Granite Genealogy

The Family History Guide to be presenting at UGA Genealogy's South Davis Family History Fair!

2016-04-08T17:03:00.001-06:00

UGA Genealogy will be hosting their 19th Annual 2016 South Davis Family History Fair in just a couple of weeks, on Saturday, April 23, 2016. It will be held at the Woods Cross High School in Bountiful, Utah. The address is 600 West 2200 South in Woods Cross.

"The Family History Guide" will be presenting their wonderful new product at the conference! The Family History Guide is now on every computer in all 4,700 Family History Centers around the world! If you want to see this latest and greatest free product in action, plan now to attend the fair.

As far as conferences/fairs go, the South Davis Fair is rather inexpensive. Only $20 for non-members of UGA (Utah Genealogy Association) and $15 for members. This registration gives you a full day of learning about family history and an electronic syllabus from well known speakers from the genealogy community! You can also pre-order lunch for $7.50!

Come join this great fair and and check out The Family History Guide. You won't be sorry! And the fair also needs volunteers!

Check out the fair details here: UGA Genealogy-South Davis Fair

UGAgenealogy on Facebook

The Family History Guide on Facebook

Ancestry, FamilyTreeMaker, RootsMagic Announcement! Wonderful news!

2016-02-02T15:16:00.001-07:00

Dear Family Tree Maker™ community,

Since our Family Tree Maker announcement last December, we have continued to actively explore ways to develop and support Family Tree Maker and ensure you have choices to preserve your work in ways that matter to you.

Today, we are pleased to announce two options for desktop software that will work with Ancestry.

Software MacKiev

Software MacKiev, with whom we have a long-standing relationship, is acquiring the Family Tree Maker software line as publisher for both Mac and Windows versions. Software MacKiev has been the developer of Family Tree Maker for Mac for more than six years and is thrilled at the opportunity to publish future versions of Family Tree Maker for Mac and Windows.

This new agreement means you will receive software updates and new versions from Software MacKiev, and have the ability to purchase new versions of Family Tree Maker from Software MacKiev as they are released. You will have continued access to Ancestry Hints, Ancestry searches, and be able to save your tree on Ancestry with Family Tree Maker moving forward.

We have made an agreement with RootsMagic, a leading genealogy desktop software program publisher, to connect Ancestry with the RootsMagic software by the end of 2016. With this new relationship, RootsMagic can serve as your desktop family tree software, while having access to Ancestry hints, Ancestry searches, and the ability to save your tree on Ancestry.

We have heard your concerns and are working to provide the solutions you requested. These new agreements will make it possible to preserve your work on Ancestry and Family Tree Maker and enable future features and benefits to help you discover your family history. Be assured that Ancestry, in cooperation with Software MacKiev and RootsMagic, will continue to support you as you discover your family history.

We ask for your patience as we work diligently through all the details to make these solutions available. You can find additional details about these Family Tree Maker partnerships on our blog. We also encourage you to continue to check back on our blog for future updates in the coming months.

© 2016 ANCESTRY.COM Ancestry.com Operations Inc. 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT 84604 USA

Family Discovery Day at RootsTech

2016-01-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Family Discovery Day at RootsTech is the perfect place to discover and share family connections through technology. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced family historian, Family Discovery Day at RootsTech has something for everyone.

Experience More at RootsTech 2016
RootsTech, the largest family history conference in the world, is happening February 3–6, 2016, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. With inspiring keynote speakers, expo hall of hundreds of exhibitors, entertaining evening events with special guest performers, and more, RootsTech has something for everyone to enjoy. Registration is required for both Family Discovery Day and RootsTech. Passes start at just $29.

For more information about RootsTech 2016, visit RootsTech.org.

The Family History Library Announces Free Classes for February 2016

2016-01-29T16:09:00.000-07:00

These classes and workshops are designed to help individuals and families find their ancestors and teach others family history techniques.

Feb 9	12:00 P.M. Spanish Records Indexing Workshop Webinar Indexing Tips and Tricks (1½ hours) 1:00 P.M. Cousin Research
Feb 11	10:00 A.M. Migration Routes Across America Webinar
Feb 16	12:00 P.M. Portuguese Records Indexing Workshop Webinar—Indexing Tips and Tricks (1½ hours) 2:00 P.M. Exploring Death Notices in Norway Webinar
Feb 17	1:00 P.M. Online Ortsfamilienbücher (Village Lineage books) Genealogy.net Webinar2:00 P.M. Using Metasuche or Metasearch on Genealogy.net Webinar
Feb 20	9:00 A.M. African American Series: Creating Documentary on Family History, Guest speaker Sanford Bryant10:00 A.M. African American Research and Indexing (2 hours) 10:00 A.M. Boy Scout Genealogy Merit Badge (1½ hours) To register, call 1-801-240-4673 at least one week before the workshop to find out which requirements should be completed before attending.
Feb 23	12:00 P.M. French Records Indexing Workshop Webinar Indexing Tips and Tricks (1½ hours) 1:00 P.M. British Resources on FamilySearch Webinar2:00 P.M. U.S. Burned Counties Research
Feb 24	1:00 P.M. British Resources on Ancestry Webinar3:00 P.M. Using the Full Scope of ArkivDigital for Swedish Genealogy Webinar
Feb 25	1:00 P.M. British Resources on findmypast Webinar6:00 P.M. Religious Migration History and Research Webinar

Webinars can be accessed by the following link: https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Family_History_Library_Classes_and_Webinars#Monthly_Class_Schedules; scroll to find the desired class.

Family History Enthusiasts Worldwide Gathering in Utah for RootsTech 2016

2016-01-29T14:56:00.000-07:00

SALT LAKE CITY, 27 January 2016—RootsTech, the largest family history conference in the world, is looking forward to over 20,000 visitors over four days with an exciting array of speakers and entertainers, over 250 interesting and informative classes, a huge expo hall with more than 160 exhibitors. There is something for every level of family history—from the beginner to experienced. The three-day conference begins on Thursday, February 4, and goes through Saturday, February 6. For more information go to RootsTech.org.

The keynote speakers and offerings reflect the growing influence of family history. Today multiple generations of all ages are engaging through family storytelling and sharing memories within families using social media and an expanding array of new technologies and mobile apps. The opening session on February 4 will begin with Stephen T. Rockwood, who is the managing director for the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and President/CEO of FamilySearch International.

Also featured is Paula Williams Madison who is chairman and CEO of Madison Media Management LLC, a Los Angeles based media consultancy company with global reach. After her retirement in 2011, Madison started doing research on her family lineage. She wrote the book and produced a movie Finding Samuel Lowe: China, Jamaica, Harlem in April 2015 about her experiences. A free screening of the movie will be provided on Wednesday, February 3.

Bruce Feiler is one of America’s most popular commentators about contemporary life. He hosts the PBS series Walking the Bible and Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler. He wrote The Secrets of Happy Families containing best practices for busy parents from some of the country’s most creative minds. He has appeared on many television shows on NRP, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and others.

On Friday, February 5, David Isay, is a scheduled keynote. He’s the founder of StoryCorps, an award-winning organization that provides people of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve their life stories. 50,000 interviews have been archived and preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. He has also written several New York Times bestsellers, including Listening is an Act of Love. He is a broadcaster and documentarian, and his research reveals ways to tell great stories for the family historian.

