The Frugal Genealogist

The Sounds of Genealogy - Everyone Has A Theme Song!

2013-05-15T16:21:00.003-07:00

Circle August 21-24 on your calendar and start planning to attend the 2013 FGS Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana, for research, learning, networking and music. Yes, music! Rock & Roll and Genealogy! You have to be kidding!! Nope! Three different events will feature the music from your ancestors' lives.

Did the music of the 1950's affect or reflect society? Rock & Roll was the voice of the teenagers. It was written for youth, about youth. Having been a teenager at that time, I am very aware that everything else changed once the music changed. On Thursday morning, keynote speaker, Richard Aquila, will explain what happened during that era. This should be a very interesting lecture whether you lived through this time or reaped the musical benefits later.

There is more music with the Opening Social at the Foellinger-Friemann Botanical Conservatory on Wednesday night. This will feature music through the generations. Most music is created with the sole purpose of reminding you of something that happened in your life and that is how songs make it to the top of the charts. Come listen to music down through the years and see what memories come to mind. Music defines our lives. Everyone has a theme song.

Finally, The Evening At The Library on Friday night! Calling all Scarlets and Rhetts for a splendid hour of ballroom dancing, late 1800's style, in the two-story Great Hall at the Allen County Library. Period dress is definitely a must. For more on this event check out my post on April 11, 2013.

As you can see, the conference in Fort Wayne is a genealogist's dream vacation! Special events, research at the Allen County Library, four days of learning experiences, and music. I attended a FGS conference here in 2007. The Grand Wayne Center is only a few steps from the Allen County Public Library which houses one of the largest genealogical collections. The center itself is bright, cheerful and easy to navigate. The Hilton conference hotel is connected directly to the center; the Courtyard by Marriott is connected by a skywalk.

There is so much planned for this conference that it would be impossible to include everything in one post. I focused on the musical aspect because it is so unique and something I don't think many of us take into consideration when we examine the lives of our ancestors. It should be interesting to speculate about which songs defined our ancestors lives and became their theme songs!

Sitting In The Back Seat

2013-05-10T22:52:00.000-07:00

This is your wake up call. It is the last day of the NGS Conference and you still have a lot to . . . z z z z z z z! Don't hit that snooze alarm. Rise and shine! I know it gets really tired toward the end of any conference, but you can sleep on the way home, unless of course you're driving. Sorry!

Genealogy Youth Camp starts at 8:30am for those between the ages of eight and sixteen. Everyone else gets an extra half hour of sleep!

The BCG track concludes today with the focus on research reports, emigrant guides, proof argument, and a step by step case study. What a great series of lectures this has been for those who want to pursue certification.

Demo and GenTech track - these sessions are a great way to see if something will work for you. Remember some are free, some are not.

There is a great track on The Law and how it applies to genealogists. Covers some issues you might not have thought about.

The Ethnic Track = Spanish, Irish, Chinese, Japanese.

My recommendations for today:
S404 - County histories, sometimes referred to as Vanity Books. These are the books that make all your ancestors look healthy, wealthy, and wise. So is it true? Terry Koch-Bostic
S417 - This caught my attention. Not the part about "Striking it rich with a genealogical career. I think we all dream of that. Rather the words "today's genealogical community". J. Mark Lowe
S426 and S446 - I have found that most of my brick walls begin with immigration so you can never learn too much about this aspect of genealogy. Kory Meyerink and Hal Bookbinder.

And finally, S452 - Getting Ready for a Research Trip to Virginia. You know what that means - NGS Conference, Richmond, Virginia in 2014. Combining research with a conference. The ultimate goal. Barbara Vines Little.

The last time I was in Las Vegas was in the 1940's. I was a very young child. I remember some place called the Golden Nugget and this neon cowboy. There was a reconstructed frontier village somewhere on the outskirts of town. But the best thing I remember about being out West - the herds of wild horses running in the distance. I saw a lot of America sitting in the back seat of my parents' car.

Friday at the NGS Conference

2013-05-10T08:09:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone is having a great time, learning a lot, and making new friends as we head into the last two days of the conference.

There are 5 sessions on the BCG track today. The morning covers new records, records with errors, and the GIS System. Two afternoon sessions cover Congressional records and how to know when you have enough evidence.

Today's recommendations:

F303 - Religion on the frontier after the Great Awakening. J. Mark Lowe.

F316 - How georaphy influenced the settlement of middle America. J. H. "Jay" Fonkert.

F322 - Analyzing your evidence and planning your next step. Sharon Tate Moody.

F346 - Migrations west of the Mississippi - trails, rails, gold rushes and more. David Dilts.

F352 - Planning simple, effective, and thorough research. Thomas W. Jones.

Also on today's schedule:

~ DNA track with sessions for all levels.

~ Native American track - what records and resources are avaiable, strategies, and case studies.

~GenTech - aps, Excel, Google, online catalogs, and publishing.

The NGS Banquet will be held this evening at 6:00pm. Speakers Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and Mark Hall-Patton. Topics: Genealogy grants and Pawn Stars!! Sounds interesting.

Viva Las Vegas!!

2013-05-08T09:33:00.002-07:00

This year flew by so fast. I was just looking at the pictures on the NGS Conference Blog and it brought back memories from a year ago when I was a volunteer at the NGS Conference in Cincinnati. From 9 til noon on Monday morning, we stuffed bags, toured the Duke Energy Center and attended training sessions. This was the only conference my husband every attended with me. While I was at the Center, Chuck scouted the area for parking discounts, restaurants and area attractions. When we left Cincy we were making plans to return for the 2013 OGS Conference. Unfortunately, as some of you know, my husband suffered a massive hear attack and passed away a few days later on Mother's Day.

The OGS Conference was definitely bittersweet this year. I had to push myself out of the door and into my car for the drive to Cincy. Once I got going though I was amazed at how anxious I was to get to southern Ohio. I am glad I went because I had a wonderful time.

The NGS Conference on the other hand became a count down to Mother's Day, which is only a few days away, and as a result I found myself trying to avoid it. But just now after looking at the pictures from Las Vegas and reading about all the fun things that will be going on, I have decided to "virtually attend" as much as possible.

