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

Coming Events:

Wednesday: December 19, 2018

Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting

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

Thursday: December 20, 2018

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Friday: December 21, 2018

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Gen News and Announcements:

All 24 Classes from MyHeritage LIVE 2018 Now Available Online:

MyHeritage
"Our first-ever user conference in Oslo was an incredible success, and we're delighted to share recordings of all 24 classes which are now available online for free. Delivered by MyHeritage staff and internationally renowned genealogists, the sessions covered genealogy, DNA, and the intersection between the two."
Continue reading...

New VGS Project:

FSGS and the Library of Florida History in Cocoa have asked us to help with another project.  The Library holds many original documents from the El Destino Plantation, a large cotton plantation near Tallahassee.  They have Plantation Journals for the period for 1862 through 1869, which cover the pre-Civil War, the War, Emancipation, and Reconstruction periods.
We will be looking for a few volunteers after the firstof the year.
Learn more...

New Historical Records on FamilySearch: Week of December 3, 2018:

FamilySearch
"FamilySearch added an astounding 47.2 million indexed records from 38 of the United States, and some from the Brazil Civil Registration Records. Over 11 million records come from the United States 1930 Census. Other records included the states of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming."
Search now...

New Historical Records Added in November 2018:

My Heritage
"We are delighted to announce that over 50 million new historical records have recently been added to SuperSearch™. This includes the addition of 17 million new records to the Sweden Household Examination Books, an update to New York City Marriage collections, U.S. Naturalization records, as well as 14 U.S. newspaper collections. Enjoy these new historical record additions and let us know what you discover."
Continue reading...

The Zero Dollar Genealogist: How to Avoid Spending Money on Family History Research:

Family History Daily
"Thanks to the wide availability of online records and easy-to-use family tree programs, genealogy has become an incredibly popular hobby. It's also one of the most rewarding. But many people feel frustrated by the costs. Depending on the types of records you are accessing, and programs you are using, fees can add up quickly."
Continue reading...

Connecting With Cousins Without a DNA Test:

Amy Johnson Crow
"Genetic genealogy is wonderful, but it shouldn't be the only of connecting with cousins. Here are some "old school" methods that can yield results."
Continue reading...

Technology:

Make Your iPhone Easier to Use With These Hidden Accessibility Features:

How-to-Geek
"Your iPhone or iPad is packed with features that can make it easier to use, whether you want larger text or help swiping. You can also use your AirPods as hearing aids or turn your iPhone into a magnifying glass."
Continue reading...

Education:

GEDmatch Tutorial: Basic Introduction to 'One-to-Many' Matches - Part 1

Your DNA Family Tree
"This tutorial is part one of a how-to guide by the team at Your DNA Family Tree. It is a quick introduction to the 'One-to-Many' Matches tool on GEDmatch.com."
Watch now...  3.44 minutes

Webinars:

Proving Identity and Kinship Using the GPS: Finding a Freedman's Family

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Facing identity and kinship problems? Confused by multiple, same-named men? Learn how applying the Genealogical Proof Standard resolved similar challenges in the search for a freedman's family. A case example traces a South Carolina family of color, differentiates multiple men of similar profiles who lived in the same time and place, resolves conflicting evidence, identifies a freedman's last slave owner, and ultimately finds his enslaved birth family. The methodology and record types apply to reconstructing all families."
Tuesday, December 18, 2018 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: Nancy A. Peters, CG, CGL
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

That Splendid Little War: Researching Your Spanish American War Ancestors

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"Discover your ancestors that served in the war with Spain along with records of the Boxer Rebellion (1900) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) in which United States troops participation on land and sea. This lecture focuses on the many records at the National Archives and other research facilities covering all three military conflicts."
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Michael L. Strauss, AG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS News & Events: 15 October 2017 through 21 October 2017

Coming Events
Monday: October 16, 2017

Roots Magic SIG Meeting

1:00 PM at the Pinellas Library

Tuesday: October 17, 2017

Italian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: October 18, 2017

Mid-Atlantic States SIG Meeting

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

Thursday: October 19, 2017

New England Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Friday: October 20, 2017

Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Wednesday: October 25, 2017

General Monthly Meeting

9:30 AM in the Atlanta Room in the Savannah Center

A Live Webinar: 

Presentation: "What Do You Mean There’s No Record?! Using Vital Records Substitutes"  Guest Speaker: Amy Johnson Crow, CG

If you are unable to attend this meeting you can view this presentation remotely but you must register.

