Showing posts with label Conferences. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Conferences. Show all posts

Saturday, October 28, 2017

VGS News & Events: 29 October 2017 through 4 November 2017

October Monthly Meeting - A Live Webinar with Amy Johnson Crow
Coming Events:
Wednesday: November 1, 2017
French Canadian Genealogy SIG Meeting:
9:00 AM in the Julio Iglesias Room at the La Hacienda Recreation
Wednesday: November 1, 2017
Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting:
9:30 AM in the Defender Room at the Lake Miona Recreation Center
Note: Date Change for this meeting... 
Wednesday: November 1, 2017
RootsMagic SIG Meeting:
1:00 PM at the Pinellas Library
Thursday: November 2, 2017
Eastern European Genealogy SIG Meeting:
1:00 PM in the Daytona Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center
Friday: November 3, 2017
British Genealogy SIG Meeting:
9:30 AM in the Courageous Room at the Lake Miona Recreation Center
Topic: A special presentation by Mark Olsen from Family  Tree Maker.
Mark will talk about the latest version of the Family Tree Maker Software and there will be ample time for members to ask questions about the software features. Attendance is by reservation only since space is limited to the first 80 registrants. Register HERE...

Saturday, November 4

21st Annual Central Florida Family History Conference:
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
OLYMPIA HIGH SCHOOL at 4301 S. Apopka Vineland Road, Orlando, FL 32835
We are one of the largest family history conferences on the East Coast of the United States! This regional event brings world-class speakers from all over the country to help you find your family’s history! Our Keynote Speaker this year features Crista Cowan, Corporate Genealogist at Ancestry.com!!
More information: HERE...
Download: Info & Bus Info Flyer:

Latest News & Announcements:
The Citrus County Genealogical Society will meet November 14 at 10:00 AM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3474 W. Southern St., Lecanto. Diahan Southard, nationally known DNA lecturer and owner of the website “Your DNA Guide” will give a live webinar about autosomal DNA tests, “Your Slice of the DNA Pie.” This presentation will answer your questions about ethnic origins and what do maps and percentages mean. She will discuss all major testing companies and talk about Ancestry’s DNA Genetic Communities tool. There will be 15 minutes after the presentation for questions and answers. Guests are welcome to attend. For information go to www.citrusgenealogy.com or call Mary Ann Machonkin at 382-5515

VGS Monthly Meeting Update

At our October 23rd meeting about 175 members were in attendance along with another 75 members attending remotely via a live webinar. Our guest speaker was Amy Johnson Crow, CG and she presented "What Do You Mean There's No Record?! Using Vital Record Substitutes"
Amy stated: "In order to research and identify our ancestors, we must find records about them. Civil vital records are key components to genealogical research. What do you do when your ancestor was born in 1878 in Indiana (where civil birth records didn’t begin until 1882) or died in Ohio in 1862 (where civil death records didn’t begin until 1867)? It’s time to start thinking outside the box and look for other types of records – the vital records substitutes."
If you missed the presentation, the handout and video have been posted on our website under "Members Only."

What Is Soundex And How It Is Still Being Used:

Legacy Family Tree
"Newcomers to genealogy are sometimes confused by the word soundex. Whereas those who have been researching for decades have likely memorized the soundex codes for each of their favorite ancestors' surnames. With the advent of every-name census indexes, soundex has been somewhat left behind."
Continue reading...

Research Clues for those Elusive “Brick Wall” Mysteries:

Ancestry
"You’ve likely hit a brick wall or encountered a mystery in your research if you’ve spent any measure of time piecing together your family tree. It’s not easy. These challenges crop up in many ways. Sometimes your ancestors have a common last name like “Smith” or there is a lack of census data for a particular country or time. In other instances, your ancestors were enslaved people whose surname traces back their owner, but to no one beyond that."
Continue reading...

