicott Pear Tree again to Havre to continue college. Who in (or outside) your family provided you with the most background? was planted in about 1630 and still bears fruit! His place was called Her Ancestors Include a Female Counterfeiter & the Governor of Massachusetts Are you a skatter-shot, jump-around, Do you have a favorite website? Why location-focused, plow-through-one-line- is it your favorite? only, or grab-em-all-in-a-family type of researcher? Explain a bit… Not really. I sort of troll through several websites; I actually don’t If I am researching a certain line I use the web that much anymore. try to stay with it until I hit a brick wall. Then I try another line that What is your biggest frustration, irri- tant or money-waster in this “line of may provide a clue—which might say fun?” I am a bit of a “jump-around.” How- ever, if I find something exciting, I Finding the actual records I need. will really work that line. How do you save and store your records & organize your results? Do you have a favorite place, method or time for doing your researching? I have lots of paper files, and digi- tally I use Legacy. I have folders My best work place is at home or at for each line and for each genera- the library. tion. What software program do you use for What is your long-term goal for your your own documentation and keeping your research? family tree? Long–term? Is there ever an end? I use Legacy Family Tree. I have really slowed down in the What is your biggest brick wall on which last few years. you would like assistance? (continued on page 4) The Cumberledge and Ci- John Endicott, first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. merly lines. My grandmother said there were “Drakes” the Orchard Farm. He was a Puritan in her line, but in research- and participated in the Salem Witch ing, I think they were in Trials, sending several of the women her maternal grandmother’s to the gallows—of which I am not line. I have lots of research proud. to do there. Do you think it is important to share Have you ever had a serendipi- your research or keep it to yourself? ty moment in doing genealogy Yes, I think you should share! Many when something you weren’t times you will find unexpected help. expecting appeared or sur- faced unexplained? Tell us Have you had a DNA test…if so, what about it: has it confirmed, disproved or con- founded for you? Not exactly, but in re- reading a will for one of my I had a DNA test with 23 and Me. I ancestors, John Street, it wanted to know if I was a poly- stated that he gave the cycstic kidney disease carrier. I care of his son Francis to a was—not to my relief—because it is George Beale. I found court genetic from my mother’s line. records that also gave me Where/what place are you yearning to the name of John Street’s visit to find information? wife, Mary. I found Niniam Czechoslovakia, of course! I have my Beale who had children grandparent’s marriage certificate George and Mary who would and my grandmother’s baptismal more than likely be that certificate with family names. Also George, as it was common during WWII we did have contact to give over the care of a with a “cousin” of my father’s. child to a brother-in-law or male relative. What do you think are the best meth- A Novak family collage (top row from upper left): ods or best resources for researching? What is the most recent Valeria, Victor, Vivian, (bottom row from lower left): “Ahah!” moment you have had? Vanelda, Valencia, Verda and in the center: their par- Family members first...and then our ents, Frank Novak and Bertha Stevens Novak, about many research aids at the library. I The above find in that 1945. Because they all could not be home at the same will—a definite “ahah” mo- time, the photographer suggested this collage in the use online resources mainly for place of a family photo. clues. ment for me. The Endicott Pear: America’s Oldest Cultivated Tree & a U.S. National Monument

Information in this article is from Wikipedia, Charles S. Tapley, a President of the 80 feet. Sometime the free encyclopedia—https:// Bay State Historical League, White in the mid-to-late- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endicott_Pear_Tree recounted that Endecott personally 19th century, a The Endicott Pear Tree, also known as planted the pear tree in the presence wooden fence was the Endecott Pear, is a European Pear of his children and farmworkers and erected to protect (Pyrus communis) tree, located in Dan- reportedly declared: "I hope the the tree. In the ear- vers, Essex County, Massachusetts. It is tree will love the soil of the old world ly 20th century, believed to be the oldest living cultivated and no doubt when we