There is a troubling trend worldwide, for genealogists, that seems to be taking root here in the United States. For many years, The National Archives of the United Kingdom has been making money on the records over which they have stewardship. They have entered into partnerships with commercial entities and receive royalties for many of the records that are published online. The National Archives of Sweden has followed suit and is now charging for access to their records.
Like the United States, the British have taken regular censuses. The first censuses were taken far back in history and were primarily designed so that the king or queen would know how many soldiers they could marshal during wartime and to assess the total property which could be taxed. In England, the first census that contains genealogical data is the 1841 census.
A few years ago a new site emerged online with a large number of fully searchable newspapers. The site is GenealogyBank.com and it contains information on millions of American families from 1690 to the present from over 5,800 newspapers. There are more than twenty newspapers in Utah alone that are searchable on the site.
Today is the last day of early registration for RootsTech. The cost after today will change from $149 to $189. If you are interested in RootsTech, today is the day to act.
Today is the last day of early registration for RootsTech. The cost after today will change from $149 to $189. If you are interested in RootsTech, today is the day to act.
There are many online blogs relating to family history, but one of the best is Eastman’s Online Genealogical Newsletter (EOGN) which is located at blog.eogn.com . Dick Eastman, who writes the blog, has long been one of the best voices in what is happening in the family history world. He attends all of the major conferences, and covers news from all of the major genealogical players. He also writes about technology. His practical approach to technology is a great addition to those who follow the newsletter and have an interest in learning how to use technology in their lives and to pursue family history.
As the clock ticks towards the release of the 1940 census, FamilySearch released new information on how they plan to produce a free version of the census, both index and images. They said the following:
A few weeks ago FamilySearch released the following announcement:
FamilySearch International announced today a change in its chief executive officer. Effective January 2, 2012, Dennis C. Brimhall will succeed Jay L. Verkler as CEO of FamilySearch. Mr. Verkler will continue in a consulting capacity for a few months to ensure a smooth transition.
If you’re looking for a little warm weather at this time of year a good place to look is St George. The Family History Expos conference will take place February 24 and 25, 2012. Just in time to give a little warmth after the cold winter months.
Many times family history is thought of as an activity for those who have retired. When we picture a genealogist we often have in our minds the elderly aunt who is surrounded by books, photos, pedigree charts, and other family history documents. While it is true that family history is a growing hobby of retired individuals, the demographic of those participating in family history is changing.
The genealogical community is filled with opportunities for service and with those who give service. I am so thankful to all the genealogists who give of their time to help others be successful. I have rarely seen any group of individuals who are so willing to give of their personal time.
Nearly everyone will have heard of Wikipedia. It began as a project and a software product. The concept was that an encyclopedia could be created online in a collaborative fashion. Wikipedia grew out of an online encyclopedia written by experts, but community content rapidly outpaced the expert contributions. In the first year only 20,000 entries were created. Wikipedia now boasts more than 3.6 million articles. Studies of accuracy have been done and place Wikipedia at an accuracy rate comparable to expert authored encyclopedias. It is the best case, worldwide, of community collaboration creating wide content, high quality content at a very low cost.
Have you ever wondered what the town looked like where your parents or grandparents grew up? If you have then the answer may be just a search away. Many historical and genealogical sites are adding historical photos. One of the newest is a site that shows pictures of old San Francisco.
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. In genealogy, a picture can be worth many hours of research. Seeing your research in new ways can help you to detect errors, see patterns, and identify new opportunities for research.
As April approaches preparation work for the 1940 census continues. Ancestry.com announced that they will be providing a full index to the 1940 census once it is released. They intend to provide the index free for the first year.
One of the lesser known sources for genealogical information is periodicals. Periodicals are published by genealogical societies, historical societies, libraries, and other organizations.
Last week I attended a dinner FamilySearch hosted for the leaders of the Board for the Certification of Genealogists (BCG). As a part of the evening we were discussing ways that we could create a more rich experience with the 1940 census. There were many excellent ideas that started me thinking.
