Photograph Part of Recently Donated Large Family Collection.

Boston, MA – March 6, 2008 – The New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston today announced the recent discovery of what is being called one of the most significant photographic finds documenting the impressive life of Helen Keller.

The photograph, taken in July 1888 in Brewster, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, shows eight-year-old Helen Keller seated next to her teacher, Anne Sullivan, as they hold hands. Ms. Sullivan taught young Helen sign language by fingerspelling into the palm of her hand. A large doll rests on Keller’s lap. When Sullivan arrived at the Keller household to teach Helen, she gave her a doll as a present. Although Keller had many dolls throughout her childhood, this is believed to be the first known photograph of Helen Keller with one of her dolls.

Both Keller and Sullivan indicated later in their journals that “DOLL” was the first word Keller learned in sign language, in March 1887. This photograph was taken about sixteen months later.

An NEHGS staff member discovered the photograph while combing through a large photography collection recently donated by Thaxter P. Spencer, 87, of Waltham, MA.

Talking about the photograph, Spencer said, “When my mother was a little girl, she and her family stayed at the Elijah Cobb House on Cape Cod. One of the guests that summer was Helen Keller. My mother remembered having her face ‘explored’ by Helen, who then commented that “she had a good face.’”

Spencer doesn’t know which family member actually took the photo, but says it has remained in the album since then. As far as he knows, it has never been seen by anyone outside his family. “I never thought much about it,” he added. “It just seemed like something no one would find very interesting.”

The photograph offers a view of a rarely known part of Keller’s life: her summer vacations on Cape Cod. During several summers, Keller traveled with Sullivan from her home in Tuscumbia, Alabama to the popular seaside town of Brewster, where she played with many local children and learned to float and swim. Spencer’s mother, Hope Thaxter Parks, four years younger than Helen, was one of those children.

In a September 1888 letter to a friend, Keller writes, “I had a pleasant time in Brewster. I went bathing almost every day…and I had fun. We splashed and jumped and waded in the deep water. I am not afraid to float now.”

According to the American Foundation for the Blind - which houses the Helen Keller Archives, the largest collection of Helen Keller materials - very few images exist of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan during Helen Keller’s childhood.

“This is a truly marvelous addition to our visual history of these two extraordinary women,” said Helen Selsdon, Archivist at the American Foundation for the Blind. “This picture is especially interesting because it’s a candid outdoor photograph and Annie strongly believed in teaching Helen outdoors.”

Spencer recently donated his large family collection, which includes about 15 photo albums dating from the 1880s through the early 1900s, as well as scores of journals, diaries, papers, and other items, to the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston, where it will become a permanent part of the R. Stanton Avery Special Collections. NEHGS, a 160-year-old archive and research library, specializes in genealogy and family history research.

“When we talk about our individual family histories, we invariably must include local or regional history too,” said D. Brenton Simons, NEHGS President and CEO. “This image of Helen Keller serves as a wonderful example of how one person’s family history really can be part of a larger, more significant story.”

Excerpt from Helen Keller’s 1903 autobiography, “The Story of My Life.”
Chapter IV:

“The morning after my teacher came she led me into her room and gave me a doll. The little blind children at the Perkins Institution had sent it and Laura Bridgman had dressed it; but I did not know this until afterward. When I had played with it a little while, Miss Sullivan slowly spelled into my hand the word ‘d-o-l-l.’ I was at once interested in this finger play and tried to imitate it. When I finally succeeded in making the letters correctly I was flushed with childish pleasure and pride. Running downstairs to my mother I held up my hand and made the letters for doll. I did not know that I was spelling a word or even that words existed; I was simply making my fingers go in monkey-like imitation. In the days that followed I learned to spell in this uncomprehending way a great many words, among them pin, hat, cup and a few verbs like sit, stand and walk. But my teacher had been with me several weeks before I understood that everything has a name. One day, while I was playing with my new doll, Miss Sullivan put my big rag doll into my lap also, spelled ‘d-o-l-l’ and tried to make me understand that ‘d-o-l-l’ applied to both.”

