War of 1812 Records in ALE

During this 200th anniversary year of the onset of the War of 1812, one might be inclined to learn more about their "War of 1812" veteran ancestor.  Ancestry Library Edition has 54 databases that will help you do that. Here are ones that will likely prove most useful:

War of 1812 Papers, 1789-1815
This database contains a variety of papers relating to the War of 1812. The Returns of Enemy Aliens and Prisoners of War records are searchable by name. All of the other papers are only searchable by browsing the images.

War of 1812 Pension Application Files Index, 1812-1815
This database contains an index to War of 1812 pension application files. Pensions were applied for and granted to War of 1812 veterans or their survivors. The records include the name of the veteran, name of widow (if she applied), pension claim or file number, and service type or organization.

War of 1812, Prisoner of War Records, 1812-1815
This database contains records relating to Prisoners of War from the War of 1812. Most of the records are regarding American soldiers, but some regard civilians and British soldiers. In addition to the actual records and manuscripts, this database also contains a set of index cards. These index cards list soldiers’ names and the manuscript numbers of the records in which they appear. These index cards are arranged in alphabetical order according to surname and are useful for locating individuals in the actual records.In addition to the soldier’s name, his rank, company, and regiment may also be listed on the record.

U.S., War of 1812 Service Records, 1812-1815  

When the United States declared war on Great Britain in 1812, Congress authorized the President to accept and organize volunteers in order to win the war. This database is a listing of men mustered into the armed forces between 1812 and 1815. Taken from records in the National Archives, each record includes the soldier's name, company, rank at time of induction, rank at time of discharge, and other helpful information. It provides the names of nearly 600,000 men. For researchers of early American ancestors who may have served in the military, this can be a helpful source of information.

War of 1812 Papers, 1789-1815
This database contains the following papers related to the War of 1812:

• Letters Received Concerning Letters of Marque, 1812-1814


• Letters Received Regarding Enemy Aliens, 1812-1814


• U.S. Marshal’s Returns of Enemy Aliens and Prisoners of War, 1812-1815


• Requests for Permission to Sail from the United States, 1812-1814


• Passenger Lists of Outgoing Vessels, 1812-1814


• Correspondence Regarding Passports, 1812-1814


• Agreements for the Exchange of Prisoners of War, 1812-1813


• Misc. Letters Received Concerning the Release of Prisoners, 1812-1815


• Reports of William Lambert, Secret Agent, 1813


• Misc. Intercepted Correspondence, 1789-1814

ALE can be accessed through our public computers in the branch libraries during regular hours of operation.

Reminder:  The Research Room is closed Noon until 1 pm from Mon., July 23rd through Mon., August 13th. 

What Did You Do During WWII to Help?

The University of California Berkeley and the National Park Service are partners in capturing the spirit of the World War II home front through life stories of participants who aided the war effort, however small.  Did you collect scrap metal for recycling?  Did you dance with a wounded veteran at the Community Club?  Were you a pen pal of a lonely soldier?  Did you wave Marines off on the train or at a bus stop?  Did you grow a Victory garden?  What did you write to your Navy sweetheart? Did you watch for German subs on the beach? What sort of work did you do to keep the planes flying?

You can help keep the story alive by contributing your oral history of what you did to help the war effort.  The Regional Oral History Office seek male and female participants for interviews regarding a diverse range of home front experiences during World War II. Thus far, most interviews have been taken from the California Bay Area, but they are interested in WWII home front experiences from across the country.

Of course, you do not have to have been in the Beaufort area during WWII to participate - although the BDC would certainly be interested in what you have to say about it if you were!  [We are the special collections and archives of the former Beaufort District after all.]

Look at and listen to what they've done thus far at "Rosie the Riveter: WWII American Homefront Project."

Contact Sharon Fuller at syfuller@berkeley.edu for details.

Reminder:  The Research Room is closed Noon to 1 pm until Tues., August 14th.

Repurposing Library Cards

When I was interviewed for this job in 1999, the one library related task that I admitted to not enjoying was the filing of catalog cards.

Q:  Guess where a couple of those old card catalog file cabinets are now?


Although the first library catalog cards were repurposed playing cards, we repurpose old library catalog cards into obituary cards in the BDC.  The names on the cards are listed in our Online Obituary Index.  (The VIEW button shows you the image of the database entry form for an obituary - not the actual obituary). 

