History of North Central Iowa Genealogical Society
40 Year Timeline History of the NCIGS from 1972 to 2012
Compiled by Sandra Turner
1971-1972 1973 - Constitution and by-laws
completed. A genealogical library was
established with Edith Brown serving as the first Librarian. Marge Van Kluck served as the first editor of
The GENIE BUG; first issue published in August. 1974
- Society created and
submitted to IGS information on the records held within the Cerro Gordo County
Courthouse. Offered genealogy classes at
John Adams School. Started the Surname
Index. 1977
- Cerro Gordo County listing of
courthouse records was published in Hawkeye Heritage. Long-term work began on documenting county
cemetery information. Established P.O.
Box 237. Sponsored Everton workshop at
Trinity Lutheran Church. 1978
- Library moved from IOOF to Senior
Citizens Center. Completed cemetery
information for Cerro Gordo County. 1979
- Genealogy Library moved to MCPL
reference room. April meeting was style
show featuring clothes from the past. 1980
- Started the fundraiser NO BAKE
SALE. Society funds purchased four reels
of 1860 Federal Census microfilm.
Started Census Microfilm Program: members purchased an Iowa census microfilm; NCIGS matched that donation
with a reel of microfilm of the member's choice. 1982 - 10th anniversary open
house was held April 3, 1982. The two
featured speakers were Margaret Foster, Librarian of the Iowa Genealogical
Society, and Art Fischbeck, local historian. Workshops were held throughout the day.
Displays of old photos and scrapbooks from surrounding counties were
also featured, with Jim Latham of Latham Photography providing information on
copying old photos. Had a booth in the
McNider Museum Outdoor Event. Fundraiser
at Willowbrook Flea Market. Compiled
Clear Lake Marriages from 1895-1920. Established the pioneer and military files (ancestor residing in Cerro
Gordo County by 1880; persons whose ancestor served in military before 1900
based on enlistment from the county, residence in the county before 1900 or
buried here). Created the index to the
1860 Census for Cerro Gordo County. 1984 - $2600 grant was awarded to the
Mason City Public Library from the Kinney-Linstrom Foundation, Inc. The grant monies were to be used to purchase
genealogical materials. The grant was
awarded with the proviso that NCIGS raise matching funds.
A variety of fundraising efforts were
undertaken including a raffle for a quilt made by members. October 1984 was the kick off for the
matching funds efforts. By December 1984
matching funds goal was not only met, but exceeded. 1985 - NCIGS members, led by President
Ruth Scott, made a second quilt as a fundraiser. Raffle tickets were $1 each or 6 tickets for
$5. In September 1985 NCIGS hosted the
Iowa Genealogical Society's Region 6 Conference at Stillman Auditorium, Clear
Lake, Iowa. Accepted the original
Naturalizations of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa 1856-1943.
A total of 31 books were included.
Charles and Margaret Wellen completed
indexing the Naturalization Records. 1987
- By July of 1987 the collection
traveled from the first floor to the 2nd floor of the library. Purchased a new microfilm reader. 1989
- NCIGS sponsored Everton's
International Genealogical Society workshop. 1990 - Society had a booth at the North
Iowa Fair. Limit of four entries. Ribbons would be awarded. Members directed to
bring old spectacles, pipes, family genealogy, old pictures, family tree
charts, old wills and old letters, unique heirlooms, etc. 1991
- Booth at the fair. Necrology File moved to genealogy
room. Enough money was available to
purchase a second microfilm reader. WW
II Records moved to genealogy library.
A copy machine from MCPL was moved into Genealogy Room. Speaker at November meeting was Kathleen
Flaherty, an orphan train child. 1992
- Booth at the fair. 20th Anniversary celebration
featured two speakers: Art Fischbeck and Delores Benning. Held a photo reproduction and document
encapsulation day at Willowbrook Mall.
Microfilm cabinet purchased.
Computer interest survey conducted.
