Megan’s Roots World

I'm Moving!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 15:44:00 +0000

Yeah, Megan's Roots World is moving. I'm still going to ramble on about all the same genealogical stuff I've always babbled on about, but in a different location.

Please come visit me because it would be really boring to write for myself. I get a kick out of all your comments and feedback. And for those who have subscribed here, I invite (beg?) you to subscribe at my new location.

By the way, if you haven't already, check out Roots Television when you come to visit! See you there!

A Tree Grows in Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 14:26:00 +0000

At least it will if you arrange to have it planted. Somehow I managed to miss Rooted in Ireland at the recent FGS conference, but Leland Meitzler didn't: “Rooted in Ireland” Sets Out to Plant Trees.

Interesting concept -- similar to the Wall of Honor at Ellis Island, all those memory-brick projects you see in town centers, and so forth. Just a living version -- and one that will obviously be of particular interest to those of Irish heritage.

Annie Makes the Rounds

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 14:20:00 +0000

Well, now that Annie's been found, she's already contributing to the genealogical world. Randy Seaver posted about how he used Annie's case study to develop the research muscles of a group in California. Check out the details here: CVGS Research Group does Annie Moore

A Must-Read

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 14:17:00 +0000

Boy, I get tired of folks who just don't get it clinging to outdated notions that genealogists do what we do for bragging rights. That's just so 1924.

It's even more frustrating when people like this get to spread their antiquated ideas in a significant forum. This piece, in fact, teeters on the brink of accusing us of racism -- especially ironic, given that genealogy is all about connection.

Fortunately, The Genealogue -- as only he can -- has written a rebuttal for us! You'll want to read what he has to say.

Do you have the write-stuff?

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 14:07:00 +0000

Ever considered putting your ancestors' trials and tribulations down on the page? Well, here's a great incentive for finally doing it. The Southern California Genealogical Society is having its annual writing contest, and they're looking for your stories.

You might be thinking that this is a Southern California thing. It's not. It's a global thing. I know because I've had the privilege of judging this contest several times, and the entries come from everwhere -- San Diego, New Zealand, Israel, you name it.

Think you've got the write-stuff? Why not find out? Submit your entries between November 1st and December 31st. Your forebears will thank you for it.

Put Your Relatives in the Smithsonian

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 15:12:00 +0000

Remember when I suggested putting your baby in the Smithsonian by entering the PhotoStamps contest? Well, it looks as if some of you decided to put your grandmothers and great-grandpas there instead. Check out August's finalists, two of which are about as genealogical as you can get!

A Pair of DNA articles

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 15:01:00 +0000

The Arizona Republic seems to be on a bit of a DNA-kick lately. Here are two articles that recently appeared on very different aspects of genetic genealogy:

DNA helps American Blacks 'go home'

Hope for making families whole DNA project may link Holocaust dead, survivors

Annie in the Echo

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 12:02:00 +0000

There have been a number of articles about Annie Moore over the last week or so, ranging everywhere from the New York Times to Washington Jewish Week. I especially enjoyed the latest pair by Ray O'Hanlon in the current issue of the Irish Echo:

Putting things right

If only Annie could have seen this

These are a follow on to last week's There's more to Annie, and for those who are curious about Annie herself, Mr. O'Hanlon does the most thorough job of explaining the research trail and results (I did a bit of a show-and-tell with a PPT presentation at the press conference, and he was actually able to make sense of the meadering trail).

And yes, for those who have been asking, I will write something myself, but for the moment, I'm still playing catch-up. Here's hoping this troika of articles will satisfy your curiosity in the meantime!

Operation Homecoming Book Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 12:59:00 +0000

As I've said many times before, I'm a huge fan of Andrew Carroll, one of those wonderful people who does great things simply because he can. Author of several best-selling books, including Letters of a Nation and War Letters, Andy -- although he would never take the credit for it -- is almost personally responsible for the preservation of some 75,000 war letters from every conflict you can think of. And for that alone, we are all indebted to him. Think of all the history that would have been lost without his efforts!

Now he's on the road again with his latest book, one which he edited pro bono for the NEA. It's called Operation Homecoming and is an anthology of writings that range from the humorous to the gut-wrenching:

"The first book of its kind, Operation Homecoming: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Home Front in the Words of U.S. Troops and Their Families, is the result of a major initiative launched by the National Endowment for the Arts to inspire U.S. Marines, soldiers, sailors, and airmen and their families to write down and share their personal wartime experiences.

