Geniaus has proposed The Bucket List GeneaMeme in which we share genealogy-related things we’d like to do. The “rules” said to put the things you want to do in bold and the others in plain type, but since my list contains mostly things I want to do I’m just leaving it plain. The genealogy conference I would most like to attend is… FEEFHS (Federation of East European Family History Societies) because the topics would be relevant to my research. The genealogy speaker I would most like to hear and see is… Fred Hoffman, because he rocks and I’ve never heard him speak. The…
Genealogy
-
Most Topular Stories
-
The Genealogy Bucket List
What's Past is Prologue27 Jan 2012 | 9:24 am -
I Think I Have it! Maybe...
kinexxions26 Jan 2012 | 12:45 pmAs I alluded to in this post, for the past week or so I've been working on a digital file naming scheme for my ancestor research. I realize that some people are advocates for letting the computer find a specific file by searching for a term with the documents or by using tags and other file properties. Using that premise, file names don't really matter. However, for me, there is another factor involved in naming files. And that is my desire to make it easier for those who come after me to know what it is they are looking at and some way for them to know what is “most” important. -
Darned Missing Census Pages
The Ancestry Insider27 Jan 2012 | 1:05 amWe depend upon records to reveal the “truth” about our pasts. Yet sometimes records have anomalies. Some are amusing or humorous. Some are interesting or weird. Some are peculiar or suspicious. Some are infuriating, even downright laughable. Yes, Records are the Darnedest Things Records Are the Darnedest Things: Darned Missing Census Pages Ancestry.com is missing pages from the 1820 U.S. Census of Virginia and I bet I know why. You can see (if you have a subscription) where one is missing by navigating to Virginia > Randolph > Beverly. Note that image 1 is page 265 and image 2 is… -
Help Send Frank Crummy's Tombstone Home!
Olive Tree Genealogy Blog25 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amMounties are trying to find the proper resting place of a wayward headstone. A woman who owns property near Gleichen, about 100 km east of Calgary, found a granite gravestone marker in her field. The tombstone was etched with Father Frank Crummy 1869 – 1952 No one knows how the tombstone got to Gleichen or who Frank Crummy is. Mounties are asking for help. This lost tombstone -
Canadian Genealogy on Facebook
Genealogy Canada25 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amFamilySearch.org has put Canada on Facebook! Although this particular Facebook first appeared in May 2011, how of us know that it existed?FamilySearch says that is it a popular site, and “These pages and groups are run by experienced genealogy volunteers for those areas. These virtual communities are the online equivalent of asking for help at your local Family History Center. We grew from 4 communities to 59 over the past several months. With a minimum need of 2-3 admins per community--and a greater need for larger communities--we are at less than 50 percent "staffed." Advisers are…
-
DearMYRTLE's Genealogy Blog
-
#RootsTeach 2012: Live broadcasts of 14 sessions
27 Jan 2012 | 3:19 pmNOTE from DearMYRTLE: Here's the official word from FamilySearch about the availbility of internet streaming of live RootsTech 2012 session. This announcement does not include specific directions for viewing, other than to direct internet viewers to RootsTech.org. SALT LAKE CITY—RootsTech, a leading family history and technology conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 2-4, 2012, announced today that fourteen of its popular sessions will be broadcasted live and complimentary over the Internet. The live broadcasts will give those unable to attend worldwide a sample of this year’s… -
NGS: Voices of Genealogy Video Series
27 Jan 2012 | 10:11 amNOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was received this morning from the National Genealogical Society. Please address all inquiries to arlenevj@earthlink.netThe year 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of publication of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. To celebrate this anniversary and to honor the history of the Quarterly, NGS Video Productions has created a historical archive of some of the most appreciated genealogists of our time called Voices of Genealogy. In the coming year, NGS members can look forward to exclusive interviews with leading scholars in the field of genealogy. -
Facebook Timeline facilitated by ShoeBox from 1000memories
26 Jan 2012 | 10:27 amNOTE from DearMYRTLE: This was just received from our friends at 1000memories.com. Please address all inquiries to support@1000memories.com. ShoeBox App Now Fills Facebook Timeline’s Early Years With Scanned Photos Of The PastPhoto-sharing Platform 1000memories Makes First App To Add The Past To Facebook TimelineSAN FRANCISCO, January 26, 2011 — Photo-sharing platform 1000memories is today announcing the Facebook Timeline integration of ShoeBox, the iPhone app that allows you to quickly scan and socially share old paper photos, making it the first app that lets people easily fill their… -
Historical Society of PA and Ancestry.com Partnership
26 Jan 2012 | 10:18 amNOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was received from Ancestry.com. Please address all inquiries to support@ancestry.com.Ancestry.com Partners with Historical Society of Pennsylvania to Bring the State’s Rich History OnlineFamily History Leader Adds Millions of State Birth, Marriage and Death Records to its Pennsylvania Vital Record Collection PROVO, UTAH – (January 26, 2012) – Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, announced today that it has added over seven million records detailing more than 300 years of Pennsylvanians’ life history spanning from… -
FHL: African American Research Series 11 Feb 2012
25 Jan 2012 | 6:50 pmNOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was received from our friends at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Please address all inquiries to FHLClassReg@familysearch.org25 January 2012Free Research Series on African-AmericanResearchThe Family History Library HostsEvents in February.SALT LAKE CITY, UTAHGenealogistsand family history enthusiasts looking for help with African-American researchwill be interested in African-American classes held at the Family History Libraryin February. A free African-American Research Series will be held on Saturday, February11 at the Family History…
-
Genea-Musings
-
Questions for Ancestry.com at RootsTech 2012
27 Jan 2012 | 7:07 pmI've been compiling questions that I want to ask of the developers whom I hope to meet at the RootsTech 2012 conference. Here's my list so far for Ancestry.com developers (for Ancestry.com, Rootsweb, Genealogy.com, Fold3, Family Tree Maker. I will probably update it before and during the conference as I think of more questions. I will try to post a summary of the answers, probably after the conference): * When will you drop the Old Search capability in Ancestry.com?* What happened to the Article Archive on the Learning Center? Will it disappear? *… -
Follow-Up Friday - a Potpourri of Comments that need reading
27 Jan 2012 | 4:14 pmFor Follow-Up Friday, I want to highlight some comments that were made on my blog posts over the last two weeks. I thought these were valuable to have posted so that search engines can find them:1) On my post Do you have Loyalist Ancestors? Check out the UELAC Site, there were two comments:* Geolover wrote:For those who find www.archive.org extremely difficult to navigate, some background on the Loyalist claims process and some transcripts of the claims documents are available to read on the fabulous USGenWeb site for Herkimer Co., NY (so many thanks due Martha S. -
Questions for FamilySearch at RootsTech
27 Jan 2012 | 1:58 pmI've been compiling questions that I want to ask of the developers whom I hope to meet at the RootsTech 2012 conference. Here's my list so far for FamilySearch developers (I will probably update it before and during the conference as I think of more questions. I will try to post a summary of the answers, probably after the conference):* When will the FamilySearch Family Tree be completely open to the public?* When will the FamilySearch Family Tree be a conclusion based tree?* Will you permit GEDCOM uploads to the FamilySearch Family Tree?* Will there be a… -
RootsTech 2012 - Livestreaming Schedule
27 Jan 2012 | 12:39 pmRootsTech has announced the live-streaming schedule for this year's conference. I watched many of the live streaming events last year and it helped overcome the disappointment I had over not attending the conference. The live-streaming will cover all lectures taking place in Room 155 of the Salt Palace Convention Center. The times listed for the presentations are Mountain Standard Time, so be sure to convert to your timezone (in the USA, add two hours for Eastern time, add one hour for Central time, subtract one hour for Pacific time. GMT is 7 hours ahead of Mountain… -
Follow Friday - This Weekend's Genealogy Radio Shows
27 Jan 2012 | 11:04 amThere are two genealogy-related radio shows on Blog Talk Radio (www.blogtalkradio.com) this weekend. They are:1) GeneaBloggers Radio Episode 52 -- Angela Walton-Raji of the African Roots Podcast hosts the show titled Walking Together on the Same Path: Slave and Slave Holder Descendants Collaborating. This show is on:Friday, January 27, 20129pm-10:30pm Eastern US8-9:30pm Central US7-8:30pm Mountain US6-7:30pm Pacific US* 2am London UK* 1pm Saturday Sydney AUS The show guests are:* Bernice Bennett,…
-
kinexxions
-
I Think I Have it! Maybe...
26 Jan 2012 | 12:45 pmAs I alluded to in this post, for the past week or so I've been working on a digital file naming scheme for my ancestor research. I realize that some people are advocates for letting the computer find a specific file by searching for a term with the documents or by using tags and other file properties. Using that premise, file names don't really matter. However, for me, there is another factor involved in naming files. And that is my desire to make it easier for those who come after me to know what it is they are looking at and some way for them to know what is “most” important. -
Up and Away :: Evening Version
22 Jan 2012 | 3:00 amDepending upon the weather, mass ascensions of the balloons are held in the morning and in the early evening. About five o'clock I made my way back to Rotary Park. I could see a bunch of balloons already in the sky and it was an impressive sight! Even more impressive was seeing the balloons floating just a few feet above the surface of Lake Havasu. Wouldn't it have been fun to be a passenger in either one of the boats or one of the balloons? There were reportedly six unusually shaped balloons at the festival. This cute little fish is the only one that came close enough so that I could get a… -
Up and Away :: Morning Version
21 Jan 2012 | 1:50 pmFriday, January 20th – The campground where I am staying is a reasonable drive from Lake Havasu City. Having seen several signs indicating that a Balloon Festival is in progress this weekend, I got up at (what is for me) an early hour and made it into town by 8:30 am. Stopping off at the Rotary Park along the channel, across from the Festival venue, I was somewhat disappointed to see only two balloons preparing to rise into the sky. Since I hadn't yet had the opportunity to see the famous (or infamous, depending upon you point of view) London Bridge, I continued walking along the channel. -
What a Way to End the Day!
18 Jan 2012 | 3:00 amSunday, January 15th – A heavy blanket of gray clouds covered the western Arizona sky all day long. As I was returning to the campground the sun appeared beneath the layer of clouds and quickly dropped behind the mountain range. While driving, I was watching the sky change dramatically - all of a sudden it was as if the sky was on fire! There was no safe place to pull off the road but luckily there was a “scenic view” area a short distance away. I was afraid I would miss the photo op but Mother Nature was good to me, this time! The “normal” view of the camera just wasn't giving me… -
Travel Update, etc.
17 Jan 2012 | 3:00 amSince leaving Louisiana two weeks ago, Mother Nature has been reasonably good to me. All through Texas, across New Mexico and into Arizona the daytime temperatures were in the low 60s. But the nights were just a bit chilly – in the upper 20s and low 30s. For the most part I stayed in campgrounds that had electricity so I kept warm with the aid of a small electric heater. But still, getting up in the mornings with those low temperatures is not a lot of fun! So I did some checking of the weather and took a look at the map and have found a spot that is quite comfortable – at least it has…
-
The Virtual Dime Museum
-
The Bedford Black Sheep
16 Jan 2012 | 8:11 amThis post is essentially a précis of a few future posts about a Hicks cousin - yes, another one. His story involves a notorious Brooklyn gang, the New York vaudeville and burlesque scene in the 1910s, and some side trips to upstate New York and Omaha, Nebraska, too. Garrett Wilson was my grandmother Grace Hicks' second cousin. The picture of him here is a detail from a photograph showing Garry with Grace and her siblings and their goat cart, taken in 1896. Garry was 14 at the time; my grandmother was 7. Garrett was born in 1882, the son of Franklin P. and Hannah (Van Duyne) Wilson. He… -
Whoever Harbors Her
11 Jan 2012 | 9:20 amEast New York in 1857 [NYPL Digital Gallery] I found this story when I was looking up something about my Losee ancestors in an 1852 Jamaica Long Island Farmer, over at the fabulous Old Fulton NY Postcards. And I couldn't stop wondering about Emily and her family - and what the story was, and whatever happened to her: NOTICE: LEFT HOME on the 19th inst., my daughter Emily, 13 years old, small of her age, dark complexion, hair short and black eyes, had on a calico bonnet, green shawl, light blue frock, brown apron, blue quilted petticoat, black stockings, and heavy shoes just mended. Whoever… -
The False Mother-in-Law
5 Jan 2012 | 8:51 amDetail from 1928 photo Fulton/St. Felix [NYPL] Many thanks first of all to Apple at Apple's Tree for the heads-up about the newly indexed 1875 New York State Census over at FamilySearch. If you have any New York ancestors you'll want to have a look at this, too. I couldn't resist going straight over there and start looking up ancestors. I immediately ran into a couple of mysterious new people in the household of my gg grandparents, Daniel Losee Hicks and his wife Mary Ann Barnett Hicks. Mary Ann, also called Polly, was an intrepid young woman from the East End of London who came to America at… -
The Christmas-Tree Ride
15 Dec 2011 | 1:40 pmEvery December, starting in 1887 (and continuing at least through the next decade), Durland's Riding Academy at Columbus Circle and 59th St.* in New York held a "Christmas-Tree Ride." Wealthy riders gathered inside the arena and showed off their equestrian skills in honor of the season. In 1894 the New York Times reported that Durland's was decorated with "flags and bunting of many colors, a profusion of wreaths of holly and evergreen, and Christmas trees...at the north end of the arena." There were red, blue and white lamps hung everywhere, too. Durland's, undecorated The evening typically… -
The Mysteries of Mary Lupton, Part 2: Some Notes
24 Nov 2011 | 11:34 amEast 14th St. at 3rd Ave. [NYPL] What I have for you as a follow-up to the story of Mary Lupton's amnesia is really a series of notes for a longer piece. The people in the Lupton case are both fascinating and elusive (like so many so-called ordinary Victorians). In other words, I can tell you a little bit more - what I know so far. Mary Frances Smith was born about 1866 in New York City, on East 14th Street between 2nd and 3rd, according to one of her uncles. She was the daughter of Patrick Henry and Catherine/Kate (Plunkett) Smith, according to her marriage license. You can imagine what it…
-
What's Past is Prologue
-
The Genealogy Bucket List
27 Jan 2012 | 9:24 amGeniaus has proposed The Bucket List GeneaMeme in which we share genealogy-related things we’d like to do. The “rules” said to put the things you want to do in bold and the others in plain type, but since my list contains mostly things I want to do I’m just leaving it plain. The genealogy conference I would most like to attend is… FEEFHS (Federation of East European Family History Societies) because the topics would be relevant to my research. The genealogy speaker I would most like to hear and see is… Fred Hoffman, because he rocks and I’ve never heard him speak. The… -
Flying High
23 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amFlying high somewhere between Italy and Philadelphia, April 2006. Sometimes when things become ordinary I forget how extraordinary they are – like flying on airplanes. It is so easy to get anywhere in the world by simply buying a ticket. It’s so easy that I forget that flight is a relatively new phenomenon. It was only about a hundred years ago that commercial flight became available, and while that may seem like a very long time ago, in the grand history of the world it’s practically yesterday. My immigrant ancestors spent two weeks on a ship to get to America in the early 1900s. I… -
The Sound of Music Effect
19 Jan 2012 | 6:46 pmThe Von Trapp Family as portrayed in the 1965 film, "The Sound of Music" Does your family history suffer from The Sound of Music effect? What’s that, you ask? Well, it is not when your family has a penchant for suddenly breaking into song about their favorite things or when saying good-night is an elaborate Broadway production. The term came to me after I recently watched Sound of Music both on stage and on film and I became interested in the real Von Trapp family. The enormously popular musical film The Sound of Music premiered in 1965 and was based on the the 1959 musical… -
Donna’s Picks, Link Love, and More: New Year’s Edition
13 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amHappy New Year! Did you resolve to clean out your clutter? Donna’s Picks “Donna’s Picks” was once my occasional weekly feature of noteworthy articles – now it feels more comfortable to roundup my “picks” once a month. Here are January’s goodies including a couple of genealogy blogs that are new finds! I recently discovered a relatively new blog, Alabama Genealogy and Ramblings by Randall Dickerson (1-19-2012: Note – Randall changed his blog name! It’s now Alabama Free-Ranging Organic Genealogy at the same address). Ordinarily I wouldn’t have even looked at a… -
TV’s Castle Can Help Solve Your Genealogical Mystery
9 Jan 2012 | 6:14 pmRyan, Beckett, and Castle in front of the murder board (Seamus Dever, Stana Katic, and Nathan Fillion in Castle's Season 3 episode "Close Encounters of the Murderous Kind"). Accessed via Castle-Fans.Org on January 9, 2012. A few months ago I watched all the past episodes of the television crime drama Castle (ABC, Monday nights at 10:00 PM Eastern). I’ve always had a thing for romantic comedy shows about crime-solving duos. Castle didn’t disappoint and it’s now one of my favorite shows. It has good plots, interesting and well developed characters, subtle…
-
Little Bytes of Life
-
Wordless Wednesday: Grandparents (Mine)
25 Jan 2012 | 11:06 am* * * "Reba and Lee Swanay." Digital image. Undated. Original photograph privately held by Elizabeth O'Neal, Santa Barbara Co., California, 2012. About Wordless Wednesday. Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal -
Daughters of the American Revolution Partners with Children of the American Revolution to Promote Education and Literacy
15 Jan 2012 | 11:02 amMolly Schutzenberger delivers a donation to United Through Reading in San Diego. On September 26, 2011, Molly Schutzenberger, Honorary State President of the California State Society Children of the American Revolution (C.S.S.C.A.R.), delivered a $5000 check to the San Diego-based non-profit organization United Through Reading (UTR). This donation is a combination of funds including a matched grant from the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and a full year of fundraising by members of the C.S.S.C.A.R. “United Through Reading helps USOs, ships, and other military… -
DAR's Forgotten Patriots Project Now Online (free)!
13 Jan 2012 | 2:31 pmIf you are researching African American or Native American ancestors who may have provided service in the American Revolutionary War, this online publication may be of interest to you. I have a copy of the book, and it's a terrific resource. The following announcement is from the DAR web site. * * * Since the mid-1980s, the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution has supported a project to identify the names of African Americans, Native Americans, and individuals of mixed heritage who supported the American struggle for independence from Great Britain during the… -
Happy New Year!
1 Jan 2012 | 2:30 am* * * We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential. ~Ellen Goodman * * * Wishing you a very happy New Year, from our house to yours. May your dreams and resolutions all come true, and may you find even more of your elusive ancestors in 2012! Vintage greeting card from Connect.in.com, which unfortunately no longer exists. Copyright… -
Central Coast Genealogy Calendar: January 2012
31 Dec 2011 | 12:13 pm"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." ~Oprah Winfrey Thursday, January 5 Monterey County Genealogical Society 6:00 PM (Doors open at 5:30 PM) Volunteer Appreciation Night Saturday, January 7 San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society 12:30 PM Research Class - "What's in the 1940 Census?" by Joel Weintraub 1:00 PM Business Meeting 1:15 PM Social time; book and drawing sales, snacks, coffee and tea 1:45 PM Joel Weintraub - "Here Comes the 1940 Census and We ARE Ready!!" Sunday, January 8 Jewish Genealogical Society of the Conejo Valley and Ventura…
-
AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors
-
Scanfest is Coming
27 Jan 2012 | 6:56 pmI apologize for such a late reminder... The January 2012Scanfest will take place here at AnceStories this coming Sunday, January 29th, from 11 AM to 2 PM, Pacific Standard Time. What is Scanfest? It's a time when geneabloggers, family historians, and family archivists meet online here at this blog to chat while they scan their precious family document and photos. Why? Because, quite honestly, scanning is time-consuming and boring! Scanfest is a great time to "meet" other genealogists, ask questions about scanning and preservation, and get the kick in the pants we all need on… -
Tuesday's Tip: The Newberry Library's Research Guides
17 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amDid you know that the Newberry Library in Chicago has its own online research guides that can help you, sitting comfortably in your pajamas doing online genealogy? On this page, you can find research guides--most available in downloadable .pdf format--for any genealogy topic under the sun, from Adoption Research to the World's Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893. There are research guides for 27 states and the Province of Ontario, as well as major city, regional, ethnic, and overseas resources. When looking at the research guides, you won't find a how-to, but rather a list of… -
My Sixth Blogiversary
16 Jan 2012 | 2:42 pmOn January 16, 2006, I published my very first post, "Moses Crothers - possible son of John Crothers and Mary 'Polly' Wycoff?" Little would I know that with the creation of my genealogy blog, my life would literally change. At that time, there were a handful of geneabloggers (and that term hadn't really been created yet) out there: Dick Eastman, DEARMyrtle (Pat Richley), Leland Meitzler, Randy Seaver. Soon I learned about the Carnival of Genealogy and Jasia, Craig Manson, Apple, footnoteMaven, and Becky Wiseman (who's got a nice list of the "old-timers" right here!). In six years, I've… -
2012 - Out with the Old, In with the New!
1 Jan 2012 | 2:01 pmPlease don't faint.Yes, I'm actually writing a post...and even publishing it...and one that's NOT about Scanfest, either! Many of you know about my 2011 year, but stick with me, I'm going to review it anyway! I'm feeling reflective today, as I often do around the New Year, but this past year brought many noteworthy changes to my life. These changes affected this blog in that I had less time, less energy, and less creative flow to write. But although it was a hard year, it was also a very good one. Much as the discomfort of pregnancy and the pain of childbirth bring forth the joy of a newborn,… -
No Scanfest in December
16 Dec 2011 | 8:57 amScanfest is normally held the last Sunday of each month. With Christmas Day being the same day, I had originally planned to have Scanfest next Sunday, December 18th. However, some last-minute holiday plans have precluded this. We will meet for the next Scanfest on Sunday, January 29th, 2012 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, PST. Enjoy your holidays!