PAF-Ways Genealogy Computer Interest Group, a computerized spinoff of
the NCIGS, was formed in June 1992.
PAF-Ways was created for our local members who wanted to learn more
about using computers and the Internet for genealogical research and
information storage. PAF-Ways takes its
name from Personal Ancestral File, a software package created by the Church of
Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints.
1993
- NCIGS potluck picnic held at East Park. Society now has a 9 digit zip code. Booth at the fair included the computer user
group. Purchased two filing
cabinets. At July meeting spent some
time in the library basement due to tornado warning. Project to assemble the WW II records
completed. Now in 29 volumes. 1994
- PAF-Ways members establish a
website and began the Web Obituary
Project, one of the first such efforts in the United States. This project creates a permanent on-line
archive of the obituaries for our region. Beth McBride became editor of THE GENIE BUG.
Bill Bjerke became Treasurer.
Indexing of obituaries begins.
Had a photo reproduction and encapsulation
booth at Willowbrook Mall. 1995 - Booth at Willowbrook
again. Continuing the obituary
indexing. Kinney-Lindstrom approved
another $3900 grant. 1996
-August meeting was in Ruth
Boyenga's garden. A contest was held on
the best decorated hat. Did not have a booth
at the fair. 1997 -Muse-Norris grant, written by Jim
Kuhlman, was for the purchase of a reader printer. Started Five Minutes of Glory at each
monthly meeting. Newspaper pasting party
was scheduled for January 1998. The
clippings were from local area newspapers obtained when NIACC discarded them.
Eight ladies from the society made
a trip to Salt Lake; Rita Goranson donated a copier to the society. 1997- 2001 Annual genealogical
technology fair. Joint effort by NCIGS,
Butler County Genealogy Society, Franklin County Genealogical Society, Wright
County Genealogical Searchers, Howard-Winneshiek Genealogy Society, Mason City
Family History Center, PAF-Ways Genealogy Computer Interest Group, and the Iowa
Genealogical Society. 1998
- Dues increased to $10 and research
charges increased to $10 per hour. NOW
genealogy program offered at NIACC. 1999
- Muse-Norris grant for $1500 for
copier received. Mayflower Society
offered program at the December meeting. 2000
- Indexing for the 1880 Federal
Census of bordering counties was completed.
Rita Goranson presented a program on Sod Houses in Iowa. A $1,000 Farrer grant was received. The money was used to purchase the 1900 Every
Name Soundex. 2001
- Gerald Anderson presented a program
on the trip he and his wife took to Norway.
PAF-ways had a float in the Band Festival and the Clear Lake 4th
of July parades. 2002
- German Cultural Fest. Discussion was held about purchasing a
computer. Completed more cemetery
records. The 1930 census microfilm
arrived in June. Members were reminded
the 1930 census was filmed as the census was taken, so the entries would not be
in numerical order. Dorothy Paul wrote a
grant to Muse-Norris. 2003 - September meeting was a trip to Des
Moines to research in new IGS Library and the State Historical Society. Society voted to postpone work on probate
records at the court house. Madonna
Harms gave a talk on orphan trains.
German Cultural Fest. Computer in
place and ready to use. 2004
- Over 100 people signed the register
at the North Iowa Fair. Follow up was a
letter and a copy of the latest BUG. A
new reader was purchased. 2005
- Sandra Turner became editor of the THE
GENIE BUG. In December 2005 the
obituary clipping project was discontinued since so many obituaries are now
online. 2006- In February 2006 internet access wiring was completed to the
genealogy room 2007
- In September, the Revenue Sharing
Agreement was signed between IGS and NCIGS.
Merger of PAF-Ways Genealogy Computer Interest Group with NCIGS
implemented. 2008
- Field trip to Des Moines
planned. Discussions begin about the
impact to genealogy library due to MCPL renovation. 2009
- MCPL was officially closed on May
l, 2009; limited library services will be offered in Mason City Room during the
renovation. Temporary quarters for the Archives and Genealogy Library will be
in classrooms at Madison Elementary School.
