Book Reviews

Book Reviews Baltimore County [Maryland] Families, 1659-1759. By Robert W. Barnes. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1989. xii, 924 pp. $55.00 plus $2.50 postage and handling. Baltimore County specialist Robert W. Barnes has here distilled from the mass of available source records the basic vital statistics and biographical highlights for virtually all of the earliest Baltimore County individuals and families. The accounts are arranged in alphabetical order, with coded references to sources grouped at the end of each account. Some 690 references are described in the extensive bibliography. Use of the book is facilitated by a full-name index which also includes names of land tracts. The entire production is well-conceived and executed, and clearly deserved the Certificate of Appreciation awarded to Barnes by the American Society of Genealogists in 1989. The value of the book is enhanced by Barnes's efforts to link individuals genealogically, thereby producing many mini-genealogies instead of a mere recitation of vital statistics. Not included in Barnes's data base are all the references to Baltimore Countians in the unpublished Maryland Land Patent books for the period 1659-1680, but knowledgeable students of Baltimore County source records will have to dig deeply to unearth any other pertinent records overlooked by the compiler. This book will henceforth serve as the first point of reference for anyone concerned with an early Baltimore County individual or family. George Ely Russell Records of Pastoral Acts at Christ Lutheran Church, Stoucksivurg, perks County, Pennsylvania, Part 1. Baptisms 1743-1819, Sources and Documents of the Pennsylvania Germans, 12. Translated and edited by Frederick S. Weiser. The Pennsylvania German Society, Birdsboro, Pa., 1989. 145 pp., paper. $15.00 plus postage. This is the twelfth of the excellent series of sources and documents published by the Pennsylvania German Society. Christ 257 Book Reviews 261 from Germany, Switzerland, and other countries. This book only includes those emigrating to the United States with permission of the authorities. The time period covered is primarily for the first half of the nineteenth century. The names are listed in computerized form, with columns for last name, first name, birth year, birthplace, emigration date, destination (according to the publisher, the designation "A" in the destination column signifies "America" in general), profession, and the source. In addition to the names of emigrants, lists of villages are given showing their archival connection: the archives in Strasbourg, the archives in Colmar, and German villages and towns, mainly in Wurttemberg, Baden, and the Palatinate. Publications of this type that make it easier to search for emigrants are important, but it should always be kept in mind that in an undertaking such as this, errors may occur. Jane Adams Clarke Finding Your People in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia: A Genealogical Gui,de. By Rebecca H. Good and Rebecca A. Ebert. Hearthside Press, Alexandria, Va., 1988. 104 pp., index, paper. $9.95. Genealogists need basic, accurate information to conduct their research. They must have specific hours of and directions to courthouses, libraries, and archives. Maps represent essential tools. Researchers expecting to perform successful investigations into their family background must understand the history of the state and localities in which their ancestors lived. They always benefit from analyses and clarifications of the peculiarities of records in a given geographical area or time period. In short, genealogists require good guidebooks to direct their studies along the most productive routes. Unfortunately, such guides are scarce. Genealogists working in Virginia will find only a few statewide studies, but these give only superficial information on the counties and regions of the Old Dominion. Fortunately, there is one regional guide which meets all the above criteria. In 1984, Rebecca H. Good, a genealogist from Front Royal, Virginia, and Rebecca A. Ebert, librariambarchivist at the Hadley Library in Winchester, Virginia, published Finding Your People in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and West Virginia. The book, published on a shoestring by their Rebecca Company, was very popular and soon went out of print. Four years later a reprint of this research Book Reviews 265 German-American Names. By George F. Jones. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1990. 267 pp. $25.00. This book is a fine example of the fact that you can't trust everything you see in print Jones's historical-linguistic introduction contains a number of errors, including one horrendous blunder: "Francis Praetorius, the founder of Germantown, bore a latinized form of Schultheiss." The pastor and leader of the 1683 group from Krefeld was, of course, Franz (Francis) Daniel Pastorius. Jones's error here ruins the credibility of the entire book. The long list (pages 61-268) of "German-American names" has serious flaws. First, Jones does not indicate whether he is citing an Americanized spelling or the original German spelling. Second, he does not always include the German spelling, needed to find the family in Europe. Third, when several variant spellings of the same name are cited, he still does not indicate which, if any, is a German spelling. Fourth, the meanings of the names are not always correct. Fifth, many common German-American names are not included at all. A few examples. Kiefer: six spellings, no indication which is a German spelling. Brackbill is listed with meaning, but no crossreference to Brechbill, Brechbiel; the Swiss/German spelling is Brechbia, not listed. Painter: "dweller in a fenced enclosure," no German spelling. Wrong: Painter is an anglicized version of Bender, "cooper." Romer: three meanings, not including the most common, "from the Romer district of Frankfurt." Copenhaver: "from Copenhagen." Wrong: German V and G sounds are not confused; this is an anglicized spelling of Koppenhoefer, which is listed with five spellings and an incorrect meaning, "farmer who pays the rent in capons." Wrong: this surname is a combination of Koppen, a nickname for Jakob, and Hof, large estate. Koppenhoefer means "man/tenant/servant of Jacob's estate." There is no cross-reference for Copenhaver and Koppenhoefer. Jones lists Swiss/ German Tschudi but not American Judy, Gerber but not Carver, Kraushaar but not Croushore, American Ely (Old Testament name) but not Eli or German Oehli. Not included: Aebi/Eby, Duttabot, GnagilKenagy, SchtirchiSherrick. Jones's purpose is stated on page 56: "The chief value of the appended list of German-American names for genealogists is to help them continue their search of a family's antecedents when the Book Reviews 269 Day Saints and therefore widely available in the United States. However, while the Family History Library Catalog lists what is available, it does not provide informed commentary. Therein lies the genius of this publication. It will provide a good introduction for the researcher in particular areas. Reference to this publication before using the microfilm will save much disappointment, for it clearly indicates just what is available. Census Returns, 1841-1881, on Microfilm: A Directory of Local Holdings in Great Britain, Channel Islands, the Isle of Man. Compiled by Jeremy Gibson. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1989. 56 pp. $7.00. Since the British Census is readily available in this country, the chief use of this pamphlet will be to locate the numerous local indexes prepared by local genealogists to certain areas held by local societies and libraries in Britain and therefore not available in this country. Scattered throughout the listings are details of local search services for limited areas. Marriage, Census and Other Indexes for Family Historians, 3d ed. Edited by Jeremy Gibson. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1989. 44 pp. $6.50. Without this most useful pamphlet, who would know that the Society of Genealogists holds an 1851 index to the denizens of the Portland Gaol? Other of these indexes are held in private hands and require the submission of a fee. The subjects of these indexes often are the type of a record that can easily be overlooked. In addition to the marriage and census indexes expected from the title, there are indexes of parish assisted emigrants, Buckinghamshire bastards; militia; will beneficiaries; mariners, seaman, and watermen; nonconformists; Poor Law examinations; monumental inscriptions; and others. Not all types of indexes exist for every county, but this pamphlet opens for the researcher a wide and diverse area useful when the traditional sources have failed. General Register Office and International Genealogical Indexes: Where to Find Them. By Jeremy Gibson. Federation of Family History Societies. 36 pp.11.00 plus £1.20 overseas airmail. Since the index to the General Register Office and the International Genealogical Index are readily available in the United States, the reader might hastily assume that there is not much of interest or importance in this pamphlet. To do so would be a gross error. This pamphlet contains two very valuable essays: First, Colin Atkinson's "Pitfalls for the Unwary," which is an extremely perceptive analysis Book Reviews Baltimore County [Maryland] Families, 1659-1759. By Robert W. Barnes. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1989. xii, 924 pp. $55.00 plus $2.50 postage and handling. Baltimore County specialist Robert W. Barnes has here distilled from the mass of available source records the basic vital statistics and biographical highlights for virtually all of the earliest Baltimore County individuals and families. The accounts are arranged in alphabetical order, with coded references to sources grouped at the end of each account. Some 690 references are described in the extensive bibliography. Use of the book is facilitated by a full-name index which also includes names of land tracts. The entire production is well-conceived and executed, and clearly deserved the Certificate of Appreciation awarded to Barnes by the American Society of Genealogists in 1989. The value of the book is enhanced by Barnes's efforts to link individuals genealogically, thereby producing many mini-genealogies instead of a mere recitation of vital statistics. Not included in Barnes's data base are all the references to Baltimore Countians in the unpublished Maryland Land Patent books for the period 1659-1680, but knowledgeable students of Baltimore County source records will have to dig deeply to unearth any other pertinent records overlooked by the compiler. This book will henceforth serve as the first point of reference for anyone concerned with an early Baltimore County individual or family. George Ely Russell Records of Pastoral Acts at Christ Lutheran Church, Stoucksivurg, perks County, Pennsylvania, Part 1. Baptisms 1743-1819, Sources and Documents of the Pennsylvania Germans, 12. Translated and edited by Frederick S. Weiser. The Pennsylvania German Society, Birdsboro, Pa., 1989. 145 pp., paper. $15.00 plus postage. This is the twelfth of the excellent series of sources and documents published by the Pennsylvania German Society. Christ 257 258 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Lutheran Church was established in the Tulpehocken settlement in 1743. The records were carefully compiled and are relatively complete for this congregation. Although there was an earlier translation of this church record, a comparison showed that there were errors and omissions in the earlier work. Included in each entry is the date of birth and baptism and the name of the child, parents, and sponsors. There is an every-name index. To expedite publishing source materials about the Pennsylvania Germans, the Society inaugurated this series of sources and documents in 1975. Resources for publishing these documentary materials are supplied by a revolving fund. As sales restore the working fund, new publications appear. In the planning stage is volume 2 for Christ Lutheran Church, Stouchsburg. This second volume will contain baptisms 1820-35; records of marriages 1744-45, 174852; burials 1748-54, 1771-73, 1811-35; confirmations 1744-45, 1748-1835; and communicants, 1743-46. Jane Adams Clarke Annals of Buffalo Valley, Pennsylvania, 1755-1855. Collated by John Blair Linn, Heritage Books, Bowie, Md., 1989. 