#genchat CHALLENGE: Exploring NARA

In last night's #genchat, we discussed using the National Archives and Records Administration, commonly known as NARA, in our genealogy journey. Many participants had yet to fully explore the collections available in our national collection, so this week's challenge is designed to get you into the records and find out what might be of value to your research.

Denver Branch of the National Archives and Records Administration
Photo: ©Jen Baldwin, 2012 - 2014

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it...


Identify one record set that might help you at NARA, learn how to access it and write it up. No purchase required, but go into this as if you are going to request the records and get it ready for yourself. 


(Maybe you will even be encouraged to order the records soon!)


Here is mine.


I decided to dig into the possibility of finding one or two of my miner's in NARA's collection. The men I am researching came to the Colorado gold fields and took various routes to success. One ended up being a cattle rancher with property in Nebraska and Colorado; the other spent a decade investing in various mining operations before heading home to New Jersey. One of the best lines I got from my initial research of NARA records was this:

Think of possible ways your ancestor interacted with the Federal Government. Then pursue those records.

Examining the holdings at the Denver branch, I found that they have Bankruptcy Case Files. I think it is likely that either or both of these men may have found themselves in this circumstance. It's just a hunch, really, but its worth investigating, I think. Although the information online is limited, they have bankruptcy, civil cases, court of appeals and criminal cases; all available to order.


Just these files does not warrant a full trip to the Denver branch for me, however. I need to find more and have a full list of potential research in order to make this drive (about two hours one way for me). I utilized the "Guide to Archival Holdings: Alphabetical List of Record Holdings" for Denver to dig a bit deeper.


Due to the various bits of information I have about these two men, I was able to locate two additional sources that may help me. List includes the title and Record Group (RG) number:

• Attorneys, United States RG 118. This collection specifically refers to US Attorneys appointed under the Department of Justice. Although I have not uncovered any evidence of that, there is still a possibility that my guy may have been involved in a case dealing with a US Attorney, making this a far-fetched, but still valid, resource for me. Before I pursue it however, I will do more local work into his career as an attorney. 
• Bureau of Mines, US RG 70. The record description indicates the dates of 1860 - 1996, so it begins early enough to potentially cover data on either or both of my guys. The description does not detail what is included in the earliest years of the set (1860-1900), so additional work on my part is required to understand if this is a valid resource for me or not. 

I will also need to examine the collections at the Kansas City facility to examine the possibility of records on the miner turned cattle rancher.


I would invite you to take a closer look at the potential resources held at NARA. Look from a national perspective, but also at what each individual branch has in its collections.


Will you accept the CHALLANGE?

Our next #genchat will be March 14, on the topic of "Early Census Years." You can find the full schedule on Conference Keeper. 

Maps, Manufacturing and Museums, Oh My!

In my mind, researching your family and their stories means more than just understanding individual life. It also means understanding the general history, economics, diversity and other unique features of a community. And that is why I believe every serious Colorado researcher needs to own a copy of the Historical Atlas of Colorado, by Thomas J. Noel, Paul F. Mahoney and Richard E. Stevens (University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma. 1994). It should be a part of your genealogical library.

The text covers everything from boundaries through land grants and territorial purchases, to specialized museums and tourist attractions, and has proven invaluable more than once in my personal and professional research.

For those looking for their “lost” ancestor who came to Colorado as part of the 1859 gold rush, this is a must have resource. The map and descriptions of “Lost Mines and Buried Treasures” will give many a new lease on “dead ends” from newspaper clippings and other records. They also continue to ignite your curiosity, referring to the “Cement Creek Caves,” where “…stolen loot was found in 1883.” From the map, these are not too far west of my current home, and it’s a tempting summer adventure in the making!

The “Transportation” section includes commentary on mountain passes, fur traders, major stagecoach lines and pioneer railroads. Some of these routes have not been modernized today, and the only way to truly experience them is the same way that our ancestors did: on foot or on donkey. Imagine climbing over 14,000 foot mountains with provisions, a change of clothes or two, and hopefully a pick or shovel. In winter.

Planning a research trip to Colorado? Use the “Denver Metro Museums and Historic Accommodations” section to make it as memorable as possible, and learn as much as possible.

If you have any interest at all in the history and development of the State of Colorado, you should put this text on your list. If nothing else, inter-library loan this so you can see the amazing collection of maps within its pages.

Oh, yes. One last thing. 

This post is officially number 200 for my blog! Most of that occurred in 2012, and I thank all of you for reading, commenting, making suggestions and following along on my genealogical journey this year. Have a very wonderful holiday and may we all have an incredible 2013, filled with kind acts, laughter and love. 

1884 Snow Plow

Living in Summit County means you have to deal with snow. Sometimes, a lot of snow.

One of the heaviest winter's recorded was that of 1898-1899. The piles were massive, trains and supplies were stopped, and many of the mountain's small communities were cut off for weeks at a time. From the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance's website:

A record snowfall hits Breckenridge and residents are forced to dig snow tunnels to get around town. Rail service resumes on April 24th, after a 78 day blockade.

Miner's cabin in snow. Colorado, taken between 1882-1900.
Photographer: W.H. Jackson
Source: Denver Public Library Digital Collections

 So, it was a tough way of life. Miner's were known to build doors and/or window's into the roofs or upper eaves of their cabins, and then use that as their primary entrance during the winter. There was no real reason for them to continually shovel around the ground level entrance; that was certainly a lot of work, and removed helpful insulation from around the home.

There were some folks who were determined to do something about the labor intensive task of keeping town streets clean of snow. If you look at any of the photos from that era of our high country communities, you will see snow piles lining the streets, at times as high as two story buildings! That is a lot of shoveling. Not only where the streets and residential areas a concern, but the railroad tracks became extremely important in this matter. If the train could not get through the snow, and avalanches over tracks and trains were common occurrences  burying both, then supplies, mail, passengers and other necessities were unavailable.

I recently came across a patent record issued in 1884 by a resident of Red Cliff, Colorado. One Mr. John Q. Day issued Patent No. 299750 for a "Snow-Plow".  His design requires the machine to move along the tracks, and;

"...The snow is gathered on the curved mold-board n ... and is shoveled or scraped therefrom into the wheel groves by the shovels..." 

Partial Image from Patent No. 299750
United States Patent Office

If you have not included a patent search in your own genealogy process, I highly recommend it. You can do this easily through Google (what else?), by using the Google Patents Search. Filters include filing date and type of patent. In the past, I have found a few connected with my family tree, including one for a design of a head lice remover.

Even if you don't find one submitted by an actual family member, you can certainly find other ideas from their neighbors, giving you a great look at the problems they experienced in every day life, and the solutions they were trying to come up with.

I do not know if this snow-plow was ever used by any railroad companies, but I do not think it would be difficult to find out. It does, however, make for a very interesting topic around the dinner table!

Have you had any success searching patents? Do you have any interesting stories? I would love to hear them.