VGS News & Events: April 26 through May 2, 2020

Practice Social-Distancing

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

Gen News and Announcements:

New Free Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of 20 April 2020

FamilySearch
"Examine 2 million US newspaper obituaries and a million South African probate records newly added to FamilySearch this week.  Find ancestors in Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, and American Medical Association Deceased Physicians records. New recors were also added for Uruguay, Great Britain, Paraguay, Colombia, Germany, Peru, Honduras, Brazil, Nova Scotia, Chile, Sri Lanka, and American Samoa.  Additional US records are from MA, SD, MD, MS, PA, LA, CA, NC, UT, IA, GA, VA, GA, OH, NJ, VT, and SD.    "
Search now...

New Ancestry DNA Feature: Connecting Matches to Your Tree

Kitty Cooper
"Ancestry has unveiled a new convenient feature: the ability to link a DNA match to their entry in your tree. No one can see the resulting tag but you or someone with whom you have shared your DNA results."
Continue reading... 

FREE Yearbook Collection through May 23, 2020

Genealogy's Star
"Drawing on the overwhelming positive response to MyHeritage In Color™, we’ve taken this feature one step further and colorized our entire collection of U.S. yearbooks. In addition, we’ve opened up access to our yearbook collections for FREE, through May 23, 2020!"
Continue reading... 

FREE Access to TNA Digital Records:

Canada's National Archives
"We are making digital records available on our website free of charge for as long as our Kew site is closed to visitors."
Continue reading... 

7 Family History Activities for When You Can’t Focus:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Genealogy is something that countless people find enjoyable and rewarding. In this time of crisis, it’s natural to turn to it… but many of us have found ourselves unable to concentrate. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean we can’t do something. Here are 7 family history activities that we can do, even when we can’t focus."
Continue reading... Podcast

When The Found Father Needs Help Understanding The DNA Results:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Often when I help someone find their biological father with DNA it turns out that he never knew about the pregnancy. His reaction when contacted varies greatly..."
Continue reading...

Technology:

How to Move a Window to Another Monitor on Windows 10:

How-to Geek
"If you run a multiple-monitor setup on your Windows 10 PC, it’s essential to know how to move windows between displays. With a few drags of the mouse or a simple keyboard shortcut, it’s easy to manage windows like a ninja. Here’s how."
Continue reading...

Education:

5 Ways To Tell If Your Genealogy Research Is Accurate:

Ancestral Findings
"There is a lot of guesswork and uncertainty in genealogy. People in the past may have put the wrong information on old records, either from genuinely not knowing, or from having something they wanted to hide. Mistakes can be made in transcriptions of documents from one location to another; even tombstones are known to sometimes have mistakes on them from the stone cutter."
Listen now... 8.31 minutes

Webinars:

Working with DNA segments on MyHeritage:

Legacy Family Tree
"Learn how the MyHeritage DNA test analyzes your DNA."
Tuesday, April 28, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: MyHeritage Webinars
Learn more or Register for this event...

Road Crews and Jury Selection: How Do Find Where Our Ancestor Lived and Their Neighbors

Legacy Family Tree
"Learning to recognize and understand information contained in county court minute books and order books along with other types of routine court records will require effort to determine the appropriate law regarding the entry and the prevailing tradition of the community. In order to have a better understanding of the laws in place regarding the construction and maintenance of roads, we should review the state laws in place at the time."
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA
Learn more or Register for this event...

The Future is Still in the Past: An Introduction to Online Parish Clerks in the United Kingdom

Legacy Family Tree

"England is divided into 40 administrative counties which traditionally were each comprised of various numbers of ecclesiastical parishes. Each parish had its own church that administered to both the spiritual and the secular needs of the community. In 1538, Thomas Cromwell, chief minister of Henry VIII, issued The Second Henrician Injucntions that mandated every parish to maintain registers in which to record all baptisms, marriages and burials. These documents are central to ancestral research in England but it is not always practical for researchers to inspect or study the original registers or the many additional documents that originated in the parishes."
Friday, May 1, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Wayne Shepheard
Learn more or Register for this event...

VGS News & Events: 15 December through 21 December, 2019

Coming Events:

Tuesday: December 17, 2019

Family Tree Maker Users SIG Meeting

1:00 PM in the Patriot Room at the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center
Topic: "Managing Places" + Your Questions Answered

Wednesday: December 18, 2019

Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting

9:30 AM in the Defender Room at the Lake Miona Recreation Center

Thursday: December 19, 2019

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

Noon in the New Smyrna Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center

Friday: December 20, 2019

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting

10:00 AM in the Clearwater Room Sea Breeze Recreation Center

Gen News and Announcements:
Dues Reminder:  Have you renewed your dues for 2020?

If not, members will soon receive a reminder notice via email.

Register for Our Annual Seminar:

VGS

Blaine Bettinger, Ph.D., J.D., is a professional genealogist specializing in DNA evidence. He is the author of the long-running blog The Genetic Genealogist, and frequently gives presentations and webinars to educate others about the use of DNA to explore their ancestry.  He will be our guest speaker for our Annual Seminar on February 19, 2020.

Download more details here...

Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives: November Updates

IGN
"During the second half of November, the Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives' team uploaded some small headstone sets and the second installment from Balmoral Cemetery in Belfast."
Continue reading...

Northern Ireland's Tithe Applotment Books Go Online:

IGN
"The books, which date from c1820 to c1840, can be viewed, free of charge, on PRONI's e-catalogue. (See step by step help)."
Continue reading...

Don't Hold Our History Hostage:

Genealogy's Star
"Any genealogist or anyone related to an immigrant who has ever tried to obtain a copy of a record from a government agency at any level should be alarmed at the attempt by the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to raise the cost of obtaining historical records by 492% which could make the cost of obtaining a single paper file as high as $625."
Continue reading...

22 Million Completely Searchable Books and Records on the Internet Archive:

Genealogy's Star
"One of the least known valuable genealogical resources is the Internet Archive or Archive.org. This website is rapidly becoming the largest, free, downloadable, completely accessible collection of books and other records on the Internet."
Continue reading...

