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Latest Standard Edition Articles

  • Wallace State Genealogy Collection moving to Cullman County Museum

    25 Jun 2025 8:18 AM | Anonymous

    Wallace State Community College and the City of Cullman (Alabama) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will transfer the college’s Genealogy Collection to the Cullman County Museum, where it will be more available to those who wish to research family history, local and Cullman-area history.

    Ownership of the collection will remain with Wallace State, however, the partnership with the Cullman County Museum is a natural fit and fully supports both the college’s and museum’s missions. In addition to being located in the heart of Cullman, the move will also place the collection next to the Cullman County Public Library, which will allow researchers and the general public alike to access the City of Cullman’s extensive library resources.

    “This is a great opportunity to share our genealogy collection with the public and help preserve the history of Cullman County families and communities,” said Wallace State Community College President Dr. Vicki Karolewics. “We are excited to house this important collection in the center of our community.”

    Over the years, the Genealogy Collection has been carefully built by generations of librarians who have focused on gathering family histories, local records, photographs, books and periodicals, and other unique and rare materials in both printed and microfilm formats. The collection is a critical component in learning about the history and ancestry of Cullman County and the surrounding area. The partnership with the Cullman County Museum will be mutually beneficial, and by partnering with the Cullman County Public Library, the genealogy collection and rare documents will be easily accessible to anyone interested in family history and the local area.

    “The City of Cullman is excited to welcome the Wallace State genealogy collection to the Cullman County Museum,” said Mayor Woody Jacobs. “This collection is a wonderful resource that will help us all learn more about Cullman’s history and better understand the rich history of families and communities that live in and around Cullman.”

    As part of the MOU, the Cullman County Museum will act as the repository for the Genealogy Collection and ensure access to the public. Museum staff will be available to assist researchers and visitors in finding the materials they need, and Wallace State will provide guidance and curation of the collection. The Wallace State Library will remain open to the public until the collection is relocated, which is scheduled to take place during the 2025-2026 academic year.

    Hours of operation for the collection will be the same as the museum’s, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

  • National Archives to Display Rare Declaration of Independence-Related Documents

    25 Jun 2025 8:08 AM | Anonymous

    The following is an announcement written by the (U.S.) National Archives and Records Administration:

    Historical treasures will be displayed from July 3 to July 6; extended hours available

    WASHINGTON, June 24, 2025 – From Thursday, July 3, through Sunday, July 6, 2025, to celebrate Independence Day, the National Archives will display several historic documents related to the Declaration of Independence, including Richard Henry Lee’s June 7, 1776, resolution calling for independence and a July 5, 1776, original Dunlap Broadside first-edition printing of the Declaration of Independence.

    These five rarely-displayed documents–exhibited together for the first time ever–will be displayed alongside the original Declaration of Independence in the National Archives Rotunda as part of the newly-launched Opening the Vault exhibition series. 

    The National Archives Museum in Washington, DC, will be open for extended hours July 3 to 6 from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m ET. Admission to the Museum is free. Timed entry tickets are encouraged but not required. Visitors are encouraged to go to visit.archives.gov to learn more about the museum experience.

    The special display will include:

    Richard Henry Lee was a Virginia Delegate to the Second Continental Congress. Lee introduced this resolution, which proposed independence for the American colonies. The Lee Resolution contained three parts: a declaration of independence, a call to form foreign alliances, and a “plan for confederation.” On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the first part of Lee’s resolution, leading to the issuance of the Declaration of Independence and the creation of the United States of America.

    This document records the proceeding in which the Continental Congress voted to declare independence. The words of the resolution are echoed in the Declaration of Independence. The bottom half of the document lists the 12 colonies that voted “aye;” the 13th colony, New York, abstained, awaiting approval to cast a vote from the newly elected New York Convention. 

    This is the first printing of the Declaration of Independence. After the Second Continental Congress voted for independence, the delegates tasked printer John Dunlap to print about 200 copies of the final text. Working through the afternoon and evening of July 4 and into the next day, these broadsides were quickly dispatched throughout the country. Now known as the “Dunlap Broadsides,” most of the 26 extant copies belong to institutions in the United States and the United Kingdom. 