Family Foodways:

Ancestry
"Merriam-Webster’s dictionary perhaps says it best. Foodways are the “eating habits and culinary practices of a people, region, or historical time period.” Foodways include the growth and production of food, methods of cooking, spices, who cooked the food, social occasions, and special events. Even the intangibles such as aroma, food’s association with memories, folktales and family oral traditions about certain foods or specific meals, and more, can be considered foodways."
Continue reading...

Uncovering Your World War I Ancestors:

FamilySearch
"With over 4.7 million US troops serving in places around the world and countless other men and women involved in supportive services, the chances are pretty high that someone in your family tree participated in World War I—and created records in the process. Some families are already familiar with the individuals on their family trees that were involved while others will need to first identify these World War I ancestors."
Continue reading...

Using Military Records to Bring Your Ancestors to Life:

FamilySearch
"Although military service is part of most of our family trees, military records are often overlooked in learning about our families. Perhaps part of the hesitation is that many people aren’t sure what military records have to offer. Much more than telling if your ancestor was involved in a certain war or conflict, military records can unlock family stories. Here are just a few examples of unexpected discoveries—and some tips on where and how to look to make similar discoveries of your own:"
Continue reading...

Online Historical Newspapers at the Library - ProQuest

The Ancestor Hunt
"Many family history and genealogy researchers who are used to searching for articles about our ancestors in old newspapers have gotten spoiled with the increasingly robust online collections that are available for free.
But did you know that there are other quite large collections that are available via your local library or a library that may require a little bit more drive time?"
Continue reading...

What Type of Transportation Did Your Ancestors Use?

Ancestry
"How did your ancestors get around? Go back far enough, and they primarily walked or rode horses (which were domesticated about 4,000-3,000 B.C.). But how about in more recent times?"
Continue reading...

Technology:

Are My Amazon Echo and Google Home Spying on Everything I Say?

How-to-Geek
"In-home voice assistants like the Amazon Echo and Google Home are convenient, but are they also a secret back door for the government and corporations to spy on everything you say? No. Of course not. Reports of the Echo and Google Home’s ability to spy on you have been greatly exaggerated."
Continue reading...

Education:

The Dangers of Being Careless on Citing Resources in Your Genealogy Research:

Ancestral Findings
"It is just as important to cite your genealogy sources correctly as it is to cite them at all. On today’s Ancestral Findings Podcast, I’ll show you what can happen if you're careless with your sources."
Continue reading... 5.37 minutes

Upcoming Webinars:
There are several webinars scheduled for tomorrow, October 29, to mark the end of "Family History Month." These webinars are sponsored by MyHeritage.

Jewish Family Research Challenges:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Jewish family research can be complex. Using JewishGen.org as our basis we'll have a chance to experience locating an ancestral village, searching for records in Poland, Lithuania & Galicia, finding others researching similar family names and accessing tombstone information. Additional websites with information available will be mentioned as well - JRI-Poland.org; LitvakSIG.org; GesherGalicia. org; BillionGraves.com; FindAGrave.com You'll better understand the kinds of records available, strategies to interpreting them and important clues in building a Jewish family history will be discussed."
Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 8:00 a.m.
Presenter: Garri Regev
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Introduction to the Use of Autosomal DNA Testing:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"This presentation will describe the basics about the use of autosomal DNA for genealogical purposes. Topics covered will include basic autosomal DNA terms, the interpretation of matching segment data, the impact that endogamy can have on your autosomal DNA results, and practical tips for creating a master match list spreadsheet. An example of how autosomal DNA testing was used to solve a  genealogical research question will also be provided."
Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 9:15 a.m.
Presenter: Tim Janzen
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Google for Genealogy: Search Tricks to Tease Out Information:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"We all use Google multiple times a day in a variety of ways. This course will go over tricks for making the time we spend with Google, particularly with Google search, more fruitful."
Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 10:15 a.m.
Presenter: Jessica Taylor
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Discover Your Family History with MyHeritage's Unique Technologies:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"In the last decade, technology has revitalized genealogy, opening many new frontiers for research, preservation and sharing while maintaining the thrill of the detective hunt. MyHeritage’s key technologies are the precisely the intersection of technology and genealogy: Smart Matches, Record Matches, Instant Discoveries, SearchConnect, Global Name Translation, DNA Matching and the very new Photo Discoveries and Consistency Checker are just a few. Daniel will share how these technologies were invented and improved, describe the challenges they solve, and explain how you can make the most of them for your family history research."
Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 11:15 a.m.
Presenter: Daniel Horowitz
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

