Showing posts with label 23andMe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 23andMe. Show all posts

Saturday, October 10, 2020

VGS News & Events: October 11 through October 17, 2020

Learn more about the seminar here...

For the foreseeable future, The Villages Genealogical Society will continue to conduct virtual monthly general meetings using our GoToWebinar facilities and they will be recorded. Many SIG's have access to Zoom Video Communications for their meetings.  The most accurate list of up coming meetings can be found on our website under "Coming Events."

Zoom access information will not be posted on our website for security reasons. Contact the SIG coordinator directly for Zoom meeting access information.

Coming Events:

Monday, October 12
Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting
1:00 pm
Online Zoom Meeting
Mary Frances Gerace, Coordinator
Monday, October 12
Monday Evening Webinar “Genealogical Gems Found in Ledgers” 
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Online Webinar

Our guest speaker will be: Diane L Richard, MosaicRPM 

Tuesday, October 13
Preserving Family History SIG Meeting
2:30 pm
Online Zoom Meeting
Nancy Schultz and Sharol Lewin, Coordinators
Topic: "Sharing More Ideas about Organizing to Write Your Family Stories" with Phil Goldsmith and Paul Clark
Wednesday, October 14
New to Genealogy SIG Meeting
2:30 pm
Online Zoom Meeting
Carol LaSalle, Coordinator
For Members with less than 2 years of genealogy experience.
Topic: "Genealogy Software"
Friday, October 16
Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting
10:00 am
Online Zoom Meeting
Ken Bowgren, Per Andersson and Kris Petersen-Gauthier Co-coordinators
No meeting information

Gen News and Announcements:

New Free Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of 5 October 2020

FamilySearch
"Discover more of your German roots in 8M new German Catholic Church records added online at FamilySearch this week for Germany, Württemberg, Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart (1520–1975) and Germany, Hessen–Nassau, Diocese of Limburg (1601–1919), along with 4M new Find A Grave Index records and 700K Chihuahua, Mexico church records. Other country collections expanded were Brazil, Canada, France, Peru, S. Africa and Sweden; and United States collections (California, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Virginia and Washington). "  

23andMe Changes – Download Matches Now or Lose Many

DNAeXplained
"Recently, 23andMe implemented a new subscription model. In their new model, which requires retesting (with a new sample) on the V5 chip, you can pay a yearly subscription fee of $29 to receive up to 4500 matches.
The subscription service is by invitation, which you can see at this link... "

FamilySearch Updates Its Genealogies Search Page:

FamilySearch
"For 125 years, the Genealogy Society of Utah and its successor, FamilySearch International, have collected genealogies submitted through earlier research programs or created by partners and other societies. These genealogies are available online in Genealogies under the Search tab on FamilySearch.org. To further serve FamilySearch users, the Search options on the Genealogies search page have been updated."  

Neanderthal Genes May Be to Blame in Some Severe Coronavirus Cases:

CNN Health
"A team of experts on Neanderthal genetics examined a strand of DNA that has been associated with some of the more serious cases of Covid-19 and compared it to sequences known to have been passed down to living Europeans and Asians from Neanderthal ancestors."  

3 Biggest Mistakes in Genealogy Research:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Let’s be honest. We all make mistakes in our genealogy, whether it’s misreading a document or drawing an incorrect conclusion. But the mistakes in how we actually do our research can lead to bigger brick walls, fewer discoveries, and more frustration. Here are the 3 biggest mistakes in genealogy research. "

Technology:

10 Awesome Windows 10 Desktop Tips and Tricks

How-to Geek
"The Windows 10 desktop is more than just a glorified folder—it’s a reflection of your personality. You can decorate it with wallpaper, cover it with your favorite shortcuts, or even play games on it. Here are 10 tips and tricks that will make your desktop experience more useful and fun."

Education:

Do You Have Mayflower Ancestry? Here is How to Prove It

Ancestral Findings
"Are you a Mayflower descendant, or do you think you may be one? You have to do the research to make sure because a lot of families have a "Mayflower ancestor" myth. Join me today and as I show you how to gather the evidence to make sure you can claim that Mayflower ancestor as your own family."
Listen now...  8.13 minutes

Webinars:

Dealing with Endogamy:

Legacy Family Tree
"General rules of DNA inheritance assume independent genealogical lines. However, cases of endogamy, pedigree collapse and multiple levels of relationship to any given genetic match merit additional considerations for analysis and interpretation. Explore strategies such as segment analysis, targeted testing, anchoring, and variable segment thresholds for overcoming the challenges of endogamy, pedigree collapse or multiple relationships in your DNA test results."
Wednesday, October 14 2020, 8:00pm Eastern
Presenter: Paul Woodbury

Saturday, September 19, 2020

VGS News & Events: September 20 through September 26, 2020

Learn more about the seminar here...

For the foreseeable future, The Villages Genealogical Society will continue to conduct virtual monthly general meetings using our GoToWebinar facilities and they will be recorded. Many SIG's have access to Zoom Video Communications for their meetings.  The most accurate list of up coming meetings can be found on our website under "Coming Events."

Zoom access information will not be posted on our website for security reasons. Contact the SIG coordinator directly for Zoom meeting access information..

