VGS News & Events: August 30 through September 5, 2020

Practice Social-Distancing

Due to Covid-19, no Rec Center meetings until further notice. Some SIG's are having virtual meetings. Be on the lookout for emails announcing the meetings and how to connect to them.  That list is very fluid. Check the "Coming Events" section of the website as event news becomes available:

Coming Events:

Monday, August 31 Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting 1:00 pm Online Zoom Meeting Mary Frances Gerace, Coordinator Contact the coordinator, through their SIG web page, for the link to this meeting.  Tuesday, September 1 Adoption & Mystery Kin SIG Meeting 9:30 am to 11:20 am Zoom Meeting Anne Berg & Marcella Zorn, Co-coordinators Contact the coordinator, through their SIG web page, for the link to this meeting.   Thursday, September 3 Eastern European Genealogy SIG Meeting 1:00 pm Google Meet Online Meeting Carol Myers & Marie Musialek, coordinators Contact the coordinator, through their SIG web page, for the link to this meeting.

Gen News and Announcements:

VGS SIG's with Zoom Accounts:

Jewish SIG, Roots Magic SIG, German SIG, New England SIG, Preserving Family History SIG, Scandinavian SIG, and Adoption & Mystery Kin SIG.
Members who are on their mailing lists, will receive meeting log-in information. For security reasons, log-in information will not be published on our website or in our blog. For log-in information, contact the SIG coordinator via e-mail. Their e-mail addresses can be found on the SIG website page.

New Free Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of 24 August 2020

FamilySearch
"Make more family discoveries this week at FamilySearch by searching new records from France, Haute-Vienne Census,1836, Paraguay Catholic Church Records, 1754–2015, and California, San Francisco Chinese Passenger Lists 1882–1947.  Find more records from Brazil, Canada, England, Finland, Norway, Nova Scotia, Peru, S. Africa, Zambia, and the United States: (Alabama, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.)"
Search now...

Chart—Family Relationships Explained:

FamilySearch
"Ever found yourself asking “So what exactly is a second cousin?” or debating with your family and friends about what it means to be a “first cousin once removed”? Use our cousin chart to settle the debate once and for all!"
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Why You Should Take a Genealogical DNA Test – Even If You Don’t Think You Need One:

LegacyTree Genealogists

"Legacy Tree has handled hundreds of genealogical DNA-related cases, running a wide gamut in terms of objectives. While we do not sell DNA tests, we complete DNA analysis and genealogical research and can work with a client’s test results from any major DNA testing company."
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5,275 Free Online City Directories from the Mid West States:

The Ancestor Hunt

"City and business directories are available online from all over the U.S. and are what I consider another important set of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research."

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379 Million Court Records... Free!

judyrecords

"A new free very basic website that offers 379 million court records."

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Technology:

8 Ways to Make Your Mac Boot Faster:

How-to Geek
"Your Mac probably takes longer to go from the login screen to a usable state than it does for macOS to cold boot, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some ways you can get your Mac ready to use in record time."
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Education:

6 Tips to Make Your Genealogy Research Easier:

Ancestral Findings

"Whether you are a beginning genealogist or a seasoned pro, you can always use some tips on how to make your genealogy research easier and more productive for you. Today we’ll examine six top tips that may help you achieve the genealogical results you’ve been seeking. should cite your sources in your genealogy work."

Listen now... 4.29 minutes

Webinars:

Using Chromosome Browsers, Segment Data and Triangulation:

Legacy Family Tree
"This presentation will delve into the world of DNA segment data and explain not only what it is but how to make best use of it to aid your family history research. Michelle will demonstrate how to use chromosome browsers and provide a guide to the different tools available at the major testing companies."
Wednesday, September 2, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Michelle Leonard
Learn more or Register for this event...