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size="3">[We have been made aware
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face="Times New Roman" size="3">
style="">
style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Acquiring
Fluency in Reading Archaic English Documents
style="font-size: 11pt;">By Nathan W.
Murphy, AG
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">With anticipation, you begin to read
the 17th-century English will of one of your ancestors — or
do you? This old document contains priceless ancestral information, but
at first glance, appears impossible to read. Genealogists remember
first encounters with these “chicken scratch” scripts and the feelings
of frustration involved in vain attempts to interpret them. Experts
know that acquiring fluency in reading archaic English documents
requires sufficient instruction, study and practice. Proper instruction
includes learning how to decipher old handwriting, understand
antiquated terminology, and how to correctly extend abbreviations.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Over the centuries, the English
have used several different handwriting styles. Scribes composed legal
documents chiefly in what is termed secretary hand from the 15th
to the 17th centuries. Secretary hand merged with italic
hand, which originated in Italy.
By the end of the 17th century, the offspring of this
handwriting marriage called mixed hand (also known as round hand)
developed. Mixed and italic hands are the handwriting styles currently
used in Great Britain,
America,
and Western Europe.1,2,3
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">To learn secretary hand requires
familiarization with characters that differ from the handwriting we use
in our modern-day alphabet; nevertheless, the alphabet is basically the
same.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">Modernizations of the archaic hand:
“æ”=“e”, “y”=“th,” “ii”=“y”
face="Times New Roman" size="3">Difficult to distinguish characters:
“u,” “v,” and “n;” “c” and “r;” “s” and “f”
face="Times New Roman" size="3">Interchangeable letters: “i” and “j,”
“u” and “v”
face="Times New Roman" size="3">Peculiar ligatures (two letters
written as one character): “th,” “ph,” “st”
face="Times New Roman" size="3">Letters written differently from the
current style:
face="Times New Roman" size="3">“e” has the appearance of a modern “e”
written backwards
face="Times New Roman" size="3">“r” looks like an upside-down cursive
lower-case “r”
face="Times New Roman" size="3">“h” is difficult to describe without a
visual representation
face="Times New Roman" size="3">“s” resembles a cursive “f.”
face="Times New Roman" size="3">These are just a few examples of the
many characters that have changed over time. Additionally, many capital
letters share little resemblance with their modern counterparts. For
example, people wrote an upper-case “F” as “ff.” Since each scribe
wrote differently, researchers must learn the nuances of each of the
clerk’s unique characters. Practice writing an alphabet as the scribe
wrote and obstacles will vanish.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">Dr. Dave Postles of the University
of Leicester has developed
an excellent free online tutorial course to learn how to read secretary
hand. It is used in the university’s English Local History master’s
program. The Web sitee, Early Modern Palaeography, is available at:
href="http://paleo.anglo-norman.org/">
size="3"><paleo.anglo-norman.org/
face="Times New Roman" size="3">>. Click on the coin from Henry
VIII’s reign to enter the English palaeography course. If you’re
feeling particularly daring, click on the coin from Edward I’s reign,
to the left, to enter the Latin palaeography tutorial. The English
palaeography Web site contains just about everything a researcher needs
to know in order to read this old handwriting.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">Just as the English used by
Shakespeare and in the King James Version Bible varies from modern
English, documents written during that era contain archaic terminology.
The eager genealogist will encounter pillow bears, baxspittles,
fitches, and wisketts in 16th- and 17th-century
manuscripts. In addition to new words, researchers become acquainted
with 20 variant ways to spell one word, as contemporaneous scribes did
not use fixed spellings. Significant aids for understanding the
vocabulary and spelling variations used in these documents include:
style="">Oxford English Dictionary, and Barbara J. Evans’
style="">A to Zax. The 20-volume Oxford
English Dictionary is available at most large libraries. It is also
accessible on!
line by subscription or for purchase on CD-ROM for $295. See <
href="http://www.oed.com/">www.oed.com
face="Times New Roman" size="3">>.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">One of the most complex problems
arises from the medieval form of shorthand clerks continued to use
during this time. During the middle ages, in the attempt to conserve
expensive ink, writing utensils, and parchment, scribes abbreviated
large portions of the text. Although they did not use this system as
intensely during the era in which we are interested as in the centuries
preceding it, genealogists must become acquainted with the common
abbreviations. The British pound symbol “£” is actually an example of
one type of abbreviation. The horizontal line crossing the capital “L”
signifies that the scribe chopped off the remainder of the word,
“Libra,” the Latin term for pound. Other common abbreviations include:
face="Times New Roman" size="3">a swerving line above the word often
denoting a missing “m” or “n”
size="3">superscript letters written
above the writing line, as in the modern-day 1st
face="Times New Roman" size="3">“s” for solidos (shilling in English),
and “d” for denarius (pence in English), both used in the British
monetary system. Roman numerals also appear frequently as numerical
values.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">Anyone can learn to read 16th-
and 17th-century English handwriting. Although in many ways
the language and handwriting differ drastically from modern-day
English, these obstacles can be overcome, and hidden ancestors found.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">(1) Oxford
style=""> English Dictionary. Online Edition, “secretary” and
“italic.” Internet, available by subscription at <
href="http://www.oed.com/">www.oed.com
face="Times New Roman" size="3">>. Accessed
day="23" month="3">March 23, 2004.