Coming Events:
Monday, September 21
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 22
Midwest SIG Meeting
2:00 pm
Zoom Online Meeting
Annette Burke Lyttle, Dona Black & Laurie Sarauer, coordinators
Topic: “How I Spent My Covid Vacation: Genealogy Discoveries from the Past Few Months”
Contact the coordinator, through their SIG web page, for the link to this meeting. 

Gen News and Announcements:

Finding Children In-Between Census Years:

familytree.com
"Maybe one of the hardest items to research, mostly you may not even know about a specific individual ever existed. Infant and child mortality was high in the years of 1700s to 1940s. Visit any older cemetery and you find many infants and children did not survive past childhood."

History of the Armenian Diaspora:

FamilySearch
"The term “Armenian diaspora” refers to the spread of Armenian people to different countries.  Many of the largest communities of Armenians outside Armenia have populations ranging well into the hundreds of thousands."

Why Your Latest Results Could Include More Scotland In Your Ethnicity Estimates:

AncestryDNA
"Our 2020 ethnicity update is the first time we are dividing results in the UK and Ireland into four populations instead of two. Over the years, the names of our ethnicity regions for the UK and Ireland have changed, but we’ve always had only two regions to compare customers’ DNA against, roughly an Ireland/Celtic/Gaelic group and an Anglo-Saxon/Britain/England group. Now we have four: England & Northwestern Europe, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales."

9 Mayflower Descendants as Famous as Their Pilgrim Ancestors:

FamilySearch
"The Mayflower set sail for America in 1620 with 102 passengers. Though only 53 passengers lived to see the following spring, an estimated 35 million people worldwide are descendants of this small but hardy group."

A Deeper Look at Ancestry.com:

Genealogy's Star
"Ancestry.com began as a family history product sold on CDs in 1997 and has expanded online to include 3 million paying subscribers and 18+ million people DNA tested. The website claims the world's largest collection of family history records with over 27 billion records online."

23andMe Announced Insights From Lupus Research:

23andMe
"23andMe collaborated with researchers from Pfizer to learn more about how to treat Lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease. The research was powered by almost 6,000 consented researcher participants. No new genetic associations were found, but 23andMe did uncover deeper insights into non-genetic factors and symptoms associated with the disease."

Technology:

Can Zoom Hosts Really See All Your Private Messages?

How-to Geek
"Viral social media posts are alleging that Zoom’s private messages aren’t really private—if you’re chatting privately during a Zoom meeting, the host can see your entire conversation. Is that true? Well, not exactly."

Education:

Finding Records in Ukraine for Jewish Genealogy Research: 

"In this VLOG I talk about how I found records in Ukraine for my Jewish Genealogy Research. To start finding records I needed as much as information about my immigrant ancestors, especially pertaining to any dates from when they were still in Ukraine."
Listen now... 10.41 minutes

Webinars:

A MyHeritage Webinar:

Legacy Family Tree
"This space is reserved for an exciting and interesting MyHeritage webinar. Here you will learn about the latest features, records, and characteristics developed by the MyHeritage team to help you find who you are, and amaze you with great discoveries."
Tuesday, September 22, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: MyHeritage Webinars

Introduction to VPNs:

Legacy Family Tree
"Participants will learn the basics of Virtual Private Networks as well how to install and use a VPN. We’ll discuss which VPN is right for you and your research as well as offer tips and tricks for getting the most out of VPNs."
Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Thomas MacEntee

Saturday, July 18, 2020

VGS News & Events: July 19 through July 25, 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.

All remaining regular Monthly Meetings for 2020 will be virtual meetings.

Coming Events:
Tuesday, July 21
Family Tree Maker Users SIG Webinar 
1:00 pm
Live Online Webinar
John DeAngelo, Co-Coordinator
Presentation: "Media and the Media Workspace in Family Tree Maker"

Wednesday, July 22
July VGS Virtual General Monthly Meeting
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Online Webinar
Topic: "Lets Talk Genealogy"  -  3 Presentations by VGS members...
Obituaries 2.0 – Telling the Rest of the Story, Nancy Flanigan Schultz
Understanding DNA Results, Dan Spear
20th Century Immigration Case Study: Grandpa, What Were You Thinking?, Pat Adams
Please register for VGS General Meeting - Panel Presentations at:

Gen News and Announcements:

Ancestry.com for Free? 7 Ways to Research With No Subscription

Family Tree
"Is there a way to use Ancestry.com for free, without buying a subscription? There is. If you have two weeks to devote to genealogy research, sign up for a free 14-day trial. (But don’t forget to go in and cancel your subscription, otherwise your card will show an automatic charge.)
But even before that, use these seven different techniques to glean as much as you can for free—not only from Ancestry.com but also its sister site, Fold3.com..."
Continue reading...

10 Easy Tips for Using Ancestry.com

Family Tree
"When you first delve into Ancestry.com, the world’s largest subscription collection of genealogy databases, it can be a bit mind-boggling. After all, Ancestry.com encompasses some 31,000 collections with more than 20 billion historical records."
Continue reading...

Ancestry to Remove DNA Matches Soon – Preservation Strategies with Detailed Instructions:

DNAeXplained
"Ancestry has announced that they are going to remove smaller matches from their customer’s DNA match list around the first of August. I was not on this conference call myself. However, it’s a small community and others have reported consistent information.
Continue reading...

