Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Today's Newsletter is Sponsored by RootsBooks

Stop by RootsBooks, your one-stop online genealogy bookstore. RootsBooks is the genealogy store for books, computers, software and more. Rootsbooks has two divisions:

North America: http://www.RootsBooks.com
U.K.: http://www.RootsBooks.co.uk

NEW! Family Tree Maker 2010 is now available for as little as $28.08.

Macintosh Snow Leopard is available for only $22.99, a 20% discount!

Video: I Got Interviewed by the Genealogy Guys

I have recorded a lot of video interviews where I had opportunities to talk with many of the "movers and shakers" in the genealogy world. Recently, the tables got turned. Actually, in this case, the cameras got turned around. I was interviewed.

Drew Smith is one half of the Genealogy Guys team that produces audio podcasts and nowadays includes video interviews. Drew recently took some time to interview me. Drew and I talked about newsletters, blogs, cloud computing, today's technology, and more.

Findmypast.com Gets a Makeover

The Findmypast.com blog reports that the website has been given a mini overhaul. Quoting from the blog:

We hope you find it pleasing on the eye and that it allows you to find what you’re looking for quicker.

The enhancements include:

Video: Michael Gandy, Editor of The Genealogist, talks to Else Churchill

The Genealogist is the flagship publication of the Society of Genealogists (in England). The Genealogist is distributed free quarterly to all members. A new video shows Else Churchill, the genealog professional at the Society, as she interviews Michael Gandy who has been the editor for the last ten years. Michael describes the sorts of articles you may find in the magazine.

Tales From Beyond the Grave in Montreal

Skeletons unearthed in Old Montreal will allow archeologists to travel back in time to learn more about the common-man residents of Montreal in the 1700s. The skeletons of two adults and one teenager unearthed at the steps of the Notre Dame Basilica this month are shedding light on the lives of Montrealers who walked these city streets centuries ago.

"From their bones and teeth we can determine their sex, age and size," said Gérard Gagné, a bio-archeologist with Arkéos Inc. who takes an obvious delight in deciphering the tales the dead can tell. "We can also find out what their dietary habits were like, if they smoked a pipe or not, what ailments they might have had, like fractures or tumours."

More Than 1.8 Million Native American Records Released on Footnote.com

The following announcement was written by Footnote.com:

-Original records dating back to early 1700s become available on the Internet for the first time-

Lindon, UT – November 19, 2009 – Footnote.com announced today the release of their latest interactive collection of historical records: the Native American collection.  Working together with the National Archives and Allen County Library, Footnote.com has created a unique collection that will help people discover new details about Native American history.

ProQuest to Open New Microfilm Manufacturing Facility

I have written several times about the demise of microfilm. I was therefore very interested to learn of a new microfilm manufacturing facility to be built near Ypsilanti, Michigan. ProQuest plans to hire 30 new employees and transfer some others. While the facility will be new, it apparently is to replace an existing facility that will be closed.

Finding Treasures, Black Chicagoans Honor Ancestors

For many African-American genealogists, historical artifacts are valuable treasures. Some of these treasured finds were passed down through generations.

The Hotel Florence Museum in the Pullman Historic District is presenting an exhibit of photographs, documents and memorabilia brought to Chicago by black migrants. The items in "The Great Migration and What They Brought with Them" exhibit were presented by families in Chicago. The free exhibit runs through Dec. 1 at the Hotel Florence Museum, 11111 S. Forestville Ave.

Public Areas of Kentucky State Archives Reopen After Water Leak

The public service areas of the state Department for Libraries and Archives reopened today after being closed since Nov. 13 because of minimal damage from a water leak.

The damage was not as widespread or severe as we thought during two initial assessments on Friday night and early Saturday morning. Because of the quick action of our staff, following our disaster response plan, we were able to mitigate any severe damage," said Barbara Teague, state archivist and records administrator and the director of the department's public records division.

