Fort Bend County Libraries’ Genealogy & Local History Department will present two online programs in April for local-history buffs and family-history researchers.
On Monday, April 19, Genealogy and Local History department manager Daniel Sample will present “A History of the Old Richmond Jail.” Sample will share a tour and brief history of the old jailhouse in Richmond, Texas.
Richmond Jail
On Monday, April 26, Carol Beauchamp will present “Family-History Research: The Southern Claims Commission Records.” The records created by the Southern Claims Commission provide a wealth of information for genealogists. In 1871, Congress established the Southern Claims Commission to compensate southerners, who had been loyal to the Union during the Civil War, for property taken or destroyed by the Union Army. Claimants had to answer a lengthy set of questions pertaining to their losses. These records also include testimonies from relatives, neighbors, friends, former slaves, and free people of color to support the claimants’ stories. Beauchamp will demonstrate how to access and navigate through this unique set of records.
These online, pre-recorded videos can be viewed on the Fort Bend County Libraries website – www.fortbend.lib.tx.us — by clicking on the “Classes and Events” tab and selecting “Virtual Programs,” and then finding the programs on the dates listed.
For more information, call the Fort Bend County Libraries’ Communications Office (281-633-4734).