The 2020 FGS Family History Conference is Going Virtual:

FGS
"You won’t want to miss the final FGS Conference virtual-style! We have a variety of learning sessions to meet every genealogist’s needs. We have so many topics—including DNA, Ethnicity & Nationality, Methodology & Skill-building and so much more! And of course, we have your favorite speakers that you love learning from!"
Learn more...

The Unexpected Detail in Divorce Records Might Surprise You:

Family History Daily

"As much as we would all like to think our ancestors lived in marital bliss, as you build your family tree, you will likely find the need to dig for a divorce record or two. Many are surprised to find that divorces were relatively common in certain locations around the world – including the United States – and began being recorded earlier than expected."
Continue reading...

Improvements to 23andMe’s G6PD Deficiency Report:

23andMe
"This week, 23andMe updated its G6PD Deficiency Genetic Health Risk Report.* The update includes testing for an additional variant linked to G6PD  deficiency, a condition that can lead to episodes of anemia."
Continue reading...

NHGRI Researchers Generate Complete Human X Chromosome Sequence:

NHGRI
"Researchers at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have produced the first end-to-end DNA sequence of a human chromosome. The results, published in the journal Nature, show that generating a precise, base-by-base sequence of a human chromosome is now possible, and will enable researchers to produce a complete sequence of the human genome."
Continue reading...

Technology:

How iOS 14 Is About to Transform Your iPhone’s Home Screen:

How-to Geek
"The iPhone Home screen hasn’t changed since Steve Jobs first showed it off in 2007. Come fall 2020, iOS 14 will drastically shake things up with a few features that will be familiar to anyone who used an Android device in the last few years."
Continue reading...

Education:

3 Overlooked Clues in Genealogical Documents:

Ancestral Findings
"You want to take your research farther, but seem to be stuck at a brick wall on the line you're working on. It's a frustrating fact of genealogy that nearly any genealogist will encounter at some point, and probably more than once. When you get to the point where you don't know where else to look for clues, you may be tempted to give up on that line, but don't do it just yet."
Listen now...   4.01 minutes

Webinars:

Elusive Immigrant: The Search for Dora Lühr

Legacy Family Tree
"See the Genealogical Proof Standard applied to research on both sides of the Atlantic to prove the identity of an immigrant not found where she is supposed to be and whose name is anything but certain."
Tuesday, July 21, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Warren Bittner, CG
Learn more or Register for this event...

50 More Websites Every Genealogist Should Know:

Legacy Family Tree
"We are so lucky to live at a time when we have a wealth of information at our fingertips. Previously Gena explored 50 websites you should know so now it’s time for 50 more! And these aren’t just the same old, same old websites. Let’s take our research around the world and explore more websites that are vital for the family historian."
Wednesday, July 22, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Gena Philibert-Ortega

Saturday, August 10, 2019

VGS News & Events: 11 August 2019 through 17 August 2019

Coming Events:

No Meetings This Coming Week!

Gen News and Announcements:

10 Everyday Inventions You Owe to World War 2:

FindMyPast
"World War Two saw the creation of dozens of clever inventions we still use today, from radar to superglue to freeze dried coffee. Here's a brief look at our top ten."
Continue reading...

23andme Now Connects to the FamilySearch World Tree:

Kitty Cooper
"You can connect your family tree at FamilySearch to your 23andme profile as part of a Beta test of this exciting new feature. Then your DNA relatives can see the names of your grandparents (if deceased), great grandparents, and so on, via a nice compact list where every generation is clickable to see the full names, dates, and locations. Plus they can even click on a specific ancestor to go to that profile at FamilySearch! Only a preview is shown until they log in there."
Continue reading...

Ireland's Oldest Jewish Cemetery To Re-Open To The Public:

Irish Genealogy News
"Ballybrough Cemetery, in Dublin 3 – is to be refurbished and reopened to the public more than 40 years since its closure."
Continue reading...

Guide on How to Write Your Family History Yourself!

The Genealogy Guide
"Nowadays, people are interested in preserving their heritage for future generations. And like many others you will want to know how to write your family history."
Continue reading...

10 Tips for Doing On-Site Research in the Netherlands:

Dutch Genealogy
"Are you coming to MyHeritage Live in Amsterdam in September 2019? Or are you planning another trip to the Netherlands and want to do some on-site research while you’re here? Here are ten tips to make the most of the time you have available."
Continue reading...

Pedigree Triangulation: What is it and How Can it Solve Brick Walls?

Family Locket
"Triangulation is such a powerful tool that the major DNA testing companies as well as third party companies are working hard to provide easier ways for using this concept. In this article, I’ll explore pedigree triangulation and show you examples to help you understand what it is and how it can confirm your research and make progress on genealogical challenges."
Continue reading...

