Civil War Maps Move to RBR

Map showing the operations of the national forces under the Command of Maj. Gen. W.T. Sherman during the campaign resulting in the capture of Atlanta, Georgia, Sept. 1, 1864

Civil War maps presented to the Young Men’s Association by Major General William Farquhar Barry were recently re-discovered in our stacks and transferred to the Rare Book Room. Thanks to the diligence of our map volunteer, Marie Hanrahan, these five uncataloged maps have been rescued from obscurity.

After serving bravely in several of the War’s campaigns, Barry would become chief of artillery for General William T. Sherman, and later, was chosen to command troops in the Northern frontier during the Fenian raids.

Born in 1818, Barry was married to Katherine McKnight, a member of a prominent Buffalo family. Gen. Barry died on active duty at Fort McHenry, in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 18, 1879, of the ignoble intestinal disorder, “bilious dysentery.”  He is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Audubon!

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 Audubon, John James.  The Birds of America: from original drawings by John James Audubon.  London, Published by the author, 1827-38.

On this day we celebrate John James Audubon and his marvelous achievement, The Birds of America. Of the many treasures that can be found in the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Rare Book Room, John James Audubon’s Birds of America is one which is difficult to overlook.  This famous 19^th century set of 4 double elephant folio volumes features magnificent hand colored plates of American birds.  What makes these volumes such a sight is the fact that each page measures two by three feet – how else could Aububon have drawn all of the birds life-sized?

Although the plates were originally issued in 87 parts, they were collected into 4 volumes, each one weighing approximately 50 pounds.  This set is one of about only 150 complete sets in existence.  Originally owned by Charles Howard Williams, it was presented to the Grosvenor Library by his daughter, Mrs. Frederick L. Pratt, in 1931.

New Materials in the Grosvenor Room

Anderson, Robert Charles.  The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634-1635, Vol. V, M-P – GRO Ref F7 .G738 1999 v. 5

Anderson, Robert Charles.  The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634-1635, Vol. VI, R-S – GRO Ref F7 .G738 1999 v. 6

DeWhitt, Benjamin L., National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. Records Relating to Personal Participation in World War II: American Casualties and Burials – GRO Ref D797 .U7 D49 2009

Dobson, David. Ships from Ireland to Early America 1623-1850 – GRO Ref E49.2 .I6 D672 2004 v.2

Dobson, David. Ships from Ireland to Early America 1623-1850 – GRO Ref E49.2 .I6 D672 2010 v.3

Durie, Bruce.  Scottish Genealogy – GRO Ref CS463 .D87 2010

New York State Council of Genealogical Organizations.  Naturalization Records of New York State – GRO Ref F118 .N37 2010

O’Donnell, Michael J.  An Ordinary Family: a survey of the history and lineage of a Family O’Donnell: Ireland, Canada and the United States 1785-2002 – GRO CS71. O26 2004

Quinn, Bill. The Rectenwalds of Winterbach: a history of a German American Family – Buffalo CS71 .R29 Q56 2004

Sgovio, Thomas. Dear America! : emigrati pugliesi tra Buffalo e Mosca : Guiseppe e Thomas Sgovio nei gulag staliniani  – Buffalo E184 .I8 D437 2009

New Additions to the Western New York Genealogical Society Collection (Located in the Grosvenor Room)

Books

Dobson, David.  Transatlantic Voyages 1600-1699, Second Edition – 929.4 dob

Dunford, Fraser.  Municipal records in Ontario, history and guide – 971.3 ONT dun

Fackler, Francis. The Ancestral History of Forrest Louis Fackler Baird Book; Introduction My Baird ancestors, the descendants of Aaron Baird and hannah Glover in Boston, New York, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado and California – 929.2 BAIRD fac

Gunnell, Art. Index to land settlement in Thunder Bay district Vol. 1 February 1787-December 1797 – 971.3 ONT gun

Hansen, Kevan M.  Map Guide to German Parish Registers, vol. 33 – Imperial Province of Alsace-Lorraine I (Elsass-Lothringen) District of Unterelsass French Department of Bas-Rhin Kreise (Arrondissements) Hagenau, Molsheim, Weissenberg and Zabern with full index of included towns – 943 han vol 33

Hansen, Kevan M.  Map Guide to German Parish Registers vol. 34 – Imperial Province of Alsace-Lorraine II (Elsass-Lothringen) District of Unterelsass French Department of Bas-Rhin Kreise (Arrondissements) Erstein, Schlettstadt and Strassburg with full index of included towns – 943 han vol 34

Siepel, Kevin H.  Joseph Bennett of Evans and the Growing of New York’s Niagara Frontier – 974.7

Smart, Susan, ed. Index to the Upper Canada Land Books. Vol. 1 Feb. 1787-Dec. 1797 – 971.3 ONT sma

Church Records on Microfilm

Holy Family  Roman Catholic Church, Buffalo – Baptisms 1902-1990, Marriages 1902-1989, Burials 1902-1990, Communions, Confirmations.

St. Francis Xavier  Roman Catholic Church, Black Rock, Buffalo – Baptisms 1850-1982 (indexed 1850-1952), Marriages 1851-1981 (gap 1884-1893, partially reconstructed in 1914), Burials 1850-1982 (gap 1875 to 1889, partially reconstructed), Parish history, Communions, Confirmations, Sick calls.

St. John the Baptist  Roman Catholic Church, North Buffalo – Baptisms 1884-1982, Marriages index only 1868-1902, Marriages 1902-1981, Burials 1902-1982.

