VGS News & Events: April 11 through April 17, 2021

UPCOMING VGS EVENTS

Monday, April 12

The Time Machine: Offbeat Resources for Family Historians

Live Zoom Webinar – 7:00 to 8:00 pm (EDT)

Guest Speakers:  Dear MYRTLE & Cousin Russ

Registration is required; visit the Coming Events page on our website for the registration link.

UPCOMING SIG MEETINGS

Monday, April 12

Italian Genealogy SIG

Meeting Time:  1:00pm – 2:20pm

Coordinator:  Mary Frances Gerace

Tuesday, April 13

Preserving Family History SIG

Zoom Meeting:  2:30pm – 4:20pm

Guest Speaker:  Bob Koltnow

Coordinators:  Nancy Schulta & Sharol Lewis

Wednesday, April 14

Irish Genealogy SIG

Zoom Meeting:   10:00am – 11:50am

Coordinator:  Tom Voyles

Wednesday, April 14

New to Genealogy SIG

Zoom Meeting:  2:30pm - 4:20pm

Coordinator:  Carol LaSalle

Thursday, April 15

New England Genealogy SIG

Zoom Meeting:  12:00pm – 1:30pm

Coordinator:   Christine Courtwright

Friday, April 16

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG

Zoom Meeting:   10:00am – 11:50am

Coordinator:  Per Andersson

OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST

Thursday, April 15

Using PERSI Like a Pro

Live Webinar – 7:00 to 8:00 pm (EDT)

Presenter:  Cari A. Taplin, CG

Hosted by The Florida State Genealogical Society. Registration is required; visit FSGS for the registration link.

TECHNOLOGY

Have I been pwned?

This website came about after what was, at the time, the largest ever single breach of customer accounts – Adobe. All the data on this site comes from “breaches” where data is exposed to persons that should not have been able to view it. Find out if your email or phone is in a data breach. Click here.

How to Drop a Pin in Google Maps on Your Computer or Phone

howtogeek.com

There are two ways to drop a pin on a location in Google Maps on your Windows 10 PC or Mac. You can use the search bar to drop a pin automatically, or you can drop a pin on any location on the map manually. To start, open the … continue reading.

WEBINARS

The New and Improved Legacy Family Tree Webinars Website

Tuesday, April 13 @ 2:00pm (EDT)

Presenters:  Daniel Horowitz & Geoff Rasmussen

The genealogy webinar experience just got a whole lot better! Join Geoff Rasmussen as he guides you through the new look and layout of the Legacy Family Tree Webinars website. You’ll enjoy the same exception content with a friendly new interface that’s super easy to use. This is a free FamilyTree webinar – advance registration required – click HERE.

Jewish Genealogy with JewishGen.org

Wednesday, April 14 @ 8:00pm (EDT)

Presenter:  Deborah J. Kroopkin

Debbie Kroopkin will explain the structure and purpose of the many components of the website. She will address how to connect with other researchers, how to identify and learn about your town overseas, and how to search for ancestors. Her presentation will provide details that will help researchers glean as much information as possible from JewishGen.org. This is a free FamilyTree webinar – advance registration required – click HERE.

An African Canadian Family History Mystery

Friday, April 16 @ 2:00pm (EDT)

Presenter:  Mags Gaulden

A question about a family lore leads a scientist to question his surname. “Is my surname really my surname or is the lore correct, that my 2nd great grandfather was adopted?” Solving a 220 year old mystery using DNA turns this family upside down and introduces them to each other and to a rich family history with connections to slavery. This is a free FamilyTree webinar – advance registration required – click HERE.

RESEARCHING

FamilySearch.org

FamilySearch expanded its free online archives in March of 2021 with over 32 million new indexed family history records from all over the world. New historical records were added from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, Finland, Franch … continue reading

Ancestry.com

During the week of 3 - 9 April, 2021, Ancestry.com added and updated their collections. New records include U.S. Confederate Officers Card Index, 1861-1865; Iowa, Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, 1861-1949; North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782; Arkansas Confederate Soldier Home, 18901963; Arkansas Ex-Confederate Pension Records, 1891-1939; Box Butte County, Nebraska, U.S., Funeral Home Records, 1919-1976; Nebraska, U.S., Index to Deaths, 1904-1955; and Nebraska, U.S., Index to Marriages, 1909-1955. To see the complete list which includes newly updated records, click HERE.