How to Pass Your Ancestors' Legacy to Your Grandchildren:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"We've all spent years gathering information about our ancestors. How will this legacy of knowledge get into the heads and hearts of later generations? This class will go over the many options at our fingertips for preserving and sharing our genealogies in a way that children (and adults) will find interesting and inspiring."
Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 12:30 p.m.
Presenter: Jessica Taylor
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Advanced Autosomal DNA Techniques used in Genetic Genealogy:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"This presentation will introduce some advanced techniques used by genetic genealogists including the use of triangulated groups, chromosome mapping, visual phasing, and phasing. Triangulated groups are clusters of matches who all share the same DNA segment and therefore all descend from a common ancestor. All serious genetic genealogists organize their matches into triangulated groups and then look for the shared ancestor common to everyone in each triangulated group. Chromosome mapping is the process of determining which portions of your DNA came from which ancestors and/or which geographic region or population. Chromosome mapping is essential to genetic genealogists. It allows you to focus your attention on a portion of your pedigree chart when you search for a shared ancestor with a match who shares a segment of DNA with you that you have mapped to a specific ancestor. Visual phasing is a powerful technique that helps you refine your chromosome maps if you have autosomal DNA test results from 3 or more siblings."
Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 1:30 p.m.
Presenter: Tim Janzen
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Filling in the In-Between of the Jewish BMD:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"A person’s life is lived 24 hours a day, and includes much more than BMD. A person is involved in all facets of everyday life and we just need to think where to look for the sources that will tell these stories, and in what archive they can be found. The sources can deal with the socio-economic situation, immigration, socialism, the community, politics, education, occupation, youth movements and  others. The aim of the lecture is to show examples of various sources and in what archives or types of archives they were found. This will include the internet and social media. The next step will be for the audience to incorporate the ideas presented into their own family research. Most of the examples will be from the Israel Genealogy Research Association’s [IGRA] All Israel Database (AID) collection. http://genealogy.org.il"
Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.
Presenter: Rose Feldman
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Is this the End? Taking Your German Brick Walls Down Piece by Piece:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"What do you need to look for once you have reached your brick wall? What is available and how do you find it? Learn how to think like a German and understand how to assess the needs of your German research to get the most out of it, from both sides of the ocean. You will understand how a typical German lived and made decisions. Our case study will show you step by step how to overcome a typical brick wall."
Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Luana Darby, MLIS, AG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Saturday, September 16, 2017

VGS News & Events: 17 September 2017 through 23 September 2017

Coming Events:
Wednesday: September 20, 2017
Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting
This meeting has been cancelled.
Wednesday: September 20, 2017
Board of Directors Meeting
9:00 a.m. Pinellas Library
Thursday: September 21, 2017
New England Genealogy SIG Meeting
Noon in the New Smyrna Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center

Gen News & Announcements:

21st Annual Central Florida Family History Conference:

You’re invited to the 21st Annual Central Florida Family History Conference on Saturday, November 4th, 2017 from 9am – 4:00pm. We are one of the largest family history conferences on the East Coast of the United States! This regional event brings world-class speakers from all over the country to help you find your family’s history! Our Keynote Speaker this year features Crista Cowan, Corporate Genealogist at Ancestry.com!!
Location: Again this year we are proudly holding the conference at OLYMPIA HIGH SCHOOL at 4301 S. Apopka Vineland Road, Orlando, FL 32835.
Admission: The admission fee is $35.00 per person and includes the conference notebook.
More Information...
Register Online...
Editor's Note: This is always a great conference. I do not have any bus information at this time.

