The loss of the U.S. census returns for 1890 due to a fire in 1921 in the U.S. Commerce Department building has been a major drawback in doing genealogical research.
In Georgia, one of the important substitutes for this has been Georgia's tax digests for 1890, housed at the Georgia Archives. These exist whether the county in question had a loss of county records after 1890, such as Twiggs County did. Ancestry.com has scanned and indexed these as "Georgia 1890 Property Tax Digests," and they are now searchable on Ancestry.com's subscription site, available free at the Georgia and National Archives as well as the central public library in your county.
Georgia had 135 counties that year. While the tax digests won't list the members of the household, they can fill a major gap for that census, listing who paid taxes, even if only the head or poll tax, the acreage owned, and if an estate or a minor, who was in charge. African-Americans also are included.
You can search by name, or by militia district. Go to www.ancestry.com, then to "search" and then to "card catalog" for "Georgia Property." As with any interpretation by outside parties of original handwriting, a creative search might be necessary. For background about the 1890 census and its loss, see www.archives.gov and go to publications, then select "Prologue" and go to 1996 and then "census" to read about the fire. Ancestry adds more databases monthly, so check frequently. Recently it added to its U.S. School Yearbook Collection, also found through its catalog.
World War I records webinar
"World War I Selective Service Records" will be the topic of a free webinar lecture at 7 p.m. Sept. 12. The presenter will be Linda Woodward Geiger, certified genealogist. She will discuss how to use these draft records in genealogical research, the dates the draft was taken, and where to find them online or at the National Archives and Records Administration in Morrow. Sponsored by the Friends of the National Archives. To register, go to its website at www.friendsnas.org and then to "Webinars." Others will be scheduled in the future. Webinars are a growing trend for societies and archives to provide lectures in between formal meetings and conventions.
Scots banished to America
David Dobson, noted author on all things Scotland, has had his work "Directory of Scots Banished to the American Plantations, 1650-1775″ reprinted. This book first appeared in 1983 and lists alphabetically Scots, the reason for banishment, their point of departure, the date and where they ended up. It's worth checking to see if your ancestor was on the list. This volume in paperback is $29.50 plus $5.50 postage from Clearfield Co., 3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260, Baltimore, MD 21211, or check www.genealogical.com for this and the dozen or so other works by Dobson, also the author of their Quick Sheet on "Scottish Genealogy Research."
About the Author