Technology:

Capital One – Amazon Data Breach

The Villages Computer Club
"At the end of July, we learned that a former Amazon employee is responsible for hacking 106 million, that’s 106,000,000., customer applications for Capitol One credit cards. An arrest was made on July 29, 2019. The data that was obtained as a consequence of this hack included about 140,000 social security numbers and roughly 80,000 bank account numbers. The data stolen was consumer and small business applications submitted from 2005 thru early 2019. This data was stored in the cloud at an Amazon Web Services (AWS) location. Capital One has indicated that those individuals involved in this breach will be contacted by Capital One directly via letter or email. Warning, this means if you get a phone call from anyone representing themselves as a Capital One or Government employee who wants to assist you because your info was stolen, IT IS A SCAM – do not fall for it. Just hang up.
The best defense is still freezing your credit with each of the major credit reporting bureaus (it’s now free to do so) and using the services offered by the majors to check your credit report periodically. You are entitled to one free report from each bureau every 12 months. Stagger your requests to each
bureau so that you get one free report every 4 months. If you know you been hacked in the past it may be wise to pay for more frequent reports but that is for you to decide."
Education:

Italian Surnames and Their History and Meaning:

Ancestral Findings
"The Italian language is a rich and descriptive one, and it has—as one might expect—equally rich and descriptive (and sometimes just plain intriguing) surnames. Knowing the history and meaning of your own Italian surname, or that of an ancestor can tell you a lot about that particular branch of your family tree, even going back to ancient times.
Here are the most important things you need to know about Italian surnames and their meanings."
Listen now... 8.24 minutes

Webinars:

Basics of Land Platting - Part 1

Legacy Family Tree
"Don't understand Metes and Bounds? This working session will help you learn how to plat a deed using the metes and bounds system. Discover new clues by understanding more about your ancestor's land."
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Saturday, May 19, 2018

VGS News & Events: 20 May 2018 through 26 May 2018

Coming Events:
Monday: May 21, 2018
Technology SIG Meeting:

10:00 AM in the Destin Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center
Note Date Change for this Meeting...
Topic: "Windows 10 Tips and Tricks to Improve Workflow"
Tuesday: May 22, 2018
Midwest SIG Meeting:
2:00 PM in the Clearwater Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center
Topic: Karen Campbell – "Case Study of Midwestern Research." Small Group Discussion
Wednesday: May 23, 2018
Brick Wall SIG Meeting
8:30 AM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center
Wednesday: May 23, 2018
General Monthly Meeting
10:00 AM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center
Topic: Donna Moughty "Finding Women in Your Family Tree"

Gen News and Announcements:

23andMe Sues Ancestry.com With a Patent Suit Concerning DNA Kits:

Law360
"Genealogy company 23andMe Inc. hit rival Ancestry.com with a false advertising and patent infringement lawsuit in California federal court on Friday, seeking to invalidate its “Ancestry” trademark and claiming the company sells a DNA-based ancestry test that infringes 23andMe’s patent.
The suit accuses the Utah-based Ancestry.com of infringing its patent since 2013 by selling AncestryDNA kits that identify a person’s relatives who share parts of their DNA. 23andMe also claims that Ancestry.com has been misleading customers by running a “perpetual sale.”
More about this suit as it becomes available.

Federation of  Genealogical Societies Conference Scholarship Registration Deadline Is Approaching:

The VGS
Are you planning to attend the Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference in August 22-25 in Fort Wayne, Indiana? If you are, be sure to register for a chance to receive a $400.00 scholarship.
Deadline is Monday, May 21, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. Registration is for VGS members only.
Register here...

Evaluating Evidence in Your Genealogy Research:

Amy Johnson Crow
"If you've been doing genealogy for any length of time, you've probably heard the advice that you need to evaluate evidence, but what does that really mean? How does that fit into our genealogy research? Let's see what it really means to evaluate evidence."
Continue reading...

3 Reason to Use FamilySearch:

Family Fanatics History
"As budding genealogists attempt to use FamilySearch Family Tree, they quickly face the learning curve that’s not as easy as some other online offerings. Learning to add reason statements when making a change, attaching a source, merging people, or deleting a relationship can be overwhelming. But anything worth doing, it’s worth doing well.
With FamilySearch Family Tree, three reasons to use the program out-weight the learning curve associated with mastering the mechanics of the program."
Continue reading...

FamilySearch Wiki – A Valuable Genealogy Tool:

Mad About Genealogy
"When  you  come to the FamilySearch Wiki Research Page you will see quite an extensive menu on the left hand side. When you have time, explore these options because the better you know your way around the wiki the more you will realize that this is possible the best tool in your genealogy toolbox."
Continue reading...

25 Tips & Tricks For Successful Family History Research!

FamilyTree
"Genealogist Emma Jolly has some wonderful tricks up her sleeve for finding your ancestors online. So get ready to fine-tune your web searches and watch the fruits of your labors grow on your family tree with these unmissable family history hacks."
Continue reading...

Intriguing Old Hospital and Asylum Records Can Be Researched Online for Free:

Family History Daily
"Do you have a family tree mystery that might be solved by a medical record? I do. My grandfather had an aunt who immigrated from Norway to North Dakota in 1915. She was married in 1917 and our records show that her husband died around 1920. We cannot find records of her after her marriage in 1917, but oral family history says that she may have spent some time in an asylum."
Continue reading...

Technology:

FindMyPast: Safeguarding Your Privacy 

FindMyPast
"You may have heard that the law is changing to protect your personal information. The General Data Protection Regulation will come into effect on 25 May 2018. To help us help you, we've updated our Privacy and Cookie policy.
Here are some of the key updates: 
• We’ve added some clarifications in the Privacy Policy to make it more clear how we handle and safeguard your personal information
• We’ve updated the policy to explain your privacy rights
• We’ve provided you with more information about how you can take control of what cookies are used on your computer
The updated Privacy Policy will automatically come into effect on 25 May 2018.
Continue reading...

