Perhaps we should see more classes like this one. The following announcement was written by the West Valley Genealogical Society: The West Valley Genealogical Society, 12222 N. 111th Ave., Youngtown, AZ, invites young people, ages 10-16, interested in learning about their family history and finding their ancestors, an opportunity to enroll in a four week Genealogy for Juniors Program. The class will include the Scouting requirements for a Genealogy or Family History badge. Scouting membership is not required. The classes will meet four Mondays, June 4, 11, 25 and July 2 (no class…
Genealogy
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Most Topular Stories
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Genealogy for Juniors Program Class in Youngtown, Arizona
Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter15 May 2012 | 3:12 pm -
150th Anniversary of the Homestead Act: Genealogy Resources for Land Records
Genealogy Insider16 May 2012 | 9:36 amhomestead act post Were your ancestors among the millions who claimed federal lands under the Homestead Act of 1862? We're coming up on the 150th anniversary of this groundbreaking (pun intended) legislation that accelerated the country's westward expansion. Look for opportunities to learn more about your homesteading ancestors. President Lincoln signed the Homestead Act into law on May 20, 1862. Beginning Jan. 1, 1863, a homesteader could receive up to 160 acres of public domain land by applying for a claim (which required a filing fee), improving the land, living on it for five years, and… -
SCGS 2012 Genealogy Jamboree Updates
The We Tree Genealogy Blog14 May 2012 | 8:00 amThe 2012 Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree is approaching fast. Here are some news stories about the Jamboree that may be of interest to you: SCGS has instituted a youth scholarship program for aspiring genealogists from 18-29. This makes conference attendance very affordable for students and young whippersnappers. Geneabloggers has a list of bloggers who will be at Jamboree. Follow them for all the latest Jamboree information. Did you know that Jamboree has its own blog? Check it often for Jamboree updates before and during the conference. -
Tuesday's Tip - English Parish Registers on FamilySearch.org
Genea-Musings15 May 2012 | 11:01 amThis week's Tuesday's Tip is to: Find (some) English Parish Registers on FamilySearch.org.Every County in England has a collection of :Parish Registers in their record offices. Almost all of the church Parish Registers have been microfilmed by the Family History Library, and are available for loan to read at a local FamilySearch Center.Some of the County collections of Parish Registers have been digitized during FamilySearch Indexing and are available in the Historical Record collections at www.FamilySearch.org. The available County collections can be found by… -
Autosomal DNA Testing - Can it Really Predict Our Ancestors?
About.com Genealogy15 May 2012 | 7:14 amOne of the coolest genetic tools in the genealogist's toolbox (especially for those of us of the female persuasion without Y-DNA) is the relatively new autosomal DNA test. This month Ancestry.com entered the market, joining 23andme.com and FamilyTreeDNA, with their own autosomal DNA test known as AncestryDNA. Read Full PostAutosomal DNA Testing - Can it Really Predict Our Ancestors? originally appeared on About.com Genealogy on Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 at 12:14:19.Permalink | Comment | Email this
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DearMYRTLE's Genealogy Blog
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Tidbits from Ancestry's event last night
10 May 2012 | 7:59 amDearREADERS,For some reason Ol' Myrt here couldn't post via Twitter or TweetDeck on her iPhone, but as your dedicated, intrepid reporter, I managed to make these real-time postings to my Facebook page last night during the Ancestry gathering last night. Did I say it was last night? Anything to get the word out to my DearREADERS. Ancestry states PA church and town records 1708-1985 now online. [Almost immediately, this post received the following comments:]Russ Worthington: Myrt, I have found my mother's Baptism record, and her Parents Wedding Record, from the Church I attended, and stopped by… -
Help Maureen put Ancestry employees back to work
10 May 2012 | 7:23 amDearREADERS,Although the Ancestry.com scanning team was busy all morning, when Ol' Myrt here visited them at the National Genealogical Society yesterday, they were ahead of schedule and had completed all scanning projects for the morning. How I wish I'd brought some of my scanning work with us for them to process!So what's Maureen got to do with it?Maureen Taylor, the Photo Detective, will offer free photo analysis today starting at 1pm at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio in the Ancestry Scanning room.For more information about Ancestry's free scanning,… -
NGS 2012 Wednesday morning
9 May 2012 | 10:57 amDearREADERS,The vendor hall at NGS has quieted down as the first round of classes have begun. First impressions, and snippets of info: The opening session featured Genealogy Buried in a Photograph: Amazing Discoveries in the Cincinnati Panorama of 1848 by Patricia Moseley Van Skaik. She manages one of the nation’s largest genealogy collections at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. It's really cool to have local genealogists contribute to the online digital version with documents and photos of people who lived in Cinci in the mid 1800s.Expect more, multi-language webinars… -
NGS 2012 Thoughts thus far
8 May 2012 | 11:07 pmDearREADERS,After resolving some minor vendor hall set-up issues, Mr. Myrt and I attended two evening events:FamilySearch Bloggers and Media Dinner in the Hyatt. Among the things discussed:Recognition for 1940 Census Ambassadors -- nifty, high-quality zippered tote bag given to those of us in attendance.Arbitration is only about 1 day behind the indexers.There are plans to provide alternate arbitration methods.There are plans to provide notes to arbitrators when an indexer submits a batch.There are plans to permit annotation of indexed data, so if you "see" the handwriting differently, you… -
NGS: GenDetective V. 1.5 Update Demos
8 May 2012 | 10:11 pmNOTE from DearMYRTLE: Buried in my email was this earlier announcement from RumbleSoft. Please address all inquiries to charles.rumble@rumblesoftinc.com .RumbleSoft Incorporated GenDetectiveTM Releases Version 1.5 UpdateGenDetectiveTM: Tells you what you DON’T KNOW and what you need to FIND!Plumsteadville, Pennsylvania (May 8, 2012) – RumbleSoft Incorporated, supplier of innovative solutions for genealogists has released GenDetectiveTM Version 1.5. NGS attendees will be able to view demonstrations of the new software at booth # 412. Additionally RumbleSoft will demonstrate…
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Genea-Musings
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(Not So) Wordless Wednesday - Post 205: Is This My Monkey Uncle?
16 May 2012 | 10:30 amI am posting photographs from my family collections for (Not So) Wordless Wednesday (you know me, I can't go wordless!). Here is a small photograph from the Seaver/Carringer family collection handed down by my mother in the 1988 to 2002 time period: The note on the back of this photograph says "January 1955." This photo was taken at the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park in San Diego, just inside the entrance. The people in this picture are:* Randy Seaver (on the left)* Stan Seaver (on the right)My brother and I had our… -
Vacation Day - Tuesday, 15 May 2012
15 May 2012 | 2:30 pmAfter our long bus ride and sightseeing in Paris yesterday, the ship departed from Le Havre at midnight. The ship docked in Cherbourg at 7 a.m.We haven't picked a tour for Cherbourg yet, but we hope to get on the Panoramic Cherbourg tour.The publicity says that this three hour tour will discover the port of Cherbourg (I didn't know it was lost...), the Old town (will we see the New town, or is there one?), the military base, and the principal monuments (presumably these are statues, not gravestones).Perhaps we'll have lunch in the city, or back to the ship. The ship departs… -
Tuesday's Tip - English Parish Registers on FamilySearch.org
15 May 2012 | 11:01 amThis week's Tuesday's Tip is to: Find (some) English Parish Registers on FamilySearch.org.Every County in England has a collection of :Parish Registers in their record offices. Almost all of the church Parish Registers have been microfilmed by the Family History Library, and are available for loan to read at a local FamilySearch Center.Some of the County collections of Parish Registers have been digitized during FamilySearch Indexing and are available in the Historical Record collections at www.FamilySearch.org. The available County collections can be found by… -
Vacation Day - Monday, 14 May 2012
14 May 2012 | 2:30 pmAfter yesterday's exciting and informative classes about Legacy Family Tree software and resources in England, we docked in Le Havre, France at 9 a.m. this morning. We signed up for the Paris Sightseeing tour today. This is a full day (11 hours) excursion to the "City of Lights." During a 2.5 hour drive via the superhighway, we will view the Seine Valley and go through dairy country of Normandy to Paris (I wonder what the over/under is for number of cows?).We will enter the gates of Paris, drive down the famous Champs-Elysee, the principal thoroughfare of the city. We will… -
Amanuensis Monday - Biography of James Richmond (1821-1912)
14 May 2012 | 10:30 amGenea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started his own Monday blog theme many months ago called Amanuensis Monday. What does "amanuensis" mean? John offers this definition:"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."The subject today is this biography of James Richmond (1821-1912) provided in the book Commemorative Biographical Record of Tolland and Windham Counties (Chicago Ill. : J.H. Beers & Company, 1903). The specific article was titled Arthur Lucius Fitts, but it included…
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kinexxions
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NGS 2012 Recap :: Fantastic!
15 May 2012 | 12:15 pmFirst of all, I have to agree with many of the other genea-bloggers who have posted their thoughts about the NGS Conference in Cincinnati - IT WAS FANTASTIC! All of the sessions I attended, with the exception of one, were excellent. And the company was incredible. It was so much fun meeting and spending time with “old friends” whom I knew through their blogs as well as meeting some new ones. Of course, I spent a lot of time with my room-mate Laura Cosgrove Lorenzana and hung out a lot (during sessions and lunches and evenings) with Susan Clark, Linda McCauley, Tina Lyons, and Shelley… -
My Bags are Packed... I'm on my way
8 May 2012 | 9:23 amOff to Cincinnati... In a few minutes, I'll be heading south to attend the National Genealogical Society (NGS) Conference! I wasn't sure I'd be able to go but thankfully situations change. I've got a roommate to help share costs (Thanks, Laura) and I'm very happy to be going even though we won't be staying downtown. This will be my 3rd NGS Conference but the first one where I feel like I actually “know” some of the other people who will be there, even though we may have never met in-person. Reading blogs will do that... I've gone over the schedule several times and selected at least one… -
It's Looking Better...
6 May 2012 | 3:00 pmOne day this past week was spent at the Allen County Public Library attempting to determine the validity of the statement made in an article by Carrie Bray in 1949 that her great-grandfather (my 3rd great-grandfather) John Bray had arrived in Indiana on March 5, 1816. An affidavit by Daniel Bray in the Revolutionary War pension file of his father John Bray, stated that “Some time in the early part of the year 1816, he went to the land office of Cincinnati to enter the North East quarter of Section No 25, town No 2, range 3 West. That owing to some mistake in the land office he could not… -
This Looks Promising...
2 May 2012 | 12:30 pmAs mentioned in the post The Evidence at Hand I am attempting to determine if my 4th Great-Grandfather, John Bray, would be eligible for the Territorial Guard Society of Indiana, which requires that he “lived within the boundaries of present-day Indiana on or before December 11, 1816 (the date Indiana was admitted to the United States). I've been looking through the 78 pages of his pension file. Most of the documents pertain to his widow's attempts to receive his pension after his death in 1832. Long story short, she receives a pension, then she remarried in 1835 to John Bakes and lost the… -
The Evidence at Hand
30 Apr 2012 | 7:45 pmThe Indiana Genealogical Society has a new lineage society that goes by the name of the “Territorial Guard Society of Indiana” which was formed in honor of the bicentennial of the War of 1812. To qualify you must be an Indiana Genealogical Society member who is a direct descendant of someone who lived within the boundaries of present-day Indiana on or before December 11, 1816 (the date of Indiana statehood). In this previous post I stated that I have one possible ancestral candidate who could be considered - John Bray of Switzerland County - but the information I currently have that says…
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What's Past is Prologue
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A is for Alphabets
13 May 2012 | 6:27 pmUmlauts and ogoneks and carons… ог мий (oh my)! * I decided to attempt the “Family History through the Alphabet” Challenge prompted by Gould Genealogy. I normally don’t participate in weekly themes, but this one allows for creativity since each individual chooses a topic (one letter per week) that pertains to their own family history. And it will definitely be challenging based on the amount of time it took me to come up with a word for the letter “A”. A is for…Alphabets! In learning the basics of a few other languages as part of my family history research, I’ve had to… -
Internet Genealogy: Back in Time
6 May 2012 | 2:35 pmThe Internet Archive: Wayback Machine (click on image to visit the site) When we think of the past, we usually remember things that were a part of our lives such as cars, music, or fashions, or things from before our time that we learned about as history. The internet has only been part of our lives for a relatively short time as far as the history of the world is concerned, so while I sometimes think on the days “before” the internet, I don’t usually think about its earliest days and what it looked like. That is, until I read Go Back in Time: How 10 Big Websites Looked 15… -
Shades: Birthday Edition – The Fountain of Youth
22 Apr 2012 | 6:00 amSOURCE: footonoteMaven. "Earth Day - Birthday Graphic." footnoteMaven, 22 April 2009. www.footnotemaven.com/2009/04/earth-day-birthday.html : 2012. The illustrious footnoteMaven and I go back a long time – from our days as war correspondents to back when we worked as sherpas leading Mt. Everest expeditions. When our mutual friend Penelope Dreadful mentioned fM’s birthday – that is, she mentioned the number being celebrated, for the day has long been a blogging holiday on my calendar – I was shocked. How could a woman who knows so much be so young? I mean,… -
For Your Family Story
20 Apr 2012 | 7:22 amMy “Pointer Sister”, the lovely Caroline Pointer of For Your Family Story, has invited me to moonlight on her blog today. She gave me a big Texan “Howdy” and even explained how we’re related. Well, relatively speaking, that is… Read Genealogists and the Tech Tools They Use to Research - and I’m the last of the 5-part series, so make sure you visit the previous posts if you haven’t already for some really good ideas. If you’re up for a genealogy challenge, check out Caroline’s 48-Hour Ephemera Challenge every weekend for a fun… -
His Name was Józef Pater
19 Apr 2012 | 5:00 amJózef Pater's prisoner photo. Source: Office for Information on Former Prisoners, The State Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau Who was Józef Pater? I came upon Józef by accident while searching for my 2nd great-grandfather of the same name. I discovered that this particular Józef was my ancestor’s nephew, his brother Marcin’s son. What I learned with that search result was a forgotten story of a family – my family – who perished in the Holocaust. If Józef’s cousins in the United States knew of his fate, it never reached the ears of their descendents. Most of what I learned about my…
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Little Bytes of Life
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Wordless Wednesday: Future Genealogist?
2 May 2012 | 1:32 pmMaybe. But those aren't genealogy books she's reading (who knew that the DAR Library keeps a stash of children's books?). * * * "Future Genealogist?" Digital image. Photographed by Elizabeth O'Neal on 20 April 2012 at the DAR Library, Washington, DC. About Wordless Wednesday. Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal -
Second Life Chapter APG April Meeting
11 Apr 2012 | 11:20 amMembers at the March meeting listen to a presentation about the Boston University program. WHEN: Thursday, April 12, 2012, 5:30 p.m. SLT (Second Life Time, same as Pacific Time) WHERE: Second Life, near the Just Genealogy Firepit This month, we will have an informal discussion about "Cool Things I Found in the 1940 Census." Whether it's your own family or some interesting folks you found while indexing, please come and bring your stories. Slides are optional. The SL-APG is an officially recognized chapter which promotes the highest standards of ethics and… -
Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) Now Accepting Applications for APG Young Professional Award
11 Apr 2012 | 10:46 amWESTMINSTER, Colo., 11 April 2012—The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG®) is now accepting applications for the APG Young Professional Award. The award goes to a student with a significant interest in genealogy and with a strong interest in developing a professional career in genealogy. The award includes a scholarship registration for the APG Professional Management Conference (PMC) and a stipend of up to $500 towards travel and lodging at the conference. The winner will be announced in August 2012 for attendance at the APG PMC 2013, which will take place in Salt Lake City on… -
Ready or Not, Here it Comes!
31 Mar 2012 | 7:27 pmNote: If your local genealogical society is not participating, and you are in need of a group with which to sign up, please feel free to select either Second Life Chapter APG (UT) or Captain Henry Sweetser Chapter DAR (CA). We'd love to have your support in either group! 1940 US Census Project Update Release of Images in Two Days! Get Ready, Get Set . . . Thank you for your interest in the 1940 US Federal Census. This will be the last email you receive on behalf of the 1940 US Census Community Project before the images start to become available online. What You Can Expect on April 2 The 1940… -
My Grandparents are Missing
31 Mar 2012 | 11:16 amWhere, oh where, can my grandparents be? No, I don't mean that they've run away. What I mean is... I can't find them. In the census. My grandparents are missing. In an attempt to prepare for Monday's release of the 1940 U.S. Census, and in an attempt to steel myself to finish assignment #5 of the NGS Home Study Course, I've been doing a census "research report" for everyone in my pedigree chart back to my great-grandparents. What I've discovered is... I seem to have overlooked my grandparents. Wow. What the heck have I been doing as a genealogist for the past 25 years? First off, my father's…
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AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors
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No Scanfest in May
13 May 2012 | 6:31 pmI'm sorry to report that there will be no Scanfest in May. We normally meet the last Sunday of each month, unless holidays preclude it. Because the last Sunday of this month falls during Memorial Day weekend and many people will be gone or busy, I had planned to move it forward to Sunday, May 20th. However, my paternal grandmother passed away on May 5th and I will be out of town the weekend of May 20th for her memorial in Western Michigan. We will resume Scanfest in June and will hold it on Sunday, June 24th from 11 AM to 2 PM, PDT. Thank you for your understanding. -
The Clark County (WA) Genealogical Society's Spring Seminar
10 May 2012 | 8:57 pmLast Saturday I had the pleasure of speaking at the Clark County Genealogical Society's Spring Seminar in Vancouver, Washington, just north of Portland, Oregon across the Columbia River. The theme was Frugal Genealogy and I gave four presentations: Frugal Genealogy, or How Not to Spend a Fortune on Your Family Tree; Finding Volunteer & Low-Cost Researchers Online; Finding Vital Records and Obituaries Online; and Finding Your Ancestors in Historical Newspapers. Here are some photos of their library and meeting room at 717 Grand Boulevard, as well as snapshots from the seminar: Building… -
April 2012 Scanfest
29 Apr 2012 | 1:00 pm<p><a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=ecf2efa300" >April 2012 Scanfest</a></p> -
Scanfest is Coming!
22 Apr 2012 | 8:53 pmThe April 2012Scanfest will take place here at AnceStories this coming Sunday, April 29th, from 11 AM to 2 PM, Pacific Daylight 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 starting those massive scanning projects that… -
Finding Your Family in the 1940 U.S. Federal Census
1 Apr 2012 | 3:48 pmIn order to find your family in the 1940 U.S. Federal Census when it is first released to the public on April 2, 2012, you will need to know where your ancestors at that time, as the census will not be indexed immediately. A team of volunteers is amassed, ready to start indexing, but it still will take some time! If you would like to help, please sign up here. City, county, rural and other directories will be helpful in figuring out where your ancestors lived in 1940, especially if you believe they moved after the 1930 census was taken. Using my Online Historical Directories site…
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:: C R E A T I V E G E N E ::
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I've Become One Of Them...
