Category: Research tips

Friday Finds: Library of Congress resources for genealogists

~ Dayna Jacobs - "On Granny's Trail" ~ 7 Comments

Library of CongressToday heralds a new feature on “On Granny’s Trail” — Friday Finds. This will be a weekly post about a library or archive I have found especially useful in Western States research, and a few of their collections or website features I am sure you won’t want to miss! Isn’t this exciting?  Yes, I am making fun of myself.  I really do find libraries and archives exciting, and I’m sure you will too once you know of the thrilling things they have hiding there (or have in plain view on their websites.)

Today’s inaugural post features the colossal, prodigious, brobdingnagian, Titanic (having fun with Thesaurus.com and giving a little nod to history) literal Mother-of-All Libraries—the Library of Congress.  Their website can be found at http://www.loc.gov/index.html or just by Googling “loc”.

By the way, for links to many other excellent archives and libraries just mouse over “Archives and Libraries” in the menu at the top of the blog, then click on any of the states in the drop-down list.

Last night I gave a presentation to the Monterey County (California) Genealogical Society http://www.mocogenso.org/  and here are a few of the things they learned to do on the LOC website:

1.  Search the vast holdings for a book, manuscript, or microfilm about a person or place at http://catalog.loc.gov/ and then submit a request for Inter-library loan (ILL) at your public or university library.  They only lend things not available elsewhere, but either way you may be in luck once your librarian is on the prowl.

2.  See which newspapers existed and have been microfilmed in a given locality by clicking http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/search/titles/ and then order them through ILL.  Better yet, find digitized newspapers at http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/newspapers/ and search them by keyword.

3. On the homepage click on American Memory or go to http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html and click on Immigration, American Expansion for a variety of links to first-person narratives for western pioneers, along with maps and photographs.

4.  Check out the amazing map collections, including the Railroad Maps Collection 1828-1900, Civil War Maps, Indian Land Cessions 1784-1894, Panoramic Maps 1847-1929, Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps checklist, early National Atlases, and oh, so many more.  Just click on http://www.loc.gov/rr/geogmap/guides.html

5.  Looking for a picture of an old church or courthouse, or need a photo of life in a certain locality or era?  Search the photographic collection and print or download images at http://www.loc.gov/pictures/

6.  Are you the custodian of your ancestor’s military records, photos, letters, and journals?  Learn how to contribute them to the Veterans History Project to have them preserved and made available to other researchers at http://www.loc.gov/vets/

These are just a few of the gems available on the Library of Congress website.  Once you venture into their collections this site may become one of your favorites for more than just Western States research.  Happy Trails!

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Thomas Gooch Mexican War Pension File

~ Dayna Jacobs - "On Granny's Trail" ~ 2 Comments

Thomas Gooch (widow Verlinda), WC #5820; Mexican War Pension Files; National Archives and Records Administration; Documents dated 1882-1883. Widow’s documents dated 1888.  Copy of original file in possession of Dayna Jacobs.

These are abstracts and extracts of key documents in the file:

On 1 July 1846 he enrolled in Co. G Mounted Regiment, Arkansas Volunteers (Capt. Edward Hunter’s Co., Colonel Yell’s Regiment) at Pariclifta, Sevier Co, AR. They rendevouzed at Washington, Hempstead Co, AR and were mustered into service for the Mexican War. Thomas was 3rd Corporal, while John Hall was 4th Corporal, and A.L. McAfee was first Lt. He says he incurred chronic diarrhea on 23 Feb 1847. Records show that his company was in action at Buena Vista on this date. He also says he lost a finger on his left hand in a charge made by lancers at the battle of Buena Vista. Jan/Feb rollcall records show him absent sick at Saltillo from 9 Feb 1847. He says he was in the hospital about 6 weeks under the care of an Army surgeon. On 27 May he was discharged from Saltillo and reenlisted as a private in Capt. Gaston Meare’s Co. of the Ark Mounted Vols. MOR dated 24 Jun 1848 reports him as deserted at Buena Vista 22 Jan 1848.

Since leaving the service he resided mostly in Llano Co and was a stock raiser.

6 Feb 1882… affidavit signed by A. V. Chism and David Fowler (mark). Witnesses R. A. McInnis and J.S. Atchison.

7 May 1883…affidavit signed by W.M. Owen, M.D. attesting to Thomas’ disability, and saying he treated him in 1850. His P.O. address is Round Rock, Williamson Co, TX.

9 May 1883…affidavit signed by W.A. Blackburn of Burnet, Burnet Co, TX, who was a lawyer and judge in the Llano area, and knew Thomas very well. He states, “I know of no man whose character for truth, honesty and integrity, and love of law and order, and peace in a community, is any better.”

9 May 1883…affidavit signed by W.W. Brooks, personal friend of Thomas. Brooks “resided in the county of Burnet and Sate of Texas and that Burnet in said county and state was his post office address from January 1st 1861 to May 9th 1865 and that he was personally acqainted with Thomas Gooch during all of that period and before and since, and knew him to be an outspoken Union man, and that he did not serve in the Confederate army, did not hold office under, pay taxes to willingly, or in any other manner aid or abetted the Confederate Gov….and that he has good reasons to believe that Thomas Gooch did not vote for secession for the reason that he knows that Thomas Gooch was very bitter against secession and very outspoken against the Confederacy, and that his life was in great danger on account of his Union principles during the above mentioned period, and that he was himself a Union man and loyal to the United States…”

9 May 1883…affidavit signed by G. McFarland… similar to Brooks’ statement.

11 May 1883…affidavit signed by Thomas Gooch says he has been farming on a small scale with the assistance of his children, and working some at the gunsmith trade.

23 May 1883…Court, Llano County.  State of Texas, County of Llano:  “…Personally appeared before the undersigned authority, Thomas Gooch, who being duly sworn upon his oath, declares and says that he was born on the 30th day of August A.D. 1826 in the town of Lexington, County of Fayette (sic), State of Missouri…”   signed E.R. Beeson, County Clerk

7 Nov 1888…Indian Territory, County of Chickasaw Nation:  “…On this 7th day of November 1888, personally appeared before me, a U.S. Commissioner for the West Dist. of Ark, Mrs. Verlinda Gooch, a resident of Paul’s Valley, in the county of Chickasaw Nation, Indian Ty., who, being by me first duly sworn according to law, deposes and says:  I am the widow of Thomas Gooch…that I was married under my name of Verlinda Jennings to my said husband by Parson Miller, on or about the 7th day of March 1851 at Georgetown, WIlliamson Co., in the state of Texas, and lived with my said husband from the date of my said marriage until the day of his death, to wit, the 2nd day of March, 1885, when my said husband died at Llano Co., in the state of Texas, and I have not since married…”  signed Verlinder Gooch, witnesses Martin V. Shults, and William P. Croft

30 Nov 1898 “…Verlinda Gooch, who was a pensioner…under certificate No. 5820.. has been dropped because of her death… Died 5 Nov, 1898”