Excerpt from Anne Sullivan’s March 1887 diary entry:

“She helped me unpack my trunk when it came, and was delighted when she found the doll the little girls sent her. I thought it a good opportunity to teach her her first word. I spelled ‘d-o-l-l’ slowly in her hand and pointed to the doll and nodded my head, which seems to be her sign for possession. Whenever anybody gives her anything, she points to it, then to herself, and nods her head. She looked puzzled and felt my hand, and I repeated the letters. She imitated them very well and pointed to the doll. Then I took the doll, meaning to give it back to her when she had made the letters; but she thought I meant to take it from her, and in an instant she was in a temper, and tried to seize the doll. I shook my head and tried to form the letters with her fingers; but she got more and more angry…Then I showed her the doll and spelled the word again, holding the doll toward her as I held the cake. She made the letters ‘d-o-l’ and I made the other ‘l’ and gave her the doll. She ran downstairs with it and could not be induced to return to my room all day.”

Genealogically yours,

David Allen Lambert

http://www.newenglandancestors.org/research/Database/essex_antiquarian/

The veteran who has recently died is the late Dr. Erich Kästner (March 10, 1900 -January 1, 2008). This report comes from his family who announced it in Hannoversche Allgemeine newspaper.

Click to read the article on his passing as recently reported this month.

Genealogically yours,

David Allen Lambert

New databases provide access to nearly 400 years of information.

New England Historic Genealogical Society is thrilled to announce the addition of more than 3.2 million names to its searchable online databases during 2007 to help its more than 20,000 members around the country with their family history research. NEHGS has more than 100 volunteers around the country who help scan and digitize parts of the vast collection housed at NEHGS’ 7-story research library located at 99 Newbury Street in Boston. Because so many of NEHGS’ members are not in New England, offering access to so many important databases and information is critical to the NEHGS family.

NEHGS’ Web site, www.NewEnglandAncestors.org, contains the most complete set of electronically searchable pre-1910 Massachusetts vital records available anywhere. Some of the new databases now available online include Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850, early New York probate records, Connecticut vital records, Massachusetts census records (1855-1865), and New York calendar of wills, 1636-1826. In addition to creating new searchable databases, the NEHGS team is also conducting a project to add downloadable scans of original page images to the Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850 database. This project was begun in January 2007 and is approximately 50% complete, with 41,700 page images added so far. This project will be completed by the end of 2008.

Among the 485,000 records added to this VR collection are the pre-1850 vital records of Plymouth, Yarmouth, Middleborough, Falmouth, Boston, Dorchester, Dedham, Watertown, Truro, Hanover, and Worcester. With the addition of 231,000 pre-1835 New York State probate abstracts from the William A. Eardeley collection, also NEHGS offers the largest electronically searchable set of New York probate records. We are also expanding our searchable collection of Connecticut vital records with the publication of pre-1850 data for the towns of New Haven, Mansfield, and Woodbury, CT. NEHGS will be adding significantly more Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, and Maine records in 2008. Another 2007 addition to our website is the content of the NEHGS Register for the years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004. This extends our collection of searchable Registers to 159 volumes, starting with the first volume, from 1847.

Genealogically yours,

David Allen Lambert

2. I resolve to see to it that all of my children will have the same names that my ancestors have used for six generations in a row.

3. My age is no one’s business but my own. I hereby resolve to never list the same age or birth year twice on any document.

4. I resolve to have each of my children baptized in a different church — either in a different faith or in a different parish. Every third child will not be baptized at all, or will be baptized by an itinerant minister who keeps no records.

5. I resolve to move to a new town, new county, or new state at least once every 10 years — just before those pesky enumerators come around asking silly questions.

6. I will make every attempt to reside in counties and towns where no vital records are maintained or where the courthouse burns down every few years.

7. I resolve to join an obscure religious cult that does not believe in record keeping or in participating in military service.

8. When the tax collector comes to my door, I’ll loan him my pen, which has been dipped in rapidly fading blue ink.

9. I resolve that if my beloved wife Mary should die, I will marry another Mary.

10. I resolve not to make a will. Who needs to spend money on a lawyer.

11. I resolve to not clutter up the good farm pasture with headstones, that will just get broken or fade with time anyway.

