25 November 2008 by Libbi.

The rough (oh boy is it rough!!!) draft of “Life’s a Beach and Then You Die” is now finished. I’m going to let it sit until after Christmas, and then try to turn it into something worth someone’s time to read.

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

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24 November 2008 by Libbi.

Ancestry’s Red Book is a standard reference for United States genealogists.

People who own this book rave about the organization, the maps, the easy to understand explanations,  and most of all the ability to look up not only where a county is, but WHEN it became a county. Many US counties were formed when a territory became a state, but almost as many were carved out of original counties. That’s how the Commonwealth of Kentucky wound up with 120 counties.

Just as important, every state has a different set-up as far as county/parish records. The Red Book tells you who keeps what records, not only state by state but county by county.  Also, it has an extensive bibliography on background sources for even more detailed information on each state.

Keep it on your desk. Take it with you libraries, courthouses and on genealogy research trips.

And ask Santa Claus to put one in your stocking!

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21 November 2008 by Libbi.

Today, I got into my cedar chest to pull out the hand-made quilts we have from my husband’s grandmother. There were five all together. I’ve already given my children one each for use in their homes now that they are grown and gone. Three are now in the guest rooms waiting for loved ones. These quilts are among the heirlooms I pull out for November and December, when it can get a little chilly here in the Panhandle. Mostly, though, I pull these quilts out because of wanting to see and remember the years and and the family traditions. 

I always tell the children the origin of the quilts, and I know they are not listening. That’s OK. I believe it’s sinking into their subconscious,  maybe even their DNA.

Other heirlooms include the Christmas ornaments my mother gave the family, the ones I still give to my children (a new one each year, sometimes hand made, sometimes “store bought” but always with some significance about that year), the ones the children made when they were young, and the ones friends have given us over the years.

Also, certain traditions come out as well. An Advent Calendar and anAdvent Wreath come out the first Sunday in Advent, but the “Christmas” decorations have to wait for later in the month. Then, it’s angels, angels everywhere.

My mother’s recipe for toffee squares  and cheese straws and my recipe for cranberry-orange relish get made as often as necessary.

The  Bing Crosby, Elvis, and Gene Autry Christmas albums go into the CD carousel. “It’s a Wonderful Life ” and “White Christmas” must be watched at some point in December.

I think this year, I will try to write down each tradition, as I go through them, because some have become automatic. I need to record and document what we do and why, for future generations. Where the decorations came from and when. What each one means to me. I hope that 100 years from now, that will mean something to my (at this moment imaginary) descendants.

———————————–

Note: Next week, only two blog entries. Going to Kentucky for more traditions!

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20 November 2008 by Libbi.

Tel Aviv, Israel and Houston, Texas – November 20, 2008 – MyHeritage, one of the world’s most popular family Web sites, today announced a partnership with FamilyTreeDNA, the company that pioneered DNA testing for genealogic research. In addition to MyHeritage’s innovative Smart Matching and Research technologies, members can now also use information contained in their DNA to find present-day relatives who share a common ancestor from many hundreds of years ago.

FamilyTreeDNA users can take advantage of MyHeritage’s site to not only further research family history, but also stay connected with current family members around the world.

“With close to 220,000 records, FamilyTreeDNA is the largest database of genealogic DNA information in the world. This provides the perfect complement to MyHeritage’s current research tools, giving our members another way to learn about where they come from,” said Gilad Japhet, founder and CEO of MyHeritage. “We help people around the world discover, connect and communicate with their extended family network and easily research their family history. Now, by working with
FamilyTreeDNA, we can offer a solution when the paper trail runs out.”

Since its founding in 2000, FamilyTreeDNA has tested over 450,000 people, help ing customers trace family history when no conventional records are available. The advanced DNA screening technology, among other things, can reveal Native American, African or Jewish descent on paternal or maternal lines, as well as uncover ancestral information for those who were adopted. Through a range of tests, users can obtain information on recent and historical origins, including a migration map on both paternal and maternal lines. MyHeritage’s 27 million users will have access to the following three tests:

Bennett Greenspan, President and CEO of  familyTreeDNA, said, “MyHeritage is an invaluable resource when researching family history online, which is a perfect complement for our DNA research. Our DNA research can show two people that they are related, and MyHeritage’s Smart Matching technology can compare their family trees to show the connection. We are also excited to give our members, through MyHeritage, a way to stay connected with relatives all over the world.”

MyHeritage is a leading online destination for families. On the site, people can find relatives, research family history, and stay connected to family members across the globe. In addition, MyHeritage offers automatic photo tagging technology that makes it easier to label, organize and search for digital photos, giving families another fun way to stay in touch.

