VGS Latest News & Tips: 9 December 2016

Today: December 9, 2016

Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Topic: "Genetic Genealogy News"

Creating Family History Videos Easily and for Free:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Videos are a fun and effective way to share family history. Imagine taking an old photo album and creating a video where you tell stories about those people and places. It’s easier than you think – and you can do it for free – with a new program called Adobe Spark."
Continue reading...

RootsMagic Holiday Sale Continues:

Roots Magic
"With the holidays coming up, we often get requests from our users about buying copies of RootsMagic to give as gifts to their family or friends.  In what has become an annual tradition, RootsMagic owners can buy discounted copies of our software to give as gifts.
Our Most Amazing Holiday Special Yet!"
Holiday offers...

Save $10 on all Legacy software PLUS save on QuickGuides, Books and more!

LegacyFamilyTree
"Just in time for the holidays - all Legacy Family Tree software is $10 off for a limited time (comes with a FREE upgrade to Legacy 9 when it is released)."
Continue reading...

Are You Missing the Best Genealogy Websites for Finding U.S. Ancestors?

GenealogyInsider
"We published our annual list of 75 top US state genealogy websites in the December 2016 Family Tree Magazine (you can see the list right here).
But our list is just a starting point. There are many more state-focused genealogy websites to mine as you research American ancestors."
Continue reading...

Genetic Genealogy in Practice:

DNAeXplained
"The book, Genetic Genealogy in Practice, recently published by the National Genealogical Society and authored by Blaine Bettinger and Debbie Parker Wayne is a practical guide for the genetic genealogist."
Continue reading...

World Archives Project:

Ancestry
"With a few keystrokes, you could bring a family together.
You can play an important role in helping people find their family history. And all it takes is a computer, some basic software we provide and a little of your time."
Continue reading...

How to Use Emoji on the iPhone:

How-to-Geek
"Emoji have been taking the texting world by storm for the last couple of years, but if you’re just now seeing the light, here’s how to use emoji on your iPhone to send your friends smiley faces and virtual kisses."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 9 December

1867: The capital of Colorado Territory is moved from Golden to Denver.
1908: A child labor bill passes in the German Reichstag, forbidding work for children under age 13.
1941: Franklin D. Roosevelt tells Americans to plan for a long war.
1912 Birthday: Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill, speaker of the House of Representatives.

State Timelines:

Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Massachusetts:
1770: Boston Massacre
1773: Boston Tea Party
1782: First stagecoach from Boston to Hartford on Post Road
1820: Maine separated from Massachusetts

VGS Latest News & Tips: 28 November 2016

Today: November 28, 2016

Technology SIG Meeting:

10:00 AM in the Destin Room at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center
Topic: "Auditing Your Genealogy Data" also "An Overview of Scanners"

Save 30% on AncestryDNA:

Ancestry
This offer ends tonight at 11:59 p.m.
$69.00
Continue reading...

New Historic Records on FamilySearch: Week of November 21, 2016:

FamilySearch
"Maybe one of your ancestors is in one of the newly published 1916 Denmark census records, civil registrations from Hungary, Sweden church records, Ohio death, South Carolina birth, or Wyoming obituary records. Search these free records and more at  FamilySearch.org"
Continue reading...

5 More Reasons to Attend RootsTech 2017:

FamilySearch
"RootsTech 2017 is just around the corner. With more than 30,000 people expected to make the trek to Salt Lake City and the Salt Palace Convention Center, RootsTech has quickly grown to become one of the largest and most recognizable genealogy conferences in the world."
Continue reading...

Do You Have Your Great-Great-Great-Grandfather’s Nose?

FamilySearch
"DNA gave you the gift of your mother’s eyes or your father’s hair, your grandmother’s freckles or your grandfather’s nose. It’s fun and sometimes easy to see strong family traits connect the generations."
Continue reading...

English Parish Records: How to Access, Use, and Interpret Them:

FamilySearch
"Presented by Paul Milner Genealogy Vital records can be difficult to find, but the parish registers of England are excellent resources providing information on baptisms, marriages, and burials. They have remarkably good coverage because by law, everyone except Quakers and Jews was required to be married in the Church of England regardless of religious affiliation."
Continue reading...