have gone the Ulysses Prentiss fruit tree in North America. John En- tree will still be alive." Hedrick, a botanist decott, governor of the Massachusetts and author of The The 1925 USDA Agriculture Year- The Endecott Pear Bay Colony, was probably among the first book, citing the memoir of Samuel Pears of New York— is a variety of to cultivate fruit in the Colony, and im- Endicott—a descendant of Endecott a 1921 monograph European pear, ported the Endecott Pear Tree from (the spelling of the family name belonging to a series Pyrus communis. England. The Endecott Pear Tree was changed in the 18th century)— of publications on planted in its current suggests that the tree may have fruits, "all of which have become clas- location between 1632 been transplanted from Endecott's sic references on the fruit cultivars and 1649. (William Bent- garden in Salem. An article in the of the period" confirmed that the ley reports dates of Salem Observer, written in 1852 by Endicott Pear Tree had not been 1630, 1631, and 1639 in Samuel P. Fowler, lends further cre- grafted, as was suggested in an 1837 his diary) by John En- dence to this idea, noting that it was article about the tree in Mr. Hovey's decott—a governor of in Salem proper that Endecott Magazine. A 1919 account of the En- the Massachusetts Bay "probably planted his famous pear dicott Pear Tree by James Raymond Colony, one of the Colo- tree". Fowler also reports that En- Simmons, author of The Historic ny's earliest settlers decott was probably among the first Trees of Massachusetts, describes the tree as follows: John Endecott— and was probably to cultivate fruit in the Massachu- 1st, 10th, 13th, brought from England setts Bay Colony. ‘Soil has gradually collected about 15th, and 17th on the Arbella in June The diary of Rev. William Bentley, the trunk until the two main branches Governor of the 1630. Various reports who visited the Endecott estate (at appear to rise from the ground as sep- Massachusetts indicate an alternate the time known as Collins Farm and arate trees. They evidently join under Bay Colony import year of 1628. owned by Capt. John Endicott) on a heavy covering of sod. Surrounding Tradition holds to the several occasions, makes numerous them is a fence which acts as an ef- notion that the tree was planted by En- mentions of the Endicott Pear Tree fective protection. When the author decott himself, according to Harriet Ta- starting in 1800. Bentley's diary con- photographed the tree it was covered pley in Chronicles of Danvers and to firms that the tree regularly pro- in green fruit. It may be seen in a Judge Alden Perley White. According to duced fruit. In September 1809, field near Endicott street at Da- Bentley passed along some pears har- vensport, and is worth turning aside to vested from the tree to former behold, for it is one of the most quaint Van Mellblom Offers Her Best President John Adams; he received a and strangely impressive of all the Research Advice: “Have Patience!” letter from Adams concerning the historic trees.’ pears the following month. On April The tree was damaged by a hurri- (continued from page 3) 11, 1810, Bentley visited Collins Farm cane again in 1934. The land it grows Do you have anyone in your family who will to obtain twigs from the pear tree to on changed hands several times and it take over your research and continue this send to Adams. Thurl D. Brown, in a suffered several attacks of vandalism. adventure? Who is it and why are they lecture before the Danvers Histori- In 1997, it was protected by a chain- the selected, volunteer or chosen one? cal Society, suggested that "[t]he link fence. In 2011, the Endicott Pear Tree was named a U.S. national monu- My youngest son, Mark, is probably twigs must have taken hold," citing a letter from Adams dated ment. the one—he loves history, and has September 24, 1815 that volunteered to save and continue my noted: "The hurricane of work. yesterday has covered the What or how (if anything) have you paid ground about me with forward, given back, or shared your ex- pears." The Endicott Pear pertise? Tree was damaged by the Storm of October 1804, a I made family charts for my brother late-season major hurricane and each of my sisters. I have shared in the 1804 Atlantic hurri- research with several lines which has cane season, but recovered benefitted all of us. to "yield many bushels" of fruit. The tree was dam- Do you have any thoughts or words of aged by hurricanes at least wisdom for your colleagues on doing gene- twice more in the 19th cen- alogy? tury: in 1815 and 1843. By “Have patience” is my best advice! 1875, the Endicott Pear Tree stood at approximately The Endecott/Endicott Pear Tree in 1997.