NGS Research Trip to Salt Lake City, Sunday 24 January – Sunday 31 January 2010

The following announcement was written by the National Genealogical Society:

The National Genealogical Society is sponsoring a research trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City for the last week of January 2010. This is the eleventh year for this educational event and it will be co-led by Shirley Langdon Wilcox, CG, FNGS, and Marie Varrelman Melchiori, CG, CGL. Both trip leaders have been active in the genealogical community for a number of years and both are former board members of the Board for Certification of Genealogists and the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG). Each has also received APG’s Graham T. Smallwood, Jr. Award of Merit – Shirley in 1995 and Marie in 1999.

(+) How to Safely Send Secret E-mail Messages

The following is a Plus Edition article written by and copyright by Dick Eastman.

"Don't send your credit card number in an e-mail message!" How many times have you heard that statement? Many times, I hope.

There is good reason for that statement: normal e-mail messages are sent across the Internet in plain text, and it is easy for many people to intercept these communications. Network sniffers can spy on your email traffic. Using Secure Sockets helps, but there is no guarantee the recipient is taking the same precaution.

I would never send credit card information or brokerage account information or my Social Security Number or any other sensitive information in an e-mail message. Until now.

Rare Books for Sale at Georgia Archives

You never know what treasures may be buried among the 25,000 books that go on sale Thursday at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. Volunteers at the state’s repository for historic documents have amassed an assortment of volumes from around the country that just may include a few hidden gems.

Volunteer coordinator Dee Thompson described the genealogy books: “They are a very small percentage of the 25,000 books we’ll sell,” she said. “They may take up two full shelves. But there are some good ones, even a few rare genealogy books. And they’re not expensive, between $10 and $20. Everything this year is priced much lower than it’s been in the past.”

When a DNA Testing Firm Goes Bankrupt, Who Gets the Data?

DeCODE Genetics, a genetics research firm from Iceland, filed for bankruptcy yesterday (see my article at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/11/decode-genetics-files-for-bankruptcy.html). Saga Investments, a US venture capital firm, has already put in a bid to buy deCODE’s operations, raising privacy concerns about the fate of customer DNA samples and records.

New and Free DAR Online Databases

The following announcement was written by the Daughters of the American Revolution:

After nearly a decade of scanning, indexing, and other behind-the-scenes work by DAR members and employees, the Daughters of the American Revolution is pleased to announce the availability of the DAR Genealogical Research System on our public website. Here are the direct links:

FamilySearch Record Search Update: New Records for Brazil, Massachusetts, Mexico, Spain, and the U.S.

The following announcement was written by FamilySearch:

18 November 2009
 
More free online records for Brazil, Massachusetts, Mexico, Spain, and the U.S.
 
The states of Texas, Ohio, and Iowa were added to the U.S. 1920 Census at FamilySearch’s Record Search pilot. Spanish researchers will enjoy new civil registration images for the provinces of Cadiz, Granada, Malaga, Spain, from 1837–1870. Over 500,000 new digital images were added to the Brazil Catholic Church Records Collection. These birth, marriage, and death records are from the states of Bahia, Menas Gerais, Paraná, Pará, Pernambuco, and Sao Paolo. Over 400,000 Massachusetts marriage records were added for the period 1906 to 1915, and Catholic baptismal records were added for the Distrito Federal of Mexico.
 
See the chart below for a list of all the newly added collections.

FamilySearch Indexing Update: Indexing Projects for 25 Countries

The following announcement was written by FamilySearch:

18 November 2009
 
Indexing Projects for 25 Countries
Canada, Colombia, France, Guatemala, Jamaica, U.K., U.S. Venezuela. Those are the countries for which FamilySearch Indexing has recently added new volunteer projects. In all, FamilySearch has active indexing projects from 25 different countries currently with plans to add new projects from more countries throughout 2010. Volunteers can help 24/7 by registering and downloading a project of interest at FamilySearchIndexing.org.
 
Completed projects and digital image collections can be searched for free at pilot.familysearch.org.

RootsMagic Releases Free "RootsMagic Essentials:" Genealogy and Family Tree Software

I'd consider this to be a major new announcement. The following was written by RootsMagic, Inc.:

SPRINGVILLE, Utah. — November 18, 2009 — RootsMagic, Inc. announced the immediate availability of RootsMagic Essentials, free desktop genealogy software based on their award-winning RootsMagic 4 system. RootsMagic Essentials contains many core features found in its namesake that allow the public to easily start tracing their family trees.

Essential Features for Everyone
“Many of our users have told us that they have friends and family members who are interested in getting started in family history but aren’t ready to invest in a more comprehensive package like RootsMagic,” said Bruce Buzbee, president. “RootsMagic Essentials gives them the features they need to start researching and recording their family tree at a price that can’t be beat—free!”

Update on DiamonDisc

I wrote about DiamonDisc, the new CD-ROM and DVD-ROM technology that is claimed to last for 1,000 years, at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/11/diamondisc-will-store-data-for-1000-years-on-stone-disks.html. Now Joe Beaulaurier from the producing company, Cranberry, has provided updated information. In the comments section of the earlier article, Joe writes:

GINA to Protect Misuse of Your Genetic Information

Do you have genetic diseases in your family, such as diabetes, asthma, heart disease, or hypertension? Have you been asked to undergo genetic testing after receiving a medical diagnosis? If so, you may benefit from the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), a law that goes into effect at the end of this week. The act prohibits discrimination on the basis of genetic information with respect to health insurance and employment.

Genetic information is broadly defined under the law not only as personal genetic traits — such as having a gene associated with cancer, diabetes, or anything else — but also as family medical history. Health insurers and employers will no longer be allowed to include questions about the health of family members on mandatory applications or even to offer incentives to fill out voluntary questionnaires on the subject.

Saskatchewan Looking to Preservation of Cemeteries

The provincial government is looking at how to better preserve Saskatchewan's 3,500 known cemeteries and burial sites, some of which are overgrown or even nearly forgotten.

Appointed to lead a review is Al Dwyer, who previously served as registrar of cemeteries in his former role with the province's consumer protection branch.

Become Your Own Wealthy Heir After Being Frozen

Here is a "get rich not so quickly" scheme that apparently is legal. It is possible to finance your cryogenic preservation by using life insurance and then leave a huge death benefit to your future thawed self. So by taking the right steps, you can look forward to waking up one bright future morning from cryopreservation the proud owner of a bank account brimming with money.

Man Attends Own Funeral

CNN has a story that every genealogist can identify with: verifying the accuracy of death information is critical. Two weeks ago, on a day celebrated in many countries as the "Day of the Dead," Ademir Jorge Goncalves, a Brazilian bricklayer walked into his own funeral.

The sight of Goncalves alive shocked relatives, some of whom tried to jump out of the windows of the funeral home in southern Brazil.

(+) eBay for Genealogists

The following is a Plus Edition article, written by and copyright by Dick Eastman.

Genealogy information is wherever you find it. Have you ever thought of looking for genealogy books and records at everyone's online garage sale on eBay? I keep an eye on the genealogy-related offerings and have found some interesting items.

Perhaps the best thing I ever purchased on eBay was a tax collector's book from Corinna, Maine for 1907 that listed the taxes my grandfather paid that year. Another was a handmade quilt made by a distant cousin in the 1840s. I have also purchased limited edition history books for several of the small towns that I research with some of those books mentioning my ancestors. Some of the books were original editions that were 100 years old or more although recently I have limited my purchases to scanned images of old books that are sold on CD-ROM disks.

Coming Soon: Family Tree Maker Program Update

An article by Michelle Pfister in the Ancestry.com blog describes an update to Family Tree Maker 2010. The update has not yet been released but apparently is imminent.  Here are some of the highlights:

DeCode Genetics Files for Bankruptcy

DeCode Genetics, a pioneering company that used the Icelandic population and the country's excellent genealogy records as its guinea pigs in detecting disease-causing mutations, filed for bankruptcy today.

I have mentioned DeCode Genetics many times in past newsletters (see http://www.google.com/cse?cx=003715150024579880844%3Aulyzue1ivzu&ie=UTF-8&q=%22DeCode+Genetics%22&sa=Search).

The Questionable Future of the Plymouth & West Devon (England) Record Office

The following was written by the Devon Family History Society and by the Friends of Devon’s Archives:

In November 2008, an open letter was sent from the Chairmen of Devon Family History Society and the Friends of Devon's Archives to Plymouth City Council and signed by a coalition of 42 Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall County heritage societies and prominent private individuals. It expressed concern regarding the Plymouth & West Devon Record Office building in Plymouth, which has been designated fundamentally unsuitable by the National Archives and the Historical Manuscripts Commission.

State Layoffs Affect Somerset (PA) Historical Center

Starting this week, hundreds of Pennsylvania state employees will be getting pink slips. Museums across the state are especially hard hit.  The Somerset Historical Center is one of the museums set to have layoffs.

Residents in the county use the center to help them trace their genealogy. The center also hosts a Mountain Craft festival during the fall that draws thousands of people every year.

Are You My Cousin?

Megan Smolenyak is a genealogy and DNA expert who has been mentioned many times in this newsletter. She has now written an article for the Huffington Post that describes a number of things. She briefly describes her discoveries about Michelle Obama's roots, information that wound up in the New York Times.

Megan than describes "pedigree collapse," known more casually as "kissing cousins." Perhaps the major emphasis is on about 23andMe’s new Relative Finder, which is a rather amazing service.

Water Leak Damages Kentucky State Documents

A burst pipe at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives has soaked about 1,000 publications and dampened up to 30,000 more. Officials closed the department's research room and the state library reference room.

MobileTree for the iPhone and iPod Touch

With MobileTree, New Family Search customers can access their FamilySearch data directly on their iPhone or iPod Touch. In short, you can have your online database in your pocket at all times, and the information is automatically updated without any involvement from you. There is no copying of files, no GEDCOM files, and no other systems tasks involved. Just turn the handheld device on and use it.

Keep in mind that MobileTree only works with New Family Search, the database owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. New Family Search is still in beta test and is available only to members of that church plus a few others. If you do not have a user name and password to New Family Search, the MobileTree program will be useless to you - for now. New Family Search will someday be released to the general public. When that happens, MobileTree and similar programs will become useful for everyone.

MobileTree directly accesses the New Family Search Database for its information, allowing retrieval of the Church's genealogy records. You can access those records from any location, as long as your iPhone or iPod Touch can connect to the Internet via a wireless connection. If Internet access is not available, you may view information that is already displayed on MobileTree. However you may not search for new information without Internet access. The Internet is available on the iPhone through 3G or wi-fi wireless networking. The iPod Touch only works with wi-fi.

Plus Edition Newsletter Has Been Sent

To all Plus Edition subscribers:

The weekly Plus Edition newsletter was sent to your e-mail address a short time ago. It should have arrived by now. If you have not yet seen it in your in-box, check your spam folder. If it is not there, please contact your e-mail provider to see why it was blocked. This week's entire Plus Edition newsletter is also available at: http://www.eogn.com/wp/thisweek.htm.

