Showing posts with label Vital Records. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vital Records. Show all posts

Saturday, March 3, 2018

VGS News & Events: 4 March 2018 through 10 March 2018

Thanks to the Recycle Volunteers assisting at the 2018 Seminar
Coming Events:
Monday: March 5, 2018
Jewish Genealogy SIG Meeting:
10:00 AM in the MacArthur Room at the Eisenhower Recreation Center
Monday: March 5, 2018
Roots Magic SIG Meeting:
2:30 PM in the New Smyrna Room at the Recreation Center
Topic: Staffing for Our SIG Booth at the March 28th "Family History Expo." 
Tuesday: March 6, 2018
Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting
1:00 PM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center
Wednesday: March 7, 2018
French Canadian Genealogy SIG Meeting:
9:00 AM in the Julio Iglesias Room at the La Hacienda Recreation Center
Thursday: March 8, 2018
German Genealogy SIG Meeting
9:30 AM in the Reliance Room at the Late Miona Recreation Center
Topic: "Genealogical Proof for the Everyday Genealogist" presented by VP Annette Burke Lyttle.
Thursday: March 15, 2018
New England SIG Meeting
Topic: A Trip to the Leesburg Library to meet librarian Tom Wilcox who will instruct our group on family researching within the library.
For more information contact Christine Courtwright at: number1cc@gmail.com

Gen News and Announcements:

DNA Quest:

My Heritage
The following was written by My Heritage.

MyHeritage is excited to announce a new pro bono initiative — DNA Quest — to help adoptees and their birth families reunite through DNA testing.
As part of DNA Quest, we are giving out 15,000 MyHeritage DNA kits — worth more than one million dollars — for free, with free shipping, to eligible participants. 

MyHeritage has set up an advisory board of top experts in the fields of genetic genealogy and adoption to guide and support this initiative on a voluntary basis. The advisory board includes: CeCe Moore, founder of The DNA Detectives; Blaine Bettinger, The Genetic Genealogist; Richard Weiss of DNA Adoption; Richard Hill, DNA Testing Adviser; Katharine Tanya, founder of Adopted.com; Brianne Kirkpatrick, founder of Watershed DNA; Pamela Slaton, investigative genealogist; Leah Larkin, The DNA Geek; and Susan Friel-Williams, Vice President, American Adoption Congress.

Participation is open to adoptees seeking to find their biological family members, or anyone looking for a family member who was placed for adoption. Preference will be given to people who are not able to afford genetic testing, and to those who apply first. The first phase of the initiative is open to U.S. residents, involving adoptions that took place in the U.S. Additional phases may be considered in the future based on the success of the first phase, which begins now. Future phases may include other countries as well as additional circumstances, such as children of sperm donors and non-paternity events.

Adoptees and family members searching for their biological relatives can apply for a free MyHeritage DNA kit at DNAQuest.org through April 30, 2018. Participants will be selected, and their free DNA kits will be shipped to them by the end of May 2018. Results are expected as early as July 2018. The DNA Quest website includes additional information about the initiative, and a detailed section with answers to frequently asked questions.

Those who have already taken a DNA test with another company are invited to upload their DNA data to MyHeritage for free and participate in this initiative as well.

We invite you to share the link https://www.dnaquest.org with all your followers, to reach and therefore help as many people as possible.

Please see the press release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180301006043/en

Please see the blog post here:
https://blog.myheritage.com/2018/03/introducing-dna-quest-new-pro-bono-initiative-to-reunite-adoptees-with-their-biological-families/

Please find a visual here:
https://blog.myheritage.com/wp-content/uploads/PR_rootstech_2018_DNA_quest_2-5-875x472.jpg

MyHeritage Releases Chromosome Browser Upgrade to Facilitate Better Exploration and Interpretation of DNA Matches:

My Heritage
"A chromosome browser is a graphical tool that represents a person’s chromosomes. It visualizes DNA segments shared by two people who have matching DNA, that may originate from one or more shared ancestors. By studying those segments and testing the DNA of additional relatives, it is possible to determine who the segments originated from and understand the relationship path between the two people."
Continue reading...

Yes, You CAN Download Your Tree From Ancestry.com – Here’s How

Family History Daily
"We see this question quite a bit so we thought we’d quickly show you how you can easily download a GEDCOM from Ancestry that you can use as a backup, or to import in to virtually any family tree program or family history tree website."
Continue reading...

Why You May Be Reading Your DNA Results All Wrong:

Family History Daily
"Millions of people received DNA tests over the holiday season and, as results start to finally roll in, many of you will be looking at ethnicity reports for the first time  – 39% of this, 22% of that, 2% of something totally surprising…it can all be very exciting. But what does it all mean?
Continue reading...

Offline Vital Records are Critical to Your Research, and Ordering Them is Easier Than You Think:

Family History Daily
"This article explains how to find out where offline vital records are stored and how to order them, often online. For even more help with offline genealogy research, read our guide."
Continue reading...

Technology:

What is the Latest Version of Windows 10?

How-to-Geek
"The latest version of Windows 10 is the Fall Creators Update—version “1709”—and was released in September 2017. Microsoft releases new major updates every six months."
Continue reading...

How to Check if Your Password Has Been Stolen:

How-to-Geek
"Many websites have leaked passwords. Attackers can download databases of usernames and passwords and use them to “hack” your accounts. This is why you shouldn’t reuse passwords for important websites, because a leak by one site can give attackers everything they need to sign into other accounts."
Continue reading...

Education:

GeneFoods: The Pumpkin Pie:

AncestralFindings
"Have you ever wondered who invented pumpkin pie? It wasn't just one person. The story of pumpkin pie is much more interesting than that. Today you’ll learn more about this food on the Ancestral Findings Podcast."
Listen Now... 9.11 minutes 

Webinars:

Overcoming Brick Walls Caused by Record Loss:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Many records have been lost due to climate, poor storage, and war. Often it is possible to find alternative records if you know where to look. Federal records such as the census, and cemetery records both local and national are just two of the many record types to check to find ancestors who lived in areas where records were destroyed or lost."
Wednesday, March 7, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Mary Hill, AG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Sunday, October 8, 2017

VGS News & Events: 8 October 2017 through 14 October 2017

Coming Events:
Monday: October 9, 2017
Family Tree Maker Users SIG Meeting
1:00 PM in the Patriot Room at the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center
Tuesday: October 10, 2017
Adoption SIG Meeting
9:30 AM at the Coordinators Home
Contact Anne Berg for address & directions.
Tuesday: October 10, 2017
Genealogy Writers SIG Meeting
2:30 PM in the Destin Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center
Wednesday: October 11, 2017
Irish Genealogy SIG Meeting
Due to room renovations this meeting has been cancelled.
Wednesday: October 11, 2017
New to Genealogy SIG Meeting
2:30 PM in the Neptune Beach Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center
Thursday: October 12, 2017
German Genealogy SIG Meeting
9:30 AM in the Reliance Room at the Late Miona Recreation Center
Topics: "Blind Searches on Ancestry.com by Al Becker" with the addition of: "Attendees' Impressions of 1st IGGP Conference in July." 
Friday: October 13, 2017
Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting
10:00 AM in the Rhett Butler Room at the Savannah Center
Topic: VGS member and Genetic Genealogy SIG regular, James Brown, will present: "Finding Smith - A Genetic Melodrama - How DNA Was Used to Trace the Identity of Unknown Ancestors With a Very Common Surname."
Saturday: October 14, 2017
Family History Fair:
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Leesburg Public Library - Meeting Room A&B

Latest News & Announcements:

DNA Testing for Genealogical Purposes: A Tale of Two Outcomes:

Genealogists.com
"This story began with a request to correct a spelling error in an article I’d written about a 1913 coal mine explosion in Dawson, New Mexico.  To Doug Simpleman the error was especially important to see corrected.  The misspelled name belonged to his great grandfather Roy Simpleman."
Continue reading...

Should You Take Ancestry’s Suggestions?

Amy Johnson Crow
"When you're looking at a specific record on Ancestry.com, you might have noticed a section of "Suggested Records." Here's what they are, how they got there, and whether or not you should listen to them."
Continue reading...

The DNA Angel Project™

Hound on the Hunt
"The DNA Angel Project™ is the creation of Ellen Thompson-Jennings, Family History Hound and owner of Shop the Hound.  The goal is to give the genealogy community the opportunity to pursue their genetic genealogy by offering free DNA material through draws that will take place every month. Draws will include DNA kits, DNA books, DNA quick guides, DNA consultations or DNA courses."
Continue reading...

Ordering Vital Records from State Agencies:

LegacyTree Genealogists
"So where do you find these records? The answer to that is tricky because every state (and country!) has a different answer. Some places only allow access to records for a certain time period. This can be for privacy issues or because they’ve only digitized or made available certain time frames."
Continue reading...

Finding Foundlings: Searching for Abandoned Children in Italy:

LegacyTree Genealogists
"I learned about foundlings – abandoned newborns – in Italy while tracing my own immigrant ancestor back to the province of Palermo in Sicily. My maiden name is Palumbo, but as I tried to move backwards from my immigrant ancestor, Salvatore Fortunato Palumbo, I discovered that Palumbo was not his original surname."
Continue reading...

What to Know About World War I Burial Files:

Ancestry
"A burial file was created for each service member who died while in service during the war. There are files for those killed in combat and those who died of influenza, or a form of flu or pneumonia, on the transport ships going to France from the U.S."
Continue reading...

DNA doesn’t lie! Or Does It?

Judy G. Russell The Legal Genealogist
"It’s one of the most-commonly-repeated statements in genetic genealogy: “DNA doesn’t lie.”
It’s usually coupled with: “Families do.”
And The Legal Genealogist isn’t going to take on either of those.
But — as with almost everything in genealogy — there’s more to the story.
Continue reading...

Technology:

What To Do Before Selling Your iPhone:

Lifewire
"One of the great things about having an iPhone is that old models generally retain a lot of value, so when you decide to upgrade to a new model you can usually sell your old phone for a decent amount of money. If that's your plan, though, there are some steps you must take—to protect yourself and your buyer—before selling your used iPhone."
Continue reading...

Recovering from Ransomware with an Online Backup:

Ask Leo
"People often cite ransomware as a reason to avoid automated online backups, thinking that those backups will be impacted. OneDrive provides an answer."
Continue reading...

Google's Vint Cerf Warns Of 'Digital Dark Age'

BBC
"Vint Cerf, a "father of the internet", says he is worried that all the images and documents we have been saving on computers will eventually be lost."
Continue reading...