United States Census Bureau

Interactive Apportionment Map Preview Now Available (March 22, 2021)

The U.S. Census Bureau launched a new online map ahead of the 2020 Census apportionment results release. The “Historical Apportionment Data Map” currently displays apportionment results for each census from 1910 to 2010. 2020 Census apportionment results will be added to the map as they become available. Continue reading …

Sourcing history

legalgenealogist.com

Like any other research …

Like every good genealogist who ever lived, The Legal Genealogist is a history geek. We need to be able to properly understand our research subjects –– and the records they left –– in the context of their time and place where they lived and where those records were created. So it’s fun to sometimes just sit back and do a quick search to see what happened on a particular day in history. There are, after all, lots of websites out there that will present a list of … continue reading.

VGS News & Events: March 14 through March 20, 2021

UPCOMING EVENTS

Thursday, March 18
Effective Use of GENUKI: England’s Largest Free Genealogy Website 
8:00pm-9:00pm
Live Online Webinar
A Poolside Chat event from The Florida State Genealogical Society
Guest Speaker: Paul Milner, FUGA, M.Div
Registration is required. Visit the FSGS website for the link.

UPCOMING SIG MEETINGS

Thursday, March 18
New England Genealogy SIG 
Zoom Meeting:  12:00pm-1:30pm
Coordinator: Christine Courtwright

Friday, March 19
Scandinavian Genealogy SIG 
10:00am-11:50am
Coordinator: Per Andersson

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

MyHeritage Adds Lithuanian-Jewish Historical Records in Coordination with LitvakSIG
MyHeritage, the leading global service for discovering your past and empowering your future, and LitvakSIG, a U.S. non-profit organization providing the primary online resource for Lithuanian-Jewish genealogy research worldwide, jointly announced today the publication of an important compilation of Lithuanian-Jewish historical records by MyHeritage. The records in this collection were originally translated and indexed by LitvakSIG, and represent almost the entire corpus of LitvakSIG's work over more than twenty years. These records have now been added to MyHeritage's historical record database. Read more . . .

TECHNOLOGY

How to Hide Gridlines in Google Sheets
If you’re working in Google Sheets, you should already be familiar with its grid-like interface, where cells are separated by borderlines called gridlines. If you want to hide these gridlines from view, however, here’s what you’ll need to do. Read more . . . 

Windows 10: You Have to Try These 2 New Features
The latest major Windows update brought some new tricks for your browser, Start menu and more. Here’s how to use them.

EDUCATION

Ancestry® Teams Up with The Home Edit to Share Spring Cleaning Tips
Just in time for spring cleaning, Ancestry® has teamed up with the co-founders of The Home Edit, Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin, to share advice on how to use Ancestry to help organize your family treasures—so you can not only add beauty to your home but honor and share your loved ones’ memories with more family near and far. Here are Clea and Joanna’s top 5 tips for preserving and sharing family photos, documents, and other heirlooms. Read more . . .

History of Ireland and Your Heritage
Though Ireland only has a population of about 4.9 million, Irish heritage is widespread in the world. It is estimated that nearly 32 million U.S. residents claimed Irish ancestry in 2018; in Britain, it is estimated nearly 6 million residents can claim an Irish heritage two generations back. Are you and your family part of this ancient and amazing culture? You can explore your Irish heritage and history in the . . . continue reading

WEBINARS

Reporting on Research: Standards Encourage Better Communication
Tuesday, March 16 @ 8:00pm (EST)    Presenter: Nancy A. Peters, CG, CGL
Documenting and sharing are fundamental to a genealogist’s work. Learn guidelines for preparing more informative, accurate, and useful research reports for yourself and others. The webinar shows how observing genealogical standards can improve written communication of research notes and findings. Topics include ten essential characteristics of quality reports, optional report elements, and standards applied to research case examples.

FamilySearch.org - 10 Links You Have to Try
Wednesday, March 17 @ 2:00PM (EST)    Presenter: Devin Ashby
FamilySearch.org is a big website with many different places to go. Have you ever wondered if you could browse recently captured images by locality? What about the best place to go to find hints to add people to the tree? What if you want to share an experience with a friend who doesn’t have an account? Come learn about 10 links you may not know about that you have to try!

Tracing Your War of 1812 British Soldier
Friday, March 19 @ 2:00pm (EST)   Presenter: Paul Milner
Different records are created for officers and enlisted men in the British Army. This lecture uses case studies to trace involvement of officers and enlisted using examples from the War of 1812, though the records are applicable for most pre WWI soldiers, thus much wider appeal.

These are free webinars but do require registration. For more details and to register, click HERE.

VGS News & Events: 30 September 2018 through 6 October 2018

Reminders:

Monday: October 1, 2018
Jewish Genealogy SIG Meeting:
10:00 AM in the MacArthur Room at the Eisenhower Recreation Center
Topic: "Jewish Given Names and Surnames"  Phil Goldsmith

Monday: October 1, 2018
Roots Magic SIG Meeting:
2:30 PM in the New Smyrna Room at the Recreation Center

Tuesday: October 2, 2018

Adoption & Mystery KIN SIG Meeting

9:00 AM at the Lake Miona Recreation Center

Tuesday: October 2, 2018

Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting

1:00 PM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center
Topics: How did the Ancestry DNA change your findings?  Libraries, On Line Sites and of course Brick Walls

Wednesday: October 3, 2018

French Canadian Genealogy SIG Meeting:

9:00 AM in the Julio Iglesias Room at the La Hacienda Recreation Center
Topic: “The Immigration of Our Early Ancestors to New France” by Geri Schembari

Thursday: October 4, 2018

Eastern European Genealogy SIG Meeting:

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

Friday: October 5, 2018

British SIG Meeting:

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

Did you miss the September General Monthly Meeting or the September Evening Webinar?  You can hear the meeting and watch the presentation on our website.  Log-in under "Members Only"  Once you have logged in you will get a list of menu options, select "Webinar & Meetings"  The handout(s) are also there...

Gen News & Announcements:

22nd Annual Florida Family History Conference

You’re invited to the 22nd Annual Florida Family History Conference on Saturday, November 10th, 2018 from 9am – 4:00pm. We are one of the largest family history conferences on the East Coast of the United States! This east coast event brings world-class speakers from all over the country to help you find your family’s history! Our goal is to bring you the latest news on where to find information on your ancestors as well as big, new changes to Internet research sites.

Location: We are proudly holding the conference again at OLYMPIA HIGH SCHOOL at 4301 S. Apopka Vineland Road, Orlando, FL 32835.

Our Keynote Speaker again this year features Crista Cowan, Corporate Genealogist at Ancestry.com!!
Learn more including how to register, cost and bus info...

New Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of September 10, 2018

FamilySearch
"FamilySearch expands its free online archives this week with over 1 million indexed records from England and Wales from the National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957. New additions also include content from Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, England, France, Liberia, Mexico, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, and the United States, including information from the following states: Arkansas, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, and Border Crossings from Canada to the United States and World War I Americana Expeditionary Forces Deaths, 1917-1919. New records are also available from the Billion Graves Index."
Search now...

New Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of September 17, 2018

FamilySearch
"FamilySearch expands its free online archives this week with over 1.7 million indexed immigrants and passenger lists records from Australia. New additions also include content from Colombia, England, France, Italy, Peru, Sweden, Wales, and the United States (California, Georgia, Idaho, Minnesota, New Mexico, and border crossings from Canada to United States)."
Search now...

Finally, Ancestry’s New Ethnicity Estimates:

Kitty Cooper
"We all got an email from Ancestry announcing new ethnicity reports for everyone. Adding five times the reference populations plus a better algorithm that can often indicate the modern countries. This time I really do have the new ancestry composition estimates!"
Continue reading...

Figuring Out An Ancestor’s Actual Birth Year:

Kitty Cooper
"Records that include your ancestor’s birth year are not necessarily accurate. Most records before the modern computerized era have self-reported ages, from censuses to marriage records, so often show incorrect information."
Continue reading...

Ancestry.com’s “Location Traps” Are Causing Researchers to Miss Important Records:

Family History Daily
"While just about all of us have used Ancestry.com at some point, very few have really uncovered everything they can from Ancestry's massive databases. With so many records and resources it is incredibly easy for vital records to get buried. You might be surprised by how many brick walls are broken down and "missing" records located by utilizing a new set of advanced tips and search tricks."
Continue reading...

Why Searching for Your Ancestors by Full Name Can Sometimes Be the Worst Way to Find Them:

Family History Daily
"As any experienced genealogist will tell you, names seldom play by the rules. Our ancestors’ monikers were often misspelled, shortened, abbreviated, confused, changed and even left out of records completely."
Continue reading...

2 Updates to MyHeritage DNA Upload You Need to Know:

Genealogy Gems
"We’re happy to announce another industry first from MyHeritage! We now support the upload of 23andMe v5 and Living DNA data files, in addition to supporting data uploads from all major DNA testing services, including Ancestry, 23andMe (prior to V5) and Family Tree DNA (Family Finder)."
Continue reading...

Tech:

Google Maps is Renaming Entire Neighborhoods:

How-to-Geek
"Google is a powerful company, but did you know it can rename entire areas of a city, seemingly accidentally?
Jack Nicas, writing for the New York Times, outlines several instances this has happened. Here’s one:"
Continue reading...

Education:

The Do’s and Don’ts of Genealogy Research:

Ancestral Findings
"Whether you are new to genealogy or a veteran, your work can only benefit from a refresher in these basic genealogy do’s and don’ts. Today on the Ancestral Findings Podcast I’ll share the things you need to know to make your work shine."
Listen now... 7.57 minutes

Webinar(s):

Remote Research in the Databases of the Daughters of the American Revolution Genealogical Research System:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution has been collecting genealogical information since 1890 to support both the application process for membership and to honor the service of Patriots. The Society operates a marvelous library in Washington, DC. Over the last few years they have scanned and provided public access to extensive online resources."
Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Legacy 9 Unlocked (part 7): Adding Email Correspondence

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"In this series, Legacy’s Geoff Rasmussen will guide you through the step-by-steps of properly adding genealogy documents, citations, and digital media to your Legacy Family Tree 9 software. Each class is based on a different chapter in his popular book, Legacy 9 Unlocked: Techniques, Tips and Step-By-Steps for Using Legacy Family Tree to Record Your Genealogy. Watch them in order if you want to  follow the mystery or jump around to capture the instructions."
Friday, October 5, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Geoff Rasmussen
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 16 September 2018 through 22 September 2018

A slide from our first live monthly Monday Evening Webinar. Members can
view the webinar on our website in the "Members Only" section.

Reminders:

Wednesday: September 19, 2018

Brick Wall SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: September 19, 2018

General Monthly Meeting

10:00 AM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center

Presentation: "Creating Google Earth Tours"

Our Guest Speaker is Karen A. Fortin

Note date change for both meetings above...
Dues for 2019 will be collected if you want to avoid the January rush.
Registration will begin for the 2019 Annual Seminar...
Download a registration packet HERE...

Wednesday: September 19, 2018

Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting Cancelled

Thursday: September 20, 2018

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Friday: September 21, 2018

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Gen News & Announcements:

New Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of August 28, 2018

FamilySearch
"Family looking for ancestors FamilySearch expands its free online archives this week with new records and images from Chile, France, Peru, and the United States – including California, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Texas and Virginia."
Search now...

Powered by the World’s Largest Consumer DNA Network, Ancestry Unveils More Detailed and Precise Ethnicity Estimates Than Ever Before:

Ancestry
"Today, we announce that Ancestry will deliver ethnicity estimates with increased precision to its customers, through a new algorithm that analyzes longer segments of genetic information, marking an important evolution in the way we interpret DNA data."
Continue reading...

10 Tips to Making Your Family Reunion a Success:

FamilySearch
"Getting together with family is super fun, but family reunion planning can be overwhelming. Stop stressing and get ready to bond. These tips are sure to make your family reunion a success."  The holidays is a perfect opportunity...
Continue reading...