Here are the articles in this week's Plus Edition newsletter:

 - Join Me in Southborough This Thursday
 - (+) Google Sidewiki for Genealogy
 - (+) Endangered Species: CD and DVD Disks
 - (+) Windows 7 versus Macintosh OS X
 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, or What the Pilgrims Really Ate at Thanksgiving
 - The Myth of Family Coats of Arms
 - Your Ancestors Traveled Along the Interstate Highway
 - Footnote.com Holocaust Collection Update
 - Kerry Church Records to Appear Online
 - Broadlands Archives in England Could Be Sold Overseas
 - Laura G. Prescott Elected APG President
 - Technology Helps Unearth Family Trees
 - Pelham Historical Society Web Site Wins Research and Documentation Award
 - Ancestry.com Publishes Online Collection of Twentieth-Century Navy Records
 - National Genealogical Society Seeks Nominations for the 2010 Genealogy Hall of Fame
 - National Archives Launches New Online Reservation System
 - Guild of One-Name Studies Opens On-line Store
 - American Ancestors Journal
 - Update: Dropbox: Why You Need This Program
 - DiamonDisc Will Store Data for 1,000 Years on Stone Disks
 - Paint.NET - the Free Photoshop Alternative
 - BestBuy Black Friday Desktop Computer Sale With Monitor and Printer For $299

If printed, this week's Plus Edition newsletter is 40 pages long! Where else will you find this much genealogy information? per week? With no advertising?

(+) Endangered Species: CD and DVD Disks

The following is a Plus Edition article written by and copyright by Dick Eastman.

In a recent article about the new DiamonDisc (at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/11/diamondisc-will-store-data-for-1000-years-on-stone-disks.html), several newsletter readers posted comments about the pros and cons of using CD and DVD disks for long-term data storage. Some posted comments stating that such disks, when filled with information, typically last only two to five years (I agree with that statement) and other comments claimed that the so-called "gold disks" will last 300 years (I disagree with that statement.). In any case, I believe that all discussion about long term storage on plastic disks is a moot point. I suspect that CD and DVD disk READERS are about to disappear within the next ten years.

Join Me in Southborough This Thursday

If you live in or near Southborough, Massachusetts, you might be interested in attending a meeting of the Genealogy Club this Thursday evening, November 19. I will be the guest speaker at this month's meeting and will be talking about "Google for Genealogists." I hope to show a few tricks for using everyone's favorite search engine.

Kerry Church Records to Appear Online

The Clerical Whispers web site has an article of interest to anyone with Kerry ancestry. The site states:

Almost 600,000 Kerry church records have been handed over to the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism as part of a major genealogy project.

They include documents relating to baptism, marriage and death, some of which date back to the 1750s. The records will now appear free of charge on the irish-genealogy.ie website and will allow people to trace their Kerry roots more easily.

BestBuy Black Friday Desktop Computer Sale With Monitor and Printer For $299

I wrote a few days ago (at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/10/buy-windows-7-get-an-almost-free-computer.html and at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/11/i-bought-a-windows-7-pc.html) about the latest round of $299 PCs being released with Windows 7 pre-installed. I thought that was a great bargain but now I have found a new advertisement that sounds even better:

During the upcoming Black Friday sales event (the day after Thanksgiving), BestBuy is going to be offering the following system for sale for only $299:

Paint.NET - the Free Photoshop Alternative

Paint.NET is a free, fast, and powerful image editor for Windows. It features an intuitive and innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools. Paint.NET is a giant leap above Microsoft Paint, and a serious alternative to bigger, bloated image editors like Photoshop or GIMP. Being mean and lean, Paint.NET doesn't do everything that its expensive competitors can do; yet, it's a great value for the price (zero).

Originally intended as a free replacement for the Microsoft Paint software that comes with Windows, Paint.NET has grown into a powerful yet simple image and photo editor tool. It handles most of the basics you'd expect from advanced image editors, and the latest version has added new effects (including new blurs and distortions), better performance, and a complete refresh of the user interface.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, or What the Pilgrims Really Ate at Thanksgiving

Millions of American families will sit down to dine together in this month's annual Thanksgiving Day celebration. Menus will vary a bit but most will feature turkey along with stuffing, gravy, squash, cranberries, and other vegetables. Pumpkin pie has always been popular with my family as well. Did you ever wonder what the Pilgrims and their Wampanoag Indian guests ate during their first Thanksgiving in 1621?

Unfortunately, we cannot be certain. The Pilgrims did not print menus for their guests. After all, none of their Indian guests could read, nor could very many of the Pilgrims themselves. Most were illiterate. Luckily, several colonists who were literate wrote personal accounts of the 1621 feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and those accounts have survived. These accounts give a few hints as to the menu.

Footnote.com Holocaust Collection Update

I published an announcement about the new Holocaust Collection on Footnote.com on 29 September 2009. I am republishing the announcement below. At that time, Footnote.com planned to have these records open to the public for only the month of October.  However, I have been told there is now a change in those plans.

Due to the popularity of this collection, the folks at Footnote.com have decided to keep the records available free to the public through the rest of this year. This is a great opportunity to catch up on research that you missed earlier.

Laura G. Prescott Elected APG President

The following announcement was written by the Association of Professional Genealogists:

WESTMINSTER, Colo., November 13 – Laura G. Prescott of Brookline, New Hampshire, has been elected president of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), the world’s leading professional organization of family history and related professionals. Prescott is genealogist for the Nickerson Family Association and a consultant for Footnote.com. She will succeed Jake Gehring of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Prescott, reflecting on her upcoming tenure, said “I’m very excited about the next two years. We have a diverse and enthusiastic group of people on the board. This enthusiasm, coupled with the momentum from the current administration, will surely bring benefits to our members. Chapters will continue to play a vital role in reaching members and genealogists on a local level, while we try innovative ways, nationally and internationally, to educate and inform the membership, as well as aspiring genealogists. As professionals, we have a responsibility to set an example and support each other in making positive contributions to the entire genealogical community and to the profession.”

Guild of One-Name Studies Opens On-line Store

The following announcement was written by the Guild of One-Name Studies:

The Guild of One-Name Studies has today opened its on-line store.  The Guild bookstall sells a wide range of genealogical and one-name study books, genealogical software and various well illustrated books about places (typically UK towns) and their history.  These items are currently only available to members of the Guild or can be purchased from the Guild’s bookstall.

However from today there is now an online facility for ordering vouchers www.one-name.org/cgi-bin/vouchers/sales.cgi via PayPal, credit card, or (by post) by cheque. Eventually the range of items available on-line will increase but at present only vouchers can be purchased on-line.

DiamonDisc Will Store Data for 1,000 Years on Stone Disks

CD and DVD disks you record on your computer will last an average of two to five years. If you would like to record your family photographs and videos for preservation, you'll want something that lasts longer. A start-up company in Ferndale, Washington, claims to have the answer. Cranberry LLC sells DVD disks that literally last a millennium.

Cranberry says its DiamonDisc product, which can be played in any standard DVD player, is not subject to deterioration from heat, ultraviolet rays, or material rot due to humidity or other elements. The DiamonDisc has no dyes, adhesives, or reflective materials like standard DVD discs, and its discs are made from a vastly more durable synthetic stone. That's right: stone.

(+) Windows 7 versus Macintosh OS X

The following is a Plus Edition article written by and copyright by Dick Eastman.

Warning: This article contains personal opinions.

I have read many comments in this newsletter's Comments section and elsewhere from computer users wondering if they should switch from Windows to Macintosh. Those comments increased significantly with the introduction of Vista and still continue after the introduction of Windows 7. Many have asked, "Should I switch?" Since I use both Windows and Macintosh every day, I thought I could describe many of the differences. (I also use Linux often, although not every day.)

There are hundreds of differences, but I will not describe every one of them. However, I will give my impressions of the issues that are important to me.

National Archives Launches New Online Reservation System

The following announcement was written by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration:

Beat the crowds! Reserved tours and visits are now just a mouse click away!

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11  -- For the first time, the National Archives today launches a new online reservation system to make it easier for individuals, families, and large groups alike to visit National Archives. By simply going online, visitors can reserve their choice of dates and times in a matter of minutes. While reservations are not required to visit the National Archives and admission is free, this new system will eliminate the long lines and often lengthy wait.

