“A great genealogist is a time
unraveler.” – Genealogybank.com
Today, it seems like there are almost infinite digital
resources to aid in our genealogy resources. There are websites, software, videos,
apps, and more. With all of this convenient technology, we tend to forget the
value of our local library in genealogy research.
If you live in Cincinnati, you can go to the
main branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County (third
floor, south building). The genealogy section of the library provides research
resources and local history artifacts. The genealogy department of the library “presents
monthly tours, co-sponsors programs with the Hamilton County Genealogical
Society, and will develop programs tailored to the needs of any size class or
group, including family reunions”, (Services, PLCHC).
Or, if you live down the road in Clermont
County, you may visit the Batavia branch of the Clermont County Public Library.
The Batavia branch houses the Clermont County Genealogical Society Collection.
Library staff are able to answer specific research queries – such as
obituary look-ups from local newspapers, death dates, marriage dates from
1800-1874, and, will, estate, and guardianship records from 1800-1900. The
library has many genealogical books – some are for
Ohio counties and there are also many genealogical books for neighboring states
such as Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia.
I do all of my genealogical research online,
but decided to check out the genealogy section of the Batavia library. A lot of
my ancestors on my mother’s side of the family are from Brown County,
Ohio, so I checked out the books related to that county. As I looked, I came
across a small booklet. It was from the anniversary of the town of
Russellville, Ohio in 1992. The booklet talked a lot about the town’s
history and people who lived there. As I was skimming the booklet, I came
across a section on the life of Russell Shaw (my 6th
great-grandfather), who founded Russellville, Ohio. There was a lot of
information on the early years of his life and how he came to move his family
from New York to Ohio. It also mentioned that his onions won first prize in the
first-ever Brown County Fair, which was held in Russellville. If I had never
gone to the library and took a look at the genealogical collection, I would
have never seen this information about my ancestor!
I recommend checking out the genealogical
section of your local library. Don’t be afraid to
look at books or ask the librarian for help. They may have helped someone with
a similar genealogical question, so just ask J
Links:
Clermont County Public Library:
The Public Library of Cincinnati and
Hamilton County:
https://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/main/genlocal.html
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