Register Here...

Latest News & Announcements:

Imputation Matching Comparison:

DNAeXplained
"In this article, I want to discuss only one topic, and that’s the results of imputation as it affects matching for genetic genealogy. DNA.Land is one of three companies known positively to be using imputation (DNA.Land, MyHeritage and LivingDNA), and one of two that allows transfers and does matching for genealogy
This is the second in a series of three articles about imputation.
Continue reading...

Why We Need Family History Now More Than Ever:

FamilySearch
"The United States celebrates October as National Family History Month and for good reason. Knowing, recording, preserving, and sharing our family histories can provide countless benefits to individuals, families, and entire societies."
Continue reading...

New Historic Records on FamilySearch: Week of September 25, 2017:

FamilySearch
"Good news to those with South Africa roots--over 1 million free images of historic records were published this week. Many more were published from Australia, Austria, England, Find A Grave, France, Ireland, Italy, Paraguay, and Peru!"
Continue reading...

Find Ancestors in AL GA KY NC SC TN & VA:

Georgia Pioneer Families
"Merged its 8 genealogy websites to offer a better platform to help genealogists find ancestors in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia using a single password. Databases consist of: images of wills, estates, deeds, marriages, military records, bible records, cemeteries, births, deaths, obituaries and over 5,000 traced families. To learn more,click on any of the links (above) and examine the contents of individual databases on each site."
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...

Professional genealogist offers advice on tracing African-American roots:

Ancestry
"Genealogical research in America’s Deep South can be challenging under the best of circumstances, but the task can be even more daunting for an African American family looking to fill in gaps in their family tree. While some families have had remarkable success in tracing their ancestors through the period of slavery and its aftermath, many unique obstacles exist."
Continue reading...

Developing a DNA Testing Plan:

FamilySearch
"You have taken your DNA test and you have your ethnicity estimate, but how does genetic testing actually help you with your genealogy? Where do you begin?"
Continue reading...

RootsTech 2018:

RootsTech
"We’re thrilled to announce that RootsTech 2018 will officially begin a day earlier than our prior conferences, on Wednesday, February 28, 2018. Join us for class sessions beginning on Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m. MST. Classes will also be offered at 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
Following these class sessions, the General Session will begin at 4:30 p.m., featuring popular speaker Steve Rockwood, CEO of FamilySearch International."
Continue reading...

New on Ancestry.com

Ancestry
Derbyshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812:
This collection contains images of Church of England baptism, marriage, and burial records for the years 1538–1812 from Derbyshire, England.
View this collection...
Derbyshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1916:
This collection contains images of Church of England baptism records for the years 1813–1916 from Derbyshire, England.
View this collection...
California, County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1849-1980:
This collection includes birth, marriage, and death records from various counties throughout California that took place between the years of 1849 and 1980.
View this collection...
Montana, Birth Index, 1870-1986:
Index to birth records from Montana between 1870 and 1986.
View this collection...

Technology:

How to Set Up a Facebook Page:

How-to-Geek
"Facebook Pages are a great way to promote your business, a cause, or just your hobby. Unlike Groups, which are more of a community feature, Facebook Pages work mostly like a regular Facebook Profile. You can use them to share posts, photos, videos, and whatever else you want. You can also send and receive messages. It’s basically just a profile but for something that’s not human. The biggest difference is that any number of people can Like and Follow the page."
Continue reading...

How to Automatically Enable Do Not Disturb on Your iPhone While Driving:

How-to-Geek
"A new feature in iOS 11, “Do Not Disturb While Driving” figures out if you’re driving or not and toggles Do Not Disturb accordingly. Here’s how to enable the feature."
Continue reading...