How to Add Custom Text Shortcuts to iOS:

How-to-Geek
"Typing the same text over and over–email addresses, phone numbers, and so on–can get old. If you find yourself saying the same stuff repeatedly on your iPhone, there’s an easier way. By adding text shortcuts to the system, you can type full sentences with just a few letters."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 28 November

1868: Mt. Etna in Sicily violently erupts.
1919: Lady Astor is elected the first woman in Parliament.
1925: The forerunner of the Grand Ole Opry, called the WSM Barn Dance, opens in Nashville, Tennessee.
1907 Birthday: Alberto Moravia, Italian novelist (The Conformist, Conjugal Love).

State Timelines:

Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Louisiana:
1699: French & French Canadian Catholics migrated into area
1718: New Orleans settled by French Acadians
1751: Missionaries introduced sugar cane

VGS Latest News & Tips: 21 November 2016

Medical Gene Testing is Not Genealogical DNA Testing:

Genealogy's Star
"The popularization of genealogical DNA testing has a dangerous downside. First of all, before anyone gets overly agitated about this issue, genealogical DNA testing has its place in carefully supported research. However, there is a huge, ongoing controversy as to when, if ever, the genealogically pertinent DNA testing can or should be used in diagnostic medical testing."
Continue reading...

Conferences, Reunions and Flavors of Family:

DNAeXplained
"What do you call an event where you’ve seen the same folks for a dozen years? An event that brings people from the far corners of the earth, literally? A conference that feels far more like a family reunion."
Continue reading...

Fold3's Interactive Pearl Harbor and Vietnam War Memorials:

Fold3
"In this month of both Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, take a moment to visit the two interactive memorial walls on Fold3—the USS Arizona Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial—to pay tribute to America's fallen heroes who perished in the attack on Pearl Harbor or during the Vietnam War. These interactive memorials allow you to learn more about the people whose names are inscribed on the walls as well as share your own facts, stories, and photos in remembrance of the veterans"
Continue reading...

Turkey, Pie, and DNA:

Ancestry
"Every guest at your Thanksgiving table has a story—and part of that story might be yours.
Lots of people are taking DNA tests to discover their ethnicity, but DNA cousin matches can also unlock a past that paper trails alone can’t. And DNA is the perfect way to get a new generation hooked on discovering their family story.
Our interactive Thanksgiving Day graphic will help you see what testing your family members can bring to your research table.
Continue reading...

How to Add Your Outlook.com Email Address to Microsoft Outlook:

How-to-Geek
"The Microsoft Outlook desktop application supports Outlook.com addresses ending in @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com, and @msn.com. However, it’s not necessarily obvious how to add them–especially if you’re using two-step verification."
Continue reading...

How to Back Up Your Photos or iPhoto Library:

Lifewire
"Digital photos are among the most important and meaningful files you keep on your computer, and as with any important files, you should maintain current backups of them. If you've imported some or all of your photos into either the Photos app (OS X Yosemite and later) or the iPhoto app (OS X Yosemite and earlier), then you should be backing up your Photos or iPhoto Library on a regular basis."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 21 November

1620: Leaders of the Mayflower expedition frame the “Mayflower Compact,” designed to bolster unity among the settlers.
1906: In San Juan, President Theodore Roosevelt pledges citizenship for Puerto Rican people.
1911: Suffragettes storm Parliament in London. All are arrested and all choose prison terms.
1920 Birthday: Stan “The Man” Musial, Hall of Fame baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals.

State Timelines:

Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Kentucky:
1769: Explored by Daniel Boone
1775: Daniel Boone set out Wilderness Trail
1775: Boiling Springs, St. Asaph, Fort Boonesborough, Lexington settled

VGS Latest News & Tips: 9 November 2016

Today: November 9, 2016

Irish Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Tomorrow: November 10, 2016

German Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Topic: Member stories of "Big Breakthroughs" or "Climbing Brickwalls"

New York Public Library Digitizes 137 Years of New York City Directories:

NYPL
"New York Public Library is digitizing its collection of New York City Directories, 1786 through 1922/3, serving them free through the NYPL Digital Collections portal. The first batch—1849/50 through 1923—have already been scanned, and the 1786–1848/9 directories are right now being scanned. The whole collection will be going online over the coming months."
Continue reading...