Nauvoo, Illinois: Walking in Your Ancestor’s Footsteps

FamilySearch
"Few places carry the historic and religious significance that permeates the city of Nauvoo, Illinois. Because the Mormon Pioneer Trail began in Nauvoo, many pioneer descendants can recall stories of their ancestors bravely leaving the city in the Winter of 1846. But Nauvoo has even more to offer than pioneer heritage."
Continue reading...

5 Things You Might Be Missing on Ancestry:

Amy Johnson Crow
"It's easy to focus on the searches and the results when we're using Ancestry. However, there are some features of the site that you might be overlooking — features that can make your research more productive."
Continue reading...

Another Person’s Family Tree is Not a Valid Source:

Family History Daily
"If you’re a family historian you most certainly have a family tree. And, if you’re like most people, you have chosen to host this tree online, or in a downloadable program that syncs with an online tree."
Continue reading...

Don’t Do Another Minute of Genealogy Research Until You Do This One Thing:

Family History Daily
"As interest in family history research continues to grow, more and more researchers are taking the time to educate themselves about genealogy best practices so they can grow an accurate family tree. Family historians are understanding the value of doing their own unique research, avoiding copying the trees of others, and taking more time to properly source their trees for the benefit of everyone.
But a surprising number are not taking the time to do the most important thing they can do for their research – back it up. "
Continue reading...

Tech:

People Think Their Passwords Are Too Awesome For Two Factor Authentication. They’re Wrong!

How-to-Geek
"Two factor authentication vastly improves your security, but hardly anyone uses it: only 10 percent of Google users enable the feature, for example. Why is that?"
Continue reading...

Education:

5 Ways To Tell If Your Genealogy Research Is Accurate:

Ancestral Findings
"There is a lot of guesswork and uncertainty in genealogy. People in the past may have put the wrong information on old records, either from genuinely not knowing, or from having something they wanted to hide."
Listen now... 8:31 minutes

Webinar(s):

Using Lists to Find Proof:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Genealogists examine lists nearly every time we conduct research, whether it be in the form of censuses, tax lists, directories, petitions, and hundreds of others. The Genealogical Proof Standard requires reasonably exhaustive research, analysis and corroboration of evidence. This presentation will demonstrate how lists can be used to meet those standards, and offers methods and tips for  examining lists as a tool for proving the identity of our ancestors."
Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Cari Taplin, CG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

25 Simple Research Hacks Every Genealogist Should Know

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Whether you are searching online databases, trying to obtain information from an uncooperative cousin, or need to streamline your research workflow, this webinar will outline 25 simple hacks you can use to get more genealogy done in less time!"
Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Lisa Alzo
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

FSGS Poolside Webinar:  But, It's All On The Internet

Florida State Genealogical Society
"The internet is a wonderful tool for researching our ancestors. But, it should not replace some of the tried-and-true methods for discovering our ancestors."
Thursday, September 20, 2018 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 13 May 2018 through 19 May 2018

Our VP, Annette Burke Lyttle, presenting at the
National Genealogical Society 2018 Conference

Coming Events:

Monday: May 14, 2018

Family Tree Maker Users SIG Meeting

1:00 PM in the Patriot Room at the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center
Topic: "Tips, Tricks, Issues & More"

Wednesday: May 16, 2018

Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting

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

Thursday: May 17, 2018

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Friday: May 18, 2018

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting

10:00 AM in the Clearwater Room Sea Breeze Recreation Center
Topic: Pat Rand "Downloading Results from Family Search to an Excel Spreadsheet"

Gen News and Announcements:

5 Things to Ask About Genealogy Information:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Just because something is written down doesn't mean that it's right. We need to evaluate the information that we're looking at. Here are 5 questions you should ask when you're evaluating genealogy information."
Continue reading...

New Records on FamilySearch: Week of April 30, 2018

FamilySearch
"Discover your ancestors on FamilySearch this week in 1.1 million records from Germany (Bavaria), plus more from Australia, Belgium, Hungary, Peru, and Russia."
Search now...

New Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of May 7, 2018

FamilySearch
"Discover your ancestors on FamilySearch this week in nearly 300,000 images and indexed records from BillionGraves Index, more than 150,000 from Peru, Cusco, more than 130,000 from Brazil, Rio De Janeiro, and more records from Cape Verde, Denmark, Germany, Guatemala, Panama, Portugal, and Slovakia."
Search now...

Uses of Military Dogs in World War I:

FamilySearch
"More than 50,000 military dogs served in World War I. They proved just how valuable canines can be on the battlefield and beyond. Here is how their service in the Great War differed from what military dogs had done before."
Continue reading...

Ireland, Italy, or Germany? Oh, My! 

Ancestry
"Put 28 people that all have Irish ancestors on a bus with a driver from Limerick.  Add three professional genealogists and a tour guide from Belfast.  Then, spend ten days touring Ireland.  That’s what I did for a week and a half in April."
Continue reading...

Finding Incorrect Records on Ancestry.com? Here’s How to Fix Them:

Family History Daily
"Have you ever come across information on Ancestry.com, or another genealogy site, that was clearly incorrect -  either because the record itself contained errors or because the information was transcribed incorrectly? Did you take the time to correct it? "
Continue reading...

Which Genealogy DNA Test is the Best? A Detailed Comparison Guide to Help You Decide:

Family History Daily
"Ready to take an ancestry DNA test to better understand your family’s past, but aren’t sure which one to choose? You’re not alone. Several excellent DNA tests for genealogy are now available for a reasonable cost, but picking the right one for you can be very confusing."
Continue reading...

Technology:

What’s the Best Antivirus for Windows 10? (Is Windows Defender Good Enough?)

How-to-Geek
"Windows 10 won’t hassle you to install an antivirus like Windows 7 did. Since Windows 8, Windows now includes a built-in free antivirus called Windows Defender. But is it really the best for protecting your PC–or even just good enough?"
Continue reading...

Education:

Using Negative Evidence to Prove Relationships:

Ancestral Findings
"What is negative evidence, and how can it help you break through brick walls in genealogy research? Using negative evidence in the absence of identifying records is a powerful research technique."
Listen now... 8.26 minutes

Webinars:

Good Research Habits:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Developing those good, er, successful research habits takes planning, time, experience, and patience to be effective. Learn steps and tools for becoming a better researcher both at home and in repositories, and for developing successful habits that make the most of your genealogy time budget."
Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

The First 5 Things to Do with Your New Test Results:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"You've just received your test results, now what should you do? Together we'll examine some of the first things you should do with your new test results."
Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Blaine Bettinger, Ph.D., J.D.
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 24 December 2017 through 30 December 2017

Happy Holidays

Coming Events:

VGS Members can attend any of these events...
Monday: December 25, 2017

Technology SIG Meeting as been canceled.

Wednesday: February 28, 2018

Our Annual All-Day Seminar

9:00 AM in the La Hacienda Recreation Center
Download the Registration Packet HERE...

Gen News & Announcements:

New Historic Records on FamilySearch: Week of December 11, 2017

FamilySearch
"Good news if your ancestry is from Colombia and Peru! More than one million historic records and one million images from each country were added on FamilySearch this week. Many more records from Brazil, Delaware, Denmark, England, France, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, Ukraine and the United States were also published."
Search now...

Bringing Clarity and Simplicity – Updates to Ancestry Terms and Privacy Statement:

Ancestry
"Maintaining our customers’ trust is a non-stop, 24/7 job for everyone at Ancestry. That approach is baked into how we build and market our products, how we make decisions as a business and, of course, how we think about, protect and respect the data you share with us. In that spirit, today I am happy to share some news about adjustments to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statements, and additional changes to our Privacy Center, that should make understanding these complex legal documents a little easier."
Continue reading...

FamilySearch Free Sign-in Offers Greater Subscriber Experiences and Benefits:

FamilySearch
In case you missed this previous post, beginning on December 13, 2017, patrons visiting FamilySearch.org will see a prompt to register for a free FamilySearch account or sign in to their existing account to continue enjoying all the free expanded benefits FamilySearch has to offer. What this actually means is if an image is available and you want to see or download that image you will need an account and you must be logged-in.
Continue reading...