style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
face="Times New Roman">(2) Postles, Dave. “The Development of Hands,”
style="">Early Modern Palaeography.Available at
href="http://paleo.anglo-norman.org/hands.html">
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><paleo.anglo-norman.org/hands.html
face="Times New Roman" size="3">>. Accessed
day="23" month="3">March 23, 2004.
style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">(3) Hector, Leonard Charles.
style="">The Handwriting of English Documents. Dorking: Kohler and
Coombes, 1980.
style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Nathan W. Murphy is
an Accredited Genealogist specializing in Mid-south and Gulf- south
style="">United States
research. He expects to graduate with a B.A. in
Family History from Brigham
style=""> Young
style=""> University
style=""> in August 2004. Other areas of research interest include
st="" yle="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">England
style="">, Wales
style="">, Quebec
style="">, Scandinavia
style="">, Latin America
style=""> and Italy
style="">. He is a professional in reading Tudor Stuart handwriting
and acted as head student researcher in BYU Professor Paul Pixton’s 17th
Century Cheshire
style=""> Wills Project. Nathan provides research services and can be
contacted at nwm8@....
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman">TUESDAY’S
year="2004" day="13" month="4">13 APRIL 2004 ARTICLE
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman">Using U.S.
Records to Determine Place of Origin in Germany
size="3">By Caren Winters
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">This article is in response to
many questions I have received regarding German genealogical research.
One of the main troubles with starting research
is knowing where to begin. A person may have heard their ancestor
emigrated from Germany
or even know the kingdom in that country, but this may not be enough
information to begin researching German records. The place of origin
for your ancestor should be specific. This will help you know exactly
where to research in German records. I credit the following methodology
to Larry O. Jensen, author of “German Heritage Clues to Determining the
Place of Origin of Your Immigrant Ancestors.” He
helped me understand the importance of this research process.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Begin with records in the United
States to help you determine the place
of origin of your ancestor. Start with the materials in your
possession. You may have a family Bible which includes family births,
marriages, or deaths, church or vital records, passports, ship
passenger papers, your ancestor’s emigration papers, occupation
documents or military discharge papers. Any of these may give clues to
establish where your ancestor lived in Germany.
If you do not have any of these papers, seek out other living
descendents in your family and ask for their help.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Review state, county, or local
histories where your ancestor settled in the United
States. Histories often identify
well-known individuals, religious and community leaders, or those who
first settled a specific area. The information on these people may
include where they were from and their place of origin. Even if your
ancestor is not listed in the histories, German emigrants who came to
an area often followed family and friends who emigrated earlier. The
place of origin of Germans found in the locality where your ancestors
settled may provide clues for your ancestor’s place of origin.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">One of the first records your
ancestor filled out upon their arrival in America
may have been a declaration of intention to become a citizen of the United
States. A petition for naturalization
and final naturalization papers was submitted thereafter. The most
detailed and accurate record of the three is the declaration of
intention. This has the greatest possibility of revealing a place of
birth. Counties cared for naturalization records until the early 1900s
when the U.S.
federal government took over the process.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Vital and church records of the
place your ancestor settled may also reveal origin. Betrothals, banns,
or marriage records may be found if your ancestor married after coming
to the United States.
Children of your ancestor who emigrated when still less than the age of
twelve may be found in confirmation records. These records may show
their place of christening in Germany.
Death sources often revealing a place of birth include death, burial,
and cemetery records or obituaries. Remember to check all
jurisdictional levels for these records.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">U.S.
census records after 1850 or U.S.
port records may list a birth place for your ancestor. Military records
of the United States
may also offer this information. The military may have been appealing
to an immigrant because service offered land grants and also made
gaining citizenship less difficult. Examine any records you may find
for hints to determine where your ancestor came from in Germany.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Once you have determined the
place of origin for your immigrant ancestor from Germany,
research in that country will be more focused. Not only will you have
possibly found more specifics on your ancestor’s birth place, but you
should now have a greater understanding of their life in the United
States.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
style="">Caren Winters will
graduate with a BA in Family History/Genealogy in August 2004. Her
specialties include German and United States Midwestern research. Caren
has
been married for more than a year to Shane Winters. To contact Caren
you may send an email to
href="mailto:newsline@...">
size="3">newsline@...
face="Times New Roman">.
face="Times New Roman">Genealogy News &
Events
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Red River
Genealogical Society Workshop in Fargo,
North Dakota
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">The Red River Genealogical
Society will hold a family genealogy workshop from
hour="10">10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
April 17 at Red River Valley Genealogical Society Library, in the Manchester
Building, 112
N. University Drive, Fargo, N.D.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Topics discussed will include
“Getting Started in Family Genealogy,” “Census Records Research,”
“Civil War and Military Research,” and “Colonial and Early U.S.
