EXPLORE RELIC
July 2022 - The Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center for Genealogy and Local History (RELIC)
Start your historical journey here. RELIC's email newsletter highlights upcoming free events and happenings. Genealogy and local Virginia history are our specialties as a service provided by Prince William Public Libraries (PWPL). You can always find more about us at www.pwcva.gov/RELIC .
RELIC service is available:
In-person at Central Library, 8601 Mathis Avenue, Manassas, VA 20110, by email at [log in to unmask], and by phone at 703-792-8380.
Hours of Operation
Monday – Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Thursday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
All programs will be in-person at Central Library.
Some previous RELIC programs can be viewed onhttps://www.pwcva.gov/department/library/RELIC-programs.
THE CURATOR'S TOP 10 FROM THE MANASSAS MUSEUM.
Friday, July 22, 2:00 p.m.
Join Manassas Museum Curator Mary Helen Dellinger for an enlightening look at some of the museum's outstanding holdings. Register at https://pwcgov.libnet.info/event/6243735, by phone at 703-792-8380, or at [log in to unmask] .
GENEALOGY 101.
Wednesday, August 10, 2:00 p.m.
Join RELIC's Darlene Hunter for an informative and useful session to start your family search. Register https://pwcgov.libnet.info/event/6572800 , by phone at 703-792-8380, or by email at [log in to unmask] .
* * * * RELIC INSIDER * * * *
FINDING BIRTH RECORDS OF ENSLAVED ANCESTORS IN VIRGINIA
Virginia began recording people’s births in 1853. Even children born to enslaved women are found in the records between 1853 and the end of slavery. A set of books has been published to assist genealogists with those records: “Virginia Slave Births Index” edited by Leslie Anderson Morales (Westminster, Md.: Heritage Books, 2007).
Those records can be helpful for African American genealogists except for one problem: Before 1865, most Black families did not have recognized family names. Until now, the only indexes available for those records, such as Morales’ work, were by the name of the slave owner. If you didn’t have the name of that white person, you would have to use a lot of guesswork, studying the 1870 census and other records, to speculate who the enslaver might have been.
Now, however, we have indexing that allows us to search for the child’s and the mother’s given names without knowing which white family they were associated with. FamilySearch.org has digitized the indexing done by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s, as well as linked the index to images of the original birth records. See the FamilySearch Wiki for details: https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Virginia,_Slave_Birth_Index_-_FamilySearch_Historical_Records .
Here is an example: Thomas and Mary Jane Chinn are shown on the 1870 census of Occoquan Township, Prince William County. They had eight children, including five born between 1853 and 1865. Although early recordkeeping was somewhat spotty, chances are that some of these children would be recorded. Here are their names and ages in 1870: Oscar (16), John (12) [known as John Clay Chinn], Willie (11), George (10), and “Barber” [Robert] (5).
Sometimes the child’s or mother’s name is missing from the birth register. Prince William, being in the path of war, did not record births between 1861 and 1865. Regardless, the following sons appear in the birth records of Prince William:
Osgar [sic], born 15 Mar. 1854, mother -----, owner: “Wroe”
John Clay, born 12 Apr. 1856, mother Mary Jane, owner: Henry F. Roe.
William, born 10 Feb. 1859, mother Mary Jane, owner: Henry F. Wroe.
Timesaving tip: You can put several children’s names in the search box at once, along with their mother’s name. Sometimes that will bring up exactly the records you need.
These early birth records should be even more useful now that they are fully indexed.
VISIT THE "TREE DOCTOR"
You can now make appointments for virtual or in-person visits with Don Wilson, "The Tree Doctor." We can set up an hour appointment to discuss and dive into your brick wall research problem. Call at 703–792–8380 or email [log in to unmask] to set up a time.
WHAT'S NEW IN RELIC
https://www.pwcva.gov/department/library/relic-new-acquisitions
July 2022 - https://www.pwcva.gov/department/library
Make sure to download our https://www.pwcva.gov/department/library/explore-magazine, or grab one at your https://gisweb.pwcgov.org/webapps/ago/librarylocator/ to learn more about our upcoming events.
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This list is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
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