The first thing that grabbed my attention is the 2013 Conference Challenge. What fun; I wish I were there. The winner will get a free registration to the conference next year in Richmond, Virginia. There are ten clues involving a lot of networking. Sounds like a great ice breaker! For more info go to: http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/

If I were there I would be sure to attend the Genealogy Game Show: The Last Genealogist Standing. I am anxious to hear what happens. Winner receives a $100 gift certificate to Heritage Books.

Thursday's Lectures I recommend.

W126 - It is easy to ignore early census records before 1850 thinking they provide no information you can use. This session will help that attitude. J. Mark Lowe.

W142 - When you can't put your hands on a piece of direct evidence, it may be possible to put together other evidence to prove your facts. Elizabeth Shown Mills.

W154 - Which family are you talking about? Nuclear or mob? This just looks extremely interesting to me. Michael Green.

There are three sessions in the BCG track today. The first focuses on errors that are found in records. Whether they are intentional or unintentional, they do exist. In the afternoon, there are two more sessions. Eventually everyone is faced with a document that makes English look like a foreign language. These lectures give some tips on how to deal with this situation. Definite try to attend some of these lectures whether or not you are working toward certification. They are full of good information.

Sounds like a fun-filled first day of conference. Enjoy!

Happy Anniversary! 82 Years

2013-05-03T22:08:00.000-07:00

It can be very easy for a beginning genealogist to assume that a death certificate is a one size fits all document. That is to say that all of the dates, locations, and names will fill in all the blanks of a 5 generation pedigree chart. And, because this is a certified document, everything is correct. Wrong!! It all depends on who provided the information that was entered on the document.

OK, so maybe all the information on a death certificate isn't correct.

But, how about a birth certificate? Pretty simple, right? What could be wrong? Again, it all depends on who provided the information.

Ok, the information on a marriage record has to be correct. After all it is two adults providing their own information. I would say this is your best bet for accurate information. Maybe!!

Everything depends solely on the person who provided the information that was eventually entered on the certified copy that you have in your hand. This really hit home with me last year when I finally received my husband's death certificate. As I looked over the document, my genealogy mind took over and I began to see this piece of paper as a source of information. That is when I realized that I never provided the funeral home with any information. I was not the informant. Every other death certificate I have in my possession has an informant listed at the bottom. Hmmmmm! So does that make my husband's death certificate any more accurate than my great grandfather's?

Probably not! So let's look at what can go wrong.

My birth certificate: My name, date of birth, and location are correct. My parents' names are correct. My mother's place of birth is correct: my dad's place of birth is wrong. Informant: mother.

My husband's birth cerftificate: I think it is safe to assume that everything here is correct. Informant: mother.

My dad's birth certificate: Names of mother and father are their middle names. Place of birth is probably correct. Informant: mother.

My maternal grandfather's death certificate: Birth place is wrong, but information about the cause of death is complete. Informant: Hospital employee.

My parents' marriage certificate: All information correct - I hope! Informants: bride and groom!!

As you can see even with the simplest of documents, a birth certificate, something can be wrong. My birth certificate shows my dad's place of birth as Newtown, Ohio. I know my dad was born in Mt. Carmel, Ohio. He told me so.

So what went wrong? My mom was the informant -- she provided the information for my birth certificate. My mom grew up in Northwest Ohio; my dad is from Southern Ohio. My dad's sisters and brothers lived in or near Newtown, Ohio and my mom probably just put Newtown down for lack of a better location. I am sure she didn't realize that a bunch of genealogists were going to question her integrity sometime in the future.

When it comes to my husband's birth certificate, I think it is pretty safe to assume that all information is correct. His parents were born and raised in the same small community in southern Kentucky, so the possiblity of misinformation is pretty slim.

My dad's birth certificate shows a common trend in some families. They just seem to go by their middle names. Frank and Delia are really Eben Frank and Lou Delia. When I first met my husband I couldn't figure out who this "Gary" person was. Turned out it was my husband, Chuck, and they still call him Gary.

Since my maternal grandfather died as the result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident, the information on his death certificate was supplied by a hospital employee. The information about his place of birth is questionable, but his cause of death is pretty complete. Consider the source of information!

When I look at my parents' marriage certificate, I have to wonder if everything is correct. After all the informants are the bride and groom and the only thing they really know for sure is that they are at the courthouse in Bowling Green, Ohio and they want to get married.

Bill and Clara -- May 2, 1931.

Mt Perkins!!

2013-05-01T11:44:00.004-07:00

On Sunday morning I said a tearful good-bye to Cincinnati and headed for

Clermont County, my second home. First stop, Mt Moriah Cemetery outside of Amelia, Ohio. Some of my Nashes are buried there. I stopped at the grave of William and Ruth (great-great grandparents married in Clermont County in 1816). The graves of my aunt and uncle are located behind them on an angle. Pieces of the tombstone of Ruth's mother, Anna Lewis, have been placed between the two grave sites. Anna's stone was moved when a new subdivision spread across the small country cemetery where she was buried. Only the stone was moved.

All of the graves are in the old section of the cemetery located next to the little white brick chapel which dates back to the middle 1800's. As I sat there and relaxed with my family on a rainy Sunday morning, the bell in the steeple of the old country church began to ring. I think the bell rang a few times before i realized what was happening. I just sat there and enjoyed it, knowing that somehow I was sharing this moment with my ancestors.

I stopped at the Amelia IOOF Cemetery to visit the grave of my grandparents and great-grandparents. More Nashes. Then I stopped by the cemetery in Batavia to visit my Perkins ancestors. It was such a peaceful Sunday afternoon. That was when the idea hit me. Go find Perkins Lane.

Perkins Lane, of course, is located on Perkins Hill and I live in Flat As A Pancake Northwest Ohio. No problem! I had been doing pretty good driving up and down the hills so far. What could possibly go wrong? Only the fact that the road went straight up the hill. It was an experience that I won't soon forget. Going up the hill wasn't so bad, but coming back down and knowing what to expect was a little problematic!! But, I made it and -- yes, I would do it again.