Google Improvements to our Privacy Policy and Privacy Controls

Google
"This month, we’re updating our Privacy Policy to make it easier for you to understand what information we collect and why we collect it. We’ve also taken steps to improve our Privacy Checkup and other controls we provide to safeguard your data and protect your privacy."
The revised policy will take effect on May 25, 2018.
Continue reading...

Education:

Do You Have Irish Ancestry?

LegacyTreeGenealogists
Submit your Irish genealogy questions on our website at https://legacytree.com/live, then join us for the scheduled LIVE broadcast on our Facebook page for answers from one of our Irish genealogy experts, Kate Eakman.
Thursday, May 31st at  9:30 p.m. EDT
No Facebook? No Problem.
We’ll also share the broadcast on our YouTube channel. Subscribe here.
Webinars:

How to Use the Smart Matches & Record Matches MyHeritage:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"This webinar covers two powerful matching technologies from MyHeritage in depth. You'll understand how to best use them to benefit your research."
Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: MyHeritage Webinars
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Quaker Migration into America:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"America was and is a landing place for many ethnic groups and religions. The Quakers were one of those groups, and were among the most influential. Quaker roots begin in England. Soon the Society of Friends found themselves at odds with much of the surrounding area, leading them to other European countries and America. With emphasis on the Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Ohio Quakers, this  presentation will aid you in looking for clues as to whether your ancestors were Friends."
Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Monday, July 10, 2017

VGS Latest News and Tips: 10 July 2017

Reminders:
Today: July 10, 2017
Family Tree Maker Users SIG Meeting
1:00 PM in the Patriot Room at the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center
Tomorrow: July 11, 2017
Genealogy Writers SIG Meeting
2:30 PM in the Destin Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center

Gen News:

Learn More About 23andMe’s New Genetic Health Risk Reports:

23andMe
"23andMe recently started offering customers new Genetic Health Risk reports that have received FDA authorization. Below we’ve highlighted some important features in these reports to help you get more out of them."
Continue reading...

Ethnicity and Physical Features are NOT Accurate Predictors of Parentage or Heritage:

DNAeXplained
"Let me say that again, ethnicity results are NOT an accurate predictor of heritage, or parentage. This is a great deal of confusion swirling around this topic. The fact that people are doubting parentage, or grandparentage, based on ethnicity results alone is alarming."
Continue reading...

Huge Genealogical Database of Ukrainians Born in 1650–1920 Opens Online:

EuroMaiden Press
"A huge database of people born in the territory of contemporary Ukraine between 1650 and 1920 became available online this week. Its opening crowned the four-year efforts of activists to digitize, systematize, and assemble countless entries from historical documents—but is not the final point of the project."
Continue reading...

Tech:

How to Remove Other People’s Comments from Your Facebook Posts:

How-to-Geek
"Other people are the worst. You put up a lovely photo of yourself on Facebook and they just have to say the meanest things."
Continue reading...

How to Decrypt and Rip DVDs With Handbrake:

How-to-Geek

"You’ve got a bunch of DVDs sitting around your house, but you can’t even remember when you last saw your DVD player, and your laptop doesn’t even have a disc drive anymore. It’s time to modernize your collection. Here, we’ll show you how to rip your DVDs to your computer using the swiss army knife of video conversion tools: Handbrake."
Continue reading...

Education:

New Human Ancestor Discovered: Homo naledi:

National Geographic
"Within a deep and narrow cave in South Africa, paleoanthropologist Lee Berger and his team found fossil remains belonging to the newest member of our human family. The Homo naledi discovery adds another exciting chapter to the human evolution story by introducing an ancestor that was primitive but shared physical characteristics with modern humans."
Watch video... 3.30 minutes

Monday, April 17, 2017

VGS Latest News & Tips: 17 April 2017

Reminders:
Tomorrow: April 18, 2017
Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting
1:00 PM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center

Gen News:

Why We Preserve:

FamilySearch
"Our desire to preserve memories and memorabilia of the past is anything but logical. How can having our great-grandfather’s shaving kit help us in the era of monthly shave club subscriptions? What can a candid photo of our grandmother, or an audio recording that captures the lilt of her voice when she teases our grandpa do in a world of Snapchats and tweets? In short, how can a tangible yet essentially useless artifact benefit us in an increasingly virtual world?"
Continue reading...

Good News About Health Reports:

23andMe
"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted 23andMe authorization to offer ten genetic health risk reports including late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, celiac disease, and a condition associated with harmful blood clots.
Continue reading...

9 Crazy Things You Can Discover From a DNA Test:

Ancestry
"Get ready for what could be a wild (and amazing) ride. Here are 9 discoveries regular ol’ people have made after taking a DNA test."
Continue reading...

Tech:

Should You Shut Down a Computer When It's Not in Use?

Lifewire
"Leave your computer on all the time, or shut it off when it's not in use; does it really make a difference? If you've been asking yourself this question, then you'll be happy to hear that you can choose whichever way you want. You just need to understand the ramifications of your choice."
Continue reading...

How to Use Trello to Stay Organized:

Lifewire
"Trello is a Kanban-style project management tool that is a visual way to see all the tasks that you or your team need to accomplish, which makes it easier to see what everyone on the team is doing at a given time. It's also free, which means that it's accessible to small and large groups as well as to individuals run businesses or who want to track personal tasks."
Continue reading...

