Saturday, March 21, 2020

Family History

PLEASE VISIT OUR NEW BLOG ADDRESS AT: HTTPS://VWMFHCENTER.BLOGSPOT.COM/

For everyone who keeps saying to themselves, "I want to learn more about my family's history, when have time..." NOW is the time.

Many of us are confined to our homes for an indefinite period. And we're wondering how to fill the many unoccupied hours.

Wonder no longer.

If you are interested in your family history, you need to start recording what is happening RIGHT NOW! We are living through an unprecedented historic moment. And we need to document how it has impacted our daily lives and the lives of everyone we love. You can start writing a journal, as I am doing. Or you could video tape yourself and your family as you go about your new daily routine. However you want to do it. You don't have to be a great writer. You don't have to be a great speller or a grammar guru. JUST DO IT!

Eventually you will save it in a secure place for your descendants. Also, donate copies to the local and state historical societies. Historians of the future will applaud you for it.

So, how do you start researching your family's history? Luckily for you, the Medina County District Library's Genealogy Team hosted a series of "How-to" blogs in 2019. Follow them, step-by-step, and you will make progress. And when you hit stumbling blocks, email the team at: me-team.genealogy@mcdl.info. We will do our best to answer your questions remotely.

The Genealogy Team
Kathy Petras, Lisa Rienerth, Lauren Kuntzman

1. A good place to start is at the beginning with: Getting Started

2. Next, you need to be able to quickly access all the information you are gathering. Lisa's blog on Organizing Your Research will help you do that.

3. An important element of family history is documenting all of the important moments in life. Vital Records Research explains that.

4. As you move back in time to research your family history, you'll want to start using one of the easiest to access Federal Records on your family. Lisa does a wonderful job of covering all the incredible information available in U.S Census Records.

5. What if your family hasn't been in the United States very long? Don't worry, Lauren has you covered in her post on Researching Immigrant Ancestors.

6. Did you or someone in your family serve in the military? Learn how to research U.S. Military Records.

7. Once you can no longer find your relatives in vital or census records, you will need to know How to Find Church Records - by Lauren Kuntzman

8. Where can you find out that an ancestor was the jokester at all the GAR veteran reunions? Try Using Newspapers in your Genealogy Research .

9. Want to know more about Ancestry.com? Check out Lauren's FAQs about Ancestry.com

10. Lisa tells how to optimize your Cemeteries Research

11. Confounded by the Family Search web site? Lauren gives you 5 Tips for Accessing Family Search

In 2016, Lisa and I blogged about the two BIG genealogy research web sites:

And did you know that Ancestry has enabled remote (from home) access to Ancestry Library Edition through the end of April. Just be sure to go through the Library's link and enter your valid Ohio library card number.

And when you are ready to tackle some intermediate topics, these Bonus Blogs were also created in 2019:

Don't forget to check on these tutorials on library's web site: Medina's Genealogy Tutorials

Happy Hunting!

Thursday, January 16, 2020

FIFTH MEDINA COUNTY HISTORY FAIR

It's time again for the Annual Medina County History Fair!

Fifteen of the local history and genealogical organizations will be on hand, displaying their collections and answering your questions about the uniqueness of Medina County.

JOIN US FOR A WONDERFUL DAY OF HISTORY!

Stop by the Library's table and say "Hello!" to Lisa, Lauren and myself!

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

WE'RE BACK!

The new Virginia Wheeler Martin Family History & Learning Center, opened on December 7, 2019.

After a six month hiatus, the popular Genealogist Is In! service is returning in January 2020.

On WEDNESDAY afternoons, from 1 to 4 p.m., one of Medina's crack genealogists will be on hand to assist you with your genealogy and local history questions.

Lisa Rienerth, Kathy Petras, Lauren Kuntzman,
The Genealogy Team, will help you solve your genealogy dilemmas.

It is a "first come, first served" program, so if you have to wait your turn, please be patient!

And while we may not be able to discover ALL your family secrets, we can always point you to other sources to research!

Come see us!

WEDNESDAYS

1-4 p.m.

