The Genealogy of One of Shaker's Favorite Sons

Learn little-known facts and amazing details about the family history of one of Shaker Heights' most famous sons, actor Paul Newman. Dr. Deborah Abbott will explore Newman's life story from a genealogist's perspective beginning at 7 pm Tuesday, September 17 at Main Library. This is the second in an occasional series, Genealogies of Famous Shakerites, cosponsored by the Ohio Genealogical Society.

Besides being informative about Paul Newman's background, the program may inspire you to look into your own family history. Don’t know where to begin? Visit Shaker Library and ask for a quick tutorial on the library’s genealogy tools. Free access to the same resources the pros use will have you learning about your heritage in no time.

The library subscribes to many genealogical resources and services like Ancestry® Library Edition and HeritageQuest® Online, distributed by ProQuest, the company that powers research in the world’s top universities, schools and genealogy centers. Simple to use, Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest Online are stocked with billions of records, like census data, city directories, cemeteries, wills and probates, and immigration information.

If your need more personalized help, you can Book-a-Librarian to help get you started. During a 30- to 50-minute session you can get search tips and learn shortcuts so you can make discoveries on your first try. Once your feet are wet, you can continue your research in the library. Some of the resources may be available remotely through the library’s website – which is open 24/7.

What should you bring to the library besides your curiosity? Make a list of relatives with details you know about them – birth and death dates, places where they lived, companies they worked for, military service, etc. That information will give you starting points for your research and you can add more details as your research progresses.

“Genealogy is growing in popularity for a reason,” said Dr. Abbott. “It’s fun, fascinating and you can get started right in your own neighborhood – at Shaker Library.”

In addition to interesting programs and free genealogical databases, Shaker Library and the African American Genealogical Society present Genealogy at the Library the fourth Saturday mornings at Main Library when topics of interest to both beginning and seasoned genealogists are presented by the African American Genealogical Society. A short business meeting, which is open to all, is followed by a presentation, small group meetings on specific topics and genealogy troubleshooting. All are welcome and can learn from expert genealogists.