faq.intro (menno.rec.roots@mennolink.org)

December 1998

The following document is a first aid trial for Mennonite family researchers. It is intended to be the first in a series:

Please send any corrections or suggestions to goertz@cyberspace.org


     faq.general.intro  ======11111==================== 
     faq.prusssia       ==check http://www.mmhs.org/mmhsgen.htm 
     faq.poland 
     faq.russia 
     faq.nw.germany 
     faq.sw.germany 
     faq.netherlands 
     faq.switzerland 
     faq.france 
     faq.usa.east 
     faq.usa.west 
     faq.canada 
     faq.latin.america 
     faq.hutterites 
     faq.amish 
 
We are in need of volunteers to 
write faqs for any of the above faq titles. 
If you can nominate someone who you think may be able to write, 
have him/her contact 
Adalbert Goertz, 4293 Deerfield Hills Rd, Colorado Springs CO 80916-3503 
or preferably email to 
adalbert.goertz@pikespeak.net 
 
============================================================ 
 
CONTENTS: 
 
Q#1: What is a faq? 
Q#2: I am a complete newbie in this Mennonite genealogy field. 
     Where do I start? 
Q#3: What kind of questions should I ask? 
Q#4: Is there some reading for the newbie in Mennonite genealogy? 
Q#5: I have asked all these questions, but I am hitting a wall. 
     Where can I get more information and confirm what I have 
     found so far? 
Q#6: I am not Mormon. Why would I want to consult a LDS (Mormon) Library? 
Q#7: Does the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City, UT or their 
     branches have a web site? 
Q#8: Do Mennonite libraries and archives have websites or internet access? 
Q#9: Why are there not more websites? I am looking for church 
     and other records which I can scan online. 
Q#10: I like to scan the records of an archive in Berlin, or Warsaw, 
     or Kiev. How do I find their websites or gopher to their 
     library catalog for genealogy materials? 
Q#11: Someone told me that I must be Mennonite since I have a 
     Mennonite name. Is there something like a Mennonite name? 
     They even claim they can tell where our family must have 
     come from. 
Q#12: The Mennonite Encyclopedia and Mennonitisches Lexikon 
     are a little out of date. Is there something more current 
     I can consult? 
Q#13: How do I find out, if someone else is looking for the same 
     Mennonite name? 
Q#14: I cannot access the web and have email service only. 
     Are these http:// docs of any use to me in any other way? 
Q#15: Is there a forum which discusses Mennonite roots? 
Q#16: I have looked thru the LDS microfilm holdings and the IGI 
     index for Mennonites. Although I found many Mennonite listings 
     from Prussia, I found almost nothing on Mennonites in 
     South Germany, Switzerland or France. Does that mean that 
     there are no Mennonite sources outside Prussia? 
Q#17: Are there links to dictionaries on the web? 
Q#18: How can I find people with a certain family name? 
Q#19: How can I find information on ships and immigrants? 
 
============================================================ === 
 
Q#1: What is a faq? 
 
A#1: faq stands for Frequently Asked Questions. 
It is the commonly accepted way in cyberspace to provide guidance. 
The topics are as varied as life itself. 
Here, we want to be concerned with Mennonite roots. 
faq does not only give questions, but hopefully some answers too. 
 
Q#2: I am a complete newbie in this Mennonite genealogy field. 
     Where do I start? 
 
A#2: Start with asking the living older members of your family:  Parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts. 
 
Q#3: What kind of questions should I ask? 
 
A#3: Ask for names, dates and places of birth, marriage, death 
regarding ancestors. Information on places are vital to any research 
which all too often are neglected. Make people write this down 
for you, especially spelling of place names. Ask for details 
about the places, where exactly they are located, whether the place  
names have changed over the years. 
Have them show you old pictures and, most importantly, have the lable 
old pictures: who, where, when. 
(That should also make you lable your own pictures that you make) 
Remember that 10 years from now this information may no longer be 
available for followup questions. 
 
