VGS News & Events: September 20 through September 26, 2020

Learn more about the seminar here...

For the foreseeable future, The Villages Genealogical Society will continue to conduct virtual monthly general meetings using our GoToWebinar facilities and they will be recorded. Many SIG's have access to Zoom Video Communications for their meetings.  The most accurate list of up coming meetings can be found on our website under "Coming Events."

Zoom access information will not be posted on our website for security reasons. Contact the SIG coordinator directly for Zoom meeting access information..

Coming Events:

Monday, September 21

Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting

1:00 pm

Online Zoom Meeting

Mary Frances Gerace, Coordinator

Contact the coordinator, through their SIG web page, for the link to this meeting. 

Tuesday, September 22

Midwest SIG Meeting

2:00 pm

Zoom Online Meeting

Annette Burke Lyttle, Dona Black & Laurie Sarauer, coordinators

Topic: “How I Spent My Covid Vacation: Genealogy Discoveries from the Past Few Months”

Contact the coordinator, through their SIG web page, for the link to this meeting. 

Gen News and Announcements:

Finding Children In-Between Census Years:

familytree.com

"Maybe one of the hardest items to research, mostly you may not even know about a specific individual ever existed. Infant and child mortality was high in the years of 1700s to 1940s. Visit any older cemetery and you find many infants and children did not survive past childhood."

Continue reading...

History of the Armenian Diaspora:

FamilySearch

"The term “Armenian diaspora” refers to the spread of Armenian people to different countries.  Many of the largest communities of Armenians outside Armenia have populations ranging well into the hundreds of thousands."

Continue reading..

Why Your Latest Results Could Include More Scotland In Your Ethnicity Estimates:

AncestryDNA

"Our 2020 ethnicity update is the first time we are dividing results in the UK and Ireland into four populations instead of two. Over the years, the names of our ethnicity regions for the UK and Ireland have changed, but we’ve always had only two regions to compare customers’ DNA against, roughly an Ireland/Celtic/Gaelic group and an Anglo-Saxon/Britain/England group. Now we have four: England & Northwestern Europe, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales."

Continue reading...

9 Mayflower Descendants as Famous as Their Pilgrim Ancestors:

FamilySearch

"The Mayflower set sail for America in 1620 with 102 passengers. Though only 53 passengers lived to see the following spring, an estimated 35 million people worldwide are descendants of this small but hardy group."

Continue reading...

A Deeper Look at Ancestry.com:

Genealogy's Star

"Ancestry.com began as a family history product sold on CDs in 1997 and has expanded online to include 3 million paying subscribers and 18+ million people DNA tested. The website claims the world's largest collection of family history records with over 27 billion records online."

Continue reading...

23andMe Announced Insights From Lupus Research:

23andMe

"23andMe collaborated with researchers from Pfizer to learn more about how to treat Lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease. The research was powered by almost 6,000 consented researcher participants. No new genetic associations were found, but 23andMe did uncover deeper insights into non-genetic factors and symptoms associated with the disease."

Continue reading...

Technology:

Can Zoom Hosts Really See All Your Private Messages?

How-to Geek

"Viral social media posts are alleging that Zoom’s private messages aren’t really private—if you’re chatting privately during a Zoom meeting, the host can see your entire conversation. Is that true? Well, not exactly."

Continue reading...

Education:

Finding Records in Ukraine for Jewish Genealogy Research: 

"In this VLOG I talk about how I found records in Ukraine for my Jewish Genealogy Research. To start finding records I needed as much as information about my immigrant ancestors, especially pertaining to any dates from when they were still in Ukraine."

Listen now... 10.41 minutes

Webinars:

A MyHeritage Webinar:

Legacy Family Tree

"This space is reserved for an exciting and interesting MyHeritage webinar. Here you will learn about the latest features, records, and characteristics developed by the MyHeritage team to help you find who you are, and amaze you with great discoveries."

Tuesday, September 22, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern

Presenter: MyHeritage Webinars

Learn more or Register for this event...