Any Old Nova Scotia County Maps In Your Attic?

Genealogy a la carte
"The Nova Scotia Heritage Community Is Asking The Public For Help In Locating Original A.F. Church Maps."
Continue reading...

Technology:

How to Fix Sound Problems in Windows 10:

How-to Geek
"You launch a PC game or stream a movie, but you don’t hear any sound. On the surface, there’s no apparent reason for the lack of audio. This guide shows you how to fix sound problems in Windows 10."
Continue reading...

Education:

Organizing and Storage Tips for Your Genealogy Research:

Ancestral Findings
"Do you need advice on how to organize and store your genealogy research so you can easily keep track of everything? Here's exactly what you need to do."
Listen now...  6.40 minutes

Webinars:

Marriages Here, There, and Nowhere: Finding Gretna Greens and Borders

Legacy Family Tree
"Many couples chose to marry in a location away from their home. Often there were reasons why it was a more convenient location to tie the knot. Sometimes, this decision was based on a romantic location or a place that would allow them to marry quickly without a three-day waiting period. These locations are often referred to as Gretna Green, the historic town in Scotland where thousands of English couples ran because of Scotland’s sympathetic marriage laws. We will consider the reason for a different marriage location, alternate sources to determine the location, and a few of the towns known as "Gretna Greens" in the United States."
Tuesday, December 17, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

How To Trace Your UK Ancestry:

Legacy Family Tree
"From the comfort of your home (outside the UK), trying to uncover your roots (whether in England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales) can be an extremely challenging task. However, it is far from impossible with a plethora of information available online from books to databases, transcriptions to images, photographs and other (numerous) online sources. This webinar will provide individual case studies to highlight what is available online and offline, hands-on tips and details of how offline material might be accessed from afar."
Wednesday, December 18, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Kirsty Gray
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 17 March through 23 March 2019

Coming Events:

Tuesday: March 19, 2019

Family Tree Maker Users SIG Meeting

1:00 PM in the Old Glory Room at the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center

Topic: "Relationships - How to Deal With Multiple Marriages, Adoptions, and Secrets"

Wednesday: March 20, 2019

Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting

9:30 AM in the Defender Room at the Lake Miona Recreation Center

Guest Speaker: John DeAngelo, Family Tree Maker SIG Coordinator

Topic: "Understanding Sources and Using Media"

Gen News and Announcements:

The VGS Newsletter Has Been Sent.

If you didn't receive a copy of the newsletter this week via email, then we probably don't have your current email address or it was placed into your spam email folder. Check your spam folder before contacting the Society with your correct email address. Members can update their email address HERE.

Download a copy of the newsletter here...

Beyond the Tree: 4 Enduring Ways to Share Your Family History Research

Family History Daily
"Family history research is never complete. There are always more records to be discovered, photos to be identified, and additional connections to uncover. But maybe you’ve reached the point when you want to share what you’ve learned so far. Here are some great options."
Continue reading...

Canada and Mexico Genealogy Collections Get Major Updates!

Genealogy Gems
"Great news for those searching for ancestors in Canada and Mexico! FamilySearch has partnered with Library and Archives Canada (LAC) to publish the 1926 Census of Prairie Provinces, available to search for free online now. Also new this week are massive updates to Ancestry’s genealogical records collections for Mexico, including vital records and Catholic church records."
Continue reading...

The 1921 Census is Coming to Findmypast:

FindMyPast
"The National Archives in association with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has awarded Findmypast the contract to digitize and publish the 1921 Census online"
Continue reading...

Ancestry’s new DNA feature: ThruLines

Kitty Cooper
"Ancestry.com announced a great new tool at Rootstech called ThruLines. It finds connections to your DNA matches by looking through other people’s trees for you. This replaces DNA circles by displaying the descendants of your ancestors in a more understandable format."
Continue reading...

Ancestry’s Disappearing ThruLines – Now You See Them, Now You Don’t

DNAeXplained
"Ancestry has quite a mess on its hands right now, and genealogists are losing their collective minds. I have some information here to help."
Continue reading...

Technology:

What’s New in Chrome 73, Arriving March 12

How-to-Geek
"Chrome 73 is set to hit the stable channel on March 12, 2019. Google’s new browser update features the beginnings of a built-in dark mode, tab grouping, media key support, and more picture-in-picture powers."
Continue reading...

Education:

Your Foot Shape and Your Genealogy:

Ancestral Findings
"Have you ever heard of foot shape genealogy? It is a concept out of the 19th century that still has some adherents today. It is based on the belief that the shape of your foot can tell you one of five ancient ethnic groups to which your ancestors belonged. Join me today and as I talk about this wild and crazy method."
Listen now...  7.31 minutes

Webinars:

The Five-story Fall: Correlating Indirect and Direct Evidence to Extend the Pedigree

Legacy Family Tree
"Johanna (Daly) Mahoney plunged to her death taking her parents’ and siblings’ identities along. Extensive associate analysis and a sixteen-year post-mortem summons led to family."
Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Debra S. Mieszala, CG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

One African-American family's story of Migration from the South: A Boarding House in Detroit

Legacy Family Tree
"African-Americans throughout the South moved to Midwestern cities in search of opportunities and work. Other family members and friends joined the first as stories were shared. Understand how to look in both places and at all connected families for clues."
Wednesday, March 20, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

The Everyday Life of Our Ancestors:

FSGS Poolside Chat Webinar

"Our ancestors led lives, just like us - only different. Using our life as an example, how can we parallel it to theirs? They ate and drank, married and had families, dressed, had trades and occupations, practiced a religion, dabbled in the arts and sciences, participated in politics and economics, etc. This lecture will examine the various aspects of life and provide resources to discover the historical context and personal details of our ancestors' lives."
Thursday, March 21, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Ann Staley, CG, CGL
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

A Terrible Malady: Disease and Epidemics in New England

Legacy Family Tree
"Epidemics of smallpox, measles, yellow fever, diphtheria and other illnesses were common ailments in New England from colonial times up through the 19th century. Learn more about these diseases, why they were so greatly feared by your ancestors, and remedies they may have used."
Friday, March 22, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Lori Lyn Price, MAS, MLA
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 24 December 2017 through 30 December 2017

Happy Holidays

Coming Events:

VGS Members can attend any of these events...
Monday: December 25, 2017

Technology SIG Meeting as been canceled.