662 pp., index, paper. $30.00. This reprint of a book first published in 1877 presents an unusually detailed account of life and death in the Buffalo Valley area of Central Pennsylvania during more than a century of its early history, with particular emphasis upon the period ending in 1793. Events are recorded with varied tempo. Almost 40 percent of the text is devoted to the first 28 years of the era, while the final 14 years are pressed into a single chapter. Readers will soon realize the dangers of pioneer life, as the early years were fraught with the peril of Indian attack. Reports of township committee meetings and land office activity are punctuated with gruesome accounts of rural ambush and the slaughter of women and children. Numerous military rosters and militia muster rolls reveal Revolutionary War involvement. Mention is also made of distant battles, including Brandywine, Monmouth, and Princeton. Specifics of country tax assessment and farm surveying include interesting minutia such as use of the term "perch" (16.5 ft.) as a unit of British linear measurement. Governmental committee 262 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine guide was published by Hearthside Press with the abbreviated title of Finding Your People in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. There are very few differences between the two editions besides size and format Minor corrections or updates were made. The material on West Virginia counties in the valley was retained despite the title. The reappearance of this volume is welcomed. Finding Your People is a very useful introductory work for people unfamiliar with the Shenandoah Valley as well as a handy reference tool for more experiences researchers seeking quick information. Brief county histories, maps of the county seats, listings of county records, bibliographies of published material for the 11 valley counties, and information on local research centers provide genealogists with answers to many questions. Interspersed throughout the book are "Eye-openers," or brief discussions of particular aspects of research in the valley. These include: "When Up is Down," "Land Titles in Turmoil," and "State Holidays." There is even a list of professional researchers in this region. Researchers with ancestors in the Shenandoah Valley will want this book. Those whose families passed through from Pennsylvania, Maryland, or other northern states to points south and west will want it as well. The authors know their region and share their knowledge with others in the pages of this volume. Should there ever be another revision, let's hope that the authors will expand each section and add more "Eye-openers." If genealogists had more such guides to turn to, our research would be easier. Eric G. Grundset Westerwald to America: Some 18th Century German Immigrants. By Annette Kunselman Burgert and Henry Z. Jones, jr. A publication of the Pennsylvania Chapter, Palatines to America. Picton Press, Camden, Me., 1989. 269 pp., acid-free paper, hard cover, $29.95, $2.50 postage and handling. These two prominent researchers have pooled their resources and have located more than 265 families of emigrants from the Westerwald, a region in Rhein-Pfalz and Hessen northwest of Frankfurt. Included in the volume is their German ancestry, and, in many cases, exactly where they settled in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, or the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The emigrations covered in this volume range from those that settled in 1709-10 in New York, to those arriving in this country, primarily Pennsylvania, between 1740 and 1750. As the authors 266 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine line seems to come to an end." A hodge-podge of German spellings and American spellings, undifferentiated, is less than helpful. Jones would have done better to have translated Deutsches Namenlexikon by Hans Bahlow, or better still not to have attempted this subject at all. This book cannot be recommended. Arta F. Johnson Series Review: The "Jeremy Gibson Pamphlets," Publications of the Federation of Family History Societies of Great Britain. This remarkable set of handbooks, each covering a single topic, is precisely what the genealogical visitor to British archives requires to make sense of a myriad group of records preserved, some in the Public Record Office, but many more in the county record offices, public libraries, British Library (Newspaper Library) at Colindale Avenue, and other repositories easily overlooked by the casual visitor to Britain. They are often referred to as the "Jeremy Gibson pamphlets," a name which does honor to their principal organizer. Some of these handbooks will prove more useful than others, for if the records, such as the census, are easily available in the United States, it makes little sense to waste time doing in a British repository what could be done (ofttimes more comfortably, given the unfortunate lack of space in some record offices) in the United States before departure. The availability in the United States of eight of these handbooks is a credit to the Genealogical Publishing Company. Many of these pamphlets will be easily available in the museum shop of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. For ordering information on those four handbooks not available in this country, interested readers may want to write to the Federation of Family History Societies, c/o Benson Room, Birmingham & Midland Institute, Margaret St., Birmingham B3 3BS U.K. Individual reviews of all twelve handbooks follow. Louis S. Marks Record Offices: How to Find Them, 4th ed. By Jeremy Gibson and Pamela Peskett. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1989. 56 pp. $7.00. This guide, complete with maps, should lead the researcher to any record office in Britain. The section on Central London is especially valuable. Note, however, that the title is quite specific and does not say "Repositories." Therefore the university libraries, the 270 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine of the 'GI; second, Chris Pitt Lewis's essay, "Using the ICI for Wales and Monmouthshire." Computer constraints have worked havoc with the Welsh patronymic naming system, and a careful reading of this essay should help prevent erroneous search results. Land Tax Assessments c. 1690—c. 1950. Edited by Jeremy Gibson and Dennis Mills. Federation of Family History Societies, 1987. 40 pp. £1.00 plus £1.20 overseas airmail. For the time period covered and for England and Wales, this is an important listing for which records of this class have survived. Since these records often are voluminous, it is suggested on page 10 that appointments be scheduled with the record office. London alone has 2500 volumes. When available, the information can be of great value. It is strong on owners, sometimes very poor on renters. By following a property over a series of valuations, it sometimes is possible (with great prudence) to detect lineages. This is especially true for uncommon names. This is a group of records underutilized by genealogists, and this introduction with its excellent bibliography should rectify this situation. The Hearth Tax and Other Later Stuart Tax Lists and the Association Oath Rolls. Compiled by Jeremy Gibson. Federation of Family History Societies, 1987. 60 pp. £1.50 plus £1.20 overseas airmail. This publication, especially for England and Wales, makes available a guide to what are usually regarded as census substitutes. Very carefully distinguished are those already in print under the heading Publications. The holdings of the Public Record Office are then listed, followed by the holdings of any local record offices. Careful notes are given as to condition of the record and legibility. The information on Scottish records should be supplemented by the publication of the Scottish Record Office on the subject. For Ireland, the treatment is less satisfactory and the researcher is referred correctly to Rosemary ffolioes paper in Donal Begley's Irish Genealogy. This publication clarifies a class of record which requires much evaluation Coroners' Records in England and Wales. By Jeremy Gibson and Colin Rogers. Federation of Family History Societies, 1988. 48 pp. £1.50 plus £1.20 overseas airmail. This is an extremely difficult subject, and it concerns a class of records little utilized by genealogists until very recent times. The records themselves, however, go back to medieval times. The records occur in a variety of settings, Kings Bench, Chancery, and in modern times Coroners' Districts. This publication is a well-edited 258 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Lutheran Church was established in the Tulpehocken settlement in 1743. The records were carefully compiled and are relatively complete for this congregation. Although there was an earlier translation of this church record, a comparison showed that there were errors and omissions in the earlier work. Included in each entry is the date of birth and baptism and the name of the child, parents, and sponsors. There is an every-name index. To expedite publishing source materials about the Pennsylvania Germans, the Society inaugurated this series of sources and documents in 1975. Resources for publishing these documentary materials are supplied by a revolving fund. As sales restore the working fund, new publications appear. In the planning stage is volume 2 for Christ Lutheran Church, Stouchsburg. This second volume will contain baptisms 1820-35; records of marriages 1744-45, 174852; burials 1748-54, 1771-73, 1811-35; confirmations 1744-45, 1748-1835; and communicants, 1743-46. Jane Adams Clarke Annals of Buffalo Valley, Pennsylvania, 1755-1855. Collated by John Blair Linn, Heritage Books, Bowie, Md., 1989. 662 pp., index, paper. $30.00. This reprint of a book first published in 1877 presents an unusually detailed account of life and death in the Buffalo Valley area of Central Pennsylvania during more than a century of its early history, with particular emphasis upon the period ending in 1793. Events are recorded with varied tempo. Almost 40 percent of the text is devoted to the first 28 years of the era, while the final 14 years are pressed into a single chapter. Readers will soon realize the dangers of pioneer life, as the early years were fraught with the peril of Indian attack. Reports of township committee meetings and land office activity are punctuated with gruesome accounts of rural ambush and the slaughter of women and children. Numerous military rosters and militia muster rolls reveal Revolutionary War involvement. Mention is also made of distant battles, including Brandywine, Monmouth, and Princeton. Specifics of country tax assessment and farm surveying include interesting minutia such as use of the term "perch" (16.5 ft.) as a unit of British linear measurement. Governmental committee Book Reviews 259 minutes are interspersed with grist and saw mill operations. Marriage and death notices alternate with election returns and the organization of country churches. Diary excerpts of early residents and travelers' journals provide additional variety and color. Annals illustrates how a chronological record of everyday life can, without apparent literary artifice, maintain momentum and hold readers interest. This is a good, durable book. John A. Baird, jr. A Guide to Irish Churches and Graveyards. By Brian Mitchell. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1990. 253 pp., clothbound. $30.00. Brian Mitchell has extracted and compiled and easy-to-use list of Irish churches and graveyards. The list is divided into counties and thereafter into civil parishes and townlands. All counties, for both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, are included, and all religous denominations are represented. It should be noted, however, that only the churches and graveyards in existence at the time of Griffith's Primary Valuation of Ireland (1848-1864) are listed. Used in addition to a good genealogical map of Ireland, this book can be a valuable aid for locating burial grounds. Suzanne Wiley Monocacy and Catoctin, Vol. 2. Edited by C. E. Schildknecht. Family Line Publications, Westminster, Md., 1989. 684 pp., index. $46.50. This is the second volume of this series. These books treat aspects of early settlement and some families in this area, which covers Frederick and Carroll counties in Maryland and Adams County in Pennsylvania. Covered in Volume 2 are family names; the European origins of the settlers; early roads, fords, and bridges; and information on the early families. Information given is not always complete or documented; however, it is a good guide to locating families. As the compiler indicates in,Volume 1, these books have been written to encourage further research by pointing out interesting features, novel sources, and probable links which need further study. Volume 1. is also available through Family Line Publications. Jane Adams Clarke Book Reviews 263 point out, "Study the neighbors!" is good genealogical advice often given to help locate the ancestral home of an immigrant. The phrase, "They came together They stayed together," has been proven countless times by these two experts in emigration/ immigration. Publications by both Burgett and Jones are always eagerly awaited by those of us searching for our ancestors in German-speaking countries, and this book adds to their prestige and our knowledge. Jane Adams Clarke The American Genealogist (TAG), Vols. 9-41 (1932-1965). Edited by Donald Lines Jacobus. Reprint of the first 33 years of TAG in eleven volumes (three original issues per volume). Picton Press, Camden, Me., 1989. Hardbound, acid-free paper. $840 per set or $91.50 per volume postpaid. This reprint of TAG for the years 1932-1965 is now available for all researchers. Volumes 1-8 were published as the New Haven Genealogical Magazine, 1922-1932, and were reprinted as Families of Ancient New Haven. TAG was published by Donald Lines Jacobus, a genealogist noted for his scholarly approach to genealogical research. Thus TAG is filled with articles written by some of the best researchers of the period. Although much of TAG is concerned with New England families, there is also material on New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia. Picton Press has added a consolidated subject index to the original every-name and subject index. These indexes appear at the end of volume 41, thus making it easy to scan for all articles of interest. Another nice feature is a notation at the end of articles that were continued. If the article was continued, the volume and page number of the subsequent article is noted. Locations of Corrections and Addenda are also noted. This is a high-quality reprint, in substance and content, and an excellent reference source. Sandra M. Hewlett International Vital Records Handbook. By Thomas Jay Kemp. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1990. 355 pp., paperback. $24.95 plus $2.50 postage and handling. In 1989 the Vital Records Handbook was published containing application forms for vital records in the 50 United States and its possessions, the provinces of Canada, and Great Britain. This latest version has updated the forms and fees for each state's Book Reviews 267 local public libraries, and many specialist collections have been omitted. The bibliography on the inside front cover should be consulted to remedy this deficiency, which is particularly grave in the case of Scotland, where only Edinburgh is considered. With these caveats it still remains an important work, especially for the traveler to Great Britain. A Simplified Guide to Probate Jurisdictions: Where to Look for Wills, 3d ed. Compiled by Jeremy Gibson. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1989. 72 pp. $7.50. The pre-1858 probate jurisdictions are a minefield for the unwary genealogist, and this pamphlet does much to unravel a tangled ecclesiastical web. There is a good discussion (p. 60) on the loss of Irish wills. The locations in the Irish section are in very general terms. Researchers would be well advised to consult James G. Ryan's Irish Records (Salt Lake City, 1988) to ascertain the parish and save themselves hours of fruitless searching. Testamentary records do not play the same role in Scottish genealogical research that they do in English genealogical research. This is because for the genealogical time period Scottish law differed radically from English law, especially on the subject of the inheritance of real property. Scottish genealogists therefore prefer to use sasines in preference to testaments because they contain more information. Gibson was one of two pioneers (the other was Anthony J. Camp of the Society of Genealogists) in making order out of the probate chaos. This book therefore is a wonderful introduction to the subject. Readers might then wish to search out a series on probate jurisdictions issued by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The earlier printings with the colored maps as overlays are especially fine. Gibson, however, remains the pamphlet of first choice. Quarter Sessions Records for the Family Historian: A Select List, 2d ed. Compiled by Jeremy Gibson. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1989. 