30 May 2008 by Libbi.

It’s a bit on the technical side, but a fascinating article in PloS Genetics uses DNA and statistical analysis to discover connections between the Orkneys and the natives of Alaska. You can view two short animations that describe the distribution of certain genetic markers below:

Movie S1.

Inferred history of the peopling of the world. Donors are listed at the bottom in order according to the mean number of individuals that are used. See Figure 4 for further details. Numerical values are given in Table S2.

(0.94 MB CDR)

Movie S2.

Inferred history of chromosomes for individual populations. Each frame shows the path that chromosomes took from their origin in Southern Africa in reaching the population labelled in each frame. The width of each line indicates the proportion of the chromosomes that travelled by that route, with the diameter of the circle indicating the total proportion of chromosomes that went via that location (diameter of San = 1.0). Values were estimated recursively, working backwards from the labelled population to the first by assuming that the amount of genetic material passed on by each population was proportional to the number of donor individuals it contributed. Numerical values are given in Table S3 and Table S4.

(1.23 MB CDR)

Posted in News, Genealogy | Print | No Comments »

29 May 2008 by Libbi.

Go to American Memory at the Library of Congress and type in your surname. You’ll be amazed at all that pops up!

American Memory provides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience. It is a digital record of American history and creativity. These materials, from the collections of the Library of Congress and other institutions, chronicle historical events, people, places, and ideas that continue to shape America, serving the public as a resource for education and lifelong learning.

It’s endlessly fascinating to read the WPA oral histories, look at sheet music of songs our ancestors sang, and hear the earliest sound recordings!

Posted in Genealogy Sites, Genealogy | Print | No Comments »

28 May 2008 by Libbi.

Many genealogists hold to the maxim that you must know where you came from to understand where you are going. To that end today the African Renaissance launches today in the Republic of South Africa. The first step: Encouraging genealogy.

“The family tree and genealogy project, . . . seeks to empower its members to conduct research into the family history, and mainly to create awareness about the significance of family history, genealogy, customs and traditions. The project will see the African family rising in stature as it is able to trace its roots for many generations going back, and establish its linkages with other related families in the country, the continent and the Diaspora,” said KwaZulu-Natal Premier and Chairperson of the African Renaissance in KwaZulu-Natal, Sibusiso Ndebele, at the official launch of the KwaZulu-Natal family tree project.

You can read his address here.
Genealogy Resources for South Africa
Where can I get assistance to trace my ancestry/family tree in RSA?

* Genealogical Institute of South Africa (GISA)
Contact: Mr Leon Endemann
E-mail: leon@gisa.org.za
Tel: +27 (0)21 887 5070
Fax +27 (0)21 887 5031
Postal address: PO Box 3033, Matieland, 7602

* Genealogical Society of South Africa

* National Archives of South Africa

* South African Genealogy

* Ancestry24.co.za
Ancestry24 provides a free on-line genealogy Family Tree builder as well a Learning Centre for beginners and advanced family historians.
Contact: Heather MacAlister
E-mail: heather@ancestry24.co.za
Tel: 021 468 8088

* Cyndi’s list of Genealogy sites on the Internet

Posted in News, Genealogy | Print | No Comments »

27 May 2008 by Libbi.

Cruise on over to www.TeachGenealogy.com.

This is DearMYRTLE’s new site with tips, resources and ideas for how to teach a genealogy course.

Thanks, Myrt, for this helpful site!

Posted in Genealogy Sites, Genealogy | Print | No Comments »

23 May 2008 by Libbi.

One Nation United in One Moment - You are Asked to Join Together at 3:00 pm, Local Time, on Memorial Day, for the National Moment of Remembrance

WASHINGTON, May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — All citizens are asked to pause in their Memorial Day activities at 3 p.m. Monday, May 26, to respectfully honor the memory of those who died in the service of our nation.

The idea of the National Moment of Remembrance was formed when Carmella LaSpada, a long-time advocate for America’s fallen, asked school children, “What does Memorial Day mean to you?” They responded, “It’s the day the pool opened.” Those young people were not the only ones who misunderstood Memorial Day. According to a Gallup Poll, only 28% of Americans knew the meaning of Memorial Day. Ms. LaSpada was determined to put “Memorial” back in Memorial Day to ensure those who died for our country would never be forgotten. In 2000, Ms. LaSpada inspired Congress to establish the White House Commission on Remembrance. The National Moment of Remembrance was born.

