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Illuminated Heritage

April 27, 2007

Genealogy Tidbits for Today

First, World Vital Records will now be available free at all Family History Centers.

Second, I thought this was interesting. Ever wonder what the people on your tree were REALLY like? What kinds of personalities they had? How they perceived themselves and the world? Well, here’s a jump a little off the mainstream, thanks to Dick Eastman for pointing this out, handwriting analysis. If you have some of your ancestors handwriting available, you could have someone analyze it for you. To tell the truth, I’ve often been tempted to stop at the handwriting analysis booth at the Bristol Renaissance Faire just to see what they say about me, but then, my handwriting changes on a daily basis depending on my mood and how much of a hurry I am in. Some days I write with a major left slant (and I am right handed) and others it can be picture perfect right-slanted cursive writing. Then sometimes I mix up my printing and cursive just for whatever works at the time. And after all those years in a desk too small, I can’t write on a straight piece of paper - I have to have it majorly turned to the right, so much so that to some it looks like I’m writing straight up. As you can tell by now, rarely does my handwriting stay consistent. So, I do wonder what they’d make of my writing in a 100 years or so. However, I do have some pages of a diary of one of my great (how many?) grandfathers and that could be a bit of entertainment.

Take it as you will and if you do try it out - let me know what you think!

posted by Kay at 3:24 pm | Comments (0)

April 24, 2007

Tuesday’s Treasure

This week we visit the Hackers from Skokie harvesting produce in their field, about 1900. This is from the Skokie Public Library.

posted by Kay at 2:00 pm | Comments (0)

April 18, 2007

PBS and Library of Congress Oral History Collaboration

I just read the press release from the Library of Congress about how they are going to work with Ken Burns and PBS to preserve oral histories of veterans. Apparently there is a 7-part Ken Burns documentary coming out this Fall called “The War.” Something to keep an eye on, if you are considering starting your own Veteran’s History Project. For the full press release, you know what to do…

posted by Kay at 11:05 am | Comments (0)

April 17, 2007

Tuesday’s Treasure

Today, we have a newer entry from Lake County Discovery Museum that goes along with their Civil War letter collection (the Minto collection). They have ALL the letters to and from David Minto, the soldier, plus a lot of supporting materials. Today we see David and his wife, Susan Minto from 1913.

posted by Kay at 2:00 pm | Comments (0)

April 10, 2007

Tuesday’s Treasure

Alright, it’s been cold, but not quite THIS cold! Anyway, this is a photo of the very picturesque Lake Zurich Village Hall from the Ela Area Historical Society Photographs.

posted by Kay at 2:00 pm | Comments (0)

April 5, 2007

Copyright Renewal Database

Today I heard about “>Stanford’s Copyright Renewal Database , self-described

This database makes searchable the copyright renewal records received by the US Copyright Office between 1950 and 1993 for books published in the US between 1923 and 1963. Note that the database includes ONLY US Class A (book) renewals.

For those of you trying to determine that gray area of copyright in books, it should be extremely useful!

posted by Kay at 9:53 am | Comments (0)

April 4, 2007

A Laugh for Today

Alright, many of you probably read Dick Eastman’s blog and if you don’t, you really should, but for those who don’t, I have to share this link…about how Google and Ebay were in the Civil War (and no, this is not a joke).

posted by Kay at 1:22 pm | Comments (0)

April 3, 2007

Tuesday’s Treasure

This is an interesting document from the Lake Forest Library. It shows the changes made to the courthouse from 1898 to 1980 - a fascinating documentation of time!

posted by Kay at 2:00 pm | Comments (0)

April 2, 2007

Digitizing Quilts

Ok, it’s true, I have been known to be a quilter. Granted, I got rather burned out a few years ago and my machine and I are still not exactly on speaking terms. I have to get a quilt finished for my new nephew though as his brother got one (late, but it did get finished) and we can’t go playing favorites, can we? Anyway, as a “sometimes quilter” I do love to look at other quilts even if not in person. Every quilter I’ve ever met loves to do the same! It’s wonderful to check them out on-line in various digitization projects. The Library of Congress has a small collection and I always think we need more on Digital Past. So, I was happy to see today that the Wisconsin Historical Society has digitized their quilts - note, with help from Hoffman Manufacturing (which makes LOVELY fabric, FYI). Now this is an idea for those of you with quilt collections - maybe you can reach out to either fabric manufacturers, quilt guilds or other quilt/fabric organizations that might be able to assist you with time, supplies or possibly even money to digitize your own. Something to think about, no?

posted by Kay at 11:41 am | Comments (0)