Category Archives: Research

California Digital Newspaper Collection in Peril!

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Here’s an article about the California Digital Newspaper Collection. Don’t worry, I’ll wait.

https://jweekly.com/2025/04/23/our-digital-archive-could-disappear-because-of-state-budget-cuts/

Why should we care?

As genealogists, we know that newspapers are a vital link in the historical research that we do. Even if you are not from California, your state almost assuredly provides a digital historical newspaper service. Under the current U.S. economic conditions, any of the digital newspaper collections could be stopped because most of them are supported by grants to major libraries which maintain the collections. (In Virginia, the collection is VirginiaChronicle.com maintained by the Library of Virginia.) The best thing is that the collections are available to the public at no charge to the researcher.

What can you do about it?

1. Support your libraries!
2. Assist with donations.
3. Write to your state and federal legislators encouraging them to continue to support libraries and the products libraries offer to us, the public.
4. Make noise.

Finally, I’m going to add an excerpt from a memo from Brian K. Geiger, the Director of Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research, at University of California, Riverside.

If I don’t raise at least $300,000 by June 30, the end of the fiscal year, we will almost certainly have to cease operations.

I’m writing to ask you to help us save the CDNC. We have created a page to collect donations: https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/61710/donations/

Please give if you can. The future of the CDNC depends on it.

Thank you for your support,
Brian—
Director, Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research, UC Riverside

 

 

 

 

 

Central Virginia Heritage, Spring 2025, now available

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Marriage Announcements in the Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.),
April-June 1897

Apr. 12—Marriage to Prevent Elopement.  May Sickman, the 18-year-old daughter of Mrs. Rosa Stoakes of Berkley near Norfolk, was married Tuesday night to a young steamboat fireman named John Wood, 23 years of age, at Virginia street, Berkley. The ceremony was performed by Rev. R. M. Chandler, of Chestnut M. E. Church. The marriage was the result of a very short courtship. Mrs. Stoakes consented to her young daughter’s marriage to prevent her from eloping. It is said that the couple will go to Philadelphia to reside. …

To see the rest of this article, CVGA members should go to “Members Only” on the menu bar above, and choose “Central Virginia Heritage — Current Issue.” (Note: You have to be logged in to this website in order to see “Members Only.”)

If you have trouble logging in to the site to download your copy, please contact me at the webmaster link at the bottom of this page.

For those who are not members of CVGA, we offer the opportunity to purchase a printed copy of each issue. The Spring 2025 issue is available from Amazon.com at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F48PR9FL/ for $7.50. Click on the Amazon.com link above or search for “Central Virginia Heritage” on Amazon.com.

Contents of the Spring 2025 issue:

  • Two Dr. Charles M. Stewards, by Brendan Wolfe
  • A DNA test revealed the CEO is my half brother…and he’s freaking out, by Alison Green
  • Genealogy-Themed Fiction, by Jean L. Cooper
  • Will of Robert Walker of Edge Hill, Amherst County, Virginia, 1824
  • Edge Hill
  • Marriage Announcements in the Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.) April-June 1897
  • Your Own Geographical Dictionary
  • Case Studies: Researching Enslaved Ancestors, by Shamele Jordon
  • Ambler Family of Virginia, by Jean L. Cooper
  • The Handwriting of James Steptoe, by George Baxter

Suggestions

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Since there will not be a meeting on June 8, here are some suggestions for continuing your research:

FindMyPast is offering free access to its records from 6 June to 10 June.  Here is the link:  https://genealogybargains.com/fmp-us-evergreen
Legacy Family Tree is a subscription website but once the webinars are completed in person, they are available for a certain number of days free.  Check out some of these.  Always good information.
If you are into maps, check out https://www.davidrumsey.com/
We are looking for speakers to do in person presentations.  If you would like to do a presentation or know of someone who does presentations, please let me know.

CVGA Happenings – January 13, 2024

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  • Lorraine Quill was elected Treasurer  of CVGA at a brief business meeting. She replaces long-time Treasurer, Diane Inman, who has served with distinction for many years! We look forward to working with Lorraine.
  • The major part of this meeting was to hear Judy Russell, The Legal Genealogist, as she gave a presentation on the National Archives (NARA), and how to use it for genealogical research. The members attending enjoyed the subject, and learned a lot. Here’s a link to her January and February calendar: https://www.legalgenealogist.com/2024/01/04/coming-up-jan-feb-2024/

Ms. Russell is a lively and interesting speaker, and we urge you to try to attend one of her presentations if you have the chance.

Here is the website of The Legal Genealogist in case you’d like to follow Ms. Russell’s schedule of presentations: https://www.legalgenealogist.com/

—Jean Cooper

Hybrid Meeting July 8, 2023

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Our meeting on Saturday, July 8, 2023, at 10 a.m. will be at the Family History Center, 1275 Timberwood Blvd, Charlottesville, Virginia.  This will be an in person and virtual meeting.

Brendan Wolfe will present The Commissioner & Mr. Coughlin.  This story is about two immigrants, one murder, and a search for origins.  Brendan will talk about his research and writing.

The Zoom link will be sent out on Friday.