"What surprised me most about this collection was the level of detail that was included. Institutional registers at this time usually collected minimal information. . .I didn’t expect to find full stories contained in these records." Read More
Upcoming In-person Seminar
Tracing Ancestors on the Move—Join Us at the Hagen History Center in Erie, Pennsylvania!
Join our experts in Erie on August 12 for a one-day seminar on tracking down ancestors who moved, and understanding migrations across America from the 17th to 20th centuries. Register Now
The Bookstore at NEHGS Spotlight
Elements of Genealogical Analysis
Analyze records and draw conclusions using the same method applied by Robert Charles Anderson, Director of the Great Migration Study Project! This handbook presents a step-by-step process for solving genealogical problems—a methodology thirty years in the making. Available in print and ebook editions. Shop Now
Share your thoughts about the survey! Please limit submissions to 150 words or fewer. Responses featured in a future newsletter may be edited for clarity and length.
Last Week's Survey:
Scientists and Inventors in Your Family History
Total: 3,291 Responses
32%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors or relatives was a scientist or worked in a scientific field.
41%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors or relatives was an inventor (either professionally or as a hobby).
37%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors or relatives held a patent.
9%, I am a scientist and/or an inventor.
36%, No, I am not aware of any ancestors or relatives who were scientists or inventors.
Readers Respond
Julie Dresser, Sycamore, Illinois: My grandfather, Wayne Robbins, was a botanist with Campbell Soup Company in Winfield, Illinois. His specialty was mushrooms, and he had a patent on a mushroom variety that was owned by Campbell Soup but credited to him. Someone once noted to me that my grandfather’s mushroom has likely been used in every green bean casserole across the country!
Scott Fisher, Washington, Utah: My great-grandfather's brother, stage carpenter Nelson Waldreaon, was the inventor of the “double stage” in New York's Madison Square Theatre. It worked on a pulley system as an elevator; while one scene was being played, the set for the next scene was being arranged by stagehands from either above or below. The invention allowed scenes to transition quickly and smoothly. Nelson had the system patented. The stage was such a sensation that even President Chester A. Arthur dropped in to see it on a trip to New York City.
Eva S. Hughes, Hilliard, Ohio: My relative Maria Mitchell (1818-1889) of Nantucket, Massachusetts, was one of the United States’s first professional astronomers. In 1847, she was awarded a gold medal by the Danish government for her discovery of a new comet. Maria was part of the founding faculty of Vassar and was the first woman elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
Susan Painter, Rockland, Massachusetts: My great-great-uncle, John McTammany (1845-1915), invented the player piano. John patented his invention, but his employer sued him and claimed the rights. Although John was unable to afford to pursue his claim, he went on to invent a punch-card voting machine that was used in Massachusetts and New York.
Andrea Rail, Longmont, Colorado: My paternal grandfather, Newell Vanderbilt, worked with Luther Burbank at the Gold Ridge Experiment Farm in Sebastopol, California. Newell created new hybrids of delphiniums, sold the seeds worldwide, and wrote a monthly publication. He was also well-known for his work with camellias.
Julie Gardner, Perry, Utah: My maternal great-great-grandfather, Sir Samuel Cleland Davidson of Ballymechan, Ireland, invented the centrifugal fan. Sir Samuel used the invention to patent and manufacture a line of tea-drying equipment, the Sirocco No1. His Sirocco engineering company, based in Belfast, also built large industrial fans for use in commercial buildings and on ships. He supplied 74 fans for the Belfast-built Titanic. The Sirocco fans and drying equipment are still in use today, with much of the equipment more than 100 years old and still bearing the “Belfast, Ireland” stamp.
Did Your Ancestors Have a Radio? Patty Taylor, columnist for the Beaumont [Texas] Enterprise, shares her father’s memories of the 1938 Joe Louis/Max Schmeling boxing match and discusses the importance of radio as a means of communication.
Spotlight: California Digital Newspaper Collection
by Valerie Beaudrault
The California Digital Newspaper Collection (CNDC) comprises more than 11 million pages from over 350 titles from throughout the state. CDNC is a project of the Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research at the University of California, Riverside. The entire collection can be searched by keywords, or you may browse by title, date, county, tags, or via an interactive map. To view articles, click the page link in the search results. Search Now
We've recently added three new sketches to Early Vermont Settlers, 1700-1784, including the Brattleboro families of Ebenezer Hawes, John Houghton, and Samuel Knight. This database is available to American Ancestors members. Search Now
Free Video from American Ancestors
Ohio Research: Go-To Published Resources
Whether Ohio was a final destination for your ancestor or a stop along their journey west, published genealogical resources for the state are important for many family historians. This video covers essential published sources that can help trace Ohio ancestors through time and place. Watch Now
Your Legacy. Your Peace of Mind. Your Free Will.
As a family historian, you know that wills are important in your research—but have you created a will for yourself? Free Will, an easy and free online will creation tool, will guide you step-by-step through identifying beneficiaries for your assets, supporting the causes that are important to you, and planning for the preservation of your research. Learn More
