52 Weeks to Better Genealogy: Week 6

A prompt from We Tree, "52 Weeks to Better Genealogy," hosted by Geneabloggers, has challenged bloggers to examine online databases at their local public library. My local library in Northern Ohio is part of the ClevNet Consortium.



To access the online databases available through ClevNet,first go to the website:
www.clevnet.org.

Click on Research Databases on the right sidebar. Under the Explore These Research Categories heading, click on Genealogy.

Ancestry Library Edition is the most widely used online database in this listing, however, access is limited to in-library use only. Patrons can access thousands of Census Records, Death Records, Military Records, and much more at this amazing database. Visit your library to see if it offers access to Ancestry Library Edition.

The Cleveland Necrology File provides cemetery records and death notices from primarily the Cuyahoga County region. Sometimes death notices for other Ohio counties are also included. I retrieved this record from the Cleveland Necrology File for a cousin on my great grandfather's maternal line:

Id#: 0553307
Name: House, Byron L.
Date: Dec 30 1960
Source: Cleveland Press; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #118.
Notes: House. Byron L. House, beloved husband of Helen M., father of Jane F. Gregory, brother of Mrs. Ethel Minor, Mrs. Ann Doster, Mrs. Rachel Thompson Mrs. Alta Groves and Mrs. Fae Criblez, residence, 3567 Bosworth Rd. The family will receive friends From 7-9 P. M. Friday at the Zeis Funeral Home, 16105 Detroit Ave. Services at the Keller Funeral Home, Sandusky, O. Saturday, Dec. 31, at 1:30 p. m.

Coverage in the Cleveland Necrology File includes:

The Cleveland Plain Dealer - 1850-1975
The Cleveland Herald - 1833, 1847-1848, 1876, 1878-1879
The Cleveland Press - 1941-1975

The Cleveland News Index is an index which covers articles, including obituaries, from four area Cleveland Publications. Once you have the citation of an obituary, it is easy to contact a library in the ClevNet network to request the full text of the obituary for a nominal fee. My great grandmother Irene's first cousin Naomi Cross was a nun in the Cleveland area. The Cleveland News Index provided these citations for her obituary. Luckily I knew Sister Bertha's given name from family records.


CROSS, NAOMI : (Obit.).
Plain Dealer 26 Jun, 1981, pg. 11 sec. B

CROSS, NAOMI : McGory Funeral Home (Obit.).
Cleveland Press 27 Jun, 1981, pg. 37 sec. A

Heritage Quest Online is another database available at ClevNet. (This particular database requires network libraries to have a subscription in order for their patrons to have access.) Available at home to library card holders, Heritage Quest provides Census Records, full text of thousands of family history books, and access to Revolutionary War files. While looking through the Revolutionary War pension file of my grandson's ancestor, I learned that Timothy Tuttle like to sing inspirational songs before going to battle! I was surprised to come across such personal information about a soldier who lived so long ago.

These are just a few highlights of ClevNet's online databases for genealogical research. Also included are several newspapers, Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps of Ohio, and access to Ohio Historical Society Searchable Databases. Check out ClevNet's resources to learn more about your Ohio ancestors!