VGS News & Events: February 28 through March 6, 2021

UPCOMING EVENTS

VGS Live Online Webinar

How Did My Pennsylvania Ancestors Get There? Migration Trails West

Date:  Monday, March 8

Time:  7:00 - 8:00 pm

Speaker:  Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL

This presentation will help attendees give much thought to the five WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY & HOW of migration. You must register to attend this event. Please see complete details and registration link on our Coming Events page.

UPCOMING SIG MEETINGS

Monday, March 1, 2021

Jewish Genealogy SIG

Zoom Meeting:  10:00-11:50 am

Coordinator:  Herb Siegel

Programs:  Phil Goldsmith

Monday, March 1, 2021

RootsMagic SIG

Zoom Meeting:  2:30-4:20 pm

Coordinator:  George Zitterell

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Adoption & Missing Kin SIG

Zoom Meeting:  9:30-11:20 am

Topic:  An Adoptee's Story

Speaker:  J. Michael Springmann

Coordinators:  Anne Berg & Marcella Zorn

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

French Canadian Genealogy SIG

Zoom Meeting:  9:00-10:50 am

Topics: Explanation of the term "Dit"; How our SIG came to be and evolved over the years; Q&A Opportunity

Coordinator:  Jean Colman

Thursday, March 4, 2021

Eastern European Genealogy SIG

Zoom Meeting:  1:00-2:50 pm

Coordinators:  Carol Myers & Marie Musialek

Friday, March 5, 2021

British SIG

Zoom Meeting:  9:30-11:20 am

Coordinators:  Pat Adams & Phyllis Sample

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

FindMyPast . . . recently added over 23,000 baptism, marriage and burial records from north-east Wales. To search these records, click HERE

FindMyPast has also added six new Caribbean newspapers and, for the first time, a New Zealand newspaper. To search their newspaper collection, click HERE.

WEBINARS

familytreewebinars.com

British Genealogy Online: The Top English & Welsh Family History Websites

Tuesday, March 2, @ 8:00pm (EST)   Presenter:  Rick Crume

Researching your family history in England and Wales has never been easier. Many digitized church records, census records and wills are online. Now that newspapers dating back to the 1600s are online, you can search for a name and find it anywhere in millions of pages instantly. Rick will demonstrate some of the key sites for British genealogy, many of which are free.

La Madre Chiesa – Italian Catholic Parish Records

Wednesday, March 3, @ 2:00pm (EST)   Presenter:  Suzanne Russo Adams, AG

The presentation will discuss researching in baptismal, marriage and burial records of the Catholic Church in Italy. Tips for reading Latin and a brief case study will also be presented. Understanding these principals for Italy can also help with Catholic Church research worldwide.

The Ten Percent: Free People of Color

Friday, March 5, @ 2:00pm (EST)   Presenter:  Nicka Smith

In 1860, there were more than 4 million enslaved people of African descent living in the United States. At the same time, there were nearly 400,000 free people of color (FPOC) living in the U.S. Learn more about this often not talked about group and how you may have FPOC in your own lineage.

These are free webinars but do require registration. For more details and to register, click HERE.

EDUCATION

nytimes.com

A Teenager Was Bullied. His Ancestors Saved Him.

Dennis Richmond Jr. was a middle-schooler who took refuge in his family history, some of it very surprising. Continue reading . . . 

TECHNOLOGY

How-to Geek

A Private Alternative to Google Maps:  DuckDuckGo Maps

DuckDuckGo isn’t just a private alternative to Google and Bing’s web search. It has a built-in online mapping solution designed with privacy in mind. If you want to leave Google, you don’t have to stick around for Google Maps. Continue reading . . . 

myheritage.com

New: Animate the Faces in Your Family Photos

Do you sometimes wonder how your ancestors moved, smiled and looked in real life? You can now see your ancestors from generations past like never before! We’re happy to introduce Deep Nostalgia^TM, a groundbreaking new photo feature on MyHeritage that allows . . . continue reading

VGS News & Events: February 21 through February 27, 2021

There's still time to register!

The Villages Genealogical Society's Annual Seminar

Click HERE for more details & to register.