I found Perkins Lane and at the end of it I found what looked like an old farm house. Possibly my great grandfather's house? The house is located on what used to be his land and more importantly on a lane that bears his name. This gives me two houses to research when I return to Clermont County in the fall.

I thought the conference this year was a huge success. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, greeting old friends and meeting new cousins. After all that is what it is all about. There were so many great lectures that it was hard to choose which one to attend. Fortunately the notes in the syllabus were unusually complete this year so that even if you had to miss a session, you could get a good idea of what the speaker covered. Also, remember the FGS Conference is in Fort Wayne, Indiana this year and it may be possible to catch some of the sessions you missed in Cincy.

The last day of the conference, I went back to the Exhibit Hall and ordered my Flip-Pal. It is going to take a month to get it and I can't wait to put it to use. Thanks to Thomas MacEntee, who confirmed that I will be able to easily use the scanner on the large books in the courthouse and "stitch" the panels together.

Altogether last week was very successful for me. I made the trip to Cincy by myself, something I was having second thoughts about; picked up lots of new information at the conference; and climbed Mt. Perkins. Next stop -- Fort Wayne.

Those Little Bombs of Indigestion!!

2013-04-26T21:52:00.000-07:00

What a long day it has been. Sessions began this morning at 8:00 am. and by 4:30 most attendees were ready for a nap. There is something about Friday afternoon at a conference; you just seem to wind down. Tomorrow morning we will be back at it again.

Great lectures today. Lots of new ideas, new methods, and new data bases. The one constant thread throughout the sessions I attended was "get away from the internet." Network with other genealogists in person. There is a lot of evidence out there; it just isn't all on the internet. You need to interact with other family researchers to learn new techniques and ideas. This week I heard so many people say that we are just one big family. People just seemed to connect with each other in the past few days. Maybe a lot of serendipity was going on!

I purchased GenDetective because I believe it is a program that will be very useful and will save me a lot of time. It had very good reviews online. I will let you know how it works out when I get home. Cost $25.

Flip Pal was completely sold out when I went back to their booth today. Maybe that is a good thing, because I am still not completely sure that it is what I need. I need a portable scanner I can use on the large books in the courthouses. All the displays at their booth seem to be centered on scanning photographs.

Make sure you get the rest of your door prize tickets in place before the 12:30 drawing tomorrow. Write your name and phone number on the back of each ticket.

Make the best use of your last day of the conference. If you are staying over until Sunday, do a little sight-seeing. Make sure you get some chilli and some Graeter's ice cream. And let's not forget those little bombs of indigestion, White Castle!!

Dance Party Friday!!

2013-04-26T02:51:00.001-07:00

If you are up early this morning be sure to tune into Good Morning Cincinnati for Dance Party Friday with Bob Herzog! If you miss him today, no problem local 12 has old DPF routines. Be sure to watch Somewhere Out There for the traffic report! http://www.local12.com/content/dpf/default.aspx

Finally at almost 6am, the internet is accessible again - my one major complaint about the hotel. Someone said this late night problem is caused by having too many genealogists concentrated in one location in the wee hours of the morning. Oooops, our secret is out! Genealogists are known to research late into the night!

Bundle up if you are going outside this morning. Frost warning! 34 degrees, but we should see 64 degree sometime today.

Friday sessions begin at 8:00am today and end at 5:30. The exhibit hall is open from 9:00am - 7:00pm.

The Pavilion is the site for the roundtable of experts on Southern Ohio area research. The African American roundtable will be in the Colonnade, Both are at 5:45pm.

Two lineage society dinners today. The Settlers and Builders Luncheon will be in Bronze Ballroom B at 12:15. The Civil War Families Banquet is in the same place at 7:00pm.

Lectures I am attending today.
   F11 - Locating and Using German Church Records.
   F18 - German Territories and Maps.
   F34 - Finding Rejected Claims and Pension Requests
   F43 - OGS Chapter Officers Meeting
   F44 - Tri State Area Resources Roundtable

Last night I was inducted into Century Families of Ohio. J. Mark Lowe was the speaker and was, as always, fantastic. His topic was Roads & Trails 'Cross The Ohio River. This is a great lecture about the who, what, where, when and how of our ancestors who ventured into the Ohio Frontier. (If you are going to the FGS Conference in Fort Wayne, you can catch Mark on Thursday, August 22, 2013.)

One last thing. If you see some crazy looking people on the streets of downtown Cincy today, it's the annual Scavenger Hunt.

What I am looking at in the Exhibit Hall: GenDetective, Flip-Pal, and books on German Research.

Have fun today. Tonight I will plan on posting earlier in the evening while I still have an internet connection!

Let's all move to Cincinnati!!

2013-04-23T21:02:00.002-07:00

The Ohio River brought a lot of strong men and women into the Ohio frontier. If your ancestors were part of that group, you have a lot to be proud of. Some of our ancestors came through the mountain passes into Kentucky and headed north across the Ohio River to settle the land of the Northwest Territory which was formed in 1787. Others came from the eastern states thru Pittsburgh and down the Ohio River on flatboats to establish settlements on either side of the river. This week at the First Families of Ohio banquet on Saturday night we will honor the memory of those pioneers who made Ohio possible.

At first most of these first families stayed in Kentucky, occasionally bravely slipping in and out of Ohio. After the Treaty of Greenville with the indians in August 1795, it was safer to settle in Ohio and many pioneers made the move to land located along the banks of the Ohio River. Eventually they made their way inland and established the first homesteads on the hills of southern Ohio.

Many pioneers passed through this area, some stopping briefly, on their way west; others stayed and established the families that have been in the area for generations. The first settlers were mainly of English ancestry and came from the original colonies. Land was the big draw in this area and many settlers were Revolutionary War soldiers who were given land in the Virginia Military District to the east of Cincinnati.

Cincinnati was first Ft. Washington, then Losantiville and finally the name was changed to the word that people have so much trouble spelling. Remember there is only one T in Cincinnati! The tiny settlement grew rapidly due to its location on the river which flowed into the Mississippi. By the 1840's it was the largest inland city and became known as the Queen City - the gateway to the westward settlement.