Monday, December 2, 2019

GENEALOGY AND LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTION CLOSED

Exciting News!

The Virginia Wheeler Martin Family History and Learning Center is opening this coming weekend.

In preparation, the local history collection is temporarily closed so that it can be moved into the new center...

Closed until the new Center opens up later this week.

I won't post a picture of the new center. We want that to be a surprise!

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Donald J. Pease Federal Office Building

Quote adapted from poem "To A Mouse" by Robert Burns

I had planned on posting about the Donald J. Pease Federal Building, because frankly, I knew next to nothing about it and was curious. So what was my first course of action??

I wandered over to 143 West Liberty, and "GASP!"

What was going on!!

I know the city is planning to build a parking garage where the old Masonic Temple used to be and that they were planning to reclaim the property that houses Porter's Shoe Repair, but surely they weren't tearing down this beautiful brick building???

Relax! No, they are not tearing it down.

But it took me awhile to find that out.

I emailed Bob Hyde to see if he knew anything and left a message with the city building department to see what they could tell me. But waiting patiently to hear back from these two prime sources is NOT my style.

So I posted the pictures on the Facebook page, Roadside History of Medina County

Many people were as concerned as I was. Many others posted their memories of going into that building, first when it was a Post Office and later when it became a Federal Office Building. To see the many uses of the building, go to Bob Hyde's Beyond the Storefronts web site: 143 West Liberty

My quest was fulfilled when I saw this post:

RS I know exactly what is going on. I work for the Federal agency GSA and we are refurbishing the fascia and cupola. The building is historical and is going nowhere soon. Project will be done early Dec weather permitting

And in response to the many questions about how it is being used now:

R B Judge Alice Batchelder's office.

Postcard of the "Old Post Office" circa 1930's

And the many, many memories from long time Medina residents:

LH - When I was a kid back in the 50's there was a painting or mural over the customer area. It depicted early settlers harvesting apples in an orchard. Wonder what happened to it or who has it now?
LH -Worked there in the 80s. USDA.
D N - Remember going there to sign up for the draft.
A M- It also had the Social Security office in it.
DR - My Dad ED Rice was a rural postal carrier and. he worked in this building many years before PO was moved to N. COURT. As a child during snow days at school, he would bring me here and I'd watch him sort mail then ride along with him on his route. What a memory💓
EL - The mural was a WPA government project to employ people during the depression. I was told it was covered up with paint . Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have that art work restored? I’m not from Medina, but I’ve heard it was beautiful.
LH - Yeah, walked in and signed up in the U.S.Navy. Left Medina 12 May 1969.
MAB - I remember it had a fallout shelter sign on it years ago
SM - Built 1937 by Gibbons-Grable of Canton for $55,791. 1939 12’ mural of apple orchard & bee skeps $750 by Richard Zoellmer native of Portsmouth. Life Mag 12/4/1939 says Zoellner is a muralist and watercolor painter studio in Cincinnati.
SM - an example of New Deal artwork: “Gathering the Apple Crop,” an oil-on-canvas mural by Richard Zoellner. Completed in 1938
EL - Thank you SM. When I heard it was covered up I was shocked since I had seen other WPA art work in other public places and it was an exquisite style of art. I wonder if a professional restorer could uncover it with the technology of today?

And the discussion continues...

So between Bob Hyde's information about the site on his web page and all the information uncovered on the Facebook page Roadside History of Medina County, there is no need for me to do a blog post on the building. Sigh...

So, what are you reading?!?

A blog about the power of crowd sourcing!

Merriam Webster defines crowd sourcing as:

Definition of crowdsourcing
: the practice of obtaining needed services, ideas, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people and especially from the online community rather than from traditional employees or suppliers

Which describes what I did! I used traditional sources print and otherwise, and turned to an online resource - The FaceBook group Roadside History of Medina County.

Not only did I get the answer to my question, the discussion went much further, much faster when members of the group contributed their personal memories of the building. It would have taken me weeks to track down that many people and interview them.

I thank each and everyone of them for providing a much richer view of a piece of Medina's History!

