The Annual Report

The Annual Report The 89th Annual Report of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, 24 March 1981. THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Interest in genealogy continues at a high level as is indicated by the enthusiasm of our ever-increasing membership. Your society was active during the year and its operations are fully described in the reports of each committee chairman which follow. Many have asked what the society has planned for the Tercentenary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The society will commemorate this important anniversary through its Program of Events and its publication, the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine. It is with sorrow that I report the death on 9 February 1981 of Lewis Daniel Cook. Mr. Cook was a founding Fellow of the society, and he had a long and distinguished career as a genealogist. He was the author of many genealogical articles and had served as co-editor and editor of our publication. In closing, I wish to thank all members for their continuing support, the members of our Board, our committees, our stafrof two, Miss Margot Gleeson and Mrs. Rita Mowrer, and the staff of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Charles B. Barclay, President FELLOWSHIPS The Fellowships Committee made no additions to the honorary Fellows of the society in 1980. Dr. Don Yoder, Chairman FINANCE In spite of increased activities and higher costs, the society increased its total equity by 7.4 per cent in 1980. Although not keeping pace with inflation, the results were most gratifying. With the continued support of members and friends, we anticipate balancing the budget again in 19131. 78 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Our investments are held and administered by the Provident National Bank. Reports of the treasurer and of the auditors are available at the office of the society. Winfield S. Weer, Chairman FUND RAISING In response to the appeal made in September 1980, one hundred and seventy-nine members contributed a total of $5886. nearly reaching our goal of $6000. This supplementary support will permit the society to actively continue its program of records rehabilitation and retrieval. Donald C. Turner, Chairman HEREDITARY AND PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES The work of your committee has continued throughout the year in cooperation with the various hereditary and patriotic societies. Basic standards of admission requirements, as described in last year's Annual Report, were published this year in the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, XXXI, no. 3. Reprints are available to individuals and to any interested society for distribution to prospective members. These may be obtained at .25 a copy from the Genealogical Society office. Robert LeConte Halberstadt, Chairman LIBRARY ACCESSIONS Our biggest project for 1980 was the xeroxing of abstracts of wills of Philadelphia and seven surrounding counties, plus abstracts of Poulson's Daily Advertiser death and marriage notices, 1791-1839. This resulted in the production of 548 volumes. GSP acquired two complete sets and sold the others to thirty-four libraries, historical societies and individuals. The GSP stands to gain about $10,000 from this effort, which will be put to good use in acquiring genealogical material. The committee is reviewing the condition of the genealogical collection and has already authorized the librarian to have a large number of books in poor physical condition rebound. A review of the genealogical books in the Brittle Book collection has been made and authorization has been given for the purchase of reprints where available. At the January 1981 committee meeting it was voted to purchase the Philadelphia CIO Directories from 1785 to 1901 on microfische and The Annual Report 79 microfilm. Other genealogical material is under review for acquisition and will be reported upon when a decision has been made. Russell Bement, jr., Chairman LIBRARY CATALOGUE The responsibility of the Library Catalogue Committee is to maintain consistent catalogue procedures for our large and varied Collections. Mrs. Rita Schive Mowrer, herself a Certified Genealogist, amplifies the catalogue procedures from the standpoint of the genealogical researcher who must locate the most information in the shortest time possible to a complex study. During 1980, a total of 667 items were catalogued into our Collections. To locate these, a total of 2,235 cards were filed into the library catalogue file. Occasionally, research notes which are donated to the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania are contained on legal size paper. These papers are too large to be placed in the regular "FC" collection, but not of sufficient volume to be placed in an FC Box number of their own. In order to accommodate this type of material, a new catalogue category has been created, and items of this description will be placed in an acid-free folder and filed in boxes under the designations: FC Box A, File 1; FO Box A, File 2; etc., until the box is full. A new box will then be started under FC Box B, File 1, etc. Each folder is labeled with the family name, FC Box and file number. Mrs. Georges Carousso, Chairman MEMBERSHIP From January through December 1980, your Membership Committee presented 216 new members, all of whom were elected to membership by the society's Board of Directors. This brings our total at year's end to 1,807 members, another new high. Eleven members were lost by death in 1980; six members resigned; while 108 were reluctantly dropped for non-payment of dues. Our membership is not just local to Pennsylvania, but spans from New England to California and from Washington State to Florida, indicating how many of our neighbors are finding their American origins in Pennsylvania. Because of this widespread interest in the goals and achievements of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, local sponsorship is no longer considered practical. However, we are 80 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine aware that Margot Gleeson, our Administrative Assistant, brings in a very large percentage of new members through correspondence and office visitors. This growth is gratifying to the Membership Committee, and we extend our thanks to all members who have brought their friends into membership in 1980. Mrs. Georges Carousso, Chairman PROGRAM During the 1980-1981 season, your Program Committee provided seven programs (or nine, if we include the two following this 1981 Annual Meeting). In retrospect, the program appears to have been heavily loaded with "Guides to Genealogical Sources" in our own and neighboring institutions: Research in Western Pennsylvania, especially in the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society; The New Jersey State Library; a view of our own GSP library in the 1980's; the Historical Society of Montgomery County; the Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg; in May, the Hall of Records in Dover, Delaware: Six out of nine programs therefore were either actual bus and car tours or "arm-chair" tours acquainting our members with the contents of genealogical libraries and archives in or near