Genealogy News You Can Use... FamilySearch Releases Online Editing Tool for Indexed Records to Easily Make Name Corrections This article from the FamilySearch blog index on FamilySearch lists her as Mary was written by Leslie Albrecht Huber, a Jacobson: professional genealogist who does communi- cations consulting and contract work for nonprofit organizations. How to Edit Everyone can agree that indexed The process of editing an index records make life easier. Instead of entry is simple. After searching for having to scroll through image after an ancestor on FamilySearch, look image to find information about your through the search results for a ancestor, you can use an index of promising record, and click your an- searchable information to quickly find However, a look at the document shows cestor’s name. A box will pop up with the person you’re looking for. Unfortu- that in the record she was correctly the indexed information on the left nately, indexing errors sometimes Merry listed as Jacobson. After the re- and the record document on the make the search process more diffi- cent update, the index entry can now be right. For indexes that are editable, cult. Hard-to-read handwriting, dam- corrected. you will notice the word Edit next to aged records, language barriers, and your ancestor’s name. When you click simple human error mean that no index is guaranteed to be 100 percent accurate. If you add the fact that sometimes the original documents had errors in the first place, it’s easy to see how complications seep in. Errors in the records or index can render the index useless for finding certain an- Wrong in the Document cestors and can even cause a re- In some cases, the record has been searcher to skip over important rec- indexed correctly, but the document ords. In the past, if you came across itself is incorrect. This other kind of an incorrect index on FamilySearch, error can again be seen with Merry there wasn’t much you could do about Christmas Jacobson, but this time in the it besides note down the error and 1940 United States census. This index perhaps grumble about it to yourself. lists her as Mary C. Jacobson. That’s all changed now! With the new- the Edit button, a new box opens on est update on FamilySearch, you can the left with the document still dis- make corrections to names in the in- played on the right. Here you can dex—with the ability to edit other type the name as you believe it should details in the entries coming soon. By appear in the index. Choose one of editing the index, you can help other the two reasons for your change from people locate records—and ances- the drop-down menu: Indexed Incor- tors—they might not have been able to This time, when we check the original rectly or Wrong in the Document. find otherwise. document, we see that the indexer read Next, zoom in on the record, and the record correctly, as it too says click the Highlight the Full Name “Mary C. Jacobson.” With our deeper button. Highlighting the name in the knowledge of Merry and her family document will help others see which though, we know that this name is incor- name you are correcting. There is rect. This example is also a case where also space to add additional notes you we can correct the index to reflect the may have. When you are finished,

When to Edit an Index correct spelling of the name. click Save. After you submit your The purpose of editing an index is edits, they should be searchable to enable other researchers to find within a few minutes. Keep in mind their ancestors more effectively. that your edits do not override the There are two main scenarios where information already on FamilySearch. edits could be helpful—when records Instead, you add new information. were indexed incorrectly and when the The old indexed information remains. original records contained incorrect Now your change and the original in- information. Note: Not all indexed entries can be ed- formation are both searchable. There Indexed Incorrectly ited. The record must have an image could even be several edits to the You may find cases where an index available so that you can compare the same record, helping others to find does not accurately reflect the infor- index entry to the actual record. If you their ancestors more easily. Please mation in the original document. This see a page and a camera icon by the rec- edit carefully, however, since multiple kind of error can be seen in the exam- ord, the camera icon means that an im- edits can also muddy the waters. Your ple of Merry Christmas Jacobson in age of the record is available. actions can help others have success the 1930 United States census. The in finding their ancestors. University of South Carolina Holds Donation of 11 Million Feet of Historic Newsreel Footage: the “Moving Image Research Collections” Are Being Preserved for Public Viewing