SOURCES:

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

2020 Census

Image from Census.gov

In April, my co-worker, Lisa did a wonderful blog on the historic census records: U.S. Census Records.

As she states, the census has been taken every ten years since 1790 for purposes of apportioning representatives for U.S. Congress. For privacy reasons, census records are not available for 72 years after they are taken. The 1950 Census will become available in 2022.

Access to the 1950 and more recent census records are available for genealogical purposes by filling out form BC-600 from the Census Bureau and paying the $65 fee. (I will wait for them to become public! How about you?) You do have to either be named in the census or be the heir of the person named in the census. You also have to provide their place of residence, which is often the very information that you are looking for.

This is the information required on the person who are hoping to find in a 1950 or more recent census record.
Bottom of the BC-600

The next census will be taken next year - 2020. And the Census Bureau is currently hiring 500,000 people to help conduct it. Their website provides vital information for anyone with questions. The 2020 U.S. Census

The official 2020 Census logo from Census.gov

In January 2020, the Bureau will start counting people in very remote areas of Alaska and Maine and the U.S. territorial islands. By April, everyone in America will have received an invitation to participate in the census. You will be able to respond in three ways: Online, by phone or by mail. Census Enumerators (fancy name for counters) will be visiting some homes to collect responses. They will have an ID badge with the US Department of Commerce watermark and their photo on it.

All of your responses should be based on how circumstances were on 1 April 2020.

WHAT QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED

How many people are in your home?
Is the home owned or rented?
The gender of each person in the home?
Age of each person?
Race of each person?
Is anyone in your home Hispanic, Latino or Spanish?
The relationship of each person in your home?

Sample questions

WHO IS COUNTED - EVERYONE!

Children born on April 1st are to be counted.
Someone who dies on April 1st but was alive for any part of April 1st is to be counted
Any child, foster, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, if they normally live in your home, are to be counted.
If you move into a new house on April 1st, that new home should be listed as your residence.
If you are moving, but have not yet moved into the new home, your old address should be listed as your residence.
Citizens of foreign countries, living in the United States should be counted. Foreign visitors on vacation are not counted.
College students living away from home are counted at their college address.
Military personnel serving overseas should be counted at their usual home address in the US.
People in prisons, correctional facilities, jails and detention centers are to be counted at the facility.
People in hospitals who have a usual home, should be counted at their usual residence.
Patents in long-term care, nursing facilities and who have no usual home should be counted at that health care facility

SPOTTING SCAMS - The Census Bureau will never ask you:

Your Social Security Number
Bank account or credit card numbers
Your political affiliation
Your religious affiliation
I received a invitation for a "census" that was asking very detailed questions about my political affiliation. On closer examination it was from the Republican party. I did not finish filling out the survey. Several of my cousins also received this misleading "census".

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR 2020 CENSUS INVITATION FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU?

FILL IT OUT!

Your descendants will thank you!

Thursday, November 7, 2019

5 Tips for Accessing FamilySearch Records

(+2 FamilySearch Features that Can Help You Learn More)

Guest Blogger: Lauren Kuntzman, MCDL Family History & Learning Center Manager

For this month’s instructional blog post, we’re taking a look at FamilySearch.

FamilySearch is a nonprofit family history organization. Though the FamilySearch website has been around for 20 years, its roots are much, much older. FamilySearch evolved from the Genealogical Society of Utah, which began collecting records relevant to genealogy in 1894. While the Genealogical Society of Utah began microfilming records in 1938, it then turned to capturing records digitally in 1998. The FamilySearch website came online in May 1999, as a way to make the records more widely available.

If you haven’t used FamilySearch before, I highly recommend that you try it out. It is free to use, though you will need to create an account and login to view records. It has excellent records for the United States, Europe, and around the world -- plus it has resources that can help you learn more about research methods, too.

My colleague Kathy Petras previously blogged about FamilySearch in 2016. Much of the interface has remained the same since that time - and if you’re unfamiliar with FamilySearch I recommend reading Kathy’s blog post as an introduction.

