Wake Genealogy Watch

Do you struggle with reading modern cursive writing? Do you want to run away and hide more than you want the clue that is scribbled in the old-style handwritten document in front of you? If so the Library of Congress is here to help. Their online resource, Paleography: Interpreting Handwriting in Genealogical Research   is the comprehensive tool you need to blast through those handwriting roadblocks. Most sections after the introduction contains both a bibliography and links to online resources. Categories of help include English Scripts, Early American Handwriting, Modern Cursive, Signatures, Transcription and Spelling, Latin scripts, Languages and Subject headings, General Reference and Dictionaries. Follow the link to the source to find the  signatures of some famous aviators! The English Scripts section includes information on English and Scottish document from 1500-1700 as well as a link out to an incredible Script tutorial hosted at Brigham Young University that links to...

Have fun spending some time comparing and contrasting these two colonial era maps that are held by the Library of Congress . Both made under the direction of Henry Muzon. Both show the early colonies of North and South Carolina. Both are hand colored, although each is executed somewhat differently. One created in London, the other in Paris. They even share a title -  An accurate map of North and South Carolina, with their Indian frontiers, shewing in a distinct manner all the mountains, rivers, swamps, marshes, bays, creeks, harbours, sandbanks, and soundings on the coast with the roads and Indian paths as well as The Boundary or Provincial Lines, the several Townships and other divisions of the Land in both Provinces: The whole from Actual Surveys by Henry Mouzon and Others. Click through to see larger images, but more importantly, click the hyperlinked dates to view the original maps at the Library of Congress. 1775 1777 If you have time for nothing else, be sure to open the 1777...

I hope a rainy day turns up soon. I need one for map perusal. I must share with you this wonderful early North Carolina survey map found at Grand Lodge in Raleigh during our October meetup at the Grand Lodge. This beautiful map from 1808 was displayed well in their facility. I was so fascinated with this one that I grabbed the information from the card beside it so I could hopefully find a version  that was viewable online.  Fortunately for us, it is also available to view at the Library of Congress.  Behold:  To David Stone and Peter Brown, Esq. : this first actual survey of the state of North Carolina taken by the subscribers is respectfully dedicated. Published in 1807   printed in 1808 It is such an interesting map because you can see our state starting to evolve from a colony of settlements to the collection of county centers of govenment that we know now. Yet, look very closely at the entirety of this map. You will see counties that do not exist today and ...