10 May 2012 | 1:24 pmBe afraid. Be very afraid. Or laugh if that suits you better. ;-) After indexing thousands of records for FamilySearch, I took the plunge. Yes, I've become a FamilySearch arbitrator. As of today I've arbitrated just over a thousand names. That's not a lot compared to those who have been arbitrating for years or even months. But I feel like I'm out of the "newbie" category now. I thought I'd share a few of my thoughts and observations on the 1940 Census project since that's entirely what my indexing and arbitrating efforts are focused on at this point. Indexing I suspect… -
Carnival of Genealogy, 117th Edition
4 May 2012 | 6:00 amWelcome to the May 4, 2012 edition of the Carnival of Genealogy. The topic for this edition is: 1940! What a year 1940 was. The United States was coming out of the Great Depression and on the verge of WWII. It was a presidential election year, one in which Franklin D. Roosevelt (incumbent) ran for an unprecedented 3rd term as president. He won by a comfortable margin over Wendell Willkie, his Republican opponent, and became the only president in U.S. history to serve a third term. Of course there were many other significant events that happened in the year 1940, including… -
Feast Day of St Wojciech
23 Apr 2012 | 1:32 pmI have an article posted on The Catholic Gene today in honor of St Wojciech, the first patron saint of Poland. I have several family ties to the saint, a church founded under his patronage, and his feast day. An article, written by Rev. Mark A. Borkowski, tells of the history of the saint and the church founded in his honor here in Detroit. You can read about it here. -
Shades: Birthday Edition--Captured Moments of FootnoteMaven
22 Apr 2012 | 11:16 amIt's a Holiday! Today is the birthday of footnoteMaven, editor/publisher of the award-winning Shades of the Departed Online Magazine. The Shadettes and Shades-dudes Staff Writers are pleased to present this Special Birthday Edition of the magazine as a tribute to their dear friend. Long may your tiara sparkle, fM! Captured Moments of footnoteMaven When creating a scrapbook page for a dear friend, such as my dear friend fM, one must make every attempt to capture their personality as well as significant events in their lives. Of course you can't expect to capture all their… -
My Family in the 1940s
18 Apr 2012 | 6:00 amThe decade of the 1940s was significant for many reasons, not the least of which was WWII. But there were other significant events that occurred in my family during that decade too. I've created scrapbook pages for some of these events over the years. In fact, I think I've created more scrapbook pages for 1940s events than for any other decade. Here is a video showcase of my pages (no audio)... The 1940 Census provides us with much information about our families and the neighborhoods they lived in. I look forward to learning more about my extended family members as I come…
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About.com Genealogy
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Autosomal DNA Testing - Can it Really Predict Our Ancestors?
15 May 2012 | 7:14 amOne of the coolest genetic tools in the genealogist's toolbox (especially for those of us of the female persuasion without Y-DNA) is the relatively new autosomal DNA test. This month Ancestry.com entered the market, joining 23andme.com and FamilyTreeDNA, with their own autosomal DNA test known as AncestryDNA. Read Full PostAutosomal DNA Testing - Can it Really Predict Our Ancestors? originally appeared on About.com Genealogy on Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 at 12:14:19.Permalink | Comment | Email this -
U.S. WWII Cadet Nursing Corps Records
8 May 2012 | 2:29 amAncestry.com released an interesting new collection this week, the WWII Cadet Nursing Corps Card Files. The more than 300,000 records, including more than 124,000 young women between the ages of 17 and 35, date between 1942 and 1948 and provide an interesting look at the young women who joined this program to ensure that the United States had enough nurses to care for its citizens on both the home and war fronts. As a part of the program, cadets went through an accelerated training that fit a 36-month course into a 30-month period. Senior cadets then served their last six months in… -
Ancestry.com, Inc. to Acquire Archives.com for $100 million
25 Apr 2012 | 1:48 pmAncestry.com announced this afternoon that it has entered into an agreement to acquire family history website Archives.com for approximately $100 million in cash and assumed liabilities. You can view the full press release on GeneaPress. Archives.com offers access to over 2.1 billion historical records and in just over two years has grown to more than $380,000 paying subscribers at an annual subscription fee of $39.95...Read Full Post -
FamilySearch Indexing the 1940 Census - How to Get it Right!
17 Apr 2012 | 6:37 amIt is frustrating as a volunteer FamilySearch indexer to spend oodles of extra time making sure you get every last name and detail deciphered correctly, only to have an arbitrator come back and undo your hard work because they didn't spend the same quality time. Or to have one of your batches come back with multiple arbitrated changes -- for situations such as blank lines and 1935 place of residence where you feel you have followed the rules correctly. From an arbitrator's point of view, however, I can say it is equally frustrating having to ding an excellent indexer's arbitration results for… -
Celebrities in the 1940 Census
10 Apr 2012 | 6:02 pmThe recent release of the 1940 U.S. Census provides an interesting lens into the lives of many famous Americans. Celebrity actors, sports stars, authors, artists, and scientists can all be found among its pages, including Clark Gable of "Gone With the Wind" fame living with his new wife, Carole Lombard, outside of Los Angeles, less than two years before her death in a tragic plane crash. And while I'm talking about tragic plane crashes, the 1940 census also includes famous baseball legend Roberto Clemente, who died when his plane went down during a humanitarian mission to Nicaragua on 31…
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Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter
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Mocavo Raises Another $4 Million in Venture Capital
16 May 2012 | 11:15 amI have written a number of times about Mocavo, the genealogy search engine. My past articles may be found by starting at http://goo.gl/MtdPs. Mocavo has now announced it has raised $4 million in its first round of funding in a bid to help people find their ancestors through its search engine.This morning, Mocavo COO Ryan Hunter wrote on the Mocavo blog: Today, we are very excited to announce that we have finalized our Series A round of funding with an investment from Foundry Group. Along with this funding, our team welcomes the Foundry Group Managing Director, Seth Levine, to the Mocavo board… -
19th Century Graveyard Found Below California Construction Site
16 May 2012 | 10:56 amConstruction at a portion of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center has stopped in San Jose, Calif. because crews have unearthed pine boxes filled with the bodies of those whose families couldn't afford their proper burials. The pine boxes date back to between 1875 and 1935, and were discovered in February when construction crews were doing seismic survey work.There may be as many as 1,445 bodies on the site. You can read more in an article by Kimberly Tere on MSN at http://goo.gl/BmUa9. My thanks to John Fesnock for telling me about this article. If you enjoyed this article, please share it with… -
Wal-Mart and the Slave Cemetery
16 May 2012 | 9:59 amThe graves of about 80 slaves in Florence, Alabama are being threatened by a planned new Wal-Mart store. The slaves were owned by Gen. John Coffee, a friend of President Andrew Jackson and a surveyor who drew the state’s border with Mississippi. There is archaeological and historical evidence that suggests his slaves’ graves may be precisely where Walmart plans to pave a driveway to the new store. Walmart says it will avoid harming any burial grounds, and has pledged $25,000 to restore the crumbling cemetery. But determining the graveyard’s boundaries has proved challenging. Walmart… -
Free Anti-Virus Software for Macs
15 May 2012 | 7:55 pmOnce upon time, such as last year, any time you discussed the subject of computer viruses, the Mac owners would always say, "Macs don't get viruses!" They were mostly correct. To be sure, there were a few esoteric Mac viruses floating around online, but they were so rare that Mac owners never worried about them and apparently never became infected. A lot has changed in the past twelve months.Mac viruses now are growing. Viruses are still unusual in the Macintosh world and not often encountered by Mac owners. However, the numbers have grown enough to the point that a Mac owner… -
Genealogy for Juniors Program Class in Youngtown, Arizona
15 May 2012 | 3:12 pmPerhaps we should see more classes like this one. The following announcement was written by the West Valley Genealogical Society: The West Valley Genealogical Society, 12222 N. 111th Ave., Youngtown, AZ, invites young people, ages 10-16, interested in learning about their family history and finding their ancestors, an opportunity to enroll in a four week Genealogy for Juniors Program. The class will include the Scouting requirements for a Genealogy or Family History badge. Scouting membership is not required. The classes will meet four Mondays, June 4, 11, 25 and July 2 (no class…
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Newberry
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Genealogy 101 - American Library Association
12 May 2012 | 9:25 amThis five-week online course for librarians provides an introduction to American genealogy reference service -
Mining the National Archives - Monday, May 14th
12 May 2012 | 9:19 amJoin the Kenosha County Genealogical Society for a presentation on the National Archives. -
"Who Do You Think You Are?" Visits the Newberry
10 May 2012 | 10:17 amTune in to NBC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?” on Friday, May 11th at 7:00 pm (CST). -
Lemont Public Library: Unlocking the Doors to Your Home’s Past
3 May 2012 | 9:47 amSatisfy your curiosity about your own home or one in the family. -
Saturday, May 5th - Genealogy Happenings
2 May 2012 | 11:41 amThere are several great activities to pick from. A Newberry orientation and Chicago Genealogical Society event. Or if you can’t make it downtown, learn about house histories at the Eisenhower Library.
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ancestors magazine
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Rekindling the ancestral flames of Antique Fireplaces
19 Apr 2012 | 7:13 amIf you research your Family tree, you might be surprised to learn that Antique Fireplaces that your ansestors used are still currently being used in this day and age. Perhaps you might even come accross a family heirloom as antique fireplaces can be a valuable antiquity. However, If you are thinking about having antique fireplaces installed in your home there are a number of benefits to spending a little extra for an authentic look. The most common misconception is that because they are so old they may not last as long as you want them to. Because they are hand crafted pieces a lot of work… -
The Stunning History of 3D Movies & 3D TV
23 Oct 2011 | 6:55 amMovies made in 3D continue to rise in popularity. From the early release of movies of this type in the theaters during the 1950s, people have continued to demand more of the experience. For many people, wearing green and red cardboard glasses at the movie theater actually added to their entire experience. This accessory also gave them a sense of nostalgia when they began to use them in the theaters again a few decades later. Fast forward to the 1980s and 90s as that era saw the critically acclaimed format show up in IMAX theaters across the country. During the new millennium, 3D movies… -
Victorian Beds
2 Jun 2011 | 7:01 amMy mother left in her will a beautiful antique bed from the Victorian times. Undoubtedly it was an era of innovative style and cultural influences from asia and the middle east countries. Designs in these times were regarded has been freighted with indulgence of ornateness and hand crafted artistic touches. Although there wasn’t really one over bearing dominant style in this period, the prevalence of gothic and revival styles were some of the most common to be found in the Victorian bedroom (as well as the chastity department) Another item she left was a copper pan bed warmer… -
Tracing Family History
9 May 2011 | 5:09 amThe act or practice of tracing one’s family history is known as researching genealogy. When someone begins the process of tracing their genealogy they take on an adventure of discovering all sorts of family members, making new memories while remembering past memories, while also getting a sense of who they are and where they came from. In order to determine the legitimacy of a genealogy, a genealogist will use several deciding factors: oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other such records regarding the family to verify the relationship and pedigree of the members… -
The Web in the Family Tree: Genealogies Online
9 May 2011 | 5:08 amLegacy and heritage are two very important things to pass down from generation to generation. Heritage being where one comes from and legacy reflecting the mark a person or people group has left on this world. As children grow and mature they desire to see these two aspects passed down from their great-grandparents to their grand-parents and even to their father or mother. Though one may not realize it at the time, the legacy and heritage left or passed down to them truly affects the person they are today to some degree and can even directly affect the legacy and heritage they personally pass…
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California Genealogical Society and Library blog
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Day One: NGS 2012 Family History Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio
10 May 2012 | 1:50 amCGS President Jeffrey Vaillant generously makes time to write and send reports from conferences. This year he is attending the NGS 2012 Family History Conference in Cincinnati. Thanks, Jeffrey!National Genealogical Conference-Day OneCincinnati, OH 9 May 2012 Great first day! It started with a presentation by Patricia Mosley Van Skaik on the Genealogy Buried in a Photograph: Amazing Discoveries in the Cincinnati Panorama of 1848. Rather than words, go here to see it for yourself: Cincinnati Panorama of 1848.On the way to the opening of the trade show, Vinnie Schwarz, Tim Cox,… -
Wordless Wednesday
9 May 2012 | 11:00 pmBook Repair CommitteeTuesday, May 8, 2012Anne Robinson Photograph courtesy of Arlene Miles, Oakland, California.Copyright © 2012 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library -
A Pre-Conference Report from President Jeff in Cincinnati
8 May 2012 | 1:46 amCGS President Jeffrey Vaillant is attending the National Genealogical Society's Annual Family History Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. He sent this "pre-conference" report:Some of my people came from Boone, Campbell, and Kenton Counties in northern Kentucky which is just south of Cincinnati where the NGS event is being held. So since I'm "in the neighborhood" it's a great opportunity to do some research in advance of the conference.Today was my day in Campbell County which has TWO places where records are kept – Newport and Alexandria. The first stop was Newport since it is close to… -
Heading South for Jamboree 2012
5 May 2012 | 1:00 amMembers of the California Genealogical Society are making plans for this year's Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree, Friday-Sunday, June 8-10, 2012, at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport. The theme for the 43rd annual event is Lights, Camera, Ancestors! Spotlight on Family History.As they did last year, co-chairs Paula Hinkel and Leo Myers offered a FREE one-day exhibit table to genealogical societies, historical societies, and other nonprofit organizations. We had one of the hall tables last year and it worked well for us. We're thrilled to have snagged a table for this… -
Wordless Wednesday
3 May 2012 | 12:00 am12th Annual California Genealogical SocietySalt Lake City Research TourApril 22-29, 2012Photographs courtesy of Jim Sorenson, Salt Lake City, Utah.Copyright © 2012 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library
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Family Research - English, Scottish and Irish Genealogy
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Go back earlier into Parish Records
16 May 2012 | 7:27 amNow you can research family records going right back to the reign of Henry VIII. Our amazing new London Parish Records collection gives you a unique opportunity to see records going back further than 1837 — which is when formal birth, marriage and death certificates were introduced, for more click here -
Ancestry Library Edition (ALE)
16 May 2012 | 6:56 amAncestry Library Edition (ALE) is the result of a partnership between Ancestry.com and ProQuest. This premiere genealogy database is distributed exclusively by ProQuest to the library market and is ideal for the family historian or the social historian. Ancestry Library Edition provides the most genealogical information available on-line, with more than 5 billion names in [...] -
Going underground: The photos that show how New York City’s subway was built
16 May 2012 | 6:47 amIt is one of the oldest public transportation systems in the world. Since Manhattan’s original 28 stations were built, its subway system has grown to over 468 stations serving 1.64billion riders a year. These black-and-white images show the painstaking process endured by the laborers who laid the foundation for the 842 miles of track winding [...] -
British Olympic records set in digital archive
16 May 2012 | 6:44 amMore than a century of British official agonising over the Olympics – from how to approach the 1936 Games being held in Berlin amid the rise of Nazism, to a doomed project to build an Olympic park in London’s then derelict Docklands in the 1980s – have been revealed on a website created by the [...] -
Cambridge Uni to complete Charles Darwin’s last (and most creepy) experiment into human emotion
16 May 2012 | 6:41 amOne of Charles Darwin’s last experiments – which seems more like a trick the evolutionist enjoyed playing on his dinner guests – has been re-born for the digital age. The pioneer of the theory of evolution owned a collection of photographs showing a French man having his face contorted via electrical shock treatment into a [...]
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Genealogy Canada
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Two Golden Rules of Researching Documents
14 May 2012 | 11:00 pmI have been re-reading a great resource, a book by Ottawa's own Althea Douglas, called Time Traveller's Handbook: A Guide to the Past.In Chapter 2, "Dealing with Documents", she has two rules of research. The first one is -"Never trust a transcript made by someone else. Wherever you can, check the original document." I once came across a census return which said that the person I was researching was born in Canada, and his marriage certificate (which took place in Canada) said that he was born in Ireland. Which is true? The same person – but two different countries. What was I to do? -
New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs Week 24
14 May 2012 | 4:20 amBrenna Pearce - History Research Matters http://brennapearce.wordpress.com Brenna Pearce is the Chief Family Historian at Pearce Heritage Research Associates, located near Kingston, Ontario. She does research for a fee, but also has interesting and informative information freely available on her blog.French-Canadian (Québécois) History and Genealogy www.craftconn.com/genealogy/homepage.htm Linda Jones goes through the differences in French-Canadians and Acadians. She has a query page, and there is a list of surnames.SaskResearch www.saskresearch.com/index.html This researcher, Joe,… -
The Genealogy Corner
12 May 2012 | 11:00 pmI have started writing a genealogy column called "The Genealogy Corner" in The Review – a weekly newspaper in Vankleek Hill, Ontario. The column is geared towards beginning genealogists, but I think anyone can gain a new insight in the views that I have put forward in the column.The column appears every two weeks in print, but unfortunately, doesn't appear on the website, so if you are interested, you will have to buy the paper or get an online subscription. The website is www.thereview.on.ca.The columns that have been printed so far this year are -March 14 - Finding Your Canadian… -
MGS Celebrates Manitoba Day
11 May 2012 | 11:00 pmToday, the Manitoba Genealogical Society http://www.mbgenealogy.com/ is holding an Open House to celebrate Manitoba Day!They want to make their fellow residents aware of the birth of their province of Manitoba 142 years ago, on May 12th.The open house will be at 1045 St. James Street, Winnipeg, and it will feature a resource centre tour, and advice in tracking down family histories. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with free admission.In addition to the hourly tours of MGS Resources, there will be demonstrations of online sources of information, and special emphasis will be spent on… -
York County and the 1837 Rebellion
10 May 2012 | 11:00 pmThe York County Branch of the OGS www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~onyrbogs has a new project of collecting a list of participants in the 1837 Rebellion.The information being collected is -Date of birthPlace of BirthDate of DeathPlace of DeathRebel or VolunteerTime in PrisonPrisoner's Boxes MadeExileTransport to Diemen's LandBanishedEscapedThey are asking if you have an ancestor involved in the rebellion, please send in the information to Patricia Blackstock at pblack-stock@sympatico.ca.If you want a bit of information of the Rebellion of 1837, go to…
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Genealogy Insider
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This Weekend's Genealogy TV Season Finales
16 May 2012 | 12:06 pmThis week's season finale of "Who Do You Think You Are?" is also the series finale, at least on NBC. In the show, chef Paula Deen learns about her family history in the Deep South. She discovers a senator, slave owners and family letters. Here's a short preview: Watch the show at 8 p.m. ET/7 CT on NBC. Sunday at 8 p.m. on PBS' "Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr." actors Michelle Rodriguez and Adrian Grenier and author/journalist Linda Chavez explore their Latino roots. All share Spanish colonial roots, yet they self-identify differently differently: as American Indian, Puerto… -
150th Anniversary of the Homestead Act: Genealogy Resources for Land Records
16 May 2012 | 9:36 amhomestead act post Were your ancestors among the millions who claimed federal lands under the Homestead Act of 1862? We're coming up on the 150th anniversary of this groundbreaking (pun intended) legislation that accelerated the country's westward expansion. Look for opportunities to learn more about your homesteading ancestors. President Lincoln signed the Homestead Act into law on May 20, 1862. Beginning Jan. 1, 1863, a homesteader could receive up to 160 acres of public domain land by applying for a claim (which required a filing fee), improving the land, living on it for five years, and… -
"Who Do You Think You Are?": Not All Family Legacies Are Happy
12 May 2012 | 10:52 amThe young woman I bought coffee from this morning (before heading to our booth at the National Genealogical Society conference in Cincinnati) was talking about last night's "Who Do You Think You Are?" and how she wants to check out the exhibit hall today. Which is what we hope the show will do--be the spark that takes someone's interest in family history and turns it into action. So, the show: Actor and comedian Jason Sudeikis researched his dad's paternal line, discovering a legacy of sons who grew up without their dads. A death record told Sudeikis his dad's dad, Stanley, died young, at age… -
Tonight on "Who Do You Think You Are?": Jason Sudeikis
11 May 2012 | 1:58 pmActor and comedian Jason Sudeikis, known for his performances on "Saturday Night Live," is the guest on this week's "Who Do You Think You Are?" on NBC. Episode promos promise "one shock after another" in Sudeikis' family tree. Here's a video sneak peek at the show: -
Ancestry.com Adds 10 Billionth Record
10 May 2012 | 3:53 pmSubscription genealogy website Ancestry.com announced the addition of the site's 10 billionth record today. The announcement pointed out that its collection, which has grown 150 percent in the last three years, "is larger than those of all other online family history sites combined." On average, the site has added 55 million records a month since the website went online 15 years ago. The earliest digitized records are wills executed in London in 1507. The earliest record indexes date back to marriage licenses and probated wills in Dublin from 1270. The most popular collection remains the US…
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WorldVitalRecords Blog
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Four Ways to ‘Freshen Up’ your Search
16 May 2012 | 1:02 pmFamily history research can happen in waves. When research is going well, it’s easy to keep on digging. However, when searching is less fruitful, research slips down the priority list. Not long ago, I was at a low point in my research. In desperation, I cast a wider net in hopes of hitting something that could provide motivation in my research quest. Courtesy San Antonio Express 1938 Here’s what happened: I attempted to look for anything remotely related to the family I was researching. I wanted to jumpstart my research. Logging into my account at WorldVitalRecords.com, I typed in the… -