This article is slightly condensed for runners, mountain trappers, and political space; it was originally published as conventions. Two men wheel the “latest “Newsreel or Not Real,” in the Spring 2019 flivver plane” out of a barn, then take off issue of Humanities Magazine, a publication of the National Endowment for the Humani- and land on the beach as the inventor ties, written by Leah Weinryb Grohsgal, a touts this cheap solution for people in senior program officer in the Division of rural areas who “can’t get anywhere.” Dur- Preservation and Access. Read the entire ing Prohibition, the U.S. Coast Guard dis- article at: https://www.neh.gov/article/ plays a “Rum Runner” schooner captured newsreel-or-not-real off the Massachusetts coast. Sailors dy- Newsreels enthralled theater audi- namite the ice around the trapped Soviet ences from the 1920s until the 1960s, expedition ship Chelyuskin, judging this a when people looked to flickering televi- “brilliant chapter of human struggle sions rather than movie theaters for against the elements” and avoiding their news. And though the newsreel “another arctic tragedy.” If you watched may be history, vast collections of it newsreels in theaters, you probably re- remain, much of it unseen. Eleven million member dramatic music, narration, and feet of newsreel now live at the Univer- quick cuts, but this collection has little of that. It consists mostly of raw footage, The Hindenburg airship explodes at Lake- sity of South Carolina in its Moving Im- hurst, New Jersey, on May 6, 1937. Four age Research Collections, where cura- about 90 percent of which was never used newsreel agencies and one amateur filmed tors, archivists, and preservationists on the big screen. Some of the film is the disaster, providing footage that be- work to preserve this material and open lighthearted, some serious—and some in came iconic to generations. it for public viewing. Donated by 20th between. Because the newsreels them- Century Fox in the early 1980s, the selves were edited and the footage occa- says Heckman, enabling us to footage spans the silent era through sionally staged, historians and scholars “experience the place and the sounds in the place as well as the images.” the Second World War. “It’s very rare, have debated their value as artifacts. But That summer, newsreel of Charles actually, for silent newsreels to be ex- the editing reveals assumptions and prior- tant,” says director of Moving Image ities. And the massive collections provide Lindbergh’s nonstop flights to Paris Collections Heather Heckman. “A lot of a valuable glimpse into bygone times. Af- and back produced crowds so great it is lost,” she explains, because “it was ter Charles Pathé produced the first si- that the same newspaper advised seen as ephemeral by studios that made lent newsreels for American audiences in readers nearly two months later that “this Movietone subject is still being it.” 1911, theaters across the country showed shown at the Roxy, in New York.” Even later newsreel footage with them with great fanfare. Communities sound is seldom available to the public, shared and interacted with news near and Newsreels were chock-full of the and not with the context and organiza- far. “The Pathé weekly is shown at the unforgettable details that make pro- tion provided by the USC library team. Rex every Monday, Tuesday and Wednes- fessional and amateur videos go viral The Fox Movietone collection is the day and a new Pathé Weekly at the Cozy, today: the clamor of little boys play- largest set of newsreels freely available Thursday, Friday and Saturday. This ing sandlot baseball, the judging of a “Miss Grandma” bathing beauty con- online, with thousands of stories metic- Pathé Weekly alone is worth the price of test at Steeplechase Park, three-year ulously organized and described. (The admission,” noted a theater column in a UCLA Film & Television Archive holds 1915 Boise, Idaho, newspaper. Residents -old golf wunderkind Eddie Rule the Hearst Metrotone News Collection’s would “regret it” if they missed the week- boasting “I can even hit it blindfold- 27 million feet, but most of that is not ly and the Keystone comedy, which would ed” as he tees a golf ball on his grand- available online.) The Fox Movietone “be the talk of our city.” father’s head and then gives the ball a whack. By the 1930s and '40s, news- Digitization project was supported by Communities didn’t just gather to reels warmed up audiences waiting for two NEH grants, the more recent in watch the news but also to make it. In feature films. Companies opened the- 2013 for $230,000. Using newsreel and 1913, Tennessee’s Columbia Herald news- other moving-image collections, the Uni- paper breathlessly reported on Pathé aters dedicated to newsreels, includ- versity of South Carolina is developing plans to film their mule market. Being fea- ing the Embassy in New York, the an open source tool to capture image tured in a newsreel showed that “the Trans-Lux in Washington, D.C., the and sound in digital scanning of motion fame of Maury County as a mule market is Telenews in Detroit, and the Regent in Oakland, California. Luxury train pictures with the support of two NEH not confined to Tennessee and the South lines like the Pennsylvania Railroad’s grants, totaling more than $500,000. alone” but “at once puts Columbia in the USC also has the newsreels’ “dope national class.” Fox Film Corporation soon Jeffersonian offered a newsreel the- sheets,” the accompanying paperwork changed the game by incorporating sound ater on board. Scholars estimate that filled out by cameramen describing each in newsreels. “The Event of Events! Our at least 40 million people in the Unit- piece of film, including notes, shot lists, Screen Talks!” cried an Elizabeth