Around 1830 German immigrants began to arrive. They established what is known as the Over-The-Rhine District. They were followed by Irish, Jews, African Americans, Appalachians, and Hispanic all looking for a chance to make a new life for their families. This rich heritage is a haven for genealogists. For information on these ethnic groups and their effect on the community, there is a great website that has been designed for students, but can be very useful for genealogists. cincinnati-cityofimmigrants.com.

Although records can go back to the late 1790's, many have been lost in fires and floods. This should make research in Hamilton County and the surrounding area difficult. Fortunately, thanks to the local genealogical and historical societies in the area, there is an enormous amount of data that has been reconstructed and fills many of the gaps in research.

One last thing about research in the Hamilton County area. Here, Kentucky is almost an extension of Ohio and vice versa. People lived on both sides of the river so if an ancestor disappears, look across the river. When people moved from Kentucky to Ohio, they left family behind. This is the case with my Perkins ancestors. I always have to go back and forth across the Ohio. This is a place where knowing the local history is essential in family research.

Here are some places online that I recommend for research in the Cincinnati area:

cincinnatilibrary.org

kentonlibrary.org

hcgsohio.org

rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohclecgs/

See you in Cincy!

7 HIlls of Cincinnati

2013-04-22T20:53:00.002-07:00

I remember my dad telling me that Cincinnati was built on seven hills. Wanna' have some fun this week? Ask locals to name the seven hills. No one really seems to know or care. The University of Cincinnati came up with its official list, but that could have been the result of a campus drinking game.

Mt. Adams is a given. It is in the 1848 Panorama at the library. Mt. Airy and Mt. Washington sound familiar as does Mt. Lookout. Then you have Walnut Hills, Indian Hills, and College Hill. So those are my seven. However, the university added Mt. Echo, Mt. Healthy, and Mt. Storm. And, let's not forget - Fairmount, Price Hill, Clifton Heights and Fairview Heights. Unless I forgot a hill that is 14!

At any rate, everything in Cincinnati seems to be built on an incline. This is pretty much true of everything on either side of the Ohio River. As my relatives used to say you "walk out the back door and fall down the hill."

Southbound!

2013-04-20T19:45:00.001-07:00

I can't believe that the OGS Conference in Cincinnati is only a few days away. And what a conference it is going to be! The syllabus is already available to conference attendees online. If you have registered you should have received an email with the username and password needed to access the syllabus. Remember this information is case sensitive. Also available on the OGS website is a Conference guide which is loaded with helpful information. Be sure to check it out. I must say the conference chairs have done a wonderful job planning this event.

If you are looking for information and conference tips for the Cincinnati area go back to my posts from last year's NGS Conference that begin on March 5, 2012. Remember some of that information is for the Duke Energy Center. The OGS Conference is contained in the MIllennium Hotel -- a much smaller area. I walked the soles off my shoes last year at the Duke Energy Center. I just bought a new pair to replace those shoes and I intend to wear them longer than one week!! Do check the posts from last year for info on "things you need to know."

Parking! If you are staying at the conference hotel, they have valet parking for a reduced rate of $18! There are less expensive lots in the immediate area and most of them are connected to the hotel by the Skywalk. There is a list of the parking lots and garages with rates and hours of operation in the syllabus. Last year there were Early Bird specials at some lots if you were in before 9am., but you had to leave between 2 and 6pm. I have decided that when I am attending a conference alone, I need to budget the extra $$$ to be able to park in the hotel garage. It's just a safety factor.

Along I-75. If you are traveling to the conference on Interstate 75, I would like to recommend a book my husband and I used for our many trips to Florida. It is Along I-75 by Dave Hunter. This book contains all the basic travel info you need - motels, restaurants, rest areas, gas stations plus everything else you didn't know you needed to know. You can pick up a copy at your local bookstore or online at Barnes and Noble. It is $26.95, but if you do a lot of traveling on I-75, it is well worth the price.

Registration Booth. Located on the second floor across from the elevators. If you are arriving at the conference hotel on Wednesday, you can pick up your conference packet at the registration booth from 5-7pm.

My Kind of Re-enactment!

2013-04-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

FGS Conference

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Allen County Public Library will be hosting a special event, Journey Through The Generations with Our Veterans, on Friday, August 23, 2013, during the Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference. The event begins at 6pm and includes extended research hours in the genealogy department until midnight. At 7pm there will be a presentation about Fort Wayne and its role in the War of 1812. At 7:30pm the Commemorative War of 1812 Quilt will be awarded. A desert buffet will be held from 7:45-8:30pm.

The highlight of the evening will be a grand Civil War-era ball in the two-story Great Hall from 8:30-9:30pm. Guest are encouraged to “dress for the occasion.” Hopefully great grandma was your size. If not, there is still enough time to make a ball gown. Patterns can be found online and at fabric stores. As for material, remember Miss Scarlet made one of her dresses out of a pair of curtains.

I am looking forward to seeing all these elegantly dressed ladies wandering around downtown Fort Wayne. Or better yet -- how many hoop skirts can you fit in an elevator. Sounds like a rather fun evening no matter how you look at it.

Registration is required. Tickets are $10.

A Little More NGS!

2013-04-02T20:56:00.000-07:00

I noticed that there are two tracks worthy of your attention at the NGS Conference in Las Vegas. One is a skill building track by the Board for Certification of Genealogists and the other is devoted to technology. They both run at the same time so you are going to have to pick and choose what is important to you. If it were up to me I would take the skill building over the tech. You must know by now that I value basic genealogy skills over modern technology. Once you have your skills mastered, you can go to the individual websites and learn about all the apps that are available to enhance those skills.

The BCG track features lectures on Congressional records, research reports, accidental and intentional errors in vital records, 17^th century English/American documents, organization, digitized records, emigrant guides, and proof arguments. There is also a 2 hour seminar on Thursday morning where certified genealogists will share their experiences and offer tips for successful certification.The tech track covers Evernote, Scrivener, Web 2.0, clouds, OCR’d and computer indexed, genealogy software, Mac, Google Earth, online catalogs, genealogy apps, Microsoft Excel and Power Point, online publishing, photo restoration, and Pinterest.

As you can see there is an enormous amount of information in just these two tracks which run Wednesday thru Saturday. What you need to do is consult your syllabus if you have 2 sessions that are being held at the same time, skip the session that has the best notes in the syllabus. And remember you can always order a CD of either session.

Las Vegas sounds like a great place for a conference, but a little too tempting dollar wise for me. I am opting for the OGS Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio and hopefully the FGS Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana. During the past 2 weeks I have had cataract surgery. It was an amazingly simple procedure with the added benefit of not having to wear glasses any more. However, it left me with a few added expenses that I wasn’t counting on this year. As usual I will have to do some creative financing and hopefully I will be at the FGS Conference in August. But I will definitely be in downtown Cincinnati in a few short weeks.

Go West Young Genealogist!

2013-03-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

What a combination -- genealogy and Las Vegas! Certainly it isn't that difficult to associate "families" with Las Vegas and that will be covered in one of the conference sessions - Which Family Do You Mean? Las Vegas Families and Organized Crime Families! On Wednesday, May 8, at 4pm this could be one of those sessions that will be held in the extra large lecture hall at the NGS Conference in May.

This extra large conference hall is just one of the new features at this conference. Conferences have changed dramatically in the last few years. These events were getting very boring: the same speakers and the same topics. Sometimes I would just go for the Exhibit Hall, local research facilities, socializing with other genealogists or just to keep in touch. Gradually things began to change. Technology, African American research, Jewish genealogy, Who Do You Think You Are, and creating a "picture" of your ancestors' lives began to add new energy to the agenda. This year an extra large lecture room has been added to accommodate 700 people for those topics that are in high demand. What a difference a few years make.

Three breakfast buffets are offered this year on Thursday morning from 7:00am - 7:40am. Menu: scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes, fruit, yogurt, pastries, tea or coffee. $24. The buffet groups are NGS First Timers, Pro Gen study groups, and Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy . The price of $24 sounds a little pricey to me, however, if it is important for you to connect with these groups, it could be worth cutting out another expense to enjoy this onel

The third new thing this year is the Internet Cafe. This will be a room where you can relax, network, socialize, keep up with any changes in the program, and interact with the bloggers at the conference. 300 people is the limit for this room

You still have time to get your early bird registration in by March 19. Cost $195 for members: $230 for non-members. You can register on line at ngsgenealogy.org

A printed syllabus is only available with the Early Bird registration and the cost is $25. Here I would take the syllabus over the breakfast, but that is because I am a book person and it is not humanly possible for me to eat $24 worth of eggs, potatoes and sausage.

This is a conference with an enormous amount of activities. I can't possibly cover it all in one post. More to follow.

Calling All Snowbirds!

2013-03-13T17:56:00.001-07:00

Have you been in Florida for two months and are just so tired of laying on the beach all day? Can't stand one more sunset cocktail party by the pool? Been to all the Flea Markets? All the Outlet Malls?

Hello! There are a lot of genealogical societies in Florida. Think about it. Where else can you find a bunch of people from all over the United States with time on their hands. The greatest thing about these societies is that although they have people who are researching the local history, they also attract people from other parts of the country and all over the world who have information to share. It is like one huge genealogy melting pot.

I have found that most people who set off on their winter vacation down I-75 don't think sun, sand, sunset, and family research. We usually figure that the summer months are the time to plan a research trip to Virginia or Indiana. That's true, but did you every think that a lot of your long lost family members might be vacationing in Florida in the condo a couple of blocks away.

This is a small sample of what is available in a state where most visitors don't "think" genealogy:

The Villages (near Ocala, Florida) vgsfl.org - They have monthly meetings plus special interest groups. You can attend these activities as a guest.

Florida State Genealogical Society flsgs.org- Their website will give you a list of Florida genealogical societies by county.

Lee Count Genealogical Society leecountygenealogy.org- The Fort Myers area draws a lot of mid-western retirees. If you are from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, or Michigan you have a good chance of running into people you knew in high school. Their meetings are open to snowbirds. Be sure to check out this website if you will be hitting the beaches of southwest Florida.

Also, Florida history is quite interesting and there are a lot of books at the local libraries about "old Florida",crackers, Micanopy, the Keys and the Everglades. Many of the libraries have temporary cards for snowbirds. The Sunshine State is much more than high rise condos and t-shirt shops.

By the way the weather up north is still cold so stay another week or so, go pick up a book on old Florida, stretch out by the pool and discover the "other Florida"

DNA and me,

2013-02-21T18:29:00.000-08:00

DNA testing has become very popular with genealogists in the last few years. I seriously doubt that you can attend a genealogy conference this year that won't offer a track of sessions on this topic. I personally don't know that much about about DNA testing as it relates to genealogy, but I plan to attend the OGS Conference session on Thursday, Your DNA Fingerprint: The Imprint of Your Ancestors. It looks like a good introduction to DNA testing for genealogy purposes.

My son recently called my attention to 23and Me, a genetic testing company located in Mountain View, California. He had his DNA tested by this group and the results were fantastic. The website 23andme.com guides you through your DNA test results using interactive tools and online tutorials

I checked out the website to see how user friendly it really is and I was very impressed. It explains genetics in an easy to understand way with loads of information. I suppose you could call it Genetics 101. You could spend at least an hour there learning the basics. But, what impressed me the most was the cost - $99. You can sign up for a demo account which is free and take a tour of the website to see what it has to offer.

It has never occurred to me to be afraid of what I might find out from genetic testing. If you have been doing family research long enough you will know there are going to be unexpected surprises. And everyone deals with them in his own way. There are mistakes and, very often lies, in every family tree. DNA results are not immune from this situation. Hopefully you won't let this possibility keep you from exploring you DNA. You just might have to be careful when sharing information with some family members.

Health issues are a concern and you can either hide your head in the sand or work with your health care professional. If you already have death certificates dating back several generations, any serious health problems within the family are not going to be a total surprise anyway.

