Friday, September 30, 2011

Riverton Saturday Seminar - October 15th

The following is from FamilySearch.


Free Seminar on FamilySearch’s Effort to
Make Granite Mountain Vault Records Available
The Riverton FamilySearch Library Hosts an Event
 on October 15th from 9:00 a.m. to Noon

RIVERTON, UTAH¾ Since 1938, the Genealogical Society of Utah, which is now part of FamilySearch, has been capturing on film the records of the world and storing that film in the Granite Mountain Records Vault. In the past decade, modern technology and dedicated engineers have developed a means to convert those images on film to images on the Internet.  Keynote speaker Randy Bryson will present “FamilySearch Scanning¾The Story of Opening the Granite Mountain Records Vault.”  This presentation will provide insight into how the images are being converted, some of the incredible challenges that have been overcome, and how today we experience one of the most prolific efforts in the world to make the records of our ancestors available to a world-wide population.

Randy Bryson is an area family history advisor in the Utah South Area and is a past family history center director. Working for the Family History Department, he has had experience in the development and use of Personal Ancestral File, Scanning, Indexing, the new FamilySearch, and others systems. He now works to scale the Church’s technology to provide the new FamilySearch to the homes of members and nonmembers alike.

Following the keynote presentation, there will be two blocks of four classes that will cover topics of interest to both beginning and advanced family history enthusiasts.

Classes to be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. are:

  •           “Making Google Work for You”¾Sue Maxwell
  •           “Introduction to Legacy 7.5 Tree Maker and Legacy Family Search”¾Carl Holland
  •          “Where the Pros Search...Many Free, Wonderful Genealogy Sites Exist. Search from Your Home. Search for That Missing Link.”¾Ron Ray
  •          “Researching Your Scottish Ancestry”¾Raymon Naisbitt
The classes available from 11:00 a.m. to noon are:

  •          “Strategies for Searching¾Using Ancestry.com”¾Sue Maxwell
  •         “New England Research”¾Marilyn Markham
  •         “Bits and Pieces: How to Write Your Personal History”¾Rose Ann Fisher
  •          “Temple Submission Policies"¾Ray Garrison
Registration is not required for this free seminar. The Riverton FamilySearch Library is located in the LDS Riverton Office Building at 3740 Market Center Drive. The facility is near the intersection of Bangerter Highway and 13400 South, just east of The Home Depot.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Utah Archives Month programs planned

The follow is from the Utah State Archives and Records Service. 

The Utah State Archives will observe Utah Archives Month throughout October with weekly events each Friday at noon. Classes geared to celebrate the value of historic records will be offered each week. The statewide theme for 2011 is Archives: the Records of Our Lives.

Alan Barnett, reference archivist at the Utah State Archives, will share the fascinating story of extortion letters from the self-proclaimed "Tall and Short Man" that were found in the Utah State Archives holdings from a 1911-1913 Ogden City Police Department investigation, on October 7.

Ron Fox, who has over 30 years of government service and currently serves as president of The Fox Group, Inc., will discuss his latest book "When the White House Came to Zion" a photographic history that takes us on an entertaining journey through time as we discover the stories behind the events that brought American presidents to Utah, on October 14.

Will Bagley, a historian specializing in the history of the western United States, will discuss his latest book "The Mormon Rebellion: America's First Civil War, 1857-1858" a story that describes how, in 1857, President James Buchanan ordered U.S. troops to Utah to replace Brigham Young as governor and restore order in what the federal government viewed as a territory in rebellion, on October 21.

Robert Kirby, a humor and religion columnist for The Salt Lake Tribune, will share his thoughts on the value of historic records in our everyday lives, followed by an event inviting past and present members of Utah's law enforcement community to bring in historic items and memories to share, on October 28.

All events will be held in the Courtyard Meeting Room in the State Archives Building, 346 S. Rio Grande Street (455 West), Salt Lake City. An exhibit of capitol artifacts is on display in the lobby of the Archives building. The display includes notable artifacts, such as a capitol dome light, original office furnishings, historic photographs, design submission competition entries, program of competition booklets, a piece of granite, and commemorative items.

Information about these and other events is listed in the calendar on the Utah Archives Month website, utaharchivesmonth.org.

