Well, for all the genealogists out there or anyone researching their family trees, this may be good news and it may be bad news... Ancestry CEO Tim Sullivan stated: "We will maintain Find A Grave as a free website, will retain its existing policies and mode of operation, and look forward to working with Jim Tipton and the entire Find A Grave team to accelerate the development of tools designed to make it even easier for the Find A Grave community to fulfill its original mission to capture every tombstone on earth."
This may have all started when Ancestry began to collaborate with Find A Grave. Ancestry's leafs will show up when Find A Grave matches an entry in your on-line tree or your Family Tree Maker tree. Note that BillionGraves.com is also showing up. Can there be another "collaboration" in the future? Can there be a melding of Find A Grave and Billion Graves? One is certainly substantially larger than the other. And one is certainly more technically advanced that the other as well!
There's an interesting article by Tom MacEntee at www.hackgenealogy.com that you might find interesting.
30 September 2013
29 September 2013
A Family Subject and a Genealogy Subect!
Announcement! Announcement! My niece has delivered the newest member of the clan. Raegan Louise was born this morning in Leland, NC weighing in at 8 lbs. 9 oz. She, like her cousin Lillie Rae, is named for her grandfather, Ray. Sammie and her sister Chris have cleverly used the spelling "RAE" for their father's name "RAY"...
But now, the boy/girl balance is out of whack. The combined score between my sister and I is 4 boys and 5 girls! We'll keep you posted!!
But now, the boy/girl balance is out of whack. The combined score between my sister and I is 4 boys and 5 girls! We'll keep you posted!!
When all else fails, hire a professional genealogist
Great advice...Interesting interview! Hire a local, New England oriented professional genealogist, Old Bones! Visit my site at Old Bones Genealogy or contact me directly at dave@oldbones.info!
Parent's Rights versus Grandparent's Interests - Insights from the Law
There is a fantastically informative and often entertaining blog from a renowned genealogist, lawyer and overall interesting person, Judy G Russell. Visit www.legalgenealogist.com for today's post "Games grandparents play." (Sorry...the hyperlinks don't seem to be working today!) It's a subject that, frankly, I never thought about. But at the same time, I've never had an urge to swab any of our grandkids without their parent's knowledge. Perhaps we'll get to that someday. There's just a few more pressing priorities at this time!
I subscribe to "The Legal Genealogist" and manage to read most of what she presents. I strongly recommend that you subscribe as well...Lots of good "stuff"! I've seen her speak at several venues, heard her on several webinars and look forward to the next chance I get to be further enlightened.
Speaking of grandkids, our family was blessed again this morning with the latest bundle to join the clan. Raegan Louise was born this morning and weighed in at 8 pounds 9 ounces. Her name is taken from her grandfather's first name, Ray, and her paternal great grandmother's name, Louise. She has a cousin named Lillie Rae whose middle name is after the same grandfather Ray. I think it's very creative that the sisters chose to name their girls after their father. And good luck to Sammie, Chad and Raegan!
I subscribe to "The Legal Genealogist" and manage to read most of what she presents. I strongly recommend that you subscribe as well...Lots of good "stuff"! I've seen her speak at several venues, heard her on several webinars and look forward to the next chance I get to be further enlightened.
Speaking of grandkids, our family was blessed again this morning with the latest bundle to join the clan. Raegan Louise was born this morning and weighed in at 8 pounds 9 ounces. Her name is taken from her grandfather's first name, Ray, and her paternal great grandmother's name, Louise. She has a cousin named Lillie Rae whose middle name is after the same grandfather Ray. I think it's very creative that the sisters chose to name their girls after their father. And good luck to Sammie, Chad and Raegan!
28 September 2013
National Archives Tutorials On-Line!
I subscribed to a series of webcasts given by NARA on many subjects. It was a "Virtual Genealogy Fair" about a month ago. I can't remember the exact subjects presented but they are all interesting to anyone conducting genealogical research who can make use of the amazing amount of data available.
I watched the first but didn't have time to sit for the rest. So I subscribed to UStreamTV which has archived many or possibly all of the programs from the National Archives. So far, I've received 12 e-mails with links to various shows. That's fine with me. It makes it convenient for me to grab one when I can devote an hour or to watching it from start to finish.
I could copy the links (which have about 200 characters each!!), convert or shorten them in TinyURL and post them here. Or, if you'd like me to forward one or two or all of these e-mails so that you can watch these broadcasts, send a note privately to me at dave@oldbones.info.
I'm going to attempt to attach a "Contact Form" to the bottom of this post which may make it easier for you to contact me. I tried it once before but I'm not sure if it worked! Supposedly, all I have to do is click the "Add Contact Form" button.... Sure, I can do that!!
[contact-form][contact-field label='Name' type='name' required='1'/][contact-field label='Email' type='email' required='1'/][contact-field label='Website' type='url'/][contact-field label='Comment' type='textarea' required='1'/][/contact-form]
I watched the first but didn't have time to sit for the rest. So I subscribed to UStreamTV which has archived many or possibly all of the programs from the National Archives. So far, I've received 12 e-mails with links to various shows. That's fine with me. It makes it convenient for me to grab one when I can devote an hour or to watching it from start to finish.
I could copy the links (which have about 200 characters each!!), convert or shorten them in TinyURL and post them here. Or, if you'd like me to forward one or two or all of these e-mails so that you can watch these broadcasts, send a note privately to me at dave@oldbones.info.
I'm going to attempt to attach a "Contact Form" to the bottom of this post which may make it easier for you to contact me. I tried it once before but I'm not sure if it worked! Supposedly, all I have to do is click the "Add Contact Form" button.... Sure, I can do that!!
[contact-form][contact-field label='Name' type='name' required='1'/][contact-field label='Email' type='email' required='1'/][contact-field label='Website' type='url'/][contact-field label='Comment' type='textarea' required='1'/][/contact-form]
More Massachusetts Vital Records Available at FamilySearch --- Indexing
Documents from the Massachusetts Vital Records from 1916 to 1920 and amendments from 1841 to 1920 are going up at FamilySearch.
The page at the web site states: This collection is being published as images become available.
My guess is that the more people who volunteer to index the records, the faster the project will be completed. Anyone can volunteer to help. If you're so inclined, visit FamilySearch, click on the icon labelled "Indexing" and follow the instructions. You'll have to download a small program, but it's no big deal! I've done quite a bit of indexing myself.
After you've been indexing for a while, they may ask you if you're interested in arbitrating. Here' s how it works: After you've downloaded the software, you log in and are presented with a list of documents that require indexing. The documents are rated for difficulty from 1 (easy) to 5 (difficult). For example, it would be easier to index a 1940 US census than a 15th century Portuguese baptismal record. Unless you speak 15th century Portuguese!!
Each document is indexed by two separate volunteers. Then that work is made available to arbitrators who make decisions when the indexers don't agree on what's written in the document. For example, is it "Daniel" or "David". Is it "Louisa" or "Lovisa". The arbitrators decide and then the document can be uploaded and made available for searching.
It's been a while and there might be a few tweaks in how they operate, but I can't imagine it's changed much. At any rate, the good news is that more records are being made available for on-line research!
The page at the web site states: This collection is being published as images become available.
My guess is that the more people who volunteer to index the records, the faster the project will be completed. Anyone can volunteer to help. If you're so inclined, visit FamilySearch, click on the icon labelled "Indexing" and follow the instructions. You'll have to download a small program, but it's no big deal! I've done quite a bit of indexing myself.
After you've been indexing for a while, they may ask you if you're interested in arbitrating. Here' s how it works: After you've downloaded the software, you log in and are presented with a list of documents that require indexing. The documents are rated for difficulty from 1 (easy) to 5 (difficult). For example, it would be easier to index a 1940 US census than a 15th century Portuguese baptismal record. Unless you speak 15th century Portuguese!!
Each document is indexed by two separate volunteers. Then that work is made available to arbitrators who make decisions when the indexers don't agree on what's written in the document. For example, is it "Daniel" or "David". Is it "Louisa" or "Lovisa". The arbitrators decide and then the document can be uploaded and made available for searching.
It's been a while and there might be a few tweaks in how they operate, but I can't imagine it's changed much. At any rate, the good news is that more records are being made available for on-line research!
Related articles
- U.S. Gov't to Release Census Covering the Great Depression (theblaze.com)
- Vineyard will host "Indexathon", October 19th, 2013 (yservebyu.wordpress.com)
- October is National Family History Month (dupagecountygenealogicalsociety.wordpress.com)
- Scottish Roots & Scotland's People (agenealogyinbaltimore.wordpress.com)
27 September 2013
Old Bones on TV??? Old Bones on TV!!!
For the fourth time, I was asked to be interviewed for the Ludlow (Mass) Community TV program. Lillian Genthner is the host. Her husband had been a Shriners clown for many years performing under the name "Buttercup". So Lillian adopted the name "Mrs. Buttercup." Initially, her programs were mostly arts and crafts or story telling. But in the past year or so, she's been "branching out"!
Since she's been researching her own family for several years, she became very interested in the "Introduction to Genealogy and Family Research" that I conducted at the First Church in Ludlow where she is a member. She attended my first series there. After the last session, she asked if I'd like to be interviewed for local TV. I was very interested and so far we've had 4 sessions. I could go on and on about what we've talked about. But it's probably easier for me to just offer you the link to the last program. All the others are archived at this site, so you can certainly go back and watch the others.
Here's the link to the latest interview of Old Bones Genealogy at Ludlow Community TV.
I'd love to hear your comments (be nice!) or feel free to contact me directly about this or any other post!
Thanks!
[contact-form][contact-field label='Name' type='name' required='1'/][contact-field label='Email' type='email' required='1'/][contact-field label='Website' type='url'/][contact-field label='Comment' type='textarea' required='1'/][/contact-form]
Since she's been researching her own family for several years, she became very interested in the "Introduction to Genealogy and Family Research" that I conducted at the First Church in Ludlow where she is a member. She attended my first series there. After the last session, she asked if I'd like to be interviewed for local TV. I was very interested and so far we've had 4 sessions. I could go on and on about what we've talked about. But it's probably easier for me to just offer you the link to the last program. All the others are archived at this site, so you can certainly go back and watch the others.