However, since that blog post was published, FamilySearch has begun the process of trying to digitize their entire microfilm collection. Any records that don’t have restrictions (due to copyright or privacy concerns) will be released digitally on their website. However, only a portion of these records have been indexed and made searchable with their “Search Historical Records” form.

Because of this, other the past few years, some search features have been redesigned or added, with the goal of helping users find the new (and constantly increasing!) content. Read below for 5 tips that you should use, to make the most of all that FamilySearch offers. Then see the end of this blog post, to find the resources FamilySearch provides (for free!) to help you learn more.

#1 - Search with Wildcard Characters

If you’ve used FamilySearch, you’ve probably made use of their “Search Historical Records” form. It’s a standard search form, enabling you to add information about the individual for whom you are researching, plus use filters to refine your results. Kathy wrote great directions for searching effectively with the “Historical Records” form in her 2016 blog post (see her notes on “Records Search”).

Here’s another option for using FamilySearch’s “Search Historical Records” form efficiently: if you’re searching for a name with lots of spelling variations, search with “wildcard characters.” Wildcard characters include an asterisk (*) and a question mark (?), and both can be used in place of letter(s) in a name.

An asterisk represents several characters in a name. For example, if you search the given name field with Juli*, your results will include Julia, Julianne, Julianna, Julie, Juliette, etc.

A question mark represents a single character in a name. For example, searching for the surname Sm?th will return Smeth, Smith, or Smyth.

You can combine the wildcard characters, too. For example, searching for B*sm?th results in Barretsmith , Berrysmith, Backsmith, Bloodsmyth, and many more.

Not only does this search option help with finding results for names with spelling variations, but it might also help you find results for names that are difficult to read (and indexed incorrectly) or names changed over time. Learn more about this search option at https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/searching-wildcards-familysearch-2/.

#2 - Research By Location

In addition to making use of the “Historical Records” search form, you should also try out the option to “Research by Location.” It’s simple to use: just click the map, select the location you’re interested in, and the website will redirect you to the research page for a particular geographic location. While this option has been available for a while, in the past couple of years FamilySearch has added more information to each research page. Currently, each research page includes links to...

Indexed records you can search
Image-only records you can browse
Other materials in the FamilySearch catalog
Webinars and other lessons that can help you with your research
A link to the FamilySearch Wiki article about the geographic locale

This feature is great to get an overview of a location that you haven’t previously researched — or to help you find some records you may have overlooked closer to home!

#3 - Search the FamilySearch Catalog

In the past, FamilySearch would allow users to “rent” reels of microfilmed records from them. This practice was discontinued around 2017, when FamilySearch started actively digitizing their entire microfilm collection and making it available on the website.

There are several options for searching the FamilySearch Catalog. One of the most useful options for searching is the “Place” search. This will return results of all records available for the location; the results will be sorted by record type/category.

You can further filter the results by their availability and limit records for those online or those housed at specific research facilities (like the Family History Library).

When you expand a category to review the search results, if you click on a search result, the entry will include the author(s) of the record, language, and other details. It will also include “Film/Digital Notes” section where you can see if the record has been digitized and its format. Icons indicate the format and the records availability to you. Here are the icons you’ll see:

If you see the camera+key icon, while you won’t be able to view these records at home, you may be able to view them at other nearby locations including a FamilySearch Affiliate Library (like MCDL) or a FamilySearch Family History Center.

#4 - Visit Affiliate Libraries and Family History Centers

As I mentioned above, some FamilySearch records require you to be at a FamilySearch Affiliate Library or a Family History Center in order to view and access them.

FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have privileges to the limited-access FamilySearch record collection. By visiting an Affiliate Library, you can access approximately 350+ million more record images that you can’t view at home.

Affiliate Libraries can be public or university libraries, archives, museums, or genealogical societies. Currently, all of the branches in the Medina County District Library are Affiliate Libraries. For reference, here is a complete list of FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries worldwide.