City, ed States and more than two hundred million people worldwide watched and often other materials relating to North Carolina, newspaper. “And now you’ll newsreels each week in the late the stories such as clippings and arti- hear voices as natural as the human voice 1930s. And perhaps neither the cles. The footage holds historical inter- as they speak from the screen through est, and also the innocence of an earlier this 8th Wonder of the World.” “Fox filmmakers nor their audiences grap- time. Newsreels show a day on a farm, tried to differentiate themselves by pled too hard with the question of whales in the Pacific, a visit to the pushing the idea that they could go out their historic significance. (continued on page 7) president’s summer camp, marathon into the world, not just record in studios,” The Fox Movietone Collection is the Largest Set of Newsreels Saved for Posterity

(continued from page 6) ticity and methods—and even accusa- have already used the Fox Movietone Newsreel Companies sent cameramen tions of fakery—have appeared in the collection. Footage of people rowing and sound trucks all over the world, years since the war. The surrounding ghuffa boats along the Tigris River in even strapping a camera to a bobsled outtakes, dope sheets, and documenta- Baghdad in the early 1900s became the ready to plunge down Mount Van Hoev- tion of editorial decisions in the Fox opening scene for the movie Letters enberg during the Olympic Winter Movietone collection provide critical from Baghdad. Historian Melissa Games at Lake Placid. context for the fever-pitched news- Cooper watched outtakes of President Newsreels also captured wars, polit- reels of the 1930s and 1940s. The mix Calvin Coolidge’s 1928 vacation to Sa- ical events, and other weighty subjects. of the monumental and the mundane pelo Island, Georgia, and found an early What made it into the final newsreels give the edited newsreels a back-in- fascination with African-American Gul- shown in theaters and trains was only a time feeling, and the expansive footage lah islanders and their culture. Greg small portion of the footage captured. left behind provides a bigger picture. Lambousy, director of the New Orleans “They were making judgments as all One of Wilsbacher’s favorite examples Jazz Museum, identified longtime journalists and editors do,” says Moving is film of Charles Lindbergh as an air- street performer and jazz artist Image Research Collections Curator mail pilot, flying the inaugural air mail “CoCoMo” Joe Barthelemy from out- Greg Wilsbacher, “for the here and run between Chicago and St. Louis in takes of him dancing as a child in New now, not necessarily for posterity.” 1926. The newsreel company at the Orleans. And film preservation experts Most of the time, extra footage was time didn’t even think it worth record- painstakingly adjusted and stabilized carefully stored in the Fox library in ing his name—he was only an anonymous outtakes of Babe Ruth hitting a home New York. Or, sometimes, not. Wils- pilot. But the next year the cameraman run and rounding the bases in a 1931 bacher points to the visual importance sent an urgent telegram to Fox: They game against the Red Sox—film that is of cameraman Al Brick’s films of Pearl already had footage of the now-famous now shown each year to hundreds of Harbor on the morning of the Japanese pilot in their vaults! thousands of visitors to the Baseball attack. Brick’s images, used by the Na- By the 1950s, television had become Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New vy Department and Fox Movietone in the public’s preferred method for news York. For Heckman, the collection’s approved newsreels, quickly became the consumption. Newsreel theaters closed range is also illustrated by a clip of quintessential representation of the their doors, and the last American- children in New York’s Central Park, in attack. But while Wilsbacher says that made newsreels ceased production in which “the cameraman is having them, Brick filmed all day and into the night, 1967. But the medium is not lost entire- for some reason, fake laughter.” Still, documenting the second wave of the ly; what survives helps open a window on she finds it charming. Just like today, attack and fires burning in the harbor, the sights and sounds of the past. Re- she says, “a hundred years ago, people he turned over his film to the Navy and searchers, filmmakers, and writers liked kids and pets.” little raw footage of that day remained in the Fox library. Newsreels were piv- otal in bringing news of 1930s conflicts “UnSplash.com” Posts Thousands of Online Stock Photos— in Europe and Asia, and then World Some Historic—That Can Be Used Free of Charge War II, back to the home front. During the Second World War, the War De- Information in this article is from Dick ed in some way to Ellis Island. Some of partment and the Office of War Infor- Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter of them were modern photographs, obvi- 24 September 2019. mation “were deliberative in the way ously taken within the past few years. they handled motion picture film imag- Sometimes you can find valuable However, intermixed with them were es,” says Wilsbacher. Due to concern gems in unexpected places. One exam- dozens of historic photos that appar- from the White