How to Stop iPhone and iPad Apps From Asking for Ratings:

How-to-Geek
"Lots of iPhone and iPad apps ask for ratings, and they often don’t stop. Even if you do leave a review just to stop seeing the review requests, new apps you install will pester you for reviews, too. iOS 11 fixes this problem, limiting how often apps can ask for ratings and allowing you to stop these requests entirely."
Continue reading...

Education:

The Biggest Genealogy Research Mistakes You Don't Want to Make:

Ancestral Findings
"Don't let your genealogy research be incorrect. Make sure your genealogy is as true as it can be. Join me on and I’ll talk about the three biggest genealogy mistakes and how to avoid them."
Continue reading... 5.31 minutes

Upcoming Webinars:

Databases, Search Engines, and the Genealogical Proof Standard:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"With billions of indexed records available online, what methodologies should the researcher employ to best leverage these resources in keeping with genealogical standards?"
Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at 8:00 p.m.
Presenter: David Ouimette, CG
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

The WPA: Sources for Your Genealogy:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
"The Works Progress Administration left behind a legacy that is used by family historians today. In this presentation we will discuss The WPA, projects under the WPA relevant to genealogy, and how you can research some of those records today."
Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Gena Philibert-Ortega
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

City and Rural Directories: More than Just Names:

American Ancestors
"City and rural directories can be incredibly useful resources for genealogists. They can help you pinpoint a time and place for ancestors on the move, offer occupational information, and even help give clues to death and marriage dates. Join Senior Genealogist Rhonda R. McClure to learn how these resources were created, what information is generally provided, where to locate these sources online or in print, and how to use these records effectively in your family history research."
Thursday, October 19, 2017 at 3:00p.m.
Presenter: Rhonda R. McClure, Senior Genealogist
Learn more or Register for this webinar...

VGS Latest News & Tips: 8 December 2016

Today: December 8, 2016

German Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Topic: "Road trip to the John F. Germany Public Library in Tampa"

Tomorrow: December 9, 2016

Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Topic: "Genetic Genealogy News"

Ancestry Cultural Legacy Project: A Journey Exploring Cultural Legacy and Cultural Identity:

Ancestry
"This is a guest post by Dr. Timothy Seigler, Associate Professor in the School of Education at North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina who teaches courses on Culturally Responsive Leadership and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. Dr. Seigler is introducing the first of its kind research project known as the Ancestry Cultural Legacy Project."
Continue reading...

Status of RootsMagic and Ancestry "Sync":

Roots Magic
The following was written by Roots Magic:
"When we sent out the December newsletter and didn't mention the Ancestry sync status, we caught a lot of flak (and deservedly so).  We know many of you are excited to share your data between RootsMagic and your Ancestry tree, and we are excited to be working to offer it.

This is currently our top priority, and we have been putting in long hours on it.  But I'll be honest... while we planned to release this awesome new feature by the end of the year, we aren't going to hit that milestone.

Years ago (back in the Family Origins days) I got burned giving a date for a feature to be done, and I promised myself I would never do that again.  On the other hand, users dislike uncertainty, and like to press for an estimated release date.  So, apparently not having learned my lesson, we picked the end of the year as a safe guess, even though we had no idea what the brand new API would be like, what problems we might encounter along the way, or what other non-related issues might temporarily take us away.

Anyways, I am going to be writing a blog post in the next day or so which spells out where we are, how we got there, and what is coming.  But don't worry, we aren't talking about a 6 month delay or anything like that.  We just want to make sure that when we release these new features, you can depend on them working right, and keeping your data safe."

Merging People in FamilySearch’s Family Tree:

FamilySearch
"It might be exciting to find your great-grandmother in FamilySearch Family Tree. But what about finding her four times—each record with a little different information?"
Continue reading...

Indexing Goal in December to LIGHT the WORLD:

FamilySearch
"This holiday season, you can give others the joy of discovering their ancestors by taking time to index."
Continue reading...

