|
 For
the past several months, Donath has been scanning historical
artifacts and doing research for YouTube videos he has been
creating. Donath uses the free software DaVinci Resolve to set up
these videos. He uses two cell phones and the camera he uses for
digitizing items to make the videos.
To show how he sets up and edits the videos, Donath shared the steps
involved. First, Donath adds photos and then sound with his
voiceovers to describe processes like digitizing. For slideshows of
images, he adds background music to the video. The videos are used
to tell a story.
When Donath works on the videos, he can control the sound volume and
the brightness of the images.
Each video opens with a photo of the Logan County
Genealogical and Historical Society sign followed by an image of the
building’s front window. The final image provides contact
information for the society.
One of the first videos Donath made this past March discusses the
vertical file collection he and others have been digitizing and
organizing at the Logan County Genealogical and Historical Society
building.
Using a file cabinet the society already had, Donath
has been alphabetizing the files including miscellaneous pages.
LCGHS is working on setting up digital representations of each page.
Donath said they get many emails requesting information, so having
digital files they can send to people is important.
To digitize documents, Donath uses a VuPoint Magic Wand scanner. He
attaches the scanner to the computer using the USB port. An electric
eye on the scanner reads the document and gives an image number to
each page.
Once the artifacts are scanned, Donath checks the computer to see
how the images look. He will then make a spreadsheet of the
artifacts in the file to create the indexes.
Another video Donath has created talks about humidifying and
pressing the papers. A humidifying tub “hydrates” historical papers
like maps and other documents. It takes three days to humidify the
papers. If there is an item with mold or mildew on it, Donath said
they add a capful of concentrated Lysol to the water. A press is
then used to flatten and dry the papers before digitizing them.
Many paper artifacts the society receives are tightly wrapped. In
2017, Donath said the society received the “Shew collection” found
in a walled off area of the MKS Jewelry Store. Between seven and
nine boxes included about 700 issues of the old Lincoln Herald
newspaper. Donath put the newspapers in chronological order by month
and year. Most of these papers were from 120 to 140 years ago and
some were covered in dirt.
A different collection includes copies of a newsletter called the
Charitable Observer. This newsletter shared information from
Lincoln’s Asylum for Feeble Minded Children, later known as the
Lincoln Developmental Center.
In two separate videos, Donath shows how to digitize newspapers and
index newspapers.
Some videos Donath has made are of the contents of
what he refers to as fire logs. These fire logs have brown paper
wrapped around rolled paper artifacts.
As one LCGHS member said, [the artifacts shown in] these images
provide a Who’s Who of Lincoln and Logan County in the late 1800’s.
Fire Log 1 Slides 1 is a slideshow of artifacts from
one fire log includes the images Donath found the most interesting.
There were ads for stores in Lincoln such as Akers and Smysor, which
sold stoves and ranges. Other ads were for A. Bree Furniture Store,
Boston Clothing and Shoe House in Lincoln, Alexander and Layman
Fancy Grocers and Adam Denger Grocer.
Some ads shown are from Companies like A. C. Boyd and
Sons Milliners, Citizens’ Coal Mining Company, the Cork Faced Collar
Company and Lincoln Roller Mill.
At 134 Tenth Street in Lincoln, H. C. Alexander offered standard
bred heavy weight light Brahmas along with selling eggs.
Atlanta’s L. M. Coons, a veteran stock dresser posted
an ad saying he “gives castrating, spaying and deworming his entire
attention” and would do “work cheaper than anyone.”
The business card for Andrew Armstrong of Beason shows he was a
breeder of Hambletonian and Clydesdale horses, Poland-China hogs and
shorthorn cattle. Several other ads were for sales of racing horses
and provided their pedigree.
W. N. Bock Wallpaper and Stationery posted a notice about a
“beautiful and valuable collection of etchings and engravings” to be
shown at the business on Friday, October 23, 1891.
