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2013 Meeting Dates
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January 5
February 2
March 2
April tba
May 4
June 1
July tba
August 3
September tba
October 5
November 2
December 7
Most meetings will be held at the David Library, 1201 River Road, Washington Crossing, PA. The meetings for three months (marked as "tba") will be held at a time and location to be determined; information will be on our website, our Facebook page, and in our monthly newsletter.
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 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Greetings to all BCGS Members and Friends: February is the month when we celebrate love! If you are into themes, perhaps you will want to focus on the romances and marriages of your ancestors this month. I'm in the process of writing a family narrative on my great grandparents and their children, which involves attempting to put some flesh on the bones of their life story. As I was putting facts together, I realized that I had no idea what they might have had in common, what attracted them to each other, or how they met. Franz immigrated from Germany with his parents when he was two, and Sarah was the daughter of a NYC police officer - completely different backgrounds. It's fun tracking down their addresses to see if they lived near each other, and imagining their first meeting. Our February meeting set a record for the most number of attendees: 37! Perhaps it was the topic of Organizing Your Research, perhaps it was the time of year, or perhaps it was simply that the word is getting out about our terrific organization. We encourage all of you who live in Bucks County to attend a meeting and meet other local genealogists like yourself! By mid-February, we had 81 members for 2013. Please join or renew today, while you're thinking about it - there are so many good reasons to do so! BCGS is honored to be a part of the Historic and Genealogical Advisory Panel, which is a group of historical and genealogical organizations in the County, formed to coordinate the identification of record locations, and to discuss access, especially in light of the new County Courthouse being planned, as well as the future of digitization of Bucks County records. Your membership in BCGS enables the genealogical community in Bucks County to truly have an impact in participating in these County-wide planning conversations.We hope to see you at our March meeting!
Happy Researching,
Christine Roberts
President
Bucks County Genealogical Society
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NEXT MONTHLY MEETING
March 2, 2013, Saturday, 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon
at the David Library of the American Revolution, Conference Center, Rose Gallery
1201 River Road, Washington Crossing, PA
(Park behind the building and use the Conference Center entrance.) __________________
Where There's a Will, There's a Way
Presented by Susan Koelble
Probate records are an often-overlooked resource when doing genealogical research. This presentation will teach you how to read and interpret Wills, Administrations and Orphans' Court records to get the maximum benefit from their wealth of information. Did you think you read your ancestors' estate records? Well, you should read them again after this lecture.
Examples of probate and Orphans' Court records will be used to show what can be found and what to do with the information to enrich and further your research. The lecture will also address what to do when the records are missing or nonexistent.
About the Speaker:
Susan S. Koelble is a lecturer, teacher and author and is well known for her knowledge of Philadelphia's history and people. Her own Philadelphia genealogy goes back 10 generations to 1686. With over 25 years of professional experience she and her daughter Kristin Bryson founded Bare Roots Publishing and Research in 1999.
Over the course of these 25 years she has served on the Board of Directors of The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania (GSP), where she has worked as co-coordinator and counselor for GSP's hugely popular Summer Camp series. Her tenure as Lineage Chair for the Philadelphia Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution has given her insight into the filing of applications for heredity societies. She also sits on the Board of Directors of The Bucks County Conference and Visitors Commission. She is also a member of many local, state, and national genealogical and professional organizations.
While working on a degree in American Studies she had internships with the National Park Service in Valley Forge as an archeologist and with the Bucks County Heritage Society, learning how to trace house histories.
She has lectured both locally and nationally and has organized several Ancestry Fairs in the Philadelphia region. She has taught genealogical classes for local genealogical societies and at The Bucks County Community College.
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The fee to attend the meeting is $5 for members and $10 for non-members, and will be collected at the door. Reservations are not required. |
Individual: $20 Dual/Household: $35
Many of our 2012 Charter Members have renewed their memberships for 2013. Won't you join them in helping us continue to grow? 
Join or renew by mail using our application/renewal form, on line on the Society's website via PayPal or by paying with cash or check at our next meeting.
Your membership dues provide great speakers, a meeting place, a website and more!