Quotes from the Civil War: A Fun Quiz:

GenealogyBank
"Introduction: In this article, Mary Harrell-Sesniak searches old newspapers to place some Civil War quotes into a fuller context. Mary is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background.
Much has been written about the Civil War and its impact on the United States – and many have quoted the words of the great leaders of the time. But sometimes those leaders’ words are not put into the context of the speech itself."
Continue reading...

DNA Matching is Now Out of Beta:

My Heritage
"DNA Matching in Beta mode was a good start, but it wasn’t perfect. There were many false positives in our Beta release and the initial accuracy was not on a level that we were satisfied with. We also received feedback from the community about missing features and functionality.
As the DNA Matching leaves Beta mode now, all matches have been re-calculated. What this means is that previous matches that are now considered as false positives have been removed, and matches that have had a change in their parameters or predicted relationships are denoted as updated."
Continue reading...

Amaze Yourself!

My Heritage
"Locked inside your DNA is your unique ethnic makeup, the history of your ancestors, and a web of close and distant relatives waiting to be found. With a quick swab of your cheek, the test determines your ethnic origins and finds your relatives. Uncover your ethnic origins and find new relatives with our simple DNA test. Now on sale for $79.00
Learn more...

Ancestry V1 vs V2 – Shared DNA and Relationship Predictions:

DNAeXplained
"I had previously tested on the V1 chip, and recently tested on the V2 chip to see how many of the same matches were present on both match lists. The results were better than expected. "
Continue reading...

How to Make Siri Announce Who’s Calling on iOS 10:

How-to-Geek
"Say you’re out for a jog. You’re in the zone, you’ve got your earbuds in, you’re listening to your tunes, your iPhone is strapped to your arm for safe keeping, and then someone calls you. Who is it, and more importantly, should you even answer?"
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 9 November

1848: The first U.S. Post Office in California opens in San Francisco at Clay and Pike streets. At the time there are only about 15,000 European settlers living in the state.
1906: President Theodore Roosevelt leaves Washington, D.C., for a 17-day trip to Panama and Puerto Rico, becoming the first president to make an official visit outside of the United States.
1938: Nazis kill 35 Jews, arrest thousands and destroy Jewish synagogues, homes and stores throughout Germany. The event becomes known as Kristallnacht, the night of the shattered glass.
1886 Birthday: Ed Wynn, actor and comedian.

State Timelines:

Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Iowa:
1838: Iowa Territory organized
1840's: Dutch began to arrive, Cedar Rapids settled and Fort Atkinson built
1846: Mormons began to cross the region and admitted to the Union

VGS Reminders: 10 - 14 October 2016

Monday: October 10, 2016

Family Tree Maker Uses SIG Meeting

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

Tuesday: October 11, 2016

Genealogy Writers SIG Meeting

2:30 PM in the Churchill Downs Room in the Pimlico Recreation Center

Wednesday: October 12, 2016

Irish Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Thursday: October 13, 2016

German Genealogy SIG Meeting

9:30 AM in the Reliance Room at the Late Miona Recreation Center
Topic: Mary Zarse will present: "Karl Schurz - Statesman, General & Politician"

Friday: October 14, 2016

Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting

10:00 AM in the Rhett Butler Room at the Savannah Center
Topic: Genetic Genealogy 101

We Need Indexers for the U.S. Mexican War Project!
Read more about this project HERE.
If interested in volunteering contact: projects@fgs.org

Looking for an Early Christmas Gift?

