Matthews Public Library is hosting a scavenger hunt for local history buffs to unearth the stories of several prominent Lebanon County residents.
The event, which is geared toward adults interested in genealogy, asks participants to use the library’s genealogy resources to find out more about a Medal of Honor recipient, a military hero, and a vaudeville act, all with ties to Lebanon County.
“It’s the perfect diversion for history buffs, especially those interested in local history,” librarian Angela Michael said in a release.
Michael created the scavenger hunt, which is designed for multiple experience levels and is being released in three parts: the Marquette and Patch editions are already available, and the Trix Edition will be released July 21. Participants can pick up a worksheet at the library’s circulation desk and use Ancestry Library Edition on one of the library’s public computers to find historical documents and answer questions.
Completed scavenger hunts handed in at the library by Aug. 15 will be entered into a prize drawing. According to the release, the Genealogy Scavenger Hunt is designed to test participants’ basic, civic-social, and information literacy.
Michael said the event focuses on three historical figures:
- Charles D. Marquette served in the Civil War after enlisting at the age of 16 in 1861 and is the first Lebanon Countian to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his service in the Siege of Petersburg, during which he captured the enemy’s flag. Lake Marquette at Fort Indiantown Gap was named in his honor
- Gen. Alexander M. Patch grew up in the Donaghmore/Patch mansion in Lebanon. He attended the U.S. Military Academy and received a commission in the U.S. Army in 1913. He served during World War I and, in World War II, he served in multiple posts at home and overseas and received the Army Distinguished Service Medal three times for his service.
- Josephine Trix, nee Yeiser, was born in 1898 in Newmanstown, where her family owned a farm. Yeiser’s elder sister, Helen, had already begun a singing career and recruited Josephine as her performance partner. They began performing in New York City under the stage name the Trix Sisters and became a successful vaudeville act in London and Paris after World War I.
“The selection of documents concerning particular individuals available on Ancestry Library Edition was also a factor in selecting the subjects for the scavenger hunt,” Michael said. “For example, individuals living during the first half of the 19th century and earlier often did not have as wide of a selection of documents available on Ancestry and this factor served to eliminate them as potential candidates.”
For more information, visit Matthews Public Library at 102 W. Main St., Fredericksburg, or call 717-865-5523. Information is also available online.
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