VGS News & Events: 14 April through 20 April 2019

Coming Events:

Tuesday: April 16, 2019

Family Tree Maker Users SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: April 17, 2019

Brick Wall SIG Meeting

8:30 AM in the Savannah Rec. Center

Wednesday: April 17, 2019

General Monthly Meeting

10:00 AM in the Savannah Recreation Center

Thursday: April 18, 2019

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Friday: April 19, 2019

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

Presentation: "Writing Your Family History" by Paul Clark

Gen News and Announcements:

Genealogy Goldmine Church of Ireland Parish Registers to Go Online"

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

Is Your Family in the Updated Digital Library?

FamilySearch
"Where can you go to find more information about your family? Have you ever tried the FamilySearch Digital Library?"
Continue reading...

How a Family Group Sheet Could Become Your Secret Research Weapon:

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

How the Genealogical Proof Standard Can Help Your Research:

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

When Will We Have Handwriting Recognition?

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

Technology:

How to Print From an iPad:

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

Education:

Organizing and Storage Tips for Your Genealogy Research:

Ancestral Findings
"Do you need advice on how to organize and store your genealogy research so you can easily keep track of everything? Here's exactly what you need to do..."
Listen now... 6.40 minutes

Webinars:

Transcribing Documents: There is More Than Meets the Eye!

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

Boost Your Germanic Research: Understand Historical Jurisdictions

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

VGS News & Events: 3 June 2018 through 9 June 2018

Donna Moughty was our guest speaker at our May Monthly Meeting
L-R: President Pat Adams, Donna Moughty, VP Annette Burke Lyttle

Coming Events:

Monday: June 4, 2018
Jewish Genealogy SIG Meeting:
10:00 AM in the MacArthur Room at the Eisenhower Recreation Center

Topic: “Jewish Genealogy: How is this Research different from all other Research?”

Tuesday: June 5, 2018

Adoption & Mystery KIN SIG Meeting

9:00 AM at the Lake Miona Recreation Center

Thursday: June 7, 2018

Eastern European Genealogy SIG Meeting:

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

Friday: June 8, 2018

Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Topic: “Genetic Genealogy News”

Wednesday, June 27

VGS General Monthly Meeting  (Monthly Meeting)

9:30 am to 12:00 pm

Savannah Regional Recreation Center

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

A live webinar with Katherine R. Willson"

If you are not attending the meeting at the Savannah Center, you can view the webinar, online, from where ever you are located with an internet connection. You will need to register to watch online...

Register HERE

Note the time change..

Pioneer Scanning Project Update by Pat Rand:

First of all, I can't thank you enough for volunteering to help with this VGS-FSGS project - it's great that you want to "pay back "or "pay it forward" to help others in the genealogical community.  We have finished up a total of 10 file drawers, about one-third of the total of 32.  Next week, volunteers will be driving to Cocoa Village to the Florida Historical Society where the paper files are located, and will be bringing back a van-full of more files.  Please let me know as you have free time in your schedule this summer and want to work. I can only handle 1 or 2 people at a time and it all depends on what stage we are at in the processing.
It's been about a month since we started in earnest, and here's what we've accomplished so far:
533 applications scanned
15,401 pages scanned

The following volunteers have helped this month (in alphabetical order):
Pat Adams, Mary Frances Gerace, Nancy Goodpasture, Cindy Hineman, Peg Hoskins, Donna Koeppel, Carl Mrak, Al Paul, Mary Todd, Marge Watkins, and Sandra Webb.  
And many thanks are also due to my long-suffering husband, whose home has been overtaken by plastic bins full of applications.

Thanks to you all.

Gen News and Announcements:

Deciphering Place Names Just Got Easier:

Genealogy Gems
"When you need help deciphering place names in hard-to-read genealogy documents, two free online tools may have great suggestions for you. Use them to take the guesswork out of identifying great-grandpa’s hometown!"
Continue reading...

How to Get Scotch Tape Off of a Work of Art:

The Atlantic
"Removing tape is challenging because no two cases are the same. Depending on the type of tape, the type of paper, and the type of ink on the paper, you have to use different techniques."
Continue reading...

Unusual Sources for Finding Female Ancestors:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Name changes and a society that emphasizes men in the records can make finding female ancestors tough. Note that I said "tough," not "impossible." Let's consider some valuable sources that we might be overlooking."
Continue reading...

5 Things You Can Learn from Your Ancestor's Photograph:

Ancestral Insights
"A picture is worth 1,000 words, right? When studying the photographs of your ancestors, you can actually learn a lot more about them than it might seem at first."
Continue reading...