Pennsylvania. The three other programs were of more topical interest: Genealogy in Support of an Historic House; William Penn and the Quaker Migration to the Delaware Valley; The Welsh and their Pedigrees, all relating to Pennsylvania genealogical and historical interests. Next year, as a breather from the pace of so many tours, we plan to concentrate on the tri-centennial of the founding of our great State which was not only the "keystone" of the thirteen Colonies but also the first real melting pot of our Nation. Conrad Wilson, Chairman PUBLICITY With the formation of a working committee on publicity this past fall, we have been able to move forward with our plans to expand the pubic visibility of the society and its objectives. During our monthly workshops, we have greatly increased our ability to handle direct mailings to the news media, and several committee members have made direct contact with local newspaper editors to see that our re- The Annual Report 81 leases are going to the right desks. We feel this is one reason we are now having better pick-up in the newspapers. Aside from newspapers and radio-TV, several mailings have gone out on an experimental basis to broader interest groups that may wish to hear one of our public lectures. For example, we mailed releases to nearly one hundred Friends Meetings in the Philadelphia area for Dr. Yoder's lecture on Quaker migrations. Meredith Colket's lecture was announced in the Welsh Society newsletter, which means we have reached an additional 2,000 individuals interested in Welsh genealogy. The committee would like to go beyond names and numbers, however, and try to turn some of our contacts into new members. With this in mind, the committee has turned its attention to larger, more long-term publicity projects which it would like to undertake in 1981-1982. Among these are possible arrangements for an open house for the news media and the public, to show them who and what we are; a talk show on genealogy and perhaps feature articles from time to time in local magazines and newspapers. William Woys Weaver, Chairman PuBLICATIONS The year saw the completion of two issues, concluding Volume XXXI of the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine under the capable editorship of Helen Hutchison Woodroofe. The informative newsletter edited by Doris Stansbury has drawn very favorable comment from our scattered membership. The Publications Committee has continued its policy of publicizing in our magazine the vast resources of our Collections, as well as printing a number of them. Those seeking their ancestors at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania have been greatly aided thereby in their search. The committee wishes to call attention to those publication funds which greatly cushion the rising costs of our magazine and assure continuing publication. We solicit your continuing support for the current Hannah Benner Roach Fund. Aubrey H. Baldwin, Chairman VOLUNTEER PROJECTS Beginning in April, 1980, a volunteer group was formed for the purpose of indexing all the marriages and deaths recorded in the Philadelphia Public Ledger. The first issue of the newspaper commenced 82 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 25 March 1836, and work was started on the first eight years of this publication. Since the beginning of the program the following persons have given their time and efforts to the project: Edwin S. Dunkerley, Mrs. Frances C. Smith, James L. Flanigan, Jr., Mrs. Ruth Mazzeo, Mrs. Mary M. Crowley, George Hinderer, Austin B. Brough, Mrs. M. Caroline Sparks, Mrs. Vernon Rutherford, Ms. Marie