Origins and History of the Genealogy Clearing House Brayton Collection:
Upper South-Eastern States
(Referred to as “The Brayton Collection”)
The Collection Contains:
- Family Group Binders (560 binders)
- Pedigree Charts (8 binders)
- Correspondences (1,890 correspondences)
- Family Folders (169)
The Genealogy Clearing House was established by Tina Brayton (1910-1991), a charter member of the GSSCC (Genealogical Society of Santa Cruz County) and owner/manager of The Genealogy Clearing House (1959-1981).
The Genealogy Clearing House’s Brayton Collection was originally designed to serve three purposes:
- to help eliminate duplication of effort for genealogists researching the same families or geographic areas
- to correct data errors: dates of family events, names, and omissions such as children who died in infancy, etc.
- to assist Ms. Brayton with her own family research
As her ancestors had at one time resided in:
- Kentucky
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- and, West Virginia
personal genealogical records that were collected by Ms. Brayton included at least one actual (or approximate) date of birth, marriage, death, or residency of ancestors in one of said states.
However, many records that have no references to any Southern states were accepted and included in the collection.
If a member of The Genealogy Clearing House, for the annual $2.00 membership fee (increased to $6.00 in 1975), would submit family group sheets in accordance with Ms. Brayton’s format, he or she would receive information on file pertaining to those families of interest.
Addresses of members researching the same family were not included in the reply correspondence as Ms. Brayton did not want members writing to each other, thus potentially failing to keep The Genealogy Clearing House informed of new materials and proof of records.
The GSSCC Library became the repository of Ms. Brayton’s collection upon her death in 1991. After Ms. Brayton’s passing, no additional material has been added to the Brayton Collection.
The ONLY copy of this collection is the property of, and is housed in, the Genealogy/California room of Santa Cruz Public Library, 224 Church Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Please, contact the Genealogy and Local California History Library, part of the Santa Cruz Public Library’s downtown branch, for more information.
Currently (December 2012), Mary Parker, GSSCC’s office manager: (831) 427-7707, ext. 5794, is the person to whom you should address your Tina Brayton Collection questions. She is the resident expert on the collection and would be happy to show any member (or non-member) how to navigate the genealogical treasures it holds.
Maybe this special collection can break down a brick wall for you!
Thank you!