Q#4: Is there some reading for the newbie in Mennonite genealogy? 
 
A#4: Every newbie should consult the "Mennonite Encyclopedia", 5 vols.  and read articles: genealogy (II,457f) and Names,Mennonite, of Persons  and Places (III.809f), as well as the German "Mennonitisches Lexikon",  4 vols.,art.:Sippenkunde (IV,171f). 
Consult also 
     Germanic Genealogy (by Edward R.Brandt et alii), 2nd edition. 
           1997, St.Paul MN, 517 pp.;1st edition, 1995, 370 pp.. 
 
Q#5: I have asked all these questions, but I am hitting a wall. 
     Where can I get more information and confirm what I have 
     found so far? 
 
A#5: Go to the nearest LDS (Mormon) Family History Center and check  their holdings, especially their Library Catalog and International  Genealogy Index (IGI). Prussian Mennonites are well represented in  the IGI (Germany). 
 
Q#6: I am not Mormon. Why would I want to consult a LDS (Mormon) Library? 
 
A#6: The LDS have been collecting and filming genealogical records of  all denominations worldwide. Their library system is well organized  and accessible to everyone interested in genealogy. Their Mennonite  genealogical holdings are often stronger than in some Mennonite libraries. 
 
Q#7: Does the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City, UT or their 
     branches have a web site? 
 
A#7: Try these websites: 
 
   http://www.lds.org/Index/index.html#F* 
   http://www.lds.org/Family_History/How_Do_I_Begin.html            
   http://www.lds.org/Family_History/Where_is.html 
   http://www.CyndisList.com/lds.htm 
   ftp://hipp.etsu.edu/pub/genealogy 
   http://www.kindredkonnections.com 
   http://www.CyndisList.com/menno.htm 
 
Some local LDS libraries maintain a website which are strong in their  local fields of interest. 
 
Q#8: Do Mennonite libraries and archives have websites or internet access? 
 
A#8: The Mennonite institutions have started to build up websites and 
online library catalogs.  Here are a few known addresses: 
(If you know of others, HOLLER) 
 
Directory of Mennonite Archives 
 http://www.goshen.edu/mcarchives/directory1998.htm 
 http://www.bethelks.edu/services/mla/guide/guide.html 
 
Mennonite Genealogy Cross-Index 
     http://feefhs.org/men/indexmen.html 
 
Mennonite Library and Archives (North Newton, Kansas) 
     + Strong in "Russian" Mennonitica, 
       especially from 19th century immigration 
     http://www.bethelks.edu/services/mla/ 
     http://www.bethelks.edu/services/mla/manuscript-1.html 
     http://www.feefhs.org/men/frg-ma&l.html 
     
Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society, Winnipeg MB: 
     + Strong in Prussian-Russian Mennonitica 
     http://www.mmhs.org/mmhsgen.htm 
 
Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies (Fresno, CA): 
California Mennonite Historical Society: 
     + "Russian" Mennonitica, Grandma Project 
     http://www.fresno.edu/cmhs/gpc/      
     http://www.fresno.edu/affiliation/cmbs 
     http://www.feefhs.org/men/frg-cmbs.html 
     http://www.fresno.edu/affiliation/hc 
     http://www.fresno.edu/affiliation/cmhs/bulletin/jan98/grandma.htm 
       E-mail: kennsrem@fresno.edu 
        
Mennonite-Polish Friendship Association: 
     http://www.fresno.edu/affiliation/mpfa 
 
Menno Simons Historical Library (Harrisonburg, Virginia) 
     + "Swiss" Mennonitica, particularly with connections in Virginia 
     http://www.emu.edu/units/library/histlib.htm 
          
Mennonite Heritage Center, Winnipeg MB: 
     + Prussian-Russian Mennonitica 
     http://www.mbnet.mb.ca/~lklippen/menhist.htm 
     http://www.mbnet.mb.ca/~lklippen/biblio.htm 
     http://www.feefhs.org/men/frg-mhc.html 
 
Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies, 169 Riverton Ave., 
     Winnipeg, Manitoba R2L 2E5 (204) 669-6575. 
     http://www.cdnmbconf.ca/mb/cmbs.htm 
       E-mail: cmbsarchives@cdnmbconf.ca 
      
Mennonite Historical Library (Bluffton, Ohio) 
     + Particular strength in Amish and "Swiss" Mennonitica 
     + See Bluffton College website (currently no link to library) 
     http://www.bluffton.edu/ 
 
OH MI IN IL Mennonite Genealogy Project (Kidron, Ohio) 
     + Particular strength in Amish and "Swiss" Mennonitica 
     http://www.bright.net/~swisstea/ 
     http://www.wgbc.org/guidance.htm 
 
Mennonite Historical Library (Goshen, Indiana) 
     + Primarily "Swiss"; some "Russian" Mennonitica 
     http://www.goshen.edu/mhl/ 
     http://www.feefhs.org/men/frg-mhl.html 
       E-mail: mhl@goshen.edu 
 
Archives of the Mennonite Church (Goshen, Indiana) 
     http://www.goshen.edu/mcarchives/index.html 
       E-mail: dennises@goshen.edu 
         
Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society 
     + Eastern Mennonitica 
     http://lanclio.org/lmhs.htm 
     http://lanclio.org/gene.htm 
 
Mennonite Historical Society of Canada 
     http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/MHSC/mhsc.html 
 
Mennonite Heritage Center (Mennonite Historians of Eastern Penna) 
       565 Yoder Road, Box 82, Harleysville  PA 19438 
     http://mhep.org 
     http://www.pond.com/~mennhist/ 
       E-mail: mennhist@pond.com 
     
Family Research Center, Mountain Lake, Minnesota 
     http://expage.com/page/roots 
        
Galician Mennonites: 
     http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/go/feefhs/fij/galiciam.html 
     http://www.feefhs.org/gal/agg/frg-agg.html 
 
Galician Grapevines E-mail:  glgrapev@mctcnet.net 
 
Hutterite Genealogy: 
     http://www.feefhs.org/~feefhs/hut/h-sob.html 
 
Doopsgezinde Archieven, Gemeentearchief Amsterdam, Amsteldijk 67, 
       1074 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 
Doopsgezinde Bibliotheek, Universiteitsbibliotheek van Amsterdam, 
       Singel 425, Postbus 19185, 1000 GD Amsterdam 
     http://www.uba.uva.nl/en/libraries/church.html 
     http://www.uba.uva.nl/en/collecties/kerkelijk/ 
       E-mail: menno@uba.uva.nl 
 
Some individual sites: 
     http://az.fh.org/smh/more_gen.htm 
     http://www.cadvision.com/rempelj/  
     http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/7431/menno.htm 
     http://www.feefhs.org/men/frg-mv.html 
     http://www.genealogy.org/~jrd/j__menn.htm 
     http://www.wengersundial.com/wengerfamily/ 
 
The best websearch engine for genealogy is 
 
        http://google.stanford.edu 
 
and I strongly urge you to pose your questions there. 
 
Q#9: Why are there not more websites? I am looking for church 
     and other records which I can scan online. 
 
A#9: You obviously have not tried to read and decipher old records and 
manuscripts. Not only does this require expert manpower, but many hours of 
love to transcribe and post on the web. If records are online, they never 
are guaranteed to be accurate. You may as well blame your ancestors for 
failing to put their records online. 
In addition, there is also the copyright law which discourages posting. 
This is more a perceived barrier than real, but nevertheless 
discourages posting. 
 
Q#10: I like to scan the records of an archive in Berlin, or Warsaw, 
     or Kiev. How do I find their websites or gopher to their 
     library catalog for genealogy materials? 
 