If you missed rootstech last year and you love both genealogy and technology, or if you just want to learn more about the technology of genealogy then now is the time to act. rootstech registration has opened and the Early Bird registration is $129 until November 30. The normal registration cost is $189.
The National Archives and Records Administration is the National Archive of the United States. Their website is archive.gov. They are tasked with the preservation of important documents of the United States. Their collection includes the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, Immigration Records, Military Records, Records of Act of Congress, Court Records, Presidential Records, and many others.
Vital records refer to the records of birth, marriage, and death. They represent the key genealogical phases in an individual’s life, and are the most universally kept records. The history of vital records in the United States has been, and continues to be, one filled with inconsistencies. This has made US research more challenging.
Archives.com announ-ced last week that they are now offering the full set of United States Census records on their site, with the exception of 1930. This announcement propels what has been a niche player in the online family history market, into a strong position, with a compelling offer, at an affordable price.
The Library of Congress has launched a new service that helps to bring the past to life. The service is called the national jukebox. It includes access for streaming audio to more than 10,000 historical recordings.
The heart of genealogy is the evidence that forms our conclusions. We search for clues of our ancestors among the records of the past. All of genealogical research focuses on a name, a place, and a time. Finding that elusive record that contains our ancestor is the key to success.
1752 is an important year in family history. It is the year that most of Europe switched their calendars. The Julian calendar did not coincide perfectly with the earth’s orbit and added eleven minutes each year. The Gregorian calendar (which we use today) was introduced in 1582, but only a few countries in Europe adopted it.
Located just east of the Ogden temple is the Ogden FamilySearch Library. With the exception of the FamilySearch Family History Library in Salt Lake, the Ogden library is the busiest in the world serving more than 45,000 patrons annually. There are more than 140 computer stations in the facility as well as large training rooms. The center has more than 300 staff who help patrons find their ancestors as well as an extensive film collection.
BrightSolid is a British company that is beginning to become a serious player in the online genealogical community. They are owned by DC Thompson, a private British company who has been in the publishing industry for many years. They entered the world of online family history with Scotland’s People. Scotland’s People is the best online site for Scottish research. They have great indexes and images to help with Scottish family history work.
Probably one of the best resources for knowing about your family, and often the least used, is your living family. Family members don’t always have all of the genealogical information about ancestors, but what they know can help to validate or disprove theories. Information from family members can also add color and life to ancestors and give a personal connection that, if recorded and shared, can help reveal ancestors as real individuals with real lives.
Probably one of the best resources for knowing about your family, and often the least used, is your living family. Family members don’t always have all of the genealogical information about ancestors, but what they know can help to validate or disprove theories. Information from family members can also add color and life to ancestors and give a personal connection that, if recorded and shared, can help reveal ancestors as real individuals with real lives.
Last week was the National Genealogical Society Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. One of the speakers reviewed the history of the Hunley. The Hunley was the first submarine to sink an enemy ship. Unfortunately, her crew also died. It was a confederate ship. It was one of the first ships to use a screw propeller instead of a paddle wheel and it was powered by a crew that manually turned a crankshaft to drive the propeller.
Last month FamilySearch announced that there are now more than 140 genealogical online training courses on FamilySearch.org. I have written somewhat about these, in the past, but thought given the large increase in courses that it was worth another mention.
Gedcom (Genealogical Data Communications) is a file format that allows genealogical data to be shared between software programs. Gedcom was implemented many years ago by the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to facilitate genealogical information exchange. It was subsequently adopted as a standard and virtually all genealogical software and sites support Gedcom for data exchange.
Today I received information about a new experience in family history. I am a somewhat reluctant user of Facebook. I recognize its value, but don’t really like the idea of living my life in public online. I have several family members who are crazy about it. I have watched many individuals while away hours of time at Farmville (a game where individuals create virtual farms and grow virtual crops). I have played many online games and video games in my life, so I understand some of the addiction, but I have not really understood the fascination with Farmville.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Wars are always significant for genealogists. They create many new records. In the United States, wars create draft, pay, enlistment, discharge, and pension records, just to name a few. The Civil War is no exception and there are a wealth of records in which your ancestral information may be found if they were living in the United States at the time.
