VGS News & Events: 7 July through 13 July 2019

Coming Events:
Monday, July 8, 2019  (Live Webinar)
Writing the Family Narrative: A Strategy for Breaking Down Brick Walls
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Our guest speaker will be: Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL

Please register for the webinar here...

Thursday: July 11, 2019

German Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Friday: July 12, 2019

Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting

10:00 AM in the Rhett Butler Room at the Savannah Center

Gen News and Announcements:

What is the Difference Between BillionGraves and Find A Grave? Part I: For Researchers

Billion Graves
"This blog post is the first of a two-part series. It focuses on how the differences between BillionGraves and Find A Grave impact research for genealogists."
Continue reading...

What is the Difference Between BillionGraves and Find A Grave? Part II: For Volunteers

Billion Graves

"This blog post is the second in a two-part series and it focuses on how BillionGraves and Find A Grave are different for those who volunteer to take photos and record gravestone data."

Continue reading...

New Free Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of 1 July 2019

FamilySearch
"FamilySearch added new, free, historical records this week from Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Italy, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the United States, including Arizona, California, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, and Pennsylvania."
Search Now...

9 Surprising Things About the U.S. Census Every Genealogist Should Know:

Family History Daily
"U.S. census records are a critically important part of just about any genealogical project – at least those involving ancestors who lived in the United States between 1790 and 1940. But, as with other sources, information noted in a census record can’t always be taken at face value."
Continue reading...

How to Save Your Family Treasures Before It’s Too Late:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Where to begin? As tempting as it is to start “organizing” right away, there are some things you need to take care of first."
Continue reading...

23andme Basics and an Update:

Kitty Cooper
"My favorite capabilities at 23andme are: finding new relatives with DNA and comparing them in the chromosome browser, looking at my ancestry composition in depth, and having the ability to look up specific genes. Most of the recent changes at 23andme are to the ancestry composition tools, specifically there is more granularity in the areas it shows for your ancestors’ origins."
Continue reading...

Technology:

How to Search All Your PC’s Files in Windows 10’s Start Menu:

How to Geek
"Windows 10’s May 2019 Update finally adds the ability to search all your PC’s files directly from your Start menu. However, this feature is disabled by default. Here’s how to enable it for quicker, easier file searches."
Continue reading...

Education:

Finding Ancestors with Common Surnames:

Ancestral Findings
"Do you have an ancestor with an incredibly common surname or a surname that is a place, verb, or noun? These people can be tricky to identify in old records. Join me today on the Ancestral Findings Podcast and I’ll give you some tips for searching for them, and finding them, in old newspaper records."
Listen now... 8.22 minutes

Webinars:

Prince Edward Island Repositories and Records

Legacy Family Tree
"We will review the different databases, repositories, and record collections for Prince Edward Island, Canada ancestors. This session will focus on Irish immigrants and the records they left behind."
Wednesday, July 10, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Melanie McComb
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

DNA, Genealogy, and Privacy: Handling the Double-Edged Sword

Legacy Family Tree
"Has your concern for privacy prevented you or a family member for taking a DNA test? What about sharing your genealogy research data online with practical strangers (even though you might be related)? Especially as personal DNA testing increases in popularity, and with increased media attention about cold cases solved using DNA data and the use of genealogy databases, today’s genealogist needs to stay on top of the latest information concerning privacy. We’ll review the current status of privacy practices by the five major DNA test kit vendors, current laws and regulations, the role of law enforcement, and what we might expect to see related to privacy in the future."
Friday, July 12, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Thomas MacEntee
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 28 April through 4 May 2019

Coming Events:

Wednesday: May 1, 2019

French Canadian Genealogy SIG Meeting:

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

Thursday: May 2, 2019

Eastern European Genealogy SIG Meeting:

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

Friday: May 3, 2019

British SIG Meeting:

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

Gen News and Announcements:

9 Surprising Things About the U.S. Census Every Genealogist Should Know:

Family History Daily
"Despite how valuable census records have become to family history researchers, they were not created for this purpose. For this reason we need to understand everything we can about this go-to resource if we are to walk away with the most accurate data available. Here are 9 census facts that may surprise you."
Continue reading...

News: Citrus County

The Citrus County Genealogical Society will meet May 14 at 10:00 AM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3474 W. Southern St., Lecanto. Amy Johnson Crow, CG, will present a webinar about “How do I Know That’s my Ancestor?” How do you know if the record you’re looking at is referring to your ancestor? Learn how to examine information so you can tell if it’s your ancestor and not just someone with the same name. Guests are welcome to attend. For information call Mary Ann Machonkin at 352-382-5515 or go to www.citrusgenealogy.com

Spring Cleaning: Tidying Up Your Genealogy:

The In-Depth Genealogist
"As spring arrives in the Northern Hemisphere, many of us are thinking of spring cleaning. Opening up the windows, letting the sunshine and warm temperatures in. As we contemplate the chores to be done around the house and yard to clean up from the long drawn out winter, we should also think about how we can tidy up our collection of genealogy “stuff.”"
Continue reading...

Keys to Making Your Unknown Parentage Case a Success:

Legacy Tree Genealogists
"Congratulations! You’ve given this a lot of thought, and you’re ready to find your birth parents. You know this is a big job, so you’ve asked Legacy Tree Genealogists to help. We’re on it, and we can’t wait to get started."
Continue reading...

Preserving Living Genealogy: How to Conduct a Family History Interview

Legacy Tree Genealogists
"Summer is coming! Anticipated vacations are being planned, and family reunions are in the works. Now is the perfect time to begin arrangements for capturing the memories and stories of older generations. Here are some suggestions for conducting a quality family history interview to preserve the stories of your loved ones."
Continue reading...

Tips for Identifying and Establishing Provenance of Family Records:

GenealogyBank

"In this article, Mary Harrell-Sesniak gives tips for establishing the provenance of family records – and provides a handy checklist. Mary is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background."

Continue reading...

Technology:

How to Use and Customize the Windows 10 Action Center:

How-to-Geek
"With the Action Center, Windows 10 finally provides a central place for notifications and quick actions to live. Here’s how to use and customize it."
Continue reading...

Education:

How to Make Sure the Stories of Your Family Heirlooms Don't Get Lost:

Ancestral Findings
"Are you still looking for an elusive maiden name in your family tree? Today, I’ll give you three new suggestions to help you uncover it and discover a new family line."
Listen now...  7.06 minutes

Webinars:

English Parish Records: More than Hatch, Match and Dispatch

Legacy Family Tree
"Most people are familiar with the baptism, marriage and burial records found in parish records but there are many other wonderful parish records that can help in genealogical research. These include Vestry minutes, Churchwarden Accounts, settlement certificates, examinations and removal orders, Parish poor rates and relief distribution, Parish apprenticeships, parish payments for work done within the parish, parish assisted emigration and more."
Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 10:00 p.m.  (This is the correct time)
Presenter: Helen V. Smith
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

How to Use Autosomal DNA to Resolve Historical Paternity Cases:

Legacy Family Tree
"All of us are aware that DNA testing is a formidable tool to address paternity cases. However, when talking about paternity testing, the subjects tested are all alive and willing to provide a DNA sample. The normal procedure involves testing the alleged father, the mother and the child. However, what can be done if in our genealogical research we are presented with a similar instance, but that occurred 100-200 years in the past? What to do if the three candidates are now deceased? Is there a way to use DNA testing to confidently reach a conclusion regarding the suspected paternity? In this webinar, Ugo Perego will explain how to use Y chromosome and autosomal DNA testing as tools to unlock suspected biological relationships."
Wednesday, May 1, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Ugo Perego
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Foundations of Scottish Genealogy 1 of 12: The Top 3 Resources

Legacy Family Tree
"Finding your Scottish ancestors is impossible without the vast and essential resources of ScotlandsPeople, ScotlandsPlaces and the National Library of Scotland. This introductory session will show participants how to register for and access these resources, and exactly what is and is not free to search and/or download. This class, an essential prerequisite for the others following, provides the foundation for this exclusive 12-part series of Scottish genealogy taught by one of Scotland's top genealogists, Dr. Bruce Durie."
Friday, May 3, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Dr. Bruce Durie
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 13 January 2019 through 19 January 2019

Coming Events:

Tuesday: January 15, 2019

Family Tree Maker Users SIG Meeting

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

Topic: "Back to the Basics" + your questions answered
Note: This and all future meetings will be held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. Same time and location...