Education:

How to Protect Your Genealogy Data:

Ancestral Findings
"Don't put all your many years' worth of precious genealogy data at risk. Join me on today’s Ancestral Findings Podcast and follow these common sense tips to keep it safe and always accessible to you."
Continue reading... 5.33 minutes

Upcoming Webinars:

Southern States Migration Patterns:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Why did people migrate from one location to another? What routes did they follow, and how can identifying migration trails help you find your ancestors? Learn from maps and historical details how to follow the trail of your ancestors into and out of the Southern states."
Wednesday, October 11, 2017 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Presenter: Mary Hill, AG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Is Your Society Growing? Social Media May Be Your Saving Grace

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"It's all about selling the sizzle! Ask genealogists about the perceived value of joining a genealogy society, the will invariably say: networking with friends and colleagues great presenters access to "boots on the ground" experts This webinar discusses 10 ideas to pump new life into genealogy & historical societies and family associations. Based on this blog post: Do Conferences Need Bloggers http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/2016/03/do-conferences-need-bloggers.html"
Friday, October 13, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Dear MYRTLE
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Friday, May 12, 2017

VGS Latest News & Tips:12 May 2017

Our VP Annette Lyttle after her presentation at NGS 2017
North Carolina Quakers: Their History and the Records They Left
Today: May 12, 2017
Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting
Cancelled

Gen News:

How to Use Virtual Photo Storage:

FamilySearch
"So many cloud-based photo storage options are available today that picking one can be a daunting task. Determining the best one depends on individual needs, but a few offer more features than just storage and thus stand out from the competition. Notable standouts, including..."
Continue reading...

New York Maps by Decade:

NY Public Library
"Maps by Decade shows digitized New York City street maps from the New York Public Library's Map Division published between 1850 and 1950, grouped by decade.
Try it now...

United States Marriages:

FindMyPast
"Were your ancestors married in the United States? In this collection spanning from the 17th century to the 20th century, discover where and when your ancestor was married. You may be able to uncover the couple’s ages, birth years, and parents’ names."
Continue reading...

Tech:

How to Create and Share Collaborative Albums in Google Photos:

How-to-Geek
"Whether you want to share family photos with distant relatives or make a shared pool of vacation or event photos with friends, it’s easy to create and share collaborative albums in Google Photos."
Continue reading...

How to Search Any Website, Even If It Doesn’t Have a Search Function:

How-to-Geek
"You want to find specific information from a given website, but it doesn’t offer search. Or maybe its internal search feature is just plain awful. What can you do?"
Continue reading...

Education:

Women in the Civil War:

Ancestral Findings
"Did you know women played large and important roles in the Civil War? They did. And it wasn't just by keeping the home fires burning. They were real soldiers. Join me today on the Ancestral Findings Podcast to learn more."
Listen now... 8.10 minutes

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

VGS Latest News & Tips: 21 February 2017

Reminders:
Today: February 21, 2017
Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting
1:00 PM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center
Tomorrow: February 22, 2017
Annual All-Day Seminar
9:00 AM at the La Hacienda Recreation Center
Doors Open at 8:15 a.m.
This event is sold out and you must have a reservation to attend.
Note: There is no regular monthly meeting in February and there is no Brick Wall SIG meeting prior to the seminar.

Gen News:

Open Ended Questions To Ask Older Generations Of Your Family:

Family Tree Tips
"Almost everyone will have older members in their family that might not be around for that much longer, so it’s great to ask them about their lives and the lives of their Siblings, Cousins, Aunties, Uncles, Parents and Grandparents. The majority of the time they will jump at the chance to give you what you’re after as long as you don’t go down the ‘survey’ avenue."
Continue reading...

DNA doings in 2017:

Judy G. Russell
"Lots of DNA developments are coming down the pike and RootsTech 2017 attendees got an eyeful and earful about — and sometimes a sneak peek at — what’s to come."
Continue reading...

New Oklahoma Index Site To Launch:

Judy G. Russell
"On Monday, January 9th, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) is launching one of the most user-friendly comprehensive index sites for vital records available anywhere."
Continue reading...

Tech:

How to See Who’s Viewed and Screenshotted Your Snapchat Story:

How-to-Geek
"Snapchat is all about transparency. You can always see exactly who’s seen your Story and, most importantly, if anyone has taken a screenshot of it before it disappears."
Continue reading...

Is Microsoft Edge Really Safer than Chrome or Firefox?

How-to-Geek
"Microsoft is heavily pushing their Windows 10-exclusive browser, Edge. Ads built into Windows 10 are now claiming that Edge is “safer” than Chrome and Firefox. How did Microsoft determine that, and is it really true?"
Continue reading...

Education:

FamilySearch Indexing: Training - Screen Layout

YouTube
"Welcome to FamilySearch Indexing! As you start giving back to the genealogical community through this monumental initiative, you'll need to know what tools are available to you. Then you can index high-quality records and have the best time doing it and helping others grow their family tree."
Continue reading...

RootsTech 2017 Session Videos Now Available!
RootsTech
Did you miss Roots Tech 2017? Now you can view the recorded sessions right at home. Thanks to FamilySearch and Roots Tech for making this possible.
Wednesday: 9 Sessions; February 8, 2017
Thursday: 10 Sessions, February 9, 2017
Friday: 13 Sessions, February 10, 2017
Saturday: 8 Sessions. February 11, 2017

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

VGS Latest News & Tips: 7 February 2017

Reminders:
Tomorrow: February 8, 2017
Irish Genealogy SIG Meeting
10:00 AM in the Osceola Room at the Chula Vista Recreation Center
Topic: "The Valuation Revision Lists"

Gen News:

Ohio Boy Turns Found Fortune Into Act Of Kindness:

Patriotic Viral News
"With all the troubles in the country and around the world, for the violence and hatred, many people simply assume there is no longer any good people left in the world."
Continue reading...

Happy Anniversary, Massachusetts!

Ancestry
229 years ago Massachusetts became the 6th of the original 13 colonies to declare statehood.
Download the Massachusetts Research Guide...

