Transcription Tuesday

It's Tuesday and a great day to volunteer to preserve the past!  For my part today, instead of Tombstone Tuesday, I will start my Transcription Tuesday!  Many, many history groups and genealogy societies are always on the prowl of new transcribers.  You may remember the Old Pittsburgh Newspaper Project I ran starting back in 2010.  If not, that's ok, because there are still plenty of opportunities to join right in on other ongoing projects.

The group I joined today as a community transcriber is Papers of the War Department, 1784-1800.  The group has had volunteer transcribers for 70 months---   so a little less than 6 years.

Why am I interested in helping this group?  They have letters.  They have letters written to my uncle. They have letters about my uncle.  They have scraps of information which may lead me on another quest!

Why is this so important?  There was a fire in the office where a majority of these letters were in November 1800.  Early American history..poof!  Gone in a flash!  As the War Department was a major consumer of the government funding in its day, it is appropriate for us all to see how we can help preserve the past today.

If you have a name of interest, or an interest in Indians, American Troops, Court Martials, etc, just log on in and see what is available to see.  Or better yet--volunteer!

Papers of the War Department Search

Or in my case, just enter in two of my uncles' names, sit back and enjoy.

Ahh, genealogy.  Reliving the past one letter at a time on that road to the White House.

©2017  AS Eldredge

Sources:

http://wardepartmentpapers.org/index.php