Encouraged by such authors as Tom Clancy, Mark Bowden, Bobbie Ann Mason, Tobias Wolff, Jeff Shaara, and Marilyn Nelson, who visited military bases throughout the U.S. as part of the larger Operation Homecoming initiative, American troops and their loved ones wrote openly about what they saw, heard, and felt while in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as on the home front.

Almost 100 uncensored and never-before-published eyewitness accounts, private journals, short stories, letters, e-mails, poems, and other personal writings are featured in the book, and they show an extremely intimate and human side of war . . ."

You can read more here.

Andy's tour started last week at the Library of Congress, but there's a peculiar reluctance by the mainstream media to cover the book -- I suspect because they fear their readers are war-weary.

Regardless of how you feel about the current conflicts, though, this is a must-read in my view. It's compelling. It helps you understand the experiences not only of the soldiers and civilians involved, but of the families back at home. For the first time, we hear the voices of women in combat. And all perspectives are included. The NEA, to its credit, didn't censor. And finally, some of it is simply outstanding literature. Remember that old adage about not mincing words in a fox hole? It's true. This book is an important slice of the history of tomorrow.

Between now and December, Andy will be on a book tour, speaking in CA, CT, IL, DC, VA, WA, FL, TX, TN, NC, MA and NJ. You can find details here. If you live in any of these areas, please consider attending -- and spread the word. Andy is a captivating speaker himself, but he's joined by people whose letters, poems and emails are in the book, and that elevates an already eye-opening evening to a whole new level.

Database Reunites Holocaust Survivor Siblings

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 00:50:00 +0000

How amazing is this?! Siblings reunited 65 years after being separated

Annie on the Air

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 21:27:00 +0000

I promise this blog won't become all-Annie-all-the-time, but I've been getting a lot of questions, so I'll continue to post about Annie Moore in an attempt to satisfy some of the curiosity out there.

I'm still trying to get a handle on the assorted articles that have appeared, but in the meantime, I thought some folks might be interested in listening to this interview on NPR's Morning Edition.

Annie Moore's Youngest Descendant

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 18:05:00 +0000

Oh . . . my . . . gosh. This last week has been a blur. I had no idea when I launched this contest how it would all mushroom. What began as a simple contest-winner announcement morphed into an event that was part-family reunion and part-press conference. Front page of the New York Times?? Wow! And then this follow up with family details.

I'm still catching my breath, but wanted to take a moment to share my favorite photo. Above is 9-month-old Dylan, Annie's great-great-great-grandson. Off in the background is me filling the audience in on Annie's descendants. I know it's hard to make out the slide, so let me just tell you that hers is an all-American family with just about every ethnicity respresented. Surnames in her family include:

Schayer
Somerstein
Smith
Salm
Shulman
Dondero
Donovan
DeHesus
Devous
Peterson
Kraus

(lots of S- and D- names for some reason)

By far, one of the most amazing aspects of this experience was having a front row seat to the family reunion. It was such a kick seeing Annie's family together for the first time, comparing photos and figuring out relationships! They came from NY, NJ, CT, MD and AZ (one branch from WI couldn't make it on such short notice). When I called them, most branches already knew they were related to Annie, but one had no clue.

As to the lack of a tombstone for Annie, that's already being addressed. The winners both donated their prizes back, so that was a quick $1,000. And then the owner of NYC's Annie Moore Pub kicked in another $1,000. Not a bad start, eh?

On a personal note, I wanted to mention that ProGenealogists.com, Sharon Elliott and Tracy Stancil were singled out at the press conference for their contributions to this quest. Unfortunately, none have been mentioned in any of the articles I've seen so far, so I wanted to be sure to recognize them here. Without their superior research skills, amazing turnaround times (if you ever need anything done at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, ProGenealogists are the folks to go to, as far as I'm concerned), and brainpower, we'd all still be looking for Annie.

I also wanted to thank the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society for agreeing to host this announcement-turned-press-conference on such short notice. Thanks especially to Leslie Corn for treating my outrageous request as perfectly reasonable and putting the machine into motion, and to Lauren Maehrlein for sacrificing much of her long-planned vacation to the cause.

At any rate, there's so much more I should say and so many more I should thank, but I'll end here for now. Don't you just love being a genealogist??

See You in NYC

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 16:24:00 +0000

I have to go on the road again, so there won't be much blogging here (if any) over the next week or so. But for those who have been asking about Annie, yes, her story will be shared in other ways. So if you're able to come, terrific! But if you're not, don't worry -- you won't be left out!

