Genealogy Insider

Genealogy News Corral: November 16-20

Diane — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:41:39 GMT

In preparation for the Civil War sesquicentennial from 2011 to 2015, the Ohio Historical Society (OHS) and Cleveland State University's Center for Public History and Digital Humanities launched a website about Ohio’s role in the Civil War. You can submit content for several areas of the site. See the OHS newsletter for more information.
FamilySearch updated several collections on its free Record Search Pilot site: the 1920 US census index (Texas, Ohio and Iowa were added), Massachusetts marriages, Spanish civil registers, Brazil Catholic church records, and Mexico Catholic baptisms. To see details of each collection, click the appropriate region on the site’s map, click the collection title, then click About This Collection.
Pedigree database site OneGreatFamily created a page to help you discover Mayflower ancestors. You’ll find a list of passengers and information about their journey, and if you have a tree on the site (requires a subscription or a free trial), you can see if your branches match up with a Mayflower tree. Follow the directions on OneGreatFamily's Mayflower page to get started.
If you’re going to the National Genealogical Society (NGS) annual conference in Salt Lake City April 28 to May 1, NGS has arranged air travel discounts of 2 to 7 percent with Delta/KLM/NWA, and car rental discounts of 8 percent with Thrifty. See the NGS website for how to take advantage of these deals.

Footnote Releases American Indian Collection

Diane — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:01:50 GMT

Historical records subscription site Footnote released a new records collection focusing on American Indians. It includes:

Ratified Indian Treaties dating back to 1722
Indian Census Rolls featuring information including age, place of residence and degree of Indian blood
The Guion Miller Roll, an important source for Cherokee ancestors
Dawes Packets, containing original applications for tribal enrollments, as well as other documents relating to the Five Civilized Tribes

As with Footnote’s other records, members can search, annotate and add comments to records. Visitors also can view pages for other American Indian tribes, which feature a timeline and map, photo gallery, stories and members’ comments.

The records are available with a $79.95 annual subscription to Footnote (a free seven-day trial is available). Access the collection here.

Related resources on FamilyTreeMagazine.com:

American Indian Genealogy Websites (free article)
American Indian Genealogy Books (free article)
Indian Territory (Family Tree Magazine Plus article): Our November 2009 guide to researching American Indian ancestors
Oklahoma State Research Guide (digital download from ShopFamilyTree.com): Includes information on records related to the many tribes removed to Oklahoma

Free MyHeritage CD With January 2010 Issue

Diane — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:54 GMT

If you’ve already gotten your January 2010 Family Tree Magazine, you’ll notice it’s wrapped with a little present: a CD containing free FamilyTreeBuilder software from MyHeritage, a genealogy and family networking website.

The CD works on Windows 98 or newer. Pop in the CD and the download should begin automatically. If it doesn’t, use the finder to navigate to your CD drive and click on the icon. Need technical help or have questions about the software? See the MyHeritage Help Center or Family Tree Builder pages.

The CD comes with both subscriber issues (now being delivered) and newsstand issues (available Dec. 1 at bookstores and on ShopFamilyTree.com).

Search DAR Genealogy Indexes Free Online

Diane — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:47:56 GMT

The Daughters of the American Revolution, a 119-year-old lineage society for women descended from patriots of the American Revolution, has added its Genealogical Research System to its public website.

The system, which is free to search, includes several genealogical databases:

The Genealogical Records Committee National Index (also called the GRC Index) was already on the site, but if you’ve used it before, it has a different interface as part of the Research System. It indexes 20,000 volumes of transcribed gravestones, family Bibles and other records (and not just from the Revolution era) DAR members have collected.

The Ancestor Database of ancestral data from applications of DAR members (who must prove their descent from a Patriot).

A Member search, which lets you enter a deceased DAR member's name for limited information on her ancestors.

The Descendants index, still under construction, lets you search for names in generations between the DAR member and the Revolutionary War ancestor. It includes much 18th and 19th-century information.

Read more about what’s in each database here.

Start searching here (click Enter Site).

Each database has a separate search. Try alternate spellings, as the search doesn’t automatically find them. It does find partial names, though: If you search on Mary Smith, for example, you’d also get entries for Maryann Smith and Mary Smithson.

Depending on the database you search, you may be able to click to the resource’s listing in the DAR’s online library catalog, or to see basic information (name, birth and death dates, parents’ and children’s names) about an ancestor named in a DAR application.

The Family History Library has microfilm copies of some DAR materials; search its online catalog to see if it has the title you need. Then you can rent it by visiting a branch Family History Center near you.

The DAR takes requests for photocopies by fax or postal mail (not e-mail); see the Search Services page for more information.

Editors Pick: Family Tree Legacies

Diane — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:09:46 GMT

Family Tree Magazine editor Allison Stacy and I talked about everything we’d want in one of those “record your family history” books, and Family Tree Legacies: Preserving Memories Throughout Time is the result. We’re a little biased, but we love how well-organized, versatile and pretty it is (and we think it would make a good Christmas or wedding gift).

This book is a three-ring binder with blank fill-in pages for all kinds of information, and a CD in the back that has printable versions of all the fill-in pages.

Lovely tabbed separators divide the book into themed sections, each focusing on a different type of family history information.

Sections let you record details about your immediate family, extended family, memories and traditions, photographs, family heirlooms, relatives who served in the military, newspaper articles featuring family members, places that are prominent in your family history, family recipes and important dates.

Each section begins with tips and tricks (the one below gets you started finding newspaper articles about your family members) . . .

. . . and then has specially designed pages to record information. The pages below are in the Family Heirlooms section.

There’s also an introduction with 10 steps to discovering your family history and a reference guide with helpful references, websites and books. We also love the fold-out family tree chart (below).

You can use the stickers to mark historical family events in the calendar section, maps in the Places section and more.

We’re hoping Family Tree Legacies will become a keepsake you can pass on to future generations.

Download Free RootsMagic Essentials Software

Diane — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:30:19 GMT

RootsMagic, maker of RootsMagic desktop genealogy software for Windows, has released a free version called RootsMagic Essentials. The program contains many core features found in its namesake.

It’s designed for people who want to start using genealogy software, but aren’t yet ready to purchase a full-fledged program. RootsMagic Essentials offers the ability to

add an unlimited number of people and events to your tree
add pictures and media management
write source citations using the SourceWizard
create dozens of reports and charts
share data with other people and software programs.

It can directly import data from Personal Ancestral File, Family Tree Maker (through version 2006), Family Origins and Legacy Family Tree. It reads and writes data using the GEDCOM format.

The full version of RootsMagic 4, which includes additional faeatures, is available for $29.95. See the website for more details.

Speaking of the web, RootsMagic unveiled a sleek new site today. The navigation tabs with drop-down menus neatly organize the site’s content so it’s easy to find.

You can download trial versions of other RootsMagic programs, too, including Personal Historian, FamilyAtlas and Family Reunion Organizer.

So a Genealogist Walks Into a Bar . . .

Diane — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:57:11 GMT

Just when I needed a laugh this morning, reader Crystal Pickett emailed links to a few of her favorite funny genealogy sites. Yes, there is such a thing as genealogy humor. For example:

Cyndi’s List: Humor (from Crystal)

My Elusive Ancestors (from Crystal)

Strange but true epitaphs (On an auctioneer's tombstone: "Going! Going!! Gone!!!")

Genealogy Humor (turns out you can be your own grandpa)

Census Whacking (blogger Randy Seaver's links to funny names in census records)

Heir Jordan, Extreme Genealogy (video on Roots Television)

The Genealogue

To thank Crystal, here are the lines she’s searching: Shaw/Burtley from Mer Rouge, La.; and Crutch/Crutcher and Wilburn from Vaughn Miss. and Pickens, Miss.

Click comments if a name rings a bell, or to add a link to your favorite funny genealogy site.

How to Win Your ShopFamilyTree.com Wish List!

Diane — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:13:35 GMT

It’s fun playing Santa this time of year, so we’re offering a chance to win your favorite how-to genealogy books, CDs, digital downloads and more.

Just fill out your ShopFamilyTree.com wish list by Wed., Dec. 2, and you’ll be entered to win everything on your list up to $150. (You’re still entered if you already had a wish list.) No purchase necessary to create a wish list or to win.

