Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Announcing the 8th Annual Wholly Genes Genealogy Conference and Cruise

The following announcement was written by Wholly Genes, Inc.:

The largest family history conference on the seas.

COLUMBIA, MARYLAND -- 5 February 2012 -- Wholly Genes, Inc. announces the 2012 Genealogy Conference and Cruise, September 16-23, 2012, to Alaska’s Inside Passage. This annual conference has a reputation for offering lectures by some of the most respected genealogists in the country on topics that are relevant to all researchers, including methodology, standards, repositories, record types, research aids, and technology. With expert presentations aboard a cruise ship plus exciting ports of call, this event offers a major educational opportunity and a unique vacation experience – all at a price that rivals a typical national conference or vacation alone.

This year’s conference offers some of the most sought-after speakers on genealogy and technology topics, including:

Family Tree Tours Announces Its 2012 Upcoming Genealogy Tours

The following announcement was written by Family Tree Tours:

For those who wish to journey to their ancestral hometowns and experience the lives their ancestors led before emigrating, Family Tree Tours announces a new website featuring research resources and German heritage trips.

WASHINGTON, MO—January 2, 2012—Family Tree Tours, a leading German genealogy tour provider for genealogy societies and individuals, announces its preplanned group heritage tours for 2012.

For those who wish to know more about their family history and ancestral origins, a genealogy tour is a unique and exciting travel experience. Travelers have the advantage of researching their ancestors while visiting the town or region they came from, learning about the culture and local customs and traditions, and even meeting relatives for the first time.

On the Road Again

It's travel time again. So what else is new? By the time you read this, I should be in Florida, moving into the motor home for a few days. However, I'll only be there for a week.

Part of the reason for living in the motor home for only a week is to perform a bit of a "shakedown cruise" and make sure all systems are operational, ready for a longer stay. I hope to have full Internet access during my stay and should be able to post new articles here on a regular basis. However, if the computer gods don't smile at the right time, there is a risk of not being able to post new articles.

Cruising on the "Unlock the Past" History and Genealogy Conference Cruise in New Zealand and Australia

I wrote recently about the successful Wholly Genes genealogy conference and cruise. It seems the folks "down under" do the same. Auckland Libraries and the New Zealand Society of Genealogists hosted a day of family history seminars as part of an "Unlock the Past" history and genealogy conference cruise.

The 14-day cruise features a Scottish and Irish Theme. It is a cruise from Auckland, New Zealand, to Sydney, Australia, and features 8 one-day stops in between.

Wholly Genes Cruise is a Success

Last week was one of the best weeks I ever had. I took a one-week Caribbean cruise, accompanied by nearly 200 genealogists. The Holland-America ship, the m.v. Westerdam, became a genealogy hotbed.

The genealogists assembled in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, November 13. We embarked on the cruise ship without much difficulty. Late in the afternoon, we sailed out of the Port Everglades cruise terminal and headed for Half Moon Cay, a small island in the Bahamas owned by the Holland America line.

On the Road Again: Bristol, Indiana

I am traveling again. I spent ten straight days at home, which is a record for me in the past three months. I am now off to give presentations at the Elkhart County Genealogical Society in Bristol, Indiana. I wrote about this seminar earlier at http://goo.gl/oWJ0R.

I will be traveling with a 2½-pound laptop computer, a 4G/3G wireless card, and wi-fi capabilities as well. In theory, I should be able to continue publishing articles in the same manner as when I am at home. The only difficulty I can see is with time management. Due to almost constant traveling, I will be busy. Please do not be surprised if I miss a day or two of new articles. I most likely will "catch up" when I do connect online again.

2011 NGS Research Trip to Salt Lake City

Feedback I have received from those on previous trips indicates this is a great experience. If you are interested in spending a week in Salt Lake City, accompanied by genealogy experts, you will be interested in this announcement from the National Genealogical Society:

16–23 October 2011

Space is limited to 30 attendees.
Registration Deadline: 1 October 2011

The National Genealogical Society (NGS) sponsors two research trips each year to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and one is filling up now for October.

Săpânţa: The Happy Cemetery

I have written before about unusual tombstones and even unusual cemeteries. Today I found an article and some pictures about a cemetery that is quite unusual. A blogger in Budapest, Hungary has taken pictures in the village of Săpânţa in the far north of Romania. According to the blogger, the most popular activity in the village appears to be drinking and the fact is well illustrated on the tombstones. For instance, here is a picture of a bartender's tombstone in the "Happy Cemetery:"

[Click on the image to see a larger picture.]

You can read more and view the many pictures in the "dumneazu" blog at http://goo.gl/Zeg0K.

Legacy 2011 Genealogy Cruise is Now Sold Out, Announcing the Legacy 2012 Genealogy Cruise

Do you think genealogy cruises are popular? The 2011 Legacy Genealogy Cruise is now fully booked. There are no more cabins available. However, the folks at Legacy Family Tree have reacted quickly and have already announced the 9th annual Legacy Genealogy Cruise, to be held May 12-21, 2012. It starts and ends in Oslo, Norway, and visits the following ports: Le Havre (Paris), France; Cherbourg, France; Dublin, Ireland; Liverpool, England; and Edinburgh, Scotland.

If you are thinking of taking a cruise, you should attend a webinar, Crusing with Legacy Family Tree in 2012, on Friday, June 3 to have all your questions answered.

Details may be found at http://goo.gl/qWat2.

Wholly Genes Genealogy Conference and Cruise adds Two More Presenters

Last week I published an article of Wholly Genes, Inc. Announces a Genealogy Cruise and briefly described the cruise to the southern Caribbean. In the article, I wrote, "The announcement also states that additional speaker(s) will be announced." That has now happened. In fact, two additional speakers have been named:

Wholly Genes, Inc. Announces a Genealogy Cruise

Wholly Genes, Inc. has announced the company's 7th Annual Genealogy Conference and Cruise. If you have ever thought of going on a cruise or have thought of attending a genealogy conference, this is your chance to do both at the same time! The Wholly Genes cruise is traditionally the largest family history conference on the seas. 

This year's voyage will leave Fort Lauderdale on November 13, 2011 and go to the Southern Caribbean and back again, arriving back in Fort Lauderdale on November 20. Ports to be visited include Aruba, Curaçao, and a small island in the Bahamas called Half Moon Cay.

On the Road Again, This Time to England

I seem to post a lot of articles like this one: I will be traveling for the next week and a half. This time I am going to attend the GOONS conference in Warrington, Cheshire, England, and will follow that with a few days of "mini-vacation" as an American tourist in England. Of course, all this assumes that the British Airways employees do not go on strike as they have threatened. The latest strike news may be found at http://goo.gl/pbKNv. I will be keeping a close eye on that URL since both my flight to England and the return flight are scheduled on British Airways.

While I will be carrying an assortment of laptop computers, wi-fi and 3G networking equipment, plus a cell phone that also acts as a wireless modem, there is a chance that hardware malfunctions could stop the posting of new articles to this newsletter.

The Rising Cost of Travel Versus Online Research

A newsletter reader asked an interesting question. Here is an extract from a longer message:

As the economy continues to worsen and gas prices rise exponentially, I am curious to know how this will affect services such as Ancestry.com, 1837online, Scotland's People, Worldvitalrecords.com, and others.

Will these companies raise their prices in relation to other increases? Or will they maintain or possibly lower prices to keep subscribers? In tough times, leisure activities are among the first to suffer.

I am not sure that my crystal ball is any clearer than anyone else's. However, a few things do seem obvious to me.

On the Road Again

It's time to pack my bags. The Southern California Genealogical Society's Jamboree will take place this weekend, June 11, 12, & 13, at the Burbank Marriott Hotel & Convention Center. I'll be there.

The Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree is always one of my favorite events. The Jamboree typically attracts 1,500 or so attendees although I suspect the crowd will be even bigger this year. The organizers constantly improve their advertising plus, the new, genealogy-oriented television shows in the United States have also been stirring up interest. The result should be a busy conference.

EOGN Readers' Dinner: A Success and a Problem

For me, the high point of last week's annual NGS conference in Salt Lake City occurred shortly after the end of the conference. Forty-five newsletter readers descended on the Z'Tejas restaurant in Gateway Center. We consumed a great deal of food and also a few beverages. It was a boisterous crowd, and I must say that I enjoyed it. We even played a “game” at the end of the get-together.

I am including several pictures. Click on any image to see a larger picture.

Tech Travel Clothing

I wrote earlier about "Packing for a Research Trip" and mentioned the various gadgets I take with me when traveling. I casually mentioned that I pack clothing that can be worn in layers. Today, I thought I'd add a few more details about that clothing and also supplement that with information about clothing made for technology travel.

Packing properly also provides a solution to price gouging by airlines for extra luggage. By selecting the proper clothing, you can save on or eliminate excessive baggage fees. As strange as it seems, one company makes clothing designed for travel with technology devices, clothing that can pay you back in saved baggage fees. Scott eVest knows you can't leave your gadgets at home, and they've designed "technology enabled clothing" that makes it easy to bring 'em all along. Take a tip from the Boy Scouts and be prepared with plenty of pockets for every gadget. I use ScotteVest clothing often for my trips to conferences, courthouses, and cemeteries.

On the Road Again

This is a quick "heads up" notice that I will be traveling for a few days and may not be posting new articles every day. I am leaving Tuesday, April 27, for Salt Lake City. I'll attend the annual conference of the National Genealogical Society on April 28 through May 1. I also hope to sneak away and spend at least part of one day or evening at the Family History Library, looking for an elusive ancestor or two.

You can learn more about the conference at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/conference_info.  You can also hear about some of the planned highlights by listening to the interview with David Rencher at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2010/04/podcast-an-interview-with-david-rencher-about-the-ngs-conference-in-salt-lake-city.html

EOGN Readers' Dinner in Salt Lake City

UPDATE: The dinner is now fully booked and a wait list has been started. (We have already had one cancellation, a few hours after it was made.) 

I am sorry we cannot accommodate everyone. Maybe next time I can rent a banquet hall someplace.

 - Dick Eastman

You are invited to attend the dinner for EOGN newsletter readers to be held Saturday evening, May 1, at 6:30 PM, immediately after the close of the NGS conference in Salt Lake City.

Unlike previous years, the dinner for this event has been planned in advance. It is a return visit to a restaurant that earned rave reviews when we visited a few years ago.

Packing for a Research Trip

I am now preparing for a trip to Salt Lake City next week. I'll be attending the annual conference of the National Genealogical Society. While in Salt Lake City, I also hope to spend some time at the Family History Library doing research.

Over the years, I have made many trips to libraries, courthouses, and genealogy societies. Once I arrive at my destination, I often have found that I should have carried "one more thing" with me. I have now created a checklist of those "things that I may need.” I always verify the genealogy trip packing list when packing my suitcase. Most of the time, I can squeeze all of these items into one carry-on suitcase that easily fits in an airliner's overhead baggage compartment plus an “over the shoulder” bag or a backpack that fits under the seat in front of me. With the recent price gouging by airlines for checked luggage, use of carry-on luggage can save a lot of money.

I thought I would share my packing list and also ask if you have further suggestions.

A Great Weekend in Ft. Wayne

I would like to thank the Indiana Genealogical Society for inviting me to speak at their annual conference, held this weekend at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was a good group.

I shared the speakers' platform with some true experts: Melissa Shimkus, Curt Witcher, and Kay Spears. I am not sure of the final headcount, but I can report it was an enthusiastic group.