VGS News & Events: 23 June through 29 June 2019

Coming Events:

Tuesday: June 25, 2019

Midwest SIG Meeting:

2:00 PM in the Clearwater Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center

Wednesday: June 26, 2019

General Monthly Meeting

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

Topic: “Four Free Resources for Improving Your Genealogy Skills” 

Description: Learn about four important resources for improving your genealogy skills—and they’re all free. We’ll discuss the FamilySearch Learning Center and Research Wiki, the National Genealogical Society Learning Center, resources available on YouTube, and resources available on the VGS website.

Gen News and Announcements:

New Free Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of 10 June 2019 

FamilySearch
"FamilySearch added new, free, historical records this week from Spain, Bolivia, South Africa, Mexico, Russia, Peru, Sweden, and the United States, including Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, North Dakota, Texas, California and Virginia."
Search now...

How to Start a Family Tree on FamilySearch: Adding the First Four Generations

FamilySearch
"The best way to get started is to add first four generations of your family. Building your own tree will help you find where you connect to FamilySearch’s global family tree. With one link, your small family tree could suddenly stretch back hundreds of years!"
Continue reading...

The 1 Hour Solution for Downloading Your Ancestry Tree and ALL of Its Records:

Family History Daily

"Many of us keep our trees on Ancestry, even if we don't always subscribe to their somewhat pricey record subscription service. Because Ancestry's online family tree is easy and free, it's a great alternative to paid programs. But backing up that tree, along with its attached records and other media, can be a major challenge - despite how important it is to do so."

Continue reading...

Are You Finding All Your Ancestor’s Marriage Records?

Amy Johnson Crow
"Marriage records are among the most common records that we look for in genealogy. But are you finding all of your ancestor's marriage records? If you stop looking when you find the one at the courthouse, you might be missing out on some."
Continue reading...

DNA Testing the Recently Deceased:

DNAeXplained
"You’ve always meant to DNA test someone, and they’ve agreed, but either you didn’t order the kit, or the kit is far away from where they passed away.  What can you do?"
Continue reading...

AncestryDNA Reaches 15 Million:

Genealogy Gems
"AncestryDNA recently announced 15 million users. In their press release, they highlight some of the new features that have developed over the years to make DNA testing even more successful. But 15 million users doesn’t solve genetic genealogy’s biggest obstacle: DNA matches with no tree! Read on to learn how a DNA match with no tree is no problem!"
Continue reading..

Technology:

Do Video Streaming Services Care If You Share Your Account? 

How-to-Geek
"Do you feel like a rogue bandit every time you log in to a friend’s streaming account? If you do, you probably shouldn’t feel that way. Streaming services don’t care about account sharing."
Continue reading...

Education:

Why is Genealogy Tourism So Popular?

Ancestral Findings 252
"Have you ever considered taking a vacation to the homeland of your ancestors? If so, you are far from alone. Genealogy tourism is more popular than ever. With more people getting involved in genealogy, the number of people who want to see for themselves the places where their ancestors lived, walked, worked, and loved is at an all-time high. And, there are genealogy tourism companies that are jumping on this trend. Why is genealogy tourism so popular right now, and how can you use it to add important and hard to find information to your family tree? Here’s what you need to know."
Listen now... 8:16 minutes

Webinars:

Hidden Content Treasures You Might Have Missed At MyHeritage:

Legacy Family Tree
"Learn about fascinating collections of records you may have missed, which may be hiding your ancestors."
Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Mike Mansfield
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

A Month's Worth of Must-Have Tech Tips To Start Using Today:

Legacy Family Tree
"What technology tips can help you with your genealogy research? Make a goal this month to try a new technology tip each day and this webinar will help you! We'll look at tips to help you enhance your email, use shortcuts, conduct better searches, and use your cell phone for genealogy. When we are done, you'll be able to do more with less time and learn tools that will help you in your research and personal life."
Wednesday, June 26, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Gena Philibert-Ortega
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

