TI1E NEBRASKAN
THREE
Was Grandpa Governor or Horse
Thief? Former Librarian Tells
How to Learn This, Much More
BY BOB MOSSHOLDEFU
Have you a family tree ? Do you
want one? Most people are in
tensely interested, but a suspicion
that they will be ridiculed and a
feeling of hopelessness in not
knowing how to begin has kept
many an individual from tracing
his family history.
Thanks to Gilbert Doane, for
mer Nebraska librarian, gossip
and the other haphazard methods
of "digging up" one's ancestors,
can take to the sideroads, for he
hag left us a workable technique
which can be prescribed as a hand
book for those who have the desire
to know their progenitors. After
all, man is curious of his past.
Mr. Doane completed the book
while at the University of Ne
braska just before he accepted his
present position as librarian at the
University of Nebraska.
But beware of genealogical
rackets!
Because this field of endeavor
has been a puzz elotalehty
has been a puzzle to the layman,
certafn individuals and societies
have written unsolicited letters
stating they will complete the his
tory of your family for a certain
specified sum. Should you fail,
says Mr. Doane, your purchase is
nothing but an array of general
details about some family with
your surname, most often no rela
tion of yours whatsoever.
"Better that you save the money
and use it yourself after you have
done a bit of digging on your own
account," he advises. "Besides it's
much more fun, and your interest
increases as the mystery un
wind? "
Try the Cemeteries.
But how do you do it? It's
really very simple, provided you
have a stout fighting heart, a sin
cere curiosity to know your rela
tives of the past and a sublime
faith in your ability to carry a
task thru to its completion. It
may even require a picnic or two
to forgotten, moss covered tomb
stones in isolated cemeteries over
the country, or even meticulous
scrutinizing of dust laden docu
ments in probate offices, church
files and family closets.
Don't be hesitant, for with this
book as your guide each and every
step is fully outlined in its proper
order, in case you re still inter
ested, the following are Mr,
Doane's recommendations to the
embryo genealogist.
1. Get all the information you
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can from older living relatives in
cluding names, dates, occ lpations,
and places of residence, und any
unusual incidents.
2. Search through vital records
of the town or countries where
your people have lived.
3. Look for the wills and other
estate records in probate offices.
4. Examine church records for
baptisms, marriages, admittances
and dismissals.
5. Visit cemeteries for the grave
stone inscriptions.
6. Use genealogical libraries for
printed records, and family his
tories.
7. Consult reliable professional
genealogists.
'And so, good digging," says Mr.
Doane.
Who was your great grand
mother? What was her maiden
name? Some may say, "What
difference does it make?" But Mr.
Doane has the answer: "An eighth
of the blood flowing in your veins
came from that woman, and pos
sibly a much larger proportion
of your individual traits; your
sweet winning ways or your iras
cible disposition."
We "Take After" Them.
While the former Nebraska li
brarian knows that he has almost
let himself slip into the noose held
by the outstretched arms of the
eugenist, authorities on matters
of heredity, Mr. Doane still boldly
declares we do "take after" peo
ple. Says he, by way of proof, "I
know a woman who lived in one
of the New England states during
the first half of the nineteenth
century. She was noted for her
temper and strength of will. By
her first husband she had an only
child, a son who married and be
came the father of a large family
Among his children two of the
brothers got into a dispute over
some property and lived in the
same village for 20 years without
speaking to each other again
while two of the sisters got 'mad'
over something and refused to
recognize each other again. When
one of them died 35 years later
the other deliberately mopped her
own front porch while the funeral
procession was passing. The same
pertinacity cropped cut in 'two of
that same womans grandchu
dren."
Mr. Doane also sggests that
while you are talking with grand
father try to find out if there are
any written records of the family
Sometimes old diaries, faded let
ters and other scraps of papers
contain notes of baptisms, wed
dings and funerals which will
prove of inestimable value. While
Bible records are generally ac
cepted as reliable sources of in
formation the true genealogist
should use the data with care. Oc
casionally a woman's vainness and
her desire to keep her age
secret may be the motive which
leads to tampering with these
family records. Even needle work
can be of use to the individual in
terested in tracing his family his
tory. Friendship quilts and their
variations have embroidered the
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illiam Powell plus "The Affairs
of Cappy Ricks."
names of close friends and rela
tives.
If you have exhausted the infor
mation possessed by relatives, the
next step is to make use of doors
and library records. If you are
not lucky enough to live near gen
ealogical library at Boston, New
York, Washington, Chicago, Se
attle, San Francisco or Los An
geles or several of the larger cities,
plan your vacations so as to visit
one of these libraries during the
summer. You may even receive
some help from the genealogical
department of the Boston Tran
script which is open to anyone.
Dust Off Records.
"The third step in this mystery
is to dust off the town records.
Take a look at the vital statistics.
Probate offices are another good
source and even land records,
mortgage records, tax lists and
census enumerations are of value.
You may think these town records
are as dry as the dust which cov
ers them, but if you are alive to
the funny side of life you will find
much in them that will amuse
you."
Mr. Doane suggests that It is
best that an older relative accom
pany the individual when he visits
the cemeteries for he can tell him
the relationship between the peo
ple buried there. If the sun isn't
right and one's fingers aren't sen
sitive the beginner may find some
difficulty in being able to trace
inscriptions on the older, weather-
beaten monuments.
The former Nebraska librarian
calls attention to the fact that
government decords are of great
value for those who dig for ances
tors. Particularly, information
gathered by census takers is of
great help. In many cases the
lists of names of those who fought
in the various wars are of great
assistance in solving many prob
lems.
He points out that probably
more digging for ancestors has re
suited from the desire to belong
to the Daughters of the American
Revoltion than has come about
through any other impetus. As a
matter of fact the society has a
collection of more than 200,000
lineages which have been filed in
its archives in Washington.