Also on Friday, Josh and Naomi Davis, popular family bloggers known as Love Taza, will speak. On their blog, they relate their life with their three children in bustling New York City. The blog has become a digital destination viewed by millions around the world. People love the inspiration about raising a family and the appreciation Naomi has for life’s simple joys.

On Saturday, February 6, Doris Kearns Goodwin is a world-renowned presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author. She worked with Spielberg on the movie Lincoln, based in part on her award winning Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. She has written books about Frank and Eleanor Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, and the Kennedys and shares her expertise and commentary on many television shows. She has a PhD in government from Harvard and was an assistant to Lyndon Johnson and has been a consultant in several PBS and History Channel documentaries.

Also on Saturday, Michael Leavitt, a three-term former governor of Utah, will speak. He also served in George W. Bush’s cabinet as an Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and Secretary of Health and Human Services.

The second annual Innovator Summit is a one-day event on Wednesday, February 3, for developers, entrepreneurs, and innovators from around the globe to explore, examine, and discover business and technological opportunities within the family history industry—a rapidly growing multibillion dollar industry. Innovators from around the globe and from all industries will be competing for a piece of the $100,000 in total cash and in-kind prizes. The keynote speaker for this event will be Ken Krogue, an entrepreneur who has taken his business InsideSales.com from a small beginning to a billion dollar industry. He will share his expertise about social media and how to use the different forms effectively.

Along with the keynotes, RootsTech attendees will be able to hear from the Crescent Super Band, featuring Ryan Inness, and Lower Lights, a popular gospel and folk band.

More information about speakers, entertainers, classes, and how to register at RootsTech can be found at RootsTech.org.

Global RootsTech Conference Announces Free Online Broadcast Schedule

2016-01-29T12:48:00.002-07:00

29 January 2016—RootsTech, the world’s largest family history and technology conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 4-6, 2016, announced today that 15 of its popular sessions will be broadcast live and complimentary over the Internet. The live broadcasts will give those unable to attend in-person worldwide a sample of this year’s conference content. Interested viewers can watch the live presentations at RootsTech.org. Saturday's Family Discovery Day sessions will be broadcast live on LDS.org.

The streamed RootsTech sessions include the general sessions and a sampling of technology and family history presentations. Following are the broadcasted sessions and speakers. All times are in Mountain Standard Time (MST):

RootsTech Streaming Schedule (RootsTech.org Thursday, February 4; Friday, February 5; Saturday February 6, 2016)

Time	Length	Day
		Thursday	Friday	Saturday
8:30 a.m.	90 Minutes	RootsTech General Session: Stephen T. Rockwood, Paula Madison and Bruce Feiler	RootsTech General Session: Josh and Naomi Davis and David Isay	RootsTech General Session: Michael Leavitt
11:00 a.m.	60 Minutes	RT5352 7 Unique Technologies for Genealogy Discoveries Mike Mansfield	GS3643 Innovator Showdown (Starts at 10:30)	RT2449 Photos-Emerging Technologies in Photography Jens Nielsen
1:30 p.m.	60 Minutes	RT2390 Best Websites and Apps for Local Amy Crow	GS2345 Proven Methodology for Using Google for Genealogy Lisa Louise Cook	RT2560 Become a Master Searcher on Ancestry Anne Mitchell
3:00 p.m.	60 Minutes	GS4310 What's New in Family Tree for 2016 Ron Tanner	RT7450 Finding Elusive Records on FamilySearch.org Robert Kehrer	RT1792 Homespun and Calico: Researching our Foremothers Peggy Lauritzen
4:30 p.m.	60 Minutes	GS2623 Virtual Family Reunions Joseph Richardson	RT1431 My Ancestors are from Britain-- What do I do next? Myko Clelland	GS1532 5 Steps to Identify a Family Photo Maureen Taylor

Family Discovery Day Streaming Schedule (LDS.org Saturday, February 6, 2016)

Time	Length	Session Information- English	Session Information- Languages
1:00 p.m.	45 Minutes	RootsTech Family Discovery Day Opening Session: Elder Dale G. Renlund, Sister Ruth L. Renlund, Sister Ashley Renlund	RootsTech Family Discovery Day Opening Session: Elder Dale G. Renlund, Sister Ruth L. Renlund, Sister Ashley Renlund
2:00 p.m.	45 Minutes	Family History Discussion: Sheri L. Dew and Sister Wendy W. Nelson	No Stream
3:15 p.m.	30 Minutes	RootsTech Family Discovery Day Family Session: Sister Rosemary M. Wixom and Brother Stephen W. Owen	RootsTech Family Discovery Day Family Session: Sister Rosemary M. Wixom and Brother Stephen W. Owen
4:15 p.m.	30 Minutes	RootsTech Family Discovery Day Youth and Family Session: Taysom Hill and Britain Covey	No Stream

About RootsTech
RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, is a global conference celebrating families across generations, where people of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and connections. This annual event has become the largest of its kind in the world, attracting tens of thousands of participants worldwide.

New FamilySearch Collections: Week of August 17, 2015

2015-08-26T07:58:00.001-06:00

Over 7 million searchable records have been added this week. Follow the links below to explore the new content!

COLLECTION	INDEXED RECORDS	DIGITAL RECORDS	COMMENTS
Colombia Catholic Church Records 1600-2012	0	1,002,173	Added images to an existing collection
France Finistère Quimper et Léon Diocese Catholic Parish Records 1772-1863	144,443	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Illinois Adams County Card Index to Deaths 1877-1990	95,523	96,875	Added indexed records and images collection
Peru Lima Civil Registration 1874-1996	862,440	304	Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
Philippines Manila Civil Registration 1899-1984	0	4,088,394	Added images to an existing collection
Philippines Pangasinan Civil Registration 1945-1981	84,935	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Texas County Marriage Records 1837-1977	586,960	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
United States Census 1890	15	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
United States Obituaries American Historical Society of Germans from Russia 1899-2012	0	4,154	Added images to an existing collection
Wisconsin County Marriages 1836-1911	213,905	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection

Help Us Publish More Free Records Online

Searchable historical records are made available on FamilySearch.org through the help of thousands of online volunteers worldwide. These volunteers transcribe (or index) information from digital copies of handwritten records to make them easily searchable online. More volunteers are always needed (particularly those who can read foreign languages) to keep pace with the large number of digital images being published weekly online on FamilySearch.org. Learn how you can volunteer to help provide free access to the world’s historical genealogical records online at FamilySearch.org/Indexing.

About FamilySearch International

FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources for free at FamilySearch.org or through more than 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

LDS Church Breaks Ground for First-of-It's Kind St. George Family History Library

2015-08-17T16:50:00.000-06:00

ST. GEORGE, UT (AUGUST 15, 2015)—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its nonprofit subsidiary FamilySearch International broke ground today on a first-of-its-kind facility in St. George, Utah. When complete, the state-of-the-art St. George FamilySearch Library will offer incredible free ancestry research services and fun, family-friendly experiences that invite personal and family discovery. Elder Allan F. Packer of the Church’s First Quorum of the Seventy presided over the groundbreaking ceremony along with local civic and faith leader guests. The new facility is projected to open in the fall of 2016.

“Today family history research and telling, sharing, and preserving family memories through stories, photos, and technology are engaging a growing number of individuals of all ages like never before,” said Dennis Brimhall, CEO of FamilySearch International. “Youth want to discover themselves and their family’s history in fun, exciting ways, and adults want to strengthen family connections and leave enduring legacies. The discovery experiences provided by this facility will help do just that,” Brimhall added.

