Midwest Historical & Genalogical Society Special Interest Group

Midwest Historical and Genealogical Society will begin an Afro-American Interest Group.
The meeting will be at 1203 N. Main, Wichita , 67201, on Saturday, December 15 and January 19th at 1:00 pm.
The purpose is to encourage historical and genealogical study of families of any ethnic group with
special emphasis on Afro- Americans. This informal group will seek to learn more of the history
and factors within the family stories we have been told.
We will demonstrate how to research your family tree with the goal of discovering and
understanding your family history. The discussions will include a variety of methods, including
exploring public records, interviewing older relatives and preserving information. 
 Join us and you may become your family historian.
Jozel Smith Eckels, Chairperson

Sumner County Historical & Genealogical Society meeting

On Monday, November 26th, Frank Korte, Wellington attorney and Vietnam veteran will present the program “The Normandy Invasion” to members and guests of the Sumner County Genealogical & Historical Society in meeting room A at “The Rock” restaurant, 1311 East 16^th (east Highway 160), Wellington. 

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.; meal begins at 5:30 p.m.. Reservations are not necessary for the meal. Contact "The Rock" in case of inclement weather for cancellation information.

In 1968, Frank Korte’s National Guard unit was activated and they were sent to Vietnam on January 3^rd, 1969.  In the years since his military service, Korte has become interested in both Civil War era and World War II battles and the preparations that led up to them.

“I’ve always kind of had an interest in the military,” Korte said.

“WW II was the first war we fought with Armored machinery,” Korte said, adding “we woke up about 1939 and realized that they (the Germans) had tanks and had developed artillery and fighter aircraft, and we still had an army equipped to fight WW I.”

I’ve always been fascinated by that transition,” Korte said, “and by where we started and where we’ve come to today.”

 “In 1939 we got busy converting to a WW II Army. It was the infancy of how we fight today” Korte said, “we do a lot of the same things we did then, but we have much better equipment.”

Korte will share maps and photographs of the area at Normandy, including German bunkers that still exist today.  And while his talk will encompass the tremendous battle fought at Normandy Beach, he also plans to touch on what led up to the Normandy invasion, including “Operation Fortitude” the operation that was created to deceive the Germans into believing that the main attack would be elsewhere.

“The whole name of the game was to isolate the beaches and keep the Germans off of them so we could get on the beaches,” Korte said, “that operation really threw the Germans off.  Rommel was at Normandy trying to defend the beach with one-third of his Army.”

Contact info: Sherry Kline – 620-326-3401
skline09@gmail.com

MHGS Scanning Project

Scanning Your Photos for Family and Gifts, Sat. Nov. 3 & Dec. 1, 9am - 3:30pm, Midwest Historical & Genealogical Society Library, 1203 N. Main, Wichita.  A perfect holiday gift idea, photos will be scanned in "jpeg" format.  Bring a flash drive (preferred) or blank CD for the scanned photos, or purchase a CD from MHGS for $1.
     Cost:  15 cents for 300 dpi; 25 cents for 600 dpi for MHGS members; 20 cents 300 dpi; 30 cents for 600 dpi for non-members.  Limited to 15 minutes per person; approx. 250 4x6 picts at 300 dpi can be made in this time.  Allow more time for larger photos.
      For appointment or more information:  316-264-3611 or visit the website at
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/mhgs/index.html 
     Pictures/Polaroids only (no negatives, slides, tin-types or other media); remove from albums/envelopes; copyrighted photos not allowed; present in order you wish scanned on your media.Sizes:  3x3 - 8x12 accepted.

Sumner County Historical & Genealogical Center

The Sumner County Historical and Genealogical Center will be closed after October 16, 2012 due to ongoing renovations at the Memorial Auditorium. And to also prepare for moving to our new rooms.  We hope to reopen by December 1, 2012. We will still accept research requests via email and postal mail, but it may be some time before you will receive a reply. 

12 Months of History from Sumner County

When Sumner County Historical & Genealogical Society President Jane Moore saw a calendar at a genealogy meeting, one filled with fascinating historic old photos and interesting historic tidbits, she knew she wanted to do that for Sumner County.

I had seen another one from another county,” Moore said, “I just thought it was a cool idea.”

So for the past several months, Moore, Elaine Clark, and Photoshop expert, Jerry Sayre gathered and tweaked photos, researched newspapers, double-checked facts, and put together the SCHGS Calendar “A Look at Historic Sumner County.”

Getting it back from the printers, Wheatland Services, this week had everyone excited.

“The calendar itself has historic information on every page and with every photo,” Moore said, adding that facts and photos representing Oxford, Belle Plaine, Wellington, Caldwell, Geuda Springs, South Haven, Hunnewell, Perth, Mayfield, Argonia, Milan, Millerton, Corbin, and Conway Springs cover each month of the calendar, and include such interesting tidbits as location of the first lynching in the county, where the first post office in the county was located, and when the Baptist Church was organized in Wellington.

Moore said that the calendars can be purchased at the SCHGS Research Center (north door Memorial Auditorium, 208 N. Washington, Wellington) on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or from the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, and sell for $10.00 per calendar, with discounts for orders of five or more.  Mail orders are welcome.  Address orders to SCHGS, Box 402, Wellington, KS 67152, and add $5 shipping and handling for one calendar.  Contact the society for shipping rates on orders of multiple calendars at schgs@sutv.com, or contact President Jane Moore directly at bjmoore@kanokla.net.

Moore said that the proceeds will be used to support SCHGS’ family history preservation activities and equipment needs at the SCHGS Research Center.

“If you are interested in Sumner County History,” Moore said, “you will really enjoy them and they will make a nice gift for folks who no longer live here, too.”

