Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

(+) Life Expectancy of Audio Tapes and VHS Video Tapes versus CD and DVD Disks

The following is a Plus Edition-only article written and copyright by Richard W. Eastman.

"How long will a CD or DVD last?" As you might guess, the only correct answer is, "It all depends."

The one thing to remember about digital data is that there is no signal degradation in the output. In a digital environment, data is stored in "bits," often referred to as "ones and zeroes." Each bit either is there or it isn't. Analog data, however, is stored in an infinite number of signal strengths. This variable information is the problem; if not exactly perfect, the result is degraded audio or images. Analog data will degrade over time; digital data will not.

Wyoming Blue Books to be Released on CD

The Wyoming State Archives has released the Wyoming Blue Books on compact disc for the first time. The Blue Books are a comprehensive guide to the state's history from pre-territorial days to 2007. The hardcopy version of the updated Blue Books were made available last year.

State archivist Roger Joyce told the Wyoming Legislature's Select Committee on Legislative Facilities last week that the full set of books will eventually be posted on the Internet.

Izard County, Arkansas Historian Journal on CD

The Izard County Historian journal on CDs — issues 1970-1989 — are again available from Izard County Historical and Genealogical Society. Each two-volume set is $30.

For 20 years, Helen Lindley was editor of the quarterly Izard County Historian. Before she died, her son Sam Lindley scanned the 80 issues, complete with photos, ads and covers, onto CDs, which can be opened in Adobe. Proceeds benefit the Trimble House Project — renovation and removal of the 1815 cabin from Dolph to the grounds of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Calico Rock.

Tennessee DAR Bible Index Book and CD

Genealogies recorded in family Bibles have been compiled into a resource guide under the care of the Tennessee Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The result is "Genealogy Bible Treasurers," subtitled "A Digital Photo Preservation and Index of Pre-Depression Era Bible Records."

Southern California Genealogical Society Announces New Publications

The Southern California Genealogical Society has announced two new sets of publications. Here is the first announcement:

Southern California Genealogical Society Publications Announcement Immigration and Naturalization Series Declarations of Intent - Los Angeles

The Southern California Genealogical Society is proud to announce the publication of four new volumes in its Immigration and Naturalization Series.  The following publications are now available for purchase in softbound and CD versions at http://tinyurl.com/c7544u

Hoover Dam and Boulder City, NV Genealogical and Historical CD Data Base

The following is an announcement of a new genealogy CD-ROM disk:

Nov 24, 2008 – Judith Sattler Irons has finalized 14 years of comprehensive research in her newly released CD Data Base Hoover Dam Construction Workers and Pioneer Families of Boulder City Nevada 1929 thru mid-1936.

The data base includes sections on the businesses and businessmen, contractors and subcontractors, government employees and organizations associated with the planning and construction of Hoover Dam and the Boulder Canyon Project.

New CD-ROM: World War I Irish Soldiers, Their Final Testament

The following announcement was written by Eneclann:

Eneclann, Ireland’s leading e-publisher of historical and heritage titles, has launched a new CD-ROM.  This new title provides access to a little known primary source at The National Archives of Ireland and will be of immense value to the growing number of people in Ireland and abroad interested in Irish genealogy and Irish history.

Grand Traverse County, Michigan Cemetery Transcriptions CD

The Grand Traverse Area Genealogical Society Cemetery Committee is about to launch their latest CD-ROM disk of cemetery transcriptions. The new disk covers the 26 rural cemeteries of Grand Traverse County although the three Oakwood Cemeteries will be released later on a separate disk (that will require another CD due to the size of the data).

CD-ROM: Probate Records of the Province of New Hampshire, 1635-1771

This week I used a massive collection of books all scanned and placed onto one CD-ROM disk. The "Probate Records of the Province of New Hampshire, 1635-1771" has long been a standard reference for anyone researching colonial New Hampshire ancestors.

I have spent a significant amount of time in those nine volumes myself in years past. I always had to travel to a genealogy library to access them, however. Reprints of the original books may be purchased but at prices that are a bit too expensive for most individual genealogists. Searching online, I found that a reprint of Volume 1 alone is available for about $150. I assume the prices for the other eight volumes would be about the same for a total in the neighborhood of $1,350. I don’t think I can find that much money in the piggy bank! Besides the purchase price, I am not sure where I would find room in my bookshelf at home for nine more thick, hardbound volumes.

Luckily for me and for many other New Hampshire descendants, Archive CD Books USA recently released all nine volumes on one half-ounce plastic disk. In fact, it is now possible to search all nine volumes for any word or phrase within seconds, something that is impossible with nine printed volumes. The best part is the price: $59.95 for all nine volumes.

New Collection of Claims by Early American Citizens

The following announcement was written by Archive CD Books USA:

Columbia, Maryland – 23 July 2007 -- Archive CD Books USA announces the availability of a major new resource for those who are researching their early-American family histories.  The “Digested Summary and Alphabetical List of Private Claims Which Have Been Presented to the House of Representatives” represents nearly one hundred years of claims by citizens of the United States to their government for reimbursement for property or expenses.