The 13,500-square-foot St. George facility will be state of the art—designed from the ground up with the entire family in mind. It will deliver personal discovery experiences through interactive technologies and activities that can be continued in the home. Think of it as a dynamic, ever-unfolding “museum of me.”

Patrons will have access to the most current research resources available online and personal guidance from 150 very knowledgeable staff members. In addition, 4,700 square feet of the facility will offer new, fun, interactive, family-friendly activities that enable patrons of all ages to discover themselves through their personal family stories (see more about the FamilySearch Discovery Center in Salt Lake City).

The official opening of the new St. George facility is scheduled for late fall of 2016, and admission will be free to the public.

The current St. George FamilySearch Library is located at 162 North 400 East, Bldg. B Suite 200, and will remain open until construction of the new facility is completed.

About FamilySearch
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years.
FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,800 family history centers in 132 countries, including the renowned Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

© 2015 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. A service provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

New FamilySearch Record Collections

2015-08-04T06:00:00.000-06:00

COLLECTION	INDEXED RECORDS	DIGITAL RECORDS	COMMENTS
Australia New South Wales Census (fragment) 1891	0	21,315	Added images to an existing collection
Belgium Antwerp Civil Registration 1588-1910	0	1,670	Added images to an existing collection
BillionGraves Index	1,513,553	1,513,553	Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
Brazil Pernambuco Civil Registration 1804-2014	0	164,642	Added images to an existing collection
Brazil São Paulo Immigration Cards 1902-1980	1,642,660	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
California Death Index 1905-1939	2,086,638	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Delaware Vital Records 1680-1971	624,395	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
District of Columbia Marriages 1811-1950	83,822	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
France Finistère Quimper et Léon Diocese Catholic Parish Records 1772-1863	970	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Germany Saxony Dresden Citizens' Documents and Business Licenses 1820- 1962	0	855,956	Added images to an existing collection
Illinois County Marriages 1810-1934	504,033	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Iowa State Census 1915	0	9,802	Added images to an existing collection
India Bihar Koilukh Pandit Kirtinand Jha Maithil Brahmin Genealogical Records 1750-1990	0	175,363	Added images to an existing collection
India Hindu Pilgrimage Records 1194-2015	2,782,487	2,843,557	New indexed records and images collection
Iowa State Census 1925	5,573,816	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Ireland Petty Sessions Court Registers 1828-1912	21,833,839	0	New indexed record collection
Italy Caltanissetta Civil Registration (State Archive) 1820-1935	0	318	Added images to an existing collection
Italy Cremona Civil Registration (State Archive) 1744-1942	0	1,325,362	New browsable-image collection.
Italy Grosseto Civil Registration (State Archive) 1851-1907	0	393,814	New browsable-image collection.
Italy L'Aquila Civil Registration (State Archive) 1809-1865 1911-1943	0	111,837	Added images to an existing collection
Italy Pesaro e Urbino Pesaro Civil Registration (State Archive) 1808-1813 1861- 1865	0	75,456	New browsable-image collection.
Italy Pesaro e Urbino Urbino Civil Registration (State Archive) 1866-1942	0	709,381	New browsable-image collection.
Italy Ragusa Civil Registration (State Archive) 1900-1940	0	111,281	New browsable-image collection.
Italy Toscana Civil Registration (State Archive) 1804-1874	0	80,833	Added images to an existing collection
Kentucky Vital Record Indexes 1911-1999	9,865,944	0	New indexed record collection
Louisiana First Registration Draft Cards compiled 1940-1945	39,967	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Massachusetts Boston Passenger Lists Index 1899-1940	1,577,127	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Massachusetts Town Clerk Vital and Town Records 1627-2001	0	182	Added images to an existing collection
Mexico Baja California and Baja California Sur Catholic Church Records 1750- 1984	0	363	Added images to an existing collection
Mexico Chihuahua Catholic Church Records 1632-1958	0	195	New browsable-image collection.
Mexico Guanajuato Catholic Church Records 1519-1984	0	1,077	Added images to an existing collection
Mexico Hidalgo Catholic Church Records 1546-1971	0	574	Added images to an existing collection
Mexico Michoacán Catholic Church Records 1555-1996	0	2,758	Added images to an existing collection
Mexico Tamaulipas Catholic Church Records 1703-1964	0	1,294	Added images to an existing collection
Michigan Births 1867-1902	0	1,428	Added images to an existing collection
Michigan Obituaries 1820-2006	1,389,458	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Newfoundland Vital Records 1840-1949	347,134	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
North Carolina Probate Records 1735-1970	0	1,952	Added images to an existing collection
Nova Scotia Births 1864-1877	0	6,103	Added images to an existing collection
Nova Scotia Deaths 1864-1877	0	20,661	Added images to an existing collection
Nova Scotia Marriages 1864-1918	0	15,831	Added images to an existing collection
Peru Callao Civil Registration 1874-1996	0	42,583	Added images to an existing collection
Perú Lima Civil Registration 1874-1996	0	111,769	Added images to an existing collection
Philippines Negros Occidental Roman Catholic Diocese of Bacolod Parish Registers 1755-1976	0	95,820	New browsable-image collection.
South Dakota School Records 1879-1970	2,807,212	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Spain Province of Valencia Miscellaneous Records 1251-1950	0	850,597	Added images to an existing collection
Sweden Halland Church Records 1615-1904; index 1615-1860	0	972	Added images to an existing collection
Tennessee County Marriages 1790-1950	3,024,053	1,831,660	Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
United States Census 1790	1,606	62	Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
United States Census 1800	20	18,454	Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
United States Freedmen's Bureau Hospital and Medical Records 1865-1872	4,641	44,734	New Indexed records and images collection
United States GenealogyBank Obituaries 1980-2014	46,769,836	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
United States Index to Service Records War with Spain 1898	123,334	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Utah Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel Database 1847-1868	58,333	0	New indexed record collection
Utah Uintah County Discharge Records 1893-2009	0	2,362	New browsable-image collection.
Utah Uintah County Land and Property Records 1888-2004	0	195,963	New browsable-image collection.
Utah Uintah County Marriage Records 1888-2015	0	8,687	New browsable-image collection.
Utah Uintah County Naturalization and Citizenship Records 1888-1929	0	409	New browsable-image collection.
Vermont St. Albans Canadian Border Crossings 1895-1924	6,696,703	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Vermont Town Clerk Vital and Town Records 1732-2005	0	458,533	Added images to an existing collection

COLLECTION	INDEXED RECORDS	DIGITAL RECORDS	COMMENTS
Alabama County Marriages 1809-1950	718,870	223,694	Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
Denmark Deeds and Mortgages 1572-1928	0	1,371,304	New browsable image collection.
Japan Passenger Lists 1893-1941	0	15,681	Added images to an existing collection
Peru La Libertad Civil Registration 1903-1998	186,394	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Philippines Civil Registration (Local) 1888-1984	0	4,019,816	Added images to an existing collection
Utah Obituaries from Utah Newspapers 1850-2005	60,859	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Zimbabwe Death notices 1904-1976	158,202	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection

Help Publish More Free Records Online

UVTAGG Meeting and Classes-Saturday 8 Aug 2015

2015-08-03T16:55:00.006-06:00

9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo.