Visitation  Roman Catholic Church, Buffalo – Baptisms 1898-1989, Marriages 1898-1989, Burials 1899-1989, Communions, Confirmations.

All Saints  Roman Catholic Church, Buffalo – Baptisms 1911-1989, Marriages 1912-1989, Burials 1946-1989, Communions, Confirmations.

St. Joseph’s  Roman Catholic Church, Snyder (New Germany), Ontario – Baptisms 1849-1983, Marriages 1849-1986, Burials 1853-1889, 1892-1914, 1946-1983, Confirmations, Communions, Society records, Tombstone inscriptions 1848-1862.

First Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church of Buffalo (Michigan St.) – Baptisms 1841*-1982, Marriages 1840*-1982, Burials 1841*-1982 (*records 1840-1853 are transcripts from another register), Founding members’ signatures, Constitution, History, Families, Communions, Confirmations.

Atonement (The English Ev. Lutheran Church of the Atonement) of Buffalo – Baptisms 1894-1968, Marriages 1895-1969, Burials 1894-1969, Constitution, Pastors, Church officers, History, Members rolls, Communions, Confirmations.

St. Paul’s Evangelical Church, Wendelville – Baptisms 1848-1988, Marriages 1849-1854, 1866-1988, Burials 1849-1869, 1871-1988, Parish history, Subscribers to first church building, Early list of heads of households.

St. Paul’s Evangelical & Reformed Church of South Buffalo – Baptisms 1895-2007, Marriages 1895-2007, Burials 1896-2007, Pastors, Officers, List of members, Communions, Confirmations, Statistics.

Plymouth Congregational Church of Buffalo – founded in 1891, no vital records before 1944. Baptisms 1944-2001, Marriages 1947-2000, Burials 1964-2000 (earlier deaths noted in passing in membership rolls), Pastors, Officers, Members rolls (some back to 1891 through 2006).

Concordia Ev. Lutheran Church of Buffalo (Northampton St.) – Baptisms 1892-1949, Marriages 1892-1949, Burials 1892-1949, Confirmations, Communions, Members. 

Christ Ev. Lutheran Church of Buffalo – Baptisms 1885-1988, Marriages 1885-1989, Burials 1885-1988, Communions, Confirmations, Charter, History.

Redeemer (The English Ev. Lutheran Church of the Redeemer) at Buffalo – Baptisms 1895-1973, Marriages 1895-1973, Burials 1895-1973, Pastors, Officers, Members, Communions, Transfers, Admissions, Charter, Constitution, History.

Kensington Ev. Lutheran Church of Buffalo – (partial records from the archives in Philadelphia, as found, 1959-1993). Baptisms 1959-1991, Marriages 1959-1970, Burials 1959-1993, Pastors, Council, Members 1919-1993, Communions.

Holy Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church, 1080 Main St., Buffalo – Baptisms 1879-1929, Marriages 1879-1930, Burials (not found), Confirmations, Communions, Membership lists.

Clarence Church of Christ, Clarence, N.Y. – Records 1834-1953, Baptisms (adult) 1858, 1940-1950, Marriages 1923-1924, Membership lists (1834-77, 1877, 1887-1907, 1909-21, c.1948), Meeting records 1843-1953, Ministers, Officers, Incorporation.

North Lancaster Church of Christ, Lancaster, N.Y. – Baptisms (adult) 1836-1839 and passim, Marriages 1889-1890 (many women’s subsequent married names added in member lists), Burials 1889-1902, 1934, (many others added to the member lists), History of church 1833-1840, Members lists 1833, 1834-1929; Meetings 1834-1934, Ministers, Officers.

First Hungarian (Magyar) Reformed Church, Buffalo – (two versions, one in Magyar and one in English). Baptisms 1906-1978, Marriages 1906-1978, Burials 1907-1978.

Buffalo Poetry

April is National Poetry Month. Check out some of these poetic treasures we found in the Buffalo Collection!

From top to bottom:

PS549.B9 J7 The Poets and Poetry of Buffalo.  Ed. James N. Johnston. Buffalo: Matthews-Northrup, 1904.

PS549.N5 P9 Poetry of Niagara. Comp. Myron T. Pritchard. Boston: Lothrop Pub. Co., 1901.

PS572.B9 F4 The Buffalo Book of Poetry. Ed. Steven Ferrini. Buffalo: Les Livres, 1974.

The Map that Changed the World

Delineation of the Strata of England and Wales with a Part of Scotland (London, Published by J. Cary: August 1st, 1815) by William Smith

Simon Winchester wrote and had published The Map That Changed the World, a wonderful book about the map pictured above in 2001. When and how could a map change the world you ask? When it is the first geological map in 1815 and it shows for the first time where valuable raw materials such coal, oil, iron and tin can be found. This had a huge impact on commerce, industry and all of  humanity at that time.

William Smith had observed the predictable pattern of rock layers or strata while surveying mines and canals, in particular one Somerset Coal Canal. Confirming the repetition of strata at different location, he decided to create a map of the United Kingdom that indicated by color coding which strata could be found where.

This hand-painted watercolor map is as magnificent physically as it was ground-breaking scientifically. You are looking at a 6′ by 9′ foot map with tremendous detail and accuracy.  Being a hand-colored map, no two are exactly alike. This rare and impressive map lives in the Rare Book Room as Milestones of Science 180 and, although it is seldom brought out and unfolded anymore because it needs conservation work, the scanned image allows us to present it digitally for all to see and appreciate.