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Volunteers Needed
Can you help our growing organization? Check over the following list and see if there is an area where your skills would be a fit.Membership Committee...- collect content and edit monthly newsletter - send welcome emails to new and renewing members
- help maintain distribution email lists - assist at the welcome table once or twice a year
- collect information each month about upcoming local historical and genealogical events for the newsletter Please contact
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Pennsylvania
Death Certificate Digitilization
 The Pennsylvania State Archives began a new phase of its ongoing partnership with Ancestry.com to digitize and index historically valuable documents from its collections. This began in mid-September with the pick-up and transport of several cartons of death certificates to Ancestry's facility in Silver Spring, Md. It takes Ancestry approximately three weeks to complete work on fifty cartons of death certificates, so when a group of records returns from Silver Spring the next group of cartons is ready for transport. While in their custody, the records are scanned by trained professionals and an every name index for the entire series of records will be created.
The collection consists of over 6.5 million death certificates that were originally maintained by the Department of Health's Division of Vital Records and contain vital information on deaths that were registered in Pennsylvania from 1906-1962. Data in the certificates includes file number, county, city, address, ward, full name of deceased, sex, color, marital status, date of birth, age, occupation, birthplace, name and birthplace of mother and father, and informant's signature and address. Medical data provided is the date of death, length of attendance and last visit of physician, cause of death, duration of illness, contributory factors, and name and address of physician. Additional data sometimes includes length of residence if in a hospital or institution, where disease was contracted, residence, and where buried. An undertaker's name and address are usually provided. Death certificates from more recent years add citizenship; social security number; whether death was by suicide, homicide, or accident; place of injury; date of operation and findings; and if decedent served in the U.S. Armed Forces. A boon for genealogists, it is anticipated that the records and indices will be available for the public and in the Archives Search Room through the Ancestry website by the end of calendar year 2013. If you have any questions on the progress of the project, you may contact David W. Shoff, Chief of the State Archives Division at 717-783-5796.
For more information, go to the Pennsylvania State Archives Vital Statistics page: www.portal.state.pa/portal/server.pt/community/genealogy/3183/vital_statistics/387291
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REMEMBERING MY ANCESTORS,
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
& HIS DAUGHTER, SARAH FRANKLIN BACHE
By Jacqualyn Eberlin Hillegass
I am writing you to tell you some brief historical facts about my family on both sides. I was born the daughter of Florence Mae Bache Eberlin. My father, Olin Dane Eberlin, is thought to be descended from a famous Prussian general - Johann George Eberlin; and the family stories of how the town of Berlin was called "Berlin" are for another article, for another time and further research.
So it is now my mother's side of the family I want tell you about. Oh I cannot claim to have done extensive research on the following information, as much of the information was made available in a "research pamphlet" that was attached to the inside cover of a bound book. I've tried desperately to find the correct name of the book. In essence it listed names of families that lived in America during the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I do not have the book, as it was passed down to my uncle, Walter Livingston Bache, III, who was my mother's youngest and only brother. He lives in Sedona, Arizona, is older and in poor health and doesn't have easy access to the book. I do remember seeing it in my twenties and that it gave a brief history of the families. I remember searching the pages on last names - Franklin and Bache, and that it confirmed the history of my family that Sarah Franklin, or "Sally" as she was called married Richard Bache.
My mother's father was Walter Livingston Bache, II - the son of Walter Livingston Bache. He was the son of William Bache whose father was Colonel Louis Bache. Colonel Louis Bache fought in the War of 1812 but more famously, he was grandson of Benjamin Franklin. You see, Louis Bache was the fifth of eight children of Richard Bache and Sarah "Sally" Franklin Bache. Sally was the third child of Benjamin Franklin since he had an illegitimate child, William, before taking for wife Deborah Read.
Sally was the second child of Deborah Read Franklin. Her brother, Francis Folger Franklin, would have been 9 years old when she was born to Deborah who was 35 at her birth and Benjamin was 37. Her brother died at age 4 of small pox. William, her half-brother was 15 when Sally was born.
There are so many interesting yet historical facts about Sally that no one seems to know as well as unknown facts about her father, Benjamin Franklin...his first experiment with a kite was when he was 5 years old, his 'air baths' and his 'secret weapon' with women - young and old - but there is only so much space and so I can only cover some lineage information and focus mainly on Sally for this article.
One little known fact, is that Benjamin Franklin's mother was Abiah Folger. Benjamin Franklin was the last and tenth son of Josiah Franklin who was born in Ecton, Northamptonshire, England and emigrated to Boston in 1683 with his first wife. Years later a descendant of the Folgers, J.A. Folger, founded Folgers Coffee in the 19th century. Many years before, the Folgers were a Puritan family that was among the first Pilgrims to flee to Massachusetts for religious freedom, when King Charles I of England began persecuting Puritans. They sailed for Boston in 1635. Abiah's father was "the sort of rebel destined to transform colonial America." As a clerk of the court, he was jailed for disobeying the local magistrate in defense of middle-class shopkeepers and artisans in conflict with wealthy landowners. Benjamin Franklin followed in his grandfather's footsteps in his battles against the wealthy Penn family that owned the Pennsylvania Colony.
Sarah Franklin "Sally" Bache (September 11, 1743 - October 5, 1808) was the daughter of Benjamin Franklin and Deborah Read. Known as "Sally" throughout her life, she was an ardent American patriot during the Revolutionary War through relief work and as her father's political hostess. She raised money for the Continental Army and is known for involvement in the Ladies Association of Philadelphia which raised $300,000 starting in 1778. She took leadership of the group in 1780 after Esther Reed died of outbreak of dysentery and supervised over the years 1778-1780 the making of 2,200 shirts for the soldiers in the Continental Army, used the army's winter at Valley Forge, and often meeting at a country estate owned by Samuel R Fisher on the Schuylkill River, two miles north of Philadelphia. After that, her group became known as "General Washington's Sewing Circle."
Sally married Richard Bache on October 29, 1767, even though her family was worried about his financial position and so her father never gave his blessing. Before the marriage, her mother wrote to her husband to tell him that she was planning Sally's wedding. He had been summoned to Versailles, France, to be presented to Louis XV. The only thing he wrote as a reply to his wife Deborah was "be frugal with the wedding". But remember this is the man who said "a penny saved, is a penny earned." The couple had eight children.
She loved music and reading and was considered a skilled harpsichordist. It was said, that her father may have invented the glass armonica due to her musical talent. It was very popular in its day; Beethoven and Mozart wrote musical compositions for it; but since it was played with soapy hands that could have been a reason that it fell out of favor. When her father died over 20,000 people attended his service and funeral. He left most of his estate to her and among the items bequeathed to her was a small portrait of Louis XVI surrounded by diamonds thought to be 204, which she sold to finance her life-long dream for her and her husband make a trip to London, follow in her father's footsteps and see her half-brother William. In 1794, she and her family moved to a farm outside of Philadelphia on the Delaware River.
Sally died in 1808 and is buried in Christ Church Burial Ground, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania next to her beloved mother, father and husband Richard. There are two large slabs in the burial ground - one for her parents, Benjamin and Deborah Franklin, and one for her and her husband, Richard.
I have been very blessed as in later years with the documentation that was made available to me - to join the Daughters of the American Revolution, become a Regent of the Bucks County Chapter 2010-2012. I am a member of many societies as in the Daughters of the War of 1812 - Treasurer of the Robert Fulton Chapter; Daughters of the Colonists, Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence and in the 'Friends of Franklin'. It has also been a great honor to be voted by all of you in our Bucks County Genealogical Society as Vice President of Projects (Cemetery Project). I thank all of you for your patience but after my upcoming vacation, and with continued support from all of you, I plan to 'dig in' to make our Cemetery Project a priority.
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Interested in a Tool Bar for your computer?
Many have recommended this free tool bar which has lots of links to genealogy sites.
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National Archives at New York City Opens in New Location
The National Archives at New York City is opening February 4th, 2013 at its new facility at the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House at One Bowling Green, 3rd Floor, New York (Lower Manhattan). The phone numbers are: 1-866-840-1752 or 212-401-1620
The National Archives' New York research facility was on Varick Street in Greenwich Village for 20 years. The new location at the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House will provide greater visibility and accessibility to the important Federal records originating in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It will allow the Archives to expand its research functions in New York and create a new educational destination in a building that already welcomes museum visitors through the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. The new educational spaces and exhibitions are made possible by a public-private partnership between the National Archives and the Foundation for the National Archives.
Components of the National Archives at New York City, all free and open to the public, will include:
A Welcome Center to introduce visitors to the National Archives and the depth and diversity of Federal records. The Center will feature a small exhibition gallery called "New York on the Record," with a changing selection of original documents from the National Archives.
A Research Center for scholars, genealogists, and the general public to conduct their own research using original records and microfilm holdings with the assistance of professional archivists. Researchers will have free access to resources including online subscription services such as Ancestry, Fold3, Heritage Quest, and ProQuest.
A Learning Center to welcome educators, school groups, and families and to encourage them to explore National Archives records through workshops, field trips, online access, "Archival Adventures," and more.
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent Federal agency that serves American democracy by safeguarding and preserving the records of our Government, ensuring that the people can discover, use, and learn from this documentary heritage. The National Archives ensures continuing access to the essential documentation of the rights of American citizens and the actions of their government. From the Declaration of Independence to accounts of ordinary Americans, the holdings of the National Archives directly touch the lives of millions of people. The agency supports democracy, promote civic education, and facilitate historical understanding of our national experience. The National Archives carries out its mission through a nationwide network of archives, records centers, and Presidential Libraries, and on the Internet at www.archives.gov.
The Foundation for the National Archives is an independent nonprofit that serves as the National Archives' private-sector partner in the creation of and ongoing support of the National Archives Experience, which includes permanent exhibits, educational programs, traveling exhibits, special events and film screenings, and historical/records- related products, publications, and media. The Foundation helps the public understand the importance of the holdings of the National Archives by presenting the depth and diversity of the records through award-winning, interactive educational exhibits and programs. It generates financial and creative support for the National Archives Experience from individuals, foundations, and corporations who share a belief in the importance of innovative civics education. In addition, the Foundation has taken the Archives nationwide through online initiatives such as the Digital Vaults online exhibit and DocsTeach, a web-based educational resource. These components make the rich resources of the National Archives accessible to Americans nationwide.
The National Archives at New York City is an integral part of the tri-state area's internationally renowned network of research and cultural institutions. Holdings consist of Federal records from New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, completed by architect Cass Gilbert in 1907, is a magnificent Beaux-Arts style building located at the junction of the Wall Street Financial District and the Battery Park tourism district. Its exterior and interior are decorated with carvings, murals and sculpture, including work by Daniel Chester French, Louis Tiffany, and Louis St. Gaudens. The site itself is historically significant, from its origins as the location of Fort Amsterdam, the nucleus of what would become New York City. The National Archives at New York City will occupy space on the 3rd and 4th floor of the Custom House. The rotunda, auditorium and lecture halls are shared spaces.
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NATIONAL ARCHIVES LOCATIONS
A member asked for information about National Archives locations near Bucks County. The Philadelphia facilities are the closest to Bucks County, and here is the information:
National Archives at Philadelphia, PARobert N.C. Nix Federal Building
900 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19107-4292
(Entrance is on Chestnut Street between 9th and 10th Streets) Available services: Archival Research Room, Microfilm Research Room, Records Management National Archives at Northeast Philadelphia, PA 14700 Townsend Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096 Available services: Records Center, Research Room, Records Management A complete list of National Archives facilities is available at this website: http://www.archives.gov/locations/
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QUERY FROM ROGER CARLSON
Anna Helen Banner DOD 9-25-1951. However his records showed her as having died in Abington, Montgomery County. Now I need assistance in tracking that down in Montgomery County. Perhaps she is buried in a cemetery in Montgomery County. Any help would be appreciated.
Anna Helen (Sternad) Banner (DOB Jan 10, 1894) was married to William Allison Banner (DOB Jun 1, 1895) and they had two children Frank DOB Dec 26,1924, and Helen about 1926. William Allison Banner was a taxidermist at home. The information I have uncovered so far indicates they lived on Bristol Pike, in Falls Townships, Bucks County, PA. I would appreciate any information on the dates of death and cemetery of Anna, William or any of their family. I would also be interested in any Banner relatives that may still be in the area that I may contact. George Sternad (Anna's brother) moved to Falls Township, Bucks County, PA sometime around 1930. George Sternad wife's name was Francis. They had one child named Ramon DOB about 1931. Any and all information on William and Helen Banner or George and Francis Sternad and their families would be most helpful. Please reply to Roger Carlson at: [email protected]
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YOUR QUERY HERE!
Would you like your research query posted in our newsletter? Just send your query to [email protected] and we will include it next month.
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More information about us:
Members only...join our Yahoo Group for Bucks County Genealogical Society. Please go to the following link and click "Join this Group":
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