Education:

How To Solve The Biggest Problems In Your Genealogy Research:

Ancestral Findings
"Do you have any particularly difficult genealogy problems and aren't sure how to go about solving them? Here are some tips to get you over that brick wall."
Listen now... 6.21 minutes

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

VGS Latest News & Tips: 24 January 2017

Reminders:
Tomorrow: January 25, 2017
Brick Wall SIG Meeting
8:30 AM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center
Tomorrow: January 25, 2017
General Monthly Meeting
10:00 AM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center
Guest Speaker: Drew Smith
Topic: "Organizing Your Genealogy Files and Correspondence."
"Overwhelmed with too many paper documents, digital files, and email messages? Learn to organize these so that you'll quickly find just the one you need."

Gen News:

An Intimate Look at Life During the Great Depression:

Ancestry

"For many Americans, Dorthea Lange’s “Migrant Mother” photo is the defining image of the Great Depression. But it’s just one of over 170,000 commissioned by the U.S. Farm Security Administration and Office of War Information during the 1930s and early 1940s. Meant to boost public support for FDR’s rehabilitation initiatives after the Great Depression, the FSA-OWI hired photographers such as Lange and Walker Evans to visit poor rural farmers and document their hardships."
Continue reading...

Calling HOGWASH on 23andMe’s Ancestry Timeline:

DNAeXplained
"Every now and then, I’m aghast when I look at a product and wonder how the devil it ever escaped the lab.  Is there no quality control?  And who thought it was a good idea, anyway, and why?
23andMe’s new Ancestry Timeline, released last week, is one of those."
Continue reading...

Keep Sharing Small Bites!

The Finlay Family
"No one in my family is interested in our genealogy.
I don’t know what will happen to all of my research after I die… no one else cares about it.
These types of statements break my heart! Over the years I have had my own doubts about anyone else in my family sharing my same love for our ancestors. But, I have come to a conclusion:"
Continue reading...

Tech:

How to Use Facebook’s Search to Find Anyone or Anything:

How-to-Geek
"When you think of Facebook, search probably isn’t the first thing to come to mind. And to be fair, for a long time Facebook’s search function was pretty terrible.
That’s not the case anymore, though."
Continue reading...

How to Download Wikipedia for Offline, At-Your-Fingertips Reading:

How-to-Geek
"Have you ever wished you could download Wikipedia in its entirety, and have a copy of it on your personal computer or Android tablet? There’s actually an easy way to do this, though you will need some extra disk space and a little time."
Continue reading...

Education:

5 Minute Find: Clues from the Graveyard

Ancestry
"Cemeteries are a great place to find birth and death dates of your ancestors. Spend Five Minutes with Juliana Szucs Smith and discover other clues you might be missing."
Watch video... 4.53 minutes

Monday, October 3, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 3 October 2016

3 Tips for Using Google for Genealogy:
FamilySearch
"It’s likely that we’ve all turned to Google at some point in our genealogical research. After all, simply typing in our search topic, hitting “Enter,” and hoping for the best is one of easiest ways to be led to heaps of helpful (and sometimes not-so-helpful) sources. But there’s a better way to use Google for family history research says Lisa Louise Cooke...
Continue reading...

23andMe V3 vs V4 Comparison:
DNAeXplained
"23andMe changed from their V3 to V4 kit back in November of 2013. At that time, they reduced the number of locations tested on their chip from over 900,000 by roughly one third to 577,382. This is not what would normally be considered an improvement. However, at that time, the FDA’s shutdown of their medical testing greatly overshadowed the new chip, so very little notice was taken in the community. Truthfully, many people didn’t expect them to survive, so the chip was a non-issue."
Continue reading...

A Genealogy Search To Define Her Mother - And Herself:
philly.com
"My father, a quiet man, whose green eyes hardly missed a thing, never knew either and never really cared or questioned her. But others could be more critical. When my parents were newly engaged, his cousin asked, "Why are you marrying someone who doesn't know who she is?"
Continue reading...

AncestryDNA for Newbies (Including Me):
Worldwide Genealogy
"My husband and I first had our DNA testing done in 2012 using an autosomal test offered by Ancestry. My two brothers and my 83-year-old mother tested the next year, which turned out to be the year before she died. Dad's dementia did not enable him to understand spitting into a vial. But earlier this year his 89-year-old brother tested. Currently, I administer the results of 11 DNA tests and another 6 are at the lab being processed. I still consider myself a DNA research rookie."
Continue reading...

Tips for Using FamilySearch.org:
FamilySearch
11 short videos on how to use Family Trees on FamilySearch.org. They are all under two minutes.
Watch videos...

How to Change the iOS 10’s Flashlight Intensity:
How-to-Geek
"With iOS 10, you can finally adjust the intensity of your flashlight so you don’t burn your eyes. It’s really easy to do–here’s how."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 3 October
1776: Congress borrows five million dollars to halt the rapid depreciation of paper money in the colonies.
1876: John L. Routt, the Colorado Territory governor, is elected the first state governor of Colorado in the Centennial year of the U.S.
1931: The comic strip Dick Tracy first appears in the New York News.
1800 Birthday: George Bancroft, historian, known as the “Father of American History” for his 10-volume A History of the United States.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
District of Columbia:
1655: Georgetown area first settled
1752: Georgetown platted into eighty lots
1787: Constitution created a separate national capital

Thursday, September 29, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 29 Sep 2016

Yesterday's Expo was a HUGH Success!
Upcoming Free Webinars:
Legacy Family Tree
The following webinars are all on Family History Day:
Friday, October 7th.