Kitzmiller, Mrs. Lucy Megrail, Mrs, Elma Eckert, Mrs. Edmund Cabeen, Mrs. Emma Fest and Mrs. Eleanor Pailthorp. The first two stages of indexing the years 1836-1843 is completed and typing is about to start. The first stage of indexing the years 1844-1850 is well underway with the continued dedication of the volunteers and the devoted efforts of Edwin S. Dunkerley who spends long hours, five days a week, working on this project. In addition, the following volunteers worked on various indexing projects throughout the year: Mrs. Frances C. Smith, James L. Flanigan, Jr., Mrs. Mary M. Crowley, Miss Helen Davis, Mrs. Barbara Michie, Mrs, Naomi Hotz, Mrs. Emma Quigley, Mrs. Elma Eckert and Mrs. Ruth Mazzeo. Mrs, Rita Schive Mowrer, Co-ordinator Mr. & Mrs. Russell N. Abel, Bowie, Md. Mr. Roger Suhrie Alloway, Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. Mark A. Anderson, Esters, Pa. Mrs. T W. Andrews, Kennett Square, Pa. Rodney Armstrong, Esq., Boston, Mass. Mr. Robert S. Askey, Oregon, O. Miss Bertha M. Radler, Philadelphia, Pa. The Rev. Frank C. Baldwin, Oak Park, Ill. Mrs. Sue Kennedy Barnes, Wayne, Pa. Mrs, Carole Bartels. Philadelphia, Pa. Mrs. Betty A. Beard, Turnersville, N. J. Mrs. Percy Benner, Urbana, Ill. Mrs. George W. Bicknell, Marshall, Mich. Mrs. Ruth S. Bien, Towson, Md. Mr. George L. Bond, Fishkill, N. Y. Mrs. Ann Bonello, Exton, Pa. Mrs. Evelyne Eichelberger Boose, Westminster, Md. Mrs. Charles E. Boston, Warminster, Pa. Mr. Peter M. Breitling, Wayne, Pa, LTC Thomas F. Bresnehen, jr., San Antonio, Tex. Mrs. Alice Albright Briqueleur, Penn Valley, Pa. Mrs. Anne E. Brown, Damascus, Md. Mrs, Carroll M. Brown, Havertown, Pa. Mrs. Carol R. Burke, Philadelphia, Pa. Mrs. Ruth Anne Campbell, South Plainfield, N. J. Mrs. E. Bradley Camel, Slingerlands, N. Y. Mrs. Marilyn K. Cartwright, Wayne, Pa. 1980 Ms. Marleta Childs, Lubbock, Tex. Mrs. Harrison N. Church, Wilmington, Del. Mrs. William H. Clark, Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. John A. Cooper, Brandon, Fla. Mr. Donald Yentzer Coppersmith, Philadelphia, Pa. Mrs. Robert R. Cordell, Toms River, N. J. Mrs. Mary M. Crowley, Lansdowne, Pa. Ms. Lois E Dare, Strafford, Pa. Mr. William W. Davis, Jenkintown, Pa. Ms. Nancy Denk, So. Beloit, III. Mrs. E. Donald Dietrich, College Park, Md. Ms. Mary L. Dinius, Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Lester E. Everhart, Toms River, N. J. Mrs. Margaret Geibel Echenhofer, Horsham, Pa. Mr. Sic Mrs. Leonard W. Fairchild, Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. James M. Farron, Springfield, Va. Mr. Edward B. Faust, East Wenatchee, Wash, The Rev. & Mrs. Louis E. Fifer III, Jenkintown, Pa. Mrs. Kathleen H. Fisher, Cool, Cal. Mrs. George Fowler, Solebury, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Paul F. Freiburg, Cheswick, Pa. Ms. Joanne V. Fulcoly, Doylestown, Pa. Mr. Richard L. Fuller, Elverson, Pa, Mr. Herbert P. Fullerton, Media, Pa. Mr. Oliver F. Gaul, Jr., Sharon Hill, Pa. Mrs. Jane Anne Getter, Drexel Hill, Pa. The Rev. L. J. Gerrity, 0.S.A., Villanova, Pa. poilay. i vnuuv aza NEW MEMBERS NEW MEMBERS 1980 Mrs. Florence Gibson, Vineland, N. J: Mrs. JoAnne L. Gillespie, Coaldale, Col. Ms. Phoebe Gloeckner, Philadelphia, Pa, Mr. Maurice P. Gooden, Radnor, Pa. Mr. Mend J. Gooding, Scottsdale, Ariz. Mr. Thomas Gordon, Rahway, N. J. Mrs, Lloyd J. Groner, Warren, O. Mr. Timothy Brown Harbeson, Philadelphia, Pa. Miss Edwina Hare, King of Prussia, Pa. Mr. Sidney W. Hari, Glen Cove, N. Y. Mrs. Ula M. VanAntwerp Hart, Vero Beach, Fla. Mr. James Hartung, Philadelphia, Pa. Mrs. Marjorie A. Hayes, Vista, Cal. Mr. Hays M. Heimbaugh, San Diego, Cal. Mr. Daniel