Ten Steps to Writing and Publishing Your Family History:

12 News Arizona
"Recorded Webinar: Ten Steps to Writing and Publishing Your Family History
Presented Live: January 29, 2014
Intended Audience: Anyone interested in writing or publishing their research
Watch video... 1.02 hours

How Crop and Edit Photos on the iPhone or iPad:

How-to-Geek
"Editing photos on your iPhone or iPad is really easy. The Photos app on iOS packs a lot of features into it, including the ability to crop, adjust the color, make one-touch adjustments, and more."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 7 December

1787: Delaware becomes the first state to ratify the Constitution of the United States.
1917: The United States declares war on Austria-Hungary with only one dissenting vote in Congress.
1941: Japanese planes raid Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in a surprise attack, bringing the US into WWII.
1947 Birthday: Johnny Bench, pro baseball catcher; twice named National League Most Valuable Player, he was dubbed the greatest catcher in baseball history by ESPN.

State Timelines:

Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Massachusetts:
1620: New Plymouth settled by Puritan immigrants from England & Holland
1628: Salem settled by the English
1630: Boston settled
1692: Witchcraft trials and executions

VGS Latest News & Tips 3 November 2016

Today: November 3, 2016

Eastern European Genealogy SIG Meeting:

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

Tomorrow: November 4, 2016

British Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

Prisoner 5527: Al Capone In Our New Collection Of Pennsylvania Prison Records:
Ancestry
"Despite being the most infamous Chicago gangster, Alphonse “Al” Capone’s first prison stint was nowhere near Chicago. It was reported that Capone was attending a meeting of the country’s top mafia men in New Jersey and while passing through Philadelphia on his way home, he was arrested on 16 May 1929."
Continue reading...

1901 Confederate Pension Applications:
“This collection contains 1901 Confederate pension applications from the holdings of the State Archives of North Carolina. Formally referred to as "Pension Bureau: Act of 1901 Pension Applications," these materials are part of the State Auditor's records. The digital collection holds 35,717 applications and contains all of the 1901 pension applications in the custody of the State Archives.”
Continue reading…

Federation of Genealogical Societies Announces 2016 Election Results:
GenealogyBlog
The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announces the results of its recent election for FGS officers and board members. The election was conducted online September 1-30, with all FGS delegates eligible to vote. Office terms for those elected will begin on January 1, 2017.
Continue reading…

Volstead Act Begins the Disastrous Era of Prohibition:
GenealogyBank
"Congress passed the Volstead Act on 28 October 1919, which defined “intoxicating liquors” to reinforce the Eighteenth Amendment, making Prohibition the law of the land. Formally called the “National Prohibition Act,” the Volstead Act was named for Andrew Volstead, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who sponsored the legislation."
Continue reading...

Technology Gift Ideas for the Holidays:
Pinellas Library
"Representatives from Best Buy will demonstrate the latest technology for the holidays."
November 16 at 10:30 a.m.
Register HERE...

How to Change the Primary Email Address for Your Microsoft Account:
How-to-Geek
"The primary email address for your Microsoft account is what you use to sign into Windows and other Microsoft services. If you’d prefer to use a different address than the one you signed up with–even a non-Microsoft address–it’s an easy change to make."
Continue reading...

No Longer Forgotten: Project Brings Patients' Stories To Life:
Post Bulletin
"For more than a century, Skjordal's remains have rested, as time and encroaching vegetation all but obliterated the state hospital cemetery at Quarry Hill Park, as well as the memories of Skjordal and the more than 2,000 people who came to be buried there.
Until now."
Continue reading...

Family History Conference in Orlando: Event & Bus Information

Saturday, November 12

20th Annual Central Florida Family History Conference

9:00 am to 3:45 pm

Olympia High School. Orlando, FL

FEATURING Nationally Acclaimed LISA LOUISE COOKE from Dallas, Texas!

ADMISSION - $35.00 (Includes Conference Notebook with all handouts, schedule, map of the building, and much more!

Students 18 and under are FREE!  
LUNCHEON - $10.00 (Panera Bread tasty fresh turkey or ham sandwich, pickle, chips, & chocolate chip cookie (or bring your own lunch)
CD with ALL HANDOUTS for this conference plus for the last five years: $10.00
REGISTER NOW! www.familyhistoryconference.org 

Seating is limited in the classrooms!