A#10: The internet originated in the USA, and although its scope is 
international, you cannot expect universal availability. Computer science 
departments are universally present on the net, followed by the major 
North American,Australian, and HongKong libraries with their title holdings. 
Genealogy titles are not the priority of these libraries. As you go to 
Europe and further East, libraries often have a token presence only on the 
internet with presently no practical value to the outside user. 
Since online service is not heavily subsidized in foreign countries, 
libraries often restrict service to local paying residents or students 
through ID or password. 
The best hope to locate genealogy titles online is to telnet to larger 
libraries: 
      Harvard University                telnet://hollis.harvard.edu/ 
      University of California (UC)     telnet://melvyl.ucop.edu/ 
      US Library of Congress (LOC)      telnet://locis.loc.gov/ 
  
Q#11: Someone told me that I must be Mennonite since I have a 
     Mennonite name. Is there something like a Mennonite name? 
     They even claim they can tell where our family must have 
     come from. 
 
A#11: Mennonites have been more isolated in the past, and this  preserved certain Mennonite names in certain areas over the centuries.  Basicly, there are three Mennonite name groups: 
 
1) Dutch-Prussian names 
2) Swiss-South German names 
3) Hutterite names 
 
Q#12: The Mennonite Encyclopedia and Mennonitisches Lexikon 
     are a little out of date. Is there something more current 
     I can consult? 
 
A#12: Mennonite Family History has been published quarterly  since 1982 and tries to be as broad as practical, but has  emphasised the Swiss-South German Mennonite families.  It is published at 
Morgantown PA 19543-9701. 
 
A Ten-Year Index 1982-1991 is available. 
 
email: mast@masthof.org 
       http://www.masthof.org 
       http://www.feefhs.org/men/frg-mfh.html 
 
The Mennonite Historian is published in Winnipeg MB with an 
emphasis on Prussian-Russian Mennonite families. 
Contact the 
 
Mennonite Heritage Center 
600 Shaftesbury Blvd 
Winnipeg MB Canada R3P OM4 
  E-mail: lklippen@mbnet.mb.ca 
     *(Lawrence Klippenstein)  http://www.mbnet.mb.ca/~lklippen/menhist.htm 
 
aredek@mbnet.mb.ca 
Alf_Redekopp@CMBibleColl.mb.ca 
 *(Alf Redekopp) 
 
Q#13: How do I find out, if someone else is looking for the same 
     Mennonite name? 
 
A#13: There is a directory called 
"Mennonite Family History Surname Index" 
published by Mennonite Family History in Morgantown PA 19543-9701. 
Surname Index V (1997) 54 pp. is currently available for $6.50. 
Contact:  masthof@masthof.net 
 
For an online Directory of Mennonite Family Researchers 
access the website 
 
 http://www.prairienet.org/mennonite/MennoLink/MFRI.txt 
  (which is temporarily - I hope - unavailable) 
 
This directory is updated 3-4 times per year. 
If you want to be included for the next update, send the 
following info on yourself to 
     adalbert.goertz@pikespeak.net 
 
1.Your name (and address - optional) 
2.Your email address (and website - optional) 
3.Brief outline of your interests: Family names, regions. 
 
Q#14: I cannot access the web and have email service only. 
     Are these http:// docs of any use to me in any other way? 
 
A#14: Yes, you may want to send a message to 
 
   getweb@usa.healthnet.org   
 
      OR 
 
   www4mail@unganisha.idrc.ca 
 
with SUBJECT (anything - it will be ignored) and message: 
 
  get http://www...................... 
 
You can expect to receive the www-document in your email box.   
   (That will NOT work with websites which have "frames") 
You also may simply send message HELP 
to above addresses, if your request fails. This way you will find out 
whether or not you made a mistake in sending your request. 
 
Q#15: Is there a forum which discusses Mennonite roots? 
 
A#15: Send INFO message (with SUBJECT ignored) to 
 
  admin@mennolink.org 
 
which will return the specifics of how to subscribe to 
 
     menno.rec.roots 
 
and other mailing lists. 
 
A usenet newsgroup called 
 
     soc.genealogy.german 
 
discusses Germanic topics. There is also a corresponding mailing  list which mirrors this newsgroup in the event that you have email  service only. 
 
