West Virginia
Veterans Memorial Archives Update
From the Editor:
We are entering the time of year when the Archives and History Library may have a handful of patrons one day, but be packed the next as people travel through and/or visit West Virginia and take advantage of the opportunity to look up just one more record. We chuckle when the official family genealogist rushes in and declares that whoever is driving has given him/her an hour to find Aunt Helen's marriage record, and groan when a beginning family historian visiting from Alaska announces that he/she has one day to track all of the clan's West Virginia ancestors. Never fear, though--we stay as busy in the winter as in warmer seasons because everyone who stays home writes research letters to us instead!
INTERVIEWS WITH
WEST VIRGINIA VETERANS
The West Virginia Veterans Memorial located on the State Capitol grounds is dedicated to over 10,000 West Virginia veterans who died during a time of war or recognized hostile action in the 20th century. The West Virginia Veterans Memorial Archives was established by the Legislature to collect biographical information about those memorialized through the monument. In association with the Library of Congress and its American Folklife Center, the West Virginia Veterans Memorial Archives also is collecting and transcribing oral interviews with West Virginia veterans. The stated purpose of the project is "to collect the memories, accounts, and documents of war veterans from World War I, World War II and the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf Wars, and to preserve these stories of experience and service for future generations." The interviews will remain in the West Virginia Archives, while the names of those interviewed will be forwarded to the Library of Congress. The American Folklife project also includes the experiences of non-combat veterans and of those non-veterans who served war-time needs on the homefront, such as Red Cross volunteers and aircraft factory workers.
While the West Virginia project is most actively soliciting interviews with World War II and Korean War veterans at this time, all categories of experience are welcome. If someone is unable to travel to the Cultural Center for an interview, Pat Pleska, manager of the Veterans Memorial Archives, will make a trip to the interviewee's location. Pat prefers to schedule several interviews per day when traveling, so she encourages veterans to invite others in the area with stories to join in. If a veteran does not care to give an audio-taped interview, a questionnaire form is available. Several public libraries have arranged interview sessions in their communities. This would also be a good project for high school community service hours, Boy Scout or Girl Scout badge requirements, local chapters of veterans' organizations, or historical/genealogical societies. For more information on the West Virginia Veterans Memorial and the Veterans Memorial Archives, visit our Web site at http://www.wvculture.org/history under the "West Virginia Memory Project" section. You may also read the November 2001 issue of West Virginia Archives and History News, featuring an extensive article on the same subject, accessible on our Web site under the "Archives" section. Pat Pleska can be reached by phoning Archives and History at (304) 558-0230, Ext. 116, or by e-mailing to [email protected].
NEW TITLES
Our Patriots of America: West Virginia: National Patriotic Publishers, no date.
The Eagle: Lumberport High School yearbook, 1958.
Stafford Family Genealogy Binder: Curtis Stafford, 2002.
Heroes of 1812: Nebraska Society of United States Daughters of 1812, 1930.
History of the Michigan State Society [National Society United States Daughters of 1812]: Mrs. Lloyd DeWitt Smith, 1942.
"1812": The Story of the War of 1812 in Song and Story: Francesca Falk Miller, 1935.
Pioneering in Agriculture: One Hundred Years of American Farming and Farm Leadership: Thomas Clark Atkeson and Mary Meek Atkeson, 1937.
Brooke County (WV) Index: Complete Transcription of County Court Order Books, Volumes 13 through 18: Gwendolyn Mackey Hubbard and Bobbie Britt Elliott, 2002.
Photographing Your Heritage: Wilma Sadler Shull, 1988.
21st Virginia Cavalry: John E. Olson, 1989.
Welcome to Boone County: 2002/2003 Information Guide to Area Businesses, Listings and Attractions: Coal Valley News, 2002.
A Bit of Canada Gone Astray Canaan Valley: an anthology of articles about the cultural, environmental and economic history of the Canaan Valley region of West Virginia: Canaan Valley Institute, 2002.
West Virginia Society N.S.U.S.D. of 1812: State By-laws 1930: State Lineage 1917-1931: Proceedings 1932-1933: West Virginia Society, National Society United States Daughters of 1812, no date.
Cemeteries of Roane County, West Virginia: Volume Four: Roane County Historical Society, Inc., 2000.
Cemeteries of Roane County, West Virginia: Volume Five: Roane County Historical Society, Inc., 2001.