Upcoming SIG Meetings

Monday, Feb. 22
FamilyTree Maker / Technology SIG
Zoom Meeting:  10:00 - 11:50 am
Coordinator: Gene Clark

Tuesday, Feb. 23
Midwest SIG
Zoom Meeting:  2:00 - 3:50 pm
Topic:  "Quakers in the Midwest"
Speaker:  Annette Burke Lyttle
Coordinators: Dona Black & Laurie Sarauer

News & Announcements

ancestry.com

AncestryDNA® Announces Updated Communities for Members with Ties to Germanic Europe and US Regions of New England, Mid-Atlantic and the Midwest

As the global leader in family history and consumer genomics, Ancestry® is continuously developing new ways for you to learn about yourself through DNA and empowering you to unlock more discoveries about your family history. One way Ancestry applies advanced technology and evolving DNA science is by updating communities, which can connect …  continue reading

archives.com

Archives.com newest record collections include:  Arizona, Death Records, 1887-1960; Ohio, Births and Christenings Index, 1774-1973; North Carolina, Death Certificates, 1909-1976; Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922; Massachusetts, Marriage Index, 1901-1955 and 1966-1970. Click HERE.

The International German Genealogy Partnership (IGGP) has announced that registration for their upcoming Conference is now open. This will be a virtual conference held July 14-24, 2021. Early-bird pricing is available through March 31. For more information, and to register, click HERE.

Webinars

familytreewebinars.com

Bringing Your Family Photos to Life on MyHeritage

Tuesday, Feb. 23 @ 2:00 p.m. (EST)   Presenter:  Karen Dotan

In the past year, MyHeritage's photo tools have taken the genealogy world by storm. In this webinar, Product Manager Keren Dotan will share the latest enhancements to MyHeritage In Color™ and show you some of the new ways to bring that "wow" effect to your cherished family photos.

Polish Genealogy Online – Portals and Databases

Wednesday, Feb. 24 @ 2:00 p.m. (EST)   Presenter:  Kinga Urbanska

The main aim of the presentation is not just showing you the Polish genealogy databases, but also insight on how to look for Polish ancestors. Step by step we will check the most useful websites in the context of Polish political and social history.

These are free webinars but do require registration. For more details and to register, click HERE.

Education

ancestralfindings.com

A Look at the 1840 Federal Census

The 1840 US federal census, and all of the ones previous to it, only included the names of the heads of households, not the name of every person in the household (as the 1850 and later censuses have done). Because of this, some genealogical researchers, especially beginners, tend to ignore this and earlier censuses, as they believe they will not be of much use to them. However, despite its exclusion of names from everyone but the head of households, the 1840 US federal census provides some unique and … continue reading

thefamilyheart.com

10 Awesome Websites with Maps for Genealogy Research

In family history research, sometimes it’s all about location, location, location! And that’s where maps come in. Continue . . .

VGS News & Events: December 13 through December 19, 2020

 

Learn more about the seminar here...

Coming Events:

Monday Evening Webinar, December 14

“Preserving Your Ancestor’s Textiles and Handmade Treasures” 

7:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Live Online Webinar

Our guest speaker will be: Melissa Baker, AKA, The Archive Lady

Please register for the webinar at:

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3946662212120085776

Wednesday, December 16

Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting canceled

Friday, December 18 Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting 10:00 am Online Zoom Meeting Ken Bowgren, Per Andersson and Kris Petersen-Gauthier Co-coordinators No meeting information as of yet... Friday, December 18 New England Genealogy SIG Meeting 1:00 pm Online Zoom Meeting Christine Courtwright, coordinator

Note: SIG members should receive an from their coordinator Contact the coordinator, through their SIG web page, for the link to these meetings.

Gen News and Announcements:

VGS Hires New Webmaster:

Karen Feeney, from Tucson Arizona, has been hired by the Board of Directors to serve as the new VGS Webmaster. She will assume those duties on January 1, 2021.  She is replacing John DeAngelo, who has been the VGS webmaster for the past 15 years. It also appears that she will continue some form of the VGS Blog for an unspecified period of time.  Karen also serves as webmaster for several other societies from around the country and is well versed in the program that we use. I wish her well as she assumes her new duties.

Finding Your Ancestors Using Land and Property Records

Genealogy's Star

"Online, you can find digital maps in a variety of formats for almost any location on the face of the earth. In the United States, most of the land has been mapped using the Geographic Information System Mapping or GIS. "

Continue reading...