Family Trees: Nurture and care – a lasting legacy
16 May 2012 | 1:02 pmA neighbor recently offered us some trees because they had too many in their yard. My wife said yes. We went over and began to dig. One tree was about 10 feet tall with a trunk an inch or more in diameter. It was more like a stick with branches as buds had not yet formed. We managed to pull its massive root system mostly intact. The other five trees included one with a single stem along with some 6-7 foot trees with great potential and few new buds. Family Trees When we were finished, some only had four or five roots and the main branch, which couldn’t be yet called a trunk. Our… -
NGS 2012: Recap
15 May 2012 | 3:49 pmMyHeritage Team with Dennis Brimhall CEO of FamilySearch Last week, the MyHeritage team was kept very busy in a whirlwind of work, learning and fun at very well attended National Genealogical Society’s 2012 conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. On Wednesday, the team was busy at the booth answering questions and providing more information to attendees who had heard about MyHeritage from speakers who spoke about our very social family trees, WorldVitalRecords.com data, facial recognition technology and much more. Portrayal of a man hiding behind a tree in his quest for freedom - National… -
Webinar: Family history research made easier
15 May 2012 | 12:30 pmThis is a post from the MyHeritage Blog regarding a Family Tree Builder Webinar this week. We hope to see you there. Family Tree Builder 6.0 (click to enlarge) Following the success of How to find your relatives in the 1940 US Census, we invite you to register for our next webinar: “Family Tree Builder: Tips and tricks to make family history research easier.” The webinar will take place on Thursday, May 17 at 2pm EDT*. Want to learn the tricks of the trade from our MyHeritage experts? In this session, we’ll discuss: • Building or importing a family tree • Tips to help… -
NGS: Day one
10 May 2012 | 8:34 amNGS 2012 began today with a huge line to enter the exhibit hall. NGS 2012 Kicks Off Exhibit hall traffic was heavy throughout the day as thousands came to get a good deal on products and service and find answers to their genealogy questions. This year several babies joined the fun. Family Roots Publishing’s baby already has six conferences under his belt – and he’s only a few months old. Looks like selling books with Mom, Dad and Grandpa Leland are a near certainty for the hungry little guy. Leland Meitzler and grandson Schelly Talalay Dardashti (L) with Diane Haddad's son, and…
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The Ancestry Insider
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Facial Recognition
13 May 2012 | 11:05 pm“I work with technology that is yet to come,” said Gregory Kipper, “futurist” with General Dynamics. Kipper spoke about facial recognition in his session at the 2012 annual conference of the National Genealogical Society. Kipper dispelled the myth that photographs can be analyzed as easily as is done on television shows and movies. He showed two video clips from YouTube that poke fun at the notion. This is the first. (To view online, click here.) This clip makes fun of television shows and movies that perform impossible photo analyses In the second, a CSI team supposedly zooms in 100x… -
Ancestry.com VIP Briefing
10 May 2012 | 11:05 pmI was lucky enough to get an invitation to Ancestry.com’s Wednesday evening VIP briefing at the 2012 annual conference of the National Genealogical Society. Here’s some of the stuff they covered: First, the presentation of the refreshments was fantastic. Fruit-ka-bobs stuck into pineapple-trunks of tropical trees. Eye-popping good. Ancestry favored us with three presenters. Ancestry DNA John Pereira spoke about AncestryDNA. You’ve heard most of the hoopla and I talked a little bit about it yesterday. (See “Ancestry.com Q & A at NGS Conference.”) To give you an idea of the scope… -
Ancestry.com Q & A at NGS Conference
9 May 2012 | 11:04 pmCrista Cowan, Ancestry.com’s barefoot genealogist, conducted a question and answer session in the company’s booth Wednesday morning at the 2012 National Genealogical Society annual conference. Audience members had three lines of questioning:1940 U.S. Census Cowan said that people don’t always understand that Ancestry.com and FamilySearch’s indexing efforts are separate. Ancestry has their own effort. They are using several commercial keying vendors to index the census. Ancestry will publish each state as it is completed, but they don’t know what the order will be. Cowan told me that… -
NGS Conference Begins with a Click
9 May 2012 | 9:27 amThe annual conference of the National Genealogical Society began Wednesday morning with a click. But not just any click; it was the click of a daguerreotype photograph. Patricia Van Skaik gave the opening session keynote address spoke about the Cincinnati Panorama of 1848. Van Skaik is the Manager of the Genealogy and Local History Collection at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. “On September 24, 1848, Charles Fontayne and William S. Porter set up their camera on a rooftop in Newport, Kentucky,” says the library website, “and panned across the Ohio River capturing on… -
'Twas the Night Before NGS and FamilySearch Was Stirring
8 May 2012 | 11:05 pmPaul Nauta of FamilySearch addresses bloggers TuesdayYou must know I am prejudiced in favor of the National Genealogical Society (NGS), for which I serve as a volunteer. I must say I loved the NGS conference in Salt Lake City. I’m lucky a job assignment has made it possible for me to attend every year. And so as I write this Tuesday evening I am perched waiting for another NGS conference to begin. Earlier Tuesday evening I attended a pre-NGS news briefing by FamilySearch and learned a thing or two. FamilySearch has published 530 million images and 1.7 billion indexed records. FamilySearch…
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The Geni Blog
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NGS 2012 Family History Conference Recap
15 May 2012 | 5:30 pmWe’re back from Cincinnati, Ohio where we attended the NGS 2012 Family History Conference. We met lots of Geni users and had a great time chatting with the other vendors. All week, people were abuzz about this year’s lectures. On Wednesday, our good friends at AncestorSync that their beta is now live. With AncestorSync you can seamlessly synchronize your Geni tree with your desktop software and back without the hassle of GEDCOMs. If you want to tryout the beta, head over to AncestorSync.com to get started. Even though UPS lost their booth on its way over, they were still able to… -
Family Tree Tuesday – Joseph Conrad
15 May 2012 | 3:17 pmJoseph Conrad Polish novelist, Joseph Conrad was born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski on December 3, 1857 in Berdichev, Kiev Governorate (now Berdychiv, Ukraine). He was born into a highly patriotic, noble Polish family. His father, Apollo Korzeniowski, was a Polish poet, playwright, clandestine political activist and a translator of Alfred de Vigny and Victor Hugo from French and of Charles Dickens and Shakespeare from English. He encouraged his son to read widely in Polish and French. In 1861 Apollo Korzeniowski was arrested by Imperial Russian authorities in Warsaw, Poland, for helping… -
Monday Recap for May 14, 2012
14 May 2012 | 3:11 pmWe had a great time at the NGS 2012 Family History Conference last week! Were you in Cincinnati, Ohio for the genealogy conference? Here are some interesting articles from the world of genealogy that you may have missed! The Genealogy Sphere AncestorSync Beta 2012 (Tamura Jones) – Tamura Jones reviews AncestorSync beta Family Tree Talk: Piles and piles of paper (The Ionia Sentinel-Standard) – Jim Moses discusses sorting piles of documentation for his family history research The Universal Appeal of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ (The Atlantic) – Taking a look at why… -
Who Should Write Our Story?
11 May 2012 | 10:30 amSpecial thanks to Smadar Belkind Gerson of Past-Present-Future for this week’s blog post. Read on to hear her insightful thoughts about telling your own story and those of your relatives in their own words. I must admit, I was not excited about reading about Alzheimer’s, the theme of my last book club book, Still Alice by Lisa Genova. As the eight of us sat around the cozy dining room table, I learned that the apprehension about the book was universal. Aging and the fear of dementia was a subject too close to home for the older woman in the group. Others had lived through caring… -
New Amsterdam Genealogy Project – Part 2
10 May 2012 | 10:00 amDo you have New Amsterdam ancestors? You may want to check out the New Amsterdam project on Geni! Curator George Homs kindly agreed to share with his some insights about the New Amsterdam project and how it can help you in your family history research. Read part 2 of our interview below! You can find part 1 here. George Homs What are your next steps in the New Amsterdam genealogy project? This is a never-ending project. As said before, the churches are crucial as information sources. Hence, we want to focus more on the religious picture of New Amsterdam. We try to identify where the…
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The We Tree Genealogy Blog
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SCGS 2012 Genealogy Jamboree Updates
14 May 2012 | 8:00 amThe 2012 Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree is approaching fast. Here are some news stories about the Jamboree that may be of interest to you: SCGS has instituted a youth scholarship program for aspiring genealogists from 18-29. This makes conference attendance very affordable for students and young whippersnappers. Geneabloggers has a list of bloggers who will be at Jamboree. Follow them for all the latest Jamboree information. Did you know that Jamboree has its own blog? Check it often for Jamboree updates before and during the conference. -
Book review: On the Banks of Plaquemine Brulee by Gene Thibodeaux
13 May 2012 | 4:29 pmOn the Banks of Plaquemine Brulee: Une Histoire de la Pointe de l'Eglise is a history of Church Point, Lousiana written by native Gene Thibodeaux. My own interest in this book stems from my connection to the area. My great-great grandparents Noel Thibodeaux and Eliza Eldridge were married there. You may remember Noel as the one with the wandering eye. Thibodeaux's book is organized into eighteen chapters, sorted by time period. The first chapter begins with the Native American history of the area. Later chapters each cover a set time period and the events that occurred during that time. A… -
Inside History Magazine's Top 50 Genealogy Blogs List
11 May 2012 | 10:21 amI have funny story. Earlier this week, Inside History Magazine published a list of their top 50 genealogy blogs. I subscribe to many genealogy blogs in Australia and New Zealand, which is the target market of this magazine. Naturally, there were a lot of happy bloggers who were excited to make the list. I offered many congratulatory comments on their blogs because it's always cool to celebrate with another blogger. The funny thing is that when I congratulated one blogger, he told me thanks and said, "Same to you." Huh? I've been so busy with my own work and trying to keep up… -
1000memories releases ShoeBox App for Android
9 May 2012 | 7:02 pm[Last November I had lunch with the kind folks at 1000memories. They asked for my input on their new ShoeBox app for the iPhone. I pulled my Android phone out of my pocket and set it on the table. They got the message. I am pleased to share this press release with you today. I have downloaded the app and started playing with it. It is very easy to use. I'll let you know how it goes. In the mean time, read up on the latest developments with the 1000memories Shoebox app. ---A] 1000memories releases ShoeBox App for Android, ShoeBox 2.0 for iPhone Photo-scanning app unveils new design; adds the… -
What I Scanned
8 May 2012 | 5:38 pmOne day a week I scan someone else's stuff. It is part of a larger family history project in which I am involved. Today I was really looking forward to opening those file drawers and seeing what today's scanning would be. That's when I realized that I had an attachment to the people in the files...as weird as that sounds. Instead of saying "good morning" to fellow employees, I was thinking it about the long deceased people in the files. After a week of being away, I was happy to see them again. Do not report me for a bad case of crazy. I can handle this. The actual scanning today was not very…
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DNA - Genealem's Genetic Genealogy
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DNA DAY!!! FTDNA SALE!
19 Apr 2012 | 6:20 pmDNA DAY is here!Family Tree DNA will have a two-day sale.The sale prices for new tests and for upgrades! These are HOT prices, so order now!!!!If you are new, click on the FTDNA icon in the lower right of this blog and order. For and order that involves a Y-DNA (even when combined with another test), put your surname in the SEARCH box and follow the prompts. IF you do not find your surname listed and/or if you are testing only for mtDNA or Family Finder, enter GFO in the SEARCH box and I can help you with understanding the results. Doing this also allows you to join a… -
NEHGS and "Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr."
30 Mar 2012 | 1:13 pmThis press release was just sent by the New England Historic Genealogical Society with a a request to post it to my blog.NEHGS to be featured on new PBS Series“Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.”Show helps to uncover the mysteries of who we are and where we come fromBoston, MA – March 30, 2012 – The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) is pleased to announce that it will be featured on the next episode of the new 10-part PBS series, Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. NEHGS and Senior Researcher Rhonda McClure will be featured on the next episode of… -
Who Do You Think You Are? Live 2012
8 Mar 2012 | 4:51 pmWho Do You Think You Are? Live, the world’s largest genealogy conference, was held once again at the Olympia Center in London’s Kensington-Chelsea area, and once again many of us from the United States attended to help at the Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) booth and at the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) booth. Max moved for more spaceAnd this is only part of the BoothConference attendance appeared to be back to normal from its slump last year. Usually Friday is the largest attendance day, but “on-the-ground” observers contend that both Friday and Saturday were… -
Family Tree DNA Allows Transfers of 23andMe Test Results
31 Jan 2012 | 6:12 pmToday, Family Tree DNA opens the door to 23andMe customers! Those who tested with the V3 (Illumnia OmniExpress chip) may upload their results file to FTDNA for a one-time fee. Those who tested with the lower resolution V2 chip will have the option to retest with FTDNA at a discounted rate! FTDNA is the largest testing company for genealogists and have allowed testers from several other companies to transfer their results to them, including the buy-out of DNA Heritage. This 23andMe customers will soon discover is because the personal webpages (myFTDNA) are loaded with information and the… -
DNA - Genealem's Genetic Genealogy
16 Dec 2011 | 4:51 amDNA - Genealem's Genetic Genealogy
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Appalachian History
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Emma Gatewood, 67, walks Appalachian Trail solo
16 May 2012 | 12:00 amPerry and Emma Gatewood’s oldest daughter Helen was already 20 years old in 1928, and the other children weren’t far behind. So Emma Gatewood became “Grandma Gatewood” to her immediate family long before the rest of the world knew her by that title. Throughout the 30s, 40s and 50s she continued raising her 11 children and four of her grandchildren at the family farm in Gallia County, Ohio. With no means of transportation, Grandma Gatewood would simply walk two, three, four or five miles for her visits. Then in 1955 at the age of 67, Grandma Gatewood made a journey that gained… -
It pleases me that dulcimer making goes back as far as the Bible
15 May 2012 | 12:00 amEdsel Martin (1927-1999) liked to refer to himself as the ‘mountain misfit of North Carolina.’ That understates the case just a tad. He was in fact a widely celebrated instrument maker, musician and artist whose work can be found in the Smithsonian Institution and the North Carolina Museum of History. Martin, a member of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild, was the son of a regionally renowned fiddler, Marcus Lafayette Martin, and was part of a family of noted artists from Swannanoa, NC. His woodcarvings are representative of both the southern handicrafts revival and the arts &… -
Old Man Wright rides into exile
14 May 2012 | 12:00 amSunday Magazine–St. Louis Post Dispatch–May 9, 1926 OLD MAN WRIGHT RIDES INTO EXILESo as to Git Away From Trouble, This Settler of the Hills–Fighter and Killer–Sits Astride His Mare and Goes Slowly Down to the Valleys.By HARRY R. BURKEOf the Post-Dispatch Staff Pikeville, KY—Old Man Lige Wright packed his traps in the saddlebags and gingerly pulled himself across the back of his good bay mare. He rode out then through Osborn Gap and into Virginia slowly. For Old Man Lige Wright was doing the hardest thing he had ever done. He was running away from trouble. Back… -
Listen Here: Appalachian History Weekly podcast posts today
13 May 2012 | 12:00 amWe post a new episode of Appalachian History weekly podcast every Sunday. You can start listening right away by clicking the podcast icon over on the right side of your screen. If you’d rather grab the show off itunes for later listening, click here: We open today’s show with the story of how colonial Virginia governor Lord Dunmore decided to settle the western boundary line dispute with Pennsylvania by forcibly taking possession of Pittsburg, or Fort Pitt, and attaching it to the colony of Virginia. When challenged by Pennsylvania, Dunmore admitted that the land had indeed once… -
A childhood urge to express my innermost feelings, to record
11 May 2012 | 12:00 amIn her book about growing up in Lonaconing, MD, Ruth Bear Levy (1898-1994) wrote about how “modern artists could create masterpieces out of the sights and sounds of Lonaconing,” how a “painter could paint the shapes and dark and light contours of the area” and how “all the pastel colors could be rolled out of the tubes for the pink, green and brown syrups covering fruits and ices in the ice cream parlors.” The Garrett County native did not begin painting until later in life. Once she did start making pictures, she often drew from her memories of her…
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Smoky Mountain Family Historian
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Book Review: The American Resting Place by Marilyn Yalom
30 Apr 2012 | 12:14 pmYalom, Marilyn. The American Resting Place: Four Hundred Years of History Through Our Cemeteries and Burial Grounds. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008.Yalom has given us an interesting look at many different cemeteries across the United States. She begins her tour in Boston and makes her way along selected locations on the east coast such as Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Georgia. She then makes her way to St. Louis, Chicago, New Orleans, Texas and eventually to California and Hawaii. Although it fails to be comprehensive, it is representative. She discusses differences… -
By Faith Alone by Bill Griffeth (Book Review)
28 Apr 2012 | 9:50 amGriffeth, Bill. By Faith Alone: One Family's Epic Journey Through 400 Years of American Protestantism. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2007.CNBC anchor Bill Griffeth shares the story of his family's history in this short and highly readable volume. The author used sources from books to original records to the Internet in compiling his work, but the reader can tell that he has done his homework and that he has documented his research instead of simply relying on undocumented published trees. He has made extensive use of published local histories, some published family histories, church… -
Beastly Things by Donna Leon (Book Review)
17 Apr 2012 | 2:00 amLeon, Donna. Beastly Things. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2012.Commissario Guido Brunetti investigates a man whose body is found in one of the canals. The man suffered from a rare disease which affected the upper portion of his body. The man's identity leads the investigation to a slaughterhouse. Brunetti is convinced that the key to the murder lies there, but with no one talking, he's having difficulty developing the case. It's an interesting case. Although the outcome is somewhat predictable, the author managed to maintain my interest. There are a couple of subplots that add some… -
A Most Contagious Game by Catherine Aird (Review)
14 Apr 2012 | 9:25 amThomas Harding purchased a country estate sight unseen. He regrets having turned over the matter of the purchase to his wife during his convalescence, but all that changes when the odd placement of an electrical outlet leads to the discovery of a hidden room in the house. When they finally tear away the plaster someone had used to seal the hidden priest's hole, they find an old skeleton. With a current murder investigation, the local law enforcement is not very interested in the older crime. Thomas begins investigating on his own. This is probably going to be an all-time favorite mystery. -
Where Did They Live?
14 Apr 2012 | 8:43 amIf you've been indexing the 1940 census (or even using it), you know that there is a line that asks where people were residing 5 years ago. One of the responses is "same house." This is what happens when an enumerator has had a rather long day and is tired of writing the same thing over and over again.As you can see, one person was living on "some horse." Now, I can imagine that would get to be very uncomfortable, particularly in the elements and for sleepingAnother person was living in "some hose." I think those would be pretty cramped quarters.I think this was in an Attala County,…
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West in New England
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THE CANCELLATION OF "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?"
14 May 2012 | 8:14 pmI'd been watching the declining ratings of Who Do You Think You Are? this season with growing concern. I knew they were putting the future of the series in doubt but I hoped that NBC would still renew it as a commitment to better programming on their part. So I was dismayed to learn last night that the network had cancelled it for the upcoming 2012-2o013. Several opinions were offered as to why WDYTYA had not been renewed. one was that the program failed to appeal to the coveted 18-49 years old demographic. But if you look at the weekly ratings, it's CBS' shows' that dominate the Top 20 and… -
THE SECOND NEW ENGLAND GENEABLOGGER BASH
14 May 2012 | 1:12 amI missed the first New England Geneablogger Bash last fall but thanks to Erica and Mike Voolich I was able to ride down with them to the second Bash. This one was being hosted by Sara Campbell at her cottage in Eastham on Cape Cod here in Massachusetts. The day got off to a hectic start for me because of an alarm clock malfunction. I'd set the alarm for 8am but I didn't wake up until 9:15 because the alarm never went off.( Apparently there was a power outage sometime overnight and I didn't have a fresh battery backup in the clock.). So I spent a half hour rushing around getting… -
HUNTING ANCESTORS ALONG ROUTE 58
5 May 2012 | 1:46 amI'm really lucky: I have ancestors buried in cemeteries nearby here in Plymouth County, Ma. Not only that, many of the cemeteries are beautiful and I've gotten some great photographs. This past two weeks I've visited eight local burial grounds; five of them were located on Rte58 in the towns of Plympton and Carver. I was hoping to locate members of my Dunham, Ellis, Griffith and Barrows families. The first place I visited was Hillcrest Cemetery in Plympton: Hillcrest Cemetery looking across Rte 58 to the First Congregational Church. According to Find A Grave there are two… -
HAPPY 344TH ANNIVERSARY JAMES KEITH AND SUSANNA EDSON
3 May 2012 | 5:21 pmToday is the 344th anniversary of my 8x great grandparents Rev, James Keith and Susanna Edson of West Bridgewater, Ma. I decided to celebrate by finally tracking down the location of their tomb. Imagine how chagrined I was to find I'd visited the Old Burying Ground in West Bridgewater last year and hadn't found it there back then! So I was bound and determined to locate it today. When I arrived at the cemetery on South St there was some roadwork being done and I had to drive past it, then turn around and drive back to find a safe parking spot on that side of the… -
LINES OF DISTINCTION: ROB LOWE ON WDYTYA
30 Apr 2012 | 12:19 amBack in March I attended the 2012 New England Family History Conference, and one of the sessions was one by Michael Potaski on "Finding Obscure Family History Ancestors". Now I have many ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War but I have others from that period who I have not been able to find any record that they served, so I was hoping to pick up some tips. Then Mr Potaski mentioned something that surprised me. He mentioned that there were other ways for a person to qualify for DAR or SAR membership besides having an ancestor who fought in the war: ancestors who contributed…
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All My Branches Genealogy
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Happy 4th Blogversary to Me!
18 Apr 2012 | 5:23 pmYes, it was 4 years ago that I began this blog! Thanks to all of you – my faithful readers – and the geneablogging world for making this possible! -
1940 Census: Quirks, Frustrations, and Findings
2 Apr 2012 | 7:58 pmThousands (millions?) of people began trying to access the Archives.co Site for the 1940 Census early this morning only to learn that all was not well. Too many hits added to servers that just didn’t seem ready for 37 million hits created that loud crashing sound we heard. Joining in the cacophony were the anguished cries of genealogists, media, and those at the National Archives. For 20 minutes this morning, I jumped on Ancestry.com and found the “1940′s era” records are now free for another week. I found my dad’s parents (Loyd and Ella Amore) in a 1930… -
1940s Census: Tomorrow’s the Day!
1 Apr 2012 | 2:55 pmUnless you have been living on another planet, then you know tomorrow marks the release of the 1940 U.S. Census. Many people hope to find their parents for the first time. My parents were both born before the 1930 census, and I found my mom as an 8-year old in that one. I still can’t find my dad or his parents. Only a few States will be ready for indexing tomorrow. One is Oregon. My maternal great-grandmother, Martha Jane (Stern) Clawson was living in Lane county, Oregon. I have an address & enumeration district so I’m ready to roll on that one. When more States are ready for… -
Are You Ready?
27 Mar 2012 | 6:55 amGEARING UP TO INDEX AND SEARCH THE 1940S CENSUS! Are you ready for Monday, April 2nd? Do you have all of your tools ready? What about your work schedule? Where are you sending the kids? Wait a minute – you don’t know what happens on Monday? You must have just returned from another planet or out from under a rock! It’s the release of the 1940s Census! A whole army of volunteers (but we need MORE!) has registered to index! Have you? What are you waiting for? Stop reading (but please bookmark this post) and go register at The 1940 Census – Getting Started! -
Questions Raised – “Finding Your Roots”
25 Mar 2012 | 7:53 pmAs I sit watching “Finding Your Roots” hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., questions pop out at me. Harry Connick, Jr. wonders why his 3rd great-grandfather, James Connick, enlisted to fight for the Confederacy during the Civil War. That led me to wonder why my great-grandfather, James E. House, enlisted as a soldier in the Union Army. Did he disagree with slavery? Was he afraid Ohio and the North would be over run with “those Southerners”? James hadn’t yet married so he didn’t have a wife and a family to support. Perhaps he wanted to help his parents, Florus…
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AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors
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No Scanfest in May
13 May 2012 | 6:31 pmI'm sorry to report that there will be no Scanfest in May. We normally meet the last Sunday of each month, unless holidays preclude it. Because the last Sunday of this month falls during Memorial Day weekend and many people will be gone or busy, I had planned to move it forward to Sunday, May 20th. However, my paternal grandmother passed away on May 5th and I will be out of town the weekend of May 20th for her memorial in Western Michigan. We will resume Scanfest in June and will hold it on Sunday, June 24th from 11 AM to 2 PM, PDT. Thank you for your understanding. -
The Clark County (WA) Genealogical Society's Spring Seminar
10 May 2012 | 8:57 pmLast Saturday I had the pleasure of speaking at the Clark County Genealogical Society's Spring Seminar in Vancouver, Washington, just north of Portland, Oregon across the Columbia River. The theme was Frugal Genealogy and I gave four presentations: Frugal Genealogy, or How Not to Spend a Fortune on Your Family Tree; Finding Volunteer & Low-Cost Researchers Online; Finding Vital Records and Obituaries Online; and Finding Your Ancestors in Historical Newspapers. Here are some photos of their library and meeting room at 717 Grand Boulevard, as well as snapshots from the seminar: Building… -
April 2012 Scanfest
29 Apr 2012 | 1:00 pm<p><a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=ecf2efa300" >April 2012 Scanfest</a></p> -
Scanfest is Coming!
22 Apr 2012 | 8:53 pmThe April 2012Scanfest will take place here at AnceStories this coming Sunday, April 29th, from 11 AM to 2 PM, Pacific Daylight 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 starting those massive scanning projects that… -
Finding Your Family in the 1940 U.S. Federal Census
1 Apr 2012 | 3:48 pmIn order to find your family in the 1940 U.S. Federal Census when it is first released to the public on April 2, 2012, you will need to know where your ancestors at that time, as the census will not be indexed immediately. A team of volunteers is amassed, ready to start indexing, but it still will take some time! If you would like to help, please sign up here. City, county, rural and other directories will be helpful in figuring out where your ancestors lived in 1940, especially if you believe they moved after the 1930 census was taken. Using my Online Historical Directories site…
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Beloved Eleanor
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Pin While You’re Winning…
1 May 2012 | 1:58 pmJust a quick one, as time has been short here with much coursework and is set to continue with exam revision. I caved and joined Pinterest some time back, and if you want to join me, I am here with my many boards. It’s a great place to pin pictures of things you are interested in or perhaps would like to have or see. My favourite board is my vintage fashion one, and many of my friends also are enjoying it too! Do let me know in my comments or email me if you’re on there already and I’ve missed you. -
Gothic Romance: Mary Stewart and Madeleine Brent
20 Apr 2012 | 10:29 amIt occurred to me the other day that I’ve really neglected the authors Mary Stewart and Madeleine Brent on this blog. I won’t bore you with a biography of them, but I will tell you why I like their stories. I discovered Mary Stewart’s books by accident, which is probably how I find most authors I love. I’ve loved the legends of King Arthur and Merlin for years, and came across her novel The Crystal Cave. I discovered this was part of a series which I devoured over the coming months when I could find them. Many Mary Stewart books were out of print at this time,… -
Book Review: Rake With a Frozen Heart by Marguerite Kaye
14 Apr 2012 | 10:06 amI was given an advance copy of this book to review. The Regency is my favourite period to read in historical romance, so I was excited to try Rake With a Frozen Heart. First of all, I loved this book. You might wonder why I only gave it 4 out of 5 stars – well I shall explain as I review, though there may be some spoilers while I do this… Rafe is the rake in question. Since a bad marriage he has tried to care for no-one (even himself I think), but the heroine – Henrietta a governess (my favourite of the two) unexpectedly needs his help after being attacked. Unfortunately,… -
An Epic Easter Gift
8 Apr 2012 | 4:47 pmI had to share this. The Mum left me a gift while I was at the Castle all day with our Easter event visitors. Apparently she made it just this afternoon! Check out Mama Hen and her hatching chicks, there might be something else in there too… By the way, she’s a bit fierce if you go near her nest. You can’t say I didn’t warn you. -
I Do Love Buckle Rings!
3 Apr 2012 | 6:00 pmI’ve had my (Victorian, I believe) silver buckle ring for a few years now, but have only just started wearing it: I’ve had a fascination with buckle rings ever since. I believe I’ve seen some bracelets similar too. Not quite on par with my hand brooch fetish, but still another thing to collect!
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Black Nashville Genealogy & History
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Funeral of Myrtle Callahan Chadwell
29 Apr 2012 | 5:44 pmImpressive Funeral Services Held Over Remains of Mrs. Myrtle Callahan Chadwell, Monday, January 18th Mt. Ararat Baptist Church Jammed to Capacity with Friends and Acquaintances of Deceased 22 Jan 1960, Nashville Globe Newspaper Mrs. Myrtle Callahan CHADWELL died at a local infirmary, Wednesday morning, January 13th at 10:45, after a short illness. Mrs. CHADWELL was born in Lincoln County, at Dellrose, Tennessee, July 12, 1912., the daughter of Marshall and Mattie CALLAHAN. She grew up under a noble Christian influence, which early inspired her to look forward to the better things in life. -
Infanticide
17 Apr 2012 | 3:25 pmThis is so disheartening From the May 12, 1866 issue of the Columbia Herald newspaper of Maury County, TN Infanticide. We learn that two negroinfants were discovered drowned, in a branch on the farm ofCol. Andrew J. Polk on Monday last. They had been thrown there by their mothers, who, learn, gave as reason, their inability to support them. – They ought rather to have sent them to their father Fisk -
Dedication of Fisk University (1876)
25 Feb 2012 | 3:15 amMemphis Daily Appeal January 2, 1876 pg. 1 Dedication Ceremonies Yesterday – “A Feast of Reason and Flow of Soul” Nashville, January 1 — The new Fisk university, named in honor of General Clinton B. FISK, was formally dedicated today in presence of a large assemblage of people, white and black. Governor PORTER and other State officials, Bishop McTYEIRE, of the Methodist church south, and quite a number of clergymen and educators were present. General FISK, who is president of the board of directors, presided and made the opening address, which embodied an earnest… -
Obituary: Geneva Windham McKissack
16 Apr 2011 | 5:38 pmRecently, I was contacted by a relative of Geneva, so have been doing some additional research on the McKissack family. Here is Geneva’s obituary: McKISSACK – Thursday, Jan. 11, 1951, at a local hospital. Mrs. Geneva Windham McKissack. Survived by husband, Mr. Calvin L. McKissack; sister, Mrs. Melvin Sears, Birmingham, Ala; brother , Mr. Lewis Windham, Birmingham, Ala.; foster son, Mr. Lamar Mitchell; a host of relatives and friends. The body will lie in state at her late residence. 1503 Edgehill ave. from Friday evening 6 o’clock until Saturday afternoon 1… -
Dwight Hillis Wilson (1909-1962)
20 Feb 2011 | 6:12 pmTowards the beginning of the month I helped the Society of American Archivists locate a photograph of Dwight Hillis Wilson Sr. (1909-1962). Mr. Wilson was an established archivist with the Allied Forces Records Administration in Washington, DC. Born in Raleigh, NC on October 18, 1909 & educated at Shaw University & Howard College, Mr. Wilson was the first archivist of Fisk University. The Society of American Archivists is celebrating their 75th year this year; as part of the festivities, they are creating a series of trading cards of notable members. Mr. Wilson is among them,…
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CanadaGenealogy, or, 'Jane's Your Aunt'
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Social Networking 101 for Family History - May 12, 2012 - Cloverdale BC
9 May 2012 | 12:24 pmFor those who've asked, here are the details on my next talk, this Saturday at Cloverdale Library. Social Networking 101 for Family Historywith M. Diane RogersSocial Networking 101 for Family History - Be a successful 'social genealogist' right from home - on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and so much more. Learn the advantages and the basics of social networking on-line for genealogy and family history. Saturday, May 12, 10:30 - NoonCharge: $10:00Cloverdale Library is THE best place to go for Canadian genealogy and family history resources, so come to the talk and plan to stay and… -
FamilyTreeDNA sale starts tonight - DNA Day
19 Apr 2012 | 6:10 pmFor those who attended my Genetic Genealogy talk last weekend, here's some welcome news. FamilyTreeDNA.com is having a short sale. Nearly all the offerings will be on sale, including upgrades that were not on last year's sale. The sale begins at 6 PM April 19th and concludes at 11:59 PM on Saturday the 21st (Central time, U.S.)No coupon required this time. Prices on the website will be adjusted.For more information, check out FamilyTreeDNA's Facebook page or see CeCeMoore's latest post at Your Genetic Genealogist. If you're interested in the uses of DNA for genealogy, I do recommend following… -
My Genealogy Smile for the Day....sigh
19 Apr 2012 | 12:10 amYesterday and this morning I had a look for newer databases on Ancestry. Among these I noticed 'Border Crossings: From Mexico to U.S., 1895-1957'. Not too long ago I had found and published the names of a few people who went from Vancouver, BC to Topolobampo, Mexico in 1894. I thought I'd have a look to see if later they went to the US. And indeed, I may have found one and some relatives of another.As I often do though, I thought I'd see how many in this database were listed as being born in Canada. I was surprised to see quite a few and even more surprised to see many were shown as born… -
Canadian Immigration - Crew Lists
1 Apr 2012 | 9:46 amYesterday, I volunteered at 'Nordic Spirit 2012: The Lives They Left Behind', a two day event in Burnaby, BC sponsored by the Scandinavian Cultural Society. This continues today at the Scandinavian Community Centre and features photographs, storytelling for children, displays and talks illustrating life in the Nordic countries from 1850 to 1950. Today there will be a talk on 'Scandinavians on the Titanic'.At the BCGS Scandinavian Genealogy Group table we are doing quick lookups and offering advice to get people started on their own family history research. Do come and see us if you attend… -
Canadian Immigration & Census Records for Genealogy - 2012
23 Mar 2012 | 1:04 pmYesterday I gave a talk on Canadian immigration and census genealogy records at the Ladner Pioneer Library. On Thursday, March 29th, 2012, I'll be speaking again on the same topic at the Tsawwassen Library, from 2 - 3:30 pm. Free. 1321A - 56th St., Delta, BC V4L 2A6. Library telephone: 604 943 2271. Thank you to both libraries for sponsoring these talks.There's little doubt in my mind that Ancestry.ca (or .com, etc. or Library Edition) offers the most flexible and comprehensive indexes for both Canadian genealogical on-line census and immigration resources. However, unless a researcher takes…
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Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe
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CVGS Research Group Summary - 9 May 2012
12 May 2012 | 2:01 pmWe had a great turnout for the Chula Vista Genealogical Society Research Group meeting on Wednesday, 9 May 2012, with 20 enthusiastic attendees ready to ask questions, share and learn.In the first hour, Randy discussed source citations - types of sources, the need to cite sources, the different style guides including Elizabeth Shown Mills's Evidence! Explained, and how to use source templates in genealogy software to create EE-quality source citation templates. He passed around several articles about source citations, showed the two QuickSheets for EE style citations, and his own… -
Saturday Workshop on 12 May - "Who Is/Was Your Neighbor?"
9 May 2012 | 5:56 pmThe Chula Vista Genealogical Society Workshop in May will be on Saturday, 12 May from 1:00 p.m. To 3:00 p.m. at the Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road) in the Community Room. Susi Pentico will present “Who Is/Was Your Neighbor?” To learn more about each other in the society, we are going to be doing some 5 generation charts and learning who is researching where, what surnames and times one is looking at. It has been brought to our attention that there is probably a connecting kin within our own society we have not discovered. Genealogy is always more fun when shared with others. -
7 May 2012 | 6:26 pm
7 May 2012 | 6:26 pmThe program, “Who is in Your Family Tree?” was presented by four Chula Vista Genealogical Society members at Norman Park Center on April 26, 2012. The program was intended to introduce attendees to genealogy, and to the Beginners Class taught by Susi Pentico. It was well received by 22 attendees. Susi Pentico spoke about the upcoming Beginning Genealogy classes she will be teaching at the Norman Park Center on May 3, 10, 17 and 24, 2012. Randy Seaver’s presentation topic was “Genealogy - Be An Ancestor Detective,” John Finch’s topic was “Your Family Tree, Heroes and Horse… -
Genealogy Days in Chula Vista in May 2012
30 Apr 2012 | 8:43 pmThe Chula Vista Genealogical Society events for May 2012 include:** Wednesday 9 May, 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.** Saturday, 12 May, 12:30 p.m.to 3 p.m., Bonita-Sunnyside (County) Library (4375 Bonita Road) -- Outreach… -
CVGS Program Summary - Dr. Steven Baird
27 Apr 2012 | 8:37 pmDr. Steven Baird presented "Diseases That Ravaged Our Ancestors" at the Chula Vista Genealogical Society program meeting on Wednesday, 25 April 2012. Steve's CV was published in CVGS Program Meeting on 25 April - Dr. Steven BairdDr. Baird started his presentation with a list of the top ten causes of death in the USA in 1860, and compared them to 1900, 1970 and 1990. Many of the earlier causes (tuberculosis, diarrhea, cholera, infantile convulsions, diphtheria, dysentery, scarlet fever) have been significantly reduced or eliminated by 1970, and replaced by heart disease,…
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Genealogy Reviews Online
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High School Year Books on Ancestry.com - I Found Me
21 Apr 2012 | 8:01 amSo I was browsing high school year books on Ancestry.com this morning and made a surprising find...Me. I was one of those contrary guys in high school and only purchased my 10th grade year book. I also never had an individual photo in any of them. There weren't any year books on Ancestry for the two high schools I went to and the years I attended, but I did find one for Thomas Jefferson High school in Denver for the same year I graduated (1975). I was flipping through the pages and was stunned to find the image on the left. The caption to the middle photo indicates the Thomas… -
Antonio Agazio (1885ish-1949) - Document Timeline
14 Apr 2012 | 4:24 pmI was looking through all of the information associated with my paternal grandfather Antonio Agazio and thought I'd put together a timeline just based on the documents I have. Sadly, I only have a total of 11 documents spanning his 64 years of life - which is kind of surprising since he was my main genealogy focus for about 10 years. I've always been fascinated by my grandfather. While to him I imagine life was hard and always a struggle, but from my perspective he appears as a man who was willing to take greater risks then most can contemplate in order to make a better life for his… -
Mary J. Zaring in the 1940 Census
7 Apr 2012 | 3:45 pmMy mother (Mary J. Zaring) in the 1940 Census. See line 35. -
Antonio Agazio and Family - 1940 Federal Census
6 Apr 2012 | 6:18 amStarting on line 59 - The Agazio Family on 18 April 1940. -
Brick Wall Breakthrough
10 Mar 2012 | 9:24 amFor many years I've searched (unsuccessfully) for an immigration ship manifest for my grandfather Antonio Agazio. I think my search is finally over. The family story was he left Italy as a young teenager; arrived in Canada in the early 1900s; worked his way across the country; and finally entered the United States. As you can see, the family story did not contain many details I could work with. I was beginning to think I would never actually see a ship manifest with my grandfather's name on it. About three or four years ago I stumbled upon a my grandfather's Declaration of Intention…
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The Chart Chick
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New UGA Pioneer Tours
6 May 2012 | 12:58 amThis announcement is from UGA. Our family had a great time on this tour last year and I know you'll enjoy it if you can go this year. It is the one day of the year you can get into Cache Cave, a fascinating place where lots of pioneers had carved their names. The Mormon Trails Chapter of the Utah Genealogical Association is going to host two bus tours this year along the original pioneer trail coming into the Salt Lake Valley. The tours will run concurrently begining at 7:30am from the Henefer Park and will end at Henefer Park at noon where lunch will be served. Tour One is through the… -
Grandma's Flak Jacket
24 Apr 2012 | 10:08 amI received a wonderful email last week after my SCGS webinar, "Grandma's Flak Jacket: Why your children need you to do genealogy." The email illustrates so beautifully how nourishing family history is, even when there are hard things going on in your family. Jo-Ann said I could share the letter with you, so here it is. I hope it inspires you as much as it inspired me. Hi Janet, I attended your webinar last night (am the one who's husband's father was one of 22 children... he's also Swedish). I've attended probably a dozen different webinars over… -
Trefusis part 6--The Archives (And she scores!)