32 pp. $5.00. Of all the records at the county level, Quarter Sessions records are the most voluminous and the most valuable. These essentially are judicial records, but one finds lists of Roman Catholics ("Papists"), oaths of allegiance, sacrament certificates, prisoner lists, insolvent debtors, warrants for the removal of Scottish and Irish paupers, and other wondrous miscellany so useful to be a wealth of "flesh to cover the bare bones of genealogical research" (p. 4). This is by its very nature a select list, and to assist in further research, this pamphlet has a most useful feature. Under most Book Reviews 271 introduction prepared especially for family historians. As its title informs us, it covers England and Wales only. Before even attempting to utilize these records, this publication will merit serious study. Books in Brief Compiled by Thomas Jay Kemp In Search of a Rainbow: A History of the Ashmead Family. By H. DeWayne Ashmead. By the Author, 1988.743 pp., index, bibliography. This narrative genealogy traces the main figures of the author's Ashmead line from John Ashmead (ca. 1530-1598) from England to Germantown, Pennsylvania, and on to the West. It is truly a family history and clearly puts the family in historical and social context from generation to generation. The Family of John Price and Nancy Agnes Moore. By Elberta Price Griffiths. Gateway Press, Baltimore, 1982. 127 pp., index. Traces the family of John Price (1763-1831) who was "probably" born in Pennsylvania and died in Ohio. Some of the material included are the research notes of other family members written in 1917, autobiographies, and diary excerpts. Guerin Family and Allied Lines. By Denise Guerin Rice. By the Author, 1989. Index, bibliography. This genealogy of the descendants of Pierre Guerin (16-17—) of France, a Huguenot family. The text includes maps and photographs. The Lush Family: The Descendants of Edmund Lush, of East Knoyle, Wiltshire, England; Manied, March 1717/18, Elizabeth Eliot. By Robert E. Hull. Gateway Press, Baltimore, 1987. 367 pp., index. $30.00. This =active book covers the family from England to descendants in the U.S., Australia, and Canada. There is an extensive Appendix of the letters of Henry Lush and a large section on the Hornby Book Reviews 259 minutes are interspersed with grist and saw mill operations. Marriage and death notices alternate with election returns and the organization of country churches. Diary excerpts of early residents and travelers' journals provide additional variety and color. Annals illustrates how a chronological record of everyday life can, without apparent literary artifice, maintain momentum and hold readers interest. This is a good, durable book. John A. Baird, jr. A Guide to Irish Churches and Graveyards. By Brian Mitchell. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1990. 253 pp., clothbound. $30.00. Brian Mitchell has extracted and compiled and easy-to-use list of Irish churches and graveyards. The list is divided into counties and thereafter into civil parishes and townlands. All counties, for both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, are included, and all religous denominations are represented. It should be noted, however, that only the churches and graveyards in existence at the time of Griffith's Primary Valuation of Ireland (1848-1864) are listed. Used in addition to a good genealogical map of Ireland, this book can be a valuable aid for locating burial grounds. Suzanne Wiley Monocacy and Catoctin, Vol. 2. Edited by C. E. Schildknecht. Family Line Publications, Westminster, Md., 1989. 684 pp., index. $46.50. This is the second volume of this series. These books treat aspects of early settlement and some families in this area, which covers Frederick and Carroll counties in Maryland and Adams County in Pennsylvania. Covered in Volume 2 are family names; the European origins of the settlers; early roads, fords, and bridges; and information on the early families. Information given is not always complete or documented; however, it is a good guide to locating families. As the compiler indicates in,Volume 1, these books have been written to encourage further research by pointing out interesting features, novel sources, and probable links which need further study. Volume 1. is also available through Family Line Publications. Jane Adams Clarke 260 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine History of the Western Insurrection in Western Pennsylvania, Commonly called the Whiskey Insurrection. 1794. By H. M. Brackenridge. Heritage Books, Bowie, Md., 1988. 341 pp., index, paper. $21.50. Reading this book with a cumbersome title may be compared to opening a time capsule sealed in 1859 by a Pittsburgh attorney who recorded the tempestuous 1794 frontier events near the Monongahela River known as the Whiskey Rebellion. Local farmers had no market for their grain until reduced in bulk by distillation into whiskey. They resisted Federal efforts to collect the excise duties on these spirits, and thereby created an uprising which tested Federal power to enforce its laws within a state. The pedestrian prose and copious fine-print notes are enlivened by the events themselves, including writ servings, house burnings, and clashes with constables. Agents were tarred and feathered. Mail between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia was robbed. Affidavits and depositions from participants authenticate the unsuccessful efforts of the author's father, Hugh Henry Brackenridge, to mediate the dispute which climaxed with a mass meeting at Braddock's Field near Pittsburgh. The book's strength comes from the details of the entire episode, including President Washington's dispatch of 15,000 militia from four states to enforce the law, the tranquil response of the farmers to this show of force, the collapse of the rebellion, and the granting of amnesty. This is an inside look at a significant event in the life of the infant United States, John A. Baird, jr. The Alsace Emigration Book, Vol. 2. Compiled by Cornelia SchraderMuggenthaler. Closson Press, Apollo, Pa., 1989. 