Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

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RootsTech 2012 Day #1

The RootsTech conference kicked off this morning in Salt Lake City with more than 4,100 attendees. No, that number is not a misprint. More than four thousand one hundred genealogists pre-registered. However, when I walked past the registration desk in mid-morning, I saw a long line of people waiting to purchase tickets at the door. Unofficially, I was told that the number of attendees had risen to more than 4,400 by late afternoon. That number certainly will rise further during the next two days of the conference.

RootsTech is now by far the most popular genealogy conference in North America.

Pictures from RootsTech 2012 Day #1

Here are a few of the pictures I took today. You can click on any image to see a larger picture:

Think this room looked crowded? it has 3,000 to 4,000 seats and was the scene of today's keynote speech.

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The Mini Lab was available to all conference attendees. Anyone could take several software programs for a test drive, check email, visit web sites, or perform other computer tasks.

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I had to laugh when I saw the Unconferencing Sign-Up Board. It is probably the most low-tech device seen at this conference about high technology. However, it worked well.

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brightsolid had a large booth at the conference to celebrate the company's entry into the U.S. genealogy marketplace.

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The familySearch book scanning tent. Perhaps they were expecting rain inside the Salt Palace!

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Good reasons to scan books! All books scanned at RootsTech 2012 will soon be available to everyone in the FamilySearch web site.

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Darrin Lythgoe proudly shows off the new Version 9 of The Next Generation web-based genealogy software.

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Wouldn't you like to have this printer in your living room?

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I don't see this at many genealogy conferences! This is part of the relaxation area in the exhibits hall.

 

brightsolid Enters US Genealogy Market with Pay-as-you-go Site censusrecords.com

I mentioned earlier that brightsolid is about to enter the U.S. marketplace in a big way. Today, at RootsTech, the company released details. The following was written by brightsolid:

brightsolid Enters US Genealogy Market With Ground-Breaking Pay-As-You-Go Site CensusRecords.com

• First pay-as-you-go site offers greater choice and affordability
• Launching later this year, brightsolid’s flagship US site findmypast.com

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. brightsolid, a leading online provider of historical and genealogical content, today announces its entry into the US genealogy market with the launch of a ground-breaking, "pay-as-you-go" site: www.censusrecords.com.

Rare List of P.E.I. Acadians Discovered

Researching Acadian ancestors can be frustating at times. Now a new list of Acadians living in 1783 in Prince Edward Island has been discovered that may help solve many family mysteries. Acadian researchers at l'Université de Moncton have discovered a list of 289 names of Acadians who were living on Prince Edward Island in 1763.

The purpose of the list is unknown. It might be a list of Acadians held prisoner by the British at Fort Amherst, now a historic site on the shores of Charlottetown Harbour. Another possibility is that it is a list those who signed a petition to the French king. Whatever the purpose, the list is now valuable to many Acadian descendants.

On The Road Again, This Time to RootsTech

I travel often, as has been mentioned before in this newsletter. However, this week I am trying something new: I interrupted travel in order to travel someplace else.

For the past month, I have been living in a motor home. However, today I will park the motor home in a storage lot, drive to a local airport, and fly to Salt Lake City. I will spend the next few days at RootsTech 2012, the largest genealogy conference in North America. The event will be held Thursday through Saturday, February 2 through 4.

I have been told that the organizers already sold 3,000 tickets in advance of the conference and also expect to sell a few more tickets at the door.

Family Tree DNA Now Accepting 23andMe Raw Data Uploads

Writing in the Your Genetic Genealogist blog, CeCe Moore describes a new service from Family Tree DNA: the company is now accepting raw data uploads from 23andMe.

Details may be found at http://goo.gl/o3euc.

It is the First Day of the Month: Back Up Your Files!

It is the first day of the month. It's time to back up your genealogy files. Then test your backups!

Actually, you can make backups at any time. However, it is easier and safer if you have a specific schedule. The first day of the month is easy to remember, so I would suggest you back up your genealogy files at least on the first of every month, if not more often.

Of course, you might want to back up more than your genealogy files. Family photographs, your checkbook register, all sorts of word processing documents, email messages, and much more need to be backed up regularly. Why not do that on the first of each month?