-
:: C R E A T I V E G E N E ::
-
Carnival of Genealogy, 113th Edition
10 Jan 2012 | 10:02 amWelcome to the January 4th, 2012 edition of the Carnival of Genealogy. The topic for today's edition is, "A Dickens Christmas". We're all taking a look at Christmases past, present, and future. Charles Dickens was a genius story teller and his timely work, A Christmas Carol, was the inspiration for our posts included here. I know you'll enjoy reading about these little vignettes of Christmases then, now, and yet to come! So without further ado, pour yourself a glass of eggnog (if you've any left ;-) and let's take a peek at where the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Future… -
New Year's Resolutions Past and Present
7 Jan 2012 | 2:24 pmI'm not always successful in achieving my New Year's resolutions but in 2011 I was. My resolution for 2011 was to "fill in the holes" in my family tree. I didn't expect to fill in every hole of course, and honestly, I filled in more than I expected to. My crowning achievement was finding Julia Laska and knowing that my cousin Ray was doing the happy dance in heaven when I did. Julia was just one of many new names, dates, places, and/or events added to my family tree in 2011. I like that kind of past-year review! :-) Now it's time to look forward. I've been giving my genealogy some… -
My Dickens Christmas
28 Dec 2011 | 9:28 pmHolidays come and go. Years go by. People move away or die. Memories are what bring them all back to us. I treasure my memories of Christmases past and the people who were a part of them. I also wish I could have spent a Christmas with some family members who I never knew. I had a very nice Christmas this year, surrounded by family and friends and together we made more memories. I can't help but wonder what Christmas will be like in the future. Come along with me as the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Future take us visiting... First, the Ghost of Christmas Past takes us back to a… -
Let It Snow!
13 Dec 2011 | 11:07 pmIt's that time of year again, time for blog caroling at footnoteMaven's place. I always enjoy seeing which carols people like listening to. I've shared a few of my favorites in the past and this year I'm sharing another favorite... Let It Snow! I'm a Midwestern girl and in these parts we like snow for Christmas. I can do without it the rest of the year but when it comes to Christmas, I like mine white! Let It Snow : Lyrics Oh the weather outside is frightful, But the fire is so delightful, And since we've no place to go, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! It doesn't show signs… -
Carnival of Genealogy, 112th Edition
4 Dec 2011 | 4:44 amWelcome to the December 4, 2011 edition of the Carnival of Genealogy. The topic for this edition is: An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving. We're writing about Thanksgiving holidays of yesteryear and we have some GREAT stories here! This is a terrific edition of the COG but I must warn you, when you read these articles you're likely to suffer from cravings, smiles, belly aches, snacking, and of course, your mouth will start to water. It's unavoidable. But you'll love them! Thanksgiving is America's most food-centric holiday so it goes without saying that these stories are about good eats. But that's…
-
Nordic Blue
-
In Search of Great Grandma's Girlhood, Part II
22 Jan 2012 | 4:59 pmFor months, I've been meaning to get back to scanning a box of loose photographs given to me by a cousin who lives in New York, who had previously borrowed them from relatives in Minnesota and Idaho. These photographs--already quite well-traveled--were part of an extensive collection that once belonged to my great grandparents, Ole Martin and Malla (Larson) Johnson, of Leonard, Minnesota. Due to a severe Pacific Northwest snow storm over the past few days, I had a few precious days off work. I decided to roll up my sleeves and warm up the scanner… -
In Defense of Character: Writing With Caution
20 Jan 2012 | 12:09 amWhen researching and writing my Johnson family history a few years back, I came across a conundrum: how does one diverge all of the important details about a person without being unfair to the person's overall character?My great great grandfather, Baard Johnson, was as close to a "black sheep" in the family as I could find. He was also a bit of an enigma. He died a few short years after arriving in America from Norway, there are no known exisiting photographs of him, and virtually no information about him was passed down through the family over the… -
In Search of Great Grandma's Girlhood
19 Jan 2012 | 1:42 amToward the end of last year, I anxiously awaited the arrival of a genealogical treasure from Minnesota. Having to wait for something containing such down-to-earth evidence as "newly discovered" vintage photographs can cause a genealogist/family historian to nearly jump out of her own skin in anticipation. The album was brought by car from Minnesota to Idaho in July, and in October, it was transported from Idaho to the Seattle area by the sister of a cousin's wife. When the box containing the precious cargo was finally in my… -
Grandma Karen and Her Feather Bed
26 Mar 2011 | 12:11 amIt was nine feet tall and six feet widesoft as a downey chickIt was made from the feathers of forty eleven geesetook a whole bolt of cloth for the tickIt'd hold eight kids n' four hound dogsand a piggy we stole from the shedWe didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun on Grandma's feather bed [1] Karen Bue Berge, early 1900s.Karen (Bue) Berge was one of my maternal great great grandmothers--each one of them a Norwegian immigrant who experienced the anguish of leaving home and family they would likely never see again, in order to forge a better life on the mid-19th century American… -
The Goodies Keep Coming--"New" Vaterland Photos
11 Mar 2011 | 11:07 pmIn my last post, I wrote about the Hans Thorsen Slaaen and Anne (Vaterland) family that first settled in Coon Valley, Wisconsin, after emigrating from Nordre Fron, Gubrandsdalen, Norway in 1853. Their youngest child, Anne Marie Slaaen, was one of my great grandmothers, born in a covered wagon near Swan Lake as the family traveled from Wisconsin to homestead in Chippewa County, Minnesota.The Slaaen (Sloan)/Vaterland branches are the parts of my mother's family that I know the least about. But, no sooner did I renew my interest in pursuing more information, than I received a wonderful surprise…
-
About.com Genealogy
-
Registration Open Today for the Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research (IGHR)
17 Jan 2012 | 3:48 amIt's one of the most popular of the many genealogical education opportunities open to genealogists, and one of the highlights of my year! Registration opens today, Tuesday, January 17, for the 2012 Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research (IGHR) at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. A few of the courses sell out within minutes, and many are closed by the end of the first day of registration, so if you're interested at all in attending I strong suggest you register today. Read Full PostRegistration Open Today for the Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research (IGHR)… -
Saved by her Corset! The Interesting Case of Dora Bowman
10 Jan 2012 | 7:14 amEven though I had no idea what I wanted for Christmas, my husband managed to find a way straight to my heart by giving me several old albums and diaries that he had located and purchased through antique dealers and eBay. A yellowed newspaper clipping tucked behind the photograph of a woman identified as Dora Bowman immediately caught my eye. She's the only named photograph in an album filled with gorgeous old photos, which seems a bit too coincidental to me, but her story is definitely captivating... "Oh! Dan, don't kill me and I will be yours." It was a woman imploring for mercy. Over her… -
New Online Learning Opportunities - Most Free!
9 Jan 2012 | 5:11 amIt was a big week for announcements of new online learning opportunities for the genealogy community, including a variety of instructive webinars and videos. The majority of these are free to boot! Those which require a fee for participation are noted....Read Full Post -
23 and Me Responds to the Genealogy Community
8 Jan 2012 | 5:17 amI didn't initially notice the changes at 23andme.com that caused such an uproar in the genealogy community last month, primarily because I was one of the early adopters who had my DNA (and that of my family members) tested prior to their change to a subscription-based program. In other words, the changes didn't affect my account in an immediately noticeable way. However, once I started reading some of the blog posts on the topic, including CeCe Moore's 23andMe Changes Terms for Expired PGS Subscription Customers and DNA Access Policy Changes Bad for Genealogists by Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, I… -
Celebrities Announced for Genealogy Shows on NBC & PBS
6 Jan 2012 | 4:19 amThis spring brings more genealogy than ever before to American prime time television with shows on both NBC and PBS. Premiering on Friday, February 3 (8-9:00 p.m. Eastern) is the third season of NBC's Who Do You Think You Are?, based on the award-winning hit British television documentary series of the same name. Promising to take us from "Ireland's freedom fighters to the American Revolutionary War, and from the African nation of Cameroon to Bulgaria," this season includes the biggest celebrity lineup to date Read Full PostCelebrities Announced for Genealogy Shows on NBC & PBS originally…
-
Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter
-
U.S. Version of "Who Do You Think You Are?" Season Three Video Preview
27 Jan 2012 | 9:21 pmWho Do You Think You Are? returns for its third season on Friday, February 3 at 8/7c on NBC, when 12 more celebrities will trace their ancestors and discover hidden stories from their past. Martin Sheen, Marisa Tomei, Blair Underwood, Reba McEntire, Rob Lowe, Helen Hunt, Rita Wilson, Edie Falco, Rashida Jones, Jason Sudeikis, Jerome Bettis and Paula Deen will explore their roots in the NBC genealogy show.You can watch a promo of the show at http://goo.gl/SMoqj. If you enjoyed this article, Tweet it, share it on Facebook or on your preferred social network. Republishing of this article in… -
JRR Tolkien's Middle-earth Gets a Complete Genealogy
27 Jan 2012 | 8:15 amThis looks like fun. The fictional Middle-earth is now the subject of a minutely-detailed "family tree project."Emil Johansson, a photographer and chemical engineering student from Sweden, who has read "every book there is to read about Middle-earth" has spent years compiling a family tree of every character in Tolkien's world. Supreme god Eru Ilúvatar sits at the top, but dig a little further and you'll find out how the Sackville-Bagginses are linked to the Bagginses, that Sam Gamgee and Rosie Cotton had 12 little hobbit children, and much more. You can read more in an article by Alison… -
findmypast.co.uk to Publish Canterbury Cathedral Records on the Web
27 Jan 2012 | 7:49 amThe following announcement was written by findmypast.co.uk: Project announced to increase access to over a million baptism, marriage and burial records dating back to 1538 First time that images of the original parish records from East Kent churches will appear online Today leading UK family history website findmypast.co.uk has announced that it has been awarded a contract by Canterbury Cathedral Archives to publish online for the very first time historic records from the archive. The first phase of the Canterbury Collection project will see a browsable version of the parish registers of the… -
Ancestry.com Partners with Historical Society of Pennsylvania to Place Birth, Marriage and Death Records Online
26 Jan 2012 | 9:44 amThe following announcement was written by Ancestry.com: Family History Leader Adds Millions of State Birth, Marriage and Death Records to its Pennsylvania Vital Record CollectionPROVO, UTAH – (January 26, 2012) – Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, announced today that it has added over seven million records detailing more than 300 years of Pennsylvanians’ life history spanning from 1593-1908 to its already expansive collection of Pennsylvania state records. Presented in partnership with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, these latest additions cover… -
Families - a Genealogy Application for Android Handheld Computers
26 Jan 2012 | 8:08 amIn August, 2011, I wrote about Families at http://goo.gl/EyiMj. Families is an application produced by TelGen Limited in England that worked at that time on Apple's iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad systems. The company has since expanded their offerings and now has released a version of Families for Android systems.The Families app works in conjunction with Legacy Family Tree, a popular Windows-based genealogy software from Millennia Corporation. Legacy family files can be easily transferred from a PC to your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad or Android device, enabling them to be viewed and edited…
-
California Genealogical Society and Library blog
-
Using Online Historical Black Newspapers for Genealogical Research
22 Jan 2012 | 1:45 amSaturday, February 25, 20121:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.California Genealogical Society Library2201 Broadway, Suite LL2Oakland, CA 94612Many historical black and abolitionist newspapers are available online, with more being added. Most are on subscription sites, and some are free. This class will give an overview of the role of blacknewspapers, tell what is online and where to find it. Instructor Janice Sellers will suggest access strategies and show sample search results.Register online.The class is limited to thirty participants and is a free benefit of membership. Non-members fee is $20.00… -
Wordless Wednesday
12 Jan 2012 | 1:50 amBook Repair Committee LuncheonTuesday, December 13, 2011 Bill O'Neil, Lorna Wallace, Marianne Frey, Judy Bodycote and Dick ReesPhotographs courtesy of Lorna Wallace and Dick Rees, 12/13/11, Oakland, California.Copyright © 2012 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library -
Ancestral Homelands: A Spotlight Series for Beginners
10 Jan 2012 | 1:55 amThe California Genealogical Society and the Oakland California Family History Center have collaborated on a new series of classes designed to help you find where your immigrant ancestor came from and to teach you the kinds of resources available for that part of the world. Each month will focus on a different country or region.Classes will be held monthly on the fourth Tuesday evenings from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. at the Oakland California Family History Center, 4766 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland. The fee is $10 per class.Tuesday, January 24, 2012: Beginning Research in Sweden with Wade Olofson–An… -
Announcing the 12th Annual Salt Lake City Research Tour April 22-29, 2012
7 Jan 2012 | 1:30 amJoin CGS for a week of intensive research and lots of fun!Past-president Jane Lindsey is leading the twelfth annual California Genealogical Society Salt Lake City Tour to the Family History Library from Sunday to Sunday, April 22—29, 2012. Research Director Nancy Peterson returns to help lead this very popular trip.Nancy Peterson and Betty Walker at the Family History Library in 2011.Accommodations will be at the Shilo Inn, located three blocks from the Family History Library. The Shilo provides free high-speed internet access in every room.The trip cost is $750 (airfare not included.) A… -
eNews January 2012, volume 6 number 1
6 Jan 2012 | 1:47 amThe January 2012 eNews, volume 6, number 1, has been published and emailed to members and friends. As always, the eNews features timely information about the California Genealogical Society and our upcoming events. Each edition also includes Suggested Links From the Blogosphere and a photo feature: California Ancestors.Member Grace Frontin contributed this month's photograph of her great-grandfather, Patrick J. White, and his family, of San Francisco. [Left to right] Patrick Joseph White, with James, on his lap; [standing] William V. (my grandfather), Mary, Harry; Mary Jane Kelly White,…
-
Crowe's Nest by Elizabeth Powell Crowe
-
WikiTree: A different sort of web site for genealogists
19 Jan 2012 | 4:09 pmI recently had a wonderful opportunity: Chris Whitten, the Creator of WikiTree.com (his page is http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Whitten-1) agreed to let me interview him about his genealogy web site. WikiTree is a genealogy site where you can upload your genealogy data and compare it to data others may have on the same people. If you have a match you can merge [...] -
Why Online Genealogy is So Cool
12 Jan 2012 | 2:36 pmOf course, things like this happened back in my mother’s day, when you did your genealogy queries and research by sending letters and reading magazines, but still: Looking for my grandmother’s genealogy, I came across Looking4Roots.com, which had Flora Beeman Powell’s family. I emailed the owner, who is my third cousin. Her name is Carol Ann. She answered, [...] -
Come hear me speak at the Navarre Library January 31!
6 Jan 2012 | 3:54 pmUsing genealogy, history and online resources, Elizabeth Crowe will paint a lively picture of Colonel Guy Wyman, the founder of Navarre, at 5:30 p.m. January 31, 2012, at the library. It’s a story of murder, mayhem, madness and many wives. There’s never a dull moment in the story of Wyman and his family. Libbi Crowe, a [...] -
Soundtrack of my life, sort of.
3 Jan 2012 | 11:59 amPlayed this list while at a friend’s house, and she really liked the mix: Name Album Artist Beautiful Rhino Hi-Five: Gordon Lightfoot - EP Gordon Lightfoot Bittersweet Best Of James Taylor James Taylor Breathe Grey’s Anatomy: The Music Event Grey’s Anatomy Cast Calling All Angels My Private Nation Train Carefree Highway Rhino Hi-Five: Gordon Lightfoot - EP Gordon Lightfoot Chasing Cars Eyes Open (Deluxe Edition) Snow Patrol Crazy Love Moondance Van Morrison Don’t Worry, Be Happy Best of Bobby McFerrin Bobby McFerrin Grace Grey’s [...] -
My Christmas Card This Year
19 Dec 2011 | 8:36 amCrowe Family Christmas Card Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! I have decided to do only email newsletters/holiday cards this year. Less waste of gasoline and paper! 2011 brought some pretty wonderful things. Marianne and Ryan were married in Key West in February, my brother Bill and his wife Kathie (and Springer Ria!) came to [...]
-
Family Research - English, Scottish and Irish Genealogy
-
Auschwitz survivor, 91, dies in the same town as death camp on day the world marked 67th anniversary of its liberation
28 Jan 2012 | 6:32 amKazimierz Smolen, a 91-year-old Auschwitz survivor who after World War II became director of the memorial site, has died on the 67th anniversary of its liberation. Smolen died in a hospital in Oswiecim, the southern Polish town where Nazi Germany operated Auschwitz-Birkenau during World War II. for more click here -
Search Birth Records
28 Jan 2012 | 4:56 amGet Instant FREE Access to: Birth, Marriage, Death, and Other Vital Records. More than 4.2 Billion Names. More than 100 Million Pages of Newspapers, 1739 to Present. World’s Largest Historical Map Collection, 1.5 Million Maps and Millions of Landowner Names. More Than 30 Million Tombstone Photos. for more click here -
Census Records and Electoral Rolls in Australia
28 Jan 2012 | 4:50 amWeb Sites for Genealogists – An Australian gateway site for tracing your family history by Cora Num. for more click here -
Canadian Census Collection
28 Jan 2012 | 4:43 amCensus records are the official enumeration of the Canadian population. They are one of the most useful resources for family history researchers as they help you discover when and where your ancestors were born, names of parents, siblings (and neighbours), the year of immigration to Canada and other interesting details that may vary from decade [...] -
Countdown to the 1940 Census
28 Jan 2012 | 4:40 amAs we countdown to the release of the 1940 Census, there has never been a more exciting time to explore family history. Documenting America’s greatest generation, this historical record collection will provide an essential resource for those eager to trace their genealogy and family history. for more click here
-
Genealogy Canada
-
Leeds and the Thousand Islands Archives
27 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmIt is reported that the Leeds and the Thousand Island Archives, located at the Front of Escott Township Hall in Escott, Ontario, is regularly receiving significant donations of local historical material, including both documents and over 1,500 digital images depicting the history of the area. They have over ten fonds available, including the Darling Family Fonds, McAlonan Family Fonds, and the Hewitt Family Fonds. As well, over ten places are listed on their website, such as Black Rapids, Ellisville, Escott, and Grenadier Island, as is information on over 40 subjects like the Loyal Orange… -
Genealogy Hands-On Workshop
27 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amA genealogy hands-on workshop will be held at Heritage Mississauga. It will be held Saturday February 11th, 2012 from 10am-4pm for a fee of $10.00 per person.There will be three speakers at the workshop, and they are -Fawne Stratford-Devai - Co-Star of television's “Ancestors in the Attic”Dorothy Kew - Executive Member Halton Peel OGSJane Webb - Executive Member Halton Peel OGS Sponsored by the Halton-Peel OGS at www.halinet.on.ca/sigs/ogshp and the Heritage Mississauga at www.heritagemississauga.com. -
Formation of a Scottish Interest Group - OGS
26 Jan 2012 | 6:15 amChristine Woodcock, the OGS Provincial Region IV Director, has put forward the idea of forming a Scottish Special Interest Group as part of the Ontario Genealogical Society.She writes that -"I am interested in forming a Scottish Special Interest group through the OGS. In order for the Scottish SIG to work, we will need 25 members as a minimum. I am hopeful that we will get this support. If you are aware of anyone in your respective branches, who may have an interest in joining this group, please pass along my e-mail address to them and I will be in touch with them from there. I am hoping that… -
Canadian Genealogy on Facebook
25 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amFamilySearch.org has put Canada on Facebook! Although this particular Facebook first appeared in May 2011, how of us know that it existed?FamilySearch says that is it a popular site, and “These pages and groups are run by experienced genealogy volunteers for those areas. These virtual communities are the online equivalent of asking for help at your local Family History Center. We grew from 4 communities to 59 over the past several months. With a minimum need of 2-3 admins per community--and a greater need for larger communities--we are at less than 50 percent "staffed." Advisers are… -
Sault Ste. Marie Public Library
24 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amI see where the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library Community Access Program is offering free Ancestry.com workshops to members of the community.The one hour workshops will be available until March 29, 2012. Morning, afternoon and weekend workshops are offered. Class sizes are limited to six participants and spots are filling up quickly.They says that they are "pleased to bring back one of their most popular workshops “Using Ancestry.com”. This workshop will help you discover your genealogy and build your ancestral family tree. Using the library’s account on ancestry.com you have access to…
-
Genealogy Insider
-
Genealogy News Corral, Jan. 23-27
27 Jan 2012 | 2:57 pmOur friend Photo Detective Maureen Taylor is holding a funny family photo contest. Upload your photo with a little information, and get your friends and family to vote it the "SOS" (Silly Old Snapshot). Prizes include a free photo consultation sponsored by VoiceQuilt.com, a copy of Fashionable Folks: Bonnets and Hats, and more. Get details here. Ancestry.com has added more than 7 million records from 300 years of Pennsylvania history. The records, from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, are in the databases Pennsylvania, Naturalizations, 1794-1908 and Pennsylvania, Church and Town… -
Fold3: Military Service Records 1784-1811 Free Through Feb. 5
27 Jan 2012 | 2:54 pmCheck this out if you have Revolutionary War or War of 1812 ancestors: Subscription genealogy site Fold3 is making its collection of Service Records of Volunteers, 1784-1811, free through Feb. 5, according to a post on the site's Facebook page. These images come from 32 rolls of NARA microfilm publication M905. Each soldier's "jacket" typically contains cards abstracting entries for the soldier in original muster rolls, payrolls, receipt rolls, and other lists. Go here to search this collection. You'll need to register for a free account with the site to view records. Need research guidance… -
Take the Family History Writing Challenge in February
27 Jan 2012 | 10:17 amGenealogists have come up with their own version of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, which is in November): The Family History Writing Challenge is a monthlong event in February. To play along, just commit to writing 250, 500 or 1,000 words per day (your pick) about your family history—whether it's a person, a branch, a place, an era or some other focus. The challenge basics and a Q&A are here. Sign up here to receive daily writing reminders and quotes, as well as links to weekly advice posts. You also can join discussions in a forum. When I put together a family history… -
Genealogy Organizing Tips, "WDYTYA?" Sneak Peek in Our Latest Podcast
25 Jan 2012 | 10:40 amThe January 2012 Family Tree Magazine Podcast, hosted by Lisa Louise Cooke, is ready for your listening pleasure! In this free podcast episode: tips on organizing your family archive using Evernote to keep your genealogical research organized sneak peek at the upcoming season of "Who Do You Think You Are?" Plus: the one trick that will help you make new friends in the online genealogical community Listen in iTunes or on FamilyTreeMagazine.com. ↑ Grab this Headline Animator -
RootsTech: Sessions You Can Watch From Home + Mobile App
25 Jan 2012 | 10:18 amIf you'll be sitting out next week’s RootsTech conference in Salt Lake City as attendees giddily blog, Facebook and Tweet about it: You’ll be able to watch many of the classes online. RootsTech will live stream all the keynote lectures and other sessions taking place in classroom 155 of the convention center. I checked over the RootsTech session schedule for each day (look in the left column for the room number and click each presentation title for details about it), and found great presentations going on all day in this room 155. My top picks are: Effective Database Search Tactics by…
-
Genealogy Simple & Fun
-
The Lefthand Corner
10 Jan 2012 | 3:10 pmI have found an old newspaper clipping that I have transcribed:The Lefthand CornerMrs. Tempel Mills, Lake City, has received a reply from a Pratt Tribune clipping she sent to the White House. The clipping was a Left Hand Corner item about Mrs. Mills’ great-granddaughter, Tammy Kay Warren, being a Johnson Democrat. The acknowledgment, from Ralph A. Dungar, special assistant to the President, is as follows: President Johnson asked me to thank you for your letter and for your interest in sending him the newspaper clipping about your great granddaughter. The President wanted me to convey to you… -
It’s a brand New Year!
