Cobb County Publishes Cemetery Volume

COBB COUNTY PUBLISHES CEMETERY VOLUME

The cemeteries of Cobb County, Georgia have been the subject of three volumes published by the Cobb County Genealogical Society. The third, and last, volume, “COBB COUNTY GEORGIA CEMETERIES, VOLUME III” is subtitled “Marietta National Cemetery”. The volume was edited by Mimi Jo Butler and funded in part by the R. J. Taylor, Foundation. The book includes an important introduction and map to help one understand how to use it and especially how the cemetery came to be where it is. A chapter is devoted to the Cole family who gave the land. Many burials were moved here from other locations, including those of Gov. and Mrs. John Clark who were buried in the 1830s near present-day Panama City, Florida, and reburied here in 1923. Section Two contains an alphabetical list of the Union soldiers from the Civil War who were reinterred here. Section Three is an alphabetical list of interments after the Civil War. Each entry includes the dates of birth, death, interment, war, rank, and location. Remarks are included if on the grave. Some wives are also buried here with their spouse. The fourth and final section is a page of memorials and their date of placement. These honor people buried elsewhere or with unknown burials. There are also brief corrections for the society’s other two cemetery volumes. This is an important end to the series of cemetery volumes which will help this fast growing county to recognize the historic burials and be better able to protect them. The book includes around 17,000 burials, from Revolutionary War veterans to recent ones. It is available for $45 plus $5 shipping and $2.25 Georgia sales tax from the Cobb County, GA, Genealogical Society, P.O.Box 1413, Marietta, Ga. 30061-1413.

COBB SOCIETY

The Cobb County, Georgia, Genealogical Society, has in its short existence become one of the strongest and most prolific genealogical societies. Not only has it accomplished the three-volume cemetery set mentioned above, but it also holds monthly meetings, offers a computer interest group, supports the Georgia Room at the Cobb Central Library in Marietta, and publishes a very good genealogical quarterly. The “Family Tree Quarterly” is now into its fourth volume. Issues this year covered the 1848 Cobb tax digest, abstracts from newspapers, marriages from 1865-1938, records of black citizens, queries from members, and a potpourri of news from other societies and quarterlies. Anyone joining the society gets the quarterly. Contact them at P.O.Box 1413, Marietta, Ga. 30061-1413 or Jack Nunn, president, at 427-7028.

LADSON LIBRARY

The Ladson Library in Vidalia has recently acquired all of the files from the Leonardo Andrea family. The completion of this acquisition has been long anticipated. Andrea was a noted South Carolina genealogist until his death. The library has also recently published a new edition of their “Family History Bibliography” listing the family histories in the collection with a surname-only index. The library is a must for anyone seeking a good genealogy research spot. It is located at 119 Church St., Vidalia, Ga. 30474.

BLACK GENEALOGISTS PUBLISH THEIR HISTORIES

The number of African-Americans who are researching their genealogies has grown every year since the publication of “Roots” and the subsequent television show in 1977. Locally, two genealogists have just published their family histories as a culmination of years of research. Del Egan Jupiter has written “Agustina of Spanish West Florida and Her Descendants” including the related families of Eagan, Kelker, Palmer, and Taylor. The book is an expansion of her article on the same family which appeared in the National Genealogical Society’s “Quarterly” in December, 1992 and won a national award from the society. The book includes an amazingly researched story of a slave woman, Agustina, who came to Pensacola. The book contains copies of original documents, family photographs, footnotes and references and an easy-to-follow family numbering system. There is a full-name index. Mrs. Jupiter’s work not only presents a story that would fascinate any historian or genealogist, but also shows that black history “can be done!”. Published through Genealogy Publishing Service of Franklin, N.C., the books is $30 postpaid from the author, 123 Kittrell Dr. SW, Atlanta, Ga. 30331.

