22 December 2008 by Libbi.

FamilySearch added over 15 million new indexed records to its Record Search pilot—all from the 1850 and 1870 U.S. Censuses. The records are linked to the digital images of the originals. The new records can be searched for free at FamilySearch.org (Click Search Records, then Record Search pilot).

FamilySearch added over 15 million new indexed records to its Record Search pilot—all from the 1850 and 1870 U.S. Censuses. The records are linked to the digital images of the originals. The new records can be searched for free at FamilySearch.org (Click Search Records, then Record Search pilot).

Collection Name
Indexed Records
Comments

1870 United States Census
12,137,756
Added 7 new indexed states (KY, MN, MO, NY, TN, VA, and WV)

1850 United States Census (Population)
2,027,454
Added 3 new indexed states (AL, IN, and MO)

1850 United States Census (Slavery)
869,076
Added 3 new indexed states (AL, MO, and SC)

1850 United States Census (Mortality)
37,990
Added 3 new indexed states (AL, IN, and LA)

Posted in Genealogy | Print | No Comments »

18 December 2008 by Libbi.

Genealogy researchers are some of the people that seek access to many different kinds of public records in a regular basis since these legal documents contain a lot of details that could be useful as they conduct their research and as they do their best to fill in the blank spaces that are in their pedigree chart.

Public records, especially those that are categorized under vital records (such as the birth records, marriage records, death records, and divorce records) are some of the most frequently used records by these genealogists since they contain a lot of details that are very helpful for going further in their research such as the full legal name of a person, the birth date, the place where a certain person was born, the name of the parents along with the name of the siblings, if there are any. In addition, these public records also contain some information like the name of the person’s spouse, the place where the marriage took place and much, much more.

In short, that means that getting one public record alone will help any family history researcher to get more details and more clues about who to search the next time around. For example, if you will be able to get the birth record of you grandfather, you will be able to get a lot of significant names, places and dates in that record alone and that could be useful for helping you find more details bout your great grandparents too.

Doing genealogy (or family history, as it is commonly called) is really an easy thing to do if you could access these public records. Especially since there are already a lot of online public records provider in our times, any person from all walks of life can indeed conduct these researches without going through a lot of difficulties like how it was in the past.

Several years ago, genealogy was a dreaded activity for most people since it involved going to different offices, searching details from public libraries, visiting cemeteries, writing far-flung relatives, traveling far places and a whole lot more.

These days, you could simply stay at home and do your search in your most convenient time. Besides, most public records are just a click away so completing your genealogy isn’t as hard as it used to be anymore.

For more information about this article try to visit www.publicrecords.net Public Records

daphnelewis1@gmail.com
publicrecords.net
www.publicrecords.net

Posted in News, Genealogy | Print | 1 Comment »

16 December 2008 by Libbi.

FamilySearch Digital Preservation Initiative Hits a Milestone

 Salt Lake City, Utah—FamilySearch International reached a milestone today with the digitization of its 25,000^th publication online. It began the initiative in 2007 and is ramping up to do even more—and faster. The effort targets published family, society, county, and town histories, as well as numerous other historical publications that are digitally preserved and made accessible for free online. The digital publications can be searched at www.FamilySearch.org (Go to FamilySearch.org, then click Search Records, then click Historical Books).

The 25,000^th digitized publication was A History of Lewis County, in the State of New York, from the Beginning of Its Settlement to the Present Time by Franklin B. Hough. The book was published in 1860. The lengths of titles digitized to date vary in length, but the average is about 350 pages. There are even publications in Spanish, German, French, and Russian.

FamilySearch has nearly a million publications in its famous Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and there are millions of similar publications elsewhere in the United States. “The problem with the collection [of out-of-print titles] is limited access,” said Ransom Love, FamilySearch senior vice president of Strategic Relations. “To view the publications, patrons have to travel to Salt Lake City or one of FamilySearch’s affiliate libraries. If you are lucky, you might be able to order a microfilm copy, but then you have to wait for it to arrive at your local family history center. And there’s the inconvenience of having to read it on a film reader,” added Love.

FamilySearch aims to change all of that. Working with volunteers and select affiliate libraries, it plans to create the largest digital collection of published histories on the Web. It is targeting a wide range of historical publications—for example, users might be pleasantly surprised to find digital copies of Hawaii Sugar Planters Association Filipino Laborer files (1909-1949), medieval family history resource titles, and oral history abstracts (mostly from Hawaii), and numerous gazetteers.

“These are publications that were usually limited in the number originally printed and therefore only accessible in a few libraries or special collections worldwide. Yet there can be some great information of genealogical significance in the publications that only a few people would have access to prior to now,” said Love.

Through its Records Access Program, FamilySearch is digitally preserving a copy of the publications and making them available online for the masses. Once digitized, the collections have “every word” search capability, which allows users to search by name, location, date, or other fields across the collection. The search results are then linked to high quality digital images of the original publication.

FamilySearch is not stopping with its own collection either. Over the past year, it announced that it is also helping to digitize and publish collections from the Brigham Young University Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University—Hawaii Joseph F. Smith Library, Allen County Public Library (ACPL) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Houston Public Library, in Houston, Texas, and Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center in Independence, Missouri. When all is said and done, there will be over a million publications in the digital collection online. It will be the largest free resource of its kind.

Posted in News, Genealogy, Genealogy Online | Print | 1 Comment »

15 December 2008 by Libbi.

For the genealogist on your list:
Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do

The Story of a Lifetime: A Keepsake of Personal Memoirs

The Official Guide to Ancestry.com

How To Trace Your Native American Heritage

Generations: The Game of Family Knowledge

Posted in Genealogy | Print | 1 Comment »

12 December 2008 by Libbi.

Seeds of Past Rooted in Future Generations:

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 12, 2008 — In her new novel,
“Sprouting Seeds” (published by AuthorHouse - http://www.authorhouse.com), Jamila D. Smith champions the lost art of storytelling as an important means for honoring cherished ancestors and sharing pivotal episodes in family history. Through the recollections of an elderly family matriarch, Smith reveals a compelling perspective of black culture as it developed during segregated America.

“Sprouting Seeds” opens as an extraordinary matriarch known
as Mama Cora sits at her kitchen table with her great-granddaughter, snapping green beans for the upcoming family reunion. As the two work, Mama Cora begins one of her famous stories of life long ago. The young girl listens, mesmerized, as the old woman weaves a thrilling and heart-wrenching saga filled with fierce determination, love, a little voodoo and the fiery strength of a black woman raised in the deep South.

Smith then takes readers to the heart of the Louisiana
bayou, back to Mama Cora’s earlier years. On a hot June
night, 15-year-old Cora and her friend sneak into a juke
joint to cut loose. Rebelling against the
straight-and-narrow lifestyle her guardian grandparents have
in mind, Cora meets a man that night and makes an early departure from the safe haven of her grandparents’ home. But her path of true love soon plunges her into the brutal reality of racism.

As the years pass, Cora develops from a feisty, hardheaded
teen into a seasoned, well-respected woman. She eventually becomes a legacy in her community because of the extreme hardships she has faced and the mystical healing power she still holds to help her family and friends.

“This book touches on different aspects of the
African-American culture,” Smith writes. “Both younger and older generations can relate to the varied life experiences chronicled in ‘Sprouting Seeds.’”

Anyone who has suffered loss at the hands of senseless
violence or found themselves a stranger among unkind faces
can relate to Cora’s tale. Also, those seeking to know more about a dark chapter in American history will find a gripping and educational story in the pages of “Sprouting Seeds.”

About the Author: Jamila D. Smith was raised in
Massachusetts and Indiana. With the help of a childhood
teacher and the support of family and friends, Smith
overcame a learning disability and now holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work. She is currently pursuing a graduate degree and certification in secondary education with the ultimate goal of teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to high school students. Formerly an adolescent counselor, Smith now teaches ESL to immigrant adults. “Sprouting Seeds” is her first book.

Posted in Genealogy | Print | 1 Comment »

12 December 2008 by Libbi.

Yesterday was REALLY busy, and I never got around to posting. So, today I’ll try to post twice.

First post: Newly redesigned and always interesting, here are two blogs worth your time from Cheryl Rothwell

http://genealogysleuth.blogspot.com/

http://southlogancounty.blogspot.com/

Next one coming up around lunch time!

Posted in Genealogy Sites, Genealogy Online | Print | 3 Comments »

10 December 2008 by Libbi.

Today, DearMYRTLE and I will record a conversation on ideas for Christmas gifts using your genealogy: Quilts, pillows, pictures, books, all kinds of things you can create to give relatives with a connection to family history. Listen to Myrt’s podcast for details!

P. S. Something  I forgot to mention that I had intended to: One more thing you can give that is free, and comes from the heart, is to donate blood. I was watching the news today, and saw cars flipping, sliding and crunching on the ice in the Midwest. That reminded me how much blood is always needed during holidays, when people are on the road, and especially when weather is bad.

My husband and I donated blood this past Saturday at our local recreation center; we’ll do so again in January.  Won’t you consider doing the same?

Posted in And More..., Genealogy | Print | 1 Comment »

9 December 2008 by Libbi.

From the AP Wire:
Today’s Highlight in History:

Four hundred years ago, on Dec. 9, 1608, English poet John Milton was born in London.

On this date:

In 1854, Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s famous poem, “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” was published in England.

In 1892, “Widowers’ Houses,” Bernard Shaw’s first play, opened at the Royalty Theater in London.

In 1940, British troops opened their first major offensive in North Africa during World War II.

In 1941, China declared war on Japan, Germany and Italy.

In 1942, the Aram Khachaturian ballet “Gayane,” featuring the surging “Saber Dance,” was first performed by the Kirov Ballet.

In 1958, the anti-communist John Birch Society was formed in Indianapolis.

In 1965, Nikolai V. Podgorny replaced Anastas I. Mikoyan as president of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet.

In 1987, the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising, began as riots broke out in Gaza and spread to the West Bank, triggering a strong Israeli counter-response.

In 1990, Solidarity founder Lech Walesa won Poland’s presidential runoff by a landslide.

In 1992, Britain’s Prince Charles and Princess Diana announced their separation. (The couple’s divorce became final Aug. 28, 1996.)

Ten years ago: Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee drew up four proposed articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, all stemming from his sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky and long campaign to cover it up.

Five years ago: The owners of a Rhode Island nightclub and the tour manager for the rock band Great White were indicted on charges related to a fire the previous February that killed 100 people. A suicide bomber killed five victims outside an exclusive Moscow hotel. Former Vice President Al Gore endorsed Howard Dean for the Democratic presidential nomination. Former Sen. Paul Simon died in Springfield, Ill., at age 75.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Kirk Douglas is 92. Actor Dick Van Patten is 80. Actor-writer Buck Henry is 78. Actress Dame Judi Dench is 74. Actor Beau Bridges is 67. Jazz singer-musician Dan Hicks is 67. Football Hall-of-Famer Dick Butkus is 66.  Actor Michael Dorn is 56. Actor John Malkovich is 55. Country singer Sylvia is 52. Singer/game show host Donny Osmond is 51.  Actress Felicity Huffman is 46.  Actress Allison Smith is 39. Songwriter Kara DioGuardi is 38.

Posted in Genealogy | Print | 2 Comments »

8 December 2008 by Libbi.

Collection Name
Indexed Records
Digital Images
Comments

1870 US Census
3,562,549
Linked
Four new indexed states added (GA, KS, NC, and TX)

Illinois Cook County Marriages
574,318
573,748
Currently includes years from 1900 to 1920.

Ohio, Diocese of Toledo, Catholic Parish Records 1796 to 2004

101,982
Searchable digital images only.

Ohio Tax Records 1816 to 1838
200,648
7,323
Includes records from Columbiana, Guernsey, Harrison, and Jefferson Counties

Posted in Genealogy | Print | 1 Comment »

5 December 2008 by Libbi.

I made a friend really mad about 20 years ago, because when my son asked me about Santa Claus, I explained about St. Nicholas, Bishop of of Myra.  And then, in Sunday School the next weekend, he told her son that,  “Santa Claus is dead, and in heaven. And he’s a saint, like Saint Thomas.”

I don’t think my friend ever really got over it, but I’m still glad that I told my son the truth about where we get this over-commercialized, sometimes creepy “Santa Claus” image in popular culture today. St. Nicholas is much more interesting than the fat guy who drinks Coca-Cola.

Known for generosity, St. Nicholas suffered imprisonment of the faith  and he was present at the Council of Nicaea where the Nicene Creed began.

Where St. Nicholas is prominent, his feast day, December 6, not Christmas, is the primary gift giving day. Parties may be held on the eve, December 5, and shoes or stockings left for St. Nicholas to fill during the night. Children will find treats of small gifts, fruit or nuts, and special Nicholas candies and cookies. St. Nicholas gifts are meant to be shared, not hoarded for oneself.

Traditions about St. Nicholas:

• He is the patron saint of pawn brokers and one of his symbols is the three golden balls seen hanging at many pawn shops. This arises from the story that he helped pay the dowry of three poor maidens, by dropping gold down the chimney, into the stockings hanging on the mantle to dry. This is also where we get our stocking tradition.
• In the stocking, an orange or tangerine in the toe represents this gift of gold, the candy cane represents his bishop’s crosier, and the “midnight visit” a reminder that St. Nicholas wanted to give in secret, so that people would thank God for blessings.
• In the west, he is a special patron saint of children, along with St. Christopher. In Greece, he is a patron saint of sailors and ships. He is the patron saint of Russain merchants, bakers, brewers,  maidens, and more. There are more churches named for him than almost any other saint.
• In Ukraine, St. Nicholas is a special saint, for it was Prince Vladimir who brought back tales of the saint after he went to Constantinople to be baptized. The Ukrainian prince Vsevolod Yaroslavych introduced the feast of St. Nicholas during the time of Pope Urban II (1088-99 AD). St. Nicholas’ Day was a time of great fun in Ukraine. On this day, people would invite guests in and sleighs would be ridden around the village to see if the snow was slippery [icy]. This was the holiday for young children, for they would receive gifts from St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children. “St. Nicholas” was often accompanied by “angels” and might have quizzed the children on their catechism. St. Nicholas Day, not Christmas, is the usual gift-giving day in much of Europe including Ukraine, although for Christmas it was the custom of all members in the family to get a new article of clothing.
• In Great Britain, St. Nicholas visits on his feast day, and sometimes a boy is appointed to play the role of “bishop” for the day.

I wish for everyone a happy and blessed St. Nicholas Day!

Posted in And More..., Uncategorized | Print | 1 Comment »