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Library teaches military ancestor research
POLAND
The search for records concerning an ancestor who served in the military begins with what one has at home.
It then branches out into a search for more information about one’s ancestor; and for the history of the unit in which he or she served, local librarian Tim Seman said.
He will conduct a free program at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Poland public library, 311 S. Main St., titled: “Honoring Them by Remembering Them: Military Research for Genealogy.”
Seman, who is based at the main library, is the genealogy and local history librarian of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County.
Weather permitting after the program, the group will go to nearby Poland Village Cemetery to visit veterans’ graves.
To register for the program, call 330-744-8636.
“It’s important to recognize the contributions that our servicemen here made in all the wars,” said Josephine Nolfi, library-programming director.
“When people can identify that in their own [family] history, it enriches them,” Nolfi added.
“We always look for as many ways as possible to let the public know what we have in terms of resources,” available through the library system, said Janet Loew, library communications and public-relations director.
“There are two basic pillars that hold up the roof, so to speak, of military research. There’s the personal record of that soldier, himself or herself, and then there are the unit histories of the unit in which they served,” also known as regimental histories, Seman said.
“To understand military service, one has to look at both of those,” he added.
To narrow the search, it’s helpful to start with basic information, such as one’s ancestor’s dates of birth and death, state of residence during the prime military services ages of 18 to 30, and the conflict, branch of service and unit name and number he or she served in and rank attained, Seman said.
“Some of that information may not be available, but you start with what you have and then you build on that,” Seman said.
Letters to and from the soldier or sailor during his or her time of service and war diaries in a family’s possession are good starting resources, he said.
Military news articles and obituaries from local newspapers and inscriptions on tombstones also may provide valuable information, Seman said.
Research may be pursued through census forms from 1940 and earlier; draft registration, enlistment, discharge and veteran’s pension records; Civil War medical cards; military unit histories; cemetery records; veterans’ organization records; and records of lineage societies, such as the Daughters of the American Revolution or Sons of the American Revolution, he said.
Individual census forms are available only from 1940 and earlier population counts because individual census information must legally be kept confidential for 72 years.
The library system subscribes to, and provides free patron access to, the ancestry.com and fold3.com databases, the latter being especially helpful for Civil War document research, Seman said.
“The National Archives at archives.gov is the premier location for requesting personal files and for finding out where the records are for various wars,” he said.
In addition to material that can be found on the Internet, Seman said the main library has a large collection of relevant printed and microfilmed materials.
“We have special volumes dealing with Ohio servicemen,” pertaining to the War of 1812 and the Civil War, he noted.
Those needing individual assistance in their search may make a free one-hour appointment with Seman, either at the main library or a branch library, by calling 330-744-8636.