House “that the Amer- ple is the UnSplash.com web site. Ac- ently were taken soon after the immi- ican people weren’t seeing enough cording to Wikipedia: “Unsplash is a gration center opened in 1892 or in the graphic footage and weren’t aware of website dedicated to sharing stock early 20th century. You can find all the level of violence American soldiers photography under the Unsplash li- sorts of topics covered, both historic and sailors were going to be experienc- cense. The website claims over 110,000 and other topics. You probably won’t ing,” the War Department authorized contributing photographers and gener- find photographs of your ancestors more filming and release of graphic ates more than 9 billion photo impres- although that is theoretically possible. combat scenes to make clear to the sions per month on their growing li- For instance, if you are a descendant public the human stakes of war—for brary of over 810,000 photos. Unsplash of Robert W. Knox, you will be very example, in footage of the horrific has been cited as one of the world’s interested in this photo of his World losses at the 1943 Pacific Battle of leading photography websites by War I identity card. Try it...you might Tarawa. Whether shot by armed ser- Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, CNET, find something. vices personnel or newsreel cameramen Medium and The Next Web.” I am like Fox Movietone’s Al Brick, Hearst’s amazed at the many photos about all Jack Lieb, or Time Life’s Robert Capa, sort of topics that may be found on film shot overseas was vetted and cen- UnSplash.com. Best of all, you may sored by the Office of War Infor- download and use the photos for all mation and the War Department and sorts of purposes free of charge. For then repackaged. instance, while looking for photos I “Every newsreel company got the could use in my genealogy newsletter, I same allotment of film,” according to went to Unsplash and entered a search Wilsbacher. Questions about authen- for “Ellis Island.” The site then dis- played dozens of photos that are relat- The National Genealogical Society (NGS) and Federation of GenealogyGuysLearn.com Offers a Variety of Web-Based Genealogy Genealogical Societies (FGS) Announce Merger in 2020 Courses & Videos by Subscription In a historic move, the boards of the late the activities of state and local Aha! Seminars, Inc., the producers National Genealogical Society (NGS) organizations, provide resources that of The Genealogy Guys Podcast, the and the Federation of Genealogical So- enable genealogical organizations to Genealogy Connection podcast, and The cieties (FGS) announced recently their succeed in pursuing their missions, & Genealogy Guys Blog is pleased to an- intent to merge. The two organizations, advocate for the preservation of rec- nounce the launch of Genealogy Guys both non-profit leaders in the dynamic ords. Learn (genealogyguyslearn.com), a sub- genealogy industry, will form one con- Faye Stallings, President of FGS, scription-based educational website solidated group that will continue to said: “the Preserve the Pensions project designed to provide genealogy courses operate as the National Genealogical launched in 2010 raised more than $3 and videos for researchers of all skill Society. Both boards approved a Memo- million to digitize and make freely avail- levels. At its launch, Genealogy Guys randum of Understanding (MOU), which able the pension files from the War of Learn consists of five text/image- was announced at the FGS Family His- 1812. Fundraising for the project was based courses on such topics as basic tory Conference in Washington, D.C. in completed in 2016. The Preserve the research, intermediate research, the August. Leaders of both organizations Pensions project will continue under its Social Security Death Index, wills and believe this merger will serve the gene- existing arrangements. FGS has an probate records, and military records. alogy community by improving the sup- agreement with NARA for the preser- Genealogy Guys Learn also contains port of both individual members and vation and digitization of the records a dozen recorded presentations by societies in the pursuit of genealogical and Ancestry is coordinating the digiti- George G. Morgan and Drew Smith, in- excellence. zation process. The funds for complet- cluding All About the U.S. Federal Cen- The organizational structure of NGS ing this project are set aside in re- sus, Principles of Effective Evidence will be modified to increase functions stricted accounts.” Analysis, Finding Archived Newspapers, that support genealogical societies and She also explained that plans are and Organizing Your Research Process. family organizations. Digitization pro- still in place to hold the FGS annual Another feature of the Genealogy Guys jects of genealogical importance such conference in Kansas City, Missouri, in Learn website is that it provides quick as the War of 1812 pensions will contin- 2020. Starting in 2021, the combined access to information about books writ- ue. The two organizations will continue organization will hold one conference ten by George G. Morgan and Drew to operate independently while all de- with four full days of genealogical lec- Smith; other recommended books, quick tails of the merger are completed, no tures and