Wednesday: February 28, 2018

Our Annual All-Day Seminar

9:00 AM in the La Hacienda Recreation Center
Download the Registration Packet HERE...

Gen News & Announcements:

New Historic Records on FamilySearch: Week of December 11, 2017

FamilySearch
"Good news if your ancestry is from Colombia and Peru! More than one million historic records and one million images from each country were added on FamilySearch this week. Many more records from Brazil, Delaware, Denmark, England, France, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, Ukraine and the United States were also published."
Search now...

Bringing Clarity and Simplicity – Updates to Ancestry Terms and Privacy Statement:

Ancestry
"Maintaining our customers’ trust is a non-stop, 24/7 job for everyone at Ancestry. That approach is baked into how we build and market our products, how we make decisions as a business and, of course, how we think about, protect and respect the data you share with us. In that spirit, today I am happy to share some news about adjustments to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statements, and additional changes to our Privacy Center, that should make understanding these complex legal documents a little easier."
Continue reading...

FamilySearch Free Sign-in Offers Greater Subscriber Experiences and Benefits:

FamilySearch
In case you missed this previous post, beginning on December 13, 2017, patrons visiting FamilySearch.org will see a prompt to register for a free FamilySearch account or sign in to their existing account to continue enjoying all the free expanded benefits FamilySearch has to offer. What this actually means is if an image is available and you want to see or download that image you will need an account and you must be logged-in.
Continue reading...

How Important Is High Resolution For Scanning And Photography?

Genealogy's Star
"Are you tempted to join the megapixel race? Are you concerned about the resolution of your digitization efforts for photos, paper records, and other genealogically important documents? Do you use the megapixel count of a camera or smartphone as a factor in your purchase decisions? These issues and more concern anyone trying to digitize records or take photographs. Genealogists and photographers share some of the same concerns."
Continue reading...

Can’t Find Your Ancestor? Genealogy Experts Suggest These 6 Tips:

Family Tree Magazine
"Got a frustrating ancestry research problem? Follow these six timeless tips from genealogy experts to work through brick walls and build your family tree.
Continue reading...

Big Updates At Ancestry For Canadian And German Vital Records:

Lisa Louise Cooke
"Big records updates at the Genealogy Giant website Ancestry.com! Brand new collections of birth, marriage, death, and census records for Canada were added this week, along with a Remembrance Book for the 100th anniversary of the Halifax explosion. Additionally, new vital records are now available for Germany."
Continue reading...

Running RootsMagic on a Mac with High Sierra:

RootsMagic
"Some users have reported that after they updated their Mac OS to High Sierra, that RootsMagic stopped working and generate a cryptic error message that says something like:
CrossOver is unable to initialize a critical component.
Failed to importc xutils module into Python. See console for errors. The program will now exit.
You may need to reinstall RootsMagic!
Learn How... Video 9.43 minutes

Technology:

What’s the Best Way to Back Up My Computer?

How-to-Geek
"Everyone loses data at some point in their lives. Your computer’s hard drive could fail tomorrow, ransomware could hold your files hostage, or a software bug could delete your important files. If you’re not regularly backing up your computer, you could lose those files forever."
Continue reading...

How to Use All of Windows 10’s Backup and Recovery Tools:

How-to-Geek
"Windows 10 includes several different types of backup and recovery tools. And we’re going to take a look at all of them."
Continue reading...

Education:

How to Get the Most Out of a Trip to Your Ancestral Homeland:

Ancestral Findings...
"Have you ever considered going to your ancestral homeland to continue your family history research? You should. Today, I’ll talk about… why, and how to plan the perfect trip."
Listen HERE...  7.53 minutes

Webinars:

Problems and Pitfalls of a Reasonably Shallow Search:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Through examples the problems with not conducting an exhaustive search will be highlighted. Assumptions, misinterpretations, and not digging deep enough into original records will all be showcased as to how they can mislead research, sometimes for years. Encouraging the audience to follow the principles of a reasonably exhaustive search should give them incentive to make it a part of their usual research habits. They will also learn particular pitfalls to watch for."
Wednesday, December 27, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

The 2018 list of Webinars will be published shortly.

VGS Latest News and Tips: 20 July 2017

Gen News:

About our blog... 2nd posting

The editor
Dear readers,

Our blog has posted over 800 days of information for our membership since it was first created in January, 2015. During that time, we have slowly gained readers from our membership and anyone else that may follow our blog. However, with a membership of over 1100 members the percentage of members who have subscribed to receive the blog via email remains in the low teen's and readers from our website is minimal. It's time to ask "Is it worthwhile for The VGS to continue a daily blog?"
I would like your feedback through a very short survey that you can complete in less than a minute.
Thank you to the 40 people who completed the survey from yesterday's request. If you haven't already taken the survey, please take the survey right now, and thank you for your response.
Take the survey HERE...

Denied Access to a Vital Record? Try the Newspaper!

Legacy Tree Genealogists
"Strict privacy laws, designed to protect both the living and the dead from having their identities stolen, can create some serious problems for a genealogist. Some states permit the acquisition of birth, marriage, or death records when the individuals named in those records have been dead for 50 years, or 100 years after the event was recorded. Other states allow only immediate family members
to have access to birth, marriage, or death records. When you need the information contained in a vital record but are denied access to that record, what can you do?"
Continue reading...

Thank You for Teaching Me to Index:

FamilySearch
"In one form or another, thousands of indexers shared their gratitude for the help of valued friends and leaders as they began indexing. While many tools and tutorials teach how to index, nothing compares to the guidance of a patient friend."
Continue reading...