Super-Rescuers

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 12:55:00 +0000

A brief piece of mine just appeared in Ancestry.com's 24-7 Family History Circle. It's about Marge Rice and DeadFred -- and if you're not familiar with them, you owe it to yourself to find out more (here's a clue below). Anyone on the hunt for elusive family photos will be especially interested! Take a peek.

Annie Moore Announcement on 9/15/06 in NYC

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 05:11:00 +0000

If you've been following the Annie Moore saga, you know that a gang of online genealogists recently cracked a stubborn history mystery -- that of what became of Annie Moore, the first immigrant through Ellis Island. I'm delighted to say that we'll be sharing her tale next week at the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society.

I'll also award the prizes (well, one prize split between two people) at that time -- and better yet, some of Annie's descendants -- and Philip's (remember that she arrived here with her younger brothers, Philip and Anthony?) -- will be joining us! If you're anywhere near NYC, please consider coming.

After the announcement, awarding of prizes, and a Q&A session with family members, Brian Andersson and I will give a presentation to share more detail about the actual search. Thanks again to ProGenealogists.com for all their research assistance at the FHL, Sharon Elliott (who did an extraordinary job of research, analysis and sharing of results) and Tracy Stancil (who I recently realized made a blog comment that triggered some of the initial research that wound up leading in the right direction -- follow that?).

Here's the press release with the rest of the details.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Truthiness Invades Our Shores: The Real Story of the First Ellis Island Immigrant

Note: Announcement to be made at 3:00 p.m. on September 15, 2006 at The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society, 122 East 58th Street, New York, NY 10022-1939.

NEW YORK, September 6, 2006 -- It’s a classic case of truthiness. For years, we’ve chosen to believe an oft-told myth about Ellis Island when the truth was readily available. But on September 15th, that will change.

13-year-old Annie Moore was the first immigrant to enter our country via Ellis Island. She tripped down the gangplank on January 1, 1892 along with a pair of younger brothers, and was greeted with much fanfare. Officials welcomed her arrival and presented her with a $10 gold coin in commemoration of the special event.

Her statue stands both at Ellis Island and the Cobh Heritage Centre, the Irish emigration counterpart in Co. Cork. Everything from Irish-American cultural awards to pubs has been named after her, but she remained a mystery until the 1990s when Ellis Island was refurbished and opened to the public. Then we learned what happened to Annie after Ellis Island -- how she ventured to New Mexico, married a descendant of an Irish patriot, had a handful of children, was widowed, became a businesswoman, and died in an accident.

It was a terrific go-West-young-woman tale tinged with tragedy. Just one problem. It was wrong.

40 percent of all Americans have at least one ancestor who entered the country via Ellis Island, and in the midst of our current immigration debate, politicians allude to their Ellis Island roots on a daily basis. It’s part of the fabric of American history and who we are as a people – and yet, we’ve got the wrong Annie.

That irked genealogist Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak (her real name) when she accidentally discovered that the much-touted Annie was actually born in Illinois. Determined to learn the truth, she launched an online contest with a $1,000 prize for the first proof of what became of the right Annie. It took only six weeks and an eager gang of amateur, history-mystery detectives to uncover the real story.

The true story will be shared by Smolenyak, Brian G. Andersson (Commissioner, NYC Department of Records), and family members of the real Ellis Island Annie at 3:00 p.m. on September 15, 2006 at The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society.

Contact:
Merry Brickley
949-235-3171
AnnieMoore1892@aol.com

###

Let's Make Our Voices Heard!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 14:16:00 +0000

I blogged about this earlier, but now it's even more critical. Please take one minute to add your name to the petition below -- by this Friday -- if you don't want your National Archives access severely curtailed. And please ask all your genealogical buddies to sign as well. So far, there are fewer than 7,000 signatures. We can do better than that!

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is proposing a reduction in the hours it is open to the public, especially weekend and weeknight hours. This will be a major hardship on genealogists and others who rely on access to our nation's archives. The proposed reduction in hours effectively reduces access time by two days each week, a hardship for researchers who rely on "after work" hours for research, and additional expenses for visitors researching in the DC area who would need to extend their stays.

At the FGS genealogy conference in Boston last week, the following proposal was presented to Dr. Allen Weinstein, Archivist of the United States and head of NARA. We encourage you to sign the petition online before September 8, write to NARA directly, and contact your representative. Please go to: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/FGS2006/petition.html (case sensitive). Additional contact options are listed after the text of the petition.