    Numerous ceremonial copies of the Declaration of Independence were created in the aftermath of the War of 1812. In 1818, engraver Benjamin Tyler published his ceremonial engraving. He dedicated it to the Declaration’s principal author, Thomas Jefferson, and included an attestation by the acting Secretary of State Richard Rush, son of signer Benjamin Rush, that it was a correct copy. The National Park Service estimates that Tyler produced 1,700 copies. The National Archives has one copy of the Tyler Engraving. 

    During the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976, at the request of the National Archives, master printer Angelo LoVecchio at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing made a printing from William Stone’s 1823 copper engraving plate of the Declaration of Independence. This was the first use of the engraving plate since the 1890s, and the last print run ever made. LoVecchio made six impressions, five of which are held in the National Archives and one in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. 

  • Montrose Mansion Receives an Anonymous Donation

    25 Jun 2025 7:58 AM | Anonymous

    Curators with the Maryland Military Department’s Maryland Museum of Military History processed items donated by an anonymous source to be exhibited at the Montrose Mansion on Camp Fretterd Military Reservation in Reisterstown, Maryland on June 6, 2025. More than 40 objects of varying historical significance were curated, including furniture, china and silverware, paintings, music sheets and more.

    “This collection of items, many of which have a connection to Maryland’s storied families, was donated to help advance the Maryland Military Department’s mission of celebrating Maryland’s rich history and in honor of our incredible leadership of today and the Maryland National Guard and its service members who continue to stand watch, ready to protect and defend our freedoms,” said the anonymous donor.

    CFMR hosts several Maryland National Guard units, and the MMD is tasked with upkeeping its grounds and facilities. One of those facilities is the Montrose Mansion, a 19th century mansion purchased by the state of Maryland in the 1920s to be used as a juvenile educational facility. Today, the mansion is used to host events.

    “The items are true antiques, period antiques closer to the originals that would have actually been in the mansion, which lends a prestige to the whole operation,” said MMD’s Barbara Taylor, museum director, Maryland Museum of Military History. “Everyone thinks of the military as military uniforms, guns, and military protocol, but it has a softer side. They care about their history. And the fact that this was donated to the MDNG shows that they actually care about art and history of Maryland.”

    Donating antiques wasn’t the only thing the anonymous source had to offer the Montrose Mansion; they also provided their own interior design skills to help display the items.

    “It was a very different collection to handle only because it requires the additional need of decorating a house with pieces, which is completely different than decorating a museum,” said MMD’s Alexandra Reed, archivist trainee, Maryland Museum of Military History. “Thankfully, the donor had an idea of where to put certain things, which was very nice.”

    To go even further, the donor even appraised the artifacts.

    “The artifacts were incredibly well researched and delivered to us by the donor,” said MMD’s Richard Morain, museum volunteer, Maryland Museum of Military History. “They gave us an understanding of the provenance of exactly what it is we are working with, as well as the time period that it is from. And in some cases, they even gave us links to why certain pieces would be a good fit for the Montrose Mansion.”

    Reflecting on the impact of community support in local history, Taylor highlighted the importance of public generosity in preserving our heritage.

    “Museums and even the Maryland National Guard at large, in the case of the mansion, cannot exist without the generosity of the general public, especially those who recognize a need and address it,” said Taylor. “We are really indebted to those that are generous and care enough about their city, county, or state’s history to make sure that it is maintained.”

  • Uncovering America's Forgotten War With Newly Digitized Korean War Draft Cards

    24 Jun 2025 10:20 AM | Anonymous

    The following is a press release written by Abcestry.com:

    Seventy-five years after the start of the Korean Conflict, America’s “Forgotten War” remains just that: under-taught and often missing from the pages of U.S. history lessons. In fact, a new survey* from Ancestry reveals that 70% of Americans don’t know enough about the Korean War to explain it to someone, though 80% say they’d be more interested if they had a personal family connection. 

    Continued Partnership Brings Military Records to Light 

    Ancestry has collaborated with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to make important record collections searchable and viewable online for the first time. By digitizing these records, Ancestry customers can uncover critical pieces of their family's stories. This expansion continues a five-year commitment by Ancestry to digitize, catalog, and make available tens of millions of NARA records to the public.

