My Conference Badge & My Rock Star RibbonBack from Jamboree and did I have fun? It was fan-tastic! And I am a fan of each and every GeneaBlogger I met. What a group of (as Randy Seaver [Genea-Musings] has coined) GeneaBabes and GeneaHunks.After spending time with these wonderful GeneaBloggers, I have a few observations about this group as a whole. GeneaBloggers have tons of personality, not a shrinking violet in the group. Personality is followed closely by a great sense of humor, intelligence, good looks, and being vertically unchallenged. Many of them are tall, really tall.It was an…
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footnoteMaven
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You Love Them Online - They're Even Better In Person
29 Jun 2009 | 10:16 am -
I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane
25 Jun 2009 | 10:36 amMy bags are packed, I'm ready to go. California have you missed me, because I've missed you.Yes, I will be spending the weekend with my fellow geneaBloggers at the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree.My Moo-Mavens have arrived and I will be taking them with me. If I don't have them, how will anyone know who I am? Because, I'm not telling.I'll try to visit footnoteMaven with a few Jamboree updates. I can't guarantee it, though, Thomas has so much planned and Jamboree is so chocked full of treasures that it may be out of my control.I'm so excited! Did I mention, I'M SO EXCITED!Jamboree… -
“Justice and Independence” Call On The COG
21 Jun 2009 | 8:23 pm75th Edition of The COGThe topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy is:“Justice and Independence”Since our beginnings as a nation, the United States of America has seen changes with every year, every decade, and every century. Each generation adds growth to our lives, our communities, and our nation. One thing that has never changed, however, is our desire for Justice for those who wrong us and Independence from those who try to oppress us.- ¤ -This month’s COG asks you to relate to these conceptsof Justice and Independence in one or all of three ways:1. Tell a story of… -
Janice Brown Is Lost In The Puckerbrush and We Miss Her
17 Jun 2009 | 9:38 amIn Terry Thornton's blog post, One Blogger's Guide Through the Puckerbrush: The First Puckerbrush Blog Awards for Excellence, our host at the Hill Country of Monroe County asked, "Where is Janice Brown when we need her?" Where is she indeed.For quite a while now those of us who call Janice our friend, have been searching for her out in the Puckerbrush. I still drop by and read through her archives; that was until I read a Tweet that said Cow Hampshire had disappeared in a cloud of pixel dust in the blogosphere. I went to see for myself. It's true. Cow Hampshire is gone.I have to say this… -
Under The Boardwalk, Down By The Sea
15 Jun 2009 | 8:40 pmThe bathing suits in which you dressAre nothing much and mostly less,And as you saunter to and froA lot of family traits they show.~ J.P. McEvoy 1919 ~I marvel every time I look at the photograph below, how anyone thought they could swim in this outfit. A hat, a dress, stockings, and laced boots - all to go swimming? But look at the vintage poster above. The lovely mermaid is wearing a hat, a dress, and boots. I assume it was fashionable.This is a photograph of my Grandmother Greene when she was about eleven years old. Where she was going to go swimming is unknown; or even for that matter if…
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DearMYRTLE's Genealogy Blog
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Bloggers' Summit 2: Pics
27 Jun 2009 | 9:03 amDearREADERS,ABOVE: George G. Morgan (of the Genealogy Guys) who is moderating today's summit.Ol' Myrt here is reporting from the 2009 Southern California Genealogy Jamboree to be held this weekend, Friday through Sunday 26-28 June, at the Burbank Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, Burbank, California. From On the docket this morning:Saturday 9:30am-noon ~ Summit 2: Son of Blogger Panel Discussion. Genealogy bloggers, podcasters and video casters use the Internet in ways that have changed communications to genealogists and family historians. This panel discussion will cover a wide range of… -
11x17 and odd sized document storage solutions
27 Jun 2009 | 5:13 amFrom: sethw@11x17.comDearMYRTLE,I was recently reading your blog for May 12th 2009 and as it so happens we are a manufacture that carries 11x17 filing solutions. We are a small family owned business and finding these products can be teeth pulling, but we seem to be greatly appreciated once found. It may make a great notation to you followers. We carry over 300 products for 11x17, letter, legal, 13x19, 24x18 and were adding stuff everyday. Well, best of luck, and if you have any questions don’t hesitates to call on us.P.S. If you have any advice, or suggestions for products we can custom… -
Superfluous?
26 Jun 2009 | 8:34 amFrom: HughDearMYRTLE,Just a short informational note from a fairly serious genealogist. To be sure that I wasn't missing something personally or genealogically useful, I tried Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. My conclusions:Twitter may be fun for the teenies but for me it's another Internet waste of time. I have seen little of real use for Twitter. I've concluded that there isn't much serious communications that can fit within the 140 character limitation. It's not for me. I disconnected.YouTube: Potentially useful but needs improved content organization and better moderation. 80-90% of its… -
Live Roots Search Experience, Release Two
25 Jun 2009 | 8:33 amNOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was just received from our friend Illya at LiveRoots.com. Please address all inquiries to editor@genealogytoday.com. Please note that LiveRoots.com is one of Family Tree Magazine's 101 best web sites for 2009.Live Roots Search Experience, Release TwoBURBANK, Calif. - June 25, 2009 - Genealogy Today announced the second release of the Live Roots search experience. Included in this release are project management tools to help visitors keep track and organize the genealogical resources that they discover while using the search engine.Throughout the Live Roots… -
SoCal Jamboree 2009: On my way
24 Jun 2009 | 9:42 amDearREADERS,As we speak, Ol' Myrt here is in the middle of the desert with her car packed to the gills, on the way to participate as a speaker and exhibit hall vendor at the 2009 Southern California Genealogy Jamboree to be held this weekend, Friday through Sunday 26-28 June, at the Burbank Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, Burbank, California. From the Jamboree website:Jamboree has several speakers who form the core of the lecture faculty and who are frequent presenters at the conference. These speakers include Jana Broglin, CG; Bruce Buzbee; Bill Dollarhide; Arlene Eakle, Ph.D. FUGA;…
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Genea-Musings
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New Look for Ancestry.com Family Trees - Post 1
3 Jul 2009 | 4:10 pmI noticed yesterday that http://www.ancestry.com/ had made their "new look" permanent in their Member Family Trees. See A New Look for Ancestry Member Trees on the Ancestry.com blog for details of what they did - and read the comments from users too. Not everyone is happy about this - the "I hate every change" factor is alive and well!I like the look and feel of this family tree better than I liked the previous version. Ancestry.com says that it is faster - and I think it probably is (although I have no metrics for it), and am glad for that. Is it "fast enough?" Nothing is ever "fast enough,"… -
Facebook/Twitter Meetup at SCGS Jamboree
3 Jul 2009 | 9:29 amOkay, I'm just about done with my SCGS Jamboree photographs. Frankly, I wish that I had more to last the weekend as blog fodder (since my granddaughters are coming to visit). During Jamboree, there was a Facebook and Twitter face-to-face meeting scheduled at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Naturally, many geneabloggers, blog-readers, Facebook Friends and Twitter tweeters dropped by, and I managed to take some pictures:1) Madaleine Laird greeted me and said that she was a devoted GeneaMusings reader and thought that she might start a blog. Cool, I said - jump in! Here's Madaleine with "Rock Star" Amy… -
Online Family Trees - Post 1: What I Want
2 Jul 2009 | 7:13 pmAfter writing the Genealogy in the Cloud piece about how the "future of genealogy" is in using online databases, and not in desktop genealogy family tree software, I wrote What I Want in a Family Tree Program fully intending that it apply to both local computer software and online platforms.What I did not mention in my "wants" and "needs" for online family trees was:* If I make a change to my local software program - whether it be a name, date, place, relationship, image, note, source, etc., I want to be able to upload it to my online family tree also so that the two are synchronized (have… -
What really happened at Jamboree? Elizabeth tells all!
2 Jul 2009 | 1:28 pmI thought that I was done with SCGS Jamboree posts, but I can't help myself from posting this:Quick - click over to Little Bytes of Life, Elizabeth O'Neal's genealogy blog, and read her posts about the Jamboree, including:* JAMSTOCK '09: Massive Recycling Effort Underway at the Burbank Marriott* JAMSTOCK 09: Exclusive Video of the Geneabloggers Dinner* JAMSTOCK '09: What REALLY Happened at the Geneablogger Dinner* JAMSTOCK '09: Son of Blogger Jamfest Rocks the Marriott* JAMSTOCK '09: BREAKING NEWS* JAMSTOCK '09: Genealogists Stage Sit-In* JAMSTOCK '09: Let the Love Begin!Elizabeth's stories… -
Checking out the SCGS Jamboree Exhibits - Post 2
2 Jul 2009 | 8:48 amThere were many exhibitors at the SCGS Jamboree at the Burbank airport Hotel and convention Center last weekend. I took some pictures of some of them. Part 1 is here. Here is my second installment:1) I stopped by the Ancestry.com display on Friday afternoon and met Tony Macklin, who I've talked to on the telephone a few times:2) I had made arrangements with Lisa Louise Cooke to do an interview for her Genealogy Gems podcast on Friday afternoon, and her daughter Lacey took this picture afterwards:Kiril Kundurazieff (the Mad Macedonian) has a funny story on his blog about coming by Lisa's…
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kinexxions
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Wordless Wednesday :: Schooldaze ~ Seventh Grade
1 Jul 2009 | 5:00 amCopyright © 2009 Rebeckah R. Wiseman http://kinexxions.blogspot.com/ -
Tombstone Tuesday :: Christian and Eve Schuder
30 Jun 2009 | 11:30 amChristian Schuder and his wife, Anna Eva Christina (aka Eve) Stoever, are my 3rd great grandparents and also my 4th great grandparents! Their grandson Isaac Shuder married their great-granddaughter Nancy Jane Lavering.Christian and Eve were the parents of nine children: John (1795-1850) married Mary Elizabeth Gephart, Barbara (1797-1865) married Christopher Leighty, Peter (1799-1867) married Rebecca Barbara Huntsicker, Samuel (1803-1878) married Christena Shade, Catherine (1805-1876) married Christopher Leighty after her sister Barbara passed away, Elizabeth (1808-1863) married William… -
What's it all about? An Introduction to Kinexxions...
27 Jun 2009 | 5:15 amThere is certainly a lot going on out west right about now. Tops on the genealogist's list though is the Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree. It sure would be nice to be there with so many other geneabloggers but it just couldn't happen for me this year. If you've made your way here via the Jamboree - and even if you haven't - Welcome to Kinexxions!Two and a half years ago (January 12, 2007), after "lurking" around other genealogy blogs for a while, I finally gathered my nerve and started this blog. My original intent was to also include posts on the people and places of Whitley… -
Wordless Wednesday :: Schooldaze ~ Sixth Grade
24 Jun 2009 | 12:51 pmCopyright © 2009 Rebeckah R. Wiseman http://kinexxions.blogspot.com/ -
Family Lines :: The Fraternal Branches
22 Jun 2009 | 8:42 pmSeveral weeks ago, I posted my Mother's branches of the family lines that I'm researching, and today I'm following up with my Father's branches.Much of the research on these families has been done by my cousin, Caroline Conrad Fawley, and other researchers who have published books, websites and online data. I'm very appreciative and grateful for their research. For the most part, I've worked very little in original records on these lines. However, I have done extensive research in Indiana and Kentucky on the Bray and Wiseman lines and that data has been posted in my database at…
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The Virtual Dime Museum
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That Cosmopolitan Girl, 1887
3 Jul 2009 | 7:13 amHere is what the well-dressed modern young woman might have been wearing under her fashionable dress in the late 1880s. And these undergarments are both hygienic and artistic - a winning combination indeed!Mrs Fletcher's rival, Mrs. E.M. Van Brunt, was the subject of an earlier post here (hence the link!).I am trying to imagine what exactly a Breakfast Corset would have been like. Was it looser, so you could eat pancakes? And Corselettes were to be worn at the seaside under your bathing costume, apparently. Wait at least an hour after breakfast before you change into the Corselette,… -
Brooklyn's Favorite Palmist
1 Jul 2009 | 6:37 amA lady called Mrs. Hicks was "Brooklyn's favorite palmist" according to an 1898 classified ad - and indeed, she had something for everyone. She was a "life reader," reunited loved ones, removed "evil influences," and gave advice of all kinds. In the third week of November 1898, she had a special going in which you could get your future husband's photograph free with a reading.*The psychic Mrs. Hicks was also a Dermatologist who helped "Ladies Reduce Your Weight, Busts Etc. 5 Lbs Weekly, without medicine" - advocating modern weight-loss hypnosis decades ahead of her time. She was also an… -
The Magnetic Eye Cleaner
29 Jun 2009 | 7:45 amRiding in open motorcars back in the early 1900s, people tended to get a lot of dust and grit in their eyes. And steel and emery, too, apparently.So the Novel-Idea Company invented this Magnetic Eye Cleaner, which you would pass over your eyelid in the hope that it would (somehow) get the bits out of your eye.They have made it look rather like a magician's tool. But even though it was so exotic-looking, and came in a leather case, I would not have wanted to use this thing - would you?From Popular Mechanics, March 1909. -
Diploma In Parlor
26 Jun 2009 | 2:25 amLady Gonzales was a late Victorian clairvoyant working in Brooklyn, a rival of Countess Habeba's. She sometimes worked with an assistant, "Mme Sabina, the great palmist," with whom she advertised in 1899 (the ad on the right is from 1901).Lady Gonzalez had a diploma from the mysterious College of Science*, in the parlor for all to admire (perhaps the face-in-hand was the school crest). She charged four cents a question (three questions maximum) and gave, in return, detailed answers with "full names," a lucky birthstone and a horoscope.But like Countess Habeba, Lady Gonzalez had a true name… -
Victorian Talking Head
24 Jun 2009 | 7:35 amNowadays when someone mentions the phrase "talking head," one either thinks of a TV expert or the 1980s band Talking Heads. But back in the 1840s, you might think instead of the lady on the left.Phineas T. Barnum, the great Victorian showman, was delighted with his Talking Machine, though it was not one of his more popular exhibitions. I don't know why, exactly - perhaps it was too bizarre an experience for most people, to type letters and make a large head talk. It did have one eminent fan, though, as you will see.The Automaton consisted of an artifical woman's head in a box frame, attached…
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What's Past is Prologue
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Friday Five
3 Jul 2009 | 6:55 amPosts have been irregular of late, so welcome to my “Friday Five” – five short thoughts, tips, links, or comments that either aren’t lengthy enough to form a whole post or they actually have nothing to do with genealogy! 1 – The case of John Barnes and Stephen Damman I was surprised that this piece of news wasn’t picked up by more genea-blogs. John Barnes is convinced that he is not really a member of his family. After too many unanswered questions about his birth, he began to research missing children. After learning of the case of Stephen Damman,… -
Lampooning Vacations
27 Jun 2009 | 5:20 amWhile footnoteMaven is off to California for the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree, I’m blog-sitting today over at Shades of the Departed with my monthly “Weekend with Shades” column, The Humor of It. In keeping with the season, today’s article is “Vacation Lampoonery” with some tips on taking photographs that help you remember the humorous side of your summer vacations! 1985: Lou and Donna in front of St. Peter's, Rome, Italy. My first real vacation - with lots of lampoonery! Posted in The Humor of It Column -
Bavarian Main Street
16 Jun 2009 | 5:30 pmThis month’s theme for A Festival of Postcards is “Main Street”. My entry is connected to my family history in a different way than last month’s entry, which featured a card from a grand-uncle sent to my great-grandparents. München, Germany – Karlstor-Rondell This postcard is from the mid 1990’s, but it shows a vintage photograph of a main street in Munich, Germany. Unfortunately, the card does not indicate the date of this old photograph. Judging by the automobiles in the photo, I’d estimate that it was taken between 1900-1920. This main street… -
My Favorite Finds
15 Jun 2009 | 4:21 pmI just spent more time than I want to admit working on Bill West’s Genea-bloggers’ Just Make Up Some Lyrics Challenge! I’m used to making up lyrics to songs on the radio – yes, people think I’m strange. So I was lucky that Bill had such an excellent idea. I’m still strange, but now I have company! Oddly enough, I had seen the original post of the challenge as well as some of the great contributions so far. I even commented on footnoteMaven’s post today that I had better post mine before someone “steals” my song. Imagine my… -
Happy Graduation!
14 Jun 2009 | 5:00 amClass of 1948, St. Peter's Grade School, Philadelphia PA This is the time of year for graduations! My niece will graduate 8th grade this week, so in honor of the event I’ve posted this photograph of her grandfather graduating 8th grade in 1948. James Pointkouski is in the second row from the top, first person on the left. Also in that row at seventh from the left is Rita Bergmeister, his first cousin. Happy Graduation to all graduates from the Class of 2009! Posted in Bergmeister, Photographs, Piontkowski / Pointkouski
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Little Bytes of Life
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JAMSTOCK '09: Exclusive Video of the Geneablogger Dinner
30 Jun 2009 | 11:06 pmBURBANK - Little Bytes of Life has obtained this exclusive video of the Geneablogger Dinner from an anonymous source. It is not known who the anonymous source is, as the source is completely anonymous. And wants to stay that way. ____________________ DISCLAIMER: I believe that this one speaks for itself. Please, nobody hate me. Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal -
JAMSTOCK '09: Massive Recycling Effort Underway at the Burbank Marriott
30 Jun 2009 | 12:20 pmBURBANK - It was noted Saturday evening at the Geneablogger Dinner that the Daily Grill restaurant at the Burbank Airport Marriott serves extremely large portions of broccoli with their steak dinners. Many of the Geneabloggers did not eat their broccoli, and several were reportedly seen trying to give theirs away to frightened restaurant customers. So, what happens to all the uneaten broccoli at the Burbank Marriott? This reporter has discovered a disturbing similarity between the large... -
JAMSTOCK '09: What REALLY Happened at the Geneablogger Dinner
29 Jun 2009 | 12:51 pmBURBANK - More than 30 Geneabloggers mobbed the VIP room at the Daily Grill restaurant on Saturday evening. Several non-blogging restaurant patrons were seen running out the door as the Geneabloggers converged. Some of the contraband items confiscated from the bloggers. It is not known what purpose these items served, as none of the bloggers would tell. One blogger reportedly told a non-blogger that "if she was meant to know, she would have them." Several bloggers were seen wearing a black... -
JAMSTOCK '09: Son of Blogger Jamfest Rocks the Marriott
29 Jun 2009 | 11:45 amBURBANK - The headline event of Jamstock '09 was the "Son of Blogger" Jamfest, held at the exciting, newly-remodled Burbank Airport Marriott. 9 bloggers rocked the main stage: (L to R) Lisa Louise Cooke, Dick Eastman, Schelly Talalay Dardashti, DearMYRTLE (aka Pat Richley), Craig Manson, The Ancestry Insider (who came in cognito, but claimed to have a cold), Leland Meitzler, Stephen J. Danko, Ph.D., and George G. Morgan, who served as moderator. They are seen here being introduced by JAMSTOCK... -
JAMSTOCK '09: BREAKING NEWS
27 Jun 2009 | 11:01 amBURBANK - Dozens of geneabloggers attempted to bring down the Burbank Marriott's wi-fi system by simultaneously blogging and Twittering during the "Son of Blogger" Jamfest. Randy Seaver, pictured above (top right), was responsible for the majority of the Tweets, and was quoted as saying, "We want to see the hastag #scgs09 become a trending topic, or else!" Randy is known for stirring up unrest in the genealogy community with his blog Genea-Musings. The geneabloggers remained quiet during the...
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AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors
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A New Discovery: Got Genealogy?