18 Apr 2012 | 7:19 pmSo just outside of Taunton, between the city there and our little town of Bradford on Tone lies the beautiful new Somerset Heritage Centre where the archives for Somerset are held. I had no idea what a huge find I was going to make there.We started out in the maps, confirming what I knew about the parish and where our Trefusis farm is.And then I got my hands on this... A stack of records on the Carpenters in Bradford. There were so many other documents to look at, but I'm so glad we got to work on this one. This was a stack of gold.In it was the will of my 9th Great Grandfather John… -
Trefusis Part 5 -- Bradford on Tone
18 Apr 2012 | 11:28 amAfter we visited the farm, we headed back to the little town of Bradford on Tone. It is a beautiful little village across the Tone river from the Carpenter farm. To get there we had to cross the 14th century bridge over the river Tone. The farm is not a far walk from the village, I'm sure that my ancestors crossed it many many times. I wasn't sure we were going to make it across though, I couldn't have had more than 6 inches on either side of the car going across. 14th century!! Isn't that amazing? I can't wrap my mind around how old that is. I'm just glad I didn't knock a hole in it with my… -
Trefusis Part 4--The Farm
17 Apr 2012 | 4:50 pmSo this is the continuation of the story about a crazy lady (me!) who took off into the British countryside to find her patriarchal ancestral home. She had heard her whole life of this magical place where the Carpenter family had lived for generations and where her Great-grandfather was able to find and trace their ancestry back to the early 1600s. Trefusis. I told you about or plans here, here and here. I think I'm ready to tell you the rest of the story now.Notwithstanding driving on the left side of the road, notwithstanding working with a car unlike anything I'd ever driven,…
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Geder Genealogy
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We're On Vacation!
15 May 2012 | 12:28 amDear friends & family,We are on vacation!Geder Genealogy is on vacation too!We'll have more posts when we return.Peace & Blessings,"Guided by the Ancestors" -
George Hancock; 1913-2004
14 May 2012 | 11:29 amUncle George on the rightOn the day they laid my Uncle George Hancock to rest I went to my first Pow Wow. The interment was in Martinsburg, West Virginia and the Pow Wow was on the grounds of the Stanford University Palo Alto, California.My uncle drove himself to the hospital so he could have his heart attack there. The day before he didn't show up for church and told folks not to visit.Uncle George indicated to his minister that he wanted the life-support equipment turned off. Two days in the hospital was enough. At 91 years old, Uncle George was as deliberate as he's been all his… -
Using the US Census to write a Family Narrative; guest post
11 May 2012 | 12:08 pmGeder Genealogy has begun a series of 'Guest Posts' by African Ancestored genealogists, historians and cultural evangelists. Contact us at geder.genealogy(at)gmail.com if you would like to contributeHeritage Quest 1930 Baltimore City, MD Census Using the US Census to write a Family Narrative:By Char McCargo BahAre you tired of going back and forth looking at the same information on the same person on the US Census? Writing a census’ narrative can eliminate that problem. The process is very easy. Each census year asks an individual a lot of questions. One can use those… -
Chitlins; A Personal Memoir
7 May 2012 | 12:55 amMy mother, Pearle, used to cook chitlins on special occasions. She would get together with Mrs. Archie and Mrs. Terry and they would get 'busy'!Us kids couldn't stand the smell and we would leave the neighborhood, on our bicycles, and be gone for hours! One year, we thought we would go all the way to Scranton, PA (more than 50 miles from Binghamton, NY). We may have gotten 5 miles out of town before turning back.When we returned, the chitlins were under control (smell gone) and our parents were well into their libations.The collard greens, cornbread, black-eyed peas and assorted pies… -
ANCESTRAL SPIRITS; Guest Post
2 May 2012 | 10:01 amGeder Genealogy has begun a series of 'Guest Posts' by African Ancestored genealogists, historians and cultural evangelists. Contact us at geder.genealogy(at)gmail.com if you would like to contributeANCESTRAL SPIRITSBy Sharon Leslie Morgan There is an African proverb that says “You are not dead as long as someone remembers your name.” I am reminded of that bit of wisdom almost every day. I was the one person in my family who inherited a compulsive need to know: Who am I? Who are my people? What legacy did they leave behind? My thirst has been quenched through genealogical research, guided…
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Granite in My Blood
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Happy Third Birthday
16 May 2012 | 6:40 amAnthony Turns 3, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.My grandson turns three today. His birthday party will be held later this month. As you can see he is very serious about his love of birthday frosting.Soon, there will be another little baby and Anthony will be the big brother.It is a day for celebrating! -
Rebecca STEWART
15 May 2012 | 10:48 amRebecca STEWART, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.Tombstone Tuesday Rebecca STEWART This clearly readable and lovely granite gravestone is of Rebecca STEWART, my 2nd great grand aunt. It was taken by Brian Zoldak this past Friday (11 May 2012) in the Crary Cemetery #65 in North Stonington, CT. I have used it with his permission. Please notice the excellent system that he has in place for labeling his photographs. He is an active member of Find a Grave and his username and the photo number as well as a copyright symbol is on this work in the lower right corner. His goal is to record all the… -
At the Bash
14 May 2012 | 7:16 amReady to Print, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.Face to Face This past weekend was the 2nd meeting of the New England Geneabloggers. We had a great time "doing the genealogy talk" , taking photos of each other and enjoying the face-to-face experience that social networking can't provide.Bill West took this photo of us and I thought you might like to see it.On Sunday, we returned home and went to our daughter's for Mom's Day pizza, salad and cake.Now we wait for the newest leaf on our family tree to be born. I hope he is on time and not too early like his brother was! -
Edmund GOODENOW
10 May 2012 | 10:02 amEdmund GOODENOW, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr. Edmund GOODENOW, immigrant ancestor.It is quite rare to find the gravestone of an immigrant ancestor for people who came to America in the 1600s. The North Cemetery in Wayland, MA was the site of the original meeting house for the town of Sudbury, MA. Many people are probably buried here but without markers. Some have gravestones put here later when they could be imported from England. The Edmund Rice Association erected their own gravestone because Deacon Edmund Rice did not have one but he is probably buried there. This land was… -
Worn Out My Welcome
9 May 2012 | 10:26 amUploaded from Frame Artist, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.Have I Worn Out my Welcome?It's an old-fashioned expression for sure but it might be one that many people should start thinking about. On 16 Sept 2010, I purchased a new mat for the porch where my front door is that resembled pebbles and was quite gray and granite looking. (See the upper left photograph taken on that date). [Blog post about that!]That first winter here was a harsh one. This past winter was not. But, with the condo I live in, they are supposed to maintain the outside of the house and we asked for the porch…
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huffenglish.com
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Diigo Links (weekly)
13 May 2012 | 3:30 amPost your Twitter input automatically on to Google+ – @Ideas_Factory The blog of Julian S. Wood | @Ideas_Factory The blog of Julian S. Wood RT @bjnichols: Post your Twitter input automatically on to Google+ http://t.co/uhRYKahb #socialmedia tags: socialmedia Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel – extract one – Telegraph Extract from Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel http://t.co/gQO94lyN 14 Ways to Use Garageband in the Classroom « EdApps.ca 14 Ways to Use Garageband in the Classroom: http://t.co/qBEoqyfl #mlearning #slide2learn tags: mlearning slide2learn It was the… -
Diigo Links (weekly)
6 May 2012 | 3:30 amNCTE Position Statement on Teacher Evaluation #ncte Position Statement on Teacher Evaluation: http://t.co/X50YkDMR. tags: ncte Why fiction is good for you – Ideas – The Boston Globe “Is fiction good for us? We spend huge chunks of our lives immersed in novels, films, TV shows, and other forms of fiction. Some see this as a positive thing, arguing that made-up stories cultivate our mental and moral development. But others have argued that fiction is mentally and ethically corrosive. It’s an ancient question: Does fiction build the morality of individuals and societies, or… -
QR Code Tips
2 May 2012 | 8:31 pmI participated in a Teq webinar on QR codes today. I thought I was fairly well versed in QR codes and their uses, but I learned a couple of interesting things today that I thought I’d share. First of all, I hadn’t played much with QR Stuff. I think I sometimes become set in my ways with regards to tools—not that I don’t like to try new ones, but if I have a tool that does what I need, I tend to stick with it unless I need to change, and sometimes, this isn’t a good thing. QR Stuff is cool because it allows you to change the color of your QR codes and also allows you… -
How I Use Diigo to Automate Sharing
1 May 2012 | 10:22 amDiigo is one of my favorite, most indispensable social networking tools. I use it not only to bookmark sites and articles I find interesting and useful, but also to share those links with others. When I first started using Firefox many years ago, I found I was consistently losing my bookmarks. I turned to the online bookmarking service Delicious so that I wouldn’t continue to lose precious links. I discovered I actually liked the social bookmarking aspect of Delicious. I could subscribe others’ bookmarks, and they could subscribe to mine. It was a great way to discover… -
Diigo Links (weekly)
29 Apr 2012 | 3:30 amTED-Ed | Introducing TED-Ed: Lessons Worth Sharing 806 lessons have been flipped since Wednesday’s launch! Don’t know how to flip? Check out this #TEDEd lesson: http://t.co/pw6py7gC tags: TEDEd EPUB Validator (beta) Hey, did you know that you can use @ScrivenerApp to make error-free ePubs (and .mobi files) and more? Test ePubs here: http://t.co/nNDcGKoi Boston While in town for #edcampBoston enjoy this great city My Boston page: http://t.co/sYVHl1xi tags: edcampBoston Launchpad: Henry David Thoreau's Essay "On Civil Disobedience" | EDSITEment Close reading of…
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Janet the researcher
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Wordless Wednesday - Dudley Brothers
2 May 2012 | 3:47 pmLily Iles (nee Dudley) with J. Gilbert Dudley Charles H. Dudley Article on what was learned about them from the 1940 United States Census © 2012 Janet Iles -
Carnival of Genealogy - Finds on the 1940 US census
30 Apr 2012 | 9:43 pmNot wanting to be left out of all the excitement of the release of the 1940 United States census, I asked myself, who of my relatives that went to the United States would be living in 1940. I went to my family history database and did some checking. There should be at least one Hemingway family, a Stiver family and of course, the two siblings of my grandmother Iles, Josiah and Gilbert Dudley. Thanks to Ancestry.com making circa 1930 documents available for free up until the 10th of April, I decided to take advantage of this opportunity to see what I could find about the Dudley brothers. -
Carnival of Genealogy: Women's History Month 2012
31 Mar 2012 | 8:59 pmFor this Carnival, I thought I'd would share what I know about Sarah Mucklow, my great-grandmother. Sarah was baptized the 16th of September in 1849 in Arrow, Warwickshire. Her parents were John Mucklow and Hannah James. According to Free BMD website, her birth was registered in the September 1/4 1849. This is a record that I could order. I have her in the census records for 1861 to 1901 -- 1861 in Exhall, 1871 in Alcester, 1881 in Birmingham, 1891 in Aston All Saints Bordesley and 1901, Aston, St. Andrew. So I need to find her in 1851 and 1911. Sarah married Josiah Dudley 28 July… -
Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - How Many Surnames
10 Mar 2012 | 6:42 pmRandy Seaver has asked about the surnames in our Genealogical Managment Program. I use Brother's Keeper for my own research. I did the surname report and requested that it be put in order from the greatest number of surnames to least. The top one was Smith 259 Stiver 242 Johnston 226 Helmkay 185 Archibald 135 Iles 130 Hemingway113 Hagerman 113 Williamson 107 Love 98 Except for Smith which is both on my maternal and paternal side and Iles on my paternal side, all the rest I believe are from my maternal side. © 2011 Janet Iles -
Flash Family History - Johnston and Love
3 Mar 2012 | 9:51 amThe following is a flash family history for my maternal grandparents. I didn't get this completed in time for the Carnival of Genealogy. The histories are each less than 300 words. I found these more difficult to write as I know less about my maternal grandparents. I had been raised across the road from my paternal grandparents up to the age of seven and then since we lived in the same city we saw them regularly. I attended my paternal grandparents' funerals but not those of my maternal grandparents. Janet Johnston (for whom I am named) was born in 1 May 1883 in Sandfield Township,…
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Photo-Sleuth
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Sepia Saturday 125: A portrait at home, by James Brennen of Derby
12 May 2012 | 6:08 amThe Sepia Saturday photo prompt this week is an image showing Queen Victoria's vast kitchen, part of the newly released (online) Diamond Jubilee Scrapbook 1897. Rather than try to match that, I'm goping to down-scale considerably, although remaining with domestic interiors. Carte de visite portrait of unidentified womanby J. Brennen of Derby, c.1862-1863Image © and courtesy of John BradleyJohn Bradley sent me this image of a rather unusual carte de visite portrait some time ago, but I neglected to include it in the revision of my web page for Derby photographer James Brennen a year ago. It… -
Sepia Saturday 124: John Bradbury Winter, modelmaker
5 May 2012 | 12:16 amIt's been almost six months since I last wrote an article for Photo-Sleuth or made any contribution to Sepia Saturday. The reason for this has been my involvement, in a variety of roles, in the Rena Oil Spill Response which has just been wrapped up. I've posted a few photos taken during my Rena adventures since mid-October over at my Gluepot Gazette blog if you're interested in seeing what I've been up to. I'm afraid there just hasn't been the time for catching up with fellow SS enthusiasts' efforts, let alone researching old photographs. While I await the outcome of several job applications… -
Edward Foster: Part 5, A good hand at spinning a yarn
9 Nov 2011 | 3:07 amEdward Foster, Derby, 8 November 1864When I started to research the life of Edward Foster, silhouettist and book publisher of Derby, there was no shortage of material on which to draw. As described in Part 4, the accounts of this man's remarkable life continued to grow throughout the century and a half following his death, the latest article appearing in Derbyshire Life just two years ago. During the course of his reputed 102 years there appeared to be little that Mr Foster did not accomplish. Born of noble parentage, reduced by circumstance, he had a notable military career, became an… -
Sepia Saturday 100: Edward Foster, Part 4 - Growth of a Legend
9 Nov 2011 | 3:05 amTurning one hundred is an event to be celebrated with much fanfare, whether one receives a traditional letter from the Queen - in the case of the United States, it's the president - or prefers a more muted affair. Alan Burnett's Sepia Saturday series marks its hundredth weekly post this week, with many thousands of historical images and supporting words submitted as part of the weekly themes over the last two years.Although I've only participated in slightly under a third of those, I've been following the series for a good deal longer. The contributions from all over the world, by… -
Sepia Saturday 99: Brass bandsman, by J.J. Gascoigne of Mosborough
3 Nov 2011 | 5:23 amUnidentified bandsman with cornet, c. late 1890sCabinet portrait by J.J. Gascoigne of MosboroughImage © and courtesy of Brett PayneIn the 1890s and early 1900s, when this portrait was probably taken, Mosborough was a small hamlet a mile north of Eckington church, south-east of Sheffield. I thought his uniform might suggest that he was a member of a military band, perhaps even a local militia, but a knowledgeable member of the Victorian Wars Forum has suggested that he was more likely to have been a civilian bandsman. The instrument appears to my untrained eye to be a cornet, but perhaps a…
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THE EDUCATED GENEALOGIST
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FOR MY DAHLING MOTHER
11 May 2012 | 4:37 amA Video for my Dahling Mummy. Happy Mother's Day! -
Shades: Birthday Edition - A Very Special Birthday Surprise!
22 Apr 2012 | 2:00 amYes indeedy, you are reading this correctly. Today is a legal holiday in honor of the footnoteMaven's Birthday! Not only is she the editor and publisher of the award-winning "Shades of the Departed" (an online, full featured magazine) but she is also a very dear and special person to all here at Camp Fenley. It is because of her, the world is a better place. So, as one of the team of -
A Very Cool Story of Genealogical Interest
19 Apr 2012 | 12:46 amMy friend Johan Mathiesen over at Blogging A Dead Horse wrote a lovely tribute to a man who is being buried 88 years after he died. Yes - 88 years after he died. This is one of the coolest stories ever! Here is the short version of the story. During the Civil War, Company G of the 37th Alabama Volunteer Infantry were defending the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi from the Union. A sharpshooter -
My Connection To WDYTYA and Helen Hunt
25 Mar 2012 | 9:17 pmActress Helen Hunt was the latest guest to discover some of her ancestry on Who Do You Think You Are. Lorine McGinnis Schultze over at the Olive Tree Genealogy Blog wrote about her thoughts on the show. Over at Geneabloggers, several people left comments with their thoughts and Cyndi Beane Henry from Mountain Genealogists weighed in with her review. In searching for her roots, Hunt discovered -
Sutro Library Has A New Home!
9 Feb 2012 | 11:08 pmOld location of the Sutro, to the right (not seen) is a shopping center The first time I visited the Sutro Library I remember thinking "Wow this place is a dump!" It was located across from a shopping mall in an ugly brown building. The inside wasn't much better. It always seemed dark, like half of the lights were shut off. There were no windows to the outside world. I really did not
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The Genetic Genealogist
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The Genetic Genealogist Listed Among Top 50 Genealogy Blogs by Inside History Magazine
11 May 2012 | 10:58 amI just discovered today that The Genetic Genealogist was recently included in a list of 50 top genealogy blogs by Inside History Magazine. Inside History Magazine is a periodical “for people passionate about Australian and New Zealand genealogy, history and heritage.” The current May-June 2012 issue has an article entitled “Entering the Blogsphere” in which author Jill Ball (of Geniaus) writes about the prevalence of genealogy bloggers. As part of the article, she compiled a list of 50 blogs that “every genealogist needs to follow.” I’m honored… -
AncestryDNA Officially Launches
3 May 2012 | 8:23 amI’ve written about Ancestry.com’s new autosomal DNA product, AncestryDNA, a number of times (see my review of the product at Ancestry.com’s AncestryDNA Product ). Today, Ancestry.com announced the official release of AncestryDNA (see press release below). It is initially available only to Ancestry.com subscribers, at a cost of $99. The launch page is here. Press Release: Ancestry.com Launches new AncestryDNA Service: The Next Generation of DNA Science Poised to Enrich Family History Research Affordable DNA Test Combines Depth of Ancestry.com Family History Database with An… -
Genetic Genealogy and Personal Genomics in the Classroom – Part I
5 Apr 2012 | 6:30 amToday begins the first in a series of articles about the use of genetic genealogy and personal genomics in the classroom, ranging from high school to college-level. Many scientists and health care experts believe that genetics will be a vital component to several facets of our lives in the future, especially in the field of medicine. Indeed, some consider the study of genetics to be one of the most promising solutions to many of the health dilemmas facing society today, including advancing our understanding of interactions between genetics and the environment. Accordingly, today’s… -
A Review of AncestryDNA – Ancestry.com’s New Autosomal DNA Test
2 Apr 2012 | 10:34 pmIn the past, I’ve reviewed new autosomal DNA testing options offered by 23andMe and Family Tree DNA: Genetic Testing With 23andMe Genetic Testing With 23andMe – Ancestry Testing A Review of Family Tree DNA’s Family Finder – Part I A Review of Family Tree DNA’s Family Finder – Part II Today, I’m reviewing the new autosomal DNA test from Ancestry.com called “AncestryDNA.” I’ve already written at length about AncestryDNA, so I won’t cover too many of the basics here. I have an in-depth introduction to the product located at “Ancestry.com’s… -
Ancestry.com’s AncestryDNA Product
1 Apr 2012 | 9:40 amI’ve written before about Ancestry.com’s new AncestryDNA autosomal test. See, for example: Ancestry.com’s Autosomal DNA Product – An Update The Legal Genealogist Discusses Ancestry.com’s New Autosomal Testing WDYTYA Reveals More Information About Ancestry.com’s New Autosomal DNA Testing Webinar with Ancestry.com Last week, I participated in a webinar with Ancestry.com regarding the AncestryDNA test (although, unfortunately, I had to leave a bit early due to a previous engagement). It was a great list of about 10 well-known genealogy bloggers, each one of whom is…
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TransylvanianDutch
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NBC Cancels the US adaptation of WDYTYA
14 May 2012 | 11:41 amNBC has chosen not to renew the television series: Who Do You Think You Are? after it's third season.From Ancestry.com:We want to thank NBC for their support of this terrific series, which over the last three years has inspired many viewers to follow their passion to learn more about who they are and where they come from," said Tim Sullivan, President and CEO of Ancestry.com. "We have a great partnership with the show's producers, Is or Isn't Entertainment and Shed Media, and we look forward to exploring other avenues of distribution.It's important to note that Ancestry implies they as well… -
Amanuensis Monday: Incorporation of Famous Laundry Company by Selig Feinstein
14 May 2012 | 12:30 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 three years ago, back on February 16, 2009. Since I began, many others have joined in on the meme. I am thrilled that this meme I started has inspired so many to transcribe… -
Blog Update
4 May 2012 | 4:55 pmIn the list of top ten visited pages on my blog consistently over the past few years has been a handful of blog posts where I have listed and linked to indexes for obituaries from various St. Louis area newspapers. The indexes, to the benefit of all researchers, keep growing so I have written several posts updating the information.Instead of creating a new post, I have created what Blogger calls a 'page': St. Louis Area ObituariesYou will find a permanent link to this page at the top of my blog, along with links to several other pages I have created in the past.© John Newmark… -
Wedding Traditions: Silver Sixpences
28 Apr 2012 | 1:54 pmOne of the reasons that I fell headlong into the genealogy obsession is that at its root, it feeds a larger obsession of mine - research. Who appeared in a certain film? What is the etymology of a word, or phrase? Ask me these questions, and my first instinct is to go online and search for the answers.During our preparations for our wedding, I decided to research the origins of the wedding rhyme:Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a (silver/lucky) sixpence in her shoe.Wikipedia doesn't have much on the origin, besides dating it… -
Did Ancestry Shut Its Doors on All Professionals and all Bloggers?
26 Apr 2012 | 9:55 amMarian at Roots and Rambles has an intriguing post. It appears Ancestry.com has changed its Terms of Service.From the comments to the post:Old TOS (October 6, 2010)You are licensed to use the Content only for personal or professional family history research, and may download Content only as search results relevant to that research. New TOS (March 24, 2012)You may access the Website, use the graphics, information, data, editorial and other Content only for personal family history research.The entire current Limited Use License (with some of the language emboldened for…
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TwigTalk
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Blogoversary!
26 Apr 2012 | 8:59 amI had forgotten that today was my blogoversary. Time really flies when you are busy. There has been much to keep me from my blogging this last year, and I really need to get back to it. I have been noting titles for posts as I would find something I wanted to say. I'd better spend the rest of the year getting back into it and getting those posts written. I thank all of you for stopping by and wishing me Happy Blogoversary! Geneabloggers, thanks for not forgetting me!! -
My Start at Wikitree
27 Mar 2012 | 6:34 pmI've been working slowly over at Wikitree. Love those widgets!embeddable family tree updated live from WikiTreeFrom TwigTalk -
My Evernote Day
8 Mar 2012 | 6:00 amEvery Yule time I give me, and my daughter, Shani, a gift of something that we really want. This year it was better internet. So you can imagine all the fun I've had of late, going where I have never been before! This switch to the 21st century was just in time to enjoy the video feed from RootsTech. I had a wonderful time! I believe that all things happen just when they are supposed to. Needless to say, right now I am a happy camper.Today was one of those serendipitous days that are rare indeed. I had time, I had my first cup of tea and Genealogy Circle… -
Volunteer Trails To The Past (TTTP)
17 Aug 2011 | 7:00 amI enjoy volunteering to help others with their research even though I often have little time. Right now my efforts are going toward the Trails To The Past. It's a genealogical/historical network that is still very young. The Trails to the Past is an organization of volunteers dedicated to providing non-commercial, free genealogical data to researchers. We want to provide not only birth, death and marriage records; census, bible records, books and cemetery records, but that unusual data that often provides not just facts, but a window on the life of your… -
Simpson Reece Morgan - A TwigTale
7 Apr 2011 | 6:12 amSimpson Reece Morgan Reece Morgan was born in Monroe County, Tennessee on December 25, 1856. He was my gr-gr-grandfather. His parents were William M. Morgan and Sarah Serena Tallent. I have followed the Morgans back to William Morgan born 1774 in Virginia. The Tallent family goes back to about 1728 in the Carolina area. Around 1878 in Tennesse, Reece married Matilda Marie White, aka. "Tilda". During their life they produced 10 children; Rufus M. born 1879, Minnie Ellen born 1880, James Frank born 1883, Jessie Adeline (my great-grandmother) born 1884,…
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GenBlog
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Friday Finds – 05/04/12
4 May 2012 | 2:18 pmWeekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve found. New-to-Me Blogs Cashman and Clark, Elizabeth Banas Online Articles/Posts The Easiest & Most Inexpensive Way To Scan Slides With A Flatbed Scanner Behind the Scenes of the “Who Do You Think You Are?” Filming Unknown No More: Identifying a Civil War Soldier Print Articles “Women’s Manuscript Collections,” by Gena Philibert-Ortega, APG Quarterly, March 2012. “Genealogy and the Legal Community,” by Alvie L. Davidson, APG Quarterly, March 2012. “Michigan Pioneers: 125 Years of History,” by Diane Dittgen, Family… -
Why I Became an Arbitrator
27 Apr 2012 | 8:07 pmYesterday I contacted my Group Administrator for FamilySearch Indexing and asked to become an arbitrator for the 1940 census indexing project. There are a few reasons I decided to take the plunge and I thought I’d share them. Perhaps you will be inspired to become an arbitrator as well. Reason #1 – Message from the Group Administrator I believe it was last week, I received an email from the Group Administrator giving us an update on the 1940 indexing project. At the end of the email was a gentle plea for arbitrators. I made a mental note and moved on with my day. -
Friday Finds – 04/27/12
27 Apr 2012 | 7:21 pmWeekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve found. New-to-Me Blogs Sarah Leigh’s Connections, Sarah Cloward The In-Depth Genealogist Ancestor Soup, Karen Seeman Online Articles/Posts GENEii Family History Writers Contest Winner Announced Old Maps Online 1940 Census Indexing & Arbitration Webinars Print Articles Nothing this week. Websites Newspaper Abstracts: Finding Our Ancestors in the News! Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States (thanks for this resource, Judy!!) Historical Map Archive (thanks Bryna for posting about the Iowa collection)… -
1940 Census Tip – Don’t Be Fooled
26 Apr 2012 | 7:32 pmThe Scenario Members of the Miserentino family are known to be at 2909 W. Lexington, Chicago, in 1930 and 1951, meaning they’re bound to be enumerated there in the 1940 census. The Search After locating the correct enumeration district (102-1599), a page-by-page search was conducted looking for the address 2909 W. Lexington. The residence was found on sheet 10A with two unknown families living there. The Miserentino family was not listed. I almost gave up. But I KNEW they had to be there since I had placed them there on either side of 1940. Then in dawned on me…all… -
Friday Finds – 04/20/12
20 Apr 2012 | 2:44 pmWeekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve found. New-to-Me Blogs Kevin’s Irish Research All In Your Family Online Articles/Posts Robert PARKE, Midge Frazel Gossip Columns, c 1920 The Best Genealogy Apps, PC Magazine Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Latest Interest: Studying His Family Tree, SB Nation Print Articles “Going to the Poor Farm,” by Gena Philibert-Ortega, Crossroads, Winter 2011. Websites Old Main Project (Illinois State University) Early Office Museum Copyright © 2008-2011. All rights reserved.
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Louisiana Genealogy Blog
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1837 Public charge of want or crime in Louisiana
23 Apr 2012 | 4:10 pmE. & G.W. Blunt, 1837, The shipmaster's assistant, and commercial digest:containing information useful to merchants, owners, and masters of ships ... (Google eBook)Nutrias Custom House Records -
Louisiana Charbon 1899 - 1800
16 Apr 2012 | 3:15 pmCharbon is also known as Anthrax.There are earlier cases like this one from 1800 in The Louisiana Planter. But this citation finally indicates a cure from the LSU Special Collections library - URL documented in sales slips for vaccinations from the year 1872. "Letters from Roman Daigre and Thomas Garrett both report cases of charbon in their mules and discuss supplies and funds needed to take care of the disease.... Also included is a handwritten note by Edward J. Gay describing the cure for charbon."A Louisianian was innoculated by Pasteur Institute for a dog bite. -
1866 New Orleans Brewery's
15 Mar 2012 | 11:49 pmGardners New Orleans Directory 1866Armbruster, J. Orleans Brewery St. Ferdinand corner of MoreanBoebinger, Fred. W. 215 LibertyChristen, Jos.478 Chartres d3Fabaucher, Joseph 529 Casacalvo Heen, A. Fifth c. of JacksonKellner, John F. Villare p. EsplanadeSoule, Pierre c Port New Levy d3Weinman, F. 130 Perdido Wirtz, Phillip 282 VillereZoelly, Jacob Delord c. Magazine -
"The Only Brewery in New Orleans" - Caspar Lusse - Steam Lager Beer
15 Mar 2012 | 6:58 pm[Louisiana as it is: its topography and material resources; its topography and material resources; its cotton, sugar cane, rice and tobacco fields; its corn and grain lands, climate and people of the state. Reliable information for any who may desire to settle or purchase lands in the Gulf states (Google eBook) By Daniel Dennett "Eureka" press, 1876 - 288 pages]"1869 America's first brewery refrigeration machine installed in New Orleans brewery." -- The Evolution of the Pale American Lager.Mississippi History Now, has stated:"It wasn’t until 1868 that the world’s first… -
Joseph Langley
15 Mar 2012 | 6:51 pmLouisiana as it is: its topography and material resources; its topography and material resources; its cotton, sugar cane, rice and tobacco fields; its corn and grain lands, climate and people of the state. Reliable information for any who may desire to settle or purchase lands in the Gulf states (Google eBook)By Daniel Dennett "Eureka" press, 1876 - 288 pages.Read more: http://louisianagenealogyblog.blogspot.com/#ixzz1pEU6VW3lUnder Creative Commons License: Attribution
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Genealogy Blog
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FamilyInsight for Windows 2012.5.5.0 Update Released
16 May 2012 | 12:15 pmOther Tools - Windows - Purchase FamilyInsight for Windows 2012.5.5.0 has been released. Changes: • Improved medialinks loading speed. • Improved handling of RootsMagic Research logs. • Fixed a crash. -
Brother's Keeper 6.5.11 Update Released
16 May 2012 | 10:15 amFull Featured - Windows - Purchase Brother's Keeper 6.5.11 has been released. Changes: • Fixed: The 6.5.10 version sometimes gave a 'subscript out of range' error for Box charts. • Changed: On Group Sheets, if you are printing 'All' for children, it used to say 'spouse' but now it will say 'husband' 'wife' 'partner' 'fiancee'. • Changed: On Group Sheets, if you are printing 'All' for children and printing Children notes, it used only print Individual notes for the child, but now it will also print Family notes attached to the child. -
Billion Graves 2.1.1 Update Released
16 May 2012 | 8:15 amPDAs and Handhelds - Freeware Billion Graves 2.1.1 has been released. Changes: • Fixes to prevent image upload from stopping. -
Archivist of the United States and "Collector-in-Chief" David Ferriero Talks Role of National Archives
16 May 2012 | 6:15 amDiscussing both the Declaration of Independence and Michael Jackson’s patent for anti-gravity shoes, Archivist of the United States and "collector-in-chief" David Ferriero spoke on Monday afternoon about the array of challenges he faces helping to digitize and declassify the 12 billion papers under the National Archive’s control. Ferriero’s lecture, organized by five local libraries, was part of the “Leading Voices in Higher Education” strategic planning lecture series. Source & Full Story -
Olympic Records Available Online
16 May 2012 | 4:15 amHundreds of historic documents and images relating to the Olympic and Paralympic Games have been made available online by The National Archives for the first time. From the 19th to the 21st century. The new site 'The Olympic Record' includes a timeline feature which enables visitors to track back through time and browse material from every summer Olympics from Athens in 1896 to Beijing in 2008. Source & Full Story
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Family Stories
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Using OneNote to help me track my research problems
14 May 2012 | 10:34 pmAs promised here is the tutorial on how I'm gonna use OneNote to keep track of my research problems. The Research Plan Freebie is available on my companion blog 4YourFamilyStory.com. But I'm curious. How do you work your research problems and keep track of them? Let me know in comments below. =) ~Caroline -
They weren't just my ancestors
14 May 2012 | 2:28 pmThe Devil's in the Details My Gran Okay. So I hadn't looked at my data in, like, forever. So I hadn't felt the need to go over everything in my Gran's and my Boo's [My Gran's mom.] lives with a fine-toothed comb. Why should I? My Gran was my Gran and my Boo was my Boo. And I knew them. And when I started out researching I really didn't know what the heck I doing. But now I do. And this weekend in prep for filling out my application for DAR and UEL, I found some discrepancies that should have been staring me in the face from my database. [Hey, I rhymed.] But I dunno what happened. I know I've… -
Part 2 FTM2012 & Workflow for Researching
11 May 2012 | 8:43 pmHere's the promised part 2 of how I use FTM 2012 and my online workflow process. And I'm using my DAR & UEL applications as examples. One question I've already received on it is if I've used the integrated web search in FTM 2012. I have, but I'm not in love with it. First, I have my fave research sites setup in groups via a Forefox browser addon. Second, the view within FTM2012 doesn't show Tasks, just minimal facts, media, & notes. I want to see the tasks along with all the other info when I toggle while researching. I'm greedy like that. Anywho. Here's the video. And more… -
How I'm using FTM's 2012 'Tasks' Feature
11 May 2012 | 5:31 pmHere's a short tutorial that explains how I'm using the 'Tasks' feature in FTM 2012 for my applications to DAR and UEL. It's part 1 of 2. The second video delves into my online workflow process and the 'Tasks' feature. I'm cross posting to 4YourFamilyStory.com cuz it's techy. [And then I don't feel so bad that I messed with this all week. =) ] ~Caroline -
Loyalist + Patriot = ?
9 May 2012 | 8:35 pmWhat Do You Get When a Loyalist Line marries a Patriot Line? I decided since I might have both in the family that I'd finally do the work and then apply to Daughters of the American Revolution [DAR] and United Empire Loyalists [UEL] at the same time. After looking at my various lines that I suspect lead to proven Patriots, I determined that perhaps my Truitt-Ross line [Remember, my Gran was a Truitt.] would be the easiest. William Ross is listed as a proven Patriot with DAR because he signed the Oath of Allegiance in Delaware. [That's right. He didn't fight.] As far as my supposed Loyalist…
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Graveyard Rabbit of Sandusky Bay
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Infant Thomas Hartnett
16 May 2012 | 12:48 amA record search in Family Search Labs indicates that Thomas Hartnett died on May 17, 1926. He was the five day old son of Edward J. Hartnett and Alice White Hartnett, who were both born in Wales. Little Thomas is buried at St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery, in a section which contains several tombstones of the Larkins family. At this time, we do not know if or how the Hartnett family is connected to the Larkins family, though it seems clear that both families were of the Catholic faith. If anyone knows more about the Hartnett family who lived in Sandusky in 1926, please leave a comment. -
Reuben Smith
14 May 2012 | 12:06 amReuben Smith was born on May 13, 1820, and died on May 16, 1900. He is buried in Deyo Cemetery. A symbol from the Independent Order of Odd Fellows is found on Mr. Smith's grave marker.An obituary from the May 24, 1900 issue of the Clyde Democrat read:Reuben Smith, father of Mrs. W. A. Trump of this place, died at Detroit last Thursday, and the remains were brought here and interred in the Deyo cemetery. Mr. Smith was quite well known in Clyde.It is clear that Reuben Smith, who died over one hundred years ago, is still remembered, as evidenced by the beautiful floral tribute upon his… -
Sentimental Sunday: Mom's Thoughts on Our Singing in Her Honor
13 May 2012 | 12:10 amIn December, 1996, four of Joyce Orshoski's six children, along with daughter in law Cindy, sang "I Was There To Hear Your Borning Cry" during a Sunday morning church service at the Congregational United Church of Christ on Main Street in Castalia, Ohio. Though not all of us have a beautiful singing voice, Matt and Kellie carried us. Mom really appreciated us singing this song, in honor of her 65th birthday. After Mom's death, I went through a scrapbook that had been made for Mom by Great Grandma Orshoski (my dad's step grandmother on the Orshoski side.) Mom had written a comment to an… -
C. Friedrich Werner/Fredrick Werner
11 May 2012 | 12:30 amThe tombstone of C. Friedrich Werner is located in St. John's Cemetery in Oxford Township of Erie County, Ohio, near the intersection of Mason and Thomas Roads. Mr. Werner was born on February 12, 1819, and he died in Huron County, Ohio, on May 6, 1902. The 1880 U.S. Census has a listing for a Fredrick Werner, age 61, who was residing in Lyme Township of Huron County. His occupation was given as weaver. Fredrick Werner stated that he had been born in 1819 in Saxony. A brief obituary for Fredrick Werner appeared in the May 8, 1902 issue of the Sandusky Star. The article reported that Mr. -
Leonard Hope
10 May 2012 | 2:47 amLeonard Hope was born in 1856, and died in 1871. He is buried in Strong's Ridge Cemetery, in Huron County, Ohio.The inscription "Alive in Christ" is found below his name on his grave marker.So far, the names of the parents of Leonard Hope have not been found. Leonard Hope is listed in the Erie County, Ohio 1870 Census, as a fourteen year old, living with the family of Worthington and Betsy Nims in Groton Township, Erie County, Ohio.
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GenealogyInTime Magazine
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Ellis Island Immigration Records
11 May 2012 | 4:01 pmEllis Island was the main port of entry for immigrants to America. More immigrants arrived through Ellis Island than all the other North American ports of entry combined. Thus, anyone searching for ancestors in North America (even Canada) should check the Ellis Island immigration records. This article shows you what you need to know when searching for Ellis Island immigration records. -
New War of 1812 Records
11 May 2012 | 4:00 pmLibrary and Archives Canada has put online a new collection of War of 1812 records. -
Ten Effective Strategies for Building a Family Tree
4 May 2012 | 11:43 pmGenealogy is as much about having the correct perspective and managing expectations as it is about family history. The ten strategies listed in this article will give you a better outlook on what is required to be successful with your own family history research. -
Google Drive for Genealogy
27 Apr 2012 | 9:03 amOnline storage is popular with genealogists who want to store and share their research ‘in the cloud’. On 24 April 2012 Google launched a new service called Google Drive. It allows users to store and access files online. The service is similar to Dropbox, but with a distinctive twist. Google offers different features and a lower price. This article discusses this new service from Google, which is likely to become popular with genealogists. -
Another Great 1940 Census Website
20 Apr 2012 | 7:37 pmThe US Genweb Census Project has been very active since the release of the 1940 census records. Volunteers have been busy transcribing the new census records. This is a wonderful, website to check if you are looking for free census records from 1940 or earlier censuses.
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Luxegen Genealogy and Family History
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Canadian Census Records
5 May 2012 | 4:34 pmFrom Ancestry.com (random collection of useful Canadian links) Canadian Collections Census of Canada Collection 1900s 1901 1906 1911 1916 1800s 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 Quebec Vital & Church Records (Drouin Collection) Baptisms, marriage and burial records dating back to 1621. Best resource for French-Canadians. Birth, Marriage & Death Records Vital records provide rich details and form the backbone of your story. Canadian Passenger Lists Over 7 million names, 40 years and 4000 ships. -
Edna Michael – John Aumack’s sister 1940 census
10 Apr 2012 | 3:43 pmIt is always thrilling to find a new record. I’ve found Edna Michael, wife of Fred Michael and the sister of John Aumack in the Michigan, Pipestone County (corrected – this should be Pipestone Township, not county) (pg 15) 1940 census. Fred Michael, head of household, age 63, farmer (owned his own farm) Edna Michael, wife, age 59 Walter Michael, son, age 22 (assistant farmer). All born in Michigan. -
1940 census
4 Apr 2012 | 8:47 pmBeen having a bit of fun poking around the 1940 census for Aumacks in Michigan. I need to dig out the survey (platte) maps. What have others found? -
Grandma Irvine
2 Mar 2012 | 10:04 pmJoan as a baby (the writer of this blog), Grandma Isabel Irvine and Joan's Mom Betty My Grandma Irvine was an amazing woman. She was strong, independent and resilient. I see these traits in other women in our family including my mother, myself and our daughter. Grandma Isabel (Woodland) helped people heal. She trained as a nurse and moved west as a pioneer wife and mail order bride to Bill Irvine. Her skills were in high demand as she delivered over 30 babies and tended to the people in the farming community near Young, Saskatchewan. Grandma was an ‘angel’ in the… -
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
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The Armchair Genealogist
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10 Ideas for Every Genealogist's Bucket List
9 May 2012 | 10:55 pm(This is a re-post from The Armchair Genealogist Archives.) 1. Travel to a least one or more of your ancestral villages, the more exotic the better because let’s face... Want to write your family history? Find support and motivation in The Family History Writing Forum. -
The Moment You Knew
7 May 2012 | 10:55 pmFor me it came as a revelation, after a series of tragic events. First, my husband’s father passed away suddenly as a result of a heart attack. There were no signs. My husband and I were busy living our lives, both working heavy hours, raising two children. Our girls were busy as well, school and dance. However, on October 31st, 2004, my father-in-law sat up in bed, collapsed to the floor. We were shaken to our core. We pushed through the next year. We returned to our busy... Want to write your family history? Find support and motivation in The Family History Writing Forum. -
8 Ways to Get Involved in the Online Genealogy Community
3 May 2012 | 10:55 pm(This is a re-post from The Armchair Genealogist archives) In recent years the online genealogy community has grown tremendously. For a newcomer it may be an overwhelming task to know how to get involved in this community and stay on top of the news of the day. I know for myself the many avenues to engaging in this community has grown, and staying aware of the latest news of the day has expanded 10 fold since I initially started blogging. I also know that as a previous newcomer,... Want to write your family history? Find support and motivation in The Family History Writing Forum. -
Creating Memories Instead of Blog Posts
2 May 2012 | 10:55 pmLynn and Andy Palermo May 8th, 1987 I will be away for the next 10 days, traveling to Paris, France with my husband Andy, were celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary. This is us 25 years ago. Where has the time gone? Two beautiful daughters later, and 25 years of memories were adding to them with a week in France. Although my ancestry is deeply rooted in France, particularly Paris and Normandy, my time will be dedicated to my husband and taking in the sights of both these historical... Want to write your family history? Find support and motivation in The Family History Writing Forum. -
Mother’s Day Specials from Flip-Pal
1 May 2012 | 10:55 pmThe Flip-Pal mobile scanner is offering 12 days of savings with the following National Scrapbooking Day / Mother’s Day Specials! All promotion codes are active 12:00 a.m.–11:59 p.m. MDT (-6 GMT) on their respective dates. All items must be in the shopping cart prior to using the promotion code. Tuesday, May 1. Use Promotion Code: nsd501 Save $20 on the purchase of a Flip-Pal mobile scanner with Digital Creativity Suite 3.0 DVD!... Want to write your family history? Find support and motivation in The Family History Writing Forum.
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The Family Curator
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Lessons from the Archive: How to Spoil a Baby Album
11 May 2012 | 4:35 pmToday I opened some old boxes in our basement and found that many of the treasures tucked inside have been damaged. The biggest culprit seems to be newsprint and newspapers that have infected other items through acid migration. This sweet little baby book, for example, was layered between two construction paper folders filled with grade school papers. The satin fabric cover of the book is stained with sad brown blotches. Inside, a folded piece of newsprint with a hand drawn picture has permanently damaged the first pages. To the right side of the photo you can see a distinct line from the… -
Antiques from the Archives for Treasure Chest Thursday
3 May 2012 | 3:16 pmSomewhere in my wanders I picked up this interesting but useless artifact of past life -- a soft leather drawstring bag containing two detachable men's collars and a bag of collar studs. I have no idea when, where, or why I found this treasure, but now seems like as great time to help it find a new home. You may have seen your male ancestors posing for portraits wearing one of these uncomfortable-looking fashion accessories. Or, maybe you (or your spouse) wore one to a black-tie event? The wing-tip model from Brooks Brothers still looks pretty sharp! Costume experts attribute the invention of… -
Exciting News for Student Genealogists
27 Apr 2012 | 8:01 pmThe Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree has a reputation for setting trends in the genealogy conference world -- Bloggers' Summit, Jamboree App, Social Media Policy, to name a few ground-breaking projects. With the just-announced Jamboree scholarship program for young genealogists, SCGS has done it again. SCGS has announced a new Jamboree scholarship program for aspiring genealogists and family historians between the ages of 18 and 29 as of June 8, 2012. The scholarship will offer reduced Jamboree registration of $15 per day or $25 for all three days for young people registering… -
Shades: Birthday Edition -- Finding footnoteMaven in the 1940 U.S. Census, a Dreadful Tale
22 Apr 2012 | 8:11 amIt's a Holiday! Today is the birthday of footnoteMaven, editor/publisher of the award-winning Shades of the Departed Online Magazine. The Shadettes and Shades-dudes Staff Writers are pleased to present this Special Birthday Edition of the magazine as a tribute to their dear friend. Long may your tiara sparkle, fM! Visit the blogs linked below to read more and feel free to join the party by posting a tribute on your blog and adding the link in the comments. Finding footnoteMaven in the 1940 U.S. Census, A Dreadful Tale from the pen of Miss Penelope Dreadful "Curses, foiled again!," Penny… -
Lessons from the Archive: Clutter or Collection?
18 Apr 2012 | 7:23 pmThings have been quiet around The Family Curator lately, but not because there's nothing to write about. My idea notebook is filling up, but time for writing has been severely limited by a new/old project and a looming deadline. It seems the time has come to clear out the in-laws' home. This is a task that many of us will face in our lifetime, sometimes more than once. It can be emotional, exhausting, or just another thing to do, but it must be done. And one of the biggest challenges in clearing out anyone's home is deciding What to save? What to toss? We are now going on Year Six since my…
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Gravestoned
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Wednesday’s child: Emma
16 May 2012 | 5:15 amOn her gravestone, her name is Emma Aedt (d. 1873). A record of her death, which also names her parents, lists her last name (spelled Aydt), no first name, and gender, unknown.EMMADau. ofJ. & C. AEDTDIEDAug. 1, 1873"Ohio, Deaths and Burials, 1854-1997," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F662-662 : accessed 15 May 2012), Aydt, 1873. Waldo Cemetery, Marion County, Ohio -
Epitaph: Thus end all earthly joys
15 May 2012 | 5:35 amThe small sandstone tablet at the grave of Otho H. Thurstin (d. 1843) features a single pinwheel design. The design on this stone reminds me of modern cemeteries, where colorful pinwheels are a common gravesite decoration—especially at the graves of children.OTHO. H.son ofR. H. & M. B.Thurstin diedDec. 20, 1843:Aged 1 yr & 23 ds.The epitaph is the first verse of a poem by Caroline Matilda Thayer, “Reflections of an unfortunate mother over the grave of her only son.”How are my hopes, my lambent visions fled!How disappointment racks my grief-torn heart!My sole delight, my… -
Zion Cemetery
13 May 2012 | 6:55 amZion Cemetery, Marion County, Ohio -
Old willow
11 May 2012 | 5:15 amAround here, a gravestone from the early 1800s is old— and one that is in nearly pristine condition is suspect: Is it a replacement? Was it placed long after the death?The simple willow tablet at the grave of Nehemiah Sabin (d. 1814) may well be as old as its inscription implies. This stone appears to be cut from siltstone, which stands up beautifully to our Ohio weather. NEHEMIAH SABINDied Dec. 20,1814;in his 44 year.Think this gravestone stands in a weedy, poorly kept cemetery? Look at the weeds!Think again.This gravestone stands in Bigelow Cemetery State Nature Preserve, where rare… -
What’s wrong with this picture?
10 May 2012 | 5:25 amThis gravestone in Canaan Cemetery caught my eye immediately. Or rather, the military marker beside the gravestone did.There are no dates on the stone, but I doubt that Marion Harris, buried beneath a Civil War-style gravestone, was a Vietnam vet.MARION HARRISCO. D57 OHIO INF. According to American Civil War Soldiers [database on-line via Ancestry.com] compiled by Historical Data Systems, Marion Harris enlisted on September 23, 1861 at the age of 17. He received a disability discharge on April 29, 1862 at Camp Dennison, Ohio. Certainly not a Vietnam vet.From Ancestry.comCanaan Cemetery,…
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Old Stones Undeciphered
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Tombstone Tuesday: Quincy and Susan Darling
15 May 2012 | 2:45 pmJ. Quincy and Susan (Wilson) DarlingGlen Cove Cemetry, Knightstown, IndianaJohn Quincy Darling was the son of Samuel and Beulah (Smith) Darling, my maternal great, great grandparents. Quincy married Susan A. Wilson on April 1, 1896 in Rush Co., Indiana. Susan was the daughter of John J. and Margaret (Sloan) Wilson. While their marriage was the first for Quincy, it was Susan's third marriage and the only one that did not end in divorce. She was first married to Jasper N. Kirkpatrick in 1877 with whom she had a daughter, Leila N. Kirkpatrick. Susan's second marriage was to Henry Theodore… -
TODAY in 1900: From Oliver's Diary - A Lover's Spat?
6 May 2012 | 6:33 amExcerpt from the diary of Oliver Morton Wallen,dated Sunday, May 6, 1900:May 6 – A damp, rainy morning. At home until noon. Went to Friendship to S.S. at two P.M. Called on Miss Sarah Davis to get some books. Talked over old times, made up, and agreed to soon get married. Came home through the rain.LOVERS - Béla Iványi-Grünwald [Public domain] via Wikimedia CommonsOn this day, 112 years ago, my paternal great grandparents, who were not yet married, "made up". What did that phrase mean in 1900; the same as today? Did they have a lover's spat? They had become engaged to each other two… -
The Friday Funnies: Adrift in the Bay
4 May 2012 | 7:41 amBelow is a letter my grandmother, Mary Fern (Newby) Runyan, wrote and stuck in a birthday card to her sister-in-law, Grace Anna (Runyan) Crim on her birthday. At first I didn't know who the letter was to, and I wouldn't have known if my grandmother hadn't put the year at the top and mentioned that the person's birthday coincided with Election Day of that year. All I had to do was Google "Election Day 1964" and up came the date "November 3", Grace's birthday! I suppose Grace's daughter Vera found this among her mother's things and gave it to my mother after Grace died. I am tickled pink… -
Tombstone Tuesday: Jacob Grabeel 1784 - 1861
1 May 2012 | 7:42 amTombstone of Jacob Grabeel, Milam-Hobbs CemeteryHagan, Lee Co., VirginiaInscription:In memory ofJacob GrabeelDiedJuly 23, 1861in the 77th Yr.of his age.Milam-Hobbs Cemetery on State Route 621, Hagan, Virginiavia Google EarthJacob Grabeel was my paternal fourth great grandfather. He was born in Pennsylvania to German parents, John and Catherine Grabeel. He and his first wife Mary were the parents of my third great grandmother, Susannah, wife of James Monroe Martin. Jacob died in Lee Co., Virginia and is buried in the Milan-Hobbs Cemetery in Hagan.Tombstone photos used with permission… -
Military Monday: Army Discharge - L. E. Runyan
30 Apr 2012 | 2:32 pmLawrence Everett Runyan was my maternal grandfather. He served in the U. S. Army in World War I as Private First Class, in Co. M, 78th Infantry at Camp Custer, Michigan. He enlisted on August 29, 1918 in New Castle, Indiana at the age of 25 and was honorably discharged five months later on January 21, 1919 These are his original discharge papers, now in my possession.My grandfather dearly loved to fish, which is evident from the permit stamps on these papers placed there over the years.Inside (or front) of Army Discharge paper of Lawrence E. RunyanOutside portion (or back) of Army…
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Old Stones Undeciphered
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Tombstone Tuesday: Quincy and Susan Darling
15 May 2012 | 2:45 pmJ. Quincy and Susan (Wilson) DarlingGlen Cove Cemetry, Knightstown, IndianaJohn Quincy Darling was the son of Samuel and Beulah (Smith) Darling, my maternal great, great grandparents. Quincy married Susan A. Wilson on April 1, 1896 in Rush Co., Indiana. Susan was the daughter of John J. and Margaret (Sloan) Wilson. While their marriage was the first for Quincy, it was Susan's third marriage and the only one that did not end in divorce. She was first married to Jasper N. Kirkpatrick in 1877 with whom she had a daughter, Leila N. Kirkpatrick. Susan's second marriage was to Henry Theodore… -
TODAY in 1900: From Oliver's Diary - A Lover's Spat?
6 May 2012 | 6:33 amExcerpt from the diary of Oliver Morton Wallen,dated Sunday, May 6, 1900:May 6 – A damp, rainy morning. At home until noon. Went to Friendship to S.S. at two P.M. Called on Miss Sarah Davis to get some books. Talked over old times, made up, and agreed to soon get married. Came home through the rain.LOVERS - Béla Iványi-Grünwald [Public domain] via Wikimedia CommonsOn this day, 112 years ago, my paternal great grandparents, who were not yet married, "made up". What did that phrase mean in 1900; the same as today? Did they have a lover's spat? They had become engaged to each other two… -
The Friday Funnies: Adrift in the Bay
4 May 2012 | 7:41 amBelow is a letter my grandmother, Mary Fern (Newby) Runyan, wrote and stuck in a birthday card to her sister-in-law, Grace Anna (Runyan) Crim on her birthday. At first I didn't know who the letter was to, and I wouldn't have known if my grandmother hadn't put the year at the top and mentioned that the person's birthday coincided with Election Day of that year. All I had to do was Google "Election Day 1964" and up came the date "November 3", Grace's birthday! I suppose Grace's daughter Vera found this among her mother's things and gave it to my mother after Grace died. I am tickled pink… -
Tombstone Tuesday: Jacob Grabeel 1784 - 1861
1 May 2012 | 7:42 amTombstone of Jacob Grabeel, Milam-Hobbs CemeteryHagan, Lee Co., VirginiaInscription:In memory ofJacob GrabeelDiedJuly 23, 1861in the 77th Yr.of his age.Milam-Hobbs Cemetery on State Route 621, Hagan, Virginiavia Google EarthJacob Grabeel was my paternal fourth great grandfather. He was born in Pennsylvania to German parents, John and Catherine Grabeel. He and his first wife Mary were the parents of my third great grandmother, Susannah, wife of James Monroe Martin. Jacob died in Lee Co., Virginia and is buried in the Milan-Hobbs Cemetery in Hagan.Tombstone photos used with permission… -
Military Monday: Army Discharge - L. E. Runyan
30 Apr 2012 | 2:32 pmLawrence Everett Runyan was my maternal grandfather. He served in the U. S. Army in World War I as Private First Class, in Co. M, 78th Infantry at Camp Custer, Michigan. He enlisted on August 29, 1918 in New Castle, Indiana at the age of 25 and was honorably discharged five months later on January 21, 1919 These are his original discharge papers, now in my possession.My grandfather dearly loved to fish, which is evident from the permit stamps on these papers placed there over the years.Inside (or front) of Army Discharge paper of Lawrence E. RunyanOutside portion (or back) of Army…
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Genealogy Tools
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Reunion 10.0.1 Update Available
15 May 2012 | 9:46 amI went looking for an update to Reunion 10 after experiencing repeated crashes when editing source detail fields in notes this morning. Fortunately, there’s a fix in for that problem and many others. It would be an improvement if there were a visual clue that an update is available. It wouldn’t have to be a [...] -
Reunion 10 Released
7 May 2012 | 1:39 pmLeister Productions today, released Reunion 10 for Mac. To help you evaluate, upgrade or buy, and make the transition I created a Reunion 10 Review and Guide resource page. The review and guide tells you what you need to know before you buy or upgrade and what you need to know after you get it. [...] -
Finding the Relationship Between Two People with Reunion 10
7 May 2012 | 1:38 pmHave you ever wanted to see just what the relationship is between two people in your Reunion family file? Better yet, how about seeing the connections in a chart? Reunion 10 let’s you do both with people who are related by blood and those related by marriage. Here’s how to do it: Choose Find in [...] -
Correcting Last Name Auto-Completion in Reunion 10
7 May 2012 | 1:38 pmLast name auto-completion in Reunion 10 makes it quick and easy to enter surnames consistently. It’s also common for incorrect names to make their way into the list of last names Reunion 10 uses. You may mistype the name or change a name resulting in a name being in the list, but not in your [...] -
Hiding & Revealing the Sidebar in Reunion 10
7 May 2012 | 1:38 pmThe sidebar is an important new feature of Reunion 10. It makes lists of information readily available and it can sometimes take up valuable screen space. One of the first things to learn about it is how to hide and display it as desired. It’s handy because it automatically appears when it’s required, and not [...]
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Blood and Frogs: Jewish Genealogy and More
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Ancestry.com Launches Autosomal DNA Test
3 May 2012 | 1:38 pmToday Ancestry.com officially launched their autosomal DNA test, which they call simply: AncestryDNA AncestryDNA user interface Frankly, I think the name is a bit confusing considering they have other tests for Y-DNA and mtDNA, but that's a minor point. This new test now competes with FamilyTreeDNA's Family Finder test and 23andMe's Relative Finder test. So how does it compare? The answer, unfortunately, is that I don't know yet. The only people who have received results so far, considering it just launched today, are those who participated in the beta test, where Ancestry.com sent out… -
FamilyTree DNA Sale Today and Tomorrow
20 Apr 2012 | 3:33 amToday is National DNA Day, and in honor of this FamilyTreeDNA is having a sale on all its new testing kits, and many of their upgrade kits. If you've been holding of getting started with genetic genealogy, or on getting an upgrade on one of your tests, this is your chance to do it a little cheaper. To find out more about how to get started, see my discussion of the topic in an earlier post titled Thinking about trying genetic genealogy?. I also wrote a much more detailed description of Y-DNA (patrilineal) and mtDNA (matrilineal) in my post Using DNA for Genealogy: Y-DNA and mtDNA. For… -
First 1940 Census Images are online!
2 Apr 2012 | 2:19 am1940 US Census Page from Durham, Maine Above is a census page from the 1940 US Census. Officially the images are not supposed to be released until 9am Eastern (six hours from now) by the US NAtional Archives, so I'm not sure how this is possible. It would seem the National Archives has been sharing the images early to allow companies to get them up faster. The above image is from Ancestry.com's site, which somehow has a small number of images from DC, Maine and Nevada up already. The 1940 US Census is being released today. The official launch is at 9:00am Eastern Time. There will be a live… -
New Social Security Death Index (SSDI) Search
23 Mar 2012 | 8:14 amI previously wrote about how many genealogy sites have been removing or restricting access to parts or even the entire Social Security Death Index (SSDI), due to pressure from lawmakers who have tried to make it seem like access to the SSDI was contributing to identity theft. I won't go over that again, but you can read my earlier post Changes in Access to the SSDI and Vital Records. One company, Mocavo, seems to be bucking the trend of most of the genealogy companies out there to restrict access to the SSDI, and has actually introduced a very nice new search engine for the SSDI, which seems… -
The 1940 Census is just 12 days away...
