VGS News & Events: 14 April through 20 April 2019

Coming Events:

Tuesday: April 16, 2019

Family Tree Maker Users SIG Meeting

1:00 PM in the Old Glory Room at the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center
Bev Huelett, guest speaker.
"How I Created My, Family Book Creator, Family History Book" 

Wednesday: April 17, 2019

Brick Wall SIG Meeting

8:30 AM in the Savannah Rec. Center

Wednesday: April 17, 2019

General Monthly Meeting

10:00 AM in the Savannah Recreation Center

Thursday: April 18, 2019

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Friday: April 19, 2019

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting
10:00 AM in the Clearwater Room Sea Breeze Recreation Center

Presentation: "Writing Your Family History" by Paul Clark

Gen News and Announcements:

Genealogy Goldmine Church of Ireland Parish Registers to Go Online"

Irish Central
"Does your Irish family have links to the Church of Ireland? You could find out more about their past with the help of soon-to-be digitized records."
Continue reading...

Is Your Family in the Updated Digital Library?

FamilySearch
"Where can you go to find more information about your family? Have you ever tried the FamilySearch Digital Library?"
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How a Family Group Sheet Could Become Your Secret Research Weapon:

Family History Daily
"If you’re not sure what a family group sheet is, or you’ve never gotten around to using one in your genealogy research, you’re not alone. While the concept of a family group sheet is about as basic as it gets, not every family historian out there has had the chance to embrace this clever method of research and organization."
Continue reading...

How the Genealogical Proof Standard Can Help Your Research:

Amy Johnson Crow
"The Genealogical Proof Standard might sound like something reserved for professional genealogists, but it's for anyone who wants to do sound genealogy research. Here's what it is, what it isn't, and how it can help you."
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When Will We Have Handwriting Recognition?

Genealogy's Star
"Automated, computer based, handwriting recognition is the dream of every genealogist. The challenge of handwriting recognition goes way beyond the now common Optical Character Recognition software that can recognize typed or typeset text, There are no standard sets of characters to work from; each person's handwriting is distinct and personal. It is true that the letters adhere to an underlying pattern, but the variations are overwhelmingly complex. Fortunately, there are a lot of developers around the world that are working on the problem."
Continue reading...

Technology:

How to Print From an iPad:

Lifewire
"You can print wirelessly from an iPad using several different methods: AirPrint, Google CloudPrint, and using third-party apps and print servers."
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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:

Transcribing Documents: There is More Than Meets the Eye!

Legacy Family Tree
"Genealogical proof requires the conduct of reasonably exhaustive research, preferably using original records. The emphasis on original sources means that the interpretation of handwritten records is an essential skill for genealogists. Using a variety of pre-20th century American documents, this webinar provides useful tips on the creation of a transcription--the first step in analyzing a handwritten document."
Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG, CGL
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Boost Your Germanic Research: Understand Historical Jurisdictions

Legacy Family Tree
"Meyer’s Gazetteer is great for determining jurisdictions as of 1912. Germany was not a country until 1871. In the centuries leading up to that, land areas were constantly changing hands. One must understand who controlled a given area in order to find all possible records. Topics included in this lecture are: Use of Meyer’s gazetteer and its impact on the Family History Library catalog, Macro jurisdictional changes in historical Germanic areas, Tactics for determining jurisdictions of a village or small land holding over time, Examples of changing jurisdictions for selected areas, Key German vocabulary will be included."
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Teresa Steinkamp McMillin, CG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 24 June 2018 through 30 June 2018

L-R: Pat Harchar & Peg Williams working on the Florida Pioneer Project
Learn more about the project HERE...

Coming Events:

Tuesday: January 23, 2018

Midwest SIG Meeting:

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

Wednesday: September 27, 2018

Brick Wall SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: September 27, 2018

General Monthly Meeting

9:30 AM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center (Note Time Change)

Presentation: "Filling Our Family Tree without Breaking the Bank"

A live webinar with Katherine R. Willson"

If you are unable to the meeting, you can view the webinar online .
You need to register to attend online...

Register HERE

The webinar will also be placed on our website for 90 days following the live presentation. You do not need to register if attending in person.

Gen News and Announcements:

Pioneer Scanning Project Update:

Pat Rand: Project Coordinator
Thanks to all of you who have continued to volunteer over the summer. There are so many who want to help that we still haven't been able to get everyone scheduled. It appears that we are probably over the half-way mark, as we are finished with the H-Ls and are working on M.

It's now 2 months into the project and we have done:517 applications this month, for a total of 1,05022,099 pages scanned, for a total of 37,500 (and remember, it is really DOUBLE that as each application is scanned twice).

The following volunteers have helped this month: Pat Adams, Bob Boerst, Mary Frances Gerace, Nancy Goodpasture, Barb Gunther, Pat Harchar, Cindy Hineman, Peg Hoskins, Bar Kelly, Scrib Kelly, Donna Koeppel, Carol Mrak, Al Paul, Mary Todd, Marge Watkins, Ruth Wible, and Bruce and Peg Williams.

We really appreciate all the help, and besides, it's been a lot of fun getting to know some of our members.

15 Ways to Solve Your Family History Mystery Once and for All:

Family History Daily
"This article is an excerpt from our online genealogy research course, The Genealogy Journey. The lesson here is part of an in-depth section on breaking down genealogical brick walls – which includes an additional 8 step, highly detailed strategy for solving even the toughest family mysteries."
Continue reading...