3 Jul 2009 | 9:39 amA couple of weeks ago, I read a message from a woman on a genealogy mailing list. She had found a new online genealogy resource and was eager to share it. She then shared the name and URL of this "new" resource, and I realized it was a website that I have been visiting for nearly two years now. "New" to her was not new to me. That is the disadvantage or advantage, depending upon one's perspective, of being a genealogy blogger with access to the latest press releases. You learn about all the latest and greatest as they happen, but then you also start believing there isn't anything "new" out… -
Friday Findings: Magazines and a Bonanza
3 Jul 2009 | 2:00 amI haven't done Friday Findings in a while, and am hoping to get back on track with it. It's a great way to keep track of any research I've done or discoveries I've made over the past week.I received the September 2009 issue of Family Tree Magazine and the July/August 2009 issue of Discovering Family History. Both have great articles, as usual, and they both had articles on the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). NARA is the focus of FTM's web guides series, and DFH had an article on NARA field branches.In an earlier post this week, I mentioned how my uncle had arrived from… -
Things She's Learned About Blogging
2 Jul 2009 | 6:44 amOne of my favorite non-genealogy blogs is Scribbit: A Blog about Motherhood in Alaska. Anyone who's read my blog for any amount of time is sure to understand why I'm a fan: the child from Alaska enjoys reading the work of the mother from Alaska. Even though I never lived in Anchorage like Michelle Mitchell does, there is just something about living in Alaska that is an automatic bond between people (not unlike being a geneablogger!). Michelle is a very well known Mom Blogger, and if you know anything about blogs beyond genealogy, you'll know that Mom Bloggers are huge in the social… -
FamilySearch Indexing Update: Czech Republic, South Africa, Mexico, and Deutschland Projects Added
1 Jul 2009 | 4:32 pmOverviewIndexers waiting for projects from the Czech Republic, Baden, Germany, or South Africa can now get busy. New indexing projects added this week are:Czech Republic, Litomerice Kirchenbücher, 1552–1905 [Part 1]Deutschland, Baden—Kirchenbücher, 1810-1869Mexico DF Registros Parroquiales, 1886–1933 [Part 1]South Africa, Cape Province Dutch Reformed Church, 1660–1970U.S., Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1916–1922 [Part 2]U.S., Massachusetts Marriages, 1896–1897U.S., Minnesota 1885 State CensusRecently Completed Projects(Note: Recently completed projects have been… -
FamilySearch Record Search Update: 12 New Collections Added--7 International
1 Jul 2009 | 1:48 pmTwelve new collections were added to the FamilySearch Record Search pilot this week. International collections were added for Argentina, Australia, Mexico, Netherlands, and Spain. New United States collections were added for Delaware, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Utah. Happy searching!These collections can be searched for free at the FamilySearch.org Record Search pilot (click Search Records, and then click Record Search pilot).Special thanks to the growing number of online volunteers who help make these collections freely available by donating their time and talents to the…
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Family Matters
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Forty Years Later
3 Jul 2009 | 7:12 amI’m having the best time wandering through the virtual Moon Landing Memories exhibit presented by Footnote and Florida Today. Boy, does it bring back memories. We were not close enough to the Cape to experience the day-to-day business of the space program, but we were - and still are - close enough to watch those huge rockets explode out of the atmosphere into outer space. I remember watching Alan Sheppard, John Glenn and the other Gemini astronauts on a big television in the school auditorium. If it wasn’t a school day, we’d be down at the beach in the hopes of… -
Lulu’s Mini-Book Contest
2 Jul 2009 | 2:07 amThis has family history written all over it! Lulu’s promoting its mini-book formats (Compact is 5.25″x3.5″ and Mini is 3.75″x2.5″) and having a contest to get people interested. Submit your mini-book by July 23rd and the Lulu team will pick the 10 best to display online so everyone can vote for their favorites. There are 3 prize levels - first place is a $500 cash prize, second place is $250 and 3rd place is $125. Get the details at the Mini Book Contest page. It costs nothing to enter and gives you some incentive to design a creative way to tell one of… -
Firefox 3.5 Release Scheduled for Tomorrow
29 Jun 2009 | 1:55 pmMozilla announced that version 3.5 of the Firefox browser will be released tomorrow. Some of the new features include a faster javascript engine (used to produce a lot of cool animations and other fun web things), support for HTML5 (for creating even more cool web stuff), private browsing, tab tearing (drag a tab to the desktop to open a new instance of Firefox), geo-location (uses our wifi to determine - approximately - where we are) and several goodies that help us recover from some of those OOPS! moments we all have. I’ve been a beta tester for v3.5 and I’ve found a… -
Protecting Your Blog
28 Jun 2009 | 9:59 amIn the Twitter traffic reporting on the Blogger Summit at the SCGS Jamboree, there was a discussion about losing the contents of your blog. All bloggers are at the mercy of their service - either a hosted blog or one you manage yourself through an Internet service provider. Fortunately, we do have options - and simple ones at that - to keep a local copy of our blog content just in case disaster strikes. The big three blog services, and most of the smaller ones, have import and export features as part of their service. These are generally used if you want to move your blog from one… -
The Ultimate Reader for Mac Users
28 Jun 2009 | 4:49 amWould you like to collect your Twitter feeds, Facebook updates, Google Reader subscriptions, Flickr photos and more into one beautifully designed reader? If so, you’ll want to take EventBox for a test drive. The interface is typical Mac with the sidebar displaying your services. The read pane shows each message type with its own theme (can you guess which ones are photos?) and tool icons on the right appropriate for each service. Not only can you post tweets and status updates from EventBox, you can also upload photos from here. It’s totally configurable - from setting…
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Creative Gene
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Twittering
30 Jun 2009 | 6:02 pmI've been playing around with Twitter for a while now. (I'm also back on Facebook but that's another story.) I can sort of see why people like Twitter although I'm not a big fan of it the way some people are. For me it's a way to keep up with my GeneaBlogger buddies who now do as much or more posting on Twitter and Facebook as on their blogs. All the off-topic stuff that used to get posted on the Geneablogs now gets posted to Twitter and Facebook instead. I'm talking about reviews/referrals to other interesting sites, "what I've been up to" updates, photos, reminders, etc. I must say that I… -
A Genealogy Conference of a Different Sort
26 Jun 2009 | 1:25 pmHello to all my dear fellow Genea-bloggers and future friends attending the SCGJ! I wish I could be with you this weekend. I know you'll be having a wonderful time and learning a great deal. However, my weekend plans will take me to another coast (Lake Michigan) where I will be attending a meet-up and genealogy conference of my own!If you remember back a few months, I told you that I bought a condo in St. Joseph, Michigan, a town I discovered as a direct result of a fellow Genea-blogger (Cheryl) writing about it on her blog. Since that time, Cheryl and I have been emailing back and forth… -
Lest We Forget 2009, St Joseph, Michigan
22 Jun 2009 | 11:48 amPatriotism. For most of us, it runs high when our county or countrymen are harmed or threatened but it fades into the background of our lives the rest of the time. Some of us will attend a parade on Memorial Day and perhaps a fireworks display on Independence Day. Others will stand and sing the National Anthem at baseball games and graduation ceremonies. But for the vast majority of us, patriotism is merely moments of time here and there when we reflect on the greatness of our country, our democratic way of life, and the brave men and women who have fought to make the United States of America… -
Carnival of Genealogy, 74th Edition
18 Jun 2009 | 7:05 amWelcome to the June 18, 2009 edition of the Carnival of Genealogy. The theme for this edition is: swimsuits! Summer is finally here and that means beach attire is the fashion of the day. But what about fashions from yesteryear? We have a great collection of vintage beach fashions for you to see. Just about every article here has pictures that will make you smile. I recommend you pour yourself a tall cold glass of hard lemonade, or better yet, a fancy foo-foo cocktail with one of those cute little umbrellas in it, to fully appreciate these hot summer fashions! Enjoy!M. Diane Rogers presents… -
Smile for the Camera is posted!
17 Jun 2009 | 7:30 amThe most recent edition of the carnival, Smile for the Camera has been posted. The theme this time around is "Wedding Belles". Check it out and you'll see some of the most lovely wedding photos!And for the next edition of Smile...The word prompt for the 15th Edition of Smile For The Camera is "they WORKED hard for the family." The professions of our ancestors are almost as interesting as the people themselves. Some of our ancestors worked very hard; they took in laundry, worked the land, raised many children, or went to school and became professionals. Photographs of them working are called…
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About.com Genealogy
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Two Dead Presidents
1 Jul 2009 | 2:43 amOn July 4, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, two of America's founding fathers died. Former president Thomas Jefferson died at his Monticello estate... -
Boston University Certificate in Genealogical Research Online
23 Jun 2009 | 3:00 amBoston University's new genealogy program will be expanded to include an online format this coming fall. Developed in coordination with nationally recognized experts, the Certificate in Genealogical Research is an... -
Genealogy Apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch
22 Jun 2009 | 10:01 amI never thought I would say this about a cell phone, but the iPhone my husband gave me for Christmas finally has me enjoying my phone. It makes it so... -
Reading Secretary Hand
17 Jun 2009 | 8:03 amThe most popular handwriting style in Elizabethan Europe is a script commonly known as the Secretary Hand. This handwriting appears in official documents such as wills, deeds, and parish records,... -
1911 Census for Wales Goes Online
9 Jun 2009 | 2:46 am2.4 million people in Wales were recorded in the census taken on the night of April 2, 1911. Today the records of those people living in Wales in 1911 are...
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Genealogy News Center
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Ancestral Christmas Traditions
Amid the speed of the modern world, Christmas seems to be a time when most people stop to reflect back on simpler times--times when the scent of wood smoke wafted through the chilly air, when bands of carolers sang joyous holiday songs, when neighbors and friends greeted each other. No other holiday in America boasts such a wealth of traditions and customs. -
How to Contact Living Relatives
The following are some ideas for contacting living relatives about your shared family history. -
Lexicons of Lost Lifestyles: Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch, Part 2
Words and phrases from the fields of ranching and farming have been around since the time of our ancestors. This second of two articles on the topic examines some of these terms and their origins. -
Footnote.Com And The National Archives Launch InternetGÇÖs Largest Interactive World War II Collection
Footnote.com and the National Archives and Records Administration announced today the release of the first ever interactive World War II collection, which includes an interactive version of the USS Arizona Memorial, WWII Hero Pages, and WWII photos and documents previously unavailable on the internet. -
Making a Living in New Orleans
New Orleans was a port most immigrants merely passed through on their way elsewhere. But by 1823, there were dozens of commercial houses conducting business in the Second City of the United States.
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Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter
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Revolutionary Roots
3 Jul 2009 | 4:28 pmDid your ancestors fight in the American Revolution 233 years ago? Thousands of men answered the call to arms in 1776. These thousands probably have many millions of descendants today. Many Americans can find a Revolutionary War veteran in the family tree if they expend a bit of time and effort. Luckily, there are a number of online and offline sources to help you in that search.Finding Revolutionary ancestors isn’t much different than finding anyone else in your family tree. You always start with yourself and then work your way back, one generation at a time. You can search the online… -
Nothing Lives Forever, Especially Newspapers
3 Jul 2009 | 11:30 amI always assumed that newspaper articles had an infinite lifetime. Anything printed in today's newspaper would be stored for some time in the newspaper's archives department as well as at local libraries. Eventually, those papers would be microfilmed and therefore preserved forever. Well, I once thought it was forever.The world is changing. In case you haven't noticed, printed newspapers are dropping like flies. Today's economics as well as pressure from the Internet and from broadcast journalism is ruining the business models of printed newspapers. Many papers still follow… -
APG Award Nominations Due July 10
3 Jul 2009 | 11:26 amThe following announcement was written by the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG):APG will be awarding its third "Professional Achievement Award" at the Professional Management Conference, Little Rock, Arkansas, September 2, 2009. Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG received the award in 2007; and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking received it in 2008. Nominations for this award can be made by individual APG members, by APG chapters, and by the APG Board of Directors. The Awards Committee will select the award recipient from the nominations. Selection is approved by the Executive… -
Call for Recommendations - APG Board of Directors
3 Jul 2009 | 10:02 amThe following announcement was written by the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG):Call for Recommendations for Nominations for APG Board Positions and Nominating Committee that take effect 1 January 2010.Deadline for Recommendations: Postmarked or e-mailed by 1 August 2009.Executive Committee for Two Year Terms for 2010-2011 President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Board of Directors Positions for Two Year Terms… -
Video Interview: Paula Hinkel at Jamboree 2009
3 Jul 2009 | 6:04 amIn the latest Roots Television interview, Matthew Poe talks with Paula Hinkel, conference co-chair, about the 2009 Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree. Paula and her associates recently produced the largest genealogy conference in the western United States and, indeed, one of the biggest in the country. The Southern California Genealogy Jamboree attracted more than 1,500 attendees and offered more than 100 lectures. In this interview , Paula tells how to organize a large conference that attracts a large attendance. She especially focused on electronic advertising. You can…
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The Newberry Library Genealogy News
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A Week at Genealogy Boot Camp
29 Jun 2009 | 11:00 pmBy Grace Dumelle, Newberry LibraryI've just returned from the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research, held at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. My head is crammed full of new concepts and approaches, placed there by some of the top practitioners in the field.The military analogy is an apt one. Courses are held from 8 am to 4:30 pm each day, and homework is assigned. I had one required evening lecture and the option of two others. Mealtimes in the crowded, noisy cafeteria are short: 7-8 am for breakfast, 11:30-1 for lunch, 5-6 pm for dinner. I stayed in a spartan… -
When an Index Isn't Enough
19 Jun 2009 | 11:00 pmThis article in the Las Vegas Sun describes how the Newberry's volumes of the New-York Evening Post solved an indexing mystery.xnbsp; Sometimes we only have indexes to rely on, but when the original source is available, it's usually worthwhile to check it too.xnbsp; Thanks to crack researcher Jonathan Bloom for making the Newberry's resources available to this long-distance researcher.xnbsp; -
Freedmen's Bureau Field Offices map completed
10 Jun 2009 | 11:00 pmThanks to the effort of our volunteer Heather Blair, we've now finished mapping the Freedmen's Bureau Field Offices using Google Maps.xnbsp; You can find the map here. This map covers field offices in the District of Columbia and in 14 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.xnbsp; Each entry contains a link to NARA's microfilm guide to the records.xnbsp; The pop-up box for each entry also gives the Newberry call number if we hold the records for… -
Hello from Matt Rutherford
8 Jun 2009 | 11:00 pmHello, Genealogy News readers. I'm excited to be taking over as Curator of Genealogy and Local History.xnbsp; Jack definitely leaves big shoes to fill, and he will be greatly missed by everyone around the Library and in Chicago's genealogy community.xnbsp; We wish him well in Ann Arbor, and we'll hold him to his promise not to be a stranger. Some of you know me, but many of you don't, so let me introduce myself.xnbsp; I've been a reference librarian in local and family history at the Newberry since 2004, and I've spent thousands of hours helping folks at our… -
Farewell from Jack Simpson
4 Jun 2009 | 11:00 pmHello, blog readers. This is my last post on the Genealogy News, as I'm moving on from my position at the Newberry Library. My wife has accepted a job at the University of Michigan, so we are moving to Ann Arbor. I'll be working in the field of child care and freelance historical research in the near term. I've worked at the Newberry Library for 10 years, and it's been an great experience. I've been lucky to work with a great group of staff, volunteers and patrons. I learned a great deal from my interactions with researchers at the reference desk and absorbed a lot of…
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Shades Of The Departed
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The Visual Chronicles Of One Who Fought
1 Jul 2009 | 8:06 pmGERALD PERRY FOUGHT FOR FREEDOMOUR FREEDOMSketchesGerald Perry1918Gerald F. PerryGerald F. Perry was stationed in Brest, France, in 1918/1919. He drew two books of pencil sketches that are in my possession. While they are not photographs, they are a snapshot of the life of American soldiers during the First World War. Here are a few examples of the sketches contained in the book.Liberté, égalité, fraternitéLiberty, equality, fraternityThe National Motto of FranceSketchesIn France 1918BeaucoupChocolateWe do not care how muchyou look at this book, BUTPLEASE do NOT get yourfingers on the… -
Weekend With Shades - Sunday - June 28
28 Jun 2009 | 1:33 amAPPEALING SUBJECTS BY CRAIG MANSONA Monthly - Weekend With Shades - ColumnThat's right; good ol' Uncle Sam has a treasure trove of photographs dating from the earliest days of photography in America and he'll let you have [most of] them at no cost and free of copyright restrictions. You already knew that, didn't you? You know all about the Library of Congress's various collections; you know that the Smithsonian has a Flickr site; and of course you know about the National Archives photo collections.In fact, those collections just barely scratch the surface of the millions of photographs that… -
Weekend With Shades - Saturday - June 27
27 Jun 2009 | 1:33 amTHE HUMOR OF ITBY DONNA POINTKOUSKIA Monthly - Weekend With Shades -When it comes to summer vacations, it helps to maintain a sense of humor. The same can certainly be said for vacation photos. On vacations in the pre-digital camera age, photographers were limited by the amount of money they had for film and developing. This resulted in a certain stinginess when it came to taking photos. If that one photo you took in front of Mt. Fuji was fuzzy, that was your only shot. Which explains why a lot of out-of-focus photos exist in my parents' collection of photos. Or the family went away for an… -
Many Things Thursday - Mourning Visiting Cards
25 Jun 2009 | 8:49 am"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to talk of many things."Thursday, on Shades Of The Departed, will be dedicated to many things,and nothing in particular.Many Things ThursdayThe footnoteMaven also writes the History Hare Column (The Hare Of The History That Bit You) for The Graveyard Rabbit Online Journal. In this month's article you'll find a discussion of the purchase of several mourning visiting cards and the very interesting story uncovered. Below is an excerpt of the article that can be found in the Graveyard Rabbit Online Journal.MOURNING VISITING CARDSOften when researching, I am… -
Twice Told Tuesday - The New State Law
23 Jun 2009 | 9:03 amTwice Told Tuesday features a photography related articlereprinted from old photography books, magazines, and newspapers."Adam lay down and slept—and from his sideA woman in her magic beauty rose;Dazzled and charmed, he called that woman 'bride'And his first sleep became his last repose."~Unknown ~Here's The Proper Way To Be MarriedApril 12, 1908The New State LawSince Jan. 1 of this year the old marriage law of New York State has been changed, and now both the bride and bridegroom-to-be must perforce to go personally to the Registry Office at City Hall to sign and obtain their marriage…
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Genealogy News
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Genealogy Query - BOLAND : GELDERBLOM : PRESTON
3 Jul 2009 | 9:49 pmLooking for descendants of my grandfather's family, grandfather's name was John William Boland m Cornelia Johanna Gelderblom , his parents were John William Boland m Selena Harriet Preston, his parents were John William Boland m Mary - cant find out her surname. -
Genealogy Query - JONES : NUGENT
3 Jul 2009 | 1:40 pmFind my Great Grand parents in Ireland Edward Nugent and Gertrude they had a son Thomas Nugent born 21/2/1831 in Tullamore Cross Search on other websites: View all matching genealogy records for the following surnames: View images of documents including naturalizations, birth and death records, and military records Thousands of databases containing ... -
Genealogy Query - FITZGIBBON : FITZGIBBONS : HANLEY : MCNAMARA : SWEENEY
3 Jul 2009 | 5:26 amNeed information on James Fitzgibbon b. 16 Jan 1828 in Ireland. Married Mary Hanley about 1853. -
Genealogy Query - SAMUELS
2 Jul 2009 | 9:24 pmISO information about/descendants of the following SAMUELS family: Alfred born in the 1820s/1830s. Married twice that I am aware of--to Jane who was born between 1838 and 1840. -
Genealogy Query - CARTER : HOCKMAN
2 Jul 2009 | 1:16 pmSon born November 22,thanksgiving day 1962 in Chattanooga, TN to Linda Jean Hockman, also known as Terri Carter, from Atlanta, GA.
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The Genealogue
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No Stimulus for Stone-Straightening Industry
3 Jul 2009 | 2:10 pmIf you're wondering why the stones at your local veterans' cemetery are crooked, ask Joe Biden.[Members of Biden's stimulus watchdog group] have spent a lot of time trying to kill projects that sound like red alerts on Fox News: a plan for military-cemetery headstone-straightening was scrapped, as was a request for a $10,000 refrigerator to house fish sperm in South Dakota. [Link] -
Top Ten Reasons Our Ancestors Came to America
3 Jul 2009 | 9:47 am10. Took wrong turn at Bering land bridge.9. Slavers seemed pretty insistent.8. Sought religious freedom and the right to disembowel Quakers.7. Nothing good to watch on BBC.6. Took their orders from Neil Diamond.5. Potato famine put big dent in profits from Irish fish-and-chip franchises.4. To oppose anyone else being allowed to immigrate to America.3. Sick of having unpronounceable names.2. Wanted the right to vote on behalf of their wives.1. Hoped to one day be listed on Ellis Island website.[Photo credit: Eagle and American Flag by Bubbels] -
Man With Head Wound Thinks He's Abe Lincoln
2 Jul 2009 | 8:52 pmJohn "Abe" Lincoln has much in common with his famous cousin.John will tell you his nose and ears make him look something like Honest Abe, especially from the right side.But what really links him to the late President: both men were shot in the head. John Wilkes Booth, of course, shot President Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in April 1865. John Lincoln was shot in Southwest Philadelphia in 1971 while working for SEPTA."When everybody heard about me getting shot in the head, that's what they started calling me, [Abe]," he said. "People call me John, and I don't respond to it. People call me Abe, I… -
Congresswoman Takes Leave of Her Census
2 Jul 2009 | 8:04 pmMinnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann says she's not going to fill out her 2010 census form. So Will Caskey filled one out for her.He said that on a recent slow Friday at his Democratic opposition research firm, he drafted his own census form based on earlier questionnaires and scoured Google and public records for answers — on Bachmann.He filled in the form [pdf] with her address, phone number, salary and home value, among other peeks into the congresswoman’s life in Minnesota. According to Caskey’s report, she lives on a 2.75-acre property in Stillwater, Minn., in a house that has between… -
Island Romance Unlikely
2 Jul 2009 | 4:38 pmCould Sandi Schneider's mother have been conceived on Ellis Island?No, cohabitation was not permitted at Ellis Island. Detained male and female immigrants were sent to separate quarters. Children stayed with their mothers in the women’s dormitories.
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24-7 Family History Circle
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Free Webinar: Using MyCanvas to Make Descendant Family History Books and Posters
10 Jun 2009 | 1:53 pmSession Start Time: Wednesday, 24 June 2009 08:00 PM Eastern (New York) Speakers: Stefanie Condie and Jennifer Curry Make a lasting impression at this year’s family reunion with a descendant family tree poster or descendant-based family history book. In this hour-long webinar, you’ll learn how to create a book or poster that your relatives will be talking about long after the reunion’s over. Descendant books and posters also make great birthday and anniversary gifts. During the webinar, three randomly chosen participants will receive coupons for a free 36″x24″ poster (a… -
Free Webinar: The Canadian Historical Censuses, 1851-1916
10 Jun 2009 | 1:48 pmSession Start Time: Thursday, 18 June 2009 08:30 PM Eastern (Toronto / New York) Come join our Ancestry.ca specialists, Lesley Anderson and Karen Peterson, and Canadian Genealogist, Glenn Wright, in this one hour online seminar as they walk through the history of the Canadian Census. They’ll tackle effective search techniques, and tips which will cover each census year – 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1906, 1911 and 1916. Click here to register now! -
Ancestry.ca Announces World-First Online Launch of the Historical Canadian Censuses, 1851-1916
10 Jun 2009 | 1:34 pmAn estimated half of all Canadians will have an ancestor in the historical censuses / one in four Canadians cannot trace roots back beyond their grandparents 32 million names and 1.3 million images of original records Famous names with ancestors in the censuses include Conrad Black, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Liberal Party Leader Michael Ignatieff, Pamela Anderson and Alanis Morissette - original images available (Toronto, June 10, 2009) - Ancestry.ca, in partnership with Library and Archives Canada (LAC), today completed the world-first online launch of the Historical Canadian Censuses,… -
Improved Site Navigation on Ancestry.com
27 May 2009 | 12:14 pmIf you’ve been to Ancestry.com this morning, you probably noticed the new navigation bar at the top of the page. Tabs now include a drop-down menu so that you can navigate to sections of the site that previously would have required several clicks with just one. In the Family Tree menu, you’ll find all of your trees listed, and in Search, you’ll find links to search individual collections, all collections, and the card catalog. The Collaborate tab includes direct links to Message Boards, the World Archives Project, Member Connections, the Member Directory, and your Public… -
New Search Feature Brings Better Results
30 Apr 2009 | 11:30 amIn response to your requests to limit search results to more relevant date ranges, Ancestry.com has added a new feature that automatically limits your search results to the years you specify for birth and death, helping you to locate your ancestors faster. It includes a “fudge factor” of five years before and two years after. If you only specify a birth year it will search for 100 years after that date; if you only enter a death year it will search for 100 years before that date. So, if you enter a birth year of 1901 and a death year of 1929, the search engine will return…
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California Genealogical Society and Library blog
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Wordless Wednesday
1 Jul 2009 | 6:00 pmWordless WednesdayCGS on the Road in Santa ClaraSanta Clara Central Park LibraryMonday, June 15, 2009Photographs courtesy of Jane Knowles Lindsey and Lavinia Schwarz. -
Workshop: Using Land Records in Genealogy - August 8, 2009
29 Jun 2009 | 11:55 pmUsing Land Records in Genealogy - A CGS Workshop with Pam MillerSaturday, August 8, 200910:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.California Genealogical Society Library2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland, CaliforniaJoin CGS member Pam Miller for this practical overview of land and property records and learn why they are absolutely necessary to your family history research. Discover how these often overlooked records can help you solve lineage problems, accurately identify ancestors, correct faulty information and enrich the story of those more distant ancestors.Lecture topics will include terminology,… -
Fun at Jamboree!