*************
Dear Conference Attendee:
We were honored to have Dr. Allen Weinstein, Archivist of the United States attend the FGS/NEHGS 2006 Conference in Boston and to address us in the Opening Session on Thursday, August 31, 2006. Following his remarks, he was presented with a letter by the Chair of the Records Preservation and Access Committee (RPAC) addressing concerns about the proposed changes in the hours of operation for the Research Rooms at the National Archives.

It has come to our attention that very few of our constituencies are making their voices heard on this issue. This lack of response sends a loud signal to the Archives that this is not a serious issue and that closing the Archives on evenings and Saturdays is irrelevant. The RPAC has recommended the following suggestions for the Archives to consider:

1) To accommodate the needs of those who need access on Saturdays, we propose that you close one other day per week. This would be at your discretion. Other archives often close Sunday and Monday.

2) Users who need evening hour access could be accommodated by opening the archives later in the day, again at your discretion.

If you agree with the recommendations stated above, we are asking your support by immediately going on-line and adding your "signature" to our petition to substitute the hours of access and still help the archives to meet their need to consolidate their hours of operation. Before 8 September 2006, please go to:

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/FGS2006/petition.html (case sensitive).

If you would like to send your own personal letter, send it prior to 8 September 2006. Address it to:

Regulations Comments Desk (NPOL)
Room 4100, Policy and Planning Staff
National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740-6001

*************
More information and contacts:
E-mail your representative in Congress through the "Write your Representative" webpage at www.house.gov/writerep http://www.house.gov/writerep.

For comments sent by postal mail, NPOL will accept any comments on the rule postmarked by September 8. As long as the postmark is before or on September 8, NPOL will consider the comments.

Hand-carried delivery to the address in the interim final rule: Before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Sept. 8.

Other methods of submission:
Via http://www.regulations.gov and fax: Comments should be sent before 5:00 Eastern Time on Sept. 8. The regulations.gov system might be able to accept comments until midnight Eastern Time (i.e., 11:59 p.m. or earlier), but earlier is better to avoid a comment being missed because of time calculations.

Goodwill Hunting

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 14:26:00 +0000

Many of us know of eBay as a source for family treasures -- vintage photos and the like -- but not so many know about another source: Goodwill. Yes, the same folks you donate all your old clothes and beat up furniture to.

There's not as much to search here, but the upside is that the bidding is less intense. So happy hunting!

P.S. Thanks to Cindy Furman for this tip!

Got a Book in You?

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 15:45:00 +0000

Well, this seems appropriate to share since I just spoke on writing in the genealogical world up at FGS in Boston. I received the following from John Logan (thanks, John!). Those of you who are hankering to write a book involving CT, MA, NJ and PA have an interesting opportunity here . . .

The History Press is searching for archivists, librarians, museum curators, and historical societies who are interested in publishing books about towns and regions in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

History Press books focus on a particular town or region. We have developed a variety of series that 1) provide authors with guidance on how to present their work and 2) attract readers and encourage sales. We also accept books for publication on history subjects not captured by the series we have established.

Examples of the types of books we publish include the following: brief or comprehensive histories of towns, the history of significant buildings and sites, natural history, oral history, historical walking and driving tours, collections of essays on historical events and people, folklore, crime history, architectural history, Native American history and the historical role of a town industry. I invite you to visit our website at historypress.net, where you will find our catalogue and information about publishing with The History Press.

The History Press is a traditional trade publisher, meaning that we handle all stages of publishing including financing, sales, marketing, and distribution and compensate in the form of royalties. We are not a vanity press. For more information and to view our catalogue, see historypress.net or e-mail Commissioning Editor, Maureen Benes.

Maureen Benes
Maureen.Benes@historypress.net
Commissioning Editor
The History Press
PO Box 7111
Gloucester, MA 01930
866.223.5778

See you at FGS!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 22:57:00 +0000

I've been a bad blogger this week. Things have just been a little hectic, so I haven't posted as much as I usually do, but I'll try to do better once I get back from Boston. And yes, I know I could blog from FGS, but these events are usually a bit of a blur for me, so I kind of doubt I'll get around to it. Anyway, looking forward to seeing lots of you there and will try to be a more responsible blogger when I get home! In the meantime, I'll just leave you with this to ponder . . .

REAL ELLIS ISLAND ANNIE MOORE HAS BEEN FOUND!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 16:43:00 +0000

Sorry for the caps, but I'm just a little bit excited! The real Annie Moore has been found!