Wednesday: January 16, 2019

Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting

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

Thursday: January 17, 2019

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Friday: January 18, 2019

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Gen News and Announcements:

Received a DNA Test for the Holidays? Here’s What You Should Know

Family History Daily
"It’s pretty thrilling, after all, to finally discover how much Irish you really are, or if Grandma Jane was right when she said you have a distant Native American ancestor. You might even be hoping to connect with lost relatives."
Continue reading...

News:  Finding Your Roots... Mystery Men 

Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
"Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps actors Felicity Huffman and Michael K. Williams discover a wealth of hidden family history. Both grew up knowing little about their biological fathers, and seeing their lost ancestry restored proves deeply empowering. Premieres Tuesday, January 15, 8/7c"

News:  RootsMagic 7 Minor Update (7.5.8.0) Available

"We have released a free minor update for RootsMagic 7 users, version 7.5.8.0.  This update primarily fixes bugs introduced by changes FamilySearch made to their API.
If you haven't already downloaded the update, look for the "Update Available" indicator in the lower right corner of your RootsMagic 7 program screen, and click on it."

Couple Sue Vermont Gynecologist For Fathering Child:

WCAX3
"The family found out just recently when their now 41-year-old daughter wanted to find her genetic background to learn more about her health and background. She used websites like..."
Continue reading...
This is another example of what might be discovered from a simple DNA test...

Year-End Round Up of New Genealogy Records Online:

Lisa Louise Cooke
"It’s the end of another year, and as 2018 comes to a close we’ve rounded up the last of the new online records collections for you. Explore a unique collection of Catholic Church records in Peru, dating back to the 17th century. Next you can view Jewish registers online at Ancestry.com, browse unique historical collections for the U.S., and check out German civil registrations new and updated at FamilySearch."
Continue reading...

Enemies of Your Genealogy Documents: Metal Fasteners, Paper Clips, and Tape

Lisa Louise Cooke
"Genealogists, like archivists, encounter staples, metal paper clips, rubber bands, tape and other fasteners attached to records. These were used frequently to keep documents together back in the day. Knowing what these items can do to genealogical records and how to remove them is a skill that every genealogist should have."
Continue reading...

Technology:

How to Use Google Lens on the iPhone:

How-to-Geek
"If you’re a fan of Google Lens, you now have another avenue for accessing the feature in iOS, because it’s now included in the Google Search app on the iPhone. Here’s how to use it."
Continue reading...

Education:

Mystery Ancestor? How to Discover Their Origins Using Documents and DNA:

Ancestral Findings
"Do you have a mystery ancestor? If you believe you don't have any more ways to research this person, you're wrong. In this episode, I’ll show you what you can do to discover the truth about their background."
Listen now...  4.52 minutes

Webinars:

Visualizing Information for Client Reports:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"This presentation will show how to use text and images effectively in client research and why it matters. Several examples will illustrate how to go from raw data to a polished, professional display of information."
Tuesday, January 15, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Margaret R. Fortier, CG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

What Would You Do If You Had Five Days in Washington, DC?

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"When you have mined web sources for records in Washington, DC, and your appetite has been whetted for a trip to see for yourself the vast array of repositories and sources available there, how will you plan your trip to make the most of the time available? This class presents a plan for an actual research trip to DC and suggestions about transportation, lodging, and other practical matters."
Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Pamela Boyer Sayre, CG, CGL
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 6 January 2019 through 12 January 2019

Coming Events:

Monday: January 7, 2019
Jewish Genealogy SIG Meeting:
10:00 AM in the MacArthur Room at the Eisenhower Recreation Center

Topic: "Mapping Your Family History", Mike Schwartz, JGS of Southern New Jersey

Monday: January 7, 2019
Roots Magic SIG Meeting:
2:30 PM in the New Smyrna Room at the Recreation Center

Monday: January 7, 2019
Online Webinar
7:00 PM
Topic: "Finding Your American Ancestors in Canadian Records"
Presented by: Kathryn Lake Hogan, UE, PLCCS
Register to attend HERE...