Mocavo Unveils New Products and Genealogy Content at RootsTech

RootsTech hasn't even started yet but the announcements are being made. The following was written by the staff at Mocavo, the genealogy search engine:

Historical Record Storage and Sharing, iPhone and Android Apps, Discovery Stream

Boulder, Colo., February 1, 2012 – Mocavo, the world’s largest free genealogy search engine, today announced several new product capabilities and content additions that will be demonstrated at this week’s RootsTech Family History and Technology conference in Salt Lake City. New product capabilities include: free storage and sharing for historical records, iPhone and Android applications, and the new Discovery Stream.

"With these new features, Mocavo has evolved into a primary resource for genealogists and family historians to research and share their stories," said Cliff Shaw, CEO of Mocavo. "Our goal is to host all of the world's free genealogy content, to make new discoveries an everyday occurrence and to put more research tools into the hands of family historians."

Find a Grave via Text Messaging

Tel Aviv's historic Trumpeldor Cemetery invites you to find graves by text messaging. For only one shekel, you can text the the deceased's full name and name of the father, and you will quickly receive the plot number of the grave. Now THAT's a practical application of text messaging!

Fold3 Opens Nearly 3 Million African American Records For Free During Black History Month

The following announcement was written by Fold3, a subsidiary of Ancestry.com:

Fold3 is proud to announce Free access to our Black History Collection in honor of Black History Month. This collection includes many enlightening historical records documenting African American achievements since the earliest days of our nation, and will be available the entire month of February.

As soon as black soldiers were recruited to serve the Union in 1863, records were generated to document their service including Compiled Service Records for the U.S. Colored Troops and, ultimately, pension files. The pension file index cards, like this one for Joel Bedenbaugh, include a soldier's rank, company, and regiment within the U.S.C. Infantry, his pension numbers, and sometimes a death date, 24 August 1913, in this case. Private Bedenbaugh's 16-page service record also includes his enlistment record from when he joined up in Dayton, Ohio, in 1864.

RootsTech Conference Will Broadcast Select Sessions Free Online

For those who are unable to attend this week's RootsTech conference in Salt Lake City, here is the "next best thing." The following announcement was written by the RootsTech staff:

SALT LAKE CITY—RootsTech, a leading family history and technology conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 2-4, 2012, announced today that fourteen of its popular sessions will be broadcasted live and complimentary over the Internet. The live broadcasts will give those unable to attend worldwide a sample of this year’s conference content. Interested viewers can watch the live presentations at RootsTech.org. The second-year conference has attracted over 3,000 registered attendees.

Was Ancestry's New Interactive Census Viewer Quietly Released?

An unnamed newsletter reader reports that Ancestry's new Interactive Census Viewer apparently was quietly released to beta on the live site of the 1911 UK Census updates for Wales, Isle of Man, and Channel Islands that were pushed to the site last week on 23 January.

If you go to an individual record within one of these, you will see a new link "View Interactive Image" in the sidebar at http://goo.gl/Dh75X.

Ancestry.com, BehindTheName.com, and WeRelate.org Announce an Improved Approach For Finding Variant Names

This is a major announcement, in my opinion. The phrase "an Improved Approach For Finding Variant Names" is really the same thing as saying "a better way to find name variants than by using Soundex." Soundex has been used for decades although it has numerous shortcomings. If successful, this new method could revolutionize one of the standard tools used by genealogists for decades. The new software tool is being released as open-source software, meaning it can be used by any organization or individuals, free of charge.

The following announcement was written by Ancestry.com, BehindTheName.com, and WeRelate.org:

brightsolid Hires D. Joshua Taylor to Support Move into US Market

brightsolid made two announcements in one this morning. First, it has hired one of the better-known genealogists to play a key role in the company's expansion into the U.S. marketplace. The second announcement is a bit more subtle: the company is moving into the U.S. marketplace. British-owned brightsolid has long been a major player providing online genealogy information to U.K. genealogists and now is expanding into the U.S. The company appears to be well-funded and should be capable of becoming a major competitor to the U.S. providers of genealogy data.

