(Crowned when only a year old, various regents 1578 (Became King of England at Queen Elizabeth's 1603 and was called James I, King of England) German Rulers Karl (der Grosse) Charlemagne (The Great) 768- 814 Ludwig (der Fromme) 814 840 CHAPTER 9 GENEALOGICAL LIBRARIES AND SOCIETIES Among the powerful agencies which have been of use to the Latter-day Saints in the gathering and preparing of records of the dead none have contributed so much as the printed books compiled and then gathered up into libraries by Genealogical Societies in Europe and America. The reasons given by authors of books and the librarians for this remarkable outgrowth in genealogical research are largely antiquarian, patriotic and the spirit of family loyalty. To the Latter-day Saint the answer is found in the visit of Elijah to the Prophet Joseph Smith, April 3, 1836, when the keys of the sealing power were restored to the earth. Effect in America of the Mission of Elijah. As the Lord prepared this land to be a land of liberty for the establishing of His Church and kingdom, so has the Lord put into the hearts of the children of men to do preparatory work for the salvation of the dead. The mission delivered by Elijah is operating in the world in constantly increasing volume, and the hearts of the children have turned to their fathers to a wonderful degree. Previous to the revelations of God to Joseph Smith, there was very little interest taken in genealogical matters; but shortly afterward there was an awakening. In the year 1844, three years later than the first baptisms for the dead were performed, the first genealogical society was organized in this country at Boston, Massachusetts. This is the New England Historic, Genealogical Society. From that beginning, many genealogical societies have been organized, both in this country and in Europe. These societies have for their object the collecting, preserving and publishing of the records of the past, both as pertains to towns and cities as well as to families. The librarian Mr. Wm. Greenlaw of the New England Historic, Genealogical Society, answering some questions which were asked him, says in a letter dated March 10, 1924. "It will not be possible for me to supply you with a complete list of our genealogies nor can I even tell you just how many we have. I have never given any time to the compilation of such statistics. On the other hand, I have been trying to make this library the Court of Last Rescrt, and it is the ordinary thing in other great libraries having genealogical collections, to say that I haven't such and such a book, but you will be sure to find it in Boston. I have paid as high as one hundred and fifty dollars for a single rare item and have always taken what we need from the auction rooms, notwithstanding the price. * * * Of course you must be aware that in addition to the printed works we have gathered an immense amount of manuscript genealogy, some of it very fragmentary and some of it quite complete. We do keep in the library a complete alphabetical list of all these genealogies on cards, and also have made a substantial addition to the Munsell scheme of indexing, also arranged on cards, which is very much used and eventually I hope will cover the entire field. It is my purpose eventually to publish an index in a series of books containing five or six hundred pages to a volume, each and every volume to be final for the field it covers. When all the work in arrears is completed then it will be a simple matter to gather, from time to time, additional volumes, keeping the work up to date. "I realize that this scheme costs a great deal of money but somehow large sums of money do not impress me or depress me as they did years ago." Among the newspapers which carry genealogical departments there is the Boston Transcript which began in 1882. Twice a week this department carries queries. and answers, notices of family meetings and is open to all. Many thousands of correspondents are represented in this department's card index, according to a recent letter received. The Sheffield (Pa.) Observer, printed at Sheffield, also carries a column of "Local History and Genealogy of Warren County." GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES IN AMERICA New England Historic, Genealogical Society,9 Ashburton Place, Boston, Mass. The New England Historic, Genealogical Society was formed in 1844, "for the purpose of collecting, preserving and publishing genealogical and historical matter relating to New England families, and for the establishment and maintenance of the cabinet." Annual dues $10.00 per year. Two hundred and fifty-nine genealogies were acquired during the year 1923. The working library shelves between fifty and sixty thousand volumes. New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 226 West 58th Street, New York, N. Y. In Incorporated in 1869. The object and aim of the Society is "To discover, procure, preserve and perpetuate whatever may relate to genealogy, biography and local history; to maintain a library; to publish and disseminate genealogical, biographical and historical information." pursuance of its aim and object the Society has accumulated a library of some 15,000 bound volumes and come 5,000 manuscripts, all specialized along the lines of genealogy, biography and local history. It specializes on New York families and old Dutch records. It is closed to the general public. Annual dues are $10.00 including subscription to Society magazine. Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pa. Excellent American collection with special reference to old Dutch and Quaker families. Closed to the public except on certain days. California Genealogical Society, Corner Webster and Sacramento Streets, San Francisco, California. Small general library, now housed in the Sutro Library. "Old Northwest" Genealogical Society, 87 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio. Object-Collection, preservation and dissemination of local and general history of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin and the genealogies of families located therein. Maryland Original Research Society of Baltimore City, 817 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Md. Object-To collect, preserve and publish public and private records and traditions illustrative of, and relating |