a fifth day dedicated to soci- sheets, magazines; recommended soft- later than October 1, 2020. ety management topics. “I believe this ware, hardware, and online services; and FGS was formed in 1976 in order to merger will serve our members and the links to websites related to the content provide support to genealogical and his- genealogical community by improving provided in the courses and videos. torical societies. Key objectives during support of both individuals and socie- “Drew Smith and I have been speak- the past four decades have been to: ties in the pursuit of genealogical ex- ing at genealogy conferences for dec- promote the study of geneology, stimu- cellence.” ades,” said George G. Morgan, president MyHeritage Announces Its New Online Resource Center to Help Users of Aha! Seminars, Inc. “But attending conferences is not always practical or Learn About Its Many Features to Navigate Family History Research within the budget for all genealogists. MyHeritage has introduced future. It is open to everyone and is With the launch of Genealogy Guys MyHeritage Education: a new online free of charge. They will be adding new Learn, we’re able to provide our afford- resource center for enhancing users’ content to the site on a regular basis, able educational services directly to the understanding of MyHeritage’s tools, and stated that if there’s anything genealogist in their own homes on their products and services, and to help them that you’d like to learn about, to just own schedules.” make the most of their family history let them know! The Genealogy research. At MyHeritage, they’re al- Guys Learn web- ways striving to improve the user expe- “A New Leaf,” Television Series by site automati- rience and to make genealogy research Ancestry Made Its Debut on NBC cally keeps track of courses easy and intuitive. MyHeriage Education Set your DVRs for a new genealogy takes users step-by-step through the and videos users television show that makes its debut on have viewed, so different features, providing a seam- NBC in October. Feedback from the less understanding of the different that users can show “Who Do You Think You Are?” told see their pro- tools available as one explores their Ancestry that viewers wanted to see family history on MyHeritage. It in- gress at a glance. The website will be everyday people embark on journeys of updated each month with additional cludes a wealth of educational materials personal discovery too. So they are that will help users learn about every content (new courses or videos), provid- bringing forth “A New Leaf,” which each ing continuing value to subscribers. who facet of the site: articles, how-to vide- week will follow people on the cusp of os, and webinars covering a wide variety will be able to provide feedback to key life inflection points, who using fam- George and Drew as to which topics of topics, including plenty of tips for ily history, genealogy, and sometimes everyone from beginner family history they would most like to see added in AncestryDNA® analysis to appreciate the future. For more information about enthusiasts to seasoned genealogists. and understand their family history and MyHeritage Education is currently Genealogy Guys Learn, contact George ancestors in order to make life deci- G. Morgan, [email protected], 813- available in English, German, Dutch, sions. Read more in the Ancestry.com French, Swedish, and Norwegian, and 220-6274, or visit genealogyguys- Blog at: https://tinyurl.com/ learn.com. they will be adding new languages in the eogn190924b. Cheyenne Genealogical & Historical Society

P.O. Box 2539 Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003-2539 Website: www.cghswyoming.org

To contact CGHS or to submit newsletter suggestions and/or articles, send a note to Wendy at [email protected]

The Cheyenne Genealogical & Historical Society welcomes these new members who recently joined the organization: —Karen Leavitt —Barbara Owens Moon Plaques & Mural in Downtown Cheyenne Celebrate —Carol Russ the 150th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage —Sheryl Swilling In 1917 a plaque was placed on 17th Street in downtown Cheyenne to commemorate where the resolution allowing women the right to vote was passed. After 102 years of wear and neglect the plaque was sent to Pennsylvania to be restored, and it’s now on display once again. A dedication cere- mony was held in September to unveil the refinished plaque (top left), along with a new mural honoring the advocates who helped push for the right to vote for the women of Wyoming, as part of the state’s commemoration of the 150th anniversary of women’s suffrage. Jeanette Hursman, member of DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) [and CGHS member], was instrumental in getting the plaque restored. She said,” now it can reside and shine in a highly visible location on this building for all to see and remember the signing of the first women’s suffrage bill. It was not forgotten, but as 2019 approached, we knew it was the perfect time to have it restored to its original beauty.” The Cheyenne Chapter of DAR was formed in 1900 to perpetuate memorys of the revolution with historical monu- ments. The local chapter donated the original bronze plaque in 1917.

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