(19-1) RESEARCH COMMITTEE

Jim and Bonnie Garmon

For the past two years we have been creating indexes of local newspaper obituaries. In that time, we have come to realize just how importance these records are and how much information they have about our ancestors. Just think, where else can you find a source, all in one place, of :

1) A persons full name, date and place of birth

2) Their occupation

3) The names of brothers and sisters, with the married names of the sisters, and the present location of these relatives

4) The names of the children of the deceased, along with their present home

5) The name of the Funeral Home providing the service. They may be able to give you more information from their files.

Not all obituaries have this much information, but many do and some have even more.

Along with several other members of the BGS, Bonnie and Jim are now working on an index of the obituaries published by the TODAY newspaper. This paper began publishing in Cocoa in 1966, carrying the obituaries that had been carried by the Cocoa Tribune since 1917. The TODAY newspaper became the FLORIDA TODAY in 1985. We have finished 1966 and 1967 and are halfway through 1968. And...

Here is your chance to join the team. We would welcome your help in this important project. Here is an opportunity to repay the genealogical world for all the databases and indexes you have used creating your own family tree.

We are printing copies of the obituaries from the microfilm stored in the Genealogy Department of the Central Brevard Library and Reference Center in Cocoa. We take these home and enter the information in a database. The time consuming part of this project is making these copies at the library. You can help. If you are able to volunteer a few hours a week printing copies of the obituaries, please contact Jim or Bonnie at JBGARMON@aol.com or talk to us at a meeting.


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LIBRARY NEWS
JOAN BULLARD


The Central Brevard Library has been given a large collection of genealogy books. The books cover many states and many are county histories. This is a wonderful addition to the genealogy library.

We have also ordered the rest of the series of the Sacramental Records from the Archdiocesan Historical Archives of New Orleans. These records cover the years 1718-1831.

Come by and see our many new additions to the library.


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CIVIL WAR ROLLS


PHMC, through the Pennsylvania Heritage Society, has received a grant of $375,000 from the national Save America’s Treasured (SAT) grant program to support the conservation of original Civil War Muster Rolls at the Pa. State Archives. This is the largest amount ever awarded for a paper conservation project by SAT. Additional funding from the Pa. State Legislature is expected to provide a total of over $1,000,000 over three years.

The project will stabilize a deteriorating group of documents detailing the 215 regiments, battalions, Colored Troops, and others.