The obituary index is a docent project that pre-dates my tenure.  Docents who have labored on the obituary index are: Virginia Adams (deceased), Jan Johnson, Merle Hoagland, and now Laura Lewis.  People keep dying.  As long as the local newspapers keep posting obituaries for us to capture, we will continue this project.  

Customers from all over the world visit our Research Room to read and photocopy the published obituaries at 10 cents per page.

Genealogists from all over the world request photocopies of the published obituaries at a fee set by our Library Board of Trustees.

Why not drop by the Research Room and peruse the obituary cards for your ancestors or for other of Beaufort County's previous residents?  Just remember that the Research Room is closing each workday until Aug. 14th for lunch, Noon to 1 pm.

You can read the Library History Buff blog entry about "First Library Cards were playing cards" here.

Got Heirs Property?

Land ownership can be a thorny issue here in the lowcountry.  Many African-American properties have a multitude of owners under South Carolina's intestate laws.   This year's Gullah/Geechee Nation International Music & Movement Festival™ 2012 festival includes a free “Gullah/Geechee Heirs Property Workshop and Dialogue” on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at 6:30 pm in Charleston, SC. 

Contact GullGeeCo@aol.com or 843-838-1171 for details on all Gullah/GeecheeNation International Music & Movement Festival™ activities, fees, and to pre-register for the Heirs Property workshop.

Schedule Change: July 23 - Aug. 13

When a department consists of two people, sometimes circumstances require that schedule adjustments are necessary from time to time.  That time is upon us all.  

The Research Room will be closed at lunchtime - defined here as Noon until 1 pm - from Mon., July 23rd through Mon., August 13th. 

During this period, the Research Room will be open 10 am to Noon and will re-open 1 pm to 5 pm each weekday - barring any unforeseen events.

Vacation? Work-ation? Staycation? No-ation?

To read an insightful American Management Association article about the role of, statistics on, and status of vacations for America's workers, read "Vacation, No Vacation, or Work-ation" by Shari Lifland.  

I'm old-fashioned.  When I take a vacation, I cease and desist from providing real time services for my employer.  I unplug, go off the grid, and this year, because of the generosity of a daughter, I am going far, far away.  Thus, I am on vacation until August 14th. You will continue to see a few new posts to this blog as I can write the posts early and schedule them to appear later.  Oh, the wonders of technology! 

Charmaine will be here to help you during our revised hours of operation (Monday through Fridays, 10 am until Noon; and 1 pm until 5 pm).

Don't have a generous daughter to help subsidize your vacation this year?  Don't feel that you can afford a vacation?  A low cost alternative to a vacation is a staycation.  A staycation can recharge your batteries as well - provided you don't check in about work. You're particularly blessed if you live in Beaufort County, South Carolina.  A staycation here means you can explore one of the richest, longest, and broadest local history chronologies in this country. (As Dr. Rowland says, "All American history begins in Beaufort, South Carolina.")

Visit one or more of our National Historic Register sites. Go to one of our local museums.

When it comes to natural beauty, Beaufort County is very hard to beat.  Our vistas of marshland are stunning. Plus, if you're a local, the smell of pluff mud is invigorating.  Nature is all around us in abundance. Go crabbing.  Go fishing.  Go kayaking.  Catch some rays at one of our beaches. Hunting Island is always fun.  Learn a little about our native flora and fauna.

The Art and Music scene is happening!  Take in a show.  Listen to a musical combo in a local night club. Catch a concert. Visit an art gallery. When it comes to the arts, Beaufort County has active groups!

April Dyckman, of the Get Rich Slowly blog, offers suggestions on how to identify interesting and inexpensive places and activities in your own backyard.  But, I'd like to add a little local spin:  
Eat Sleep Play Beaufort is a great website from which to identify local events and for restaurant reviews. 

50 Things to Do In Beaufort, Free Things to do in Hilton Head  or 101 Things to Do on Hilton Head (not all are free) and Bluffton SC Free Things to Do are good places to start.

Pick up one of the many free magazines and newspapers in the lobbies of the branch libraries.  They almost invariably have a calendar of events and programs.

And don't forget to use that Historical Markers Database.  Beaufort County has more historical markers than any other county in South Carolina.  You'll have plenty to visit.

Repeating:  While I am away, Charmaine is at the BDC Research Room desk to assist you 10 to Noon; 1 pm - 5 pm, July 23rd - August 13th.  The Research Room will be closed Noon until 1 pm for Charmaine to get her lunch.

Gerhard Spieler, 1920 - 2012

Last updated on 17 October 2022. -- Grace Cordial

Local historian, Gerhard Spieler, died July 14th, [2012].  He was an advocate for the Beaufort District Collection through the years. Charmaine and I shall miss him. 