277 pp., hard cover. $24.95 postpaid (Pa. residents add 6% sales tax). The author has compiled the lists in this book from several sources, the primary one being the Alsace emigration index, a cardfile archive put on microfilm by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which is available through the Family History Library of this church. The book does not indicate the location of the original card file. Included in the original card file index are immigrants to the United States, Russia, Germany, and many other countries. Most of the emigration was from Upper and Lower Alsace, but also included are familes who migrated through Alsace 264 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine vital records and has included forms for the English-speaking Caribbean Islands, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Although there are no forms for the European countries, there is a page of information for each of 30 countries and the U.S.S.R. on where to write regarding vital records. There is information on when each state or country's vital records begin and the current cost for obtaining a copy of a birth, marriage, or death certificate. All you do is photocopy the form and mail it with the correct fee. These forms will become obsolete from time to time, but if you have the book, you will have the correct address of the vital records office to which you can write for current forms and costs. Anyone doing research in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries should have this book on his or her reference shelf, Sandra M. Hewlett Mother Cumberland: Tracing Your Ancestors in South Central Pennsylvania. By Raymond M. Bell. Hearthside Press, Alexandria, Va., 1989. 72 pp., maps, index. $9.95. Here is a concise and handy guide to Bedford, Blair, Centre, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin, and Perry counties in central Pennsylvania. The Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania was the great migration route of the Ulster Scots, particularly into Tennessee and at a later date from there to Texas. As a result, many families in the Upper South, the Southwest, and Far West find that this area is the site of their Pennsylvania origins. A noteworthy feature of this book is the county diagrams which supplement the maps showing the origin of the townships within each county. It often is much easier to use the block diagrams to study the origins and fates of the various townships than to attempt to analyze the map. The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania's holdings are alluded to in a very brief paragraph on page 30. Users of this book will wish to supplement this by searching in past issues of the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine for the excellent series, "A Genealogist's Guide to Pennsylvania Records," by Helen Hutchinson Woodroofe (in issues from 1979 to 1987), which details the holdings in the collection of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania for the counties under consideration. The card catalogues at the Society should then be consulted for material added since 1987. This is an extremely useful book for those who have ancestors in the area covered. Louis S. Marks 268 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine counties, there are references to the guides and other finding aids in the county record offices. These publications provide further information. This is a much neglected source, and this publication does much to make these records available to the genealogist who has outgrown the parish registers and allied documents and who wishes to delve more deeply into the true history of a family. Unpublished Personal Name Indexes in Record Offices and Libraries, 2d ed. Compiled by Jeremy Gibson. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1989. 40 pp. $6.00. This publication is most valuable to actual visitors to record offices and libraries in Great Britain. Hidden in the recesses of these often overcrowded places are numerous indexes which have not been published. In addition to calling attention to these hidden treasures, the compiler has added judicious notes on the limitations inherent in these indexes. Unfortunately, the listings are weak for Scotland and practically non-existent for Ireland. Perhaps this will be rectified in later editions. For England, however, it is an excellent compilation. Local Newspapers, 1750-1820: England and Wales, Channel Islands, Isle of Man. A Select Location List. Compiled by Jeremy Gibson. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1989. 64 pp. $7.50. This is the kind of record which can be searched only in Britain. Americans, accustomed to county organization found in the United States, tend to go immediately to the area of distribution. Many provincial newspapers are printed in London and then sent out for distribution. This publication renders great service in pointing out the primacy for overseas visitors of the British Library Newspaper Library on Colindale Avenue in North London (readers' ticket required). As its title clearly indicates, this publication does not treat of Scottish or Irish papers. However, these are available at the British Library Newspaper Library. Newspaper research always is (particularly if the date is somewhat uncertain) a laborious process, and the local libraries always are a less formidable place to work than Colindale Avenue. By listing the holdings in the local libraries, this publication renders great service. Bishops' Transcripts and Marriage Licenses, Bonds and Allegations: A Guide to Their Location and Indexes, 2d ed. Compiled by Jeremy Gibson. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1989. 32 pp. $5.00. In the absence of parish register entries, bishops' transcripts assume great importance. For this reason this is one of the classes of records extensively filmed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- 272 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Descendants ofJacob Orwig and George Orwig. By Elmer W. Onvig. Gateway Press, Baltimore, 1978. 