Introduction to VPNs:

Legacy Family Tree

"Participants will learn the basics of Virtual Private Networks as well how to install and use a VPN. We’ll discuss which VPN is right for you and your research as well as offer tips and tricks for getting the most out of VPNs."

Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern

Presenter: Thomas MacEntee

Learn more or Register for this event...

VGS News & Events: 29 April 2018 through 5 May 2018

A full house at the April General Meeting

Coming Events:

Tuesday: May 1, 2018

Adoption & Mystery KIN SIG Meeting

9:00 AM at the Lake Miona Recreation Center

Tuesday: May 1, 2018

Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting

1:00 PM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center

Wednesday: May 2, 2018

French Canadian Genealogy SIG Meeting:

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

Thursday: May 3, 2018

Eastern European Genealogy SIG Meeting:

1:00 PM in the Daytona Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center

Friday: May 4, 2018

British Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

The VGS has been asked by the Florida State Genealogical Society to undertake the project of  digitizing Florida Pioneer applications.  We Need Your Help!

Click HERE to learn more...

Gen News and Announcements:

Exploring and Verifying Your Mayflower Lineage:

American Ancestors
"As the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower crossing approaches, many are eager to discover whether their ancestors were among the 50 passengers who left descendants. In this five-session course, you will hear from leading experts about the reasons for the crossing and the passengers' known English origins, how to verify your connection to the Mayflower, and how to apply to lineage societies, such as the General Society of Mayflower Descendants."
Wednesdays, May 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30, 2018, 6:00–7:30 PM EDT
Cost: $125
Learn more and/or register...

New Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of April 16, 2018

FamilySearch
"Discover your ancestors on FamilySearch this week in almost 3.5 million records from Oklahoma, 1.5 million from Germany and more from Quebec, Italy, Lesotho, Ireland, Peru, Georgia, Texas, Costa Rica, and Poland."
Search now...

FamilySearch’s Strategy to Help Preserve the World's Archives:

FamilySearch
"From London to Berlin to St. Petersburg and everywhere in between, World War II rained death and destruction. Civil unrest is just one threat to genealogy records in archives worldwide."
Continue reading...

Seven fascinating facts about DNA: family history and DNA:

FamilySearch
"DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is your body’s blueprint. All living creatures possess DNA; the self-replicating material that makes up chromosomes and carries every last bit of our genetic present and past. Your DNA is the "Story of You" AND all of your ancestors; a story that is exclusive to you."
Continue reading...

GEDmatch Offers Completely Free DNA Reports and Cousin Matches: We’ll Show You How to Use It:

Family History Daily
"Some time ago, you decided that you wanted to know more about yourself and your family history beyond what the paper trail revealed, so you purchased a DNA kit. Like me, you likely had a number of questions answered and were faced with a surprise or two. If you’re the curious type (and you probably are because you’re reading this article!), you now have even more questions about your DNA results and genetic genealogy in general."
Continue reading...

How to Use Your Findmypast Family Tree: Advanced Features:

FindMyPast
"How to add details such as records, photos and facts to your ancestors' profiles to really bring your family tree to life"
Continue reading...

Five Transcription Tips For When You’re Just Stuck:

SK Translations
"here are some tried and true tricks of the trade for when you can’t read a word."
Continue reading...

Technology:

Microsoft Kills OneNote Desktop in Favor of the Microsoft Store Version:

How-to-Geek
"Microsoft is killing off the “desktop” version of OneNote, and recommends people use the Windows 10 version instead.
Confused? Well, Microsoft offers two different versions of Office, which extended to OneNote. There’s the “desktop” version, which came with Microsoft Office 2016 and was also available as a free download, and the “Windows 10” version, which you can get free in the Microsoft Store.
Continue reading...

Education:

What is PERSI and How Can You Use it to Improve Your Genealogy Research?