12. I resolve to protect my family and friends privacy, by giving false names and places for events.

13. I resolve to never give the correct accounts of misdeeds in the family, so when Uncle Lem shot that guy and was tried for murder, my kids will be told he stole a cow.

14. I resolve to never trim the family cemetery of brush and tangle weed, to keep out any one doing that silly Genealogical work.

15. I resolve to always alternate my kid’s and wife’s first and middle names when the census taker comes around, just to give him practice with his spelling.

16. I resolve to come from Ireland (where there are no records, or, if there are, they can only be examined by visiting the exact village, pleading with the local clergy (who is hostile to anyone not of his belief which of course you are) and/or handing over a fee equal to or exceeding your yearly income for one hour’s research which may not find anything.)

17. I resolve that not only shall I NOT die in my country of birth, but that nor shall my children (yea verily) unto the sixth generation.

18. I resolve that I shall call my children by odd names which the enumerator shall spell incorrectly.

19. I resolve that I shall be absent on the night of the census.

20. I resolve that if unable to be absent on census night I shall endeavor to be enumerated twice.

21. I resolve that when I die my children/wife are instructed to give the wrong details for my death certificate.

22. I resolve that I and most of my family shall die suddenly just before death certifications started to be used, in a parish where easy access to the records ceased the previous year.

Thought I would add a little light genealogical humor to your reading. Thanks to David Lambert (an NEHGS member - no direct relation) for sending this to me.

Genealogicall yours,

David Allen Lambert

Wholly Genes, Inc., of Columbia, Maryland, is proud to announce the release of The Master Genealogist v7.0, the most comprehensive family history software on the market. For more than 14 years, The Master Genealogist (”TMG”) has been the choice of professional genealogists and casual researchers alike because of its innovative features, extreme flexibility, attention to real-life research issues (like “witnesses” and their secondary roles in events), and support for the highest scholarly standards.

Despite the program’s long-standing reputation as “the one that does it all,” the new Version 7 incorporates more than 50 exciting new features. The program continues to innovate with features like a new “Associates Window” which lists in one place all of the people connected to the focus person (e.g., as witnesses to the same events), customizable pop-up reminders which encourage consistent data entry, and the ability to make color “highlights” or annotations on scanned images. The image highlighting actually happens on a transparent layer above the image so the original image isn’t modified — an important characteristic to family researchers.

A variety of powerful new features to control sentence output supplement those which, in previous versions, have helped researchers win awards for their published narratives. Among other enhancements, it is now easier to generate sentences which span more than one event (e.g., “He died in Tazewell, Virginia and was buried three days later in the town cemetery”) with mid-sentence source citations. A real-time sentence preview now also makes it easier to see the effect of customizing those sentences.

“We’re sure that researchers will appreciate the powerful new features in this release because they helped to design them,” said Bob Velke, President of Wholly Genes Software. “Many of TMG’s best features started with suggestions from users,” said Velke, “and Version 7 is no exception.” As examples of popular features that are already in that category, he cited the program’s GenBridge direct-import technology, integrated historical timelines, customizable screen layouts, and the display of names in different colors to represent user-defined characteristics (e.g., red for people who were born in Tennessee and green for those who were born in Virginia).

Other new features in Version 7 include multi-level sorts, relationship calculation through spouses (e.g., wife of his third cousin), the ability to share your source list and output templates with other researchers through import/export, and the ability to check for duplicates while adding new people. A number of new filtering and reporting options are expected to be very popular and a long list of interface changes make the program easier to use,
especially for novice researchers.

The Master Genealogist v7.0 is native to Windows Vista but is also designed for Windows 2000 or XP. More information is available from

www.WhollyGenes.com

About the company:
Wholly Genes Software is a privately held corporation founded in 1993 with the goal of providing professional-caliber software tools to family historians. Its flagship product, The Master Genealogist, is among the highest rated family history project managers and is in use in more than 30 countries around the world.

Contact:
Elizabeth Vinci
marketing@whollygenes.com
9110 Red Branch Road, STE O
Columbia, Maryland 21044
410-715-2260 x132

Genealogically yours,

David Allen Lambert

The Massachusetts Genealogical Council (MGC) is currently seeking a quarterly newsletter editor. Duties of this position include designing, acquiring, and reviewing potential newsletter articles, columns, and news items; setting editorial policy; copy editing and typesetting; and producing camera-ready copy four times a year for timely delivery to MGC?s membership. Strong written communication skills are a must and mastery of Microsoft Word (2003 or later) is required. The newsletter editor attends MGC boards meetings and the annual conference. The successful candidate is appointed by and reports to the MGC President. The position is a volunteer opportunity for the right person.
The Massachusetts Genealogical Council, founded in 1980, is dedicated to serving the interests of the state?s genealogical community. MGC acts as an advocate in monitoring governmental legislative and administrative activities affecting genealogists; sponsoring and presenting legislation and programs designed to expand the resources and accessibility of services; developing and promoting the growth, education, and exchange of ideas among persons and organizations interested in the pursuit of genealogy; and providing other activities to advance genealogy.Qualified applicants should e-mail their resume to Barbara Mathews, President of MGC, at bmathews@gis.net or president@massgencouncil.org www.massgencouncil.org

Publicity Director Massachusetts Genealogical Council Michael Brophy
mbrophy@brophygen.com
http://www.brophygen.com/

Genealogically yours,

David Allen Lambert

The following description is from the National Archives site:

This collection held in the series AIR 50 comprises Second World War combat reports of squadrons, wings and groups in Fighter, Bomber, Coastal Commands and Fleet Air Arm squadrons. The records cover Commonwealth and Allied units based in the United Kingdom including the United States Army Air Force.

You can now search and download documents which contain the names of around 20,000 men. Until now these records have only been available on microfiche in the Reading Room at The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.

We have outlined some points to help you understand more about the Second World War Air Combat reports. Use the links below to jump to the topics you are interested in.

You can search details from all the surviving records by entering any or all of the following:

Forename(s); Surname; Rank ; Flight/Squadron; Date of combat

The records mainly consist of either a printed Personal Combat Report or a Fighter Command Combat Report. There might also be correspondence and/or notes included with a report. the section below explores the records in more detail, using sample images.

A Pilot or air gunner returning from an operational flight where they had encountered enemy aircraft had to complete RAF Form “F”. These forms recorded details such as:

Date and time of the combat; squadron of the individual submitting the information; type and number of enemy aircraft; height and general location of where the encounter took place; whether the enemy aircraft was considered as a casualty; whether there were Allied aircraft losses and if so, type .

This website will prove useful to both genealogists and military historians alike.

Genealogically yours,

David Allen Lambert

See you at the show.

Genealogically yours,

David Allen Lambert

ALL HISTORICAL SOCIETIES WELCOME!

Contact John Horrigan at 781-799-3781 for free table space to promote your organization. They are going fast! - historicalweather@hotmail.com

WHAT: NEW ENGLAND HISTORY FESTIVAL
WHEN: Saturday, November 24th, 2007

TIME: 6:00 PM – 10: 00PM

WHERE: Hibernian Hall, 151 Watertown Street, Watertown, MA 02472

WEB SITE: http://www.historyfestival.org

Contact: John Horrigan 781-799-3781 - johnhorrigan@hotmail.com

ALL HISTORICAL SOCIETIES WELCOME! Contact John Horrigan at 781-799-3781 for free table space to promote your organization.

Print out a flyer here:

http://www.historyfestival.org/histposter2.jpg

ADMISSION: $10.00 for the general public and $5.00 for students, senior citizens and historical society members. Trivia, exhibits, concessions, prizes, souvenirs

TOPICS: LOST AT SEA, BOSTON MOLASSES FLOOD, NAVAL BATTLES OF THE REVOLUTION, NEW ENGLAND’S DARK DAY, THE HISTORY OF NEW ENGLAND RADIO

Featuring: Michael Tougias, Stephen Puleo, Donna Halper, Mike Ryan, Bill Rose and John Horrigan

==========================================

The Inaugural New England History Festival will take place on Saturday, November 24th at 6:00 PM at the Hibernian Hall in Watertown.