104 pp. This German family is covered as it makes its way into Pennsylvania and beyond. It would be nice to have an index and footnotes for this family record. Genealogical History of Jeremiah Kelley of Weston, Maine and Allied Families. By Elton Philip Kelley. By the Author, Brewer, Me., 1987. 196 pp., index. $40.00. With footnotes, photographs and maps, this book should be a big help to Kelley and a host of other New England families. The Pryers: American Pioneers, By John H. Cunningham, III. Gregath Co., Cullman, Ala., 1989. 456 pp., index, bibliography. $36.00. Attractively arranged with detailed footnotes and photographs, this genealogy is well edited and written. It will serve this Southern Pryor family well. The Descendants offames D. and Margaret (Humes) Witter. By Menivyn R. Buchanan. Axon-Chancellor, Bridgeport, Pa., 1988. 87 pp., index. This Pennsylvania family is covered by the author with photographs and footnotes throughout the text. Much of this material was gathered by correspondence from the current generation of the family. Book Reviews 261 from Germany, Switzerland, and other countries. This book only includes those emigrating to the United States with permission of the authorities. The time period covered is primarily for the first half of the nineteenth century. The names are listed in computerized form, with columns for last name, first name, birth year, birthplace, emigration date, destination (according to the publisher, the designation "A" in the destination column signifies "America" in general), profession, and the source. In addition to the names of emigrants, lists of villages are given showing their archival connection: the archives in Strasbourg, the archives in Colmar, and German villages and towns, mainly in Wurttemberg, Baden, and the Palatinate. Publications of this type that make it easier to search for emigrants are important, but it should always be kept in mind that in an undertaking such as this, errors may occur. Jane Adams Clarke Finding Your People in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia: A Genealogical Gui,de. By Rebecca H. Good and Rebecca A. Ebert. Hearthside Press, Alexandria, Va., 1988. 104 pp., index, paper. $9.95. Genealogists need basic, accurate information to conduct their research. They must have specific hours of and directions to courthouses, libraries, and archives. Maps represent essential tools. Researchers expecting to perform successful investigations into their family background must understand the history of the state and localities in which their ancestors lived. They always benefit from analyses and clarifications of the peculiarities of records in a given geographical area or time period. In short, genealogists require good guidebooks to direct their studies along the most productive routes. Unfortunately, such guides are scarce. Genealogists working in Virginia will find only a few statewide studies, but these give only superficial information on the counties and regions of the Old Dominion. Fortunately, there is one regional guide which meets all the above criteria. In 1984, Rebecca H. Good, a genealogist from Front Royal, Virginia, and Rebecca A. Ebert, librariambarchivist at the Hadley Library in Winchester, Virginia, published Finding Your People in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and West Virginia. The book, published on a shoestring by their Rebecca Company, was very popular and soon went out of print. Four years later a reprint of this research 260 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine History of the Western Insurrection in Western Pennsylvania, Commonly called the Whiskey Insurrection. 1794. By H. M. Brackenridge. Heritage Books, Bowie, Md., 1988. 341 pp., index, paper. $21.50. Reading this book with a cumbersome title may be compared to opening a time capsule sealed in 1859 by a Pittsburgh attorney who recorded the tempestuous 1794 frontier events near the Monongahela River known as the Whiskey Rebellion. Local farmers had no market for their grain until reduced in bulk by distillation into whiskey. They resisted Federal efforts to collect the excise duties on these spirits, and thereby created an uprising which tested Federal power to enforce its laws within a state. The pedestrian prose and copious fine-print notes are enlivened by the events themselves, including writ servings, house burnings, and clashes with constables. Agents were tarred and feathered. Mail between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia was robbed. Affidavits and depositions from participants authenticate the unsuccessful efforts of the author's father, Hugh Henry Brackenridge, to mediate the dispute which climaxed with a mass meeting at Braddock's Field near Pittsburgh. The book's strength comes from the details of the entire episode, including President Washington's dispatch of 15,000 militia from four states to enforce the law, the tranquil response of the farmers to this show of force, the collapse of the rebellion, and the granting of amnesty. This is an inside look at a significant event in the life of the infant United States, John A. Baird, jr. The Alsace Emigration Book, Vol. 2. Compiled by Cornelia SchraderMuggenthaler. Closson Press, Apollo, Pa., 1989. 277 pp., hard cover. $24.95 postpaid (Pa. residents add 6% sales tax). The author has compiled the lists in this book from several sources, the primary one being the Alsace emigration index, a cardfile archive put on microfilm by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which is available through the Family History Library of this church. The book does not indicate the location of the original card file. Included in the original card file index are immigrants to the United States, Russia, Germany, and many other countries. Most of the emigration was from Upper and Lower Alsace, but also included are familes who migrated through Alsace