This Clever Google Search Tactic Will Help You Find Your Ancestors on Any Genealogy Website:

Family History Daily
"How can you uncover what you’re looking for on these sites to avoid missed records? Here’s a simple solution you don’t want to miss."
Continue reading...

Why You Need to Quit Attaching Records to Your Family Tree, and What to Do Instead:

Family History Daily
"The solution to this problem is to stop attaching your records to your family tree and start linking to them from one accessible online location. Or, if you want to continue to attach records to your main tree for ease of access, to continue to do that AND also link to them."
Continue reading...

Technology:

What’s New in Windows 10’s Redstone 5 Update, Available Fall 2018?

How-to-Geek
"Windows 10’s Redstone 5 update is scheduled for release in fall 2018. This major upgrade includes tabs for almost all your applications, a clipboard history that syncs between your devices, and a long-awaited dark theme for File Explorer."
Continue reading...

Top Tips On Scanning Old Photos, Slides & Negatives:

Tech Advisor

"We explain how to get the best results when scanning old photos and negatives."
Continue reading...

Education:

What is a GEDCOM?

Ancestral Findings
"What is a GEDCOM? It is an important word you will come across a lot in online genealogy. Join me on today’s episode of the Ancestral Findings Podcast… now is the ideal time to learn."
Listen now...  5.37 minutes

Webinars:

Digital Gravestones:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"A wealth of valuable information for your family history research is written on gravestones and buried in cemeteries. Much of this information is available online. In this webinar, you will learn how to use this valuable resource in your family history research and about a special project to make gravestone information more accessible."
Tuesday, June 5, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Elisabeth Zetland
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

What Your Ancestor's Neighbors Can Tell You:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Our ancestors did not live in isolation, although we sometimes research them as if they did. They were part of a community of friends, neighbors, classmates and even co-workers. Whether they lived in big cities, small towns or rural farming communities, your ancestor's neighbors could help you with your research. Using records in archives could be the key to finding information about your ancestors  through their neighbors."
Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Melissa Barker
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

The Family DNA Project:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Genetic genealogy truly bears fruit if multiple family members on multiple lines of the family have tested. Learn how to create and manage a project for your family while being mindful of privacy and sensitive issues that may arise."
Friday, June 8, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Nicka Smith
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 12 November 2017 through 18 November 2017

Coming Events:

Monday: November 13, 2017

Family Tree Maker Users SIG Meeting

1:00 PM in the Patriot Room at the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center

Tuesday: November 14, 2017

Adoption & Mystery Kin SIG Meeting

9:30 AM at the coordinators home.
Topic: "Mirror Trees" by Tami Brooks
Contact the coordinator for location and directions HERE

Tuesday: November 14, 2017

Genealogy Writers SIG Meeting

2:30 PM in the Destin Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center
Presentation: "Grandpa Lurvey": An Ancestor in Historical Context." Guest speaker Dick Coffin

Wednesday: November 15, 2017

Brick Wall SIG Meeting

This meeting has been cancelled!

Wednesday: November 15, 2017

General Monthly Meeting

10:00 AM at the Savannah Center

Presentation: “Religious Records and Their Genealogical Use”

Guest Speaker: David McDonald, CG

Wednesday: November 15, 2017

Workshop

1:30 PM at the Savannah Center

Presentation: “Migration to the Midwest and Great Plains”

Guest Speaker: David McDonald, CG

You must register for this Workshop. Click HERE to register...

Thursday: November 16, 2017

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Friday: November 17, 2017

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Reminder: The VGS Annual All-Say Seminar Registration is now open.

February 28, 2018
Complete details and a registration packet HERE...

New: The Southwest Florida Germanic Genealogy Society Seminar

February 16, 2018 in Port Charlotte, Florida
Download a Registration form HERE...
Several members attended last February's seminar and found that the material provided was well-presented, detailed and very helpful.

Gen News & Announcements:

Did You Know That You Can Borrow Books From Internet Archive?

NGS

"I learned that you can “borrow” books for 14 days from the Internet Archive via its Books to Borrow page. In order to do this you must be registered with Internet Archive.  Here is a FAQs page on how you can borrow from the lending library.
Continue reading...

How ‘Photo Detectives’ Have Helped Reveal Irish History:

Atlas Obscura
"With approximately 5.2 million photographs dating from the 19th century on, the National Library of Ireland’s Photographic Archive is thought of as a sort of national family album. But time dulls historical memory, and a lot of information about the people captured in those images has been forgotten.
Continue reading...