Tracing Irish American Immigrants:
FamilySearch
"Tracing Irish American immigrants seems a lot like finding a four-leaf clover-if you find a clover with all four leaflets, you're bound to have good luck. Follow these four steps to experience the luck of the Irish and discover your Irish roots."
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Writing Your Personal History for Genealogy: A Beginner’s Guide:
Crestleaf
"5 Helpful Tips to Start Writing a Personal History"
Continue reading...

How To Use PERSI To Find Out Information About Your Ancestor's Death:
FindMyPast
"The Periodical Source Index, also known as PERSI, is an amazing, underutilized resource for genealogists. PERSI is the largest subject index for genealogical periodicals. PERSI was created by the Allen County Public Library and the goal of the project is to index every genealogy and local history periodicals in the United States and eventually the world."
Continue reading...

23andMe Is Now Offering A $99 Genetics Test Again — But It's Very Different From The Original:
Tech Insider
"For those who are interested in learning more about where their family came from using a genetics test, but don't want all the other reports 23andMe offers, the company has a test for that. 23andMe, a consumer genetics company, said Wednesday that it would now offer two versions of the test:
The $199 version, which comes with both the health and ancestry components.
The $99 version, which will just have the ancestry test.
Continue reading...

How to Use Office 365’s Troubleshooting Tools to Fix Common Problems:
How-to-Geek
"If you’re experiencing trouble with your Office 365 installation or issues with specific Office apps, Microsoft offers two automated tools that may be able to help you troubleshoot and repair your problems."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 29 September
1513: Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa discovers the Pacific Ocean.
1850: Mormon leader Brigham Young is named the first governor of the Utah Territory.
1932: A five-day work week is established for General Motors workers.
1907 Birthday: Gene Autry, actor, singer, star of radio, film and TV; known for his film roles as a “singing cowboy” (Oh, Susanna!, Back in the Saddle), he was influential in country music with songs that included “Back in the Saddle,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and “Frosty the Snowman.”

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Delaware:
1790: French Catholics increased emigrating from West Indies
1802: Powder Plant built on Brandywine by DuPont
1813: Fort Union constructed

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 27 Sep 2016

Tomorrow: September 28, 2016
Family History Expo
11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Scarlet O'Hara Theater at the Savannah Center
This event is open to all residents of The Villages

There will be many hourly door prizes. You must be present to win.

List of the Door Prizes...
The VGS will be giving away 15, 2017 memberships and 3, All-Day Seminar Tickets for the February 22, 2017 event with Cyndi Ingle.
Ancestry.com2 AncestryDNA (autosomal)Test Kits
2 Ancestry.com World Edition 1 year subscriptions
1 Fold3.com 1 year subscription
1 Newspapers.com 1 year subscription
Family Tree DNA
2 Family Finder (autosomal) Test Kits; discount flyers available
Findmypast.com
2 findmypast.com 1 year subscriptions; flyers available
New England Historic Genealogical Society (American Ancestors)
1 American Ancestors 1 year subscription
1 “Guide to Genealogical Writing” book
1 “Elements of Genealogical Analysis” book
National Genealogical Society
2 “Genealogy and the Law” books; a small amount of literature available
ArkivDigital (Swedish Genealogy)
2 three month subscriptions (drawing through the Scandinavian SIG table); flyers
MyHeritage: Our special guest exhibitor, MyHeritage has agreed to send a team from their American Headquarters in Lehi, Utah. They want to talk to people about their service and plan to show video in their booth. They will have prize drawings also.

Getting Started on Ancestry:
Christa Cowan at Ancestry.com
"New to family history? Join Christa Cowan for a look at simple steps for starting your family tree. She'll also highlight what to enter, how to enter it, and what to do next."
Watch video... 14.04 minutes

3 Tips for Using Google for Genealogy:
Family Search
"While there are many ways you can use Google to aid your research, here are three of the most beneficial."
Continue reading...

‘My God, That’s Kimberly!’: Scientist Solves Perplexing Mystery Of Identity Thief Lori Ruff:
The Seattle Times
"The Seattle Times in 2013 published a real-life mystery story about Lori Ruff, who died in 2010, leaving a husband and child in Texas. Years earlier, she had stolen another person’s identity. Who was she really? Finally, we have an answer."
Continue reading...

New 23andMe Experience – In a Word, Disappointing:
DNAeXplained
"Almost a year after the 23andMe “new experience” was promised “shortly” and then subsequently promised by 2015 year end, it’s finally here. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s September of 2016. I could have gestated a baby in less time. However, let’s take a look at the new experience process and features. I’m going to record each step in this new experience since I’ve finally transitioned."
Continue reading...

Finding Our Roots: The Technology of Genealogy:
The Information Umbrella
"There seems to be a resurgence of interest in history, particularly personal history and genealogy. Popular television shows such as “Finding Your Roots” and “Who Do You Think You Are” explore ancestry. Ancestry.com and similar websites provide a platform for discovering your lineage. I wonder if part of this interest is because we now have technologies that help us discover who we are and where we come from."
Continue reading...

