NEXT MEETING:
Saturday, April 30, 2004
Main Branch Library, Houma, LA 1:00 p.m.
Our March meeting was the first meeting of our 24th
year, and this is the first issue of our newsletter in our 12th year. It
will be YOUR LAST issue if you have not paid your dues for this year. How
can you tell whether you paid your dues or not? Look at the address label
up above the masthead. Can you find the year “06" on it somewhere (not
in the zip code or street address)? If so, you are all paid up for this
year. If not, and you want to continue receiving these gems (as well as
the quarterly), send your dues now to the address above. ($25 for an individual,
$30 for a family). Thanks, you won’t be sorry, I’m sure.
To get back to the meeting, it was real cozy, to
put it politely. The weather was terrible, and I didn’t blame people for
staying home. And they did — in droves. But it was productive for some
members. Essie CAVALIER brought a fried modem to show the group, and we
discussed computers and surge protectors and the one fool-proof method
of surge protection. Unplug. That’s right. From the wall. Everything, including
your telephone connection. It’s guaranteed to keep your computer and modem
safe. In case you haven’t encountered a fried modem, it is what you get
when your house (or a nearby tree or pole, even) gets hit by lightning
and you have a power spike in your home circuits. The wiring in your home
receives a charge that it was not built for, so many small, delicate components
have their circuits burnt out. It produces a distinct burnt smell that
some of us have experienced on many occasions, to our sorrow. So be safe,
unplug.
BIRTHS: Member Martha HAYDEL BLANK and husband, Jack BLANK, of
Houma, announce the arrival of twin granddaughters: Hannah Theresa and
Kaylee Ann TRAHAN born Wednesday, 2 March 2005 at Terrebonne General Hospital.
The proud parents are Michael John TRAHAN Jr. and Gina BLACKWELL TRAHAN.
Hannah was 18 inches long and weighed 6 lbs. 2 oz., whereas Kaylee measured
17 ¾ inches and 5 lbs. 1 oz. The maternal grandparents are Barry
and Debbie MARICELLI BLACKWELL of Houma.
BOOKS: Boy, have I got a deal for you. If you have gaps in your
collection of our quarterlies, they are available now in a TWO-FER sale.
Only Volumes 9 through 23 (that’s years 1990 through 2004) are included
in the sale, but what a terrific bargain: if you buy one volume at the
regular price, you can get a second one free. FREE! Postage must be paid
for both books, but that’s just $3.00 for the first book and $1.00 for
each additional book. As always, the usual member discount does not apply
to sales.
Please don’t let the deadline for our pre-publication
notice pass you by. Marcie and Essie CAVALIER worked hard on this book,
and it shows. It’s Assumption Parish Marriages 1890 - 1905 and many hours
of research and editing has gone into the production of this book, as usual.
Essie and Marcie check and verify the civil marriages, marriage bonds,
licenses and marriage applications found in the Assumption Parish Courthouse.
And they arrange the names in alphabetical order by the bride and the groom,
naming parents if given in the document as well as birth dates and place
of residence or the wedding.
Writing a Compelling Family History with Sharon
DeBARTOLO and James W. WARREN is not a book but a DVD, available at the
Terrebonne Parish Library. It comes highly recommended by none other than
Essie CAVALIER. He said it gave him the impetus and the information to
get started on his family history. Maybe we all ought to watch it. I watched
a part of it and got some good ideas, maybe you should check it out if
you have been procrastinating the start of your book.
ANCESTRY: Yes, your ancestors interest me. Our project is taking off!
Almost fifty persons have entrusted me with their forefathers and mothers,
and we are now busy entering them in our database. We have input a little
over 200 individuals and have more than 400 still waiting to be entered.
After we enter them into our computer with the Microsoft© Access database
program, we will print labels and stick them onto regular library catalog
cards and file them in catalog card drawers. So far, only a few have been
printed, but if you would like to see how they will eventually look, check
out the cabinet in the Genealogy Room at the Main Branch in Houma.
One problem has surfaced, however, some of our submitters
have picked up a wrong impression. Some are sending in every individual
on their 5-generation ancestry chart. I must have left something out of
my instructions. All we need are the eight couples in the fifth generation;
that is, only your great-great grandparents. We don’t need your parents,
grandparents or great-grandparents. And you don’t have to go back any further
than the 5th generation, please. I hate to eliminate these individuals
if they are sent to me. I know you went to a lot of trouble writing the
information on the forms, but it is pretty useless for our purposes. Remember,
we are trying to establish connections, and to do that we have to go a
few generations back, but not too many. Of course, if your information
doesn’t permit, you cannot send in what you don’t have. If all you have
are your great-grandparents, that’s what we will put in the database. But
please understand that any connections become less likely the closer you
get to yourself. If you still have questions, please feel free to call,
write or email me and express your concerns.
GOT BAUDIER? Or PALMISANO, MARQUET, FISCHER or ROSENBOHM? If
so, please contact Helen KENDRICK. She has been tracing the BAUDIER and
allied families for many years. Because this family is so large, their
are many missing members. Ms. KENDRICK would like to find anyone interested
in helping her complete the BAUDIER family genealogy. Letters, photos,
Civil War records, oral histories or other information would be most welcome.
Contact Helen KENDRICK, 3009 Camellia Drive, Slidell, LA 70458, email lhkendri
@ bellsouth.net; please use BAUDIER in the subject line.
LIBRARY: Our volunteer program is doing well. Some find they
have extra time on their hands because no one knows they are there. Please
tell your friends about the service. Wednesday afternoons and Wednesday
and Saturday mornings there should be a volunteer tin the Genealogy Room
at the Main Branch Library to help you get started with your genealogy
and help you find your way around the Genealogy Department.
If anyone has extra copies of the periodical Kinfolkd
please see Judith SONIAT in the Reference Department of the Main Branch.
Or email genealogy.b1tb @ state.lib.la.us with Kinfolks in the subject
line.
WEBSITES: This is the site for anyone searching for a civil war
pension application. http://sec.sta te.la.us/archives/gen/cpa-alpha.htm
Also http://selagenealogy.proboard s28.com/index.cgi is highly
recommended. Try it and let me know. It didn’t help me much, but it is
intended to help S.E.LA (southeast Louisiana) genealogists. |
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