Here's the link to the latest interview of Old Bones Genealogy at Ludlow Community TV.
I'd love to hear your comments (be nice!) or feel free to contact me directly about this or any other post!
Thanks!
[contact-form][contact-field label='Name' type='name' required='1'/][contact-field label='Email' type='email' required='1'/][contact-field label='Website' type='url'/][contact-field label='Comment' type='textarea' required='1'/][/contact-form]
25 September 2013
Eight Siblings -- Children of Erskin Coleman and Linnie Otto (Peace) Robison
So I asked my sister to critique the "new look." I can always count on her for her honesty and opinions. She said what a few others have said; that this is far superior to the old, drab, hard to read, non-capitalized style. But she also was disappointed that she couldn't see everyone in the picture. She has a copy of it, but I see her point. I know the names of everyone in the picture, but several of my relatives who may have been able to tell me with any certainty aren't sure who is who! Except for the man standing in the back row on the right. That's Erskin and Linnie's first born, Cecil Lee Robison, my grandfather. I never met him or even spoke to him for that matter. He died in 1964. Although I was around in '64 (about age 12) and my father called him (grudgingly) every Christmas, I know I never spoke with him or have a memory of such a conversation. Same for Diane, I think. Maybe she'll post a comment about that. Why there was so little contact is another story for another day. It had nothing to do with our family living in Massachusetts and all of my father's family living in Alabama...even in "those days" we had phones AND long-distance calling!
At any rate, the purpose of this post is to satisfy my sister and anyone else who is curious to see the other folks in the background picture, here it is!
[caption id="attachment_1207" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
This photo was taken in 1942 just prior to the death of their father, Erskin. It was the first time they had all been together in many years. Another photo of the same people in the same poses was taken 20 years later at a family picnic.[/caption]
Here is the shot of them 20 years later at a family picnic---Same people, same poses, same town---Evergreen, Alabama!
At any rate, the purpose of this post is to satisfy my sister and anyone else who is curious to see the other folks in the background picture, here it is!
[caption id="attachment_1207" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
This photo was taken in 1942 just prior to the death of their father, Erskin. It was the first time they had all been together in many years. Another photo of the same people in the same poses was taken 20 years later at a family picnic.[/caption]Here is the shot of them 20 years later at a family picnic---Same people, same poses, same town---Evergreen, Alabama!
24 September 2013
New Look!
Yes, this is the same "Old Bones Genealogy" you all know and love! I wanted to get "of New England" into the title but the old template didn't allow enough room. Also, I got a little tired of the lack of CAPS in the title. This one's a little brighter as well. I might change the background picture from time to time, but for now, it's a studio shot of my grandfather, Cecil Lee Robison, and his 7 siblings.
Comments are always welcome!
One more thing: Thanks to Jane, I now know where the "Follow" button is located! It seems that if you're logged in to WordPress and read the blogs, the "Follow" button is in the upper left hand corner. Jane and her daughter searched and searched but couldn't find it. She wanted to know if she had to get a user name and password, which I doubted. So, I logged out to see what she was seeing...or not seeing! And there it was, the "Follow" button!! But it was in the lower RIGHT hand corner rather than in the upper LEFT hand corner! Who knew!! Thanks, Jane!!
Comments are always welcome!
One more thing: Thanks to Jane, I now know where the "Follow" button is located! It seems that if you're logged in to WordPress and read the blogs, the "Follow" button is in the upper left hand corner. Jane and her daughter searched and searched but couldn't find it. She wanted to know if she had to get a user name and password, which I doubted. So, I logged out to see what she was seeing...or not seeing! And there it was, the "Follow" button!! But it was in the lower RIGHT hand corner rather than in the upper LEFT hand corner! Who knew!! Thanks, Jane!!
"What They Endured, What They Wrought"
Enthusiasts of the Civil War and of the Battle of Gettysburg in particular, please take note. A friend of ours, Kerry Hotaling, has just published a book about the Battle at Gettysburg. It's available at this link at Amazon.com.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300"]
English: Photo of Postage stamp, 1963 issue, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
Please consider buying "What They Endured, What They Wrought". It's a highly recommended book with outstanding reviews at Amazon.com. But more importantly, Kerry is donating a dollar from every sale to the Gettysburg Foundation. That may not be the exact name, I only know that Kerry is doing an admirable job of helping to preserve an important part of our history by writing about the battle and making what we hope will be a considerable cash donation to a very worthy cause thanks to you!
(Plus, he and his wife are "graduates" of my Genealogy and Family History Research course!!)
