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By Sierra Kondos

Special to the News

The Port Arthur Public Library is a conducive place for residents to discover their roots. Genealogy Sleuthing is used to trace family roots back through generations to establish a medical history, find family connections, and to ground an individual’s life within a greater context of time and place. One only needs a library card and a desire to uncover the truth.

The Port Arthur Public Library is located at 4615 9th Avenue.

The Port Arthur Librarians, Carolyn Thibodeaux and Rachel Scott, both agree that the only thing one needs to know to begin is The Golden Rule.

“The Golden Rule of Genealogy is to start with yourself and work backwards in time to research your family history,” Scott said. “This method is also known as ‘working from the known to the unknown.’ If the researcher has basic computer skills, they can begin immediately. If not, they can request help from a librarian ahead of time by utilizing the Book-A-Librarian by calling the library and reserving a time. Once on the computer, Google Chrome will pull up the library’s data website. You will click on databases, then genealogy and choose Ancestry Library Edition. Then you click on Search and a basic search engine appears. This is where you begin entering information you already know.”

The bookshelves in the room contain various forms of documents ranging from microfilm and obituaries to newspapers and yearbooks.

“Some of the microfilm have red X’s on them due to damage from Hurricane Harvey,” she said. “However, we are beginning to restore them. We also have the Abear records, genealogy records compiled by a priest in Louisiana. Not only do we have records from Southwest Louisiana, but we also have the Diocese of Baton Rouge, the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Polk City directories, the passenger lists from Ellis Island, and record information from other states, as well as, other countries.”

Thibodeaux says the library has partnership entities that support genealogical research.

“Not only do we have Ancestry,” she said. “But we also have access to The Portal to Texas History which is through the University of North Texas out of Denton. They are also helping us with the preservation of the African American records. Also, it would be beneficial to create a free family search account through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website as well. You do not have to be a member to have access to it.”

Researchers can utilize www.texashistory.unt.edu to locate photos of Port Arthur.

“You want to see if maybe a relative was from Port Arthur,” Thibodeaux said. “You would just go to here, hit photographs, hit search, and it shows all the pictures. You can go to collections, and it not only has collections from the Port Arthur Public Library, but also collections from the Museum of the Gulf Coast, as well as around the state.”

Tracing family roots back through generations may seem like a daunting task. However, this endeavor may help someone connect more deeply with their sense of self by learning about their family’s past—where they came from, who they were, what they did, the trials they overcame, the accomplishments they achieved, and the dreams they had.

To Book-A-Librarian call (409) 985-8838.