The President’s Memorial Day Proclamation calls on Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance. The Moment will be observed at the International Space Station, The Statue of Liberty, the USS New Jersey and the Empire State Building. Members of Congress, state and local officials will observe the National Moment of Remembrance, as will the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, and members of our military as well as their families.

Major League Baseball games will pause at 3 p.m., local time, while 200 Amtrak trains whistle their participation and The National Memorial Day Parade halts for the Moment. Members of Bugles Across America will play Taps for the Moment at sites throughout our nation.

“The Moment is a time to pause, reflect and remember. It is a portion of our commitment to ‘Live Honoring America’s Fallen’ by showing respect for their sacrificial service. We want our citizens to contemplate the ties that bind us together. We want every man, woman and child to say ‘I know why I am free and I respectfully honor those who died for my freedom,’” said Ms. LaSpada, Executive Director of the Commission. One nation united in one moment.

More information about the National Moment of Remembrance and the White House Commission on Remembrance can be found at http://www.remember.gov/.

Source: White House Commission on Remembrance

Posted in Genealogy Sites, News | Print | No Comments »

22 May 2008 by Libbi.

Hurricane Season is almost upon us. This spring has been rife with tornadoes. Floods and earthquakes can happen anywhere. Do you know where your data are?

No matter whether you are keeping your genealogy data on index cards or the latest iMac, you must back up. Your choices are so varied, that it is silly not to!

If you are using paper, such as index cards or a notebook: Make photocopies. Store them at a relatives’ house.

If you are using a computer, choose one of these:

1. Use a Thumb Drive to back up your databases at least once a week.
2. Write your data to CDROM. C’mon. They’re cheap now!
3. Use an online service such as Xdrive, MozyHome, or iBackup. These services can backup specified directories automatically, so you don’t have to remember.
4. Use an external hard drive such as a MyBook.
5. Or print it all out and take it to another site!

Documentation and backup are essential. On these two principles hang all your effort and investment in genealogy.

Posted in Genealogy | Print | 3 Comments »

21 May 2008 by Libbi.

I am quoted today in a story about online genealogy on the Washington (DC) Examiner site.

Ancestry.com Partners with National Archives

Posted in Genealogy Sites, News, Genealogy Online | Print | No Comments »

21 May 2008 by Libbi.

New functionality and enhancements promise numerous improvements
FamilySearch has teamed with FamilyLink.com, Inc. to improve the user experience of the Family History Library Catalog for millions of people worldwide by adding new Web 2.0 functionality and enhancements. The improvements will also enable users to spend research time more efficiently by directing them to the information that will generate the quickest results.
FamilyLink.com’s improvements to the catalog will make it searchable by major online search engines and allow users to annotate item descriptions.
FamilySearch’s Family History Library Catalog is used extensively by genealogy enthusiasts. It is a window to the vast collection of genealogical resources amassed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over the past 100 years—millions of microfilms, fiche, and books from 110+ countries throughout the world.
Genealogists use the popular online catalog to see if FamilySearch has any material that can help them in their research. Materials are then requested through one of FamilySearch’s 4,500 local family history centers worldwide.
“The enhancements FamilyLink.com will help make to the Family History Library Catalog will increase its usability and exposure. Beginners will find it particularly easier to navigate, and searching and browsing will be more rewarding,” said Paul Nauta, Manager of Public Affairs, FamilySearch.
Improved Searching
Upgrades to the Family History Library Catalog will allow it to be combed by the major Web search engines. That means Web searches done by millions of family history enthusiasts who may not have been familiar with the rich content of the Family History Library Catalog will now discover exciting new sources to assist them in their genealogy pursuits.
In a typical search of the Family History Library Catalog, users first identify known facts about a family and then go through a step-by-step process to locate records. Newly integrated FamilyLink.com tools will help users better identify information. Guided searches will help users decide what they want to learn about their families, point them to relevant records, help them obtain and search the records, provide clues to more information, and assist them with the application of the new information.
As part of the enhancement, FamilyLink.com will make searches more useful by allowing the user to browse, sort (by popularity, relevance, most used, etc.), and perform multiple searches. A new “probability engine” feature will calculate the likelihood that a particular source contains the desired item. It will also be able to search across someone’s entire family tree to determine which ancestry lines have the highest likelihood of success based on known sources.
“We are excited to work with FamilySearch and to add this extensive catalog to our database collections,” said Paul Allen, CEO, FamilyLink.com, Inc. “We have looked at doing this collaboration for quite a while. We will enhance the catalog by connecting it with new innovative tools, along with the best resources of our WorldVitalRecords.com databases, the FamilyLink.com social networking site, and our We’re Related application in Facebook. Putting all of these resources together will dramatically change the meaning of ‘search’ in genealogy.”
Social Networking
FamilyLink.com will also add an annotation feature that will encourage user contributions and make the catalog much more dynamic and current. Users will be able to add or suggest a new source, enhance an existing source by adding a place (location) or a time period, and rate and review a source based on its usefulness.
Another enhancement to the Family History Library Catalog will be its increased interactivity. Every entry in the catalog will link to an online or digital source, if available. The user will then be able to link directly to the publisher, buy the book, or search for the nearest copy.

