Genealogy, History and Love of Family: The Ancestry of Samuel Sterling Sherman and Mary Ware Allen

Photo credit: pexels.com

by Virginia Turner

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing Frederick “Rick” S. Sherman’s book, The Ancestry of Samuel Sterling Sherman and Mary Ware Allen. Rick was a long-time member and benefactor of The California Genealogy Society. While I did not know Rick personally, as a member of the manuscript committee I felt admiration for his talent as a genealogical researcher and his compassion to his family. This admiration deepened as I assisted in sorting his collection of family history and saw the immense amount of data he was able to gather over his lifetime.

I was struck with the feeling that his book was obviously a labor of love. He uniquely expressed his appreciation for his family by brilliantly illustrating, even though they lived many years apart, how each of his forbearers was a companion in his own life. The fact that he used an easily readable typeface throughout, no need for magnification by the average reader, made me enjoy it even more.

Who was Rick Sherman?

He begins with a modest introduction of himself, leaving the reader wondering whom this “new friend” might be. To find more about “Rick”, the reader should turn to the very last portion of the book, “Appendix D”, just before the index, to see an appreciative memorial message, composed by his friends and co-workers at the University of California, Berkeley. He was a multi-talented person, who spent many hours in research, through many fields of study. This experience enabled him to think thoroughly in every area—genealogy being one area that interested him from early in his life.

His family story begins

Rick begins with the stories of his parents, Samuel S. Sherman and Mary Ware Allen. It was unfortunate that his father died at the age of 35 years, due to a sudden infection. Luckily his mother, Mary, did all she could to teach their three young children about their father. You’ll find family photographs of Mary and Samuel with the children, as well as one portrait of Samuel as a young man. 

Collecting leads to a book

Rick was passionate about saving photographs. They are reproduced in this book in enlarged form, and date from the nineteenth century through the twentieth. Although several of the subjects were born before the beginning of the art of photography, they are pictured in this book from painted portraits and miniatures, and even one as a silhouette. 

Cooperation from Rick’s family members helped both identify and add to the collection of photographs. As he writes of the lives of his ancestors, stories worthy of a fictional storybook are produced, with photographs making them come “alive”. In my opinion, they bring the subjects to life and really enhance the enjoyment of the readers.  

Organization as a guide

To keep track of how each one relates to Rick, and other family members, turn to the several pedigree charts in the Appendix B. If you think you may have mutual ancestors, then these charts will help you find them. Rick’s genealogical talents are on full display here and may help researchers in their genealogical searches.

I particularly appreciate the circular charts, each blank space totally filled out by Rick, using his own pen for the lettering.  While portions of the charts are blank, Rick intended to fill them with the ancestors in Appendix A, his Unfinished Chapter. There are beginnings of some of them, but not enough information to be considered finished.

The lighter side

As you read through the pages, look for the bits of humor interwoven with the factual material, such as the nickname of his grandmother, “Dambo” (aka, Ellen Bradford Copeland Allen). Portions of the complete, written account of her journey are quoted in this book.

Eleanor Allen on Dambo's trip to Baja, California (1906)

For example, Rick writes, “In 1906, she bravely took her sons Morris and Dick, age seventeen and sixteen and daughter Eleanor, age nearly fifteen, and two teenagers, on a tour of Baja, California to the little port of San Quentin, leaving behind the youngest child, our mother, Mary, who was nine years old.  Mary made up for it by going to Baja on her honeymoon in 1924.”

Lemuel Smith Hardin with his military title

Civil War buffs will enjoy the interesting story of great grandfather Lemuel Smith Hardin, who told of being the “only man to serve in both the Confederate and Union armies”. He had to be smuggled (while his mother's voluminous dress covered his Confederate uniform) to Canada to escape arrest by his own brother, a Union General, Martin Hardin, due to visit their mother. The puzzle deepens when in the 1890 census of Union Veterans, his name appears, even though he was known to have served in the Confederate army.

If you’re researching this family’s genealogy

As for using this book by the genealogical researcher, first check out our online manuscript index under "Sherman, Frederick S." (listed in alphabetical order). If you then want to see the actual manuscript files, please come to The California Genealogical Society’s library and ask to view The Sherman Collection.

The collection is held in archival boxes and can be used by request when you visit the library. Next, check the index of names found in the book. You may also search the box title names, by checking Appendix C in the book. The boxes contain family letters and some photographs which do not appear in this book, along with other written materials and charts. Members of the society who serve as library volunteers will be happy to give you assistance.