In addition to FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries, there are also Family History Centers (FHC). FHCs are considered to be branches of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. They are operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. By visiting a FHC, you can access even more records - more than you can view at home, and even more than are available at an Affiliate Library. Some FHCs also offer classes to boost your genealogical knowledge. Family History Centers can be located through the FamilySearch Research Wiki with this article.

#5 - Read Digital Books

FamilySearch also includes an entire Digital Library. You can locate it under the “Books” tab in the “Search” menu. The FamilySearch Digital Library includes county histories, rare family histories, family newsletters, yearbooks, and much more that have been digitized from the physical collections of the following libraries:

Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
Arizona State Library
Birmingham Public Library
BYU Family History Library
Houston Public Library
Dallas Public Library
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Midwest Genealogy Center
Onondaga County Public Library
Ontario Ancestors (The Ontario Genealogical Society)
St. Louis County Library
University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries

You can browse each of the partner library collections or search the entire collection through the simple (but powerful) search box. Search results can then be filtered by Creator, Subject, Language, Owning Institution, and Access Level.

The “Access Level” filter is the one that you’ll want to be aware of most. If the digital document is marked “Public” or “Full Permission” you can access the document and read it online from anywhere, as well as download pages to save. “Limited Permission” documents can be viewed online, but can’t be downloaded. “Member Permission” indicates that you’ll need to be at an Affiliate Library (like MCDL), Family History Center, or Partner Library to view the document online. If it is marked “Protected” then some copyright restrictions presently prohibit viewing the work online.

Read more about using the FamilySearch Digital Library at https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/family-history-books/.

Want to learn more?

If you have questions (or want more strategies for finding records) FamilySearch also offers great resources for learning more about genealogy. Check out the two options below, to continue expanding your genealogical knowledge!

FamilySearch Research Wiki

The FamilySearch Research Wiki is a powerful tool for learning information about methods, records, geographic locations, and more. Like Wikipedia, the information in the FamilySearch Research Wiki has been written and shared by individuals (just like you and me!) from around the world. Unlike Wikipedia, however, there is some level of review happening for articles, which helps improve the reliability of the information.

Currently, there are 91,021 articles on the English-language Wiki. Access it at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Main_Page. There’s a simple search feature, which works well with keywords, plus a couple options for browsing geographical (use the map or click “Browse By Country”).

In addition to offering the Research Wiki in English, it’s also available in other languages.

It’s worth checking the foreign language Research Wikis for additional (and sometimes more in-depth) information on non-English speaking geographic locales.

Online Classes & Webinars

The Family History Library frequently offers classes on general research methods, as well as methods for researching ethnic groups around the world. Often times these classes are made available as live webinars (which in can participate in, as they are being broadcast) or, later, as pre-recorded classes.

Upcoming and past classes/webinars can be found on the Family History Library Classes and Webinars page. Be sure to review the “Class Schedules” and “Upcoming Webinars” sections, to see if there is an upcoming class that you might want to join. It’s also good to review what webinars have been offered in the past - their “Research Seminars & Conferences” can be especially helpful, as they offer multiple sessions all on a theme/topic.

In addition to the Family History Library Classes and Webinars page, you can also review past classes in the Learning Center. This page offers a full list of classes that are available.

If you’d like more information on using FamilySearch (in addition to the tips above!) consider viewing Diane Loosle’s recorded webinar on “FamilySearch Tips.”

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Voter's Records

Photo courtesy Family History Daily

Next week, we go to the voting booths and make our selections to decide the fate of different candidates and issues in our area.

Have you ever wondered if you can access your ancestor's voting records?

The answer is yes, and no. While you can't see which way your ancestor voted, you can sometimes view their voter registration.

Voter's registers can be harder to find, but are well worth the effort. Along with census records, they place our ancestors in specific places at specific times.

You can:

Fill in gaps between censuses
Find middle names
Find spouses and other family members registered at the same address
Naturalization information
Where born
Political party affiliation
Migration from other locations.
Physical characteristics

EXAMPLES OF REGISTERS:

1903 Mason Township Lawrence County, Ohio Quadrennial Enumeration.
This places my 4 X great uncle, William Tagg, in Lawrence County in 1903.
He disappeared after the 1900 Census and I have always assumed he died.
Now I know to start my search for his death record after 1903.