SLIG Early-Bird Deadline Approaching

The following is from the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and the Utah Genealogy Association (UGA).

Early-Bird Deadline for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy is Fast Approaching!

slig.ugagenealogy.org


Wednesday, September 29, 2011

Summer is ending, and with the advent of fall we are drawing that much closer to the early-bird deadline for registration to the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG). It’s only a month away! If you register for SLIG after October 30, 2011 you will pay an increase of $50 ($400 for UGA members and $450 for non-members). The current registration cost is only $350 for UGA members and $400 for non-members. To register visit www.slig.ugagenealogy.org.

Often genealogists are self-taught and gain most of our knowledge from books like Professional Genealogy and The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy. But there are always gaps in any self-taught knowledge base. The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy is designed to help fill in those gaps. Whether you are taking Paula Stuart-Warren’s American Records course to cement your basic and intermediate knowledge, or one of our more specialized courses—Advanced Land Records or Original Source Repositories for example—to take your research to the next level.

Sometimes our research  takes us to new countries and may even introduce us to records in new languages. At these times a knowledgeable guide can shave years off your learning curve. This year we are immersing students in four highly specialized areas: Welsh Research, Swedish Research, Midwestern Research, and Genealogical Librarianship. You may not think those last two require specialized knowledge, but have you ever tried to research in the Ohio Military Districts? Kory Meyerink sure has and he can guide you past the land mines. Drew Smith will help genealogical librarians learn how to best aid their patrons in their research adventures.

We are also offering a first-rate technology course with expert George G. Morgan. More and more we are seeing the genealogical arean transformed by technology--blogs, relational database software, online record collections, etc.--and it can be difficult to keep up. George G. Morgan will guide students past the pitfalls to a successful tech
It’s especially important to register now if you want to take the Problem Solving course. The project submission is also due by October 30, 2011 and no registrations will be taken after that point (unless special permission is granted from the coordinator).

The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy will be held January 23, 2012–January 27, 2012 with a welcome social the evening of January 22, 2012. The Plenary Session will be presented Monday, January 23, 2012, at 7:00 PM by Thomas W. Jones. The topic is "The Genealogical Proof Standard: What It Is and What It Is Not" and is free to the public. A banquet will be held to honor graduates on Friday, January 27, 2012 at 7:00 PM. Awards will be presented at the banquet, including the prestigious Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association (FUGA); Lou Szoucs will present the banquet program, subject TBD.
We will again be offering evening sessions. These sessions are open to both registrants and the public for $10/each. For a full schedule visit our website. Due to their smashing success in 2011 we will again offer vendor lunches Monday through Thursday. A standard lunch hour will facilitate these lunches and ensure students are able to attend without disrupting their regular class schedule. The vendor lunch schedule is available online and tickets can be purchased through the SLIG registration process.

We highly recommend staying at the conference hotel, the downtown Salt Lake City Radisson. The rate is $85/night for single or double occupancy; The UGA rate is available from January 19, 2012–January 30, 2012. RootsTech begins February 2, 2012 and also has a dedicated rate at the Radisson as well. If you are staying through both conferences please send an email to christy.fillerup@gmail.com with the subject line SLIG/RootsTech Hotel and the dates you are staying to ensure your hotel reservations are processed correctly. Book your SLIG reservation athttp://www.radisson.com/uga.


About the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy

The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy has been providing top-notch genealogical education for fifteen years. The courses are primarily focused at the advanced level, with Course 1: American Research and Records Parts 1 and 2 with Paula Stuart-Warren, providing a good intermediate foundation. SLIG is structured in "tracks". Each track equates to either a locality or a methodological subject. Each track provides at least twenty hours of in-depth instruction. Students choose one track for the week and leave with a deeper understanding of their chosen topic than a traditional conference can impart. SLIG is dedicated to providing a forum for the best genealogical educators in the field to present their knowledge to avid family historians.