Four lucky winners will be announced on ShopFamilyTree.com on December 3. You’ll find wish list instructions and giveaway details on ShopFamilyTree.com.

Genealogy News Corral: November 9-13

Diane — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:04:45 GMT

The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) is publishing a new scholarly journal called American Ancestors Journal, which will be included as supplement in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register. It’ll contain articles with a national scope, emphasizing New York State and out-migrations from New England. You can download the first edition as a PDF here.

Subscriptions to these publications are included with an NEHGS membership, which starts at $75 per year.

Search three Georgia newspaper archives free at the Digital Library of Georgia: the Macon Telegraph, the Columbus Enquirer and the Milledgeville Historic Newspapers Archive (this includes several titles published in Milledgeville). You can search the full text of the papers or browse by date, and view pages with the DjVu browser plug-in.

Subscription site WorldVitalRecords has added newspaper content from Alaska, California, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin, Mexico and the UK. Click here to see the titles and other details. The papers are accessible with a World Vital Records subscription ($39.96 per year).

David Ferriero was sworn in this week as the 10th Archivist of the United States. The new director of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) was formerly the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the New York Public Libraries, and he’s served in leadership positions at other academic libraries. You can read more about Ferriero on NARA's website.

Foonote Extends Free Holocaust Records Access

Diane — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:18:44 GMT

Due to its overwhelming popularity, Footnote’s Holocaust Collection—which was to remain free for the month of October—will now be free to access for the rest of the year.

On January 1, 2010, these records will become part of the $79.95-per-year paid subscription to Footnote. (You’ll still be able to get them free, though, if you visit a National Archives and Records Administration facility and use an on-site computer.)

You can access Footnote's Holocaust Collection here.

More Resources

FamilyTreeMagazine.com Jewish genealogy articles

Family Tree Magazine Jewish Genealogy Guide in ShopFamilyTree.com

And Our January 2010 Cover Model is …

Diane — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:04:44 GMT

Way back in September, when we put out a call for readers’ ancestral family photos, one of which we’d feature on the January 2010 Family Tree Magazine, we didn’t know we’d get so many terrific candidates. It was difficult to choose just one, but we persevered.

Gracing our January 2010 cover—and helping us unveil the new look of Family Tree Magazine—is [cue drum roll] Marjorie May Newell, grandmother of submitter Sandra Simon-Rosa of Belgrade, Mont.

Sandra says Marjorie was a fashionista with a great sense of humor.

Subscribers are starting to receive the January issue now; it’ll be available on newsstands and at ShopFamilyTree.com starting Dec. 1.

See the rest of the photos in our slideshow and on Flickr.

You’ll see the images inside issues throughout the year, and in the 2010 Family Tree Magazine Desk Calendar, available soon (we’ll let you know) from ShopFamilyTree.com. Thanks to Sandra and all who sent photos for sharing their family memories with us.

Ancestral Cover Photos Slideshow

Diane — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:54:31 GMT

The redesigned January 2010 Family Tree Magazine—our 10th anniversary issue—is going to subscribers this week!

This is the issue featuring a reader’s family photo on the cover. We’ll announce the winner and show you the cover tomorrow, but first we wanted to share this slideshow of the 300-plus lovely, amusing and touching photos you sent.

Created with flickr slideshow.

Click here to see the ancestral cover photo submissions on Flickr.

Online Military Research Guide Free Through Nov. 15

Diane — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:22:36 GMT

Many of you are honoring the veterans in your family by researching their service with Ancestry.com’s free-through-Friday military records access and in other resources.

To give you a hand, our online military research overview—regularly part of the Family Tree Magazine Plus membership—is free through Sunday night, Nov. 15. It tells you about available records and where to find them for major conflicts back to the Revolutionary War.

Access our military research guide here. Want more military research resources? Here are some recommendations.

Free articles:

Military Records Toolkit: Web sites, books and organizations for military research
At Your Service: use this chart to determine which conflicts an ancestor may have served in, depending on his birth date
US Military Campaigns: A timeline of conflicts from the Powhatan Wars through World War II

Family Tree Magazine Plus articles (you must be a Plus member to access these):

A House Divided: Nine steps for researching Civil War soldiers in your family tree
Over There: How to trace your ancestors in records of World War I
Operation Online Records: Join the march to military records on the web.

ShopFamilyTree.com:

The Everything Civil War Book, 2nd Edition: Everything You Need to Know About the Conflict That Divided a Nation by Brooke C. Stoddard and Daniel P. Murphy, PhD

Search Ancestry.com Military Records Free Through Nov. 13

Diane — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:54:50 GMT

For the rest of this week, you can search subscription site Ancestry.com’s military records collection for free in honor of Veterans Day.

That includes the latest addition, more than 600 Navy cruise books from 1950-1988, giving names and photographs of roughly 450,000 servicemen deployed at sea, as well as details about the voyage.

I recommend searching the WWI draft cards, too. Nearly every male resident (citizens and aliens) born between 1873 and 1900 had to register.

Start searching on Ancestry.com’s military records landing page. When you click to view record details, you'll be prompted to sign up for a free registration if you're not already logged in to the site.

Cincinnati Library Digitizes Sanborn Maps

Diane — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:29:40 GMT

Our friends at our local Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County let it slip today that they’re digitizing their local Sanborn maps and putting them online. They’ve already got two volumes scanned.

Wondering what Sanborn maps are? The Sanborn company published them regularly from 1867 to 1970 to evaluate fire insurance liability in urban areas. Between publications, the company would issue updated maps on single sheets to be glued into a volume of maps.

The maps are detailed street plans at a scale of 50 feet to one inch on large sheets of paper—one sheet shows about four to six city blocks. You can see building outlines, locations of windows and doors, building use (including the names of most public buildings), property boundaries, house and block number, street names, street and sidewalk widths, fire walls, composition of building materials and more.

You can learn a lot about your ancestor’s house and neighborhood, or research the history of your own old house.

Each map volume has a title page showing the publication year and an index of the streets and addresses covered in that volume. You just look up the address or building name to find the sheet number for the large-scale map it appears on. There’s also an index map of the entire mapped area, with the sheet numbers for each large-scale map in that volume. If you don't know the address, you can use this index map to guess the sheet number you need.

Sanborn maps cover most urban areas. Many public and university libraries have Sanborn maps in print or on microfilm for the local area. The Library of Congress has a huge collection. At some libraries, you can access ProQuest’s database of digitized maps (check your library’s Web site or ask at the reference desk).

Back to the Cincinnati library’s collection: Each index page and map sheet is an individual PDF document. First, check the index page to find the map number you want. I was looking for my great-grandfather’s store, H.A. Seeger Cigar Manufacturer, which operated for decades at the corner of 12th and Pendleton in downtown Cincinnati.

I clicked on volume 2, published in 1904, and checked the index:

Then I downloaded sheet 148. H.A. Seeger's Cigars is circled in yellow:

Dwellings are labeled D and stores are labeled S. My relatives probably attended the Roman Catholic church across the street and bought bread from the bakery seven doors down.

More resources: Walking with Your Ancestors: A Genealogist's Guide to Using Maps and Geography by Melinda Kashuba

Brick Wall Strategies Webinar Update

Diane — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:54:44 GMT

Every genealogist has a brick wall ancestor, it seems--so just about everyone can use the advice in our next webinar, titled (predictably) Brick Wall Strategie s.

I'll be hosting the hourlong session Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. Eastern, and as I began preparing for the webinar, I thought: This would be a perfect time to call in a professional who helps family historians surmount their research obstacles every day.

So I'm delighted to announce that David Allen Lambert, online genealogist for the New England Historic Genealogical Society, will be joining me for as the co-host of the webinar. David will offer advice on participants' specific brick wall problems, and be on hand to answer questions during a live Q&A period.

Other good news: We're extending the early bird rate of $39.99 until Thursday (Nov. 12) at midnight. Register now to receive this $10 discount.

Can't make it on Nov. 18? Take advantage of the discount to get access to the webinar recording (which you can view as many times as you'd like), as well as the bonus materials provided only to participants in the live webinar--including a PDF of the presentation slides and our Genealogy Guidebook of 100+ brick wall busting ideas.

When you sign up, you'll have the opportunity to submit your brick wall problem for a chance to receive personalized advice from David.

More resources: