Genealogists are a little like armchair archaeologists – using archives, public and family records and the internet to dig into the past in hopes of unearthing bits and pieces of familial history. There has been a major groundswell of interest in recent years, thanks to technology, Baby Boomers with time on their hands, and television shows such as Who Do You Think You Are?
“It’s not a matter of if you ever get interested in your family history; it’s a matter of when,” says Cynthia Hineman, public relations chair of the Indian River Genealogical Society, which has kept pace with that growth.
“We have 257 members which for a small town is a very, very high number,” says Hineman, noting that regular monthly meetings generally draw more than 100 people during season. “We have a pretty good turnout all the time.”
Members in the 32-year-old organization are happy to share their expertise. While that includes utilizing online resources such as FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com, which have certainly sped up the process, she says there is a misconception that people can find everything they need on their own.
“It’s true they can find a lot of information. But a lot of that information isn’t what we call sourced or documented,” says Hineman, and that’s where society members can help. An added benefit is that online resources can be accessed at no charge at the Archive Center and Genealogy Department at the Indian River County Main Library.
“These websites are so huge and have so much information,” says Hineman. “And even with all of that happening, there are still so many hidden treasures in the libraries and in the books that were written back before people had the internet. One of the things that we encourage our members to know is that you still have to go to the library; it’s not all done on line. And we’re blessed to have one of the best resources in the state of Florida.”
The Genealogical Society works closely with Archive Center supervisor Pam Cooper, providing some funding each year to add to the library’s collection and keep resources current. Cooper, a renowned member of the genealogical community, is credited with developing the stellar reputation of the department, recognized as one of the best small-town libraries in the country for genealogical research by Family Tree Magazine.
Meetings, which take place at 9:30 a.m. the second Tuesday of the month September through May at the Main Library, are free and open to the public and feature experts in the genealogical world.
The 2014-15 season kicks off Sept. 9 with guest speaker Marlis Glaser Humphrey, on publishing your individual family history. In October, Diana Christman Smith will speak about ways to use newspapers in genealogical searches, and in November Craig Roberts Scott will talk about researching military records.
New this year is the introduction of a free Family Expo, Saturday, Oct. 4 at First Presbyterian Church, in recognition of October as National Family History Month. Expo plans include information booths, interactive displays, computer guidance and even an area to help parents engage their children in the process. On Sunday, Oct. 5 there will be a Library Open House from 1 to 3 p.m. to showcase the Archive Center.
The December meeting generally focuses on member experiences – from successes to brick walls, says Hineman. “Those have been some of the most informative and well attended. And I think that’s what keeps our membership strong because everybody has a chance to share. Because I think that’s what genealogists do.”
The annual Valentine’s Seminar is generally a sell-out, despite its being held at a larger venue; Indian River State College. This year the invited guest speaker is the host of Genealogy Gems Podcast with Lisa Louise Cooke – Your Family History Show, who will give advice on utilizing technology. Cooke, the author of The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox, and Turn Your iPad into a Genealogy Powerhouse, is also associated with Family Tree Magazine, a premier resource for advances in genealogical research.
The “six degrees of separation” theory often comes into play at meetings, when people realize they may be related at some point in time.
Hineman remembers one instance when board members Suzy Bromwell and Pete Kersey, who had worked together for years, discovered that they were cousins.
“That’s so exciting, when you’re in a meeting and people discover that they share the same surname in their family history. That’s the joy of coming to a meeting.”
Her tips for genealogy newcomers? “Work from what you know to what you don’t know; from the known to the unknown. You work backwards.” Another is to check whether someone else in the family, such as a cousin, has already started the process.
She says the “four-C’s” – census, churches, courthouses (for wills, deeds, etc.) and cemeteries are essential tools. Citizenry has been counted for thousands of years in other countries through such methods as census, church and tithing records. The United States Federal Census, conducted every 10 years, dates to 1790.
“People think it’s an invasion of their privacy, but they don’t realize that it’s a constitutional requirement dating back to the beginning of the country. After 72 years that information is made public, so the last census released was 1940.”
Hineman gives county histories as one way of placing ancestors in a historical context, providing such information as the names and occupations of early pioneers, and why and when an area was settled.
“Before the 1900s there was no requirement to create vital records – birth, death, marriage, etc. That’s why they had to use wills, deeds and other public records,” says Hineman. “Deeds and wills are so incredible: ‘I give my daughter $2 because she’s already spent all the money.’ Or, ‘I’ll give my wife one horse and two cows and she has full rights to remain on the property until her death.’ And those are the kinds of documents that are accepted if they want to join a lineage society.”
The current IRGS community project, which began in 2012, is to document each of the cemeteries in Indian River County; photographing tombstones, indexing and digitizing the information and posting it to the IRGS website. Their website is a resource in and of itself, with internet links, blogs, information on special interest groups, and an index of more than 90,000 obituaries from local newspapers dating back to 1913.
Other projects have included the compilation and publication of the Indian River County Postcard History Series book, sold in the library bookshop and other venues. The society has also established a local Veteran’s Registry as a lasting tribute to the families of servicemen remembered by cenotaphs on Veterans Memorial Island Sanctuary.
“I’m passionate about it,” says Hineman, admitting that she’s hooked despite the time involved, adding with a grin, “Too many ancestors and not enough time.”
For more information, visit www.irgs.org