About the Utah Genealogical Association

The Utah Genealogical Association (UGA) is an enthusiastic community of researchers who desire to improve their research skills and more effectively utilize genealogical resources within Utah. UGA provides genealogical information, sources and education through personal instruction and published media on state and national family history topics, while promoting high standards and ethical practices.
UGA was formally organized September 25, 1971, and chartered December 1, 1971, by the State of Utah as a nonprofit educational organization. UGA is not affiliated with any religious or political organization.To learn more visithttp://www.infouga.org.  Also follow us on Facebook.com /ugagenealogy and Twitter: @ugagenealogy
The South Davis Chapter’s next meeting will be on May 25th at 7:00 in the same location, which is 790 South 100 East, Bountiful. The public is invited to join us in hearing our speaker: well-known Genealogist and presenter Devin Ashby. He will be speaking onThe Google Genealogist.
All those with an interest in genealogy are invited to participate in the new South Davis Chapter as well as become a member of UGA.  Benefits of being a member of UGA will enable you to receive access to:
Virtual Chapter Meetings: These are online instructional meetings held the third Thursday of each month.
Educational Projects supported and organized by Barry Ewell, with three levels of expertise: Gold, Silver and Bronze
First Families of Utah: Recognizing and documenting prominent early Utah families
Utah Indexing Projects including,:  Births, Marriages, Death, and Burial Records
Access to Rare Utah Marriage records from 1851-1884
UGA Conference Planner: Guides UGA members through directing a conference, seminar, or fair
Speakers Bureau: A list of presenters reviewed and approved through UGA for classes and meetings with contact information
Crossroads Magazine: UGA's Quarterly magazine with articles on Genealogy and related subjects
Discounts for Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy
Discounts for Chapter Activities and Events
Discounts for the Semi-Annual UGA Family History Conferences
Pre-registration for most events

Ancestry.com Releases Family Tree Maker 2012 with TreeSync

The follow is from Ancestry.com.


Ancestry.com Releases Family Tree Maker 2012 with TreeSync™, Allowing Family Tree Updates from Anywhere via the Cloud

Update of the No. 1 Selling Family History Software Makes Researching & Sharing Family History More Rewarding Than Ever

PROVO, Utah (Sept. 29, 2011) – Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, today announced the release of Family Tree Maker® 2012, an improved and expanded version of the world’s No. 1 selling family history software. Now with its new TreeSync™ capabilities, Family Tree Maker 2012 enables family history enthusiasts to sync their desktop family trees and their trees online at Ancestry.com unlike any other desktop software available on the market.

“We have a long-term vision to make family history simple and more accessible to the masses,” said Eric Shoup, Senior Vice President of Product for Ancestry.com. “Now with the combination of Ancestry.com, the Ancestry mobile app and the new Family Tree Maker, users can work on their family tree anywhere, anytime.”
Family Tree Maker 2012 introduces TreeSync, which enables family historians to sync their online tree at Ancestry.com and their desktop family trees, including photos and other historical records they have attached. This enables Family Tree Maker users to bring their desktop tree online to share with invited guests and continue their research from wherever they are.

The new software comes with a free membership or free trial to Ancestry.com that gives users access to billions of historical records, and millions of memory-making historical photos, stories and family trees. Membership with Ancestry.com connects Family Tree Maker 2012 users to the largest family history community in the world, and helps users find other members who might be researching the same ancestors so they can compare notes and discover more together.

Other improvements in Family Tree Maker 2012 include:
·         An easier-than-ever user interface to get users started right away
·         Upgraded help content and video tutorials
·         Improved content-generation and editing options to create engaging “Smart Stories” about family history and family members
·         The ability to combine families into one harmonized tree, bringing step-families and adoptees into the main family tree
·         Simple generation labels and text boxes to make family trees more interesting and informative

Expert users of earlier Family Tree Maker releases will find new power-user tools in Family Tree Maker 2012, including:
·         Upgraded personalization capabilities enabling users to add their own images, adding narrative text and displaying explanatory generation labels to charts
·         Index report of every individual in a family tree with birth, marriage and death dates
·         Chart the line of descendancy between an ancestor and any descendant in your family tree

Pricing and availability
Family Tree Maker 2012 for PC is starting at $39.99 and is now available to purchase online athttp://www.familytreemaker.com and at Best Buy, Office Depot, Amazon.com and other select retailers. Family Tree Maker for Mac is also available, and will include the TreeSync capability in the upcoming version slated to be released by the end of 2011.