This is the regular second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting. Information about the Group, meeting location, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on their website http://uvtagg.org

The main presentation this month at UVTAGG will be by Donald R. Snow and his daughter, Linda Snow Westover, on THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE: FREEWARE FOR FAMILY HISTORY. There are many free or inexpensive computer programs that are very helpful for family history. This presentation will discuss several of these, including:

EVERYTHING - a free program that finds files on your computer quickly and easily;
Q-DIR - a computer utility program that helps move, rename, delete, or copy programs in various ways;
PDF-XCHANGE EDITOR - a freeware program that reads and edits pdf's and does OCR (Optical Character Recognition) on them;
GOOGLE DOCS which has office programs for text, presentations, and spreadsheets. is online so you can work on your files wherever you can get to the Internet, and allows collaboration with others on documents; and
OURTIMELINES.COM - an free online database that allows you to form timelines of world events occurring during the lifetime of an individual.

The notes for the class are posted on http://uvtagg.org/classes/dons/dons-classes.html , along with a set of Freeware Supplementary Notes which give information on more than 60 free computer programs that are helpful in things like genealogy and databases, text and office programs, graphics, sound, and general computer utilities.

Don Snow is a Californian by birth with Snow ancestors from Southern Utah. After retiring from the BYU Math Faculty, he and his recently deceased wife, Diane, served four FH missions, including being Directors of the New York Family History Center in Manhattan, in the Illinois Nauvoo Mission on a FH project ( http://earlylds.com ), and in the London Family History Centre in the Hyde Park Chapel. Don has been a VP of the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group since the 1990's and is a frequent speaker at FH venues. He has 6 children and 30 grandchildren. Linda Snow Westover is Don Snow's daughter and has been a family history enthusiast for the past 25 years. Ward family history consultant and associate director of the Lindon (Utah) Family History Center, her friends call her the ghost-whisperer. She enjoys helping others and traveling to research her family and is also a frequent speaker at many FH venues. Linda works in the Registrar’s Office at BYU and has 5 children and 6 grandchildren.

After the main presentation the following classes are scheduled. See our website for last minute changes and additions.

Freeware (Continuation), by Don Snow and Linda Westover
Facebook Your Genealogy!, by Sue Maxwell
Fast Accurate Research Using FamilySearch and Wiki, by Van Celaya
Ask An Expert (Personal Help), by Don Engstrom & Finn Hansen
Video of last month's main presentation, Copyright Law for Genealogists, by James Tanner
Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay
RootsMagic, by Bruce Buzbee

Notice that there is something for everyone no matter what their level of family history expertise. This includes youth, those just getting interested in genealogy, long-time genealogists, and ward family history consultants. All meetings of UVTAGG are open to the public, whether members of the Group or not. The Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually about 100 attending the monthly meetings.

TheFHGuide.com Goes Live! Help is Here!

2015-07-27T11:32:00.000-06:00

July 27, 2015

New Family History Website Released – The Family History Guide

www.thefhguide.com - Overview

SANDY, Utah - July 25, 2015 - Even with the renewed focus and attention placed on family history these days, the fact remains that fewer than 10% of the population - LDS or non-LDS - is actively involved in it. Reasons for not taking the family history plunge are plentiful (and often convincing), but the benefits of being involved are real and tangible, as avid genealogists can attest.

The Family History Guide - a unique, new website free to the public that officially launches today - aims to change the equation by drawing more of the 90% into family history. "We want to get people into the game and help them stay in the game," said Bob Taylor, founder and CEO of The Family History Guide, LLC. "We've developed a simple yet powerful learning system that provides a comfortable harbor in the ocean that can be family history."

People of all backgrounds and skill levels can quickly find the tools and resources they need in The Family History Guide. The innovative design contains a series of Goals, Choices and Steps that lead the learner through the family history experience, in Projects such as Family Tree, Memories, Descendants, Ordinances, Discover (Research), Indexing, Help, and Technology. There are links to over 1,000 videos and articles, all integrated into a smooth instructional sequence that gives learners flexibility and control over their learning paths. The Family History Guide also draws on the resources and strengths of FamilySearch, Ancestry, FindMyPast, MyHeritage, and other sites. "As family history evolves on the web, we'll be right there," continued Taylor. "We point people to the best tools and technologies for family history and research, all within a comfortable framework."

The Family History Guide is also proving to be a powerful tool for classroom instruction. "We've been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of our early test sites," said Taylor. "Many Family History Consultants have latched onto the site, excited for how it accelerates learning. Even those who were previously reluctant to help patrons are stepping up with more confidence."

The Family History Guide is available at www.thefhguide.com and in the FamilySearch App Gallery at https://familysearch.org/apps. For more information, contact thefhguide@gmail.com

New FamilySearch Collections in July 2015

2015-07-26T22:30:00.001-06:00

Family historians hungry for historic Irish records will enjoy FamilySearch’s new collection, Ireland Petty Sessions Court Registers 1828-1912. These indexed court documents bring 22 million records to your fingertips. These records were originally filmed at the National Archives of Ireland and the index was created by findmypast.com. See the table below for additions to over 60 historical record collections, including 46 million US obituaries. Click on the collection’s link to start your discovery.