New Free Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of 7 December 2020

FamilySearch

"This week on FamilySearch explore nearly 3M parish and civil registrations for France, Nord 1524–1893 and Seine-Saint-Denis 1523–1932, plus millions of new Catholic Church records for Mexico, Durango 1604–1985, and Ecuador 1565–2011. Discover your ancestors in  more new records for the Dominican Republic, Germany, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, S. Africa and the United States (Georgia voter registrations 1856–1941 and Chicago Illinois 1888–1892, tax records for Boston, Massachusetts 1822–1918, and more records for Alabama, Arkansas, California, Mississippi, New Jersey, Utah and Washington). "

Search now...

Introducing DNA Tidbits – DNA Tidbit #1: Triangulation

DNAeXplained

"DNA Tidbits will be enjoyable to do together because we can share our findings. They will range from introductory to a little more complex so everyone can play, and learn. "

Continue reading...

DNA Tidbit #2: FamilyTreeDNA’s Compare Origins Map

DNAeXplained

"My goal was to find tidbits that might not be well known – features that people might not realize are available. We can all use all the help/hints we can get, right?!.

FamilyTreeDNA’s myOrigins “Compare Origins” map fits that bill perfectly. The functionality changed recently, probably with the introduction of myOrigins 3, and I had no idea."

Continue reading...

DNA Tidbit #3: Ancestry’s Genetic Communities

DNAeXplained

"For those who have DNA tested at Ancestry, Ancestry has combined your ethnicity results with Communities and loosely tied that to both your ancestors and your DNA matches within those communities."

Continue reading...

Technology:

How to Use Windows 10’s Hidden Video Editor

How-to Geek

"Windows 10 has a hidden video editor that works a bit like Windows Movie Maker or Apple iMovie. You can use it to trim videos or create your own home movies and slideshows. You can even have it create videos automatically."

Continue reading...

Education:

American Indians: Selling American Colonists to Canada

Ancestral Findings

"There was a period of time in colonial New Hampshire when colonists were regularly abducted by Indians and sold to the French in Canada. This is why they did it… "

Listen now...  6.06 minutes

Webinars:

From the 18th to the 21st: The Records of Prohibition

Legacy Family Tree

"The 18th amendment took effect in January 1920 and ushered in more than a decade of Prohibition until repealed by the 21st amendment in December 1933. In those few years, so many records were created of juice joints and bootleggers, revenuers and Untouchables -- producing a gold mine for researchers."

Tuesday, December 15, 2020, 8:00pm Eastern

Presenter: Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL

Learn more or Register for this event...

Ten Best Sources for Determining Your Immigrant Ancestor's Town of Origin:

Legacy Family Tree

"Determining your immigrant ancestor's exact town of origin is the key to successful research across the pond. In this webinar, learn about the best US sources that might name your ancestor’s town or village, and how to prioritize your search and set expectations for tracking down key records in foreign repositories."

Wednesday, December 16, 2020, 2:00pm Eastern

Presenter: Lisa Alzo

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: 19 August 2018 through 25 August 2018

Coming Events:

Wednesday: August 22, 2018

Brick Wall SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: August 22, 2018

General Monthly Meeting

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

Topic: "Lets Talk Genealogy"

Sumter County Library - Password Management

Learn how to use password management software and tips on maintaining passwords.

Pinellas - Wednesday, August 22 @ 10:30 am

Registration required, register here...

Gen News & Announcements:

Mapping Sarah:

The Legal Genealogist
"Where oh where is the land…"
Continue reading...

Going Beyond Ethnicity Estimates in DNA Testing:

The In-Dept Genealogist
"As a specialist in genetic genealogy, one of the most frequent topics I address in my conversation with others is ethnicity estimates. Someone might say something like: “I’m not really sure how much to trust those genetic tests since my grandmother was Italian, and I only came back with 15% Italian in my results. If they can’t even get the ethnicity right, then what use are they?”
Continue reading...

Absolutely Free Genealogy Research Sites for Every Single U.S. State:

Family History Daily
"Many U.S. states have put a good deal of effort into making their records freely accessible online, and some of the best no-cost resources can now be found through state and local agencies. Taking advantage of these wonderful resources can dramatically increase the likelihood of discovering key information about your ancestors."
Continue reading...

How to Use Your Findmypast Family Tree: Icons Guide:

FindMyPast
"A visual guide to every icon you'll encounter while making your family tree."
Continue reading...