(PLEASE NOTE: Internet access is required for all Web integration)

About Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM) is the world's largest online family history resource, with nearly 1.7 million paying subscribers. More than 7 billion records have been added to the site in the past 14 years.  Ancestry users have created more than 26 million family trees containing over 2.6 billion profiles. In addition to its flagship sitewww.ancestry.com, Ancestry.com offers localized Web sites designed for nine countries that empower people to discover, preserve and share their family history.


Records Update 28 September 2011

The following is from FamilySearch.


New Collections for Australia, Estonia, Mexico, and U.S. 

U.S. Additions Include Utah, California, Illinois and 7 other states 

28 September 2011


New records collections from Australia, Estonia, Mexico and the United States can now be searched for free at FamilySearch.org. In addition, new records were added to Austria, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Honduras, Poland, South Africa, and Spain collections. Find your ancestors now atFamilySearch.org.

Searchable records on FamilySearch.org are made possible by thousands of volunteers from around the world who transcribe (index) the information from handwritten records to make them easily searchable by computer. More volunteers are needed (particularly those who can read foreign languages) to help accelerate this great initiative to preserve and provide free access to the world’s historic genealogical records. To learn more about the FamilySearch indexing program, visit indexing.familysearch.org.



CollectionRecordsImagesComments
Australia, Tasmania, Miscellaneous Records, 1800–2000019,898New browsable image collection.
Austria, Seigniorial Records, 1537-18880255,279Added browsable images to existing collection.
Canada, Saskatchewan Provincial Records, 1879-1987013,864Added browsable images to existing collection.
Chile, Civil Registration, 1885-190354,2651,964Added browsable images to existing collection.
Czech Republic Church Books, 1552-1935067,701Added browsable images to existing collection.
Czech Republic, Censuses 1843-1921020,395Added browsable images to existing collection.
Czech Republic, Třeboň, Nobility Seignorial records, 1664-1698064,620Added browsable images to existing collection.
Estonia, Church Books 1835-1940010,245New browsable image collection.
Estonia, Petseri County, Surname Register Cards 1921-1923012,902New browsable image collection.
Honduras, Church Records, 1633-1978037,122Added browsable images to existing collection.
Mexico, Puebla, Civil Registration, 1861-193001,457,276New browsable image collection.
Poland, Roman Catholic Church Books, 1600-1950034,473Added browsable images to existing collection.
South Africa, Orange Free State, Estate Files, 1951-2004096,404Added browsable images to existing collection.
Spain, Diocese of Albacete, Catholic Church Records, 1504-1979810,2180Added index records to existing collection.
Spain, Diocese of Avila, Catholic Church Records, 1502-197577,9540Added index records to existing collection.
U.S., California, San Mateo County Records, 1856-1967017,174Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Idaho, Cassia County Records, 1879-1960016,031Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Illinois, Probate Records, 18191970064,589Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Maine, State Archive Collections, 1636–1964024,686Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Maine, Washington County Courthouse Records, 1785-1950091,241New browsable image collection.
U.S., Minnesota, County Birth Records, 1863-19830113,520Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Mississippi State Archives, Various Records, 1820-19510125,677Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Ohio, Cuyahoga County Probate Files, 1813-1900017,788Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Utah, Davis County Records, 1869-195307,786Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Wisconsin, Probate Estate Files, 1848-1935041,117Added browsable images to existing collection. 

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Personal Historian 2 Software Released

The following is from RootsMagic.

Latest Version of Personal and Family History Writing Software Now Available to the Public

SPRINGVILLE, Utah. — September 28, 2011 — RootsMagic, Inc. today announced the official release of Personal Historian 2, the latest version of the ground-breaking computer software which helps you write the story of your life and of other individuals. Personal Historian breaks this seemingly monumental task into small, manageable pieces and then reconstructs it into a complete, publishable document. With the release comes a free “Essentials” version of the software as well as a discount offer for new users and previous owners of the software.


Bring Life to Your Life Stories

“Many people want to write a personal history about themselves or family members but get lost or overwhelmed,” said Michael Booth, vice-president and lead developer of the software. “It’s very gratifying to hear people tell us that they are finally able to write their life stories thanks to Personal Historian.”
Personal Historian creates an interactive timeline of a person’s life to keep the stories organized, give context to life events, and to allow users to write stories in any order they wish. When ready, Personal Historian will compile the stories into a finished book complete with table of contents, chapters, pictures, indexes, and more. The book may then be printed at home, edited in a word processor, published professionally, or shared with friends and family.