Ancestral Findings
"What is the PERSI index, and why should you be using it for genealogical research? On today’s episode of the Ancestral Findings Podcast, I’ll give you want you need to know about this valuable resource."
Listen now...  8.26 minutes

Webinars:

Special Appearance by the Founder and CEO of MyHeritage:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Join us and the founder of one of genealogy’s most successful companies, Gilad Japhet, for an intimate view into his brainchild, MyHeritage."
Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Gilad Japhet
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 21 January 2018 through 27 January 2018

FTM Workshop 17 Jan 2018

Coming Events:

Monday: January 22, 2018

Technology SIG Meeting:

10:00 AM in the Destin Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center
Topic: "Using Filters in your Genealogy Software"

Tuesday: January 23, 2018

Midwest SIG Meeting:

2:00 PM in the Clearwater Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center
Presentation by Dona Black Weber on free resources for Midwestern Research.

Wednesday: January 24, 2018

Brick Wall SIG Meeting

8:30 AM at the Savannah Recreation Center

Wednesday: January 24, 2018

General Monthly Meeting

10:00 AM at the Savannah Recreation Center

Topic: Maureen Taylor - "Dating and Identifying Old Photographs"

Wednesday: January 24, 2018

Afternoon Workshop

1:30 PM at the Savannah Recreation Center

Topic: Maureen Taylor - "Discovering Genealogical Clues in 19th-Century Photographs"

We have a full room - No Seats Available

Gen News and Announcements:

DNA Do-Over: Downloading and Uploading Your DNA Test Data:

Abundant Genealogy
"So you’ve taken a DNA test from one of the major DNA testing companies that offer services for genealogy and family history research. What should you do once you receive your results? Here’s how to set up an action plan for downloading your DNA test data and then selecting another platform to which you can upload that same data:"
Continue reading...

Dick Eastman Genealogy Newsletter is Twenty-Two Years Old!

EOGN.com
"Never in my wildest dreams did I ever dream that 22 years would be so interesting, so much fun, and so rewarding. The very first edition of Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter was sent on January 15, 1996."
Continue reading...

The Health 202: NIH Wants 1 Million Americans To Contribute To New Pool Of Gene Data:

The Washington Post
"Starting this spring, Americans across the country will be invited to contribute to a massive new pool of genomic information being assembled by the government, a project that represents the most ambitious effort yet to capitalize on the promising new frontier of gene-based medicine."
Continue reading...

Search 10 Million Free Newspaper Pages for Your Ancestors:

FamilyHistoryDaily
"Old newspapers are one of the most valuable resources available to family history researchers. Not only can they provide some of the critical basic data we need to grow our trees  – such as birth, marriage and death dates – they are one of the few resources that can help us expand our understanding of our ancestors’ personal stories as well."
Continue reading...

FamilySearch 2017 Genealogy Highlights:

FamilySearch
"FamilySearch online visitors made millions of personal family discoveries in 2017. The nonprofit family history giant published hundreds of millions of free historical records online in 2017 and experienced significant growth in its mobile app customer base. It's all part of FamilySearch's purpose to help individuals discover more about themselves by learning more about their ancestry roots. These are just some of the impressive highlights from FamilySearch's 2017 year in review."
Continue reading...

Understanding Genealogy Sources: Why “Provenance” Matters:

Lisa Louise Cooke
"In the art world, knowing the provenance of a piece is crucial to understanding its value. Provenance looks at an object’s origins, history, and ownership. These can shed light on whether the piece is authentic. In other words, it tells us whether it truly was created by the attributed artist in the stated timeframe. It also provides insight into the value of the item.
The principle of provenance is true for genealogical sources, too."
Continue reading...

Discover Your Mayflower Ancestors:

Lisa Louise Cooke
"In anticipation of the 2020 commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s voyage, the New England Historic Genealogical Society (aka AmericanAncestors.org) has launched a new website, Mayflower 2020."
Continue reading...

Understanding DNA Ethnicity Estimates:

Lisa Louise Cooke
"DNA ethnicity estimates are fun conversation-starters. But the “pie charts” become more meaningful genealogically when you can assign timelines to the places your ancestors were from. Here’s an update to our ongoing conversation about what DNA ethnicity results really mean."
Continue reading...

Technology:

Password Managers Compared: LastPass vs KeePass vs Dashlane vs 1Password:

How-to-Geek
"There are dozens of password managers out there, but no two are created alike. We’ve rounded up the most popular options and broken down their features so you can pick the right one for you."
Continue reading...

Amazon Echo vs. Google Home: Which One Should You Buy?

How-to-Geek
"Both the Amazon Echo and Google Home have earned their place at the top of the smarthome hierachy, but which one should you buy?"
Continue reading...

Education:

How to Use Cluster Research to Find Those Hidden Ancestors:

Ancestral Findings
"Have you heard of the cluster technique? If not, you should know it is a powerful method for breaking through genealogical brick walls. Join me today as I give you the details."
Listen now...  8.01 minutes

Webinars:

Finding Jamestown Ancestors:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Explore numerous sources that can further genealogical research to help individuals identify a qualifying ancestor in order to join the Jamestown Society. In addition to sources, KC touches on planning your research, sources to help you find sources, and common research pitfalls in genealogical research and how to avoid them."
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: KC Reid
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS Latest News and Tips: 21 June 2017

Gen News:

Surprising New Details about My Mayflower Pilgrim Ancestors:

GenealogyBank
"As I have mentioned in previous posts, like many of you I am descended from some of the original Mayflower Pilgrims. One of these Mayflower ancestors is Francis Eaton (1596-1633), a carpenter, who came to the New World with his family in 1620."
Continue reading...

How to Do Genealogy on the Cheap, the Right Way:

The Occasional Genealogist
"Here's a well-known fact among successful genealogists, and a little-known fact among the unsuccessful, genealogy is expensive. Luckily it isn't an expensive hobby like golf. You can spread your expenses out into little bits (this will slow your research, but that's ok)."
Continue reading...

An Australian Treasure Chest: New National Archives Hub Opens In Canberra:

Canberra Times
"More than 100 kilometres of shelf space and room for nine kilometres of audio visual records have come online at the newest home of Australia's national treasures."
Continue reading...

Tech:

What Is This HDMI ARC Port on My TV?

How-to-Geek
"If you look on the back of your TV, you’ll likely see a few HDMI ports—but one of them may be labeled ARC, or something similar. This is no ordinary HDMI port. HDMI ARC can greatly simplify your audio cabling needs and setup if you know where to look for it and how to implement it."
Continue reading...

How to Recover Your Forgotten Gmail Password:

How-to-Geek
"As one of its earliest services, Gmail remains the cornerstone of Google’s online presence. So when you forget your Gmail password, and I don’t want to overstate things here, it’s basically like you’re an Internet ghost haunting the halls of your former life."
Continue reading...

Education:

Using Military Records to Construct Family Trees:

Ancestral Findings
"Military records can be excellent sources for breaking down genealogy brick walls. Here's how to find and use military records to solve genealogy mysteries."
Listen now...  4.43 minutes

Today's Webinar Reminder:

Virtual Family Reunions: Super Easy, Super Fun:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"DearMYRTLE & Cousin Russ demo how to set up a Google Hangout in 10 minutes and answer the following questions: 1. Must we use Google accounts? 2. What about advanced advertising? 3. Where to post the link to join the panel? 4. Where to embed the video before the event starts? 5. What if some members are in the same room, and provide remote access to the rest of the family? 6. What if our guest speaker is not in the same room as our family? 7. What equipment is required? 8. Where is the video archived? 9. Can we make the video private, unlisted or public?"
Today, June 21, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Dear MYRTLE, Russ Worthington
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Webinar Series:

Are you thinking about (or dreaming about) a research trip to Washington, DC? 

Association of Professional Genealogists (APG)

Here’s a webinar series you can’t miss: four presentations on how to do research in our nation’s capital. They are free and open to the public, but you must register individually for each webinar using the links provided.