Referencing approximately 100,000 names, this unique collection spans the period 1789-1882 and includes petitions for a wide variety of personal reimbursements, most notably in relation to the acts of the government during the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican-American War, the Civil War, and various Indian engagements.  Barbara Vines Little, Genealogical Consultant for Archive CD Books USA, noted that the collection contains claims for “restitution for property lost, damaged or destroyed due to government actions (or inaction); bounty land; land titles; patent extensions; payment for services rendered; and a myriad of other personal items that its citizens wanted the government to fix.”

CD-ROM: Compendium of New England Gazetteers

This week I had a chance to use a new CD-ROM disk, called the Compendium of New England Gazetteers produced by Archive CD Books USA. It is a collection of ten early New England gazetteers (geographic indexes or dictionaries that describe many locations).

When I first opened the package I thought, "Oh, this is a collection of old books that have been re-released as PDF files on a CD-ROM disk." Looking back, I can now say that I was both right and wrong. Indeed, it is a bunch of PDF files. But this disk is also a lot more. In fact, I wish more old books on CD disks were like this collection. But I am getting ahead of myself.

An 1890 Census Substitute for Tarrant County, Texas

The 1890 U.S. Census was destroyed by fire, and genealogists have long suffered from "record deficiency" as a result. Indeed, it can often be difficult to find anyone between 1880 and 1900. Now a new CD compiled by the Fort Worth Genealogical Society serves as a census substitute.

Archive CD Books USA Releases a Major CD for New England Researchers

If you have early New England ancestry, you will be interested in a new release from Archive CD Books USA. This new disk combines several gazetteers into one moderately-priced CD-ROM disk with a search mechanism that makes it very powerful. I know I expect to spend quite a bit of time with this disk.

The following announcement was written by Archive CD Books USA:

Columbia, Maryland -- Archive CD Books USA is proud to announce the release of a major new tool for researchers of early New England families.

The Compendium of New England Gazetteers makes all of the classic New England gazetteers available on a single CD-ROM.  This comprehensive collection includes 10 rare books, more than 4600 pages, and the names and descriptions of thousands of places, many of which are no longer known by the same name.

Wikipedia on CD-ROM

I have written often about Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia. While not perfect, Wikipedia is becoming the dominant encyclopedia of today.

While "free" is a good thing, the requirement for an Internet connection may be a bit of a problem. What do you do when you are in a college class without wireless network access? How do you access Wikipedia while soaring 38,000 feet above the earth in some airliner? Now the (also free) Wikipedia CD-ROM comes to your rescue.

Logan County's History goes on CD

Researching Logan County, Illinois history has just become easier.

Stringer's "History of Logan County," has long been the bible for historians far and near seeking information about the early years of the county. Now the book is available on searchable CD from the Logan County Genealogical and Historical Society.

Southside Virginia Genealogies

Genealogical Publishing Company recently released a new CD-ROM disk: Southside Virginia Genealogies by John W. Pritchett. The disk contains a compilation of several hundred family histories, most of which are documented back to the colonial period in Southside Virginia. This week I had a chance to use the new disk for a while.

Genealogist's Address Book, Version 5.3

Elizabeth Petty Bentley is well known as the author of the Genealogist's Address Book. This frequently-updated book has been available for years and has become the standard "Yellow Pages" listing of genealogy societies; national, state, and county courthouses and archives; land and probate offices; all sorts of museums; lineage societies; adoption registries; computer interest groups; newspaper columns; newsletters; booksellers; and much, much more. In fact, the author suggests that the latest edition might be properly called, "The Genealogist's and Historian's Address Book," because it now includes many more primarily historical resources, such as the New York State town and village historians and many museum libraries. The latest version of the Genealogist's Address Book now contains more than 28,000 listings worldwide, filling 15,269 pages.

The Ricker Compilation of Early Connecticut Records

This week I had a chance to use a brand-new CD-ROM disk with a long title: The Ricker Compilation of Vital Records of Early Connecticut - Based on the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records and Other Statistical Sources, compiled and edited by Jacquelyn Ladd Ricker. The disk was just released within the past week or two by Genealogical Publishing Company. After using this Windows and Macintosh disk for a couple of hours, I am very impressed.

If you have Connecticut ancestry, you will be pleasantly surprised by the resources on this disk. It contains more than 1.5 million records of Connecticut residents prior to 1850. The records include:

The 1798 Rebellion: Claimants and Surrenders

If you have Irish ancestry, you will be interested in a CD-ROM disk available from Eneclann, called The 1798 Rebellion: Claimants and Surrenders. This disk provides information about more than 8,000 people in Ireland at the time, both those who took up arms and those whose property was damaged or stolen. These groups come from every social background, from poor labourers and artisans to aristocratic families.

Duplicate full-color CDs for just $1.00 each

Many genealogy programs allow you to "publish to CD." That is, your information can be stored on a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, suitable for presentation to family members. If you decide to publish information for your family or for your genealogy society, the question quickly arises, "How do we make the disks?"