State Voter Registration Records:

Ohio- Ohio counted adult men every 4 years in various counties to determine voting districts, called quadrennial enumerations. Some of them are view-able on the FamilySearch.org web site and the Ohio History Connection has some of them in their Library And Archives.

Historic records not available on FamilySearch yet. Ohio took quadrennial enumerations of men 21+ years old to determine voting districts from 1803-1911. Under taxation...
Current registrations: Check Your Voter Registration

Arizona - Has "great registers" similar to California's at Ancestry Library Edition (ALE) (and Ancestry.com) , FamilySearch.org and at their State Library
California - "Great Registers"

1900-1968 is available on ALE under "California, Voter Registrations, 1900-1968
Available on FamilySearch.org "Great Registers 1867-1890"
California State Library has 1866-1898 and 1900-1944 on microfilm

Chicago - (not a state!) have late 1800 voters records at FamilySearch and some are also available on ALE
Georgia - At FamilySearch.org - has the 1867-68 Returns of qualified voters
New York - ALE has a list of registered voters in 1880
Kansas

On ALE, Leavenworth, Kansas Voter Registration, 1859 and Kansas Election List, 1854
And for free on the Kansas GenWeb site

Massachusetts - on ALE Massachusetts, Applications of Freemen, 1630-1691
Wyoming - The State Archives has poll lists and voting lists in their collection.

RESOURCES:

FamilySearch - do catalog search for location "United States, Indiana" then go to bottom of list for "Voting Registers"
Ancestry Library Edition - catalog search "voter" narrow by location or date. Returns many census records
Fold3 - enter "voting" in search box.
Cyndi's List search for "voters"
Worldcat.org - search under the location and "voting register"

WEAKNESSES:

Before 1920, will not include women in most locations in the US
In earlier time periods will only include white men of property
Convicted felons aren't permitted to vote

Arizona Voter Registration 1866-1955 on Ancestry Library Edition showing the EARP brothers, Wyatt, Morgan and J.C. (James) in Pima County (Tuscon) Arizona. Virgil Earp was listed several pages earlier.
The right half of the entries (not shown) provided information on date and place of naturalization.

This 1904 Voter Registration for Wyatt S. Earp shows his birthplace "Ills" for Illinois.
From Ancestry Library Edition

These entries from the California Voter Registrations 1900-1968 on Ancestry Library Edition show Walt Disney and
his wife, Lillian. Interestingly, she is listed as a Democrat and he is a Republican.

SOURCES:

"Reasons Why You Should Be Researching Voter Records - A Hidden Gem", The Ancestor Hunter , 12-8-2018
Haddad, Diane, "Tracing Ancestors in Voter Records" Family Tree Magazine.
Philibert-Ortega, Gena, "Genealogy 101: Voting Records", GenealogyBank, 6 Nov. 2018.
"United State Voting Records", Family Search Wiki
"Voting Created Some Fascinating Genealogy Records! Here's Where to Find them", Family History Daily.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Cemetery Gravestones & Court Records

On October 2, Lisa did a wonderful blog on doing cemetery research Cemeteries...where else would you find your dead relatives?

Next week, you will have the opportunity to take your cemetery research even further with Jill Keppler's talk on Cemetery Gravestones on 30 October. Learn what stories the stones themselves have to tell.

SIGN UP HERE.

And there are still spots available at the Genealogy Slam: Order in the Court!

Sign up HERE.

Did I mention that Light Refreshments will be served and Door Prizes will be given away?!?!

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Fall Genealogy Slam! ORDER IN THE COURT!

Did your immigrant ancestors have to renounce allegiance to a foreign sovereign to become a United States citizen?

Did your ancestor own land in the same county as three other men with the same name?

Did your grandpa serve time in prison? (Mine did!)

Did your ancestress have to sign away her dower rights when her husband sold land?