New Features

“The new features in Personal Historian 2 have been worth the wait,” said Bruce Buzbee, president. “While we’ve added many new and powerful features, we’ve worked hard to make the software even easier to use than before.”

Personal Historian 2 boasts an impressive list of over 40 features including streamlined step-by-step wizards; expanded timelines and memory trigger questions; easy filtering and searching of stories; management of categories, people, and places; improved outlining and writing analysis; wrapping of text around pictures; fonts and text styles; and more-powerful publishing and output options.

Free “Personal Historian Essentials”

RootsMagic is also releasing a new, free edition of Personal Historian named, “Personal Historian Essentials”. Personal Historian Essentials contains many core features from the Personal Historian software and the two products are fully-compatible with one another. “We wanted to give everyone a risk- free option,” said Booth. “Personal Historian Essentials is perfect for someone who wants to start writing a personal history but doesn’t know where to begin.” Personal Historian Essentials is available for download athttp://www.personalhistorian.com.


Discount Offer
To celebrate it’s release, RootsMagic, Inc. is pleased to offer a special introductory offer for Personal Historian 2. Through October 31, 2011, Personal Historian 2 is available for a special introductory price of only $19.95, saving $10 off of the regular price. The discount is available only on the Personal Historian website at http://www.personalhistorian.com or by calling 1-800-766-8762.


About RootsMagic, Inc.
For over 20 years, RootsMagic, Inc. has been creating computer software with a special purpose- to unite families. One of our earliest products- the popular “Family Origins” software, introduced thousands of people to the joy and excitement of family history.

That tradition continues today with “RootsMagic”, our award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history fun and easy. “Personal Historian” will help you easily write and preserve your life stories. “Family Reunion Organizer” takes the headaches out of planning those important get-togethers. And “Family Atlas” creates beautiful and educational geographic maps of your family history.


For more information, visit www.rootsmagic.com.
Source: RootsMagic, Inc.

RootsTech Early Bird Registration

The following is from RootsTech.


Don’t Miss the $129 Early Bird Registration for RootsTech 2012!

An exciting family history and technology conference to shape the future of genealogy

If you were not one of the thousands of people to attend the inaugural RootsTech Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2011, and had to follow all of the excitement remotely through online buzz and blogs, you already know this is an event you do not want to miss in 2012!  From groundbreaking topics, “unconferencing discussions”, to the RootsTech Playground, this conference will continue to deliver in its uniqueness.  
Think major technology creators (Dell, Microsoft, Oracle, FamilySearch, brightsolid, Ancestry.com, Archives) and technology users (genealogists and family history buffs) coming together in a fun, collaborative environment for three days to learn new, technology-based skills and help influence the future of family history through technology!

Be one of the thousands of RootsTech 2012 attendees to:
  • Discover emerging technologies and devices to improve your research
  • Learn from hands-on workshops and interactive presentations
  • Collaborate with technology creators to advance family history through technology
  • Educate technology providers about your needs
There will be sessions of interest to novice, intermediate, and advanced users of technology. Sessions will include:
  • Hands-on workshops
  • Interactive presentations
  • Sneak peek demonstrations of upcoming new products and services
  • Panel discussions
  • Common interest gatherings
  • Unconferencing discussions (last minute, on-the-fly sessions requested by attendees)
Go to RootsTech.org to see the full list of topics and sessions.

Register Now at RootsTech.org:
  • $129 through November 30, 2011
  • $189 beginning December 1, 2011
  • $35 student rate (Must show a current student ID at admission)
  • Single day passes are also available

The RootsTech conference is sponsored by Oracle, Microsoft, Dell, FamilySearch, Brigham Young University, the New England Historic Genealogical Society, brightsolid, Archives.com, Ancestry.com, the Association of Professional Genealogists, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, and the National Genealogical Society.


About RootsTech

RootsTech is a new conference designed to bring technologists together with genealogists to learn from each other and find solutions to the challenges faced in family history research today. The conference’s activities and offerings are focused on content that will help genealogists and family historians discover exciting new research tools while enabling technology creators to learn the latest development techniques from industry leaders and pioneers.