Completing Tasks on the FamilySearch Tree Mobile App:

FamilySearch
"There’s a reason family history is so important—taking some time out of each day to turn your heart to your ancestors can enrich your life, establish your identity, and strengthen your family. Thanks to new and constantly advancing technologies that are available today, it has become easier than ever to integrate family history moments into your daily life in simple, rewarding ways."
Continue reading...

11 Tips For Reading Old Handwriting:

FindMyPast
"Paleography, or the study of old handwriting, is an art form, to say the least. Not only does paleography require many years of careful studying and analysis, it is also deeply rooted in history and the understanding of historical documents."
Continue reading...

How to Manage Your Family's Digital Assets:

Dick Eastman
"Now that we have all these digital devices, have we figured out what to do with the fruits of those devices—the mounds of digital files and sources we amass daily, weekly, monthly, yearly? What do we do with all our personal digital content that makes up our digital lives?"
Continue reading...

Your Genealogy Research Could Land Your DNA Results An A Criminal Investigation:

KIRO7 & Dick Eastman
"The article is a bit sensationalist, emphasizing one very small negative in what I believe to be a testing process that is filled with lots of positive stories. Nonetheless, you might want to think about this a bit before submitting a DNA sample."
Continue reading...

FREE ACCESS THIS WEEKEND AT FINDMYPAST! 

Get access to US and UK Military Records November 8-12, 2017

FindMyPast

"Don’t let your family’s military heroes be forgotten. Unearth their remarkable stories in original documents from the US, UK, Ireland and more. Together, we’ll keep their legacies alive."

Continue reading...

Your DNA Has A Story To Share. Now There’s A Better Way To Tell It.

Ancestry
"As we’ve talked to customers about what you want from your AncestryDNA results, your comments and suggestions inspired us to make some changes. So we’ve integrated more of your DNA test data into a single experience we call your DNA Story."
Continue reading...

Technology:

How to Get Windows 10’s Fall Creators Update Now:

How-to-Geek
"Microsoft has started rolling out Windows 10’s Fall Creators Update, but it will be a few months before every PC gets it. If you don’t want to wait, you can download the Fall Creators Update from Microsoft right now."
Continue reading...

What’s new in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update:

Windows Blog
"The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is beginning to roll out to Windows 10 customers around the world, and we’re outlining all the great new features available in the update with this blog post and our special episode of This Week on Windows."
Continue reading...

Education:

What is a GEDCOM?

Ancestral Findings
"What is a GEDCOM? It is an important word you will come across a lot in online genealogy. Join me on today’s episode of the Ancestral Findings Podcast… now is the ideal time to learn."
Listen now... 5.37 minutes

Webinars:

British and Irish research: The Differences

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Ireland was England's oldest colony, so many assume the records will be the same. They are not precisely because the two country's histories and their relationship to each other were different. We all know about the terrible loss of Irish records, but there are great treasure troves of surviving records which don't exist in England - records about war, rebellion, security and land control. So while there are great obstacles (record loss, language, differing histories), there is a great wealth of resources rarely accessed by genealogists. This talk will examine these differences in records and research techniques between Britain and Ireland, why Irish records were created, or destroyed, and how they can be used to unlock your past."
Wednesday, November 15, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Brian Donovan
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS Reminders: 17 - 21 April 2017

Reminders:

Tuesday: April 18, 2017

Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: April 19, 2017

Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: April 19, 2017

New to Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Presentation: "Using the Internet for Research"

Thursday: April 20, 2017

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Friday: April 21, 2017

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Gen News:

Historic Aerial Photos Of London:

Londonist
"There's nothing we love more than a good aerial photo of London, showing the city laid before us in all its glory. These photos go one better by showing London from above — in the past. Taken over quite a time span, they document plenty of the capital's history — including the building of Wembley Stadium. Take a look and see how much of the capital you can recognise."
Continue reading...

The Heroic Army Nurses Who Carried On Treating Soldiers In A Japanese Internment Camp:

Daily Mail

"The incredible story of the 77 POWs who were captured in 1942 and tortured for three years - but never shunned their duty of care."

Continue reading...

11 Tips For Reading Old Handwriting:

FindMyPast
"If you've ever looked for your ancestor in old record sets, then chances are you've come across some pretty difficult handwriting to maneuver. Handwriting can be a challenge because not only has the English language evolved over history, spelling changed, the way we abbreviate words changed, just being able to interpret someone's unique style of writing can be a mystery and challenge in of itself."
Continue reading...

Tech:

How to Set Up Google Cardboard on an iPhone:

How-to-Geek
"Want to see what this VR thing is about, but don’t want to plop down a bunch of cash? Google Cardboard is an insanely cheap way to try it out. And, despite being a Google product, it works on iOS as well as Android. Google is fair, y’all."
Continue reading...