FlipPal

"The Flip-Pal mobile scanner comes with everything you need to scan right out of the box—the scanner, four AA batteries, 4GB SD memory card, SD to USB adapter, stitching and color restoration software, Quick Start User Guide and a one-year limited warranty. Conveniently and reliably scan photos, documents and works of art so that they can be stored digitally and then shared with family and friends. The patented flip-and-scan technology allows you to scan larger originals safely—even while they are still in an album or frame." Now on sale until October 10th.

Continue reading...

American Ancestors Offer Extended:
"We hope that you have enjoyed advancing your family history research and exploring NEHGS’s extensive collection as a guest on AmericanAncestors.org. We don’t want you to miss out on this incredible opportunity to join NEHGS and receive a free gift, so we have extended the offer for one more week.

By joining NEHGS you will receive full access to our complete collection of over a billion records on AmericanAncestors.org, subscriptions to our quarterly periodicals, discounts on publications and services, and member access to our Boston research library.

And, as our special thanks for joining NEHGS today, we're pleased to offer you a free 1-year Premium Subscription (formerly World) to Findmypast - a retail value of $239.52! To take advantage of this offer, login, click “Join” and make sure to enter coupon code FMP916 when you check out at AmericanAncestors.org/join!

After completing your purchase, your unique Findmypast Premium code will be emailed to you within 3-5 business days. This one-time opportunity is only available one more week! Offer expires October 12, 2016.

DNA Testing 101: How Does DNA Testing Work, Why Get Tested?

Exploring Life's Mysteries
"When most of us think of DNA, we picture crime scenes from TV shows like “CSI” or a homicide trial in which DNA evidence convicts a killer. Forensic testing aside, there are also many practical applications for DNA testing. And more people are getting their DNA tested now than ever before, thanks to scientific advances and the growing popularity of at-home DNA testing kits. What are some of the reasons for DNA testing? And just how does DNA testing work? We’ll help you unravel the mystery of DNA testing."
Continue reading...

How to Install, Manage, and Use iMessage Apps:
How-to-Geek
"Not only was iMessage the most heavily updated app in the iOS 10 release, but it got more than just a facelift. Now, tucked away in iMessage, is a whole app ecosystem just waiting for you to tap into it."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 8 October
1871: The Great Chicago Fire begins in southwest Chicago, possibly in a barn owned by Patrick and Katherine O’Leary. Fanned by strong southwesterly winds, the flames rage for more than 24 hours, eventually leveling three and a half square miles and wiping out one-third of the city. Approximately 250 people are killed in the fire; 98,500 people are left homeless; 17,450 buildings are destroyed.
1918: US Army corporal Alvin C. York kills 28 German soldiers and captures 132 in the Argonne Forest; he is promoted to sergeant and awarded the US Medal of Honor and the French Croix de Guerre.
1919: The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives pass the Volstead Prohibition Enforcement Bill.
1890 Birthday: Eddie Rickenbacker, U.S. fighter pilot in World War I, aviation pioneer.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
District of Columbia:
1878: Establishment of present day form of government
1932: Bonus Army encamped
1936: Washingtonians earned nearly twice what New Yorkers earned

VGS Latest News & Tips: 7 October 2016

Today: October 7, 2016

British Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

6 Funeral Traditions Your Ancestors May Have Had:
FindMyPast
"Funeral traditions vary from family to family and the practice of laying your dead relatives to rest has been around for thousands of years. Many of the funeral traditions your family may practice today were practiced many years ago. The practice and tradition of putting flowers on a grave date back all the way to the Ancient Greek civilization. But there are a few, less common, funeral traditions that many practiced in the past, but seem to have fallen out of tradition since."
Continue reading...

Newspapers Help Identify an Old Family Photo:
GenealogyBank
"I didn’t know that my grandmother’s cousin, Eloise M. Jordan, was the “maid of honor” – and who was Arthur M. Twaddle, the best man? I’ll have to find more information about him."
Continue reading...

6 Websites To Download Copyright Free Images:
123Reg
"No matter if you’re a designer, a programmer or a blogger, you probably need to use photos every day in your projects. While most commercial photos are not so expensive, there are times when you might not want to pay for photos when there are so many sites that offer copyright free images for download."
Continue reading...