It may be jumping the gun to write about it, but this last week was an exciting milestone. It is now less than one year before the 1940 US Census will be released. For the first time NARA (the National Archives and Records Administration) will be releasing a digitized version of the census at their facility on the day the census is released, April 2, 2012.
One of the questions I am often asked is, “When are all the family history centers going to close since all the information will be (or is) online.” Each time I receive this question I shake my head a little in despair.
I was reading one of the family history bloggers this last week and I read a statement that has become common. It goes something like, “Never trust anything online.” The blogger took issue with the statement and went on to say that this person had taken the statement too far. He reminded his readers that there are many source records online. These are often of better quality than the microfilm from which many of them were made.
It has been more than three years ago that access to Ancestry.com was removed from family history centers. Removed might nit be the correct wording since some of the resources of the site continued to be available, but it felt as though it was being removed. Many of the collections on Ancestry were no long available, including most of the United States census and the British census. Shortly thereafter FamilySearch worked to replace at least some of the resources by indexing the 1910 census and purchasing subscriptions to HeritageQuest online and FindMyPast, but the loss of Ancestry continued to leave a hole. That hole has now been filled as nearly all of the Ancestry.com records can now be accessed for free from the Morgan family history center.
If meta data is not a term you have heard you are probably not alone. It is a concept, however, that you will almost certainly have benefitted from if you have done any significant amount of genealogical work. Meta data, simply put, is data about data. The most common application of meta data in family history is indexed records of digital images.
Often when digital cameras and families are mentioned together we think of family gatherings, snapshots, and family memories. At RootsTech last week I had the opportunity to consider digital cameras in a new light, as digital capture devices.
Monday is Valentine’s Day. As I was talking with Anne (my wife and the publisher of The Morgan County News) this week, we were discussing my column. My mind turned towards Valentine’s Day and how it related to family history.
Last week the focus was on help available from Family History Consultants. These volunteers who work in family history centers and individually with patrons searching for ancestors are one of the best resources available for those engaging in family history. There are a number of resources available to these volunteers to help them in their assignments. Many of these resources are also available to anyone who would like to learn more and offer assistance to others.
r more than 170 years, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been involved in doing family history work. In 1894 the Church organized the Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU) to help individuals discover their ancestors. The GSU at one time had members like any other society, but slowly changed into a non-profit organization without members which was sponsored by the Church to help individuals around the world find their ancestors. As the Internet arrived and the Church began offering services online, the GSU began using the website FamilySearch.org. This then slowly took hold until the organization was renamed last year to FamilySearch.
FamilySearch had a bloggers call this last week and there were some interesting highlights. The pace of digitization is steadily increasing. Last year FamilySearch added more than 4 million images to their collection. This year the number will increase substantially. FamilySearch has yet to hit the rate at which they will ultimately reach in producing digital images and other records. They are still projecting to have their collection fully digitized within the next eight years. This goal now seems possible.
When I was growing up I often heard my father comment, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” I have seen the truth of this countless times in life. The many garage sales, and the success of them, attest to the accuracy of the statement. My son was laughing when he came home from a friend’s house a couple of months ago. He said, “Dad, my friend’s mom came home with deformed candles from a garage sale. People will buy anything.”
We are only a few weeks away from a brand new conference sponsored by FamilySearch, Ancestry, and the New England Historical Genealogical Society. The conference is called RootsTech and for those who enjoy genealogy and technology it will be a conference not to miss. It will be held February 10-12 at the Salt Palace.
Those who are regular readers will know that I work for FamilySearch. In my role there I have responsibility for Patron Services. My team provides help for individuals around the world to find their ancestors and use FamilySearch software.
Often as I am working with genealogists they express sadness that they cannot get more members of their family to become engaged in family history. Many of them have been doing family history for years. Sometimes they have rooms full of information on their research and no one in their family with which they can share it.
In the world of Family History, documents are increasingly becoming digital. This is increasingly true every year. Digital has many advantages over paper.
I have written several times about FindMyPast. Over the past few months they have continued to add to their collection. Along with FamilySearch, FindMyPast has become the single best place to search for British ancestors.
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