How Important Is High Resolution For Scanning And Photography?

Genealogy's Star
"Are you tempted to join the megapixel race? Are you concerned about the resolution of your digitization efforts for photos, paper records, and other genealogically important documents? Do you use the megapixel count of a camera or smartphone as a factor in your purchase decisions? These issues and more concern anyone trying to digitize records or take photographs. Genealogists and photographers share some of the same concerns."
Continue reading...

Can’t Find Your Ancestor? Genealogy Experts Suggest These 6 Tips:

Family Tree Magazine
"Got a frustrating ancestry research problem? Follow these six timeless tips from genealogy experts to work through brick walls and build your family tree.
Continue reading...

Big Updates At Ancestry For Canadian And German Vital Records:

Lisa Louise Cooke
"Big records updates at the Genealogy Giant website Ancestry.com! Brand new collections of birth, marriage, death, and census records for Canada were added this week, along with a Remembrance Book for the 100th anniversary of the Halifax explosion. Additionally, new vital records are now available for Germany."
Continue reading...

Running RootsMagic on a Mac with High Sierra:

RootsMagic
"Some users have reported that after they updated their Mac OS to High Sierra, that RootsMagic stopped working and generate a cryptic error message that says something like:
CrossOver is unable to initialize a critical component.
Failed to importc xutils module into Python. See console for errors. The program will now exit.
You may need to reinstall RootsMagic!
Learn How... Video 9.43 minutes

Technology:

What’s the Best Way to Back Up My Computer?

How-to-Geek
"Everyone loses data at some point in their lives. Your computer’s hard drive could fail tomorrow, ransomware could hold your files hostage, or a software bug could delete your important files. If you’re not regularly backing up your computer, you could lose those files forever."
Continue reading...

How to Use All of Windows 10’s Backup and Recovery Tools:

How-to-Geek
"Windows 10 includes several different types of backup and recovery tools. And we’re going to take a look at all of them."
Continue reading...

Education:

How to Get the Most Out of a Trip to Your Ancestral Homeland:

Ancestral Findings...
"Have you ever considered going to your ancestral homeland to continue your family history research? You should. Today, I’ll talk about… why, and how to plan the perfect trip."
Listen HERE...  7.53 minutes

Webinars:

Problems and Pitfalls of a Reasonably Shallow Search:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Through examples the problems with not conducting an exhaustive search will be highlighted. Assumptions, misinterpretations, and not digging deep enough into original records will all be showcased as to how they can mislead research, sometimes for years. Encouraging the audience to follow the principles of a reasonably exhaustive search should give them incentive to make it a part of their usual research habits. They will also learn particular pitfalls to watch for."
Wednesday, December 27, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

The 2018 list of Webinars will be published shortly.

VGS News & Events: 5 November 2017 through 11 November 2017

Coming Events:
Monday: November 6, 2017

Jewish Genealogy SIG Meeting:
10:00 AM in the MacArthur Room at the Eisenhower Recreation Center

Topic: "My Sephardic Heritage"

Tuesday: November 7, 2017

Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: November 8, 2017

Irish Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: November 8, 2017

New to Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Topic: "Census Records & Immigration"

Thursday: November 9, 2017

German Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Topic: "Research Success Stories" -- presenters: Paul Clark and Anne Berg

Friday: November 10, 2017

Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Topic: "Genetic Genealogy News"

Gen News & Announcements:

Continued Commitment to Customer Privacy and Control:

Ancestry
"Customers can now decide if they want to have access to the list of people they may be related to and be shown as a potential family member for other customers with whom they share DNA.  While connecting family is one of the main benefits of our service, we also recognize that not everyone is open to discovering their extended family."
Continue reading...
Editor's Note: Be sure to read the comments...

Genealogy Groups & Community Members Unite to Preserve Access to Records:

NYG&B
"On October 24, members of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society joined dozens of others from the genealogy community to combat an unacceptable proposal that would greatly restrict access to New York City vital records.
If accepted, the proposal would prevent birth records from becoming publicly accessible until 125 years after their creation, and death records wouldn't be available for 75 years after they were made."
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Looking Back on 500 Years: The Protestant Reformation and Why It Matters to Genealogy Research:

FamilySearch
"The Protestant Reformation began 500 years ago, in 1517, when Martin Luther posted his now-famous 95 theses on a church door in Wittenberg, Germany. With that small act, Luther set off a chain reaction that changed the course of history. For genealogists, that event in 1517 has particular significance. The Protestant Reformation also changed the course of record keeping. Here, we take a look at the movement Martin Luther started 500 years ago and how it affected the world in general—and genealogy research in particular."
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Spread that DNA around:

Judy G. Russell, The Legal Genealogist
"Whether we’re dealing with investing for retirement, or making other kinds of plans for the future, having all our hopes rise or fall with a single choice is rarely a good idea.
And nowhere is that more true, for us as genealogists, than when it comes to DNA testing."
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Free Family History Library Classes and Webinars for November 2017:

FamilySearch
"The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, has announced its free family history classes and webinars for November 2017. Participants can attend in person or online."
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New Historic Records on FamilySearch: Week of October 16, 2017:

FamilySearch
"Over 40 million new records this week from Finland, Italy, and the Netherlands. Additional records were published from Argentina, Australia, Austria, BillionGraves, Chile, China, Denmark, England, France, Hungary, Massachusetts, South Africa, Spain, and West Virginia. Search these new free records at FamilySearch"
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What’s New: Logged-in Home Page

FamilySearch
"Last year, FamilySearch updated the home page to make it a more personalized experience. These changes put your family memories and recommended tasks front and center, making it easier for you to connect with your ancestors.
We’ve created a video to highlight the new features. You can watch HERE...

2017 Worldwide Indexing Event Results:

FamilySearch
"Over seven million new family history records will now be available on FamilySearch.org thanks to volunteers around the world who participated in the 2017 Worldwide Indexing Event on October 20–22."
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5 Things to Know About Your Ancestor’s Probate:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Probate records are created to settle a person's estate after they die. They can have tremendous amounts of information in them. However, there are some misconceptions about what some of them mean. Here are 5 things you need to know when looking at your ancestor's probate records."
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Family History Center Information:

Leesburg Library
Even though many films have been digitized, some films can only be viewed online from a Family History Center.  Affiliate lending libraries have been reclassified as Family History Centers.  The Leesburg Library is one of them and they have announced that FHC films can now be viewed from computers in their library.
Editor's Note: Thanks to Pat Rand for this information.

Technology:

What Does CCleaner Do, and Should You Use It?

How-to-Geek
"These days, it seems like every Windows user has heard about CCleaner. It’s widely recommended, online and offline—but this week, it acted as a piggyback for malware. The real question we should be asking is: do you really need CCleaner in the first place?"
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Importing Google Photos to FamilySearch:

FamilySearch
"Google Photos, an online photo sharing and storage service, is a good place to store your high-resolution images. Its facial-recognition feature allows you to quickly search your photos for a specific person. And now, you can easily import photos from Google Photos to your FamilySearch family tree."
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Education:

What are Railroad Records?

Ancestral Findings

"Did your ancestor work for the railroad? If so, you'll want to explore railroad records to find out more about them on today’s episode of the Ancestral Findings Podcast."
Listen now... 5.40 minutes

Webinars:

New York City Genealogical Research: Navigating Through The Five Boroughs
Legacy Family Tree Webinars

"Many persons can trace their origins to the Empire State. New York City being one of the largest urban center offers many genealogical resources. Between the American Revolution and the Civil War-several key urban cities along the eastern seaboard populations increased strikingly. In 1790 New York's population was about 33,000 persons, and by 1860 more than 1 million persons lived in the metropolitan area. This lecture offer a unique prospective into the various genealogical sources and historical records that are New York City."
Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Michael L. Strauss, AG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

Using Non-Population Schedules for Context and Evidence:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"We are familiar with the decennial censuses, but the non-population schedules can also provide evidence and context for your family history. Using basic analytical skills and correlating tools, we will investigate five different records sets which shed light on many aspects of our ancestors lives and enrich our stories of them."
Friday, November 10, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Jill Morelli, CG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...