German genealogy: 
   
     http://www.CyndisList.com/germany.htm 
     http://www.cyndislist.com/easteuro.htm 
     http://www.genealogy.net/gene/reg/rindex.htm 
     http://www.adnc.com/web3/lynnd/gfaq.html 
     http://www.adnc.com/web3/lynnd/vudeu.html 
      
     For searching German locations and postal codes: 
 
     http://plz.postconsult.de/Suche/DPLZzuO.HTM 
 
Swiss genealogy: 
 
     http://www.eye.ch/swissgen/ 
 
Russian archives: 
 
     http://www.iisg.nl/~abb/  
  
General genealogy: 
 
     http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/ 
 
Q#16: I have looked thru the LDS microfilm holdings and the IGI 
     index for Mennonites. Although I found many Mennonite listings 
     from Prussia, I found almost nothing on Mennonites in 
     South Germany, Switzerland or France. Does that mean that 
     there are no Mennonite sources outside Prussia? 
 
A#16: Since the Mennonites in Prussia have been expelled from their 
homeland they have apparently been more aware of the vulnerablity to 
record loss due to war and fire and floods. 
Irrespective of their disagreement with the LDS concerning faith matters 
they apparently have had less objection of them making film copies of 
family records in the interest of preservation. 
The South German, Swiss and French Mennonites apparently are still 
strongly opposed to the LDS making film copies of their family records. 
This is to be regretted in the interest of preservation and accessability. 
If you know of any way to reverse this attitude or know of Mennonite 
records which would be available to LDS filming crews (in Europe and 
America) let us all know. 
The LDS filming crews offer free filming with a free film copy to the permissio 
invite LDS filming crews to discuss potential filming projects. 
Basicly, records younger than 100 years are excluded from filming due to 
privacy considerations to protect the rights of the living. 
 
Q#17: Are there links to dictionaries on the web? 
 
A#17: Links to Dictionaries of Estonian, German, Hungarian, Latin, Slovak, 
     Slovene, Russian, Plattdeutsch and others are found at: 
 
        http://www.public.iastate.edu/~pedro/dictionaries.html 
        http://www.dcs.napier.ac.uk/~st5004/dictionaries.html 
        http://www.MennoLink.org/doc/lg/index.html 
        http://babelfish.altavista.digital.com/ 
 
Q#18: How can I find people with a certain family name? 
 
A#18: Try 
 
     Internet E-Mail address locators 
          http://www.four11.com 
          http://www.bigfoot.com/ 
          http://www.accumail.com/info/index.htm 
          http://www.iaf.net 
          http://www.whowhere.com 
  
     Online telephone white and yellow pages 
 
          http://www.switchboard.com/bin/cgiqa.dll?MG= 
          http://www.yahoo.com/search/people/ 
          http://www.databaseamerica.com/html/gpfind.htm 
          http://www.contractjobs.com/tel 
          http://www.infobel.be/infobel/infobelworld.html 
 
Q#19: How can I find information on ships and immigraants? 
 
A#19:     THESHIPSLIST-L -- is a mailing list for anyone 
    interested in the ships our ancestors migrated on. Subjects include 
    emigration/immigration, ports of entry, ports of departure, ship 
    descriptions and history, passenger lists and other related 
    information. To help with your questions, there are many regular 
    members of the list, with a wide range of expertise and resources, who 
    are ready and willing to assist and guide you on your search. 
     
theshipslist-l 
    For a free subscription, send message 
    subscribe 
 
 to 
    
    theshipslist-l-request@rootsweb.com 
 
 Websites: 
 
http://www.fortunecity.com/littleitaly/amalfi/13/ships.html  http://www.cimorelli.com/pie/emigrate/emigmenu.htm  http://www.oz.net/~cyndihow/ships.htm 
 
See also 
 
TITLE(s):        Germans to America :  lists of passengers arriving at U.S. 
                 ports /  edited by Ira A. Glazier and P. William Filby. 
                 Wilmington, Del. :  Scholarly Resources,  c1988- 
                 v. :  ill. ;  24 cm. 
                 Vols. 1-9 include dates "1850-1855" in subtitle. 
                 Includes bibliographies and indexes. 
                 ISBN: 0842023151 (vol. 1) 
 
 The series contains abstracts from passenger arrival lists for the five   major U.S. ports of arrival:  Baltimore, Boston, New Orleans, New York,   and Philadelphia.  It does not include arrival records for any Canadian   ports, although it may contain the names of some Germans who entered   through one of the U.S. ports covered, and who later settled in Canada. 
 