COLLECTION	INDEXED RECORDS	DIGITAL RECORDS	COMMENTS
Australia New South Wales Census (fragment) 1891	0	21,315	Added images to an existing collection
Belgium Antwerp Civil Registration 1588-1910	0	1,670	Added images to an existing collection
BillionGraves Index	1,513,553	1,513,553	Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
Brazil Pernambuco Civil Registration 1804-2014	0	164,642	Added images to an existing collection
Brazil São Paulo Immigration Cards 1902-1980	1,642,660	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
California Death Index 1905-1939	2,086,638	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Delaware Vital Records 1680-1971	624,395	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
District of Columbia Marriages 1811-1950	83,822	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
France Finistère Quimper et Léon Diocese Catholic Parish Records 1772-1863	970	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Germany Saxony Dresden Citizens' Documents and Business Licenses 1820- 1962	0	855,956	Added images to an existing collection
Illinois County Marriages 1810-1934	504,033	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Iowa State Census 1915	0	9,802	Added images to an existing collection
India Bihar Koilukh Pandit Kirtinand Jha Maithil Brahmin Genealogical Records 1750-1990	0	175,363	Added images to an existing collection
India Hindu Pilgrimage Records 1194-2015	2,782,487	2,843,557	New indexed records and images collection
Iowa State Census 1925	5,573,816	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Ireland Petty Sessions Court Registers 1828-1912	21,833,839	0	New indexed record collection
Italy Caltanissetta Civil Registration (State Archive) 1820-1935	0	318	Added images to an existing collection
Italy Cremona Civil Registration (State Archive) 1744-1942	0	1,325,362	New browsable-image collection.
Italy Grosseto Civil Registration (State Archive) 1851-1907	0	393,814	New browsable-image collection.
Italy L'Aquila Civil Registration (State Archive) 1809-1865 1911-1943	0	111,837	Added images to an existing collection
Italy Pesaro e Urbino Pesaro Civil Registration (State Archive) 1808-1813 1861- 1865	0	75,456	New browsable-image collection.
Italy Pesaro e Urbino Urbino Civil Registration (State Archive) 1866-1942	0	709,381	New browsable-image collection.
Italy Ragusa Civil Registration (State Archive) 1900-1940	0	111,281	New browsable-image collection.
Italy Toscana Civil Registration (State Archive) 1804-1874	0	80,833	Added images to an existing collection
Kentucky Vital Record Indexes 1911-1999	9,865,944	0	New indexed record collection
Louisiana First Registration Draft Cards compiled 1940-1945	39,967	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Massachusetts Boston Passenger Lists Index 1899-1940	1,577,127	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Massachusetts Town Clerk Vital and Town Records 1627-2001	0	182	Added images to an existing collection
Mexico Baja California and Baja California Sur Catholic Church Records 1750- 1984	0	363	Added images to an existing collection
Mexico Chihuahua Catholic Church Records 1632-1958	0	195	New browsable-image collection.
Mexico Guanajuato Catholic Church Records 1519-1984	0	1,077	Added images to an existing collection
Mexico Hidalgo Catholic Church Records 1546-1971	0	574	Added images to an existing collection
Mexico Michoacán Catholic Church Records 1555-1996	0	2,758	Added images to an existing collection
Mexico Tamaulipas Catholic Church Records 1703-1964	0	1,294	Added images to an existing collection
Michigan Births 1867-1902	0	1,428	Added images to an existing collection
Michigan Obituaries 1820-2006	1,389,458	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Newfoundland Vital Records 1840-1949	347,134	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
North Carolina Probate Records 1735-1970	0	1,952	Added images to an existing collection
Nova Scotia Births 1864-1877	0	6,103	Added images to an existing collection
Nova Scotia Deaths 1864-1877	0	20,661	Added images to an existing collection
Nova Scotia Marriages 1864-1918	0	15,831	Added images to an existing collection
Peru Callao Civil Registration 1874-1996	0	42,583	Added images to an existing collection
Perú Lima Civil Registration 1874-1996	0	111,769	Added images to an existing collection
Philippines Negros Occidental Roman Catholic Diocese of Bacolod Parish Registers 1755-1976	0	95,820	New browsable-image collection.
South Dakota School Records 1879-1970	2,807,212	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Spain Province of Valencia Miscellaneous Records 1251-1950	0	850,597	Added images to an existing collection
Sweden Halland Church Records 1615-1904; index 1615-1860	0	972	Added images to an existing collection
Tennessee County Marriages 1790-1950	3,024,053	1,831,660	Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
United States Census 1790	1,606	62	Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
United States Census 1800	20	18,454	Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
United States Freedmen's Bureau Hospital and Medical Records 1865-1872	4,641	44,734	New Indexed records and images collection
United States GenealogyBank Obituaries 1980-2014	46,769,836	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
United States Index to Service Records War with Spain 1898	123,334	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Utah Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel Database 1847-1868	58,333	0	New indexed record collection
Utah Uintah County Discharge Records 1893-2009	0	2,362	New browsable-image collection.
Utah Uintah County Land and Property Records 1888-2004	0	195,963	New browsable-image collection.
Utah Uintah County Marriage Records 1888-2015	0	8,687	New browsable-image collection.
Utah Uintah County Naturalization and Citizenship Records 1888-1929	0	409	New browsable-image collection.
Vermont St. Albans Canadian Border Crossings 1895-1924	6,696,703	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Vermont Town Clerk Vital and Town Records 1732-2005	0	458,533	Added images to an existing collection

Help Publish More Free Records Online

New Records Reveal Previously Unknown Mormon Pioneers

2015-07-20T13:40:00.001-06:00

Salt Lake City, UT—In a collaboration between the Church History Library and FamilySearch, individuals can now discover and explore more of their pioneer heritage on the newly redesigned Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel website that also includes information about previously unknown pioneers. In addition to discovering your pioneer ancestors, new features enable people to read their ancestors’ personal journals, see available photos, and learn key details about major events in their ancestors’ lives.

Since the site was first launched, an influx of pioneer documentation has allowed historians to reconcile and expand their understanding of the trek west. The site now includes information about more than 57,000 individuals in 370 pioneer companies, with thousands of original trail excerpts that are authoritatively documented. “This is an extremely significant database,” said Keith Erekson, Church History Library Director. “It reveals so much about individual pioneers and their experiences, but it also offers fresh new insights about their collective experience.” Site updates include the ability to submit family photographs of pioneers and to link to digital copies of sources on the Internet. There are also new articles of interest, including humorous stories from the trail.

Individuals have two options for accessing the site. Through FamilySearch.org/pioneers, your personal FamilySearch family tree will be polled for matches in the updated pioneer database. Through history.lds.org/overlandtravels you can explore known pioneers and companies and lots of other interesting facts and documentation about this exciting period of Mormon and Western history.

Millions of people continue to be inspired by the courage, faith, and triumphs of the Mormon pioneers. Many of us are unknowingly modern pioneers, whose courage, personal achievements, and applied faith will be equally inspiring to future posterity and generations. This updated site will be featured in the international “I Am a Pioneer” social media campaign (#IAmAPioneer) that will encourage individuals today to see themselves as modern-day pioneers and recognize the need to readily capture their stories of triumph online for future generations. Learn more about this initiative at FamilySearch.org/iamapioneer.

Those without Utah pioneer ancestry may be interested in reading stories of pioneers worldwide by visiting the Church History Department’s website, history.lds.org/section/pioneers.

Bring your genealogical data to life by discovering the stories and photos of your ancestors or the ancestors of others. Visit the newly updated Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel website today.

“Fuel the Find!” 2nd Annual Indexing Challenge! August 7-14

2015-07-18T22:17:00.000-06:00

One Week. 100,000 Online Volunteers. Time to “Fuel the Find!”

Millions of Family History Discoveries Likely from Worldwide Event

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, July 22, 2015—A record-setting 100,000 online volunteers are expected to participate in the second annual Worldwide Indexing Event, facilitating millions of discoveries for eager family history researchers. Scheduled for August 7–14, the event will show how anyone with a computer and Internet connection can help “Fuel the Find” by making information from historical documents easily searchable online.

What Does It Mean to “Fuel the Find”?
Indexed (transcribed) historical records are like the fuel that powers genealogical search engines such as FamilySearch.org, enabling people to find missing or unknown branches in their family trees. Beyond simple name searches, indexed records also allow FamilySearch.org to provide patrons with highly relevant and accurate hints, essentially bringing the records of their ancestors to them automatically. Every name that a volunteer indexes from a historical record adds another drop of precious fuel that can ultimately help someone easily and quickly find a missing ancestor.

International Language Emphasis
Already one of the largest and most successful volunteer transcription programs in history with more than 1.3 billion records indexed since 2007, FamilySearch indexing is looking toward this year’s event to launch an expanded push for indexed records in languages other than English. Currently FamilySearch.org offers 20 times more searchable records in English than in all other languages combined. To balance this ratio, people with fluency in other languages, especially French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, are being sought as indexing volunteers.

“Family history research in English-speaking countries is a dream compared to research in other parts of the world,” said Mike Judson, manager of FamilySearch’s indexing workforce development. “Our goal is to make research for our friends in other lands as joyful and productive as it is in the United States, Great Britain, and other English-speaking countries. To do this we need tens of thousands of volunteers with well-developed language skills to step forward and use those talents to bless others’ lives. We have the records—now we just need the hands.”

To help volunteers with language skills to get started, FamilySearch indexing has launched carefully chosen indexing projects in its four focus languages of French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. Special training guides are now available to help new and experienced English indexers with skills in these languages to quickly familiarize themselves with how to index these particular records.

