Saturday, December 22, 2012

ST. LOUIS NEIGHBORHOODS: A READING LIST, PART ONE

This selected reading list compiled by Jean Gosebrink presents information on various city neighborhoods. All books listed may be borrowed from St. Louis Public Library. Check the library catalog (http://www.slpl.org/) for locations. You may request that the book be delivered to any city library branch. For more information on St. Louis neighborhoods and on other aspects of St. Louis history and culture, its people, institutions and organizations, consult staff of the St. Louis Room located at Central Library (314-241-2288): questions may be e-mailed to webref@slpl.org.

Boyer, Mary Joan. The Old Gravois Coal Diggings. Cape Girardeau, Mo.: Ramfre Press, 1968. 977.866

Originally published in 1952, this book tells stories of the area of St. Louis bounded by Arsenal Street on the north, Gravois Road on the south, Grand Avenue on the east, and Kingshighway on the west.

Bryan, John A. Lafayette Square: The Most Historic Old Neighborhood in St. Louis. 2d ed. rev. St. Louis: Landmarks Association of St. Louis, 1969. 917.786

Outlines the history of Lafayette Square from its creation in 1836 as a thirty-acre park up to the 1960's, when most of the stately homes and other buildings had fallen into a state of disrepair.

Carondelet: The Ethnic Heritage of an Urban Neighborhood, edited by Carolyn Hewes Toft. St. Louis: Social Science Institute, Washington University, 1975. 917.7866

History of the south St. Louis neighborhood first settled by the French and later German immigrants. The nation's first kindergarten was established in Carondelet's Des Peres school.

Conley, Timothy G. Lafayette Square: An Urban Renaissance. St. Louis: Lafayette Square Press, 1974. 917.7866

A detailed history of Lafayette Square that also includes information on restoration efforts and plans.

Friday, November 16, 2012

GENEALOGICAL RECORDS OF THE WAR OF 1812, PT. 8

War of 1812-- Patriotic & Hereditary Organizations

43. Davies, Wallace Evan. Patriotism on Parade: the Story of Veterans’ and Heredity Organizations in America, 1783-1900. Cambridge, MS: Harvard University Press, 1955. [Central-ST 369]

44. General Society of the War of 1812. Register of the General Society of the War of 1812 [1972 ed.]. Baltimore, MD: reprinted for Clearfield Co. by Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999. [Central-Genealogy 973.52]

45. National Society, United States Daughters of 1812. Missouri. Records of the Missouri Society: Service Records of Soldiers in the War of 1812 and Their Descendants in the Missouri Membership. Marshall, MO: The Society, 1957. [Central-Genealogy 973.5]

46. National Society, United States Daughters of 1812. Nebraska. Heroes of 1812 Written by the Members of the Nebraska Society of United States Daughters of 1812. [s.l.:s.n.], 1930. [Central-Genealogy 929.3782]

47. The Roster of the General Society of the War of 1812 [1989 ed.]. Edited by Dennis F. Blizzard. Baltimore, MD: reprinted for Clearfield Co. by Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999. [Central-Genealogy 973.52]

48. Shankland, Wilbur Morse. Organization of Missouri’s First Known Society of Veterans of the War of 1812 and Roll Call of Charter Members. St. Louis: n.p., 1963. [Central-Genealogy, ST 369]

49. Society of the War of 1812. Constitution and Register of Membership of the General Society of the War of 1812, to Dec. 1, 1895. Philadelphia, PA: Dewey & Eakins, 1895. [Central-ST 369]

Miscellaneous

50. Mayo, Robert. Army and Navy Pension Laws, and Bounty Land Laws of the United States Including Sundry Resolutions of Congress from 1776-1852. Washington, D.C.: J. T. Towers, 1852. [Central-ST 355.115]

51. Neagle, James C. U.S. Military Records: a Guide to Federal and State Sources, Colonial America to the Present. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1994. [Central-Genealogy 929.30973]

52. Raff, George W. The War Claimant’s Guide: a Manual of Laws, Regulations, Instructions, Forms, and Official Decisions, Relating to Pensions, Bounty Pay, Prize Money... Cincinnati: R. Clark, 1866. [Central-ST 336.73]

Friday, November 9, 2012

GENEALOGICAL RECORDS OF THE WAR OF 1812, PT. 7

War of 1812- Military Censuses

37. Iowa. Adjutant General's Office. List of Ex-Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines Living in Iowa [1886]. Decorah, IA: Decorah Genealogy Association, 1997. [Central-Genealogy 929.373]

38. Nebraska. Office of the Secretary of State. Roster of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the War of the Rebellion Residing in Nebraska, June 1, 1893. Lincoln, NB: Jacob North & CO., Printer, 1893. [Central-ST 973.74]

39. Nebraska. Office of the Secretary of State. Roster of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the War of the Rebellion Residing in Nebraska, December 1, 1897. Lincoln, NB: Jacob North & CO., Printer, 1898. [Central-MI 973.74]

War of 1812-- Casualty Lists and Burial Records

40. Custer, Milo. Soldiers of the Revolution and the War of 1812 Buried in McLean County, Illinois. Bloomington, IL: self-published, 1912. [Central-Genealogy 977.3]

41. McCown, Mary Hardin. Soldiers of the War of 1812 Buried in Tennessee. Johnson City, TN: Tennessee Society, United States Daughters of 1812, 1959. [Central-Genealogy 973.5]

42. Peterson, Clarence S. Known Military Dead During the War of 1812. Baltimore: C. S. Peterson, 1955. [Central-Genealogy 973.5]

Monday, October 29, 2012

CENTRAL LIBRARY REOPENING

Central Library will reopen after a massive two-year renovation on December 9, 2012 (1 PM-5 PM). All our Genealogy materials (books, periodicals, microfilm, and reference computers) will now be located on the Third Floor, which includes these Library departments:

Genealogy
History, Geography, and Travel
St. Louis Local Area Studies
Rare Books and Special Collections

The Genealogy Department now is Wi-Fi enabled (with plenty of electric outlets), so feel free to bring your laptop, netbook, or tablet!

Hours for the Library will be:

M-Th: 10 AM-9 PM
Fri-Sat: 10 AM-6 PM
Sun: 1 PM-5 PM

On Sundays, only our First Floor will be open to the public.

Go here to take a virtual tour of the new Central Library, to learn more about the Central renovation project, and to discover how you can make a small contribution to the Central Library revitalization!

LINK

GENEALOGICAL RECORDS OF THE WAR OF 1812, PART VI

War of 1812-- Pension Records & Pensioner Lists

25. Armstrong, Zella. Twenty-four Hundred Tennessee Pensioners; Revolution-War of 1812. Chattanooga, TN: The Lookout Publishing Company, 1937. [CI-GEN 976.8]

26. Clark, Byron N. A List of Pensioners of the War of 1812, with an appendix containing names of volunteers for the defence of Plattsburgh from Vermont towns, a description of the battle from contemporaneous sources, the official statement of losses, and names of United States officers and soldiers at Burlington, Vermont, as shown on army pay and muster rolls recently brought to light. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1969 [reprint of the 1904 ed.]. [CI-GEN 973.5]

27. Concannon, Marie. Index to Missouri Military Pensioners, 1883. Columbia: State Historical Society of Missouri, 1997. [CI-GEN 973.74]

28. McGhee, Lucy Kate. Missouri Revolutionary War Soldiers, War of 1812 and Indian Wars Pension List. Washington, D.C.: n.d.[CI-GEN 977.8]

29. Payne, Dorothy E. Arkansas Pensioners, 1818-1900: Records of Some Arkansas Residents who Applied to the Federal Government for Benefits Arising from Service in Federal Military Organizations [Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Indian and Mexican Wars]. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1985.[CI-GEN 929.3767]

30. United States. Census Office. A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services; with Their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts in 1840. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967. [CI-GEN 929.373]

31. United States. Pension Bureau. List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883, Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Which Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance, as Called for by the Senate Resolution of December 8, 1882. 5 vols. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1970. [CI-GEN 973.74]

32. United States. War Department. Kentucky Pension List of 1835. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1959. [CI-GEN 976.9]

33. United States. War Department. Message From the President of the United States, Transmitting a Report of the Secretary of War: in Compliance with a Resolution of the Senate, "To cause to be laid before them, a list of all the pensioners of the United States, the sum annually paid to each, and the states or territories in which the said pensioners are respectively paid." March 28, 1818. Baltimore, MD: Southern Book Co., 1959. [CI-GEN 929.373]

34. United States. War Department. The Pension List of 1820: U.S. War Department, reprinted with an index by Murtie June Clark. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1991. [CI-GEN 973.74]

35. United States. War Department. The Pension Roll of 1835. 4 vols. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1968. [CIl-ST 973.34]

36. White, Virgil D. Index to War of 1812 Pension Files. 2 vols. Waynesboro, TN: National Historical Publishing Co., 1992. [CI-GEN 973.526]

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

GENEALOGICAL RECORDS OF THE WAR OF 1812, PART V

War of 1812-- Bounty Land & Service Claim Records

18. Christensen, Katheren. Arkansas Military Bounty Grants [War of 1812]. Hot Springs: Arkansas Ancestors, 1971. [Central-HG 929.3767]

19. Dunaway, Maxine. Missouri Military Land Warrants, War of 1812. Springfield, MO: M. Dunaway, 1985. [Central-HG 929.3778]

20. Jillson, Willard Rouse. The Kentucky Land Grants: a Systematic Index to All of the Land Grants Recorded in the State Land Office at Frankfort, Kentucky, 1782-1924. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1971. [Central-HG 976.9]

21. New York [State]. Adjutant General's Office. Index of Awards on Claims of the Soldiers of the War of 1812 [reprint of the 1860 ed. with an added introduction by Francis J. Higgins]. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1969. [Central-HG Oversize 973.524]

22. Smith, Clifford N. Federal Land Series: a Calendar of Archival Materials on the Land-Patents Issued by the United States Government, with Subject, Tract, and Name Indexes. Chicago: American Library Association, 1972-1982, 4 vols. Vol. 1 covers 1788-1810; vol. 2 covers 1799-1835; vol. 3 covers 1810-1814; vol. 4 covers land grants in the Virginia District of Ohio.[Central-HG 333.16]

Includes name and tract indexes in each volume.

23. United States. General Land Office. War of 1812 Bounty Lands in Illinois. Thomson, IL: Heritage House, 1977. [Central-HG 977.3]

24. Wardell, Patrick G. War of 1812: Virginia Bounty Land & Pension Applicants: a Quick Reference Guide to Ancestors having War of 1812 Service Who Served Lived, Died, or Married in Virginia or West Virginia. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1987. [Central-HG 973.52455]

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

2012 GENEALOGY & MILITARY HISTORY PROGRAMS

The following programs are sponsored or co-sponsored by St. Louis Public Library. All are free and open to the public. Places and dates listed below are correct as of 23 April 2012. Registration is required only if specifically noted.

Saturday, May 19, 2012, 10 am-Noon—Salt Beef and Blue Mass: Civil War Supply and Transportation. Buder Branch. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses book, manuscript, microfilm, and Internet sources of information on Civil War movement of men, animals, weapons, medicines, equipment, and supplies.

Saturday, June 16, 2012, 10 am-Noon—The Regional Branches of the National Archives: Kansas City. Buder Branch. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses the microfilm and manuscript holdings and website of the regional branch of the National Archives located at Kansas City, MO.

Thursday, October 4, 2012, 7:30 pm-9 pm—The Witches of Salem: Researching Your High-Flying Ancestors. SCCGS, St. Luke’s Parish Hall, Belleville, IL. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses book, manuscript, microfilm, and Internet sources of information on persons accused as witches in Europe and colonial New England.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012, 6:30 pm-8 pm—Honor the Fallen: Finding Death & Burial Information for American Soldiers & Veterans, 1775-2012. Hayner Library, Alton, IL. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses book, manuscript, microfilm, and Internet sources of information on the deaths and burials of American soldiers and veterans.

Buder Branch Library
4401 Hampton Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63109
314-352-2900

Parking on the Buder Branch lot is free and close to the door!

Tom Pearson, Reference Librarian
Special Collections Department
St. Louis Public Library

http://www.slpl.org/
tpearson@slpl.org

NOTE: Please consider showing your support for our genealogy, local history, and military history collections and programs by giving to our St. Louis Public Library Capital Campaign. The Central Library renovation is nearing completion (Grand Opening is scheduled for December 2012—look for details on our website and in our monthly Check-It-Out publication), but we’ve still got to finish paying for all the improvements! And remember: no gift is too small (or too BIG)!

Information about the Central Library Renovation Project: http://central.slpl.org/

Make an online donation here: http://www.slplfoundation.org/campaign/

You can also write a check payable to the St. Louis Public Library Foundation, and mail it here:

Rick Simoncelli
St. Louis Public Library Foundation
1415 Olive Street
St. Louis, MO 63103

By the way—-a short note saying how much you appreciate our genealogy, local history, and military history collections and programs would be greatly appreciated!

Friday, April 13, 2012

GENEALOGICAL RECORDS OF THE WAR OF 1812, PART IV

War of 1812-- Military Service & Enlistment Records

Microfilm

1. Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the War of 1812. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. 234 reels.[Central-MI 973.74]

2. Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. 47 reels. [Central-MI 973]

Books

3. Callahan, Edward William. List of officers of the Navy of the United States and of the Marine Corps from 1775 to 1900; comprising a complete register of all present and former commissioned, warranted, and appointed officers of the United States Navy and of the Marine Corps, regular and volunteer. Compiled from the official records of the Navy Dept. New York: Haskell House, 1969. [Central-HG 353.7]

4. Coles, Harry Lewis. The War of 1812. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1965. [Central-ST 973.5]

5. Gandrud, Pauline Myra Jones. Alabama Soldiers: Revolution, War of 1812, and Indian Wars / compiled by Pauline Jones Gandrud; edited by Bobbie Jones McLane. Hot Springs National Park, AR: B. J. McLane: P. J. Gandrud, 1975- 1992, 15 vols. [Central-HG, ST 929.3761]

6. Gardner, Charles K. A dictionary of all officers, who have been commissioned, or have been appointed and served, in the army of the United States, since the inauguration of their first president in 1789, to the first January, 1853,--with every commission of each;--including the distinguished officers of the volunteers and militia of the states, and of the navy and marine corps, who have served with the land forces. New York : G. P. Putnam and Company, 1853. [Central-ST 353.6]

7. Hamersly, Thomas Holdup Stevens. Complete general navy register of the United States of America from 1776 to 1887 arranged in alphabetical order; containing the names of all officers of the navy, volunteer and regular, who have entered the service from the time of the Revolutionary War to the present time [1776-1887], containing the official record of each officer as on file at the Navy Department, showing the dates of their original entry, of their progressive rank, and in what manner they left the service, if not now in it. Compiled from the official records by Thomas H. S. Hamersly. New York: T.H.S.Hamersly, publisher, 1888. [Central-ST 353.7]

8.Huntsberry, Thomas Vincent and Joanne M. Huntsberry. Maryland Privateers, War of 1812. Baltimore, MD : J. Mart, 1983. [Central-HG 973.525]

9. Huntsberry, Thomas Vincent and Joanne M. Huntsberry. Western Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia Militia in defense of Maryland, 1805 to 1815 / by Thomas V. Huntsberry; assisted by Joanne M. Huntsberry. Baltimore, MD: T.V. Huntsberry, 1983. [Central-HG 973.52452]

10. Irving, L. Homfray. Officers of the British Forces in Canada During the War of 1812-15. Welland, Ontario, Canada: Welland Tribune Printers, 1908. [Central-ST 973.5]

11. Kentucky. Adjutant-General's Office. Kentucky Soldiers of the War of 1812 [originally published in 1891 under title: Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky: Soldiers of the War of 1812. With an added index compiled by Minnie S. Wilder, 1931, and a new introduction by G. Glenn Clift. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1969. [Central-HG 973.524]

12. Kratovil, Judy Swaim. Index to War of 1812 Service Records for Volunteer Soldiers from Georgia/ abstracted by Judy Swaim Kratovil. Atlanta, GA [P.O. Box 450062, Atlanta 30345]: J. S. Kratovil, 1986. [Central-HG 973.52]

13. Marine, William Matthew. The British Invasion of Maryland, 1812-1815, with an appendix containing eleven thousand names by Louis Henry Dielman. Baltimore, MD: Society of the War of 1812 in Maryland, 1913. [Central HG 973.5]

14. Moore, Mary Brown Daniel. Record of Commissions of Officers in the Tennessee Militia, 1796-1815/ compiled by Mrs. John Trotwood Moore ; with a new introd. by Robert M. McBride; and an index for the years 1812-1815 by Anita Comtois. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1977. [Central-HG 973.4]

15. North Carolina. Adjutant General's Department. Muster Rolls of the Soldiers of the War of 1812 : detached from the Militia of North Carolina in 1812 and 1814 / published under the direction of the Adjutant General ; with an added index by Maurice S. Toler [reprint of the 1926 ed. published by Barber Printing Co., Winston-Salem, N.C.- originally published in 1851]. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1976. [Central-HG 973.524]

16. Sistler, Byron and Samuel Sistler. Tennesseans in the War of 1812/transcribed and indexed by Byron and Samuel Sistler. Nashville, TN : B. Sistler & Associates, 1992. [Central-HG 973.52468]

17. Wright, F. Edward. Maryland Militia, War of 1812. Silver Spring, Md.: Family Line, c1979-1980, 7 vols. [Central-HG 973.52452]

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

GENEALOGICAL RECORDS OF THE WAR OF 1812, PART III

11. Bounty land records
12. Pension papers & pensioner lists
13. Military censuses
14. Casualty & burial lists
15. Hereditary & lineage society records

Bounty Land Records. War of 1812 volunteers who met certain conditions regarding length and character of service were entitled to federal bounty lands. Most veterans received grants of 40-160 acres, although a special act of Congress passed in 1814 doubled the acreage allotted to 320. War of 1812 bounty land acts passed prior to 1850 allotted land only to enlisted men, not to officers. Until 1842, the land awarded to War of 1812 veterans lay in special military districts within the present-day states of Illinois, Arkansas, and Missouri. After 1842, War of 1812 veterans could claim any unrestricted public domain land with their bounty land warrants. Before 1852, War of 1812 bounty land warrants could not be legally assigned to a second party [although many veterans circumvented this law by signing a power of attorney which allowed the transfer of the warrant to another person]. Bounty land application files typically provide the veteran's name, age, military unit, place of residence, term of service and, if applicable, the name of the veteran's widow or heir. These files [War of 1812 Bounty Land Warrants, 1815-1858, M848- 14 rolls] are indexed on roll no. 1 for assignees in the Arkansas and Missouri military districts. Other listings are in roughly alphabetical order. The Missouri and Illinois State Archives websites indexes to land records include many War of 1812 bounty land assignees:

Missouri Land Patents
Illinois Land Patents

Pension Papers & Pensioners' Lists. Prior to 1871, only disabled War of 1812 volunteer soldiers [or the widows or orphans of soldiers killed in action or disabled during the war] received federal pensions for War of 1812 service. A law passed in 1871 provided a pension for any surviving War of 1812 volunteer soldiers who had served 60 days or more, and provided a pension for widows of War of 1812 volunteer soldiers who had married their spouses in 1815 or earlier. A second law passed in 1878 reduced the term of service requirement to either 14 days continuous service or participation in a battle or skirmish.

Pensions for War of 1812 soldiers can be listed in either of two NARA microfilm sets. The first, Index to Old Wars Pension Files [NARA series T316, 7 rolls], covers pensions granted to veterans [or widows] of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps who died in service or were disabled during the period 1784-1861. The second, Index to War of 1812 Pension Application Files [NARA series M313, 102 rolls], covers those War of 1812 veterans and their survivors who were granted pensions based on the acts of 1871 and 1878. The actual pension files covered by these indexes are available from NARA. You can also check to see if the subscription services, Fold3 or Ancestry.com, have digitized the pension record of interest:

Ancestry.com
Fold3.com

Persons checking for a War of 1812 pension record may also wish to consult a book set called Index to War of 1812 Pension Files by Virgil D. White. There are several book sets which list persons in the United States were receiving federal military pensions during the following years: 1818, 1820, 1835, and 1883. There are also books which list only pensioners from certain states, including Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Virginia [all of the above-named books and book sets are owned by St. Louis Public Library- see bibliography in Part IV for details].

Military Censuses. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several states compiled lists of veterans of various wars residing in that state in a given year. St. Louis Public Library owns such registers for Iowa [1886] and Nebraska [1893, 1897, and 1915- see bibliography in Part IV for details].

You can also check to see if the subscription services, Fold3 or Ancestry.com, have digitized the military census of interest:

Ancestry.com
Fold3.com

Casualty & Burial Records. The burial place of a War of 1812 soldier can be discovered in a number of ways. If you know his religion and the county he lived in, finding his grave may be a relatively simple matter of checking cemetery books published for that county. Veterans of various wars are often mentioned in "Goodspeed" type county histories of the 1880s and 1890s [St. Louis Public Library owns many books of these sorts for numerous counties in Missouri and in many states east of the Mississippi River- see our catalog for details: http://www.slpl.org There can even be a biographical sketch of the veteran in a county history, which may list date of death and place of burial.

If the veteran or his widow collected a pension based on his War of 1812 service, the pension file often includes a notice of his death which may state his burial place. A will or estate record in the office of the Circuit Clerk in the county where the veteran died may also provide information of interest about the veteran, including possibly his date of death and place of burial.

You can also check to see if the subscription services, Fold3 or Ancestry.com, have digitized a source containing the record of a burial of interest:

Ancestry.com
Fold3.com

Some state archives maintain lists of veterans buried in that state. The Illinois State Archives has an online database called "Database of the 1929 Roll of Honor, " which can be accessed here:

Database of 1929 Roll of Honor

The Roll of Honor was the product of a survey made of Illinois cemeteries in 1929 which recorded the graves of veterans of America's wars up to that point in time. The Roll of Honor was published at that time as a book set. The online version can be searched by name of the veteran.

St. Louis Public Library also owns a book which lists War of 1812 veterans buried in Tennessee [see bibliography in Part IV for details].

Hereditary & Lineage Society Records. Societies of this sort seek members who have an ancestor who was a War of 1812 soldier, sailor, or marine. Members had to submit proofs that their ancestor was a War of 1812 veteran, and proof that they are in fact descended from that veteran. If the society allows public access to its files, such files can be gold mines for persons seeking information on a War of 1812 ancestor. St. Louis Public Library owns a number of books which list members of such societies and the ancestors they used to gain admittance to the society [see bibliography in Part IV for details].

You can also check to see if the subscription services, Fold3 or Ancestry.com, have digitized a source containing heritage/lineage society records of interest:

Ancestry.com
Fold3.com

NAVIGATING THE 1940 U.S. CENSUS

Some 1940 Census guides and finding aids of interest:

How to Start Your 1940 Census Research

1940 U.S. Census—a Genealogy Research Guide

1940 Federal Population Census—General Information

1940 Census—Questions Asked, Enumerator Instructions, and Abbreviations and Codes Used By Enumerators

National Archives—1940 Census Finding Aids and E.D. Maps

Stephen Morse One-Steps—1940 Finding Aids (hover over U.S. Census in left-hand navigation bar to find 1940 finding aids)

View Short Films Used to Train 1940 Census Enumerators

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

GENEALOGICAL RECORDS OF THE WAR OF 1812, PART II

6. Regimental & county histories
7. Lists of impressed seamen
8. Records of prisoners of war, enemy aliens, and privateers
9. Courts-martial records
10. Discharge papers

Regimental & County Histories. Histories in book form exist for some state and U.S. regiments that served in the War of 1812. Adjutant-general rosters for the various states often provide a brief history of a regiment as well as a roster for the regiment. St. Louis Public Library owns histories in book form for various regiments from various states. County histories often list soldiers from that county who participated in various wars, including the War of 1812, and biographical sketches in such books often mention ancestors who participated in the the American Revolution and the War of 1812. We own book histories of the "Goodspeed" type for most counties in Missouri and Illinois, and for some counties in many other states east of the Mississippi River.

Some county histories and regimental histories have been digitized--try Google Books, the Internet Archive, or the HathiTrust for subjects of interest.