    This joint effort has resulted in the online publication of two million newly digitized Korean War-era draft cards, spanning the years 1948 to 1959. Using advanced, proprietary AI handwriting recognition technology from Ancestry, this collection includes 2M more records from 17 states and territories featuring information like the names, birthdates, next of kin details, previous service information, and physical descriptions of men aged 18-25 who were eligible to be drafted for 21 months of military service (aligned with the Selective Service Act of 1948).

    The broader collection includes draft cards belonging to cultural luminaries such as baseball legend Yogi Berra, acclaimed actor Warren Beatty, and legendary musician Marvin Gaye. These records offer a rare look into the early lives of individuals who helped shape American culture – and remind us that behind every “forgotten” historical event is a real human story. 

    Those seeking to explore this historical period or trace their family's connection to the military can access the new collection on Ancestry with a U.S. Discovery subscription. Explore the expanded collection of Korean War Era Draft Cards to unlock meaningful family history discoveries.

  • Othram IDs the ‘Girl with the Turquoise Jewelry’ After Nearly 50 Years

    24 Jun 2025 10:15 AM | Anonymous

    In June 1979, an unknown female was found on an embankment between the Juniata River and the eastbound lanes of Route 22/322 in Watts Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania. The woman’s remains were estimated to be a white female aged between 15 and 30 years old with light brown to blonde, medium length hair. Investigators estimated that the victim was 5’6” tall and weighed 125 pounds. The cause of death could not be determined. However, investigators categorized the case as a suspicious death because of the circumstances of the find.

    The victim was found with multiple pieces of turquoise jewelry including a ring, necklace and a pair of earrings. 

    She also had an onyx ring and a ring with turquoise and onyx with probable Southwest Native American connections and probably coming from the New Mexico/Arizona area. The victim was buried at the time of her discovery.

    After more than 40 years, the investigation into the woman’s death was effectively stalled and the victim became known as “Perry County Jane Doe” and “Girl with the Turquoise Jewelry”.

    In 2008, the victim’s remains were exhumed so that DNA could be extracted from her remains. In 2009, the details of the unknown person’s case were added to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP5166. A forensic sketch was also created to depict what the victim may have looked like in life. In 2015, isotope testing by the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute provided further insight into the woman. The isotope testing showed that the victim had likely been in the Southwest United States in the months before her death and that her teeth suggested she likely grew up in the Great Lakes region, possibly in Southern Canada.

    In 2023, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Perry County District Attorney’s Office contacted Othram with the hope that the advanced DNA testing would provide enough evidence to identify the “Girl with the Turquoise Jewelry”.

    Othram scientists developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a DNA profile of the unknown woman. Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile to start a genealogical search to generate new leads in the investigation.

    With the new evidence, a follow-up investigation was initiated. Investigators were led to potential relatives of the woman and the DNA profile of the Jane Doe was compared with the DNA profile of a potential relative. Othram’s KinSNP Rapid Relationship Testing confirmed the relation and helped the investigators identify the woman as Doris Joanne Girtz of Ravenna/Streetsboro, Ohio. Girtz would have been 23 years old when she disappeared.

    A portion of the costs associated with this case were funded by law enforcement with the remaining funds being crowd-funded by the public through a DNASolves crowdfund.

    The investigation into the circumstances of Girtz’s disappearance is ongoing and anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the Pennsylvania State Police by calling 717-671-7500 and referencing case number H5-0149355.

    The identification of Doris Girtz is the 11th case in the State of Pennsylvania where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology from Othram.

  • National Archive News

    24 Jun 2025 10:08 AM | Anonymous

    The following announcement was written by thw (U.S.) National Archives and Records Administration:

    America250 Film Screening

    Join the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, NY, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, for the first program in its America250 Film Series: a screening of the Academy Award-nominated film 1776. The film is a musical celebration of the founding of the United States based on the award-winning Broadway production.

    Register online for your free tickets to this in-person event.
    roosevelts statue

    The Art of the Abolitionist Movement

    On Wednesday, June 25 at 6 p.m. CT, the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum will welcome Aston Gonzalez, Ph.D. to the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts in Little Rock, AR, for a conversation on his book, "Visualizing Equality: African American Rights and Visual Culture in the Nineteenth Century." The book details how daguerreotypes, lithographs, cartes de visite, and steam printing presses enabled artists to advocate for social reform, including the Abolitionist Movement.