Birth Records of Roane County, West Virginia: Volumes G, H, N-O-P, Q-R: Roane County Historical Society, 1999.
The Tevebaughs Kentucky Branch: John L. Tevebaugh, 2002.
Bi-Centennial of a West Virginia Founder: Ephraim Bee 1802-1888: Early Settler and a Founder of Doddridge County, W. Va.: Gregg Dulaney Smith, 2002. [Pamphlet]
JENKINS PLANTATION MUSEUM
1860 HOLIDAY PARTY
The Jenkins Plantation Museum, located in the Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area of Cabell County, will be hosting an 1860 Holiday Party on Saturday, December 14, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Period re- enactors in costume will talk to visitors about how the holidays were celebrated during the Civil War. Children's activities will include an opportunity to make gifts and to decorate outdoor holiday trees. After touring the historic Jenkins homestead, be sure to enjoy refreshments in the parlor. The Jenkins Plantation Museum is operated by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. For additional information, visit our Web site at http://www.wvculture.org, call Stan Bumgardner at (304) 558-0220, Ext. 121, or call the museum at (304) 762-1059.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
PLEASE CHECK OUR WEB SITE (http://www.wvculture.org/history) FOR GENEALOGICAL and HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND FOR MORE COMPLETE INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES LISTED BELOW.
SHAPING THE CAPITOL COMPLEX: CASS GILBERT, INC.": Collection of photographs and documents on display in the Archives and History Library and on the Archives and History Web site.
JENKINS PLANTATION HOLIDAY PARTY, DECEMBER 14: See article for details.
"A COURTHOUSE CHRISTMAS THEN AND NOW," DECEMBER 15: West Virginia Independence Hall Museum, Wheeling.
CHRISTMAS EVE, DECEMBER 24: The Library will be closed at 1:00 p.m.
CHRISTMAS DAY, DECEMBER 25: The Library will be closed.
NEW YEARS EVE, DECEMBER 31: The Library will be closed at 1:00 p.m.
NEW YEARS DAY, JANUARY 1: The Library will be closed.
HISTORY DAY 2003, FEBRUARY 27: The Capitol and The Cultural Center, Charleston.
U.S. SENATOR RUSH HOLT HISTORY CONFERENCE: "ON THE MOVE: MIGRATIONS AND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF CULTURAL IDENTITY," MARCH 14-16, 2003: West Virginia University, Morgantown.
*Only the Archives Library will be staffed--all other Archives offices will be closed. The State Museum will be open any time the Archives Library is open. The West Virginia Library Commission Library in The Cultural Center is closed weekends and all holidays.
ARCHIVES AND HISTORY STAFF
Fredrick Armstrong: Director
Debra Basham: Archivist (photographs, special collections)
Constance Baston: Researcher (Veterans Memorial Archive)
Greg Carroll: Historian (Civil War, Native American history)
Dick Fauss: Archivist (microfilm and moving images
collection)
Elaine Gates: Library Assistant (microfilming and microfilm
repairs)
Joe Geiger: Historian (Web page)
Ed Hicks: Photographer (archival photography, darkroom)
Mary Johnson: Historian (West Virginia History)
Terry Lowry: Library Assistant (Civil War)
Cathy Miller: Library Assistant (WV State documents,
periodicals)
Sharon Newhouse: Secretary
Harold Newman: Library Assistant (microfilming, Revolutionary
War)
Pat Pleska: Manager of the Veterans Memorial Archive
Susan Scouras: Librarian (cataloging, Kentucky, library collection,
newsletter editor)
Jaime Simmons: Library Assistant (records of the 1700's and early
1800's, Pennsylvania)
Bobby Taylor: Library Manager Nancy Waggoner: Office Assistant
Working on special projects: Allen Fowler.
Volunteers: Carolyn Conner, Bill Kelley, Angela Tolbert, and Bob
and Lucile Foster.
This newsletter is a publication of :
The Division of Culture and History
Archives and History
The Cultural Center
1900 Kanawha Boulevard East
Charleston, WV 25305-0300
(304) 558-0230
Nancy P. Herholdt, Commissioner
Permission to reprint articles from West Virginia Archives and History News is granted, provided: (1) The reprint is not used for commercial purposes, and (2) the following notice appears at the end of the reprinted material: Previously published in West Virginia Archives and History News, [Volume and issue numbers], [Month, Year], a publication of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.