“Lo and behold” We have a treasure trove IN OUR QUARTERLIES!
I found my Great, Great Grandfather’s Death Notice with a simple search through the indexes of our Carroll County Genealogical Society! Here’s how it works:
Sitting at my own computer (in my own home), I go to www.ccgsga.org —– When the page opens up, I then click on “Index of CCGS Quarterlies” where I find five (5) indexes. Now this takes a little work, get a pad of paper and search for your family name in the alphabetical listings and make notes of each Quarterly/page where you find the name listed.
Once you have your list completed you are now ready for the real research. But, now you have to be a member to proceed. (Non members now know that they have found a “treasure trove” but will have to join to have access – or drive to the library – or buy the Quarterlies) — So, sign into the Members section of the site, click on quarterlies and you find 124 of our quarterlies listed. — Next step is to take your list, open quarterly containing your name, find the page, the entry for your family name and if it is something that you are looking for, download it OR print it.
For years, my research had only gotten me back to my Great Grandfather Pleasant Levans. I finally took the time to go to the County Court House and search through the Land Deeds where I was able to place him on the same land with Jacob Levans and then where this land was transferred from Jacob to Pleasant at Jacob’s death. — Then further search I discovered that Jacob had donated one acre of land to the Carrollton Methodist Church. So from this finding, for many years I proclaimed that my family had “always” been Methodist.
Now, there I sit at my own computer going through quarterlies/pages and I find excerpts from the “Carroll County Times” containing a “death notice” (Not Obituaries and not in one section, but scattered throughout the paper) — Anyway, I find: “Jacob Levans died at one o’clock on the morning of the 20th. He was in his eighty-ninth year when he died. For long years he was a faithful exemplary member of the missionary Baptist church”. —– Proving that our search never ends — We only THINK we know the past.
“Lo and Behold”, My Grandfather was the first to become a Methodist!
Written by Don Levans, President CCGS
NOTE: This is the first of a series of member submitted articles sharing experiences using Special Collection resources.