28 Jun 2009 | 11:55 pmThree exhausting but fun days at SCGS Jamboree 2009 are behind us. Tim has promised to write a report for the blog so I'll just share a few photos and express my appreciation to everyone who contributed to the CGS table in the exhibit hall.Special kudos to Tim Cox and Carolyn Steinberg who organized every aspect of space #114 in the hall and who are already planning to make next year's CGS table even better. Heartfelt thanks also to CGS members Ron Fillion, Arlene Folkers, Pamela Storm, Marston Watson and Geri Willinger for helping to staff the table.Marston Watson and Tim CoxMarston was a… -
"Tip of the Iceberg" Poster Debuts at Jamboree!
24 Jun 2009 | 11:52 pmBack in March I reported on an idea based on a conversation between CGS members Lisa Gorrell and Tim Cox that turned into a wonderful graphic designed by Lisa's daughter Elizabeth Gorrell.The "Tip of the Iceberg" graphic went viral after it was picked up by Dick Eastman who quoted Lisa's wish:What would be nice is to have a poster of it in every research facility – especially those with computers – to remind them that so little of their research will be found on the internet. Thanks to the efforts of Tim Cox, Lisa's dream has become a reality and the "Tip of the Iceberg" poster will make… -
Shelf Reading Day - July 22, 2009
22 Jun 2009 | 4:00 pmHelp Put Our Books in Order!California Genealogical Society LibraryWednesday, July 22, 200910:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.Marianne Frey sent this notice:If you've been to the library you probably have admired our books on their nice new shelves (no more mismatched hand-me-downs), clearly marked and easy to find. But - are they perfectly arranged? No. Like cars on the freeway, the books bunch up in one place and are generously spaced in another. And books are occasionally re-shelved in the wrong place. With your help we can get every book in the right place.Come to the library on Wednesday, July 22,…
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Crowe's Nest by Elizabeth Powell Crowe
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Ancestry.com Launches New ‘My Story’ Advertising Campaign
2 Jul 2009 | 5:58 amLeading Family History Web Site Spotlights Members Who Have Discovered Family Connections in Five National Television Ads PROVO, Utah /PRNewswire/ — Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online resource for family history, will showcase the stories of five Americans who have made amazing family history discoveries through its Web site in My Story, a new advertising campaign launching [...] -
GeneTree Named Among Top 10 Web Sites for Storing and Sharing by Family Tree Magazine
1 Jul 2009 | 8:14 amDynamic Family History-Sharing Site Included in Popular Genealogy Magazine’s list of 101 Best Family History Web Sites for Second Year in [...] -
Vital stats
23 Jun 2009 | 5:20 amIt’s my daughter’s birthday. She was born on my paternal grandmother’s birthday, just continuing the trend of vital stats on special days. My parents were married Christmas Day 1946 My oldest brother was born July 4 1948 My other brother was born on Thanksgiving 1952 I was born on my father’s birthday My sister was born on my mother’s brother’s [...] -
We’re Related press release
22 Jun 2009 | 9:54 amPROVO, Utah, June 19 /PRNewswire/ — We’re Related on Facebook, already the number four most popular application and the number one social application for families, launched its first commerce-related social marketing campaign, which drove more than 122,000 unique visitors to its commerce destination and generated hundreds of sales and online tributes to fathers in a [...] -
VitalSearch updates
19 Jun 2009 | 6:15 amDatabase completions and developments since last newsletter: June 16, 2009: 1888-1937 New York City Grooms: HERE 1937 (sample) - Manhattan,Brooklyn,Bronx,Queens,Richmond(Staten Island): sample image May 12, 2009: 1880-1920 California State Vital Records Search Results: Premium Search Members* can view Here (Virtual-Film). All viewers can see a sample image.
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Desktop Genealogist
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Kin Hunter Meeting, Sunday, June 14!
11 Jun 2009 | 4:47 pmIt will be “Show & Tell” at this Sunday’s Kin Hunters meeting. You are encouraged to bring family information to share. The meeting will be held at 2:00 PM at the Sandusky Township Hall on Rt. 19 North in Fremont. The building is handicap accessible and parking is available in the back or on the North side of the building. Call Kim at (419) 603-0367 for more information. -
Because the Boat Rocked?
24 May 2009 | 9:20 amNote: Mildred Jane Thacker and Frances Thacker lived beside each other with their families in 1850. They, as well as their families, are listed as “mulatto” in this census. They married cousins Weatherfoot Napper and Nimrod Nicholas Thacker. Were Mildred and Frances cousins? Were they sisters? Why are the descendents of one white, and the other black? Raccoon Creek starts softly in the southeast corner of Hocking County below the Hocking River. It travels down 109 miles flirting with Athens County and the northwestern tip of Meigs County. Full bodied… -
The Postman Sometimes Comes Twice!
23 May 2009 | 7:55 pmThe postman was very nice to me in the last two days. He gave me an envelope with four obituaries and one envelope from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Whoopee! I know you are too polite to ask, “Terry, how much did all of this largess cost you?” But it’s okay. Go ahead - ask me. ASK ME! A buck twenty cents is how much it cost me. That’s $1.20 for all of you specific types. The obituaries came from the Special Collections Division of the Akron-Summit County Public Library, which… -
Happy Birthday, Mikey Boy!
10 May 2009 | 12:12 amAh, Michael, you are the child who is so unlike me. Sometimes I have looked at you in awe, wondering how it is that I have produced such a child. By the age of two, it was obvious that you had outstripped me in mechanical genius, when you took it upon yourself to replace a dead battery in the toy train engine, that had finally, blessedly gone silent after weeks of constant use. You opened up the battery compartment of the toy, took out the old battery, went to the drawer where we kept batteries, pulled out the right size battery, put it in the… -
So, Great Grandpa was a Farmer - Land Records - Part One
26 Apr 2009 | 6:12 pmLand Patent Records I come from a long line of farmers. During the nineteenth century, most branches of my family tree made their living in agriculture. This is good news, because being successful in farming, meant owning land. And owning land meant a paper trail of information left for descendents. If your ancestor bought land from the federal government in the Eastern Public Lands States between 1820 and 1908, than you can use theBureau of Land Management’s website to view the actual land patent used to transfer ownership from the US Government to…
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FamHist
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Grandpa Liked To Sing
27 Jun 2009 | 11:17 amWhile working to put additional information on the fact frames associated with my ancestors, I turned the music to random play. A male baritone voice cycled into play as I added information to my grandfathers record. I was immediately reminded of the stories I’d heard of his life long enjoyment of singing. Looking through the words I’d added to his history over the years, the only mention of his singular public expression were the words, “Grandpa liked to sing”. The stitching of the word quilt that covered his life in my genealogical records didn’t contain one of… -
GPS and Lost Graves
17 Jun 2009 | 11:34 amI’ve visited the grave of my great grandfather a number of times over the years. It was usually covered with Memorial Day flowers as were most of the graves in the cemetery. It is a memory of a sea of color and fragrant smells – folks greeting each other, pointing to headstones and markers – a reunion of sorts. In the last decade, mylar windmills, balloons and plastic blossoms have almost overwhelmed the iris, peonies, babies breath and snowball floral tributes left by us older folks. There seem to be fewer of us visiting the burial locations of our families now. There are too many big… -
Grave Dowsing ~ More Stories
9 Jun 2009 | 5:18 pmIn a recent post, I briefly covered an article about dowsing for graves that I’d stumbled upon. The article was the first that I'd every heard of anyone using dowsing for that purpose. The response to my post was surprising. Apparently, there are a lot of folks who engage in this activity to locate lost graves. The University of Iowa has a good treatise on the subject found here. The document will download as a .pdf file. In 2005, Dick Eastman posted about a grave dowsing experience by Tom Corey on the Oregon Trail. As usual, his readers have posted some… -
The Problem With Primary Source Documents
7 Jun 2009 | 3:34 pmWe know that primary source documents always are desired to assist in proving our lineage. Can we count on their accuracy? The answer is NO. They frequently contain errors. Dates are wrong. Locations are frequently wrong. Names are wrong or misspelled. Why does this happen? Looking at my great grandmother’s death certificate, I immediately noticed that her name was different than the one written in various publications and family records. Great Grandma’s birth name was “Helen Marr Farrar”, yet the name listed on the certificate is “Helen Mary Drew”. Did the recorder hear the… -
Dowsing For Graves And Other Wives Tales
5 Jun 2009 | 12:14 amIf you are like me, there are graves of your extended family that have either lost their grave markers or were never marked for a variety of reasons. In my family, three of my great aunts and uncles died as youngsters and were buried on the family farm in Fort Canyon, above Alpine, Utah. I made a post about them called “Little Ones Lost” earlier this year. Today, I found an article titled, “Old ways help women find old graves” that describes the efforts of Cate Culver, who is using dowsing rods to find old unmarked graves around the Pioneer Cemetery in San Andreas, California. As…
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Family Research - English, Scottish and Irish Genealogy
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Public Member Photos & Scanned Documents
3 Jul 2009 | 5:00 pmAncestry.com. Public Member Photos & Scanned Documents [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006. Original data: Family tree photos submitted by Ancestry members. About Public Member Photos & Scanned Documents This database contains photos submitted to Ancestry family trees by users who have indicated that their tree can be viewed by all Ancestry members. [...] -
Family Data Collection – Individual Records
3 Jul 2009 | 5:00 pmEdmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection – Individual Records [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000. About Family Data Collection – Individual Records The Family Data Collection – Individual Records database was created while gathering genealogical data for use in the study of human genetics and disease. for more click here -
OneWorldTree®
3 Jul 2009 | 5:00 pmOneWorldTree gathers family trees and family history records for millions of people, analyzes the birth, death and marriage data and then displays the most probable matches for your ancestors. for more click here -
Private Member Trees
3 Jul 2009 | 5:00 pmAncestry.com. Private Member Trees [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006. Original data: Family trees submitted by Ancestry members. About Private Member Trees This database contains family trees submitted to Ancestry by users who have indicated that their tree can only be viewed by Ancestry members to whom they have granted permission to see [...] -
Family Data Collection – Marriages
3 Jul 2009 | 5:00 pmEdmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection – Marriages [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2001. About Family Data Collection – Marriages The Family Data Collection – Marriages database was created while gathering genealogical data for use in the study of human genetics and disease. for more click here
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Genealogy Canada
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22nd Wedding Anniversary
3 Jul 2009 | 5:02 pmTomorrow is our 22nd wedding anniversary, and to celebrate, we are going to take a circular trip through the Quebec side of the Ottawa River towards Montreal (in the Outaouais region), then cross the river to Hawkesbury (on the Ontario side) to celebrate its 150th birthday, and then we will return to Ottawa via Eastern Ontario.Some of the places we plan to stop at are Thurso, Papineauville, and Montebello on the Quebec side, and Hawkesbury (of course), Vankleek Hill (they have a special museum there), and various towns along the way back.For those not familiar with the area, let me assure you… -
Canada's New Tombstone Project
3 Jul 2009 | 4:27 amWe are invited to drop by the Canadian Headstone Photo Project, where digital images of tombstones will be put online .The founders of the project say that the stones are becoming harder to read, and in order to read the inscriptions, they are archiving the images.The website covers all provinces and territories, as well as Ireland and the United States.So I checked Canada's section, and found nothing yet, but that understandable because it is a new service.You can do either a surname or cemetery search - or both.The service is free - both to upload and download.But if you check Ireland, you… -
Nipissing University, North Bay
2 Jul 2009 | 3:17 amI've been researching Nipissing University in North Bay and their Institute for Community Studies and Oral History, and discovered that they have a robust interest in the social history of the area.Not only is it a "robust interest", but over the past few years, have been sending their students to collect local history stories about the people and places of the Near North in Ontario, from the earliest times to the present.Current interests include Family Rituals, the Early Families Project, and the history of local townships.So if you have any ancestors living in the Near North of Ontario,… -
Happy Canada Day!
1 Jul 2009 | 5:46 amThe 142nd birthday of Canada (July 1st) has rolled around again, and it is raining with thunderstorms in Ottawa - but it's a birthday!I remember when it was Dominion Day, for it was only changed to Canada Day in 1983, and it took a bit of getting used to the new name.Typically, everyone has the day off, and although it is a day for picnics, and having fun in the great outdoors in the summer time, it is also a time to remember our ancestors - the French and Anglo-Celtic peoples who first came here in the 1600s and 1700s, and the hard times they had in making a life for themselves in an often… -
Newfoundland Memorial Day - July 1st
30 Jun 2009 | 2:49 pmNot only is it Canada Day tomorrow (July 1) in Newfoundland and Labrador, it is also their Memorial Day.Memorial Day is held in memory of those Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that lost their lives in combat, especially during World War I.Members of the Newfoundland Regiment fought and died at Beaumont-Hamel in France during the opening day of the Battle of the Somme on July 1, 1916.Because Newfoundland and Labrador was not yet a part of Canada until 1949, they were still considered a British colony.They went to war in August, 1914.The first day of the Battle of the Somme was particularly…
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Genealogy Insider
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How Our Ancestors Celebrated the Fourth of July
3 Jul 2009 | 7:48 amDid you know John Adams thought we all should celebrate the Fourth of July on the second of July—the day in 1776 when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve Richard Henry Lee’s resolution of independence? Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, “The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America ... It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward.” But Americans chose to solemnize and celebrate on July 4, the… -
Genealogy News Corral: June 29 to July 2
2 Jul 2009 | 8:18 amThis week’s news roundup is coming at you a day early, but it's still chock-full: The Generations Network, parent company of Ancestry.com, has a poignant new ad campaign you’ll probably catch on some media or other (if you’re worried you’ll miss it, see it on Ancestry.com’s YouTube channel). Ancestry.com also has developed an Ancient Ancestry Finder that guesses your haplogroup (ancestral origins) based on a few questions. It’s fun, and the haplogroups have cute names such as "Boatbuilders" and "Inventors," but keep in mind it's not necessarily accurate. At the end, you get… -
Footnote, Gannett Kick Off Partnership With 60s Flashbacks
1 Jul 2009 | 12:02 pmSubscription historical records site Footnote struck a deal to digitize newspapers from Gannett Co., the largest newspaper publisher in the United States with 84 dailies including USA Today. With the upcoming 40th anniversaries of the Apollo moon landing July 16 and the Woodstock music festival August 15-18, Footnote started with newspapers covering these events—Florida Today and New York’s Poughkeepsie Journal. You can relive these two landmark events free (or experience them for the first time) at Footnote’s Moon Landing and Woodstock pages. Footnote will continue to digitize the full… -
Free Genome Scanning Offer
1 Jul 2009 | 6:01 amA new genome profiling service called TruGenetics has an introductory offer: The first 10,000 registrants at the site get free genome scanning. You can get start registering with TruGenetics here. Genome profiling can give you information about deep ancestry—where your ancient ancestors came from, but not information that’s likely to help you find relatives within a genealogically researchable time frame. 23andme, a similar service, charges $399 for genome scanning. I haven’t tested this offer. If you do, post a comment here and let me know what you think. Thanks to Family Tree Magazine… -
Search Canadian Passenger Lists Free Through July 3
1 Jul 2009 | 5:43 amTo celebrate Canada Day, subscription genealogy data service Ancestry.ca—the Canadian sister site to Ancestry.com—is making its collection of passenger lists from Canadian ports free through July 3. The lists cover 1865 to 1935 and include names of more than 5.6 million individuals. An estimated 37 percent of Canada’s population has ancestors in the lists. US residents also may have relatives who arrived in Canada, then later traveled south to settle in the States. See the full announcement here. Access the Canadian passenger list collection here. Canada Day, formerly Dominion Day, is…
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Mac Genealogy Software
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Citing a Marriage Event in Reunion for Mac
3 Jul 2009 | 7:40 pmPhoto Credit: foundphotoslj The marriage event is different from the events for individuals and even “generic” event for the couple in the Macintosh genealogy software, Reunion. Even though it is accessed and stored differently, it’s just as important to cite sources of your event information. Like other sources in Reunion, marriage event sources can include multimedia. This makes it easy to include images of source records when you have them. In this video: Adding a Marriage Event Citation in Reunion for Mac, I show you how to add a citation to a marriage event. I include… -
Reunion for iPhone/iPod touch Updated to 1.0.2
2 Jul 2009 | 3:04 pmLeister Productions released the version 1.0.2 update to its Reunion genealogy software for the iPhone and iPod touch today. According to their website, the changes are: Added full compatibility with iPhone OS 3.0. Added dual color to the Overview when two people are in the same box. Added Swedish localization. I hadn’t checked whether the copy, cut, and paste functions were working in 1.0.1, but they are now. I assume that, and possibly other things, are addressed by the first bullet. The dual color feature in the overview looks like this: -
The Secret to Entering Census Events in Reunion 9 for Mac
27 Jun 2009 | 9:04 amEntering census events into Reunion 9 for Mac can be time consuming and error prone if you don’t use the copy and paste feature. Census events often apply to multiple people in our genealogy databases. Fortunately, events and their associated source citations can be copied an pasted to other records within Reunion. This method of populating event data can be more efficient and result in fewer mistakes when used for event records that apply to more than one person, like censuses. In this video: Copying Events in Macintosh Genealogy Software Reunion 9 for Mac, I show you, click-by-click,… -
MacFamilyTree Updated to 5.5.8
26 Jun 2009 | 5:46 pmSynium released an update to their Macintosh genealogy software MacFamilyTree. According to the software update dialog, version 5.5.8 includes the following changes: Many fixes for the Person Merge Feature Person Merge can now be accessed from the Family List as well Many other bug fixes Minor user interface enhancements Localization bugs fixed -
MacFamilyTree Updated to 5.5.6
13 Jun 2009 | 7:30 pmSynium released an update to their Macintosh genealogy software MacFamilyTree. According to the software update dialog, version 5.5.6 includes the following changes: Bug fixes in the Family Assistant Fixed a rare crash bug in the Edit Mode Improvements in the Note Pallette Localization bugs fixed
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PC Genealogy Software
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Family Tree Maker 2009 Service Pack 1 Bug Fix Release
The Generations Network Released a bug fix update to their PC genealogy software Family Tree Maker 2009. This update fixes issues reported in service pack 1. The fixes identified in the update are: Task category creation and use in Person view. Calendars fail to display when showing February 29th. Memory usage ... -
Family Historian 4 Officially Released Today
While Calico Pie actually made it available for purchase at the end of April, they officially annouced version 4 today. Some of the interface has been completely rewritten to make it easier to use. New features in version 4 include: A new hub component window called the Focus Window, with views ... -
Here’s a Quick Way to See Relationships in Legacy Family Tree
It's often helpful, when viewing the data in our genealogy software, to see at a glance what relationship one person has to another. In this video: Viewing Relationships in the Legacy Family Tree Family View, I show you how, click-by-click, to display the relationships of the people on the Legacy ... -
Adding a Spouse in Family Tree Maker 2009
Adding a spouse to a person's record in your genealogy software is a very common task. In this video: Adding a Spouse in PC Genealogy Software Family Tree Maker 2009, I show you click-by-click, how it's done. This includes three ways to begin the process of adding a spouse, ... -
Initial Configuration of Family Tree Maker 2009
Configuring options in a new genealogy program is an often missed step. There are some settings that will tailor your experience so the application works the way you want. In this video: Initial Configuration of PC Genealogy Software Family Tree Maker 2009, I take you step-by-step through the initial ...
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Genealogy Simple & Fun
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Happy 4th of July
2 Jul 2009 | 7:34 pmI hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July. See everyone next week! -
Windows 7 Coming!
26 Jun 2009 | 1:35 pmI received an email today about Windows 7 coming out. Here's what the email said: "Beginning today, June 26, 2009 Microsoft’s newest operating system Windows 7 will officially be available for preorder. To support this launch, two editions, Home Premium and Professional, will be made available for 50% off or more. This offer will last through July 11, 2009 or while supplies last, whichever comes first. Windows 7 is a truly exciting new Microsoft launch with great new features including Jump Lists, Aero Shake, Snap, new Device Stage Management, as well as new levels of home group network… -
Great Site I Found: Get 85% off Ink
24 Jun 2009 | 1:31 pmI was shopping for ink for my printer and came across this site that gives you up to 85% off ink so I wanted to share this with everyone. In the Genealogy business you have to print a lot so you go through ink like it's water or at least I do! -
Footnote is Uping There Price but Hurry Before August 1st!
24 Jun 2009 | 1:16 pmFootnote is increasing their annual membership fee. On August 1, 2009, the cost of a Footnote Annual Membership will increase by $10. However, there is an opportunity to keep your membership costs lowered.In the notice I received, a company representative writes, "To help our current Footnote Members with this transition, we are offering a window from now until the end of July where they can take advantage of a reduced price of $59.95 (a $20 discount off the new price). This will be a great opportunity for those that have not joined Footnote, or are currently a Monthly Member, to upgrade to… -
Web Only Friday - Genealogy Books
19 Jun 2009 | 11:51 amGenealogy is offering great deals on three of their best-selling genealogical publications. Between now and 11:59 p.m. EDT on Friday, June 19, 2009, you can purchase Leonard Ashley's Whats in a Name?, Michael Tepper's American Passenger Arrival Records, and Martha McCartney's Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers, 1607-1635Whats in a Name: Nobody in America knows more about names than Prof. Ashley, and his book will tell you the facts behind the names of persons, places, and things; about how names are chosen for business and for success; how they are used for everything from tracing settlement…
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Your Family Tree
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Further reading: Map your surname
2 Jul 2009 | 8:43 amWe hope YFT79 's cover feature, Map your surname has had you rummaging through the etymological dictionaries. Here are some more leads for your researchRead More -
Further reading: Irish Church records and death records
28 Jun 2009 | 4:00 pmIf issue 78's features interested you, there's lots of extra resources to help you on your way -
Subscribe to Your Family Tree and get two family history books!
25 Jun 2009 | 6:57 amIf you are using this website and you don't already have a subscription to Your Family Tree, then what are you waiting for? Surely you need your monthly dose of great articles, case studies and expert advice on family history research? There are very important benefits to subscribing, and it's easy to do so online.Subscribers get all this:- Two superb genealogical titles: Searching for Surnames and A Dictionary of Old Trades, worth £25- Save 30% off the shop… -
Genealogy crossword
25 Jun 2009 | 2:51 amTest your family history chops with our tantalising crossword.Download and print it off from here. -
YFT79 on sale now!