10 Jan 2012 | 2:32 pmHello All,It’s a brand new year. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. My family and I sure did. Our oldest son was able to come home. It’s always great when the whole family can come together for the holiday.I have been reading a lot of post of New Year’s resolutions. Years ago I used to make resolutions only to have them go to the way side so I stopped making them. Instead, I make one list and simply tittle it with the year’s date “2012.” On the list I put everything I know I can accomplice and things I want to accomplice. The list is everything from itty bitty items to… -
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
23 Dec 2011 | 5:50 pmI want to personally wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you all in the new year! -
Independent bookstores warn: Kindle readers are bad for us
30 Nov 2011 | 2:17 pmI thought this was interesting only because of Amazon. I personally do not like any of these readers. Nothing could ever replace a book in my hand.MILFORD – Bookstores don’t like it when folks try to ban books, but independent stores wouldn’t mind banning a particular e-book reader.The Toadstool Bookshop in Milford is among many stores around the country cautioning customers that buying a Kindle reader from Amazon.com, as compared to other e-book readers or tablet computers, will hurt the store because the Kindle can only handle books bought through Amazon.Read the rest here. -
Up-Date
30 Nov 2011 | 2:13 pmWell I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We sure did, eat way too much but that’s part of Thanksgiving. I have no idea why but our Thanksgiving went very smooth. We had set 4:00 for our meal, which is our normal time and I’m always rushing around to get everything done and ready to eat. Then it’s well after 4:00 before we set down to eat. Well this year, I have no idea why, everything went together and we sat down at 4:07. I didn’t do anything different. Made the pies, salad, got the table dressed and everything else I could do early done on Wednesday. So we set a record. Now…
-
WorldVitalRecords Blog
-
Take 10 Steps: Begin Your Gen Journey!
23 Jan 2012 | 10:00 amBy Schelly Talalay Dardashti Are you one of those people who want to begin researching their family, but just don’t know how or where? Beginning your unique journey – every family is different – down discovery road will be easier if you understand why you want to take that first step. Some are interested in their medical histories, others want to find “lost” branches around the world or prove family stories. One person may wish to write a book; another to visit an ancestral town and make a documentary. Have you inherited family information and want to understand it, build on it,… -
Start today: Work on your to-do list
18 Jan 2012 | 12:29 pmStart today: Work on your to-do list A genealogy friend recently told me that – for several weeks – he has been busily scanning a pile of family photos. Collectively, his family has more than 10,000 images to be scanned and saved. I just read an article indicating that it is not uncommon around the world for homes to burn down, and the surviving family reminisces about the lost quilts, mementos and, most importantly, family photos. In another story yesterday, Kodak continues to revamp from the inside out as rolls of film and 35mm cameras have all but disappeared, forcing the company… -
A New Year – A Great time for Genealogy
5 Jan 2012 | 3:16 pmI’ve read many good New Year’s goals touching on genealogy research, teaching, learning, sharing and more. Certainly this is a great time to get going with family history and genealogy. Before I become too involved in “genealogy speak,” I’d like to welcome all readers with an interest in genealogy, but simply don’t know where to start. Welcome! Jumping into genealogy can be overwhelming, particularly as you read blogs written by experts from around the world. You may find that – as you start to explore the world of online genealogy – that you discover some rather… -
Holiday Competition
21 Dec 2011 | 2:46 pmMyHeritage is having great Holiday Competition – Join in the fun by following the details found HERE on the MyHeritage Blog. Happy Holidays -
MyHeritage releases Family Tree Builder Version 6.0
21 Dec 2011 | 2:39 pmFamily Tree Builder Version 6.0 Today, MyHeritage.com - the parent company of WorldVitalRecords.com - released version 6.0 of its popular free family software, Family Tree Builder. There have been more than 28 million downloads of FTB. WorldVitalRecords is excited to be included in this release as our data is now searchable from within the software. Users can search for matches in our database of more than 4 billion records. CEO Gilad Japhet said about FTB6: “Packed with exciting new features, Family Tree Builder adds color and depth to family history research for professionals and…
-
The Ancestry Insider
-
Darned Missing Census Pages
27 Jan 2012 | 1:05 amWe depend upon records to reveal the “truth” about our pasts. Yet sometimes records have anomalies. Some are amusing or humorous. Some are interesting or weird. Some are peculiar or suspicious. Some are infuriating, even downright laughable. Yes, Records are the Darnedest Things Records Are the Darnedest Things: Darned Missing Census Pages Ancestry.com is missing pages from the 1820 U.S. Census of Virginia and I bet I know why. You can see (if you have a subscription) where one is missing by navigating to Virginia > Randolph > Beverly. Note that image 1 is page 265 and image 2 is… -
FamilySearch Posts Big Numbers
25 Jan 2012 | 1:05 amEarlier this month FamilySearch issued a Records Update with some pretty impressive numbers. FamilySearch has recently surpassed 1,000 record collections and 2.5 billion searchable names. As for number of images, it looks like they will surpass a half billion images by the time they make their next update. A quick review of available collections shows that the all important manuscript record types, census, church, and civil vital records, form the bulk of FamilySearch collections. Notice: The opinions expressed herein are those of the Ancestry Insider, not necessarily those of Ancestry.com or… -
FamilySearch’s Shipley Munson
23 Jan 2012 | 1:05 amNote: This article will be of interest mainly to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Please skip today’s article if you are not interested. How apropos it was that we listened to a recording of the Tabernacle Choir as we assembled to hear Shipley Munson, FamilySearch marketing director, at a recent seminar in Riverton, Utah. Munson has extensive marketing experience, two degrees from Harvard, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and speaks seven language. And he is a member of the world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir. “My family likes to play “Where’s… -
South Carolina Records Availability
20 Jan 2012 | 1:01 amIt is time for another article on record accessibility. Information is taken from the Records Preservation and Access Committee (RPAC) white paper titled “Open Access to Public Records: a Genealogical Perspective.” For South Carolina, as of 7 January 2012 the white paper lists record availability as follows Record Type Year begins Access (Closed, Open, Restricted) Years Restricted Copy for Genealogical Purposes Statute Notes Birth 1915 Restricted 100 44-63-80 Marriage 1950 Restricted 44-63-86 Pre-1950 in County Office of the Probate Divorce 1962 Restricted… -
1940 Census Consortium
18 Jan 2012 | 1:05 amLast month FamilySearch, Archives.com, and findmypast.com announced a community project for indexing and publishing the 1940 US Federal Census. The census will be released by the government on 2 April 2012. The three will engage volunteers to index the census, and then it will be published for free on all three websites. Additionally, Archives.com and findmypast.com will make “substantial financial contributions to make the 1940 US Census online name index possible and work with nonprofit FamilySearch to bring additional new records collections online.” Ancestry.com had previously…
-
The Geni Blog
-
Featured Project: Who Do You Think You Are?
27 Jan 2012 | 1:59 pmIn anticipation of the new season of the television show Who Do You Think You Are?, we’re highlighting the Who Do You Think You Are? project on Geni! Originating in the U.K., the popular celebrity genealogy series has spawned several international adaptations of the show. Season 3 of the U.S. version premieres next week on February 3 with an all new episode featuring actor Martin Sheen. The project aims to gather all the celebrities who have appeared in each incarnation of the show. There are still several notable figures that are not yet on Geni, including those from the Australian,… -
Come See the Geni Team at RootsTech 2012
25 Jan 2012 | 3:20 pmRootsTech‘s annual conference in Salt Lake City, Utah is just around the corner. This one of a kind genealogy conference brings techies and genealogists together to discover new technologies in family history research. RootsTech will be held from February 2 – 4, 2012. Several Geni team members will be in attendance and we can’t wait to meet all of you, so be sure to head on over to our booth to say hi! If your looking to attend some talks, stop by one of our sessions to learn about some exciting things going on at Geni. Here’s a list of our sessions: Creating the… -
Celebrating Chinese New Year
23 Jan 2012 | 4:30 pmToday, January 23 is Chinese New Year! One of the most important traditional Chinese holidays, Chinese New Year marks the start of the Lunar New Year. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon, which symbolizes power, strength and good luck. In addition to Mainland China and Hong Kong, Chinese New Year is celebrated in many countries and territories with significant Chinese populations, including Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Mayasia, and Chinatowns throughout the world. The holiday is steeped in tradition, food and family, and serves as a family reunion of… -
Monday Recap for January 23, 2012
23 Jan 2012 | 3:19 pmCatch up on some genealogy articles by checking out the links below. The Genealogy Sphere Cause of Death – Benzol Poisoning (Adventures in Genealogy) – Genealogy blogger Deb Ruth finds cause of death in an old newspaper article Early African American Newspapers, Tell So Much (My Ancestor’s Name) – Genealogist Angela Walton-Raji discusses early African-American newspapers in genealogy GenealogyBank Adds Irish Vital Records to Historical Newspaper Archive (GenealogyBank) – Irish vital records found in old Irish American newspapers Trips to find your roots (Fox… -
Today’s Release: Record Search and Estimated Dates
20 Jan 2012 | 8:29 pmRecord Search We’ve made it even easier to search for records from Archives.com, Find A Grave and GenealogyBank on Geni. You can discover even more about your relatives by entering more information for more accurate search results. To start your search, simply click on the Research tab at the top of the page and select Record Search. Enter in your relative’s name, birth surname, location and birth/death dates and click Search Results to start searching billions of census, vital and military records, newspapers and more! Estimated Dates On side-by-side merge comparison pages, we…
-
The We Tree Genealogy Blog
-
RootsTech Love Broadcast of Genealogy Sessions
27 Jan 2012 | 4:33 pm[Below is a press release and list of sessions that will be broadcast live from RootsTech. This is a great chance to experience the conference from home. If you look at the list, it's a full slate of sessions each day, just like you're there! --Amy] RootsTech Conference Will Broadcast Select Sessions Free Online SALT LAKE CITY—RootsTech, a leading family history and technology conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 2-4, 2012, announced today that fourteen of its popular sessions will be broadcasted live and complimentary over the Internet. The live broadcasts will give… -
Fun with Search Terms
27 Jan 2012 | 2:00 pmIt's time for another round of "Fun with Search Terms!" People type certain words or phrases into search engines. If the combination is right, my blog turns up in the search results. Sometimes the searches are funny. Sometimes I can provide more information to users, if only they'd comment on my blog. Either way, I enjoy the process. Please note that these searches are anonymous so I don't know who is stumbling on my blog. I just comment in the hope that they find it again. Now on with the show. Actual search phrases are in bold. Can I use another sd card in flip pal scanner? I used an sd… -
A RootsTech Moment with Janet Hovorka of Family ChartMasters
26 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amOne of the sessions offered at RootsTech 2012 is "Advocating Genealogy and Growing the Market: Issues of the New Genealogist," being taught by Janet Hovorka. You may also know her at The Chart Chick and part of the Family ChartMasters team. I asked Janet some questions about her session and RootsTech in general, and she was kind enough to share with us: Is this a new presentation? What compelled you to discuss the issues of genealogy advocacy as it pertains to the growing market? This is a new presentation. I did try it out last month at the BYU Family History Center for a dry… -
Latest News about RootsTech
25 Jan 2012 | 6:51 pmRootsTech is just around the corner. I know I always say that, but now it really *is* around the corner. Here are the latest developments from Salt Lake City: Now you can download the RootsTech app. It features information about the conference sessions, speakers, maps a calendar and more. It is available in the Apple App Store and the Android Market. Several sessions will be live-streamed at RootsTech. Lynn, The Armchair Genealogist, put together a list of them. If you attend the sessions from home, follow along and participate in the discussion on Twitter. It's great fun to interact with… -
The Wallflowers Guide to RootsTech
23 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amGenealogy conferences can be fun and scary depending on your perception of the unknown. Will I be alone? Will everyone be smarter that I am? Will I get lost? Will I get a spot in that popular speaker’s class? The genealogy world, just like the regular world, is full of all types of personalities and characters. If you’re new to the conference circuit, this can be an overwhelming experience. Just like those junior-high dances, you’re most comfortable observing everyone from afar. Please reconsider that wallflower pose. Here are some steps to get you out on the RootsTech dance floor in no…
-
Appalachian History
-
The ice knocked ‘The Greenland’ off the cradles and down the river she came
26 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmThis is an excerpt from a 1949 letter written by Capt. Tom Greene, owner of Greene Line Steamers, to his friend Dan Heekin, a Cincinnati industrialist and river buff. The letter was discovered tucked in a copy of Steamboats & Steamboatmen by Ellis C. Mace. “I have about decided to put the CHRIS GREENE’S whistle on the DELTA for the following reasons. First of all I like it as it is of low mellow ‘big boat’ quality. I don’t believe it will annoy the passengers sleep and it comes from the HOMER SMITH which boat was partially owned by one Capt. C.C. Bowyer a great… -
The Greenbrier Ghost
25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmOn January 23, 1897, Elva Zona Heaster Shue of Lewisburg WV, a bride of three months, was found dead at the bottom of the stairs leading to the second floor of the log house where she lived with her new husband. Her body was discovered by a neighbor, a boy of about 11 years, who did chores for her. Her case remains to this day a one of a kind event in the American judicial system … the only case in which the word of a ghost helped to solve a crime and convict a murderer! A state highway marker several miles west of town sums up Shue’s amazing story: “Interred in a nearby… -
Looks like the stork is visiting their house again
24 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmWhen I was born, I guess everybody just threw up their hands! The night I was born, Hobart went to visit with the neighbors, the Buckles family, across the street. According to Hobart, Mr. Gray Buckles said, “Well, It looks like the stork is visiting Oscar’s house again.” Joe Bush, one of the Buckles’ relatives who was also visiting, responded: “Hell, that ain’t no stork! That’s a duck! The stork’s done worn its legs off!” So, I came into the world with laughter echoing on Carolina Hill.—from ‘The Flavour of Home: A Southern Appalachian Family Remembers’ by… -
‘Folks Are Talking’ CD set releases
23 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmCall him the Studs Terkel of Bluefield, WV and its environs. In the 1970s Garret Mathews, a columnist for that town’s ‘Daily Telegraph’ newspaper, traveled back into the surrounding hollows with photographer Wade Sprees to interview the locals about their lives. He’s gathered 28 of his columns and narrates them on a newly released 2-CD set ‘Folks are Talking.’ The men and women Mathews interviews are not rich or famous, but in the aggregate their stories paint a colorful portrait of mid-20th century central Appalachian culture. “You just don’t find these folks any more,”… -
Raise your glass to Mr. Robert Burns
22 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmJanuary 25 marks the 253rd birthday of poet Robert Burns (1759-1796), who continues to be widely loved in the Scots-Irish community. Many of the bard’s songs and poems have become international favorites – even among those who find his use of Scottish lowland dialect difficult to decipher. If you find yourself in Franklin, NC this week, you might want to track down The Friends of the Scottish Tartans Museum. They, like lovers of Burns everywhere, host an annual Burns Supper, a celebratory tribute to the life, works and spirit of the man, on, or about, the poet’s birthday.
-
Smoky Mountain Family Historian
-
Book Review: Proprietary Records of South Carolina
28 Jan 2012 | 6:26 amBates, Susan Baldwin and Leland, Harriott Cheves, eds. Proprietary Records of South Carolina. 3 vols. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2005-2007.Did you have ancestors in South Carolina before the end of the 17th century? If so, History Press has a three-volume work that is absolutely essential for researching the earliest period of the province that eventually became the eighth state admitted to the United States. Susan Baldwin Bates and Harriott Cheves Leland have painstakingly abstracted some of earliest land and estate records of the state.Volume one focuses on Abstracts of the Records of… -
Book Review: The Dead Beat
28 Jan 2012 | 2:00 amJohnson, Marilyn. The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries. New York: HarperCollins, 2006.As a genealogist, I am quite familiar with obituaries. I use them all the time to add evidence in support of a date or relationship. The type of obituary with which I am most familiar is the one that is written based on a template which survivors complete at the funeral home as part of the package deal. This is not the type of obituary that the author of this book devours. Instead, she sings the praises of professional obituary writers employed by some newspapers… -
Book Review: The Diary of a Southern Lady
26 Jan 2012 | 7:21 pmJones, Katharine, ed. The Diary of a Southern Lady: Georgina Francis Barrett Devlin, April 18, 1852-February 19, 1912. North Charleston, SC: CreateSpace, 2011.This diary details the everyday life of Georgina Francis Barrett Devlin of Yazoo City, Mississippi. The diary writer was born in England in 1825 and died in Yazoo City in 1914. The diary makes frequent mentions of persons with whom the subject associated. The editor has added footnotes to assist the modern reader in identifying some of these individuals. There is a gap between 1881 and 1895 where most of the diaries have been lost. The… -
Why Do We Dream of a White Christmas?
23 Dec 2011 | 10:05 amThe obvious reason is because Bing Crosby and company so romanticized the song that we all want one. Christmas cards and other winter scenes picture the pristine condition of the snow in a time when sleighs and carriages were popular -- not the muddy, driven-through mess that many of us have to deal with when the white stuff actually arrives in this day and age. As a Southerner though, I think there's another reason. We see so little snow that we actually want to see some. What better time than when family and friends are gathered and can stay inside and enjoy each other's company a bit… -
Book Review: The Runaway Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
19 Dec 2011 | 2:00 amSylvia discovers a journal tucked in with some old family quilts. The journal was written by her ancestor's sister and documents the family's settlement on Elm Creek farm and involvement with the Underground Railroad. As she begins reading its pages, her friend Summer begins doing research at the county historical society. Sarah and Matt begin an archaeological excavation on the property. As a genealogist, I did not want to put this one down! I occasionally wanted Summer to seek out another source that might have held an answer, but it would have been rushing the story to prematurely reach…
-
West in New England
-
THOMAS, A SLAVE
27 Jan 2012 | 2:16 amA few weeks back was the anniversary of my 7x great grandparents Samuel Upton and Abigail Frost of Salem Massachusetts. I sometimes use family events as inspirations for blogposts, so I checked my digital edition of John Adams Vinton's The Upton Memorial and found this: "The father of William and Samuel Upton by will gave them his negro. This negro, whose name was Thomas. was in 1699, the date of the inventory, about thirteen years old, and was valued at thirty pounds or one hundred dollars. This sum may have been equivalent to ten times its amount now. if we may judge from the valuation of… -
BLOGIVERSARY: NOW WE ARE FIVE
23 Jan 2012 | 10:26 amWow, I can't believe it has been five years since I began this blog. Of course,I need to do my now traditional annual disclosure about why this was mysecond geneablog: "Yes, now it can be told. My first geneablog was a failure. I was newto this whole idea and started out enthusiastically and wrotefive posts within a few days for my blog which I'd namedWest of New England. But when I went to add a new post a dayor so later, I discovered I couldn't recall the password for the blog.After about a half an hour I gave up and just recreated the blog.I'd saved what I'd written so I created a new… -
SATURDAY NIGHT GENEALOGY FUN;: RANDOM RESEARCH
22 Jan 2012 | 1:27 amIt's once more Saturday night and time for Saturday Night Genealogy Fun onRandy Seaver's Genea-Musings. Here's this week's challenge: Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to follow Chris Staats' rules (from Freaky Friday: Random Research Reports) for picking a random person's name and then doing some online research about that person. Here are Chris's rules: 1. Go to The Random Name Generator and click the red “Generate Name” button at the top of the screen (more than once if you want). Pick one of the names you see. 2. Go to… -
THE SEVERED TIES
14 Jan 2012 | 1:50 pmI was working on adding the Indiana descendants of my 5x great grandparents Joseph and Sara (Herrick) Ellingwood of Lyndesborough, NH when I came to the case of my 3rd cousin 3x removed Emaline Ellingwood. Emaline was Joseph and Sarah's great great granddaughter and this is her line of descent: Joseph Ellingwood & Sarah Herrick Joseph Ellingwood Jr & Mary Punchard Francis Ellingwood & Elizabeth Whiting Joshua Ellingwood & Elizabeth Dille Emaline Ellingwood & Albert S Brooks Emaline was born in Indiana on 16Mar 1862, 31 years after the death of her great grandfather… -
FRANCIS ELLINGWOOD: NEW HAMPSHIRE TO INDIANA
11 Jan 2012 | 10:47 pmIn her letter to nephew Charles Fletcher, Return Ellenwood had mentioned that four of her brother Joseph's sons had left him. I couldn't quite decipher the name of where they had moved to but I think it must have been somewhere in upstate New York because that's where I've found three of them on the Federal Census. Francis, John, and Joshua Ellingwood had gone to settle in Gennesee and Wyoming Counties. The two younger brothers stayed put, but it seems Francis had bigger plans. In 1820 Francis was in Genessee NY but by 1823 he'd followed his uncle Benjamin Tuck Ellenwood out to Ohio.
-
All My Branches Genealogy
-
Travel Thursday – Over the Rainbow (Part 3)
26 Jan 2012 | 9:30 amThis is the third installment on my “Travel Thursday” series of “Over the Rainbow” and our journey from Ohio to California and back in 1966. You can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here. It was mid-September, and Mom, Dad, and I had just finished visiting their friends, the Manning family, and my great-aunt, Nellie Lilly, in Washington state. We were on our way south toward California. Next stop was Crater Lake National Park in Klamath County, Oregon. The lake was formed from a massive volcanic eruption about 5700 B.C. (according to Wikipedia). We arrived just before the… -
Wordless Wednesday – Courtship
25 Jan 2012 | 12:40 pm(Original Photo and Digital Print held in possession of Wendy J Littrell. Do not copy without permission.) -
Orphan Train Riders
25 Jan 2012 | 11:28 amThe USA Today article, Orphan Train Riders, Offspring Seek Answers About Heritage, (posted 25 Jan 2012) by Judy Keen, describes the search that descendents of those who rode the Orphan Trains in the early 20th century find themselves on. They want to find out more about those train riders, their parents, siblings, and heritage. Even some of the Orphan Train riders themselves are searching. While researching my own family history, I came across two brothers who rode the train from New York until they arrived in Columbus, Kansas and were adopted by James William Goul (my maternal… -
There Be Camels!