FamilySearch Research Help Community Newsletter

The following is from FamilySearch.


FamilySearch Recognizes Volunteers at FGS



The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) held its annual conference earlier this month in Springfield, Illinois, and FamilySearch was in on the action. As part of its participation, FamilySearch hosted an event to celebrate the contributions of more than 150,000 active volunteers who participate in FamilySearch efforts, such as the wiki, forums, indexing, and staffing family history centers around the world. The celebration included an announcement related to progress on the American Civil War project as well as recognition of the winners of the Great Illinois Genealogy Scavenger Hunt, which was a joint effort of the Illinois State Genealogical Society and FamilySearch.
 
Hundreds of people attended the celebration event, including several community members who have made significant contributions to FamilySearch. Thomas MacEnteeof the Illinois State Genealogical Society presented the results of the scavenger hunt contest that he had helped coordinate. He highlighted the efforts of two wiki contributors in particular: Darcie Hind Posz was recognized for providing the most valuable wiki contribution, which was an article about Chicago city and social directories. Angie Kelly was recognized for making the most interesting contribution to the Illinois wiki articles, which was a collection of links to “Tillie's Tales,” journal entries of Angie’s grandmother from the 1930s.  
 
FamilySearch appreciates the vibrant community of volunteers that participate in activities to support family history and provide free and accessible information to those who are searching for their ancestors. You can become a FamilySearch Research Wikicontributor too! Visit our wiki contributor help page today to learn how.

 

Share Your TechTips!


Do you have a great idea on how to use technology to help with genealogy? If so, we need you! The FamilySearch TechTips team is looking for new authors to write articles about technology and genealogy. You don’t need to be a technology expert to contribute. Here’s what we’re looking for:
  • Step-by-step technical how-to guides that lead readers to accomplish tasks on their own. Articles that explain practical applications of technology that can help with a particular aspect of family history. 
  • Product evaluation standards. While we don’t accept specific product reviews, we do like to discuss how to evaluate products for purchase or use and how product features apply to family history.
  • Personal viewpoints on technology and family history topics.
  • Tech news.
Visit our TechTips contributor page to learn more about becoming a TechTips author.

 

Research Help Forums Now Available in Spanish

Did you know that the Research Help forums are alsoavailable in Spanish? There is a separate forums page available for Spanish speakers, and more languages will be available in the future. Visit the Spanish forums site today and share it with others. Stay tuned for more language sites to become available!




 

What Do YOU Want to Know?

Do you have something you would like to see highlighted in our next newsletter? Let us know your ideas for upcoming newsletter articles, or tell us what you would like to learn more about. E-mail us at helpcommunity@familysearch.org with your suggestions. 





Spread the Wealth!

Do you have friends or family members that you think could benefit from our newsletters? Forward this e-mail to them and ask them to subscribe!
 

 

Mark Your Calendars - UVTAGG Meeting!

UTAH VALLEY TECHNOLOGY AND GENEALOGY GROUP MEETING (UVTAGG)
The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group - UVTAGG (Formerly the Utah Valley PAF Users Group - UVPAFUG) will be on Saturday, 8 Oct 2011, from 9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo. Information about the Group, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on their website http://uvtagg.org and the press releases are at http://blog.uvpafug.org/ . With the organization's name change the latter URL will also be changed eventually.

The main presentation for this meeting will be by Loretta Evans on DEAD MEN DO TELL TALES. When someone dies, a number of records are created – obituaries, sexton records, death certificates, probates, funeral home documents, and even coroner’s reports.  These can be invaluable for family historians. Many original documents are available online and this presentation will illustrate finding and using them.  Loretta Evans, AG®, is a freelance writer and lecturer with over 35 years of genealogical experience.  Accredited in Midwestern research, she specializes in 19th and 20th century United States genealogy.  Loretta has lectured regularly at genealogical events, including the FGS Conference, BYU Computerized Genealogy Conference, and the BYU-Idaho Family History Conference.  She is the author of six family histories and numerous magazine articles.  She and her husband recently returned from serving as missionaries at the Family and Church History Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Following the main presentation there will be several classes about family history and technology with something for everyone at any level of expertise. The teachers and classes presently scheduled for this meeting are as follows:   


