Upcoming classes:

2009 Classes Sponsored by the Keller Family and Friends in Memory of Marlo Snyder Keller

January 17, 2009 – Saturday – Beginning Genealogy, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
March 7, 2009 – Saturday – Internet Genealogy, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
April 5, 2009 – Sunday – Roots Magic Workshop with Bruce Buzbee 1- 4 pm

Call 419.332.2081 to register. Free.

Happy New Year!

Obituary Index www.rbhayes.org/index

We are closing in on 1.5 million names in the Obit Index. Thanks to all the partner libraries across the state, the volunteers who work in libraries and at home in their PJs, and the staff who supervise the 200+ inputters. For the first time, I thought I would tally all the work done by the inputters as of today (Dec. 27, 2008) and list the top ten people who have entered the most and are still active. The statistics lister are by the total number of records input by a person, not divided by year.

Let’s give a big “atta boy” to the following volunteers and staff.

1. Richard Eubanks, Hayes Presidential Center, volunteer, works from home –386,522 records!
2. Gaylen Kline, Hayes Presidential Center, volunteer, works from home –91,548
3. Penny Justice, Kaubisch Public Library, Fostoria, staff – 78,043
4. Marjorie Henry, Lima Public Library, staff – 74,633
5. Nan Clary, Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library, staff – 68,559
6. Dorothy Wagner, Hayes Presidential Center, volunteer, works in library and from home – 64,342
7. Glenna Doster, Paulding County Public Library, staff – 62,666
8. Linda Gerstner, Auglaize County Public Library, Wapakoneta, staff – 59,617
9. Darlene Roll, Auglaize Public Library, Wapakoneta, staff – 48,950
10. Rebecca Terrill, Wayne County Public Library, Wooster – staff – 47,757

Richard Eubanks is definitely King of the Obits and looks like he has no serious competition for the title as this time. Thanks to him and ALL the volunteers and staff who make this genealogical index such a useful tool.

Kym Brinker, volunteer at Hayes, has completed the entry of the Honor Roll of Ohio – Huron County Edition into the Obit Index. This book is basically a yearbook with pictures of Huron County soldiers from World War I, along with brief biographical material, published in 1920. She entered all the labeled photographs, including the women’s auxiliary, matching up names with their obituary if possible. It is a great source to find a photo of your Huron County veteran, such as Private Frank J. Brobst of Havana, Ohio on the left. Thanks, Kym!

Marlo Keller, Hayes Library Reference Librarian

Many of you remember Marlo Snyder Keller who worked in the library from 1994 to 2007 helping people find their roots and keeping the Biographical and Local History files in great order. We are sad to report that she died November 1^st, 2008 in Fremont. She and her family specified that memorials come to the Hayes Library for genealogical purposes. We all miss Marlo and appreciate all the donations that have come in. Check out the new book list for titles of the books purchased in her name http://www.rbhayes.org/hayes/libnews/newbooks.asp.

We have also used donations to sponsor the 2009 genealogy classes given by the Library throughout the year. Publicity and handouts for each class will remember our friend with the phrase:Sponsored by the Keller Family and Friends in Memory of Marlo Snyder Keller.
Thanks Marlo and the Keller Family for your support of genealogy at the Hayes Presidential Center.

Websites of interest:

FamilySearch.org has announced that it now has 25,000 family histories digitized and online, ready for free research. I tried it out and found several books on my families. http://www.lib.byu.edu/fhc/index.php

For further information, here is a press release FamilySearch put out Dec. 15^th

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Home/News/frameset_news.asp?PAGE=Press/2008-12-15_Historical_Titles_Now_Free_Online.asp

You may have to download the latest version of Adobe to make it run as smoothly as possible.

Hayes Presidential Center Membership

Did you get some money for a Christmas gift? Did you get a lump of coal and want to get something for yourself because, darn it, you deserve it?! Well, sign up for the $45 or above membership and enjoy Heritage Quest online at home, accessed through our website, for a year, along with other privileges such as free admission to the House and Museum and $.10 copies in the Library. The census records on HeritageQuest are one of the best genealogical resources you can use to fill out your family tree:

http://www.rbhayes.org/hayes/joinmember/

New Books

Be sure to keep checking the New Book link to see what new items have been coming in:

http://www.rbhayes.org/hayes/libnews/newbooks.asp

Thanks to the following people who have given donations of money or materials to the Hayes Library since the last newsletter:

David Doughty
Barry and Mary Lou Hartley
Charles and Arlene Carr
Joan Shurtliff
Tom Kihlken
William Schumaker
John Fatherley
Ohio Society US Daughters of 1812
Molly and James Cress

In Memory of Marlo Keller:

Lucy Baxter
Donna Bischoff
Genevra Black
Dottie Borden
Rob and Kathleen Boukissen
Dave and Sue Brickner
Bruce and Nan Card
Robert R. Collier
Larry Cook
John and Sue Crosser
Thomas and Mary Ann Culbertson
Jeanne Darr
Wayne and Suzanne Darr
Elmwood Of Fremont, LTD
Ardith Firstenberger
Fremont Country Club
James S. Flower and Julie A. George
Ralph and Sandra Grubs
HPC Staff– B. Hill, M. Hall, J. Ransom, M. Paulson; N. Kleinhenz; V. Young
Robert C. and Sally R. Heid
Don Heinzerling
Thomas and Joanne Hoffert
Joseph and Carolyn Johnson
George Keller
Janet Keller
Linda Keller
Michael Keller
Keith D. Kleckner
Lowe’s Home Improvement
Joseph and Pat Polk
Port Clinton Girls
Virginia Safford
Carol Schafer-Bachmann
Joan E. Schafer
Thomas and Meg Schafer
Del and Beverly Schulz
Morton and Ginger Stoltze
Strategic Asset Management, Inc.
Rita Wammes
Daneen White
Tom and Nancicarol Woleslagel
Nancy Wolf
Nancy Yunker
Women’s Connection

And lifted from Nan Card’s News from the Manuscript Division, items of interest to genealogists:

SANDUSKY DAILY NEWS,1938 - 1941 NOW ON MICROFILM

Thanks to funding provided by the Sidney Frohman Foundation, the only known copies of the Sandusky Daily News from 1938 to 1941 are now available on microfilm at both the Hayes Presidential Center and the Sandusky Library. Hayes Center volunteers soon will be entering obituaries from these issues into the Hayes Obituary Index

HARRIS-ELMORE PUBLIC LIBRARY RECEIVES GRANT TO BEGIN DIGITIZING ITS LOCAL HISTORY AND GENEALOGICAL COLLECTIONS

If you haven’t checked out the Harris-Elmore Public Library’s website, featuring materials from its heavily-used Grace Luebke Local History Room,you will want to bookmark it. Awarded a grant from the Ottawa County Community Foundation, Grace Luebke and her staff are in the first stages of digitizing many of the Local History Room’s valuable photographs, obituaries, and records. For decades, Grace has researched, written about, and documented the history of Ottawa County and the region's families, villages, churches, and businesses. Her efforts and assistance have been invaluable to thousands of researchers (including myself!) who are intent on discovering their past.

MORE WOOD COUNTY OHIO PROBATE FILES RECEIVED

Data from the more than 1,000 Wood County Ohio Probate Court case files are also being entered into the Obituary Index. The files cover the years from 1909 to 1916. In the very near future, the final group of files (1916 to 1922) will be transferred to the Hayes Presidential Center.