Tuesday: January 8, 2019

Preserving Family History SIG Meeting

2:30 PM in the Destin Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center
Topic: "Legacy Packets for Grandchildren" by Paul Clark

Tuesday: January 8, 2019

Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: January 9, 2019

Irish Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: January 9, 2019

New to Genealogy SIG Meeting

2:30 PM in the Neptune Beach Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center

Thursday: January 10, 2019

German Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Topic: "The Fuggers of Augsburg: 15th Century International Bankers and Venture Capitalists" by Margaret Sgritta

Friday: January 11, 2019

Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting

10:00 AM in the Rhett Butler Room at the Savannah Center
Topic: "Autosomal DNA Tools"

Gen News and Announcements:

Letter from Our CEO: Celebrating 2018 and a Fresh Look at What’s Ahead

Ancestry
"My goal for the future of Ancestry is to build on our 30 years of family history leadership, bringing together an obsession for great customer experiences and using technology to unlock more possibilities for our members to create family trees, find and share stories, and make meaningful connections."
Continue reading...

Where Am I Saving My Digitized Family Photos?

Genea-Musings
"For my family tree information (names, relationships, dates, places, notes, sources, etc.), photographs and stories, I think the best, most long-lasting, place is the FamilySearch Family Tree.
I have my family photographs on:"
Continue reading...

Why You Should Be Using WorldCat Now!

Legacy News
"Are you familiar with WorldCat? No? One of my favorite resources, WorldCat  is an important tool for genealogy researchers that can make the difference between finding information you need to document your ancestor and coming up short."
Continue reading...

The Italian Ancestors Project—Connecting Descendants Worldwide

FamilySearch - Diane Sagers
"In the 1890s, Giovanni Benvenga, a poor Italian immigrant from the southern province of Salerno, Italy, left his beloved town of Sassano, Italy, where his family had lived for hundreds of years. He eventually married Rosina Garone, another Italian immigrant, in Jersey City, New Jersey.
More than 100 years later, their descendants, now scattered across the United States, know very little to nothing about Giovanni and Rosina. As they experience their own life events, they find themselves wondering about their Italian origin. They struggle to tell adequately the fascinating stories of their Italian ancestors to their own posterity."
Continue reading...

The 15 Minute Plan for Achieving Your Genealogy Goals in 2019:

Family History Daily
"It’s every family historian’s dream to devote all of our waking hours to genealogy. Unfortunately, many of us don’t have the luxury of unlimited time - work, family, school, and other obligations often leave little room for hobbies. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't pursue our goals with gusto. Here's a plan to help"
Continue reading...

Online Genealogy Records Can Disappear: Simple Ways to Protect Your Research:

Family History Daily
"These days, millions of people have family trees online, with facts and sources gathered from the many online databases that are available via paid subscription sites and free genealogy archives. If you yourself have created a family tree with numerous records to prove your facts, you’re doing a great job. Adding sources to your tree is one of the most important things you can do for your research."
Continue reading...

Technology:

How Microsoft Is About to Make Google Chrome Even Better:

How-to-Geek
"You’ve probably heard Microsoft will base its Edge browser on Chromium, the open-source project that forms the basis for Google Chrome. That won’t just make Edge better—Microsoft contributing to Chromium means Microsoft’s efforts will make Chrome better, too."
Continue reading...

Education:

Give Your Genealogy an Annual Checkup:

Ancestral Findings...
"Have you ever considered performing an annual checkup on your genealogy? It is something every serious genealogist should do. Put it on your calendar each year to make sure your work is as strong as it can be. Today I’ll talk about how to do a proper genealogy checkup."
Listen now... 7.49 minutes

Webinars:

Monday: January 7, 2019

Finding Your American Ancestors in Canadian Records:

Learn more...
Register here...

A VGS Monday Evening Event

Maintaining an Organized Computer:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Files here, programs there, lost bits and bytes everywhere. Are you tired of searching your computer fruitlessly? Frustrated when you can't find the notes you created in your word processor? Learn how to set up a foolproof filing system and an electronic workbook to correspond with your offline research."
Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Cyndi Ingle (Cyndi's List)
Learn more or Register for this webinar...