VGS News & Events: 5 August 2018 through 11 August 2018

More Florida Pioneer Records
Read about the project here...

Meeting Reminders:

Tuesday: August 7, 2018

Adoption & Mystery KIN SIG Meeting

9:00 AM at the Lake Miona Recreation Center

Thursday: August 9, 2018

German Genealogy SIG Meeting

9:30 AM in the Reliance Room at the Late Miona Recreation Center
Topic: "Member Success Stories & Brick Walls"

Friday: August 10, 2018

Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting

10:00 AM in the Rhett Butler Room at the Savannah Center

Topic: “Building Your Genome (and Those of Your Ancestors)”

Coming Soon...

Wednesday, October 24

Fall Virtual Seminar On Immigration Records

9:00 am to 3:30 pm

Online Virtual Conference

This all-day seminar is offered free to our members as part of our celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Villages Genealogical Society.

PLEASE NOTE: There will be no in-person meeting in October. We will attend the presentations via our own computers or devices at whatever location is convenient for us. (That doesn’t mean you can’t get together with other genealogy buddies for a watch party at somebody’s house, though!)

You MUST register for the presentations in order to get the link to join the seminar on October 24th.
Registration is now open at:  Register HERE...

Download the event flyer here...

Gen News and Announcements:

Special Announcement:

Announcing the Villages Genealogical Society’s New Webinar Series: 

The VGS is pleased to announce a new educational opportunity for our members; a monthly webinar series in which we’ll bring you presentations by distinguished genealogical speakers. Our webinars will be the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. Eastern.

Our first presentation in the series will be September 10, 2018, at 7 p.m. Eastern. Julie Miller, CG, CGL, FNGS, will present “Sources or Clues? Pitfalls of Using Published Genealogies and Online Trees.”

Presentation description: Is it okay to use published genealogies and online trees in the search for our ancestors? Published genealogies and online trees are abundant, they are found in many places and in many different forms. But what happens when we just copy and use what is in published genealogies and online trees? This case study illustrates the confusion and the problems that may result if precautions are not taken.

Presenter bio: Julie Miller is a board-certified genealogist and genealogical lecturer who is a full-time professional researcher, speaker, and writer. She is the National Genealogical Society (NGS) Education Manager, was the conference chair of the 2010 and 2012 NGS conferences, and is an NGS fellow. Julie speaks on a wide variety of genealogy subjects both locally and nationally. Her articles have appeared in the NGSQ, NGS Magazine, and she was the genealogy columnist for the Broomfield Enterprise for ten years. Julie has been a volunteer at NARA-Denver for twenty years.

Please register for the webinar at:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4171457348337485826
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Julie has given us permission to record her presentation. After the live broadcast, it will be available in the Members Only section of the VGS website for 90 days.

Future presentations will be announced as speakers are booked. We hope you enjoy this opportunity to participate in quality genealogical education no matter whether you’re in The Villages or anywhere else in the world.

New Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of July 23, 2018:

FamilySearch
"FamilySearch expands its free online archives this week with new records and images from Belgium, Bolivia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States, including sources for Native Americans."
Search now...

Archives Recalls Fire That Claimed Millions of Military Personnel Files:

National Archives News
"The National Archives and Records Administration recently marked the 45th anniversary of a devastating fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri, that destroyed approximately 16–18 million Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) documenting the service history of former military personnel discharged from 1912 to 1964."
Continue reading...

12 Free Genealogy Research Sites for Australia and New Zealand:

Family History Daily
"In this article we have listed a variety of free genealogy record sites and research resources to help you uncover the stories of your Australian or New Zealander ancestors."
Continue reading...

Do You Have Errors Hiding in Your Family Tree? Here’s How to Find Out:

Family History Daily
"As we expand and edit our trees over time, it is not uncommon for mistakes to slip in – especially when we are adding new members to the family, transcribing a record by hand or allowing a subscription program to add information for us via discoveries and hints. Many errors are simple mistakes in data entry, however, and be fixed quite easily – IF we can catch them."
Continue reading...

New Jersey Death Index & More U.S. Genealogy Records Online:

Genealogy Gems
"The New Jersey Death Index tops this week’s list of new and updated U.S. genealogy records online. Along with a Native American census collection, our list includes family history records for Georgia, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Among the documents you can search for your ancestors are vital records, obituaries, digitized newspapers and even home movies!"
Continue reading...

Ancestry To Close Orem Call Center:

Daily Herald
"Ancestry.com is closing its Orem call center due to a partnership with a customer contact business."
Continue reading...

Ancestry, 23andMe And Others Say They Will Follow These Rules When Giving DNA Data To Businesses Or Police:

The Washington Post
"Ancestry, 23andMe and other popular companies that offer genetic testing pledged on Tuesday to be upfront when they share users’ DNA data with researchers, hand it over to police or transfer it to other companies, a move aimed at addressing consumers' mounting privacy concerns."
Continue reading...

Technology:

How to Choose the Best VPN Service for Your Needs:

How-to-Geek
"If you’re looking for the best VPN for torrenting, privacy, bypassing censorship, staying anonymous online, getting around geographic restrictions, or just location shifting, you’ve got a lot of confusing choices. Keep reading as we help you pick the right VPN for you."
Continue reading...

Education:

Double Dating in Genealogy:

Ancestral Findings
"Did you know that there was a change in our calendar in 1752? There was, and it changed the way things were dated. Join me today and we’ll try to figure it all out, and get the date correct in your research."
Continue reading...

Webinars:

Genealogical Proof for the Novice Genealogist:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"How do you know if the facts you've uncovered are correct? How do you avoid attaching somebody else's ancestors to your family tree? This introduction to the Genealogical Proof Standard will get your research moving in the right direction from the beginning and help you avoid errors and frustration."
Wednesday, August 08, 2018 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Annette Burke Lyttle, VGS Vice-President
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

50 Websites To Find Vital Records:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Where do you find vital records? That simple question doesn't always have an easy answer. In this presentation, we will explore online finding aids, indexes, vital record alternatives and digitized copies of vital records. This information is a must for anyone researching US ancestors."
Friday, August 10, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Gena Philibert-Ortega
Learn more or Register for this webinar...