Monthly meetings will be held at LDS church during renovations. 2010
- Genealogy Library returned to MCPL;
now on 1st floor. Library no
longer has copier or microfilm reader equipment; will use MCPL equipment.
Began the process of reviewing By-Laws. Grant Committee established.
2011 - By-law review completed and
implemented. GENIE BUG distribution goes
on-line. Began RSVP system for monthly
meetings. Farrer Endowment Foundation
grant for $5,000 was approved; $2,000 for Research Committee computer
equipment; $3,000 for library collection. 2012
- 40th Anniversary
Celebration scheduled for June meeting.
Major rebuild of website undertaken.
History of NCIGS Library
Organized in 1972 the
society's purpose is to preserve genealogical and historical data, as well as
assist individuals in compiling family genealogies or ancestral histories. The office of Librarian was created in the
fall of 1973, with Edith Brown being elected to that position. In the beginning, the library consisted of
library materials on loan from various members and was in "box form." As the society grew, the library materials
became more permanent and the "box form" needed to find a home.
Finding that perfect home was no small feat. Our collection is certainly a well-traveled
entity. For example, in its early years,
the collection was housed in the homes of various society members, such as the
Krueger home, the Brown home, the Goranson home and, finally, in the Constable
home. Maintaining its wandering nature,
the collection briefly nested at the IOOF Home.
Even a closet at Garfield Elementary School was a temporary home. It was in 1979 that arrangements were made
with the Mason City Public Library. They
would house our collection for us in their Reference Room located on the first floor
of the library.
But the traveling of the collection was not yet
complete. By July of 1987 the collection
was taking up too much space in the Reference Room. The collection traveled
from the first floor to the 2nd floor of the library. Everyone thought that was the last and
permanent move, but no, with the 2008 renovation of the library building, once
again cardboard boxes were located, filled, and emptied into a classroom at the
Madison School. The collection stayed at
Madison for about 18 months, until once again the boxes were filled and the
collection moved into a beautiful new room, ironically, once again on the first
floor of the Mason City Public Library. What a saga of movement, but somehow
considering how often and how far our ancestor's moved, it seems
appropriate. Perhaps now our 40 year
wander is complete.
And let's talk about growth. From that humble cardboard box of donated and
loaned materials, 40 years later the collection consists of over 5,000
items. As a non-profit entity, we have
no specific means for acquiring funds, except through membership dues, member
gifts of items or money and fund-raising. As a society we have been creative in
our financial efforts.
By 1978 we had collected more than 87 books and
periodicals as well as telephone books from various towns including some from
Germany and the Netherlands. 1980
brought the first No-Bake Sale, which greatly increased our holdings. Books and four 1860 Federal Census microfilms
were purchased with these funds. Our
census microfilm program was also started in 1980, allowing members to purchase
an Iowa Census with NCIGS matching that donation with a microfilm of the
member's choice. Remember that was before on-line census indexing. At that time, we did it the hard way! In the spring of 1987, eleven new books were
added to the collection because of the successful Everton Workshop which NCIGS
sponsored.
Over the years we have been fortunate to benefit from
several grants. For example, a
Kinney-Lindstrom grant, extended to the Mason City Public Library, required
NCIGS to raise the required matching funds. Two grants from the Farrer Endowment Foundation proved very helpful in
enriching the collection and providing computer equipment.
Along with the February No-Bake Sale, we added other
fundraising activities including our successful garage sales which raised a
great deal of money each year. Because
of these activities we have been able to keep our library growing year by year,
step by step.
So how have we invested our money?
What is in those 5,000+ items we have in our
collection?
Our library is a fully cataloged collection enhanced with
regional ephemera, directories, Iowa censuses and vital records microfilms,
including the 1840 territorial census, localized obituary, cemetery, church and
military records, genealogical materials from states along the migration trails
leading to Iowa, books about the European origins of Iowans, how-to-do-it
books, maps, periodicals, and passenger lists.
