Tuscarawas County Genealogical Society here to help
Volunteers Emma McMannamy of Bowerston, president of the Tuscarawas County Genealogical Society, and Christy Walker of Tuscarawas, who serves as vice president at the TCGS Library in Dennison.
As many genealogy resources move online, the Tuscarawas County Genealogical Society has seen less traffic through its doors, but actual hands-on research is still the best way to get information. That is why people have come from all over the United States to use the resources available at the TCGS in Dennison.
The society is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization formed in 1968. They operate a library and archive at 307 Center St. in Dennison. They have been at that location since 1999 and have the most comprehensive collection of genealogy resources in Tuscarawas County including computer terminals, Wi-Fi, ProScan readers and coin-operated photo copiers.
Recently, the members held a cleanup day with the shelved items they have available.
“We’re rearranging, taking some stuff off the shelf that’s not used on a regular basis so that we can make room for things that we believe will be used more, like the family histories that were donated to us,” said Emma McMannamy of Bowerston, who serves as president of the TCGS.
Some items taken off the shelves may be stored, donated to another society or sold if there are duplicates.
The TCGS also offers an ever-changing collection of used history and genealogy books for sale that have been donated to them. They also have about 100 book titles for sale including history, birth records, cemetery, death and burial records, church records, census records, marriage records, common pleas and probate index, collections of five generation charts and more.
For those interested in researching their family history, there is only one place to start.
“We always tell people to start with themselves. I remember we had a gentleman that used to come in, and he was trying to start in Switzerland to find his (ancestors). And you’ve got to start with yourself and work back,” McMannamy said.
So many people have the same names, but that doesn’t mean they’re an ancestor or any relation at all.
“Always start with yourself, fill in what you know and then you start to research,” McMannamy said.
The TCGS is there to help those who would like to do their own research but don’t know how to get started. TCGS members can use the library at no charge, but there is a small fee for nonmembers.
“When somebody’s new, we’ll give them a tour of the library so they know what is available,” said Christy Walker, vice president at the TCGS Library in Dennison. “We’ll get them started and give them a beginning packet that has some charts and things to help them out. Genealogy is still one of the biggest hobbies in the world.”
Some surprising things have been found. One was the high number of times people moved in the 1800s. Research can often prove some of the things you thought you knew your whole life might not be true.
“I have the perfect example of that. We celebrated my grandmother’s birthday on Aug. 26. My whole life that’s what’s in her family Bible. That’s what her cousin said. That’s what her death certificate says. It’s what her tombstone says. It’s what her marriage license says and what she always said,” McMannamy said.
Another important document provided a different date.
“I started genealogy, and I could go on to the birth record right now, and it says Oct. 26,” McMannamy said. “I don’t know which is true. I know which we celebrate. I was an adult when she passed away.”
Sometimes records can be wrong, the wrong date could have been given initially or the information could have been recorded incorrectly. Despite that fact, original records are still best for proving a lineage.
“There’s a lot of material online, but you have to be very, very careful with it,” McMannamy said, noting how easy it can be to make mistakes while inputting computerized records.
A special Lineage Society Workshop will be held at the TCGS on May 15 with professional genealogist Cheryl Abernathy. The event will take place from 2-4 p.m., and it is free and open to the public.
The group has held special events in the past for the same surname.
“If have at least three people that are researching that same surname. We will schedule a research day,” Walker said. “Murphy was one that we had a big turnout. They can come in and share their research pictures, ideas, and just get together and share information. It was really a good day.”
Contact the TCGS with the surnames you would be interested in researching with others.
The library is closed during the winter months but is now open every Thursday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the first, third and fifth Tuesday of the month at the same time. The group also can make special arrangements for researchers unable to come in at those times with two-week advance notice.
The group maintains a separate archive building that houses original Tuscarawas County Courthouse records. Some of the information is available on microfilm, but to access the original records, a two-week advance notice is needed to ensure a volunteer is available to open the separate archive building.
Yearly membership is available at $15 for individuals and $20 per couple. Lifetime memberships are $150 for individuals and $250 per couple. Members also receive a quarterly newsletter.
More information can be found at www.tuscogene.com, and donations to maintain the group’s library and archive may be sent to Tuscarawas County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 83, Dennison, OH 44621-0083.