5 Steps to Becoming a Good Ancestor:

Legacy Family Tree
"Genealogists are very good at researching and learning about their ancestors' lives. But sometimes they forget that it is important to provide information about themselves for their own descendants. In this presentation we'll provide five ways to leave traces of yourself (and your research) for those who come after you."
Friday, June 28, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Marian Pierre-Louis
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 16 June through 22 June 2019

Coming Events:

Tuesday: June 18, 2019

Family Tree Maker Users SIG Meeting

1:00 PM in the Patriot Room at the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center
Topic: "10 Things You May Note Be Aware That FTM Can Do" + Q&A

Gen News and Announcements:

7 Ways to Preserve your Family Legacy for the Next Generation:

FindMyPast
"Creating a legacy that will last for generations doesn't have to be extravagant or expensive. We've compiled a list of quick and easy ways you can preserve your family legacy right now. Your younger relatives will be forever grateful."
Continue reading...

FamilySearch Updates Enhance your Experience:

FamilySearch
"To keep you up to date on the latest FamilySearch experience changes, we will be listing them here chronologically. Check back often to see how your FamilySearch experience has improved!"
Continue reading...

5 Strategies for Locating Marriage Records and the Vital Details They Contain:

Family History Daily
"Marriage Records are an essential part of family history research and are one of the best ways to find the ever-elusive maiden name of a woman - as well as parents' names, ages and occupations, residence and religious beliefs. If you have not found such a record for every married couple in your tree, you are missing out."
Continue reading...

Army Repatriation: Bringing Them Home:

Amy Johnson Crow
"What does "No man left behind" truly mean? For Megan Smolenyak, it means working to identify service members from past conflicts, finding their families, and bringing them home in the process of military repatriation."
Continue reading...

New & Updated US Genealogy Records Online

Genealogy Gems
"From coast to coast, U.S. records from the ‘genealogy giants’ are new and updated this week. Findmypast has a new collection of mine accident records for Pennsylvania (and we’ll also highlight a similar collection for England). Ancestry.com has updated a large number of genealogy collections for U.S. marriage, census, and military records that you’ll want to check out. And lastly, FamilySearch has made updates to a small set of U.S. county, tax, and enumeration records."
Continue reading...

Guide to Locating WW2 Ancestors

FindMyPast
"Many of you may have known someone who served during World War 2, and some of you may have been lucky enough to hear firsthand accounts of their experience serving. World War 2 records can be very rewarding to look through because chances are the people you're searching for, you know or had direct contact with at some point in time. There are many resources available for you to find your World War 2 ancestors."
Continue reading...

Technology:

How to Turn an Old iPad Into the Ultimate Kid’s Tablet:

How-to-Geek
"You’ve got a shiny new iPad, and an old one that’s about to start gathering dust. Don’t let it languish in a drawer—turn it into the ultimate kid’s tablet by cleaning it up, locking it down, and installing kid-friendly apps."
Continue reading...

Education:

How to Handle the Emotional Response from Genealogy DNA Testing:

Ancestral Findings 251

"DNA testing is an exciting thing. You can find out so much about yourself and your heritage by having it done. But, you can also find out information that can be disconcerting, or even upsetting. Here are some common things you may find in your DNA that may shake you, and emotional coping techniques for dealing with them."
Listen now... 8:06 minutes

Webinars:

Using Another Library Source: the Government Document Section:

Legacy Family Tree
"As family historians go through the library to their local genealogy department, many quickly bypass the library’s Government Document Section. All offices of our federal government compiled, printed, and disseminated an assortment of reports and maps. Over the years, the GPO sent these publications out to various regional and selective depository libraries. Many times these publications contain unusual and one of a kind information pertaining to people and their surroundings. Repeatedly these publications contain unusual and one of a kind information. This session demonstrates the type of information included in Government Documents, how to search, locate, and obtain these federal gems."
Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Patricia Stamm, CG, CGL
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Researching in New Mexico:

Legacy Family Tree
"The 47th State holds some of the oldest documents in the US. Written records that begin in 1598 to the current day, researchers will learn the record groups, how to use them, and where to find them. An abundance of sacramental records, Governor’s papers, censuses, wills and probates will be discussed."
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Henrietta Martinez Christmas
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 11 February 2018 through 17 February 2018

Coming Events:

Monday: February 12, 2018

Family Tree Maker Users SIG Meeting

1:00 PM in the Patriot Room at the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center
Topic: "Tidbits, Sourcing and Your 5 Generation Chart"

Tuesday: February 13, 2018

Adoption & Mystery KIN SIG Meeting

9:30 AM at the Coordinators Home

Contact the Coordinator for Location & Directions HERE...

Tuesday: February 13, 2018

Preserving Family History SIG Meeting

2:30 PM in the Destin Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center
Topic: "Chasing Uncle William through the Wilds of Cyberspace"
Presenter: Annette Burke Lyttle, Vice-President of the VGS

Wednesday: February 14, 2018

Irish Genealogy SIG Meeting

10:00 AM in the Osceola Room at the Chula Vista Recreation Center

Wednesday: February 14, 2018

New to Genealogy SIG Meeting

2:30 PM in the Neptune Beach Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center
Topic: "Getting Started & 100 years Freedom to Slavery"

Thursday: February 15, 2018

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Friday: February 16, 2018

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: February 28, 2018
Our All-Day Annual Seminar
Guest Speaker is John Colletta, Ph.D.
Don't wait for the last minute to register. Registration closes February 23rd.
Download a Registration Packet HERE...

Gen News and Announcements:

Finding Your Family in U.S. Marriage Records:

FamilySearch
"One of the most basic and most important records you can locate about your family is a marriage record. Marriage records join two families together, often providing crucial details and verifying family connections."
Continue reading...

Finding Elusive Records on FamilySearch:

FamilySearch
"If a basic search on FamilySearch.org is the only approach you use to find your ancestors, you might be missing out on a lot of potential discoveries. The records you can find by performing basic searches represent only a small portion of what’s available on FamilySearch."
Continue reading...

New Historic Records on FamilySearch: Week of February 1, 2018:

FamilySearch
"Find your Mexican ancestors on FamilySearch with over 63 million new Mexico historic records  published this week. There are also new collection additions for Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic, England, France, Italy, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Maryland, New Jersey, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United States, and Utah."
Search now...

The 5 Best At-Home DNA Kits For Learning About Your Family History:

BEST
"Putting in the research to find the best at-home DNA test takes a lot of work — so we did it for you. We've included top picks for the best standard autosomal test, along with the best Y-DNA, maternal, and paternal add-on tests."
Continue reading...

MyHeritage Has Done It Again:

Shop the Hound
"MyHeritage has made some additions to the DNA side of their business that has the genealogy community talking. A couple of weeks ago I told you about how they’d improved their matching algorithms but they haven’t stopped there."
Continue reading...

How to Find Your Ancestor’s Church:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Church records can fill in the gaps caused by non-existent vital records. Even when we do have civil vital records, church records often contain different pieces of information. They can be invaluable to our genealogy research. But to get into these records, it helps to know what church your ancestor attended. Here's how you can find your ancestor's church."
Continue reading...

5 Things You Need to Know About DNA Testing for Genealogy:

Amy Johnson Crow
"DNA is an incredible tool for our genealogy and it's more accessible than ever before. But before you mail off your spit or convince a relative to send theirs, there are some things you need to know about DNA testing for genealogy."
Continue reading...

Technology:

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...

How to Reset Your iPhone or iPad, Even if it Won’t Boot:

How-to-Geek
"You can easily reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to factory default settings. If you’re experiencing problems — even if it won’t boot — you can reinstall the entire iOS operating system."
Continue reading...