Summer Genealogy Inspiration:

The Occasional Genealogist
"Does summer have you avoiding or missing out on genealogy? It might be the weather or maybe it's your summer schedule. No matter the reason, summer can either be a great time to accomplish some genealogy or a genealogical waste-land (that you often don't even understand)."
Continue reading...

Courthouse Research Tips For Genealogists:

Lisa Louise Cooke
"Got a research trip coming up soon? These courthouse research tips for genealogists from The Archive Lady, Melissa Barker, will help you get organized before you hit the road. That way, you’ll be prepared to use your time well at your ancestor’s courthouse–to explore all those original records that may reveal your family history."
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Weigh In On DNA Standards:

The Legal Genealogist
"The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) has made it clear that it intends to more fully incorporate genetic evidence into Genealogy Standards. A committee tasked with reviewing the issue has proposed new and amended standards, and the Board is inviting public comment on the proposals."
Continue reading...

Finding Records From the War to End All Wars: Thinking “Outside-The-Box”

Genealogists.com

"This article highlights some “thinking-outside-the-box” records (a vital component of successful genealogical research!) at these sites."

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The FREE DNA Tool You Need to Know: Gedmatch

The Occasional Genealogist
"Are you interested in genetic genealogy? That’s genealogy using DNA testing. There is a great free tool you need to make sure you’re using."
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Family Legends: Fact or Fiction

The Sunburned Penguin
"We all have them. Family stories told by our grandparents about their grandparents. Tales of heroism, derring-do or just black sheep. As genealogists, we want to investigate these stories to determine how much of the story is actually true. Let’s look at four family legend case studies!"
Continue reading...

Technology:

Apple Claims iOS 12 Will Speed Up Old Devices:

How-to-Geek
"Updates often slow down your iPhone, but Apple says this update will speed your phone up. iOS 12 will speed up everything from your app launches to your keyboard and camera."
Continue reading...

Siri is Getting Custom Voice Actions in iOS 12:

How-to-Geek
"Siri is about to get a lot more powerful. Custom voice commands for any app will allow you to say “Hey Siri, I lost my keys” to instantly launch an app that will help you find them."
Continue reading...

Education:

Irish Immigration Wave: The Emerald Isle Comes to America:

Ancestral Findings
"Millions of Irish immigrants came to America in the mid-19th century to escape the horrors of the potato famine. Here, they faced new struggles. Learn more now."
Listen now...  5.16 minutes

Webinars:

Lightroom or Photoshop? What should I use for my photo editing?

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Many people just don't understand what tools they have available to them when it comes to editing photos. Within Adobe's Creative Suite, there are two programs designed specifically with photographers in mind: Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom. At first glance, these two programs might appear redundant, as they're both made with the goal of editing photographs of all kinds. But the truth is,  each program is designed with a different purpose in mind, and each offers a distinct post-production photography workflow. My webinar will breakdown why you should choose one over the other and why both of them are important to know and use."
Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Jared Hodges
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS Latest News & Tips: 17 December 2015

Today: Thursday, December 17, 2015

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Tomorrow: Friday, December 18, 2015

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

In Memoriam:
John Kyle Bryan Jr., 93, of The Villages, FL, and formerly of East Glenville, NY died in the early morning of December 8, 2015. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, he was the son of John K. and Susan O. Bryan and brother to Robert Bryan, and half sisters to Martha Bryan Wiese and Dorothy Bryan Sweet.
Editor's Note: John had been a member of The VGS since 2005.
Read the complete obituary...

All Members Now Moving to the New Ancestry:
Ancestry
"Over a year ago, based on extensive research into our members’ wants and needs, we set out to build a better website that reinvents the way Ancestry helps you discover and tell your family story. On December 15, we will complete the final transition worldwide to the new Ancestry site."
Continue reading...

What is the Genealogical Proof Standard and Why Should You Use It?
AncestralFindings
"What is the Genealogical Proof Standard? Why should you care, and why should you use it in your genealogy research? It's an important tool. Here's why."
Listen to podcast... (6 Minutes)

Researching Mysterious Family Legends: Secrets, Ghost Stories & Satanic Cults:
Ancestry
"My friend and I were chatting about genealogy when I mentioned that my one of my ancestors might have belonged to a Satanic cult. “Wow,” she gushed."
Continue reading...

A Novel Idea Leads To Family Reunion:

swvatoday.com

"GLADE SPRING, Va. — When Pamela Mink became interested in her ancestry about eight years ago, she never imagined it would lead to an emotional journey hundreds of miles from her Glade Spring home and a reunion with family members she never knew existed."

Continue reading...

How to Find Out Which Build and Version of Windows 10 You Have:
How-to-Geek
"Microsoft has hidden the build number in an attempt to make Windows 10 look always-up-to-date, and there are still different editions of Windows 10 with different features. Microsoft is also still offering both 64-bit and 32-bit versions of Windows 10, too."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: December 17
1903: Near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first successful flight in history of a self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft.
1927: U.S. Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg suggests a worldwide pact renouncing war.
1944: U.S. approves end to internment of Japanese Americans. U.S. Major General Henry C. Pratt issues Public Proclamation No. 21, declaring that Japanese American "evacuees" from the West Coast could return to their homes effective January 2, 1945.
1908 Birthday: Willard Frank Libby, American chemist who won a Nobel Prize for his part in creating the carbon-14 method in dating ancient findings.