Partial cont.:   
v. 1. January 1850-May 1851 --  
v. 2. May 1851-June 1852 -- 
v. 3. June 1852-September 1852 --  
v. 4. September 1852-May  1853 --  
v. 5. May 1853-October 1853 --  
v. 6. October 1853-May 1854 --  
v. 7. May 1854-August 1854 --  
v. 8. August 1854-December 1854 --  
v. 9. December 1854-December 1855 --                    
v. 10. January 1856-April 1857 - -  
v. 11. April 1857-November 1857 --  
v. 12. November 1857-July 1859 --  
v. 13. August 1859-December 1860 --  
v. 14. January 1861- May 1863 --  
v. 15. June 1863-October 1864 --  
v. 16. November 1864-November 1865 --  
v. 17. Nov. 1865-June 1866 --  
v. 18. June 1866-Dec. 1866 --  
v. 19. Jan. 1867-Aug 1867 --  
v. 20. Aug. 1867-May 1868 --  
v. 21. May 1868-Sept. 1868 --  
v. 22. Oct. 1868-May 1869 --  
v. 23. June 1869- December 1869 --  
v. 24. January 1870-December 1870 --  
v. 25. January  1871-September 1871 --  
v. 26. October 1871-April 1872 --  
v. 27. May 1872-July 1872 --  
v. 28. August 1872-December 1872 --  
v. 29. January 1873-May 1873 --  
v. 30. June 1873-November 1873 --  
v. 31. December 1873- December 1874  --  
v. 32. January 1875-Septe er 1876 --  
v. 33. October 1876-September 1878 --  
v. 34. October 1878-December 1879 --  
v. 35. January 1880-June 1880 --  
v. 36. July 1880-November 1880 --  
v. 37. December 1880-April 1881 --  
v. 38. April 1881-May 1881 --  
v. 39. June 1881-Aug. 1881 --  
v. 40. Aug. 1881-Oct. 1881 - -  
v. 41. November 1881-March 1882 --  
v. 42. March 1882-May 1882. 
v. 43. May 1882-August 1882 --  
v. 44. August 1882-November 1882 --  
v. 45. November 1882-April 1883 --  
v. 46. April 1883-June 1883 --  
v. 47. July 1883-October 1883 --  
v. 48. November 1883-April 1884 --  
v. 49. April 1884-June 1884 -- 
v. 50. July 1884-November 1884 --  
v. 51. December 1884-June 1885 -- 
v. 52. July 1885-April 1886 --  
v. 53. May 1886-January 1887 --  
v. 54. January 1887-June 1887 --  
v. 55. July 1887-April 1888 --  
v. 56. May 1888-November 1888 --  
v. 57. December 1888-June 1889 --  
v. 58. July 1889-April 1890. 
v. 59  May 1890 - November 1890.(ISBN 0-8420-2667-3). 
v. 60  Dec 1890-  May 1891 
    (to be continued) 
 
SUBJECT(s):      German Americans  Genealogy. 
                 Ships  United States  Passenger lists. 
                 Immigrants  United States  Registers. 
                 United States  Emigration and immigration. 
                 Germany  Emigration and immigration. 
OTHER ENTRIES:   Glazier, Ira A. 
                 Filby, P. William,  1911- 
                 Call #: 929.273 G3735 
                  
For US list of holding libraries of the "Germans to America " series see 
 
  http://www.genealogy.net/gene/www/emig/gta-holdings.html