The following announcement was written by brightsolid:

• He’s helped stars find their roots on TV’s “Who Do You Think You Are?” Now, he’s helping brightsolid’s US launch as business development manager and media spokesperson
• Taylor is one of several new appointments to the new US operation of UK’s major online genealogy business

January 30, 2012. SANTA MONICA, CA: brightsolid online publishing, a leading online provider of historical and genealogical content, today announces that top genealogist D. Joshua Taylor has joined its new US operation with immediate effect, as business development manager and media spokesperson.

Plus Edition Newsletter Has Been Sent

To all Plus Edition subscribers:

The weekly Plus Edition weekly update notification was sent to your e-mail address on Sunday evening. 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:

(+) How to Find Someone Who Has the Book You Seek

Update: EOGN Dinner at RootsTech in Salt Lake City

SSDI Call to Action for Genealogists

How to Build a Long-Range Wi-Fi System

Families - a Genealogy Application for Android Handheld Computers

File Naming Tutorial

New Fort Kent (Maine) Massive Genealogical Collection Unveiled

Ancestry.com Partners with Historical Society of Pennsylvania to Place Birth, Marriage and Death Records Online

brightsolid Sponsors RootsTech 2012, 2-4 February

FamilySearch Seeks Admins for Facebook Pages and Skype Group Chats

23andMe Announces New Ancestry Ambassadors Group

findmypast.co.uk to Publish Canterbury Cathedral Records on the Web

Mocavo Expands Leadership Team with Industry Veterans

Orphan Train Riders, Offspring Seek Answers About Heritage

U.S. Version of "Who Do You Think You Are?" Season Three Video Preview

JRR Tolkien's Middle-earth Gets a Complete Genealogy

Former President John Tyler’s (1790-1862) Grandchildren Still Alive

Kingsoft Office Suite 2012 - A Free Microsoft Office Alternative

Articles marked with a Plus Sign (+) are for the exclusive use of Plus Edition subscribers.

(+) How to Find Someone Who Has the Book You Seek

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

Perhaps the full title of this article should be How to Find Someone Who Has the Book You Seek and Also Let Everyone Else Know About the Books You Own and Also Catalog Your Own Personal Library with Minimal Effort.

You can find dozens of programs that will help you catalog your personal book collection. Some of these will create a list that you can print or store on your own computer or store on your smartphone or even upload to the World Wide Web. Some products also keep track of the books you want to read (sometimes called a wish list) and will also keep track of books you have loaned out to others, including the date loaned. Some cataloging products will also track other media, such as CD and DVD disks, video games, and more. However, one online service does all that and lots more. You can access your information from a web browser on a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or even from an iPhone. The last feature is very useful when you are at a bookstore or flea market or genealogy conference and are wondering, "Do I already have that book?" Best of all, you can share your catalog with others and also see what others have in their collections. The service is available either free of charge or for very low fees, depending upon the options you select.

Update: EOGN Dinner at RootsTech in Salt Lake City

If you would like to join more than 100 other genealogists for dinner after the close of RootsTech, you need to sign up NOW! Ticket sales end tomorrow (Monday, January 30) at 9 AM Eastern time. The end date of Monday is required as I have to notify the hotel of the headcount. In turn, the hotel needs to order enough food no later than Monday in order to be prepared for everyone on Saturday evening.

As of the time I am writing this article on Sunday morning, 106 genealogists have signed up to attend the dinner. We may get a few more last-minute additions.

SSDI Call to Action for Genealogists

Writing in the Legal Genealogist, Judy Russell has issued a call to action for all genealogists. Judy writes:

On Thursday of this coming week (February 2, 2012), the Subcommittee on Social Security of the House Ways & Means Committee in Washington, D.C., will hold hearings that have the capacity to drastically affect the access of genealogists to the Social Security Death Index (“SSDI”) and related underlying information.

New Fort Kent (Maine) Massive Genealogical Collection Unveiled

Go to the northern tip of Maine. That is also the northern end of U.S. Highway 1. There you will find Fort Kent. The town is on the border with New Brunswick and is only a few miles from Quebec province. Most of the town's residents have French-Canadian names. Now a huge collection of French-Canadian genealogy information has become available in Fort Kent.

U.S. Version of "Who Do You Think You Are?" Season Three Video Preview

Who Do You Think You Are? returns for its third season on Friday, February 3 at 8/7c on NBC, when 12 more celebrities will trace their ancestors and discover hidden stories from their past.