The Myth of Family Coats of Arms

The holiday gift giving season will be here soon and what better personal gift to give than something with the recipient's family coat of arms? I'd suggest that isn't such a great gift. You'd be lying.

Lots of gullible people purchase various trinkets that display the "family coat of arms" without realizing there is no such thing. Coats of arms? Yes. But "family?" No. There is no such thing as a family coat of arms.

Broadlands Archives in England Could Be Sold Overseas

A Hampshire archivist has told of her fear that the four-centuries-old Broadlands archives could be broken up or sold abroad. Janet Smith, county archivist at the Hampshire Record Office, said that breaking up the material would be “dreadful.”

American Ancestors Journal

The New England Historic Genealogical Society is introducing a new journal that is described as a "supplement to the Register." I am especially pleased to note that it is available both in print as well as electronically as a PDF file. I'll take my copy electronically, thank you. The following announcement was written by the New England Historic Genealogical Society:

This is to introduce American Ancestors Journal, the first annual supplement to the Register. The creation of this new vehicle for communicating valuable scholarship beyond New England will serve our geographically diverse audience with first rate content and, at the same time, broaden our institutional reach. American Ancestors Journal is automatically included with NEHGS membership, and is available in both print and paperless PDF formats.

National Genealogical Society Seeks Nominations for the 2010 Genealogy Hall of Fame

The following announcement was written by the (U.S.) National Genealogical Society:

Would your society like to honor a genealogist whose exemplary work lives on today? Perhaps there was a notable genealogist in your state or county whose name should be memorialized in the NGS Hall of Fame.

If so, the National Genealogical Society would like to hear from you. NGS is seeking nominations from the entire genealogical community for persons whose achievements or contributions have made an impact on the field. This educational program increases appreciation of the high standards advocated and achieved by committed genealogists whose work paved the way for researchers today.

Your Ancestors Traveled Along the Interstate Highway

The thought of your ancestors of 100 or 200 years ago traveling along a modern-day interstate highway may seem amusing as interstate highways didn't exist until the 1950s. Yet, it is quite possible that your ancestors traveled along the same routes as today's interstates, plus or minus a very few miles.

Westward migration in the United States usually took place in the path of least resistance: on riverboats where practical or on pathways along rivers when boat travel was not available. In cases where there was no river to follow, overland travel generally went along the path of least resistance, too: through valleys, through mountain passes, and perhaps straight across the flatlands and prairies.

Update: Dropbox: Why You Need This Program

When I recently purchased a new computer, I immediately installed several programs that I would hate to live without: Firefox, Evernote, OpenOffice, and Dropbox. All of them are free programs.

Dropbox is available for Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and now for the Apple iPhone. I have come to depend on this program. If you use one computer, this program can be useful. However, if you use two or more computers, such as a desktop system and a laptop system or perhaps one computer at home and another at the office, I'd consider this program to be indispensable.

Ancestry.com Publishes Online Collection of Twentieth-Century Navy Records

In honor of Veterans' Day in the United States, Ancestry.com is offering free public access tomorrow through Friday to a new collection of about 600 Navy cruise books from 1950 to 1988. The following announcement was written by Ancestry.com:

Site Celebrates Veterans Day with Free Access to Entire U.S. Military Records Collection

PROVO, UT (Nov. 11, 2009) – Ancestry.com today added more than 600 Navy cruise books to its online collection of military records to commemorate Veterans Day. This historic effort is the result of an agreement between Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online resource for family history, and the United States Navy. As part of the agreement, Ancestry.com set up scanners on location at the Navy Department Library in Washington, DC, and has spent several months digitizing the cruise books for this occasion.

Technology Helps Unearth Family Trees

CNN has an interesting online story about the use of DNA in genealogy. CNN reporter Steve Mollman writes:

Here's a fun exercise: Compare the DNA profiles of random individuals who reside in different regions of the world, have little in common and don't much resemble one another.

If you could do this, you'd find close DNA matches once in a while.