24 Jan 2012 | 7:01 amA week and a half ago, I posted a picture on my Wordless Wednesday post that showed my mom riding a camel. Where? When? How? From the time I was young, Mom had always wanted to travel to far off countries. She got an opportunity when my dad was stationed twice in Japan in the 1950s with the Army Air Corps (US Air Force). However, I remember her mentioning that she always wanted to go to Australia. Why there? I don’t know because she never gave an explanation. There were other countries she wanted to visit, too. In the late ’90s, Mom became very excited when she realized that she… -
Madness Monday – The Mysterious Older Brother
23 Jan 2012 | 12:00 amWhen I was a young girl, my mom mentioned something in passing about my Grandad’s brother. What? A brother? I thought my grandfather was an only child. So I pressed her for some elaboration. The story she told (which had to have come from her dad or his parents) was that Letis Johnson was 13 years older than my grandfather, and that he was “crazy”. My grandparents had to commit him several times to the Insane Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Sometimes Letis would come home for visits. One time he threw a brick through the chicken coop. Another time he was so engraged…
-
AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors
-
Scanfest is Coming
27 Jan 2012 | 6:56 pmI apologize for such a late reminder... The January 2012Scanfest will take place here at AnceStories this coming Sunday, January 29th, from 11 AM to 2 PM, Pacific Standard Time. What is Scanfest? It's a time when geneabloggers, family historians, and family archivists meet online here at this blog to chat while they scan their precious family document and photos. Why? Because, quite honestly, scanning is time-consuming and boring! Scanfest is a great time to "meet" other genealogists, ask questions about scanning and preservation, and get the kick in the pants we all need on… -
Tuesday's Tip: The Newberry Library's Research Guides
17 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amDid you know that the Newberry Library in Chicago has its own online research guides that can help you, sitting comfortably in your pajamas doing online genealogy? On this page, you can find research guides--most available in downloadable .pdf format--for any genealogy topic under the sun, from Adoption Research to the World's Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893. There are research guides for 27 states and the Province of Ontario, as well as major city, regional, ethnic, and overseas resources. When looking at the research guides, you won't find a how-to, but rather a list of… -
My Sixth Blogiversary
16 Jan 2012 | 2:42 pmOn January 16, 2006, I published my very first post, "Moses Crothers - possible son of John Crothers and Mary 'Polly' Wycoff?" Little would I know that with the creation of my genealogy blog, my life would literally change. At that time, there were a handful of geneabloggers (and that term hadn't really been created yet) out there: Dick Eastman, DEARMyrtle (Pat Richley), Leland Meitzler, Randy Seaver. Soon I learned about the Carnival of Genealogy and Jasia, Craig Manson, Apple, footnoteMaven, and Becky Wiseman (who's got a nice list of the "old-timers" right here!). In six years, I've… -
2012 - Out with the Old, In with the New!
1 Jan 2012 | 2:01 pmPlease don't faint.Yes, I'm actually writing a post...and even publishing it...and one that's NOT about Scanfest, either! Many of you know about my 2011 year, but stick with me, I'm going to review it anyway! I'm feeling reflective today, as I often do around the New Year, but this past year brought many noteworthy changes to my life. These changes affected this blog in that I had less time, less energy, and less creative flow to write. But although it was a hard year, it was also a very good one. Much as the discomfort of pregnancy and the pain of childbirth bring forth the joy of a newborn,… -
No Scanfest in December
16 Dec 2011 | 8:57 amScanfest is normally held the last Sunday of each month. With Christmas Day being the same day, I had originally planned to have Scanfest next Sunday, December 18th. However, some last-minute holiday plans have precluded this. We will meet for the next Scanfest on Sunday, January 29th, 2012 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, PST. Enjoy your holidays!
-
Beloved Eleanor
-
New Films: The Artist
20 Jan 2012 | 7:48 amI have some posts in the pipeline, but in the meantime while I’m studying for my exams – please feast your eyes on The Artist. It’s no secret that I love old black and white films, so this is right up my street. I daresay many of you will have seen it already… Click here to view the embedded video. Back soon! -
Support the Military Wives for the Christmas Number One!
19 Dec 2011 | 5:36 am*Warning* slightly emotional Christmas message ahead… I don’t normally like to post two songs or music videos in a row, but this is special – so here goes! The Mum loves The Choir with Gareth Malone (if you haven’t seen it, go now and watch it!), which she’s been watching for a number of years. The most recent one created was a choir of military wives and girlfriends. Something to occupy and unite them while their loved ones were away. It was a particularly emotional experience watching it, and lovely to see them at the Albert Hall in November. Now… -
Nightwish – Storytime
10 Dec 2011 | 8:00 amI love Nightwish, so I was particularly happy to see that they have a new album out this week: Imaginaerum. Here is their first single – Storytime. Click here to view the embedded video. -
Art Crush – William Dobson, and the tale of Prince Rupert
8 Dec 2011 | 5:05 amI’ve got lots of art crushes – something that I want to explore further here when I have time. Suffice to say, however that I absolutely love portraits. If fact, I think I’d like to specialise in them one day. My art crush for this month is William Dobson. I discovered him in a roundabout way – via Charles II, his cousin Prince Rupert and the lovely artist Van Dyck. When I say discover – I heard about Dobson painting a ‘lost’ portrait of Prince Rupert in Charles Spencer’s biography of him – I love anything about him, especially… -
Books I’ve Been Lusting After Lately
14 Nov 2011 | 10:01 amSome brand new, some fairly new ones here: English Country Houses Interiors by Jeremy Musson I love any books by Musson. Bergere, Poke and Cottage: Understanding Early Nineteenth Century Headwear by Serena Dyer I am really in need of some good hat books! Charles I’s art collection was amazing. I know a little about what was recovered, but not enough… Spas, Wells & Pleasure Gardens of London by James Stevens Curl I have his book on the Victorian way of death – and: Vauxhall Gardens by David E. Coke…
-
CanadaGenealogy, or, 'Jane's Your Aunt'
-
Opposing SOPA
18 Jan 2012 | 12:57 amI too am opposing the US bill - SOPA.This is an issue for Canadians too. For more information, see Michael Geist's posts on his blog, especially his post today, "Why Canadians should Participate in the SOPA/PIPA Protest". -
Genealogy Resolutions - 2012
17 Jan 2012 | 2:43 pmI know, January 2012 is half over and I've not even set out my New Year's Resolutions yet.As far as last year went, I did keep up with most of my resolutions, but sometimes that meant running, running, running, and sometimes my resolve just got left behind. And looking back at 2011's Resolutions, I see 2010 went a bit too fast for me too.So I'm only making a couple of resolutions this year, however, since many of the previous years' resolutions were designed to instill and enhance good genealogical habits, wherever possible, I'll continue following up with them.1. This first resolution I did… -
Happy New Year
1 Jan 2012 | 10:28 amHere are some New Year's thoughts from Agnes Deans Cameron, one of British Columbia's famous women.We are men, now, and women, in a world of work. Let us do that work as well as we can, without stopping to ask if we were once slugs or will one day be angels. And have a kind word and a smile for the next one you meet; he too is fighting a hard fight.Victoria, January 1, 1903.Published in The Province, Vancouver, Friday, 2 January, 1903, page 12.Agnes Deans Cameron (1863-1912) was an educator and a journalist - and an adventurer and an activist. Read about her in the Dictionary of Canadian… -
Medical Family History and Genealogy
18 Oct 2011 | 2:09 pmI just picked up the latest issue of Prevention magazine (November 2011) and to my surprise, found an article entitled "But It Doesn't Run In My Family: Closing the Gaps in your knowledge of Your Family Tree can quite literally save your Life" by Carol Withers (pp. 42-50). The article is a timely one for USians as since 2004, November's Thanksgiving holiday has been National Family History Day. (It's time we did something similar in Canada.)It's a nice starter article, but sadly, nowhere does it refer to knowledgable genealogists or family historians, or genealogy/family history/personal DNA… -
Another Genealogy/Family History Survey....
10 Aug 2011 | 1:21 amThis time it's a Canadian genealogy survey by students at Carleton University in Ontario led by Professor Leighann Neilson, Sprott School of Business and Emeritus Professor Del Muisse of the History Department. Here's an article about the project from the Cape Breton Post, 26 July 2011, written by Ken Macleod. Carleton researchers launch Canadian genealogy survey in Cape Breton I've already submitted my answers, and yes, I knew right away I couldn't agree with some of the broad assumptions apparently being made. Has there been a recent "surge of interest" in genealogy/family history as the…
-
Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe
-
CVGS Spring Seminar is Saturday, 31 March 2012
31 Jan 2012 | 5:18 pmThe theme of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society Spring Seminar is: British Isles To America And Migrating West Special Spring All-day Saturday paid SeminarSaturday, March 31 2012, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PMChula Vista Golf Course4475 Bonita Road, Bonita, CAThere are four talks, two each by nationally known speakers Leland Meitzler and Bill Dollarhide. They are:1) Bill Dollarhide: "The Main Migration groups from the British Isles to America prior to the Revolutionary War"2) Leland Meitzler: "Migration Routes of Our Ancestors"3) Bill Dollarhide: "The Scots-Irish Invasion of… -
CVGS Program on Wednesday, 25 January: "Genealogy Is Fun! Seriously!"
22 Jan 2012 | 7:14 pmThe January program meeting of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society is this coming Wednesday, 25 January 2012, at 12 noon in the Auditorium of the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street in Chula Vista). The program speaker will be Randy Seaver on the topic "Genealogy Is Fun! Seriously!"The presentation summary:Believe it or not, there is a lot of humor in genealogy research – names, epitaphs, wills, cartoons, videos, sayings, poetry, apparel, wisdom, genealogisms, etc. This presentation takes a light-hearted look at the best of the… -
CVGS Research Group Review - 11 January
14 Jan 2012 | 2:13 pmWe had a record 18 attendees at the CVGS Research Group meeting on Wednesday, 11 January at the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library. Randy started the meeting by discussing coming programs, the Spring Seminar, and the Family History Fair. He also asked for topic suggestions for an Intermediate Genealogy class (Genealogy 201). Three topics stood out - Citing Sources, DNA Tests, and Online Research. Randy passed out a handout with his "Best Of..." research tips by record types. There was also discussion of education via radio shows, webinars, seminars,… -
January 2012 CVGS Newsletter Available Online
11 Jan 2012 | 1:43 pmThe January 2012 issue of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society Newsletter is available online at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cacvgs2/Newsletters/12_01jan.pdf, in a PDF format.The Table of Contents includes:* page 1 - January 25th Program Meeting: "Genealogy is Fun! Seriously!" with Randy Seaver* page 2 - President's Message* page 3 - Spring Seminar Announcement: 31 March, "British Isles to America and Migrating West" with Bill Dollarhide and Leland Meitzler.* page 3 - Ask Gene E. Allogee, Tip and Techniques* page 4 - Research Group News* page 4 -… -
Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - January 2012
2 Jan 2012 | 5:04 pmThe Chula Vista Genealogical Society events for January 2012 include:** Wednesday 11 January, 12 noon to 2 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Research Group meets in the Library Conference Room, led by Randy Seaver. 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, 18 January, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Computer Group meets in the Library…
-
From Axer to Ziegler
-
Moving Up in Washington DC, 1890 – 1948
1 Jan 2012 | 3:26 pmWhen my father died in 1990 I inherited a ragtag collection of photographs, letters and Bibles. They were all from his Grandfather, my Great-Grandfather, Edwin Alfonso Niess. Among this collection are a few pictures of homes the family lived in during the Washington D.C. stage of their lives. In November of 1889, Edwin moved from Harrisburg, [...] -
Oh, Ursulla Oxer, You Sprightly Woman, You!
8 Nov 2011 | 4:48 pmWhy can’t all of my ancestors have marriage announcements in the newspapers? and why couldn’t Ursula Oxer been my ancestor? Yes, I do research Auxer, Axers and Oxers, however, she married into the clan and I’m trying to find out what happened to her previous husband! Look at all of this information in six short [...] -
The Awesome Power of Water
13 Oct 2011 | 8:18 amWater can be beautiful. I have fallen asleep listening to the sea through an open window, water-skied (in my youth!) on beautiful Lake Mead, and seen many awe inspiring waterfalls, including this one on Rt. 100 in mid-state Vermont. That is until Hurricane Irene! She started up from the south creating havoc as she went. [...] -
The Susquehanna Overflows it’s Banks ~ 2011 vs 1889
8 Sep 2011 | 6:13 pmIt’s a bad flood. Central Pennsylvania was hit hard. The rain didn’t stop and it wasn’t just rain, it was a torrential rain! Estimates are over 12″ of rain with river banks overflowing and basements flooded. Twenty seven feet above flood stage! Some are comparing it with the 1889 flood, a record that may be [...] -
Really, Dad? 96 Years Old?
4 Sep 2011 | 10:46 amYes, Dad would have been 96 years old today, if only . . . According to his birth certificate, he was born at midnight on September 4, 1915 at Sibley Hospital in Washington D.C., a hospital still in existence today. William Francis Sherman, Jr. was the first child born to the marriage of William Francis [...]
-
The Chart Chick
-
The Chart Chick's Quick Insider's Guide to Salt Lake City
23 Jan 2012 | 10:41 amTo help you with your trip to RootsTech and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, I've been hard at work revising and updating my earlier blog posts about Salt Lake City into a quick and easy guide that will make your trip more enjoyable. Introducing: The Chart Chick's Quick Insider's Guide to Salt Lake City. It is available as a free pdf available at www.familychartmasters.com/slc. And I've put it on Lulu for anyone who wants a print copy. You can order it right now until RootsTech starts on February 2nd for 30% off the regular $14.95 price making it just over $10.Thanks to Thomas MacEntee… -
Getting the next generation involved--a testimonial
18 Jan 2012 | 8:09 amThis testimonial made our day today. And just look at these pictures! This is why we do what we do.Dear Janet and Erin,Hope your new year's off to a good start!I've been meaning to write and tell you just how thrilled my family was with the custom chart you created for us. It turned out even more beautifully than I had imagined, and I was so excited to give it to them Christmas morning. My mother- and father-in-law were speechless at first, then in tears when they realized what it was. My sisters- and brothers-in-law were also amazed, even though they knew I was making it, and so appreciative… -
The 6 basic principles of sharing your family history with your children.
16 Jan 2012 | 9:26 amI've got a bunch of videos we've been editing from how things went over Christmas. I can't wait to show you Mom and Dad's reaction to the kids' family history present for them and how it went when we took everyone to the library to start verifying these records. So stay tuned for that. 15-year-old boy is editing the videos and I'm trying to get him to repress the perfectionist in his nature or you'd never see them. But as much as I want you to see them, I want him to do it himself more, so you'll have to be patient.In the meantime I have a section of my new book for you. Likewise coming soon. -
2012 Conference Plans--So Far
30 Dec 2011 | 8:26 amJanuary 20th and 21st 2012,Family History Expo, Mesa, ArizonaJanuary 23rd-27th, 2012, Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, Salt Lake City, UT--Janet will be Administrating as UGA President.February 2nd-4th 2012,Rootstech Family History Conference, Salt Lake City, UT--Janet will be speaking.February 24th-26th, 2012, Who Do You Think You Are Live Conference, London England--Janet will be speaking.March 3rd, 2012, Utah Genealogical Association Semi-Annual Conference, Bountiful, UT--Janet will be speaking.May 9th-12th, 2012, National Genealogy Society Conference, Cincinnati, OH June 8th-10th, 2012,… -
Triumph!!!
24 Dec 2011 | 12:52 pm11:30 am Christmas Eve Morning. We've finished. We did it. Woot Woot. There were moments where I didn't think we were going to make it. I've been worried this week that the kids would experience the agony of defeat and a learning experience rather than the joy of a successful project. But yea! It worked, it worked. 453 family group sheets digitized145 Kim90 Janet98 15 year old boy60 13 year old boy60 11 year old girl. How it all went down before it took a swing for the better.Last night, on Christmas Adam (the night before Eve), we left the kids to themselves while we went to our traditional…
-
Granite in My Blood
-
Cottar
27 Jan 2012 | 1:29 pmCottar, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.What is the word under Cottar? I think, judging from the other records on the page that it is a place. Location of Record: Kirkinner Year: 1829[Cottar: A tenant occupying a cottage with or without land attached to it, a married farmworker who has a cottage as part of his contract (cot-house - tied farmworker's cottage) ] -
Abigail NEWTON
26 Jan 2012 | 10:07 amAbigail NEWTON, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.Abigail NEWTON Abigail NEWTON, second wife of Ebenezer HYDE, Sr. like many women of her day, married a man whose wife died and left him with small children. (photographed by William Dunbar)Unlike the record of his first marriage, which I can't find, are TWO "records" of marriage for Ebenezer and Abigail. This might be because the NEWTON family was a prominent family in this area.Marriage Banns, although common, are not something I have consistently found as I search vital records. This one looks like this:HYDE: (see Hide), Ebenezer and Abigail… -
Hyde Family Records
25 Jan 2012 | 1:50 pmHyde Family Records, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.Found during a search for Hyde ancestors was the clip of a transcribed journal which belonged to Ebenezer Hyde, Sr. -
Ruth ONTHANK
24 Jan 2012 | 9:29 amRuth ONTHANK, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.Ruth ONTHANK Ruth ONTHANK, first wife of Ebenezer Hyde,Sr. is buried in Dodge Cemetery in Sutton, Worcester, MA. I discovered as I researched her, that she was the daughter of William ONTHANK and his wife Elizabeth JAMES. She was the sister of William ONTHANK who is buried at Old Southborough Burial Ground. I took a photo of his gravestone before I knew that my husband was an ONTHANK/UNTHANK descendant! I posted that blog post on July 1st.Ruth was born on July 1st in 1765 in Southborough.ONTHANK: Ruth, d. William and Elisabeth, July 1, 1765. Town… -
Dodge Cemetery Sign
23 Jan 2012 | 10:14 amDodge Cemetery Sign, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.This is the sign for Dodge Cemetery in Sutton, Worcester, MA where my husband's ancestor, Ebenezer Hyde, Sr. and his family are buried.
-
HollingsworthRobbinsFamilyTree
-
Why My Mother-In-Law Used 629 On Her Luggage Locks
21 Jan 2012 | 1:25 pmMy mother-in-law Fannie Harriet Love Robbins (1901-1987) used 629 for her luggage combination locks when traveling in her later years after she retired from teaching. I did not know the significance of 629 until I began researching her life in genealogy.Ken, Fannie, and Robbie Robbins about 1948 before Robbie passed away on May 6th629 is significant because it was the marriage date to her only husband, William Augustus Robbins, on June 29, 1929 at First Baptist Church (American) in Syracuse, NY until his death on May 6, 1948 in Islip, NY where they lived on Rose Street and Grant Avenue. His… -
Google+ Presents Problems with Google Picasa Web Albums
20 Jan 2012 | 10:23 amI havehad to work through several problems and processes to possess, retain, and usethe best options for my needs to send my online Google Picasa Web Albums tofamilies and friends since upgrading to Picasa Version 3.9 with Google+. I wastoo quick to subscribe to Google+ on my laptop that offers the new PicasaVersion 3.9 without realizing the consequences of my rush. I did not realize thatI would not be able to send Picasa Web Albums to family and friends via email,not be able to post Picasa Web Albums to Facebook, or not be able to export myPicasa Web Albums to my desktop. If you find that my… -
I Found Antrim Cemetery Across the Road!
18 Dec 2011 | 12:00 amAntrim Cemetery Today:Antrim Cemetery is an active cemetery nestled in the northwest corner of Houston County, Texas close to the Anderson County line and contains recentburials of families who presently live in the area or who lived in this area inthe past. Visitors may come to the open cemetery to pay their respects, clean the area around headstones, takepictures, and write comments in the Visitors' Notebook. My interest is about the two ancestral lines in my mother's family: the Willis and Gray surnames. Many other surnames in the Antrim Cemetery are also in my ancestry… -
A Serendipity Celebration for Joseph Jerkens
12 Dec 2011 | 9:53 pmI am excited to share this wonderful serendipity celebration for Joseph Jerkens and for his family, his descendents and nieces and nephews. It was not easy to find Josef Jurkiewicz's Application for the USA Declaration of Intention, but through several helpful people and organizations, I located it. The copy and information were all on the Internet. That is not always the case. Genealogists cannot expect everything to be on the Internet, but this time what I needed was. I have written two other blog posts about Joseph Jerkens and the unknowns about his early life on July 8, 2011,… -
Pearl Harbor Reflections One Week Later
2 Dec 2011 | 9:28 amWhere were you on December 7, 1941, during the bombing of Pearl Harbor? Were you born yet? Had you been "thought of" by your parents? How many years would it be before you were born? Do you know anyone who served in the United States Military during the bombing of Pearl Harbor? All six of my uncles served in the US Military during World War II: my dad's two brothers, Daniel A. Hollingsworth, enlisted on November 2, 1942 at age 35 and Frank S. Hollingsworth, enlisted in the U.S. Marines on December 11, 1937 at the age of 21 and served through the end of World War II. My dad's brother-in-law,…
-
huffenglish.com
-
Diigo Links (weekly)
15 Jan 2012 | 2:30 amVideo: A guided tour around Dickens’ birthplace | Anglotopia – For People That Love Britain Take a video tour of Dickens’s birthplace led by his great-great-great granddaughter, Lucinda Dickens Hawksley. tags: video tour dickens birthplace britain writers literature Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here. This post originally appeared on huffenglish.com and is © Dana Huff.Diigo Links (weekly) -
Literary Mixtapes
9 Jan 2012 | 7:57 pmThe pop culture blog Flavorwire regularly creates mixtapes for literary characters. Their latest offering is Dorian Gray. Creating mixtapes can be an interesting way for students to think about characters and themes in the literature they read, especially if, like Flavorwire does, they need to justify their choices. Such an assignment could address the following NCTE standards: NCTE/IRA Standard 1: Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to… -
New Year Update
2 Jan 2012 | 6:56 pmHi everyone. I realize that I haven’t posted much here, but a change to Technology Integration Specialist last August has changed my focus, and I need to re-orient myself I appreciate your patience very much. I would suggest that you might want to subscribe in a feed reader or via email if you would like an easy way to check for updates. We have also had some upheaval at home that I need to sort out, and I hope you will forgive me if I am a little quiet online until I do. Thank you very much for continuing to read. This post originally appeared on huffenglish.com and is © Dana Huff.New… -
Diigo Links (weekly)
1 Jan 2012 | 2:30 amThe Year in Education: Seven Innovations Changing the Way the World Learns – Education – GOOD The Year in Education: Seven Innovations Changing the Way the World Learns http://t.co/U7gJYQxM Steinbeck Makes Microeconomics Real This blog post describing a novel study of The Grapes of Wrath in an economics course is a great example of why we need to do more cross-curricular learning. Note especially the students’ initial responses to the course compared with their final assessment. tags: steinbeck the grapes of wrath literature english economics cross-curricular Posted from… -
Diigo Links (weekly)
25 Dec 2011 | 2:30 amBetter Living Through Beowulf: If Jane Austen Used Facebook . . . Professor Bates describes his students’ construction of Facebook profiles for characters in Sense and Sensibility, an activity that many teachers are trying as an alternative way to analyze literature, history, science, Bible characters, etc. tags: literature facebook analysis synthesis Favorite blogs this year (besides ones I wrote for Favorite blogs this year (besides ones I wrote for): @TheHairpin, @io9, @arstechnica, @ftrain, @TheAtlanticTech, & @edyong209′s @discovermag Flipping Out Dan Bruno discussed…
-
In My Life
-
Wordless Wednesday: Cousins
11 Jan 2012 | 7:54 am"Cousins." Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph privately held byCindy Bergeron Scherwinski. Copyright (c) 2012 -
Wordless Wednesday: Phyllis and Daughter Cindy, Honolulu 1954
4 Jan 2012 | 11:01 am"Phyllis (Space Bergeron) and Daughter Cindy, Honolulu 1954." Digital Image. January 1954. Original photograph privately held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. Copyright (c) Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski 2012. -
Tuesday's Tip: Do You Know Where Your Ancestors Are?
