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Story Corps National Day of Listening 2011: Jim Powell Jr., Alachua County, FL Ancient Records

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:31:34 +0000

"We have a lot of history hidden in the dark between the pages of our record books. I really wanted to bring it out into the light where anyone can find it. We are accomplishing that." --- Jim Powell, Jr.

Since 1999, a small handful of dedicated volunteers have accomplished great things by digitizing 699 books (438,381 pages) of Alachua County Ancient Records which span the years 1837 to 1974, and tell the story of life in early Florida. Of the 438,381 pages of records, volunteers have transcribed and indexed more than 10,000 pages to make the scanned images searchable.

We spoke with Jim Powell, Jr., Coordinator of the project, about his experience, his success and the volunteers who make the project possible.

Marriage License, Cato Geary and Caroline Robinson

Alachua County, FL, 1870 [1]

Please Click to View Larger Image

Q: Can you share a bit about the Alachua Ancient Records indexing project?

A: I was hired at the Clerk's Office to find the extent of the Ancient Records, to preserve them and to make them as accessible as possible. The Web seemed to be the answer.

Q: Were all 699 books digitized at once or did you add them over time?

A: They have taken many years. I did most of the digitizing. With the first marriage books the pages were reduced by a copier then I scanned them with a donated scanner. For awhile after that we used Official Records Plat Scanner on some of the books that had been taken apart to be microfilmed ages ago by the LDS.

Then we came up with a scanner that would almost scan the entire 12 by 18 pages. Then we graduated to a homemade digital camera shelf stand for the bound books and then a real camera stand from a grant that we were partners on with UF.

It has been a lot of trial and error and we continuously try to do better. Give me another couple of weeks and it will be 700 books.

Q: You've had incredible success at indexing a large number of records with a small handful of dedicated volunteers. About how many records have you indexed to date?

A: The total number of books online as of 11/23/2011 is 699 books. Total number of pages in those books is 438, 381. Of those pages 10,642 have been transcribed and are searchable.

We have all of our existing County Marriages indexed. Images and an index are online as part of Ancient Records from 1837 to 1974. From 1974 to the present is part of Official Records and it is not all imaged.

We have all of our existing County Commissioner's Minutes online. All of these records that were typed were OCRed and are searchable. The first three books have been transcribed by Volunteers and are searchable. Volunteers are currently working hard on the last seven books.

We have all of our existing Will Books online. They are all indexed.

We have deed books online from 1826 through 1957. They are indexed completely through 1928. From 1928 to 1957 is partially indexed and to back it up the images of the Deed index books are online.

We have 63 Mortgage Books online. They are not very well indexed. They weren't well indexed on paper.

We have 26 books online that don't fit one of those categories ... Book of Register, 1875 Census of Male Inhabitants, Record of Physicians Certificates, Lien Book & etc. Just over half of the 26 are completely indexed.

Our Deed Index Database has 216,733 entries. The Mortgage database has 21,534 entries.

Q: How many volunteers have worked on the project?

A: At the moment we have more active Volunteers than ever before. We have a Facebook page to share and encourage each other. I now have between six and eight awesome Volunteers active each week.

Some in the past chose a project, completed it and went away. One of those did a majority of the Marriage index, Mike was from the state of Washington and still helped when he moved to Hawaii.

At times over the years, I had to work to encourage someone to do something and then for awhile it would be one or two active Volunteers for awhile. One past Volunteer said that she had no time to help, but would give it a try, Elaine had over 18,000 entries of which 854 were transcriptions.

One hundred and thirteen folks have at least tried. Most did not last a long time, but just about any help is good.

Q: What do you attribute your success to?

A: I volunteered to transcribe the hard way long before I was hired. It was something that I wanted to do. It is something that is rewarding, sometimes addictive. I make it easy to do through online forms and email contact any time that I can help out. Transcriptions are not immediately online, but I try to get them online as soon as possible.

Another huge factor in our success is Alachua County Clerk of Court J.K. "Buddy" Irby's passion and support for the Ancient Records.

All the Volunteers who have worked so hard over the years have made the project what it is today. I would like to thank our current active Volunteers:

Karen Kirkman (2788 pages)
Sharon Wheeler (1096 pages)
Gail George (182 pages)
Charlotte Vallellanes (354 pages)
Kaley Behl (315 pages)
Robert K. Kelley (34 pages)
Melissa Hale (25 pages)
Rachel Valencia (22 pages)

Q: What led you to undertake the project?

A: We have a lot of history hidden in the dark between the pages of our record books. I really wanted to bring it out into the light where anyone can find it. We are accomplishing that.

Q: Have stories emerged from the records you have indexed?

A: Lots of stories, Joseph Valentine that sold himself as a slave in 1862 in a Judgement Book is just one. He could read and write and later became a County Commissioner. I have lots of bits and pieces that I use as presentations on how and why we do what we do.

Q: How has the Ancient Records Project impacted your life?

A: It seems to be a part of about everything we do, except for when we chase birds with our Canons. It has given us a deeper understanding of history and roots that we can share.

Q: What else would you like for our readers to know?

A: As I tell anyone that is thinking about helping us, anything that you do for us is a forever type thing. It can be fun, rewarding, and at times a little addictive. It will give you something to talk about.

When folks track their ancestors they blaze a trail and see a lot of things that they may never be able to find again. We are making everything we find easier to find. Don't you want to leave your name in the public record in a GOOD way?

For More Information

Alachua County Ancient Records: http://www.alachuaclerk.org/Archive/default.cfm

Alachua County Ancient Records Volunteers Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ACARVol

Jim Powell, Jr. Email: jep@alachuaclerk.org

Image Source Citation

[1] Alachua County, FL Marriage License Book A, Page 30

Image Online: http://www.clerk-alachua-fl.org/archive/AncientJ/FrontPage.cfm?BID=239&PID=030&SN=&GN=

Accessed 28 Nov 2011

Story Corps National Day of Listening 2011: Interviews II: Jim Powell, Jr., Taylor Griffith, Rianna Griffith, Elora Powell and Camara Casson, Alachua County, FL Virtual Cemetery Project

admin — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:18:44 +0000

The Alachua County Virtual Cemetery Project

On most Saturday mornings, cousins Taylor Griffith, 12, Camara Casson, 12, Elora Powell, 11 and Rianna Griffith, 6 venture out to spend some quality time with their grandfather Jim Powell. But they're not going to the mall or the movies - they're going to clean and photograph headstones in historic Alachua County, Florida cemeteries.

The project, started in 2003, is an effort to create a virtual record of Alachua County cemeteries to preserve the information they contain.

Project Coordinator Jim Powell, Jr. shares this vision statement on the Alachua County Virtual Cemetery Project Facebook page:

Our project is a gift of history to those of us that care about such things. It is a gift of Roots to those who didn't know that family was buried in the cemetery that they pass every day. It is a gift of time to family members who have moved away and would like to know about the final resting place of their ancestors. It is our gift of the past to the future with respect to all of those that have gone before.

As my son James says, "we will leave no stone unturned in our effort to preserve the history told by our local cemeteries."

In honor of Story Corps' fourth annual National Day of Listening, we interviewed Jim and his granddaughters to learn what their volunteer work means to them.

Jim Powell, Jr., Project Coordinator

Q: Can you share a bit about the Virtual Cemetery Project?

A: I started trying to capture and save the history from our abandoned and neglected cemeteries. After awhile I realized that all of our cemeteries lose things. It could be the erosion of inscriptions on soft stones, sinking stones, vandalism & etc. So we decided that we would try to take a picture of the history from our cemeteries as they exist today, so that we will at least have the information with a photo to back it up.

Q: How central are your granddaughters to your preservation efforts?

A: We get to a cemetery and I say, "how do you think we should do this one?" We come up with a solution and they go do it. New adult volunteers follow them. If they have problems they call for me otherwise they do what we do. They fit in well with the Adult Volunteers and everybody just does what needs to be done.

This is a quote from Robert "Bob" K. Kelley who joined us for the first time Saturday. He lives in South Florida and was up here for a few days. His Kelley Ancestors were here:

"Taylor is great! She's smart, a self-starter and diplomatic, too. Imagine having an old guy like me as her assistant AND being able to communicate across all the difference in years between us. I really enjoyed working one on one with her."

Q: Who are some of the community members who have worked with you over the years?

A: First and foremost is my son James Powell III. There were times when he kept me going.

Second is the Alachua County Historical Commission members which helped bring our project into high gear. Karen Kirkman, Verdell Robinson, Florence Van Arnam and Kathleen Pagan (County Liason to ACHC). Lizzie Jenkins is helping with Archer area cemeteries. Rachel Valencia, College student, helps when she can, and we can't forget Sheriff's Deputy Kaley Behl. And now the Daughters of the American Revolution has begun to help, Dot & Marion Hope, Irene Sylvester and Linda Williams. There have been plenty of others that have helped and everybody that helps is named on the cemetery pages.

Taylor Griffith, 12 Years Old

Q: What does your work with the Virtual Cemetery Project mean to you, and how has your experience affected you?

A: The work that I do with the Virtual Cemetery Project means a lot to me. Not only are we a family spending time together but we're digging up history. What I do makes me a better person. I've learned a lot in my experience working in the cemeteries and I wouldn't change it for the world. I love when people thank us for our work because it makes me feel that much more important. Also, I love when people come out and help. It helps me realize that other people think it's important too and want to help.

Some people wouldn't think of doing what me, my family, and other helpers do because they just don't care but I think that people doing things like this in my generation will make people realize how important it is.

No one makes me do what I do. I only do it because I love it. Photographing the stones and putting them online so everyone can see them is a awesome thing to experience and I hope it means a lot to everyone.

I want to help and make a difference even if it takes a while. The fact that we're helping people from different places find their family is just mesmerizing. I love what I do.

Elora Powell, 11 Years Old

Q: What does your work with the Virtual Cemetery Project mean to you, and how has your experience affected you?

A: The work that I do means the world to me. It's all of us going out every Saturday and spending time, as a family, helping others and doing what we love to do.

I have grown so much as I started doing this project and I really think that it made me change inside. I also enjoy it because what we do helps a lot of people and I love to do that.

Especially when everyone knows that we did it and thanks us for it. It makes me happy inside to know that they are happy. I hope that someday, our work can change the world and everyone in it. I truly love what I do.

Camara Casson, 12 Years Old:

Q: What does your work with the Virtual Cemetery Project mean to you, and how has your experience affected you?

A: The Alachua County Virtual Cemetery Project is important to me because not only do I preserve history for generations to come, but it also makes me feel good inside when I finish a cemetery. I feel that whenever I take a photograph of a stone another piece of history is saved.

It means so much to me that I get to be apart of this wonderful project. This whole experience has affected me in such a way that my vocabulary could not describe.

The only way I can put how this has affected me is with the understatement that I feel that I could do anything.

Rianna Griffith, 6 Years Old

Q: What does your work with the Virtual Cemetery Project mean to you, and how has your experience affected you?

A: The work I do is really fun. I do it because I really love helping people. I am now a better person for doing the work I do.

It's really fun that we get to do it as a family every Saturday. I love the work I do because I get to do it while spending a lot of time with my family.

For More Information

To learn more about the Alachua County Virtual Cemetery Project, please visit their website or their Facebook Community.