Lists of Impressed Seamen. One of the factors contributing to the outbreak of the War of 1812 was the involuntary impressment of American sailors and merchant seamen by British press gangs. Two NARA microfilm publications contain lists of impressed seamen: Registers of Applications for the Release of Impressed Seamen, 1793-1802, and Related Indexes [M2025- 1 roll]; and Miscellaneous Lists and Papers Regarding Impressed Seamen, 1796-1814 [M1839- 1 roll]. St. Louis Public Library doesn't own either of these items, but we can get them for interested cardholders through Interlibrary Loan [NARA microfilm sets are also available through the Mormon Church, and sometimes from a state archives or state historical society].

You can also check subscription services Ancestry.com and Fold3.com to see if War of 1812 impressment records of interest have been digitized.

Records of Prisoners of War, Enemy Aliens, and Privateers. A War of 1812 soldier's Compiled Military Service Record may indicate that he was a prisoner of war during his time in the military. The microfilm set "War of 1812 Papers" of the Department of State, 1789-1815 [NARA series M588- 7 rolls] includes material on War of 1812 prisoners of war and on the registration of enemy aliens [British citizens living in the United States during the War of 1812]. Set contents include: Roll 1- Letters Concerning Letters of Marque and Enemy Aliens, 1812-1814; Roll 2- U.S. Marshal's Returns of Enemy Aliens and Prisoners of War, 1812-1815 [Part I]; Roll 3- - U.S. Marshal's Returns of Enemy Aliens and Prisoners of War, 1812-1815 [Part II]; Roll 4- Requests for Permission to Sail From the U.S., and Passenger Lists of Outgoing Vessels, 1812-1814; Roll 5- Correspondence Regarding Passports, 1812-1814; Roll 6- Agreements for Exchange of Prisoners of War, 1812-1813 & Miscellaneous Letters Received Concerning Prisoners of War, 1812-1815; and Roll 7- Miscellaneous Intercepted Correspondence, 1798-1814.

You can also check subscription services Ancestry.com and Fold3.com to see if War of 1812 prisoner records of interest have been digitized.

Courts-martial Records. A War of 1812 soldier's Compiled Military Service Record may indicate that he was subject to a courts-martial during his time in the military. Proceedings of general courts-martial against both regular and volunteer War of 1812 soldiers are located in the Records of the Judge Advocate General [NARA Record Group 153]. Proceedings of general courts-martial against War of 1812 sailors and marines can be found in the Records of the General Courts-Martial and Courts of Inquiry of the Navy Department, 1799-1867 [NARA series M273- 198 rolls].

You can also check subscription services Ancestry.com and Fold3.com to see if War of 1812 courts-martial records of interest have been digitized.

Discharge Papers. Discharge papers for an War of 1812 veteran of the U.S. Army, Navy, or Marine Corps may sometimes be found in his bounty land application file (housed at NARA-Washington, DC). The Records of the Adjutant General's Office [NARA Record Group 94] include some surgeons' certificates of disability issued to regular army soldiers during the War of 1812 [not microfilmed].

You can also check subscription services Ancestry.com and Fold3.com to see if War of 1812 bounty land records or surgeons' certificates have been digitized.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

GENEALOGICAL RECORDS OF THE WAR OF 1812, PART I

1. Compiled military service records
2. Indexes to compiled military service records
3. Muster rolls & Adjutant-General rosters
4. Enlistment records
5. Pay & account books

Compiled Military Service Records [CMSR] were compiled by government clerks from original muster rolls, pay rolls, etc. They cover soldiers who volunteered for duty in various military organizations raised by the states. Volunteer soldiers in the War of 1812 could enlist for a bewildering variety of terms of service: 30, 60, and 90 days; and 3, 6, and 12 months. It is quite possible, therefore, for a War of 1812 soldier to have served in more than one military organization during the war [and there will be a different CMSR for each military unit in which the veteran served]. CMSRs were recorded on cards which are kept in jackets (files) at the National Archives and Records Administration [NARA] in Washington, D.C. Most War of 1812 CMSRs have not been microfilmed. An exception is the CMSRs for the state of Mississippi, which are available in a 22 roll microfilm set [NARA series M678]. The rolls in this set are organized by regiment and then alphabetically. CMSRs for volunteer 1812 soldiers from other states have not been microfilmed. They can be requested from NARA.

You can now also check to see if one of the the subscription services (Fold3 or Ancestry.com) has digitized a CMSR of interest:

http://www.fold3.com/
http://www.ancestry.com/

Indexes to Compiled Service Records are available on microfilm and book format in some libraries [see bibliography in Part IV for materials owned by St. Louis Public Library], from the Mormon Church, and from NARA.

A. Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer War of 1812 Soldiers [NARA series M602- 234 rolls]. Listings are alphabetical by surname, and include name, rank, and unit or units in which the man served.

B. Indexes to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer War of 1812 Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Louisiana [NARA series M229- 3 rolls]. Listings are alphabetical by surname, and include name, rank, and unit or units in which the man served.

C. Indexes to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer War of 1812 Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of North Carolina [NARA series M250- 5 rolls]. Listings are alphabetical by surname, and include name, rank, and unit or units in which the man served.

D. Indexes to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer War of 1812 Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of South Carolina [NARA series M652- 7 rolls]. Listings are alphabetical by surname, and include name, rank, and unit or units in which the man served.