25 Jun 2009 | 1:56 amIssue 79 of Your Family Tree is on sale now! In the latest issue of Britain's favourite genealogical title help you map out your surname, discovering how tracing your name's origins can help extend your family tree. Plus track down your ancestors who crossed the Atlantic to North America, find your forebears' holiday records and discover how Queen Victoria changed Britain. Map out…
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The Ancestry Insider
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Ancestry Insider Named to Top 101
2 Jul 2009 | 11:05 pmWhen I met Family Tree Magazine’s Diane Haddad earlier this year I admitted that each article I published was done in fear that my writing skills were lacking. She was a darling; she reassured me and told me not to worry. So it was an especial treat when I received a letter from Allison Stacy, Family Tree Magazine Publisher and Editorial Director, informing me that for the second year in a row the Ancestry Insider has been named one of Family Tree Magazine’s 101 Best Web Sites. There’s a couple of letters But there’s a couple of letters I can read lest my head gets feeling too big. -
Serious Census Search Techniques
1 Jul 2009 | 11:05 pmA somewhat arbitrary part of my editorial policy has been to avoid regurgitating the blog posts of others. Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy the service some bloggers provide of alerting readers to really good blog posts. Since that need is already being filled by others, I try to provide fresh news, insights, and commentary. But the policy is more what you’d call guidelines than actual rules… I love to learn. That’s one reason I enjoy genealogy; there’s always something new to learn. That’s why genealogy conferences are so popular—and so important. Arlene Eakle recently reported the… -
Ancestry.com Releases “Expert Connect”
1 Jul 2009 | 12:05 amI must admit to being so busy keeping up with the news of FamilySearch’s New FamilySearch, that I’ve neglected taking time out to learn about a new service from Ancestry.com. However, Expert Connect is too important a development to let the announcement go by without mentioning it. I realize some of you subscribe mainly for Ancestry.com news while others mainly for FamilySearch news. I think it’s important that you also learn something about the other vendor. In stark contrast to FamilySearch’s free genealogy and culture of volunteerism stands Ancestry.com, whom Family Tree Magazine… -
Is Google’s Search Really a Single Field?
29 Jun 2009 | 11:05 pmThis is one of a series of articles about Google’s search interface and its application to genealogy. Have you read Daniel M. Lynch's new book, Google Your Family Tree? If you don't have the book, you can learn many of the tips and tricks by doing a Google search for "Google" and "Genealogy." What you'll find is that Google is gradually introducing pseudo-multiple fields that are essential for many types of searches, including genealogy searches. Name Fields To account for an optional middle name and to simulate first and last name fields, separate the first and last… -
Where’s Waldo… er… the Ancestry Insider?
28 Jun 2009 | 11:05 pmLast weekend I took a little trip to celebrate the summer solstice. Can you guess where I was? Tell ya’ what. To make things easy for you, we took photographs. Not obvious enough for you? Fine, another hint. This magnificent circle of stones is located next to a highway. Looking for a genealogical-world tie-in? The highway leads to a genealogical company rumored to be changing its name… …again. Notice: The Ancestry Insider is independent of Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. "The Ancestry Insider" does not mean "Ancestry.com Insider." The opinions expressed herein are his own.
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Tracing the Tribe: The Jewish Genealogy Blog
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Philly 2009: Gesher Galicia market square event
3 Jul 2009 | 10:38 pmCome to the Gesher Galicia Market Square at the conference on Mondat, August 3, from 5-6.15pm.Here's an opportunity to learn more about your town or village and get assistance with your questions with Gesher Galicia's experts. Visit the market stalls manned by the group's experts.Explore cadastral maps, gazetteers, landowner records, business and residential directories, school records, and tabula registers; learn about house numbers projects, new indexing projects, DNA research, Viennese resources, Bad Arolsen/ITS records and how to decipher information in your own records.Michael Karpin… -
Philly 2009: Free Internet and more
3 Jul 2009 | 10:24 pmPhilly 2009 attendees staying at the Sheraton hotel will receive free Internet access in their guest rooms.TIP: This usually means one cable connection. Hotels may want a hefty deposit for a splitter and second cable which will enable two computers to connect at the same time. Another way to go is a device that connects to the cable and makes the room wireless. We had that in Chicago - courtesy of our roommate Hilary Henkin - and three of us worked merrily away with no problems.The Thursday night banquet includes the IAJGS Achievement Awards and entertainment by Yisrael Campbell. -
DNA: FamilyTreeDNA July sale!
3 Jul 2009 | 10:02 pmIt was great to see FamilyTreeDNA's Bennett Greenspan and Max Blankfeld at the recent Jamboree in Burbank, where the conference attendees enjoyed a special lower Y-DNA37 plus free mtDNA.Said Bennett, that offer was the most successful in the history of the company. In addition to encouraging so many new testees to participate for Y-DNA, it also added significantly to the mtDNA database, both of which will enable even more people to find genetic matches.The company has announced another great offer for individuals who test through a surname or other group project:- Y-DNA37 – promotional… -
Food: Fusion of history, ethnicity
1 Jul 2009 | 7:00 amDo we eat what we are? Genealogy is as much about flavors, origins and climate as it is about names and dates.Here's a nice bit of Jewish fusion cuisine from the Canadian Jewish News.There are so many of us from so many different places and we've lived in other localities along the way, so it's only natural that we've picked up tastes along the way and worked them into our cuisine.It varies enormously from country to country and within different communities, and it’s a function of Jewish dietary laws, Jewish Sabbath laws, holiday rituals and the local food and cooking customs of the many… -
Turkey: The plight of the Doenmeh
1 Jul 2009 | 7:00 amIf you've been curious about the contemporary descendants of the followers of false messiah Shabbetai Zvi, this book review will explain about today's Turkish doenmeh."A Scapegoat for All Seasons: The Doenmeh or Crypto-Jews of Turkey" (Isis Press, 400pgs, $45) is by Rifat Bali, and the review is by Dan Yardeni in Haaretz.Three and a half centuries ago, a young, charismatic rabbi, Shabbetai Zvi, declared himself to be the Messiah and promised that the Jewish people would soon be redeemed and would return to Palestine, the ancestral Jewish homeland.Masses of Jews believed in him, and the events…
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The Geni Blog
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Billing Issues
3 Jul 2009 | 7:38 am*Update: As of 12:40 PM PST, it looks like our payments processor is back up and running. You should be able to purchase virtual gifts & subscriptions at this time, but please be aware that there may still be a few bumps in the road today. We'll keep everyone updated here on our blog as things develop. Due to an issue with our payment processor, authorize.net, we have been unable to process any payments since late yesterday. We are waiting for more information and will keep this post updated. In the meantime, we are not able to process any virtual gift or subscription orders or… -
We'll Be Right Back After A Short Break
30 Jun 2009 | 6:48 pmUpdate 7:00 PM Pacific: We're back.We're taking Geni.com down for a few minutes for some maintenance. Total downtime should be less than ten minutes. -
Scheduled Maintenance
23 Jun 2009 | 9:00 pmUpdate 9:40 PM Pacific: Geni.com is back online.We'll be taking Geni.com down for about 30 minutes tonight, starting at 9:00 PM Pacific. Updates will be posted here. -
Merging & Collaboration Enhancements
12 Jun 2009 | 3:27 pmWe’ve released a number of enhancements today to make finding and merging profiles easier: Confirm match from similar profiles A few weeks ago we added the ability to merge profiles directly from the hot matches list. This option was only available when you managed or were collaborating with the manager of both profiles. Now you can merge directly from the hot matches list as long as you have edit permission on one of the similar profiles. If you only have permission to edit one profile, a request will be sent to the other manager to complete the merge. Personal messages when requesting to… -
Share your tree
12 Jun 2009 | 3:26 pmInviting someone to be your friend on Geni has always been a great way to share your family tree, photos and news with someone who is not on your tree. Now we’ve added a new Friend Trees page under your Tree tab to give you quick access to all of your friends' trees. Note that your friends can view your tree but can’t make changes like your family can. Standard tree privacy applies when friends view your tree, so by default they can’t view your living relative’s personal information. In the future we will remove the option to not share your tree with your friends. If you do not want…
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We Tree
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On Being a Rock Star
3 Jul 2009 | 9:16 amIf you read many genealogy blogs, chances are you heard someone mention the "Rock Star" ribbons some people wore on their conference badges at the 2009 Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree.I'm the one who brought the Rock Star badge ribbons to the party. My intention was to give a little present the folks who read my blog, are Facebook friends or follow me on Twitter. It was just a -
Happy Birthday to We Tree!
2 Jul 2009 | 8:19 amYes, folks, this baby turns ONE today. It seems older than that, doesn't it?Last year I was hesitant to start another blog, but I needed a place to talk about genealogy without others having to listen to me talk about genealogy. I decided I could talk to this blog about it and give my family a rest.We Tree has been a great billboard for sharing my research focus and using it to meet other long -
SCGS09 Post 3
29 Jun 2009 | 7:16 amI was up early for the final day of the SCGS 2009 Jamboree. The first session I attended was Leland Meitzler's talk on maps, atlases and gazetteers. I love maps and Meitzler didn't disappoint. I came away with some new places to look at old maps.The second session for me discussed the ins and outs of GenealogyBank.com. A good speaker is one who can continue when the technical equipment stages a -
SCGS09 Post 2
28 Jun 2009 | 6:50 amDay 2 was quite busy. I started with an 8:00 am session taught by Lisa Alzo called "Write Your Family History Step by Step." I wasn't planning on writing a book, I just wanted to hear about different techniques. The speaker didn't disappoint. The main point of the session was that family histories are non-fiction based on facts, but fiction techniques will make your work interesting, draw in -
SCGS09 Post 1
26 Jun 2009 | 6:05 pmGreetings from Burbank and the 2009 Southern California Genealogy Jamboree! Technically the event just started, but it's been a whirlwind from the get go.So far today, I've met many geneabloggers. I'm not impressed by movie stars, but I did get excited to meet such prolific bloggers. Everyone is so nice. We've all known each other online, so the formalities are gone and we just click into place.
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DNA - Genealem's Genetic Genealogy
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FTDNA -- July Sale!!!
3 Jul 2009 | 12:44 pmWOW....FTDNA is offering a sale for the MONTH of July! Read the msg below I received today! Remember, a person must join a project to get these prices, but I have two that anyone can join (male or female) any time and then move to a more appropriate project (or not) at a later date at no cost. There's never any cost to move to different projects. Email me if you need help with this or need to know about the two projects anyone can join. (Not every surname has a project AND...females CANNOT join a surname project.) The email sent from FTDNA...Dear Group Administrator (That's me! LOL) This… -
Family Tree DNA Sale Extended!
23 Jun 2009 | 3:26 pmGreetings!The following Family Tree DNA sale has been extended to Jun 30th with payment due by July 7th. This sale is only for new male testers getting the 37 marker with the HVR1 (mtDNA). The 37 marker test is wonderful for genealogy. The price is $119 plus $4 shipping. Usually the 37 marker alone is $149 plus shipping and the HVR1 is $99. So that is a very good savings. We may not see this sale again. FTDNA just sent this message to all the Administrators, so I'm passing it to you. You can pass the word around the Internet and within your family. FTDNA wrote: In the last few days we have… -
16 Jun 2009 | 5:27 pm
16 Jun 2009 | 5:27 pmGreetings everyone!I wanted all of you to get in on this before it's gone in the case you have been waiting for a DNA test sale. I just received this msg. from FTDNA.... It's a VERY nice sale as the 37 marker Ydna test by itself is normally $149. The mtDNA by itself is normally mtDNA (HVR1) $99. That's a nice savings! The deadline as stated below is June 24th and you MUST pay by June 30th. If you order by credit card it is considered paid. If you order on invoice be sure to send in your payment (Check or credit card is accepted with an invoice.) by June 30th.REMEBER: This price is ONLY for… -
Which DNA Testing Company Fits Your Needs?
23 May 2009 | 3:14 pmIn the early years of 2000 there were only a few testing companies that tested DNA for genealogists. In the last few years, DNA Testing has become a household term, especially due to the advent of so many television programs using it to miraculously solve crimes within an hour. Many new companies have now appeared on the scene with a varying degree of services. Some have massive advertising campaigns that entice the public to purchase a testing kit even if the public does not fully understand how testing can help and not help genealogy. Others claim they can give you the location and tribe of… -
Family Tree DNA - Y-DNA Upgrade Sale
13 May 2009 | 5:28 pmGreetings!Family Tree DNA is having a sale to upgrade any Y-DNA tester at a nicely reduced price. As these sales are often rather rare, you may wish to take advantage.If you have questions as to why you should upgrade, please check the archives for this blog as there are articles on the advantages of testing particular numbers of markers and how they help genealogy.The following message is from FTDNA regarding the sale. Remember only NEW testers can go through the link on this blog. Otherwise, go to your personal FTDNA pages to order an upgrade:Dear Administrator,Over the last several years,…
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Genealogy Roots Blog
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Online Death Indexes and Records - Latest Additions and Updates
15 Jun 2009 | 6:59 pmThe Online Searchable Death Indexes and Records directory has been updated with links to the following items...Alabama - Alabama Death Index 1908-1974 from FamilySearch LabsAlaska - Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery Burials - Angelus and Valley Memorial Park Cemetery Burials (in Anchorage) Arkansas - Arkansas Gravestones (has over 170,000 gravestone photos) - Pike County Genealogy Records Indexes (includes some cemetery burials for Clark, Hot Spring, Montgomery and Pike Counties) - Sebastian County Cemeteries - Washington County: Evergreen Cemetery Burials (Fayetteville, Arkansas) database is… -
Millvina Dean, Last Survivor of the Titanic, Dies
31 May 2009 | 11:02 pmElizabeth Gladys "Millvina" Dean, the last survivor of the Titanic sinking, died on May 31 at age 97. She was nine weeks old when her family boarded the Titanic in 1912. Her mother and brother also survived the sinking. Her father died in the tragedy. You can read more here: Millvina Dean, last remaining survivor of the Titanic, dies aged 97The above image is a portion of the Carpathia passenger list showing the three surviving members of the Dean family, siblings Bertram and Elizabeth (two-month-old Eliza) and their mother Georgette (Ettie). The Carpathia rescued 705 of the Titanic's… -
FamilySearch Labs adds Death Indexes for 4 Southern States
15 May 2009 | 10:52 pmThe FamilySearch Labs website has recently added death indexes (some with digitized images) for four Southern states. These are:Alabama Deaths 1908-1974Florida Deaths 1877-1939North Carolina Deaths 1906-1930 (with images)South Carolina Deaths 1915-1943 (with images)South Carolina Deaths 1944-1955See: FamilySearch Labs Record SearchBe aware that FamilySearch Labs is a pilot program so there may be errors, missing data or occasional downtime. Also, the website may not work with some browsers and requires Flash.For more death indexes for these states see:Online Alabama Death Records Indexes and… -
Search Strategies for Finding Ship Passenger Lists 1820-1940s
11 May 2009 | 12:56 pmHere are some suggestions for finding your immigrant ancestors on a ship passenger list (or manifest) for their arrival in the US from 1820 to the 1940s (1950s for some ports).Search TipsClues in the Census: the 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930 US federal censuses have a column for year of arrival for immigrants. This can help narrow down the search. Be careful as census records may contain errors.Naturalization Records: Naturalization records created September 27, 1906 and later will usually give the name of the ship, port and date of arrival. Naturalization records before that usually do not give… -
Online Military Records and Indexes - New Additions and Updates
5 May 2009 | 6:33 pmLinks to the items listed below have been added to the Directory of Online Military Indexes, Records and Rosters of SoldiersRevolutionary War - Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements (partial collection) - Alabama: Alphabetical List of Revolutionary Soldiers in AlabamaWar of 1812 - Indiana Territory: War of 1812 Collection (consists of muster, pay and receipt rolls of Indiana territory volunteers or militia)Civil War - Arkansas Confederate Pension Records Index - Delaware: Records Related to Delaware's Involvement in the American Civil War (from the Delaware Public Archives) -…
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Appalachian History
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Happy 4th of July everyone!
3 Jul 2009 | 2:00 amGet yourself over to Norris, TN this weekend if you can, and treat yourself and the family to an authentic Appalachian Fourth of July tradition: the anvil shoot.The Museum of Appalachia will be celebrating the day with an explosion of sound. Says their website: Folks as far as 15 miles away have reported hearing our Anvil Shoot, and certainly everyone gathered for the excitement feels the earth shake under their feet.Anvil shooting used to be a fairly common way that rural folks celebrated special events--they "shot the anvil" to celebrate the nation’s Independence, Christmas, and even Davy… -
He wears the breeches but the lady has the brains
2 Jul 2009 | 2:00 amJohn Wesley Langley resigned from Congress (R., Kentucky 10th Congressional District) in January 1926, after losing an appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States to set aside his conviction on charges of conspiracy to violate the Volstead Act. He'd been caught trying to bribe a Prohibition officer and sent to the federal penitentiary in Atlanta. From his jail cell he made a plea to his constituents to elect his wife to vindicate his name. He claimed that he was 'practically penniless' and that the only hope of saving their home was to send his wife to serve a term in Congress while he… -
A day's trip in former years may now be made in 2 hours
1 Jul 2009 | 2:00 amMen of advanced age are apt to think of the Good Old Days only in retrospect, but as a matter of fact, there is no comparison between the conveniences of life now, and those we enjoyed in 1860.[Back then] the Tennessee River afforded the only means of ingress and egress for a large section of North Alabama, except by crude dirt roads and horse-drawn vehicles. The highway, then known as the 'big road,' was the main artery of commerce from the livestock and fruit growing section of Tennessee and Kentucky to the cotton belt of Alabama and Georgia. This highway led directly from Huntsville to… -
Doster Edgerton receives Berea Fellowship
30 Jun 2009 | 2:00 amre-posted from Appalachian State University NewsJune 29, 2009BOONE, NC— Meredith Doster Edgerton has received an Appalachian Sound Archives Fellowship at Berea College.The fellowship program encourages scholarly use of Berea's non-commercial audio collections that document Appalachian history and culture, especially the areas of traditional music, religious expression, spoken lore and radio programs. The fellowship will support four weeks of research in the college’s archives.Edgerton is a student in the master’s degree program in Appalachian studies at Appalachian State University. She… -
A Cherokee stickball legend
29 Jun 2009 | 2:00 amIt started back when the animals of the forest had a ball team.The forest animals had a rough line up, a big line up. The Big Bear was the captain. In his lineup he had the Fast-Running Deer. And he had the Big Wolf, and the Big Bob Cat, and the Big Panther. The Big Bear liked to boast. He'd get in front of all his ball players and show them how strong he was by picking up boulders and tossing them, or maybe picking up a big log, and tossing it. He said there's no team can win over us.While he was talking and boasting about his team and himself, there was someone trying to get his attention.
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Smoky Mountain Family Historian
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ABC Book Meme
3 Jul 2009 | 12:39 pmFor this meme, you list a favorite book that starts with each letter of the alphabet. If you don't have a book for a letter (such as Z or X) than you can substitute a favorite book that simply has that letter in the title (ex. The Lost City of Z or Hot Six by Janet Evanovich). However, you can only do this a maximum of 3 times. (Z, X, and Q. But not Z, X, Q, and V.) Books can be of any genre from fiction to non-fiction to poetry to textbooks. (via Boston Bibliophile)I decided to try to do mine with all genealogy and history titles. It was actually difficult to try to stop with just one title… -
A Different Point of View
28 Jun 2009 | 10:21 amMost of the time when I have read fictional books about the Japanese-American internment experience during World War II, it has been from the point of view of one of those interned. Jamie Ford offers us a different perspective in Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. The hotel is the Panama Hotel in Seattle, Washington where restorers discover belongings left behind by some of the Japanese-Americans who were evacuated. Henry Lee, a Chinese-American, sees someone bringing out a parasol that he is certain belonged to Keiko Okabe, his very special Japanese friend from school. Back in 1942 he… -
Save Money and Register for FGS Before July 1
25 Jun 2009 | 4:36 pmIt once seemed to be in the distant future. The countdown clock has been ticking. The Federation of Genealogical Societies and Arkansas Genealogical Society Conference "Passages through Time" will be here in just over two months! July 1st is the very last day to register at a discount for this conference and save big on a full conference registration. It is only $175.00 if you register by then. Divide that amount by four full days of conference activities with all those lectures to choose from and it is a educational bargain. If you register after that date, it will cost $50.00 more.Go to… -
Enjoyable Music
25 Jun 2009 | 1:13 pmMost of you know that I have quite eclectic music tastes, but I've really been listening mostly to classical music lately. I was listening to Mississippi Public Radio on my return from the Department of Archives & History in Jackson the other day when I heard Tom Manoff's review of the selections we were about to hear. I enjoy Rachmaninov so I was delighted to learn that the upcoming selections were some of his piano preludes. They were going to be performed by Steven Osborne. They played about half of the 24 Preludes on the CD. I really can't say enough good things about Osborne's… -
Remembering Farrah
25 Jun 2009 | 12:35 pmI've always loved detective shows, and when the first episode of Charlie's Angels aired in 1976, I became an instant fan of the show. There was the mysterious Charlie whose face we never saw, but we all knew that actor John Forsythe provided the voice. I think we all had the intro to the show memorized:Once upon a time, there were three little girls who went to the police academy. And they were each assigned very hazardous duties but I took them all away from all that and now they work for me. My name is Charlie.One of those three little girls was Jill Monroe, who was portrayed by Farrah…
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West in New England
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INDEPENDENCE DAY
30 Jun 2009 | 11:54 pmWe're coming up on the 4th of July on this coming Saturday. As you might expect here inNew England, it's a pretty special time. After all, this is where the American Revolutionbegan, isn't it? The celebrations are steeped in tradition, from the oldest 4th of JulyParade down in Rhode Island to the Boston Pops concert and fireworks on the banks ofthe Charles River in Boston on Saturday night.I've come to have a greater appreciation of the 4th and of our colonial ancestors in generalsince I began researching the family tree. I'm not sure exactly how many of my ancestorswere Revolutionary War… -
BEDTIME GENEALOGY 34
29 Jun 2009 | 11:22 pmAfter a blogging marathon of 14 or so posts last week I found myself sort ofvegging out at the keyboard tonight. I'm a little bit tired and stiff from myfirst day back on the sales floor after vacation and I had no enthusiasmfor one of my usual googlebook searches So I think I'll give it a rest onthe research for a few days.But I'll still be blogging this week. I need to come up with a post for theCoG and then I'll be editing the links for the "Just Make Up the GeneaologyLyrics " for when I post the results on the 4th Of July.I'll still be busy, but tonight, I'm dead tired, so I'm heading off… -
WILLIAM GERRISH CONCLUSION
27 Jun 2009 | 9:43 pmCaptain William Gerrish seems to have taken a lesser role in Newbury after the"figures changing" incident. I've found no further mention of him commanding the Newbury militia, either mounted or infantry after 1677 and believe he wasreplaced. It mildly surprised me that he didn't argue or lodge an appeal. I'vecome to think of him as "Wild Bill" Gerrish because of all the arguments andlawsuits he was involved in. It seemed, at first, out of character for him togive up without a fight.By now William was around 60 years of age and perhaps it didn't seem worthit to him to continue on as he had in… -
SATURDAY NIGHT GENEALOGY FUN - WHICH GENEALOGIST WOULD I LIKE TO MEET?
27 Jun 2009 | 7:27 pmEven though Randy Seaver is out at the SCGS genealogy jamboree, he stillmanaged to issue us a Saturday Night GenealogyFun challenge:"1) Identify one genealogist that you would like to meet. The person couldbe living or deceased.2) Why do you want to meet with this person? 3) What would you talk about? What questions would you ask this person?4) Write about your choice on your blog or in Comments to this post."Now this is a tough one, but not because I couldn't think of anyone. On thecontrary, it's because there's just so many folks out there I'd like to meet.But I finally managed to settle on… -
WORD VERIFICATION DICTIONARY 5
27 Jun 2009 | 9:25 amThis is a special "Wish I was at the Jamboree Edition."These are my attempts to come up with definitions for the strange wordsthat we type for word verification for comments on Blogspot.com geneablogs:alimmory- What that phone call from your ex-wife is about.quater- .25 cents in Bostonand lastly,messe-what my deske lookes like at the moment.