The first is “A Genealogist’s Tour of the Nation’s Capital” with Shannon Combs-Bennett on Thursday, 22 June 2017, at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Shannon is a staff genealogist for the Colonial Dames 17^th Century and the author of A Genealogist’s Guide to the Washington, DC Area.

Registration here... 

On Thursday, 20 July 2017 at 8 p.m. Eastern, Darryn Lickliter will present “The DAR Library: Resources for Genealogists.”

Darryn is Chief of Genealogy and Director of the Library for the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

Registration here...

The third webinar is Tuesday, 22 August 2017 at 8 p.m. Eastern. It will be “NARA Nuggets: Genealogy in the Archives” with Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL.

Judy is The Legal Genealogist and a popular speaker on a variety of genealogy topics.

Registration here... 

The final webinar in the series is Monday, 18 September 2017 at 8 p.m. Eastern. Angela Packer McGhie, CG, will present “Introduction to Researching at the Library of Congress.”

Angela is a professional genealogist who has spent hundreds of hours researching in Washington, DC, repositories.

Registration here...

VGS Latest News & Tips: 26 November 2015

Top 5 Family Thanksgiving Traditions:
"Traditions are a big part of the Thanksgiving holiday, and every American family has their own way of celebrating. From stuffing the turkey to taking in a football game, here are five popular traditions shared by American families each Thanksgiving"
Continue reading...

9 Family Photos You Might Wish You Inherited:
Ancestry
"As genealogists, we know there’s nothing quite like looking into our ancestor’s eyes to make us feel a sense of family. Unfortunately, not everyone inherits the family photo collection. This holiday season, take advantage of family gatherings to create the photos you wish you had inherited and you’ll have a great start on a simple holiday photo album or a Living Family Tree showcasing your own images."
Continue reading...

Genealogy Activities for Thanksgiving:
"Traditions are a big part of the Thanksgiving holiday, and every American family has their own way of celebrating. From stuffing the turkey to taking in a football game, here are five popular traditions shared by American families each Thanksgiving"
Continue reading...

Mayflower/Pilgrim History:
"The Internet's most complete and accurate website dealing with the Mayflower passengers and the history of the Pilgrims and early Plymouth Colony."
Continue reading...

Researching Your Pilgrim Ancestry from Mayflower Ship Passengers:
"Although endlessly rewarding, it is true that tracing ancestry is a time-consuming process requiring much patience—especially if one wishes to connect to the Mayflower passengers, those 102 Pilgrims who sailed from Leiden, Holland, in September 1620 bound for the New World—anchoring off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in November 1620."
Continue reading...

Thanksgiving reunions great time to explore family genealogy:
The Oregonian
"Family gatherings offer a prime opportunity to collect family history. The activity can strengthen family bonds and, research indicates, teach children resiliency through examples of relatives who faced challenges and hardship."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: November 26
1774: A congress of colonial leaders criticizes British influence in the colonies and affirms their right to "Life, liberty and property."
1789: George Washington proclaims this a National Thanksgiving Day in honor of the new Constitution. This date was later used to set the date for Thanksgiving.
1863: The first National Thanksgiving is celebrated.
1922 Birthday: Charles M. Shultz, American cartoonist who created "Peanuts" starring Charlie Brown.

VGS Latest News & Tips: 28 September 2015

New FamilySearch Collections Update: Week of September 21, 2015:
Dick Eastman: eogn.com
"Check out the Pennsylvania Civil Marriages 1677-1950, Ohio County Marriages 1789-2013, and Virginia Richmond City Birth Index 1870-1912 additions this week. Millions more records were also added for Italy (Potenza, Rieti, and Trapani) and Colombia. Search for these new records and more by selecting the links below."
Continue reading...

Genealogy Humor: 7 Funny and Odd Inheritances & Bequests:
GenealogyBank
"Writers and editors love to feature oddities, and genealogists love to read them – so go ahead and enjoy these odd and unusual inheritances and bequests."
Continue reading...

How to use Google Photos for Genealogy:
The Cousin Detective
"To me, the single most important thing in the genealogical detective world is finding and sharing photos.  All the hard work of piecing the giant puzzle together really pays off when you find a distant cousin who has photographs of your relatives -- especially really old ones that you'd never dreamed of finding."
Continue reading...

Patrons split on how fast libraries should move into the digital age:
The Washington Post
"The word “library” conjures up a very specific image for most people: rows upon rows of books. But as libraries evolve into a place for more digital research, and teach a different kind of literacy, how long should the bookshelves stay?"
Continue reading...

Helps for Translating the Old German Typeface:
My Ancestors and Me
"As you search for your German ancestors there may be times when a search engine will find an ancestor's name in a newspaper which is printed in German. (Isn't OCR amazing?!) What happens when you know or suspect the article is about your ancestor but you can't read German? There's help if you're willing to patiently examine the letters and translate them."
Continue reading...

Mayflower 400 anniversary events planning visit to Plymouth:
Plymouth City Council:
"US Ambassador to the UK Matthew Barzun is visiting the city where the Mayflower set off on its historic voyage to the United States almost exactly 395 years ago. The Ambassador is visiting Plymouth over two days and will be meeting the leadership group responsible for planning the Mayflower 400 events for which Plymouth is the lead city in the UK."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: September 28
1607: Samuel de Champlain and his colonists return to France from Port Royal Nova Scotia.
1924: Three U.S. Army aircraft arrive in Seattle, Washington after completing a 22-day round-the-world flight.
1928: Sir Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin when he notices a bacteria-killing mold growing in his laboratory; it remained for Howard Florey and Ernst Chain to isolate the active ingredient, allowing the "miracle drug" to be developed in the 1940s.
1901 Birthday: Ed Sullivan, television host.

VGS Latest News & Tips: 7 September 2015

10 Overlooked New Features in Windows 10:
How-to-Geek
"Windows 10 includes some flashy new features like Task View virtual desktops,Cortana, the Edge browser, a Start menu, and apps that run in windows. Here are some of the other, more overlooked improvements. If you’re upgrading from Windows 7, you’ll also discover many of the improvements from Windows 8 . This includes everything from the new file copy dialog and Task Manager with a startup manager to improved security."

Continue reading...

Pensioner says he has the world's biggest family tree after tracking down 10,000 relatives (which include William the Conqueror, Alfred The Great and the Queen)
Daily Mail
"Roy Blackmore, 83, from Taunton, Somerset, said he discovered he is the Queen's 22nd cousin, once removed, after tracing his relatives back to AD 500. Mr Blackmore, who was born in Bath, also found out he had ties with Alfred the Great after painstakingly tracing his relatives for more than 60 years."
Continue reading...

Limerick DNA Project Provides Blueprint for Irish Family History:
Limerick Post
"A genealogical project pioneered by Limerick’s Mary Immaculate College that uses DNA to trace the genetic history of Limerick families may serve as an inspiration to other Irish communities on how to engage with their heritage, according to Minister Jimmy Deenihan."
Continue reading...

Full List of Mayflower Passengers in Gov. Bradford’s Newly-Restored Journal:
GenealogyBank
"The Northeast Document Conservation Center took on the task of conserving, repairing and restoring this historic manuscript. The NEDCC has now put a detailed article about the conservation process for this important document online."
Continue reading...

This Day in History: September 7
1630: The town of Trimountaine in Massachusetts is renamed Boston. It became the state capital.
1813: The earliest known printed reference to the United States by the nickname “Uncle Sam” occurs in the Troy Post.
1888: An incubator is used for the first time on a premature infant.
1860 Birthday: Anna Marie Robertson (Grandma Moses), American folk painter who started her career at age 78, best known for her paintings of rural life.

VGS Latest News & Tips: 27 May 2015

Meeting Reminder - Today, May 27:
Brick Wall SIG Meeting8:30 AM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center.

Meeting Reminder - Today, May 27:
General Monthly Meeting
Jim & Terry Willard will be our guest speakers.10:00 AM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center.