3 Jan 2012 | 3:25 pmNo, it's not a trick question. If you think the answer to this is as obvious as "who is buried in Grant's tomb," read on.Do you know where your ancestor's are? My maternal grandfather would have the short answer, "In the marble orchard." (Grandpa speak for the cemetery.) And while locating the final resting place of our ancestors would be the ultimate, sometimes the road to the marble orchard is a long and winding and far too often a fruitless one.How Do You Know What You Know?You know how it is: you're in the zone, chasing down your great-grandfather, documenting the important life… -
Beginnings. The Best Place to Start
2 Jan 2012 | 3:13 pmI find it rather ironic that the emphasis for making any type of change is set to begin on January 1st. I confess to spending many New Years days with a list of good intentions. I'm all for taking time out to take a mental inventory, setting goals, discover (or rediscovering) passions in and for life and I have nothing against January 1st. I just wonder why we choose that day out of the many other days that mark a "first."Apparently the concept of starting over is something that is not new. Throughout history man (and woman) has felt the need to put the past, well, in the past and move… -
Here We Go A Blog Caroling
7 Dec 2011 | 11:33 amHow would you complete this sentence:It's not Christmas until ........Did you say when the Christmas tree has been set up and decorated? Or is it when that first magical snow fall? For my friends in southern California and other warmer climes, it might be when your favorite holiday movie has been added to the 24 days of Christmas on "Oxygen."Well I know it's Christmas when footnoteMaven shares Blog Caroling.Last year I took a little bit of chiding for my holiday selection ... so this year's selection is a familiar favorite with a decided different flavor: Enya singing Silent Night
-
Janet the researcher
-
2012 - what are my goals?
20 Jan 2012 | 6:46 amI am glad to see that I am not the only one who is late in posting their goals for 2012. I was successful last year in publishing In Grateful Remembrance: Honouring the Men from Knox, who Paid the Supreme Sacrifice. Sales haven't been great but my main goal was to honour these men but of course, I would very happy to sell some more. This took the first eight months of the year. I had several speaking engagements that I really enjoyed and I did some client work that included some challenges. During the last four months of 2011, my focus was the sell of my house and purchase of a brand new… -
January 1, 2012 - An ending and a beginning
1 Jan 2012 | 8:43 amJanuary 1st is often a day of reflection on the year past and looking forward to what the new year will hold. Today, I am reflecting on not only one year but many years. Today, is a day of mixed emotions. Today, at about 11 a.m. Knox United Church, Owen Sound will cease to exist as a place of worship. Since 1873, when the congregation of Knox Presbyterian moved into a brand new building, this building has been the church home for many. They had outgrown the frame building, several blocks away. The congregation has its roots in a Free Presbyterian Church that was officially… -
Carnival of Genealogy: A Charles Dickens Christmas
22 Dec 2011 | 9:14 pmCharles Dickens Christmas - Christmas Past, Present and Future I have lots of memories of Christmas past but I will share one. When I was a young girl, our family lived across the road from my paternal grandparents. We could visit them often. Of course, we went over either on Christmas Day or Boxing Day to visit them. Often we would see our other aunts and uncles and cousins who also had come to visit. I am not sure when this photo was taken of my grandfather William Iles and my grandmother Emily Lily Iles nee Dudley (seated) and my aunt May. I would think either late 1950s or early… -
Advent Calendar of Memories - December 4 - Christmas Cards
4 Dec 2011 | 1:59 pmChristmas Cards were always welcomed at our home. Sometimes they would be put on a table or on a television, or perhaps posted on the wall and sometimes on an iron Christmas tree for showing cards. My mother sent many cards to family and friends. She had a Christmas Card book that had the addresses with a place for check marks for those sent and received. It was interesting to see the changes of address as people moved or were married. It was sad to see a name erased due to their passing. There are still some boxes of cards received that I will pack up and take me with to my new home. From… -
Advent Calendar of Memories - December 1 - Christmas tree
1 Dec 2011 | 8:21 pmDuring the early years, our family had a real Christmas tree. Eventually, we purchased an artificial tree. The quality of these improved over the years. We also had favourite ornaments that we loved to place on the tree. Over time new ones were added. Special are the ones that my mother made as part of the women's group. I haven't put a large Christmas tree for a number of years. It is a lot of work for only one person to enjoy. I have put up my yarn Guatemalan wall tree with its minature ornaments. This year, I am preparing to move in January so I am not sure whether it will go up. Below are…
-
LOOKING4ANCESTORS
-
It's Family History Season
27 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amAsk any sports fan what is their favourite season, and their response will likely include the name of their favourite sport. For the past few months, it's been football season in my household. Fortunately, that is coming to an end with the Super Bowl in just a few weeks. My favourite season is Family History season. It started this week and will run through until the end of June. Some of you might be confused as you have never heard of Family History season, and you may be thinking that I am making this up. Let me assure it is real. Signs of the season include annual genealogy institutes,… -
Surreal Reinfection
16 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amIf you have ever been bitten by the genealogy bug, then you will understand the light-headed, giddy feeling of finding a new line of ancestors, followed by the incessant drive to find out more. For the past five years, I have been helping my friend, Sue Taylor* with her family history. We have found quite a bit of information about her mother's family going back to the early 1800's. However, her father's family was a mystery. Sue's parents never married. Her biological father, Nate Clark* vanished shortly after she was born. Sue's mother married another… -
Answering the Challenge or Double-Dog Dare 2012
6 Jan 2012 | 1:15 pmAt the beginning of the year, I read a blog post from Sheri Fenley, The Educated Genealogist about Answering the Challenge or Double-Dog Dare. Last year, Sheri teamed up with Cheryl Palmer of Heritage Happens. They were answering the challenge of Amy Coffin of The We Tree Genealogy Blog, and Denise Levenick, The Family Curator. They have has once again double-dog dared the geneablogging community. Sheri, Amy and Denise, I accept the challenge! I have teamed up with Lynn Palermo, The Armchair Genealogist. Yesterday, I met with Lynn via Skype. We spent the better part of an hour getting to know… -
Plan, Practise and Joy Are My Three Words for 2012
1 Jan 2012 | 1:50 pmHappy New Year 2012! Last year instead of posting resolutions, I posted My Three Words. Here is a quick review of how I did. Invest I did well this year in investing not only in my immediate family but with close and distant cousins. I have successfully made contact with a number of cousins overseas and in the US. I am excited about these connections, and will be blogging about them and our common ancestors in 2012. Grow 2011 was certainly a year of growth for me personally, and professionally. I completed the three professional goals I had set for myself in 2011: 1) ProGen Study Group. -
The Infirmity Column Reveal
27 Dec 2011 | 12:37 pmSince January 2009, the 1911 England and Wales census has been available online to researchers. This was three years earlier than originally expected, thanks to the hard work of Guy Etchells. However, there was one catch. The last column on the household schedule had to remain covered up. The 'infirmity' column contained information about mental health, blindness, deafness, etc., and had to remain hidden due to the 100 year publication restriction of sensitive information. On 4 January 2012, this restriction will be lifted. Details about your ancestors' conditions and illnesses will be…
-
THE EDUCATED GENEALOGIST
-
An Open Response To Dahling Polly Kimmitt
26 Jan 2012 | 12:52 pmYesterday, as I was catching up on 3 weeks worth of blogs, I came across one of my favorites - "PollyBlog" authored by Polly Kimmitt. Below is a snippet of a recent post from her blog: "There is a lot of negative buzz in the genealogical community lately about people overselling themselves, and I certainly don't want to come across that way because in reality I don't think anything I'm doing is -
A Bit Under The Weather
19 Jan 2012 | 4:16 pmCold and Flu Season has hit Camp Fenley with a vengeance. Hope to be back soon. -
Forecast of 2012 Arrives In A Fortune Cookie
1 Jan 2012 | 5:47 pm"A Goal is a Dream with a Plan and a Deadline" Last night we dined on our traditional New Year's Eve fare - take out from Dave Wong's Chinese Restaurant. Yeah, we are a classy bunch here at Camp Fenley. Tradition also dictates that I eat the fortune cookies before I start in on the main courses. Being an adult who doesn't have any examples to set, I can eat my dessert first if I want to so -
Answering The Challenge or Double-Dog Dare
30 Dec 2011 | 5:41 pmBack in January 2011 Cheryl Palmer and I had lunch and decided to set some goals and try to achieve them using the Buddy System that Amy Coffin and Denise Levenick had implemented. Cheryl and I became the Northern California Team, while Amy and Denise were name the Southern California Team. This wasn't a contest but rather more reinforcement to help each of us achieve our goals set for the year -
Making Some Family History Where Ever I Go
28 Dec 2011 | 9:57 pmSo my husband has children from a previous marriage and it is because of his children that I have grandchildren. We don't see them often and maybe it's because of the stories they tell their parents after one of their visits with me. Take today for instance. I needed to go to the market. They did NOT want to accompany me but they are only 10 and 8 years old and I felt not old enough to stay
-
The Genetic Genealogist
-
Does DNA Link 1991 Killing to Colonial-Era Family?
11 Jan 2012 | 7:32 amThe genetic genealogy world is abuzz following a recent report in news outlets around the world (including CNN, Seattle PI, Daily Mail, etc) that investigators have used public genetic genealogy DNA databases for leads in a 20-year-old cold case. The Case In December 1991, 16-year-old Sarah Yarborough was tragically murdered in Federal Way, Washington. Despite an extensive investigation, no suspect has ever been named. Investigators have sketches of a man they believe might have been involved, but there is no name to put to the pictures. Investigators did find some important evidence… -
23andMe Announces 80x Exome Sequencing for $999
28 Sep 2011 | 6:51 amYesterday, at Health 2.0 in San Francisco, 23andMe announced that it will be offering sequencing of exomes with 80x coverage for $999. At Exome 80x, 23andMe discusses their test: Your exome is the 50 million DNA bases of your genome containing the information necessary to encode all your proteins. Informally, you can think of the exome as the DNA sequence of your genes. Your entire genome is made up of your exome plus other DNA, consisting of three billion bases with repetitive sequences, sequences of unknown function, and DNA that does not code for proteins. Note that the Exome 80x test is… -
NFL Players Xavier Omon and Ogemdi Nwagbuo Confirmed as Half-Brothers
2 Sep 2011 | 7:15 amDirect-to-consumer DNA testing has led to the re-joining of yet another family. Y-DNA and autosomal testing by Family Tree DNA has revealed that two NFL players , Xavier Omon (San Francisco 49ers)) and Ogemdi Nwagbuo (San Diego Chargers), are half-brothers. ESPN has a long write-up of the story at “A brothers’ tale for Omon, Nwagbuo.” Meeting for the First Time The brothers had planned to meet face-to-face yesterday, September 1, 2011, as their teams met on the field. Turns out Omon’s team, the 49ers, were victorious, meaning that if he’s anything like my… -
“My Beautiful Genome” by Lone Frank
1 Sep 2011 | 5:00 amLone Frank, a journalist and author with a Ph.D. in neurobiology, has just published her fourth book, entitled “My Beautiful Genome: Exposing Our Genetic Future, One Quirk at a Time” (available for pre-order at Amazon). A chapter of the book is available here (pdf). Frank describes her book thusly: “This book is my very personal take on personal genomics. It chronicles my meetings and interviews with leading scientists and lays out the – somtimes [sic] disquieting – discoveries I make in my own genome.” The book is described as follows at Amazon:… -
Family Tree DNA’s 7th International Conference on Genetic Genealogy Announced
30 Aug 2011 | 7:17 amFamily Tree DNA has announced the 7th Genetic Genealogy Conference for Family Tree DNA Group Administrators, to be held in Houston, Texas on November 5th and 6th, 2011. Featured speakers at the meeting include the following: Doron Behar, PhD Michael Hammer, PhD Steve Morse Spencer Wells, PhD Another interesting speaker at the meeting will be Jessica L. Roberts, J.D., an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Houston Law Center (recent C.V. here (pdf)). Although it’s not clear what Roberts will be speaking about, her recent publications (pdf) focus on genetics and the law,…
-
TransylvanianDutch
-
Amanuensis Monday: Company Muster Roll - Ebenezer Denyer - Jan & Feb 1863
23 Jan 2012 | 12:49 pmAmanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.I began this project back in February of 2009, and since then, many others have joined in on the meme. Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others. If… -
Amanuensis Monday: London Dreyfus Demonstrations - Sept 1899
16 Jan 2012 | 10:16 amAmanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.I began this project back in February of 2009, and since then, many others have joined in on the meme. Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others. If… -
Week In Review
15 Jan 2012 | 12:05 amBelow are some highlights from news stories and blog posts I have read in the past week that deal with my overlapping interests in Genealogy, History, Heritage, and Technology.The controversy over the new Martin Luther King, Jr. monument may serve as a reminder to genealogists, that just because something is inscribed in stone, doesn't make it accurate. The January 2012 Library of Congress Digital Preservation Newsletter can be downloaded. Megan Smolenyak2 at The Huffington Post covers the celebrity genealogy offerings of NBC and PBS this spring, listing all 32 celebs participating. I… -
Amanuensis Monday: The Marriage of Willa Van Every and Lex Roberts
9 Jan 2012 | 12:05 amAmanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.I began this project back in February of 2009, and since then, many others have joined in on the meme. Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others. If… -
Week In Review
8 Jan 2012 | 10:37 amBelow are some highlights from news stories and blog posts I have read in the past week that deal with my overlapping interests in Genealogy, History, Heritage, and Technology.Missy Corley at Bayside Blog discusses When Even Vital Records Can't Be Trusted, reminding us that if the person providing the information on the document didn't know or couldn't remember the correct information, the document will be wrong. The Ancestry Insider reminds us that some census enumerators were lazy... and raises a disturbing question about why they are unable to find the same document at FamilySearch.
-
GenBlog
-
Friday Finds – 01/27/12
27 Jan 2012 | 8:06 amWeekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve found. New-to-Me Blogs Copyright Issues for the 21st Century Genealogical Community, California State Genealogical Alliance A Family Tapestry, Jaqui Online Articles/Posts The Chart Chick’s Quick Insider’s Guide to Salt Lake City, Janet Hovorka DAR's Publication Forgotten Patriots is Now ONLINE!, NGS Questions for Ancestry.com at RootsTech 2012, Randy Seaver Print Articles “How Do I Keep My Hats Straight?,” by Elizabeth Shown Mills, APG Quarterly, June 2004. Websites Join a Facebook Research Community, FamilySearch… -
Peculiar, With a Side of “Huh?”
26 Jan 2012 | 11:43 pmA few months back, I posted about finding the birth record for Margarethe Kremer, my second great-grandmother. The record was found in FamilySearch’s Luxembourg Civil Registrations record collection. Periodically, over the last few months, I’ve continued to review more of these records, working mainly on the line of Margarethe’s husband Johann Schwatrz. Research was going well, even though I can’t read German (or even French, which started to appear the further back I went). I can get the gist of the records since they follow a pre-printed register, and… -
RootsTech & FHL Checklist
26 Jan 2012 | 3:39 pmPreparing for my trip to RootsTech 2012: Review syllabi of session to make a final decision on which to attend Add selected session syllabi to Kindle Fire RootsTech app on Android phone (also Apple App Store) Expo Hall map saved to cell phone and Kindle Fire Families app on Kindle Fire (synched with Legacy and ready to go) FHL research list Important research documents saved to the cloud Research toolkit (including laptop, Flip-Pal scanner, notebook, pencils, camera GeneaBlogger beads (geesh, I almost forgot!!) Copyright © 2008-2011. All rights reserved. -
RootsTech 2012 – Expo Hall
24 Jan 2012 | 2:42 pmDon’t forget to visit the Expo Hall while attending the RootsTech 2012 conference. This is your chance to learn more about genealogy-related products and services. Head over to the Expo Hall page to see who will be there. There’s a nice map that shows the location of each vendor that you can download (PDF) and print. The page also includes a listing of each vendor with a description of its products or services. Expo Hall Hours Thursday, February 2 10am to 5pm Friday, February 3 10am to 5pm Saturday, February 4 9:30am to 3pm Haven’t registered for RootsTech… -
Friday Finds – 01/20/12
20 Jan 2012 | 10:01 amWeekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve found. New-to-Me Blogs Barry’s Blog on Genealogy, Barry Ewell Trippin’ Over Roots, Barry Kline Researching Luxembourg Genealogy, Bryna O’Sullivan Genealogy Puzzles, Ms Sherlock Family History Services, Marianne McCalip Online Articles/Posts Climbing the Spiral Staircase: Learning Genealogy, Harold Henderson Take the Challenge—Write Your Family History in 29 Days!, Lynn Palermo Finding Your Massachusetts Ancestors: Genealogy Research From The 17th to 21st Centuries, Diane Rapaport GenealogyBank Adds Irish Vital Records to…
-
Your Future, Your Past
-
From Ancient Rome to the 69th Annual Golden Globes
12 Jan 2012 | 12:32 pmWhen you watch this short video, the “flying” chart you will see near the end comes to rest at the Emperor’s Palace in Ancient Rome in 320 A.D. From that very specific place and time in history, generation-by-generation pathways lead forward to eight of the 69th Annual Golden Globes nominees who are in the Family Forest® National Treasure. Those eight nominees are all descended from the founder of Briquebec Castle in France, and their names can be found in the list of descendants. The Baron of Briquebec has four ancestral pathways to the Emperor’s Palace in the… -
Natalie Wood’s Pallbearers
7 Dec 2011 | 10:48 amThe thirtieth anniversary of the death of Hollywood icon Natalie Wood has generated plently of media attention. One story I saw mentioned her pallbearers. So I checked in the Family Forestand discovered that in addition to Natalie Wood, the Family Forest National Treasure has six of the seven of her Pallbearers, according to the list at IMDb. This should certainly sound like a ho-hum “So what?” claim, until one becomes aware of the primary guideline that has been steering the growth of the Family Forest since before the end of the last century. No one gets into the Family Forest… -
The Personal Property of John Wayne
4 Oct 2011 | 8:57 pmHighly desirable items from “a time capsule of classic Hollywood and U.S. history“ are becoming available this Thursday and Friday at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, and online. This auction caught my attention not only because I’m one of the millions of John Wayne fans, but also because our Family ForestProject is Networking Family History with Hollywoodand U.S. history. From my professional perspective, I wondered how many fans and bidders have family ties to John Wayne that they are still unaware of. So I ran a Family Forestkinship report for John… -
Largest Ancestral History eBook Coming Soon
19 Sep 2011 | 2:15 amLargest Ancestral History eBook Coming Soon Wouldn’t it be cool to be able show your kids and grandkids that you are able to trace your own generation-by-generation ancestral pathways from one of your ancestors directly into one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays? This may be the ancestral history eBook with which you can do just that. At least hundreds of millions of living people are descended from the subject of this book. If you have any European ancestry within the last five centuries, you are probably one of them. The magnitude of The Family Forest® Descendants of King… -
Grandma Would Be Proud
17 Aug 2011 | 12:05 pmMy Grandma, the Gunsmoke one, would be very proud to know that her youngest great-grandson is now in Bangor, ME making history. Dylan Rabbit and his teamates, Talbot County, MD, are the first Maryland team ever to make it to the Senior League World Series now being played in Bangor. Dylan put in an outstanding performance while helping his team win the East Coast Division Championship last week. Maybe Dylan inherited his baseball genes from Grandma, who is descended from Edward III in multiple lines. Great job guys! You and your team have fans rooting for you from Hawaii Dylan. Grandma would…
-
Genealogy Blog
-
Following Genetic Footprints out of Africa: First Modern Humans Settled in Arabia
27 Jan 2012 | 11:15 amA new study, using genetic analysis to look for clues about human migration over sixty thousand years ago, suggests that the first modern humans settled in Arabia on their way from the Horn of Africa to the rest of the world. Led by the University of Leeds and the University of Porto in Portugal, the study is recently published in American Journal of Human Genetics and provides intriguing insight into the earliest stages of modern human migration, say the researchers. Source & Full Story -
The British Library 19th Century Historical Collection App Wins Prestigious Publishing Innovation Award
27 Jan 2012 | 9:15 amAt the opening of the Digital Book World Conference in New York City yesterday, the British Library, together with technology partner, BiblioLabs, LLC, was awarded the prestigious Publishing Innovation Award (PIA) for their British Library 19th Century Historical Collection iPad App. The App, released in August last year to rave reviews from both critics and consumers, offers seamless, cloud-based access to more than 45,000 historical works from the British Library, spanning 21 thematic collections. Source & Full Story -
Restored Film Shows Rare Color Footage of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Before World War II
27 Jan 2012 | 7:15 amRare color footage of several Ann Arbor businesses and streets in the pre-World War II era is visible in a newly restored film. Ann Arbor-based startup Priceless Photo Preservation has restored an hour-long "movie" belonging to Larry Goetz, owner of 112-year-old Goetzcraft Printers. The 16-millimeter film — shot by Fostoria, Ohio-based traveling film producer John B. Rogers Co. using technicolor technology in 1939 — shows several structures and businesses that still exist in some form today. Source & Full Story with Video -
Student Produces Middle-earth Genealogy Site
27 Jan 2012 | 5:15 amChemical Engineering student Emil Johansson has an amazing passion project he developed mapping out the genealogy of everybody in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Called the LOTR project, it provides a great big family tree for Tolkiendom. Its scope is amazing as is the effort and organization, although it is still a work in progress. The Lord of the Rings Project Source & Full Story -
Native Americans Hailed From Siberian Highlands, DNA Reveals
27 Jan 2012 | 3:15 amFor nearly a century now, most scholars have agreed that the ancestors of Native Americans likely hailed from Siberia, trekking across the Bering Strait to Alaska via a long-gone land bridge. But certain aspects of the historic migration—including the settlers’ specific region of origin, when exactly they left it and what drove them to seek new lands—remain matters of debate to this day. A new DNA-based study published today in the American Journal of Human Genetics offers new insight into these questions. Source & Full Story
-
Granny's Genealogy
-
Those Crazy Tipped Images With Black Edges
24 Jan 2012 | 6:36 amSome images I have saved look a little crazy, like this: This is the death registration for Joseph Kaiser [Grey, Huron, Ontario]. I guess picky, fussy, or whatever, but I don’t like the look. I open these in Photoshop and make a few adjustments, then I attach the result to my database. It is not any easer to read, but if removes what I hate, the tip, and the black edges. If you use photo editing software to do this type of thing, be sure you don’t crop off important information, like the page number. Grey, Huron, Ontario Deaths, 1876, p289. Joseph Kiser, died on 7 Febry 1876,… -
Progress
23 Jan 2012 | 9:54 amI am happy to report that I have entered data from 279 of my collected files, meaning that I have 1140 left to do. I have entered data 12 separate sittings in the 5 days since I posted about the problem. The most interesting thing I have entered is a transcription from pages of my grandmother’s family bible. I do not have the bible, but a cousin was kind enough to scan the pages and send them to me. It is partly written in German, and partly in English. After I consulted with a friend who can read the German part, I realized that the English was mainly a translation of the German… -
Anniversary January 20, 1951.