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All My Ancestors
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Uncle Sam Wants You
30 Jun 2009 | 6:13 pmJustice and Independence Written for the 75th Carnival of Genealogy This 1951 photo is the only picture I know of that includes all my dad’s siblings plus their parents. Four of his five brothers served in the military. Kneeling down in front is my Uncle Ray, the only one of this group still living. He served in the Korean Conflict. The youngest at the left is my Uncle Landrum who was in the Army, as was Uncle Pete, the rather round (ahem) man standing at the right. Uncle Jack, the man standing next to Uncle Landrum (in the hat) was in the Navy. I believe Uncle Pete and Uncle… -
Plan B
15 Jun 2009 | 6:14 amA few weeks ago, I posted about Moses Osborne and the possibility that he might be part of the North Carolina Osborne mystery that has plagued my family’s research for well over 70 years. In a genealogical frenzy than could only be matched by the Tasmanian Devil, I tracked down Moses’ descendants. I was determined to find someone to DNA test to see if there was a link with my Christopher. I’d been contacted by one of Moses’ descendants, but he was not an Osborne so I couldn’t ask him to do the test. I did ask him if he knew any of his Osborne cousins and he… -
The Good Earth: Family Ties to the Land
1 Jun 2009 | 1:52 pmThe Good Earth: Family Ties to the Land Written for the 73rd Carnival of Genealogy Writing about this topic could fill a book for me. As far back as I’ve traced on both sides and all branches of my family, there have been land-owners and farmers. I learned very early what was meant by a section or a quarter section of land, that there was nearly always a road on the section line, and I learned that land is organized by counties. I used to take my dad to the county courthouses with me to read the deeds–he taught me to cut through the standard legal language to the… -
Memorial Day 2009
25 May 2009 | 12:04 pmEmmett Mobley Osborne 1893-1980 This is my great-uncle, Emmett Mobley Osborne, born Christmas Eve, 1893 in Mount Calm, Hill County, Texas. He died 3 November 1980, in Pampa, Gray County, Texas. His middle name comes from his mother’s maiden name. He was the youngest of the 10 children born to Charles Winfield Osborne and Gertrude Susana Mobley Osborne. My notes indicate was stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio during World War I. He advanced to Sergeant Major and served as a trainer for the Army. He was disappointed to not go to Europe but he was valuable as a… -
Moses Osborne
24 May 2009 | 9:33 pmIs Moses (b. c 1785 NC) my missing Osborne link? I’ve been going through my North Carolina Osbornes again. I received a query from a descendant of Moses Osborne wanting to know if I knew of a connection between Moses and Christopher (est 1732-1789). The person asking had been referred to me by a man who has done some very valuable work in putting together some of the families through land records in Mecklenburg (among others) County, North Carolina. George Thomas’s site is primarily his own family, but his re-creation of the land relationships has been an immense help to me…
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All My Branches Genealogy
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Wading into the Unknown (Part 1 of Death, Dying & the Legal System)
1 Jul 2009 | 5:44 amOver the last several months, I’ve found myself in a similar position as that of my ancestors prior to me. The reality that a loved one’s life will be ending. Of course we all know that death will be the final outcome for all of us and for all of those we love, and when it is an expected death, we generally have the knowledge we can say our good-byes and have one last visit. The expectation is still very difficult to face as we begin to second guess the doctors’ treatments, the guilt of not being there more often, or for not having more control over everything. Guilt… -
Sneak Peak
24 Jun 2009 | 5:11 amAs most of you have learned, I recently returned home after being away for over a month. I had gone to Ohio for a week over Easter while my mother was in the hospital and returned the end of April just before she passed away. I spent most of May cleaning out her home and trying to make sense of what she had kept for so many years. I wrote many months ago about some of the treasures I had come across early in my genealogy quest – letters my grandparents wrote to each other, old photos, and more. And I incorrectly assumed there wouldn’t be much more to add – boy was I… -
I’m Back
18 Jun 2009 | 5:28 amThanks to all my Faithful Readers who have continued to check in regularly on this blog. I’ve been out of state for a month and a half dealing with my mother’s recent death and taking care of things. It will be awhile before I get back to posting regularly but I wanted to let you all know where I’ve been. And to all the “newbie” readers who have found my blog in the last month or so – thanks for the comments! -
Immigrant Ancestors
29 Apr 2009 | 6:54 amThis is a list of my ancestors who immigrated to America. Adam Goul: My 4th g-grandfather. About 1763 from Germany to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Adam was a young boy traveling onboard ship with his mother, father – Frederick, and a sister. All but Adam died on the voyage. Adam Lutz: My 5th g-grandfather. (father-in-law of Adam Goul) about 1749 from Rotterdam on the Lydia. (source: Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, Baptisms from the Church Book of German Reformed Church of Philadelphia) Jacob Blazer (or Blaser): My 5th g-grandfather. Came from Baden (German) via Holland… -
Friday Fun – Oldest Living Relative
24 Apr 2009 | 5:58 amIn honor of my aunt’s upcoming birthday, I wanted to pay her a tribute. My dad’s sister will be celebrating her 100th birthday soon! Since she is still living I won’t post many vitals in order to maintain some privacy. I haven’t seen her since the early 1970’s yet she was a constant in my life as a young child. She was my favorite aunt – being as I only knew two out of three of my aunts. My mother’s sister had passed away a few years before I was born, and my dad’s oldest sister just seemed “older”. Aunt “M”…
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Amy's Genealogy, etc. Blog
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Save Ohio’s Public Libraries
24 Jun 2009 | 2:57 pmGovernor Ted Strickland’s proposed state budget includes a nearly 50% cut in the state’s Public Library Fund. This will be devastating to all public libraries, especially to the approximately two-thirds of public libraries that don’t receive local funding. In such difficult economic times, public libraries play an increasingly important role in society. They provide vital Internet access. (Think of how many employers today require applicants to fill out online applications.) They assist students. They provide education, such as computer training. Without these services,… -
Tombstone Tuesday: Modern Woodmen of America
23 Jun 2009 | 5:16 amThis tombstone in Forest Cemetery, Circleville, Ohio is a great example of the Modern Woodmen of America. Many genealogists and taphophiles are familiar with the Woodmen of the World organization, which placed countless tree-stump tombstones on the graves of its deceased members. The Modern Woodmen of America is older than WOW, though it was founded by the same man, Joseph Cullen Root. He formed MWA in Lyons, Iowa in 1883. He left the organization and formed WOW in Omaha, Nebraska in 1890. Modern Woodmen of America is still an active fraternal/insurance organization. Today it offers a variety… -
Tombstone Tuesday: John Coble, “a lovely bud so young and fair”
9 Jun 2009 | 10:50 amJohn C. Coble tombstone, Asbury Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio. Photo taken by Amy Crow 9 June 2009; all rights reserved. This tombstone is in Asbury Cemetery in Madison Township, Franklin County, Ohio, near the intersection of Noe-Bixby Road and Winchester Pike. It is in excellent condition. I love the epitaph. “In memory of John C. Son of John and Jane Coble. born Augt 3th 1838. died Septr. 17th 1840. aged 2 years, 1 month and 14 days. This lovely bud so young and fair, Called hence by early doom Just came to show how sweet a flower In paradise would bloom.” -
Student History Conference at OSU-Newark Today
16 May 2009 | 3:48 amI am soooooooo far behind in my blogging that I’ve neglected to mention something I’m very excited about: presenting at the Student History Conference at Ohio State University – Newark today! I’ll be presenting two papers. The first is “For the Benefit of the Private Soldiers: The History of the Grand Army of the Republic in Ohio,” which was my research paper for History 310 (Ohio History) last fall. The second paper is a portion of my senior honors thesis. I’m a bit nervous about that one as (1) so many of my friends have told me they’re going… -
Ohio Historical Society is closed this week
28 Mar 2009 | 4:57 amA reminder to everyone that the Ohio Historical Society — including the Archives/Library — is closed today (March 28) through April 3. You can thank the Ohio legislature and their massive slashing of OHS’ budget for this. Other OHS sites closed this week are: Adena Mansion & Gardens (Chillicothe) Armstrong Air & Space Museum (Waupakoneta) Campus Martius Museum (Marietta) Dunbar House (Dayton) Fort Ancient (Oregonia) Fort Meigs (Perrysburg) Harding Home (Marion) National Afro-American Museum (Wilberforce) National Road/Zane Grey Museum (Zanesville) Piqua Historical…
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AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors
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A New Discovery: Got Genealogy?
3 Jul 2009 | 9:39 amA couple of weeks ago, I read a message from a woman on a genealogy mailing list. She had found a new online genealogy resource and was eager to share it. She then shared the name and URL of this "new" resource, and I realized it was a website that I have been visiting for nearly two years now. "New" to her was not new to me. That is the disadvantage or advantage, depending upon one's perspective, of being a genealogy blogger with access to the latest press releases. You learn about all the latest and greatest as they happen, but then you also start believing there isn't anything "new" out… -
Friday Findings: Magazines and a Bonanza
3 Jul 2009 | 2:00 amI haven't done Friday Findings in a while, and am hoping to get back on track with it. It's a great way to keep track of any research I've done or discoveries I've made over the past week.I received the September 2009 issue of Family Tree Magazine and the July/August 2009 issue of Discovering Family History. Both have great articles, as usual, and they both had articles on the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). NARA is the focus of FTM's web guides series, and DFH had an article on NARA field branches.In an earlier post this week, I mentioned how my uncle had arrived from… -
Things She's Learned About Blogging
2 Jul 2009 | 6:44 amOne of my favorite non-genealogy blogs is Scribbit: A Blog about Motherhood in Alaska. Anyone who's read my blog for any amount of time is sure to understand why I'm a fan: the child from Alaska enjoys reading the work of the mother from Alaska. Even though I never lived in Anchorage like Michelle Mitchell does, there is just something about living in Alaska that is an automatic bond between people (not unlike being a geneablogger!). Michelle is a very well known Mom Blogger, and if you know anything about blogs beyond genealogy, you'll know that Mom Bloggers are huge in the social… -
FamilySearch Indexing Update: Czech Republic, South Africa, Mexico, and Deutschland Projects Added
1 Jul 2009 | 4:32 pmOverviewIndexers waiting for projects from the Czech Republic, Baden, Germany, or South Africa can now get busy. New indexing projects added this week are:Czech Republic, Litomerice Kirchenbücher, 1552–1905 [Part 1]Deutschland, Baden—Kirchenbücher, 1810-1869Mexico DF Registros Parroquiales, 1886–1933 [Part 1]South Africa, Cape Province Dutch Reformed Church, 1660–1970U.S., Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1916–1922 [Part 2]U.S., Massachusetts Marriages, 1896–1897U.S., Minnesota 1885 State CensusRecently Completed Projects(Note: Recently completed projects have been… -
FamilySearch Record Search Update: 12 New Collections Added--7 International
1 Jul 2009 | 1:48 pmTwelve new collections were added to the FamilySearch Record Search pilot this week. International collections were added for Argentina, Australia, Mexico, Netherlands, and Spain. New United States collections were added for Delaware, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Utah. Happy searching!These collections can be searched for free at the FamilySearch.org Record Search pilot (click Search Records, and then click Record Search pilot).Special thanks to the growing number of online volunteers who help make these collections freely available by donating their time and talents to the…
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Ancestor Search Blog
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On Sale at the Ancestry Store.
24 Jun 2009 | 2:46 pmIf you are a bargain hunter as I am, you might be interested in checking out the products that are on sale at the Ancestry store.On Sale at Ancestry StoreThe sale items are updated frequently and usually include software as well as reference books.There are usually at least five pages of sale items so be sure to browse all the page to see if there are any items you have been waiting to go on sale -
Footnote.com - Special Offer
22 Jun 2009 | 7:12 amIf you have thought about subscribing to Footnote.com, now is the time to do so.Those considering a Footnote membership or current monthly members can upgrade (until the end of July) to an annual plan for $59.25 - a discount of $10 from the today's subscription price. Even those who are already annual members can take advantage of the special offer and extend their memberships for an additional -
Bing Your Family Tree?
7 Jun 2009 | 3:51 pmMicrosoft's new Bing search engine went live June 3rd. Bing is a completely rebuilt search engine to replace Microsoft Live Search. It is visually pleasing, but what really counts are the search results. Here are some of the first things I noticed:Bing has a very attractive interface. Each day features a new photo background with information about the scene revealed by scrolling across the -
Google's New Search Options
15 May 2009 | 12:09 pmThis week Google announced a new set of features called Search Options - a collection of tools that let you slice and dice your Google search results to generate different views to find what you need faster and easier.Starting this week, a "Show Options" link now appears on the blue bar above the Google search results. See arrow above. Click on Show Options to see the new Google features.Search -
Finding the Data from Geocities Sites
13 May 2009 | 5:06 amGeocities, home of many genealogy websites, is closing. Unfortunately, some webmasters may not move their sites before it does.One reason is that webmasters may not be aware that Geocities is closing. It doesn't appear that Geocities is notifying their webmasters by email. Instead, the only notice Geocities is giving is a message about the closing when a webmaster logs into the Geocities file
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EleanorBlog
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The Mowgli Stories
29 Jun 2009 | 3:11 pmThis year Illyria are back with The Mowgli Stories (adapted from The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling). They are touring the area again, but will be at the Castle on Friday 21 August 2009. I have added the poster below, please click for details. Wonder if I’ll get to go this year? Apparently, last years’ The Hound of the Baskervilles was great. -
A Steamy Weekend
23 Jun 2009 | 1:34 pmWell, that will get me either the very wrong, or very right readers! Most of you will have guessed I’m actually talking about the Steam and Vintage Fair at the Castle at the weekend. WOW. What a turnout (thank you!), what weather, what beautiful engines/cars/motorbikes etc etc. I loved the tractors and the organ, the silver classic fire engine! I was even able to get out for a short while to look at all the stalls and see some of the engines take part in competitions. I didn’t get a ride on the steam waggon (boo) or the wee red bus (double boo) which I wanted to take home in… -
The Edwardian Country House
16 Jun 2009 | 2:37 pmDid anyone else love this series? I was re-watching the Victorian Farm programme recently, and it reminded me. God, some of the people made me cringe on this show! Click here to view the embedded video. -
What a Way to End a Week
16 Jun 2009 | 2:13 pmHad to share this with you. After a frantically busy and very tiring few weeks at the day job, just as I was about to go home on Friday I received this: The most beautiful bouquet of flowers. Made me smile for the rest of the day, and got a few envious glances on the way home! On a different note, don’t forget to vote for which historic house I should visit next in the post below if you haven’t already. Poll open until the end of June. -
Classic Historic Film and TV
10 Jun 2009 | 12:41 pmI’ve been making this list for a while, and it is neither exaustive nor finished at the moment. I feel that it is ready to begin to share and gather comments. I should also point out that I have included ones that have a slight fantasy element to them also, if they mainly appear historical. How about adding your favourite historic films and tv dramas to the list? Films: The Company of Wolves (1984) Fantasic Neil Jordan film, fantasy and fairytale. Based on the short story from the collection ‘The Bloody Chamber’ by Angela Carter which should also be read, it’s…
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Black Nashville Genealogy & History
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Colored Member of the Capitol Police Force
2 Jul 2009 | 11:16 pmFrom the October 1, 1867 issue of the New York Herald James M. Murphy, a colored man from Nashville, Tenn., was today appointed by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate a member of the Capitol police force. He was recommended as a first rate man for the place. -
Murfreesboro Notes (1 Mar 1907)
7 Jun 2009 | 6:45 pmFrom the Nashville Globe – March 1, 1907 The pupils of Bradley Academy celebrated George Washington’s birthday last Friday, February 22. A very interesting programmed was rendered. Those on the programme were Misses Sallie R. Anderson, Vera Lee Coleman, Maggie Eules, Mary and Amanda McClain, Annie M. Prim, Darrow Reed, Willie Todd. Messrs. Percy Jordan, Richard Burks, Thos. Lillard, of seventh grade; Lela Anderson, Laura Meeks and Henry Lee Brown, fifth grade; Master Charley Howse and Lavada Brooks, fourth grade; Elizabeth Murray and Whitmore Carney of third grade;… -
City Items – March 1, 1907
7 Jun 2009 | 6:26 pmFrom the Nashville Globe – 1 Mar 1907 Mrs. P.R. Burrus, Mrs. N.J. Anderson, Mrs. Ligon, Mrs. R.S. White, Mrs. Ferguson and Miss Lena Jackson, representing the esteem and love of many of their friends, came laden with good things Saturday night to the parsonage of Howard Church, making the hearts of the pastor and wife glad. Rev. J. Bond says ”Come again.” The Misses Franklin, of 78 Claiborne street, were called to North Nashville Tuesday morning to attned the funeral of their cousin, Carrie E. Cleveland. Mrs. Elizabeth Becton, of 819 Stevens street, left for Battle… -
Napier wins Councilman position
24 May 2009 | 12:54 pmTom Wood, writer of Nashville history over at NashvillePost.com sent me the following article from the September 29, 1878 issue of the Colored Councilman. Transcription: J.C. Napier, the councilman elect from the fourth ward, is considered by the colored people to be one of the most creditable representatives of their race, and this great popularity was exhibited yesterday, in his defeat of Mr. Chas. H. Saunders, one of the most popular young men in the city. Councilman Napier is about twenty-four years of age, a bright mulatto, and is a graduate of the law department of Howard… -
Arsenic in their Coffee
11 May 2009 | 5:35 pmTrenton Evening Times (New Jersey) 29 Jul 1889 Dastardly Attempt to Poison the South’s Richest Colored Woman. Nashville, Tenn., July 29 —- Lucy Bedford, aged 85, and Emily Parsons, her niece, both colored, have been poisoned by arsenic which was placed in their coffee. Miss Parsons died last night and Miss Bedford is in a critical condition. Lucy Bedford is probably the riches colored woman in the south, having been given an estate worth $100,000 by the will of her former owner. Four negro servants of Miss Bedford are under arrest on suspeicion of the crime, the object…
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CanadaGenealogy, or, 'Jane's Your Aunt'
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Happy Canada Day from Vancouver BC Canada
1 Jul 2009 | 12:16 pmHappy Canada Day to all, or Fête du Canada, or even, Dominion Day, as it was.July (Year undisclosed), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Family Collection. -
Just Make Up Some Lyrics Genealogy Challenge - My Songs
30 Jun 2009 | 11:59 pmBill West, over at West in New England posted a challenge earlier this month - The Just Make Up Some Lyrics Genealogy ChallengeWell, after I saw the great songs that were already posted, I was very worried. I make no pretense of being musically inventive or creative (although I used to sing out loud and in public - but no more). Still I had said I'd enter something, so I had to think hard. When my grandson was little, I used to make up silly little singing games that he liked to play - so I thought of coming up with something I could sing to, or with, my great grandchildren someday. What… -
CLACK - 50th Wedding Anniversary - Strathclair Manitoba Canada 1943
30 Jun 2009 | 4:50 amEarlier I posted 2 mystery photographs of a violinist found in my grandmother's photographs. Two genealogy bloggers quickly sprang to my assistance, Tamura Jones who writes about genealogy and reviews software and websites and Annette Fulford who reearches and writes about Canadian War Brides of the First World War. Annette identified the violinist as Harold Austin CLACK. I have since located and read several newspaper articles concerning him and his family. As promised, here is one. Strathclair Pair Wed 50 YearsThe home of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Clack, Strathclair, was the scene of a… -
Mystery Monday - Unknown Violinist 1920s
29 Jun 2009 | 1:14 pmHere's a little puzzle from among my Na's things. Two postcards signed with greetings, from 1922 and 1924, presumably by the violinist shown in the photos. With them was an unidentified newspaper clipping about a performance by the famous tenor, John McCormack. This might be unrelated or, could this violinist have been one of the the musicians who played with McCormack? The newspaper, I think, will turn out to be an Manitoba one from the 1930s as the article mentions Fred M. Gee who was well known in music in Winnipeg, but the other side has part of an article about an election in England -… -
Scanfest - GRAHAM, Ontario to Saskatchewan, Canada
28 Jun 2009 | 12:16 pmGrahams, near Aberdeen, Saskatchewan, Canada - Annie, Dolly, Jenny. Scott Family collection. Postcard; unused; AZO.This morning I'm at Scanfest, hosted by Miriam of Ancestories. Lots of people attending, including some direct from the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree. Check out Scanfest here.I've already scanned two 'mystery' photographs which I'll post tomorrow and now I'm scanning some GRAHAM family photographs from Victoria County, Ontario, Canada and from the Aberdeen area in Saskatchewan, Canada.
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Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe
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Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - July 2009
2 Jul 2009 | 9:27 amThe Chula Vista Genealogical Society events for July 2009 include:** Wednesday, July 8, 12 noon to 2 pm, Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Research Group meets in the Library Conference Room. We will review the latest genealogy news, share success stories and information, and discuss members research problems, and potential solutions, based on the collective knowledge and wisdom of the group.** Wednesday, July 15, 12 noon to 2 pm, Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Computer Group meets in the Library Computer Lab. We will visit some… -
CVGS Members at SCGS Jamboree
30 Jun 2009 | 6:21 pmFour Chula Vista Genealogical Society members, and two CVGS "friends," attended one or more days of the Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree on 26 to 28 June 2009 at the Burbank Airport Marriott and Convention Center. There were about 1,500 registrants for this conference, which is the largest regional conference on the West Coast.Three CVGS members (Shirley Becker, Susi Pentico and Randy Seaver) and one "friend" (Mary Kanta) went on the early AMTRAK train on Friday morning, arriving before 10 a.m. at the convention center, and returned on the 4:25 p.m. train on Sunday, arriving… -
CVGS Program - Joan Lowrey on Passenger Lists
24 Jun 2009 | 4:19 pmThe June program meeting of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society featured Joan Lowrey, who presented "Did They Really Come on That Ship?" Joan's CV was described here.The presentation covered eight case studies of passenger lists and indexes that demonstrated one or more of the following problems:* Some entries on passenger lists may be crossed out because the passenger didn't make the boat. However, they may be indexed in passenger list databases.* Some index entries may provide wrong date of arrival. You can use several resources to try to find the correct date and find the passenger list… -
CVGS Program on Wednesday - "Did They Really Come on That Ship?"
22 Jun 2009 | 8:49 amThe next Program meeting of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society is Wednesday, 24 June, at 12 noon in the Auditorium of the Chula Vista Civic Center Library (365 F Street in Chula Vista).After a short business meeting, Joan Lowrey will present "Did They Really Come on That Ship?"Joan Lowrey has been researching her family since 1957, and has been a professional genealogist since 1990. She specializes in Germany and the U.S., and does extensive research in San Diego County. She has a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a minor in German from Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, and worked… -
Live-blogging the Computer Group meeting
17 Jun 2009 | 1:14 pmWe had some problems connecting the control PC with the projector and the wireless mouse was not charged, so we eventually connected the projector to a computer that was working with a wired mouse connected. Frustrating to think the library has systems that don't work.When we got it working, we tried to find Dick's family in the 1873 plat map for Dane County, Wisconsin. There are maps for each township in Dane county at http://www.danecountyhistory.org/1873plat/1873plat.html. He found the area in Westport township where his Ibenthal family settled after 1873. Then he found the map of…
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DearMYRTLE's Genealogy Blog
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Bloggers' Summit 2: Pics
27 Jun 2009 | 9:03 amDearREADERS,ABOVE: George G. Morgan (of the Genealogy Guys) who is moderating today's summit.Ol' Myrt here is reporting from the 2009 Southern California Genealogy Jamboree to be held this weekend, Friday through Sunday 26-28 June, at the Burbank Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, Burbank, California. From On the docket this morning:Saturday 9:30am-noon ~ Summit 2: Son of Blogger Panel Discussion. Genealogy bloggers, podcasters and video casters use the Internet in ways that have changed communications to genealogists and family historians. This panel discussion will cover a wide range of… -
11x17 and odd sized document storage solutions
27 Jun 2009 | 5:13 amFrom: sethw@11x17.comDearMYRTLE,I was recently reading your blog for May 12th 2009 and as it so happens we are a manufacture that carries 11x17 filing solutions. We are a small family owned business and finding these products can be teeth pulling, but we seem to be greatly appreciated once found. It may make a great notation to you followers. We carry over 300 products for 11x17, letter, legal, 13x19, 24x18 and were adding stuff everyday. Well, best of luck, and if you have any questions don’t hesitates to call on us.P.S. If you have any advice, or suggestions for products we can custom… -
Superfluous?
26 Jun 2009 | 8:34 amFrom: HughDearMYRTLE,Just a short informational note from a fairly serious genealogist. To be sure that I wasn't missing something personally or genealogically useful, I tried Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. My conclusions:Twitter may be fun for the teenies but for me it's another Internet waste of time. I have seen little of real use for Twitter. I've concluded that there isn't much serious communications that can fit within the 140 character limitation. It's not for me. I disconnected.YouTube: Potentially useful but needs improved content organization and better moderation. 80-90% of its… -
Live Roots Search Experience, Release Two
25 Jun 2009 | 8:33 amNOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was just received from our friend Illya at LiveRoots.com. Please address all inquiries to editor@genealogytoday.com. Please note that LiveRoots.com is one of Family Tree Magazine's 101 best web sites for 2009.Live Roots Search Experience, Release TwoBURBANK, Calif. - June 25, 2009 - Genealogy Today announced the second release of the Live Roots search experience. Included in this release are project management tools to help visitors keep track and organize the genealogical resources that they discover while using the search engine.Throughout the Live Roots… -
SoCal Jamboree 2009: On my way
24 Jun 2009 | 9:42 amDearREADERS,As we speak, Ol' Myrt here is in the middle of the desert with her car packed to the gills, on the way to participate as a speaker and exhibit hall vendor at the 2009 Southern California Genealogy Jamboree to be held this weekend, Friday through Sunday 26-28 June, at the Burbank Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, Burbank, California. From the Jamboree website:Jamboree has several speakers who form the core of the lecture faculty and who are frequent presenters at the conference. These speakers include Jana Broglin, CG; Bruce Buzbee; Bill Dollarhide; Arlene Eakle, Ph.D. FUGA;…
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Donna’s Genealogy Blog
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Day Ten: Dublin
3 Jul 2009 | 2:46 pmThe time has flown by and I need another week at least! Unfortunately, I’m leaving on Sunday. The good news is that the National Library is open from 9:30 - 1 tomorrow...I’ll be there when the doors open. Today I started back at the Valuation Office (because they opened at 9:15), finished by 10 and walked over to the National Archives. I had some specific things I needed to pick up there, and no time to do any research. I thought it was going to be a quick trip, however, you know the story...the best laid plans... I needed two Will transcripts. The first one was a piece of cake. The… -
Day Nine: Dublin
2 Jul 2009 | 11:09 amAnd the rains came! The thunder and lightning woke me up during the night along with the heavy rain. I just rolled over and went back to sleep. When I went down for breakfast this morning the staff was mopping up the lobby. At 6 a.m. they had three inches of water! They said the water came rushing down the street and into the lobby. Whether that caused my Internet problem, I don’t know, but I lost my connection last night and it was still out this morning. I was given a key to another room and told to check and see if the Internet was working (it was) and so I moved to a new room. The heavy… -
Day Eight: Dublin
1 Jul 2009 | 11:45 amGosh, where has the week gone! I’ve gotten a lot done, but there’s still a lot more to do! When I woke up this morning it was raining hard, and although I wanted to crawl back under the covers, I got up and ready to leave. By the time I left the hotel, there was only a mist. This is the first time I’ve stayed on the north side of the Liffey. I got a good rate at the newly renovated Ashling Hotel with the Luas tram just outside the door. I jumped on the tram and in less than ten minutes was at the General Register Office, just as it opened. The GRO used to be on the south side but has… -
Day Seven: Belfast to Dublin
30 Jun 2009 | 12:11 pmI spent from 9 - 3 at PRONI reading church records. I was disappointed that Fr. Morgan left the Parish in Lower Drumgooland about 1853...his replacement did not have particularly good handwriting! You cannot make copies of church records, so I transcribed all of the baptisms, marriages and funerals for Kings and Loughlins in the parish. I found James King’s baptism in 1844 obtaining his mother’s maiden name, Mary Cawley but I could not find any other children born to these parents, nor could I find their marriage. I’m pleased with the progress I did make on this family and will use the… -
Day 6: Belfast
29 Jun 2009 | 1:09 pmMy first stop this morning was the Linen Hall Library in downtown Belfast. Since I’m staying out by PRONI, I took the bus to the city (not a place to drive) which stops right in front of the Library. I was looking for obituaries between the 1880 and 1900 and unfortunately did not find any of them. The birth, death and marriage notices were on the first page of the paper so they were easy to find. Most people in that timeframe did not have an obit unless they they had some status. The Belfast Newsletter goes back into the 1700’s and I was able to pick up an article from 1738. I decided to…
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From Axer to Ziegler
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Lancaster’s New Convention Center!
21 Jun 2009 | 6:39 pmYes! After many, many years of hearing about it, reading about it, and finally watching it rise, floor by floor, it is open for business! Lancaster County Convention Center and Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square had it’s open house for the community today and we were there! The facade of the old Watt and Shand department store was saved [...] -
One Hundred Years ago on West James Street
19 Jun 2009 | 4:57 amYes, this post card was mailed 100 years ago! It was sent from Lancaster to Middletown, Pennsylvania, a drive today of perhaps 45 minutes. We would never dream of sending a postcard to somebody in Middletown today ~ we’d call them, text them, e-mail them or even drive to see them ~ but send a [...] -
Her Brain Instantly Died . . .
16 Jun 2009 | 11:14 amWhile catching up on paperwork today and posting obituaries I came across this one. Something in it instantly jumped out at me! Before her marriage she taught school and she was a woman of marked intelligence??? I’m sorry, I don’t buy it. -
Two Important Events in Nana’s Life; Both on the Same Day
7 Jun 2009 | 5:23 pmOn June 18, 1913 the Senior Class of Sacramento High School held their graduation ceremony. My grandmother, Bertha Emma von Breyman was the first child in her family to walk across a stage and receive her diploma. Quite a feat considering she was the second to youngest of ten children. Her mother was widowed [...] -
Alumni News, Lancaster High School, 1898
5 Jun 2009 | 7:32 pmAnother of my finds! I found this 35 page booklet titled “The High School News. Commencement Number. 1898.” and it was from Lancaster, Pennsylvania! Since I found it in Franklin County, it wasn’t priced as high as it would have been in Lancaster, and I bought this treasure for $5.00! The publishing information states that [...]
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The Chart Chick
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The *last* post on SCGS
2 Jul 2009 | 2:19 pmMine has to be the last post on SCGS. With catching up on the work we came back to, I'm a bit slow posting these pictures. Or at least it seems that way. When you are running with the geneablogging crowd--which is a very fast crowd--you have to post it now, or someone scoops you. (I still hold the scoop for Footnote Maven's picture though--and don't you forget it.) Now I know what it was like to be a news reporter. And, work with the funnest group of people in the world.I also had to re-arrange my reader to make sure I was getting the latest feeds on all these fabulous people. Let me show… -
Pictures from SCGS
27 Jun 2009 | 4:44 pmGuess What!?! FootnoteMaven just gave me permission to post the picture of us to my blog.Woohoo. Such an honor to meet this lady. And she is the same sweetheart in real life as she is online, even more so. And what a beautiful lady too. I don't know why she uses her FootnoteMaven picture. But it was fun to actually get to see her and give her a hug. I wrote her on twitter a couple of days ago and told her she would have to come find me because I didn't even know if I was looking for a blonde or a brunette. And when she flashed me her nametag in the lobby yesterday, I felt like I'd struck… -
SCGS Blogger Summit.
26 Jun 2009 | 1:30 pmI finally got to meet Thomas MacEntee! Been looking forward to that. http://www.geneabloggers.com/ Conferences are such a treasure hunt now for people I love and read all the time but haven't ever met. Gotten to talk to Myrt, Randy Seaver, Denise Levenick, Sheri Fenley, Cheryl Palmer. Got to take more pictures. More to come.More at www.thechartchick.com or go to www.generationmaps.com -
Free Consults at Conferences.
23 Jun 2009 | 5:55 amI'm packing again. Looking forward to meeting lots of new facebook and blogging friends at SCGS. I'm wondering if everyone knows to pack their genealogy files? We bring one of our 42 inch plotters to almost every genealogy conference we go attend. We do that so that our plotter can meet up with your genealogy file--and great things result. Just bring us a copy of your genealogy file. ANY SOFTWARE (Ancestral Quest, Family Tree Maker, Legacy PAF, RootsMagic, you name it) on ANY FORMAT (USB drive, CD, Your own laptop, even a 3 1/4 inch floppy). Drop it off to us at the booth, come back after… -
Triathalons and Patience in Genealogy
16 Jun 2009 | 5:00 pmYou may be wondering why you haven't heard anything from me this summer about doing more triathalons. (I'm sure you were just wondering that.)I fell in early March. It was one of those strange falls where you hit it just wrong. Well, I hit my left knee really hard. Flat on the cement. It didn't really hurt the day of, but then I could hardly walk for the next couple of days. I knew I had done something to it, but I didn't want to deal with it. My father's family has a thorough history of knee problems and lots of knee replacements all around. So I just went into denial, and didn't want to go…
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George Geder
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Wordless WednesdayThe Boy Scouts of Harlem!
1 Jul 2009 | 10:57 am~~~Peace,"Guided by the Ancestors" -
Ethnic Scrapbooking &Making Ancestors Relevant to Their Times
30 Jun 2009 | 5:36 pmBack in February, Lisa Sanford had an interesting post on her blog 'Ethnic Scrapbooking'; http://ethnicscrapbooking.typepad.com/.She and her fourth-grader child were celebrating the 100th anniversary of the NAACP and discussing Ida B. Wells-Barnett, one of its founders.She went on to say:I love it when materials the kids study at school have a relevant place in today's world. It just makes it all come alive and easier to remember too. I also took the opportunity to connect Mrs. Wells-Barnett to our family history, by explaining that our Great-Great-Great Grandfather may have read her articles… -
Michael Jackson; 1958 - 2009Rest In Peace
26 Jun 2009 | 8:31 am~~~Peace,"Guided by the Ancestors" -
Happy Fathers Day
20 Jun 2009 | 8:52 pmWilliam Emmett Geder - 1903 - 1977Emmett moore Geder - 1882 - 1944Jack Hancock - 1886 - @1927James Jeter - @1848 - 1882George Hancock - @1820 - ?Simon Lenard - 1858 - @1909William Henry Stevenson - 1855 - 1934John R Jeter - @1810 - 1893John Stevenson - 1834 - 1914Reuben Melvin - 1756 - 1860And all those who came before and hence; I'll find you.You all live in me and I am a part of you. In fact, I am all of you.I'm trying to represent in deed and character.Rest assured and know that this descendant keeps you in his heart and soul.Picture_ Me, Cynthia and our daughter Erika at her St. Johns… -
Thursday's Graveyard RabbitSanta Fe African Ancestored From The Ground Up
18 Jun 2009 | 6:52 pmTo many, New Mexico is considered a tri-cultural state; Anglo-Hispanic-Native American.HOWEVER...There have been African Americans here from the beginning; just under-represented or simply ignored. Recognizing that, former Gov. Bruce King declared New Mexico a multicultural state way back in 1979.How many African Americans are buried in Santa Fe, New Mexico?Who are they?What are their stories?This is our attempt to honor those African Americans interred in Santa Fe and to learn about their contributions. Of course, I will share 'all' that I unearth (ouch!) and will take photos of headstones…
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Granite in My Blood
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Victor Cleansing Co.
2 Jul 2009 | 5:13 amVictor Cleansing Co.Originally uploaded by midgefrazel15th Edition of Smile For The Camera is "they WORKED hard for the family."This massive tank must have been for the fuel that was stored at the laundry and dry cleaning plant operated by my grandfather, Evans Stewart, in the late 1910s, the 1920s and the 1930s. This photo was shared with me by Jim Ricci whose grandfather and grandfather's brother worked side by side with mine. I think this is a very unique photograph, don't you?I would not be surprised the tank was lettered and the photo taken for the Providence Journal! [the major… -
Cap't Peter BROWN
30 Jun 2009 | 8:07 amCap't Peter BROWNOriginally uploaded by midgefrazelCarnival of Genealogy 75th ed. “Justice and Independence ”I am hoping that I will be able to find out more about Capt. Peter BROWN, who is buried at Whitehall Cemetery #21 in Mystic, New London, CT. Capt. BROWN served in the American Revolution and is buried in the same cemetery with many other men who served in this war.The DAR database lists his service as follows: "Sixth Regiment, Col. Parsons, 1775, 10th Company Capt. Abel Spicer and he served from May 10 to Dec 18, 1775." He is a recognized patriot by the DAR.Peter was born in 1753… -
New England Graveyards
24 Jun 2009 | 11:39 amOld Burying Ground, West Bridgewater, MAOriginally uploaded by midgefrazelWelcome, visitors from SoCal, to my blog about photographing and researching gravestones!I live in Massachusetts [example] but I photographgravestones in Connecticut [example] and Rhode Island [example] too. These three states are where most of my ancestors are resting in family graveyards or in large garden cemeteries. I love to research EVERY grave I photograph and blog about them.You can learn how to look for your ancestors gravestones by reading blogs such as mine.This is a typical graveyard in a nearby town to… -
Catharine BROWN, wife of Jonathan DENISON
22 Jun 2009 | 10:30 amCatharine BROWN, wife of Jonathan DENISONOriginally uploaded by midgefrazel. Tombstone Tuesday [repost with new information]Question! Who were the grandparents of Catherine/Catharine Brown because she is listed as a daughter of Peter Brown?Catharine BROWN, wife of Jonathan DENISON was born 11 April 1781, she died 27 April 1863 and is buried next to her husband."Catharine/wife of/Jonathan Denison/Born April 11, 1781/Died April 27, 1863.She married Jonathan in 1802 and the couple had 11 children. Their oldest son, Dudley and his wife are also buried here.The DAR database indicates that she is… -
Ebenezer Hobbs
21 Jun 2009 | 12:09 pmEbenezer HobbsOriginally uploaded by midgefrazelOn our way this morning to visit with our daughter, son-in-law and baby grandson, I was reminded of how many old Massachusetts homes are still standing.We pass through many towns along the winding road called Rt. 117 and in Weston, MA and as a genealogist, I noticed this house like many others which have these small plaques with a name an a date on them. This one I thought was very early in Massachusetts history to be in such good condition.This house is so well kept that it is hard to believe that Ebenezer Hobbs, son of Josiah Hobbs and his…
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huffenglish.com
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My Next Book: Readicide
1 Jul 2009 | 9:56 pmThank you to all of you who voted in the poll. It was a close one, but in the end Kelly Gallagher’s Readicide inched past Penny Kittle’s Write Beside Them by a single vote. The final tally was as follows: Readicide, Kelly Gallagher—8 votes Write Beside Them, Penny Kittle—7 votes Blending Genre, Altering Style, Tom Romano—5 votes The First Days of School, Harry Wong—3 votes Genre Theory, Deborah Dean—1 vote Because the voting was so close, I’ll probably read/revisit the books in the order of voters’ preference. I am going on vacation next week, so I’m… -
Designing Writing Assignments: More Writing Assignment Resources
30 Jun 2009 | 3:15 pmI should begin this post by saying I have not heard from NCTE regarding my complaint that since they have changed their website, they have dropped Traci Gardner’s companion page for this book somewhere. Also, the page for this book still incorrectly links to a page that doesn’t exist. I find this extremely frustrating as I feel that Traci Gardner took some time to gather helpful resources together to accompany her book, and NCTE seemingly is not concerned that they remain available. Gardner begins the final chapter of Designing Writing Assignments with a pointer toward this… -
Professional Reading Survey
30 Jun 2009 | 1:37 pmOK, just for fun, I thought I’d conduct a quick survey. I will finish Traci Gardner’s wonderful Designing Writing Assignments later today. Which of the following books do you think I should read (and reflect on here) next? Vote in the poll. You can only vote for one choice. Voting will close at midnight on July 2! Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. This post originally appeared on huffenglish.com and is © Dana Huff. -
Designing Writing Assignments: Preparing for Standardized Testing
29 Jun 2009 | 10:33 pmTraci Gardner begins her fifth chapter of Designing Writing Assignments, “Preparing for Standardized Testing,” with a sentence that sums up my own feeling about standardized writing assessments: “The prompts that students face on standardized writing tests are the antithesis of effective writing assignments” (67). Seeing as how they haven’t contacted me about it in a few years, I suppose it’s safe to disclose that I graded for the SAT in the first year that the essay portion of the test was added. I did it because I wanted to know what the College Board was… -
Designing Writing Assignments: Defining New Tasks for Standard Writing Activities
27 Jun 2009 | 1:56 pmThe fourth chapter in Traci Gardner’s Designing Writing Assignments focuses on “unusual or new alternatives to the standard kinds of writing that students are asked to complete” (48). Some of my best writing assignments have sprung from planning UbD performance tasks with an authentic audience. For example, two grammar UbD units I wrote concern the use of apostrophes and the use of commas. The performance task for the apostrophe unit concerns writing a letter to an elected official in Arkansas who presented a bill before the Arkansas legislature regarding the use of the…
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I Dream of Genea(logy)
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Twins? Nobody saw this one coming!
30 Jun 2009 | 7:05 pmI am in a bit of a stunned haze. I just confirmed that my grandfather had a twin brother which nobody knew absolutely anything about!Well, let me elaborate.I got my hands on some documentation that reveals a lot of information about my paternal grandfather's family. For instance, his birth date. Yes, I know it sounds strange that nobody knew when my grandfather was born, but both he and my grandmother never gave their actual date of birth. They used to say that they were born close to Passover or Hanukkah, but never an actual date. To this day I am not even certain of my grandmother's birth… -
Missing Branches - Found!
26 May 2009 | 6:54 pmThere were clues everywhere. But I have been distracted and disorganized lately and could not really focus on the task at hand. But suddenly something clicked and I am happy to say that I have found a couple of missing branches of my tree. And not too distant either. Let me explain.I have been unhappily reading the book Defiance (more on that in a later post) about the Bielski Partisan group and thinking back to a piece I read by Yakov Segalchik called The Eternal Testament: Memoirs of a Partisan. In that piece are a lot of links to my family and the shtetl of Dolhinov. And since my… -
Bringing Moshe Zinberg back to life
19 May 2009 | 8:51 pmMoshe Zinberg was my maternal great-grandfather and pretty much the only grandfather either of my parents had. My father's grandparents perished in the Holocaust as were my mother's paternal grandparents. So Moshe and Elka Zinberg were pretty much it. My mother remembers how after the war nobody really knew what grandparents were and whenever they came to visit, people would come by just to get a glimpse of them.Moshe and Elka lived in Beltsi (Balti in today's Moldova), had 6 children and were planning to immigrate to Israel around 1933. Moshe sold everything they had, including their house… -
Cities of the Underworld
19 May 2009 | 8:09 pmOne of the many things on my Tivo is a show on the History Channel called 'Cities of the Underworld' which takes the host all over the world, or rather under the world, exploring lost cultures and amazing out-of-this-world places.I just watched an amazing episode about the 'Secret Holy Land' in Ethiopia. Basically the idea is that early isolation of Christianity there caused some astonishing things to happen. I'm talking about Templar crosses on tombs of the Axumite kings 7 centuries before the crusades. Or churches dug into the ground and completely carved out of rock. It's pretty amazing to… -
JewishGen-erosity
14 Apr 2009 | 9:40 amJewishGen is the premier online resource for Jewish Genealogy and probably should be the first destination for any researcher with Jewish roots. The site is completely free and hosts hundreds and thousands of smaller sites dedicated to special interest groups (SIGs), Jewish community sites (shtetls), expansive databases and search engines, online courses, discussion forums and much, much more.Recently through a partnership with Ancestry.com all their data was moved to the data center and integrated with the Ancestry.com search engines. This has made searching a lot faster and easier. I still…
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In My Life
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Travels With Iris
25 Jun 2009 | 5:43 amOne of the joys in my life is biking. What started out as an alternative to walking seems to have taken on a life of its own. Our first bikes were Schwinn comfort bike - comfy seat, sitting upright - the perfect bike for a couple of then forty-year-olds rediscovering biking. The kind of bike you could just jump on and head off down the street. After a few months spent riding around the neighborhood, Al and I progressed to tackling one of our area's 'gems', the Green Circle Trail. A twenty-seven mile route that encompasses not only city streets and neighborhoods but paths through pine and… -
From The Front Seat
18 Jun 2009 | 12:44 pmOne of my favorite Mary Engebreit cards says "Don't look back - you're not going that way."While that may be true, sometimes the view from the front seat looking back reminds us of some of the little things in life that brings us joy.Heading anywhere with Al on a Friday afternoon with the road bikes securely in place on the Cycle-On and the promise of a charity bike ride. It doesn't matter if there is SAG, and the rest stops may be nothing more than a couple of cookies and over ripe bananas. What is important is after two years of volunteer service to the Wisconsin Society Daughters of the… -
Celebration of Winter Solstice and the beauty of Maeshowe
21 Dec 2008 | 5:05 amPhoto: http://www.maeshowe.co.ukQuirky. In my younger years, "quirky" would describe my delight in the arrival of the shortest day of the year. No one actually celebrates the Winter Solstice. At least not in my recent memory. If you did, you were rather - quirky. I could never quite understand why December 21st brought a sense of wonder. Being a lifelong resident of Wisconsin, it could have something to do with the fact that December 22nd brought with it one minute more or daylight. But the date always seemed to hold more of an inner rejoicing rather than having 60 seconds additional of… -
Would You Care To Comment?
18 Oct 2008 | 9:00 amThree posts in three days ... It's amazing what a few days with limited commitments will do for you!Filled with the excitement of having completed the latest Genea-blogger meme a celebration was in order. I packed up my computer, iPod and cell phone and headed off to my favorite coffee/ice cream establishment, Emy J's, for some quality blog time.What a terrific way to spend a Saturday morning. I am amazed at the number of talented, creative, funny, skilled and down-right nice people in Genea-blogger land. I am inspired to share more of my family history and my corner of the world.Two large… -
I've Been Tagged! Getting to Know MeMe
17 Oct 2008 | 5:07 amColleen, author of Orations of OMcHodoy has tagged me for the latest MeMe on Genea-blogger. With my thinking cap firmly in place, a fresh cup of coffee and Loreena McKennit playing on my iPod, I'm all set to answer the following five questions. Then the difficult part ... I have to come up with five others to tag. I'll think about that ... later.Ten Years Ago I ...1. I had just celebrated my 45th birthday2. Worked outside of my home3. Had my hands full with a litter of five cocker spaniel puppies4. Discovered the joy of road cycling (bicycles)5. Had just received the Individual Death…
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Janet the researcher
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Wordless Wednesday - Happy Canada Day
1 Jul 2009 | 11:15 amphotos taken on Barrie Garden Tour 2009 -
Wordless Wednesday - beautiful containers
24 Jun 2009 | 6:36 amBoth of these photos were taken at the same home during the 2009 Barrie garden tour. They are contrast in displays -
Happy Father's Day
21 Jun 2009 | 5:35 pmphoto taken May 1986 at the time of the celebration of my parent's 40th wedding anniversary. In the back are the three children: Janet, Ted and Nancy. In front Marion and Bob. -
Wordless Wednesday - Peonies
17 Jun 2009 | 7:03 amPhoto taken during garden tour in Barrie, Ontario June 14, 2009 by Janet -
2009 swimsuit edition of the Carnival of Genealogy
15 Jun 2009 | 4:47 pmHere I am enjoying a summer day during August 1955, wearing my swimsuit. The photo was taken at Sauble Beach. I likely didn't venture far into the water except to fill my watering can.
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Jessica's Genejournal
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Justice and Independence: Ancestral Experiences ...
1 Jul 2009 | 8:08 amWhen I think about justice and independence, I usually think about July 4th and the United States even though U. S.'s history has a few stains. Of course, I do not know if I am descended from a Revolutionary War veteran because I haven't researched my American ancestors back that far. As for whether or not any of my American ancestors stood for justice, the closest I can come to is my Civil War ancestor, Adam Oswalt, when he served, but I'm not sure if that counts.When it comes to my European ancestors, on the other hand, I can think of several examples. I've written briefly before about… -
Google Analytics Report For June 2009
1 Jul 2009 | 7:45 amAnother month has gone by, and that means it is time for another Google Analytics report. Here are the results for June 2009:The top ten countries, in number of views, are:United States - 335 visitsCanada - 36 visitsNetherlands - 14 visitsArgentina - 10 visitsUnited Kingdom - 8 visitsIndia - 3 visitsAustralia - 3 visitsGermany - 3 visitsNew Zealand - 3 visitsNorway - 2 visitsThe top ten states in the United States, in number of visits, are:Michigan - 80 visitsIllinois - 34 visitsCalifornia - 32 visitsTexas - 23 visitsVirginia - 18 visitsNew York - 15 visitsOhio - 15 visitsIndiana - 12… -
Family History Center Visit 12
30 Jun 2009 | 2:45 pmEarlier today, I visited the local Family History Center. I wanted to print out some copies of the baptisms in the Trippstadt church records because I was having difficulty transcribing the records, and so I printed out about 8 to 10 pages. After making copies, I printed out the World War One records of two of my great-grandfathers so that other family members could be able to have a copy and so that I had a master copy as well.Hopefully, I won't need to print out any more copies of the baptismal records, and until the other microfilms come in, I should be busy transcribing and translating… -
20th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy
28 Jun 2009 | 2:00 pmWelcome to the 20th edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy! The topic for this edition was a carousel, and that means that submitted articles could be on anything as long as they related to Central or Eastern Europe and genealogy. Although this edition is a small one, there are interesting articles in this edition. Here are the articles for this edition:First off, we have two articles from Al of Polish-American Genealogy Research. In Index of Indexes, he writes about a website that lists indexing projects that are occurring Poland, and in Indexing Project - Geneteka… -
Family History Center Visit 11
27 Jun 2009 | 12:01 pmEarlier today, I visited the local Family History Center, and I took a look again at the microfilm of the church records for Trippstadt, Germany. On my previous visit, I couldn't find a burial record for one of my Kees' ancestor's children, so I decided to look again this time. And I found the record, and I printed out a copy of the record.After I went through the Trippstadt microfilm, I ordered four microfilms, and I printed out of my great-grandfather's service records. One microfilm was of civil records, and the other three were microfilms of church records. Two of those church records…
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100 Years in America
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100 Years in America the Beautiful
30 Jun 2009 | 7:40 pmWith great appreciation to Katharine Lee Bates who penned the beloved song America, The Beautiful in 1913.O beautiful for spacious skiesthat welcomed all my kinwho crossed the seas with hopeful dreamsthey carried deep within.America! America! God shed His grace on theeand bless the modern progenywithin our family tree!Hungarians with Slavic rootswho left for better lives.The poor and starving Irishmenjust hoping to survive.America! America! God shed His grace on theeand bless the modern progenywithin our family tree!Ujlakis, Toths and Nemeths, too,left native Hungary;remaining there: the… -
Two years for 100 Years in America!
2 Jun 2009 | 1:58 amTwo years ago today I took my first footsteps into the blogging world here with the inaugural post at 100 Years in America and over at Small-leaved Shamrock followed the next day by the small beginnings of another blog, A light that shines again. These projects have been and continue to be a joy for me. They have forced me to continue work on family history projects within various branches of my family, have enabled me to get into contact with new-found family members, and have given me the chance to "meet" fellow researchers and writers doing similar work through the online world of… -
Wordless Wednesday: The pride of Croatia
19 May 2009 | 11:46 pmIvic's painting of the young girl sewing a Croatian flag thanks to the Croatian History website's Croatian Coat of Arms During the Centuries. The painting was originally published on the cover of "Hrvatska žena, grana br. 1, Chicago, 1929-2009; Croatian Woman, branch #1, Chicago, 80th Anniversary" (see Ante Čuvalo's blog -
Wordless Wednesday: Trenton, New Jersey Post Office, c. 1909
13 May 2009 | 3:53 pmCould this have been the building from which Steven Toth sent letters to his wife and family giving them information about his new life in America? Did he write? If so, how often? He missed the birth of his second child. Her birth record lists him in "Trenton, Amerika". Was this because he didn't get his wife's letter in time?Image courtesy of Mercer County, New Jersey Vintage Postcards -
South Beach watchdogs c. 1925
10 May 2009 | 7:15 pmVedra and Scotty, canine guards of the Ujlaki house at 43 Nugent Avenue, South Beach, Staten Island, c. 1925What The Dog Perhaps Hears by Pulitzer Prize-Winning Poet Lisel MuellerIf an inaudible whistleblown between our lipscan send him home to us,then silence is perhapsthe sound of spiders breathingand roots mining the earth;it may be asparagus heaving,headfirst, into the lightand the long brown soundof cracked cups, when it happens.We would like to ask the dogif there is a continuous whirbecause the child in the housekeeps growing, if the snakereally stretches full lengthwithout a click and…
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Orations of OMcHodoy
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Fighting for JUSTICE and Celebrating INDEPENDENCE
28 Jun 2009 | 3:06 pmI decided that for my entry for the 75th edition of the COG, I would post a slideshow of a combination of all three topic requests: Some photos depict ancestors who have served in our armed forces. Others show family and/or friends celebrating either what may have been our nation's history, or just the freedom to hang out and be American. Finally, I added a little bit of music by none other than a British Superstar to represent how far we've come to bridge the differences that once tore two worlds apart.Freedom Sir Paul McCartney This is my rightA right given by GodTo live a free lifeTo live… -
Who is OMcHodoy?
27 Jun 2009 | 12:24 pmOMcHodoy is a true pedigree name: A little bit of each grandparent that touched my life in some way.O'ROURKE, represented by the top photo on the right sidebar, was my mother's maiden name, though I never met the man who gave it to her. James O'ROURKE died before I was born (1902-1963). Shown in the photo are my great-grandfather James O'ROURKE (1976-1944), his wife, Mary (KEARNS) and daughters Margaret "Nellie"(marrid McCARTHY), Mary "Mae"(married JORDAN), and Betty (married ROCHE). There were also two others in this line, a daughter Lucille and, of course, a son James.McHugh is my surname,… -
All Truths are Marching On!
21 Jun 2009 | 8:36 amIt was Bill West, of West in New England, who challenged geneabloggers to put their work to music! Here are the rules:1. Set the names of your ancestors to the music of any song. It can be any number of names, any song. Just remember to mention what song you are using so we can all sing along as we read!2. Publish your efforts on your blog and send Bill the link (Email:BillWest48@gmail.com). If you don't have a blog then leave them as a comment for Bill on his blog.3. Deadline is June 30th. He'll publish the final list on his blog on the 4th of July!I had fun with this one, as I do with most… -
Saturday Night Geneablogger Fun
20 Jun 2009 | 6:40 pmIt is time for another "Seaver Saturday" activity! Randy Seaver at Genea-Musings posted yet another challenge to geneabloggers. I'm truly having a hard time participating in this one, and judging by his first four comments, I'm not the only one! The idea is to go to http://www.deathclock.com/ and answer a few questions about yourself and let it determine your death date. I truly do not wish to know! So I'll try it with other people ;).I plugged in my mother's information (she'd died in 1988). Only for her I chose "non-smoker" since she did smoke, and died at the age of 50. I entered her BMI… -
The Puckerbrush Award
14 Jun 2009 | 8:04 pmOf all the awards I've received, this one has got to have the funniest name. It is also one that means a lot to me, because the award is named for the author of Cow Hampshire, Janice Brown. Janice has been MIA for a while now, and the Geneabloggers are certainly on the losing end of her absence. We all hope for the best for Janice. It appears her blog is also MIA, so I will quote the meaning of "Puckerbrush" as published on many sites, per Janice's own words:Janice's definition of the puckerbrush is as follows: "On any land allowed to go fallow and left untended, a wild assortment of wild…
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Photo-Sleuth
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Summer holidays at Grand Beach, Lake Winnipeg, circa 1920
28 Jun 2009 | 5:44 pmSome years ago, my father and I did some research on, and corresponded with each other about, three snapshots which had come from my grandfather Leslie Payne's collection. I have previously discussed our tentative conclusions about the locations of these photographs in a series of articles written about my grandfather's early years in Canada, both prior to and after the Great War, here and here. The publishing of Jasia's very readable 74th COG Swimsuit Edition on Creative Gene and several other recent posts with beach holiday themes in the blogging community has prompted me to look at these… -
Catching up
27 Jun 2009 | 9:03 pmI'm afraid that a preoccupation with studies and house guests has left me with little time to spend on Photo-Sleuth recently. Although I have tried hard to keep up with reading my favourite, and ever-growing, list of family history and photo-related blogs, I've been disappointed to miss out on participating in a couple of exellent Geneabloggers carnivals, such as Evelyn Yvonne Theriault's A Festival of Postcards (2nd Edition): Main Street.Three weeks ago I attended a very interesting, informative and thought provoking talk entitled Snapshots - The Vernacular in New Zealand Photography in the… -
Smile for the Camera (14th Edition) - Wedding Belles
10 Jun 2009 | 3:07 amThe word prompt for the 14th Edition of Smile For The Camera is "Wedding Belles." According to the host footnoteMaven of Shades of the Departed:Historically, couples married in the month of June to honor Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage. Others did it to time conception so births wouldn't interfere with harvest work. And brides in the 15th century chose to marry in June because it coincided with their "annual bath" - that's right - ensuring a relatively sweet-smelling honeymoon.Well, I have to confess that despite a diligent search I've been unable to come up with a single one of my… -
Holidays at the beach
10 Jun 2009 | 1:11 amToday is my Aunt Bunnie's birthday. In just over two weeks it will be three years since her brother Bud, my Dad, died and left a gap in our lives that I can't begin to describe. A year ago last month Bunnie lost her husband and companion of over fifty years, our much loved Uncle Alf. Although half a world away Bunnie is very much in our thoughts.Bud Payne, Southwick, 1932Print 56 x 79 mmImage © and collection of C.B. PayneTodays photographs celebrate just one aspect of the childhood that Bud and Bunnie shared, holiday visits to the seaside in the years before the outbreak of war put paid to… -
74th Carnival of Genealogy - Swimsuit Edition
9 Jun 2009 | 3:29 amThe 74th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy at Jasia's Creative Gene blog is a "Swimsuit Edition." For lack of any presentable examples of myself, I've had to settle on this 1930s tintype of an unidentified woman in my collection. It's a particularly late example of a tintype and there must have been few photographers still in business using this technique by the 1930s.The photograph (44 x 62 mm) is mounted behind a printed card frame (82 x 126 mm) with a 38 x 56 mm window. The tintype is actually very dark and I have digitally enhanced the central part of the image above so that the image…
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Rush Reunion Benedicta, Maine
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5th Rush Reunion Aug. 21, 2010
17 Jun 2009 | 4:44 pmAs we plan our summer events let us not forget our upcoming reunion next summer Aug. 21, 2010. This reunion is for all of us that can trace our bloodline back to John D. Rush so those Surnames to list some are RUSH, PERRY, ROGAN, MCNALLY, MCAVOY, BRENNAN, CRABBE, QUALEY, LAWLER, HINES, GANTNIER, CASEY, DUFFY, SCANLAN, MCDONALD , CUMMINGS, ROBINSON, (Just to name a few as the list is far longer than that. ) We want to see Benedicta come alive once again. Let's come together and make this the biggest celebration yet. Please help us in doing so attending this week long of events starting Aug. -
Rush Reunion Aug. 21, 2010
12 Jun 2009 | 11:26 amJust a reminder to you that a little over a year from now is our 5th Rush Reunion. There will be day trips starting Monday Aug. 16, 2010 and continuing throughout the week. The day before the large reunion there will be smaller ones of each of John D. Rush's descendants. It is a perfect opportunity to get together for some family photos and correspond with some that we may not otherwise have such an opportunity. Please help us attain our goal of 1,000 attendees and the biggest reunion yet. Let's see Benedicta come alive once again. -
In Loving Memory of George Benedict Qualey
28 May 2009 | 3:36 amGeorge Benedict Qualey BENEDICTA - George Benedict Qualey, 88, left this world May 23, 2009, to rejoin his wife, Ella Qualey, and his daughter, Angela Qualey, who beat him to the race to heaven. He was born Nov. 28, 1920, in Benedicta, to Andrew and Elizabeth (Rush) Qualey. George's two main passions in life were spending time with the ones he loved and enjoying the great outdoors. He was a dedicated father of 12 children, and a proud grandfather to 44 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, with whom he shared his remarkable love for all of God's creations. George lived his life in accordance… -
In Loving Memory of George Benedict Qualey
26 May 2009 | 9:18 amGeorge Benedict Qualey BENEDICTA - George Benedict Qualey, 88, left this world May 23, 2009, to rejoin his wife, Ella Qualey, and his daughter, Angela Qualey, who beat him to the race to heaven. He was born Nov. 28, 1920, in Benedicta, to Andrew and Elizabeth (Rush) Qualey. George's two main passions in life were spending time with the ones he loved and enjoying the great outdoors. He was a dedicated father of 12 children, and a proud grandfather to 44 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, with whom he shared his remarkable love for all of God's creations. George lived his life in accordance… -
Mourning the loss of my dear Grandfather George Benedict Qualey
23 May 2009 | 1:11 pmTo all of you,My dear grandfather God Bless Him. He passed away this morning in Benedicta. I will be away for awhile in Benedicta
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Teach Genealogy
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SL: Genealogy Volunteerism
15 Jun 2009 | 10:21 amSlightly edited transcript of the 14 June 2009 genealogy chatheld at the Family History Centre in Second Life hosted byClarise Beaumont (RL DearMYRTLE).Featuring a surprise visit from Drew Rodinia (RL Drew Smith)author of Social Networking for Genealogists.TERMSbmd = birth, marriage and death recordslagging = a little slow or jerky view on the computer screen, usually caused by high volume usage in Second Life.LOL = Lots of laughsrez (or to be rezzed) – verb for appearingRL = Real lifeSL = Second LifeURLS & REFERENCES CITEDRandy Seaver’s Best of the Genea-Blogs 7-13 2009 spotlights… -
SL: NGS Conference doings
12 Jun 2009 | 6:20 amNOTE from DearMYRTLE: As if Ol' Myrt here doesn't have enough alternative identities, in Second Life, my avatar is named Clarise Beaumont. The following is the text from our most recent Sunday evening chat at the Family History Center in Second Life. We usually hold our discussions in voice chat mode, but this evening, we went forward in typed mode, so this transcript is available.Transcript of chat at the Family History Centre in Second Life, 7 Jun 2009 with Clarise BeaumontWebsites mentioned:SL genealogy companion website http://brickwalls.ning.com Swedish records http://genline.com New… -
Questions & Ancestors
29 Apr 2009 | 10:49 amDearREADERS,Thanks to Al Whitcomb for pointing Ol’ Myrt here to recorded versions of QUESTIONS AND ANCESTORS live radio broadcasts. They are in .mp3 format, which play just like podcasts, but I couldn’t find the items at iTunes, so you'd have to go directly to the Brigham Young University website: http://www.byub.org/questionsandancestors/episodes.asp.And on a completely unrelated, non-genealogy topic, while rummaging around the store at www.iTunes.com, Ol' Myrt here stumbled across How Things Work's podcast series.Happy family tree climbing! Myrt :)DearMYRTLE,Your friend in… -
GenClass: May & June 2009 offerings
26 Apr 2009 | 5:28 amNOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was just received from our friends at GenClass.com. Please address all inquiries to micha@genclass.comFrom the GenClass Newsletter #22 May/June 2009Register for a class at http://www.genclass.comMAY 2009: Classes start May 1, 2009* Australian and New Zealand GenealogyLearn how to research your Australian and New Zealand family, even from a distance.* Basic English ResearchLearn how to start researching your English ancestors- historical background, geography, finding the "bones" of your family.* Canadian Research - Internet Resources - Part 3 Armed with the… -
Electronic safety deposit box
25 Apr 2009 | 10:25 amDearREADERS,THANKS to Barbara Collazo, from the Union of Genealogy Groups (in Second Life), for her suggestion that we think ahead and “Prepare for your digital afterlife”. All too often when folks pass away, the genealogy material is cast aside. Now that we live in a digital age, some valuable things are less obvious when one walks in the room.Happy family tree climbing! Myrt :)DearMYRTLE,Your friend in genealogy.Myrt@DearMYRTLE.com Blogs:http://blog.dearmyrtle.com http://blog.teachgenealogy.com http://blog.internet-genealogy.com Podcasts:DearMYRTLE’s Family History…
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The Genetic Genealogist
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A Critique of Genetic Ancestry Testing in Science Magazine
2 Jul 2009 | 3:50 pmFive bioethicists have published a paper in today’s issue of Science - The Illusive Gold Standard in Genetic Ancestry Testing (paid subscription required) – calling for government regulation of genetic ancestry testing (aka genetic genealogy). There is an accompanying press release: “Stanford Bioethicist and Colleagues Call for Federal Regulation of Genetic Ancestry Testing” (another press release is available here). Overall Thoughts I highly respect the work of these authors, and I appreciate their efforts to educate the public about these issues. I do, however, wonder why the… -
Latest Genetic Genealogy Series “Faces of America” Expected From PBS in 2010
1 Jul 2009 | 7:37 pmVia ” Mapping the Mario Batali Genome” Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is working on a new four-part genetic genealogy series for PBS called “Faces of America”, expected to air in 2010. Unlike the previous African American Lives series, the latest work will examine the genetic ancestry of Americans from all walks of life. From the press release (”THIRTEEN, Kunhardt McGee Productions and Inkwell Films, in Production on New PBS Series, Faces of America“): Global in scope, Faces of America will look beyond the black experience to explore American identity… -
Ancient Ancestry Finder From Ancestry.com - A Best Guess at Ancient Origin of Your Y-DNA or mtDNA
1 Jul 2009 | 2:46 pmvia blogs.ancestry.com Ancestry.com DNA offers a Y-DNA and mtDNA haplogroup predictor - the Ancient Ancestry Finder - based primarily on location of your most distant known paternal or maternal ancestor. From the site: To give everyone a sampling of these results, with Finder™ we’ve built a simple experience that takes a best guess at describing your ancient ancestors. You answer 2 or 3 questions with the most basic info about your family (facts almost everyone knows). And then we provide a few options for likely ancient ancestral groups, along with descriptions of those… -
The Potential Impact of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis on Discrimination of the Disabled: Analysis of Mitigating Factors
30 Jun 2009 | 12:53 pmvia slideshare.net This is a little off-topic for The Genetic Genealogist, but I thought I would share this paper which I wrote for a Genetics & Ethics class this spring. The paper examines all the biological and behavioral limitations on the ability of humans to create so-called “designer babies” solely from selecting embryos before in vitro fertilization. Although many are worried about the impact of being able to choose which embryo to implant, the paper argues that the impact is significantly limited by a number of factors. Note that this paper does NOT factor in the… -
The mtDNA of Ötzi the Iceman: A New Subclade of Haplogroup K1
30 Jun 2009 | 10:45 amThe mtDNA of Otzi, the Iceman discovered in the Alps, was recently re-analyzed. The results suggest that the previous mtDNA sequence was contaminated by a modern mtDNA source, and that the mtDNA belongs to a previously unidentified subclade of Haplogroup K1. For more information, see Dienekes’ Anthropology Blog. via biomedcentral.com Posted via web from Blaine Bettinger’s Lifestream
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TransylvanianDutch
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Poetry: A Toast to the First and the Fourth of July
2 Jul 2009 | 10:01 pmA Toast to the First and the Fourth of Julyfor David Van Every (1757-1820)©July 2009 - John NewmarkFor two years my fourth great foughtfor the creation of our nationthen in seventeen seventy sevenhe deemed his disloyalty a disserviceand joined the other side.Finally, he and his family fled to Canada.His motivations are unrecorded.Beyond his appearance on muster rolls,a few brief mentions elsewhere,we have nothing. No inklingof the wherefores behind his decisioneither in seventy five, or seventy seven.In July’s opening barrageof national celebrationsI honor both of his decisions -whatever… -
I think my decision has just been made for me.
