VGS Latest News and Tips: May 17, 2017

Reminders:

Today: May 17, 2017

Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting

9:30 AM in the Defender Room at the Lake Miona Recreation Center
Topic: "Immigration to Mid-Atlantic States and resources to use for your investigation."

Today: May 17, 2017

New to Genealogy SIG Meeting

2:30 PM in the Chateaugay Room at the Chatham Recreation Center
Topic: "Using Traditional Sources for Research"

Tomorrow: May 18, 2017

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Gen News:

These Old Passport Applications May Hold the Missing Genealogy Info You Need:

Family History Daily
"Many family historians are not aware of the fact that millions of passport applications were collected by the US Department of State between the years of 1795 and 1925."
Continue reading...

Using Funeral Home Records for Genealogy:

Geneosity
"Once you have found the obituary for your ancestor’s death, take note of the name of the funeral home that handled the arrangements. Then, contact them to see what information they have in their records regarding your ancestor."
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No, You DON’T Need a Paid Subscription to Do Genealogy Research: Here’s Why:

Family History Daily
"If you have been doing family history research for a while, you are probably fully aware of the fact that there are many free genealogy sites available to you. But for those that are just starting out, it can be very hard to see past the well-promoted paid subscription sites and many people become frustrated when trying to locate records and resources that are actually free."
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Tech:

How to Protect Your Mac from Malware:

How-to-Geek
"This isn’t to say that macOS is an insecure operating system: it isn’t. But macOS is, like Windows and Linux, vulnerable to user error. On some level, ensuring your Mac is free from malware is up to you."
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How to Reset (or Tweak) Chrome’s Download Settings:

How-to-Geek
"By default, Chrome saves all downloaded files to the same location—a dedicated “Downloads” folder. The thing is, this isn’t always practical for all types of download files. The good news is you can easily tweak this setting."
Continue reading..

Education:

Genealogy Notes: Why You Need Them and How to Take Them the Right Way

Ancestral Findings
"Why should you take notes in genealogy? How should they be taken to ensure accuracy in your research? On today’s episode of the Ancestral Findings podcast you'll discover it all and improve your research skills."
Listen now... 8.15 minutes

Webinar:

Making the Most of the British Newspaper Archive:

Geneabloggers  
 “The British Newspaper Archive is an essential online resource for anyone interested in researching the past. The Archive holds newspapers from all across the UK and Ireland dating from the 1700s to the 2000s. In this webinar, Aoife will show you how to get the most out of the website."
Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. (tomorrow)
Presenter: Aoife O'Connor
Click here to register...

VGS Latest News & Tips: 6 June 2016

Mid-Atlantic SIG News:
There will be no meetings of the Mid-Atlantic SIG during the months of June, July and August. Their next meeting will be in September at their usual time and location.

3 Keys to a Great Photo Backup Plan
FamilySearch
"Like any asset, your photos need to be safely stored. Think of your photos in the same way you think of your retirement savings. Just as you shouldn’t keep your life savings under your mattress, you shouldn’t keep your photos shoved in boxes—or hard drives—in your closet. And the reality is, having hard drives shoved in your closet is as dangerous as having printed photos shoved into boxes. If disaster struck, you could lose all your priceless photographs in a matter of minutes. "
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Funeral Records Are Useful For Genealogists:
The Advocate Messenger
"Ann Yeager Hamlin McCrosky, a funeral director at Stith Funeral Home on Broadway, explained how to research funeral records and what is available during the recent Forkland Genealogy Workshop."
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The Biggest Mistake in Reading Old Handwriting – and How to Avoid It:
Amy Johnson Crow
"It’s thrilling to find a document that can solve one of our genealogical problems. But that thrill can turn into frustration when we can’t read a name or an important word. As we try to decipher it, it’s normal to focus on the troublesome word. However, focusing too much on that word or name could be keeping you from reading old handwriting. Here’s a way around that."
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What Is “Compatibility Mode” in Microsoft Office?
How-to-Geek
"When you open a document created in an older version of Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint in a modern version of Office, you may see “Compatibility Mode” appear after the name of the document in the titlebar. This changes the way the document appears and prevents you from using some modern features."
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DNA for Adoption: Katie’s Genetic Roots Were Closer Than She Thought:
Lisa Louise Cook
"This story of DNA for adoption research tells how one Genealogy Gems listener discovered biological roots that were closer to her adopted home than expected."
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This Day In History: 6 June
1930: Frozen foods are sold commercially for the first time.
1934: President Franklin Roosevelt signs the Securities Exchange Act, establishing the Securities and Exchange Commission.
1944: D-Day: Operation Overlord lands 400,000 Allied American, British, and Canadian troops on the beaches of Normandy in German-occupied France.
1755 Birthday: Nathan Hale, American revolutionary.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Vermont:
1761: Bennington settled
1770: Green Mountain Boys formed to drive out New Yorkers
1777: Declared its independence from Great Britain