Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Chat Room Improvements on eogn.com

Many of my Standard and Plus Edition subscribers are taking advantage of the resources on this newsletter's Web site, which I trust enriches their knowledge of the topics presented both here and at other locations for which I have provided links. However, the chat room has been underutilized. This week I installed new chat room software that contains new features that offer you more ways to take advantage of this free resource.

National Archives Announces Opening of 'Public Vaults'

The following is an announcement from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 -- In a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, November 12, 2004, Archivist of the United States John W. Carlin will open the new National Archives permanent exhibition, entitled the "Public Vaults." This exhibition, which is a public-private partnership between the National Archives and the Foundation for the National Archives, is free and open to the public. The National Archives Building is located on Constitution Avenue at 7th Street, NW, facing the National Mall.

New Zealand Cemeteries Database Launched

The following is a press release from the Christchurch City Council:

Genealogists received an early present for the Carter Group Heritage Week with the recent launch of the Christchurch City Council cemeteries database at Christchurch City Libraries.

Google Announces New Book Text Search

Google is going to make it easy for book lovers to search though pages of books online and read a few pages too.

Chicago Genealogy Open House on October 23

The following is an announcement from the Newberry Library:

Newberry Library Family History Open House

Saturday, October 23, 2004
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Admission is free

NGS Welcomes New Board of Directors

The following is an announcement from the U.S. National Genealogical Society:

The results of the 2004 election are tallied. The National Genealogical Society is pleased to announce the names of the new Board of Directors effective 1 October 2004.

Free Content For Your Genealogy Newsletter

Do you write a newsletter for your local genealogy society, historical society, or some other organization? Perhaps you maintain a Web site for the organization? If so, you already know how difficult it is to obtain appropriate articles for your publication.

I thought I would remind you that you may place information from my newsletter into your non-profit genealogy newsletter or Web site.

Liz Kerstens Appointed New Editor of NGS NewsMagazine

The following is an announcement from the U.S. National Genealogical Society:

NGS is pleased to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Kelley Kerstens, CGRS, CGL, as the new editor of the "NGS NewsMagazine," beginning with the January/February/March 2005 issue.

Washington State Launches Digital Archives System

On Monday, October 4, Sam Reed, Secretary of State for Washington State, officially launched the new Archives Management Center in Cheney, Washington, and also unveiled the beta test of its new Digital Archives Archival Management System.

Hispanic Heritage Month

People with Hispanic roots are celebrating the weeks between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 10 million people can trace their ancestry to Spanish-speaking countries, and this does not include the 3.9 million residents of Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory.

Family Tree Legends version 4.0

A new version of Family Tree Legends was recently released. This week I had a chance to use the new version for a while and must say that I am impressed with this Windows program.

On the Road Again

The past two and a half weeks have been fascinating for me. I helped staff a genealogy booth at the Eastern States Exposition, often called "The Big E." This 17-day fair is, in effect, a state fair for all six New England states.

Follow-up: Everton Publishing has New Owners

On September 29, I published an article about Everton Publishing's new owners. You can read that article at http://eogn.typepad.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2004/09/everton_publish.html. An interesting article with added details has now appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper.

Nashua, New Hampshire Presentation: Major Genealogical Web Sites

Here is an announcement from the Nashua Public Library:

The Internet is a powerful tool for tracing one’s roots and for finding information about one’s ancestors. On Thursday, Oct. 14, Laura G. Prescott will present a lecture [at the Nashua Public Library] that reviews the major genealogical Web sites, as well as some lesser-known sites, and then discusses the advantages and pitfalls of gathering genealogical data on the Internet.

New Database Lists Civil War Soldiers all in One Place

Completion of a database called the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System was announced last week at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., by the National Park Service. Genealogists, historians, and Civil War buffs can now go to a single source to find 6.3 million service records of Union and Confederate soldiers.

October is Family History Month

Thanks to the efforts of Senator Orrin G. Hatch, each October is Family History Month in the United States. Here is the text of the bill passed last year:

Couple Purchases Abandoned School on eBay to Create Genealogy Center

Adrian Brisee and his wife read a listing for an abandoned school building in Irwin, Iowa, on the popular auction Web site, eBay. It sounded like what they were looking for; so, the couple drove from their home in Coeymans, New York, to the Iowa location to inspect the building. They made an offer, and it was accepted soon after.

RIP-OFF: Independent Committee of Eminent Persons (ICEP)

Have you heard the phrase "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”? There is a scam floating around on the Internet that certainly qualifies. It claims that the strangely titled (and fictitious) "Independent Committee of Eminent Persons" has found millions of dollars that you can claim.

The scam e-mail is humorous. Here are some of the claims:

2005 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy

The following is an announcement from the Utah Genealogical Association:

One of the most popular educational forums in the country, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, is set for 10-14 January, 2005 in Salt Lake City. This seminar offers nine courses, each tailored to a specific research topic that provides 20 hours of classroom instruction, taught by nationally known, experienced researchers.

Missouri Birth and Death Records Online Database

The Missouri Birth and Death Records Database is an online abstract of the birth, stillbirth, and death records recorded in the state before 1909 and that are available on microfilm at the Missouri State Archives.