Mr. Spieler was always a gentleman. I always enjoyed our conversations about the people, places, and themes of our local history. Age had slowed his body, but not his curiosity. He gave us a topical index to his many local history articles in the Beaufort Gazette newspaper and other publications a number of years ago. And, of course, you can read all his articles on the newspaper microfilm that we have here in the BDC. Copies of his books are in the "Forever Collection" and in our local history sections.  His legacy will endure. Requiescat in pace, dear sir.

The Island Packet/Beaufort Gazette ran an article about his life on  Mon., July 16th [2012].  According to his death notice, services will be held Tuesday, July 24th. 

The Find-A-Grave website has a synopsis of his accomplishments and accolades. 

SRP ends July 21st

We hope that you took advantage of one or more of our SRP activities in June and July.  Time is running out.  Get those reviews in today!  Summer Reading Program ends Saturday, July 21st.

Have you taken advantage of our recently introduced e-books service?  Visit the library's homepage to learn more the choices made available 3M e-books. 

Heads up: The Research Room will be closed Noon to 1 pm from Mon., July 23rd through Mon., August 13th.

Free Genealogy Workshop in Hampton on July 28th

Genealogy can easily cross county borders - particularly since Beaufort District was the mother of current day Beaufort, Hampton and Jasper Counties.  The Hampton County Genealogy Society is offering a free workshop on July 28th.  Online flyer.  Contact the HCGS at 803-943-5484 if you have questions. 

Major Library System Project Unfolds Soon

This is a system-wide exploration of Afghanistan, its peoples, culture, and its relationship with the United States and other countries.  Three books were chosen by the Programming Team as keystones to our discussions and events (for all ages) relating to this mesmerizing country and culture:

• Gayle Lemmon, The Dressmaker of Khair Khana (Adult Readers)
  
• Fabio Geda, In the Sea There Are Crocodiles (Young Adult and Adult Readers)
  
• Tony O'Brien, Afghan Dreams: Young Voices of Afghanistan (Children)
  

Although the scope and mission of the BDC doesn't usually include connections to mid-eastern cultures, we are a unit of the Library system.  Therefore, the Beaufort District Collection is contributing to this system-wide effort in several ways:

1. We are promoting the project through BDC social media.
2. We are designing and installing "History of Tea in Human Culture" displays for four of the branch libraries during September.  Library staff are sharing some of their personal tea paraphernalia in these displays.  
3. Child labor is a theme of In the Sea There are Crocodiles.  The BDC@ The Branches series includes a presentation about "Child Labor in Beaufort District" at two of our branch libraries.  Attend to learn more about local industries that used children as a significant part of their labor forces well into the 1930s.  The BDC@ The BDC session is set for Aug. 23rd; a reprise will be held in Bluffton Branch on Sept. 13th.

Details forthcoming via the Library's homepage about the myriad program opportunities in this project. "One County Reads One Country" has been made possible through a Library Services and Technology Act grant awarded to the Beaufort County Library and administered by the South Carolina State Library. 

Reminder: The BDC Research Room will be closed during lunchtime (Noon to 1 pm) starting Mon., July 23rd - Mon., Aug. 13th.

Obituaries in South Carolina

Interested in finding obituaries in other parts of South Carolina but don't know where to start? 

Use the "South Carolina Obituary Resources" page on the State Library's website to explore your options.   Dennis Adams, former Information Services Coordinator (retired), Debbie Bloom (Richland County Public Library) and I designed the project over lunch at a SC Library Association conference back in 2007.  The South Carolina State Library very generously agreed to host the site for us on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina.  While the obituaries are not posted online, the site tells you how to get obituaries in most of the state's counties.

The direct link is http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/south-carolina-obituary-resources.

Time Is Running Out on Summer Reading Program

Have you done your summer reading yet?  There's still time to participate.   Printed book, electronic book, audio book:  whatever format suits you suits us for the purpose of being a participant.  Non-fiction, fiction, a bosom-busting novel, or urban lit:  we don't care what you read, just that you read something you'd like to read.  Libraries are all about letting our customers select their own materials.  Just get those reviews in by July 21st to be registered for the prize drawing!