Online Library Catalog and more
Even if the Sherman Collection holds no interest for your family history research, please look at our online Library Catalog. This catalog also has an option to search WorldCat.org that enables you to utilize the OCLC catalog of books, articles, and other materials in libraries worldwide. Not familiar with this?  From OCLC’s website, “The OCLC is a global library cooperative that provides shared technology services, original research and community programs for its membership and the library community at large.” The end result is that you will probably find something that will help you!

What else would be helpful to the genealogy researcher? Many useful maps are catalogued in the library and I recommend spending time with the library’s index of holdings. These can  be useful for searching names and localities, and history. 

The Rick Sherman book can be a source of historical and genealogical interest, plus its information, humor, and enjoyment of the beautiful photographs give it recreational value as well. 

Enjoy!

About the Author

Virginia Turner has for about five years served as a member of the manuscript committee of the California Genealogical Society and Library. She has studied her family's history since 1968, and has used this library as a researcher for many years. 

The genealogical collections there have assisted her with preparing and publishing the book, "Ruffcorn, An All American Family" (1995) with two supplements in 1997 and 2001. She has also written portions of collective genealogy books, and a few magazine articles. Virginia lives in Oakland, but her roots are in Iowa.

Copyright © 2017 by California Genealogical Society

Great Finds at the Library

by Lorna Wallace, Member & Volunteer

As a long-time Desk Volunteer at the California Genealogical Society’s Library, I would like to encourage you to come in and use our wonderful library resources in Uptown Oakland to search for your ancestors. 

Whether you come in-person, or request a “look up” via the Research Committee, our library catalog is the place to start.  If you start with Research, then it's best to send an email first and ask what can be done for you. However, I recommend that you “play” with our catalog, which is part of WorldCat, because you may be surprised to find what we have!

Let's start a search
As an example, if you were interested in the first topic in last month’s eNews, Thanksgiving and Pilgrims, you could search our catalog using the “subject keyword” for “pilgrims” or “Plymouth”, which for me brought up 143 and 79 hits from the catalog, respectively.  Sticking with the theme, when I used “Puritans” as a subject keyword, I got 308 findings which included books, microfilm, maps, and over 200 article titles! 

I hope I’ve given you a reason to try a search in your favorite topics and see what you can discover.  Want to understand what's actually happening when you search our catalog using WorldCat?  Try WorldCat's tutorial page and soon you'll be a search expert.

We hope to see you in the library exploring our great resources in 2017!

Copyright © 2016 by California Genealogical Society

In Memoriam: Henry Snyder

Dr. Henry L. Snyder

1929 ~ 2016

Dr. Henry Leonard Snyder was a charismatic scholar who embraced life’s adventures with a positive attitude, an ambitious work ethic, an intellectual curiosity, and a wonderful sense of humor. He died 29 February 2016 and is survived by his three sons, Michael, Christopher, and David, and seven grandchildren. Henry’s beloved wife, Janette Marie née Hannus (1932-2016), passed away in January of this year.

Circa 1930

Henry L. Snyder was born 3 November 1929, a third generation Californian on his mother’s side. His father, Henry Runyon Snyder (1900-1975), was born in New Jersey and was a civil engineer who worked for the telephone company in San Francisco. His mother was Mary Jane Rosenberg (1908-1982). Henry was predeceased by his sister, Mary Jane “Janey” Snyder Pearson (1933-2007).

Mary Jane Rosenburg

Henry Jr. and Henry Sr.

It was clear from an early age that young Henry would make his mark on the world. His first job was delivering groceries when he was 12 or 13. Even as a middle school student, Henry was interested in books. He spent much time in the school library and recalled that at the age of 14, he purchased his “first seventeenth-century book, Jeremy Collier’s A short view of the immorality and profaneness of the English stage.” [i]

Henry developed a love for music from an early age, particularly opera. He and Janette attended many performances and especially loved Madame Butterfly. His passion for music was undoubtedly nurtured by his father, a talented pianist who could play several instruments.

Henry was always an excellent student. He graduated from high school in 1947, second in his class. It was natural for Henry to head straight to the University of California, as many of his relatives were “Cal” graduates. In 1951, he graduated with a B.A. in history, and went to work as an assistant buyer in the china and glass department of a local department store, eventually rising to the position of buyer in 1956. Simultaneously, Henry joined the California Army National Guard and became a company commander.

High School Graduation, 1947

Pyramid Peak, 1950

Cal Graduation, 1951

Army National Guard, 1958

Ever the intellectual, Henry decided to further his education. In 1959, he returned to Cal, earning first a Master’s degree and then a PhD. in British History; his dissertation was about the Third Earl of Sunderland. To complete his research, Henry spent about 18 months in England. 

Henry’s best friend, Roland Jesse Lunday was married to Janette in 1953, and the three were dear friends. Like Henry, Jesse was in the National Guard and a Ph.D. student from Cal. In a tragic turn of events, Jesse was killed in an accident in England. Janette, then expecting her first child, returned to her parents’ home in Hawai‘i. Henry continued to correspond with Janette and eventually flew to the islands to visit her. According to Dave Snyder, “my dad proposed to my mom under the mango tree at her parents house. They were married at the Central Union Church in Honolulu." Michael was born in 1960. Henry and Jan returned to England, where their son, Christopher, was born in 1962. Following the completion of his doctorate, Henry and his family moved to Kansas, where he took a position as an English Historian. Son David was born there in 1965. From Kansas, Henry moved to a post at Louisiana State University – Baton Rouge, where he became a professor.

Honolulu, 21 July 1961

England, 1962

Michael, Christopher, and David Snyder, 1972

Acropolis, April 1974

Henry travelled the world and held numerous prominent positions. In 1986, following his position in Louisiana, Henry settled in at the University of California, Riverside, as the Director of the Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research. More significant in terms of genealogy, Henry became the Director of the California Newspaper Project. Family historians around the globe know this as the "California Digital Newspaper Collection," an indispensable tool used by thousands of researchers on a daily basis.

In a 2001 article and interview, author Daniel J. Slive wrote, “Henry Snyder’s indefatigable energy is at odds with the term retirement.” The California Genealogical Society was the beneficiary of Henry’s so-called “retirement.” He joined our organization in 2009, after past President, Jane Lindsey, invited him for a tour. Henry immediately jumped in as the Library Director, was elected to the Board of Directors in 2012, and remained in the position until his death.

May 1986

2001

Jan and Henry Snyder, 2001

Henry was more than the Library Director at the California Genealogical Society. He was a vibrant member of our community. He developed many close friendships, especially with the numerous volunteers who worked with him. He initiated countless projects, including an acquisition of a large collection of California Directories, he increased the scope of our general collection and sold duplicate items, which brought in much-needed revenue to our all-volunteer organization. More significantly, he moved us from an internal catalog system to OCLC, a global, online catalog-service for nonprofit organizations. 

San Francisco, 2014

California Book Club

Mechanics Institute, 2015

The volunteers at California Genealogical Society had much to say about the loss of their friend and colleague. The following are just a sampling of their kinds words:

I love Henry’s “Can-Do” attitude. 
~ Arlene Miles, Library Manager

He was one of those forces of nature who are not buffeted by the winds of change, but one who powers those winds with their own sheer will. For genealogists, especially those with family in/from California, you can rest assured this force helped you, by driving a site of digitized newspapers from the Golden State. He seemed to live MANY good lives, and for a while, one of those lives was as a board member and volunteer at California Genealogical Society with me and many others. Each one of us will always be richer for the time he shared there. 
~ Kim Cotton, FGS Delegate and Past Technology Director

Henry’s legacy, all that he did for so many – will be there forever. We all benefited from Henry’s joyful life. I will miss the burst of energy that filled the room whenever he entered. 
~ Chris Patillo, Investment Chair 

He was unique and will be sorely missed. 
~ Ellen Fernandez-Sacco, Past President

Henry was a solid vessel of information, which he shared with one and all. His guidance of the CGS Library was essential to its success, from re-shelving to cataloguing to the OCLC. The depth of his knowledge was shared for everyone's benefit. His dedication to his family genealogy was amazing. 
~ Jeffrey Vaillant, Past President

Henry and I did not always see eye to eye on things, but we loved sparring and always valued one another’s opinions. He was such a positive “make things happen” kind of person. I loved problem solving with him and we got so much accomplished for CGS. He was like the “ever-ready bunny”. He always wanted to get things done faster than the process we sometimes needed to adhere to… I loved his comment, “I think sometimes it is easier to just do it and apologize later.” 
~Jane Lindsey, Past President

Dr. Henry L. Snyder was an influential man. At the California Genealogical Society, his work is visible everywhere we turn. We will miss you, Henry. As you would likely tell us, we wish there was just “one more story…”

A memorial service for Henry will be held at the 1^st Congregational Church in Berkeley on May 14 at 2:00 PM. You can read more about his service in his obituary. 

Contributions in Henry’s memory may be made to the California Genealogical Society, 2201 Broadway, LL2, Oakland California, 94612-3031. 

Photos provided by the Snyder family and the California Genealogical Society. The editor wishes to thank the Snyder family for providing the details for this blog. 

[i] Daniel J. Slive, “Exit Interview: Henry Snyder,” RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage, American Library Association, 2:1 (2001) 73-92.

 

Copyright © 2016 by California Genealogical Society