digging for your roots 2012: heritage quest database
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Digging for Your Roots
May P. ChanPrairie History RoomRegina Public Library
October 27, 2012©2008, updated 2012
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Outline HeritageQuest Online
What is it? How does it differ from Ancestry Library Edition
(ALE)? What resources are available in the database? How do I log in?
6 major collections Search strategies
Additional Resources
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What is HeritageQuest?
Heritage Quest (HQ) is an online searchable database of unique American genealogical resources, including U.S. federal census records, colonial records and digitized local history and genealogy books.
How does this database compare with ALE?
HeritageQuest (HQ)
Offers 6 main data sets
Records are predominantly from the United States
Date range for records is from 1700s to present day
Ancestry Library Edition (ALE)
Offers 8000+ data sets
Records from the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand
Date range for records is from 1300s to present day
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Main Resources Found in HQ U.S. Census records, 1790-1940 (select) Local & Family Histories collection, ca. 1800s to
1920 PERSI (PERiodical Source Index) which is an
index of 6,500 local history & genealogy periodicals, 1800s to present day
Revolutionary War pension & bounty-land warrant, 1783 onwards
Freedman’s Bank Records, 1865-1874 U.S. Serial set, 1789-1969
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Accessibility
HeritageQuest (HQ) is now available at all Regina Public Library branch terminals (both public internet and CatPlus).
The database can also be accessed remotely with a valid RPL library card and PIN.
All of the library’s computer terminals allow you to print, save and email files from this database.
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Logging into HQ froma Library Computer Terminal
1. Log in to any public internet terminal at any computer terminal with your Regina Public Library card and PIN number (4 digits).
2. Click on either the Internet Explorer or Firefox icon on the desktop or within the “Internet folder” under “All Programs”
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Logging into HQ froma Library Computer Terminal
3. Type in the url for the “Databases by Subject” page www.reginalibrary.ca/reference/central/ (note: this page is the home page for on the computers in the Prairie History Room) and click on the Genealogy category.
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Logging into HQ fromYour Home Computer
1. Go to the website: www.reginalibrary.ca2. Click on the tab for E-Library Services
3. Scroll down to and click on the category Genealogy
4. When you click on HQ link, you will be prompted to sign in with your library card number and PIN.
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Home Page for HQ Online
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Helpful Tips to Remember
Same search rules don’t apply to all 6 collections (e.g. some allow for wildcard search, others don’t, etc.)
Records are predominantly U.S. focused; Revolutionary War set and PERSI do have some Canadian content
When used with other online resources such as ALE, this database is actually quite complimentary
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U.S. Federal Census Records
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U.S. Census Information
HQ contains digitized images of each decennial census from 1790-1940 (*NOTE: 1930 census records is only partially indexed while 1940 census records are only partially uploaded).
Does not contain any of the state census records
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However…This is Really Important to Know!
HQ Online contains name indexes for only 12 of the decennial censuses
Of these nominal indexes, only ½ of them are “Every Name” while the rest are only the “Heads of the Household”
To locate information in census years that haven’t been indexed, you have to use browse functionality
To locate which census returns have a nominal index, check out this PDF file: http://tinyurl.com/8bl5cbh
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Head of the Household
Person who was responsible for the care of the home and/or family. This could be a husband, widow with children, person living alone, etc.
Exceptions included: Persons residing within the household
who had a different surname (e.g., a mother-in-law, boarder, servant, niece).
All individuals living in institutions (schools, prisons, hospitals, etc.)
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1890 U.S. Census “Brick Wall”
Over 99% of the 1890 population schedules were destroyed!
Of 62,979,766 persons enumerated in 1890, a total of 6,160 names could be extracted from the following states: Alabama, District of Columbia, Georgia,
Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota and Texas
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3 Types of Searches
Basic, Advanced and Page Number
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U.S. Census Search Tips
EXACT match only! You will need to type in every spelling
variation for both first and surname No wildcards or truncation symbols
allowed From 1850 onwards, you can limit your
search by age, sex, race and birthplace **NOTE: prior to 1850, census
enumerators were not obligated to enter other members of the household – challenging to locate women and children
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U.S. Census Results
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1910 U.S. Federal CensusFranklin D. Roosevelt
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Options
Printing the record
Saving the Record
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Browse Census Records
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Searching for Books
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HQ – Books Collection
Digital books are from UMI genealogy and local history collection
Features 28, 000 books, including 10, 000 family histories and 13, 000 local histories
**also features over 250 primary sources such as tax lists, city directories and probate records
Search by name, place or publication title
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Searching for Articles - PERSI
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PERSI
PERSI stands for Periodical Source Index Created and maintained by the Allen
County Public Library, Fort Wayne, Indiana Date ranges 1800s to present day Index to 2.5 million articles from over 6,
500 genealogy or history journals or magazines **Note: no images or full-text available!!!
Offers 4 search functions: name, place, how-to and publication title
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Searching for Articleson Regina, Saskatchewan
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PERSI Search Tips
Surname search ONLY! Unlike US and Canada tabs, you CANNOT
search by country or by area under the International tab
Wildcard “?” and truncation symbols “*” allowed in keyword field
Boolean operators also allowed in keyword field Jefferson AND Franklin Jefferson OR Franklin Lincoln NOT Nebraska Women NEAR sufferage
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Revolutionary War Records
Comes from the U.S. Veterans Administration
Features over 81, 000 pension files as well as bounty-land-warrant records
Exact match ONLY! No wildcards,
truncation symbols or Boolean operators allowed
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Search for Revolutionary War Records
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Revolutionary War RecordsElizabeth SHELTON
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Freedman Bank Records Proper name was the
Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company
US government set up it as a bank for the newly emancipated slaves after the Civil War
Bank also served indentured servants of various races
Bank only operated from 1865 to 1874
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U.S. Serial Set Records
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U.S. Serial Set Records
Offers over 100, 000 documents from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives as well as select committees, bureaus and commissions
Date ranges from 1789 to 1979 Specifically selected for its
“genealogical” significance Memorials, petitions, and private relief
actions
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U.S. Serial Set Search Tips Boolean, wildcard and
truncation symbols allowed in keyword field
Use “ ” in keyword field to search for a phrase E.g. “civil rights”
**Note: broaden your date range because Congress did not always sit in session to address issues
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NEW!!!Learning Center
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The End
Questions or for a PDF copy of the powerpoint:
maychan@reginalibrary.ca
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