BUS Information: $25.00 round trip - Download Bus Flyer

Webmaster, John DeAngelo will be the bus coordinator

Have a bus question? Contact John HERE

This Day In History: 3 November
1883: The U.S. Supreme Court declares American Indians to be “dependent aliens.”
1892: First automatic telephone exchange goes into operation in La Porte, Indiana.
1964: For the first time residents of Washington, D.C., are allowed to vote in a presidential election.
1794 Birthday: William Cullen Bryant, poet and journalist.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Idaho:
1863: Mining began in Owyhees and the Boise Barracks established
1866-69: More gold discovered
1869: Transcontinental railroad completed

VGS Latest News & Tips: 22 Sep 2016

Irish Census Names Translated Into Gibberish By Canadian Institute:
Irish Central
"Names in the popular database of Irish census records dating from 1901 and 1911 were mistranscribed by a Canadian archival and library institute, claims the London Times."
Continue reading...

American Gangsters Of The 1920s And 1930s Project:
Geni
"This project seeks to identify American gangsters during the Prohibition era of the 1920s and 1930s."
Continue reading...

Look At All Of The Great Reasons To Attend Rootstech 2017:
RootsTech
"It's time to use technology to discover your roots. Join Us! The largest global genealogy conference is right around the corner and your're invited. From novice, to expert, to entrepreneur, there's something for everyone at Roots Tech."
February 8-11, 2017
Learn more...

Do You Use FindaGrave.com?
You never know what you might find on this wonderful website. Memorial #: 10472 at St. Thomas, Elgin County, Ontario, Canada is an example.
Visit this memorial...

How to Convert PDF Files and Images into Google Docs Documents:
How-to-Geek
"You probably know you can create and edit documents with Google Docs, but you can edit more than just .doc files. Google Drive can also convert PDF files and images of text to editable files through Google Docs. Here’s how."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 22 September
1711: The Tuscarora Indian War begins with a massacre of settlers in North Carolina, following white encroachment that included the enslaving of Indian children.
1862: President Abraham Lincoln issues a proclamation calling for all slaves within the rebel states to be freed on January 1, a political move that helps keep the British from intervening on the side of the South.
1893: Bicycle makers Charles and Frank Duryea show off the first American automobile produced for sale to the public by taking it on a maiden run through the streets of Springfield, Massachusetts.
1939 Birthday: Junko Tabei, Japanese mountain climber; first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

State Timelines:
Even though it is hard to tell what made people move or disappear, these are just a few possibilities.
Connecticut:
1781: New London became site of major Revolutionary War battle
1815: First steamboat of Connecticut River
1824: Grant Enfield Canal by=passed Connecticut River rapids

VGS News & Tips: 7 April 2016

Today: Thursday: April 7, 2016

Eastern European Genealogy SIG Meeting:

1:00 PM in the Triple Crown Room at Churchill Recreation Center

Tomorrow: Friday: April 8, 2016

Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

The Importance of Sharing the Slave History from your Family Trees:
Crestleaf
"Unfortunately I have several slave owners in my family tree, some dating back into the late 1600’s. I have some wills that give names and locations. Would it help others if we were able to list those names and locations on our trees so their family could find them?"
Continue reading...

10 “Must-Do” Genealogy Projects for April:

Ancestral Findings

"Are you looking for some productive genealogy projects to do for April? As the first full month of spring, April offers some interesting and unique genealogy opportunities that just don’t fit in as well during other months of the year. If you want to stay on top of things in your genealogy research, these are the projects that should definitely be on your “to do” list this month. Enjoy them."

Continue reading...

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. Mistakes can be made in transcriptions of documents from one location to another; even tombstones are known to sometimes have mistakes on them from the stone cutter."

Continue reading...