Posted in Genealogy | Print | No Comments »

20 May 2008 by Libbi.

My parents are buried in the columbarium at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Huntsville, Alabama. As long as the church is standing, their descendants can visit them in the north transept, on the west wall. It’s not a traditional cemetery, like the ones we’d visit with Mark’s grandmothers on Memorial Day to lay flowers. But it’s closer to traditional than some choices today.Besides burial in space, the bereaved can also choose burial under the sea. Not at. Under.

Information from the Neptune Memorial Reef site:

The Neptune Memorial Reef project is the largest man made reef ever. It is a “living resting place” for the departed, an environmental and ecological construction, a laboratory for marine biologists, students, researchers and ecologists, and a unique destination for visitors from all walks of life.

The artificial reef design is in 50-feet of water, 3.25 miles east of Key Biscayne, Miami. The Neptune Memorial Reef is attracting recreational scuba divers, as well as homeless fish while enhancing the coastal environment and reducing demand on other fragile natural reefs.
The Neptune Society, the largest cremation-only services company in theU.S., announced the new final resting place – The Neptune Memorial Reef –last November. Located in 45 feet of crystal clear water, the Neptune Memorial Reef is a design and engineering featthat will attract divers, ecologists, tourists…and those looking for a finalresting place of unmatched beauty.
The Neptune Memorial Reef is a re-creation of the legendary
Lost City of Atlantis, and will be the largest man-made reef of its type in the world. Covering over 16 acres of ocean floor, the Neptune Memorial Reef offers room for more than 125,000 remains, and is a “living city” that will act as a catalyst for marine life to converge and thrive. It was created by visionary Gary Levine and famed designer/sculptor Kim Brandell.
Jerry Norman, President and CEO of the Neptune Society, said, “The Neptune MemorialReef is a first for the industry and a major step toward creating a new way for people to honor and remember their loved ones in a beautiful setting that reaffirms life and promotes marine habitat, coral growth and supports tourism. With the help of time and nature, this underwater memorial city will become a living reef of colorful marine life and coral growth that holds secure the remembrances of the dearly departed for all time.”

While I can certainly understand the appeal — I love the water, that’s why I live in Navarre – I wonder how hard it will be 100 years from now to search out an ancestor’s tombstone…especially if the ancestor is 45, not 6, feet under.

Posted in News, Genealogy | Print | No Comments »

19 May 2008 by Libbi.

I say over and over again in my book, Genealogy Online 8th Edition, you must document your genealogy. Carefully recording what you found, where you found it, and how (for example, in a courthouse, online, asking your grandmother) will not only validate your findings, but keep you from repeating yourself years down the road.A handy-dandy way to do that is Elizabeth Shown Mills’ QuickSheet, now on special at Amazon.com.
Elizabeth Mills’s QuickSheet provides a template for citing historical sources on the Internet. It also lays down rules to help you judge the reliability of these sources.

The QuickSheet is a laminated folder, and has a series of sample citations showing the correct way to identify online sources such as databases, census images, and digital books and articles.

Mills developed the QuickSheet because online sources are publications that have the same characteristics as printed publications. It provides rules and models for common record types such as passenger lists, vital records, and newspapers. Since a website is the online equivalent of a book, the QuickSheet shows you how to cite author/creator/owner of a website, title of the website, place (URL), date posted, and so forth.

Record the data according to the formats listed on the QuickSheet and then transfer it to your record keeping system (such as file cards, computer program). This is the most important task in your search for family history: Document your evidence!

Thursday: The second most important—BACK UP YOUR DATA!

Posted in Genealogy | Print | No Comments »