Offline Vital Records are Critical to Your Research, and Ordering Them is Easier Than You Think:

Family History Daily
"If you’ve never taken the time to track down offline vital records about your ancestors you might be asking yourself two questions right now: “Vital Records?  What are those?” and “Offline? Why would I need a quick guide to finding Vital Records offline when it’s so easy to surf for everything online?” But you’ll soon discover that adding these offline records to your research is an integral step in understanding your ancestors’ lives and building a quality family tree."
Continue reading...

The 11 Million Free Immigration Records You May Have Completely Overlooked: Castle Garden Records:

Family History Daily
How to Search Castle Garden Records...
If you think you may have had an ancestor who came to New York after 1820 and before 1892, head over to CastleGarden.org and click on ‘Search’ in the menu at the top. When you land on the search page you’ll see a wide variety of options.
Continue reading...

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...

Education:

10 Shocking Results from DNA Ancestry Tests:

Top Tenz
"Ancestry tests provided by companies like 23andMe, Ancestry.com, and Helix are more popular than they’ve ever been. As more people have their DNA tested to see where in the world their ancestors came from, it’s led to some fascinating results. In some cases, the results are downright shocking and can uncover secrets that have been buried for years, if not decades."
Continue reading... 10.37 minutes

Webinars:

GPS: Finding Your Way Through Tough Research Problems:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Life is good when records with direct evidence exist. Typically that doesn't last long. At some point, one finds only bits and pieces of indirect or conflicting evidence and progress often comes to a screeching halt. This class examines a case study prepared for application to the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) where direct evidence was non-existent in identifying the family of  Jesse Roberts of Greenville County, South Carolina. Key strategies are presented to piece together strands and threads of evidence from disparate sources using the Genealogical Proof Standard."
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: James Ison, AG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Researching Forces Ancestors (England and Wales)

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Do you have a British ancestor who served as a soldier or sailor? This webinar will highlight the sources available over the last two centuries both online and offline, including researching at The National Archives (Kew), in local repositories and museums, to add flesh to the bones of your ancestor's service history."
Wednesday, August 22, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Kirsty Gray
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 19 November 2017 through 25 November 2017

There are no meetings or events this coming week. 

Have a Very Happy Thanksgiving Day.

VGS Live Webinar:

VGS
On December 4th at 8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. Central, 6 p.m. Mountain, 5 p.m. Pacific) we'll have Blaine Bettinger, the Genetic Genealogist, presenting "Introduction to DNA." Blaine is also going to be one of our speakers on the 2019 VGS genealogy cruise, so if you’re not familiar with him, this is a great way to become so. The webinar will be open to everyone who is a member of VGS, but you do have to register using this link:

"In addition to learning about Y-DNA and mtDNA, we’ll learn about the newest tool available to genealogists, autosomal DNA.  Genealogists can use these tools together with traditional research to explore their ancient ancestry, find genetic relatives, and break through brick walls."

Latest 2019 Cruise Information:

VGS
Download the revised Cruise Information Packet HERE...

Seminar Reminder:

VGS
December 15th will be here before we know it and that's the date when non-members can register to attend our all-day seminar in February.
Register now before all seats are gone.
Download a Seminar Information Packet HERE...

Gen News & Announcements:

Help Preserve the Legacy of our Nation’s Heroes, While We Still Can:

Ancestry
"If you know any veterans who served in the war, add their memories to our collection and help us celebrate the people whose heroism made history. Help us record the story of WWII, as told by the people who lived it."
Continue reading...

Concepts – DNA Recombination and Crossovers:

DNAeXplained
"What is a crossover anyway, and why do I, as a genetic genealogist, care?"
Continue reading...

5 Tips for Using the Meyers Gazetteer:

Lisa Louise Cook
"The Meyers Gazetteer is a comprehensive, indexed map to every place name in the Second German Empire (1871-1918). It’s based on the 1912 book commonly known as “Meyers Orts” or the Meyers Gazetteer:"
Continue reading...

Five Great Records about Your Military Ancestor:

FamilySearch

"You can use various repositories, collections, and websites spanning many conflicts to find your soldier-ancestor. From the Revolution to World War II and later conflicts, chances are you had a family member who served."

Continue reading...

What’s New: Map Your Ancestors:

FamilySearch

"I grew up hearing stories about my ancestors. As I learned the details of their lives, I wondered what it would be like to get a glimpse of their world. The Family Tree app recently added a feature that, in some cases, can help that become a reality by allowing you to map key events in your ancestors’ lives directly in the app."

Continue reading...

