Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

American School of Genealogy, Heraldry and Documentary Sciences Adds Dr. Bruce Durie to Faculty

Dr. Bruce Durie has been mentioned several times recently in this newsletter, with the most recent article available at http://goo.gl/ywBFs. He has now added even more credentials.

The following announcement was written by the American School of Genealogy, Heraldry and Documentary Sciences:

We, of The American School of Genealogy, Heraldry and Documentary Sciences are honored to have appointed to our faculty team, the famed Dr. Bruce Durie, the founder and director of the University of Strathclyde’s  (Glasgow, Scotland), Genealogical and Paleographic Studies Programs, of the Post Graduate Certificate, the Post Graduate Diploma and the Master of Science programs. He also teaches at the prestigious University of Edinburgh. The Author of over 25 books his varied background in medicine, teaching and researching in neuropharmacology for over 20 years gave him a start in becoming a full-time genealogist.  In addition, he is a broadcaster and lecturer.  Acclaimed for his BBC Radio series of “Digging up Your Roots” and a House With a Past” He is also the author of over 25 well known and highly regarded books on family and local history which include “Scottish Genealogy” (History Press, 3rd ed., 2011) He is now preparing three other books to be published in 2012, which include “It is Written.” Documents for Genealogy and Local History. Paleography, Law and Language” (The HistoryPress),  “Welsh Genealogy” (The History Press).

(+) Update: A Hands-on Report of the New Sprint 3G/4G Wireless Modem

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

On April 22nd, 2011, I published an article about the new Sprint 3G/4G Wireless "hotspot." This device allows high-speed Internet connections anyplace where Sprint Cellular provides data connections. It works with laptop computers, tablets, and most cell "smartphones" alike. The article is still available to Plus Edition subscribers at http://eogn.com/wp/?p=15372. A few days ago, I wrote another Plus Edition article about mobile "hotspots" in general, describing the same device as well as several others. The second article is available at http://eogn.com/wp/?p=17991

Since April, I have traveled more than 35,000 miles and have used this mobile Internet device in major urban areas (including Times Square in Manhattan) and small cities (including Cheyenne, Wyoming) with great success. I have enjoyed high speed Internet connections almost everywhere I have tried, including from hotel rooms, from the automobile, and from my Winnebago motor home. Connection speeds vary, but often are about the same as a DSL broadband connection installed at home. However, Sprint has now announced a major change that may affect anyone thinking of purchasing one of these devices.

In April, I wrote:

Familyrelatives.com Adds Scottish Trade Directories Dating Back 185 Years

Having earlier released over 40 volumes of Scottish Trade Directories in 2009, Familyrelatives.com has now released an additional 60 volumes of Directories dating back from 1825 to the early part of the 19th Century during the growing influence of the Industrial Revolution and the British Empire.

One of the directories available is Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and the hub of Scottish Enlightenment in the 18th century. Key figures in the Scottish Enlightenment included Sir Walter Scott, Sir James Hall and other notables such as Robert Stevenson (1772-1850) a Scottish civil engineer and famed designer and builder of lighthouses.

Announcing the Irish DNA Atlas Project

The following announcement was written by the Genealogical Society of Ireland and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland:

This afternoon at the ‘Back To Our Past’ show at the RDS, the Genealogical Society of Ireland and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland launched an important All-Ireland project to create a collection of DNA samples from individuals of Irish origin, which will be used to explore human genetic variation in the Irish population.

Jersey City Library Returns Virginia Records Book taken during Civil War

This seems appropriate. Tonight I am in a hotel room in New Jersey and the first email message I received is one telling about the return of records by the Jersey City Free Public Library.

150 years ago, a Union Army captain removed a book of court records from a county courthouse in Virginia during the Civil War. The book eventually ended up in the Jersey City Free Public Library. Now that library has returned the 220-year-old spoil of war to its rightful home.

Why Are You Missing Plus Edition Newsletters?

