Harvesting Your Family Tree - A Guide To Genealogy Research

Harvesting Your Family Tree:

A Guide To Genealogy Research by Wendy Swanson

Was great granduncle Ralph hanged for stealing horses, or did great-great grandpa George come to Southern Oregon in search of land or gold? 

It’s never too late to start down the path of tracing your ancestors. Even an Internet novice can be successful at finding obscure facts about their family members. 

Go from beginner to accomplished, with step by step instructions to take the mystery out of tracing your roots. 

The Southern Oregon author guides you through your research with easy to follow instructions, to keep you on the right path  to uncovering your family's information and ways to get around those seemingly impossible "dead ends." 

Complete guides to free research websites, state by state sources, and sites that give you access to ships passenger manifests, state archives, and volumes of important sources; and all at no cost. 

 Advanced genealogy sites for in-depth research and record keeping at minimal costs are also explained in detail. 

 Learn the best and most efficient ways to make contact with distant relatives who can help with the missing pieces of your family history puzzle. 

 By following the steps outlined in Harvesting Your Family Tree, you will be able to create and share what will become a family heirloom for your children, grandchildren, and any family members interested in learning about their roots.

 Harvesting Your Family Tree is available at the Josephine County Historical Society for only $6.99 

or at the Josephine Historical Society's Bookshop located in the Research Library at 512 K Street, Grants Pass.

Be sure to check out the Online Bookshop for more titles.



A Lady's Fashion

While working on my ongoing genealogy project, I came across a photo of one of my second great grand aunts.  This particular photograph was taken in 1890.

Courtesy, L.Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602.

It reminded me of how many more layers of clothing women wore in the past than are worn today. 

So how much clothing was required in the 1800's and early 1900's?  I found a great website that answers this question.
 

Late 19th & Early 20th Century Ladies' Dress Glossary

(This information is provided courtesy of www.marquise.de.)

The parts of a lady's outfit in putting-on order

• chemise or undershirt of cotton or linen
• drawers / knickers /bloomers, worn with an open crotch until around 1900
• corset shaping the body into the fashionable form by means of whalebone sticks and a busk in front
• busk: two metal strips with nails and eyes that served a) to shape the front and b) to close the corset, making complete un-lacing unnecessary.
• corset cover: a white, short, shirt-like garment worn over the corset to protect the taille from rubbing against the nails of the busk.
• decency skirt, a narrow petticoat which protected the nether region from view if the skirt was blown up by wind
• tournure or bustle shaping the skirt to overemphasize the backside - depending on the period a half-petticoat stiffened with steel or whalebone strips, a wire contraption that folded when the lady sat down, or a bag of cloth filled with horsehair tied round the waist. Worn mainly in the early/mid 1870s and early/mid 1880s.
• petticoat / underskirt with volants (ruffles) and possibly pockets. In the late 19th century, two or three were worn, but towards the turn of the century, the slim line forbade more than one.
• suit: Consists of floor-length skirt, sometimes with train, and taille. Dresses in the sense that upper and lower part are sewn together are not worn until turn of the century. Hat and gloves are compulsory.
• taille / waist: A cross between the bodice of earlier times and blouses and suit jackets of today, it fitted the body very tightly, sometimes looked like a jacket and sometimes like a blouse. It was buttoned high up, had a standing collar and long sleeves. Low décolletés and short/no sleeves were reserved for ball dresses. Any impression of loose-fittingness is false as it consisted of a whalebone-stiffened lining taille and top fabric which sometimes was arranged in loose folds. These folds are part of the
• garniture: decorative pieces of fabric or lace, ribbons, cord, ruffles and bows carefully arranged on the taille and skirt. a special part of the garniture is the drapery on bustle skirts. In the 1870s to 80s, garniture was almost exclusively on the skirt, then on both, and in the early 20th century only on the taille. The garniture is the most important part of late 19th century dress and absolutely typical of the era.
• accessories: hat, gloves, umbrella (more against sun than rain), sometimes walking-stick if the lady had the courage (the walking-stick is a male utensil). A fan for the ball. 

(The following photos are also provided courtesy of:  www.marquise.de.)

1865

1874 Evening Dresses

1902 Afternoon Gowns

1914 Walking or Travel Suit

              
     It's no wonder most ladies boudoirs were furnished with fainting sofas.

Do you have an interest in vintage fashions?  If so, the Josephine County Historical Society has a job for you!  We are currently in need of a Costume Mistress to catalogue and care for our collection of historic clothing and accessories.

We are also currently looking for a Seamstress.  Some of our Living History Players are in need of dresses and long skirts.  The patterns, fabric and notions will be supplied.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us at (541) 479-7827 or fill out our "Contact Us" form on our website:  http://www.jocohistorical.org/contact-us