How to Take Better Instagram Photos:

How-to-Geek
"Instagram is one of the most popular social networks in the world. It’s a place where you can share photos you’ve taken, pictures from the lifestyle you (want people to think you) lead, and much more. While a lot of people are happy to share any old meme on Facebook and other social networks, they’re often far more careful with what posts make it to their Instagram account. With this in mind, let’s look at how to take great photos for Instagram."
Continue reading...

Education:

How to Find a Wife’s Name When it’s Not Obvious:

Ancestral Findings
"Sometimes, finding the name of someone's wife can be difficult in genealogy. There are usually more records regarding men than women in ages past. Here are some tips for finding those wives."
Listen now... 7.16 minutes

Contest: 

Win a FREE DNA Analysis from Legacy Tree Genealogists:

National DNA Day
"In celebration of National DNA Day (April 25th) you could win a FREE DNA Analysis from Legacy Tree Genealogists (valued at $350) to help you interpret your DNA test results or create a DNA testing plan to aid in your genealogy research."
Continue reading...

VGS Reminders: 30 January-3 February, 2017

January 2017 General Meeting

Reminders:

Wednesday: February 1, 2017

French Canadian Genealogy SIG Meeting:

9:00 AM in the Julio Iglesias Room at the La Hacienda Recreation Center

Thursday: February 2, 2017

Eastern European Genealogy SIG Meeting:

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

Friday: February 3, 2017

British Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Gen News:

The Biggest Mistake in Reading Old Handwriting – and How to Avoid It:

Amy Johnson Crow
"It’s thrilling to find a document that can solve one of our genealogical problems. But that thrill can turn into frustration when we can’t read a name or an important word. As we try to decipher it, it’s normal to focus on the troublesome word. However, focusing too much on that word or name could be keeping you from reading old handwriting. Here’s a way around that."
Continue reading...

Map Your Chromosomes – Even Without Living Grandparents:

Legacy Tree Genealogists
"Legacy Tree is excited to provide the Grandparent Inheritance Chart to the genealogical community. The basis for our tool is founded in the fact that at any given point in an individual’s DNA they can only have inherited DNA from a single paternal grandparent and from a single maternal grandparent. Therefore any DNA that you do not share with a tested grandparent has to have come from the other grandparent on that same side. The tool uses this information to create a chromosome map."
Continue reading...

Research Pitfalls of Beginning Genealogists:

Legacy Tree Genealogists
"If you’re looking for ways to improve your research skills, it’s always best to take a personal inventory of your research practices and habits. Following are some errors that many beginners and hobbyists make which, if eliminated, could save time and increase accuracy immensely."
Continue reading...

Tech:

Forget the Facebook App: Use the Mobile Site for a Less Annoying Experience:

How-to-Geek
"Facebook’s Android and iPhone apps aren’t great. The iPhone app has had bugs that cause it to drain battery in the background, and it could be using up to 20% of your battery on Android. What’s more, Facebook once even reportedly made its Android app crash on purpose once."
Continue reading...

How to Add Events to Your Google Calendar Using the Address Bar in Chrome:

How-to-Geek
"Say you’re browsing the web in Chrome and you remember you need to add a meeting to your calendar. Instead of opening a new tab and accessing your calendar, or using the Google Calendar Chrome app, you can add an event to your calendar right from Chrome’s address bar with this trick."
Continue reading...

Education:

Irish Genealogy - Part 1 - Introduction

Finding Grandpa
"Part 1 discusses what the series is about, as well as, gives you some ideas on why it is so hard to find records on our Irish Ancestors.  Obviously I didn't use a spell checker, and didn't catch the word "websties" in one of the slides until I was halfway through the series!"
Watch Video...  13.51 minutes

VGS Latest News & Tips: 12 Sep 2016

Today: September 12, 2016

Family Tree Maker Uses SIG Meeting

1:00 PM in the Patriot Room at the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center

Tomorrow: September 13, 2016

Genealogy Writers SIG Meeting

2:30 PM in the Churchill Downs Room in the Pimlico Recreation Center
Guest speaker: Phil Goldsmith

Presentation: "The Drugstore Philosopher - Telling My Father's Story."

Chronicling America to Add 4 New States' Newspapers and Expand Years to 1690 - 1963:

The Ancestor Hunt
"​Two important announcements that will make some terrific additions to Chronicling America.  The first adds 4 new states and additions to 10 existing state collections.  The second announcement increases the span of years covered by the collection"
Continue reading...