Join Medina's new Genealogy Team and discover how court records can enhance your family history research!

Medina's Genealogy Team features veteran researchers, Lisa Rienerth and Kathy Petras, the new Family History
& Learning Center Manager, Lauren Kuntzman, and new member, Nichole McCluggage.

26 October 2019
Saturday
12-4 p.m.
Medina Library
Community Rooms

SIGN UP HERE!

This fall the team will expound upon court records. Lauren will give an overview and talk about Criminal Court Records. Kathy will explain Probate Court Records. And Lisa will talk about Land Records. Nichole will keep us all in line!

Join us and learn more about these daunting topics.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Judge Albert MUNSON

Albert Munson as a younger man from the 1881
History of Medina County and Ohio

Judge Albert Munson was a man of many talents and abilities. But his early years were punctuated with very humble circumstances.

Albert was born to Lyman and Nancy (Porter) Munson on 8 Aug, 1829 at River Styx. He was one of 9 children. His parents came to Ohio in 1816 from Massachusetts and were farmers.

Albert's first attended a log schoolhouse, later studying at the Sharon Academy. The Academy was a product of the Universalists (religion) in the area who were looking for a non-sectarian educational option.

In 1844 while Albert was still a teen, a political speaker did not show up for his speech. Albert volunteered to speak extemporaneously on the duties of citizenship and finished to cheers and applause. He was fascinated by politics from that time forward.

He organized the River Styx Lyceum where debate was prized. He later said that prepared him for his love of lifelong learning.

Around 1850, Albert contracted dysentary. He would complain of Rheumatism the rest of his life.
Other benchmarks from Albert's long life:

Worked 5 years at general store of Allen Howes in Sharon. Then to Colborn & Munson in River Styx.
While working at the store, he married Harriet Easton in 1854. Children followed: Cora E. and Lyman E.
He then farmed his father's homestead.
He worked hard for Republican party throughout Medina County when that party was just getting started in 1856, delivering hundreds of speeches.
He was physically incapacitated to serve in the Civil War so he recruited other soldiers. For that service he won an appointment as Colonel of the Militia by Ohio Governor Todd in 1862.
In 1869 he was elected to Ohio House of Representatives. He was re-elected in 187, serving a total of 4 years. He worked on codifying Ohio State laws, which were later copied by other states.
He was a temperance man.
After studying on his own for years, he was admitted to the bar in 1873, although he never practiced as a lawyer.
He worked to bring the Railroad to Medina in 1871-72 and continued to support bringing railroads to Medina for the rest of his life.
In 1875 he was elected Director of Ohio Farmer’s Insurance (now Westfield Insurance).
In 1878 he was elected Judge of the Probate Court of Medina County and “never had decision reversed by the higher courts”
He moved to Medina to be closer to his work. He was a judge for 2, 3-year terms (6 years). He used the honorific title "Judge" the rest of his life.
While he was judge he heard many cases of insanity. From 1880-1881 newspapers:

9 cases appeared in the paper
5 women and 4 men
3 of the women were judged insane and all of the men were.
They were sent to the Asylum at Newburgh, OH.

After that he bought Samuel Bradley’s hardware business and ran that business for 25 years as A. Munson & Son

Ad for Sam Bradley's Hardware store
Medina Gazette July 9 1880

Ad for Munson's Hardware store.
They kept their ads simple & focused
on the products. Sometimes, they
referred to the store as "Dad & I"
Medina Gazette, 28 Dec 1899

Advertising heating stove and fine
English China at the same time.
Quite likely, the Munson's furnished
their home with products from
the store. Medina Sentinel
4 Sep 1903, p.4

A sample of the Munson's personal china
on display at the Medina County
Historical Society.

He was a member of these fraternal organizations, as well as the Literary Society:

Morning Star Lodge (Masons)
Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.)
Royal Arcanum, Council No. 372.

He claimed he was personally responsible for William McKinley being elected as President. In gratitude McKinley came to Medina for a speech. After his election, McKinley offered Munson any position he wanted in gratitude for all of Munson's help. Munson, who was around 70 years old, said being postmaster was good enough. The post office was two doors down from his hardware store. He was postmaster for 6 years.

