Searching by Batch Numbers

Familysearch.org has restored the search by batch number function on their website. However some users are experiencing difficulties with searching batch numbers with fewer than five numbers following the prefix or if they have a prefix starting with j or k.

To bypass the first problem, simply add two zeros after the prefix (ex. C 167-7 will become C001677). And to bypass the second problem change the prefix from J or K to the letter C.

American Loyalists

Are you missing a relative that you KNOW should be in the United States around the time of the Revolutionary War? There were many people who although they were not technically "Loyalists" because they did not serve in a Loyalist militia, still remained loyal to the King of England. Towards the end of the war or even later, many of these people left and went to England, Jamaica, and Canada. It may be difficult to find a long lost member of the family if you have no idea to where they disappeared.

Sea Ports

If you had an ancestor who worked on a cargo ship, there are some truly amazing places he could have visited. It's even possible that this is how somebody for New York found and married a girl from Virginia. Some of the major ports around the United States were Charleston, South Carolina, New York City, San Francisco, Duluth, Minnesota, Green Bay, Wisconsin, St. Louis, Missouri, and New Orleans, Louisiana. These ports made it possible to transfer goods across the United States much more efficiently than covered wagon. Many people were needed to work the docks and the boats, and it gave men the chance to work their way to a new city.

Gazeteers

I can honestly say that I have never used a gazeteer during any genealogy research, but it seems like it would be a absolutely wonderful source of information. I know that it could be handy, but since it only lists town and jurisdictions and other geographic names and features that existed when the gazeteer was created, it makes it a little more difficult to use. The name of the town could have changed, or a church burned down after it was published. I would give the same advice as always, "Don't always trust what you read, dig deeper and get a second or third piece of documentation."

Gayla Mendenhall

Organizing Your Files

I've talked before about organization and keeping track of information. Whether it is physical documents in manilla folders, 3 ring binders with dividers, or filing in a computer's hard drive, you still need to organize your information. Here are a few helpful hints on how to organize best:

1) Organize as you go. Don't throw everything in a bureau drawer thinking that you'll get around to filing someday. It never happens.
2) Know your organization system. Whether it is one family per folder or by date, know how you are keeping everything divided.
3) Make copies of documents that fit into more than one group (think cluster research) or color code the folder with stickers so you can remember with which towns/families the document refers.
4) Research the easiest information first.
5) Over filing isn't necessarily bad. Consider having the same document photocopied and filed by family group, date, type of document (eg. birth/death/marriage certificates, deeds, etc)

Being organized will save you from searching for the same document more than once.

Politics and Genealogy

Many of us think of ourselves and our families as being very 'ho-hum' normal every day people, never realizing just how amazing our ancestors were as they went about their normal 'ho-hum' lives.

Just think about the 1800s, prime old west material for many stories and movies, when our country went from 'what's out there in the west' to 'how do I get me and mine a chunk of it?"

In 1830 the first railroad was born, were your relatives there?
In 1880 John St. John (the governor of Kansas) forced prohibition in Dodge City, the first state to make liquor illegal. Did your ancestor fight for or against Prohibition?
In 1882 Congress passed the Edmund's Law, making polygamy a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.

What I'm getting at is this, when you write your family's history don't forget to include the happenings during your Grandpa's life in his area of the world. Check the newspaper archives of that township, you might find they were written about for their political views or simply because of a land dispute or Lady's Board Meeting! CB

Remembering My Grandma

When you put together your family history how much is simply good old facts and a few pictures? Have you taken the time to collect the many stories that bring depth and breadth to a history?
My grandmother use to tell stories about life in an Oklahoma dugout. Mom, Dad, Aunt Alice and eight kids plus a bachelor from the next 360 acre plot slept in a dugout that was only 10' wide and 12' long, and part of those extra 2 feet were taken up by hearth.
Two of her siblings were born in that dugout and the bachelor slept under the table because in the badlands of Oklahoma it wasn't safe for a single man to live alone. They tried for 3 years to make a go of it on those plains but it was simply too dry to farm most years. Eventually they moved to Southern Texas, which is another story...
Don't forget the history, neighbors, stories, times and where the bodies are buried! That's what makes history worth reading! That's what will bring your genealogy to life for your children!

Genealogy is a LIVING Family History

CB

The Records Were Burned

Many people have searched in vain for ancestors records in foreign countries. In many foreign countries, it is considered rude to turn down a request for assistance, but at the same time, there may not be time or the resources needed to answer that call for help. What do they do? They give them the polite answer such as "the records were burned during the war" or "the records disappeared during a move from one building to another".

There are several ways to get the records you desire if the workers just don't have time to do it for you. First, you could plan a vacation to your "home country." Discover the land your ancestors came from. Second, you could ask for help on a mail list or forum. A lot of times, these forums are world wide, and there may be people in that area who could get the information for you.

Lastly, you could contact the Angel Network. They have volunteers around the world who are willing to go in and request or retrieve the records you desire. It never hurts to double check to see if the records truly are unavailable, as they may be in Prussia, so don't just sign off the search, dig, dig, dig!

Veterans' Day

We're all busy and enjoy being free and going about our lives. Many times we don't take the opportunities to remember holidays that many consider insignificant lately. November 11 began as Armistice Day, but a resolution passed in 1926 that made it an official Federal holiday, Veterans' Day.

Veterans Day is a chance to remember those who fought in around the world from World War I to the current war in Afghanistan. Take a moment to say a prayer, to bless our past and current soldiers who have fought for the United States. We should be grateful, honored and expressive of our great country which holds personal freedom so dear and the men and women who fought, died and survived to allow us the freedom to write our feelings and read them. We are blessed.

Hug your nearest soldier today!

The Gregorian Calendar

The Gregorian Calendar was not introduced until September of 1752.  Until that time Great Britain celebrated the new year on March 25.  If you are searching through records prior to 1752, remember the years may not correspond correctly.  

For example, if your great great great great grandmother was born in Great Britain in February of 1740. She was truly born in the year 1740 according to their calendar, but according to today's calendar, she would have been born in 1741.  

Is this super important?  Not necessarily, but this information may come in handy if you are having trouble locating a relatives baptism documents and birth records.

Feedback!!!

We love it when we hear from our readers.  What kind of information about genealogy interests you? Are there any road blocks you are dealing with?  Do you want more helpful hints on researching ancestors in different countries or more "this day in history" or information on how to preserve artifacts such as historical documents, pictures, and videos?  


Or are you pleased with what we've been doing?  Just leave a comment and tell us what you'd like to see?

Genealogy Websites for Kids

Family Tree Magazine online has launched a website for kids!  It gives kids a chance to build their own family tree, be a family detective, and even has a section for teachers and parents.  Give it a try at kids.familytreemagazine.com.  I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how involved it is.  And to tell the truth, it's not a bad website to use for beginners even if they aren't children!

October 31, 1517

Sorry that this wasn't posted earlier in the week, let's just say internet issues were at fault.  GM

On this date in 1517, Martin Luther nailed a piece of paper to the doors of a Catholic Church that began the Protestant Reformation.  This was one of the first steps towards religious freedom.  The Catholic Church tried to change Martin Luther's stance, but they were ultimately unsuccessful.

This one decision by one individual can have a domino effect.  The call for Catholic Reformation ultimately inspired our Four Fathers to guarantee Freedom of Religion in our Constitution.  How different would life be if our ancestors had allowed the status quo to remain instead of changing life for the better.

Keeping Genealogy Free

There are absolutely times that paid genealogy websites are worth the money.  But if you have to be careful of your budgeting and what you can spend money on, there is no need to pay a fortune for genealogy memberships.  

 

Find your local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint Stake Family History Center and find out what their hours are.  You can use Ancestry.com for free there and you do not even need to be a member of the church to use their history centers.  Another great site is www.usgenweb.com.  Their whole purpose is to keep genealogy research FREE!  Who doesn't love free?

Volunteering

Looking for a way to give back?  Think about volunteering your time and talents by volunteering for genealogy websites.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints uses volunteers to scan and/or double check records and to decipher handwriting in Census' and such. It's easy, fun, usually you can do a record in about 20 min. and it's amazing the connections you will find.

Genie Angels always needs more volunteers willing to go to local courthouses to pick up documents for others.  Get your exercise in by walking through out of the way cemeteries and taking pictures of tombstones or taking a survey of the plots.  There are endless opportunities to volunteer and give back.

Reaching Out to Family for Help

Once upon a time, genealogists would put together small packages of information with a letter to relatives for help filling in missing information.  The cost could become astronomical and the frustration through the roof! at the lack of response.


Now it's possible to put the same information together, the same letter for help, but you can put the information out on a blog such as this or the upcoming ArtisticAncestry.com to share with family members and to ask if they have any of the missing information.  


Technology is available and wonderful, so use it!  Take advantage of the options it has to offer.

I recently received an email that said, "You know you're from Pittsburg if..."  I have lived in the Pittsburg area my whole life, so I was among the people who remembered Pico ice cream shop and Ken's pizza, but the thread had included comments from some women who had lived in Pittsburg since they were born and are now in their 80s.  Their memories were so much more impressive.

Do you think in 70 years kids today will be telling others that they remember when 1106 was a Drive-In on Broadway between Quincy and Jefferson?  Or that they remember when Quincy St. was simply a two lane road and not a six lane super highway?  We just need to keep the historic perspective in mind for everything.

October 12 marked the commemoration of the day Columbus landed in the New World.  Had it not been for Columbus searching for a different route to the Orient, would we still have a country that has all of the Freedoms that we now have.  Was it Divine Providence that led him to this land or a happy accident?  Whatever you believe led him to the New World means that we have a life that we may not have had otherwise.  Happy Columbus Day.

Sometimes we assume a relative's gender simply by the name.  There are many gender neutral names now, but most of the time those names began as boys names such as Taylor, Lane, Cameron, and multiple others.  We've now learned not to simply assume a gender by the name, but we haven't trained ourselves to look at our ancestors the same way.  

I've recently learned that the name Joy used to be a common name given to boys by Danes in the White Mountain region and a lot of foreign names when census workers tried to Americanize became female names. Also Gale, Erin, Jan, and Kelly. It pays to be patient and see if they have a spouse before attributing a sex to people. After all, wouldn't you feel funny to find out your great grandpa was really your great grandma?

Women and Wills

There are some legal terms you might run into when it comes to women being named in wills.  Dowager is a woman who has property from her husband.  Relict is another term for a widow.  Testratrix refers to a woman who leaves a valid will.  These are just a few of the terms you may run into hunting for your female ancestors.  It's important to know the difference between a testratrix and an administratrix (a woman a court appoints to administer an estate when no valid will is established) so you won't make the mistake of believing your relative was an heir when in fact she was a court appointed executer.

Making art out of history

Are you looking for a special way to present some of your family history?  Here's a suggestion.  Take an old end table or trunk that has seen better days.  If they're made of wood sand them down.  Get some old family photos and have copies made.  Cut them down some and decopage the photos along with a family tree  or chart to the top of the table.  It's important to make sure you are using copies since the adhesiive will eventually degrade the pictures. 

Preserving Family Photos

ArtisticAncestry.com will be coming soon, but while you're waiting check out 1000memories.com.  It's a FREE online photo storage location where you can upload your pictures and share with family and friends.  It's the great chance to protect the integrity of those photographs you want to keep.

How 30 Seconds Changes Life

October 26 marks the 130th anniversary of the Shootout at the OK Corral.  Historians disagree on the reason for the gunfight.  Some say it was simply in revenge for malicious attacks and insults, others say it was a battle to decide who would control the direction Tombstone, AZ would take.  The gunfight itself only lasted about 30 seconds, but the good guys were obviously the victors.  Tombstone was not going to be controlled by cattle rustlers.


Did you have ancestors living in Tombstone?  Was one of the Earp brothers or a member of the McLaury-Clanton Gang a relative?  Could the outcome have changed your family's lives had the outcome been different?

How the Great War Helped Women's Suffrage

For many years, women claimed they should have a right to vote, but Congress disagreed.  At first President Wilson said that he agreed with women's suffrage, but he didn't do anything.  Supporters of women's suffrage began picketing the White House and were arrested.  While in jail, many women went on hunger strikes and were being force fed which horrified President Wilson.

Then the United States joined the Great War, later to be renamed World War I.  The women on the home front were expected to support not only their husbands and sons but also the nation's workforce.  Was it fair that their wages were being taxed now, when they did not even have the right to vote on how those tax dollars were spent?  On September 30, 1917, President Wilson spoke powerfully on behalf of women's suffrage but the first bill died in Congress. It took another year before women were finally given their right to vote!

Which of your ancestors were the first women to vote?  How did they choose to use that vote?  I hope that our descendants will be proud of the changes we're trying to make. Do you talk to your families about the awesome privilege it is to be able to vote and remind them of what it was like before women were given this privilege?

Abigail Adams

What an amazing women the wife of John Adams was!  During the times of the courtship and during the married lives when they were separated because of his ministerial duties, they wrote long letters to one another.  The letters between them shed light on early American life, but also gave insight into one of the first women who could be considered "liberated."