Education:

Five Important Time-Saving Tips for Getting Your Genealogy Research Done:

Ancestral Findings
"Is your genealogy research time limited due to other commitments? You need to make the most out of every research moment you have. Join me today and I’ll show you how."
Listen now...  8:05 minutes

Webinars:

Have Nordic Ancestors? Count Yourself Lucky - Nordic Records are Amazing:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"An overview of available records in the Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, & Finland) will be presented."
Wednesday, February 13, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: MyHeritage Webinars
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS Latest News & Tips: 18 April 2017

Reminders:

Today: April 18, 2017

Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting

1:00 PM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center
Tomorrow: April 19, 2017
Board of Directors Meeting


9:00 AM

Tomorrow: April 19, 2017

Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting

9:30 AM in the Defender Room at the Lake Miona Recreation Center
Presentation: "Delaware and Washington D.C. Research"

Tomorrow: April 19, 2017

New to Genealogy SIG Meeting

2:30 PM in the Chateaugay Room at the Chatham Recreation Center
Presentation: "Using the Internet for Research"

Gen News:

Why You Should Download Your Files from Ancestry — and Every Other Genealogy Website:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Many people have their family tree up on Ancestry or another genealogy website. That's great to work as "cousin bait," but it isn't a great way to keep our genealogy data safe. "
Continue reading...

What Every Genealogist Needs To Know About American Marriage Records:

FindMyPast
"Marriage records are perhaps the most valuable vital records due to their wealth of genealogical content. The most helpful marriage records provide maiden names, parents' names, birth information and more."
Continue reading...

The Family Business Traced Through The Newspapers:

FindMyPast
"I love getting to know my ancestors on a personal level. Names, dates, and places will only tell you so much about a person. Those vital statistics do nothing, however, to give you a sense of what they were like. Or, for instance, what it was like when and where they lived. I find researching in newspapers a great way to get to know my ancestors a little bit better."
Continue reading...

Tech:

Which Version of Chrome Do I Have?

How-to-Geek
"Chrome is Chrome, right? You download Google’s browser—now the most popular in the world—and you’d think you have the same experience as everyone else. But like most large software vendors, Google releases Chrome in differing “channels,” testing out features in more unstable versions before they get to the release build that hundreds of millions of people use every day."
Continue reading...

How to Set Up Google Cardboard on an iPhone:

How-to-Geek
"Want to see what this VR thing is about, but don’t want to plop down a bunch of cash? Google Cardboard is an insanely cheap way to try it out. And, despite being a Google product, it works on iOS as well as Android. Google is fair, y’all."
Continue reading...

Education:

Military Records and the Fire of 1973:

Ancestral Findings
"The National Personnel Records Center suffered a fire in 1973 that destroyed millions of military service records from 1916 to 1964. Here's what happened."
Listen now... 7.02 minutes

VGS Latest News & Tips: 4 April 2017

Reminder:
Tomorrow: April 5, 2017

French Canadian Genealogy SIG Meeting:

9:00 AM in the Julio Iglesias Room at the La Hacienda Recreation Center

Gen News:

How a Professional Genealogist Approaches Brick Wall Problems:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Knocking down a brick wall genealogy problem takes a good strategy. I recently spoke with professional genealogist Kathleen Brandt for tips on how she helps her clients break down brick walls."
Continue reading...

How Has a Marriage Record Helped You?

FamilySearch
"Historical records can fill in the holes of a family story, and marriage records, particularly, are among the most helpful. These unique records often have a piece of information that is a key to unlocking hard-to-find generations in a family tree—the bride’s maiden name and sometimes even her parents’ names."
Continue reading...

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...

Tech:

How to Delete an Email Address from the Auto-Complete List in Outlook for Windows:

How-to-Geek
"Outlook remembers every email address you’ve typed into email messages. These email addresses become part of the auto-complete list and matching items from that list are suggested as you type in the To, Cc, and Bcc fields."
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:

The American Orphan Trains:

Ancestral Findings
"What were the Orphan Trains and what did they do for children? It's an intriguing story. And you don’t want to miss today’s podcast."
Lesson now... 5.28 minutes

VGS Latest News & Tips: 19 Sep 2016

National Archives Virtual Genealogy Fair

"On October 26 & 27, 2016 (Wednesday & Thursday), the National Archives is hosting a two-day, virtual Genealogy Fair via webcast. Viewers have the opportunity to participate with the presenters and other family historians during the live event on YouTube. All of the session videos and handouts will be available from this web page free of charge. You can watch the sessions and download the materials at your convenience. Registration is not required."
Continue reading...

3 Tips for Choosing a DNA Relative to Test:
Genealogy Insider
"Genetic genealogy, using DNA to study ethnicity and identify genetic cousins, is becoming an essential part of doing genealogy. If you’ve tested yourself and want to explore DNA tests for family, which relative should you ask to take a DNA test? Are some cousins or relatives better to test? "
Continue reading...

It’s Time to Backup and Enjoy Your Summer Family Photos:

Ancestry
"How many pictures did you snap this summer? Digital cameras and smartphones make it easy to take pictures, but it’s not always so easy to “develop and process” those photos. Instead, we tend to procrastinate photo management and end up with a device filled with images instead of an album of vacation photos to share."
Continue reading...

Join the Cause! Index Every Marriage Record in the United States:
FamilySearch
"The U.S. Marriages Project, a joint initiative between findmypast.com and FamilySearch.org, is actively working to save the marriage records from every state in the United States. Through the indexing efforts of online volunteers across the U.S, this service project will create a high quality, searchable database of nearly every marriage recorded in the United States since the early 1800s."
Continue reading...

Why Your PC Hasn’t Received Windows 10’s Anniversary Update Yet and How to Get It:
How-to-Geek
"Windows 10 is supposed to automatically update itself. But it might take weeks or longer for a big update like the Anniversary Update to reach your PC. Here’s why that happens–and how to skip the wait."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 19 September
1692: Giles Corey is pressed to death for standing mute and refusing to answer charges of witchcraft brought against him. He is the only person in America to have suffered this punishment.
1893: New Zealand becomes the first nation to grant women the right to vote.
1982: The first documented emoticons, :-) and :-(, posted on Carnegie Mellon University Bulletin Board System by Scott Fahlman.
1915 Birthday: Elizabeth Stern, Canadian pathologist who first published a case report linking a specific virus to a specific cancer.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Connecticut:
1620: Dutch arrived at the mouth of the Connecticut River
1630: English colonists from Massachusetts arrived in Saybrook
1633-35: Hartford settled by English colonists from Massachusetts

VGS Latest News & Tips: 18 July 2016

What You Might Be Missing in Marriage Records:
Amy Johnson Crow
"Marriage records seem pretty basic. A bride and groom, a date, and a place. (If you’re lucky, there’s a form that they filled out that includes some biographical details.) There are a couple of details that you might be missing on even the basic marriage records."
Continue reading...

The Relationship Chart:
Legacy Family Tree
"I just looked on AncestryDNA and I have a brand new 2nd cousin match so I contacted her. This happens to be someone that is interested in her DNA and family history but isn't a genealogist so she was having a hard time visualizing our connection. As soon as she told me who her parents and grandparents were I knew where she belonged."
Continue reading...
Editor's Note: I send this chart quite often to help people visualize the connection between their family and I.

U.S. Attorney: County Clerk Dean Johnson Denied Man Equal Access To Records:
The Sentinel Echo
"Those visiting Laurel County Clerk Dean Johnson’s office for a copy of a marriage license, deed, or other record are greeted with a sign informing them that scanners, cameras, or any other such device cannot be used to reproduce documents."
Continue reading...

Generation Next:
Ancestry
This is a recent post of an article that originally appeared in Ancestry Magazine, March-April 2007.
"When I ask members of the local scout troop if anybody has his Genealogy Merit Badge, I get groans and complaints. “Dude, that took so long” seems to be the general consensus. But when I ask what they found out, the tone changes."
Continue reading...

