The Importance Of Libraries With Your Genealogical Search (English and Spanish)

Tiffany Wilson
EveryLibrary
Published in
11 min readJan 25, 2021

In English

Libraries are vital institutions in our society. Libraries can help with a variety of research queries. Libraries provide access to genealogical resources. If an individual did not have access to a computer to perform genealogical research, a library can provide a computer to assist in this endeavor. There are wonderful websites such as www.ancestry.com and www.familysearch.org which can assist with genealogy searches. In particular at the Monterey Public Library, with the use of your library card, provides access to the Ancestry.com Library Edition, Gale Primary Sources Archives Unbound, Heritage Quest Online, Gale In Context Us History and Gale In Context World History databases. To locate these resources, you can access them at https://www.monterey.org/library/Research/Articles-and-Databases (Monterey Public Library, 2021). At the King County Library System you have access to Ancestry.com Library Edition, Cyndi’s List, Family Search, Gale In Context Biography, National Archives, US Gen Web Project, and World Gen Web Project. These resources are accessible by visiting their website at https://kcls.org/resources/genealogy-biography/ (King County Library System, 2021). Libraries are available to help with a variety of genealogical queries.

My personal genealogical journey began with wanting to learn more about my own family history. As an African American, it can be difficult to learn more about your family roots. In my family, I have heard many stories about various relatives who were deceased before I was born. In my family, my grandfather had photos of various family members which he did not share with ease. Photos and oral history passed from generation to generation is highly valued and loved. Oral history in my family is how I learned about previously deceased family members. I began my journey wanting to learn more about my fathers lineage. I also wanted to learn about my mothers family lineage. Admittedly, I was hesitant to embark on this genealogical journey. Being a graduate student, I am very busy with my graduate studies. Genealogical research is also very time intensive. My cousin eventually convinced me to join ancestry.com. Despite my hesitancy, I decided to join the database. After joining ancestry.com, I began looking for family history using Facebook. I found family members from my fathers lineage previously through Facebook. I wanted to locate any information I could about my extended family. Through many hours of research I was able to locate a family website which I still use today to maintain contact with various family members across the United States.

Upon visiting the family website, I discovered that my great, great, great grandfather Solomon Green was able to purchase 287 acres of land from Augustus S. Cross who was a slave owner. This purchase happened on October 23, 1866. This was monumental because only one year earlier, slavery was still in effect. Solomon Green was the first African American landowner in Emanuel County Georgia (About Solomon Green, 2021). With this monumental family history knowledge, I continue to perform research using ancestry.com.

In my genealogical quest, I met two brand new cousins!!! I was so excited to see the difficult but rewarding work of genealogical research come to life. Speaking with them using ancestry.com allowed me to learn more history about my family. My cousin is a descendant of the Cross family. Meanwhile, I am a descendant of the Green family. Regarding my family history, Augustus Cross’ parents were Issac Cross (born 1780) and Elizabeth Cross who were slave owners. Augustus Cross was one of their nine children. Augustus Cross had several sisters. One particular sister was named Calcedonia Cross. Calcedonia married Robert Green in 1826 at the tender age of 14. Mr. Green owned slaves and gave an unknown number of slaves to Calcedonia. Upon their divorce Mr. Green initiated a lawsuit against Calcedonia with the intent of having his slaves returned to him. The outcome of this lawsuit is unknown. This information was received from the Swainsboro, GA library. At this time, this was the first connection between the Cross and the Green Slaves. Under the circumstances, it would have been extremely difficult for the Cross and Green slaves to know the outcome of this legal connection. The Cross and Green slaves were located at the same plantation. They were under the control of the Cross family during the time Calcedonia ruled over them. This is tumultuous but vitally important family history. Without performing this research, I would have never had the opportunity to learn this valuable piece of family history.

Within my fathers family lineage, I discovered a man named Strap Walker who was born in 1790. With my mothers lineage, I discovered her family contains British, German and Scottish ancestral roots. I am still locating detailed information about these family roots. However, my genealogical journey is still leading me to further knowledge about this research. I am using online databases from my local library to learn more about British, German and Scottish history.