New One-Week Record Anticipated
Last year’s Worldwide Indexing Event established a one-week record of 91,721 participants. This year, more than 100,000 participants are expected. To be counted, each volunteer must submit at least one indexing or arbitration batch sometime during the week. Volunteers and potential volunteers can visit FamilySearch.org/indexingevent2015 to learn more, including strategies for avoiding high demand periods that may tend to slow down the indexing system.

© 2015 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. A service provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

About FamilySearch

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

UVTAGG mtg -11 July 2015

2015-07-03T12:39:00.001-06:00

The next meeting of the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group - UVTAGG will be on Saturday, 11 July 2015, from 9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo. This is the regular second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting. Information about the Group, meeting location, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on their website http://uvtagg.org.

The main presentation this month at UVTAGG will be by James Tanner on COPYRIGHT LAW FOR GENEALOGISTS. Family historians are constantly confronted with issues involving copyright protected books, documents and other items. For example, how many researchers have found an important family story only to realize that the story is subject to a copyright claim? In addition, we are frequently confronted with the issue that a document or photograph pertaining to our family is also subject to a copyright claim and what if we want copyright protection for our own work? In many cases, understanding the basics of United States copyright law, or the law of other countries, becomes of more than academic interest.

In this presentation former attorney James L. Tanner will provide an essential look at modern copyright law as it applies to genealogical research. The presentation and accompanying handout will cover important topics such as the concepts of fair use and what is and is not in the public domain. Tanner will also discuss some of the rulings in current important copyright litigation. James L. Tanner received a B.A. Degree in Spanish, an M.A. Degree in Linguistics, University of Utah, and a J.D. Degree, Law, Arizona State University. He spent two years as an Intelligence Analyst for the U.S. Army, 39 years as an Arizona trial attorney, over 33 years in genealogical research, and is an Avid Blogger of Genealogy’s Star blog and Rejoice, and be exceeding glad. He has also spent ten years as a family history missionary at the Mesa, Arizona FamilySearch Library and is presently serving at the BYU Family History Library. He is a presenter at conferences and expos around the U.S. and Canada. He was previously the owner of a retail computer business and an Apple Macintosh software company, as well as being a professional photographer. He and his wife have seven children and 32 grandchildren.

After the main presentation the following classes are scheduled. See our website for last minute changes and additions.

(1) Q&A: Copyright Law for Genealogists, by James Tanner

(2) Using the Family History Guide to Jump Start Your Genealogy, by Bob Taylor. This is a new website that is available to help you negotiate the family history learning process. It's great for beginners and more advanced genealogists. It is especially helpful to family history consultants in helping others learn more!

(3) It's About Time (Calendars), by Ginny Ackerson

(4) Ask An Expert (Personal Help), by Don Engstrom & Finn Hansen

(5) Video of last month's main presentation: Finding the Living Among the Dead - Using the Internet, by Amy Archibald

(6) Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay

(7) RootsMagic, by Diana Olsen

Notice that there is something for everyone no matter what their level of family history expertise. This includes youth, those just getting interested in genealogy, long-time genealogists, and ward family history consultants. All meetings of UVTAGG are open to the public, whether members of the Group or not. The Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually about 100 attending the monthly meetings, most of whom are family history consultants.

FamilySearch Makes Historic Announcement Regarding Historical Records of African American Families

2015-06-19T12:23:00.000-06:00

Bank Record

SALT LAKE CITY – On Friday, June 19^th Elder D. Todd Christofferson, leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, made an historic announcement regarding the release of Civil War-era free slave records at a press event in Los Angeles.

FamilySearch, the largest genealogy organization in the world, in partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society and the California African American Museum, are working together to make these records available and accessible on-line for those interested in their ancestry.

ABOUT FREEDMEN’S BUREAU RECORDS:

·         The Freedmen’s Bureau was organized following the passage of the 13^th Amendment to assist newly-freed slaves in 15 states and the District of Columbia.
·         From 1862-1872, the Bureau gathered handwritten, personal information on freed men, women and children, including marriage and family information, military service, banking, school, hospital and property records.
·         In 2001, the FamilySearch Freedman’s Bank project provided more than 460,000 historical records and, at the time, were the largest bank of Civil War-era slave records.
·         Records, histories and stories will be available on DiscoverFreedmen.org.
·         To engage on social media use #DiscoverFreemen

# # #

ABOUT FAMILYSEARCH

FamilySearch is the largest genealogical organization in the world providing billions of ancestral records. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our commitment to helping people connect with their ancestors is rooted in our beliefs—that families are meant to be central to our lives and that family relationships are intended to continue beyond this life. Learn more at FamilySearch.org.

The next meeting of the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group - UVTAGG

2015-06-05T06:30:00.000-06:00

The next meeting will be on Saturday, 13 June 2015, from 9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo. This is the regular second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting. Information about the Group, meeting location, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on their website http://uvtagg.org.

NOTE: This month on Saturday morning 13 June will be the Provo Marathon down University Avenue so there will be delayed crossing of University Avenue. The police at each intersection will probably let you cross University Avenue when there is a break in runners, but you might have to wait several minutes. Or you can go down to 3rd South in Provo and get around the block offs.

The main presentation this month at UVTAGG will be by Amy Archibald on FINDING THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD: USING THE INTERNET TO FIND YOUR LIVING COUSINS. The missing link in your family history may be one phone call or email away. She will explore clues available in family trees, obituaries, online tools, and the resources available to identify your cousin's contact information. Come and discover your living cousins online. Amy Archibald is a family historian and reunion organizer with a passion for teaching others. She has spent 30 years researching her own family and 20 years teaching others. She lives in Clearfield, Utah with her husband and two children and blogs on family history topics at http://revealingrootsandbranches.blogspot.com/ . Amy's earlier version of this topic was streamed live at RootsTech 2015, was very well-received, and is still available to watch online. Go to http://rootstech.org/?lang=eng > About > Video Archive.

After the main presentation the following classes are scheduled. See our website for last minute changes.

(1) Q&A: Using the Internet to Find Your Living Cousins, by Amy Archibald

(2) Using DNA in Family History, by Rick Klemetson

(3) WHAT! My Temple Reservations Have Disappeared?, by Marilyn Thomsen

(4) Video of last month's main presentation: Robert Raymond discussing A Genealogically Correct FamilySearch Family Tree

(5) Ask An Expert (Personal Help), Don Engstrom and Finn Hansen

(6) RootsMagic, by Renee Zamora

(The Ancestral Quest classes will start again in July.)

Notice that there is something for everyone no matter what their level of family history expertise. This includes youth, those just getting interested in genealogy, long-time genealogists, and Family History Consultants. All meetings of UVTAGG are open to the public, whether members of the Group or not. The Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually about 100 attending the monthly meetings.

Many members don't live close enough to participate in the monthly meetings, but pay the $10 per year online dues to belong so they can receive the monthly newsletter via email and purchase the inexpensive DVDs of the presentations and classes. Gift memberships make great presents for family history-minded relatives, friends, and Family History Consultants, and membership is on a calendar year basis. See more information about the presentations, classes, class notes, and how to join the Group on at http://uvtagg.org/.

The Family History Guide - A New Genealogy Tool

2015-05-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

We all have family or friends that want to learn about their family history. There is so much great information on the web to help, however, until one becomes a bit more experienced it's hard to even know where to begin!

So your help is needed to test a new Family History Guide. It's meant to get you started and to guide you along the way to becoming more proficient and comfortable with the process. We know there are things that still need tweeking and we are rapidly adding new information every day. You are the best to tell us if it flows smoothly or if there are things that could be done better!