10 Tools to Tweak Privacy Settings in Windows 10 and Fix Privacy Issues:
Dick Eastman
"Windows 10 collects and shares more information about your personal information than any previous version of the operating system. Microsoft has gone on record and said that Windows 10 data collection cannot be stopped. (See http://news.thewindowsclub.com/windows-10-data-collection-cannot-stopped-microsoft-80697/ for details about Microsoft’s claims.)"
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 7 April
1914: The British House of Commons passes the Irish Home Rule Bill.
1933: President Franklin Roosevelt signs legislation ending prohibition in the United States.
1983: Specialist Story Musgrave and Don Peterson make the first Space Shuttle spacewalk.
1837 Birthday: John Pierpont Morgan, U.S. industrialist.

VGS Latest News & Tips: 8 January 2016

Today: Friday, January 8, 2016:

Genetic Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

War of 1812 Pension Record

The Battle of New Orleans: January 8, 1815
Fold 3
"On the morning of January 8, 1815, British forces attacked American positions outside of New Orleans, Louisiana, resulting in a bloody defeat for the British in the last major battle of the War of 1812."
Continue reading...

How to Start Your Own Family Genealogy Blog?
I'm often asked this question by members at one of our many VGS meetings. I don't know if they really want to do undertake this task or just testing me to see what I know. In my mind there are several ways to do this but I can't explain my thoughts in a minute or two. I think the best way to answer this question is to show you an example of a very interesting blog someone else has created.
It's called iwiKiwi:
View: A Kiwi in search of her Irish, English and Scottish Tribes

Why Do People Contribute to Find A Grave?
where2look4ancestors
"If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time, you may already know I’m a Find A Grave contributor.
In fact, last year my love of cemeteries and headstone photography upstaged my family history research! I believe Find A Grave plays an important role in the preservation of history, art and architecture. And the people laid to rest under each headstone should not be forgotten."
Continue reading...

U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012:
Ancestry
"Find out what your relatives were really like in high school and college with our newly-expanded Yearbooks collection. With 51,000 yearbooks and more than 7 million photos, it’s a treasure trove of fascinating family details."
You must be a subscriber to view this collection.
View Collection

Tombstones: They Come In All Shapes And Sizes
FindaGrave
Every once and a while I come across something in findagrave.com that is a little different from what you usually see in grave memorials. I wish I knew more about who designed or why this design was created.
Here is an example...

10 “Must-Do” Genealogy Projects for January:
Ancestry Findings
"The long, cold month of January is here, and with it, an excellent opportunity to do some new and interesting genealogy projects that are just perfect for this time of year. Just because it’s freezing and possibly snowy outside doesn’t mean you don’t have plenty of things to do with your genealogy research to keep you busy. In fact, some projects are more suited to January than any other month. Here are ten “must-do” genealogy projects for January."
Continue reading...

This Day In History: 8 January
1815: A rag-tag army under Andrew Jackson defeats the British on the fields of Chalmette in the Battle of New Orleans.
1892: A coal mine explosion kills 100 in McAlester, Oklahoma.
1908: A subway line opens linking the New York boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan.
1862 Birthday: Frank Nelson Doubleday, founder of Doubleday publishing house.

VGS Latest News & Tips: 5 January 2016

Tomorrow: Wednesday, January 6, 2016:

French Canadian Genealogy SIG Meeting:

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

Did You Register for the Windows 10 Demo? It's Tomorrow
Are you thinking of upgrading to Windows 10? See the Windows 10 operating system in action.
Pinellas Plaza Library
Jan 6 at 2pm in Rm 102

REPLACING FAMILY TREE MAKER
The Willard's
I have received the following information that the Willard's have decided to stop teaching Family Tree Maker at The Life Long Learning College. They are going to replace the FTM class and have provided the following information.

"Ancestry announced in early December, 2015, that they would no longer support Family Tree Maker. This announcement left many FTM users wondering what their options were to replace the program. This class will focus on the options available for those who wish to replace FTM with the intent of letting each student decide which option is best. Topics to be covered include exporting FTM data to GEDCOM, transferring media files, and demonstrating the pros and cons of the following software programs: Legacy 8.0, Family Historian 6.0, RootsMagic 7, and Ancestral Quest 14."
4 days TVLLC, Lab 136
GEN09101 F: Feb. 5- Feb.26 10-11:30am
GEN09102 F: March 4- March 25 1-2:30pm
GEN09103 F: Apr. 1- Apr. 22 1-2:30pm

An Auschwitz Survivor Searches for His Twin on Facebook:
The Daily Beast
Menachem Bodner last saw his twin brother at age 4, when he was liberated from the infamous Auschwitz laboratory of Dr. Josef Mengele. Now, armed with proof that his brother also survived, he’s watching his search go viral online.
Continue reading...