There is so much on this website; I definitely recommend that you check it out for yourself. Are Jimmy Buffet and Warren Buffet related? Maybe. Check out the connection between 23andMe and Finding Your Roots on PBS!

Definitely worth the time! Good luck!

Please note: This website offers gift certificates.

Not bad, considering. . . . .

2013-02-07T23:20:00.000-08:00

Well, I got that email. You all know the one I'm talking about. The one that pops up after you have turned in all your flawless research that no one is ever going to dispute.

And it turned out that my ancestors were born.

And it turned out that my ancestors successfully passed away.

And everyone was married.

Except for my parents!

They looked married. We all lived in the same house. I called them Mom and Dad. Hello, we opened presents together on Christmas morning.

I guess when you are doing family research it is easy to take things for granted. This is one of the things that really hit home with me when I was filling out my lineage papers. One thing they always tell you is to not enter any information on your application that isn't actually on the document you are working from. This is the gospel, there are no exceptions.

You would be surprised how easy it is to throw in a place where your ancestor was born, married, or died. I know that my dad was born in Mt. Carmel, Ohio but his birth certificate doesn't say that. I have been there; I have seen the house where he was born. Nope! The BC says Union Township and no matter how much I want to enter Mt. Carmel, it won't work.

So basically I did very well with everything except the marriage of my parents.

What happened was I had a document in my possession that said Certificate of Marriage and it was signed by the minister and witnesses. Looked good to me!! Apparently "Certificate of" does not mean "certified copy". I understand that now and I really feel stupid since all my other documentation came from a court house and my parent's marriage certificate came from a box in my closet.

No problem. A phone call and a quick trip to the Courthouse in Bowling Green, Ohio plus $2.00 took care of the problem. So there I was in the Wood County Courthouse holding a certified copy of my parents' marriage record. Standing in the same spot where my parents applied for a marriage license 80+ years ago. What a great feeling that was.I guess I have to thank the person who would not approve my application until I experienced that moment.

Oh, and by the way, that certified document I picked up in BG says my dad was born in Mt. Carmel, Ohio. So there!!

Tech = $ + All the things you didn't know you needed.

2013-02-07T19:59:00.002-08:00

There are two things in this life that I dearly love: Old time hockey and old time genealogy! This usually comes as a complete surprise to most people since there are so many tech toys available to genealogists now days. I suppose the soft spot in my heart for old time genealogy stems from an appreciation for my relatives who spent many hours pecking away at manual typewriters corresponding with county clerks and archivists. I have always thought that Genealogy 101 (no technology) should be a prerequisite for all brand new family detectives, if for no other reason than learning that genealogy existed before the Internet! Nothing compares to walking the ground your ancestors walked and touching the record books where their life events were recorded.

So I am going to assume that all of you have completed Gen101 and are now ready to cross that bridge to the 21st century. The theme of this year's OGS conference-- Expanding Your Ancestry Through Technology -- says it all.

This year there are several lectures that offer advice on self-publishing, cell phone aps, using social media for genealogy purposes, and organizing all of this stuff. There is also a session on how your iPad fits into all of this.

On Thursday, Lisa Louise Cooke has 2 Google sessions - one on surnames search, the other on Google Earth. The latter is fascinating. I caught this lecture a couple of years ago and I was very impressed with what happens when you combine Google Earth and genealogy. You will need a basic understanding of Google for this lecture to make any sense!

Sponsored lectures. These are sessions that showcase the features of specific products that you will normally find in the Exhibit Hall. Most of the time you will be able to purchase these at a conference discount. This is a great opportunity to see if the product will actually work for you -- cause that doesn't always happen, as we all know!! This is what is featured this year:

Flip-Pal is a mobile scanner. They have two sessions on Friday both devoted to preserving and sharing your family memories and keepsakes.

Roots Magic is a popular genealogy software program that has been around for a long time. One session on Friday will cover some features of this program.

GenDetective (Rumble Soft Inc.) is a product that works with your genealogy software to find the gaps in your family research and create research plans to save you time. This I am definitely going to look into.

The Ohio Historical Society lecture features their newspaper collection available online.

The International Society of Family History Writers and Editors is sort of self-explanatory with information about how and where to share your research.

FamilySearch,org. Information about a new project to collect and publish information about German immigrants in the 19th century. This of course ties into the other numerous German sessions that are featured in this conference. If you are looking for the German experience both at the conference and in the area, this is the place to be in April.

Also:

Fold3 Online military records. Partnered with the National Archives and Allen County Public Library.

For those of you who have UK roots there will be two sessions. FindMyPast.uk is a well-known source for records from England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Australia. The National Archives (UK) has records dating back centuries. Just for fun I searched for Waterfield and found a knight! Of course, I don't know if we are related, but I would like to think so. Perhaps he was a Knight of the Round Table. And perhaps, not!

Heritage Quest is a website that is available through most public libraries. There are no individual memberships. This session on Friday afternoon will take you through the many collections and the best research methods to make this program work for you.

The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) is a "must" for anyone with New England ancestors. Here is your chance to get a good look at the information available on this great website. Check in the Exhibit Hall to see if they will have any conference membership specials.

I hope I didn't miss anything. I will keep you updated as we get closer to the conference. If you have any questions about Cincinnati and what to do or where to stay, please feel free to ask me. I will try to answer any questions you may have.

Day Three at the OGS Conference

2013-02-01T11:48:00.002-08:00

Saturday's highlights at the OGS Conference center around the OGS Luncheon and the First Families Banquet. The luncheon, which begins at 11:30am, is a good way to catch up on all the latest news from OGS. Individual members, as well as local chapters, will receive their yearly awards and recognition for outstanding service. Also, this year the winner of the Endowment Fund Raffle will be announced. Chicken salad and cheesecake are on the menu for this event.

The First Families Banquet is the ultimate event for those who have proved their ancestors before 1820 in Ohio. George C. Morgan will speak about visualizing your ancestor's lives through postcards and photos. It is important to "see" your ancestors in their surroundings in order to understand their lives. Roast sirloin, vegetables and chocolate cake will be served. Even if you are not being inducted into a lineage society, try to attend at least one of the induction ceremonies. Besides the benefit of meeting other family researchers, you will know what to expect when your hard work is accepted and it is your turn to receive the recognition you deserve.