I've been helping a couple of friends who just want to help others become more comfortable in learning and confident in their efforts. This web tool can help those family and friends become more self-sufficient and learn to enjoy the process. Besides, they can do this at their own speed!

A facebook page for the Guide is located here along with some instructions: https://www.facebook.com/TheFamilyHistoryGuide.

The website is located here: http://www.thefhguide.com/. The website has a tracker sheet that can help you keep track of what you cover in the site.

Please share this with your friends and family and give it a try. You can add your feedback to the facebook page or post comments in the blog under "Contact Us".

Thanks so much and Enjoy!

What is Your Story? - RootsTech 2015 Update

2015-02-12T23:57:00.000-07:00

What is your story? Who inspires you

For those of you who do not KNOW your ancestors you are really missing out on one of the greatest joys in life! No, I'm not kidding. There is nothing in this world that tells you more about yourself than learning about your ancestors. You are a part of each of them. You inherit half of your DNA from your father and half from your mother. If you have siblings, you don't get the same half as each of them. That's why siblings are so different.

But, there is more to that story. Each of your ancestors contribute a piece of their lives to who you truly are. What personality traits have you developed "just like Mom or Dad?" Are you assertive like your mom or quiet like your dad? Each of them had parents who contributed to who they became, and so on. You are a combination of your ancestors.

So who were they really? Did you know your grandparents as children? Obviously not. But you can learn about them and in the process, understand yourself.

Have you written your story? Do you have letters your parents wrote to each other? Do you have all those many birthday cards your grandmother sent to you as a child and told you how much she loved you? Hopefully, you have some of that tucked away in a box. If not, what can you record about your parents that would be of interest to your grandchildren some day?

That's what family history is all about these days -- it does not have to be about pedigree charts or only names and dates. It can be developed to be as "crazy" as your life has been, and all you have to do is record it. Embellish and bring it to life with pictures, documents and by asking your relatives for their memories.

That's what RootsTech is all about! A perfect opportunity for those who may be "green" in the procedures of genealogy and want the stories of their lives. Want to learn how? Then put the first week of February 2016 on your calendar right now!

If you are not one of the lucky 22,000 plus people attending FGS, RootsTech, or Discovery Day this year then get ready for next year. It is fun, exciting, exhausting (if you want it to be), and down right contagious. You get the perfect environment to meet new friends, enjoy fantastic entertainment and learn new skills.

This year's RootsTech is larger than ever and it has become the largest genealogy and family history conference in the world! Over 10,000 people registered this year, and between 10 and 15,000 extra people will attend the Family Discovery Day on Saturday!

Classes take you from a very inexpensive "getting started" track to the full conference teaching beginners the basics to experts in specialized training like DNA, Civil War medical records, or using tax records to problem solve. There truly is plenty for everyone. Next year, team up with your children or grandchildren! They will be happy to help with technology and they just might be your next family historian!

This year all U.S. states were represented except West Virginia. So where are those Mountaineers?

There are 35 countries around the world visiting RootsTech this year; 170 vendor booths, up from 120 last year. There were 1183 sites last year around the world who held a family history fair and streamed RootsTech classes. That number will be topped this year taking the conference to over 200,000 people interested in their ancestors and discovering a little more about themselves!

Today's keynote address, featuring Tan Le, a Vietnamese refugee to Australia, who became a telecommunications entepreneur and co-founder of a company developing brain-computer interfaces used in computer gaming, sharing her life story was one of the best I've ever seen. Many of you witnessed her experience in person or through live streaming and surely agree. I had an opportunity to speak with her further and continued to be touched by her story and her heart.

It's been a great event so far and we still have a couple days to go! Maybe we can get FamilySearch to extend the conference a few extra days next year!

So enjoy the little things in life for one day and you will look back and realize they were the big things!

FamilySearch Family Discovery Center - New in Salt Lake City

2015-02-10T23:08:00.001-07:00

Do you consider yourself a novice when it comes to your family history? Want to know more? Then here is your opportunity! Then experience your family in a whole new way!

I did!

I recently had an opportunity to explore the new FamilySearch Discovery Center located in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City. It wasn't your "normal", old-fashioned pedigree chart. It was a delightful EXPERIENCE.

It brings your ancestors to life with interactive displays and fun and exciting things to do. Bring your children or grandchildren along with you and let them experience their ancestors. Share your stories with them and let them watch time f.l.y by.

A simple phone call to reserve a time is all you need. Make sure you have a FamilySearch account and bring your login and password with you. When it's your turn, step into the past and take control of experienced iPad you borrow, then follow the numbers.

Move though the various experiences at your leisure.

Where are your ancestors from?

Bring a flash drive with you and record your own story.

Review your entire story and email it to yourself. It's that simple!

And don't forget to stop by the Family History Center before you leave. Or take a short walk through Temple Square and cross the street to the FamilySearch Research Library and delve into the historic details of your ancestors lives!

RootsTech 2015 is Almost Here

2015-02-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

RootsTech Genealogy Conference

Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Palace Convention Center

February 12-14

Are you the family historian? Do you want to be?

Is your family being celebrated?

Were you sitting back wondering if RootsTech was for you and just had not yet "made up your mind"? Well there is still a chance to make that decision, but only for a few more days.

Wishing you knew more about your family or how to get started? Either way, this conference is for you. Yes, even if you are a "greeny" and just thinking about getting started, get busy right now and click here for more information. Don't miss out on the fun.

Due to overwhelming interest, the Family Discovery Day portion of the RootsTech conference has filled up and is no longer accepting registrations for this specific event on Saturday for LDS Church members.

RootsTech passes are still available starting at just $19 for a one-day pass — February 12-14, 2015. Get a three-day beginners pass for just $39. You can't get a better deal anywhere. The full three-day conference is still discounted to $189 for a few more days.

Don't miss out on this great opportunity!

Riverton FamilySearch Library Hosts Free Seminar - Saturday, January 17th, 9-Noon

2015-01-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Don't Let Them Be Forgotten—Honoring Our Ancestors through the Arts

The Riverton FamilySearch Library will host a free seminar on Saturday, January 17, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. The seminar will help genealogists of all skill levels learn how to:

•   Involve your children, nephews, and nieces in family history.
•   Share your heritage with your family, so they will become interested.
•   Teach your family to gain inspiration from the greatness of their heritage.
•   Teach them of the sacrifices made in the past from which they benefit.
•   Teach them about understanding the past.
•   Teach them that they are a part of the greater whole.

Beginning at 9:00 a.m., guests will hear from Clive Romney, who will present stories, songs, and cowboy (pioneer) poetry that tell how his heart was turned to his fathers through family history research and how his art has turned to our fathers as he has traveled through Utah for the past six years unearthing untold stories of Utah pioneers.

Following the keynote presentation from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., two blocks of four classes each are offered that cover topics of interest for beginning, intermediate, and advanced family history enthusiasts.

10:10–11:10 a.m. Choose one of the following four classes:

•   “Road Tripping for Genealogy” Laurie Beardall

•   “New FamilySearch Indexing Program” Scott Flinders

•   “Family History Detectives: Inspiring Youth to Dig In” Susanne Hansen

•   “Find Your Past with findmypast” Sue Maxwell

11:20 a.m.–12:20 p.m. Choose one of the following four classes:

•   “Managing 100s of Family File Cards” Mark Ruhlman

•   “Your Ancestors in the Newspapers: Read All About It” Ron Ray

•   “Make Family Memories: Tell Your Story Today” Joan Gust

•   “MyHeritage—It’s Working While You Sleep”––– Sue Maxwell

Registration is not required for this free seminar. The Riverton FamilySearch Library is located in the LDS Riverton Office Building at 3740 West Market Center Drive (13175 South), Riverton, Utah.

UVTAGG Meeting and Free Classes-Saturday 10 Jan 2015

2015-01-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group - UVTAGG will be on Saturday, 10 Jan 2015, from 9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo.

The main presentation this month at UVTAGG is by Ben Baker on FAMILYSEARCH INSIDER TIPS AND TRICKS. There are many powerful tools available on FamilySearch.org that are not well-documented in manuals nor easily discovered in the products themselves. This presentation will help you learn some tips and tricks from a FamilySearch engineer of how to be more productive in using the resources on FamilySearch.org.

Ben Baker has been a senior software engineer at FamilySearch for the past 5 years. His computer education is from BYU and he currently leads an engineering team working on Family Tree. He has also worked with digital image processing of historical documents. He enjoys helping others do Family History more effectively and tries to do his own. His background information and a list of some of his previous presentations is online at https://www.linkedin.com/in/familysearchbenbaker .

After the main presentation the following classes are scheduled; check the meetings page at http://uvtagg.org/ for last minute changes or additions.

(1) Q&A: FamilySearch Insider Tips and Tricks, by Ben Baker;

(2) Using LDS Membership Records Worldwide: A Gold-Mine of Information, by Liz Snow;

(3) Ask An Expert (Personal Help), by Don Engstrom and Finn Hansen;

(4) Video of the last main presentation (Nov 2014): Adding a Visual Dimension to Your Research, by Peg Ivanyo;

(5) MAC Help, by Ron Snowden;

(6) Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay;

(7) Legacy: Searching, Tagging and Focus Groups, by Dean Bennett; and

(8) RootsMagic, by Sue Maxwell.

As you can see, there is something for everyone no matter what their level of family history expertise.

Information about the Group, meeting location, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on their website http://uvtagg.org.

New RootsMagic 7 COMPARE FILES Feature - My Way!

2014-11-26T22:54:00.000-07:00

WOW! I'm impressed! The new version 7 of RootsMagic has added a new "compare files" feature and I found a slick use for it.

I use RootsMagic as my my main family history software. However, I also use FamilyTreeMaker mainly to download my Ancestry tree information. But, the problem has been trying to get the info from my FTM file into my RootsMagic file without having to individually download any documents or events I want to save to my home files. I also didn't want to have to go through every single person and compare my FTM file with my RootsMagic file by having both software packages open and having to retype any differences I find. I've been avoiding it like the plague!

RootsMagic's new feature just saved me hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of tedious work. Here's what I did.

1. I opened and synced my FTM file.

2. I exported a gedcom 5.5 file from my FTM file and gave it a name to remind me where the gedcom file came from.

3. I created a new RootsMagic 7 database with the same name I assigned to the gedcom file. (or any name you want)

4. I imported the gedcom file into the new RM file I had just created.

Now...

5. I opened my main RootsMagic 7 file.

6. Select FILE -- COMPARE FILES and then I selected the new RM file I created from the downloaded FTM gedcom.

During the comparison process you will see the status of the comparison.

Here is what the comparison displays. You can click on the column headers to resort.

As you can see there are little empty boxes displayed to the left of some events. Selecting a box allows you to pass the specific data from one file to the other. And you can EDIT your person from within the Compare File box. So if I find something in my Ancestry tree file (on the right) that I want to add to my RootsMagic tree file (on the left) I can just click the box and RootsMagic will pass the info to my main file.

Also, there are icons under the "S" for Sources (or a camera under the "M" for media). I can click on any of the icons like this check marked one.

When I do, this is what appears.

Now I can copy one or all of my sources found using my Ancestry tree (on the right) directly into my main RootsMagic file! To transfer just some of them click on the individual boxes.

I don't have to complete the entire list on the COMPARE file. If I close the COMPARE file it will eliminate the comparisons that I already worked. Then when I open the file again and do another COMPARE FILES I can just continue with whatever records are listed. Eventually, I can just delete the RootsMagic file that I created from the FTM file.

If you also use FTM, you probably know that when you sync your file, all the documents and pictures that are attached to your Ancestry tree end up on your computer. They are stored in your "Documents/Family Tree Maker" folder on your computer.

(I used to copy some of those media files into the same folder where I store my RM media, but that was a real pain, besides taking up valuable space). Here is what displays on the comparison file if there is media (click on the camera icon). Now all I have to do is copy the media link into my main database and no more copying of those FTM images! RootsMagic now knows where that media file is located and points to it.

Now, you can also receive a copy of a file from a "cousin" or an old database and compare the files and clean up your data. This is a fantastic new feature!! Enjoy!!

NOTE TO LDS MEMBERS: When the final step of the Ancestry/FamilySearch feature is added, you will be able to pass Ancestry sources from your tree into the FamilySearch Family Tree. Then you can download each source directly into your RootsMagic file.

MyHeritage and RootsMagic Integration - My Experience

2014-11-26T18:49:00.001-07:00

With today's announcement of the integration between MyHeritage network and the new release of RootsMagic Version 7, I took the opportunity to test drive the process - and I like it!!

This is a great opportunity for everyone, especially for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who recently were provided access to MyHeritage and it's great Smart-Matching research tools and, for all RootsMagic users around the world.

I have had a family tree(s) on MyHeritage for several years and have found many, many of my ancestors located in other family trees on MyHeritage. As more and more sources are being added (or linked) into MyHeritage I have been letting MyHeritage find the records and sources for me - while I sleep as it searches my tree for matches to other trees and to record set sources!

So many of us in the United States and other countries, including myself, have ancestors from Europe. MyHeritage came into existence in 2003 and began acquiring small genealogy family tree companies throughout Europe. Since then they also acquired Geni.com which includes family trees from around the world. The great benefit I have found is that many of my ancestor's descendants still live in Europe and have created trees (and some are very well documented)! Now, as I link to these trees I am finding "cousins" and their trees that are helping me extent my tree in a fantastic way.

I am also a dedicated user of RootsMagic software. Today's new version 7 provides me a direct link to those "source hints" that are located in both MyHeritage and also in FamilySearch sources.

By selecting the "light bulb" icon next to a person's name as seen here,

If you don't use FamilySearch LDS features, you won't see the other two icons. You can create a free FamilySearch account and the gray/blue tree icon will display.

you will then see this pop-up.

As I click on the pending "number" of possible sources or matches, the applicable web page opens and displays the source/match. When I confirm or reject them the numbers will change and be added to the confirmed or rejected columns. If I want to save the MyHeritage source to RootsMagic I have to create a source for each fact/event. Yes, it would be great if it automatically saved to my file! But, hopefully, that may be a feature in the future. However, the link to those hints stay in my database behind the little "light bulb" icon on each person in my database.

One thing to keep in mind that is very important.... If the person in your RootsMagic tree is also in MyHeritage or FamilySearch (entered by anyone) then those source hints will display. So you can still compare and match with records in either one. Also, not every data set in FamilySearch is searched by this process, so you will eventually want to search deeper for more sources that the hinting feature does not find. (this paragraph has been edited based on comments below)

So if you have any questions or find something that is incorrect as listed above, post a comment and I will try to answer you.