Muster Rolls & Adjutant-General Records. In addition to the compiled service records maintained by NARA, the offices of state adjutant-generals and state archives sometimes maintain additional records pertaining to War of 1812 volunteer soldiers from that state. Rosters in book and/or electronic format exist for these states and territories: Connecticut; Delaware; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maryland; Massachusetts; Mississippi; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; Tennessee; Vermont; and Virginia. St. Louis Public Library owns many [but not all] of these state rosters of 1812 soldiers [see bibliography in part IV for details].

Lists of Missouri and Illinois War of 1812 veterans are also available online:

Missouri: http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/soldiers/
Illinois: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases/war1812.html

Enlistment Records. Some men enlisted in the United States Army, Navy, or Marine Corps, rather than in a volunteer military organization raised by a state. Records of such Army enlistments are available on a microfilm set, Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1789-1914 [NARA series M233- 47 reels], which is owned by St. Louis Public Library. The Register is also available from subscription service Ancestry.com:

http://www.ancestry.com/

St. Louis Public Library also owns various registers in book form of 19th century U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps officers [see bibliography in Part IV for details].

Pay and Account Books. Pay and account books for various volunteer military organizations are often in the collection of state archives. These records are sometimes reprinted in books or in periodicals [see bibliography in Part IV for details].

Monday, March 12, 2012

THE WAR OF 1812: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND SELECTED, ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY, PART II

American Strategy in the War of 1812

1. Gain control of Canada by capturing Montreal or Quebec, then force England to negotiate to regain it. Operations against British forces in Canada [1812-1814] were unsuccessful, forcing the U.S. in 1814 to adopt a defensive strategy.

2. Commission privateers [private vessels granted permission to seize British naval and commercial vessels and thus hamper the British war effort]. Much more successful than Canadian option: 500 privateers eventually seized 1,300 British prizes.

British Strategy in the War of 1812

1. The British early in the war blockaded American ports with 75 naval vessels, greatly reducing American imports and exports, and angering many residents of New England who were dependent on foreign trade for their livelihoods.

2. After Napoleon's defeat and abdication in 1814, British were able to begin a land offensive against the Americans. The British were able to burn Washington, D.C., in 1814, but were unable to reduce or capture Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor ["The Star-Spangled Banner"].

3. The British also began a campaign against New Orleans in an effort to block commerce on the Mississippi River. Two weeks after a peace treaty was signed by Britain and the U.S., a force of militiamen and Army regulars under Andrew Jackson decisively defeated a force of British regulars at the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815.

2012 PROGRAMS--GENEALOGY & MILITARY HISTORY

The following programs are sponsored or co-sponsored by St. Louis Public Library. All are free and open to the public. Program locations and dates listed below are correct as of 12 March 2012, and this list supersedes any list you may have previously received. Registration is required only if specifically noted.

Friday, March 23, 2012, 10 am-Noon—Civil War 24/7: Researching Civil War Soldiers & Regiments on the Internet. Buder Branch. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses free and subscription Internet sources of information on Civil War soldiers (USA and CSA).

Thursday, April 26, 2012, 10 am-Noon—Honor the Fallen: Finding Death & Burial Information for American Soldiers & Veterans, 1775-2012. Buder Branch. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses book, manuscript, microfilm, and Internet sources of information on the deaths and burials of American soldiers and veterans.

Saturday, May 12, 2012, 10 am-Noon—Salt Beef and Blue Mass: Civil War Supply and Transportation. Buder Branch. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses book, manuscript, microfilm, and Internet sources of information on Civil War movement of men, animals, weapons, medicines, equipment, and supplies.

Thursday, October 4, 2012, 7:30 pm-9 pm—The Witches of Salem: Researching Your High-Flying Ancestors. St. Clair County Genealogical Society, St. Luke’s Parish Hall, Belleville, IL. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses book, manuscript, microfilm, and Internet sources of information on persons accused and condemned as witches in Europe and colonial New England.

Buder Branch Library
4401 Hampton Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63109

Parking on the Buder Branch lot is free and close to the door! Coffee, lemonade, and ice water are available for program attendees.

Tom Pearson, Reference Librarian
Special Collections Department
St. Louis Public Library

http://www.slpl.org/
tpearson@slpl.org

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

THE WAR OF 1812: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND SELECTED, ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY, PART I

Factors Contributing to the Outbreak of the War of 1812

1. Involuntary impressment of American sailors and merchant seamen into the British Navy- more than 6,000 had been shanghaied by British press gangs by 1812.

2. American designs on foreign possessions in North America- a group of U.S. congressmen known as "War Hawks" spurred this effort to expand U.S. territory and influence.

A. Spanish Florida
B. British Canada

3. Indian troubles- many persons felt that British agents were purposely stirring up Indian troubles in the U.S.'s midwestern territorial possessions.

4. Napoleon's invasion of Russia (1812)- the "War Hawks" and others eager for war with Britain felt that Britain would be stretched too thin if forced to contend with simultaneous military campaigns in Europe and North America.