Especially unique are the necrology, surname and genealogical files
compiled by our members, past and present. Our most complete information covers
a nine-county area of North Iowa.
Specifically, the society's treasure trove includes such
specialized sources of information as the 1894 list of Cerro Gordo farmers;
Civil War Veterans in Cerro Gordo County; completed listing of cemetery plots
for Cerro Gordo County, an index of people who fought in the Revolutionary War,
an 1883 list of pensioners in the United States, indexes to the passenger and
immigration lists; a compendium of American genealogies; and a partial set of
the Daughters of the American Revolution lineage.
The most unique materials are compilations
created by society members, such as collections announcing engagements,
marriages, births, deaths and obituaries printed in the local newspapers.
Our library, manned by a dedicated group of volunteers,
receives visitors from all over the United States.
In addition our library collection is used to
provide research services to people all over the world. The collection, created to provide North
Iowans with a local historical research center, has certainly achieved its
goal. As former society member Virginia
Gibbs once said about genealogical research, I think you learn to understand
yourself better. I think its a right
everybody has: to know who they are and
where they came from.
History of PAF-Ways
A
Path to the Future - PAF-Ways
by Loren
Toomsen - April 2012
About twenty years ago genealogy in north central Iowa made a
sharp departure from pencil, paper, hand written charts and shoe boxes. A
number of NCIGS members redirected their energy into a new emerging
technology. Computers!
The personal computer was in its infancy in the early
1990's. Suddenly synergy struck!
A group of NCIGS members met at the home of
Claire Giles in Clear Lake. On that very same day another group organized by
Kermit Kittleson and Loren Toomsen also met in Clear Lake. Both groups had a
common mission. When the two discovered each other, they instantly merged.
With a slogan that "computers were invented to do
genealogy" arrangements were made with N.I.A.C.C. to conduct a course
where interested individuals could gather and share in "our common
ignorance." In the early days we didn't learn how to do it, we learned how
"not" to do it. It was the
Wild West revisited! Because we were all
using the Personal Ancestral File program, Kermit Kittleson suggested
the name PAF-Ways. The name was voted on and adopted.
Initially we thought it would be cool, as a community
project, to each take an issue of the Mason City Globe Gazette obituaries and
hand type them into a common database. The day of the "scanner" had
yet to make its presence known. That fantabulous idea soon ran its course! Marie Thompson hung in the longest - but
that was just too much work! The project
nearly licked the red off of our candy!
The synergy soon led to a project of digitally preserving
obituaries published in the Mason City Globe Gazette. The newspaper saved its
obituaries weekly onto a floppy diskette. Toomsen swapped diskettes with the
Globe Gazette each Friday. In sync with Kittleson, who wrote a coded
translation routine, the two converted the Globe's machine language into a word
processor file. Thus was born a daily updated digital archive of North Iowa
obituaries.
PAF-Ways provided a
focus group for interested NCIGS members to cut their teeth on computer
genealogy. In our charter we designated
that should PAF-Way ever disband, all assets within the group would be transferred
to the NCIGS.
After just a few meetings it became obvious that our
classroom approach at NIACC was not a working format. Loren Toomsen invited PAF-Ways to meet in his
large living room in Clear Lake. An
advantage was a 50 inch TV linked to his computer that provided a computer
screen that all could share in a common group experience. By today's HD
standards it was crude, but it worked.
Interesting innovations to computers happened at PAF-Ways
meetings. The radically new idea of a
"mouse" was introduced, demonstrations in the use of various new
genealogy programs were made, many new high tech "toys" were
introduced, and PAF-Ways was alive when the Internet first invaded North Iowa.
PAF-Ways membership
continued to grow until finally a decision was made to hold two meetings back
to back, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Loren's wife was worried there were
so many people attending that their large living room floor might
collapse. Acting on that concern, PAF-Ways
moved to the First Citizens National Bank "Heritage Room" in Mason
City. Membership continued to grow to well over a hundred members and many
visitors.