  1. Mormon Data, including the Nauvoo Databank, Don Snow
  2. Tips and Tricks for Using Ancestry.com on MACs & PCs, Cathy Magleby
  3. Personalized Help, Don Engstrom & Finn Hansen
  4. Illustrating Your Family History, Loretta Evans
  5. Video of last month's main presentation: The Power of DNA in Unlocking Family Relationships, Ugo A. Perego
  6. Ancestral Quest, Gaylon Findlay
  7. Legacy 7.5, Joel Graham
  8. RootsMagic 4, Bruce Buzbee.
All meetings of the Group are open to the public whether members of the Group or not. The Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually 100-125 attending the monthly meetings on the second Saturdays. The officers are Gerhard Ruf, President; Laurie Castillo, 1st VP; Don Snow, 2nd VP; Liz Kennington, Newsletter Editor; Renee Zamora, Secretary; Kay Baker, Gerry Eliason, and Don Engstrom working with finances and membership; and Bruce Merrill and Marie Andersen working with the DVD Library. Several of these will be there to answer questions, help with membership, distribute the current issue of the monthly newsletter TAGGology, and check out DVDs of past presentations and classes to members of the group. Information about the Group, presentations, classes, and class notes can be found at the websites mentioned above. For further information contact President Gerhard Ruf at pres@uvtagg.org (801-225-6106) or 1st VP Laurie Castillo at laurie@everythingisrelative.net, or 2nd VP Don Snow at snowd@math.byu.edu.

Family History Library October Research Series

The following is from the Salt Lake Family History Library.


The Family History Library Hosts Events in October.

Free Seminar on U.S. Immigration Research
 
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH Genealogists and family history enthusiasts looking for help with U.S. Immigration research will be interested in a free U.S. Immigration seminar being held on Saturday, October 8, at the Family History Library. The classes will include:

9:00 a.m. “U.S. Immigration, 1820-1954”
10:15 a.m. “U.S. Naturalization Records”
11:30 a.m.  “Canadian Border Crossing Records”

To view the class schedule online, go to www.familysearch.org.  Classes will be held in the Main Floor classroom of the Family History Library.  The library is located to the west of Temple Square on West Temple between North Temple and South Temple Streets in downtown Salt Lake City.  On Saturdays, parking is free to library patrons and is located behind the Church History Museum.  To register for these free classes, send an email to FHLClassReg@familysearch.org or call 801-240-4950.


Free Seminar on Hispanic Research
The Family History Library Hosts Events in October.
 
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH Genealogists and family history enthusiasts looking for help with Hispanic research will be interested in a free Hispanic seminar being held on Saturday, October 15, at the Family History Library. The classes will include:

10:00 a.m. “Fundamentos Básicos Para La Historia Familiar”
11:15 a.m. “Registros Parroquiales”
12:30 p.m. “Registros Diocesanos”
2:00 p.m. “FamilySearch.org”
3:15 p.m.  “Nuevo Family Search”

To view the class schedule online, go to www.familysearch.org.  Classes will be held in the Auditorium on the first lower level of the Church History Museum.  The museum is located to the west of Temple Square on West Temple between North Temple and South Temple Streets in downtown Salt Lake City.  On Saturdays, parking is free to library patrons and is located behind the Church History Museum.  To register for these free classes, send an email to FHLClassReg@familysearch.org or call 801-240-4950. 


Free Workshop on Wales Research Peculiarities
 
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH Genealogists and family history enthusiasts looking for help with Wales research peculiarities will be interested in a free Wales Research Peculiarities Workshop being held on Saturday, October 22, at the Family History Library. The classes will include:

9:00 a.m.   “Names, Geographical and Personal”
10:00 a.m. “Records and Research Strategies”
11:00 a.m.  “Practice Time”

To view the class schedule online, go to www.familysearch.org.  Classes will be held in the B2 classroom on the second lower level of the Family History Library.  The library is located to the west of Temple Square on West Temple between North Temple and South Temple Streets in downtown Salt Lake City.  On Saturdays, parking is free to library patrons and is located behind the Church History Museum.  To register for these free classes, send an email to FHLClassReg@familysearch.org or call 801-240-4950.