The Best Historic Cemeteries to Visit Around the World:

NTHP
"Loren Rhoads doesn’t find cemeteries depressing or spooky. Like many preservationists, she loves the contemplative feeling she gets amid the quiet beauty of a historic graveyard. In 2011, she began documenting her cemetery visits on her blog, Cemetery Travel."
Continue reading...

Technology:

16 Finder Shortcuts Every Mac User Should Know:

How-to-Geek
"The Finder seems pretty basic, but there are all kinds of things hidden just below the surface. Whether you want to cut and paste files or jump to a particular folder, it’s all about knowing the right keyboard shortcuts."
Continue reading...

What Does CCleaner Do, and Should You Use It?

How-to-Geek
"These days, it seems like every Windows user has heard about CCleaner. It’s widely recommended, online and offline—but this week, it acted as a piggyback for malware. The real question we should be asking is: do you really need CCleaner in the first place?"
Continue reading...

Education:

Leif Eriksson the Famous Viking Explorer:

Ancestral Findings
"Leif Eriksson was the first known European to set foot in North America, approximately 500 years before Columbus. Join me on today’s episode of the Ancestral Findings Podcast and I’ll talk about this Viking's fascinating story."
Listen now... 6.27 minutes

Webinars:

Research in Federal Records: Some Assembly Required:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Federal records offer genealogical gold with both direct references to our ancestors and rich contextual background information. But it can be daunting to explore record groups that are not readily available online. The wide array of tools includes paper finding aids, preliminary inventories, online indexes, web guides, and published articles, as well as the National Archives Catalog. Malissa will offer a framework and several case studies that highlight the integration of multiple research tools."
Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Malissa Ruffner, JD, CG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS Latest News & Tips:12 May 2017

Our VP Annette Lyttle after her presentation at NGS 2017
North Carolina Quakers: Their History and the Records They Left

Today: May 12, 2017

Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting

Cancelled

Gen News:

How to Use Virtual Photo Storage:

FamilySearch
"So many cloud-based photo storage options are available today that picking one can be a daunting task. Determining the best one depends on individual needs, but a few offer more features than just storage and thus stand out from the competition. Notable standouts, including..."
Continue reading...

New York Maps by Decade:

NY Public Library
"Maps by Decade shows digitized New York City street maps from the New York Public Library's Map Division published between 1850 and 1950, grouped by decade.
Try it now...

United States Marriages:

FindMyPast
"Were your ancestors married in the United States? In this collection spanning from the 17th century to the 20th century, discover where and when your ancestor was married. You may be able to uncover the couple’s ages, birth years, and parents’ names."
Continue reading...

Tech:

How to Create and Share Collaborative Albums in Google Photos:

How-to-Geek
"Whether you want to share family photos with distant relatives or make a shared pool of vacation or event photos with friends, it’s easy to create and share collaborative albums in Google Photos."
Continue reading...

How to Search Any Website, Even If It Doesn’t Have a Search Function:

How-to-Geek
"You want to find specific information from a given website, but it doesn’t offer search. Or maybe its internal search feature is just plain awful. What can you do?"
Continue reading...

Education:

Women in the Civil War:

Ancestral Findings
"Did you know women played large and important roles in the Civil War? They did. And it wasn't just by keeping the home fires burning. They were real soldiers. Join me today on the Ancestral Findings Podcast to learn more."
Listen now... 8.10 minutes

VGS Latest News & Tips: 24 March 2017

Gen News:

How to Choose the Best Genealogy Software:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Choosing genealogy software can feel like looking for a new car. There are so many choices and so many things to consider that it feels overwhelming. Even though you're not spending as much on software as you would a car, you're still investing your research time and effort -- not to mention that it's going to be "carrying" your ancestors around! Here's how to sort through everything and choose the best genealogy software for you."
Continue reading...

Websites To Help You Find Old Local Maps:

Family Tree Tips
"Whilst it’s great learning about your ancestors, a lot of people neglect to learn about the places they lived or even the land they they might have owned or worked on. The majority of us will have ancestors that lived and worked in rural areas, be it in the United Kingdom, Europe or the USA. There are websites dedicated to preserving and displaying old local maps."
Continue reading...

6 Websites That Will Help You Find German Ancestors:

Family Tree Tips

"Many people will have at some point in their Family Tree, German Ancestors. These can be quite elusive if you don’t know where to look. Below are a 6 really useful websites that will help you find those missing German Ancestors and break down some international brick walls."

Continue reading...