New Ancestry Record Collections:

Ancestry
Prussian Provinces, Selected Lutheran Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1661-1944
"Lutheran records of baptisms, marriages, and burials from the areas of Berlin, Brandenburg and other regions in former Prussia." TOTAL RECORDS: 2,416,716
View this collection...

East Flanders, Belgium, Civil Registration, 1541-1912
"This collection includes civil registrations of births, marriages, and deaths from East Flanders in Belgium." TOTAL RECORDS: 1,275,837
View this collection...

Delaware, Marriage Records, 1750-1954
"This collection consists of county marriage records from various counties in Delaware."TOTAL RECORDS: 649,981
View this collection...

Northern District, Illinois, Naturalization Index, 1926-1979
"This collection includes naturalization records from Illinois." TOTAL RECORDS: 550,931
View this collection...

Tech:

What Is a “Precision Touchpad” on Windows PCs?

How-to-Geek
"Windows PCs have historically had worse touchpads than Macs. Microsoft is trying to fix this problem with “precision touchpads”, but not every PC manufacturer is on board. Some PCs ship with precision touchpads, but others include older, traditional technology instead."
Continue reading...

How to Configure Your Pen and Its Buttons on Windows 10:

How-to-Geek
"Windows 10 gained a new pen settings panel with the Anniversary Update. If your device has a pen or another type of stylus, you can customize exactly how it works and what its buttons do from the Settings window."
Continue reading...

Education:

Irish Genealogy - Part 9 - Websites With Irish Records cont.

Finding Grandpa
"This is part 9 in a series of 9 videos called "Building the Bridge Back to Ireland". Using various websites to find documents that might show where in Ireland your ancestors are from, and where to look once you get "across the pond". Part 9 is the second half of Websites With Irish Records, where I discuss several different websites that might have records on your Irish Ancestors."
Continue reading...  22.33 minutes

FGS Conference Scholarships:All VGS members should have received an email about the 2017 FGS Conference and the scholarship registration information yesterday. If you didn't receive the information, request that it be re-sent.

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

VGS News & Tips: 10 January 2016

Reminders:
Today: January 10, 2017
Genealogy Writers SIG Meeting
2:30 PM in the Churchill Downs Room in the Pimlico Recreation Center
Topic: Styles of Writing for Memoir, Biography and Family History"
Tomorrow: January 11, 2017
Irish Genealogy SIG Meeting
10:00 AM in the Osceola Room at the Chula Vista Recreation Center

Gen News:

New Year’s Genealogy Resolution – Hey, Look, ANCESTOR:

DNAeXplained
"Sometimes, I find myself researching haphazardly without direction, and I don’t seem to ever get anything “done,” as if there is such a thing in genealogy.  This is the genealogical equivalent of “SQUIRREL” aka “ANCESTOR.”
Continue reading...

FamilySearch 2016 Genealogy Highlights:

FamilySearch
"Did you make a genealogy discovery online in 2016? Then you are most likely the beneficiary of the efforts of FamilySearch International, a leader in providing free, global family history services. FamilySearch has released a 2016 year-end summary highlighting some of its efforts to connect families across generations."
Continue reading...

New York Birth, Death, Marriage & Divorce Records:

State of NY
"Welcome to the New York State Vital Records web site. The Vital Records Section of the New York State Department of Health files certificates for births and deaths that occur in New York State outside of New York City and for marriage licenses issued in New York State outside of New York City. Also on file are divorce records for all of New York State since 1963. The Vital Records Section provides qualified applicants with certified copies of the certificates associated with these events. Uncertified copies of older certificates are available for genealogy research."
Continue reading...

Tech:

How to Migrate Your Windows Installation to a Solid-State Drive:

How-to-Geek
"Many older (or cheaper) Windows laptops come with traditional mechanical hard drives—which these days, are pretty outdated and slow. Upgrading to a new, super fast solid state drive (or SSD) is the surest way to speed up an old computer. There’s one problem: moving your Windows installation can be tricky, especially since SSDs are often smaller than their traditional hard drive counterparts.
However, there is a way to migrate your Windows 7, 8, or 10 installation to an SSD without reinstalling Windows. It takes a few extra steps, but a lot less time."
Continue reading...

How to Stop Skype from Running in the Background on Windows 10:

How-to-Geek
"Windows 10 now signs you into Skype automatically, making you available so you’ll always receive messages and incoming calls. If you’d rather not be signed into Skype all the time, here’s how to sign out."
Continue reading...

Education:

5 Minute Find: Finding the Stories in the Records:

Ancestry
"Do You Hear What the Records Are Saying? You’ve copied the facts from that new record, but have you heard the story it’s trying to tell? Join Juliana for 5 minutes for tips on teasing those stories out of the records you’ve found."
Watch video...  4.44 minutes

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 28 December 2016

6 Reasons Why A Fathers Name Would Be Missing From A Document:

Family Tree Tips
"Unfortunately sometimes you might come across a Birth, Christening, Adoption or any other vital record that has the fathers name omitted. Most of the time this will result in a massive brick wall that is nearly impossible to break down, so it’s important to find out why the fathers name was left off in the first place if you are to have any hope of finding out who he was. Some possible reasons are:"
Continue reading...

Preparing For Research: Using Microfilms For Family History:

Trentino Genealogy
"Genealogist Lynn Serafinn explains what to do before working with parish records on microfilm, and shares tips for finding your Trentini ancestors’ parish." The same techniques can be used for any records on microfilm.
Continue reading... 