Contacting DNA Matches: Get More Responses with these Pro Tips:

AncestryDNA
"Discovering unknown relatives is one of the most exciting parts of receiving AncestryDNA test results. Among these newly found relatives are longtime Ancestry subscribers with robust family trees. They may be able to help break down the brick walls in your research, and you may be able to do the same for them. Of course, with this gold mine of information comes the potential for frustration."
Continue reading...

How to Conduct Successful Google Searches:

AncestorCloud
"One of the largest and most sophisticated databases for genealogists is Google:  yes, the ubiquitous, much loved and much vilified repository for all information about everything in the world, is actually one of the best genealogical resources."
Continue reading...

Using the Social Security Death Index:

AncestorCloud
"The US Social Security Death Index (or SSDI) is an old favorite among family history researchers, and if you haven’t heard about this record collection I’m going to explain what it is and how it is useful in your family history research."
Continue reading...

Genealogy in Ireland:  Part 1 – Getting Started

Genealogists.com
"Are you considering exploring your Irish roots for the first time, or want to investigate your family history further but are unsure where to start?
Irish genealogy has somewhat of a reputation for being a disappointing and frustrating pastime for amateur family historians. Stories of people hitting the dreaded brick wall, and that all the records were lost in the 1922 Four Courts fire in Dublin. Indeed many records, but not all, were lost. Some of the lost records include the original returns of the 1831 census and pre 1858 wills (although the indexes are still available). The 1861 to 1891 census returns were destroyed by Government Order."
Continue reading...
Click here to read the other posts in this series on Genealogy in Ireland:

Preserve Your Legacy: 9 Tips for Interviewing Relatives

FamilySearch
"We just never know how much longer our relatives will be able to share precious memories of their past and their ancestors. It is so important to take advantage of every opportunity to listen to and record our loved ones so their posterity can remember them.
Here are nine tips to make recording interviews an enjoyable activity for you and your family."
Continue reading...

New! New York Death Index, 1880-1956:

Ancestry
"If you’re researching in New York State, we have some good news for you. Ancestry has just launched a collection of New York State death indexes covering 1880 to 1956. The collection includes more than 5 million names of people who died in New York State. "
Continue reading...

Introducing the DNA Match Review Page:

MyHeritage
"If you’ve taken a MyHeritage DNA test or uploaded your DNA data to MyHeritage, then you will have received a list of your DNA Matches. The list shows people whose DNA matches yours, the percentage of DNA you share, and your possible relationship. DNA results can imply several possible relationships between you and a DNA Match, such as 3rd – 4th cousin, but now you’d like to understand how you are related to the match. Where do you go from here?"
Continue reading...

Tech:

Old Photo, New Life: A Practical Guide to Scanning Old Photos:

Artifact Uprising
"Maybe you are like me and your old family photos live a little bit of everywhere. Some photos take home in shoeboxes tucked away in a nearby closet. Others live in dusty albums and in countless zip codes: your baby photos are split between the home where you grew up and a token few reside in your nightstand; your teenage years are caught up in a half-finished scrapbook; and the photo from your grandparent's wedding day has always been in dispute amongst your siblings. Sound familiar?"
Continue reading...

How to Lock the iPad With a Passcode or Password:

Lifewire
"Are you concerned about security with your iPad? You can lock your iPad by adding a 4-digit passcode, a 6-digit passcode or an alpha-numeric password. Once a passcode is enabled, you will be prompted for it any time you use it. You can also choose whether or not to have access to Notifications or Siri while the iPad is locked."
Continue reading...

Education:

European Censuses:

Ancestral Findings
"Do you have ancestors who lived in Europe and you want to find out more about them? Join me on today’s episode, as we consider researching European censuses."
Continue reading...

Upcoming Webinars:

When Does Newfound Evidence Overturn a Proved Conclusion?