    “Visualizing Equality" is one of two public programs being held in conjunction with the Arkansas Civic Education Institute, an annual week-long professional development opportunity for 4th-12th-grade teachers. These programs are the first in the Clinton Presidential Center Commemorates America250 series, which is dedicated to exploring the history of the United States

    Register here for your free tickets to this in-person event.
    abolitionist-june-25-eventbrite

    From the Stacks: Private Pagett

    Private Pagett was the Marine Corps bulldog mascot–his “fingerprints” are part of his Marine Corps Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). He was a gift from the Royal Marines of Great Britain, following the death of Sgt. Major Jiggs in 1927. Private Pagett enlisted on June 27, 1927, and represented the Marine Corps proudly until his death on May 5, 1928. 

    The National Archives at St. Louis also houses OMPFs for several other military mascots, including Marine Corps bulldogs Sergeant Major Jiggs I, Sergeant Major Jiggs II, Sergeant Major Jiggs III, Sergeant Jiggs IV, and Archibald Greenkins.
    privatepagett-ompf-photo

    A photograph of Private Pagett from his Official Military Personnel File. NAID: 405193918

  • WWII Soldier Identified 80 Years Later Through DNA

    23 Jun 2025 8:03 AM | Anonymous

    During a bombing mission in late 1944, 21-year-old U.S. Army Air Forces Tech.Sgt. Clarence E. Gibbs of Charlotte, N.C., was aboard a B-17G “Flying Fortress” when the plane was hit by enemy fighters and the crew of nine bailed out. One was found dead near the crash site, five were captured and taken as German POW’s and three, including Gibbs, were unaccounted for.

    When no records of the three were found in the Department of Defense POW/Missing in Action Agency (DPAA) records, which searches for and recovers fallen personnel in Europe, the agency started looking at crash and burial sites in the area.

    Meanwhile, while family was doing their genealogy, Ann Gillespie, raised in Laurens as Elizabeth Ann Merck, submitted her DNA to Ancestry.com. She and her cousin, Cindy Sanders of Laurens, knew they had a great-uncle who died in World War II but had little information on his life. Gibbs was her grandmother’s brother. 

    “I got a call a few years after I did that and they told me they were researching it. I really didn’t think much of it. I didn’t think they’d find anything,” Gillespie said. “My grandmother and mom had always said he died in a plane crash over the Rhine. Thank God she didn’t know what really happened.”

    Gillespie said every few years she’d get a phone call or a letter telling her the latest status of their search. In March of 2025, she got a call that was stunning.DPAA had found and identified Gibbs’ remains. 

    “I was really surprised. We never thought they’d find him and we definitely didn’t know the whole story,” Gillespie said.

    Research indicated the three remaining unknown U.S. soldiers were captured by SS troops near Kamp-Bornhofen and DPAA started excavation of a burial site in the Kamp-Bornhofen Cemetery. It was there they found Gibbs’ remains. 

    “DPAA said he was likely killed by other prisoners for their possessions. We feel like the SS soldiers would have taken anything of value from them beforehand.Either way, it was December in Germany. They had coats, shoes and warm clothes. We believe they didn’t make it through the night and was then thrown in a hole with other prisoners who had died,” Gillespie said.

    Gibbs is coming home and Gillespie and Sanders, his oldest living relatives today, will see that he gets a proper military burial. At 11 a.m. July 26, Gibbs will be laid to rest at Pinelawn Memorial Garden in Clinton.

    The U.S. military sent Sanders the medals Gibbs would have received and Medals of America in Fountain Inn put a rush order on a custom shadow box to hold the medals. It will be displayed in the Hall of Heroes at the Laurens County Courthouse for 12 months before being returned to the family.

    Gillespie is just glad it all turned out the way it did. “It’s been 80 years. Cindy and I know the story but I don’t know if our children would have known about him. If I hadn’t done the DNA test, I don’t know that DPAA would have ever connected him to us,” Gillespie said. “It’s amazing that our government is still out there looking for them and they said they have found a lot of remains. Half the battle is finding the soldiers family so it’s important to submit DNA for them to connect.”

    This summer, Gibbs’ family can finally bury him and those who come to the cemetery on July 26 can show him the respect and honor he deserves. His name is on the Walls of the Missing at Lorraine American Cemetery, St. Avold, France, along with others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to show he has now been accounted for.

  • LiveMemory™ On The Web is Now Live!

    23 Jun 2025 7:56 AM | Anonymous

    The following announcement was written by MyHeritage:

  • Thousands of Newly Digitized Images Show Oregon Life in the 1900s

    22 Jun 2025 5:32 PM | Anonymous

    The Oregon Historical Society’s Digital Collections have released thousands of historic images taken by Silverton photographer June D. Drake. Drake ran a studio in Silverton, Oregon, in the early 1900s. Before retiring in 1960, he snapped tens of thousands of photos throughout Oregon and Washington. The photos preserve beautifully preserved time capsules of life in the early 1900s.They include studio portraits, community gatherings, church groups, farmers picking crops and just regular Oregonians going about their daily lives.

    Some of the most fascinating images might be those captured on panorama images taken with a Cirkut camera. The Oregon Historical Society’s blog says the Cirkut was unique because the shutter stayed open as the camera rotated on a tripod.

    The blog explains: “This is the first time that OHS staff has been able to digitally capture images like these: OHS’s Digital Collections Photographer Robert Warren carefully unwound the rolls of film to capture one segment at a time, between five and ten frames depending on the length and condition of the item.He then digitally stitched the frames together, which resulted in the images that you see online.” It is all that hard work that pays off when viewed closely.

    The close views show the individual faces posing for a large group photo. The June D. Drake Collection runs from 1900-1952. The collection includes nearly 3,000 original photographic prints and 3,800 original glass and acetate negatives, as well as some early images from other photographers.

    According to OHS, Drake helped establish Silver Falls State Park. For almost three decades, he photographed the falls while creating brochures and booklets promoting the area’s natural beauty. Those images brought state attention to the area and helped protect it from logging.

    Silver Falls became a state park in July of 1931. Because of his efforts, the park’s Drake Falls was named for him.

    In addition to his photography career, Drake was chief of the Silverton Fire Department, a member of the Silverton City Council and founder of the Silverton Historical Society.

    The Drake Collection and thousands of other digitized images held by OHS can be viewed on the Oregon Historical Society Digital Collections website.

    Lloyd Smith bought a box of historic glass plate negatives at a garage sale more than 30 years ago. The box contained hundreds of photos of rural life in Southern Oregon in the early 20th century. The collection offers a rare glimpse into Oregon’s rural communities. This treasure could have been lost, but Smith spent years carefully preserving and digitally scanning each image.

  • RTE Sells ‘Genealogy Roadshow’ Format Rights to PBS for US Remake

    22 Jun 2025 5:13 PM | Anonymous

    In one of its first major international sales, RTE has sold one of its original commissions from Big Mountain Productions – ‘Genealogy Roadshow’, hosted by Derek Mooney – to PBS in the US.

    A new version of the show, where a team of travelling experts piece together ordinary people’s family histories, will go on air in the US in September.

    The show, in which a team of travelling experts piece together ordinary people’s family histories, will go on air in the US in September.

    The company’s US agent Pat Quinn negotiated the deal with PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) in the US, making it the first international license for the format with a number of other territories also in negotiation.

    RTE Commissioning Editor Ray McCarthy said it was RTE’s strategy to support and facilitate Irish companies in developing and exporting ideas that have international potential.

    “It makes us particularly proud to have developed this format with Big Mountain,” he said. “It effectively blends historical detective stories with real emotional reaction from the participants, and has really struck a chord with our audience and we are confident it will do so in the US.”

    Big Mountain Executive Producer Philip McGovern was overjoyed by the news and said the show hit a nerve as everybody wants answers to questions about their own histories to help make sense of their lives today.

    Creator Jane Kelly said they had been developing shows with universal values to connect with audiences anywhere.

    “We’re delighted to be the first to break into the US with an Irish format,” she added.

    The format aired on RTE in summer 2011 and a second season is in production.

    The US version will be produced by Krasnow Productions (‘The Weakest Link’, ‘Average Joe’) and will focus on participants from Nashville, Austin, Detroit and San Francisco.

    Big Mountain Productions is run by husband-and-wife team Jane Kelly and Philip McGovern, former BBC/RTE executive producers whose credits include ‘The Tenements’, ‘Life in the Big House’, ‘Craftmaster’ and ‘Dúshlán – Living the Eviction’.

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