This Probably Explains Why You Can't Find Your Ancestor's Birth Records:

FindMyPast
"General Register Office births, marriages and deaths are a fantastic resource covering the entirety of England and Wales between 1837 and 2007. They not only allow you to discover when and where your ancestors were born, got married and spent their final moments, but also provide you with the information needed to order a copy of an original certificate from the General Register Office of England and Wales.
Despite the fact they are perhaps the most complete source of UK vital records available online, there are a number of reasons why your ancestor may appear to be missing from the registers."
Continue reading...

Never Stick a Photograph in a Book:

Rootdig
"In the fall of 2015 my great-aunt sent me a picture of my late mother and my grandmother. I was busy at the time and instead of putting it with my other old photographs and ephemera, I tucked it firmly in what I thought would be a safe place, a book."
Continue reading... 

How to Pin Folders to the Windows Taskbar:

How-to-Geek
"Windows doesn’t allow you to pin folders directly to the taskbar. There is an easy workaround, though. All you have to do is create a new shortcut to a folder and then pin that shortcut to the taskbar."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 28 December

1920: The United States resumes the deportation of communists and suspected communists.
1933: President Franklin D. Roosevelt states, “The definite policy of the United States, from now on, is one opposed to armed intervention.”
1951: The United States pays $120,000 to free four fliers convicted of espionage in Hungary.
1948 Death: Premier Nokrashy Pasha of Egypt is assassinated by a member of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood because of his failure to achieve victory in the war against Israel.

State Timelines:

Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Nevada:
1828: Peter Ogden discovered Humboldt River
1847: Gold discovered at foot of Mt. Davidson
1851: Large influx of Mormon settlers
1859: Comstock Load discovered at Virginia City

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 27 December 2016

An Easy Guide To Commercial Genealogical DNA Tests:

Family Tree Tips
"DNA Tests have become a staple of Genealogy in recent years and as they are getting cheaper and cheaper a lot more amateur genealogists are becoming much more interested in unlocking the secrets kept within their DNA. The main question is which one to get."
Continue reading...

What Our Ancestors’ Deaths Can Teach Us About Their Lives:

Trentino Genealogy
"Lynn Serafinn explains the importance and challenges of including death information in your family tree, and discusses 10 causes of death in 19th century."
Continue reading... 

Location, Location, Location: Putting Your Ancestors in Their Place:

The Family Locket
"Do you have a difficult ancestor? One that just won’t stay put in one place?"
Continue reading... 

8 Lessons Learned From Amanda Holden's WDYTYA Appearance:

FindMyPast
"Here's how the Britain's Got Talent judge traced her French roots and learned more about her paternal grandfather."
Continue reading... 

How to Create a Guest Account in Windows 10:

How-to-Geek
"If you find that your guests are asking fairly often to use your computer temporarily to check their email or look something up on the web, you don’t have to let them use your personal account or create a special account for each guest."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 27 December

1932: Radio City Music Hall opens.
1944: General George S. Patton’s Third Army, spearheaded by the 4th Armored Division, relieves the surrounded city of Bastogne in Belgium.
1956: Segregation on buses in Tallahassee, Florida, is outlawed.
1822 Birthday: Louis Pasteur, French chemist and microbiologist.

State Timelines:

Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Nebraska:
1865: Union Pacific Railroad began to lay rails across state
1867: Admitted to the Union
1877: Crazy Horse surrendered
1880: Population now 452,000

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 13 July 2016

The new Genealogy Writers SIG held their first meeting, yesterday, July 12, 2016
It was an organizational meeting. Regular meetings begin in August.
Tomorrow: Thursday: July 14, 2016
German Genealogy SIG Meeting
9:30 AM in the Reliance Room at the Late Miona Recreation Center
Relative Finder: One Big Family of Cousins:
FamilySearch
"I’ve always believed, with a certain perverse pride, that I come from plain folks, neither rich nor famous. I’ve confirmed it. To my knowledge, I am not a direct descendent of anyone famous; however, James Madison, signer of the U.S. Constitution and fourth president of the United States, is my second cousin, six generations removed. I am also second cousin 11 to 13 times removed from several members of the Mayflower Company, but none of them are direct ancestors. Henry VIII of England is my 14th great uncle, and his daughter Mary is my third cousin, 12 times removed. I am related to no famous Europeans and only distantly related to any famous Americans past or present."
Continue reading...

Searching Findmypast: A Guide
FindMyPast
"We have recently launched the beta version of our new navigation, something we've been working on for several months. I am so grateful to those of you who have already filled in the survey. There are so many responses, but I am reading each and every one of them. I can see a few common questions, so I thought it would be good to answer them here."
Continue reading...

Birth, Marriage and Death Records: A Beginner’s Guide
FindMyPast
"Birth, Marriage and Death Records (BMDs) are the first kind of records you'll discover when starting your family history research. The BMDs provide an incredible resource for tracing important events in your family's history, and are often the key to growing your family tree.
But what are they, exactly? And how can they help you?
Continue reading...

Evernote Clampdown Causes Anger:
BBC
"Evernote has restricted the use of the free version of its note-taking app and raised prices for the paid-for ones."
Continue reading...

