VGS News & Events: April 19 through April 25, 2020

Practice Social-Distancing

Coming Events:  Due to Covid-19, all April Rec Center meetings have been canceled.

VGS Sponsored Live Webinars for April:

April 22, 2020 at 10:00 Online
Topic: “Overcoming the Dead End Doldrums”
Guest Speaker: Paul Milner, FUGA, MDiv.

Description: "All researchers at some time enter the doldrums and feel they have reached a dead end in tracing a particular line. Learn clear steps to overcome the doldrums and get around the dead end."
About: Paul Milner, a native of northern England is a professional genealogist and international lecturer.
Registration:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2952210017324492300

April 22, 2020 at 11:30 Online
Topic: “Effective Use of GENUKI: England’s Largest Free Genealogy Website”

Guest Speaker: Paul Milner, FUGA, MDiv.

Description: "Learn how to effectively use the largest free website for British Isles research. Understand how the site is organized and to find it’s the many resources tools on the site. Plus see how to find its gems for specific local research"
About: Paul Milner, a native of northern England is a professional genealogist and international lecturer.
Registration: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6663239881952304396
Handouts for both sessions now available...
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Gen News and Announcements:

New Free Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of 13 April 2020

FamilySearch
"Probe 25 million new, historical Death Index Records for Insee, France, and nearly 4 million more death and burial records for England this week on FamilySearch. Look for more ancestors in new indexed vital records from France, England, Italy, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Peru, Colombia, Denmark, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Sierra Leone, American Samoa and South Africa.  Records added from the United States were from AL, AZ, CA, DE, DC, FL, GA, HA, ID, IA, LA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NJ, NC, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA Wi, and WY. "
Search now...

5 Tips for Evaluating Conflicting Evidence:

LTG
“How do I evaluate conflicting evidence in my family history?” Read on to discover tips from professional genealogists.
Continue reading...

What Life Was Like During the Spanish Flu of 1918:

Amy Johnson Crow
"You’ve probably seen articles comparing the Corona virus and COVID-19 to the Spanish Flu. But beyond the numbers, what was life like during the Spanish Flu of 1918/1919? Social historian Lori Lyn Price has some answers." Podcast
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3 Essential Websites for German Family History Research:

LTG
"If you have German ancestors in your family tree, or if you have worked on German research for anyone else, you may have noticed that Germany is a country that doesn’t include national indexes to their records."
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Interesting Facts and Myths about Ellis Island:

FamilySearch
"Although Ellis Island is now a mere relic of the past, Ellis Island facts, figures, and myths continue to fascinate people today. This fascination is likely because Ellis Island served as the port of entry for millions of people during one of the largest migration periods in the history of the world."
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Technology:

How to Switch to the New Facebook Desktop Interface:

How-to Geek
"Facebook’s desktop website is getting a visual overhaul that almost everyone can access. Update to this brand new, less cluttered design with the click of a button. But don’t worry, if you don’t like the change, you switch back to the classic interface if you want to keep the social media you know."
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Education:

How to Organize Your Family Photos | Ancestral Findings:

Ancestral Findings
"Are you having difficulty figuring out the best way to organize your family photos? Here are some suggestions that work..."
Listen now... 8.43 minutes

Webinars:

Maryland State Archives Decoded:

Legacy Family Tree
"The Maryland State Archives has a rich collection of genealogical sources for the state. This talk will help you prepare for a trip to the archive and know what is available online."
Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL
Learn more or Register for this event...

Introduction to Vivid-Pix RESTORE:

Legacy Family Tree
"Learn about patented artificial intelligence software that improves faded photos and documents."
Wednesday, April 22, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Rick Voight
Learn more or Register for this event...