Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

A Free Anti-Virus Program

I have no idea why this information isn't better known. This is one of the best bargains I know of for Windows users, and yet most people have never heard of it.

First of all, every Windows computer needs an anti-virus program running at all times. If you are running a Windows computer right now without up-to-date anti-virus software, your system will become infected with a virus sooner or later. In fact, your PC may be infected right now without your knowledge. Yet there is a free and easy method of avoiding viruses.

If you already have an anti-virus program installed, there are several things you should know:

Footnote.com Members Meeting at the 2007 Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree

Two weeks ago I had a chance to attend a Footnote.com users' group meeting at the National Genealogical Society's annual conference in Richmond. A number of Footnote users attended, listened to presentations, and engaged in discussions with the Footnote.com executives in attendance. I enjoyed the experience, and I think the Footnote.com users did as well. The executives in attendance later told me that it was a valuable session for them, too.

Now the folks at Footnote.com would like to repeat the experience at the 2007 Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree in Burbank, California, on Saturday, June 9, 2007. The users' group meeting will be held at 6:00 PM.

GenSmarts Version 2 Released

The following announcement was written by Underwood Innovations, LLC:

Long Grove, IL - May 30, 2007 - Four years ago, a new type of genealogy software debuted - one which uses artificial intelligence to make research suggestions. GenSmarts works alongside existing genealogy software to explain records that should be researched and why. Today's GenSmarts Version 2 release represents a new level of usability and power for genealogy hobbyists seeking research assistance.

(+) Why Are the Mormons Interested in Genealogy?

I received an e-mail message from a newsletter subscriber that asked a common question:

I just read your article about the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. I am interested to know why the Mormons have such an interest in everyone's genealogy.

In fact, I asked the same question when I first started researching my own family tree. I suspect that most non-Mormons did the same. I thought I would post my answer here in case others have the same question.

An Interview with Josh Hanna

The folks at RootsTelevision have been busy. They have now released another interview recorded at the recent National History Show in London. In this video, I had a chance to talk with Josh Hanna, Managing Director for European Operations for Ancestry.com, Ancestry.co.uk, and the other genealogy sites owned by The Generations Network.

Ancestry.co.uk was a major sponsor of the show and and had a very large presence there. You can see part of the Ancestry booth in the background behind us. In addition, the company had a separate stage and produced shows and talks almost continuously for three days.

In this interview, Josh talks about Ancestry's presence at the show and about the U.K. records available online at www.ancestry.co.uk.

DNA Accepted as Mayflower Descent Proof

This could be a landmark decision for lineage societies. The Mayflower Society has now accepted DNA evidence as proof of a descent from one of the passengers on that little ship.

John Hawes married a granddaughter of Mayflower passenger John Howland, Desire Gorham. Therefore, John and Desire Hawes’ children were descendants of a Mayflower passenger. They had a son John Hawes, who left New England and popped up in North Carolina. Same person? If so, his issue could join the General Society of Mayflower Descendants.

Historian General Ann S. Lainhart and Assistant Historian General Alicia Williams recently accepted this line — on the basis of a Hawes DNA study of the Hawes Y chromosome.

Update: Own a Piece of the Scottish Highlands?

This article is an update of one that first appeared in the November 18, 2002 issue of this newsletter. It seems that little has changed in past four and a half years.

Clett Island is situated on Loch Dunvegan in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. The island has a long history, witnessing several of Scotland's historic events. Previous owners of the island include Olave the Black (a Norwegian warlord) in 1200 A.D., the MacDonald clan, their rivals the MacLeods, as well as popular 1960s folk singer Donovan. There is no source of fresh water on the island. There is no regularly-scheduled boat service, and there is no place to land an airplane, other than perhaps a helicopter. The island remains deserted today.

Richard Haigh, the present owner of the island, decided to sell the uninhabited island. Claiming that he wishes to preserve the past, Haigh is selling small plots on Clett Island as "Heritage Land Plots." His advertising is mostly aimed at Americans and Canadians, apparently appealing to those of Scottish descent. However, the Scottish National Parliament (SNP) claims that the deeds issued are not worth the paper they are written on.

(+) Fighting Information Overload on the Web

The web is making all of the world's information accessible. Isn't that great?

It really is great, but the world is a very big place and contemplating all of its information makes my brain hurt.

There is more information available on the web than any other single place in the world. Best of all, much of this information is updated daily, some of it hourly. Whatever information you or I seek, there is an excellent chance that we can find it on the web.

All is not perfect, however. In fact, the web's greatest strength is also its curse. There is so much information available and that information is updated so often that it is impossible to keep up-to-date with multiple interests. Even keeping abreast of developments in genealogy could require several hours every day for you to visit all the web sites that possibly may have new information. If you have other interests, the problem is magnified.

Update: Encyclopedia of Genealogy

This newsletter sponsors the Encyclopedia of Genealogy, a free online service. While I'm the person who created the "shell" of this new service, much of the information within it is written by newsletter readers like you.

I must admit that I am quite pleased with the Encyclopedia of Genealogy. Many newsletter readers have offered new content or have corrected existing information within the Encyclopedia of Genealogy. Here is a partial list of some of the articles added or updated by newsletter readers and myself in the past few weeks:

Make Your Own Church Sign

Perhaps you've seen them while driving down the road - those backlit, block-letter signs in front of a church announcing the upcoming sermon or maybe just providing a thought for the day.

But why should religion get all the roadside fun? Now you can, too, with the online Church Sign Generator. Choose from five different designs, enter your text, and presto! A photo of your custom sign appears. You can save the photo to your computer at no charge, or, for a few dollars, order magnets, stickers, and coffee mugs printed with your message.