Martin Sheen, Marisa Tomei, Blair Underwood, Reba McEntire, Rob Lowe, Helen Hunt, Rita Wilson, Edie Falco, Rashida Jones, Jason Sudeikis, Jerome Bettis and Paula Deen will explore their roots in the NBC genealogy show.

You can watch a promo of the show at http://goo.gl/SMoqj.

JRR Tolkien's Middle-earth Gets a Complete Genealogy

This looks like fun. The fictional Middle-earth is now the subject of a minutely-detailed "family tree project."

Emil Johansson, a photographer and chemical engineering student from Sweden, who has read "every book there is to read about Middle-earth" has spent years compiling a family tree of every character in Tolkien's world. Supreme god Eru Ilúvatar sits at the top, but dig a little further and you'll find out how the Sackville-Bagginses are linked to the Bagginses, that Sam Gamgee and Rosie Cotton had 12 little hobbit children, and much more.

findmypast.co.uk to Publish Canterbury Cathedral Records on the Web

The following announcement was written by findmypast.co.uk:

• Project announced to increase access to over a million baptism, marriage and burial records dating back to 1538
• First time that images of the original parish records from East Kent churches will appear online

Today leading UK family history website findmypast.co.uk has announced that it has been awarded a contract by Canterbury Cathedral Archives to publish online for the very first time historic records from the archive. The first phase of the Canterbury Collection project will see a browsable version of the parish registers of the historic Archdeaconry of Canterbury go online in the coming weeks at findmypast.co.uk.

Ancestry.com Partners with Historical Society of Pennsylvania to Place Birth, Marriage and Death Records Online

The following announcement was written by Ancestry.com:

Family History Leader Adds Millions of State Birth, Marriage and Death Records to its Pennsylvania Vital Record Collection

PROVO, UTAH – (January 26, 2012) – Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, announced today that it has added over seven million records detailing more than 300 years of Pennsylvanians’ life history spanning from 1593-1908 to its already expansive collection of Pennsylvania state records. Presented in partnership with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, these latest additions cover pivotal years, when the Keystone State was not only growing itself, but contributing to the overall development of the country. This comprehensive collection includes details about the lives of everyday Pennsylvanians as well as those who helped forge the state’s rich historical past, with records for the Hershey family, Benjamin Franklin, John Coltrane and many others.

Families - a Genealogy Application for Android Handheld Computers

In August, 2011, I wrote about Families at http://goo.gl/EyiMj. Families is an application produced by TelGen Limited in England that worked at that time on Apple's iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad systems. The company has since expanded their offerings and now has released a version of Families for Android systems.

The Families app works in conjunction with Legacy Family Tree, a popular Windows-based genealogy software from Millennia Corporation. Legacy family files can be easily transferred from a PC to your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad or Android device, enabling them to be viewed and edited wherever you are.

Former President John Tyler’s (1790-1862) Grandchildren Still Alive

How many people born in 1790 have living grandchildren today? Not great-grandchildren, but second generation descendants?

John Tyler was born in 1790. He became the 10th president of the United States in 1841 after William Henry Harrison died in office. Tyler fathered Lyon Gardiner Tyler in 1853, at age 63.  Then, at the age of 71, Lyon Gardiner Tyler fathered Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr. in 1924 and four years later at age 75, Harrison Ruffin Tyler. Both men are still alive today.

Kingsoft Office Suite 2012 - A Free Microsoft Office Alternative

Do you need a good word processor? How about a spreadsheet program? Would you like to have a high-quality office suite of programs without paying the ridiculous prices for Microsoft Office? If you use Windows, you might want to check out Kingsoft Office Suite Professional 2012.

Writing for C|Net, Rick Broida writes, "the fact is that I like the look of Kingsoft Office Suite 2012, and I like the price even more. The free version is extremely capable, offering robust counterparts to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint--and file compatibility with all three. It doesn't support Visual Basic or macros, however, so if you're a power user, you might want to consider the $69.95 Pro version, which adds those features (among others)."

Orphan Train Riders, Offspring Seek Answers About Heritage

USA Today has an interesting article about the orphan trains of the early twentieth century and the long-lasting effects on the children on those trains. The Children's Aid Society and New York Foundling Hospital put orphaned or abandoned children on trains headed west. The children were adopted into families at various whistle stops along the way.

Lukas Weinstein, archive coordinator for the Children's Aid Society, says that about 200,000 children rode the trains. Some were adopted by loving families; others were treated as servants when there were no child labor laws. Many ended up in the Midwest. A growing number of their offspring want to know more about the orphan train riders.

Mocavo Expands Leadership Team with Industry Veterans

On January 16, I published an announcement about professional genealogist Michael Leclerc joining the team at genealogy search engine Mocavo. That article is still available at http://goo.gl/ydSqv. The company obviously is expanding still further.

The following announcement was written by Mocavo:

Ryan Hunter Appointed Chief Operating Officer, Michael Leclerc Appointed Chief Genealogist

BOULDER, Colo., Jan 25, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Mocavo, the world's largest free genealogy search engine, today announced the appointment of Ryan Hunter as COO and Michael Leclerc as Chief Genealogist. Hunter joins Mocavo after four years as a Wall Street Analyst preceded by thirteen years of operational experience in the Technology Industry. Leclerc joins Mocavo after fifteen years with the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

File Naming Tutorial

The State Library of North Carolina has created a four-part video tutorial that describes why file naming is important, how to change a file name, what not to do when changing a file name, and best practices for file naming. These brief videos simply and clearly describe how deliberate file naming, a common everyday practice, can lead to responsible file management and ongoing digital preservation.

brightsolid Sponsors RootsTech 2012, 2-4 February

The following announcement was written by brightsolid (and, yes, "brightsolid" is always written with all lower-case letters):

• It will be a main partner with a large presence at major family history and technology conference in Salt Lake City
• CEO Chris van der Kuyl will be announcing the launch of a new product into the US market

brightsolid, a leading online provider of historical and genealogical content, today announces that it will be sponsoring RootsTech, the major family history and technology conference, taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah from 2-4 February 2012.

How to Build a Long-Range Wi-Fi System - Part #1

I wrote an article that describes the lessons I learned when building a long-range wi-fi system to use in my motor home. However, it isn't a genealogy-related article, so I published it on my RV blog. I suspect the information will be of interest to RV (recreational vehicle) owners and to many non-RV owners alike.

If you have an interest in long-range wi-fi connections, you might want to read How to Build a Long-Range Wi-Fi System - Part #1 at http://rv.dickeastman.com/2012/01/how-to-build-a-long-range-wi-fi-system-part-1.html

FamilySearch Seeks Admins for Facebook Pages and Skype Group Chats

The following announcement was written by FamilySearch:

FamilySearch Genealogy Research Communities first appeared as Facebook pages and Skype group chats in May 2011. Each Facebook page or Skype group is dedicated to a state in the US or an entire country. These pages and groups are run by experienced genealogy volunteers for those areas. These virtual communities are the online equivalent of asking for help at your local Family History Center. We grew from 4 communities to 59 over the past several months. With a minimum need of 2-3 admins per community--and a greater need for larger communities--we are at less than 50 percent "staffed." Advisers are looking to recruit more volunteers.

Join our team of admins who lead research communities on Facebook and Skype:

23andMe Announces New Ancestry Ambassadors Group

If you have been following recent events concerning DNA firm 23andMe, you know the company recently received a "black eye" in the genealogy community. The company apparently has listened and has now formed a new genealogy advisory committee of well-known and respected DNA genealogists to help guide the company's policies.

The following announcement was written by 23andMe:

Today we’re announcing the creation of the 23andMe Ancestry Ambassadors group, composed of ancestry enthusiasts in the 23andMe Community. 23andMe customer CeCe Moore and Product Manager Mike Macpherson, PhD will lead the new group.

Building the best possible personal genetics service has always been 23andMe’s goal, and this group will help to ensure that we take full advantage of our Community’s knowledge and experience to achieve that goal.

The inaugural members of the new group are:

(+) Why You Want to Use a VPN

I am a fan of virtual private networks, or VPNs. By definition, according to Dictionary.com, a VPN is "a network that uses the internet to transfer information using secure methods." A longer and more detailed explanation can be found on Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vpn.

Why should you or I want to use a VPN? There are several reasons.

The Cost Justification for eBooks

A local news story interested me and applies directly to past articles and comments in this newsletter. A private school in Florida is switching from printed books to eBooks on iPads for several reasons. One major reason is to save money. At the beginning of the next school year, each student will be given an Apple iPad. Most all textbooks needed by the student will be downloaded and stored on the iPad.

When I have written about the use of eBooks in the past, a number of newsletter readers have questioned the economics. Comments have been posted that questioned the ability of poorer families to afford the expense. The recent news story seems to answer those questions.

Update: EOGN Dinner Following RootsTech2012 in Salt Lake City

Will you attend RootsTech 2012 in Salt Lake City on February 2 through 4? If so, would you like to attend dinner with a bunch of genealogists on Saturday evening, shortly after the close of RootsTech? Indeed, you can join at least 91 other genealogists for dinner!

I often sponsor "pick up" dinners with no set agenda after the close of major genealogy conferences. These typically have no presentations, no speeches, no commercials, and little other organization. Most of the time, it is a bunch of people with similar interests going out to dinner together. The highlight of the evening is the conversations to be held over the dinner table. However, a rumor from a good source states that door prizes also will be awarded at this dinner. These will include at least one valuable door prize.

(+) What Happens To Your Files When a Cloud Service Shuts Down?

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

I love cloud computing and use it several times daily. I use a cloud-based email service. I make backups of all my files to a cloud-based service, and I’m even writing this article with a cloud-based word processor. I have written a number of times about cloud-based services, and you can read my past articles if you start at http://goo.gl/lCJ8Q.

There is one big question, however: what happens to your files when a cloud computing service disappears abruptly?

Apple's iBooks Author Disappoints Many

On January 17 I wrote "Apple to Announce Tools, Platform to 'Digitally Destroy' Textbook Publishing" at http://goo.gl/AezoI. The announcement is now official. Many people have looked at the announcement, and feedback has been lukewarm, at best.

CAFG Announces 1st Forensic Genealogy Institute October 25-27, 2012

The following announcement was written by the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy:

The Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy (CAFG) announces the first Forensic Genealogy Institute. It will be held October 25 through October 27, 2012, in Dallas, Texas, at the Wyndham Dallas Love Field hotel.

This is an advanced course for professional genealogists, designed by working forensic genealogists. The intensive twenty-hour course is scheduled from 9:00 am on Thursday through 1:00 pm on Saturday. This schedule accommodates late arrival Wednesday. Departure can be scheduled early enough Saturday to be home with family Sunday and back to business on Monday. The class size will be limited to 25 enrollees to enhance the learning opportunity.

Steve Siegel, RIP

One of the genealogical greats, Steve Siegel, past president and founding member of the Jewish Genealogical Society, lost his valiant battle with cancer early this morning.
 
 Siegel was library director and archivist at the 92nd Street YM-YWHA in Manhattan for 31 years until his retirement last year. He initiated and organized the annual Family History Fair (1990-2005) during New York Archives Week. He is a past president of the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York and served as president of the Jewish Historical Society of New York. He was a genealogist for more than 40 years, with a focus on Jewish genealogy, Jewish archival sources, and New York City local history. Steve was co-founder and co-editor of Toledot: The Journal of Jewish Genealogy (1977-1982) and compiled the Archival Resources volume of Jewish Immigrants of the Nazi Period in the USA (1978).

Genealogical Publishing Company Catalog Online

In my drive to get paper out of my life, I noticed that one of my favorite vendors makes their catalog available online. Genealogical Publishing Company, affectionately known as "GPC," offers the company's latest catalog at:

http://www.genealogical.com/upload_images/GPCCatalog.pdf
 
http://www.genealogical.com/content/products_catalog.html

Jamboree Registration Now Open

The following announcement was written by the Southern California Genealogical Society:

We are very pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2012 Southern California Genealogy Jamboree, which will be held Thursday through Sunday, June 8 to 10, 2011, at the LA Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel in Burbank, California. The theme for the 2012 Jamboree is “Lights, Camera, ANCESTORS – Spotlight on Family History.”