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Even thorough research can miss relevant sources. What are the options when useful information or DNA test results appear after a researcher establishes a conclusion?"
Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Tom Jones, Ph.D, CG, CGL
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

WolframAlpha for Genealogists:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Wolfram Alpha provides solutions to questions such as “How am I related to my great-grandmother’s niece” or “What was the time of the sunrise on April 1, 1962, in Chicago, Illinois?” Learn how this unique site can expand your genealogy and family history research."
Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Thomas MacEntee
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

FREE DNA WEBINAR! Reveal Your Unique Story through DNA and Family:

Lisa Louise Cook
History will be broadcast LIVE from New York City on Saturday, September 23rd, 11:00 am Eastern. Join Lisa Louise Cooke of Genealogy Gems and DNA expert Diahan Southard along with Beth Forrester of Animoto in this 90-minute webinar.  Here’s what you’ll learn:

  1. Your DNA Guide will dispel the myth that there’s just on DNA test. There are more options, and possible outcomes, than you might think! Diahan will walk you through the choices.
  2. Creative ideas for filling in the gaps in your family’s story. Lisa will who you online tools for you that go well beyond names and dates. Then we’ll expand your story in unexpected ways by finding DNA connections.
  3. Share the story you’ve uncovered through awesome video. Lisa & Beth will show you how easy it is to tell your story like a pro!

Click HERE to register - via Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems

Friday, February 3, 2017

VGS Latest News & Tips: 3 February 2017

Reminders:
Today: February 3, 2017
British Genealogy SIG Meeting
9:30 AM in the Courageous Room at the Lake Miona Recreation Center

Gen News:

Navajo Nation Library To Digitize 1960s Oral History Archive:

Library Journal
"The Navajo Nation Library (NNL) is working to secure the funding necessary to digitize and catalog thousands of hours of stories, songs, and oral histories of the Navajo people, originally recorded in the 1960s by the Navajo Culture Center of the Office of Navajo Economic Opportunity (ONEO)."
Continue reading...

What To Do Once You Have Your Dna Test Results:

Family Tree Tips
"So you’ve just received your chosen DNA Tests results. Now what? A lot of people don’t realise that you can do a lot more with the raw test results than what is shown on any of the sites that test DNA."
Continue reading...

How to Opt Out of the Most Popular People Search Sites:

Lifehacker
"Genealogy site Family Tree Now made waves when people discovered it can be used to look up almost anyone’s personal information, even if they’d never heard of the site before. Addresses, family members, and known associates are free for anyone to find. Here’s how to protect yourself from Family Tree Now, Whitepages, Spokeo, and other popular free people search engines just like it."

Tech:

How to Set Up the Luma Home Wi-Fi System:

How-to-Geek
"If your home’s Wi-Fi signal is not the greatest, you might be looking at mesh solutions like the Luma Home Wi-Fi System. Luma consists of multiple Wi-Fi extenders that you spread across your house in order to cover every nook and cranny with an excellent Wi-Fi signal. Here’s how to set it all up and how to configure it to deliver the best Wi-Fi possible all around your home."
Continue reading...

What Is Snapchat?

How-to-Geek
"Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve probably heard someone mention the social network/chat app Snapchat. Depending on how you measure things, it’s now more popular than Twitter and Pinterest, with only Facebook and Instagram having more users daily. The difference is that most of Snapchat’s users are millennials and teens, so it’s flown under the radar of a lot of older internet users."
Continue reading...

Education:

Irish Genealogy - Part 6 - Irish Records

Finding Grandpa
"This is part 6 in a series of 9 videos called "Building the Bridge Back to Ireland". Using various websites to find documents that might show where in Ireland your ancestors are from, and where to look once you get "across the pond"."
Watch Video... 11.26 minutes

Conferences:

International German Genealogy Partnership Conference:

IGGP
The website for the International German Genealogy Partnership (IGGP) has just gone live at www.IGGPartner.org.  As of February 1 the registration is open for its first international conference in Minneapolis, July 28-30 on line.  As a VGS member we enjoy the early bird discounted rate of $225 until April 1, but early sign-ups are recommended due to the high interest shown worldwide for this first-ever conference