MyHeritageDNA Sale:

We’re happy to announce a huge DNA sale, starting now through July 24. For a limited time, you can get the MyHeritage DNA test at the specially discounted price of $69.

The MyHeritage DNA test finds DNA Matches – people who are related to you, whom you may not have known before. You will also enjoy our new and improved Ethnicity Estimate, which provides you with a percentage-based estimate of your ethnic origins covering 42 ethnic regions, more than any other major DNA company and many of which are available only on MyHeritage. The Ethnicity Estimate is presented in an original and engaging format (see example here), making it not only interesting but also fun to watch and share.

Learn more...

Tech:

Should I Buy the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus?

How-to-Geek
"The iPhone 7 is available in two sizes: the regular 4.7” screen iPhone 7, and the 5.5” screen iPhone 7 Plus. Both phones are available with 32GB, 128GB or 256GB of storage in Jet Black, Black, Gold, Silver, Rose Gold, and Red. Let’s take a look at how each phone differs and consider which one is the right fit for you."
Continue reading...

The Best Streaming Music Services for Any Type of Listener:

How-to-Geek
"Back in the days of the iPod, the future of digital music looked like a more convenient, a la carte version of the past: customers could buy single tracks for relatively little money, but the paradigm was still about owning music that you then managed yourself. With the advent of smartphones and always-on connections, the streaming service reigns supreme. Now you can pay a monthly fee (or listen to advertising) for an all-you-can-eat selection of millions of songs."
Continue reading...

Education:

Genealogy Basics: Birth Record Research Advice for Beginners:

Ancestral Findings
"Are you ready to learn how to obtain birth records for your ancestors? Here's how to find these important vital records that document your ancestors' lives."
Listen now... 5.32 minutes

Webinar Reminder:

The DAR Library: Resources for Genealogists

Presenter: Darryn Lickliter, Director, DAR Library
Today: 20 July 2017 at 8 p.m. Eastern
This will be an overview of the Library's (and Society's) genealogical holdings, including the Genealogical Research System. There will be discussion on the GRS's evolution and how this might impact its use as a genealogical source. This webinar is part of APG’s series on research in Washington, DC.

About the Presenter: Darryn Lickliter, a native of Indiana, has been an active genealogical researcher for over 35 years. He studied German and Spanish at Indiana University and later completed his master’s degree at Drexel University in Library Science. He began working for the DAR as a genealogist in 1999 and has worked on several digitization projects over the years. In 2012, Darryn became the Director of the Office of the Registrar General and in March 2016 he took on the additional responsibility of Library Director.

Registration required: Register HERE... 

Another Webinar Reminder:

FSGS
Today: 20 Jul 2017 at 8:00 p.m.
Connie Lenzen, CGSM" "Strategies for Adoption Research and Finding Other Missing Persons"
• Webinar Abstract: Adoption touches many families. The search to reunite birth parents and birth children utilizes all research strategies. These same strategies are used to find relatives who have come up missing.
• Presenter: Connie is a full-time professional genealogist, author, and teacher. She is the author of the Oregon Guide to Genealogical Resources and a contributing author to national and local genealogical publications. She lectures at local, state, regional, and national conferences.
• Website: www.lenzenresearch.com
• Register HERE...

Editor's Comment: Two great webinars going on at the same time... I know it's hard to pick one but we have no control on when other agencies schedule their events.

VGS Latest News and Tips: May 23, 2017

Reminders:

Tomorrow: May 24, 2017

Brick Wall SIG Meeting

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

Tomorrow: May 24, 2017

General Monthly Meeting

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

Topic: Our guest speaker is Donna Bachowski "Forget Me Not: Preserving Legacies with EPOCH"

Gen News:

The Secret Hiding on the 1840 U.S. Census:

My Kith N Kin
"There is a secret hiding on the 1840 U.S. census. On the back of this census, the enumerators recorded those who were receiving..."
Continue reading...

Library and Archives Canada Acquires 80,000 Maps And Documents From The Canada Lands Survey Records Collection:

Library And Archives Canada 
"The CSLR collection is made up of records such as plans, field notes, diaries and correspondence that were officially deposited and registered under unique survey numbers. Canada Lands include, but are not limited to, Territorial Lands, Offshore Lands, National Parks and most Indigenous lands."
Continue reading...

What Sources You Should Be Looking At In 15th-17th Century English Research:

Family Tree Tips 
"Most people can trace their tree back to at least the 1800s using conventional methods such as Birth/Marriage/Death and Census records but not many realize they can go back a lot further than this using other record collections. Most records still need a visit to an Archive especially older more specialist ones as they aren't often digitized, and when they are they haven’t always been transcribed to be searchable. Your best bet for sources are:"
Continue reading...

Tech:

What Do Windows 10’s Basic and Full Telemetry Settings Actually Do?

How-to-Geek
"Windows 10 includes a telemetry service that automatically sends diagnostic and usage data about your computer to Microsoft. These settings have caused a lot of controversy since Windows 10’s release, but what do they actually do?"
Continue reading...

How to Post 360 Degree Photos to Facebook:

How-to-Geek
"If you've ever scrolled through your Facebook feed and noticed that someone posted a 360-degree photo, they probably didn't use a special 360 camera, but rather just their phone. Here’s how you can take your own 360 photos with your smartphone and post them to Facebook for all to enjoy."
Continue reading...

Education:

How to Research the Birthplaces of Your Ancestors:

Ancestral Findings
"Locating the birthplaces of your ancestors is an important part of genealogy. It can open up whole new lines of research to you."
Listen now... 8.28 minutes

VGS Latest News & Tips: 13 February 2017

Reminders:

Today: February 13, 2017

Family Tree Maker Uses SIG Meeting

1:00 PM in the Patriot Room at the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center

Tomorrow: February 14, 2017

Genealogy Writers SIG Meeting

2:30 PM in the Churchill Downs Room in the Pimlico Recreation Center
Topic: "How to Interview Your Relatives" with guest speaker Bob Boerst, VGS Newsletter Editor and former Human Resources executive.