2 Jul 2009 | 8:30 amI just received in my email box the monthly issue of PastPorts, the newsletter for the St. Louis County Library's Special Collections department. The first sentence of the first article?Footnote is now available in the Special Collections Department or at publiccomputers at any St. Louis County Library branch.Unlike Ancestry.com, where I find myself searching their databases so often, free library access isn't sufficient -- at this point in my genealogy research, library access to Footnote will definitely be sufficient. My paid account will expire in September. -
Footnote partners with Gannett Newspapers
1 Jul 2009 | 12:00 amI received the below in my email from Footnote on June 26, with a note that the information wasn't to be released until today - July 1st.We wanted to let you know of an exciting new partnership between Footnote and the largest newspaper publisher in the US, the Gannett Company. Gannett, publisher of 84 daily newspapers including USA Today, will be able to digitize their vast archives for the first time by working together with Footnote. Through this partnership Footnote Members will be able to access valuable historical newspapers never seen before on the internet.In celebration of the 40th… -
June 2009 - A Month Like Any Other?
30 Jun 2009 | 1:55 pmThis may seem like a morbid idea for a post, but recent events spurred me to search for a list. A lot of people have been repeating the statistical meme that “deaths occur in threes.” This can be difficult to disprove, as our brains like to categorize and group things, and three is a number that comes naturally when we group items together. Other people seem to think something is 'weird' about the number of notable deaths that have occurred recently. (Which actually is an opposing meme, because if deaths did occur in threes, it wouldn't be weird.)Of course it is Wikipedia that comes to… -
Not sure what happened there
29 Jun 2009 | 8:12 pmJust logged into the administration panel and realized the Amanuensis Monday post I had scheduled to appear at 12:01 this morning was still marked "scheduled". The time and date was correct, it just hadn't published. So I clicked on "publish" again and that seems to have done the trick. But in case anyone came by today - used to seeing my Monday morning transcription and wondered where it was - it was a temporary victim to an unexplained software glitch.
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TwigTalk
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I'm Late Again - Puckerbrush Award
14 Jun 2009 | 9:14 amI am late, as always. I was given this award some time ago. I won't say how long. But, I am only now finding enough time at one sitting to get it taken care of. Thank you Cheryl at HeritageHappens and Geni at Ginisology for giving me the award!Now, I might not have been able to find the time to blog, but I was certainly thinking about what blogs have influenced over the years. I was reading blogs long before I gave it a try. Usually I try to find the newer blogs to give awards to in hopes of bringing them into the circle, but this time I will truly give this one to the blogs I go to most… -
Dad's Calling - The Good Earth
31 May 2009 | 8:59 amI could start out on this topic going a back a century or more and talking about ancestors that came to this country and farmed. I have a family history of farmers on both sides. But, I don't have to talk about family stories or ancestors I never met. I'll start with a very contemporary memory.My Dad, Rufus Brock, died in June of 2006. So I will dedicate this post to him.He was born in Alabama, but moved to Indiana with his family when he was a teen. His father didn't care for the family business, farming. He worked in a factory that was building a plant in Indiana. He agreed to go north. Dad… -
One Lovely Blog Award
15 May 2009 | 8:23 pmDiana R. over at Random Relatives gave me an award! She said, "The instructions are quite simple - just to nominate 7 other blogs." Thank you so much, Diana, for the recognition of TwigTalk. I appreciate it.Finding Grandpa A Couple of Bubbles off CenterGena's Genealogy Tangled Trees Two Sides of The OceanKinfold NewsSearching For Family Branches -
Busy and More Busy!
15 May 2009 | 5:00 amSeems like I never have time to post anymore. Right now so many things are calling out for my attention. I'm still working with RM4. I like it very much. I can cut down on the mess on WorldConnect, thanks to Mr. RM [Bruce B.], but not make it all look nice. Some still present different and not very neatly. But that is WC's fault. It needs to be upgraded I think. I like RM and will stay with it.I have gotten 2 cemeteries [photos; one complete and one partial] onto the county site and I'm working on the third. Then I have 4th and 5th. . . . and a huge folder full of snippets, an entire family,… -
Blogoversary. . . Number 1
26 Apr 2009 | 5:00 amWell, it would seem that year number 1 is gone already. How time flies. I actually forgot all about it. I have been so busy lately that blogging has taken a back burner. Shame on me. But, I figure you have to go where life leads. Thinking about when I started blogging brought to mind all that has transpired this year. I've met so many wonderful people. All of you Genea-bloggers! How marvelous you all are! I didn't even know you were out there. It's great to have gotten to know you all. I've learned so much and gotten so much work done as a result. I enjoy the community of like-mindedness.
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ThinkGenealogy
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Introduction to METS
24 Jun 2009 | 8:36 amThe Challenges One of the challenges that need to be solved for online source citation is the ability to give structure to digital assets. Think of an online book that consists of a hundred images each representing a page. There are other images for the cover, title page, etc. There might even be text documents, audio files, or video associated with it. How do we keep track of all those individual files and relate them as a single digital entity? That is part of the problem that METS is trying to solve. In online citations, we also have the issue of source provenance. Where did the digital… -
Better Online Citations – Details Part 5 (MODS)
22 Jun 2009 | 8:24 amIn this post, we continue our exploration through existing bibliographic standards to see how they might work as a format for online sites to easily share citation information. To see the journey we have made so far, visit the page, A Better Way to Cite Online Sources. From the Library of Congress standards page for MODS, we see the following description: Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS) is a schema for a bibliographic element set that may be used for a variety of purposes, and particularly for library applications. On the MODS overview page, we get more details: As an XML schema… -
Better Online Citations – Details Part 4 (MARC XML)
20 Jun 2009 | 1:07 amPrevious posts have explored a better way to cite online sources (Part 1), how citation information can be stored as a file using GEDCOM format (Part 2) and MARC format (Part 3). This post takes the next logical step and discusses MARC XML. MARC was created as a machine-readable format many decades ago. In the last decade, eXtensible Markup Language (XML) has been developed as a standard format to allow validation, processing, and transformation of data. MARC XML takes the MARC format and represents it as XML. This is done in a lossless way so that conversions between MARC and MARC XML will… -
Better Online Citations – Details Part 3 (MARC)
20 Jun 2009 | 12:05 amOver the past few months, I have shared an idea about how to make citing online sources easier. You can find out more about this on the page, A Better Way to Cite Online Sources. Some of the suggestions that came from the survey and posts Details Part 1 and Details Part 2 (GEDCOM) was why not use an existing standard. One of the suggestions was using Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS). MODS is a “schema for a bibliographic element set that may be used for a variety of purposes, and particularly for library applications.” and is maintained by the Library of… -
My Great Grandfather Cartoonized
12 Jun 2009 | 7:14 amTwo days ago I discussed my new cartoon profile picture and talked about my interest in making a cartoon version of one of my ancestors. One of my favorite ancestors is my great grandfather, Worth Tucker. I have few pictures of him and what I do have is the result of too much photocopying. The picture is grainy. For this cartoon, I decided to do it all myself without the middle step of the Cartoon Me website. Here are both the original photo and the cartoon version: What do you think?
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Scottish Genealogy News and Events (SGNE)
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Ettrick and Buccleuch church surveyed by RCAHMS
3 Jul 2009 | 7:18 amAfter a great deal of research in 2008, we at Scotland's Greatest Story were able to confirm a client's claim to be descended from the family of James Hogg, better known as the 'Ettrick Shepherd', a famous writer from the Borders. As such I now tend to keep an eye out for stories on the great man, and earlier today came across the following from the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, posted about a month ago:The Parish Church of Ettrick and Buccleuch, best known as the final resting place of the writer James Hogg, is being considered for closure by the… -
New series of Who Do You Think You Are
3 Jul 2009 | 6:15 amThe next series of Who Do You Think You Are kicks off on Wednesday July 15th, with Davina McCall pursuing her ancestral story back to a supposed royal connection, though her finds at Windsor are not quite what she expects. Other participants in the series will include Chris Moyles travelling to the slums of Dublin, Liverpudlain born Kim Cattrall on a mission to solve a mystery about her grandfather's disappearance, David Mitchell on a visit to Scotland to find links to the Clearances, as well as editions on Martin Freeman and Kate Humble. The series will be shown weekly on BBC1 at… -
Belfast Social and Cultural History diploma
3 Jul 2009 | 1:56 amThe University of Ulster has issued a press release on one of the first 21 graduates of the new Belfast Social and Cultural History diploma, Moya Buchanan. You can read it at http://news.ulster.ac.uk/releases/2009/4500.html - and congrats to all my fellow Norn Ironers for their achievement!Chriswww.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk Scotland's Greatest StoryProfessional genealogical problem solving and research -
Freshly shot haggis and family history...
2 Jul 2009 | 11:35 amRecently I researched the family history of the Paton family of Largs, a line unrelated to my own (which heralds from Perthshire), but an extremely well known name to many in Ayrshire, with the family having been involved in the butcher's trade in the town, and in neighbouring West Kilbride, since 1840.The family have now created a new website for their business, which not only includes the research report that I gave to them last December, based on two days research, but many other old photos from the family's history over the last century and more. An old family tradition has it that the… -
Burke's Peerage gets a shake up
2 Jul 2009 | 1:18 amBurke's Peerage and Gentry is to get a radical overhaul. For the first time in 173 years it is to include illegitimate children, and from now on will list children in the order that they were born, rather than eldest male first. In addition the book will also include the names of children and grandchildren for daughters listed.The full story is in yesterday's Daily Mail.Chriswww.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.ukScotland's Greatest StoryProfessional genealogical problem solving and research
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GenBlog
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Weekly Genealogy Blogging Prompt #26
3 Jul 2009 | 4:19 amPrompt: Visit a cemetery. Take photos and comment on unusual/unique grave monuments. Most cemeteries have at least a monument or two that make you stop and look, so do just that. Take a picture of the grave marker that made you pause and tell us why it did so. I am a big fan of Celtic crosses and I really like this one because of its simple design and the incorporation of shamrocks. Taken at Holy Cross Cemetery (Normal, Illinois) Copyright © 2009. All rights reserved. -
Wordless Wednesday – 07/01/09
1 Jul 2009 | 4:20 pmCopyright © 2009. All rights reserved. -
Saturday Night Fun – 06/27/09
28 Jun 2009 | 10:37 amHere’s Randy’s challenge for this week: Identify one genealogist that you would like to meet. The person could be living or deceased. Why do you want to meet with this person? What would you talk about? What questions would you ask this person? Write about your choice on your blog or in Comments to this post. This is actually a little hard to answer. Personally, through blogging and Facebook, I feel like I’ve already “met” many great genealogists. There are many that I follow in order to learn from, and others I befriend because they’re wonderful people and we share a… -
Saturday Night Fun – 06/20/09
28 Jun 2009 | 10:15 amHere’s Randy’s challenge: Go to www.DeathClock.com (it takes awhile to load) and enter your birth date, sex, mode (normal, optimistic, pessimistic or sadistic), BMI (body mass index - there's a handy calculator for this) and smoking status. Click on the "Check Your Death Clock" button. Write about it in your blog, or in comments to this post. Or keep it secret - your choice! According to the Death Clock, I will expire on 18 August 2046. Not complaining. I’ve still got some time to get some things done. :) Copyright © 2009. All rights reserved. -
Family Events – Week of June 28 to July 4
28 Jun 2009 | 5:20 amElizabeth “Lizzie” V McMAHON & Arthur L FRANCOEUR – Lizzie is my second great-grandaunt. She and Arthur married on 29 June 1937 in Cook County, Illinois. Timothy McMAHON & Margaret RYAN – Timothy and Margaret are my third great-grandparents. They were married on 29 June 1876 in Cook County, Illinois. Timothy “Thomas” G McMAHON & Eleanor BRANDENBURG – Thomas is my great-granduncle. He and Eleanor married on 30 June 1937 in Cook County, Illinois. Mary “Polly” Wheeler SMITH – Polly is my fifth great-grandmother, who was born circa 30 June…
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Louisiana Genealogy Blog
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Working on my family history
1 Jul 2009 | 12:07 pmSummers are busy in my household. I've decided to quit blogging for a time and work on creating a "family history" lol. I'll get back to blogging when I'm not so busy chasing kids, puppy's, rabbits, and flying debris ...(School will start soon, again -won't it?) AHhhhhhh! -
Working on my family history
1 Jul 2009 | 12:06 pmSummers are busy in my household. I've decided to quit blogging for a time and work on creating a "family history" lol. I'll get back to blogging when I'm not so busy chasing kids, puppy's, rabbits, and flying debris ...(School will start soon, again -won't it?) AHhhhhhh! -
Orphan Train Presentation July 7th
23 Jun 2009 | 7:12 amFrom the LAORLEAN list digest:"...I thought I would let you know of an upcoming program the Library is hosting that might be of interest to you and the Genealogy Society. On Tuesday, July 7, 2009 (6:30 ? 7:30 p.m.) at the South Regional Library Auditorium, Mr. Harold Dupre will make a presentation on the Orphan Trains. Mr. Dupre is with the Opelousas Orphan Train Museum. " ....Lafayette Public Library -
East Carrol Parish Blogs
23 Jun 2009 | 6:51 amSandy Moore has an East Carroll Parish cemetery AND genealogy blog. You should check out her cemetery surveys and photographs here . -
Louisiana Surnames Louisiana Researchers
19 Jun 2009 | 4:21 pmSurnames email Your surnames, here, here, herelouisianagenealogyblogs@yahoo.com SchlatreKleinpeterMarrioneauxDardennemrmossis@cox.net AllainAugusteBoulardBrunetFontenotFrancheboisGallotGuilloryLaTourLeBlancNormandPampalon\PapillonPierre-AugusteRichardharrisonlatour@yahoo.com Mcleod,Beasley,Goins,WebbMarthamla@aol.com BONDBASTBOSTCHADWICKCHOATECOFFELTGOODHARTHODGENS/HODGINS ectKEELEMORELANDLANGFORD/LANKFORDRICHMONDSEITZ/SITZ/SIDESVAUGHAN/VAUGHNWILSONcchadwick@wi.rr.com Anderson, Bollier, Brangato, Clermont, DeSoto, Flores, Gagne, Guerrero,Howell, Lacobee/ Locaviche, Laffitte/ Lafitte/ La…
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Olga's Daughter
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More Spells and Obeah
1 Jul 2009 | 2:39 amWhen I was a child my mother, Olga, used to tell me that her family practiced witchcraft (Obeah) in Jamaica, but I didn’t believe her. Being a good Catholic girl, I didn’t countenance such ‘mumbo jumbo’! After Emancipation in 1834 the Government made Obeah illegal and it was hoped that it would be wiped out – but it just continued in secret, pretty much like when my mother was living in Jamaica in the 1920s and 1930s, and probably still continues today. It’s deep rooted in the black and coloured Jamaican’s heritage and culture and even though you might come across a… -
Sydney and the Cook
16 Jun 2009 | 7:40 am<—Aunt Lucy & Anancy Stories Olga’s Diary (Continued) Letter to Vivie, Miami, USA from Olga, Kingston, Jamaica. Dearest Vivie There’s been a terrible scandal in the family. You just won’t believe what happened last Saturday morning when we came down to breakfast. “That’s strange; I can’t smell any burnt toast”. Dolly said. You remember how Aggie Burns insisted we eat burnt toast, because for some reason she thinks it’s good for us. Mammie said Aggie hadn’t turned up for work and she asked Pearl to go to Aggie’s house and see if she was… -
Aunt Lucy and Anancy Stories
3 Jun 2009 | 6:48 pm<–Kingston Riots Sydney & the Cook —> Olga’s Diary (Continued) Dear Diary “Mon Repose”: Every Saturday Mammie and I come to Aunt Lucy’s. Aunt Lucy took over running the plantation when Uncle John died because Bobbie and Adam, their sons were already living in America and didn’t want to come back to Jamaica. They want Aunt Lucy to sell up and join them, but she won’t. She says her heart belongs to Jamaica and anyway she wants to be buried at “Mon… -
Kingston Riots 1938
25 May 2009 | 5:03 am<—Carlton Aunt Lucy & Ananacy Stories —> In May 1938 workers all over Jamaica went on strike and the unemployed joined them marching and demonstrations. The banana trade had declined drastically and unemployment was high, there was only occasional work, bad nutrition, poor housing, very little health service and a high cost of living. The strikes started with the men working on the Kingston docks striking for better wages and the unemployed joined the strike demanding… -
Carlton
13 May 2009 | 11:43 pm<–A Loose Cannon & Catholic Church Kingston Riots —> I regret I never met my Aunt Vivie but, unfortunately, she died just a couple of years before I made contact with Mum’s (Olga) family in Jamaica. I think I would have liked her even though there was one aspect of her character I would have struggled with. It does sound as if Vivie was a bit of a loose canon – a one off. She was tough and certainly not afraid to speak her mind, particularly to her older brother, Sydney, if she thought he was being too…
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Genealogy Blog
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The Associated Press Unveils 'Treasure Trove' Of Historical Footage
3 Jul 2009 | 12:06 pmThe Associated Press is digitizing and has begun to release a "treasure trove" of historical film footage from the 1960s and '70s that had been sitting in Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's former World War II headquarters in London. The footage had been sitting for decades in the Central London bunker, from which Eisenhower directed the D-Day landings. Although the films have been well-preserved, the text that accompanied them has been scattered across the United States and the United Kingdom, the AP said. That text catalog was key to identifying the footage held in each of the 20,000 film cans. So… -
Inventory Of Archival Holdings In Jamaica
3 Jul 2009 | 12:00 pmThe targeted libraries and archives contain valuable historical collections that focus on the lives of enslaved Africans and free blacks in Jamaica during the period 1655-1800. The documents are important to scholars studying the Caribbean, especially Jamaica, and supplement the extensive records that are held in Britain on the forced migration of Africans to Jamaica. The materials are located in Kingston, specifically in the National Library of Jamaica and the Roman Catholic Chancery, as well as in the Elsa Goveia Reading Room at the University of the West Indies at Mona. Also targeted are… -
No Etruscan Link To Modern Tuscans
3 Jul 2009 | 10:06 amThe current population of Tuscany is not descended from the Etruscans, the people that lived in the region during the Bronze Age, a new Italian study has shown. Researchers at the universities of Florence, Ferrara, Pisa, Venice and Parma discovered the genealogical discontinuity by testing samples of mitochondrial DNA from remains of Etruscans and people who lived in the Middle Ages (between the 10th and 15th centuries) as well as from people living in the region today. While there was a clear genetic link between Medieval Tuscans and the current population, the relationship between modern… -
Launch Of The Virtual Manuscript Room At The University Of Birmingham
3 Jul 2009 | 5:31 amThis month sees the launch of the first phase of the Virtual Manuscript Room (VMR), as part of the Mingana Day at the University of Birmingham on 8 July. The presentation of the collection online is a crucial part of JISC’s £1.8 million Enriching Digital Resources programme, a set of 25 projects which enhances the use of online content for teaching, learning and research. In this first launch, the VMR project making available over 10000 images from 70 Eastern manuscripts from the university’s Mingana collection, including a full set of images of one of the oldest copies of the Qur’an… -
Experts Call For Federal Regulation Of Genetic Ancestry Testing
3 Jul 2009 | 5:24 amImagine donating a sample of your DNA to help researchers study the genetics of diabetes. The disease is common among your friends and family, and you're proud of your role in finding out why. Now, imagine that some time later, you learn that your DNA has been used for other studies on topics you never expected — schizophrenia, human migration, inbreeding. Although your name isn't attached to the sample anymore, scientists are using your DNA to draw conclusions about your community and your ancestors. Some of these studies violate your cultural beliefs. That's what happened to the Havasupai…
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Granny's Genealogy
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Belle’s Box – 3-27
3 Jul 2009 | 3:00 amRead about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here. The numbering of these posts had been modified to signify that I am posting items from my archival book three, a three precedes the item number. Sincere Good Wishes To: Aunt Belle From: Your Niece Ina A glad new year I wish for you Not only happy while ’tis “new” But daily may some joy unfold, Brighter and better, when ’tis old! -
Belle’s Box – 3-26
2 Jul 2009 | 3:00 amRead about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here. The numbering of these posts had been modified to signify that I am posting items from my archival book three, a three precedes the item number. Barbara Laila Plotts graduated in the class of 1937. Barbara, daughter of Laila Carter Plotts; granddaughter of Emily Lamunion Carter was a grand-niece of Belle. -
Belle’s Box – 3-25
1 Jul 2009 | 3:00 amRead about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here. The numbering of these posts had been modified to signify that I am posting items from my archival book three, a three precedes the item number. Etoile Burdick Howe was a daughter of Fink Burdick, Susie M. Burdick’s brother. Two of Susie’s children married Belle’s children; Susie’s son Ross P. Fenton married Edna Fellows, and Susie’s… -
Belle’s Box – 3-23
30 Jun 2009 | 3:00 amRead about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here. The numbering of these posts had been modified to signify that I am posting items from my archival book three, a three precedes the item number. Eva Madzelan was a neighbor of Belle. We see her grave each year when we visit Soper Cemetery. -
Belle’s Box – 3-24
29 Jun 2009 | 3:00 amRead about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here. The numbering of these posts had been modified to signify that I am posting items from my archival book three, a three precedes the item number. According to the 1920 census of Liberty Township, Wexford County, Michigan, district 218. sheet 1A, Lucy A. Leonard, age 48, was residing with her husband “Chas A.” a farmer. Liberty Township…
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iPentimento | Genealogy and History
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COG 75th Edition: Justice and Independence
1 Jul 2009 | 5:14 pmNote: Elisha Bailey was in court on this day, 176 years ago! REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION RECORD of ELISHA BAILEY - W. 8344 State of Kentucky Adair County On this 1st day of July 1833 personally... That's not all, read on! -
The Most Important Part Of Driving
27 Jun 2009 | 8:53 pmIf your young driver is just about to get their license, there is no more important thing for them to have than car insurance! Statistically, young male drivers are some of the worst and most... That's not all, read on! -
Create A Family Tree In Power Point: Is It Worth It?
27 Jun 2009 | 8:53 pmI am not real familiar with making presentations in Power Point. Do you think this would actually be beneficial to someone for a family reunion, or any kind of genealogical gathering? For those of... That's not all, read on! -
This Cemetery Photo Will Make You Cry
27 Jun 2009 | 8:53 pmEvery time I look at this picture, I get furious all over again. I can't begin to tell you how it makes me feel to know my 3rd Great Grandmother Deborah Holmes Yates Morrison, her father John Holmes,... That's not all, read on! -
Almost back! Or, Old People Shouldn’t Try Blogging…
19 Jun 2009 | 5:43 pmPlease bear with me as I rebuild my blog after a horrendous mistake on my part that caused me to have to start again from square one. I still have some of my files, so maybe I can rebuild from them.... That's not all, read on!