Come and enjoy a series of slide shows and lectures dedicated to great moments in New England History.

Steven Puleo, whose books include “The Boston Italians” and his newest release “Due To Enemy Action”, will be speaking about his benchmark book “Dark Tide”. Puleo, who was recently awarded the prestigious 2007 I Migliori Award by the Pirandello Lyceum for his significant contribution to society, will be speaking about the Great Boston Molasses Flood. On January 15, 1919, in the midst of an unseasonably warm day, a steel tank exploded, sending a tidal wave of molasses throughout the streets of Boston’s North End. Twenty were killed and 150 injured as many homes and businesses were destroyed. As the foremost authority on this event, Stephen will be providing the most concise analysis of this disaster.

Michael Tougias, whose books include “Ten Hours Until Dawn”, “King Philip’s War” and “Nature Walks In Eastern Massachusetts”, will be speaking about his latest book “Fatal Forecast: An Incredible True Tale of Disaster and Survival At Sea”, which recounts the exploits of two small fishing boats that were caught and decimated in a monster maelstrom. In November, 1980, the Fair Wind and Sea Fever were caught by a surprise storm off the coast of Cape Cod. The National Weather Service had erred in their forecast, and the vessels foundered in seventy-foot waves, eventually forcing their crews overboard. Come hear about their harrowing story of survival at sea for three long days and nights.

Bill Rose, one of the most knowledgeable researchers of Revolutionary War naval battles in America today, will present his lecture “Why We Don’t Speak French – Salt Water in the American Revolution”. Rose, a very successful entrepreneur, will bring his presentation to life as he dons the uniform of a French Admiral. His examination of naval engagements in North America from 1775 – 1783 reveals how close the United States came to losing several campaigns, let alone the entire Revolutionary War. It was only providence, luck and some cunning maneuvers on the part of select Colonial and French admirals and captains that preserved the victory.

Donna Halper, the first female broadcaster in the history of Northeastern University, is considered to be the region’s foremost authority on the history of media and radio in New England. Donna has been teaching courses on broadcasting and media history at Emerson College for 17 years and was honored as the Instructor of the Year in addition to being nominated twice for the Distinguished Teaching Award.

Ms. Halper, a highly respected media consultant, is the author of three books, the most recent of which is “Invisible Stars: A Social History of Women in American Broadcasting”. She has appeared on numerous television and radio programs over the course of four decades. Donna, who is also credited with the discovery of the Canadian Rock Band Rush, will present a marvelous interactive exhibit that chronicles the history of broadcasting in Boston.

D. Michael Ryan, currently an Associate Dean of Students at Boston College, is a decorated war veteran and multi-talented author, gifted musician, lecturer, esteemed historian, geneologist and versatile re-enactor. He is widely recognized as one of the most knowledgeable and interactive historical researchers in regard to the American Revolution living in New England today. Mike, who is a member of over a dozen historical societies and re-enactor militia groups, will be signing his new book “Concord and the Dawn of Revolution: The Hidden Truths”.

John Horrigan, the event’s producer, is a New England Folklorist and “pocket historian” who has lectured on historical fires, weather and astronomical events such as “The Great Hurricane of 1938”, “Winters of The Revolution”, “Earthquakes of Olde New England”, “The Great Brant Rock Fire”, “The Great Nantucket Fire” and “The Night The Stars Fell”. Horrigan will be presenting “New England’s Dark Day”. In May of 1780, an unexplained darkness fell over New England and terrified settlers and Natives. John will read from several journals describing the frightful event and refer to other American dark days such as the “Yellow Day of 1881”, the “Year Without A Summer” in 1816 and Detroit’s Dark Day of October 16th, 1762.

Admission is $10.00 for the general public and $5.00 for seniors, students and all current members of historical societies. There will be trivia, prizes, exhibits, concessions and souvenirs. Tickets can be obtained by logging on towww.historyfestival.org

Special Guests include: John and Abigail Adams (re-enactors), Music by the Jolly Rogues, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History, Waltham Historical Society, Historical Society of Watertown, Community Heritage Maps, Salem History Society, National Archives and Records Administration

Genealogically yours,

David Allen Lambert