Armchair Computer Genealogy

Dear Friends of Genealogy,
I really enjoyed the participation in the short armchair computer genealogy
class. I am glad to see so much interest in everyone quests for their kin
search. The four classes we held, twenty participants learned easy access
to the web and information of the past. Quick re-cap of the class for our
readers. We accessed GLO records by simply typing GLO, which means
Government Land Office. Here we found our land patents and were able to
pull up the original copies and print them. Many times there will be two
names on the records that are valuable clues. However just accessing
records that are beautifully handwritten and well over a hundred years old
is a truly overwhelming experience. We did forum searches where people with
the same surname are posting information and queries, at this site you can
search by multiple key words and also go to regional, county, and interest
searches. The participants also found many other genealogy sites with
multiple on line listing of libraries, Latter Day Saints on-on-line
libraries, Revolutionary War Sites, The War of 1812, French and Indian War,
Muster Rolls of all these wars and Civil War sites. All in all it was
enjoyed by most and a recent report from the libraries the researches that
did not have a computer are using the libraries computers. I will hold
another seminar in August for additional information for the current
researchers and do the intro class for the new researchers. Currently I am
working on a list of periodicals, census, and other books for the
libraries. If you have a special interest or know of a book that might be
beneficial to our county Researchers let me know through Mr. or Mrs.
Goodwin at the Lafayette County Press. This summer has been extremely busy
and I have had the opportunity to travel a little. While waiting for Uncle
Buck to do his thing, I have visited and revisited several libraries.
Camden Library has really a nice research room and through their historical
society had furnished it very nicely. The Ouachita courthouse burned around
1875 and most records destroyed. However a lot of the thick books did not
burn completely so a few records remain. I looked through their local
chapter periodicals and did glean some helpful snip-its. Plano, Texas
Library was wonderful with a vast room of early state records, books and
microfiche. This is a great easy to access in and out Library. They also
have a genealogy assistant to help newcomers find their material. Magnolia,
Arkansas Asa Garrett Regional, The Southwest Arkansas Genealogical society
has done a very good job with the collections of material they have put in
place. Tuscaloosa, Alabama was very disappointing, because for one I didn’t
stop in Vicksburg and went on to Alabama and second it was under
construction and all but census records and few volumes of their county
books were out. However I managed to search five hours without realizing
the time on what they had out. One of their researchers was in and told me
how vast the other resources that they have are so I am sure when it all
gets put back together it will be great.

I have purchased 1880 census for Columbia County, a Marriage Record Book
for Union County and two Marriage record books for Columbia County. I will
have these at our next workshop for more clues from the past.

Happy Hunting
Aunt Ludie