As on Friday, the day begins at 8:00am with only 2 morning sessions. Lunch break begins at 10:30am and lasts til 1:30pm. If you are not attending the OGS Luncheon, this would be a good time to visit one of the many restaurants at The Banks. (I am sure there will be an information booth at the conference with many brochures on downtown Cinci.) Also, please note that this year the Exhibit Hall will close noon on Saturday, so make sure you don't miss those last minute purchases.

Got Irish roots? If so, this is your day. Five sessions running from 8:00am to 5:30 pm covering everything Irish with one lecture devoted to Find My Past - a great source for Irish research. Also, a variety of international sessions on Scotland, Dutch, Frisian, Eastern Europe, German surnames, and Palantines will be offered. I admit I had to look up Frisian. It is a group of islands in the southeastern North Sea.

Two "must see" sessions on Saturday. Forensic Genealogy. If you are a fan of CSI, you may want to find out how you can go from a basic genealogist to a forensic genealogist. Learn how to find the who, what, where, and when in your ancestors' lives.
House Genealogy. I had the opportunity to explore a little "house genealogy" when I became interested in an unusual house in Swanton, Ohio. Turned out it had a very intriguing and mysterious past with a few ghosts. You might want to research your own home or perhaps an old Victorian mansion in your community. If so, you will not want to miss this session.

Note: Since there are many tech sessions at the conference, I will discuss them in another post.

If you are planning on arriving at the conference on Thursday morning, remember to give yourself plenty of time. Plan ahead -- unless you thrive on stress. The opening session begins at 11:00am. There will be rush hour traffic jams on the expressways. You can expect to wait in line both outside and inside the hotel as people unload their cars and check in. Elevators will be tied up. You may have to wait in line to pick up your registration packet and then you will need to become familiar with the layout of the conference area. All this and still be in your seat at 11:am for the opening session. Whew!

For those of you who plan to arrive on Wednesday, the registration booth at the conference will be open from 5-7:00pm.

The OGS Conference booklet can be found at http://ogs.org/conference2013/2013OGS_Conference_Bookletrev2.pdf

A Wow Moment! The 2014 OGS Conference will be held at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Sandusky, Ohio. This will be a 5 day event from April 30 - May 4. Sounds like a great opportunity to expose the rest of the family to genealogy. Remember, it is never too early to start dropping hints for birthday and holiday presents. For those of you who don't know, Kalahari is a waterpark in northern Ohio about halfway between Toledo and Cleveland. Now is the time to start working this event into your budget!

Day Two at the OGS Conference

2013-01-14T17:23:00.002-08:00

Friday, April 26, looks like it will be a full day of activities at the OGS Conference with 42 sessions, 2 lineage society evens and 2 roundtable discussions.

In addition to the three regional sessions on Thursday, there will be six more on Friday. This will be followed by a Roundtable Q & A at 5:45pm. The experts will be from Southern Ohio and surrounding states. Looks like regional is southern Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania and even Michigan. Don't know why West Virginia isn't included since for my family it was a stopping off point on the way to southern Ohio.

Also on Friday you will be able to pick up two more DNA sessions at 3:00pm and 4:30pm. Don't ignore these. I would recommend that you attend at least one of the DNA sessions. I do know DNA testing is a little $$$$ and you might have to budget this into your genealogy wish list, but it could break through that brick wall for you.

Friday completes the last of the nine German sessions that began on Thursday. Apparently nothing says German like Cincinnati and northern Kentucky. Seriously if you have ancestors from the Cinci area, some of them will be German.

There will be a track of African American research sessions on Friday plus a roundtable discussion at 5:45pm. If you walk any of the ground from Cincinnati to Ripley, Ohio you have a good chance of having walked in the footsteps of abolitionists and runaway slaves. For more information on the Underground Railroad Museum see Tuesday, April 24, 2012 post. I will also post more about the Abolitionist Movement in the Cinci area as we get closer to the conference.

Lineage societies. The Settlers and Builders Luncheon will be held at 12:15pm on Friday. No speaker has been noted, but comfort food is on the menu. We are talking meatloaf, mashed potatoes. and gravy. Who cares about the rest of the menu? Cost $35.

The Civil War Families Banquet will be held at 7:00pm with Kevin "Rufus" Guy speaking about letters from the battlefield. This menu is pork chops, banana potatoes, vegies, carrot cake. cost $35.

For chapter officers there will be an OGS Officers meeting at 4:30pm.

Next: Saturday's highlights plus all the tech session who's who.

Thumbs Up to FGS

2013-01-11T21:12:00.001-08:00

Thumbs up to the Federation of Genealogical Societies for providing a link on their website to a gift card that could be downloaded and used to give the gift of genealogy to a friend or family member. You add a note and some money to cover the cost of registration or perhaps a dinner at the conference. What a great idea. The inside of the card says "Holidays bring thoughts of family, in the present and the past. Doing genealogy will make the memories last."

OGS Conference Set for April 25-27, 2013

2013-01-09T18:46:00.003-08:00

The Ohio Genealogical Society 2013 Registration Booklet is now available on line at http://ogs.org . The conference this year is in downtown Cincinnati at the Millennium Hotel. Expanding Your Ancestry Through Technology is the conference theme, but don't worry -- if you managed to build your bridge to the 21st Century but are still using it to cross back and forth (like me) there are plenty of other topics and activities to enjoy at this event. However, I wouldn't dismiss the tech sessions because you might find something new you didn't know you needed!

The Millennium Hotel has a block of rooms set aside at the price of $99 per night + tax. The OGS code for reservations is 1304OHGENE. If you attended the NGS Conference last May, you may remember the hotel is located across from the Duke Energy Center. It is located within walking distance of the Banks, a must see area on the Ohio River. Parking at the conference hotel is $18 a day. There are also several parking lots and garages in the immediate area. Cincinnati's Skywalk System connects many of the hotels and garages in the area.