Abigail Adams once wrote to her husband while he was part of the Continental Congress drafting the first Constitution to "remember the ladies" because most men "would be tyrants if they could."  She and her husband agreed on many points, but where their ideas diverged, she had no issues with debating with her spouse.

Many of us cherish letters written by husbands and wives or their children. I treasure the poetry letters my grandmother wrote to her father and the ones he wrote back. They are a joy to read and share! 

Preserving Historical Documents (Part Two)

There are few substances for harmful to historical (or even current documents you wish to keep) than acid.  Scrapbooking supplies are full of non-acidic papers, items we don't always think about, but there are other items we don't always realize are acidic.

There are few historical items more acidic than newspaper clippings and storage boxes.  The mere presence of newspapers in with birth certificates, death certificates, deeds, or photographs  can ruin any items in with the newspaper material.  For this reason it is essential to store all newspaper clippings separately from important papers and photographs to protect the integrity of those items.  Before the year is out ArtisticAncestry.com will introduce a new technology that will allow you to share your treasures without them being damaged by handling.

Reaching Out to Family for Help

Once upon a time, genealogists would put together small packages of information with a letter to relatives for help filling in missing information.  The cost could become astronomical and the frustration through the roof! at the lack of response.


Now it's possible to put the same information together, the same letter for help, but you can put the information out on a blog such as this or the upcoming ArtisticAncestry.com to share with family members and to ask if they have any of the missing information.  


Technology is available and wonderful, so use it!  Take advantage of the options it has to offer.

Pick 3

I, Gayla Mendenhall, do hereby admit that I am semi-obsessed with those books that tell you how much cost of living expenses were at various years.  Average income in 1930 was $1,612?  Really?  That is an average income almost below the poverty level today.  Women's trouser sales skyrocketed in 1942?  Makes sense since women were beginning to work in wartime factories and didn't want to wear dresses to work.


I suggest to give your descendants a good look at your life, pick three years that were important to you (e.g. the year you were born, the year you got married, the year your first grandchild was born) and record some statistics for those times.  Record what the average yearly income was, the top songs in the country, clothing styles, political leaders, cost of fuel, where you lived and major events that happened in the world that year.

National Museum Day

September 24, 2011 is National Museum Day!  Hundreds of museums across the country will offer free admittance of up to 2 members per household.  You'll need to fill out an online form and receive your tickets via email.  Click Here to fill out the form.  Just about every state has a museum participating, so go to one close to you and soak up the history!

What 9/11 Can Teach Us

What words do we associate with 9/11/01?  Hatred.  Revenge. Anger. Genocide. Acceptance.  Forgiveness.  Love.  I'll be the first to admit that I felt anger and the need for revenge against those who did this.  Was there a reason for it?  To them it was genocide ( "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, Race (classification of humans) , religious, or national group" ).  We did not believe as they did.  

 

It was difficult to face Muslims in public without having feelings of blame.  But we needed to remember what Jesus Christ would have done.  It's important to remember that there are good and bad alike in all religions and people.  We need to learn acceptance of one another.  Hope for forgiveness for feelings of hatred towards people who because of the color of their skin or the clothes they wore, took the brunt of America's anger.  And we need to love one another in the spirit of God, Allah, or Buddha.

Gayla Mendenhall 

More 9/11 Memories

The following memories and comments are posted just as they were given. This is a blog about genealogy and how we preserve our heritage and we hope everyone will remember that when adding their own messages. We thank all those who contributed to our remembrance and of the attack made upon this great country 10 yrs ago.

That day, I was at school (the beginning of my last year teaching before retirement. My planning period had just begun and I was headed down the hall to the office to check my mail box. As I passed by the first couple of classrooms, I noticed the televisions were on and the students and teachers were watching them intently. When I reached the library, there were several teachers there, also watching the TV, so I stepped in to see what they were all watching. Just then, the second plane hit the World Trade Center... a moment I will never forget.

The impact of this event will live in American memory forever, just as the assassination of President Kennedy has. I was also at school, in mixed chorus, that day when the vice principal came over the school intercom and announced he had been shot in Dallas and he dismissed school for the rest of the day. We had no TV at school in those days, so they wanted us to be aware of what was going on.

Doug McCarter 
Computer Guardian Angels

Every generation has one.  A date that will "forever live in infamy".  That phrase may have originated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, but it could be said for so many days.  Whether it's the Twin Towers, the Challenger explosion, the Moon Landing, assassination of President Kennedy, or the attack on Pearl Harbor, we remember important events in our lives.  I am sure that even dates back to the days of ancient Rome when the citizens were talking about what they were doing when they saw Mount Vesuvius erupt from afar.  And that's the important part.  We must remember.

More 9/11 Memories

The following memories and comments are posted just as they were given. This is a blog about genealogy and how we preserve our heritage and we hope everyone will remember that when adding their own messages. We thank all those who contributed to our remembrance and of the attack made upon this great country 10 yrs ago.


I was at a workshop for diabetics.  The secretary came in and interrupted our class.  We all stood around a very small TV.  During that time it was established this was an act of terrorism because we saw the second plane hit the other tower.  It was so unbelievable.  But I remember saying a prayer for those people trapped in the fire.  Then suddenly the first tower fell.  It was so heart wrenching that they dismissed the class.  We all went home.  I spent the next 48 hours glued to the TV.  But even today I don't need the TV to see all those images and then the faces of loved ones searching for their love one.  How can American forget any of that?  We came together in prayer then.  Prayer is more important today than it was then.  GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Ann London

Each and every one of us has a memory burned into our heads from that day that we don't need pictures or videos to remind us.  Whether it was the imagine of the towers falling or people jumping from the buildings to avoid the fire.  I believe that many people who once scoffed at prayer were saying a few prayers on their own that day.

Office Security Changes

I remember 9/11 quite vividly.  It was my first day on the job as a security guard, with a post at the Westar Building.  Westar, of course, is the main Electricity supplier in Kansas.  I was supposed to have one or two days training on the day shift, and then go to evenings.  About two hours after our shift started, we started hearing people talking about something had happened in New York, and thought that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. 

 

They weren't sure if it were a terrorist attack or some kind of accident.  By the time the plane hit the second tower, it was pretty well confirmed that it was NOT an accident.  By noon, the Topeka Capital-Journal newspaper had a special edition out showing what had transpired.  It was enough of a shock to the mangement of Westar that an extra security guard was kept for the day shift, and use of Employee ID badges, or visitor badges became mandatory for every person entering the building.

Blaine Smith

For awhile almost every federal building had a police officer posted out front taking down the Driver's License number of every person entering the building.  Offices for electricity and water were concerned about safety.  Nobody knew if, when, or where another attack could come.  Would it be in a major city or in the Heart of America?

More 9/11 Memories

The following memories and comments are posted just as they were given. This is a blog about genealogy and how we preserve our heritage and we hope everyone will remember that when adding their own messages. We thank all those who contributed to our remembrance and of the attack made upon this great country 10 yrs ago.

On 9/11/2001 as all mornings of a work week, I had showered and came out and turned on the TV, to the news and BANG, right in front of me on TV was a horrible sight I was looking at the smoke and fire from the first Twin Tower and they were saying a small plane had hit the tower.  Like anyone I stood glued to the TV as much as possible to see what they had determined might have happened.  Then out of nowhere another plane headed towards the towers an in an instant the plane ripped thru the other tower at a lower level.  Then as I was trying to process this over the next few minutes, then the reports of two other planes that hit the Pentagon and in PA., only then like millions of other people, then understood we were being attacked, but not knowing by who.  As I went on to work the news began telling of all the events that were going on, and I was glued to the TV at work as the day unfolded to learn more of this tragedy. 

I am still stunned to this day of 9/11/2001, and I am stunned again as they in New York will gather on the 10th year of this, for a Memorial, and that the Mayor of New York, a Liberal, won't allow Policeman, Fireman and the Clergy to attend this Memorial.  This Mayor says that we should be ashamed of ourselves for not wanting a Mosque to be built on those grounds near GROUND ZERO!  This to me is unforgivable, as much as what those TERRORIST, did to those fallen in the Twin Towers, and those whom died in those planes that were used to do this destruction. 

God Bless America, and the true people of this country, we now know what happened and I for one will never forget, and nor will I forgive the Liberals of this country for siding with the very ones who caused this tragedy, by not allowing the HEROES and Clergy to attend this Memorial on 9/11/2011.

Terry Schnee

Authors 9/11 Memories

The following memories and comments are posted just as they were given. This is a blog about genealogy and how we preserve our heritage and we hope everyone will remember that when adding their own messages. We thank all those who contributed to our remembrance and of the attack made upon this great country 10 yrs ago.


The Service of Others 

Marvin and I were at my father's home in Mitchell, Oregon when the twin towers fell. It was so unbelievable. Mind numbing. We felt like we should hurry home to Idaho and finish packing for our move to Missouri but we knew it might be years before we saw Dad again.

On our way (9/12) we picked up 3 young men on their way to New York City to help with the rescue operations. Sadly I didn't ask, so I don't know their names, but they were determined to help the rescue operation in New York City, even though they were without money, food or extra clothing. We fed them and took them on to Ontario, Oregon where they planned to catch rides straight East. I wish I knew if they had made it and what their experiences were, but our prayers went with those young men, who we knew would return home Men and for our country which was being attacked by evil men.
Cristina Besendorfer
Service seemed to be the rule of the day.  If you had the means to help, you did.  If you could help in the rescue effort, you did.  Donations of food, money, and blood flowed.  People felt the need to respond by doing instead of watching. Americans showed their love and faith that day and their determination not to allow such a thing to happen again.



I had just gotten married three days earlier and was on my honeymoon.  I woke up early and turned on the TV.  I saw the reaction to the first plane hitting the World Trade Center on the Today Show.  While I was trying to wake up my new husband, suddenly the second tower was hit.  It became suddenly obvious that it was an act of terrorism.  We watched in amazement as the news of the Pentagon came in followed by the news that a fourth hijacked plane was still in the air.

The sadness soon became too much for me.  I left to take a shower.  Mark soon yelled to come quick, one of the towers had just fallen.  I got there just as the second tower collapsed into a heap of burning rubble.  We knew then how truly awful it was going to be.  The chance for finding survivors was close to none.  After awhile, we felt the need to escape, to feel almost normal if just for a little while.  We went to Silver Dollar City, but the atmosphere was one of shock and sadness.  It took weeks to feel normal again.

Gayla Mendenhall

10 Year Anniversary of Sept. 11

Ten years ago on a beautiful, sunny, Tuesday morning, Americans came under attack because we do not believe as other people believe.  Our country was FOUNDED on the principles of freedom FROM religion and freedom for religion.  We have the choice to choose not only what we believe, but what we don't want to believe.  Unfortunately, others believe that if we do not believe as they do, we are their enemy.

Four planes hurtled towards American landmarks trying to destroy the economic heart of our country, the military heart of our country, and the governmental heart of our country.  The twin towers fell, the Pentagon was damaged, but the brave members of United 93 joined together to prevent the hijackers from reaching their ultimate destination of the White House.

Four airplanes were hijacked to decimate our country's buildings, families, and peace of mind, but we showed the world once again we are ONE COUNTRY UNDER GOD and ONE PEOPLE regardless of color and creed.  We joined together each September to mourn those souls lost that terrible day and every day since, even if we did not know a single  one personally, in our fight for LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.

Please join again with our great nation in prayers and appreciation to our leaders who continue to fight for the United States of America, and especially for those soldiers, and citizens who have given their all in this war against tyranny. Thank you.

Genealogy Websites for Kids

Family Tree Magazine online has launched a website for kids!  It gives kids a chance to build their own family tree, be a family detective, and even has a section for teachers and parents.  Give it a try at kids.familytreemagazine.com.  I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how involved it is.  And to tell the truth, it's not a bad website to use for beginners even if they aren't children!

Importance of Consistency

I know that I'm not alone having several email addresses.  I also know how many times I have sent out emails only to have them returned "undeliverable," because the person that I am trying to reach has moved or changed internet providers or multiple other factors that make the ONLY email address I have for the defunct.

I have a suggestion.  Create a Google Mail account and use that email address for everything genealogy related.  Use it for all websites you "follow", use it for your login on websites, and especially use it for mail lists.  Why Gmail?  Frankly, I just like Google.  The iGoogle homepage makes it easy to not only check your email but several other websites most recent posts, plus it separates your many genealogy contacts from your normal email address, thus preventing a message from getting lost in the shuffle of spam and junk.

To find an email address you have lost or misplaced try going to http://my.email.address.is/ehowto.htm. Also, if you haven't tried yet, search for your last name using search engines or at  http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~websites/.   It is amazing what you can search for on the world wide web!

Happy Labor Day

Labor Day began in the late 19th century, but it wasn't until 1894 that it became a Federal holiday.  When the observance began, it was the height of the Industrial Revolution where many workers would work a 12 hour day in abhorrent conditions, leave and work another 8 hour shift at a second job, go home to get 4 hours of sleep, and then start the cycle over again.

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883. 

But the need for Unions, to prevent overworking and underpaying people, isn't what it was 130 years ago; maybe it's time to remove this expensive middleman between workers and the employers.

According to the SLC Tribune... (http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home2/52519199-183/angeles-los-workers-labor.html.csp)

Are you wondering how genealogy  can apply to labor unions? Unions kept very accurate records and according toLoretto Dennis Szucs, Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, co-authors of their book: The source: a guidebook to American genealogy, their accurate records are a treasure trove waiting to be sifted. (http://books.google.com/books?id=Jw3kn_AgNTkC&pg=PA112&lpg=PA112&dq=labor+unions+and+genealogy&source=bl&ots=2MWy0otbSH&sig=dSVJPbGGx1CWVygzmkKlRmIJVTc&hl=en&ei=nWZkTubfLerr0gGgsMCTCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CC8Q6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=labor%20unions%20and%20genealogy&f=false)

How the Great War Helped Women's Suffrage

For many years, women claimed they should have a right to vote, but Congress disagreed.  At first President Wilson said that he agreed with women's suffrage, but he didn't do anything.  Supporters of women's suffrage began picketing the White House and were arrested.  While in jail, many women went on hunger strikes and were being force fed which horrified President Wilson.

Then the United States joined the Great War, later to be renamed World War I.  The women on the home front were expected to support not only their husbands and sons but also the nation's workforce.  Was it fair that their wages were being taxed now, when they did not even have the right to vote on how those tax dollars were spent?  On September 30, 1917, President Wilson spoke powerfully on behalf of women's suffrage but the first bill died in Congress. It took another year before women were finally given their right to vote!

Which of your ancestors were the first women to vote?  How did they choose to use that vote?  I hope that our descendants will be proud of the changes we're trying to make. Do you talk to your families about the awesome privilege it is to be able to vote and remind them of what it was like before women were given this privilege?

Preserving Historical Documents (Part One)

Once upon the time, we believed that lamination was the best thing for preserving documents ever invented!  Decades later, we discovered the truth, the heat and pressure of the laminating process, mixed with the acid in the adhesive on the plastic, work together to cause the items laminated to become brittle and deteriorate.  There are even some types of paper where the laminating process immediately destroys the image on the paper.

Now we know that the best way to preserve historical documents is in a cool, dry location with very little light. Still, that leaves few options, after all, you don't want to store documents in attics because of the usual lack of insulation and the risk of the roof leaking.  And while a basement may stay cooler than the attic, the risk of moisture is too great to store delicate artifacts. Possibly a light-proof plastic container on the shelf of a closet?

What items should be preserved?

We all know that the usual items such as marriage certificates, birth certificates, etc. should be saved and preserved, but there are personal items we don't think of as "historical."  Our own professional and business papers, maps, audio/visual recordings, speeches and lectures, and diaries.

There isn't a time limit placed on things to make them historical documents.  Even if these items were created last week, it's important to keep them protected for the next 100 years. After all, our diaries are a record to hand down to future generations to share our life experiences. Wouldn't it be sad if they fell apart when someone tried to read them, or worse, they were lost and no one could share in your story? This year ArtisticAncestry.com will be sharing with you a new and better way to save your family histories and treasures!

Free Ancestry.com Weekend

This weekend only, Ancestry.com is having a free Immigration and Travel Weekend!  This is a fantastic opportunity to try out ancestry.com and to find the arrival records of your first ancestor to come to America.  Gather together the records you have and check out what they have available.  Just remember to check and double check their results.  They're good, but sometimes mistakes are made.

Preserving Audio/Visual Recordings

Archivists have the daunting task of trying to keep up with technology.  The national archives alone have over 360,000 reels of film, 275,000 sound recordings, and 110,000 video recordings.  But unlike the written word, technologies are constantly changing.  Think about sound recordings alone.  Thomas Edison started working on the wax cylinder in 1877 where a needle created the sounds, then in 1881 Charles Sumner Tainter created the first flat disc recording. Since then there have been various forms of records, 8 tracks, cassette tapes, compact discs, and now mp3s and jump drives!

As all of these new technologies are developed, the old technologies are quickly lost.  We must do all we can to keep up with new technologies in order to preserve the yesterdays treasures, but how often do you want to have to transfer your old treasures onto new technology? Then again, what good is it to have treasures if they are not shared with your families? This year ArtisticAncestry.com will show you a better way to preserve, refine and share your most treasured histories!

August 24, 1932

Seventy-nine years ago, a 35-year-old Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly nonstop across the United States.

Earhart, an early supporter of women's rights and a member of the National Woman's Party, was also a best selling author and a visiting faculty member at Purdue University to counsel women on careers.  She would disappear over the Pacific Ocean five years later while attempting to circumnavigate the world in a twin-engine Lockheed Model 10 Electra aircraft.

Who is the Amelia in your family tree? The brave woman who pioneered a pathway of courage and determination for the women in your family? .....

Making Donations

Civil War Battlefield Sites are disappearing at an astonishing rate.  The Civil War Trust is a battlefield protection organization that is committed to protecting as many of the Civil War Battlefields from development.  They are hoping to raise $40 million dollars this year towards the protection of those lands.

Many people look at a piece of land and see nothing but another open space for condominiums or businesses.  To an extent I do understand.  We cannot look at those spots and see the battle or the dead lying among the trees decimated by cannon fire, but I also know that the cause those soldiers for which those soldiers gave their lives make it an almost sacred land. 

FamilySearch on YouTube

The FamilySearch site has added another way to teach us genealogy lessons.  They have launched a youtube channel!  The first one was posted on August 4, 2011 and is called Genealogy in Five Minutes:  Learn from Family.  You can view it here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FQIASD4kqY.  They are planning 24 segments that will focus on genealogy tips and tricks!

The Pony Express

For 19 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days the Pony Express Riders passed news from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California.  Originally it was created in April 1860 to swiftly pass information regarding the volatile slavery issue.  Newspaper ads for riders usually called for skinny men who were expert riders willing to face death.  Some ads even encouraged applicants to be orphans.
  

The Pony Express blazed a transcontinental path that proved it was possible to keep a trail open year round.  The transcontinental railroad was completed in Utah on October 24, 1861 effectively ceasing the need for the Pony Express.

Family Tree Magazine Photo Contest

Family Tree Magazine is giving one lucky person the chance to win $250 worth of archival-quality photo-organization supplies and a signed copy of the book Preserving Your Family Photographs by Taylor. Two runners-up will each receive a signed copy of the book.  All you have to do is take a picture of your photo collection with a short (150 words or less) plea for help or story about the pictures.  Then after you "like" their facebook page, upload your photograph of the photos along with your plea for help, or you can email it to them at ftmedit@fwmedia.com.  The Deadline is August 31, 2011 and the winners will be announced in the March 2012 issue of Family Tree Magazine.  Good Luck!

Taking Problems to a Broader Audience

Do you have facebook and twitter?  The two social media sites will hook-up and what is posted on twitter will also be posted on your facebook page.  However there are certain nuances of the twitter language that will make it possible for many people to respond even if they don't "follow" your twitter account.  You can add "#" in front of the word genealogy such as #genealogy and anybody who follows genealogy information will see your post and can respond to your question.

Genealogy Scrapbook

I recently saw a beautifully created genealogy scrapbook.  The creator was wanting to scrapbook not only her ancestor's lives, but her journey into finding them.  There were pictures of headstones and the cemetery gates, photos of her ancestors if at all possible, and a timeline of their lives at the bottom of each person's page.  She also included her own story of finding that particular ancestor, or if it was an ancestor she knew a story about them. 


 In one instance, she had searched for one relative for two years, when she finally found her, my friend had a librarian in the family history center take a picture of her with the record to add to that scrapbook page.  

Soon with Artistic Ancestry.com you will be able to create your Family History scrapbooks online then share them with your families online. Imagine all your work and creation downloaded to each grandchild's phone or computer or iPad! We are working hard to bring it to pass!

Reverse Genealogy

Sometimes when you have hit a genealogy stumbling block it helps to go back and use another method to find a lost relative.  For example, you may find your great-great-great grandfather in the 1880 census, but you can't find him in the 1870 censes even though he would have only been 15 at the time.  He should have  still been living at home, but there is no sign of him.

If you've tried everything else you can think of, go back to the 1850 census.  Find the names of all of HIS father's brothers and sisters and follow them through the census records.  It's possible at the time of the census, your great-great-great grandfather was working or apprenticing with an uncle at the time.

Historical Reasons for Moving

Generation after generation live, work, and grow in one small community, then all of a sudden you lose track of them.  What happened?  Did one member of the family just feel too closed in my a sudden increase in the local population?  Were your relatives forced out of the location?  Or was there a disaster that forced them to find another place to live?


If you read historical books/newspapers from the area where your relatives were, it might give you clues about what caused them to leave.  Some events forced large portions of a population to find new homes.  It could be that the Great Chicago Fire destroyed their home or that they left New York City in the wake of the cholera epidemic in 1848-1849 or perhaps the government forced them to leave their homes to give the lands to the Indians.  

In today's times, families may have left their homes because of Hurricane Katrina, a tsunami, or because the economy forced them to find a job in another city. So if you are wondering where they went to try looking at the newspapers of the time and place. It is amazing what you can find!

Genealogy Grants

Archives.com is giving away a $1,000 grant to a paid subscriber to help fund a research project.  According to the announcement, Archives.com is looking for any project that "contributes to the promotion and advancement of family history research and preservation.”  


This could include document preservation, promoting historical events, taking time off of work to help with record transcription, or any other number or genealogical causes.  If you're working on a project and don't quite have the necessary funds to finish it, consider applying for the grant, you just never know what such a bold move can bring in return, but it might me your best idea made available to the world.

Civil War Love Letters

At the historyhappenshere.org website, they are posting old love letters from the Civil War.  It is amazing to read what was important to the soldiers and their wives during those tumultuous times.  Here everything from the details of battles and camp life to information on running the farm and to whom the wife should sell the wheat are available to enjoy.   


The letters from the sweethearts inspires me to write letters to loved ones.  With telephones, email, and even internet chatting, it's so easy to get hold of family and friends that the art of letter writing is starting to disappear.  Information gleaned from old letters has helped many genealogists add to their family tree and it would be a true pity to never have letters as a resource again. Do we need to begin keeping an electronic diary of our lives for our descendants?

Social Media Fun

Facebook has launched a new game to play on their social media site called Family Village.  It allows to you upload a pedigree chart, create a town for them, and assign your ancestors jobs.  The game will also search genealogical sites for free information related to your pedigree. 

This game is free with options to make purchases with real money if desired.  You can invite your "friends" in to view the library of records you've downloaded about your pedigree.  In a way, it's the next best way to bring generations together until ArtisticAncestry.com comes online!

mtDNA

One of the newest trends in genealogical research is to continue charting your family tree, but to also chart only those people who share your mitochondrial DNA, that is the DNA that you inherit directly from your mother.  This DNA is not exclusive to just one person.  Every child and grandchild and so forth of a woman will share the same DNA.  This sampling shows how people in a region are related.

 There are companies now that will run your mtDNA for you and websites are just developing now where you can upload your mtDNA sequence to it, it will compare your sequence with other members of the website, and let you know if there are any relatives in their database.  This makes me wonder, though, at what point technology has gone too far? Will our genealogies be tied together not by family lines but by genetic code?

Special Deal from Treasure Maps Genealogy

From now until August 11th, Robert Ragan of Treasure Maps Genealogy (www.amberskyline.com), is offering a special deal for  his Pajama Genealogy courses.  For a one time fee of $37, you can have immediate access to his online courses, ebooks, video clips, etc.


With this one time fee, you get access to all of the updates and new materials added.  This is a lifetime fee, there are no monthly recurring charges to maintain access to his Pajama Genealogy information!!!

Certified Genealogists Part2

Many people do genealogical research simply because they love it.  They don't consider hiring a professional genealogist because that would take the fun of the hunt from them.  Sometimes a professional genealogist can help determine which family line to follow if you are at a complete impasse.  

 

Then there was the case of Wellington Burt.  He passed away in 1919, but his will stipulated that his assets be held in trust until 21 years after his LAST surviving grandchild passed away.  Professional genealogists were hired to follow the lines and see which of the 30 people who filed for the inheritance were truly his descendants.  Genealogists discovered that only 12 of the 30 people were allowed part of the inheritance.  There are three great-grandchildren, seven great-great grandchildren, and two great-great-great grandchildren.  Only the grandchildren who were born after Welling Burt passed away and all his great grandchildren were eligible for the inheritance.  The largest payout was to the three great-grandchildren at approximately $14.5 million dollars and the smallest shares went to the two great-great-great grandchildren at approximately $2.5 million.  Genealogists had to determine where each individual fit into the family tree to determine their share of the inheritance.

Genealogical Networking

We hear a lot these days about networking, but genealogical networking? Yes! Besides the usual genealogy libraries and family search centers available for help, there are several other resources available for genealogical networking.  There are many genealogy blogs such as this one and Olive Tree Genealogy Blog by Lorine Schulze.

 

Added to these Blogs are websites such as the up and coming ArtisticAncestry.com and Ancestry.com, but there are endless facebook and twitter groups dedicated to genealogy and available for help and advice. 

 

Cities have organizations and historical societies that are usually willing to send information to you even from a distance.  You don't have to do it by yourself.  The more people you get to know the more fun it can be!

The Name Thesaurus

We've all seen it.  Census record after census record we find our ancestor, but the name is always slightly different.  We know it's the same man because his wife has the same name, he lives in the same house, and even has the proper age in regards to the decade of the census, BUT the census worker or the transcriber or even our ancestor himself got creative with the name spelling.

There is a fantastic website by Image Partners that checks for all possible spellings of last names in a Name Thesaurus.  It might miss a few choices, but there are many less possibilities than with other websites to look up surnames.  It's atwww.namethesaurus.com/Thesaurus/search.aspx.

Certified Genealogists

There is a growing field in technical schools and universities to receive in genealogical studies.  This degree/diploma simply states that you have completed a set of classes geared toward genealogy.  This is not the same thing as being a board certified genealogist.  

A board certified genealogist must first fill out an application, complete a portfolio that shows their work and abilities that they turn in with their final application, and pay a yearly maintenance fee.  Even though a formal education is not mandatory with the quality of standards rising, many find the formal training of a university helpful.

Native American Heritage

The Battle of Little Bighorn, The Trail of Tears, The Wounded Knee Massacre.  These remind us of what the Native Americans went through while trying to maintain their way of life in a North America during the influx of people from around the world that believed in Manifest Destiny... that one day the country would stretch across the entire continent.  Eventually it did stretch from ocean to ocean, but such change does not happen with grace and dignity. 

The "Indians" were considered "savages", even those from peaceful tribes.  As time went by these "savages" were given land and promises, but when it suited those in power, it was taken away again.  As a result of negotiations the Government and the Five Civilized Tribes came together in agreement; in return for recognizing Federal laws and abolishing the tribal governments, each person was given a land settlement.  The members who met the eligibility requirements are listed on the Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory or more commonly called the Dawes Roll.

Copies of the Dawes Roll can be viewed at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City or in local Family History Centers, and National and Regional Archive Centers. You can also access the Dawes Roll at the National Archives website (http://www.archives.gov/research/native-americans/dawes/intro.html) if you wish to view just the digitized version. Happy Hunting!

British Militia Records Released

Do you have a British Ancestor who might have served in the militia between 1806 and 1915?  The British National Archives have released new records created by the War Office during those years.  This information is in regards to both officers and regular soldiers and has been scanned in and transcribed for the first time ever! 

 

These records will not be your standard name and location records.  The British War Office included information about eye color, distinguishing marks, and physical descriptions.  Some of the later records even include photographs!  Check it out now at www.findmypast.co.uk/search/army-service-records/militia.

Non-family genealogy

Tracing ancestors is not the only kind of genealogy there is.  You can also trace the genealogy of the town.  Starting with it's roots as a cow town and changing into a town for coal mining and ending up as a tourist destination or ghost town, the history of a town can be immense. 

 

Look and see if any of the town's newspapers survived in a county library or if there is a county historical society that might have kept old journals and photos of the town in its prime.  The life of a town changes just like the lives of people, and it's just as important to keep that information alive as we document the lives of our families.

Copyrighting and Genealogy

We all know that copyright means to literally have the "right to copy" and that an author or their publishing company are the only ones allowed to reproduce a work without previous consent.  FACTS are always going to be legal to reproduce in your own work, because it cannot be copyrighted, but you want to make sure you only get the facts and not opinion.  A person can uncover and publish new facts, but they cannot copyright those facts. 

 

The manner of presenting facts CAN be copyrighted though; so be careful of how you choose to incorporate information found in other sources and be sure to include the source as a footnote.  This is even more important if you are blogging about family history or hoping to write a biographical book.

Research French-Canadian and Acadian Ancestors

Often because of the excellent record keeping of the Roman Catholic Church in Canadian and the efforts to preserve records, all you need to research in Quebec and the Maritime Provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Isle) would be the names of a married couple and the approximate date of that marriage.  The marriage records were filed under woman's married names making it easier to trace the family.

Many people adopted a "dit name" or a secondary nickname as a surname to distinguish their branch of the family from another.  Those nicknames will be filed with the marriage license with the word "dit" at the beginning.  For example, if the family name was LaLande, but the nickname for a particular branch of the family was Bideau it would show up in the records as LaLande dit Bideau.

Historical Re-enactments

There is a growing number of people who enjoy historical re-enactments.  It used to be mainly Civil War or Renaissance Re-enactments, but today many people will dress in the garb from early 1800s to early 1900s to give tours of historic homes or even fashion shows. 

  

I have even heard of those who dress as Gold Miners and fur trappers and re-enact life on a claim.  In a world where education and business rule the world, and success is measured in 70 hour work weeks, it's a relief to step into a simpler time with simpler people.

  

The mission statement for the Historical Reenactment Society begins with, "The goal of the Historical Reenactment Society is to bring history to life in order to educate ourselves and others, inspire an appreciation of past events and lifestyles from a modern perspective, and most of all dress up in crazy costumes and have fun!"  Through reenactments we not only have some fun but for just a moment maybe we can imagine life in another era.

Geo-tagging Pictures

The new smart phones can use the GPS feature to tag the exact longitude and latitude of where a picture was taken.  Can you imagine how valuable that information would be for a future genealogist.  It would make it possible to determine if that mountain backdrop was the Grand Tetons or the Occhr Mountains. 

 

Geo-tagging pictures will give hints into how we lived as well as our lives for our descendants.  I know the technology today will make it easier on future generations but only if we use it in our research!

Free Online Courses

Do you need a little extra help with learning genealogy techniques?  Familysearch.org has many completely free online courses with PDF handouts available to print.  Go to www.familysearch.org/learn  or click on the tab that says "learn."  This will bring up a list of tutorials that are as short as 5 minutes or as long as an hour. 

Family Search.org cover everything from Beginning Genealogy to Dutch sight words to Cemetery Art.  These tutorials are a wonderful aid for new genealogists or even genealogists who want to hone their skills. I am amazed all the time by how much I have forgotten I even knew!

Cluster Genealogy Part 2

Cluster genealogy is an in-depth research method.  Instead of researching one individual you research everyone associated with him/her.  Instead of just a spouse and children, cluster genealogy would include neighbors, friends mentioned in letters, perhaps even a witness in a land dispute.

It wasn't uncommon for whole family groups (uncles, aunts, cousins) to all move together, so a neighbor could easily be a relative.  Knowing relatives and neighbors who may have moved with your relative would make it easier to identify him in a new location.

Happy Independence Day

235 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence (www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/) our country is still considred a very young country.  We've had our trial and tribulations; our country has endured Civil War, World Wars, Terrorism, a Great Depression,and cultural changes.                                                                              

Our country isn' perfect,but we have gon from 13 colonies fighting oe of the super powers to becoming the super power of the world fighting to preserve freedoms around the wold through education and commerce.  

With truth and righteousness as their guide our founding fathers worked to provide us with a constitution (nd strength of Spirit) that has spanned our continent and spread across the world pulling countries out of the dark ages of human degradation.  We work to provide help and salvation to numeral countries during their times of horror and hardship,tsunamis and earthquakes, not just as a country,but through donations and volunteerim we reach out as a people.                                                                                                          

We have banded together n times of sorrows and hardships supporting one another and vowing to stand for liberty and truth no matter where we are.  The image of our flag has always lifted us up, from the Rosenthal picture of the flag raising on Iwo Jima, to the flag hanging from the remains of the twin towers, even tothe flags that flew from the deolished homes after the F5 tornado that swept through Joplin,Missouri.                  

We are the Unied States of America and the world is a much better place because of the truths we hold dear.  Wars and Presidents will come and go, but this people will continue to stand for truth and the American Way, to overcome the ignorance of our own countrymen and prevail in our fight against evil.  We are Americans and we will stand proudly shoulder to shoulder with all her defenders!                                    

Cluster genealogy research-2

Cluster genealogy is an in-depth research method.  Instead of researching one individual you research everyone associated with him/her.  Instead of just a spouse and children, cluster genealogy would include neighbors, friends mentioned in letters, perhaps even a witness in a land dispute. 

It wasn't uncommon for whole family groups (uncles, aunts, cousins) to all move together so a neighbor could easily be a relative.  Knowing relatives and neighbors who may have moved with your relative would make it easier to identify him in a new location.

Paths of History

There are some historical trails with which we are all familiar, such as the Chisholm Trail, the Mormon Pioneer Trail, and the Oregon Trail.  It is amazing to think that people could look at a vast unbroken prairie and follow it to a common location. 

The Native American trails helped the Colonists go between one community to another and quickly widened into true roads taking carts and wagons full of goods to sell and trade between the towns. 

The Mormon Pioneer Trail Followed the Oregon Trail for a short distance and broke away to follow its own path to the Salt Lake Valley.  Braddock's Trail was initially begun by George Washington then was later broadened by Gen. Braddock and became the first "superhighway" used for settling the Alleghenies, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and other points to the west.

Group or Cluster Research

I love the Little House on the Prairie books, especially when the Ingalls family moves to the Dakota Territories so that Pa can work for the railroad. 

Times were so difficult back then that it wasn't unusual for families to be divided.  The mother and children might live on a homestead claim while the father worked in town to make the money they would need to survive.

 It never fails to amaze me the stories behind how a family ended up moving from Delaware to Wyoming.

So if you are finding it hard to keep up with a distant relatives movements try tracking their known relatives and neighbors. Many times people moved from one job to another or to newly opened frontiers as groups!

Searching for an ancestors grave?

Trying to find a loved-ones grave?  www.findagrave.com is a wonderful source for finding grave information, and with the information for 63 million graves in their data bases you have a good chance of finding a 'lost' relative.

Once when looking up one relative, I not only found out what cemetery in which she was buried, but I saw an individual portrait of her, a family portrait with her husband and four of their children, a picture of her headstone, and the birth and death dates of most of her children. 

There are some records that are unavailable as yet, but new graves are added all the time.  There is even a link to add the burial records for the use of others.

Researching Japanese Heritages

In the 1890s, Japanese began immigrating primarily to Hawaii and the Eastern Coast.  During World War II Japanese Immigrants and Japanese-Americans were "relocated" to internment camps away from the coast. 

The restrictions that the government put on immigration along with significant economic development greatly reduced the number of immigrants from Japan. 

The Japanese are excellent record keepers and the koseki is the Family Registration in which all births, deaths, marriages and divorces are kept.

Technology Helps

Oh, the help technology can give us!!!  Did you know that there are several apps available for ipod touch, iphone, and ipad that will allow you to download you family tree in GEDCOM format or allow you to sync information from your iphone/pod/pad to your account later. This is how your family history fields can be quickly filled when ArtisticAncestry.com is up and running.

Ancestry.com has a free app available that only works if you already have an Ancestry.com account, but Reunion.com has an app that is free with up to 50 family members or if you use Reunion for Macintosh it will save the information and sync with your Macintosh account later?

There are some that have a fee and some that are free, but either way, it allows for quick access to family tree information.

Tool Kit for Genealogists

If you are an unpracticed genealogist, you may not know exactly what to bring with you when going to a genealogy library.  Here are some helpful items that all together would fit into a small bag.

 Bring a camera  (but remember to ask permission before taking pictures), pencils and an eraser, a flashlight, any medications you might need, a magnifying glass, money for parking meters and copy machines, 5 subject notebooks, post-it notes, paper clips, a calculator for calculating costs, ages, distances, band-aids for paper cuts, and a small handpack of Kleenex.

 I would even throw in a Thumb Drive in case the information can be saved from a computer without needing to photocopy.

Joys of Fatherhood

The first moment that tiny finger wraps around your finger is the same moment it wraps around your heart and life is never the same.  Fatherhood is more than "bringing home the bacon."  It's teaching, guiding, loving, helping, and entertaining your children.  Being a father is exhausting work, but from playing catch to tying hair ribbons, it's the little moments that bring the most joy.

Thank you to the fathers who know the importance of being a parent and for doing your part in creating the next generation of loving, responsible adults.

Researching the Philippines

The Spanish began taking census information in the Philippines as early as the late 1500s.  They weren't very careful about their information getting the information from other friends, family or neighbors. 

Most of the records have yet to be indexed but church records starting in the 1800s have been indexed.  You can find information such as names, ages, marital status, tribute status, profession, and "miscellaneous observations" in these records. 

Just remember not to take that information as "fact" since the sources could be questionable.  Check, Check, and Double Check!

Folk Art

Did you know that the beautifully created carousel horses were originally Jewish Folk Art?  The German Lutherans and reformed settlers of Eastern Pennsylvania created beautiful "hex signs" on the sides of barns?  The Mexicans created amazing pinatas?  

The point of genealogy is to trace our family lines, but let's remember the beauty they saw and created when they didn't have "things" to keep them occupied.  Will our art and objects we create today stand the test of time like some of the folk art has?

Civil War Anniversary

April 12, 2011 marked the 150th anniversary of the first shot fired during the Civil War.  I still remember how in awe I was the first time I held the discharge paper for a several Greats Grandfather.  It amazed me that my ancestor fought and lived through the Civil War.  It shouldn't surprise me since there were nearly 3.5 million soldiers and 600,000 deaths.  

The Civil War affected nearly every family in the young nation.  On wiki.familysearch.org they have listings of all the regiments from each state.