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300"]
English: Photo of Postage stamp, 1963 issue, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]Please consider buying "What They Endured, What They Wrought". It's a highly recommended book with outstanding reviews at Amazon.com. But more importantly, Kerry is donating a dollar from every sale to the Gettysburg Foundation. That may not be the exact name, I only know that Kerry is doing an admirable job of helping to preserve an important part of our history by writing about the battle and making what we hope will be a considerable cash donation to a very worthy cause thanks to you!
(Plus, he and his wife are "graduates" of my Genealogy and Family History Research course!!)
Related articles
- 150 Years After Battle Of Gettysburg, Shutdown Hindering History Tours (npr.org)
- 13 Photos of Battle Reenactments From the 150th Anniversary of Gettysburg (theblaze.com)
- Boy Scouts get unique history lesson on the Battle of Gettysburg (fox43.com)
- Great Photos Through the Ages (ongreatfields.wordpress.com)
- Battle of Gettysburg (Rhetorical Analysis) (sandycabral03.wordpress.com)
Order Copies from FamilySearch - LDS - Salt Lake City
Anyone who researches their family using Family Search will find this useful. For several months, has been possible to order copies of documents that are found at Family Search, the LDS family research website. I've just ordered 2 documents and I'll keep you posted as to when I receive them. It's supposed to take a week or two, so we'll see! This is not to be confused with ordering a microfilm from a Family History Center such as the one in Ludlow, MA. This process will send you an e-mail with the document(s) attached.
The page at Family Search is in the FamilySearch Blog and it's called "Policy Change for Patrons Requesting Photocopies...". Click the title in parentheses to be directed the proper page. I've never tried to find it from the home page so I can't give you those directions. But for myself, I've bookmarked the site in Firefox and added it to the Favorites/Genealogy category in Internet Explorer. I have to make things extra easy for myself sometimes...you know, dumb it down!!
The instructions are a little daunting. And although I didn't fill in all the blanks, I still received and acknowledgment of my request which make me believe I've sent enough information.
The page at Family Search is in the FamilySearch Blog and it's called "Policy Change for Patrons Requesting Photocopies...". Click the title in parentheses to be directed the proper page. I've never tried to find it from the home page so I can't give you those directions. But for myself, I've bookmarked the site in Firefox and added it to the Favorites/Genealogy category in Internet Explorer. I have to make things extra easy for myself sometimes...you know, dumb it down!!
The instructions are a little daunting. And although I didn't fill in all the blanks, I still received and acknowledgment of my request which make me believe I've sent enough information.
Western Mass Genealogical Society
Although WMGS is a relatively small, local society, we have an exciting group of speakers lined up for this season. We're reaching out nationally with new technology that allows us to hear from experts from just about any location with internet access! We meet the first Wednesday of each month from September to June. The meetings are open to the public so members, bring your friends. Membership is only $20 per year.
Our first speaker when our season opened last month was Cliff McCarthy. Cliff is the Archivist at the Museum of Springfield History. He gave a very understandable presentation on DNA and how it relates to family research.
Our next meeting is October 2nd (which happens to be my sister's birthday...Happy Birthday Diane!!) we'll hear Lisa Dougherty, an expert in Irish research. You can visit her web site by clicking here: Upstate New York Genealogy. I've heard her speak at other venues. She is very knowledgeable, highly experienced and offers a variety of genealogical services. And she has a very interesting presentation. Bring a notepad...I think it would be handy!!
Soon, we'll be hearing from Maureen Taylor. Maureen is an internationally known photo expert. While that in and of itself doesn't sound all that relevant to family research, a quick visit to her website will tell the full story. Click the name here Maureen Taylor where you can read about here books, such as 3 volumes of PHOTOGRAPHS of REVOLUTIONARY WAR PATRIOTS!! These are Americans who were involved in the war and who survived into the age of photography, sometime after 1839. Speaking of "ages", Maureen will be with in a virtual environment; she'll be at home and we'll be at the Agawam Senior Center!!
D. Barry Sheldon has also agreed to speak to us in another "virtual environment" in the spring. He has many subjects to discuss but I felt that "Breaking Down Brick Walls" might be a good one. I'm open to suggestions!
Denise Martinez of the Chicopee City Clerk's office is a returning speaker who will give us insights into what a clerk's office can do to aid our research, what records are open to the public and other issues that are specific to Chicopee such as hours, fees, etc.
Yours truly will present a research "lesson" titled "Strategies You Never Thought of...Search Sites you never heard of!" That will be the same program that I'll be presenting in a webinar with dates to be announced.
All in all, it's a great year for WMGS. We've added quite a few members, we have some great presentations coming up, our Thursday evening computer research coaching group has had every seat filled for one week in a row!! We're on a roll! By the way, don't be discouraged about the full room for the Thursday research coaching group. Just get in touch with the group at westmassgen@gmail.com or with me at dave@oldbones.info to check on availability. We meet the 3rd and 4th Thursday each month from September to July at 6 PM in the computer lab at the Agawam Senior Center. These sessions are free to the membership and a token charge of $10 to non-members.
Our first speaker when our season opened last month was Cliff McCarthy. Cliff is the Archivist at the Museum of Springfield History. He gave a very understandable presentation on DNA and how it relates to family research.