“Our attendees can expect an outstanding experience in 2012, maybe even better than in the past,” promised Jamboree chair Leo Myers. “In addition to our usual sessions on methodology, records and repositories, online databases and software, we have scheduled several sessions that will help you share your family stories. Count on Jamboree to serve up a weekend of classic genealogical methods, search strategies and technology while tossing in the excitement of Hollywood.”

iConvert Scanner for the iPad

I haven't had a chance to use one of these yet, but the ad looks great. In fact, it looks like a useful tool for genealogists for some applications, but not for everything. The iConvert Scanner for iPad saves digital copies of scanned documents to an iPad's photo library. Being portable, it is useful for use in libraries, archives, or when visiting a cousin who has family documents in his or her possession.

Click on the image to the right to see a larger picture.

2013 FGS National Conference Request for Lecture Proposals

The following announcement was written by the Federation of Genealogical Societies:

January 19, 2012 – Austin, TX. The Federation of Genea-logical Societies (FGS) announces a Request for Lecture Proposals for the FGS 2013 Conference, Journey Through Generations, to be held August 21 – 24, 2013, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The conference will be held in conjunction with the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana and the Allen County Public Library as local hosts. Outstanding nearby research facilities and attractions will enhance the conference experience. The deadline for submission of lecture proposals is Tuesday, May 15, 2012.

Numbered Record Books Now Available on Fold3

Fold3, a subsidiary of Ancestry.com, has issued the following announcement:

The title, "Numbered Record Books," doesn't reveal much about this significant new collection of Revolutionary War documents on Fold3. Yet, anyone familiar with these military records—oaths of allegiance, supply records, orderly books, letters, account ledgers—knows they contain revealing and rather extraordinary documents from the early days of our nation's military history.

Whether you have Revolutionary War ancestors, or simply an interest in military activities and history of this time period, you will be well rewarded when searching or browsing the Numbered Record Books.

Indiana Lawmakers Consider Fines for Public Access Violators

Genealogists and a few bureaucrats sometimes dispute what records should be available to descendants and to the public. As state representative Kevin Mahan said about bureaucrats who will not release records, “The people we're truly getting at here are just the bad apples. The people where the public access counselor has said this is public information and should be released, and then they basically cross their arms and say 'I don't care, I'm not giving it to them.'”

Mahan has sponsored a bill that would fine bureaucrats who deny access to public records as much as $500 for blatantly violating Indiana's public access laws.

Ancestry.co.uk and the National Army Museum Announce "Horse Tales"

The following announcement was written by Ancestry.co.uk and the National Army Museum:

Do you have a heroic horsey tale to tell? If so, now is your chance to take part in a new competition which could see your family story become part of a national exhibition!

Ancestry.co.uk and the National Army Museum have teamed up to offer an exclusive opportunity for you to share your family history and for one lucky winner to see theirs displayed in the Museum’s biggest exhibition, War Horse: Fact & Fiction.

Inspired by the remarkable tales of our visitors, we’re calling for extraordinary stories revealing your family’s own wartime experiences of working with horses and mules on farms or the front-line.

WikiTree Becomes Invitation-Only

I have written several times about WikiTree, the online genealogy wiki. You can see the past articles that explain the service if you start at http://goo.gl/OvRYq. Now owner Chris Whitten has announced a major change to the site:

WikiTree.com has closed new user registration. New members must now be invited by current WikiTree members.

WikiTree is committed to being 100% free. Rather than limiting what members can do or charging them for access, we’ve decided to slow down the addition of new members.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. Seeks Assistance to Identify His Great-Great-Grandfather

Henry Louis Gates Jr. is a history professor, a DNA expert, and a genealogist. Now he is asking for assistance to identify his great-great-grandfather.

Through genealogical records, the Gates family history can be traced back to Jane Gates, a slave who lived on Greene Street. Jane, who was born in 1819, had five children and took the name and identity of their father with her to the grave, according to Gates.

National Park Service Seeks Descendants of Homesteaders

The National Park Service's Homestead National Monument is seeking people who participated in the Homestead Act of 1862 or are descendents of people who received land through the Homestead Law that have a strong connection to one of the 30 Homestead States.

A May 20 national commemoration event and a Homestead Day parade on June 16 are planned at the southeast Nebraska monument. The volunteer must carry the flag for a mile and a half. A different volunteer may be chosen for each event.