US Military Collection 90 million names at Ancestry.com

Multi-media on main screen bows to use of online presentation of video as a mainstream tool

Collection is free through 6 June 2007

DearREADERS,
Gosh, Ol' Myrt only went to the bank and the Post Office for about 45 minutes. While I was gone, Ancestry.com has added a completely new collection, known as the "US Military Collection." I stumbled across it looking for Civil War records for my ancestor Ferd Goering (didn't find him.) What struck me was the use of old newsreels and Mathew Brady photos, in a delightful montage just above a timeline, and the actual search form.

Next, I spotted Dick Eastman's blog, then I checked my email box, and found the following announcement from our friends at Ancestry.com. All inquiries should be addressed to support@ancestry.com

Ancestry.com is announcing it has launched the largest collection of U.S.
military records available and searchable online, featuring more than 90 million
names that span more than four centuries of American history from the 1600s
through Vietnam.

This U.S. Military Collection includes exclusive record sets such as the only complete collection of WWI draft registration cards and commemorative military yearbooks and newspapers. Combined, the records bring to life the stories and sacrifices of the millions of brave men and women who have
served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Inside the U.S. Military Collection
Ancestry.com’s U.S. Military Collection captures all major wars and conflicts from American history, including the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts as well as the Spanish-American War and the War of 1812.

The eclectic volume of records features more than 700 databases and
titles and 37 million images of original and often personally autographed
documents including:

• World War I and World War II draft registration cards
• Prisoner of war records from the War of 1812, Civil War, World War II,
  and Korea
• Muster rolls (unit rosters) for the Marine Corps
  1893-1958
• WWII U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier Muster rolls, 1939-1949
• U.S. Military burial registers 1768-1921
• Service Records from Revolutionary War
• Service Records from War of 1812
• Service Records from Civil War
• Civil War Pension Index
• Casualty listings from WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam
• WWI and WWII Stars and Stripes Newspapers
• Young American Patriots Military Yearbooks (post WWII)

Rare historical media such as the United Newsreel Motion Pictures (1942 – 1945) are another highlight of the collection, making Ancestry.com the only online source for all 267 counter-propaganda films shown in U.S. theaters and abroad during WWII. Produced by the Office of War Information and financed by the U. S. government, the United Newsreels consisted of several short stories concerning allied military operations and were reportedly released in sixteen languages. Newsreels were also dropped behind enemy lines in a German language version and distributed in friendly and neutral countries.

Beginning now through June 6th (D-Day), Ancestry.com will make its entire U.S. Military Collection free to the public. For more information on Ancestry.com’s U.S. Military Collection, visit www.ancestry.com/military. In order to see the new titles added to Ancestry for this military release, go to www.ancestry.com/military and view titles by war/conflict.

A gal can't even go to the bank without important things happening in this exciting world of online genealogy!

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.
Myrt@DearMYRTLE.com
www.DearMYRTLE.com

(c) 2007 Pat Richley All Rights Reserved.

Union Civil War pension file update

DearREADERS,
Yesterday's column explained the necessity of obtaining a copy of the COMPLETE (not selected) Union Civil War pension file for an ancestor. Today Ol' Myrt spotlights one document (show above in the blog version of this column) that she and her daughters photocopied from William Gist FROMAN's entire pension file while visiting the National Archives in Washington, DC in 1989. This document was the first in the soldier's 2-inch thick folder and proved to be one of the most interesting genealogically. A transciption follows:

Certificate Number: 8221237
Name: Wm G. Froman

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
Bureau of Pensions
Washington DC, Jan 15, 1898

SIR:
In forwarding to the pension agent the executed voucher for your next quarterly payment please favor me by returning this circular to him with replies to the questions enumerated below.

Very Respectfully,
M Clay Grant,
Commissioner

[Note, elements of the form will appear here in ALL CAPS, and handwritten responses will be typed in upper/lower case.]

Grayson, May 4th 1898
Clinton County
State of Missouri

FIRST. ARE YOU MARRIED? IF SO, PLEASE STATE YOUR WIFE'S FULL NAME AND HER MAIDEN NAME
ANSWER. Yes. Louise M. Higgins now Froman

SECOND. WHEN, WHERE AND BY WHOM WERE YOU MARRIED?
ANSWER. Grayson, Missouri by C J Armstrong

THIRD. WHAT RECORD OF MARRIAGE EXISTS?
ANSWER. License recorded in Recorders office in Clinton County, Mo.

FOURTH. WERE YOU PREVIOUSLY MARRIED? IF SO, PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR FORMER WIFE AND THE DATE AND PLACE OF HER DEATH OR DIVORCE.
ANSWER. Yes. Mary Sherard 1893 St. Joseph Missouri

FIFTH. HAVE YOU ANY CHILDREN LIVING? IF SO, PLEASE STATE THEIR NAMES AND DATES OF THEIR BIRTH.
ANSWER. Yes. L J Froman July 1862, G William Froman April
1861 Elmer Froman June 1866 Eugene Froman 1873

[signed] W G Froman
4 May 1898

From this you can see that a few items are still missing. My ancestor omitted to state the date of his wedding to my great-grandmother Louise M Higgins. However, the pension file had additional papers to prove the date to Ol' Myrt's satisfaction. More tomorrow.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.
Myrt@DearMYRTLE.com
www.DearMYRTLE.com

(c) 2007 All Rights Reserved.

US Military History Institute (MHI)

From: Diane manley@goldrush.com
DearMYRTLE,
I wanted to check something at the MHI site, but it's changed. I spent an unbelievable amount of time trying to figure out how to access the Civil War photo database. I got to some civil war photos, but couldn't find anything - even items I had found previously. Perhaps you could do an article or something on how to navigate the new site. The page/link I had bookmarked is: http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/PhotoDB.html

DearDIANE,
Oh, would that web page designers would realize they should try to maintain the same URLs. Changing web addresses when updating a website wrecks havoc for long-time online researchers. Looking at the old pages through archives.org will NOT help with a growing collection such as the US Civil War photo collection you've mentioned.

Here are some of the things Ol' Myrt has learned:

1. Part of the US Army Military History Institute's website has changed to:
US Army Heritage Collection Online
http://www.ahco.army.mil/site/index.jsp

-- online catalog of library holdings
-- resource guides & finding aids
-- digital documents online - manuscripts
-- digital documents online - photos (including US Civil War)
-- digital documents online - artifacts
-- digital documents online - military publications

CAUTION, the default search option on the bottom of this website's home page is only to search a portion of online materials. If you wish to search ALL the digital documents, click the SEARCH DIGITAL MATERIAL button near the bottom.

2. Another part of the US Army Military History Institute's website has changed to:
US Army Heritage & Education Center (AHEC)
http://www.carlisle.army.mil/ahec/

It would appear that this site discusses educational events. Of particular interest to potential attendees is the page explaining how to get to Carlisle Barracks and the AHEC. http://www.carlisle.army.mil/ahec/travel.htm

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.Myrt@DearMYRTLE.com
www.DearMYRTLE.com

(c) 2007 All Rights Reserved.