Gen News:

Nature Communications Publishes AncestryDNA Breakthrough on Genetic Communities:

Ancestry
"What if from your DNA, you could find out that you’re not just Irish, but related to the Ulster Irish who migrated in droves to the U.S.? Or descended from a group of African Americans in Maryland who left rural areas to put roots in cities. Or maybe the Acadians, who brought the French language and culture to Louisiana. What if you could see the people, places and migration paths in your family story?"
Continue reading...

MyHeritage Appoints Prominent DNA Expert Dr. Yaniv Erlich as Chief Science Officer:

Genealogy Blog
"TEL AVIV, Israel & LEHI, Utah , February 9, 2017 – MyHeritage, the leading international family history and DNA company, announced today the appointment of Dr. Yaniv Erlich as its Chief Science Officer. Dr. Erlich, a DNA scientist of world renown, will lead scientific development and strategy for MyHeritage DNA, the company’s newly established DNA service for family history and ethnicity, and ensure that its products are built on a solid scientific foundation."
Continue reading...

LAC digitization of WWI service files reaches ‘Morello’:

Genealogy à la carte
"If you ancestor served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) during the First World War and his name is between Mattineau and Morello, Christmas may have arrived early for you."
Continue reading...

Tech:

How to Take Good Street Photos:

How-to-Geek
"Street photography is about documenting the day to day life of a city. It’s about capturing the small, authentic moments that take a city from grey concrete and turn it into a real, living place. It’s a really popular genre of photography, so let’s have a look at how to do it well."
Continue reading...

How to Log In to Your PC With Your Fingerprint or Other Device Using Windows Hello:

How-to-Geek
"Windows Hello, a new feature in Windows 10, allows you to sign into your computer with your fingerprint, facial recognition, a USB key, or another companion advice. It now allows you to sign into apps and websites via Microsoft Edge, too."
Continue reading...

Education:

Common Mistakes in Genealogy:

Crista Cowan: Ancestry
"It doesn't matter if you are new to genealogy or have been doing this for a while, we've all made them -- mistakes and assumptions as we climb up our family tree. Crista will share some of the common family history research mistakes and give tips about how to avoid them."
Continue reading...

VGS Latest News & Tips: 10 February 2017

Reminders:
Today: February 10, 2017

Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting

10:00 AM in the Rhett Butler Room at the Savannah Center
Topic: "DNA Show & Tell"

Gen News:

Finding Newspapers From Your Ancestor’s Hometown:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Newspapers are an incredible resource for genealogy. But with all of the mergers of newspapers over the years (not to mention those that have gone out of business), how can you find what newspapers were published in your ancestor's hometown when he or she lived there? "
Continue reading...

Historical society seeks stories about women who lived in Richmond, Quebec:

Genealogy à la carte
"The Richmond County Historical Society in Melbourne, Quebec is looking for biographies of local women in history “who have made a difference in the community, women who have pioneered an idea or created a lasting memory in our lives.”
Continue reading...

Genealogy on Facebook List:

Katherine R. Willson
"Download the 308 page PDF file containing 10,600+ links (updated in February 2017) to English-speaking Facebook groups & pages related to genealogy & history here:  “Genealogy on Facebook” List."
Continue reading...

Tech:

How to Upload Your Music Library to Google Play Music:

How-to-Geek
"Google Play Music offers an unlimited music streaming subscription paired with YouTube Red, but it’s more than that. Even if the music you want to listen to isn’t available in Google’s streaming library, you can add it to your own personal Google Play Music library and listen from any device."
Continue reading...

How to Take a Screenshot on Your iPhone or iPad:

How-to-Geek
"Snapping a screenshot of your iPhone is a great way to preserve exactly what you see on the screen and, thankfully, it’s dead simple to do since the shortcut is built right into iOS."
Continue reading...

Education:

Getting the Most Out of Family Tree Maker:

Ancestry Academy 
"Turn your family history into a lasting legacy with Family Tree Maker. This course teaches the basics of how to get started with Family Tree Maker, and includes an introduction to every work-space in the program. It also includes a number of advanced topics, so whether you’re new to Family Tree Maker or you've been using it for many years, this course will be useful for you."
Editor's Note: This is a 12 part series. Take each part and watch it a few times then practice what you learned. Don't try taking the entire course all in one day. There is a lot to learn using this software.
Take the course...

VGS Latest News & Tips: 28 October 2016

10 Things to Know About Quebec Notarial Records:
Ancestry
"Are you ready to learn more about your ancestors who lived in Quebec? Notarial records can provide you with the little details to understand more the life of your ancestor. Whether you’re just getting started or have been exploring those records for some time, our 10 Things to Know can give you the answers you need."
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4 Ways Voter Registration Records Can Aid Genealogy Research:
Crestleaf

"During this election season, you are probably thinking more about who you are voting for rather than the information you provide on your voter registration form. But if you take a closer look at the details these forms collect, you will soon realize that voter records hold a treasure trove of data that can be helpful in building a family tree."
Continue reading...

November Webinars from FamilySearch:
FamilySearch
"November Family History Library Webinars offer a variety of classes covering topics on everything from researching worldwide localities to the learning basics of FamilySearch products. To access the webinar, go to the web link below and click on the word Webinar to enter the classroom."
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5 Interesting Facts About LeVar Burton:
FamilySearch
"Yes, you heard correctly. LeVar Burton is coming to RootsTech 2017. On Friday, February 10, 2017, the wildly popular actor, producer, and director will grace the stage at RootsTech, the world’s largest family history and technology conference."
Continue reading...

