Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

George G. Morgan's Weekly Column Returns and is on EOGN!

Every once in a while I have the great delight of announcing something that is special to me. Today is one of those days. George G. Morgan is a talented genealogy columnist who has published “Along Those Lines” almost every week for years. Almost two months ago, George wrote, “It is with very heartfelt regrets that I have to announce that the 'Along Those Lines ...' column will end with this installment.” You can read his full announcement at http://ahaseminars.livejournal.com/21155.html. George and I have had a few conversations since he wrote those words, and I am delighted to announce that his column is now returning to the online world. Even better, from my point of view, is that his column will now be published as part of Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter – Plus Edition!

Are You Going to the Family History Expo 2008 in St. George? Bring Your Laptop!

If you are planning to attend the Family History Expo 2008 in St. George, Utah, this Friday and Saturday, I'd suggest that you bring along your laptop or Wi-Fi-enabled handheld computer. If all goes according to plan, you should be able to check your e-mail while you are at the conference.

The conference is being held at the The Dixie Center at 1835 Convention Center Drive in St. George. I have been at the last two annual conferences there and have enjoyed them. These conferences typically attract 1,000 or more attendees. I suspect this year's event will do the same. For more information about the Family History Expo 2008 in St. George, look at http://www.myancestorsfound.com/events/upcoming.php?event_id=1.

I should be at this year's event and will spend much of my time in the Exhibit Hall in Booths 119 and 120. You will find these booths with no trouble; they have the easy chairs. Please stop by and say "Hello" if you have a chance.

WorldVitalRecords.com Launches World Genealogy Collection

The following announcement was written by FamilyLink.com, Inc.:

PROVO, UT, February 4, 2008 -- WorldVitalRecords.com (a service of FamilyLink.com, Inc.) released today its flagship product, the World Collection, an online genealogy database containing more than 1.5 billion names from 35 countries.

WorldVitalRecords.com’s World Collection launch includes significant collections from countries such as: England, Canada, Australia, France, Ireland, Scotland, Hungary, and Portugal.

(+) An Eye on the Prize by George G. Morgan

Note: The following article was written by George G. Morgan and is copyright 2008 by the author.

Mel Fisher was, without doubt, the most successful treasure hunter in history. He dreamed of discovering the wrecks of the two Spanish galleons, Nuestra Señora de Atocha and Santa Margarita, and the treasures they had carried. The ships were lost during a hurricane on 6 September 1622 off the coast of Key West, Florida. Fisher insisted each day that, “Today’s the day!” On 20 July 1985, he and his crew discovered the treasure, a staggering $450 million, after a 14-year search.

Genealogists are much like Mel Fisher and his crew, searching for the treasure lost and forgotten by time. And while the treasure we seek isn’t necessarily monetary in nature, our approach must be similar in nature.

Companions of Champlain: Founding Families of Quebec, 1608-1635

The following announcement was written by Clearfield Company:

Clearfield Company, an affiliate of Genealogical Publishing Company (www.genealogical.com), has just released Companions of Champlain: Founding Families of Quebec, 1608-1635.

(+) Access Your Home Computer Remotely

I am writing these words on a Macintosh laptop while seated in a hotel room in San Luis Obispo, California. Earlier today, I needed to access a word processing document that was stored on my older Windows XP desktop computer back home, nearly 3,000 miles away. Luckily, that was easy to do.

While using the Mac, I opened a web browser, went to a specific address, typed in a few commands, and then was connected to my in-home Windows computer. In fact, everything that is displayed on the Windows XP system's monitor was also displayed on my Mac's screen 3,000 miles away. Everything I typed on the Mac's keyboard was entered into the XP's system, and every movement of the Mac's mouse was also sent to the XP system. It was as if I was seated in front of the distant Windows XP system and using it as normal, even though I was many miles away. The cost to do so was my favorite price: zero.

Internet Connections of the Future

You remember when your neighbor was the first person in town to get cable TV? To be sure, the neighbor received clear pictures and received five more channels than you did! Who would be dumb enough to PAY for the privilege of watching a television channel when the other channels are all free? All you need is rabbit ears. The neighbor pays HOW MUCH for those extra channels? I'll never do that!

Everyone knows that television will always be broadcast on the airwaves while telephones will always connect via wires.

On the Road Again

If you read this newsletter regularly, you already know that I travel a lot. Indeed, this message is being written in a hotel room in Las Vegas. I am checking out this morning. In the next ten days, I will travel through three states and attend two different genealogy conferences.

As is normal with each trip I take, I would like to warn you to not be surprised if some of the daily editions of this newsletter and even the weekly Plus Edition get delayed a bit. I am traveling with both a Mac laptop and a Linux laptop and a variety of wireless networking equipment. However, good ol' Murphy of "Murphy's Law" fame is never far away.

I should be home in a week and a half.

Footnote.com Adds Many More Free Titles

Footnote.com has added many more images. Some of the new additions have been placed in the free section of the site.

The total number of free images on the site is now just over one million. Here is a list of ALL the free titles, including items that have been available for a while. The number after each title shows how many free images are available for that title:

NARA Requests Comments About Restoring Research Room Hours

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

For public comment - NARA rule restoring DC area archival research room hours    

The National Archives and Records Administration published an interim final rule in the Federal Register on February 1, 2008, to restore the weekly evening and Saturday hours that the archival research rooms at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, and the National
Archives at College Park, MD are open. 

Comments on this rule will be accepted through March 17.

FindMyPast.Com Adds Ten New Counties to the 1871 Census

The following announcement was written by FindMyPast.com:

Ten more counties have now been added to the 1871 census of England and Wales on findmypast.com - these are Cambridgeshire,Cheshire, Derbyshire, Durham, Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Oxfordshire. There are now 34 complete counties online at findmypast.com, equating to 90% of the population surveyed in this census. It is expected that the remaining 25 counties will be added later this month as part of findmypast.com's mission to offer a full set of England and Wales censuses online by the end of 2008.