Tech:

What Are Mesh Wi-Fi Systems, and How Do They Work?

How-to-Geek
"If your home’s Wi-Fi network has dead spots, or doesn’t reach across your entire house, then you might have recently considered getting a mesh Wi-Fi system. They’ve skyrocketed in popularity, but what exactly is mesh Wi-Fi and how is it different than a traditional Wi-Fi extender?"
Continue reading...

How to Set Up the Google Wi-Fi System:

How-to-Geek
"Mesh Wi-Fi networking is all the rage lately, and even Google has gotten in on the fun. Here’s how to set up Google Wi-Fi in order to get rid of dead spots at all corners of your house or apartment."
Continue reading...

Education:

Using DAR Application Papers to Discover Your Ancestors:

Ancestral Findings Podcast
"Have you ever used the application papers of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in your research? You should. In this episode of the Ancestral Findings Podcast, I’ll talk about what you may find in them and where you can access the records."
Listen now...  4.15 minutes

VGS Latest News & Tips: 13 March 2017

Crista Cowan answering member questions...
Thanks Crista for a wonderful workshop!

Reminders:

Today: March 13, 2017

Family Tree Maker Uses SIG Meeting

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

Tomorrow: March 14, 2017

Genealogy Writers SIG Meeting
2:30 PM in the Churchill Downs Room in the Pimlico Recreation Center
Topic: “Compiling a Book of Your Descendants.” 

Gen News:

Access Findmypast’s Irish records for Free:

FindMyPast
Findmypast is making ALL of its Irish records FREE to access starting Monday, March 13th through Friday, March 17th!
To coincide with St Patrick’s Day 2017, Findmypast are making their entire collection of more than 116 million Irish records free for five days! From 13-17 March 2017, your users’ can access the largest collection of Irish records online for FREE.
Click HERE to check out the various records available...

Atlas of Historical County Boundaries at Newberry.org

Sassy Jane Genealogy
"From the Newberry Library, a wonderful research tool for genealogists researching U.S. locations: the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries at Newberry.org."
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Better Quality Translations on Google Translate:

Genealogy à la carte
"Lately, it has seemed Google Translate’s translations from French to English have been pretty good about 90 percent of the time. I wasn’t sure if the translation methodology had improved or if I was becoming more tolerant of odd phrasing.
Apparently, it wasn’t my imagination."
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Tech:

Windows 10’s Settings Are a Mess, and Microsoft Doesn’t Seem to Care:

How-to-Geek
"It’s been over four years since Microsoft first released the PC Settings interface with Windows 8, but the Control Panel and Settings app are still a confusing, split experience. There still isn’t a single interface, as there is on other operating systems, and Microsoft is seriously dragging their feet on consolidating them."
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Could Your iPhone Explode? 

Lifewire

"When it comes to something as serious and potentially dangerous as a smartphone exploding, it's essential that you have all the facts and understand the whole situation. No one wants to endanger their safety for a gadget.

But let's cut to the chase: do you have to worry about your iPhone exploding? Almost certainly not. 

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Education:

Genealogy Basics: Cemetery Research Advice for Beginners

Ancestral Findings Podcast
"Here's the latest genealogy podcast... Cemetery research is an important part of genealogy research. The two go hand in hand. Here's how to get started with it, and what it can help you discover about your ancestors"
Listen now...  6.58 minutes

Webinars:

Why Are Irish Records So Weird?

Legacy Family Tree
"Not all Irish records were destroyed in 1922, but the burning of the Public Record Office in that year did leave an immense gap. As a result, Irish genealogical research has to deal with idiosyncratic, fragmentary and sometimes marginally relevant records in ways that can seem very strange to those used to British, US or Australian sources. In addition, Ireland came late to digitization and has done it unsystematically. To be polite. This talk unravels the ways in which marginal records have become essential for Irish research, and the peculiarities in using them online."
March 15, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Register to attend...

VGS Latest News & Tips: 9 February 2017

Reminders:
Today: February 9, 2017

German Genealogy SIG Meeting

9:30 AM in the Reliance Room at the Late Miona Recreation Center

Topic: Ken Weaver of the Southwest Florida German Genealogy Society will present: "Getting Through that !@#@!? German Handwriting"

Tomorrow: 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:

Websites To Help You Find Old Local Maps:

Family Tree Tips
"Whilst it’s great learning about your ancestors, a lot of people neglect to learn about the places they lived or even the land they they might have owned or worked on. The majority of us will have ancestors that lived and worked in rural areas, be it in the United Kingdom, Europe or the USA. There are websites dedicated to preserving and displaying old local maps."
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How to Build a Genealogy Research Plan: 

Amy Johnson Crow
 "A research plan is more than a to-do list. It’s a way of approaching a genealogy problem and working out a way to solve it."
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37 Million Online Obituaries Available from FamilySearch!