Records.” Individual assistance is available for Scandinavian, German,
Irish, Scottish, African-American and other lineage.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Library resources include North
Dakota naturalization records, obituaries and community
histories.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Cost for the event is $15 per
person. For more information, call 701.239.4129.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">Chapman Family Asscoiation
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">The Chapman Family Association
will hold its fourth annual convention and reunion
face="Times New Roman" size="3">May 8 at the Hilton
Kansas City Airport,
8801N.W. 112th St. For details,
visit the Web site at
href="http://my.tbaytel.net/dmhender/OGSweb/index.html">
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><my.tbaytel.net/dmhender/OGSweb/index.html
size="3">>.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Obtaining Immigration
Information Post-1906
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">In 2002, the U.S. Immigration
and Naturalization Service was placed under the Bureau of Citizenship
and Immigration Services (BCIS), and it maintains the naturalization
certificate files, known as C-Files. These are all U.S.
naturalizations conducted after
month="9">Sept. 27, 1906, from all states and territories
and from all courts federal, state, and local. The files are available
for family historians under the Freedom of Information/Privacy Act and
are indexed by the BCIS.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">To inquire about an ancestor’s
record, send a letter to the Freedom of Information Act Officer at the
field office where the documents are housed or to the field office
nearest your home. Include the name, date of birth, and place of birth
of the ancestor. If you do not know the exact date of birth and place
of birth, make an approximation and add additional information that
will distinguish your ancestor from all the other people with the same
name. The Freedom of Information Act Officer will respond within ten
working days with a letter that tells you the status of your request
and a list of possible fees.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">For further information on
naturalizations, go to the BCIS Web site: www.uscis.gov/
graphics/aboutus/history/ NatzRec/NATREC.htm.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Early Registration
Extended For NGS Conference
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">The National Genealogical Society
Conference is one of the biggest and best genealogy conferences all
year. If you have not yet registered for the 2004 NGS Conference in the
States, to be held 19-22 May, in Sacramento,
this is your opportunity to take advantage of an extended early-bird
registration deadline. NGS will accept the early-bird rate until
year="2004" day="19" month="4">19 April 2004, a savings to
you of $35.00. You can register online at:
href="http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/" target="_blank">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">http://www.ngsgenealogy.org
size="3">.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">While at the conference, look
for Family History Network at booth #443!
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Free Genealogy Workshops
at Darlington, WI
Public Library
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Darlington's
Johnson Public Library is offering a series of three workshops on
genealogy from 7 to
minute="0" hour="21">9 p.m. Tuesday evenings beginning
April 20. The members of the Lafayette County Genealogy Society
conducting the free workshops will focus on the basic of how to search
for your Lafayette County
ancestry.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Class size is limited to less
than 20. People interested in the classes may sign up at the Johnson
Public Library during its open hours: 10
a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mondays, 1:30
to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, 1:30
to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays,
hour="10">10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and
minute="30" hour="8">8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays.
Registration for the class will be accepted by calling (608) 776-4171.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Local History Workshop
This Saturday in Morristown, NJ
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Techniques for researching local
history, historic sites and genealogy materials
size="3">will be offered Saturday, April
17, in a program organized by the Morris County Heritage
size="3">Commission. "Lost and Found:
Sources for Local History and Genealogy" will be presented from 9:00
a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Morris County Cultural Center, 300 Mendham
Road, Morris Township. Registration and Breakfast will take place at
minute="30" hour="8">8:30 a.m.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">Speakers include:
size="3">
size="3">Chad Leinaweaver, Library
Director of the New Jersey Historical
face="Times New Roman">Society will discuss the manuscript collection
and its Morris county materials.
size="3">
size="3">Archivist
size="3">Lawrence Greene will present an
overview of the materials available to researches at the
size="3">Morristown Morris Township
Library's local history and genealogy room.
size="3">
size="3">Dale Patterson, Ph.D. is the
archivist at Drew University
and will give attendees an introduction to the archives of the Methodist
Church. Learning
how to search and plot a deed, a hands on workshop will be presented by
the Morris county heritage commission.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
size="3">The $5.00 registration fee
includes continental breakfast and information packet.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">Contact Peg Shultz, Heritage
Commission History Program Coordinator, (973) 829-8117 or
href="http://mail.familyhistorynetwork.net/src/compose.php?send_to=heritage%40co.morris.nj.us">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">heritage@...
size="3">.
face="Times New Roman" size="3">
face="Times New Roman" size="3">---------------------------------------------------------
If you have any comments, questions, suggestions, or
concerns, or if you have an upcoming event or news item you’d like us
to post, please send it to
href="mailto:newsline@...">
size="3">newsline@...
face="Times New Roman">.
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