9/11 at 15 Years:
DNAeXplainded
"I guess it takes a tragedy to make heroes – and this was a tragedy of immeasurable proportions, never experienced before, and thankfully, never again since."
Continue reading...

10 German Words You Won't Find In A Dictionary:
SK Translations
"Genealogy can be a fascinating journey. Finding your ancestor’s names, what they did with their lives and what their hopes and dreams were is an amazing process. That being said, genealogical research is certainly not without its challenges."
Continue reading...

Holocaust Descendants Honour Heroine:
SK Translations
"DITHA Slowey today lives a peaceful life in central Victoria, but in World War II she was a hero. In 1945, when she was 19, she helped 23 British RAF prisoners of war escape a death march through her home town of Lossen, eastern Germany. She fed them and treated their wounds as they hid in a Catholic manse"
Continue reading...

The Biggest Mistake in Reading Old Handwriting – and How to Avoid It:
Amy Johnson Crow
"It’s thrilling to find a document that can solve one of our genealogical problems. But that thrill can turn into frustration when we can’t read a name or an important word."
Continue reading...

How to Keep Your Windows PC and Apps Up to Date:
How-to-Geek
"We know, updating your PC is a hassle–but it’s important. New security flaws are discovered on a regular basis, and most companies are pretty good about about issuing fixes for those flaws as they crop up. Plugging those holes, however, depends largely upon you making sure things are properly updated."
Continue reading...

How to Periodically Scan Your Computer With Windows Defender While Using Another Antivirus:
How-to-Geek
"Windows 10 comes with Windows Defender, a built-in antivirus tool to help protect your PC from malware. With the Anniversary Update, Windows Defender can keep protecting your PC by providing a second layer of protection, even if you install another antivirus."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 12 September 2016
1609: Henry Hudson sails into what is now New York Harbor aboard his sloop Half Moon.
1786: Despite his failed efforts to suppress the American Revolution, Lord Cornwallis is appointed governor general of India.
2011: In New York City, the 9/11 Memorial Museum opens to the public.
1888 Birthday: Maurice Chevalier, singer, dancer and actor.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Colorado:
1776: Father Escalante explored region
1803: U.S. acquired as part of the Louisiana Purchase
1822: First wagons crossed Colorado on Santa Fe Trail

VGS Latest News & Tips: 6 June 2016

Mid-Atlantic SIG News:
There will be no meetings of the Mid-Atlantic SIG during the months of June, July and August. Their next meeting will be in September at their usual time and location.

3 Keys to a Great Photo Backup Plan
FamilySearch
"Like any asset, your photos need to be safely stored. Think of your photos in the same way you think of your retirement savings. Just as you shouldn’t keep your life savings under your mattress, you shouldn’t keep your photos shoved in boxes—or hard drives—in your closet. And the reality is, having hard drives shoved in your closet is as dangerous as having printed photos shoved into boxes. If disaster struck, you could lose all your priceless photographs in a matter of minutes. "
Continue reading...

Funeral Records Are Useful For Genealogists:
The Advocate Messenger
"Ann Yeager Hamlin McCrosky, a funeral director at Stith Funeral Home on Broadway, explained how to research funeral records and what is available during the recent Forkland Genealogy Workshop."
Continue reading...

The Biggest Mistake in Reading Old Handwriting – and How to Avoid It:
Amy Johnson Crow
"It’s thrilling to find a document that can solve one of our genealogical problems. But that thrill can turn into frustration when we can’t read a name or an important word. As we try to decipher it, it’s normal to focus on the troublesome word. However, focusing too much on that word or name could be keeping you from reading old handwriting. Here’s a way around that."
Continue reading...

What Is “Compatibility Mode” in Microsoft Office?
How-to-Geek
"When you open a document created in an older version of Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint in a modern version of Office, you may see “Compatibility Mode” appear after the name of the document in the titlebar. This changes the way the document appears and prevents you from using some modern features."
Continue reading...

DNA for Adoption: Katie’s Genetic Roots Were Closer Than She Thought:
Lisa Louise Cook
"This story of DNA for adoption research tells how one Genealogy Gems listener discovered biological roots that were closer to her adopted home than expected."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 6 June
1930: Frozen foods are sold commercially for the first time.
1934: President Franklin Roosevelt signs the Securities Exchange Act, establishing the Securities and Exchange Commission.
1944: D-Day: Operation Overlord lands 400,000 Allied American, British, and Canadian troops on the beaches of Normandy in German-occupied France.
1755 Birthday: Nathan Hale, American revolutionary.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Vermont:
1761: Bennington settled
1770: Green Mountain Boys formed to drive out New Yorkers
1777: Declared its independence from Great Britain