Newspapers at Midwest Historical & Genealogical Society

MHGS has some old newspaper for which a permanent home is needed. If interested contact the library on Tuesday or Saturday between 9 a.m and 4 p.m. 316 264-3611 or e-mail mhgs1121@aol.com
Available are:
The London Times April thru June 1854; July thru Aug 1855; April and June 1868; Jan thru March 1873; July thru Sept 1875; Oct thru Dec 1882; Oct 1883; Sept thru Oct 1913; March, Sept thru Nov 1919; April 1933
The Scotsman (not sure where that's from) Jan thru June 1870
The New York Ledger Jan thru Dec 1861
The New York Times July thru Aug 1868
The Dallas Morning News Nov 1 thru Nov 30 1925

Kansas State Historical Society partners with Ancestry

Kansas State Historical Society has announced a partnership with Ancestry.com that will allow individuals with a valid Kansas driver's license free access to more than 8 million Kansas records on the popular family history web site. Users can access Kansas State Census Records from 1865-1925 (years ending in "5"), Civil War Enlistment Papers of Kansas volunteer Regiments (1862, 1863, 1868), Russell County Vital and Probate Records, selected World War I manuscripts and the United Spanish-American War Veterans certificates collection. Users visit http://kchs.org/ancestry and enter their name, date of birth, and Kansas driver's license number. the number is authenticated, and the user is directed to Ancestry.com.

1940 Kansas Census

The index of the 1940 Kansas Census on FamilySearch is now completed. Kansas Council of Genealogical Societies is very pleased that their member societies responded to the call and signed on to help get the tremendous task accomplished in such a short time. (We were the second state to be completed).
Thank you to every society and every individual member who helped. If you enjoyed working on the project, any of the other states would appreciate your indexing some of their images. We all know the benefits of helping other researchers!

KCGS Annual Meeting and Conference

June 23, 2012

2012 KCGS Annual Meeting and Conference will be June 23, 2012, in the Kanza Room of the Memorial Union at Emporia State University, co-hosted by Flint Hills Genealogical Society.
Our Speaker will be Julie Miller of Colorado. She will present the following lectures:
The 5 Steps of Genealogical Proof
Make the Census Work for You
When Grandpa Went Off to War: U.S. Military Records
An Ounce of Prevention: Making a Genealogical Disaster Plan

Registration and additional information

1940 Census

Kansas was among the first five states to have the images of the 1940 census released on April 2, 2012. By 5:00 p.m. that day the indexing began and has continued relentlessly. It is now nearly 5:00 a.m. on April 5 and we have completed the indexing of 15% of the images. Thanks to all who are helping with the project. Take time to browse for your family but keep up the excellent work on the Indexing Project! Get all of your friends involved by having them create an account at https://indexing.familysearch.org/newuser/nuhome.jsf?3.12.12 and selecting Kansas Council of Genealogical Societies as their choice in the "group list".

1940 Federal Census Release

Word was received this morning by Kansas Council of Genealogical Societies that the imagines for the Kansas census would be among the first five states to be uploaded. That means that indexing can begin either late Monday or early Tuesday. If you haven't already singed up please go immediately to https://the1940census.com/?cid=fsHomeT1940Plt and create an account, list Kansas as your favorite state to index, then download the free software that will be used for indexing. In your profile select Kansas Council of Genealogical Societies as your group.

Indexing is quit simple and can be done in the comfort of your own home, day or night. You can do as much or as little as you desire and no one will say anything regarding your choices. The index you submit will be proof read by a second individual and even a third if necessary. If you can't read the hand writing you simply send that image back stating it is unreadable.

Volume 28 Kansas Forgotten Settlers

Kansas Council of Genealogical Societies, Inc. has announced the release of Volume 28 of Kansas Forgotten Settlers. You can find the index on line at http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/kcgs/FS26%20A-E.htm. Check it out and order your copy today!
Applications are also available on line and KCGS would welcome your submission.

Kansas Genealogical Society to Host The Second U. S. Volunteer Infantry: Galvanized Yankees

Kansas Genealogical Society will host The Second U.S. Volunteer Infantry: Galvanized Yankees*, a presentation by Stan Reed, 2 PM Thursday, April 12, 2012 in the upper level meeting room next to GNC, Village Square Mall, 2601 Central, Dodge City.

Stan Reed is a retired Army Major and Vietnam Veteran with 2 Purple Hearts. Former Superintendent of the Kansas Old Soldiers Home at Ft. Dodge, Stan has 42 years experience speaking and teaching genealogy and American History. His primary focus has been on U.S. Civil War history and the U.S. westward expansion.

The public is invited to attend this program. There will be time for questions and answers and refreshments will be served. For more information contact KGS at 620-225-1951, Tuesday through Friday, 1:30 to 5 PM.

1940 Federal Census

You have, no doubt, heard by now that the 1940 Federal Census will be released by the NARA on April 2, 2012. The digitized images will be available immediately after and indexing will start as the state images are put up. Kansas Council of Genealogical Societies has agreed to coordinate the indexing efforts of all Kansas enumeration districts. If every genealogist in Kansas were to index just one district and review one district Kansas could easily be the first state to have a completed index. Let's work toward that goal!

How many times in your research have you used "Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness" or ask that a photo be taken by a "Find-A-Grave" volunteer? Now is your chance to help out other researchers. Although the images are not yet available you can sign up to help by visiting https://www.familysearch.org/1940census and entering your name and e-mail and by placing Kansas in the box that says "Favorite State to Index".

Sign up now and be ready to start on the first day the Kansas images appear.

More information will be released in the following weeks by our state coordinator, Helen E. Bortz.