If you are interested in learning more about our local history, check out these titles from our Local History sections:  

Tombee: Portrait of a Cotton Planter by Ted Rosengarten;  
Great Sea Island Storm of 1893 by Bill and Fran Marscher;
Wicked Beaufort by Alexia Helsley;  
William Elliott's Carolina Sports;  
Coffin Point: The Strange Cases of Ed McTeer, Witchdoctor Sheriff  by Baynard Woods; and
Jackpot by Jason Ryan. 

Reminder:  The Research Room will be closing for lunch from Mon., July 23rd - Mon., August 13th due to staff shortage.  Please make your plans to take a mid-day break when BDC staff does.

New Classes - Introduction to the 1940 Census

To help illuminate the ways and means of census taking, and how to put a census to the test of extracting information about an ancestor (or yourself, if you happen to be older than 72 years old), the BDC is going on the road in August.  We will be offering two "Introduction to the 1940 Census Workshop" sessions in the BCL system's Branch Libraries.  

Don't delay.  Classes fill up quickly.  Registration will close as soon as we reach our limit per location.       

Wed., August 15th: The Introduction to the 1940 Census Workshop will be held at the St. Helena Branch Library, 1025 Sea Island Parkway, from 4:00 - 6:00 pm. Registration is required as seating is very limited for this workshop. 

 To register for the STH Branch Library session:  E-mail mbenac@bcgov.net; Call 255-6486; or Sign up in person at the STH Branch Library desk.  

Wed., August 29th: The Introduction to the 1940 Census Workshop will be held at the Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Way, from 2:30 - 3:30 pm. Registration is required as seating is very limited for this workshop.

To register for the BLU Branch Library session:  E-mail fdenton@bcgov.net; Call 255-6503; or Sign up in person at the BLU Branch Library Reference desk.  

 

Upcoming Schedule Change at Lunchtime

Because of a known upcoming BDC staff shortage, the Research Room will be closed from Noon until 1 pm from Mon., July 23rd - Mon., August 13th.  We're giving you a heads-up now so you can prepare for the change.

Come visit the Research Room 10 am until Noon; go grab a bite to eat and clear your brain; then return at 1pm and you can stay hard at work until 5 pm - if you so choose.

Status of 1940 US Census Indexing

Ancestry Library Edition has completed and posted an index to 1940 Census taken in six more states.  You can now search for people by name in the following states: Colorado, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Maine, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia.  Access to ALE is available through any public access computer at our branch libraries. 

Ancestry.com has promised to keep access to its indexed 1940 Census records free to the general public until 2013.    

Family Search has indexed a total of 32 states - including Alaska and Hawaii -- which became states in 19 years after the 1940 census. The orange colored states have online searchable indexes.   Other states, such as South Carolina, are still being indexed.   

If you'd like to know more about how to use the 1940 census, register for one of our BDC@ The Branches August classes at either St. Helena Branch Library (Aug. 15th) or Bluffton Branch Library (Aug. 29th). Only a few slots are available.  Sign up today.

Got a Little Time to Spare? Volunteer for a Focus Group.

Volunteers are still needed for the Focus Groups preceding the launch of the Library's "One County Reads One Country" project.

You can help us measure the impact of this grant funded project by sharing what you already know about Afghanistan as part of the pre-survey.  Your knowledge can range from neophyte to expert.  We won't be "testing" you or assigning grades.  We just need a baseline to begin the evaluation portion of the project.

At the conclusion of the project in October, we'd like to be able to compare pre-project knowledge and understanding of Afghani culture, history, and current events with your post-project knowledge of understanding of Afghani culture, history, and current events. We need your help to do so. 

Please step up and volunteer to help Beaufort County Library continue to provide relevant, thought-provoking, and timely programming for all our residents.   

Reminder: Scheduled Closing on the 4th

All units of the Beaufort County Library will be closed on Wed., July 4th.  Regular hours resume Thurs., July 5th.  Enjoy the fireworks!

Summer Reading for Adults Continues

It's not too late to register and participate in the Adult Summer Reading program!  All it takes is one review of a book you read or heard on an MP3 player, CD player, or even on old-fashioned cassette tapes to be registered for the ending prize. Program ends July 21st.

Here are a few titles in our local history sections that you might want to consider:  Tombee: Portrait of a Cotton Planter by Ted Rosengarten; Great Sea Island Storm of 1893 by Bill and Fran Marscher; Wicked Beaufort by Alexia Helsley; William Elliott's Carolina Sports; Coffin Point: The Strange Cases of Ed McTeer, Witchdoctor Sheriff  by Baynard Woods; and Jackpot by Jason Ryan. 

Check the SRP calendar for events you (or your children and teens) might like to attend.