2017 Heritage Preservation Award

Tony Hanson

Tony was awarded the 2017 Heritage Preservation Award for his accomplishments in regard to preserving and making accessible publications of  the Dallas Genealogical Society. This page documents his work.

DGS PUBLICATIONS

In 2017 Tony’s eight years of work to collect, digitize, and make accessible complete runs of all the publications (newsletters, quarterlies, and journals) of the DGS since its inception in 1955 was completed. His almost singular achievement of preserving and making publicly available the Society’s publications on the DGS website will help insure that this rich source of family history content and Society history will endure into the future.

Paper Newsletter

Available online at https://dallasgenealogy.org/publications/newsletters/

A newsletter in paper format was published from 1955 through 1963, and from 1976 through January, 2015. Tony created an online repository on the DGS website by personally reimaging PDF files created by Pat and Jim Stone for newsletters pre-1964, and by obtaining and creating digital images for the newsletters 1976-2015.

Electronic Newsletter

Available online at https://dallasgenealogy.org/publications/eblasts/ E-blast: 2010

• February, 2016 eNews: 2016 – present

Journal

Of particular note are the efforts Tony has put forth to secure grant funding and to raise funds to make the DGS journals available on The Portal to Texas History.

1. “The Quarterly”: Published annually 1955-1994

All issues currently in the production queue at The Portal to Texas History

• 1964-1994
  • Available online at https://dallasgenealogy.org/publications/quarterlies/
  • Included reimaging PDF files created by Pat and Jim Stone
• Obtained a grant ($1000) and raised additional funds (c. $4000 via 2017 North Texas Giving Day) to digitize 1955 – 1994 Quarterlies

2. “Dallas Journal”: Published annually 1995 -2012

Available online at https://dallasgenealogy.org/publications/journals/

• Initiated and led the effort to have the 1995 – 2010 Journals digitized and placed on the Portal to Texas History (DGS funded – $1700)
• Obtained a “Rescuing Texas History, 2015” grant from the University of North Texas to digitize 2011-2012.
• All issues available online at The Portal to Texas History

3. “Pegasus: Journal of the Dallas Genealogical Society”: Published bi-annually 2013-2016

Available online at https://dallasgenealogy.org/publications/pegasus/

• 2013-2014: On The Portal to Texas History
• Funded in part by a “Rescuing Texas History, 2016” grant from the University of North Texas.

WEBMASTER (2010-2015)

• Retrieved archived versions of records from earlier website implementations and made them available on the current website (County Tax Records, District Court Records Indexes, Marriage Records, Mortality Schedules)
  • Available online at https://dallasgenealogy.org/local-records/
• Worked with Shirley Sloat to convert Microsoft Word fiche data into an online searchable database of nearly 4000 sheets of fiche ordered for the Dallas Public Library by the DGS
  • Available online at https://dallasgenealogy.org/DGS_Apps/Fische_Index.php
• Converted cemetery records from spreadsheets into an online searchable database containing nearly 37,000 records (Barbara Ware & others)
  • Available online at https://dallasgenealogy.org/DGS_Apps/DGS_Cemetery.php?Cemetery=All

PROBATE RECORDS

• Obtained grant to digitize 35 rolls of microfilm and make 3100 cases available on the Portal to Texas History
• Led effort to transcribe the index and create a unique metadata description for each of the 3100 cases
• Led the effort to determine the date range for each case and revised the metadata for each case on the portal
• Available online at https://dallasgenealogy.org/local-records/probate-records/
• Available online at https://texashistory.unt.edu/explore/collections/DCPR/

MCGOWAN FUNERAL HOME RECORDS

• Created a searchable online database of records previously transcribed into a Microsoft Access database
• Created a web-based program to allow multiple transcribers to enter data directly into the database
• Available online at https://dallasgenealogy.org/local-records/mcgowan-funeral-home/

OTHER DGS PUBLICATIONS

• Cataloged publications created by the DGS
• Digitized all that were available and made them available on the DGS website
• Available online at https://dallasgenealogy.org/publications/publications/