How to Choose Which Files Windows Search Indexes on Your PC:
How-to-Geek
"The Windows Search feature provides fast file searches by building an index. This index is used by the Start menu, the search box in File Explorer and Windows Explorer, and even the Cortana assistant on Windows 10."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 28 October
1768: Germans and Acadians join French Creoles in their armed revolt against the Spanish governor of New Orleans.
1886: The Statue of Liberty, originally named Liberty Enlightening the World, is dedicated at Liberty Island, N. Y., formerly Bedloe’s Island, by President Grover Cleveland
1914: George Eastman announces the invention of the color photographic process.
1912 Birthday: Richard Doll, English epidemiologist who established a link between tobacco smoke and cancer.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Hawaii:
1893: U.S. troops moved to annex Hawaii and Republic is formed a year later
1900: Hawaii becomes a commonwealth state
1901: Hawaiian Pineapple Company (Dole) founded

VGS Latest News & Tips: 14 October 2016

Tech SIG & Genetic Genealogy SIG table at the VGS Expo

Today: October 14, 2016

Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting

10:00 AM in the Rhett Butler Room at the Savannah Center
Topic: Genetic Genealogy 101

What’s New on FamilySearch—September 2016?
FamilySearch
"Each month, FamilySearch publishes a list of new changes and updates to the FamilySearch.org website. This list includes changes to Family Tree as well as other parts of FamilySearch.org. In some cases, these changes will also be published as individual articles where the need to do so exists."
Continue reading...

Small and Simple Ways to Celebrate Family History Month: How Do I Love Thee?
FamilySearch
"October has been officially designated Family History Month, which makes this the best time of year to ignite—or maybe reignite—your passion for genealogy. You can certainly pay tribute to your heritage in a direct way—by researching your family tree, participating in an indexing project, visiting cemeteries, or interviewing elderly relatives. But there are also countless small and simple ways to weave family history moments into your everyday activities and experiences to foster a spirit of connection and purpose all month long."
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Like Mother, like daughter: An AncestryDNA Story:
Ancestry
"My mum began researching our family tree in the mid-90s when I was in primary school, and spent the better part of the next 10 years elbows deep in our family’s history.Old Family Photos On Wooden Table. It all kicked off around 1997, the year of my 10th birthday."
Continue reading...

Do You Have Canadian Ancestors?
Library & Archive Canada
If you said yes, this repository has many data & digital collections online for you. "The Library and Archives Canada (LAC) preserves and makes accessible the documentary heritage of Canada. It also serves as the continuing memory of the Government of Canada and its institutions. This heritage includes publications, archival records, sound and audio-visual materials, photographs, artworks, and electronic documents."
Visit website...

News: 
AncestryDNA is the first and only consumer genetics company to reach two million customers.
It is now available in four continents and 35 countries around the globe.
Learn more...

All the Ways You Can Still Get Windows 10 for Free:
How-to-Geek
"Windows 10’s free upgrade offer is officially over. But, unofficially, free copies of Windows 10 are still available. There are quite a few ways you can still get Windows 10 for free, without using a pirated license."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 14 October
1651: Laws are passed in Massachusetts forbidding the poor to adopt excessive styles of dress.
1884: Transparent paper-strip photographic film is patented by George Eastman.
1912: Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt is shot and wounded in assassination attempt in Milwaukee. He is saved by the papers in his breast pocket and, though wounded, insists on finishing his speech.
1890 Birthday: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th U.S. President (1953-1961).

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Florida:
1868: Readmitted to the Union
1878: Statewide yellow fever epidemic
1880's: Large phosphate deposits discovered in central Florida

VGS Reminders: 22 - 26 August, 2016

Meeting Reminder - Wednesday, August 24:

Brick Wall SIG Meeting

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

Meeting Reminder - Wednesday, August 24:

Summer Workshop

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

Using FindMyPast to Unlock Your Irish Ancestry:

Legacy Family Tree Webinar

Register HERE to attend this FREE Online Webinar.

Finding Canadian Lovebirds in Ontario Records:
Ancestry
"Recent research shows that August is Canada’s most popular month to wed – and to celebrate the 500-year-old tradition of taking a vacation after the big day, Ancestry has delved into a newly-launched collection of records to compare honeymoon trends from decades ago to the present day."
Continue reading...

United States Muster Rolls of the Marine Corps, 1798-1937:
FamilySearch
FamilySearch has added more military records to their data collections. Learn more about ancestors that may have served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Index and images of muster rolls of the United States Marine Corps located at the National Archives. The records are arranged chronologically by month, then by post, station or ship, and are part of Record Group 127 Records of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Search here...

How to Save Searches in Windows for Quick Access Later:
How-to-Geek
"If you regularly search for certain files in Windows, saving searches is a great way to access them more quickly than retyping the search every time. Saving searches is especially useful if you often perform more advanced searches, or search by combinations of date range, file type, or keywords."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 20 August
1667: John Milton publishes Paradise Lost, an epic poem about the fall of Adam and Eve.
1904: Dublin’s Abbey Theatre is founded, an outgrowth of the Irish Literary Theatre founded in 1899 by William Butler Yeats and Lady Gregory.
1913: 700 feet above Buc, France, parachutist Adolphe Pegoud becomes the first person to jump from an airplane and land safely.
1833 Birthday: Benjamin Harrison, 23rd President of the United States and grandson of President William Henry Harrison.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Alaska:
1897-1900: Klondike Gold Rush
1905: Telegraph linked Fairbanks and Valdez

1912: Representative territorial government formed

VGS Latest News & Tips: 2 Aug 2016

Nova Scotia Land Papers 1765-1800:
Nova Scotia Archives
"This is a searchable database for petitions made to government by individuals or groups of people seeking grants of Crown Land for settlement purposes in early Nova Scotia. The database contains 11,464 names, and will link from the petitioner's name to the fully digitized document file created for that particular land grant — 1890 files, containing 9259 image scans. If you're searching for online information about early land settlement in Nova Scotia, you've come to the right place!"
Continue reading...

Nova Scotia Genealogy:
Nova Scotia Archives
"Take a look at the Historical Vital Statistics home page to review complete date coverage for records now open to the public, and to learn where more recent registrations, not yet released, are held. We’ve also shared name indexes for the Historical Vital Statistics with Ancestry.ca, where they’re available along with a variety of Canadian research collections."
Go to Archives...