How to Use SmartThings to Automatically Turn on Lights When Entering a Room:
How-to-Geek
"If you’re sick of having to find and fumble with the light switch every time you enter a dark room, you can use SmartThings to automate that process and have the lights turn on automatically when you enter."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 13 July
1585: A group of 108 English colonists, led by Sir Richard Grenville, reaches Roanoke Island, North Carolina.
1754: George Washington surrenders Fort Necessity to the French, leaving them in control of the Ohio Valley.
1787: Congress, under the Articles of Confederation, enacts the Northwest Ordinance, establishing rules for governing the Northwest Territory, for admitting new states to the Union and limiting the expansion of slavery.
1886 Birthday: Edward J. Flanagan, Catholic priest, founder of Boys’ Town.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Pennsylvania:
1720: Western Pennsylvania settled
1729: 6,000 immigrants arrive from Europe
1732: Maryland boundary disputed

Monday, July 4, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 4 July 2016

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
Learn More About The Declaration of Independence:
The Charters of Freedom

How to Find Birth Records for Genealogy:
Crestleaf
"Finding the birth records of your ancestors is an important part of genealogy research because just like other vital records, they can help you uncover family stories, additional ancestors and surnames you may be missing from your family tree."
Continue reading...

Last Day To Save 20% On AncestryDNA Test:
AncestryDNA
$79.00 - Offer expires tonight at 11:59 p.m.
Order Now...

Jack Daniel’s Embraces a Hidden Ingredient: Help From a Slave:
The New York Times
"Every year, about 275,000 people tour the Jack Daniel’s distillery here, and as they stroll through its brick buildings nestled in a tree-shaded hollow, they hear a story like this: Sometime in the 1850s, when Daniel was a boy,"
Continue reading...

How to Use Virtual Desktops in Windows 10:
How-to-Geek
"Virtual desktops were finally added as a built-in feature in Windows 10. If you’ve used Linux or Mac, you know this can be a very useful feature. If you open a lot of programs at once, this feature allows you to keep them organized."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 4 July
1776: The amended Declaration of Independence, prepared by Thomas Jefferson, is approved and signed by John Hancock–President of the Continental Congress–and Charles Thomson, Congress secretary. The state of New York abstains from signing.
1817: Construction begins on the Erie Canal, to connect Lake Erie and the Hudson River.
1826: Two of America’s founding fathers–Thomas Jefferson and John Adams–die.
1804 Birthday: Nathaniel Hawthorne, American writer (The Scarlet Letter).

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Indiana:
1800: Indiana Territory settled
1808: Shakers formed colony on the Wabash River
1809: Illinois Territory was divided off of the Indiana Territory


Tuesday, June 28, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 28 June 2016

Ireland Says Slán to U.S. Vice President Joe Biden:
Ancestry
"On his sixth and final day in Ireland, the Vice President attended a lunch hosted by Taoiseach Enda Kenny at Dublin’s Farmleigh House — the official Irish State guest home."
Continue reading...

Vice President Biden Answers Your Family History Questions:
Ancestry
"When the Vice President announced he was heading to the Emerald Isle to walk in the footsteps of some of his Irish ancestors, we put a call out for questions relating to his family history, noting he would be responding to several of them during the trip. His answers are noted in italic."

Cemetery Crowdsourcing: A Guide to What It Is and Its Benefits:
FamilySearch
"Finding an excuse to stroll quietly through cemeteries, observing the final resting place of people once vibrant with life, and enjoying the silence of dew drops drying off of memorial stones just got easier."
Continue reading...

DPLA and FamilySearch Partner to Expand Access to Digitized Historic Books Online:
FamilySearch
"In concert with the American Library Association national conference in Orlando, Florida, this week, the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) and FamilySearch International, the largest genealogy organization in the world, have signed an agreement that will expand access to FamilySearch.org’s growing free digital historical book collection to DPLA’s broad audience of users including genealogists, researchers, family historians, students, and more."
Continue reading...

News For Those Interested In Indiana Genealogy:
IGS
"From School for the Deaf students to coal miners to prisoners to Odd Fellows -- there's a little bit for everyone in the newest databases on the IGS website."
Let's see what's new...

How to Rearrange or Hide the Extension Buttons on the Chrome Toolbar:
How-to-Geek
"Some Google Chrome extensions add a button to the right side of the toolbar, which usually provides access to the extension’s main features. These buttons are added in the order the extensions were installed, and that order may not be to your liking."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: June 28
1778: Mary “Molly Pitcher” Hays McCauley, wife of an American artilleryman, carries water to the soldiers during the Battle of Monmouth.
1874: The Freedmen’s Bank, created to assist former slaves in the United States, closes. Customers of the bank lose $3 million.
1884: Congress declares Labor Day a legal holiday.
1902 Birthday: Richard Rodgers, American composer.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Illinois:
1773: Land company purchased most of southern Illinois.
1774: Quebec annexed Illinois
1778: George Rogers Clark claimed Kalkaska & Cahokla for America.


Wednesday, June 8, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 8 June 2016

The DNA Journey: Powered By AncestryDNA:
Ancestry
"Think you know where you come from? Think you know what you’re made of?
Our sense of identity stems from our upbringing – our culture, our family values, and the stories passed down from generation to generation. But how much do you really know about who you are and were you come from, and how does that influence how you look at the rest of the world?"
Continue reading...

How to Find Birth Records for Genealogy:
Crestleaf
"While some birth records are available online, others can only be found in archives or repositories where you must request copies of your ancestor’s birth certificate. But there are some basic guidelines that you can follow no matter where the birth certificate is located, or when your ancestor was born."
Continue reading...

Is It A Match? Ways to Correlate Evidence and Identify Ancestors:
LegacyFamilyTree
"Throughout my journey as a genealogist, I have learned the importance of exercising caution. Using caution means not publishing information about the identities of families and individuals unless we are confident that this person matches the profile we have gathered through previous research and have eliminated other theories about who this person could be."
Continue reading...