Finding Your Roots Looks to Find Its Footing, Again, After Misstep on Affleck's Slave-Owning Ancestor:
The Blog
"One of the last TV shows you'd expect to find dusting itself off from a small, but embarrassing content-suppression scandal would be Finding Your Roots, Professor Henry L. Gates's genealogy program on PBS.
But the show's third season, which premieres Jan. 5 (tonight) at 8 p.m., will have to explore the roots of several dozen new subjects in the mildly uncomfortable shadow of previous guest Ben Affleck."
Continue reading...

New Year's Resolutions for Family History Research:
Free Guest Membership through January 2016
NEHGS
"Register free as a Guest User to get access to three of our most popular vital records databases for the month of January 2016.

• Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1910
• Vermont Births, Marriages and Deaths to 2008
• New Hampshire Births to 1901, Deaths and Marriages to 1937

Continue reading...

WWII Marine Robert E. Bishop – A Case Study:
Ancestry: Posted by Jennifer Holik 
"When we begin World War II research, we often search as many online indexes and databases as possible, usually beginning with Ancestry. And while there, we usually see if there is a family tree that has records attached to it. If there is a photograph of the individual, that is a huge bonus."
Continue reading...

Citizen Historians Expanding Access to Virginia’s Past:
Community Idea Stations 
"At the Library of Virginia, about a dozen people sit in front of computers, some typing rapidly, others looking intently at their screens. This is one of the institution’s regular “Transcribe-A-Thons.”
Sonya Coleman: We have a vast collection full of a million wonderful documents and we’re just never going to have enough staff to fully transcribe all of them and really do justice for each story."
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This Day In History: 5 January
1815: Federalists from all over New England, angered over the War of 1812, draw up the Hartford Convention, demanding several important changes in the U.S. Constitution.
1914: Henry Ford astounds the world as he announces that he will pay a minimum wage of $5 a day and will share with employees $10 million in the previous year’s profits.
1920: GOP women demand equal representation at the Republican National Convention in June.
1779 Birthday: Stephen Decatur, American naval hero during actions against the Barbay pirates and the War of 1812.

VGS Latest News & Tips: 7 October 2015

Today: Wednesday, October 7, 2015:

French Canadian Genealogy SIG Meeting:

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

Tomorrow: Thursday, October 8, 2015

German Genealogy SIG Meeting

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

15 Ways to Find Ancestors Death Information:
The Ancestor Hunter
"When researching our ancestors, one of the most important events is obviously their death. Determining dates and location of death is important as we document the major events in their lives. Most folks limit their search to the obvious repositories, whether online or not."
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Personal Projects:
MCG
You have all those family photographs all tucked away safe and sound, but is anyone enjoying them sitting in that safe and sound box?
Here are some projects that you may want to consider to utilize those precious memories.
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How to Make Old Programs Work on Windows 10:
How-to-Geek
"Most of your Windows applications should just work on Windows 10. If they worked on Windows 7, they’ll almost certainly work on Windows 10. Some older PC applications won’t just work, but there are many ways to get them working again."
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How Can I Research My Roots Without Spending Money:
The Root
"I’m 28 years old and on a mission to find out more about my roots, particularly on my mother’s side of the family. Unfortunately, everyone who could help me find answers is now deceased. Where can I look for answers, given that I really have no budget for this search?"
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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.
1849: Edgar Allan Poe, aged 40, dies a tragic death in Baltimore. Never able to overcome his drinking habits, he was found in a delirious condition outside a saloon that was used as a voting place.
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.
1935 Birthday: Thomas Keneally, novelist, author of Schindler’s Ark, the basis for the film Schindler’s List.