21 Mar 2012 | 1:32 pmIt only happens once a decade. Seventy-two years after the 1940 US Census was recorded, it is being released to the public. Unlike previous years where it was released on microfilm and took a long time to digitize and then index, this time the census is being released fully digitized. You should be able to see census pages on day 1 (April 2), although no index exists so you will not be able to search by name or address. The work on such an index will only start on April 2, 2012 when the files become available. There are at least two efforts to index the 1940 Census records, one by…
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Irish Genealogy News
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Back To Our Past confirmed for October
15 May 2012 | 4:19 pmGreat news! Ireland's very own national family history show – Back to Our Past – will return for a third outing for three days in October — Friday 12th to Sunday 14th. As previously, it'll be held at the RDS in Ballsbridge, Dublin. The organisers say that all 50 of last year's exhibitors expressed an interest in returning, so they are no doubt now chasing them up and trying to get them confirmed. Details of exhibitors and floor plans will follow nearer the date. For the time being, just get the dates in your diary! I'll bring more news as it becomes available.You might also… -
Halfway through May: IGP Archives latest
15 May 2012 | 4:00 pmSee Tipperary (below) for link to larger imageIreland Genealogy Projects Archives have uploaded the following files in the first half of May: CORK Genealogy Archives – HeadstoneCobh, Clonmel (Old Church) Cemetery - Lusitania DeadDUBLIN Genealogy Archives Photos – St Patrick's Day Parade 1935Headstones – Mount Jerome, Dublin - Part 45FERMANAGH Genealogy Archives Church - Colaghty: List of young persons confirmed by the Bishop of Kilmore on 16/6/1856Headstones – Newtownbutler (CoI) Cemetery (6 old headstones)LEITRIM Genealogy Archives - HeadstonesDrumkeerin Church of Ireland… -
Great day of lectures in Dublin this weekend
14 May 2012 | 8:05 amThere's a great day of lectures planned for this Saturday (19 May) in Dublin. Hosted by the Irish Genealogical Research Society (IGRS), the Open Day will be held in the Seminar Room of Dublin City Library & Archive, Pearse Street, Dublin 2. It starts at 10:00am and closes at 4:30pm. Lunch is not included.Here's the day's programme:10:00: Registration and coffee10:20: Chairman's Welcome10:30–11:10: Digitising The Chief Secretary's Office registered papers, with Nigel Johnston11:15–11:55: Ireland's prison and petty sessions records, with Brian Donovan12:00–13:30: Lunch… -
Military records for release this month
14 May 2012 | 4:00 amGenealogist John Grenham took a trip to the Military Archives last week and reports that the much-anticipated Bureau of Military History collection, which covers the Independence movement from 1913 to 1921, will be available by the end of this month on the Military Archives website. The Bureau gave individuals an opportunity to record their own stories and experiences of this period and has resulted in a fascinating collection of material relating to the Irish Volunteers from their formation in 1913 to 1921. It comprises 1773 witness statements, 334 sets of contemporary documents, a huge… -
1911 Census for England & Wales: free all weekend
11 May 2012 | 12:13 pmThe 1911 Census for England & Wales is now complete at Ancestry.co.uk and to celebrate, all the records are being made available absolutely free from today until Monday. Sounds like a good reason for stopping in and doing some research this weekend!
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Genealogy For The Family Historian-Links to Records, Ancestry, Surnames. - Ah Ha Moments Blog
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Give Up The Struggle And Send In The Saliva?
13 May 2012 | 11:20 amIn genealogy and mostly life, I am astounded at those who are satisfied with the words "maybe", "could be" and "possibly" as a final ending to an unanswered question. For me, those are not answers, they are beginnings. They are unacceptable and unsatisfying, leaving me frustrated and exhausted.Instead, I explore and search until my answer is "definitely and without question." It is how I was built which makes for occasional days of genealogical frustration.The "maybes" and "possibly's" in my family tree gnaw at my core, especially the identity of the original Irish county of my ancestors. -
No Place Like Home.
6 May 2012 | 11:47 amMy years of genealogical research has revealed hundreds of ancestors branching nicely into a well-formed tree. I have unfolded often astonishing discoveries of many grandfathers with surnames unknown to our family before my quest. But I recently reflected on the information known of the lineage of my birth name: Capps.In genealogy, it is easy to stray off onto wild adventures of various ancestors as our attention is distracted by interesting discoveries, far away from our original point. But this week I swung back to my original point, concentrating on the Capps lineage.My research had gone… -
Hitting Pay Dirt?
29 Apr 2012 | 11:57 amTarr Farm Taking a "short break" from my genealogical research due to a spring flu and well...life, I felt the urge to refocus and jump back in. Staring at my family tree, I played around with various surnames; running new searches on ancestors I am still curious about.Thumbing through many of my downloaded documents, I took notice of the large acreage my German ancestor in Pennsylvania owned. George Tarr, a son of German immigrants, pioneered a large tract of land in Northwestern Pennsylvania; about 1000 acres.Contemplating the size of George's estate, my interest was peaked and I sped off… -
Even My French Were Irish!
22 Apr 2012 | 12:37 pmWe are all drawn into genealogy for various reasons but for me, it's the discovery of immigrant ancestors. I value learning their culture and history; wondering if those traditions and cultures influenced who I am today.Before my obsession into genealogy, I assumed most Americans searched for discoveries of immigrant ancestors in order to feel ownership to a distinct culture; the same ethnic traditions that the French, Scots and Germans experience.But with years of research, I have come to realize that the cultures of Great Britain and Europe are not as "pure" as we Americans believe. They… -
A Shimmering But Ghostly Story
15 Apr 2012 | 12:09 pmAs a child, I loved to rummage our attic through family heirlooms that whispered previous lives and untold stories. But there was one item that stands out in my memory more than the others: a mother-of-pearl inlay picture of the Titanic.I loved to pull out the picture from its dusty attic box, mesmerized by the shimmer of pink and white stones under the light. And yet, even as a child, I felt the ghostliness of the picture: the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic and ultimate death of over 1,500 souls.In the early hours of April 15, 1912, the ship that was heralded as unsinkable, dropped to the…
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Louis Kessler's Behold Blog
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How Source Based Data Entry Should Work
15 May 2012 | 1:37 amOn BetterGEDCOM, I was asked the question how Behold would handle some simple source examples in a step-by-step manner. Rather than just answer on their forum, this is an important concept that I’d like to present here so that all Behold users (and others interested) can see what I’m planning. There are 6 sources in the example. This is what would happen with source based data entry in Behold as you find each one and add the relevant information for it before going on to the next. 1. Source: Conversation with Grandma Person of interest: John Doe (her grandfather, my… -
Family Tree Maker’s Individual Timeline
8 May 2012 | 12:29 amIn DearMyrtle’s blog: Myrt learns about FTM 2012 from her cousin, includes a webinar in which her cousin Russ Worthington introduced FTM to her. What particularly caught my attention was his mention of an interesting feature in FTM 2012 (or any version since 2008) that I didn’t know about: An individual’s timeline and the ability to add family events (births of children, deaths of parents, etc). In FTM, if you select the “Person” tab, and select the “Timeline” button, you will see all the events for an individual in order of date. It gives the year, person’s age, the event,… -
Smart Genealogy Software vs Dumb Genealogy Software
24 Apr 2012 | 10:18 pmAlmost all genealogy software is dumb. That’s D-U-M-B, dumb! They accept all your data and then regurgitate it back to you unthinkingly. Junk in, junk out. Good stuff in, good stuff … well out, yes – but presented dumb-ly. There is nothing wrong with dumb genealogy software, as long as you expect nothing out of it. Don’t expect it to help you do your genealogy, or present your data in a way that will help you come to new conclusions. It will just be a big notepad where everything is written down. At least you won’t forget it … that is, if you can find it again in the usually dumb… -
How To Get A Developer To Fix A Bug
13 Apr 2012 | 11:02 pmDoing so is easy. Just 3 steps. Tell the developer about it. If they don’t know about it, they won’t fix it. Get the developer to realize it’s a bug. This sometimes is very difficult. Most developers are stubborn, defensive, sure they’re right, and often quite belligerent in their beliefs. Keep bothering the developer until it’s fixed. Developers are busy and often are working on ten things at once. Every month or so, email them back to remind them. Developers will try to fix bugs before adding new features, but sometimes they get lost in the workflow. A kick in the pants every so… -
Life Events – Family Information You Can Really Use!
4 Apr 2012 | 9:13 pmA few posts ago, I blogged about Family Group Sheets – Why and Wherefore? There I talked about how genealogists tend to use Family Group Sheets to organize and maintain their data, and how genealogy software programs have come to mimic that format. Behold has also been following the general idea of the Family Group Sheet as well. Here is a snapshot of the information for a husband/wife in Behold 1.0.4. It is taken from the Stephen McCarthy Legacy.ged file that comes with Behold as a sample file: Each “family” in Behold has been divided into three sections: one for the first spouse, one…
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Lineagekeeper's Genealogy
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Utah Index to Military Deaths, 1941-1953
16 May 2012 | 9:00 amFinding yet another genealogy resource when you least expect it is always a delight. Enter the Utah Index to Military Death Certificates, 1941-1953. When I stopped looking back way back in time to find ancestors, I decided it was time to find additional sources for events in the lives of extended family. I’ve always noticed the deaths of young men whose death occurred during World War II and the Korean War, but had not taken the time to look for their death certificates. I assumed that most of them died while serving in the military. When the Utah Index… -
FamilySearch Learning Center
15 May 2012 | 9:00 amFamilySearch offers a wealth of online genealogy training courses that span from training for newbies to experienced “old-hands” in research. Let’s visit just a few titles on the main page of the FamilySearch Learning Center. Beginning Genealogy Courses. If you are starting as a researcher, take time to review these courses before you start your research. Genealogy Boot Camp by the popular speaker and presenter, Tom Kemp. Finding Maximilian Parker. Follow the research journey in finding the father of Butch Cassidy. Thinking Creatively… -
Dig For Victory
14 May 2012 | 9:00 amWorld War II posters frequently emphasized Victory or home gardens to supply U.S. citizens with some of their food. It is spring. The economy looks like it is in for yet another rough stretch. Do you have your own garden planted yet? -
Dirck Hals Art ~ Week 4
13 May 2012 | 9:00 amWeekly presentation of art by great grandpa Dirck Hals. A Merry Company. -
Genealogy Societies ~ FamilySearch Wiki
12 May 2012 | 9:00 amDoes your genealogy society have a page on the FamiliySearch Wki? If not, it should. Not only does the wiki provide the hosting of the page, the page itself is located on one of the busiest topic specific sites in existence. If you belonged to the “Brickwall Society” for example (a fictitious organization), their page on the wiki would look like this example page: The page continues with listings about the publications, services, benefits and resources available through the society. Your society needs a page like this on the wiki. How do you create a page on the wiki? It…
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Empty Nest Genealogy
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I Enjoyed “Who Do You Think You Are?” While It Lasted
15 May 2012 | 10:54 amThis was bad news. NBC has decided against renewing the Ancestry.com sponsored show “Who Do You Think You Are?” for another season. From all accounts, it appears that the decision makers... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Researching Paternal or Maternal Lines – Is One Better Than the Other?
14 May 2012 | 7:08 pmIn my mind, no. The other side of this question is: “Should genealogy research concentrate more on one to the exclusion of the other? Again, I say “no”. When I first started... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Stehle Ancestry
13 May 2012 | 8:54 pmAs the post’s name indicates, in my previous post, “Relationship Chart of Mark Blythe to Barack Obama“, I posted the ancestry chart showing the connection between Barack Obama and... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
What Was There?
12 May 2012 | 1:05 pmThe “Friendly City Gateway” in Sault Ste. Marie of the 1940′s. After seeing a Facebook post by Cyndi of cyndislist.com asking if anyone had used the site... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com Updates and Additions
10 May 2012 | 3:43 pmHere are the newest updates and additions at FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com. FamilySearch.com Argentina... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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Arlene Eakle's Virginia Blog
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Genealogy Strategies I Know Work!
10 May 2012 | 10:27 pmOver a number of years doing professional genealogy research I have discovered and developed genealogy research strategies for hard-to-find ancestors that I know work: Easier ways to evaluate evidence. Search techniques that yield more proof of relationship. Where to look for data. How to compare and distinguish two people who carry the same names. And on, and on…And I want to share what I have learned with you– Before I do that, let me define professional genealogy research– 1. Actual research paid for by clients to trace their ancestors 2. Research skills learned through… -
New proof added to Eakle genealogy tradition…
20 Apr 2012 | 8:53 pmThe Augusta County Virginia Heritage Book landed on the new book shelf of the Family History Library, Salt Lake City UT, this week. And since our Eakle family residedin Augusta County Virginia before they left for Utah in the 1880′s, I made a beeline for the volume. Yup! I knew it all along! When Alma and I went to Virginia for the first time, we interviewed relatives still living in the local community where his family came from. We were told that the Johnson/Johnston grandfather had been buried under the corner of the Laurel Hill Church. We visited the church and the… -
New Phone Numbers
30 Mar 2012 | 11:29 pmWebmaster Kathryn here – Arlene asked me to let you know that she has new phone numbers. -
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…
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Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog
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Tennessee Marriage Entries and Other Vital Records
21 Apr 2012 | 2:00 pmWith all the possible genealogy databases uploaded on the internet, it is easy to overlook the massive indexing projects that FamilySearch.org sponsors. And thus to ignore ready-access to millions of Tennessee Vital Records now available online. And I decided to bring this new wealth of information to your attention this morning. Title . Total Number of Records Online at FamilySearch . Database Last Updated Tennessee Births and Christenings, 1828-1939 . 197,220 . 7 May 2010 Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications, Soldiers and Widows, 1891-1965 . Browse… -
New Phone Numbers
30 Mar 2012 | 11:28 pmWebmaster Kathryn here – Arlene asked me to let you know that she has new phone numbers. -
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…
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Arlene Eakle's Genealogy Blog
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Searching the 1940 Census until all the States are Indexed
11 May 2012 | 11:17 amThe indexing of the 1940 census continues apace! Oregon,Idaho, Montana, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and Arizona are indexed and are now being compared and arbitrated for accuracy. Virginia, Vermont, and New Hampshire are almost finished. Delaware and Indiana are almost completed. According to the1940 monitor at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City UT. Kansas and Nebraska are about 50% completed. Other states have varying %s. So until the indexers are done and the indexes have been linked to the images online, here’s what you do: Access the 1940 Census ED Finder by…
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Olive Tree Genealogy Blog
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A Photograph Brings Life to an Ancestor
16 May 2012 | 8:30 amJack Schulze with parents Recently my youngest son was given a photo of his grandfather Jack with Jack's parents. That doesn't sound too exciting but it is. No one in the family knew much about Jack's parents. All we knew was that Jack's father was either Otto or Oscar Schulze and his mom was Harriet. Years ago I asked my son's father to ask his mother about the Schulze family. Since she -
Lost & Found: Arthur Fitzgerald's WW1 ID Tag
15 May 2012 | 8:30 amWW1 ID Tag Canadian Soldier This is another Tribute for a Canadian soldier. His name and service number are given on the front of his WW1 ID Tag - A. Fitzgerald, Service Number 55422. This tag is made of aluminum and we know it was issued early in the War. Aluminum was expensive and at some point tags were made out of a pressed material which was between paper and cardboard in feel. We do -
Who Do You Think You Are? Cancelled
14 May 2012 | 8:30 amSeason 3 of Who Do You Think You Are? sponsored by Ancestry.com will be the last Season. NBC announced that it has cancelled the popular genealogy show for next year. I'll miss the show but it had a good run! Considering the small niche market I think the decision to not run another season was understandable. Read the Press Announcement from Ancestry.com -
Sharing Memories (Week 20): Friday Night Cards!
13 May 2012 | 2:15 pmWelcome to Week 20 of our 52 weeks of Sharing Memories - A Genealogy Journey for 2012. This is our third year writing our memoirs and childhood memories for our descendants. If you are just joining us, you can take a peek at the last two years' of prompts by clicking on the Sharing Memories tab at the top of the blog. You can jump in at any time and you can skip topics that you don't like. -
Last Day of Special Offers from Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner
12 May 2012 | 9:49 amFlip-Pal Mobile Scanner does it again with twelve (12!) days of specials for National Scrapbooking Day and Mother’s Day. If you haven't read how much I love my Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner and the different ways I use it, please take a minute to read my Flp-Pal Stories This is such a versatile little scanner. I use mine when I visit my elderly auntie, so I can scan photos while we chat. I also
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Archives.com Blog
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NGS Here We Come!
8 May 2012 | 9:41 pmWe can't believe it's been only been a year since the first time Archives.com exhibited at a family history conference - NGS 2011! So much has happened since then it's amazing to look back at how far we've come. This year we're back again, this time in Cincinnati, with a new look and we can't wait for the conference to begin! Tomorrow Joe Godfrey, Product Director for Archives.com, will be addressing NGS attendees before the Opening Session. Make sure to come early to get a good seat. You'll learn more about where Archives.com is headed, and why we're psyched about joining with the… -
Understanding the 1940 Census
4 May 2012 | 12:47 pmIt's been one month since the release of the 1940 census. Whether you've found family members on the National Archives website at 1940census.archives.gov or found them here on Archives.com using the growing number of indexes we have available, you might wonder what some things in the census mean. Here we'd like to answer some common questions to help you more easily find your family, and better understand these records. The "X" In a Circle or In Parentheses: The circled X or an X in parentheses shows who gave the enumerator the information for the household. This can help you judge the… -
Inflection Sells Archives.com to Ancestry.com Inc.
25 Apr 2012 | 3:18 amREDWOOD CITY, CA, April 25, 2012 --Inflection, a Silicon Valley Big Data startup, today announced the sale of its family history website Archives.com to Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM) for $100 million in cash. Archives.com will continue under Inflection leadership until the completion of customary closing conditions. "The sale is an exciting moment for Inflection and the broader family history community," said Inflection CEO Matthew Monahan. "Thanks to Archives.com General Manager Joe Godfrey's inspired leadership and our extraordinary team, Archives.com has quickly become one of family… -
New! Search Colorado 1940 Census Records By Name
24 Apr 2012 | 7:35 pmToday, Archives.com has made the entire 1940 census name index for Colorado available to search for free at Archives.com/1940census. There you can search all 1940 census records from Colorado, and view the images, at no cost. This is the second state to be made available on Archives.com from the 1940 census, and more will be added continually! Kudos to the tremendous effort of the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project volunteers who are helping to bring these records online in record time. If you're not involved already, this important national service project needs you! -
Archives.com Partners with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to Publish Millions of Church Records
17 Apr 2012 | 1:39 pmREDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 17, 2012 - Archives.com, a website that makes family history research simple and affordable, is pleased to announce its partnership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) to digitize and index 1,000 reels of microfilm containing millions of baptism, confirmation, marriage, and funeral records. Archives.com will make these records available online for the first time as part of its ongoing effort to expand its collection of over 2.1 billion historical records. With the help of digitization and indexing partners, Archives.com will create digital…
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The Family Connection
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Roger Shaw of Cambridge, MA and Hampton, New Hampshire
15 May 2012 | 12:00 pmA perusal of the web and ancestry.com for the genealogy of Roger Shaw of Cambridge and Hampton reveals a mishmash of bad research or a complete lack of research and a lot of what I call "copy and paste" genealogy. Extensive and exhaustive research was done by Edgar Joseph Shaw which he compiled in his article "The English Origins of Roger and Ann Shaw of Cambridge, Massachusetts and Hampton, New Hampshire". This article was published in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register in 2004. Many genealogies use the book "Shaw Records: A Memorial of Roger… -
John Cram and Ester White of Bilsby and Exeter
10 May 2012 | 8:56 amJohn Cram was an early immigrant to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, he and his wife Ester arrived in Boston in 1635. He was baptized in Bilsby, Lincolnshire, England on 29 Jan 1596/7. John was the son of Thomas Cram and his wife Jane. The Crams had been in the Bilsby-Alford area for many years and John's ancestry can be traced in the Bishop's Transcripts to his paternal grandfather John Cram, b. about 1540. His father Thomas was born about 1593 and died by 30 March 1639 when his will was proved. John's mother Jane had died in 1612 and was buried in Bilsby. John was… -
Nicholas Norris of Hampton, New Hampshire
6 May 2012 | 3:29 pmSarah Norris, the mother of Katherine Baker Thornton was descended for Nicolas Norris of Hampton and Exeter, New Hampshire. Nicholas does not appear in any records until his marriage in 1663/4 to Sarah Coxe, daughter of Moses Coxe and his wife Alice. Nothing is known about his parents, DOB or place of birth. There is some speculation on ancestry.com and other sources, both web and old reference books, that he was from Ireland but of English descent, but the push of Irish immigration didn't really get going until after the restoration of the monarchy in England. He was probably… -
Solving a Mystery in a City Directory
27 Apr 2012 | 11:16 amI have been looking for sometime for the date of death for my great grandfather John Clark Thornton. His death falls in that time before the Social Security Index and after the date which most states release vital records. I knew he died between the 1920 and 1930 census, but not the actual date. I called the cemetery where he was buried, they could look it up,if I could tell them the section and plot number where he was buried. I didn't want to pay for a copy of his death certificate either. So, I had given up on finding it. Yesterday I was chasing… -
The Risheill Family, Trying to Meet in the Middle
25 Apr 2012 | 7:30 pmIf you do family research for any length of time you will probably encounter what I call the "meeting in the middle" conundrum. You have ancestors of whom you are sure of and you want to connect them to people you hope are their ancestors. The problem are those people in between. There is always a generation or two who are hard to find and records are scarce.My husband's great grandmother was Mabel Risheill, her father David Oliver, his Joseph Oliver. That I know. I also know that Joseph Oliver was born in Pennsylvania. At the time of his…