Back on July 17th, I announced a contest to find out what happened to Annie Moore, the first immigrant to enter America via Ellis Island. In a persistent myth, the story has often been told that she moved to Illinois, Texas and eventually New Mexico, married and had a handful of kids, and was killed in a tragic accident. It makes for a great go-West-young-woman tale, but it's just not true -- as I discovered by accident while researching for a documentary several years ago. The IL-TX-NM Annie Moore (whom I've affectionately dubbed "wrong Annie") was born in Illinois, so had no need to immigrate!

I dabbled a few times at trying to learn the truth, but because it was a bit of a needle-in-a-haystack situation, I was unable to crack it. Growing increasingly frustrated, I finally decided to launch a contest and offer a $1,000 prize. I figured there had to be some talented and curious genealogists out there, and that working together, we could probably learn the truth.

Well, now we know the truth -- and contrary to colorful rumor, Annie isn't 129 years old and living in an Iowa nursing home!

So the contest is officially over. The $1,000 will be split between two people -- Brian Andersson, who was the first to identify the correct Moore family, and a great-niece of Annie's who provided the critical last few clues. Credit is also due to ProGenealogists, which contributed vital research at the Family History Library and kept pace with my entirely unreasonable research requests (without complaint, no less!). And an honorable mention goes to Sharon Elliott, who did a terrific job of sleuthing and sharing her findings.

As to what actually happened to Annie, stay tuned for a more formal announcement and additional details!

Roots Television Coming Soon!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 18:05:00 +0000

QUESTION: There's a horse channel, a wine channel, a sailing channel, a poker channel, a guitar channel, and now even a shipwreck channel. Why isn't there a channel servicing the millions of people interested in genealogy and family history?

ANSWER: There is – launching in September 2006! Keep an eye on Roots Television.

Contest Update 6: Following Annie Moore's Trail

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 13:21:00 +0000

Oh, I think we're getting close!

Check out Sharon Elliott's latest research summary (boy, does she do a nice job presenting research findings!) and keep an eye out here. I think there's a decent chance that my next update will be the last one!

SSDI Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 14:48:00 +0000

An article of mine just appeared in Ancestry.com's 24-7 Family History Circle.

It's actually one of the riskiest pieces I've ever written because it captures my honest reaction just moments after finding my mother listed in the SSDI for the first time. I debated writing about something so personal, but I went ahead because I figured this was probably something most genealogists could relate to -- finding a lost loved one in there for the first time. And maybe because it is so personal, you just never hear about it.

Based on the reaction I've been getting so far, I'm glad I did it. I've had one person taking me to task for my attitude, but I guess that's the price you pay when you write about something of this nature. Everyone else has been very kind and several have shared their own experiences -- and that's what makes it worth it for me.

Contest Update 5: Following Annie Moore's Trail

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 21:31:00 +0000

Well, it seems a few folks are getting warmer, but no one's found Annie yet.

So I thought it was time to at least recognize the first to locate the real Annie's family -- and that's Brian Andersson. He came to me initially with a theory about Annie's family, then more evidence, and finally, a particularly compelling document indicating that, yes, this is the correct family. He did some remarkable detective work to piece this all together.

And now I've learned that Sharon Elliott is on the same trail and has also zeroed in on the same family.

So congratulations and tons of respect to Brian -- and now Sharon -- for being the first to ferret out the real Annie's family from all the Moore's out there!

But now comes the tricky part -- finding Annie herself. Even with the context of her actual family, Annie remains elusive. Keep an eye on Sharon's blog and mine, as we'll both be sharing research findings in the hope that -- together -- we can get to the finish line of this mystery!

You know who you look like? You look just like . . .

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 16:16:00 +0000

I haven't written about MyHeritage before now because any technology that declares me a 70% match for Heather Locklear clearly has some serious flaws, but another article about the company just appeared, so I figured it was time to mention its see-which-celebrity-you-look-like feature. Despite its apparent shortcomings, it is a fun distraction. And genealogists who register will appreciate the ability to play the face-matching game with relatives, both living and deceased (assuming, of course, you have photos of the dearly departed!).

Here's a video to show you how it all works (FYI -- you'll have to sit through a commercial first).

The site also includes interesting search functionality, which I'll address in another piece at some point. It's slow and sort of takes over your PC (best to run it at night), but has the potential to turn up some pieces of the family puzzle you might have missed. In the meantime, enjoy the matchmaking game -- and may you all be declared visual twins of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt!