It's A Wrap - Archived Document Contest Winners

This last year we have been entertained and amazed with various entries to the Archived Document Contest. The contest began 1 April 2015 and ended 31 March 2016. The goal of the contest was to prove that not all genealogical records are available online while simultaneously celebrating computerized genealogy.

The contest was open to the public. All that was needed to enter the Archived Document Contest was a scanned image of a document that was not found online. Individuals wanting to enter the contest uploaded these scanned images to the TriCity Genealogical Society Facebook page with an explanation of where the document was found and how it tied into the researcher’s family history.

Each month entries were bundled together and sent to a panel of judges. The judges reviewed each entry and selected one entry as that month’s winning entry. Prizes typically encouraged computerized genealogy and included digitized subscriptions to magazines like Internet Genealogy and Your Genealogy. Other prizes were subscriptions to online databases like Mocavo, Newspapers.com, and Fold3.

True celebration, however, came in the excitement of what was discovered by the documents that were found in offline repositories. As we read the entries we cheered for many tender facts that would not have been discovered by simple queries entered into large databases.

There were a total of 33 entries submitted. The majority of these documents came from family archives, but not necessarily the archives of the home. Many important documents came from collaboration efforts and were provided by relatives who were excited to share their treasures. Here is the breakdown of where documents were found that were submitted to the contest.

·        Family Archives - 13

·        Family History Library and Family History Centers – 9

·        Government records (city, county, and state) – 4

·        National and State Archives – 4

·        Local non-government agencies (funeral homes, museums) – 3

It is important to note the variety of repositories that held information shared in this contest. The Archived Document Contest showed us that when researching family history all of these repositories should be explored.  

All winning entries were automatically entered into a separate contest to determine the winner and runner-up for the full year. The first place prize was a one year subscription to Ancestry.com. A runner- up prize was a one year subscription to Find My Past.

The judging panel had a very difficult job in selecting the two winning entries from a collection of twelve entries that were already deemed superior. They did select Margie Stein Beldin’s entry submitted in April 2015 and Loren Schmid’s entry submitted in February 2016.

Margie Stein Beldin -
Archived Document Contest Winner

You can read Margie’s entry by going to http://tinyurl.com/MSBIreland or you can read the TCGS blog article about her entry at http://tcgs1961.blogspot.com/2015/05/archived-document-contest-april-winner.html. She shared with us her struggle of reading old handwriting found on a preprinted form. In her search she collaborated with other researchers, asked assistance from an expert genealogist, kept her research current by reading various publications, and emailed the National Archives. She never gave up and she was rewarded with her 2^nd great grandfather’s Declaration of Intent. She is also awarded a one year subscription to Ancestry.com. The judges felt that Margie had used many traditional research methods in order to fulfill her quest.

Loren Schmid -
Archived Document
Contest Runner-Up

Loren Schmid, on the other hand, won the runner-up prize for using more modern techniques. In his February 2016 entry he shared how DNA research opened up many doors. You can read his entry by going to blog article about her entry at http://tinyurl.com/zwo6l4k. There is a TCGS blog article about Loren’s entry at http://tcgs1961.blogspot.com/2016/03/susan-davis-faulkner-to-purchase.html. Loren shared with us the success that can be found by using DNA to find researchers to collaborate with. He also gave us wonderful examples of how collaboration can be enjoyed and reciprocated.   

Thank you to everyone that participated in this contest. Those that submitted entries helped us to learn from their success stories. A huge Thank You goes to our panel of judges. Their input was essential to the success of this contest. The Judges were Bill Floberg (Chairman), Mary Kay Walker, and Walt Wood.

Susan Davis Faulkner to Purchase “History Magazine” Subscription

February’s Archived Document Contest only had two entries but they were packed with points to consider when researching. Susan Davis Faulkner submitted a copy of a birth register that she obtained from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Her great-grandmother was listed but without a first name and with a variant spelling of her surname. If Susan had relied strictly on one surname spelling she would have overlooked this important document.

Loren Schmid shared a wonderful success story that began with a DNA test. This test connected him with a researcher of two second cousins who had many documents to share. In return Loren shared a family reunion. The emphasis of Loren’s success came from collaborating with not only another researcher but also by reminiscing with living family members. He asked questions which validated the claims made by documents that were discovered.

Loren is the winner of the February contest, and he has won a subscription to History Magazine. History Magazine is a consumer magazine covering social history, in particular the day to day life of ordinary people. Loren probably has some interesting stories that he can submit to this magazine. Susan, on the other hand, plans on purchasing her subscription.

There is still time to enter the contest. March is the last month of this one-year Archived Document Contest. The winning entry for March will get a one year subscription to Fold3. Fold3 provides convenient access to US military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served. Once the winner for March’s contest is announced all winning entries will be entered into a final contest. There are two Grand Prizes. They are subscriptions to Ancestry.com and Findmypast.

To enter the contest upload a copy of a document that you obtained in any method other than downloading from the Internet to the TriCity Genealogical Society Facebook page. Include how you obtained the document and how it ties into your family history research. Entries can also be sent to Susan Davis Faulkner at denmother4@hotmail.com

We Are All Winners in the October Archived Document Contest

The Archived Document Contest is a monthly contest to showcase what can be found when we explore beyond what is available online. Those that enter the contest share what they have discovered, how they have discovered it, and how it relates to their family history research. In October we learned that there are methods to get information when the records are not available. We also got insight into fascinating aspects of some ancestor’s personalities that were revealed when researchers explored past indexes and transcriptions.

John Covey shared with us that his request for his aunt’s birth certificate was denied because he was not a direct descendant. What he received from the Tennessee Office of Vital Records instead of a birth certificate was an extraction of the information that the official document contained. This included the date, time, and location of his aunt’s birth along with detailed information about her parents and their background. We always want original records but when they are restricted there are often other ways to obtain juicy tidbits of information.

Linda Stephens provided a copy of her grandmother’s marriage certificate. The original document had holes in it caused by an eraser where the ages of the bride and groom were once recorded. By looking at the original document it was obvious that the 28-year age difference must have been a concern to someone.

Margie Stein Beldin entertained us with her story of her research trip to Scotland. After days of looking for information about her great-grandfather she hit a goldmine on the last day of her trip. She had poured through many collections at the UK National Archives before it was suggested that she visit the Scots Guard Barracks archivist. She was presented with a huge file folder of information pertaining to her great-grandfather. Included in the folder were his enlistment and discharge records which included his birth date and place, parents’ names, and religion. In addition to the information she expected to find she also was provided with his physical description, his health history, and reports of his drunken behavior.

Loren Schmid educated us with his research report disproving a family legend about his great-aunt’s father-in-law. This man was said to have been so tall that he hit his head on a barn while riding a horse and that he had sustained an injury that gave him a mental disorder. Searching through various Civil War military records, vital records, historical biographies, and even grave markers Loren ascertained that this man was actually 5 foot 2 inches and died of senility contributed to by arteriosclerosis.

We can all claim to be winners in this month’s contest. The examples and lessons learned provide us with an astounding amount of information to let us know that personalities of our ancestors are recorded and can be found when we leave the Informational Highway titled the Internet. The judges had plenty of material to consider before making the decision on which of the entries would win the TriCity Genealogical Society membership which was the prize for the October contest. They finally concurred that Loren Schmid and his discovery of his great-aunt’s height-challenged father-in-law was the winner. Loren was honored at the TriCity Genealogical Society Annual Meeting with a certificate stating that he had won an annual membership. Loren stated that since he had already paid his 2016 dues he would like for the money slated for the prize to be donated to the Wreaths Across America project. More information about this project can be found at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org

Loren Schmid accepting certificate for winning
October Archived Document Contest
 from John Covey, President

November’s contest is underway. Enter your story for an opportunity to win a free 2-hour consultation with Stories to Tell Books. Stories to Tell Books assist authors in any and all steps necessary to publish manuscripts.  Need some technical advice? Want an editor to look over your work? Check out Stories to Tell Books at www.storiestotellbooks.com.  Better yet, submit your entry to the November Archived Document Contest. Upload a family history related document to the TriCity Genealogical Society Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TriCityGenealogicalSociety Include how you obtained the document, which can be any method other than downloading from the Internet. Also explain how it pertains to your research. All monthly winners will be entered into a separate and special contest for the Annual Archived Document Contest with prizes to Ancestry.com and Findmypast.com