“Collier Connections from Europe to Morgan County, Georgia” is the work of Mildred Collier Walton. The author begins her story with a white French ancestor named Coliere and traces his lineage down, with footnotes and sources, to Edward Collier the probable father of her own Albert Collier. By this time the family is in Abbeville, S.C. The author has created the setting of the times when her ancestors are first identified in the records of the plantations where they lived and what the era was like. She discusses the interracial nature of the family and its progress toward freedom. Many family pictures are included, even some that are nearly a century old. Her final chapter, “Conclusions” helps the reader focus on the author’s goals and whether she met them or not and the areas still to be researched or debated. There is a full-name index. Again, this work shows that an African-American family history can be compiled. It is a work that any family would be proud to own, and a goal any researcher should be attempting to produce. This book was also published through Genealogy Publishing Service of Franklin, N.C. It is available from the author, Mildred Walton, 1176 Oakcrest Dr. SW, Atlanta, Ga. 30311.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

Anyone interested in starting work on their family history who has African-American ancestors should contact the African-American Family History Association, P.O.Box 115268, Atlanta, Ga. 30310. They have frequent research-topic meetings, take research tours, publish an extensive newsletter, and give help to new members. A solid organization that has operated for 15 years, the members can give needed help to anyone working on a black family history, be he beginner or advanced. Herman “Skip” Mason, editor, is at Digging It Up, Atlanta, at 688-6509.

FOREIGN RESEARCH GUIDES REPRINTED

Foreign research is a necessity if one is going to trace a family outside of the United States. Angus Baxter began a series of research guides over ten years ago that he has now brought up to date with new editions. The four volumes of his “In Search Of” series covers British and Irish Roots, European Roots, German Roots, and Canadian Roots. Each book has starting tips, explores the history and records keeping of the country or its earlier components, discusses archives and libraries, where they are located and how to visit or correspond by mail. All volumes are fully indexed. The European volume has chapters from Albania to Yugoslavia. While more is needed if that country is the source of your roots, the book’s chapters are at least a start. Other research guides as well as local genealogical associations are listed where applicable. The Canadian volume has a chapter for each of the provinces, and at 350 pages is the largest. Earlier editions are at many genealogical libraries. The new ones are available from Genealogical Publishing Co., 1001 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, Md. 21202. The German volume is $11.95, the others $16.95 each, all paperback, $3 postage for one book, $1 for each additional one.

ENGLISH RESEARCH

Joy Wade Moulton, a fellow genealogy columnist and one of the founders of the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History, compiled “Genealogical Resources in English Repositories” in 1988 with a 1992 supplement. I have recently used this book in conjunction with records available on microfilm through the Mormons’ Family History Center. The book is a great guide as to which records are found at a certain repository, such as the Society of Genealogists in London, and then the author marks which of those records are available on microfilm via the Mormons. The book has opened up a number of new sources for me. It is organized county by county, repository by repository. There is not much text to be read. There are maps which help one understand how London is divided up. The supplement ($4.75 plus $1 postage) brings the addresses and fees up to date. For information contact Hampton House, P.O.Box 21534, Columbus, Ohio 43221.

POLAND and RUSSIA

Atlantan Gary Palgon, V.P. of the Jewish Genealogical Society, has written that he has just returned from a genealogy research trip to Europe where he searched for his own ancestry in what is now Poland and the former Soviet republic of Belarus. He found that he had already had access to some Polish microfilm in the U.S. and thus saved time on his trip. At the National Archives of Belarus, he was shown original materials dating to the 1790s. Anyone interested in these two countries might contact him for advice at 2700 Claridge Ct., Atlanta, Ga. 30360.

TENNESSEE’S FIRST FAMILIES

To honor Tennessee’s 200th anniversary of statehood in 1996, the East Tennessee Historical Society has begun “First Families of Tennessee” to be made of direct descendants of anyone living there when it became a state. For details, contact the East Tenn. Historical Society, P.O.Box 1629, Knoxville, Tenn. 37901.

COUNTY RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE

The publication of county records helps researchers find many more important clues within the documents that cannot be found through a normal, often incomplete, index. All of the following have been published with the help of the R. J. Taylor Foundation.

Campbell County is one of two Georgia counties which were merged in 1932, the other being Milton, whose county seat was Alpharetta. To make access greater to the records of this county and to remind researchers that it existed and needs to be searched there is a new book. “Campbell County, Georgia, Superior court Deeds and Mortgages, Grantee-Grantor Index, 1829-1931” has been published by the Old Campbell County Historical Society. The information cited is the names of people selling and buying land, the deed book and page. The date must be inferred from another list. This book is the only full deed index covering all the deeds of one county. By looking through it one can learn a lot about the peculiarities of deed indexing. Such as the many “plats” indexed under “P” rather than the subject, and many institutions indexed in odd ways. The book may be ordered from the Old Campbell County Historical Society, P.O.Box 342, Fairburn, Ga. 30213. They also have eleven other volumes of records available from then. Send a stamped, self-addressed envelope for a list.

Deeds are also the topic of works on Henry and Houston Counties. Both counties have active genealogical societies which are continuing with ongoing series. “Henry County, Georgia, Land Records, 1839-1851, Deed Books J, K, L, and M” , done by the prolific Freida Turner, is available from the Genealogical Society of Henry and Clayton Counties, P.O.Box 1296, McDonough, Ga. 30253.

“Land Records of Houston County, Georgia, 1834-1836, Volume IV” has been published by the Central Georgia Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 2420, Warner Robins, Ga. 31099-2024. Each society has a long list of available publications and anyone researching in these areas should be aware of their many efforts and should send for a list of other publications or look for them at the Georgia Archives or other libraries. The indepth indexing of these records produce information on many of our Georgia ancestors who may have owned land but never lived in these counties. They also may have served as witnesses, and thus this could be a valuable reference point, or perhaps one of the few proofs of their existence.

Madison County Probate

“Madison County, GA Probate Records, 1812-ca.1870” , prepared by Amy Warren Sanders, is an alphabetical index of the names of persons who appear in a myriad of records from the Probate Court including both its predecessors, the Court of Ordinary and the Inferior Court. One still has to use the original records at the courthouse or the Georgia Archives on microfilm. It is available for $15 postpaid plus 5% sales tax from Heritage Papers, Box 7776, Athens, Ga. 30604.

UDC BEGINS CENTENNIAL YEAR WITH PUBLICATIONS

The United Daughters of the Confederacy, Georgia Division, founded on November 8, 1895, begins the celebration of its centennial year with a convention in Savannah October 6-10. During this year the UDC will celebrate its accomplishments achieved over its first century and discuss projects for its second century. The organization has just completed its 10-volume “Ancestor Roster” which includes biographical information on the ancestors of its members. The set sells for $350 postpaid. Copies have been placed at 30 libraries statewide. They are working on a computerization of cemetery records of all Confederate soldiers buried in Georgia. As a special centennial project they have reprinted the six volumes of Lillian Henderson’s “Roster of Confederate Soldiers in Georgia, 1861-1865” originally published in the early 1960s as well as the later index volume. These books contain the names of 80,000 infantrymen. Sold as a set only, the cost is $235 postpaid. Another work is a book of poetry: “Across the River, A Celebration of the Georgia Division’s Centennial”, a 90-page work of poetry submitted by members. For further information, or to place orders, contact Mrs. John A. Dunaway, 1604 Executive Park Lane, N.E., Atlanta, Ga. 30329-3115.
Note 2010: Mrs. Dunaway died in 2006. UDC Publications may be ordered from that address, c/o Georgia Division Treasurer.

OTHER CONFEDERATE SOURCES

“1864 Georgia Militia Lists for the Re-Organization of the State Militia” is a series whose publication has just begun by Nancy J. Cornell. The first volume covers Appling through Bibb Counties. This list is often referred to as the “Joe Brown Census” for Georgia’s wartime governor during whose administration it was taken. It contains the names, ages, occupations, some birth places, and reasons the men listed were not expected to serve in the armed forces, although many joined up shortly after the census was made. Many were over age, some had occupational deferments, like Joel Chandler Harris who worked at a newspaper. Cornell’s work lists the men in alphabetical order by district within the county. When the series is completed, there will be a comprehensive index. This list is one of the most important sources for Georgia Civil War research and should always be checked by researchers. Before the author’s work is complete, one must use the microfilm at the Georgia Department of Archives and History including the card index. After publication, this series will make the source available to more researchers nationwide. This book is available for $16 postpaid from Nancy J. Cornell, 1661 Lauranceae Way, Riverdale, Ga. 30296.
Note 2010: Mrs. Cornell now lives in Fairburn, Ga.

LUNCH AND LEARN

The Georgia Archives has the following scheduled for their Lunch and Learn series in October. All lectures are held from 12 noon-1 PM and attendees can bring their lunch. Call 656-2350.

Thursday, October 20: Robert S. Davis, Jr., will lecture on Georgia’s Military Records.