R. Heist, Northampton, Pa. Mrs. Charelene C. Hennessy, Lansdowne, Pa, Mrs. Mary Higgins, Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. Dale Hockabout, Watsonville, Cal. Mrs. Edith Hoene, Woodbury, N. J. Mr. & Mrs. A. Wesley Hoge, Allentown, Pa. Mrs. Richard L. Hogoboom, Shavertown, Pa. Mrs, Norma L. Holland, Youngstown, N. Y. Mr. & Mrs. John Hoover, Huntington, Conn. Mrs. Anita L. Inskip, Southampton, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. D. Randall Iserman, Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Harold E. Jandebeur, Walnut Creek, Cal. Ms. Patrick K. Johnson, Elkhart, Ind. Mr. & Mrs. Robert Jones, Willow Grove, Pa, Mr. Russell A. Jones, jr., Livingston, N. J. Mrs. Vera C. Jones, Fairfax, Va. Mr. Edward J. Kane, Havertown, Pa. Mr. Brian G. Kestner, Millbrae, Cal. Mrs. Shirley Kightlinger, Daytona Beach, Fla. Mr. & Mrs. Edward Kilpatrick, Fort Loudon, Pa. Albert W. Kitts, M. D., Wallingford, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. William G. Koerner-Beard, Philadelphia, Pa. Ms. Kathleen A. Kurtz, Riverton, N. J. Ms. Lois Lace, New York, N. Y. Miss Mary Alice Laird, Springfield, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Hall T. Lamb, Glenside, Pa. Mrs. William G. Lambert, Villanova, Pa. Mrs. Bette Ann D. Lawrence, Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. Michael M. LeConey, New York, N. Y. Mr. & Mrs. Willard Leeman, Voorhees, N. J. Mrs. Janet Haynes Lehman, Haddonfield, N. J. Ms. Marie Leone, Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. NicholAs Less°, Westmont, N. J. Mr. W. Draper Lewis, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. A. Norman Lindsay III, Buckeystown, Md. Mrs. Mary Ann Marshall Long, Minneapolis, Minn. Mr. & Mrs. Charles H. Ludwig, Bellingham, Wash. Mrs. Marian A. Lynch, Fredericksburg, Va. Mrs, Debra Maier, Hillside, Ill. Mrs. Jane Mamrol, Springfield, Pa. Dr. & Mrs. Francis R. Manlove, Gladwyne, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Robert W. Marra, Wilmington, Del Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Martin, West Chester, Pa. Ms. Barbara Marvin, Washington, D. C. Mrs. Geraldine Matthews, Swedesburg, Pa. Mr. Irvin Maulfair, Shortsville, N. Y. Mrs. Ruth Mazzeo, Philadelphia, Pa. Mrs, Nancy N. McAdams, Houston, Tex. Mrs. Patricia P. McDonald, Havertown, Pa. Mrs. Judy Z. Meade, Oxon Hill, Md. Mrs. Suzanne Kay Mettle, Columbus, O. Mrs. Barbara T. Michie, Philadelphia, Pa. Mrs. Rosemary W. Miller, Penn Wynne; Pa. Miss Ruth Miller, Drexel Hill, Pa. Mrs. William E. Moody, Haddonfield, N. J. Mr. Padraic J. Mossop, Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Mower, Claymont, Del. Mr. C. Donald Meyer, Morrisville, Pa. Mrs. Harry F. Murphy, Ambler, Pa. Mr. Frederick T. Newbraugh, Berkeley Springs, W. Va. Miss Mabel B. Pace, Charleston, S. C. Mrs, Betty Paglia, Marshalltown, Ia. Mr. D. Paranzino, Cherry Hill, N. J. Mrs. Dorothy A. Paul, Oklahoma City, Okla. Mrs. Marlene Pauls, Drewel Hill, Pa. Mr. Bertram Couch Payne, Charleston, W. Va. Mr. Norman Peters, Washington, D. C. Mr. Lazarus L. Philips, Huntingdon Valley, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. John M. Pierrard, West Chester, Pa, Mrs. G. Selden Pitt, St. Davids, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Randall N. Pratt, Newark, Del. Mrs. G. A. Price, Milton, Ontario, Can. Mrs. Joyce C. Quay, East Haddam, Conn. Mrs. Steven S. Raab, Philadelphia, Pa. Mrs. John Rahel, Hagerstown, Ind. Mr. Charles R. Read, Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Gareld S. Reeder, Elk Grove Village, Ill. Mr. & Mrs. Charles C. Reiff, Glenside, Pa. Mrs. Neil B. Renton, Upper