John A. Lutz Carpet and Millinery posted an ad
September 12, 1888, inviting “snowbirds with all their relations and
friends to call and see the best stock of dry goods, carpets and
millinery, at lowest prices in the county.”
[to top of second column] |
Cards for both the Bank of Elkhart and First National
Bank are also shown in the video.
Other images include a Broadway theater ticket, an
old school calendar and old abstracts. Also shown is a ticket for a
November 14, 1886, lecture on “Religion and Life” by the Right
Reverend J. L. Spaulding at Gillett’s Hall in Lincoln.
In Fire Log 1 Slides 3, Donath included images of several business
cards from the 1880s. Businesses represented are Randolph and
Company Machinery, J. B. Paisley and Son Dealers in Staple and Fancy
Groceries, Parker and Son Grocers, Randolph and Company Grain
Merchants, John A. Lutz (Dry Goods) Company, Wah Lee Laundry and
several others.
An ad for Regner and Morgan Artistic Upholsterers says they have a
full line of upholstered goods and mattresses of all kinds
constantly in stock. The Wodetzki Manufacturing Company manufactured
mattresses, awnings, tents and goods of all kinds and said they
could get “upholstering done on short notice.”
C. W. Richards was selling Ladies’ Oxfords for 98
cents.
C. E. Ross’s ad says the company has the World’s
Washer that “saves the most labor [and] takes best care of clothes.”
Members were talking about how much washing machines have improved
since then.
Voepel Brothers on 126 Chicago Street were manufacturers of Choice
Grade Cigars.
E. M. Schuler had raffle tickets good for one chance
on a 17 x 21 art medallion to be drawn January 1, 1899, at Schuler’s
Drug Store.
C. C. Ewing farm a half mile west of Lawndale posted an ad for a
sale of 18 head horses, 60 head of cattle, 300 head of sheep and 50
head of hogs. Another man who had sold his farm had an ad for a
December 13, 1898, sale of work horses, a span mule, Jersey cows,
Poland-China Gilts and various farm equipment.
Several lists of horses for sale show their names and pedigrees.
A business card for Dr. Katharine Miller, whose office was on
Broadway Street, was an interesting find since there were few female
doctors in the 1880s. Donath said Dr. Miller served on the Lincoln
College board and was a secretary of the Brainard Medical Society.
Veterinary Surgeon Dr. C. M. Young’s business card
provided his “resume” showing he was a U.S. Army veteran for six
years then practiced veterinary surgery in Nashville, Illinois for
twelve years; Carlinville, Illinois for two years and three months
and Lincoln, Illinois for seven years.
In an ad for Real Estate Man and Promoter J. M. Morris of Lincoln,
Morris says he can exchange bargains in the best neighborhood, in
the best town, in the best counties in the best states in the union.
The video also includes images of a program for a Grand Masque Ball,
a Mozart Chorale Union and a May 29, 1888, recital by Mrs. K. D.
Thomas’ piano students.
One image is a list of Scully tenants sent to the grain elevators
telling the elevator operators not to accept any grain from the
tenants unless they could prove their taxes were paid. Other lists
were for Stock sales of pigs and sheep.
The images of the ads, business cards and programs in
these videos provide a glimpse of life in Logan County in the
1880’s.
Besides the informative and instructional videos Donath has created,
he also has been recording and posting videos of the 2023 LCGHS
meetings.
To watch these videos and many others Donath has posted, go to the
YouTube channel LoganCoil1839. The videos offer a glimpse into the
past of Logan County and how to preserve the information.
There are currently about 22 videos on the channel and Donath is
continuing to create and post videos. Donath said he has 14 more
fire logs to go through and will make videos from those logs.
Next month’s meeting will be held at the Logan County Genealogical
and Historical Society Building on Monday, August 21 at 6:30 p.m.
LCGHS member Gary Dodson will share his research on the Kickapoo
Indians in the area many years ago.
[Angela Reiners]
 |
