Unpublished family autobiography

Just when you think you have an understanding of how to cite your genealogy documents something else pops up. My grandfather wrote an account of his life including information about our ancestors, location history and a hand-drawn map of his childhood hometown, which no longer exist. Footnotes were included as to where he found information on our ancestors. He typed up this account in a book form giving it a title and then gave each one of his children a copy. Many years after receiving his copy, my dad typed the book into his computer, added pictures and increased the font size to make it 84 pages and had it printed and bound into a book. Copies of this book was then distributed to the Allen County Library, Fort Wayne Concordia Seminary, Perry County Historical Lutheran Society and various other friends and family members. There is valuable information and great genealogy stories that I would like to reference in my genealogy records. My question is how do I cite it? I have ruled out a book because there is no publisher. I am debating among citing it as a 3.5 unpublished narrative, 3.25 private family artifact, or 3.30 family records (non-Bible). I am still new to understanding citations and have combed through my Evidence Explained book that I think I have myself a bit confused as to how to cite this book. Any help or advice wouldbe greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

 

 

Submitted byEEon Wed, 05/31/2017 - 08:03

Tami, if he had it printed and bound and distributed it to libraries, then it's a published book—typicallly called "self-published" or "privately printed." The publisher is your grandfather.  Turn to EE 12.8 and 12.20.

My grandfather wrote the book. Then after my grandfather's death, my dad transcribed the book, added pictures, and had the book printed and it was my father who distributed the book to the libraries. So would I use my grandfather as the author and my dad as the transcriber (12.9) and publisher?

Submitted byEEon Sat, 06/03/2017 - 10:50

Tami, sorry I didn't see this message sooner.  By "transcribe," should we assume you mean that your father typed (or retyped) what your grandfather wrote, then added pictures, etc.? If so, it's likely that your father (as most do, in that situation) also tidied up the grammar, spelling, and punctuation, along with adding material. Even if he faithfully rendered the original version, with no alterations (which is what transcription means), the fact that he added material goes beyond transcription. It would seem appropriate to identify your father's role as "editor." You might also identify him as the publisher or, more simply, use "Privately printed" in the publisher field.

Submitted byWibbuson Sun, 07/30/2017 - 20:02

I am struggling with how to cite an artifact similar to Tami's.  It is a family history that was mimeographed and distributed to family, but not to libraries, so I  don't think it qualifies as "published."  Or does it?  

I think it could be described as an "authored manuscript" (3.29), but it is not a journal or a diary.  Or would Family Records (Non-BIble) (3.30) be better?

Since it is written as a narrative, maybe I should describe it as an Unpublished Manuscript (3.22).

Thank you in advance for advising me.

Submitted byEEon Mon, 07/31/2017 - 21:07

Wibbus, as you describe it ("a family history that was mimeographed and distributed to family, but not to libraries"), it would be considered an "authored manuscript."  We would use "Family Records (Non-Bible)" for, say, a handed-down sheet or two on which someone listed births, marriages, and deaths in the manner in which they would be entered into a Bible, with no attempt to write a narrative or historical account of the people.

This intrigued me.  I have written a large book fully evidenced with pictures and proof but for family use only. A copy will be given to most current members (about 10 people). As it has current generation name and birth date details in it I was concerned about submitting for publishing and putting in a library for anyone to get those current details.

I have written it with a standard good enough for publishing.  Should I therefore put in Preface page that it is 'self printed', so if future generations find it in grandmas cupboard and want to do the same to submit to a library.

Rob

 

Submitted byEEon Tue, 08/01/2017 - 09:56

Rob, the title page of the book is where a book is expected to identify the title, author, publisher, place of publication, and date.

When we do not use a publisher, the standard phrase to go in that position on the title page is "privately printed." EE 12.40 offers further suggestions for handling these situations—including possible placement of the author's contact information on the copyright page (backside of the title page).

Submitted bycwhermann28on Mon, 10/19/2020 - 18:56

I have a copy of a "printed" family genealogy book that my GG Uncle complied citing information provided by his Uncle along with other published works.

The title page lists no date or publisher, but at the time of printing, ca 1923 my GG Uncle was the publisher of a Newspaper and I am sure the printing was done at the paper. No one in the extended family is aware of any bound books, but copies were provided to the Great Grand children of the subject.  To complicate maters the work is unpaginated and I was provided a copy of the "book" by my aunt who inherited it from her mother who was one of the great grand children.

There is valuable information and great genealogy stories that I would like to reference in my genealogy records. My question is how to cite the information provided by the compilers uncle.  I have ruled out a book because there is no publisher. I have put together a draft citation using a combination of 3.29, Authored Manuscript and 3.30 family records (non-Bible) and personal artifact.  In the [annotation] field, I would provide information to locate the page with the information on it, something like:  Part IV - Hinmans in New York.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

Footnote: Jesse R. Hinman, compiler, A History of the Hinmans in America From 1650 to 1921: Abbreviated Record of the Direct Descendants of Sergeant Edward Hinman to the Great-grand Sons of Orin Willard Hinman (n.p. : n.p., about 1923), unpaginated, [Annotation]; citing personal history from Abner Hinman; copy provided to Ruby (Roach) Aherin, a great granddaughter of Orin Willard Hinman, during ca 1959 trip to Illinois to visit Hinman family relatives; currently contained in personal papers privately held by First Last [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] City, State, daughter of Ruby Aherin, a copy of which was provided to each of Ruby Aherin’s daughters; copy provided to First Last [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] City, State by First Last, daughter of Ruby Aherin, in October 2019.

 

Short Footnote: Hinman, A History of the Hinmans in America From 1650 to 1921, [Annotation]; personal papers of Ruby May (Roach) Aherin.

 

Bibliography: Personal papers of Ruby May (Roach) Aherin. Privately held by First Last [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] State. Photocopies privately held by First Last [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] City, State. Family history papers of Ruby Aherin were inherited by her daughter, First Last, who made copies for First Last [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE] City State. Hinman, Jesse R., A History of the Hinmans in America From 1650 to 1921: Abbreviated Record of the Direct Descendants of Sergeant Edward Hinman to the Great-grand Sons of Orin Willard Hinman. N.p.: n.p., about 1923.

Submitted bycwhermann28on Mon, 10/19/2020 - 22:02

All markings/under lines in the images were due to my needs for SAR application. The my master copy (not scanned) does not have these notations and/or marks.

Submitted byEEon Tue, 10/20/2020 - 09:33

cwhermann28, based upon your original description of the work and the images you've provided, EE would treat this like a book.  It's not a manuscript, script or typed, for which only one copy exists. It was professionally typeset and distributed. Yes, it's missing the place and name of publisher, but many author-published books lack that data.

EE12.15 "Publication Facts: Details, Missing" and 12.20 "Self-published Works" show how to handle the missing elements. Given that it's a limited edition, you might then want to add a sentence or two to explain what you know about the book's provenance and distribution and identify the source from which you obtained your copy.

Interestingly, that is where I started, then convinced myself that I needed to add the other layers to the footnote and changed the Bibliography to reflect the personal papers aspect.

So if I understand correctly, since the first layer of my footnote follows the self published works and the subsequent layers explain the provenance, distribution and how I obtained the copy, it can be left as is. (maybe re-working the subsequent layers into more of a sentence or two.)

I just need to change the Bibliography to reflect the book without any mention of the provenance and how I obtained it.

Maybe, what I am asking is for clarification on where the  "sentence of two" you suggest goes.  Should it be in the footnote or the bibliography?