VGS Latest News & Tips: 14 February 2017

Reminders:
Today: February 14, 2017

Genealogy Writers SIG Meeting

2:30 PM in the Churchill Downs Room in the Pimlico Recreation Center
Topic: "How to Interview Your Relatives" with guest speaker Bob Boerst, VGS Newsletter Editor and former Human Resources executive.

Tomorrow: February 15, 2017

Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting

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

Tomorrow: February 15, 2017

New to Genealogy SIG Meeting

2:30 PM in the Chateaugay Room at the Chatham Recreation Center
Topic: "Getting Started on Your Genealogy" 

Gen News:

10 Valentine’s Day Traditions All Around the World:

Huffington's Post
"In the U.S., shelves brimming with teddy bears and boxes of chocolate are typical Valentine’s Day fare, but not every country turns to greeting cards and heart-shaped candies to declare love. Some exchange wooden spoons..."
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The Real Truth Behind Coats of Arms and Family Crests:

Ancestral Findings
"One of the first things a lot of beginning genealogists want to explore is their family crest or coat of arms. It is a mistaken belief among beginners that every family has one of these somewhere in their ancient history, and newcomers to the genealogical field naturally want to celebrate their family by bringing their coat of arms back to life."
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Over 282,000 individuals added to our Parish Record Collection:

The Genealogist
"We have added over 282,000 individuals to our extensive Parish Record collection. With records from Essex, Cumberland and Norfolk, making it easier to find your ancestors' baptisms, marriages and burials in these fully searchable records covering ancient parishes. Some of the records go back as far as 1672."
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Tech:

What Is Adobe Lightroom, and Do I Need It?

How-to-Geek
"Adobe Photoshop Lightroom confuses a lot of new photographers. It has Photoshop in the name, but it isn’t Photoshop? What gives?"
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How to Get Notifications for Only the Emails You Care About in Gmail:

How-to-Geek
"Email is a powerful tool that we all use, but it can also be exceedingly annoying to get notifications for every single message that hits your inbox. With Gmail, however, there are a variety of ways to keep things silent, yet still immediately know about the messages that are important to you."
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Education:

Tips for Researching German Genealogy:

Ancestral Findings
"Researching your German ancestors takes knowledge and ingenuity. It is not like researching ancestors in America. Germany has only actually been one unified nation since 1871. Many people doing German genealogy research may find this surprising. However, it is an important point that has a huge impact on how you will go about doing your German genealogy research.
Watch video... 9.17 minutes

VGS Reminders: 15-19 February 2016

Debra Fleming was our guest speaker at our January General Meeting

Tuesday: February 16, 2016

Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: February 17, 2016

Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting

9:30 AM in the Jasmine Room at the Hibiscus Recreation Center

Wednesday: February 17, 2016

New to Genealogy SIG Meeting

2:30 PM in the Chateaugay Room at the Chatham Recreation Center

Thursday: February 18, 2016

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Friday: February 19, 2016

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Love Stories:
Ancestry
"This article originally appeared in Ancestry Magazine, November-December 2009.
Ever stop to think about how, what, why? How your grandparents met each other. What exactly attracted them to one another. Why they married, had children, and chose to either stay together or go their separate ways."
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By the way, Happy St. Valentine's Day!

7 Valentine’s Day Traditions of Your Victorian Ancestors:
Crestleaf
"Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! And while this day of romantic love may not be considered a public holiday in many parts of the world, it is still celebrated all over as a time to show our fondness for sweethearts, friends and family. The history of Valentine’s Day, though shrouded in somewhat of a mystery, began before the Victorian era. But, by the time your Victorian ancestors were born, Valentine’s Day was beginning to become quite the popular holiday."
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This Is Your Last Chance To Register for the 2016 Annual Seminar:
Seats are still available for this years annual seminar. Deadline to register by mail is Saturday February 20. For last minute reservations, call 352-205-6294. You must be a resident or a guest of a resident of The Villages, Florida to attend.
The seminar will be held on February 24, 2016 and our guest speaker will be J. Mark Lowe, CG.
Mr. Lowe, is a a full-time professional genealogist, author, and teacher.
Download the Info & Registration Packet

This Day In History: 13 February

1542: Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII, is beheaded for adultery.

1865: The Confederacy approves the recruitment of slaves as soldiers, as long as the approval of their owners is gained.

1936: First social security checks are put in the mail.

1922 Birthday: Harold “Hal” Moore Jr., US Army lieutenant general, author; led 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment at 1965 Battle of Ia Drang Valley; his best-known book, co-authored with combat journalist Joe Galloway, is “We Were Soldiers Once . . . And Young,” an account of that battle.