April 2013.pub - Osceola County Genealogical Society

1
O SCEOLA C OUNTY G ENEALOGICAL S OCIETY
T HE O SCEOLEAN
V OLUME 30 I SSUE 1
A PRIL 2013
A NOTE FROM OUR PRESIDENTS …
Computer at the Museum…
As in previous newsletters, it was
stated that the computer at the
Old Rugged Cross Museum is up
and running. If you would like to
assist in indexing some records
let us know. Another way to help
index (if you have a computer at
home) is to obtain free software
for composing documents, compiling indexes and making
spreadsheets. We have a CD with
word processing software for
free. The name of the software is
Open Office (this is free on the
internet) and it can read and save
out files in Microsoft® format. If
you would like to help us index
at the museum please let us
know. If you would like the software loaded onto your home
computer contact Debra MillerTossey at the OCGS email address to make arrangements.
osceolagen@gmail.com
Since we have had a couple of organizational problems this year,
we have made the following changes: because our Tuesday meeting date was inconvenient for many members of our group, we
decided, after doing an informal survey of the local membership,
to have our meetings on the second Monday of the month. We
have divided our year into two segments, with meetings from May
to October being held at 7:00 in the evening and from November
thru April at 1:00 in the afternoon. You will be reminded of the
time and place by e-mail or by a call. The schedule for the afternoon meetings will be in the fall newsletter and for the evening
meetings in the spring newsletter. Please mark your calendars!!!
We have also had an informal change in officers, never having had
enough members present at a meeting for a formal vote.
The following officers are:
Co-presidents: Debra Miller-Tossey, Betsy Randall
Co-vice-presidents - Geri Johnson, Theresa Harvey
(Debra and Geri, who work during the day, will be the evening team,
and Betsy and Theresa will be the daytime team)
Secretary - Lois Ingraham
Treasurer and membership - Marilyn Hoogerhyde
Obituary Chairman - Judy Hulliberger
Computer Chairman - Elna Wilder
Newsletter editor and webmaster - Debra Miller-Tossey
Publicity Chairman - Dianne Phelps
Delegate to MGC - Ted Rinness
Another item of business that came up during the winter and had to be
addressed by the executive committee concerned the expense of receiving microfilms of the newspaper (The Herald Review). Since the
same publication serves all of Osceola County and the cost of the microfilm is $180.00 per year for each copy. This expense was
shared by the Evart Library /Museum and the OCGS. It did not seem
necessary to have a microfilm copy in both places. Therefore, the
OCGS archives will no longer have a microfilm copy of the newspapers starting in 2013, but will have an actual bound copy of the
newspaper. Evart does not save the original newspapers but will have
the microfilm.
2
P AGE 2
T HE O SCEOLEAN
A NOTE FROM OUR PRESIDENTS…CONTINUED…
We want to recognize Debra for her work this winter on getting the old computer at
the Museum set up for our use and scanning in all of the Civil War veterans plus several indexes. The computer is not on the internet yet, but the Civil War veteran information is available to researchers at the Museum and over our website.
And, speaking of computers ------ we are in an age of change! Some
of us are great users of computers and others seldom use theirs or do not have computer access. Therefore, we have to be patient, tolerant, and understanding of the
"haves and have-nots" and realize the difficulties of communication with our members
and those who contact us for research.
Lastly, we would like to acknowledge our members who have worked so faithfully
this winter on copying the 1884 and 1894 State Census Records of Osceola County. A
map is included showing how much has been accomplished. We would like to thank
Marilyn Hoogerhyde, Theresa Harvey, Dianne Phelps, and Terry Worrel for transcribing the 1884 and 1894 State Census. We would also like to thank
Brenda Marsh who is indexing the 1884 Richmond township. Thank
you all for all your hard work!
If you have ideas for future topics for our meetings or have suggestions
for our society you can contact Betsy at 231-832-9525 or by email at:
osceolagen@gmail.com
Www.Familysearch.org and www.Seekingmichigan.org
Free genealogy on the World Wide Web.
Do you want to start using the internet for your family history search.
www.familysearch.org is a website for searching your family history. This website is FREE and offered by the Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints and you do
not have to be a member of their church to use the site. It contains over 2.5 billion names from all over the world, 4,500 Family History Centers worldwide
and 24/7 free expert phone support. They are based in Salt Lake City, Utah and
have been preserving, storing and gathering family histories for over 100 years.
Familysearch.org has the 1940 census completely indexed and available. They
have “How-To” videos, discussion forums, research courses and so much more.
They have many projects completed and many future projects coming in the fu-
3
V OLUME 30 I SSUE 1
P AGE 3
ture. Future projects include Colorado State Census 1885, Canada, Lower Canada 1842 Census, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register, US Naval enlistment registers 1855-1891, and so much more. If you have not tapped into the
Familysearch.org website you are missing so much.
So check it out and see if you can find more on your family history.
Another free website to check out for Michigan family history is:
www.seekingmichigan.org
Seeking Michigan is run by the Michigan Library and Historical Center and is
located in Lansing Michigan. The archives is open on Saturday . Check their
website for hours.
What do they have available to aid in your family search? They have Naturalization records for most Michigan counties, Military records from WW1 and the
Civil War, records from the original land surveys that laid out Michigan’s township and range system, county and local histories, vital records of birth, death
and marriage a number of states across the US and Ontario Canada, and so much
more.
You must check out this website!
Both www.familysearch.org and www.seekingmichigan.org are constantly adding records so it is a good idea to check in periodically to see if what you are
looking for is available.
Reed City community event…
A play by Agatha Christie entitled "And Then There Were None".
The play is based on Christie's best-selling novel with 100 Million sales to date, making it one of the
world's best-selling mysteries of all time! The play is sited on a small private island off the coast of
Devon, England, in the '30s. The cast includes 7 men and 3 women, and is presented in three acts.
Performances are scheduled for 7 pm April 19th and 20th, and also on April 26th and 27th with 2pm Matinees on the 19th and 26th at the new Community Performing Arts Center, (which is the former Congregational Church) 249 West Upton Avenue, Reed City 49677. Help support your
community.
For more information, Call Deb Lockwood (231 )734-9859 or Lois lngraham
(231)832-4830
4
T HE O SCEOLEAN
P AGE 4
Future Calendar: (please note that meetings are now on Mondays)
Monday, April 8th, 1:00 pm - Evart Library and Museum
Jim Lithene is writing a history of the Marion area and he will be sharing with us his research
process. If you are in or around Reed City and would like to attend, please meet at the Old Rugged Cross Museum at 12:30 to carpool to Evart.
Monday, May 6th at 7:00 pm—LeRoy Community Library 104 West Gilbert Street LeRoy, Mi
Tim Johnson, LeRoy local historian, will provide use with tips and tricks on using Ancestry. COM. Tim
has personally paid for the subscription to Ancestry. COM and has offered this subscription for the
public to use at the LeRoy library. The library has 5 computers to use for Ancestry. COM
Monday, June 13th at 7:00pm –Tustin-LeRoy Area meeting
Details from Janice Cool Peterson
July and August—No Meetings
If there is something you want to see presented at our meetings email us or
call Betsy at 231-832-9525
Special Event
Saturday April 13th, 10:00-11:00 am—Mecosta County Genealogy Society 424 North 4th
Ave, Big Rapids, Mi
The Mecosta County Genealogy society would like to show us their facility and all the information
that they have to aid in any of your family research for the Mecosta County area.
Saturday April 13th, 11:00-12:00 - Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, 1325
Woodward Ave, Big Rapids, Mi.
This will be an informational meeting. The members/volunteers at the LDS church
would like to enlighten us with the different research materials that would be available at their facility to aid us in researching our family history.
Update-Research in Salt Lake City, Utah
Here is the latest cost estimate for the upcoming trip to Salt Lake City. Geri Johnson has been
given a estimate of $1000 per person for flight, hotel room, and incidentals. These figures are
based on booking a trip for November 10-November 16th of 2013 round trip.
This estimate is subject to change due to number of people booking the trip
and fuel costs (which we know goes up and down).
If you are interested in going to Salt Lake City Nov 10– Nov 16 2013 contact
Geri (Kienitz) Johnson at gkienitz@hotmail.com or call 231-796-2814.
5
V OLUME 30 I SSUE 1
P AGE 5
1884 STATE CENSUS UPDATE…
SHERMAN TWP
BURDELL TWP
ROSE LAKE TWP
LEROY TWP
OSCEOLA TWP
LINCOLN TWP
CEDAR TWP
EVART TWP
RICHMOND TWP
HERSEY TWP
We again would like to thank Marilyn Hoogerhyde, Theresa Harvey, Dianne Phelps, and Terry Worrel for all their work in transcribing the census. Also a thank you to Brenda Marsh who is indexing 1184 Richmond
township. You can see the status of the west side of the county that is attached on the map above.
6
T HE O SCEOLEAN
P AGE 6
Genealogy Humor
Family history quote…
Family faces are magic mirrors.
Looking at people who belong
to us, we see the past, present,
and future.
Gail Lumet Buckley
The Osceola Genealogical Society
would like to extend their sympathy
to the family of Elinor Chilcote. Elinor passed away March 20, 2013
and was a long time member of the
Society. She will be missed.
Old Rugged Cross Museum and Osceola County Genealogy archive hours.
The Museum will be open May 1st-Spetember 30, Tuesday through Sunday from 1-4
pm. They are closed on Mondays and holidays. Appointments can be made by contacting us by email or call the Reed City Chamber of Commerce at 231-832-5431
Civil War veteran project...
All of the Civil War veterans that once lived in Osceola County
have now been indexed and the list of CW Vets will be posted
on our website.
7
V OLUME 30 I SSUE 1
P AGE 7
Mecosta County Genealogy Society information
On Saturday April 13th our group is planning on meeting in Mecosta County.
We are planning to meet at the location of the Mecosta County Genealogy society to see what resources they have on hand. Their volunteers will be there to
help us. Maureen (Doyle) Nelson has provided the following write up as to
what is available at their location:
“We have over 17,000 obits filed alphabetically, cemetery records for
Mecosta co. cemeteries, funeral home records, military records, and many
birth and marriage records. We have over 40 binders that have thousands of
newspaper articles from the Pioneer newspaper that were compiled by Vera
Barker, a former teacher. She cut out articles mostly during the 60 & 70s.
Our group put them all in alpha order and are currently indexing these
books. We also have dozens of binders with articles on many of the small
towns in the county, on businesses, and schools. We also have many family
histories from our Pioneer Certificates program and there are small
binders with these families if they have provided research on their
families. Anyone is welcome to visit us on the 2nd Saturday of the month.
You can browse our shelves as long as your want. If you are looking for
some thing more specific, then you can ask one of the ladies and see if
they know the answer.”
Maureen stated that their hours are 10 am– 2 pm the second Saturday of the
month. Their location is: 424 North 4th Street Big Rapids
8
O SCEOLA C OUNTY
G ENEALOGICAL S OCIETY
P.O. Box 52
4918 Park Street
Reed City, Mi 49677
Membership Application
Make checks payable to:
Osceola County Genealogical Society
NAME:_____________________________________________
Marilyn Hoogerhyde, Treasurer
ADDRESS:__________________________________________
23717 Four Mile Rd
CITY:______________________________________________
STATE:___________ ZIP:_____________
Reed City, Mi 49677
PHONE:____________________________________________
Surnames you may be searching :
EMAIL:____________________________________________
LEVEL OF GENEALOGY EXPERIENCE:
(CIRCLE ONE)
BEGINNER
INTERMEIDATE
ADVANCED
NEW:______RENEWAL________
$10-INDIVIDUAL______
$15-FAMILY_______
$150-LIFETIME______
Renew today and tell your friends!