About MyHeritage
MyHeritage was founded by a team of people who combine a passion for family history with the development of innovative technology. It is now one of the world’s leading online networks for families, and the second largest family history website. MyHeritage is available in 34 languages and home to more than 27 million family members and 280 million profiles. The company recently acquired Kindo, a family social network, and is based in Bnei Atarot, near Tel Aviv, Israel. For more information, visit www.myheritage.com. Find a video about MyHeritage’s new photo tagging features here:
http://www.myheritage.com/blogs/companyblog/2008/09/get_to_know_our_smart_new_phot.html
About Family Tree DNA
Founded in April 2000, Family Tree DNA (www.familytreedna.com) was the first company to develop the commercial application of DNA testing for genealogical purposes: until then, testing had only been available for academic and scientific research. Since that time, the pioneering company has developed a breadth and depth of programs and services and created standards that have earned it international respect and made it the world’s most popular DNA-testing service not only for genealogists but for anyone interested in delving beyond the surface into family roots. Today, Family Tree DNA’s approaches 220,000 individual test records, making it the premier source for researching recent and distant family ties. Family Tree DNA has recently been featured in Time, Newsweek, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times and on NBC-TV’s “Today Show” and CBS-TV’s “60 Minutes.”

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19 November 2008 by Libbi.

Volunteers Discover Fun Facts Transcribing Historic Canadian Censuses — Completed Indexes Will Be Free Online

Ontario, Canada—FamilySearch International announced its plans to make the indexes to available Canadian censuses accessible online for free with the help of online volunteer indexers and an agreement with Ancestry.ca. The first censuses completed will be those from 1861, 1871, and 1916. Online volunteers are needed to help transcribe select information from digital images of the historical documents into easily searchable indexes. The completed indexes will be available for free at www.familysearch.org.

What do Art Linkletter, Sir William Samuel Stephenson, and Elvina Fay Wray have in common? They all have ties to one of the three provinces that make up the 1916 Canada Census, and some lucky volunteer may experience the thrill of transcribing their information for the free online index.

1.     Arthur Gordon Kelly (Art Linkletter) will be found as a four-year-old child at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He was abandoned as an infant and then adopted and raised by a preacher. He hosted House Party and People Are Funny both on radio and later on newfangled television, and he is best remembered for his interviews with children on the television show Kids Say the Darndest Things. His adoptive parents were Fulton John Linkletter and Mary Metzler.

2.     Sir William Samuel Stephenson was a Canadian soldier, airman, businessman, inventor, spymaster, and a British intelligence specialist during World War II. Stephenson is best known by his wartime intelligence codename of Intrepid and is considered by some to be one of the real-life inspirations for James Bond. He was born William Samuel Clouston Stanger, January 23, 1897, in the Point Douglas area of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

3.     Elvina Fay Wray was born September 15, 1907, on a ranch near Alberta to Elvina Marguerite Jones and Joseph Heber Wray and will most likely show up as a nine-year old-child in the 1916 census. She made her film debut in Gasoline Love (1923), but it was her lead role in The Wedding March (1928) that made her a star. She became a cult figure after her role in King Kong (1933), as the beauty captured by a giant gorilla.

Getting Involved
Interested volunteers can begin helping immediately by registering online at familysearchindexing.org, downloading the free indexing software, and selecting the 1916 Canada Census project. A digital image of a census page will appear. Volunteers simply type in the data highlighted on the computer screen and save it online. It takes about 30 minutes to complete one census page, and volunteers have a week to complete it if need be. Volunteers only need to be able to read, type, and have Internet access to participate.

“The 1916 census was selected first because it is the most recent and smallest of the three censuses targeted in the first phase. It included three of the western provinces (Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta) and has about 1.7 million names—so it will not take long to complete,” said Stephen Young, FamilySearch project manager.

There are other hidden benefits to volunteering. Volunteers become familiar with historical documents, the valuable stories they can conceal, and their usefulness and application to genealogical research.

Indexers do not need to worry about their skill level at reading censuses. Each census page is transcribed by two different indexers. Any discrepancies between the two entries will be arbitrated by a third indexer. The result is a highly accurate, free index of tremendous value to family history enthusiasts. Young says the more online volunteers that help, the quicker the free census indexes will be available online for all to enjoy and benefit from.

One indexer recently commented, “I am intrigued with how the people come alive for me as I index. I indexed a household . . . containing a family with young children, grandmother, maiden aunt, and a couple of unmarried siblings. They had five servants, and I visualized a well-to-do household; the married son working maybe as a lawyer or doctor, taking care of his extended family. I see both sad and happy stories.”

FamilySearch manages the largest collection of genealogical records worldwide. In 2007 it announced plans to begin digitizing and indexing its collection for broader, online access—starting with popular collections like Canadian censuses. FamilySearch has digitized the 1916 Canada Census and is seeking online volunteers to help create a searchable index for it and other census and non-census Canada projects. The 1861 and 1871 censuses will be next.

Libraries and Archives Canada (LAC) owns and is providing the digital images for the Canada census projects.

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18 November 2008 by Libbi.

Several news sources (see below) are reporting this morning a family dating back 4,600 years, found by archaeologists in Germany, were killed in a struggle. DNA shows that the family, huddled together, are a mother, father and two children, with some aunts and cousins nearby.

The BBC story says in part,

The son and daughter were buried in the arms of their parents.

Dr Wolfgang Haak, from The Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, in Adelaide, conducted the DNA analysis. He says the scientific evidence supports the idea that they were indeed a family.

"We're really sure, based on hard biological facts not just supposing or assuming."

Other news sources covering this story:

Using a Variety of Tools, Researchers Unravel Tale of German Graves

End of a loving Flintstones family

Ancient graves yield clues to family relationships

Cold case: world’s oldest family identified

Prehistoric Family Values

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17 November 2008 by Libbi.

Social media takes on the family network with family history / genealogy-based social network, www.Genoom.com. Genoom recently added Chinese language support - the network is now fully accessible in 17 different languages, letting users connect with, and stay in touch with, family across the globe.Barcelona, Spain (PRWEB) November 17, 2008 — Family networking site, www.Genoom.com, makes social networking a truly global affair with support for 17 languages, including the latest addition of traditional and simplified Chinese. The social network caters to families interested in staying in touch with relatives near and far, sharing family trees and genealogical research, and more in a private and secure online environment.

Genoom.com is a free family networking tool connecting family members from around the world. Members can add family trees, personal information, photos, videos, and related documents about ancestors and living relatives alike, limiting access to uploaded information through invitations and custom group privacy settings. Genoom even offers a Facebook application, allowing users to access their family tree and communicate with family, all while logged into their Facebook account.

“We’re excited to be expanding our reach even further into the international market,” says Genoom CEO David Diaz Daré. “By adding Chinese language support to the Genoom network, we’re able to connect a large population to family members both locally and globally, unlike other family networking sites. Our goal is to make Genoom as internationally accessible as possible, to connect even distant family in ways previously not available due to geography and language barriers.”

With many users able to access the social network in their native language, Genoom allows users to stay in touch with family all over the world. It’s an ideal medium for families to connect, ask distant relatives about family histories, and more in a fast manner and safe environment. Members have the ability to upload a variety of information to their family tree, including:

Photos - Whether they’re interested in sharing photos of a new baby in the family or hard-to-find photos of ancestors, the Genoom social network makes it easy to share memories with relatives without the costs of photo copying and the delay of shipping pictures.

Videos - First steps, graduation ceremonies, and more can easily be shared with family unable to actually be there by uploading videos to a family network on Genoom.

Documents - For those hard core genealogists or simple ancestry buffs, Genoom makes it possible to share documents either needed or discovered during family history research. Users can share census records, vital records, ship manifests, or other documents that allow family members to better understand and track the lives of their ancestors.

Members of the Genoom network control who is able to view their family tree. They can invite family members via email to build their free family network securely. Genoom offers even greater protection for photos, videos, and documents. Users can create “groups,” or subsets of their full family network - when creating photo albums or uploading individual documents or videos, users can then choose which groups have access, and which don’t (for example, vital records can be shared with a very limited group rather than both full sides of the user’s family tree / network).

Basic membership to the Genoom social network is free, with the ability to add a family tree (including importing GEDCOM files), upload photos, videos, and documents, and send messages to members within the user’s family network.

About Genoom

Genoom is a social networking platform designed to build private family networks. Launched in July 2007, the site already features support for users in 17 languages and includes a growing collection of over 3.5 million profiles. From centralizing current family connections to discovering and sharing ancestral information, Genoom offers users a secure, private, and interactive family networking environment on the Web.

For more information about the Genoom, please visit www.Genoom.com.

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14 November 2008 by Libbi.

The LOUISIANA CREOLE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION’S FOURTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE - Saturday November 15 with a Jazz Brunch on Sunday November 16, 2008. The theme of this year’s Conference is entitled:

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13 November 2008 by Libbi.

Ancestry Graphics & Printing provides specialized solutions for frugal Christmas shoppers who are favoring gifts from the heart for family members this holiday season. More genealogy buffs than ever are capitalizing on their years of research to provide family members with the most precious gifts of all. Genealogy is this country’s second most popular and fastest growing hobby. Ancestry Graphics & Printing serves genealogy customers nationwide and can be found at www.ancestryprinting.com. Their web site also features many free downloads of genealogy forms, family tree clip art, and screensaver images.

Winfield, IL (PRWEB) November 11, 2008 — Christmas shoppers who have been feeling the pinch of higher energy costs this past year and the fear of continued economic uncertainty are not only scaling back on holiday expenditures this season, but are also turning towards gifts from the heart that are more meaningful and personal in nature. An increasing number of the tens of millions of home-grown genealogists who count themselves among the ranks of this country’s second most popular hobby will be printing family tree charts as gifts for family members again this holiday season. According to Ancestry Graphics & Printing (http://www.ancestryprinting.com) what makes this Christmas season different is the extreme popularity of genealogy charts as holiday gifts.

Past economic cycles reveal that during strained economic times there has always been a trend towards family values, homemade Christmas gifts, and gifts from the heart. For many genealogy buffs, this holiday season presents itself as the perfect opportunity to break from the never-ending cycle of genealogy research and turn the value of their years of research into meaningful gifts for family members. In many families, a printed genealogy chart that shows their family heritage will be a popular gift to parents, grandparents, grown children, brothers & sisters, and aunts & uncles.

The problem many genealogists will face again this year will be getting their family tree data out of their software and onto a large family tree chart in an attractive manner. Ancestry Graphics & Printing says their service will bring cheer to genealogy buffs in search of a solution to this growing problem. “Genealogy software such as Family Tree Maker and online ancestry databases have empowered genealogy buffs to build larger family trees than ever before” said Larry Spiegel, the company’s founder. In most instances, these large family trees are well past the point of printing on standard letter-size paper and taping together. To solve this problem, many people will try and enlist the help of a commercial printer who is capable of doing large format printing without a large price tag.

Generally speaking, Spiegel said that if your family tree chart measures over about 8 feet wide, you probably won’t be able to get it printed at your local printer or self-serve print shop. And, with some applications, the limit may be as small as 4 feet. Printing a wide genealogy chart correctly requires that the genealogy software program be installed on the printer’s PC. Because of growing concerns over third-party software and viruses, it is extremely rare that a commercial printer will even run the risk of installing someone else’s software on their system.

Ancestry Graphics & Printing specializes in printing virtually any size family tree directly from all of the most popular genealogy software programs. Using their printing service, Spiegel said “individuals are assured that their genealogy chart will be printed exactly as they were designed.” By printing directly from the genealogy data within the software program, individuals eliminate the technical problems and limitations associated with outputting their family tree data to a postscript or PDF file prior to printing.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Larry Spiegel

Ancestry Graphics & Printing

630-653-8400

sales @ ancestryprinting.com

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12 November 2008 by Libbi.

Seven new indexing projects were released during the past two weeks:

·        Argentina 1869 Census – Buenos Aires (Part 2)

·        Argentina 1869 Census – Cordoba y San Luis

·        Massachusetts Death Records

·        Massachusetts Marriage Records

·        New Hampshire Birth Records

·        UK – Cheshire – Church Records

·        UK– Cheshire – Land Tax

To help with these or any other indexing projects, go to www.familysearch.org (and click Index Records) or www.familysearchindexing.org.

(Note: Percentages below may refer to a specific portion of a larger project.)

Argentina Censo 1869 - Buenos Aires (Part 2)         Spanish           8%

Argentina Censo 1869 - Cordoba y San Luis            Spanish           8%

Brandenburg Kirchenbücher                                      German           13%

California - 1920 US Federal Census                        English            77%

España Lugo Registros Parroquiales                         Spanish           8%

Florida 1945 Census                                                   English            66%

France, Coutances, Paroisses de la Manche              French             7%

Guanajuato Censo de Mexico de 1930                      Spanish           78%

Guerrero - Censo de Mexico de 1930                        Spanish           46%

Illinois - 1920 US Federal Census                             English            25%

Massachusetts - 1920 US Federal Census                 English            32%

Massachusetts Death Records 1906-1915                 English            21%

Massachusetts Marriage Records 1906-1915            English            4%

New Hampshire - Early to 1900 Births                     English            7%

Nicaragua, Managua Civil Records                           Spanish           8%

Trento Italy Baptism Records                                    Italian              30%

UK - Cheshire - Church Records                               English            10%

UK - Cheshire - Land Tax                                          English            2%

Venezuela Mérida Registros Parroquiales                Spanish           0.4%

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