Our next meeting is October 2nd (which happens to be my sister's birthday...Happy Birthday Diane!!) we'll hear Lisa Dougherty, an expert in Irish research. You can visit her web site by clicking here: Upstate New York Genealogy. I've heard her speak at other venues. She is very knowledgeable, highly experienced and offers a variety of genealogical services. And she has a very interesting presentation. Bring a notepad...I think it would be handy!!
Soon, we'll be hearing from Maureen Taylor. Maureen is an internationally known photo expert. While that in and of itself doesn't sound all that relevant to family research, a quick visit to her website will tell the full story. Click the name here Maureen Taylor where you can read about here books, such as 3 volumes of PHOTOGRAPHS of REVOLUTIONARY WAR PATRIOTS!! These are Americans who were involved in the war and who survived into the age of photography, sometime after 1839. Speaking of "ages", Maureen will be with in a virtual environment; she'll be at home and we'll be at the Agawam Senior Center!!
D. Barry Sheldon has also agreed to speak to us in another "virtual environment" in the spring. He has many subjects to discuss but I felt that "Breaking Down Brick Walls" might be a good one. I'm open to suggestions!
Denise Martinez of the Chicopee City Clerk's office is a returning speaker who will give us insights into what a clerk's office can do to aid our research, what records are open to the public and other issues that are specific to Chicopee such as hours, fees, etc.
Yours truly will present a research "lesson" titled "Strategies You Never Thought of...Search Sites you never heard of!" That will be the same program that I'll be presenting in a webinar with dates to be announced.
All in all, it's a great year for WMGS. We've added quite a few members, we have some great presentations coming up, our Thursday evening computer research coaching group has had every seat filled for one week in a row!! We're on a roll! By the way, don't be discouraged about the full room for the Thursday research coaching group. Just get in touch with the group at westmassgen@gmail.com or with me at dave@oldbones.info to check on availability. We meet the 3rd and 4th Thursday each month from September to July at 6 PM in the computer lab at the Agawam Senior Center. These sessions are free to the membership and a token charge of $10 to non-members.
13 September 2013
AncestryDNA Rolls Out "Update"
Here's a link to one of my favorite blogger, lecturer, genealogist, lawyer and general expert in a lot of the things that also interest me! There's a great deal of information here and in every blog she posts... Although not always about DNA:
The Legal Genealogist
Especially interesting is the last paragraph where she quotes Dr. Ken Chahine of AncestryDNA.
The Legal Genealogist
Especially interesting is the last paragraph where she quotes Dr. Ken Chahine of AncestryDNA.
11 September 2013
Genealogy - In - Time Magazine
I want to introduce you to GenealogyInTime Magazine, in case you're not aware of it. It's an online magazine or e-zine that I subscribed to a few months ago. They have offered many great ideas and tips for genealogists at every level.
What got me started on this today was a webinar by Thomas MacEntee I watched earlier this afternoon. He offered about 20 web sites that you'd probably never think of using for your research. I'll post some of what I learned from him in the coming days. I'm trying to finish up some client work and I really should be concentrating on that tonight!
Back to GenealogyInTime.... Today's message from them has to do with searching by country. They'll explain this much better than I can, but the simple version is, using a country or location specific Google search engine can radically change your results. I copied their chart of search engine URLs and put it in DropBox. You can access it at this DropBox link. It's not a very "neat" chart, but the info is accurate, especially if you want a Google genealogy search for the Isle of Man!
The current issue offers 10 "insights" to help you in your research efforts.
Keep watching for some of the Thomas MacEntee data. I can tell you this: I was thinking of what subjects I'd like to cover for a presentation I'm giving to the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society this November. Thomas MacEntee gave me the answer!!
What got me started on this today was a webinar by Thomas MacEntee I watched earlier this afternoon. He offered about 20 web sites that you'd probably never think of using for your research. I'll post some of what I learned from him in the coming days. I'm trying to finish up some client work and I really should be concentrating on that tonight!
Back to GenealogyInTime.... Today's message from them has to do with searching by country. They'll explain this much better than I can, but the simple version is, using a country or location specific Google search engine can radically change your results. I copied their chart of search engine URLs and put it in DropBox. You can access it at this DropBox link. It's not a very "neat" chart, but the info is accurate, especially if you want a Google genealogy search for the Isle of Man!
The current issue offers 10 "insights" to help you in your research efforts.
Keep watching for some of the Thomas MacEntee data. I can tell you this: I was thinking of what subjects I'd like to cover for a presentation I'm giving to the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society this November. Thomas MacEntee gave me the answer!!
09 September 2013
Family Tree Maker 2014 Upgrade is Available!!
I'm a sucker for upgrades... If i'st supposed to work better and faster with more features and benefits, I'm in! I've been using Family Tree Maker since 1998 when I bought the software at Circuit City. Remember Circuit City??
Ever since then, whenever an upgrade has been offered, I'd wait until the bugs were worked out. You know, at least a couple of days. Then I'd buy the software, usually a CD that had to be mailed. But lately, I need instant gratification: The "Download Now" button!!