Library of Congress Magazine’s Map Issue:
TheMapRoom
"Library of Congress Magazine’s September-October 2016 issue is almost entirely dedicated to maps, with several feature articles on the Library’s map holdings, profiles of Library cartographers, and other map-related items."
Download issue...  pdf magazine 30 pages

iOS’ “Define” Feature Is Now “Look Up”, and It Can Do a Lot More:
How-to-Geek
"The “Define” feature in iOS has been renamed to “Look Up” in iOS 10, and has been enhanced to provide more than just definitions. Look Up now presents you with results from the App Store, Apple Music, websites, and Wikipedia."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 7 October
1765: Delegates from nine of the American colonies meet in New York to discuss the Stamp Act Crisis and colonial response to it.
1913: In attempting to find ways to lower the cost of the automobile and make it more affordable to ordinary Americans, Henry Ford took note of the work of efficiency experts like Frederick Taylor, the “father of scientific management.” The result was the assembly line that reduced the time it took to manufacture a car, from 12 hours to 93 minutes.
1957: A fire in the Windscale plutonium production reactor (later called Sellafield) north of Liverpool, England, spreads radioactive iodine and polonium through the countryside and into the Irish Sea. Livestock in the immediate area are destroyed, along with 500,000 gallons of milk. At least 30, and possibly as many as 1,000, cancer deaths were subsequently linked to the accident.
1849 Death: Edgar Allan Poe, aged 40, dies a tragic death in Baltimore. Never able to overcome his drinking habits, he is found in a delirious condition outside a saloon that was used as a voting place.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
District of Columbia:
1835: Baltimore & Ohio Railroad opened to Washington and the Supreme Court building is completed
1849: Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle" is opened
1862: Slavery abolished

VGS Latest News & Tips: 5 October 2016

Today: October 5, 2016

French Canadian Genealogy SIG Meeting:

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

Tomorrow: October 6, 2016

Eastern European Genealogy SIG Meeting:

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

Centuries of Italian History Are Unearthed in Quest to Fix Toilet:
New York Times
"LECCE, Italy — All Luciano Faggiano wanted when he purchased the seemingly unremarkable building at 56 Via Ascanio Grandi was to open a trattoria. The only problem was the toilet."
Continue reading...

Barrie's History Finding A Place Online; Launch To Take Place At Special Event:
Barrie Examiner
"Barrie (Ontario) is more than 170 years old and has been without a museum – until now. On Sept. 21, the Barrie Historical Archive (BHA) will launch an online museum with the “Mayors’ Seat” event at City Hall.But why should Barrie have a museum?"
Continue reading...

NEW! The FT Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy – by Blaine T. Bettinger – 28% off!
GenealogyBlog
"Finally! We now have a terrific new book to help us with genetic genealogy. The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy, by Blaine T. Bettinger is what we needed."
Continue reading...

John Huff and FamilySearch Family Tree:
AncestryInsider
"John Huff of FamilySearch gave a presentation titled “Making Data Decisions in Family Tree” at the recent 2016 BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy."
Continue reading...

How to Use Safari’s New Split View on the iPad in iOS 10:
How-to-Geek
"Safari’s Split View is a new feature in iOS 10 that allows you to view two Safari windows side-by-side on your iPad. It’s similar to the Split View feature that was added to iOS 9, but specifically for Safari.Safari’s Split View is a new feature in iOS 10 that allows you to view two Safari windows side-by-side on your iPad. It’s similar to the Split View feature that was added to iOS 9, but specifically for Safari."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 5 October
1813: The U.S. emerges victorious at the Battle of the Thames, in Ontario, breaking Britain’s Indian allies with the death of Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, and making the Detroit frontier safe.
1880: The first ball-point pen is patented by Alonzo T. Cross
1921: The World Series is broadcast on radio for the first time.
1882 Birthday: Robert Goddard, American rocket scientist, held more than 200 rocketry patents.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
District of Columbia:
1800: Washington Naval Yard established
1801: District divided into Washington & Alexandria
1808: Construction of canal of Tiber Creek commenced