VGS News & Events: 24 September 2017 - 30 September 2017

Coming Events:

Monday: September 25, 2017

Technology SIG Meeting:

10:00 AM in the Hearth Room at the Colony Recreation Center
Topic: “Managing Your Computer Files: Making Sense of the Chaos.”
Note the meeting location change for this meeting only.

Wednesday: September 27, 2017

Brick Wall SIG Meeting

8:30 AM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center

Wednesday: September 27, 2017

General Monthly Meeting

10:00 AM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center

Topic: “Googling Your Family: Using the Whole Google Website” by Ann Staley ^{CGSM, CGLSM}

Gen News & Announcements:

New Online! English Genealogy Records and More:

Lisa Louise Cooke
"English genealogy records abound in this week’s roundup of new family history records online. Find England BMD, parish records, newspapers, and more. Also: an important addition to the British Newspaper Archive’s Irish newspaper collection,  over 1,000 years of Chinese documents and records, German vital records, parish records for Italy and Sweden, and new US collections for VA, OH and NY."
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September Is Save Your Photo Month:

Hound on the Hunt
"Did you know that September is; save your photo month? Well, it’s been designated that but actually any month you decide to save photos I think is the right one. I’m a firm believer that you need to keep those photos safe. As we see so many natural disasters around us right now it makes you realize that you need to be proactive about scanning those photos and storing them; not just on your computer but in the cloud."
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Are In-person Genealogy Events Dead?

Amy Johnson Crow
"There are rumblings on social media about the possible end of in-person genealogy events like conferences and seminars. With all of the blogs, webinars, and email newsletters out there, are in-person genealogy events dead?"
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How to Use Ancestry’s Hints Without Going Crazy:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Many genealogists have a love/hate relationship with Ancestry's hints. Those little shaky leaves can yield great clues, but like leaves in the fall, it can feel overwhelming when they start piling up. Here's how to manage those hints."
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Mining the 1880 Census Mother Lode: Insanity and Idiocy:

Ancestor Cloud
"Family Search refers to the 1880 census as the “mother lode of questions pertaining to physical condition, criminal status, and poverty.”  Why is that?"
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Pedigree Collapse: Are We All Cousins?

Ancestor Cloud
"Have you ever thought about how many ancestors one person could possibly have?
Mathematically speaking, taking one’s family tree out thirty generations would result in about a BILLION ancestors."
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4 Things To Do When Using a Genealogy Database:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Each genealogy database that we use is slightly different. (Some of them are really different!) That means that they can act differently, which can have an impact on the results we're getting. Whether you're looking at the latest databases on Ancestry or FamilySearch or exploring a new-to-you collection, here are 4 things you should do when using a genealogy database."
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Tech:

What the Equifax Breach Means to You:

Ask Leo
"On September 7th, the U.S. credit reporting company Equifax announced they had suffered a massive data breach some months earlier.
Equifax's handling of that breach has since been termed a “dumpster fire” by noted journalist Brian Krebs. Their instructions, website, and tools to help you determine if you've been impacted have been nothing short of a total mess. The term I'd use instead of dumpster fire isn't appropriate for a family publication.
All indications are that if you've ever had a credit report, your information is likely part of this mess. Even if you're not sure, it's best to assume it.
So. What now?
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More information from the Federal Trade Commission...

Education:

Ways to Be Constantly Improving Your Genealogy Research:

Ancestral Findings
"Do you want to become a better genealogist? You can! Join me on the GenealogyGold Podcast and I’ll give you three ways you can be constantly improving your genealogical skills."
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Upcoming Webinars:

Quick Guide to Texas Research:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"An introductory look at the records and repositories for getting started in Texas Research."
Wednesday, September 27, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Deena Coutant
Learn more or Register for this webinar...