DELAWARE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

New DGS Genealogical Projects

Which Ones Excite You?

DGS, an "Information Business"

People join the Delaware Genealogical Society for many reasons, but the primary one is to learn more about their own family history. It is our obligation as a society to help members in this pursuit. So how do we help you?

Who are "We" and Who are "You"?

Who are "we" anyway? DGS is a nationwide collection of over 740 people who are linked primarily by an interest in Delaware genealogy. Most all of us have Delaware roots, but a few local members are simply interested in advancing genealogy even though they have no Delaware roots. We all pay the same annual dues and all expect the experience to be a rewarding one; but there is no "you," because "you" and "we" are one.

DGS Goes Global

With the advent of the electronic age, "local" genealogical societies do not have to be local any longer. Actually we were never very local. Over 80% of our membership does not live in Delaware, but spans the continent from Alaska to Florida and New England to California. Now that about half of our members have E-mail and access to the Web, we can communicate instantly with members no matter where they live: England, Texas, wherever. No longer do those who live outside New Castle Co have to feel out of touch. Anyone can volunteer to work on a Delaware genealogical project even though they live far away from Delaware.

Potential DGS Volunteer Projects

During the past two months your Board of Governors, with input from the Delaware Public Archives (DPA), the Historical Society of Delaware and local professional genealogists, has been identifying and prioritizing several potential DGS projects. Each project will enhance the use of Delaware genealogical records. Now we want to know which ones you think are most important:

* Which of these projects would most advance your genealogical research?

* For which of these projects are you willing to volunteer to help?

Please write to Kay Schorah at Markay13@aol.com with your comments or to volunteer for the projects described below.

When will the projects begin?

The success of these projects depends entirely on your willingness to help. We are a society of volunteers. There are no paid positions. Each of the projects listed below would proceed through several phases, such as,

1. Design: Set guidelines so the project conforms to current genealogical standards; obtain permission and cooperation from the repository holding the records, decide where to start (what time period, county, etc; from original records, microfilm or photocopies; etc.); computerize all information.

2. Design Process, e.g. transcribe or abstract original record from microfilm or from photocopies made from microfilm (both of which can be mailed anywhere in the country), keep information in the order of the original record, computerize, index, proofread by 2nd and 3rd party (might have to refer to the actual original record rather than microfilm)

3. Publish results [in increments for large projects]: consider several options; e.g. book, Web, CD, DGS Journal article, etc.

What Kind of Work Is This?

Much of the work involves reading handwriting from old records and some of the tasks also include abstracting key items of genealogical interest from these original records. Reading old handwriting takes some getting used to but most can do it with a little practice. It often requires interpreting how the same letter is formed at other places in the same document. It is better to question a transcription, then to guess. In any case, all transcriptions will be proofread at least twice to ensure accuracy. Of course, reading old newspapers does not require deciphering old handwriting. All work will need to be put into a computer file. If you are particularly interested in transcribing and don't have a computer, perhaps you can enlist a friend to enter it into a computer. In most all cases, we can supply microfilms and/or paper copies of the original records.

Besides transcribers and proofreaders, we need volunteers to design and to lead each project and volunteers to make and distribute copies of the original records and volunteers to organize the electronic information and get it ready to "publish".

DGS Project Prioritization with My Comments This order of priority does not mean that we will work on the first project first. We already have some volunteers including one for the 15th project on the list. Which projects we work on first will depend on many factors, but a primary factor will be the interest of the volunteers. DPA has volunteered to supply microfilms of their original records for the Orphan's Court (#3a), tax (#6) and military (#13) projects. The numbers in parentheses following each project refer to the number of points each project received in the voting; it is notable that the first 4 projects stand out at the top of the list:

1 - Abstract & Index all County Wills & Administrations to 1850 (130)

REMARKS: very large project; NC (wills only), KT, SX published to 1800 (also SX for 1852-69); all counties indexed by deceased (KT on web), but abstracts would link other surnames to the deceased - very valuable!

CONCERNS: the enormity of the task (would "publish" incrementally); most recent microfilm arranged alphabetically, not chronologically; old LDS microfilm chronological, but missing a lot of records.

2 - Index 1880 Census of Delaware (116)

3 - Index 1910 Census of Delaware (106)

REMARKS: most useful to new researchers; large project (should be every name/age index); 1880 (now only indexed for families w/children under 10), can help many stuck in 1900s, since 1890 census is missing. DE is one of a few unindexed states for 1910, National Genealogical Society may help sponsor, supply microfilm

CONCERNS: coordinate with GenWeb (see GenWeb Census Project)

3a- Abstract & Index Orphan's Court Records (106)

REMARKS: moderately large project; some indexed now, but abstracts extremely useful; images put on a CD from DPA microfilm. Project begun 2003; volunteers abstract CD images on home computer. Contact Margaret David at madvd28@aol.com

5 - Undertaker & Cemetery Records (74)

REMARKS: large project; much that is not found on tombstones

CONCERNS: negotiating access to records

6 - Index statewide tax records 1787-1800 (61)

Transcribing Delaware Tax Records

The design of the Orphan's court record transcription project (The DGS #1 project) is taking longer than expected. In the meantime, several DGS members have begun transcribing Delaware tax records.

REMARKS: very large project; valuable data on family relationships, age, marriage, death, migration; 1787-1800 chosen because qualifier for Delaware Families project, but earlier records will be considered too; format same as "1782" book, but series of years improves data; DPA will supply microfilm. This project has begun with 15 volunteer transcribers. For a more complete description, click here.

7 - Abstract & Index Apprentice Indentures Records (58) - on microfilm

REMARKS: moderately-sized project; some indexed now, but abstracts would be extremely useful

8 - Update inventory of Delaware Church Records (47)

REMARKS: very large project; much needed - now very hard to learn which church vital and other records exist and where to find them

CONS: enormity of task; getting access to records

9 - Index Wilmington Death Register (36) - on microfilm

REMARKS: small; almost every death and/or burial in Wilmington beginning 1847

10 - Computerize DPA card catalog of vital statistics (34)

REMARKS: large project; one of the best compilations of state vitals but can only be accessed by the few who can get to Dover; DPA may be doing this themselves.

10a- Abstract pre-1850 newspapers not covered in prev. pub. works (34)

REMARKS: moderately large task; much genealogical info and vitals not found elsewhere; some vitals info in "Delaware Marriages and Deaths from Newspapers 1729-1853"; many old state newspapers have recently been microfilmed

12 - Computerize HSD's card catalog (21)

REMARKS: very large project; exceptional wealth of information, well-indexed; HSD prefers to do this themselves which is one reason why it isn't higher ranked as a DGS project

13 - Index "Delaware Archives, Military", volume 6 (18)

REMARKS: small to moderate project; v.1-5 published; a lot including some pension applications in v.6; abstracts very beneficial; DPA will supply microfilm

13a- Index 1868 Beer's Atlas of DE (1868) (18)

REMARKS: small project; statewide; need to develop grid

15 - Abstract & Index Slave Manumissions Records (16) - microfilmed

REMARKS: moderately sized project; DGS opportunity to help the very difficult slave ancestry research

Please comment and volunteer

Click here for the Greatest Current Need for Volunteers.

Please write to Kay Schorah at Markay13@aol.com with your comments and your priorities and, of course, to tell us for which projects you would be willing to volunteer.

May you find all your missing roots or at least have a lot of fun trying.

We are not equipped to answer general queries - see Submitting Queries.

© Delaware Genealogical Society - April 21, 2001 - comments to Webmaster Tom Doherty at