I continue to expand my knowledge of my family history. I hope to keep growing in my knowledge. Performing genealogy research using the internet and using the help of a library is vital in understanding your own family roots. Understanding your family roots helps you to understand more about yourself. You understand why you may enjoy certain types of food or understand where your family comes from geographically. Using a library can help you to uncover parts of your ancestry that you may not be able to discover on your own. I spent time online using my local public library searching through their genealogy database. In this era of COVID 19, many librarians are available online and are willing to help you locate genealogical information. Libraries are important in locating free and internet based genealogy information. Supporting libraries are vital so genealogical research and other types of research can be performed. Please support organizations such as EveryLibrary which help support libraries nationwide. If you are interested in supporting EveryLibrary, please visit www.everylibrary.org/donate. Libraries continue to be an important part of our society. Please help to support libraries.

En Español

Las bibliotecas son instituciones vitales en nuestra sociedad. Las bibliotecas ahora pueden ayudar con una variedad de preguntas de investigación. Las bibliotecas dan acceso a los recursos genealógicos. Si un individuo no tiene acceso a una computadora para hacer la investigación de genealogía, una biblioteca le puede ayudar en este esfuerzo. Hay sitios maravillosos como www.ancestry.com y www.familysearch.org con puede asistir a investigaciones de genealogía. En particular a la biblioteca publica de Monterey, con el uso de su tarjeta de biblioteca, dar acceso a Ancestry.com Library Edition, Gale Primary Sources Archives Unbound, Heritage Quest Online, Gale In Context Us History and Gale In Context World History databases. Para localizar estos recursos, se puede acceder en https://www.monterey.org/library/Research/Articles-and-Databases (Monterey Public Library, 2021). A la biblioteca pública de Condado de King, tiene acceso a Ancestry.com Library Edition, Cyndi’s List, Family Search, Gale In Context Biography, National Archives, US Gen Web Project, and World Gen Web Project. These resources are accessible by visiting their website at https://kcls.org/resources/genealogy-biography/ (King County Library System, 2021). Las bibliotecas son disponibles a ayudar con una variedad de preguntas genealógicas.

Mi viaje personal de genealogía empezó cuando quería aprender más sobre mis propias raíces familiares. Como un afroamericano, puede ser difícil aprender más sobre su propias raíces familiares. En mi familia, escuché muchas leyendas sobre miembros de mi familia que murieron antes de que yo naciera. En mi familia, mi abuelo tenía muchos fotos de miembros de familia que no compartió con facilidad. Las fotos y la historia oral que se pasen de generación de generación son amadas y tienen un valor muy alto. La historia oral en mi familia es cómo yo aprendí sobre familia que habían fallecido anteriormente. Empecé mi viaje con ganas de aprender más sobre el linaje de mi padre. También quería aprender más sobre el familiar de mi madre. Es cierto que dudaba en embacarme en este viaje genealógico. Como estudiante de posgrado, estoy muy ocupada con mis estudios posgrado. La investigación genealógica requiere mucho tiempo. Mi primo finalmente me convenció a juntarme con ancestry.com. A pesar de mis dudas, decidí juntarme con el sitio. Después de unirme ancestry.com, empecé a encontrar información sobre mi antecedentes familiares usando Facebook. Encontré miembros de la familia del linaje de mi padre anteriormente de Facebook. Quería encontrar cualquier información que yo puediera sobre mi familia extendida. Con muchas horas de investigación, pude encontrar un sitio web familiar que uso hoy para mantener contacto con miembros de mi familia en E.E.U.U.

Cuando visité el sitio web de la familia, descubrí que mi tatarabuelo Solomon Green pudo comprar 287 acres de tierra de Augustus S. Cross que era un dueño de esclavos. Esta compra ocurrió el 23 de Octubre de 1866. Esto fue monumental porque solo un año antes, la esclavitud estaba en efecto. Solomon Green fue el primer dueño de tierra en el Condado de Emanuel en Georgia (Sobre Solomon Green, 2021). Con este monumento historia familiar, yo continúo investigando usando ancestry.com

¡En mi búsqueda genealógica, conocí a dos primos nuevos! Estuve tan emocianada de ver cobrar vida el difícil pero gratificante trabajo de la investigación genealógica Hablar con ellos usando ancestry.com me permitió aprender más sobre la historia de mi familia. Mi prima es descendiente de la familia Cross. Mientras tanto, soy una descendiente de la familia Green. Con respecto a mi historia familiar, los padres de Augustus Cross fueron Issac Cross (nacido en 1780) y Elizabeth Cross, quienes eran dueños de esclavos. Augustus Cross fue uno de nueve hijos. Augustus Cross tenía varias hermanas. Una hermana en particular se llamaba Calcedonia Cross. Calcedonia se casó con Robert Green a la tierna edad de 14 años. El señor Green era el dueño de esclavos y dio un número de esclavos desconocidos a Calcedonia. Cuando se divorciaron, Señor Green inició una demanda contra Calcedonia con la intención de que le devolvieran sus esclavos. Se desconoce el resultado de esta demanda. Esta información se recibió de la biblioteca de Swainsboro, Georgia. En este momento, esta fue la primera conexión entre los esclavos Cross y Green. En las circumstancias estaba imposible para estos esclavos saber más información sobre esta transacción legal entre Calcedonia y Señor Green. Fue el primer conexión entre los esclavos Verde y Cruz. Sin realizar esta invesitgación, nunca hubiera tenido la oportunidad de aprender esta valiosa pieza de historia familiar.

Dentro del linaje familiar de mi padre, descubrí un hombre llamado Strap Walker que nació en 1790. Con el linaje de mi madre, descubrí que su familia contiene raíces Británicas, Alemanas, y Escocesas. Estoy descubriendo información detallada sobre estas raíces familiares. Mi viaje genealógica me esta trayendo a mas information sobre este información. Estoy usando sitios a aprender más sobre mis raíces Británicas, Alemanas, y Escocesas.

Continuó expandiendo mi conocimiento sobre mi historia familiar. Espero que continuar aprendiendo sobre mi conocimiento. Hacer un investigación genealógica usando el internet y usando la ayuda de una biblioteca es vital para entender sus propias raíces familiares. A entender sus raíces le ayuda a entender sobre usted mismo. Entiende por qué disfrutar de ciertos tipos de comida o entiende dónde viene su familia geográficamente. Usando una biblioteca ayudarle a descubrir partes de su historia familiar que quizás no pueda descubrir solo. Pasé tiempo en línea usando mi biblioteca pública local buscando en sus sitios de genealogía. En esta era de COVID 19, muchas bibliotecarios están disponibles para ayudarle a encontrar información. Las bibiliotecas son importantes para localizar información genealógica gratuita y basada en internet. Apoyando bibliotecas es tan importante para hacer investigación de todos tipos. Por favor, soporta organizaciones como EveryLibrary que apoye biblioteca en todo de E.E.U.U. Si está interesado en apoyar a EveryLibrary, visite www.everylibrary.org/donate. Las bibliotecas continúan siendo una parte importante en nuestra sociedad. Ayude a apoyar las bibliotecas.

References

Ancestry.com. (2021, January 24). https://www.ancestry.com/

Ancestry.com. (2021, January 24). About Solomon Green. https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/168217099/person/352184266216/media/53997191-ffc5–45c0–9635–14e233761290?_phsrc=pFu71&usePUBJs=true

Ancestry.com. (2021, January 24). Gallery. https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/168217099/person/352184266991/gallery

Cross-Green-Smith Family Tree. (2021, January 25). Our family history. http://cross-green-smith.org/fam_history.html

FamilySearch.com. (2021, January 24). https://www.familysearch.org/en/

Harris, R. (2020, March 21). 5 years ago see your memories. [Image attached] [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009926975130

Harris, R. (2020, March 21). 2 years ago see your memories. [Image attached] [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009926975130

Hines, B . (2021). Solomon Green [Photograph]. Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/168217099/person/352184266991/media/f988aeb6-d0f6–487a-83d4–1b3be3297334?_phsrc=pFu72&usePUBJs=true

King County Library System. (2021, January 24). Genealogy and biography. https://kcls.org/resources/genealogy-biography/

Monterey Public Library. (2021, January 24). Articles and databases. https://www.monterey.org/library/Research/Articles-and-Databases.

Truell, V. (2021). Green links ’99. [Photograph]. Facebook.com. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10152662707302448&set=g.131468146934312

Wilson, J. (2021). Green county. [Photograph]. Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/168217099/person/352184266991/media/beeb2542-447c-40d4-9c91-406e91ade824?_phsrc=pFu72&usePUBJs=true

Wilson, J. (2021). Green links. [Photograph]. Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/168217099/person/352184266991/media/5d7ecb44-5fb7-42cd-b6b8-ed0e74278046?_phsrc=pFu72&usePUBJs=true

Referencias en Español

Ancestry.com. (2021, 24 de enero). https://www.ancestry.com/

Ancestry.com. (2021, 24 de enero). Acerca de Solomon Green. https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/168217099/person/352184266216 / media / 53997191-ffc5–45c0–9635–14e233761290? _phsrc = pFu71 & usePUBJs = true

Ancestry.com. (2021, 24 de enero). Galería. https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/168217099/person/352184266991/gallery

Árbol genealógico de Cross-Green-Smith. (2021, 25 de enero). Nuestra historia familiar. http://cross-green-smith.org/fam_history.html

FamilySearch.com. (2021, 24 de enero). https://www.familysearch.org/en/

Harris, R. (2020, 21 de marzo). Hace 5 años veo tus recuerdos. [Imagen adjunta] [Actualización de estado]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009926975130

Harris, R. (2020, 21 de marzo). Hace 2 años veo tus recuerdos. [Imagen adjunta] [Actualización de estado]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009926975130

Hines, B. (2021). Solomon Green [Fotografía]. Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/168217099/person/352184266991 / media / f988aeb6-d0f6–487a-83d4–1b3be3297334? _phsrc = pFu72 & usePUBJs = true

King County Library System. (2021, 24 de enero). Genealogía y biografía. https://kcls.org/resources/genealogy-biography/

Biblioteca Pública de Monterey. (2021, 24 de enero). Artículos y bases de datos. https://www.monterey.org/library/Research/Articles-and-Databases.

Truell, V. (2021). Enlaces verdes ’99. [Fotografía]. Facebook.com. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10152662707302448&set=g.131468146934312

Wilson, J. (2021). Condado verde. [Fotografía]. Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/168217099/person/352184266991/media/beeb2542-447c-40d4-9c91-406e91ade824?_phsrc=pFu72&usePUBJs=true

Wilson, J. (2021) . Enlaces verdes. [Fotografía]. Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/168217099/person/352184266991/media/5d7ecb44-5fb7-42cd-b6b8-ed0e74278046?_phsrc=pFu72&usePUBJs=true

This is a photo of Solomon and Violet Green, his sister.
This is a photo of Solomon Green.
This a variety of photos from Emanuel County where Solomon Green and his sister Violet lived.
This is a photo of the family crest.
This is Strap Walker. He is the oldest member from my father’s lineage.
This is Reverend Josias Keadle, the oldest relative I am aware of in my mothers lineage. He was the husband of Susannah Johnston.
This is Susannah Johnston who is the second oldest known relative of my mother’s lineage. She was the wife of Reverend Josias Keadle.
A picture of Eloise (Ella) Berry my great, great aunt from my mothers lineage.
My grandfather Joseph Berry.
This is a photo of my great, great aunt Mayme from my mothers lineage.
This is a photo of Francis Jennie Cadle who was my grandfather’s grandmother.
This is a photo of Myrtle Jenkins (left) and my mother (right).
This is my father Abraham Wilson.
This is my grandmother WIllie Mae Fields.
This is a photo of my grandfather Reverend Matthew Wilson.

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