Early registration runs until March 15 with the full conference rate being $155 for members and $200 for non-members. After that it is $180 and $225. There are also two day rates and one day rates. Event meals are separate and range from $25 to $35. A printed syllabus is $20; flash drive syllabus - $7. Cenference pins are $5.

I will be blogging throughout the entire conference this year with updates on last minute changes, traffic, weather, and freebees in the Exhibit Hall.

This year's conference chairmen, in my opinion, have done a fantastic job planning this event. There is a little bit of everything and something for everybody. The conference will open on Thursday at 11:00am with keynote speaker, Thomas W Jones who will present 9 ways to find those "unfindable" ancestors. After the opening session. the Exhibit Hall opens at 12:30pm and at 2pm the first of Thursday's 21 sessions begin.

In addition to the 9 technology sessions, there will be a block of DNA sessions beginning at 2pm and ending with a roundtable Q & A session at 6:15pm. The BCG and the APG will hold 3 sessions for those genealogists who want to take their expertise to a higher level.

Also there will be a Lock-In at the Cincinnati Public Library from 6:15pm to 11:30pom. There is no transportation for this event. The library is within walking distance and the downtown area is relatively safe. However, I would not recommend making the trip alone.

The first of the lineage society banquets, Century Families of Ohio, will be held at 7pm on Friday. The speaker will be J. Mark Lowe. Cost of the dinner is $35 for roast chicken, salad, rolls, and desert.

A genealogy conference is a great time to meet other family researchers, exchange ideas, and possibly find a few new cousins. With this in mind there will be a Social Media Gathering at 6:15pm on Friday.

If you would like to read more about Cincinnati and some conference money- saving tips, please see earlier posts from April and May 2012.

Next: We will take a look at what Friday has to offer at the OGS Conference.

Happy New Year!

2012-12-31T18:51:00.002-08:00

I hope everyone got lots of genealogy goodies for Christmas. And hopefully everyone has been couponing and stocking up on supplies for the long winter ahead of us. January is a good month to hunker down inside your home with a cup of hot chocolate and get started on the new year's genealogy research. New year, fresh start. There are a whole new bunch of ancestors out there waiting to be found. So get those pantries stocked so you don't have to stop your research to run to the store for dinner.

OGS 6th Annual Writing Contest. Do you have an interesting ancestor in your family tree? Do you have a story about a specific place in Ohio? Did you break through an impossible brick wall this past year? Here is your chance to put it in words and submit it to OGS for possible publication in one of their journals. The deadline for entries is 28 Feb 2013. For more information go to: http://ogs.org/writing_contest/index.php

I am not big on New Year's resolutions, but every year I promise myself that I will faithfully document all my research. It has worked because over the years I have become much better at doing this. It is so easy to convince yourself that you will remember where you got "this tidbit of information". I know it is time consuming and annoying when you have a whole book full of information sitting in front of you that could solve that one mystery that has been bugging you for years. If nothing else, note where you found the information plus title and author/publisher. In most cases you can go back later and find an online catalog for the facility you visited.

This is a good time of the year to clean out your closet and declutter your house. Put these items up for sale on Craig's List or Ebay and use the extra money for society memberships or conference trips. All my funds for genealogy trips during the year come from ebay sales. Yes you can do it! If you can do research online you can learn how to sell on Ebay. Just remember the most important rule -- just because something didn't sell the first time doesn't mean it won't sell. It will, eventually!! Note. Ebay gives its sellers 50 free listings every month. That means no listing fee, just a final value fee.

This new year is also a good time to get involved with your local genealogy society. Benefits: meet other family researchers, find new cousins, learn new skills, exchange ideas, informative lectures and local trips. With all the research that is available online now, it is easy to just stay home and stare at your computer. You really do need the interaction with other genealogists. Note. This year at the OGS Conference there will be a Social Media Gathering on Thursday April 25 at 6:15pm.

Welcome in the New Year tonight!
Relax and watch football tomorrow!
Find a new ancestor on Wednesday!

A Brand New Christmas

2012-12-18T16:57:00.000-08:00

I sincerely hope that this Christmas season finds all of you together with your family and friends. As the years go by we lose touch with so many of our dear friends and family members.

I am getting ready for Christmas all by myself this year. It has turned out to be the ultimate mufti-tasking situation. Somehow I managed to get all of my many outside Christmas lights up with the help of my many grandkids!! It looks great even though there are a few hiccups! Shopping is almost done: thank goodness for gift cards. May have to cut the cookie recipes in half this year or else live on Christmas cookies through February. That's a money saving thought!

And this year I gave my kids the ultimate Christmas gift -- one less house to visit on Christmas Eve. I have decided to forget the traditional Christmas Eve dinner with all the trimmings and family members this year. Instead Winston (my Maltese) and I will have pizza and curl up on the couch to watch old Christmas movies -- just because we can! My kids are really happy because for the first time in many years they can all go where they want to on Christmas Eve. And they can get home in time for Santa.

Of course we are all going to get together in the early evening on Christmas Day to just kick back and relax. I am really looking forward to this.

Sometimes Christmas needs to be changed.

Hey, Pilgrim!!

2012-11-22T20:59:00.001-08:00

Here it is November again. And that means that families all over America are gathering to feast on turkey, mashed potatoes and gray, dressing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Oh, forgive me, I forgot the Green Bean Casserole!

But some of us are looking beyond Turkeyfest. We are searching for Pilgrim ancestors. Once again it is the same thing as the Salem Witches. You will be doing backwards genealogy. Fortunately, when you want to find ancestors who came over on the Mayflower, your odds are a lot better -- just because there are more resources. Let's face it, the Pilgrims were a little bit more popular that the Salem Witches.

So where do you go?http://www.themayflowersociety.com/ This is your initial source and also your best source. This website will give you the surnames of all the Mayflower Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. Even though I probably don't have any ancestors who arrived on this particular ship, I am so impressed by this website. It is a wealth of information, full of history and interesting facts -- including many celebrities who are descended from the Pilgrims.

FYI: George Washington declared a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789.
President Lincoln proclaimed an annual Thanksgiving Day in 1863 during the Civil War. President Franklin Roosevelt established our present day Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.