What’s New in the Latest Windows 10 Insider Preview:
How-to-Geek
"Windows 10’s next big update, dubbed the “Anniversary Update”, comes out this summer. Here’s what’s been announced so far, along with a few goodies we’ve discovered in the first, second, third, and fourth Insider Preview builds."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 8 June
1904: U.S. Marines land in Tangiers, Morocco, to protect U.S. citizens.
1915: William Jennings Bryan quits as Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson.
1966: Gemini astronaut Gene Cernan attempts to become the first man to orbit the Earth untethered to a space capsule, but is unable to when he exhausts himself fitting into his rocket pack.
1867 Birthday: Frank Lloyd Wright, influential American architect.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Washington:
1787: Boston merchants send ships to explore likelihood of establishing trading posts.
1805: Lewis & Clark reach the Pacific Ocean
1845: First permanent American settlement north of Columbia River settled.


Wednesday, April 13, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 13 April 2016

Today: Wednesday: April 13, 2016
Irish Genealogy SIG Meeting
10:00 AM in the Osceola Room at the Chula Vista Recreation Center
Tomorrow: Thursday: April 14, 2016
German Genealogy SIG Meeting
9:30 AM in the Laurel Manor Room at the Rohan Regional Recreation Center

5 Tips to Control Family Photo Chaos:Ancestry
"How many photos are stuck on your smartphone? The tremendous growth of digital photography is a mixed blessing for family memories. Instead of one roll of film that might last through an entire vacation, with today’s digital photos there’s no extra cost in snapping multiple images in the effort to capture the “perfect shot.” The trade-off for all these extra photos is, well, extra photos. Hundreds and thousands of extra photos."
Continue reading...

Donna’s Moughty's Irish Genealogy Resources:
"Even with a busy schedule, I get some reading in every day, usually when I finally climb into bed..."
Find out what she likes to read...

NYC Marriage Index:
InternetArchive
"This collection contains images of the index to New York City marriage records. These records were originally kept by the New York City Clerk's Office, and were later moved to the New York City Municipal Archives. For many decades the data was only available to the public in microfilm format, and only able to be viewed onsite at the Municipal Archives building in lower Manhattan. Reclaim The Records finally obtained the first-ever copies of these microfilms in October 2015, following the settlement of a lawsuit they had brought against the Archives. Reclaim The Records digitized the films and uploaded the images to the Internet Archive in April 2016. "
Using Research Logs Effectively In Genealogy:
LegacyFamilyTree
"Genealogy is a growth process like any other pursuit or passion. The more I got into genealogy and researching my family tree, the more of a headache it became to remember all the information and work I did. Research logs saved the day for me, because I now had an effective method for keeping track of all my searches. I always considered myself a good note-taker during school. But research logs, to me, go a step beyond just notes."
How to Clear Recent Items from a Jump List in Windows:
How-to-Geek
"Jump lists contain commands and recent files you see when you right-click an icon on the Windows Start menu or task bar. If you’d like to clear your recent items from a jump list, you can. The trick is finding the right file to delete."
This Day In History: 13 April
1861: After 34 hours of bombardment, Union-held Fort Sumter surrenders to Confederates.
1902: J.C. Penny opens his first store in Kemmerer, Wyoming.
1933: The first flight over Mount Everest is completed by Lord Clydesdale.
1721 Birthday: John Hanson, first U.S. President under the Articles of Confederation.


Thursday, January 14, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 14 January 2016

Today: Thursday, January 14, 2016
German Genealogy SIG Meeting
9:30 AM in the Reliance Room at the Late Miona Recreation Center

Tomorrow: Friday, January 15, 2016
Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting
10:00 AM in the Clearwater Room Sea Breeze Recreation Center

New at Ancestry.com:Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Mennonite Vital Records, 1750-1940:
Ancestry
"For years, the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society has collected genealogical information for Lancaster County Mennonites and related groups. Much of this has been compiled into the Society's genealogical card file, which contains more than 210,000 cards containing vital statistics on families dating back to the 1600s. Cards list names, family relationships, birth date and place, death date and place, and marriage date (as applicable) for an estimated 800,000 individuals. Both the paternal and maternal lines can be traced if the vital information is complete."
You must be a subscriber to view these records.
Continue reading...

Researching Italian Documents:
Ancestry
"There are many exciting challenges when researching your family history in Italian documents. At Ancestry.com, key data such as names and gender is often indexed and therefore easily accessible through our search pages for each Italian language database. However, the records are in Italian and you will naturally get the best results if you search keywords, occupations, and place names in Italian. There is often a wealth of information available in the images of the original documents that can help you pinpoint your ancestors or learn about their lives and families. We have provided some basic tools on these pages that can help you as you work in Italian records."
Continue reading...

We Match…But Are We Related?
DNAeXplained
"Last week, I received this question from a reader, we’ll call him Jim:
“I match Susie on the HVR1 and HVR2 regions of our mitochondrial DNA….but I was just wondering….are we related?"
Well, the answer is yes…and maybe."
Continue reading...

AncestryDNA Results Surprise Two Professional Genealogists:
Ancestry
"What research dreams are made of … discovering you’re distant cousins with a professional genealogist. Even more exciting when two professional genealogists find out they are connected with one another."
Continue reading...

D. Joshua Taylor Appointed President of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society:
NYGB
"D. Joshua Taylor, the prominent genealogist, author, and lecturer, has been appointed President of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, effective February 1, 2016. He succeeds McKelden Smith, who is retiring after serving as its highly-regarded President of seven years."
Continue reading...