I guess that part of me was hoping that the upgrade would clear up some glitches, some problems, some quirks I've had with a "NOT RESPONDING" error message in FTM 2012. So not only am I a sucker for upgrades, I'm a wishful, magical thinker as well.
OK, I spent the money (for the download AND the CD that they'll mail to me...I hope) and now I've got it all installed and the files open very nicely and I can get back to work, right?
Wrong! Whenever you upgrade FTM, you have to "Register" your new software. You have to do register so that all the features work. And there lies tonight's problem. The singular feature that I need to work is the "CLICK HERE TO REGISTER" feature. Right next to it, there's a "REGISTER LATER" button. But I don't want to register later! I want to register now. Unfortunately, the software has a mind of its own and it has decided that I cannot register now, I'll have to register later. Perhaps that will be after I call tech support in the morning and wait for XX minutes as all their technicians are currently assisting other customers!! But not to worry, my call will be answered as soon as an agent becomes available.
So, I guess I've found a new glitch, a new problem, a new quirk!
More to come....
Ever since then, whenever an upgrade has been offered, I'd wait until the bugs were worked out. You know, at least a couple of days. Then I'd buy the software, usually a CD that had to be mailed. But lately, I need instant gratification: The "Download Now" button!!
I guess that part of me was hoping that the upgrade would clear up some glitches, some problems, some quirks I've had with a "NOT RESPONDING" error message in FTM 2012. So not only am I a sucker for upgrades, I'm a wishful, magical thinker as well.
OK, I spent the money (for the download AND the CD that they'll mail to me...I hope) and now I've got it all installed and the files open very nicely and I can get back to work, right?
Wrong! Whenever you upgrade FTM, you have to "Register" your new software. You have to do register so that all the features work. And there lies tonight's problem. The singular feature that I need to work is the "CLICK HERE TO REGISTER" feature. Right next to it, there's a "REGISTER LATER" button. But I don't want to register later! I want to register now. Unfortunately, the software has a mind of its own and it has decided that I cannot register now, I'll have to register later. Perhaps that will be after I call tech support in the morning and wait for XX minutes as all their technicians are currently assisting other customers!! But not to worry, my call will be answered as soon as an agent becomes available.
So, I guess I've found a new glitch, a new problem, a new quirk!
More to come....
Flags at Half-Staff on Wednesday 9/11
For those of us who fly the American flag, please take note that the flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sundown on Wednesday, 9/11 in honor of the Americans who died in the terrorist attacks on that day. The American Legion states that if your flag is on a fixed pole such on the side of a building displayed at an angle, it is appropriate to attach a black ribbon to the top of the pole. The ribbon should be at least as wide as the stripes in the flag.
Using City Directories to Create a Timeline
This mirrors a portion of my class! Good advice... Thanks Jenn O.!!
The Treasure Trove in Legislative Petitions - Live Webinar
Attached is a link to "The Legal Genealogist" blog. Judy Russell is an attorney and an accomplished genealogist, writer and lecturer in the field of genealogy and how the laws apply to the field. She writes daily in a very interesting and humorous style in her blog, The Legal Genealogist. She's another one of those highly educated, highly intelligent professionals who "speaks English"!!
I wanted to share this link: The Treasure Trove in Legislative Petitions so that I could introduce you to her and inform you about the ISGS Webinar which is being broadcast tomorrow night. "Admission" is free and yes, I know, it's running concurrently with WDYTYA! Fire up your TVR's and participate in what should prove to be an interesting and educational hour.
I wanted to share this link: The Treasure Trove in Legislative Petitions so that I could introduce you to her and inform you about the ISGS Webinar which is being broadcast tomorrow night. "Admission" is free and yes, I know, it's running concurrently with WDYTYA! Fire up your TVR's and participate in what should prove to be an interesting and educational hour.
08 September 2013
Western Mass Genealogical Society
Live in Western Mass? Interested in Irish Genealogy and Research? Mark your calendar for October 2, 2013. Lisa Dougherty, a professional genealogist from Castelton, NY, will speak to our group regarding one of her specialties, researching Irish origins. View her website at Family Research by Lisa Dougherty by clicking the link.
The public is invited to this event at no charge. But we encourage everyone to become a member of the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society, or WMGS. We meet 10 times a year on the first Wednesday of the month from September through the following July. Dues are only $20/year.
In the coming months, we'll have a variety of programs including a "field trip" to the Museum of Springfield History, a repository of an amazing collection of published and unpublished genealogical resource material. Also, Maureen Taylor will give us a remote presentation via SKYPE on photographic genealogy. She is currently publishing her 3rd volume of Revolutionary War Patriot photographs! Yes!! These are photographs of the soldiers of the Revolution who fought at some period between 1776 and 1783 who sat for the new technology in the mid 19th century. Her website can be seen at Maureen Taylor Genealogy by clicking this link.
We meet at the Agawam Senior Center in their Community Room, a modern, comfortable facility. It is located at 954 Main Street, Agawam, MA. You can contact me directly with questions at dave@oldbones.info.
