Society Saturday - Extraction Materials Come in Different Forms

Editor's note: Today's post was written by  Sandra Gardner-Benward


.....here is one of the many projects Root Cellar SGS Extraction Committee is working on each Friday at the Center for Sacramento History is the

             Coroner’s Inquest Records (1850-1979)

Boxes will be “pulled” from the vault by History Center staff and made available for Volunteers. Right now there are 5 members working on this particular project.

When beginning a new box, volunteer will enter his/her name on the master log sheet as the person taking responsibility for that box, including the Box Number.

Each box contains a number of manila file folders.  Volunteer will identify each file folder as to its box and file number, i.e., Box “00:1,” “00:2,” etc.

Each file folder within the box contains a number of inquest cases.  The volunteer will organize the cases within each folder alphabetically, with the coroner’s record as the top page, then a legal size sheet of archival paper will be placed as the first page of that case, showing the Last Name, First Name, and Box/File Folder Number in the upper right corner of the archival paper.  Once each file folder has been organized, a spreadsheet is created with the following data for each case:  Last Name, First Name, Date of Birth, Age, Nativity, Date of Death, Cause of Death, Box and File Number.

Upon completion of data entry for all file folders in the box, box is identified as being “complete and ready for proofreading,” with notation made on the master log sheet that the box is complete.

The box is then proofread.  Notation is made on the master log sheet that the proofing is complete, then the box is returned to storage.

All the information is entered into each members laptop using a specific spreadsheet form. The information is added as they work through their file folders in their box. Weekly work is saved to their laptop, and 'saved as' to a special thumb drive that goes to the coordinator of all this work. She creates the publications from all the information. Eventually it is included on our publication list on our website. Check it out and see what we have done.....and been doing for many of years.

This is only a sampling of what could be in any folder. You just never know what you will find. 

Did you notice how brittle the paper is? We are very careful handling all the documents.

Check out our website to see all the publications we have completed over the years. Yes, check it out and see,  is there something there that will help you or your society in researching  ancestors? 

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