20 Jan 2012 | 2:45 pmMy parents, James Austin Yearnd and Marjorie Helen Herrington, were married on this day in 1951. The wedding was held at my grandmother’s home, 703 E. Division, Cadillac, Michigan. The picture hanging in the wall on the right is hanging in my house today. It is an English water color, about 15 x 28 inches, by Henry J. Sylvester Stannard. It still has the label from a New York gallery; the title of the painting from the label is, “Home From Market” near Flitwick, Bedfordshire. I also remember the clock which is sitting on the table under the painting. I believe Dad told me it… -
Genealogy?
19 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amI’ve spent the last couple of years immersed in my genealogy society, trying to assist in a number of ways. I woke up one morning in December and realized that I had not worked on my own projects for some time. Well, that’s not exactly true, I have continued to collect information, but I haven’t entered it into my database. I have a mammoth file folder in my computer containing unentered data. The great majority are photos, census pages and obituaries. However, there are also birth, death and marriage records, news articles, graduation announcements, funeral cards and a huge… -
This is the Face of Genealogy
5 Jun 2011 | 2:05 pmIf you are wondering about this post, please read an explanation here. Edward Isaac Warren, photograph and digital image in the possession of Pamela A.Warren, address for private use.
-
iPentimento In Your Reader
-
Genealogy Center Now Open At Kitsap Regional Library
17 Jan 2012 | 12:10 pmKRL Partners With Kitsap Genealogists and Family Researchers This was great news to read in our local paper, the Kitsap Sun, today. For the last few years the Puget Sound Genealogical Society has... That's not all, read on! -
GenealogyInTime Magazine Releases Top 100 #Genealogy Websites List
10 Jan 2012 | 12:56 amTop 100 Most Popular #Genealogy Websites Congratulations to to the 100 genealogy sites on this list! Some of the members are even online acquaintances of mine. A nod of recognition goes to Randy... That's not all, read on! -
Important Freeware File Recovery Information
2 Jan 2012 | 3:01 amThis was posted on my other blog Pentimento, but the topic and solution are vitally important to everyone, including genealogists. I really thought I had lost my picture files for good, but I was... That's not all, read on! -
2012 Genealogy Goals
30 Dec 2011 | 7:30 pmI’m going to do my best to set some attainable goals for my genealogy for next year and actually try to attain them. Blogging: I’m going to try to include more Wilkerson genealogy... That's not all, read on! -
16 Genealogy Webinars At 50% Off
30 Dec 2011 | 5:48 pmThis is an excellent deal from Rootdig! For the next 24 hours (until 11:59 PM Central 31 December 2011), we’re offering a 50% off sale on recorded versions of our webinars. Use coupon code... That's not all, read on!
-
Family Stories
-
2012 Goals, Balls, & Big Paw Paw
7 Jan 2012 | 9:52 amOkay. This is my second attempt at writing this blog post. The first one disappeared, and since this was meant to be EASY, you're gonna get the short version. I've buddied with Jenna at Desperately Seeking Surnames. Why? Mainly because I liked her idea of just 3 goals. I've created 3 goals as well for 2012 for this blog in particular. Why only 3? Because I've 2 professional blogs with many more goals. [And I've buddied up with Kim Von Aspern-Parker from the blog Le Maison Duchamp for those. And if you go read her goals and action plans, you'll clearly see how far behind I already am, which is… -
Caroling with Grandma
10 Dec 2011 | 4:27 pmIt's that time of year again for the Footnotemaven's Blog Caroling. [Don't you just love her Blog Caroling Tag Banner?] Now, I usually take the serious route with my carol selection, but this year I chose a selection guaranteed to either annoy the everlovin' out of you, or will make you chuckle. [Which is kinda like me. ;) ] When I looked this carol up, I wasn't aware of the story behind this family-oriented carol. Moreover, considering my Gran wasn't opposed to a few glasses of wine on special occasions, I thought this carol an appropriate selection for the Footnotemaven's Blog Caroling. -
What's Up?
16 Nov 2011 | 9:27 amYeah, I know. It's been a while since I last posted a family story. I've been a little busy trying to get my business off the ground, which is a story in and of itself. So here's what's been going on: I refocused my website and blog For Your Family Story [ http://www.4yourfamilystory.com/blog.html ] to using technology for furthering your genealogy research and for sharing your research with others. And I've added a weekly newsletter as a wrap-up for the blog with additional news and an additional blog post that only subscribers receive. Oh, and I've doubled-up the blog posting on For… -
Another Letter to Linda
30 Oct 2011 | 9:37 pmHey Linda!! Another year has gone by. Hard to believe, right? They seem to go by so fast. Not. Fair. You would not believe how big the kids are now. Caitlin is as tall as me and wears the same-sized shoe as me ~ a size 7. She says compared to all the other girls she has small feet. I say she has the perfect sized foot for all those strappy heeled sandals that just don't look right on bigger feet. It's a matter of perspective. Regardless, we had a helluva time finding basketball shoes for her and we ended up ordering them online. [pic enclosed] Snazzy, eh? Oh yeah! Speaking of basketball… -
And the Winner Is...
28 Sep 2011 | 6:15 amWho Won? First, I'd like to take a moment and thank MyMemories.com for sponsoring this giveaway. I really enjoyed using their product, and I believe you will too. Also, I'd like to thank everyone that participated in the giveaway. Not only did you read my blog post, but you entered my contest. A big thanks to you. Thirdly, I'd like to thank all my readers for coming back again and again to read my family's stories. I really appreciate it. Thank You. And the winner is... Leslie Ann! When you get a chance go check her blog out: Ancestors Live Here. Congrats, Leslie! I hope you enjoy the…
-
Graveyard Rabbit of Sandusky Bay
-
The Paul and Orshoski Families as Listed in the 1956 Rural Directory
28 Jan 2012 | 12:24 amRecently I glanced through a small collection of Erie County, Ohio directories at our local library. My family, as well as my husband's family, were both in the 1956 Erie County Farm and Business Directory from 1956. Both of our families resided on State Route 269.Below are approximate locations of our families in 1956. The Paul Orshoski family lived in the small village of Bay View, on Sandusky Bay. The John B. Paul family lived south of Castalia.The street listing portion of the directory indicates who resided near our families.In 1956, my father, Paul Orshoski, was working as a plumber,… -
Linda Recommended a Terrific YouTube Video!!
27 Jan 2012 | 5:50 pmTonight I was browsing through my Dashboard, and I came upon a fascinating video, posted by Linda at Exploring Almost Forgotten Gravesites in Ohio. This link will take you directly to the Grave Adventures of the HCLL video on You Tube. This particular video provides an interesting history of the Berlin Cemetery in Holmes County, Ohio. The two "Library Ladies" and the videographer have done an amazing job of putting together the history of the Berlin Cemetery and the Pomerene family, along with lovely images of tombstones. The sections are connected by the artful turning of a virtual page, and… -
Thankful Thursday: Katharyn Wunderley's Mentoring
26 Jan 2012 | 12:06 amKatharyn L. (Huss) Wunderley was a pint-sized bundle of energy! Katharyn was a fixture in the genealogy section of the library where I have worked for many years. Just by the nature of her being there so often, it turned out that Katharyn answered hundreds of genealogy questions for library patrons, because she was right there in the heart of all the genealogy books and microfilmed copies of local newspapers. She also answered questions by telephone and mail, and almost never received any payment for her efforts. She would go to the courthouse, library, or cemetery in any weather… -
Erastus S. Gregg
24 Jan 2012 | 4:33 amErastus S. Gregg was a pioneer resident of Sandusky. His name is found in the 1830, 1840 and 1850 Census for Sandusky.(In 1830, Sandusky was still a part of Huron County. Erie County was formed in 1838.) Mr. Gregg's name appears in a list of early "city fathers" in THE HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY, edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich. He also was a fire warden in the 1830's. Erastus S. Gregg died on January 23, 1859. He is buried in Oakland Cemetery. His wife, Clara went on to marry Charles Harrison, following the death of her first husband, but she was buried next to her first husband when she passed… -
"Frederick Douglass - In the Shadow of Slavery" to be Presented Free in Sandusky
23 Jan 2012 | 7:46 pmA one-man play will be presented free of charge on Sunday, January 29, at the Sandusky State Theatre at 3 p.m. The play is entitled "Frederick Douglass - In the Shadow of Slavery." Mr. Douglass spoke in Sandusky in March of 1864. Throughout history, many residents of Sandusky and Erie County shared the antislavery views of Frederick Douglass. Click here to read more about the upcoming free play about Frederick Douglass.
-
GenealogyInTime Magazine
-
Sneak Peek - Major New US Genealogy Website Launches
27 Jan 2012 | 8:12 pmA major new genealogy website has just quietly and unofficially been launched. It is from the Scottish genealogy company brightsolid. It clearly shows the company has moved into the US genealogy market in a big way. The company has yet to make an official announcement, but they have quietly launched CensusRecords.com As the name implies, this website is all about US census records...{Click to read more} -
Upgraded Genealogy Search Engine
27 Jan 2012 | 7:32 amGenealogyInTime Magazine has made a major upgrade to its free Genealogy Search Engine. An additional 256 million more ancestral records can now be searched for free. The Genealogy Search Engine now indexes 1.8 billion free ancestral records across more than 600 websites from around the world. The primary countries covered by the search engine include Canada, the United States, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. A considerable number of records for Continental Europe have also been added. -
Updated Genealogy Blog Reader
20 Jan 2012 | 6:33 pmThis week we have added 65 new genealogy blogs to our genealogy blog reader. -
What are the Most Popular Internet Browsers?
20 Jan 2012 | 11:03 amGiven all the claims and counterclaims on the internet, it can be difficult to know what internet browsers are the most popular and what internet browsers people actually use. In the interest of our readers, we thought we would share the actual numbers from GenealogyInTime Magazine. -
Highlights of GenealogyInTime Magazine
13 Jan 2012 | 7:35 pmThis article provides an overview of the most popular features found on the GenealogyInTime Magazine website.
-
Luxegen Genealogy and Family History
-
Healing Hiatus
7 Jan 2012 | 10:15 amI’m taking a break from blogging to completely heal from an illness. Please send your healing thoughts and prayers. Good luck with your genealogy hunting. I plan to be back at it soon! Miller Family - Joan in the middle. L to R. Daughter Heather, Reg, Joan, Dorlisa, dog Nya, Son Kevin Joan Miller Hot Mama Loving photos assembled by sister Ellen from when Reg and Joan were young! --> go here -
Rootstech – My Rooted Technology
23 Dec 2011 | 6:09 pmMy Rooted Technology By attending RootsTech 2012 you’ll have the opportunity not only to network with other genealogists, vendors and developers and share the knowledge you currently have, but you’ll also get the chance to learn even more about the latest in technology for family history. As an Official RootsTech 2012 Blogger, here’s a look at the technology I currently use and what keeps me rooted in my genealogy research. I also explain why I am using or not using certain technologies and gadgets as well as what skills and knowledge I’m hoping to gain at RootsTech this year. If… -
A Brothy Bunch
8 Dec 2011 | 4:44 pmPhoto from collection of Elizabeth Wilson Kerr, Scotland about 1904. Photo currently held by Joan Miller.CLICK ON PHOTO for larger view. "A bothy bunch about 1904". Click on photo for larger view. This photo of “A Bothy Bunch” was found in my Granny Kerr’s photo collection. Granny was born Elizabeth WILSON (1884-1973) in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, not to far from Peterhead. She immigrated to Saskatchewan, Canada in 1909 and married Homer KERR who was homesteading not to far from her brother Alex WILSON’s homestead. We have no other information about this… -
Kids climb their family tree at the library
28 Nov 2011 | 12:14 pmKids Build a Family Tree Booklet at the Library Family Tree Fun with Kids I had great fun this weekend coordinating a kids program for 8 to 10 year olds at the Calgary Public Library entitled “Build A Family Tree Booklet”. This program was run under the auspices of the Alberta Family Histories Society. Two of my fellow AFHS PR committee members, Joan C and Don A assisted. The idea for this project arose out of a youth leadership program I’ve taught for Toastmasters. I discussed doing a family history theme with kids with Kay Clarke, former AFHS president and… -
How Genealogists for Families Kiva Project works
23 Nov 2011 | 3:49 pmPerhaps you’ve heard the buzz about Kiva, and specifically about the Genealogists for Families Kiva project but you aren’t quite sure just what Kiva is? I found a video that helps explain the Kiva concept. How Kiva Works from Kiva on Vimeo. The Genealogists for Families Kiva project is a group of genealogists that care about families (past, present and future). Non-genealogists are welcome to join our team. We believe that small loans can make a big difference. >>>> Join the Genealogists for Families Kiva project
-
The Armchair Genealogist
-
Guess Who’s Coming to the Party?
26 Jan 2012 | 10:55 pmWhat party you say? No not Rootstech! The other party, The Family History Writing Challenge. The month long event where family history writers will get busy writing their stories. So far the month is shaping up to be quite the event. We are over 60 strong presently, with membership coming in every day. We’ve got The Family History Writing Challenge website established where all the posts will be published once the month begins. You can also sign up there and find the link to the... We got a fresh new look, come check it out at The Armchair Genealogist. -
Road Trip To Rootstech – The Countdown Begins
25 Jan 2012 | 10:55 pmWe are exactly one week away from Rootstech. I think I’m finally got all my ducks in a row. Airline tickets are booked. We will be flying out of Detroit early on Wed morning, putting us in Salt Lake by 10:30 am, fingers crossed all goes well. I forked out the extra $$$ for a direct flight, being winter I didn’t want to chance been stranded in another hub. We will head to Detroit the night before, stay in an airport hotel where we will leave the car. That’s the plan. Since we last... We got a fresh new look, come check it out at The Armchair Genealogist. -
RootsTech: Live-Streaming Schedule
25 Jan 2012 | 9:56 amRootsTech has announced the live-streaming schedule for this year's conference. I attended the live streaming last year and I encourage you to attend from the comfort of your armchair. This is a fantastic online learning opportunity for genealogists of all levels of experience. You will not be disappointed. The live-streaming will cover all lectures taking place in Room 155. Keep in mind that the times of these lectures are Mountain Standard Time, be sure to convert to your timezone.Use... We got a fresh new look, come check it out at The Armchair Genealogist. -
Let’s Be Honest
23 Jan 2012 | 10:55 pmI have a confession. I have on occasion allowed a myriad of thoughts to overtake my brain and create chaos in my head. That dark dispirited voice nags at me over and over again. The voice cries: "What if my writing isn’t good enough? What if my family doesn’t like my writing? The harshest critics can be my family, if they don’t like my writing…they don’t like me. What if people discover I really don’t know what I’m doing?" See you’re not alone. It's not as dark... We got a fresh new look, come check it out at The Armchair Genealogist. -
Monday Morning Mentions
22 Jan 2012 | 10:55 pmMonday Morning Mentions is an opportunity to reflect on the events of the week at the Armchair Genealogist and in the blogging and book community. Over my morning cappuccino, I will take the opportunity to share with you some of my favourite blogs posts this week and give a nod to my peers. You can also find me on Facebook. Stop by and leave a message. I often will link some great finds there as well. You can also follow me on twitter at @LynnPal or my twitter... We got a fresh new look, come check it out at The Armchair Genealogist.
-
The Family Curator
-
The Clue in the Cupboard: A Letter from Albert Edwards
27 Jan 2012 | 8:11 amI thought there was a letter from Albert somewhere. . . The letters are stored in my Family Archive inside archival file folders inside archival boxes, but I haven't finished indexing or transcribing them, so it's a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack to find one exact file. The dates aren't complete in my genealogy database, either, and I'm unsure of where Arline was living and what she was doing at this time. Fortunately, one of my last tasks was to organize the letters by date, more or less. This mixes up authors, but does make it easier to locate a particular letter if you… -
Nancy Drew Goes to Salt Lake City
26 Jan 2012 | 10:04 amBefore I can get to Roots Tech, I've got a SLC ToDo List that's more Detective than Digital. I'm playing Nancy Drew and tracking down clues to a mystery that's nearly a century old. If you would like a brain-teaser to occupy your little grey cells before the waves start buzzing with conference tweets and posts… please, feel free to leave your own ideas for The Case of the Disappearing Husband . . . in a previous episode of The Family Curator we posed several questions about our heroine, Arline Kinsel Paulen, and her life in Salt Lake City. Albert Edwards and Arline PaulenArmed and… -
Hear Tips to Organize Your Family Archive on Family Tree Magazine Podcast
25 Jan 2012 | 7:25 pmI had a lot of fun talking with Lisa Louise Cooke recently about the Family Tree Magazine Organize Your Family Archive Expert Webinars where I had a chance to help Editor Allison Dolan with her inherited genealogy treasure trove. Our conversation is just part of the January 2012 Family Tree Podcast and also includes ideas for working with Evernote, using Social Media, and new collections available from Family Tree Magazine. The January podcast kicks off the year with a focus on "Making Over Your Research in 2012" with all kinds of information on new products, organizational ideas, and… -
Another Lesson from the Archive #3: Look Inside the Book
17 Jan 2012 | 7:24 pmNo, dollar bills did not fall out of the pages, but something even more interesting showed up when I turned back the cover of this ordinary looking Bible. With the help of a bit of book tape and a dime-store notebook, Pastor Benny C. Turner made some very creative DIY enhancements to his teaching Bible. He expanded the Bible by six pages in the front and and another six in the back by adding an entire signature from another notebook; this gave him an additional 24 pages to fill with notes, photos, and pull-out charts. The Santa Ana Bible Church at 1103 West Third Street, Santa Ana, California… -
Lessons from the Archive #2: Maintain Order
12 Jan 2012 | 2:19 pmNo gentle tinkling of a silver spoon against crystal here. ATTENTION PLEASE. Maintain order in the Archive at all times. I'm just taking to heart an old lesson from my Retired Army Colonel father-in-law: everything ship-shape and in it's place. Last month I nearly missed two priceless cabinet card photogaphs of my grandmother while sorting bits of trash and debris from my aunt's estate. I realized just in time, that it is wise to Examine Everything. Today I was reminded about another wise piece of advice: Maintain Order. The Backstory: Our basement office is the world-wide headquarters for a…
-
Gravestoned
-
A classic epitaph
28 Jan 2012 | 6:36 amThe gravestone for John Everett (d. 1857) has been flat on the ground for a number of years. In fact, there are quite a few stones laid flat alongside the old church building at Liberty Church Cemetery.Are they in their original locations? Or are the graves to which they belong now unmarked?JOHN EVERETTDIEDJuly 26, 1857.AGED23 ys. 11 mo. 28 ds.The epitaph is a young man’s version of a classic. Spend any time at all in an old graveyard and you are sure to find some version of this epitaph:Stop young friend as you passbyAs you are now so once was IAs I am now so you must bePrepare for… -
A draped monument
27 Jan 2012 | 5:35 amThe monument that marks the grave of John F. Cummins (b. 1836, d. 1897) is modest, with nicely carved drapery that has been “died” brownish-orange with lichen. (Or is it algae? Must study up on identifying lichen, algae, and mosses.)JOHN F.CUMMINS,BORNNOV. 20, 1836,DIEDDEC. 27, 1897.ASLEEP IN JESUSA quick search on FamilySearch.org yields a potential document for this Mr. Cummins: A marriage record. John F. Cummins married Emily Everett on July 25, 1875 in Delaware County.Delaware County Burials published online by Delaware County Genealogical and Historical Societies lists this… -
Until death do us part
26 Jan 2012 | 5:35 amThomas B. Berry (d. 1856) was only 35 years old when he died. His wife, Maria Berry (d. 1900) lived as an unmarried widow until her death. She was 79. Maria is buried with her husband, her inscription added to his gravestone.Thos. B. BERRYDIEDFeb. 3, 1856Aged35 Y’16 D’s———MARIA HIS WIFEDIED DEC. 16, 1900AGED 79 Y. 1M. 4D.The book carved on the monument is most likely meant to be a Bible. The words inscribed on the pages are too weathered to read today.Prospect Cemetery, Marion County, Ohio -
Wednesday’s child: Infant Harrold
25 Jan 2012 | 5:40 amTiny Red Bank Cemetery offers only one tiny clue to the family of Infant daughter Harrold (d. 1844): Nearby is the grave of a possible relative, James Harrold, who died in 1823 at about 52 years of age.In Memory ofAn INFANTdaughter ofD & E. HARROLDdied Dec. 1, 1844;Aged 10 daysThe small tablet marker has no decorative carvings, but the shape itself is decorative with its gothic-arch-shaped tympanum and rounded shoulders.Red Bank Cemetery, Delaware County, Ohio -
Grandpa was a male
24 Jan 2012 | 4:20 pmAfter all this time, I noticed only yesterday that the 1900 Federal Census lists Hallie Grover O’Neal (b. 1890, d. 1971) as a female.At best, the name Hallie is gender neutral, but Grandpa was a male.1900 Federal Census image (Preble Co., OH) from FamilySearch.org
-
Old Stones Undeciphered
-
Walter M. Runyan - He Wasn't Born on Wednesday
25 Jan 2012 | 11:12 amWalter M. Runyan - age 3Wednesday's child is full of woe. Last week I posted a photo of the family of Jesse C. and Lena (Hudelson) Runyan but there was one child missing from that group, their first born, their only son Walter. Walter was born May 5, 1912 and while he was still living with his family in 1920, by 1930 he was institutionalized as an epileptic. What a heartbreak for his parents.Before the turn of the century, epileptics were seen as a menace to society and were segregated from the rest of the population in asylums for the insane and later in institutions like the… -
Military Monday: Lawrence E. Runyan Orders of Induction - 1918
23 Jan 2012 | 2:10 pmOrder of Induction into Military Service of the United States"From and after the day and hour just named you will be a soldier in the military service of the United States."Letter of induction for Lawrence E. Runyan, my maternal grandfatherWorld War I - Camp Custer, MichiganOriginal letter in my possessionTo see a photo of all the inductees or draftees that appeared at the Newcastle, Indiana courthouse on this day, click on this link: World War I Draftees - New Castle, Indiana Courthouse - 1918To see a photo of my grandfather in his WWI uniform, click below:Memorial Day Weekend Tribute -
Sunday's Obituary: Leonidas Perry Newby 1945
22 Jan 2012 | 1:59 pmLEONIDAS PERRY NEWBY DIES: PROMINENT IN MANY FIELDS Leonidas Perry Newby, aged 90, prominent citizen of this city, for years identified with the legal profession of the county and throughout the Middle West and active in its commercial life until his retirement 25 years ago, passed away in Indianapolis Thursday, Oct. 25, after an illness of many months. He was known internationally in the fraternal world as former Grand Master of the Knights Templar of the United States. He was active in local banking circles, organizing the Citizens National… -
For The Record Friday: Me and the Muzzleloader
20 Jan 2012 | 9:11 amFiring the muzzleloaderOK..here it is, just for the record. This photo of me discharging a muzzleloader rifle, was taken on Thanksgiving Day 2011 at the home of my son Michael and daughter-in-law April, on the back of their property. There was a lot of target practice going on that day, with various firearms and a fairly large group of family and friends waiting their turn to shoot. I love shooting but, because of the crowd, I decided to opt out and I went over to chat with my sister-in-law Rose.Finally, when the muzzleloader (owned by April's father) was being fired, my son came to me… -
Wordless Wednesday: Family of Jesse C. Runyan
17 Jan 2012 | 11:04 pmBack Row L to R: daughters: Viola, Thelma, MargueriteFront Row L to R: Father Jesse (my maternal granduncle), daughter Pearl, Mother Lena (cir. 1934)
-
Old Stones Undeciphered
-
Walter M. Runyan - He Wasn't Born on Wednesday
25 Jan 2012 | 11:12 amWalter M. Runyan - age 3Wednesday's child is full of woe. Last week I posted a photo of the family of Jesse C. and Lena (Hudelson) Runyan but there was one child missing from that group, their first born, their only son Walter. Walter was born May 5, 1912 and while he was still living with his family in 1920, by 1930 he was institutionalized as an epileptic. What a heartbreak for his parents.Before the turn of the century, epileptics were seen as a menace to society and were segregated from the rest of the population in asylums for the insane and later in institutions like the… -
Military Monday: Lawrence E. Runyan Orders of Induction - 1918
23 Jan 2012 | 2:10 pmOrder of Induction into Military Service of the United States"From and after the day and hour just named you will be a soldier in the military service of the United States."Letter of induction for Lawrence E. Runyan, my maternal grandfatherWorld War I - Camp Custer, MichiganOriginal letter in my possessionTo see a photo of all the inductees or draftees that appeared at the Newcastle, Indiana courthouse on this day, click on this link: World War I Draftees - New Castle, Indiana Courthouse - 1918To see a photo of my grandfather in his WWI uniform, click below:Memorial Day Weekend Tribute -
Sunday's Obituary: Leonidas Perry Newby 1945
22 Jan 2012 | 1:59 pmLEONIDAS PERRY NEWBY DIES: PROMINENT IN MANY FIELDS Leonidas Perry Newby, aged 90, prominent citizen of this city, for years identified with the legal profession of the county and throughout the Middle West and active in its commercial life until his retirement 25 years ago, passed away in Indianapolis Thursday, Oct. 25, after an illness of many months. He was known internationally in the fraternal world as former Grand Master of the Knights Templar of the United States. He was active in local banking circles, organizing the Citizens National… -
For The Record Friday: Me and the Muzzleloader
20 Jan 2012 | 9:11 amFiring the muzzleloaderOK..here it is, just for the record. This photo of me discharging a muzzleloader rifle, was taken on Thanksgiving Day 2011 at the home of my son Michael and daughter-in-law April, on the back of their property. There was a lot of target practice going on that day, with various firearms and a fairly large group of family and friends waiting their turn to shoot. I love shooting but, because of the crowd, I decided to opt out and I went over to chat with my sister-in-law Rose.Finally, when the muzzleloader (owned by April's father) was being fired, my son came to me… -
Wordless Wednesday: Family of Jesse C. Runyan
17 Jan 2012 | 11:04 pmBack Row L to R: daughters: Viola, Thelma, MargueriteFront Row L to R: Father Jesse (my maternal granduncle), daughter Pearl, Mother Lena (cir. 1934)
-
GenealogyTools.com
-
MacFamilyTree 6.2.4 Update
24 Jan 2012 | 4:54 pmSynium released version 6.2.4 of its Mac genealogy software, MacFamilyTree last Friday. It is said to contain some GEDCOM multimedia import fixes and stability improvements. -
The Secret to Standardized Source Citation Ratings in Family Tree Maker 2012 and Mac 2
22 Jan 2012 | 7:58 pmUsing standardized source citation ratings in Family Tree Maker can help you make solid conclusions about facts. You’ve probably heard of original versus derivative sources, primary versus secondary information, and direct versus indirect evidence. That’s what FTM calls standardized source citation ratings. They also add a rating for clarity of the information–clear versus marginal. And [...] -
Family Tree Maker for Mac 2 and 2012 Feature Comparison
20 Jan 2012 | 5:15 pmWondering what’s in Family Tree Maker 2012 and not in Family Tree Maker for Mac 2? I’ve got the answer for you. I took the Family Tree Maker columns from the Mac Genealogy Software Feature Comparison and PC Genealogy Software Feature Comparison tables. I think this will answer your question about what’s missing from Family [...] -
Source Citation Find and Replace in Reunion for Mac
15 Jan 2012 | 1:54 pmFinding and replacing text in your family file is irregularly needed, but can save you time when you can use it. Turning over this tedious task to Reunion makes more family history research time available to you. That is, provided you carefully define your search criteria and backup your Reunion family file first! Reunion has [...] -
January 2012 Update to Family Tree Maker for Mac 2
12 Jan 2012 | 7:06 pmThe Ancestry blog has news today of a set of fixes available now for Family Tree Maker for Mac 2. Here’s what the post says is fixed: Performance and stability improvements Improvements to resolve sync errors Improvements for handling downloaded media in synced trees Syncing of accepted and rejected hints Option to include/exclude Ancestry media [...]
-
Blood and Frogs: Jewish Genealogy and More
-
New Genealogy Society in Israel (and major new website)
15 Jan 2012 | 7:31 amEarlier this month a new genealogy society launched in Israel, called the Israel Genealogy Research Association (IGRA). They are taking a new approach, with a large focus on their online presence, genealogy.org.il, which they are positioning to become a major hub of both Israeli and Jewish genealogy. In these days where so much genealogy research happens online, this new society is starting with the idea that their online presence is the center of the society's work, and is working to make their site useful not only for those in Israel researching their families, but for people around the… -
Changes in Access to the SSDI and Vital Records
21 Dec 2011 | 10:30 amI've been meaning to write this post for the past few weeks, and am sorry I did not do so earlier. There have been a number of changes in access to data of interest to genealogists in the United States going on, and in some cases this can seriously effect the ability of people to do research. One major source of information for genealogists has been the Social Security Death Master File, usually referred to online as the Social Security Death Index (SSDI). The Death Master File is considered by law to be a public document, and lists all people who applied for a social security number (with an… -
Great-Grandma's Cherry Pie: An entertaining look at copyright issues
21 Dec 2011 | 7:30 amThe California State Genealogical Alliance (CSGA) recently launched two blogs. The first one is simply the CSGA Blog, covering genealogical issues in California. The second blog, Csgacopyright, is of interest even to those with no connection to California, as it covers the thorny issues of copyright, as they pertain to genealogy. Image from Wikimedia Commons. This second blog just posted a very entertaining look at what copyright issues might exist when a great-grandmother passes down her secret cherry pie recipe through various generations. It's worth a read if just to remind us of the… -
Books on Sephardi Jews
19 Dec 2011 | 7:30 amIt won't be shocking to anyone that there are many more books in English on topics specific to Ashkenazi Jews than to Sephardi Jews. I could spend a lot of time analyzing the reasons for this, but one simple reason is that the American Jewish community is predominately Ashkenazi. It's true that some of the earliest Jewish communities in the United States were Sephardi, but over time these early communities were overtaken by the large influx of Jews from European countries which were primarily Ashkenazi. For those who are unfamiliar with the terms Ashkenazi and Sephardi, they literally mean… -
The 1940 US Census
18 Dec 2011 | 7:30 amIt's rare that massive new sources of genealogical information are released, and certainly rare that such sources are released for free. Every ten years in the United States, however, the census from 72 years earlier is released. In the past it has taken a lot of time to get the census made available to the public, primarily because of the massive cost in digitizing and indexing information on tens of millions of people. On April 2, 2012, the 1940 US Census will be released to the public. Besides the obvious benefit of having information on the over 130 Million residents of the United States…
-
Irish Genealogy News
-
Lucky Clare
27 Jan 2012 | 6:48 pmClare County Library has launched a superb new online maps viewer called GMaps.The county's GMaps are based on the Google Map system, allowing Google Maps to be overlaid with historical maps dating from 1842. This new system, developed by Rainer Kosbi, uses many of the same controls as Google Maps, and it has been linked to the thousands of pages on the Library's impressive website that deal with the archaeology, history and administrative divisions of County Clare.It's an easy system to navigate, allowing you to quickly orientate yourself on the old maps using the modern-day road maps. -
Northern Irish death certs to record parents' names
26 Jan 2012 | 6:01 pmThe General Register Office of Northern Ireland (GRONI) has announced that future death registrations in Northern Ireland will include provision for noting the names of the deceased's parents. New regulations are to be drafted for implementation later this year and will be modelled on the Scottish system; provision of the information will be voluntary, and requires informants only to provide information they have knowledge of.Confirmation of the change to Northern Ireland's civil registration system was sent to CIGO, the Council for Irish Genealogical Organisations, which has long campaigned… -
Traditional music and genealogy - what a great mix!
26 Jan 2012 | 9:18 amAs part of Temple Bar TradFest 2012, Dublin’s biggest and best festival of Irish Music and Culture, genealogists from the Irish Family History Foundation will be offering free advice and expertise in the Crypt of Christchurch Cathedral from 11am to 4pm this Saturday. The festival, which started yesterday and runs to Sunday, includes more than 200 free events, a music trail, concerts in the Cathedral, City Hall and the Button Factory, the international Celtic Irish dance show, pipe bands, street performers, and much more. And family history is part of the mix. Should be great fun. -
More Cork resources go online
25 Jan 2012 | 4:54 amFour more Cork directories have been made available free and online through Cork City Library. They are all from the Slater's Directory series. They comprise the 1846 Cork City and Cobh edition and the 1856, 1870 and 1881 editions for Cork City and County Cork. The recent additions join an impressive line-up of directories dating from 1787 to 1945.Meanwhile, Cork City and County Archives (CCCA) has just completed its project to create and make available online full descriptive lists for its Board of Guardians collection. The latter covers all of the county's 14 Poor Law Unions. The lists can… -
PRONI: change to this week's scheduled lecture
24 Jan 2012 | 9:25 amPRONI have had to cancel the planned Exploring Local History Lecture on Crime which was due to be held at their Titanic Quarter offices on Thursday (26th). Instead, this week's lecture will be on the theme of Religion, with Dr Janice Holmes at the podium. It is a free lecture, run in conjunction with the Open University of Ireland with PRONI experts presenting relevant examples from the collections. 6.30pm to 8pm. Booking required at proni@dcalni.gov.uk.
-
Genealogy For The Family Historian-Links to Records, Ancestry, Surnames. - Ah Ha Moments Blog
-
Immerse Yourself In Their World
22 Jan 2012 | 11:03 amThe door crept open and the timid young man stretched his head inside, shifting his eyes around the room. Others shoved against his back, pushing him through and as he stood, his voice joined the chant echoing against the wall: "No to war! No to war!"The swell of adrenaline encircled each man; the crowd multiplying as the hot August evening melted into night. Their youthful faces radiated hope but many of their eyes reflected anger: anger at authority and anger at their country.Leaders evolved, moving to the platform, professing the wrongs of war. Shouting defiance to the American Government,… -
A New Years Wish
15 Jan 2012 | 11:21 amA new year can lift our spirits and create a feeling of fresh beginnings; spiritual rebirth and hope. The study of our history--the widely growing hobby of genealogy--appears to be swinging headfirst into 2012. New websites are spilling forth and the "oldies but goodies" are growing even larger and stronger.Feeding off of the rapidly growing interest in genealogy, PBS is launching a new series March 25th called Finding Your Roots. It will be a one-hour, 10 part series that like NBC, will feature important Americans and their journeys to ancestor discoveries. And speaking of NBC; Who Do You… -
Go Toward The Light
8 Jan 2012 | 10:35 amIf you follow my blog, you will recall my recent exploration of my Hobbs' lineage. I had left the lineage untouched for years and felt delighted over my latest discoveries and resourceful cousin contacts. But realizing I had a "real-time" link to my Hobbs history, I zipped an e-mail to my aunt.Remembering stories of "Uncle Rush" throughout my life, I felt certain my aunt might provide further details to uncover. Assuming for years that "Uncle Rush Hobbs" was the brother Rush of my great-grandmother Elvira Hobbs, I wondered if my aunt had much contact with the much elder ancestor."Yes, I… -
Peeling Away The Layers In A New Year
1 Jan 2012 | 10:51 amThe end of a year traditionally places us at a point of nostalgic review while instilling a spark of hope for new beginnings. And as this genealogy blog has matured throughout the last twelve months, I am forced to examine its functionality to the website it is planted upon.When developing my website, I originally viewed it as a vehicle to make my family history book more available to genealogists. With that, I have attempted to provide visitors quick access to genealogy sites I have found useful, available and at little to no cost.But as I quickly learned, the "build it they will come"… -
A Determined Mother On Christmas Eve
24 Dec 2011 | 10:09 pmThe warmth radiating from the fireplace melted the crisp chill in the air. Light flickered and bounced and the crackling sound was soothing to the family of three. But as Jennie stood and turned to peer outside the window, her eyes narrowed as she glared at her foe. A monster snowstorm was casting its shadow across Vida, Missouri. Snapping its tail with crushing force; leaving mountains of snow and disappearing roads.It was Christmas Eve of 1910 and Jennie Knowlten's girls were five miles away in their little town home in Rolla. But as the monster laughed and spat at Jennie; the rolling hills…
-
Free Genealogy Resources
-
What Locking Myself In Taught Me About Genealogy
26 Jan 2012 | 10:38 amThis morning I did one of those things that are frustrating at the time, but funny in hindsight. I went in to straighten up my daughter's room and shut the door to keep our dogs out, completely forgetting the door has a malfunctioning doorknob. From the outside of the room, the knob works correctly. From the inside of the room, the knob turns but doesn't release the latch. Needless to say, since I was inside the room when I shut the door, I was stuck. To make things even worse, my husband is out of town working right now. So it wasn't like I could call him to come home and let me out. Of… -
Gearing Up for the 1940 Census
21 Jan 2012 | 6:23 amIn just a few more months, the 1940 census will released. It won't be indexed, although I'm sure several genealogy websites will begin immediately. Unless you're satisfied waiting until indexing is complete, it's time to start preparing so you can extend your lines. Make a list of individuals you wish to find in the 1940 census. This should include people that you found in the 1930 census that should still be living as well as anyone born between 1930 and 1940. Don't forget to include female children from the 1930 census who may now be married. If you haven't check to see if they're married… -
The Best Free Genealogy Resource of All
7 Jan 2012 | 10:44 amIn two years of blogging about free genealogy resources and five years of using them, I've came across a lot of great stuff. Some of it I've found for myself, others I've found to help my readers. But there is one resource that stands above the rest, that keeps giving long after the publish post button is clicked. Do you know what it is? Can you guess? It's the geneablogger community. When I first wandered into the geneablogger community, I started out as an observer. I would read what others were posting and get a tip here and there. After a while, I began printing out some of the posts I… -
Free Genealogy Resources Turns Two!
3 Jan 2012 | 10:57 amHas it been two years already? Who knew that there was so much free stuff for genealogy available online? Anyway, I always like to round out birthdays by looking back at what I've done so here's the list of the top posts, the searches that led you here and where you come from. Don't worry. I'm not peeking in your window to see what else you were reading or searching for. It's been a great year and here's hoping the next will be just as good. P.S. If you didn't see my other blog, I'm working on a book about doing genealogy on a budget so keep your eyes peeled for updates. Once it's complete,… -
Get Genealogy Books (Almost) Free
24 Dec 2011 | 9:54 amRecently I've been exploring PaperbackSwap. The site has been around for a while and I've actually looked at it in the past. However, it wasn't until this past week that I realized that it offers genealogy books. If you're not familiar with the site, I'll give you a quick run down. When you sign up, you list the books you want to get rid of. PaperbackSwap gives you a few site credits in return to get you started. Credits are the site's currency. If a member wants one of your listed books, they purchase it with a credit (audiobooks are 2 credits) and you ship the book to them at your expense.
-
Louis Kessler's Behold Blog
-
How to Find Me at RootsTech
28 Jan 2012 | 2:14 amI’ve already got a very busy schedule planned for RootsTech. There are a lot of people I’ll be looking for and will be trying to meet. Sometimes it’s very difficult to find the person you’re looking for among 3,000 people. So I at least am going to make it easier for those who want to find me, to find me. I’ll be wearing a special name tag that looks like this: At the bottom, it also shows my other three affiliations: as the person who built and maintains the GenSoftReviews site and gives out its annual Users Choice Awards, as one of the GeneaBloggers (there are going to be at least… -
Syllabi Before You Go
27 Jan 2012 | 12:17 amWhenever I go to a conference, I always first review the schedule and then make a tentative plan of what I’ll see. Then, often there is an added bonus, and just before the conference, a syllabus comes out with more detailed information about each session. RootsTech did it right, and they have published an early syllabus covering most of the sessions. If you’re going, I highly recommend you download it (it’s a big file) and look through the papers. They’re in either PDF and/or Doc format. You’ll find some of the sessions you were planning to go to actually do look… -
RootsTech Friday Panel Discussion
26 Jan 2012 | 1:22 amI have now been confirmed as a panelist for the Friday Feb 3rd discussion panel at RootsTech. It will be at 4:15 p.m. in Room 257 and will be about “Sources, Citations, Meta Data”. The moderator and audience will ask “intriguing” questions of myself and the other panelists. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say the names of the other panelists since it’s not been officially announced yet, but it’s an excellent panel you’ll want to go to. I think I can say that Robert Burkhead, a participant of BetterGEDCOM with me, will also be on the panel. -
Version 1.0.4 / Behold Demo at RootsTech
23 Jan 2012 | 10:24 pmVersion 1.0.4 includes a couple of bug fixes that were reported. I don’t think I should make any more updates to Behold (except for any other necessary bug fixes) until after the RootsTech conference. Then I’ll finish off 1.0.5 and start on the road to 2.0. I’m now scheduled to give a demo of Behold at RootsTech on Saturday Feb 4 from 12:30 to 12:50 at the demo area in the exhibition hall. My demo may not make it into the conference brochure since that is already being printed. So if you would like to come, take note of the time. They require that everyone giving demos must… -
Version 1.0.3 Released
21 Jan 2012 | 7:35 pmI was going to call this Version 1.1, because there’s enough in it to give it that designation. But I decided to go with 1.0.3 because I’m still waiting for Behold’s listing at the Windows 7 Compatibility Center (the delay is all Microsoft’s). Changing a point version requires a resubmission of the test results, and I’d like avoid adding another source of delay. So here we have about three weeks of important work now included in Behold. Mainly, the events and facts are all sorted logically, with dates used to order the items between a person’s birth and…
-
Lineagekeeper's Genealogy
-
Stylish Armor with a Point
27 Jan 2012 | 2:30 pmIf sketches of old armor are accurate, then this may be one of the more stylish designs I’ve encountered. Note the long, sharp pointed foot design that can be use both to spur (pun intended) on your ground team, a fallen adversary or even your war horse. The suit is complete with spilt cuffs, breast hook and and nubbed skirt. -
Genealogy ~ From Gel Cell Printing to Digital Documents
26 Jan 2012 | 11:44 amI suppose it is sad that I can remember making copies using gel cells because our little town didn’t have any carbon paper. Now, we growl if the toner runs low in our color laser printers. We live in a great time. We can do genealogy research around the world while sitting in our PJ’s and talking “face-to-face” with cousins on different continents at the same time. What will the next ten or twenty years bring to help us in our genealogy quest? -
John Rogers of Marshfield
25 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amA cousin and I have been working on our common ancestry during the past few weeks. One of the books we needed to review was “John Rogers of Marshfield and some of his descendants”. He had to travel to a LDS branch Family History Library in Los Angeles County to read it and I would have had an even longer drive in my area to get to a library copy. Fortunately, I thought to check for it on Google Books and it was there. Now both of us are talking about what we are seeing in the book via a video chat while following on source leads to fully validate the data we are… -
FamilySearch Wiki ~ The Hidden Gem
24 Jan 2012 | 12:51 pmMany genealogists aren’t aware of a research Gem that is a bit hidden on the FamilySearch site. When I’ve asked people in my genealogy classes and presentations if they have heard of the FamilySearch Research Wiki, less than 5% respond “Yes”. That is a real tragedy. It affects the success of their genealogy research efforts. Use of the Wiki could dramatically reduce the time researchers spend looking for research resources as well as teaching how to most effectively use them. This series of articles will explore many of the features on the Wiki. … -
1905 ~ Power Rates Double in Utah
23 Jan 2012 | 12:14 pmThe news from 1905 is echoed frequently today, although in the case of power usage, we typically aren’t told that using a light or motor during daylight hours will result in being billed at a double rate. I wonder who J. H. Wootton sent out patrolling looking for offenders back then? Even with a lot fewer homes in existence and fewer installed lights, could the patroller spot burning bulbs or running motors inside homes?
-
Empty Nest Genealogy
-
familysearch.org and Ancestry.com Updates – January 27, 2012
27 Jan 2012 | 11:06 amHere are the new updates and additions for today:familysearch.orgSpain, Consular Records of Emigrants, 1808-1960Portugal, Viana do Castelo, Catholic Church Records, 1537-1909Portugal, Porto, Catholic Church Records, 1535-1949Portugal, Braga, Catholic Church Records, 1530-1911Brazil, Immigration Cards, 1900-1965There are none today for Ancestry.com. -
FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com Updates – January 26, 2012
26 Jan 2012 | 6:30 pmIn addition to the updates and additions mentioned in my previous post, I will be making a concerted effort to post daily updates for both familysearch.org and Ancestry.com. These updates will list the new and updated records by location, record type and dates.Only those links that directly relate to my own areas of interest will be added to my genealogy links menu at the top of the home page.To start off, here are today’s updates:familysearch.orgTexas Deaths, 1977-1986Quebec, Quebec Judicial District, Guardianships, 1639-1930Delaware, Vital Record Index Cards, 1680-1934Iowa, County… -
New FamilySearch.org Records and Database Updates
26 Jan 2012 | 5:15 pmFamilySearch.org has announced several database updates and postings. I will eventually be adding these links to my drop-down genealogy link menu at the top of the home page. These databases include:United States birth and christening records.United States death and probate records.United States marriage indexes and documents.Canadian vital records.United States State and Territorial tax records and censuses.Tennessee marriage index from 1780-2002.Florida marriage index from 1822-1875 and 1927-2001.Iowa county birth records from 1880-1935.North Carolina estate records from 1663-1964.Summit… -
Thousands of Photos from Washington and Oregon are Now Indexed and Available
26 Jan 2012 | 3:28 pmThis is one of many photos I recenlty received of my children's great great grandparents with their two children. Luckily for me, a distant cousin contacted me offering the photos through this blog.In all my thirteen years researching genealogy, both for myself and others, I’ve found that there is no feeling like that of discovering long lost photos (at least to me). I have managed to find photos by browsing other researchers’ and family websites and museum archives, through emailing other researchers, and through contact from commenters on my own blogs.Although it is unlikely… -
Partnerships in Genealogy are Expanding our Research Horizons
26 Jan 2012 | 11:11 amWilliam Penn founded Pennsylvania, envisioning that it would be governed under the Quaker beliefs and ideals.The newest partnership is that of Ancestry.com and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.This partnership will make over seven million birth, marriage and death records available through the Pennsylvania Vital Records Collection on Ancestry.com. These records will span 300 years between 1593 and 1908. The newest records to join the collection are:Pennsylvania, Births, Church and Town Records, 1593-1708: The documents in this database contain records from churches, funeral homes,…
-
Arlene Eakle's Virginia Blog
-
Newly Indexed Virginia Tax Accounts
31 Dec 2011 | 11:24 amGloucester County, Virginia is considered a “burned county” with substantial genealogical record loss. So the presentation of a bound copy of Gloucester County Tax Accounts, 1770-1771 to Circuit Judge John E. DeHardit in 1966 was a genealogy event in Gloucester County. This bound copy is a photostat of the original now in the Library of Virginia in Richmond. The original record was in the possession of Miss Sally Perrin, Gloucester. And the copy was made available through the Joseph Bryan Memorial Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities in memory of… -
Computer Down & Peter Force’s “American Archives”
8 Oct 2011 | 4:24 pmArlene’s webmaster Kathryn posting today. If you have recently emailed Arlene and not received an answer, she’s not ignoring you. The computer she used for email has recently been giving her more and more problems, to the point she can’t download email. Her grandson is going to update the computer soon, hopefully by the end of the month, and then she will start catching up. So please be patient. Today, at the Family History Expo, Arlene was speaking on documenting your common ancestors in Congressional Records. She talked about Peter Force’s “American… -
Southern Huguenots–Unheralded Settlers in Virginia and other Southern Colonies
5 Sep 2011 | 1:38 pmHuguenots are special ancestors– __like chameleons, they became whatever their surroundings were. They attended Presbyterian services so they did not bring attention to themselves. They were buried in Anglican graveyards so people did not know they were French. __their naming patterns included “marker” names which were given to both male and female children in each generation to preserve knowledge of their origins. Do you have specific spelling that seems strange? Like Martain rather than Martin? Grandfather insisted that his name be written correctly, even going… -
Using Bounty Records for Virginia Research
23 Jun 2011 | 1:53 pmBounty Lands: Proof of Settlement, Public Service, and Military Obligation Proof of Settlement–Bounties identify earliest date of residence/arrival in Virginia and may supply other places of residence where you can research that will bypass burned or lost records. Names of sponsoring groups and individuals are supplied for new immigrants–adding to your kinship networks and circles of association–what I refer to as the mini-census approach. Create contact/connection list as you go through the records. Most bounties are awarded in specific locations; boundaries of grant… -
Nancy Perry Graham, editor of AARP Magazine says,”Discover Your Own Roots.”
11 Jun 2011 | 4:27 pmAnd enter for a chance to win this grand prize–deadline, 15 August 2011– $1,000 travel money 5-hour consultation with Megan Smolenyak Signed copies of two books by Megan: Who Do You Think You Are? and Trace Your Roots with DNA 1 year subscription to Ancestry.com DNA testing with Ancestry, onetime Very nice grand prize–worth trying for. Prizes courtesy Megan Smolenyak and AARP Magazine. For details see http://www.aarp.org/familyties Seems Ms Graham, editor of AARP Magazine, entered her father on Ancestry.com to begin building a family tree. Within minutes,…
-
Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog
-
A Tennessee New Year’s Wish for 2012
31 Dec 2011 | 12:02 pmOf all the states in which I do research, Tennessee is the most difficult to prove father-son relationship. As I have been thinking about this challenge, I believe that if we had a consolidated, digital index, with links to images, for the whole state of Tennessee… Not just piecemeal access in printed books, in items transcribed on Rootsweb and US GenWeb and other internet sites… Not just pedigrees supposed, concluded from circumstantial entries picked here and there, ancestries wished for… A massive, fully searchable database (or even a series of linked databases)… -
Computer Down & Peter Force’s “American Archives”
8 Oct 2011 | 4:24 pmArlene’s webmaster Kathryn posting today. If you have recently emailed Arlene and not received an answer, she’s not ignoring you. The computer she used for email has recently been giving her more and more problems, to the point she can’t download email. Her grandson is going to update the computer soon, hopefully by the end of the month, and then she will start catching up. So please be patient. Today, at the Family History Expo, Arlene was speaking on documenting your common ancestors in Congressional Records. She talked about Peter Force’s “American… -
The Cumberland Settlements
11 Aug 2011 | 9:57 pmAs soon as you realize that the person giving you genealogy advice is not currently, successfully doing what it is they are dispensing advice about–STOP reading or listening. STOP! If you want fiction, read Stephen King. If you want unqualified and unresearched opinions, you can get them free–from your brother-in-law. There is an unmistakable authenticity with advice from genealogists who actually have searched the documents and fit the evidence together. You want authentic advice. Adapted from “Final Thoughts, This Month, on B.S.” Dan Kennedy No BS Marketing… -
Sun Glasses and your Tennessee Genealogy
11 Jun 2011 | 1:58 pmSun Glasses and your Tennessee Genealogy… A letter of invitation from Arlene Eakle to attend the Northern Colorado Family History Expo held at the Embassy Suites Conference Center on I-25, Loveland CO 24-25 June 2011. I am just one of many speakers on the menu for your selection. However, I am going to present you with a gift in my sessions for Southern Research—and Tennessee is the hardest state in the South!–Sun Glasses to find your ancestors. My grandson had his 14th birthday and I gave him a new set of sun glasses. These sun glasses will enable him to see the fish in the… -
If you’ve traced all your Tennessee Ancestors–Quick! Cover Your Eyes. This blog is not for you!
31 May 2011 | 9:25 pmIf you’ve successfully traced all your Tennessee Ancestors–Quick cover your eyes. This blog is not for you! Tracing Tennessee ancestors before 1850 is a very difficult task at best. With people converging on Tennessee from Pennsylvania, from Vermont, and from Connecticut–as well as from Maryland, from Georgia, and from South Carolina. You can expect migrations in from North Carolina and from Virginia. After all, Tennessee was first settled by these hardy pioneers. You can also expect New Yorkers to appear, since New York claimed the northern part of Tennessee as their…
-
Arlene Eakle's Genealogy Blog
-
A 2012 Genealogy Preview…
27 Jan 2012 | 12:16 pmUpdate on new computer system–Kathryn got the computer and it is now sitting in my computer room waiting to be installed. She will walk me through the set-up–can you believe? She got me through the saving of my files on my old system. You would have hardly recognized me switching cords from one tower to another back and forth, just like I knew what I was doing. Then, my next learning will be to create power point presentations on my lap top. What a gas! At least I do know how to type. And when I get the texts written, I will acquire a scanner to put specific…
-
Olive Tree Genealogy Blog
-
You Can Transcribe it! NARA's Transcription Project
27 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amNARA Transcription Pilot Project Great news. You can now join the National Archives Transcription Pilot Project and help transcribe documents. It's very easy, in fact I just went in and typed out one page of a document in less than 15 minutes. The document I transcribed was the 1851 Petition of Edward Gorsuch found in a Fugitive Slave Petition Book. Edward lived in Baltimore County Maryland -
Henry Louis Gates Jr. Hopes DNA Will Find Great-Great Grandfather
26 Jan 2012 | 7:53 am"Finding Your Roots" is a 10-part series on PBS about the genealogy and genetics of famous Americans. Henry Louis Gates Jr. is the host of this show which will explore family trees of 22 celebrities. In an interesting twist, Gates will seek to discover the name of his own great-great grandfather, the man who sired 5 children by the slave Jane Gates. Jane did not reveal the father's name to any -
Help Send Frank Crummy's Tombstone Home!
25 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amMounties are trying to find the proper resting place of a wayward headstone. A woman who owns property near Gleichen, about 100 km east of Calgary, found a granite gravestone marker in her field. The tombstone was etched with Father Frank Crummy 1869 – 1952 No one knows how the tombstone got to Gleichen or who Frank Crummy is. Mounties are asking for help. This lost tombstone -
Pinterest - Oh No, Another Addictive Distraction!
24 Jan 2012 | 9:05 amA few days ago I dipped my genealogy toe into the waters of Pinterest. I'd heard about Pinterest over the past year from many Facebook friends but never ventured into it, thinking it would just be a waste of time. How wrong could I be? Pinterest is the bomb. I'm loving it! It's a way of bookmarking sites and objects you like or things you want to try. Part of my Genealogy Board on -
Cemetery Walk: Creemore United Cemetery, Simcoe Co. Ontario
23 Jan 2012 | 8:01 amIt's Movie Monday and this week's Movie is a Cemetery Walk through Creemore United Cemetery in Simcoe County Ontario Canada on the OliveTreeGenealogy Channel on You-Tube. There are many Cemetery Walk Videos online on the OliveTreeGenealogy Channel on You-Tube and lots of tombstone photographs on AncestorsAtRest
-
Our Future Rooted in Our Past
-
SOPA Protest
17 Jan 2012 | 11:30 pmOur Future Rooted in Our Past is Protesting SOPA/PIPA on 1/18/12. Become informed about SOPA/PIPA. Write your congressmen/congresswomen. This bill could interfere with our genealogy... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
American Libraries Internet Archive
15 Jan 2012 | 10:50 pmI found this wonderful resource of information a while back and wanted to share with you. The American Libraries Internet Archive is a treasure trove for genealogists as it archives images and books... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Welcome to StoryTree!
7 Dec 2011 | 12:12 amIn honor of December 7th, the day Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, I thought this would be a great video to share to remind everyone the importance of recording our personal and family... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Do you hear voices from the past?
2 Oct 2011 | 10:29 pmI found a wonderful video speaking to the importance of writing down one's thoughts. A journal/diary allow you to express your thoughts, dreams, disappointments, heartaches, and much more.... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Have you joined the 5-Minute Genealogy Challenge Yet?
27 Aug 2011 | 12:00 pmHow is your research going? Hopefully you have been able to visit with some of your family members to learn more about your family. Have you written down your information. Learn why this is... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
-
Our Future Rooted in Our Past
-
SOPA Protest
17 Jan 2012 | 11:30 pmOur Future Rooted in Our Past is Protesting SOPA/PIPA on 1/18/12. Become informed about SOPA/PIPA. Write your congressmen/congresswomen. This bill could interfere with our genealogy... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
American Libraries Internet Archive
15 Jan 2012 | 10:50 pmI found this wonderful resource of information a while back and wanted to share with you. The American Libraries Internet Archive is a treasure trove for genealogists as it archives images and books... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Welcome to StoryTree!
7 Dec 2011 | 12:12 amIn honor of December 7th, the day Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, I thought this would be a great video to share to remind everyone the importance of recording our personal and family... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Do you hear voices from the past?
2 Oct 2011 | 10:29 pmI found a wonderful video speaking to the importance of writing down one's thoughts. A journal/diary allow you to express your thoughts, dreams, disappointments, heartaches, and much more.... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Have you joined the 5-Minute Genealogy Challenge Yet?
27 Aug 2011 | 12:00 pmHow is your research going? Hopefully you have been able to visit with some of your family members to learn more about your family. Have you written down your information. Learn why this is... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
-
Archives.com Blog
-
Archives Partners With NEHGS to Add Over 2 Million New Vital Records
18 Jan 2012 | 9:43 pmWe are pleased to announce the addition of a vital records collection that will prove very valuable to family historians researching ancestors in Massachusetts in the 16th through 19th centuries. Courtesy of the New England Historic Genealogical Society (AmericanAncestors.org), Archives.com has added 2,061,221 birth, death, and marriage records that span the years 1569 to 1850. -
Over 900,000 Texas and North Dakota Cemetery and Vital Records Added
11 Jan 2012 | 6:27 pmToday we are excited to announce the addition of eight collections from Texas and North Dakota. In total, these collections represent an addition of 928, 269 records that will be very valuable to family history researchers tracing ancestors in these states. From North Dakota, we added 10,948 cemetery records from Dickinson City. This collection spans 1801 to 2011. Each record lists the full name of the deceased person, the cemetery, and plot information, as well as dates of birth and death when available. -
Archives Parent Company Adds New VP of User Experience
9 Jan 2012 | 5:24 pmAt Archives we're deeply committed to providing users with an easy-to-use experience that allows you to search and discover ancestors simply and effectively. Today we've strengthened that commitment by adding Peter Merholz, design and user experience veteran, to the team. Peter will join Archives.com's parent company Inflection as Vice President of User Experience. See the full announcement here. Peter comes to Inflection from Adaptive Path, a premier user experience consulting firm that he co-founded. Peter helped build a global client base including key companies like Samsung, Twitter,… -
Announcing the Winners of the Run & Hug Contest
4 Jan 2012 | 6:40 pmWe are pleased to announce the winners of the Run & Hug family edition contest, sponsored by Archives.com and Whitepages.com. The contest called for the public to vote on submissions of photos and stories about a long-lost relative to win an all-expense paid trip for two to reunite with that relative, along with $1,000 cash. Shirley Franklin, a homemaker in Lexington, OK, garnered 16,324 votes to win a trip to visit her grandmother in Cleveland. She plans to take her mother, a recently retired nurse who lives in Norman, OK, with her on the visit in April. -
Eight Holiday Gifts to Bring Families Together
19 Dec 2011 | 2:01 pmAre you looking for a family-oriented gift this year? These eight gifts are great to give your family members. The best part? You can enjoy them together. These eight ideas focus on bringing families together, you can learn something new about your heritage or discover a new interest to share. 1. Archives.com gift membership: $25-50. Give the gift of family history without breaking the bank. Archives.com offers gift memberships for three, six, or twelve month subscriptions. Your loved ones will enjoy the opportunity to trace their ancestors and learn about their heritage, whether they are…
-
Clue Wagon
-
Can You Die of a Broken Heart?
25 Jan 2012 | 10:30 amApparently you can. I read a New York Times article about this a couple of weeks ago. Apparently a recent study showed that your odds of having a heart attack are 21 times higher the day after a loved one dies. This reminded me of my second great-grandfather’s brother, Valentine Scheiber. He dropped dead at the funeral of a friend on a hot day in Chicago in June 1906. He was only 53. I also have a 60-year-old husband who died a week after his wife. The obituary from the [Albert Lea, Minnesota] Evening Tribune on 7 August 1907 (page 1, column 1) said: Ole Hageness died at his home on Oak… -
In Which I Sentence a Whole Bunch of Genealogists to a Game of Angry Birds
4 Jan 2012 | 11:00 am(...)Read the rest of In Which I Sentence a Whole Bunch of Genealogists to a Game of Angry Birds (781 words) Want to read this on your Kindle instead? Click here to subscribe. Follow @ClueWagon © Kerry Scott for Clue Wagon, 2012. | Permalink | 36 comments---click through and add yours! | -
Guest Post from a Real Pilgrim
23 Nov 2011 | 8:06 am(...)Read the rest of Guest Post from a Real Pilgrim (226 words) Want to read this on your Kindle instead? Click here to subscribe. Follow @ClueWagon © Kerry Scott for Clue Wagon, 2011. | Permalink | 9 comments---click through and add yours! | -
I Am Rhoda. Hear Me Roar.
17 Oct 2011 | 10:56 am(...)Read the rest of I Am Rhoda. Hear Me Roar. (361 words) Want to read this on your Kindle instead? Click here to subscribe. Follow @ClueWagon © Kerry Scott for Clue Wagon, 2011. | Permalink | 30 comments---click through and add yours! | -
Elsewhere
17 Oct 2011 | 8:23 am(...)Read the rest of Elsewhere (179 words) Want to read this on your Kindle instead? Click here to subscribe. Follow @ClueWagon © Kerry Scott for Clue Wagon, 2011. | Permalink | 3 comments---click through and add yours! |
-
Descendants N Ancestors ® Newspaper
-
Henry Louis Gates Jr. Seeking Assistance to identify his 2nd great grandfather
19 Jan 2012 | 9:01 amHenry Louis Gates Jr, the creative mind behind such shows as “African American Lives”, “Faces of America” and the latest show “Finding Your Roots” is imploring residents of Allegany County, Maryland that have Irish descent, to provide or take DNA tests. This is to narrow down the field of possible descendants of his former slave ancestor “Jane” to locate persons who share a common ancestral link to his unknown 2nd great grandfather. Click here to read the full story:… -
Wikitree.com announces “invitation only” access.
19 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amChris Whitten, owner of Wikitree.com anncouned recently that the site will only allow for “invitation only” to the sites resources. Wikitree.com has now closed it’s new user registration, and those seeking to gain access to the site, must now be invited by another user to create their account. Wikitree.com allows you to build a private or public family tree for free without limitations for the size and content on the tree. Chris Whitten, explained for the reason for the change in policy…. “The problem is that we’ve had users abusing our wide range… -
Fines being considered for public access violators.
19 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amKevin Mahan, a Indiana government official is supporting a bill that would allow judges to impose fines on persons who violate laws for access to public records. The proposals allow for fines of $100.00 for the first offense and up to $500.00 for additional violations. Mahan went further to state that “The people we’re truly getting at here are just the bad apples,” and The people where the public access counselor has said this should be released this is public information and should be released, and then they basically cross their arms and say ‘I don’t care,… -
National Park Seeking Descendants of Homesteaders
19 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amThe National Park Service is seeking descendants of homesteaders of New Mexico, and that had homestead land, or ancestors who had also, as an effort to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the federal Homestead Act. More than 87,312 successful homestead claims were filed in New Mexico covering 25 percent of the state’s land. The Homestead National Monument of America in Nebraska is recruiting volunteers to aid with this effort. Click here to read more about this story: http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/local/phoenix/AZHomestead-ActCelebration-01162012 Stumble upon… -
Emerson Adds $1 Million for Genealogical Library
19 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amEmerson, a manufacturing and technology company based in St. Louis, has announced that it will donate $1 million, to provide a world-class genealogical library for genealogy enthusiasts, and genealogists alike. Two-thirds of this fund-rasing goal has been reached, and the site will have other fabulous features available for its patrons. The St. Louis County Library Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) organization, which generates and is funded exclusively by private gifts and donations. The Center for Family History is a project of the Foundation, entirely funded by private contributions.