Encrypt Your PC, Phone, and Tablet Now. You’ll Regret It Later If You Don’t:
How-to-Geek
"Imagine you go on your dream European vacation and all your things are stolen after your hotel room is burgled or your car is broken into. Clothes and toothbrushes are easy to replace, but your devices are a potential treasure trove for thieves to exploit.
Unfortunately, this story is all too real–in fact, it happened to our editor just last week."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 18 July
1861: Union and Confederate troops skirmish at Blackburn’s Ford, Virginia, in a prelude to the Battle of Bull Run.
1877: Inventor Thomas Edison records the human voice for the first time.
1942: The German Me-262, the first jet-propelled aircraft to fly in combat, makes its first flight.
1913 Birthday: “Red” Skelton, American comedian and actor.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Rhode Island:
1636: Settled by Roger Williams and Providence founded
1640: Estimated population 400
1652: Passed first anti-slavery bill in North America

VGS Latest News & Tips: 24 February 2016

Today: Wednesday: February 24, 2016

Our 16th Annual Seminar

Doors Open at 8:15 AM at the La Hacienda Recreation Center

Our topics for today are:

• Finding Uncle John by Talking to Neighbors
• Documenting the "Right" Family While Staying on Track
• Discover Your "Magic Genealogy Box"
• Cemeteries as a Genealogical Resource

Marriage License Reveals Shocking Twist In One Family's History:
FindMyPast: Cheri Hudson Passey
"Three women, three families: The tale of Jubal Ransom Early"
Continue reading...

Ancestry Product Update: February 2016
Ancestry
"We recently released several changes to Hints and wanted to make sure you were aware."
Continue reading...

France Opens Classified Vichy Archives To Public:
The Telegraph
"Thousands of police and official files are likely to shed light on collaboration with the Nazis during the Second World War"
Continue reading...

8 Reasons Not To Print:
Organize Your Family History
"Now, the only paper that goes into file folders are documents that came to me in hard copy form. And even some of those are scanned and discarded."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 24 February
1821: Mexico gains independence from Spain.
1895: The Cuban War of Independence begins.
1914: Civil War soldier Joshua Chamberlain dies.
1885 Birthday: Chester Nimitz, U.S. admiral who commanded naval forces in the Pacific during WWII.

VGS Latest News & Tips: 21 August 2015

Today: Friday, August 21, 2015

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Online Historical Newspaper Collection of the Day - Portal to Texas History:
The Ancestor Hunter
"Today's collection is Portal to Texas History newspapers. This is a collection of currently about 900 titles, 300,000 total issues and several million pages that have been digitized and are available for full text searching for free. The collection is brought to you by the University of North Texas Libraries' Digital Projects Unit."
Continue reading...

British Newspaper Archive: Take a speedy taster for free...
IrishGenealogy News
"The British Newspaper Archive is running a mini promotion to non-subscribers: three free page views in return for registering an account. Following the recent spate of new Irish titles in the database (it now includes 81 historical newspapers published in Ireland), this could be good timing."
Continue reading...

TYING THE ‘KNOT’ IN THE BORDERS ~ A Look At Regular & Irregular Marriages in the Scottish Borders and Dispelling the Myths:
Borders Ancestry
"As a researcher by far the most frequently asked question I receive concerns marriage records, or indeed the lack of them.  Whilst the terms “clandestine “ or “elopement” conjure up images of a hopelessly romantic nature, the term “irregular” infers something seedy and underhand.  This is simply not the case..."
Continue reading...

8 Tips for Online Safety Used by Security Experts:
makeuseof
"When it comes to personal online security, advice is tricky. A lot of it sounds good in theory, but how much of it actually works as intended? Some oft-repeated wisdom is tried and true while others are just cyber security myths."
Continue reading...