Today In History: 14 Jan 2016
1864: Confederate President Jefferson Davis writes to General Joseph E. Johnson, observing that troops may need to be sent to Alabama or Mississippi.
1942: President Franklin D. Roosevelt orders all aliens in the U.S. to register with the government.
1943: Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Charles DeGaulle meet at Casablanca to discuss the direction of the war.
1741 Birthday: Benedict Arnold, American colonial General turned traitor.


Wednesday, January 13, 2016

VGS Latest News & Tips: 13 January 2016

Today: Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Irish Genealogy SIG Meeting
10:00 AM in the Osceola Room at the Chula Vista Recreation Center

Tomorrow: Thursday, January 14, 2016
German Genealogy SIG Meeting
9:30 AM in the Reliance Room at the Late Miona Recreation Center

Married by Licence:
Essex Records Office
"Whether you are tracing your ancestors or researching social or demographic trends, marriage records can provide valuable information. A project we are currently undertaking at ERO is making some of these records easier to find than ever before."
Continue reading...

Researching German Documents:
Ancestry
"There are many exciting challenges when researching your family history in German documents. At Ancestry.com, key data such as names and gender is often indexed and therefore easily accessible through our search pages for each German language database. However, the records are in German, and you will naturally get the best results if you search keywords, occupations, and place names in German. There is often a wealth of information available in the images of the original documents that can help you pinpoint your ancestors or learn about their lives and families. We have provided some basic tools on these pages that can help you as you work in German records."
Continue reading...

New at Ancestry.com: Northamptonshire, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1532-1812
Ancestry
"This collection contains images of Church of England parish registers and bishop’s transcripts of baptism, marriage, and burial records during the years 1532–1812 from various parishes in Northamptonshire, England."
You must be a subscriber to view these records.
Search database...

A Dozen Places to Find Immigrant Origins:
Ancestry
"There’s a unique thrill that comes when we identify an immigrant ancestor in our family tree. That ancestor’s decision had a huge impact on who we are today. Finding a connection to your immigrant’s place of origin in the old country can fuel our passion for family history. Here are ten places to look to… "
Continue reading...  or  Download a guide with these tips...

How to Turn Off Recent Items and Frequent Places in Windows 10:
How-to-Geek
"All over Windows, you’ll see menus with the most recently used items for a given application. Maybe it’s a document you recently opened, or some videos you recently watched. Frequent Places works similarly, showing you important folders in your account (Desktop, Downloads, Documents, Pictures, Music, and so on), plus folders you’ve pinned or accessed recently. Here’s how to turn off recent items and frequent places in Windows 10."
Continue reading...

Today In History: 13 Jan 2016
1846: President James Polk dispatches General Zachary Taylor and 4,000 troops to the Texas Border as war with Mexico looms.
1862: President Lincoln names Edwin M. Stanton Secretary of War.
1919: California votes to ratify the prohibition amendment.
1808 Birthday: Salmon P. Chase, U.S. Treasury Secretary, sixth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.


Friday, November 27, 2015

VGS Latest News & Tips: 27 November 2015

Today Is Black Friday: 
Stay at home and do some genealogy!

Bad Merges in Family Tree:
AncestryInsider
I was affected again by a bad merge in FamilySearch Family Tree. Someone had merged a Tilford in Virginia with a Telford in Ireland to produce a monstrosity of a person with a gaggle of children. Mysteriously, this man bounced back and forth between Virginia and Ireland, using the Tilford spelling for all children born in Virginia and the Telford spelling for all kids born in Ireland. Hmmm. What an odd fellow.
Continue reading...

Black Friday Special: Newspapers.com is offering an Annual Subscription for only $47.95 (that's 40% off the regular price!).
"Offer available for new Newspapers.com subscribers only and not for renewal of current subscriptions. Billed in one payment of $47.95 for a one-year subscription. Your subscription will automatically renew at list price after the introductory 1-year offer."
Learn more...

More Black Friday Specials:
Continue reading...

Family Photos: Why Do People Look Alike?
MyHeritage
"Although 60 years may separate two photos, the face is the same. The smile is the same. The ears, the eyes. Although two generations have passed, it’s as if the two photos captured the same person at different moments in time."
Continue reading...

Lost Letters: A Rare Glimpse into the Past
My HeritageBlog
"What if you could travel back to a specific time and place and get a real look at what life was like then? For 17th-century Europe, thousands of pieces of correspondence are now being unveiled, making time travel seem possible!"
Continue reading...

Darned Federal Birth Certificates:
AncestryInsider
"We depend upon records to reveal the “truth” about the past. Yet sometimes records have anomalies. Some are amusing or humorous. Some are interesting or weird. Some are peculiar or suspicious. Some are infuriating, or downright laughable.
Records are the darnedest things!"
Continue reading...

I Thought Hearing From My Birth Mother Would Be Magical — And Then It Wasn’t:
MTV News
"You can Google "what to say, birth parent, first time, email" but let me save you the trouble -- you're not going to find any useful advice."
"In honor of National Adoption Awareness Month, MTV News asked readers: What does adoption look like in 2015?"
Continue reading...

This Day In History: November 27
1095: In Clermont, France, Pope Urbana II makes an appeal for warriors to relieve Jerusalem. He is responding to false rumors of atrocities in the Holy Land.
1826: Jebediah Smith’s expedition reaches San Diego, becoming the first Americans to cross the southwestern part of the continent.
1887: U.S. Deputy Marshall Frank Dalton, brother of the three famous outlaws, is killed in the line of duty near Fort Smith, Ark.
1874 Birthday: Charles A. Beard, distinguished American historian who wrote History of the United States.