St. Clair, Pa, Mrs. Frances B. Reynolds, Linwood, N. J. Mr. & Mrs. Ransom L. Richardson, Flint, Mich. Mr. & Mrs. Charles E. Richards, Bryn Mawr, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. William H. Rivoir, jr., Berwyn, Pa. Mr. James R. Roth', Oak Forest, Ill. Mrs. Martha J. Ryan, Berwyn, Pa. Mr. Norman J. Rynex, Marlton N. J. Dr. & Mrs. Forrest R. Schaeffer, Mendenahll, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Frank Shurter, Sheridan, Wyoming Dr. & Mrs. David Skinner, Brewer, Maine Mrs. Jacqueline A. Skinner, Hockessin, Del. YN2 Karlton D. Smith, FPO San Francisco, Cal. Mrs. Nancy Balling Smith, Appleton, N. Y. Mrs. Pauline R. Snapp, Harleysville, Pa. Mrs. George J. Stadtler, jr., Wynnewood, Pa. modiazi ivnuuy oyi NEW MEMBERS — 1980 (Continued) NEW MEMBERS — 1980 (Continued) Mr. Joseph R. Warner, Mt. Holly, N. J. Mr. William B. Wartman, Charlottesville, Va. Mrs. Mary Melody Welsch, Canfield, O. The Rev. Stanley L. Welsh, Gold Beach, Ore, Mr. Wynne L. Wert, Levittown, Pa. Mr. William H. Wilcoxson, Needham, Mass. Dr. Jack P. Wilson, Wynnewood, Pa. Mrs. Harvard C. Wood, jr., Wynnewood, Pa. Mrs. James H. Young, Waycross, Ga. Mrs. Bonita Yuhas, Mohnton, Pa. Mrs. Nancy L. Zukowski, Palm Bay, Fla. IN MEMORIAM Mrs. Harold F. Fleckenstein Mr, Edward I. Haupt Cdr. Joseph M. Hewlett, jr. Mr. C. G. Mossop Mr. & Mrs. Drayton M. Smith Mrs. Francis R. Strawbridge The Pennsyl vaniaGenealogical Magazine Mr. Walter N. Stewart, Holmes Beach, Fla. Mr. Richard H. Stroebel, Columbia, Md, Mr. Gregory K. Stroud, Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Louis R. Taylor, Bethlehem, Pa. Mrs. Grace Thomas, Santa Barbara, Cal. Mrs. Mildred S. Tome, Malvern, Pa. Mrs. John J. Treglia, Mt. Lebanon, Pa. Mr. Thomas A. Urbine, jr., Ozford, Pa. Mrs. R. R. Van Leer, Gold Beach, Ore. Mrs. William M. Wallace, Melbourne, Fla. Mrs. Mary J. Walter, Cresco, Pa. Mr. Ronald E. Walter, Hilltown, Pa. The Annual Report COMMITTEES March 26, 1980 to March 24, 1981 FELLOWSHIPS: Dr. Don Yoder, Chairman Mrs. Georges Carousso Francis James Dallett FINANCE: Winfield S. Weer, Chairman Russell Bement, jr. Robert L. Halberstadt Bertram L. O'Neill Robert E. Putney, Jr. HEREDITARY PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES: Robert L. Halberstadt, Chairman Mrs. Georges Carousso Mrs. Philip B. Woodroofe LIBRARY ACCESSIONS: Russell Bement, jr., Chairman Mrs. Charles B. Barclay Mrs. Albert O. Barrett Austin Brough Mrs. Georges Carousso Mrs. J. Willard Hollander Mrs. Charles B. Howland George P. Lehmann John Howard Platt, Jr. Conrad Wilson Dr. Don Yoder LIBRARY CATALOG: Mrs. Georges Carousso, Chairman Mrs. Rita Schive Mower MEMBERSHIP: Mrs. Georges Carousso, Chairman Mrs. Charles B. Barclay Mrs. Naomi Holz 87 PROGRAM: Conrad Wilson, Chairman Mrs. Georges Carousso James L. Flanigan, jr. Robert L. Halberstadt Mrs. J. Willard Hollander Mrs. Charles B. Howland Mrs. A. Douglas Oliver Mrs. David U. Ullman William W. Weaver Dr. Don Yoder PUBLICATION: Aubrey H. Baldwin, 3rd, Chairman Miss Doris F. Stansbury Mrs. Winfield S. Weer Conrad Wilson Mrs, Philip B. Woodroofe, Editor Dr. Don Yoder PUBLICITY and PROMOTION: William W. Weaver, Chairman Thomas N. Chandler Miss Marilyn E. Dennes Dr. Robert J. Gill Dr. Frank McKee Miss Doris F. Stansbury Conrad Wilson VOLUNTEER PROJECTS: Mrs. Rita Schive Mowrer, Co-ordinator FUND—RAISING: Donald C. Turner, Chairman Russell Bement, jr. Robert L. Halberstadt Robert E. Putney, Jr. Winfield S. Weer NOMINATING COMMITTEE: George P. Lehmann, Chairman Aubrey H. Baldwin, 3rd Russell Bement, jr. OFFICE PROCEDURE: Winfield S. Weer, Chairman Russell Bement, jr. Mrs. J. Willard Hollander