As success of PAF-Ways spread, vendors would occasionally call
upon PAF-Ways to present at our meetings.
Once during such a visit, a representative from Microsoft presented
their program and then awarded two door prizes collectively valued at over
$1,000. The people behind Family Tree
Maker flooded PAF-Ways with many copies of their genealogy program - which for
a while became door prizes. There was a time when membership in PAF-Ways didn't
cost - it paid!
From the very
beginning PAF-Ways volunteers added greatly to its core strength. Marie
Thompson, Mason City, was in it from day one and is still very active. Chuck
Prickett, Jackson F. Wilcox, Alice Westfall and Gail Snow joined Marie as
staples in presenting our monthly programs.
Volunteer presentations from many members added diversity to our
programs. Groping in the dark we learned
from other's experience. We were the first generation, with no prior cueing, to
work out an understanding of the computer and the Internet. We discovered the
power of a new extension to our creative nature. We were all pioneers in a
"strange" new land.
PAF-Ways website was online within days of the Internet becoming
available in North Iowa. Our first server was River City Internet of Mason
City. River City not only hosted our
PAF-Ways website, River City also provided technical programs at our meetings.
The initial PAF-Ways website was coded by hand by Kittleson and Toomsen,
several years before a viable commercial web authoring tool appeared on the
scene.
The centerpiece of PAF-Ways website was our ongoing obituary
project. Obituaries first appeared on-line in the early summer of 1993. Google did not yet exist. Yahoo was in its
infancy. At that hour there were probably only a few thousand websites
worldwide. Websites offering categorized clickable links sprung up everywhere
assisting early navigation.
We began searching the net for other groups posting obituaries
online and found none. In December, six months after PAF-Ways began posting
on-line obituaries we discovered the San
Francisco Examiner began publishing obituaries. If PAF-Ways has one claim to fame it is we were the first group on Earth
to provide a steady, continuous obituary archive stream on-line, one that
continues to this day. Visitors to our website could navigate our pages and
freely copy and paste obituaries; obituaries that now stretch back over many
years.
Six individuals stand out from our membership for their solid
contribution of time and talent with the website and the on-line obituary
project. Gene Manning quarterbacked the
Globe Gazette obituaries for a number of key years. Jay Lehmann managed the Clear Lake Mirror
Reporter archives to perfection. Chuck
Pricket fielded area newspapers as they came on-line. Gail Snow was strong on Internet
research. Marie Thompson had her hand
solidly on the rudder in virtually all aspects of the project and continues her
contribution to this day. All NCIGS members can give a sincere thank you for
their dedication in making this a successful community project. And, people yet
unborn in our future also give their thanks.
However, Jim Rogers, of Garner, has established the gold standard of
on-line obituary archiving. Jim Rogers
has distinguished himself as our "archivist extraordinaire" managing
a number of area newspapers, to perfection, since virtually the beginning.
Jim's workmanship and contribution keeping the energy alive is deeply appreciated. Jim continues to archive and his work is on
display to this very day.
As computer programs became more intuitive and people could
easily share among themselves, the need for our twelve-year "boot
camp" concluded. PAF-Ways closed
its doors just a few years ago. True to its mission all properties were
liquidated, bills paid and our funds transferred to the NCIGS treasury.
In the years following,
member Jay Lehmann, Clear Lake, has distinguished his technical skills
and has become an important driving force behind the NCIGS website and has
served as our NCIGS president for the past four years. Jay has carried forward
the synergy of PAF-Ways and his contribution is greatly appreciated by all.
Our project is always looking for volunteers. Be careful! Archiving
can "get into your blood." It is a wonderful way to leave your
personal mark on the sands of time. If you would like to become a part of the
NCIGS on-line obituary project, contact either Marie Thompson or Jay Lehmann.
Leave a valuable gift to your future.