10 Top Tips for How to Bust Through Your Genealogy Brick Wall:
Lisa Louise Cooke 13.29 minutes
"Apply the Top 10 Genealogy Research Tips that Dave Obee gives Genealogy Gems Winner Sarah Stout at #Rootstech to your own research and get results.
Watch video...

August 21: This Day In History
1858: he first of a series of debates begins between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. Douglas goes on to win the Senate seat in November, but Lincoln gains national visibility for the first time.
1942: U.S. Marines turn back the first major Japanese ground attack on Guadalcanal in the Battle of Tenaru.
1959: Hawaii is admitted into the Union.
1938 Birthday: Kenny Rogers, singer, actor; one of top-selling artists of all time; voted Favorite Singer of All Time in 1986 poll.

VGS Latest News & Tips: 27 Apr 2015

FREEBIE: Free Online Genealogy Education Resources:

Geneabloggers
This past January I was honored to give a presentation entitled Free Online Genealogy Education Resources to the American Library Association Mid-Winter Conference here in Chicago. Now I'm making my handout with over 25 FREE resources available to you!
Click here to download the PDF.

FamilySearch Worldwide Indexing (Arbitration) Event:

The Ancestry Insider"There is a backlog of 6.5 million images, according to FamilySearch’s Spencer Ngatuvai.""To help remedy this, FamilySearch is sponsoring a “Worldwide Arbitration Event.” The event is being held over eight days, from 1 May 2015 to 8 May 2015. FamilySearch hopes to reduce the backlog during the event by two million."Read more...How to become an arbitrator?...

Little-Known WWII Facts: German POWs in the U.S. 
"In this blog article, Gena searches old newspapers to learn about a part of World War II that many people don’t know: there were hundreds of thousands of prisoners of war (POWs) that were kept in the U.S. during the war."
Read more...

DNA - Brick Wall Buster?

Maurice Gleeson: YouTube Presentation 56 minutes
"A discussion of the main types of DNA test for genealogical purposes and how they can be applied to help break down brick walls in Family Tree Research, together with the future of genetic genealogy, in particular as it applies to Irish research."
View video...

18 Ways to Find Ancestors Marriage Information:

The Ancestor Hunt
When researching our ancestors, one of the most important events is their marriage - in some cases there are none, or just one, and I have some who had six. Determining the date and location of marriage is important as we document major events in their lives.
Read more...

This Day in History:

2006: Construction begins on the Freedom Tower for the new World Trade Center.
1981: Xerox PARC introduces the computer mouse.
1865: The steamboat Sultana, carrying 2400 passengers, explodes and sinks in the Mississippi River, killing 1700, most of whom are Union survivors of the Andersonville and Cahaba Prisons.

VGS Latest News & Tips: 26 Mar 2015

Darned Posthumous Marriage:

We depend upon records to reveal the "truth" about our pasts. Yet sometimes records have anomalies. Read about such a case from ancestry insider.
Read more...

Enhancements to FamilySearch’s Personal Trees:

Robert Kehrer, senior product manager for search, recently announced enhancements to FamilySearch Genealogies, its personal tree feature previous called Community Trees. FamilySearch Genealogies are searched or submitted from https://familysearch.org/family-trees. To reach that page, click on Search and then on Genealogies.
Read more...

UK Mapped Out by Genetic Ancestry:

Finest-scale DNA survey of any country reveals historical migrations.
Ewen Cllaway writes "Researchers have found genetic signatures among Britons that betray their historical roots in particular locales of the United Kingdom, leading to the finest-scale map of genetic variation yet created. The analysis — which shows a snapshot of clusters of genetic variation in the late 1800s, when people were less likely to migrate far from their region of birth — reflects historical waves of migration by different populations into the island."
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FDA permits marketing of first direct-to-consumer genetic carrier test for Bloom Syndrome:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today authorized for marketing 23andMe’s Bloom Syndrome carrier test, a direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic test to determine whether a healthy person has a variant in a gene that could lead to their offspring inheriting the serious disorder.
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