Royal Navy Records Reveal Place Of Birth For Thousands Of Mid-C19th Irish Sailors:
Irish Genealogy News
"Ancestry has added another of its 'Web Search' collections, meaning it has uploaded a searchable index to a record-set held on a third party website."
Ancestry has called the index the Royal Naval Seamen Index, 1853–1872.
Continue reading...

Additional Relatives Added To Phased Family Matches At Family Tree DNA:
DNAeXplained
"On July 7th, Family Tree DNA released Phased Family Matches which included phasing to people linked to your tree who have DNA tested who are related to you.  These phased matches allow Family Tree DNA to assign matches to maternal or paternal buckets, or both.  The people that could be utilized for this phased matching were as follows:"
Continue reading...

John Grenham Launches A Six-Part Series Of Irish Genealogy Webinars:
Irish Genealogy News
"Genealogist John Grenham MAGI FIGRS has been busy creating a series of webinars for Irish family historians of beginner to intermediate levels of experience.
Called The Foundations of Irish Genealogy, the six-part series was launched last week within the Legacy Family Tree Webinar Library."
Continue reading... OR Go to Webinars...

How to Show the Control Panel and Recycle Bin in the Windows File Explorer Navigation Pane:

How-to-Geek
"By default, the Windows File Explorer’s sidebar is divided into big categories like Quick Access, This PC, Network, and so on. But a quick setting change can make your navigation pane look a bit more like the traditional tree you’d see in an Open/Save As dialog box, with a few normally hidden folders–like the Control Panel and Recycle Bin–to the view as a bonus."
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This Day In History: 2 August
1819: The first parachute jump from a balloon is made by Charles Guille in New York City.
1862: The Army Ambulance Corps is established by Maj. Gen. George McClellan.
1876: Wild Bill Hickok is shot while playing poker.
1924 Birthday: James Baldwin, writer whose works include Go Tell it on the Mountain and Notes of a Native Son.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
North Carolina
1664-6: Cape Fear settled by English
1670: Charleston founded
1683: Scottish farmers settled Port Royal

VGS Latest News & Tips: 5 July 2016

Family Tree DNA Partners with Geni.com:
DNAeXplained
"Family Tree DNA is pleased to announce a partnership with Geni, a division of MyHeritage and home of the collaborative World Family Tree. This optional new feature offers seamless integration of both platforms, greatly enhancing the accuracy of Geni’s World Family Tree and providing new insights for millions of users interested in discovering more about their family histories."
Continue reading...

Remembering The Somme: 100 Years On
Ancestry
"The Battle of the Somme began on 1 July, 1916 – the deadliest day in the history of the British Army. Around 20,000 British Empire soldiers lost their lives that day and it was just the beginning of a battle that would be become forever associated with the horrors of the First World War."
Continue reading...

Breathtaking Historic Photographs Digitized to Bring Canada’s Past To Life:
Ancestry
"A collection of more than 3,000 historic photographs of Canada, spanning 25 years from post-Confederation to the First World War, have been published online for the first time. The photographs are part of two new historic Canadian collections made available on Ancestry, to celebrate Canada Day."
Continue reading...

How to Open an App or File in a New Virtual Desktop on Windows 10:
How-to-Geek
"Microsoft has finally added virtual desktops as a built-in feature to Windows 10. Virtual desktops are useful if you run a lot of programs at once and want to organize them into categories, such as for work, web surfing, or playing games."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 5 July
1776: The Declaration of Independence is first printed by John Dunlop in Philadelphia.
1814: U.S. troops under Jacob Brown defeat a superior British force at Chippewa, Canada.
1950: American forces engage the North Koreans for the first time at Osan, South Korea.
1810 Birthday: P.T. Barnum, American showman.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Indiana:
1812: Last Indian fight in state took place near Peru
1813: Seat of territory moved from Vincennes to Corydon
1816: Admitted to Union

VGS Latest News & Tips: 29 June 2016

New Canada Grant Registers: 1872-1930
Ancestry.com
"This collection consists of registers of homesteaders applying for land grants in the western Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. The collection is organized chronologically in 154 volumes."
Continue reading or search the collection...

Cemetery Etiquette: What you Need to Know for that Cemetery Trip:
Ancestry
"This really goes without saying, but sometimes we need to be reminded. A cemetery is a place for families to mourn and visit their loved ones. Be respectful of those around you."
Continue reading...

Turn Your Photo Collection from Chaos to Order with These Simple Tips:
FamilySearch
"In order to take control, you need to be organized, organized, organized—and the good news is, it’s easier than you think! In this post, I’ll share my top four tips to help you bring order out of the chaos of a lifetime of printed photos"
Continue reading...

4 Tips to Trace Female Ancestors of Your Family Tree:
Crestleaf
"If you’ve been digging through tangled up roots to discover female ancestors to add to your family tree, you’re not alone. While every family historian runs into brick walls during their research from time to time, stories about women from our familial past can be some of the most difficult to find. But while it’s a challenge for us all for a number of reasons, there are certainly tried-and-true tactics that can help you discover clues that lead to these elusive women."
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How to Get Rid of “Suggested Apps” in Windows 10:
How-to-Geek
"In the Windows 10 Fall 2015 update, Microsoft introduced what they call the “Microsoft Consumer Experience”, which includes some rather annoying “suggestions” in the Start menu–both on the left side, under your apps, and on the right side as live tiles."
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This Day In History: June 29
1652: Massachusetts declares itself an independent commonwealth.
1888: Professor Frederick Treves performs the first appendectomy in England.
1917: The Ukraine proclaims independence from Russia.
1861 Birthday: William James Mayo, co-founder of the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Illinois:
1780: England sends troops to recapture region.
1783: Ceded by Great Britain to U.S. as Old Northwest Territory.
1787: Becomes Illinois Territory

VGS Latest News & Tips: 22 June 2016

Today: Wednesday: June 22, 2016

Summer Series Workshop
10:00 AM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center

Webinar: "How to Tame Your Inner Packrat!"