5. "Continental System"- The U. S. became ensnared in the tangle of decrees and orders in council concerning European trade restrictions and boycotts (1806-1812) which had been issued by England and France as a result of the continuing quest of each of those nations to achieve world dominance. The "Continental System" and French efforts to enforce its decrees is one of the factors which led to Napoleon's invasion of Russia (1812).

Thursday, February 23, 2012

GUERRILLA WARFARE IN MISSOURI

Following is a list of books from our collection that can help persons researching guerrilla warfare in Missouri during the Civil War. You can check on the status of an item, and place a reserve on circulating books, via our catalog.

Castel, Albert E, and Thomas Goodrich. Bloody Bill Anderson: The Short, Savage Life of a Civil War Guerrilla. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 1998. [ST 973.737092]

Eakin, Joanne W. C, and Donald R. Hale. Branded As Rebels: A List of Bushwhackers, Guerrillas, Partisan Rangers, Confederates and Southern Sympathizers from Missouri During the War Years. Lee's Summit, MO: J.C. Eakin & D.R. Hale, 1993. [HG, ST 973.742]

Fellman, Michael. Inside War: The Guerrilla Conflict in Missouri During the American Civil War. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. [HG, ST 973.7478]

Fredrickson, George M. Why the Confederacy Did Not Fight a Guerrilla War After the Fall of Richmond: A Comparative View. Gettysburg: Gettysburg College, 1996. [ST 973.738]

Gilmore, Donald L. Civil War on the Missouri-Kansas Border. Gretna, La: Pelican Pub, 2005. [ST,CP,MA 973.709778]

Hansen, Duncan E. A Reunion in Death: Gravesites of Quantrill’s Men and the James Gang. [HG 977.803]

Lankford, Rose M. The Encyclopedia of Quantrill's Guerrillas. Evening Shade, AR: R.M. Lankford, 1999. [HG 973.742]

Mountcastle, Clay. Punitive War: Confederate Guerrillas and Union Reprisals. Lawrence, Kan: University Press of Kansas, 2009. [HG 973.73]

Nichols, Bruce. Guerrilla Warfare in Civil War Missouri. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co., Publishers, 2007. [HG, CB 973.7478]

Piston, William G, and Thomas P. Sweeney. Portraits of Conflict: A Photographic History of Missouri in the Civil War. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 2009. [HG 973.803]

Schultz, Duane P. Quantrill's War: The Life and Times of William Clarke Quantrill, 1837-1865. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996. [HG 973.742092]

Sutherland, Daniel E. A Savage Conflict: The Decisive Role of Guerrillas in the American Civil War. Chapel Hill, N.C: University of North Carolina Press, 2009. [HG, BU 973.73013]

Wood, Larry. The Civil War Story of Bloody Bill Anderson. Austin, Tex: Eakin Press, 2003. [HU B ANDERSON]

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

GENEALOGY RECENT ADDITIONS

You can check our catalog or call our History & Genealogy Department (314-539-0385) to get further information about these titles or other recent additions to our Genealogy book collection.


Allen, Desmond W. Family History Detective: A Step-by-Step Guide to Investigating Your Family History. Cincinnati, Ohio: Family Tree Books, 2011. [HG 929.1]

Bockstruck, Lloyd D. W. Revolutionary War Pensions Awarded by State Governments 1775-1874, the General and Federal Governments Prior to 1814, and by Private Acts of Congress to 1905. Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co, 2011. [HG 973.34]

Carangelo, Lori. The Ultimate Search Book: Worldwide Adoption, Genealogy, & Other Search Secrets. Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co. for Clearfield Co, 2011. [HG 929.1]

Clifford, Karen. The Complete Beginner's Guide to Genealogy, the Internet, and Your Genealogy Computer Program. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Pub. Co, 2001. [HG, ST 929.1]

Henselmeyer, Ulrich, and Sandra N. Funk. The Walter and Henselmeier Families: Coming to and Settling in America. Indianapolis, Ind: S.H. Funk & U. Henselmeyer, 2011. [ST 929.2 WALTER]

Jackson, Belford D. Deguire Dit La Rose and Allied Families: The French Ancestry of Emma Deguire of Iron County, Missouri. Lohman, Mo: B.D. Jackson, 2011. [ST 929.2 DEGUIRE]

Jefferson County, Missouri Marriages 1881-1890. High Ridge, Mo: Jefferson County Genealogical Society, 2011. [HG 929.3778 JEFFERSON]

Rising, Marsha H. The Family Tree Problem Solver: Tried-and-true Tactics for Tracing Elusive Ancestors. Cincinnati, Ohio: Family Tree Books, 2011. [HG, BU 929.1072073]

Robertsen, Thomas R. Historical and Genealogical Notes on the Ancestry and Life of Charles Linden Culler. St, Louis, Mo: T.R. Robertsen, 2011. [ST 929.2 CULLER]

Stockton, Robert D. Descendants of Robert Stockton of Pennsylvania. Emporia, Kan: Bob Stockton, 2011. [ST 929.2 STOCKTON]