Be Sure to Visit my new 1900 Galveston Storm Website at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootseb.com/~barnette 

CENSUSES GREAT GENEALOGICAL TOOLS

 This week the United States 2000 Census is being mailed and delivered to homes across America. In their information packets and advertising literature the government tells us the census counts are used for the distribution of government funds to communities for highways, schools and health facilities.

 The census, a count of people in the United States has been taken every ten years since 1790. Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution requires the taking of the census to determine the number of people in each state. From population counts the courts decide the number of congressional representatives each state sends to the House of Representatives in Washington, DC.

 While not a genealogical record, the census is one of the best tools available to genealogists tracing their families. Censuses prior to 1850 list the name of the head of the household and give statistical information on the other members of the household. Beginning in 1850 the names of everyone in the household are given. Each year more and more questions are added to the information pool.

 There is a privacy act that precludes anyone from looking at a census until 72 years have passed. The newest census available for genealogical research is the 1920 census. The 1930 census will be available for view in April 2002.

 Farsighted genealogists are advocating everyone make photocopies of their own 2000 census and save the copy in their files. Once submitted to the government, it will be 2072 before the 2000 census will be available for research.

 GENEALOGICAL SEMINAR

 Known internationally for her Internet and print genealogical and computer columns Rhonda McClure will be the featured speaker at Angelina College's Spring Genealogy Conference.

 The Conference will be held Friday evening  March 31 and all day April 1 on the campus of Angelina State in Lufkin. McClure's topics will include genealogical records organization, New England research and several talks on researching on the Internet.

 For more information visit Angelina College's website at http://angelina.cc.tx.us email vcates@ballistic.com  or call 409-858-3815.

CENSUS CLASS

 Hosted by Leisure Learning, Mic Barnette will hold an in-depth three hour study on all aspects of census records 1790-1930. The class will be held at Leisure Learning's 2990 Richmond Avenue campus from 7p.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday April 4. For more information and to register, contact Leisure Learning at 713-529-4414.

  FRANKLIN GARRET DIES

 Longtime Atlanta, Georgia historian, Franklin Garrett, passed away Sunday March 5. He was aged 93. Garrett has been active in genealogical and historical research in Atlanta since the 1930s and was considered the ultimate authority of all history concerning  that city.

NEWS FROM THE BOOK SHELF

 Known for his landmark book, CENSUS MAP GUIDE TO THE US FEDERAL CENSUSES 1790-1920, William Dollarhide has now published a comprehensive review of census schedules 1790-1930. His, THE CENSUS BOOK: A Genealogist's Guide to Federal Census Facts, Schedules and Indexes is available for $24.95. plus postage, from Heritage Quest, P.O. Box 329, Bountiful, UT 84011-0329.

 THE CENSUS BOOK is a complete synopsis of every federal census  taken in the United States between 1790 and 1930. It includes a tabulated chart indexing all federal censuses and non population enumeration's. For each census year, the book tells where the original census may be found. It tells if a census is indexed and, if so, by which publishing company. If a census or census index is published on a CD-Rom, the book gives the CD-Rom number and publisher's name.

 Other topics included in this informative book are why a census is taken, a discussion on early census takers, the census day, the census counting machine, early census losses, numbers of census copies made for the various census years and soundex indexes 1880-1920. Also included in the book are census extraction forms for each census 1790 through 1930.

 Another major census tool is Design Software's, FAMILY CENSUS RESEARCH Version 3.0. This software is touted as the "comprehensive software for census data management". FAMILY CENSUS RESEARCH is available for $59.21, shipping and tax included, from Design Software, 220 Stella, Burleson, TX 76028.

 FCR allows the user to imput census data to a pre-designed census form imaging the US Federal censuses of 1790-1920,  the 1885 state census and 1890 federal census. In addition, it allows one to create and design a census form not currently in the database. Census records may be printed in either landscape or portrait formats. Census enumerations may be sorted and printed in any question field order desired.

 FCR sports a GUI (graphical user interface) and will run from a Windows 3.x, 95-98,DOS and OS-2 computer. It will, also, run on MAC computers configured to run PC software.  It requires a mouse, 16 MB of memory and supports over 1200 printers.