One pitfall the beginner is likely
to tumble into is that of assum
ing that he has determined the
connection of his family because
he has found in some other rec
ords a man whose name is the
same a that of his immigrant an
cestor. Maybe a Smuggler.
"Be on your guard," says Mr
Doane, 'for even in the seventeenth
century there were many people
with the same name. Just as an
example, if your name happens to
be Allen and your father told you
that his father said that he was a
descendant oi the famous Green
mountain boy Ethan Allen, have
you ever attempted to confirm
that statement? Or do you know
that this particular Ethan Allen
had but one living male descend
ant of the surname Allen in 1900,
and hence, descent is possible in
the female line only? Perhaps
you may come upon a rather un
savory fact that your great, great
grandfather was killed by a reve
nue officer in a raid on smugglers.
Are you going to give up digging
because you have struck a rock?
"If you decide to take up the
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spade again you will find that
these people had the courage to
earn the best living they could.
You will also find that they had
many admirable qualities and are
really people to be proud of in
spite of their apparent lawlessness.
"There are many fascinating by
ways of genealogy: History, law,
social life and customs of former
times. The average scoffer never
realizes it. He thinks of the pur
suit as dry as dust and even less
interesting. Perhaps he will never
understand that it is a stimulat
ing, living study that is well worth
the time that you can give it. Why
not try it?"
Bullock Sees Method of
Gelling All Seniors Jobs
(Continued from Page 1.)
Commonwealth Edison, Goodyear,
Firestone, Goodrich, Jewel Tea,
Cudahy, Standard Oil, Illinois Cen
tral and J. C. Penney.
As to what personnel men from
these various companies desire in
the student applicant Professor
Bullock states that first of all the
candidate must be in good health,
some firms apparently interested
primarily m athletes. Others in
quire of the student's activity rec
ord and still others seem inter'
ested in the fact that the senior
has earned his way thru school,
not to mention the important scho
lastic and personality angles.
According to Professor Bui
lock's data, many students who
go with larger companies are re
quired to undergo specialized
training sponsored by the com
pany, the expense to the employer
varying from 1,500 to $10,000 for
each student per year.
"Obviously the men selected for
specific training are chosen with
care," says Professor Bullock
"Other firms believe in the 'treat
them rough policy,' but these em
ployers are declining in number.
The next few years should be
pleasant ones for graduates. They
could not be entering upon a bust
ness career at a better time. With
business expansion, chances for
advancement are increased and
merit is more likely to be re
warded."
Educational Societies
Hold Annual Banquet
Members of Phi Lambda Theta
and Phi Delta Kappa met for the
annual banquet of the two groups
last Wednesday. Mrs. Charles E,
Roe, national field secretary of the
national conference of parents and
teachers, spoke on "Home and
School Co-operation in the Guid
ance Program."
MILLS TEACHERS
AGENCY
S. E. MILLS, Manager.
Stuart Building
Teacher t Needed Right Now!
Phone B-3708 Lincoln, Nebr.
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WHITE LINEN
WITH BRAIDED A ftlf
RAFFIA VAMP
rmiio
L
arent Education Council
Sponsors Meeting .Here
July 7, 8, 9
The conference on family edu
cation, sponsored by the stata
council of parent education will
be held on the university campua
July 7, 8, and 9. Miss Flora
Thurston, of the university's sum
mer faculty, is the chief speaker.
Following is the program: ,
Wednpftdiiy, July 7.
2 p. m. In Morrill hall.
Welcome, Prof. Margaret Fedde.
Introduction of conference members.
IMBCUHHlon: What are the objectives of
this corilerence? Klora M. Thurston,
leader.
Appointment of committees and oruanU
zatlon of groups.
6 p. m.: Picnic supper, agricultural col
lege campus.
C4S p. m. in Morrill hall.
Address bv Floia M. Thurston "Wh.1
Is the Role of the K.-imilv in a linmi.
cratlc Way of Life?"
Thursdny, July 8, 1937.
Conferees are Invited to attend the fob
lowing classes:
8 a. m.: The home and famllv lifn.
Morrill hall, room 20.
ii a. m. : problems In home and famllf
life (seminar on family education), Mor
rill hall, room 20.
9-10:30 a. m. : Discussion errtun meet
ings. (Problems and rooms to be an
nounced).
Thursday Afternoon July 8.
Agnes Saunders, presiding.
2-4 p. m. : A Dhilsonhv of famllv edn.
cation for youth. Klora M. Thiiratnn.
How Can We Use This Point of View la
an Mutational Program?"
Thursday Kvenlng, July ,
Panel discussion.
7:45 p. m.: Topic: What Kind of Com
munity Program of Education Would Best
Contribute to Improved Understanding and
Practice in Home and Family Lite?
Friday Morning, July 9.
Conferees are Invited to attend the fol
lowing classes:
8 a. m. : The home and family life,
Morrill hall, room 20.
11 a. m.: Problems in home and lamlly
life (seminar .in family education), Mor
rill hall, room 20.
9-10 :;tO a. m.: Discussion group meet
ings. (Problems and rooms to be an
nounced. Friday Afternoon, July 9.
Mrs. Charles Pollard, presiding.
2-4 p. m.: Reports of committees.
Reports of discussion group meetings.
How can we work together for family
education in Nebraska?
Summary of the conference, Florence,
Corbin.
Our SERVICE Made Our Business
High School and Grade Teachers
Needed Continually for Next
August-September
Our SIXTEENTH Year of
Teacher Placement SERVICE
Active and Dependable Agency
NEBRASKA
SCHOOL SERVICE
and
Teachers' Exchange
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Y EDUCATION
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