Meeting Reminder - Tomorrow, May 28:
New to Genealogy SIG Meeting
2:00 PM in the Gladiola Room at the Allamanda Recreation Center.

Full List of Mayflower Passengers in Gov. Bradford’s Newly-Restored Journal:
GenealogyBank
"Governor William Bradford’s (ca. 1590-1657) handwritten Of Plymouth Plantation is well known to genealogists as the earliest journal history of the Mayflower passengers, their voyage across the Atlantic, and the settlement in Plymouth Plantation."
Read more...

New FindMyPast Records Added:
FindMyPast  Announcement: 13 May 2015
"Over 202,000 new UK and Australian records, 4.4 million newspaper articles and the ability to search and existing collection of 1.9 million records have just been added as part of this week’s Findmypast Friday."
Read more...

What To Do When Your iPhone or iPad Runs Out of Space:
How-to-Geek
"Run out of space and your iPhone or iPad will inform you your storage is almost full. You won’t be able to install new apps, take photos, sync media files, install operating system updates, or do anything else that requires space until you make some."
Read more...

National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Patriot & Grave Index:
SAR
"The NSSAR Patriot / Grave Index is a database combination of the previous NSSAR Revolutionary War Graves Registry (Book and CD), information from the NSSAR Patriot Index CD (2002), and additional information and updates from various State Grave Registry Databases.  This database will continue to expand as new patriots and graves are found and new members are approved."
Search now...

This Day In History:
1967: The United States Navy aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy is launched by Jacqueline Kennedy and her daughter Caroline.
1860: Giuseppe Garibaldi begins his attack on Palermo, Sicily, as part of the Italian unification.
1647: The first recorded execution of a which reportedly took place in Massachusetts when Achsah Young was hanged.

VGS Latest News & Tips: 30 Mar 2015

Are You Researching Your Mayflower Ancestors?

Michael J. Leclerc writes "If your research leads you to family that lived in southeastern Massachusetts, there is a good chance that you may discover ancestors who lived in the Plymouth Colony. If you are very lucky, you might even find that you have some who arrived on the Mayflower. Here are three resources to help you find out more about Mayflower ancestors."
Read more...

Michael also wrote about Family Registers as Gifts. I know it's early but maybe this might be a Birthday, Christmas or Special Occasion gift idea. He writes "One of the nice things about doing genealogical research is being able to share our family history with our family and friends. In today’s digital age, we have many new and exciting ways of doing this. But sometimes it is the traditional ways that are most fun, even when they carry a modern twist.  Creating new family record or family tree broadsides from antique originals is a great way to gift your genealogical research to other family members.
Read more...

Who Do You Think You Are?

Have you missed any of the episodes from the current series of Who Do You Think You Are? You can catch up online.
Episode 3: Angie Harman
Episode 2: Josh Groban
Episode 1: Julie Chen

In Iceland’s DNA, New Clues to Disease-Causing Genes:

The New York Times:
Carl Zimmer writes "Scientists in Iceland have produced an unprecedented snapshot of a nation’s genetic makeup, discovering a host of previously unknown gene mutations that may play roles in ailments as diverse as Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and gallstones.
Read more...

News:

The Citrus County Genealogical Society will meet May 12 at 10:00 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3474 W. Southern St., Lecanto. The program will be “Tracing Immigrant Ancestors” presented by Lisa Alzo as a webinar on CD. She is a teacher of online genealogy courses for Family Tree University. This session will show you tips and tricks for locating and searching passenger lists and other key immigration documents both on and offline to help you trace your roots. Guests are welcome to attend. For questions call Mary Ann Machonkin at 382-5515 or go to www.citrusgenealogy.com

This Day in History:

30 Mar 1981: President Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest outside a Washington D.C., hotel by John Hinckley, Jr.

30 Mar 1870: Texas is readmitted to the Union following Reconstruction.

30 Mar 1867: Alaska is purchased from Russia for $7.2 million, about $.02 per acre by United States Secretary of State William H. Seward