This is for everyone who subscribes to the Plus Edition of this newsletter:

I received an email today from a lady who was distressed that she is not receiving the Plus Edition newsletters she has paid for. It seems her email provider introduced a new spam filter system three weeks ago and she hasn't received a newsletter since then. What she had apparently forgotten is that she (and all other Plus Edition subscribers) can also read the Plus Edition newsletters online at any time, regardless of email problems.

If your email provider is blocking the newsletters or if your inbox is full or if there are other email problems, you can ALWAYS read the current and two previous editions online.

Find My Past Video Trailer Available

In the October 13, 2011 newsletter, I published an article about the new Find My Past TV show in the U.K. Each week, the show will show three members of the public on a journey to discover how they are related to someone from a significant historical event, by searching the records on findmypast.co.uk.

DeKalb County, Illinois, to Offer Online Searches of Vital Records

DeKalb County is set to launch a genealogy website by early to mid-November that will allow anyone to search and download birth, marriage and death records that date back to the county’s inception in 1837. The search is free, but a $10 fee – the same price it costs to pick up documents at the clerk’s office – will be charged to print or save a copy of an original document.

findmypast.ie Launches Online Irish Prison Registers 1790-1920

The following announcement was written by findmypast.ie:

FIND THE JAILBIRDS NESTING IN YOUR FAMILY TREE ON FINDMYPAST.IE

• Launch of exclusive access to the Irish Prison Registers 1790-1920
• Over 3.5 million entries across 130,000 pages
• Drunkenness the most common offence – accounting for 25% of cases

Today, findmypast.ie launched online for the first time the Irish Prison Registers 1790-1920, one of the greatest untapped resources for those tracing their Irish roots.

Ancestry.com is now Available at Three Quarters of Maine Public Libraries

According to a statement released by the Maine State Library:

The Maine State Library is pleased to announce that Ancestry.com is now available for access from three quarters of Maine public libraries, through MARVEL: Maine’s Virtual Library. Ancestry Library Edition includes more than 7,000 databases giving access to censuses, vital records, immigration, family histories, military records, legal documents, directories, photos and maps.

Check the list for current participating public libraries http://www.maine.gov/msl/services/ancestry.shtml and a series of 3 online tutorials with an introduction and search tips. By Jan 1, 2012 100% of Maine public libraries are expected to offer Ancestry.com.

YouWho is Close to Launch

In the April 25, 2011 newsletter, I mentioned YouWho.com, an Internet genealogy startup site that is very much in stealth mode. Most people have never heard of it. Indeed, the site isn't yet live but the launch date apparently is getting close.

A "teaser" with introductory words is now available at the site's home page at http://youwho.com/ and also on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=IMi_XP_urwg

Those won't give you much information, other than a statement that the new genealogy site will be available for Desktop, iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. The site is being started by Tom Stockham (former CEO of Ancestry.com) and Andre Brummer (former Senior VP of Ancestry.com).

Pogoplug Mobile

Yes, it's another article about backups. However, this is a nifty device. Pogoplug is a well-known producer of backup devices you install in your home and use for backing up files from your computer(s). You can optionally make those files available over the Internet to family, friends, or even to yourself if you are traveling. For instance, at this moment I am using my laptop computer from a hotel room in Las Vegas. Yet all my files at home are available to me via the Pogoplug, should I need them. You can read my previous article about Pogoplug at http://goo.gl/16LZf

Now the same company has announced a new device designed for streaming files to your mobile device but also will back up your camera roll to the new Pogoplug Mobile device installed in your home. Pogoplug Mobile protects those pictures you take of the grandchildren or the photos you take on vacation as they are automatically backed up to your Pogoplug. I like that word "automatically." Set up automatic backups or manually back up the photos and videos you took on your mobile device to Pogoplug Mobile. You can also stream music, video and photos to your mobile device.

(+) A Wi-Fi Hotspot in Your Shirt Pocket

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

I am writing this article from a hotel room in Las Vegas. Before you jump to conclusions, I'll point out that I am a non-gambler but I enjoy the shows and all the other attractions in Las Vegas so I try to get here every year or two. I recently found a bargain airfare and a hotel rate that is too cheap to pass up, so here I am.

The hotel is a typical Las Vegas business: full of glitz, casinos, bars, and a bit short of services. My frustration this week is the Internet service in the room. This hotel doesn't provide wi-fi wireless Internet access. Instead, each room has a WIRED Internet connection. Theoretically, that should be even better than wi-fi except for one thing: it doesn't work very well.

West Valley Genealogical Society (Arizona) Builds an Online Database of 50,000 Obituaries

Here is a great project. I wish more societies would undertake projects like this! If they did, we would all benefit.

The West Valley Genealogical Society Library in Youngtown, Arizona (www.azwvgs.org) holds an obituary database of over 50,000 obituaries.  The earliest data is from 1957 with the greatest number starting in the 1970s through this year.  The obituaries are from the Sun City area, Surprise, Good Year, Glendale, Peoria, Avondale, Youngtown and Wickenburg.  The obituaries are primarily from the western part of the Valley of the Sun in Arizona – Phoenix. 

Who Wants to Live to be 150?

The Age newspaper reports that scientists believe they will have a drug within the next few years that will extend the average human lifespan to 150 years. The full article is available at http://goo.gl/B7yfG.

The typical retirement age today is 65 so that means 85 years of retirement, assuming we don't change the retirement age. More likely, most people will work until age 100 or 120 years or so. Many of us also will get to know our great-great-great-grandchildren.

Are You Archiving Web Content? Take a Survey!

Are you or your employer or your local society involved in archiving web content? If so, you might be interested in the National Digital Stewardship Alliance (NDSA) Content Working Group's survey of organizations in the United States who are actively involved in or planning to archive content from the web. The goal of the survey is to better understand the landscape of web archiving activities in the United States, including what organizations or individuals are archiving, what types of web content are being preserved, the tools and services being used, and what type of access is being provided for researchers.

The information gathered as a part of this survey will be reported to NDSA members and summary results will be shared publicly.

Random Acts of Genealogy Kindness (RAOGK) will be Offline for Some Time

A sad bit of news today: I received the following message from Bridgett Schneider, the Administrator of Random Acts of Genealogy Kindness (RAOGK):

RAOGK has been around with our volunteers helping other genealogists get copies of documents required to prove your lineage back to Adam and Eve (giggle). Pictures of your ancestors' tombstones were also high on the lists of requests. I hope everyone got as much service as we were able to give.

Cheltenham Probate Abstracts: 1660-1740 now available on Origins.net

The following announcement was written by Origins.net:

Probate records are a highly valuable primary source for the study of social history, local history and family history. Wills and inventories comprise the main probate records, and are supplemented by administrations, accounts and other documents created when disputes arose.

Inventories and valuations were part of the process of proving wills, but relatively few have survived. There is a reasonably high survival rate for inventories in the period 1660 to 1740 amounting to about 50% in Gloucestershire, but outside this period there are very few.

Family Tree Maker 2012's New TreeSync Feature Explained

TreeSync is perhaps the most interesting new feature of Family Tree Maker 2012. TreeSync gives you the ability to sync one Family Tree Maker tree and one online Ancestry tree. Writing in the Ancestry.com Blog, Tana L. Pedersen has written an explanation about the workings, strengths, and limitations of the new feature.

You can read Tana's article at http://goo.gl/wm9zv

First Black Graduate of Southwestern College Gets a Grave Marker after 68 Years

There was a high-energy and high-praise service Sunday for a man whose grave went unnoticed and unmarked for nearly seven decades. The Rev. Elijah Pilgrim Geiger, who lived from 1864 to 1943 and was buried in an unmarked grave in Wichita, Kansas' Maple Grove Cemetery, finally received recognition Sunday from a state, city and congregation grateful for how he lived his life.

In 1899, Geiger was the first African-American graduate of Southwestern College in Winfield.