Follow Vice President Joe Biden as He Walks in the Footsteps of His Irish Ancestors:
Ancestry
"We’re incredibly proud to announce that Ancestry is chronicling Vice President of the United States Joe Biden’s trip to his family’s ancestral home, Ireland. Over the next six days, we invite you to join us in following the Vice President and his family on this journey. We also invite you to ask Biden questions about his family history as he will be responding to them throughout his trip there."
Continue reading...

9 Tips for Traveling to Find Your Ancestors: 
MD Magazine
"To make the most of your journey abroad, do your research well ahead of time. Start now to plan your heritage travel for next summer. Here are some tips to make the most of your trip."
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Ancestry Adds Niagara Falls Honeymoon And Visitor Registries:
Genealogy a la carte
"In time for wedding season, Ancestry has launched Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, Honeymoon and Visitor Registries, 1949-2011. The index for this collection is available for free, without subscription. The scanned images, however, will remain behind the paywall."
Continue reading...

FamilySearch New and Updated Collections - June 1-15, 2016
The Ancestor Hunter
"FamilySearch continues to add or update their records collections at a fast pace for us to search.
For the period of June 1-15, 2016,  the added/updated collections are:​"
Continue reading...

How to Change the Location of Internet Explorer’s Download Folder:
How-to-Geek
"By default, when you download something using Internet Explorer, it gets saved the main Downloads folder for your user account. If you’d rather save your files somewhere else, you can change the default save folder. Here’s how to do it."
Continue reading...

FamilySearch Will Be Down This Coming Monday:
The FamilySearch website will be undergoing a technical upgrade Monday, June 27th, 2016 starting at 12 midnight MDT, and may be down for up to 24 hours as they test the system. This is a major upgrade to the FamilySearch System. Hopefully they will not run into any technical issues.

This Day In History: 22 June
1772: Slavery is outlawed in England.
1876: General Alfred Terry sends Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer to the Rosebud and Little Bighorn rivers to search for Indian villages.
1942: A Japanese submarine shells Fort Stevens at the mouth of the Columbia River.
1930 Birthday: A son is born to Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Maine:
1623: Saco Bay settled.
1624: Kittery settled.
1628: Brusnwick (Pejepscot) settled.

VGS Latest News & Tips: 25 April 2016

The AncestryDNA Kit Deconstructed:
AncestryDNA
"It’s Earth Day, which means it’s a great time to think about how we can reduce our impact on the planet. Ancestry has already brought genealogy into our homes which we’d like to think has reduced the carbon footprint of traveling around to archives around the world. Although, we don’t think anyone has measured the impact of midnight oil burning away as our members hunt down ancestors into the wee hours…"
Continue reading...

FREE Book! "DNA & Genetics for Genealogy"
FW Publications
15 pages, pdf format.
Download now...

United Empire Loyalist Research:

Ancestry

"Sometimes when we are researching our ancestors we find ourselves in a time and/or place that isn’t familiar. Recently I found myself having to learn about a very fascinating period of Canadian history – the American Revolution and the Loyalists in around the Kingston/Napanee area of Ontario."Continue reading...

How To Search For Your Criminal Ancestors In The Historic Newspapers:
FindMyPast
"Our England & Wales, Crime, Prisons and Punishment records can reveal incredible levels of detail about your criminal ancestors, including the exact nature of the crimes they committed, where and when they took place and the sentence they received."
Continue reading...

30 Questions To Get Started Recording Family History:
Amy Choate-Nielsen: 
"I had a professor in college who once told me that the first step to preparing for any interview was to make a list of 10 questions.
You couldn’t just have them in your head; you had to write them down. And if you turned in an assignment with fewer than 10 questions on it, you failed.
I started writing down my 10 questions then, and I’ve never stopped — but I learned something, in time.
You have to ask the right questions."
Continue reading...

Are you getting the most out of DNA results?
myAJC
"For those who have tested either with familytreedna.com, ancestry.com, or 23andme.com, are you getting the most out of your results?"
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 25 April
1719: Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe is published in London.
1792: The guillotine is first used to execute highwayman Nicolas J. Pelletier.
1898: The United States declares war on Spain.
1908 Birthday: Edward R. Murrow, war correspondent and newscaster.

VGS Latest News & Tips: 25 March 2016

Europe Free Online Historical Newspapers:
The Ancestor Hunter
"There are quite a bit of free online historical newspapers from European countries.  There are also some that are subscription-based. This article will try and list many of the free ones."
Continue reading...

Women Soldiers of the Civil War:
National Archives
"It is an accepted convention that the Civil War was a man's fight. Images of women during that conflict center on self-sacrificing nurses, romantic spies, or brave ladies maintaining the home front in the absence of their me."
"The existence of soldier-women was no secret during or after the Civil War."
Continue reading...

A Growing Source for Free Genealogy: Digital Public Library of America:
Amy Johnson Crow
"What’s better than a website that gives access to more than 11 million digitized items? A website that does it for free. That’s just what the Digital Public Library of America does. DPLA is constantly growing and fast becoming a “must visit” website for free genealogy resources."
Continue reading...

In Defense of DNA for Family History:
Diahan Southard via Lisa Louise Cook
"In defense of DNA for family history, Your DNA Guide Diahan Southard takes on an NPR writer who says that “family is relationship, not DNA.”
Continue reading...

Dozens of ‘British Home Children’ Lie Forgotten in Etobicoke Cemetery:
GTA
"Victorian-era kids sent to Canada to build a better life often suffered a sad fate; now a research group is trying to tell their stories."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 25 March

1634: Lord Baltimore founds the Catholic colony of Maryland.
1668: The first horse race in America takes place.
1776: The Continental Congress authorizes a medal for General George Washington.
1867 Birthday: Gutzon Borglum, sculptor of Mount Rushmore.