SWNGS library has wealth of info

Getting to swim at the sandpits was the ultimate when I was young. An ultimate that I got to experience only once since my mother had an extreme aversion to allowing her child to swim in something filled with dangerous areas. I didn't do much better with getting to swim in the river since my dad was fully aware of how many pitfalls existed in the (at that time) mighty Republican.

I never did understand either of those attitudes since my aunt had told me my mother, in her younger days, swam in sand pits quite often and my dad had told stories of noodling for catfish in the Republican, but they were my parents and they were united in the decision.

Where did I get to swim? Well, the horse tank of course! Filled with green moss, abounding with those wonderful water bugs that would surface and dive in constant motion, the horse tank was, above all things, safe! The cattle would grudgingly watch us cavorting in their drinking water and the windmill wound around spilling fresh cold water out of the pipe. It was the best swimming pool in the world and one could pelt the other swimmers with the moss that floated among us in hairy green tendrils. I wonder if anyone still cools off on hot summer days by climbing in the horse tank.

Enough of memories and on to the genealogical library here in McCook that is now open on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. We have been touted as being the best available genealogy resource library within our three state corners and I believe it is true.

If you wish to research a possible connection to one of the travelers arriving in America on the Mayflower, we not only have an extensive collection on the Mayflower lines, but also a well versed researcher on that subject, Tom Corey.

Perhaps your goal is to become a member of the Daughters (DAR) or Sons (SAR) of the American Revolution. The SWNGS library has many books specific to those necessary records to complete your application. We also have several members that are currently members or are working on their membership and they would be happy to help you.

Do you have any of these names in your tree: Abbott; Andrews; Brenning; Hoyt; Neverve; Stovall; Williams? These names, as well as several others, appear in our surname index for available books or research papers on those family names.

Immigration is covered in publications from "Book of Immigrants in Bondage" and "Bonded Passengers to America" (Volumes 1-5, Volume 9) to the "Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants" plus the "List of Emigrants to America 1600-1700". Each of these are on file in our library plus many, many more covering early America immigration.

Books covering different counties in Nebraska are filed separately. Of course, our neighboring counties are the most represented, but Lancaster, Saunders, York, Webster, Burt and Cass County, just to name a few, appear in the library with cemeteries, individual town histories or marriage books for research.

Many of our settlers in the mid-west had roots in Ohio, Indiana or Illinois. Our library contains over 25 historical books on each of these states plus the Eastern seaboard states. Pennsylvania books include: "30,000 Names of Immigrants in Pennsylvania"; "Pennsylvania Genealogies-Scotch, Irish, and German"; "Births, Deaths, Marriages of Nottingham Quakers".

As I said, a wealth of information is available in our library and it's all in McCook Nebraska. Come join us for research help, 110 West C, Suite M-3 any Tuesday or Thursday from 1:30-4 p.m.