Saturday, August 6, 2016

VGS Reminders: 8 - 12 August 2016

Monday: August 8, 2016
Family Tree Maker Uses SIG Meeting
1:00 PM in the Patriot Room at the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center
Tuesday: August 9, 2016
Genealogy Writers SIG Meeting: (Our newest SIG)
2:30 PM in the Churchill Downs Room at Pimlico Recreation Center
Thursday: August 11, 2016
German Genealogy SIG Meeting
9:30 AM in the Reliance Room at the Late Miona Recreation Center
Friday: August 12, 2016
Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting
10:00 AM in the Rhett Butler Room at the Savannah Center

Exhibit from the 2010 VGS Family History Expo
Register to Reserve a Table for the 2016 VGS Family History Expo:
Have you considered displaying some of your research, history, artifacts, books or charts at the upcoming Family History Expo? Start to prepare now! The event will be held on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 from 11:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the Scarlett O’Hara Theater at the Savannah Regional Recreation Center. If you want to participate, you need to reserve a table.
Download a  table reservation form...

Fall 2016 Virtual Genealogy Conference (9/16-9/18):
familytree University
"With our Fall Virtual Genealogy Conference, you'll be able to develop your skills and tackle your family history research with a fresh perspective. You'll learn new genealogy research strategies and discover new tools and techniques to make it easier to dig up those records.
Continue reading...

How to Make Live Tiles on Your Start Menu for Each Account in Windows 10 Mail:
How-to-Geek
"The Mail app in Windows 10 is surprisingly robust, supporting multiple accounts and multiple services like Outlook, Gmail, Exchange, and of course POP3 and IMAP. Assuming you’ve got multiple accounts set up, you can also create a live tile on your Start menu for each account. You can even create separate live tiles for folders you create in the app. Here’s how to do it."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 6 August
1927: A Massachusetts high court hears the final plea from Sacco and Vanzetti, two Italians convicted of murder.
1945: Paul Tibbets, the commander of Enola Gay, drops the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. It was the second atomic bomb, dropped on Nagasaki, that induced the Japanese to surrender.
1972: Atlanta Braves’ right fielder Hank Aaron hits his 660th and 661st home runs, setting the Major League record for most home runs by a player for a single franchise.
1914 Death: Ellen Louise Wilson, the first wife of the twenty-eighth president, Woodrow Wilson, dies of Bright’s disease.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
North Carolina:
1886: Mecklenburg earthquake
1889: High Point Furniture Mfg. Co. opens a small factory
1903: Orville & Wilbur Wright's flight at Kitty Hawk

Friday, July 17, 2015

VGS Latest News & Tips: 17 Jul 2015

Today: Friday, July 17, 2015
Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting
10:00 AM in the Clearwater Room Sea Breeze Recreation Center.

Birth and Christening Records for Swedish Genealogy:YouTube Video 9.16min
"Teaches people how to find birth information in Swedish parish records."
Watch Video...

How to Remove the Folders From “This PC” on Windows 10:
HowToGeek
"Windows 10’s “This PC” view doesn’t just show hard drives, removable storage devices, and network locations. Unlike the traditional “My Computer” list, it also contains several folders — but you can hide them and make This PC look more like Windows 7’s Computer view."
Continue reading...

Ice Cream on the USS Kitty Hawk:
Fold3
"July is national Ice Cream Month. To get you in the spirit, here’s a fun story found in Fold3’s WWII War Diaries collection. It tells of the popularity of ice cream on board the USS Kitty Hawk during World War II:"
Continue reading...

Innovation Conference: DIGITIZATION - Preserving the Past for the Future:
"Join nationally-known speakers, subject experts, and colleagues for basic and advanced sessions about the digitization of documents, media, and historical materials."
View the Complete Program

This Day In History:
1585 - English secret service discovers Anthony Babington's murder plot against Queen Elizabeth I.
1821 - Spain cedes Florida to the United States.
1861 - The United States Congress authorizes paper money.