How to See Other Devices Logged Into Your Facebook Account:
How-to-Geek
"You logged into your Facebook account on your friend’s computer, and you’re not sure if you logged out. Or maybe you’re worried someone else has your password. Thankfully, Facebook tracks where you’re logged in, so you can see every device logged into your account, and end any sessions you don’t want active."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 27 September
1864: Confederate guerrilla Bloody Bill Anderson and his henchmen, including a teenage Jesse James, massacre 20 unarmed Union soldiers at Centralia, Missouri. The event becomes known as the Centralia Massacre.
1918: President Woodrow Wilson opens his fourth Liberty Loan campaign to support men and machines for World War I.
1920: Eight Chicago White Sox players are charged with fixing the 1919 World Series.
1722 Birthday: Samuel Adams, American revolutionary patriot and statesman, helped to organize the Boston Tea Party.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Delaware:
1657: 200 persecuted Italians arrived
1682: William Penn annexed Delaware
1701: Area split off from Pennsylvania

Friday, August 12, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 12 Aug 2016

Today: Friday: August 12, 2016
Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting
10:00 AM in the Rhett Butler Room at the Savannah Center

The Spanish-American War Ends: August 12, 1898 
Fold3
"On August 12, 1898, representatives for the United States and Spain signed a peace protocol in Washington DC, ending the three-month-long Spanish-American War in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. The American victory against the Spanish would result in the collapse of what remained of Spain's colonial empire and would herald America's entrance as a major player on the world stage."
Continue reading...

How to Avoid Genealogy Overwhelm:
Amy Johnson Crow
"So many ancestors; so little time. With the number of ancestors doubling with each generation, it doesn’t take too long for it to feel a bit much. Add to the mix all of the different types of things you want to find and the projects you want to complete and you have a recipe for genealogy overwhelm. Fortunately, there are some ways to dial back the stress."
Continue reading...

More About DNA Relatives At The New 23andme:
Kitty Cooper's Blog
"It is so delightful that you can now easily view your past correspondence with a 23andme match! To do this go to DNA relatives, which defaults to the People section, and click on the person. This takes you to a one-to-one comparison page partially shown below."
Continue reading...

How to Use Siri to Search Your Photos by Date or Location:
How-to-Geek
"Apple’s Photos app is a pretty solid offering, but if you take a lot of photos with your iPhone, you know it can be a hassle scrolling through them all to find photos you took at a certain location or on a certain date. Among all the other useful things Siri can help you with, she can also help make finding photos a whole lot easier."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 12 August
1896: Gold is discovered near Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada. After word reaches the United States in June of 1897, thousands of Americans head to the Klondike to seek their fortunes.
1898: The Spanish American War officially ends after three months and 22 days of hostilities.
1935: President Franklin Roosevelt signs the Social Security Bill.
1781 Birthday: Robert Mills, architect and engineer whose designs include the Washington Monument, the National Portrait Gallery and the U.S. Treasury Building.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Oregon:
1870-1927: Fifteenth Amendment giving African-Americans suffrage was defeated & the state constitution allowed no black suffrage.
1877: Chief Joseph & Nez Perce made peace after 72 years of war
1878: Bannock Indian War
1883: Transcontinental railroad completed in Portland

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 6 January 2016

Today: Wednesday, January 6, 2016:
French Canadian Genealogy SIG Meeting:
9:00 AM in the Julio Iglesias Room at the La Hacienda Recreation Center


Tomorrow: Thursday, January 7, 2016:
Eastern European Genealogy SIG Meeting:
1:00 PM in the Triple Crown Room at Churchill Recreation Center

Did You Register for the Windows 10 Demo? It's Today
Are you thinking of upgrading to Windows 10? See the Windows 10 operating system in action.
Pinellas Plaza Library
Jan 6 at 2pm in Rm 102

Legacy News' Top 10 Blog Posts of 2015:
Legacy Family Tree
Legacy Family Tree offers many tools to help genealogists with their research. They may be quick tips to their own software or tips on scanning, preserving and sharing your photographs that any genealogists can use not just users of LFT.
Continue reading...

Eyes Wide Open:
23andMe
"Brothers from different mothers, John and Brian came together because of 23andMe.
For John, 68, finding a half-brother was the last thing he expected."
Continue reading...

10 Ways to Open the Command Prompt in Windows 10
How-to-Geek
"The command prompt has been around forever, and while it might not be as useful in Windows as one would hope, it’s still a great resource to have at your disposal. Today we’re showing you all of the different ways to open the command prompt. We’re betting you don’t know all of them."
Continue reading...

The Best and Worst of 2015 – Genetic Genealogy Year in Review:
DNAeXplained
"This year, I’ve added a few specific “award” categories for people or firms that I feel need to be specially recognized as outstanding in one direction or the other."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 6 January
1540: Henry VIII of England marries his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. The marriage will last six months.
1861: The Governor of Maryland, Thomas Hicks, announces his opposition to the states’s possible secession from the Union.
1910: Union leaders ask President William H. Taft to investigate U.S. Steel’s practices.
1412 Birthday: Joan of Arc, French Saint and national heroine.