Judge Albert Munson
History of the Western Reserve by Harriet Taylor Upton

From 1907-1908, he wrote column for Gazette “Reminiscences of a Busy Life” (play on "Recollections of a Busy Life" by Horace Greeley) that described many facets of his long life.
Albert died 27 June 1911 In Medina (Gazette 7-28-1911, p.4)

His spiritual beliefs:

Probably one of the most interesting aspects about Munson was his religious beliefs. He was a Spiritualist.

"Spirit" Picture of Albert Munson
in the collection of
Medina County Historical Society.

Spiritualism is the belief that the spirits of the dead can communicate with the living, often through the use of seances and mediums. It grew out of the early 1800's in New York. By 1860, it had spread world wide. It was very popular in the 1870's, particularly in the River Styx area where Albert grew up.

In 1879 he attended a (possibly his first?) séance in Sharon. It was thought at the time it had to do with the insanity cases he was hearing as a judge.

Why would the spiritualist church be appealing to Munson at this time?

Growth as a movement. Started in US in 1840. Reached its height in popularity from 1880-1920
The Universalist Church might have made him more likely to investigate other ways of worshiping.
He had already lost his parents and siblings:

Father Lyman in 1863
Mother Nancy in 1850
Sister Emeline in 1876
Brother Lyman in 1843
Sister Nancy in 1852
In 1881, he lost his good friend, James Garfield
William McKinley in 1901

One of the mediums he used was possibly a cousin on his mother's side.

Munson believed he had a psychic link to McKinley and was convinced that the President would not live out his second term. Visiting McKinley in Canton, Munson urged the president to surround himself with guards, but McKinley replied, "Who would kill me?" Munson left, believing it would be the last time he saw his friend. And it was. McKinley was assassinated on 6 September 1901 .

Munson held a seance in his home, trying to each his friend. During the seance, McKinley remembered all the help Albert had been to his political career, especially the 1885 campaign. Munson invited McKinley's grieving widow to one of the seances, but her doctor soon put a stop to further seances as he felt it was detrimental to her health.

In his obituary it was stated that Munson believed "Death was only an incident in the journey to other scenes." One by one, death took each of the Munsons leaving none from that branch of the family. Each was cremated, a practice that had been revived in the 1870's.

Books from the Munson library:

Held at the Medina
County Historical
Society

Letter from McKinley:

Letter written by Wm. McKinley in 1885, before his presidency.
Collection of the Medina County Historical Society.

Transcript of a seance conducted by Annie L. Chamberlain, channeling the spirit Electa:

Munson's mother's spirit confirming that Miss Porter is indeed a relative:

Transcription of a seance from 1903.
In the Medina County Historical Society Collection.

The Munson House
Now a private residence, the Munson family lived here until Cora Munson's death in 1956.
Originally it was at 231 East Washington Street. The Community Design Committee moved
the house was to its present location on Prospect in 1985.
Numerous seances were held here.

SOURCES:

Butalia, Tarnunjit, Religion in Ohio: Profiles of Faith Communities on Google Books: https://bit.ly/33gSDJC
Find A Grave
King, Joann, Medina County: Coming of Age 1810-1900
Kraynek, Sharon, Recollections of Medina Characters
Medina County Gazette

28 Dec 1899
9 July 1880
1 May 1997, page C5
27 May 1881, page 7.
29 June 1879, page 11.
11 July 1879, page 3.
21 Dec., 1984

Medina County Historical Society Collections.
Medina County Sentinel

4 Sep. 1903, page 4.
4 Aug 1911, page 1

Perrin, William Henry, History of Medina County and Ohio (1881)
Upton, Harriett Taylor, History of the Western Reserve
WikiMedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Judge_Albert_Munson_House.jpg
Wikipedia:

Spiritualist Church https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritualist_church

P.S. Thank you to Tom Hilberg for correcting my mistake. The Community Design Committee NOT the historical society moved the MUNSON House to its present location.