Ancestor Hunt 
"All but 2 collections have searchable indexes, and there are collections with images from newspapers, images from index card transcriptions only, and collections that are indexes only."
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Tech:

How to Free Up iCloud Storage Space:

How-to-Geek
"Apple offers 5 GB of free iCloud space to everyone, but you’ll run up against that storage limit sooner than you’d think. Device backups, photos, documents, iCloud email, and other bits of data all share that space.  If you have multiple iOS devices, you’ll run out even faster."
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How to Control What Other People Can See About Your Google Profile:

How-to-Geek
"If you use any Google services—Gmail, Drive, Photos, Google+, etc.—then you undoubtedly have a Google Profile. When you set up your Gmail account, you included information about yourself, like your name, birthday, and even places you’ve lived. If you haven’t taken the necessary steps to ensure this information stays private, then it could be out there for the whole world to see."
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Education:

How to do Custom Searches with Google for Genealogists: Part Two Filters:

Genealogy's Star
"As genealogists, our basic activity is the process of searching for information about our ancestors. This process centers on historical documents and records. Because our families very likely moved from one place to another, to find these historical documents and records we are compelled to do wide searches in a large number of repositories, archives, and libraries."
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VGS Latest News & Tips: 7 October 2016

Today: October 7, 2016

British Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

6 Funeral Traditions Your Ancestors May Have Had:
FindMyPast
"Funeral traditions vary from family to family and the practice of laying your dead relatives to rest has been around for thousands of years. Many of the funeral traditions your family may practice today were practiced many years ago. The practice and tradition of putting flowers on a grave date back all the way to the Ancient Greek civilization. But there are a few, less common, funeral traditions that many practiced in the past, but seem to have fallen out of tradition since."
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Newspapers Help Identify an Old Family Photo:
GenealogyBank
"I didn’t know that my grandmother’s cousin, Eloise M. Jordan, was the “maid of honor” – and who was Arthur M. Twaddle, the best man? I’ll have to find more information about him."
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6 Websites To Download Copyright Free Images:
123Reg
"No matter if you’re a designer, a programmer or a blogger, you probably need to use photos every day in your projects. While most commercial photos are not so expensive, there are times when you might not want to pay for photos when there are so many sites that offer copyright free images for download."
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Library of Congress Magazine’s Map Issue:
TheMapRoom
"Library of Congress Magazine’s September-October 2016 issue is almost entirely dedicated to maps, with several feature articles on the Library’s map holdings, profiles of Library cartographers, and other map-related items."
Download issue...  pdf magazine 30 pages

iOS’ “Define” Feature Is Now “Look Up”, and It Can Do a Lot More:
How-to-Geek
"The “Define” feature in iOS has been renamed to “Look Up” in iOS 10, and has been enhanced to provide more than just definitions. Look Up now presents you with results from the App Store, Apple Music, websites, and Wikipedia."
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This Day In History: 7 October
1765: Delegates from nine of the American colonies meet in New York to discuss the Stamp Act Crisis and colonial response to it.
1913: In attempting to find ways to lower the cost of the automobile and make it more affordable to ordinary Americans, Henry Ford took note of the work of efficiency experts like Frederick Taylor, the “father of scientific management.” The result was the assembly line that reduced the time it took to manufacture a car, from 12 hours to 93 minutes.
1957: A fire in the Windscale plutonium production reactor (later called Sellafield) north of Liverpool, England, spreads radioactive iodine and polonium through the countryside and into the Irish Sea. Livestock in the immediate area are destroyed, along with 500,000 gallons of milk. At least 30, and possibly as many as 1,000, cancer deaths were subsequently linked to the accident.
1849 Death: Edgar Allan Poe, aged 40, dies a tragic death in Baltimore. Never able to overcome his drinking habits, he is found in a delirious condition outside a saloon that was used as a voting place.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
District of Columbia:
1835: Baltimore & Ohio Railroad opened to Washington and the Supreme Court building is completed
1849: Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle" is opened
1862: Slavery abolished