See you in October!
The public is invited to this event at no charge. But we encourage everyone to become a member of the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society, or WMGS. We meet 10 times a year on the first Wednesday of the month from September through the following July. Dues are only $20/year.
In the coming months, we'll have a variety of programs including a "field trip" to the Museum of Springfield History, a repository of an amazing collection of published and unpublished genealogical resource material. Also, Maureen Taylor will give us a remote presentation via SKYPE on photographic genealogy. She is currently publishing her 3rd volume of Revolutionary War Patriot photographs! Yes!! These are photographs of the soldiers of the Revolution who fought at some period between 1776 and 1783 who sat for the new technology in the mid 19th century. Her website can be seen at Maureen Taylor Genealogy by clicking this link.
We meet at the Agawam Senior Center in their Community Room, a modern, comfortable facility. It is located at 954 Main Street, Agawam, MA. You can contact me directly with questions at dave@oldbones.info.
See you in October!
Learn to search NARA - National Archives and Records Administration - archives.gov
Last week, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) broadcast a series of videos from various experts on a variety of subjects. From military records to census records to many other subjects, there are several individual videos that you can watch at your leisure. They were broadcast over a two day period and you could pick the ones you wanted to see from a schedule. It was much like attending a conference with multiple speakers.
Here's the link: USNatArchives
I watched a few on the first day but haven't found the time to watch the rest!
If you get a chance, take a look and let me know which broadcasts interested you the most.
Here's the link: USNatArchives
I watched a few on the first day but haven't found the time to watch the rest!
If you get a chance, take a look and let me know which broadcasts interested you the most.
06 September 2013
FamilyTreeDNA - Affordable Breast Cancer Risk Test
Please take a look at this letter I received in my e-mail today from FamilyTreeDNA. As a FamilyTreeDNA customer, I'm on their mailing list. The letter is self-explanatory.
***
Hello,
It's rare that I send 'blast emails', but if there was ever a time in my life that called for a broad based blast, now is that time. I want to share with you an important campaign www.freemygenes.org that I have started, to raise awareness to an alarming situation.
About 10 weeks ago the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) decided that “isolated human genes cannot be patented.”
That same day our DNA testing company launched a breast cancer test that was far more affordable than previous offered tests. Our precedent-setting reduction in price meant that millions of Americans who previously could not get the test--because their insurance company wouldn't pay, or because they lacked insurance--now had access to a high quality test for breast cancer risk.
Myriad Genetics sued us and others for offering this test and although we are not looking for a fight, we are now forced to defend ourselves and feel morally obligated to bring the world a more affordable test. As a child of the 60s, I can tell you that if there ever was a fight worth fighting, this is it.
I urge you to visit our site: www.freemygenes.org and familiarize yourself with the situation as it has unfolded and I urge you to share this information with others. Our actions are based on two key points: genetic testing should be affordable and available to everyone; and test providers should share data to enable better tests for consumers.
To help us promote the effort we ask that you LIKE our page and update your FB profile picture to reflect our cause. Details are on the website.
I am humbled by the volunteers who have stepped forward to help us with this case so far, including the ACLU, AARP, and the Breast Cancer Action. Now it's your turn. Please do so as soon as you have the opportunity to get online. Thank you very much for your support.
Best Regards,
Bennett Greenspan
President
Family Tree DNA
www.familytreedna.com
"History Unearthed Daily"
***
Hello,
It's rare that I send 'blast emails', but if there was ever a time in my life that called for a broad based blast, now is that time. I want to share with you an important campaign www.freemygenes.org that I have started, to raise awareness to an alarming situation.
About 10 weeks ago the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) decided that “isolated human genes cannot be patented.”
That same day our DNA testing company launched a breast cancer test that was far more affordable than previous offered tests. Our precedent-setting reduction in price meant that millions of Americans who previously could not get the test--because their insurance company wouldn't pay, or because they lacked insurance--now had access to a high quality test for breast cancer risk.
Myriad Genetics sued us and others for offering this test and although we are not looking for a fight, we are now forced to defend ourselves and feel morally obligated to bring the world a more affordable test. As a child of the 60s, I can tell you that if there ever was a fight worth fighting, this is it.
I urge you to visit our site: www.freemygenes.org and familiarize yourself with the situation as it has unfolded and I urge you to share this information with others. Our actions are based on two key points: genetic testing should be affordable and available to everyone; and test providers should share data to enable better tests for consumers.
To help us promote the effort we ask that you LIKE our page and update your FB profile picture to reflect our cause. Details are on the website.
I am humbled by the volunteers who have stepped forward to help us with this case so far, including the ACLU, AARP, and the Breast Cancer Action. Now it's your turn. Please do so as soon as you have the opportunity to get online. Thank you very much for your support.
Best Regards,
Bennett Greenspan
President
Family Tree DNA
www.familytreedna.com
"History Unearthed Daily"
A Billion Records!!!
The following press release was issued this afternoon by Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.
Groundbreaking Agreement to Deliver Valuable Historical Content Over the Next Five Years
PROVO, Utah, September 5, 2013 – Ancestry.com and FamilySearch International (online at FamilySearch.org), the two largest providers of family history resources, announced today an agreement that is expected to make approximately 1 billion global historical records available online and more easily accessible to the public for the first time. With this long-term strategic agreement, the two services will work together with the archive community over the next five years to digitize, index and publish these records from the FamilySearch vault.
The access to the global collection of records marks a major investment in international content as Ancestry.com continues to invest in expanding family history interest in its current markets and worldwide. Ancestry.com expects to invest more than $60 million over the next five years in the project alongside thousands of hours of volunteer efforts facilitated by FamilySearch.
“This agreement sets a path for the future for Ancestry.com and FamilySearch to increasingly share international sets of records more collaboratively,” said Tim Sullivan, CEO of Ancestry.com. “A significant part of our vision for family history is helping provide a rich, engaging experience on a global scale. We are excited about the opportunities it will bring to help benefit the family history community and look forward to collaborating with FamilySearch to identify other opportunities to help people discover and share their family history.”
The organizations will also be looking at other ways to share content across the two organizations. Both organizations expect to add to the already digitized records shared across the two websites in addition to new record projects to be completed over the next five years.
“We are excited to work with Ancestry.com on a vision we both share,” said Dennis Brimhall, President of FamilySearch. “Expanding online access to historical records through this type of collaboration can help millions more people discover and share their family’s history.”
This marks a groundbreaking agreement between the two services. But the two organizations aren’t strangers to working with each other; hundreds of millions of records have already been shared and are available on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. The companies also announced in early 2013 an additional project where they plan to publish 140 million U.S. Wills & Probate images and indexes over the next three years—creating a national database of wills and other probate documents spanning 1800-1930 online for the very first time.
Groundbreaking Agreement to Deliver Valuable Historical Content Over the Next Five Years
PROVO, Utah, September 5, 2013 – Ancestry.com and FamilySearch International (online at FamilySearch.org), the two largest providers of family history resources, announced today an agreement that is expected to make approximately 1 billion global historical records available online and more easily accessible to the public for the first time. With this long-term strategic agreement, the two services will work together with the archive community over the next five years to digitize, index and publish these records from the FamilySearch vault.
The access to the global collection of records marks a major investment in international content as Ancestry.com continues to invest in expanding family history interest in its current markets and worldwide. Ancestry.com expects to invest more than $60 million over the next five years in the project alongside thousands of hours of volunteer efforts facilitated by FamilySearch.
“This agreement sets a path for the future for Ancestry.com and FamilySearch to increasingly share international sets of records more collaboratively,” said Tim Sullivan, CEO of Ancestry.com. “A significant part of our vision for family history is helping provide a rich, engaging experience on a global scale. We are excited about the opportunities it will bring to help benefit the family history community and look forward to collaborating with FamilySearch to identify other opportunities to help people discover and share their family history.”
The organizations will also be looking at other ways to share content across the two organizations. Both organizations expect to add to the already digitized records shared across the two websites in addition to new record projects to be completed over the next five years.
“We are excited to work with Ancestry.com on a vision we both share,” said Dennis Brimhall, President of FamilySearch. “Expanding online access to historical records through this type of collaboration can help millions more people discover and share their family’s history.”
This marks a groundbreaking agreement between the two services. But the two organizations aren’t strangers to working with each other; hundreds of millions of records have already been shared and are available on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. The companies also announced in early 2013 an additional project where they plan to publish 140 million U.S. Wills & Probate images and indexes over the next three years—creating a national database of wills and other probate documents spanning 1800-1930 online for the very first time.
02 September 2013
Political Spin --- A Genealogy Story!
From the Alabama Pioneers Newsletter
Now That's Real Political Spin...
by
Unknown Author
A professional genealogy researcher, who has the same great-great-uncle as a U.S. Congressman, was doing some personal work on her own family tree.
This researcher discovered that their great-great uncle, whom we shall call Remus, was hanged for horse stealing and a train robbery in Montana in 1889. The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows. On the back of this picture is this inscription: "Horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889."
So, this researcher e-mailed her Congressman relative, asking for information about their great-great uncle. The Congressman's staff staff sent back the following biographical sketch:
"Uncle Remus was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets, and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, Remus was a key player in a vital investigation, conducted by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away, during an important civic function, held in his honor, when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed."
Now That's Real Political Spin...
by
Unknown Author
A professional genealogy researcher, who has the same great-great-uncle as a U.S. Congressman, was doing some personal work on her own family tree.
This researcher discovered that their great-great uncle, whom we shall call Remus, was hanged for horse stealing and a train robbery in Montana in 1889. The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows. On the back of this picture is this inscription: "Horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889."
So, this researcher e-mailed her Congressman relative, asking for information about their great-great uncle. The Congressman's staff staff sent back the following biographical sketch:
"Uncle Remus was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets, and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, Remus was a key player in a vital investigation, conducted by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away, during an important civic function, held in his honor, when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed."
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