May’s GeneaGem will be of interest with those having Appalachian ancestors. The Archives of Appalachia is housed at East Tennessee State University and features more than 17,000 items in 170+ individual collections.

Some of these collections are definitely genealogically oriented. For those lucky enough to have Templeton ancestors who came from Scott County, Virginia, just take a look at the featured collection – Templeton Family Papers, 1816-1914! Items include land deeds, tax receipts, agreements, summons, a folk remedy, affidavits and estate papers. I’d give my eye teeth to find something like that pertaining to a branch of my family tree.

There are also a number of historical photographs, which provide a glimpse into ordinary every day life of Appalachian residents.

Business papers feature prominently, but the Cameron-Powell Store Ledger 1834-1862 makes for interesting reading and anyone related to the Barrus or Sherfey families have won the lottery with their genealogy items. The most common type of collection on the website is probably the collections of family papers, which don’t say “genealogy” in the title, but include quite a number of surnames.

Also in the collection are a few diaries and journals, church records, a postcard collection and even a new collection – Telling Your Story – Documenting Covid-19 in East Tennessee 2020-2021.

This is an excellent regional collection and one that is growing. If you have Appalachian ancestry, be sure to check it out.