VGS Latest News & Tips: 17 March 2016

Today: Thursday: March 17, 2016

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Tomorrow: Friday: March 18, 2016

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting

10:00 AM in the Clearwater Room Sea Breeze Recreation Center
St. Patrick's Day History and Traditions:
Wilster
"This holiday is celebrated every year on March 17th, honoring the Irish patron saint, St. Patrick. The celebrations are largely Irish culture themed and typically consist of wearing green, parades, and drinking. Some churches may hold religious services and many schools and offices close in Suffolk County, the area containing Boston and its suburbs."
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AncestryDNA Offers 10% Discount Through St. Patrick's Day! Today is the last day of this sale!

Ancestry

"Have you considered a DNA test to resolve ancestor brick walls or finding your ethnicity using DNA? AncestryDNA, the world’s largest autosomal DNA database, is offering a 10% discount for one week only through midnight on March 17 in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day!"

Order a Test Kit...

Irish Genealogy Research Trips: 5 Tips for On-Location Success:
Crestleaf
"How to Get the Most Out of Irish Genealogy Research Trips Abroad"
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Origin of “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” Saying:
Ancestry
"To get you ready for St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th, we wanted to share the story behind that famous phrase and discuss how the luck of the Irish might be in your DNA. And, this St. Patrick’s day might just be the right time for you to try AncestryDNA, if you haven’t already."
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RootsMagic Adds Direct Import of Family Tree Maker Files:
Roots Magic
"Since Ancestry’s announcement that they were parting ways with their Family Tree Maker software, thousands of FTM users have found a new home in RootsMagic. One of the first questions they have is, “How do I get my data from FTM into RootsMagic?”
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You Don’t Need a Product Key to Install and Use Windows 10:
How-to-Geek
"Microsoft allows anyone to download Windows 10 for free and install it without a product key. It’ll keep working for the foreseeable future, with only a few small cosmetic restrictions. And you can even pay to upgrade to a licensed copy of Windows 10 after you install it."
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This Day In History: 17 March

1868: The first postage stamp canceling machine patent is issued.

1905: Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, niece of President Theodore Roosevelt, marries Franklin D. Roosevelt in New York.

1910: The Camp Fire Girls are founded in Lake Sebago, Maine.

1902 Birthday: Bobby Jones, American golfer.

VGS Latest News & Tips: 17 Mar 2015

Mr. & Mrs. Voyles: Cultural Event 2012

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Who Was St. Patrick? St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity’s most widely known figures. But for all his celebrity, his life remains somewhat of a mystery.

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Become Fluent in Irish Slang

It's St. Patrick’s Day!  If you’re looking to beef up on your Irish slang, look no further than our list of words used throughout Ireland and their meanings.

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New Irish Genealogy Records Released in 2014: Just in time for St Patrick's Day, Irish Genealogy News has published a 20-page e-booklet providing brief details of all the brand-new or, in some cases, upgraded Irish Genealogy resources released in 2014. It's FREE!

Download a copy...

FREE Irish Genealogy Webinars: Now through Wednesday March 18th, you can view three Irish genealogy-related webinars from the library of over 200 recorded webinars at Legacy Family Tree Webinars!
• The Three Cs of Irish Research: Civil Registration, Church Records, and Census: Three of the main Irish genealogical resources of key importance to those tracing their Irish ancestors are census returns, church records, and civil registration (vital records). Although pre-1901 census records were almost completely destroyed and church records also suffered from either a lack of record keeping or destruction, much still exists. This presentation is an overview of surviving censuses and census substitutes, church records and civil registration.
• Breaking Down Your Irish Brick Wall: Irish Estate Records: Where do you turn when you can’t find your Irish ancestors in civil registration, church records or what few censuses survive? Experienced researchers dive right in to the Irish estate records. There is a surprising array of material in estate records that can be used to document the tenants who lived on the estates that covered rural Ireland. In this webinar you will learn how to identify the estate where your ancestor lived, repositories where estate records might be found, and what types of records were kept.
• Some Lesser Known Irish Resources: This webinar is an overview of some lesser known Irish resources that may provide additional information about your Irish ancestors. Some of the sources that will be discussed include school records, taxation sources and court records.