Back from New Hampshire!
Our own Jane Johnson has recently returned from the New England Regional Genealogical Conference in Manchester New Hampshire. She was the only public librarian among the 58 speakers at that event. So, in addition to representing the Carolina Room and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, she represented the whole branch of public librarianship among these professional researchers, archivists, and professors.
Jane's talk was entitled "It Took a Village". She explained to genealogists what kind of information could be gleaned from orphan records. In addition to her point about genealogical research methods, she was also making a historical point about the way early American communities dealt with the problem of children without parents. A court-appointed guardian would agree to be responsible for the care and education of the child - for boys this meant until the age of 21, for girls until marriage. They accepted responsibility for the children in return for reimbursement of expenses. Thus did families - with the guidance of the court - share burdens and insure children's welfare. Orphans had it hard, no doubt. Jane explained that they were prime candidates for dangerous careers that took them far away - like sailor, soldier, miner, or Pony Express rider. (One wonders what life choices female orphans could make if they felt the need for escape.) Even so, an imperfect life within a community was much better than neglect.
For genealogical purposes, Jane explained, orphan records contain a wealth of information - more than the census or even a will might offer. The orphans themselves do not figure as prominently as the guardians and all the tradespeople whom they deal with. From reading the records over the years one learns the names of store owners, cobblers, blacksmiths - anyone who provided goods or services for which the guardians requested reimbursement. Early censuses do not link name to professions, but orphan records do. A genealogist may use them to uncover information about someone who was neither an orphan nor a guardian, but who appeared on account of services rendered.
Thank you, Jane!
