Sunday, April 27, 2014

SLCC Genealogy Course: Post #29 - Immigration, Naturalization & Citizenship

I'm coming into the back stretch on my Salt Lake Community College Genealogy Course.  This was the last lesson on various record types. We learned about and searched Immigration, Naturalization and Citizenship records.  Now I have the big projects to work on.

For the assignment we needed to create a list of immigrate ancestors. Pick one to research, submit our research log and write up a summary of the experience. Here part of what I handed in.

Immigrate Ancestors

The vast majority of my father’s ancestors came to the United States prior to the Revolutionary War. My surname line immigrant ancestor was Capt. Daniel Harris b. 1615 in Hatherup, Gloucestershire, England. He immigrated in 1643 and settled in Rowley, Massachusetts. Most of my ancestors were English and settled in the New England area prior to moving to New York State. With early immigration records being so limited, I decided not to select them for this assignment.

On my mother’s side we are descendants of the German Palatines Immigrants to New York in 1710. There has been a lot of research on that German line. I just need to firm up which branch we descend. The surnames connected with this immigration are Edeli, Scheffer, Seibert, Zipperly, and my Weatherwax (Wiederwachs) line. The rest of my mother’s lines have unknown origins so I’m not ready to research their immigration outside of the United States.

The closest ancestors that came over are actually my husband’s family. His parents Vito (Witold) Zamora and Lucienne Henay emigrated from France in 1949. I had already research this so I was familiar with the records now available on Ancestry.com for them. I found the same records again with nothing new to add.

This leaves me with my closest immigrant ancestors, my 2nd great grandparents, Nils Svensson Osberg (Nelson Siven Osberg) and Anna Jacobsson (Anna Peterson) from Sweden. My father hired a professional researcher to work on this family line many years ago. Therefore, I have never researched it. Their daughter Alice was my great-grandmother and lived until I was almost 11 years old. Therefore, I do remember her. My earliest genealogy treasures were photographs of Nils and Anna and a treadle sewing machine in our home.



My father told me he was stuck trying to find Nils S. Osberg’s immigration records. Every time he asked the family about how he immigrated, he heard a different story, sending him off on a wild goose chase. It was not until he was alone with their immigrant daughter’s husband that he found out the “true” story. He learned he would never locate Nils on a passenger list. He never booked passage; he come over as a crewmember and jumped ship upon arrival. My dad kept looking because who knows if that story is true either, but he could never find the records. Therefore, I did not think I was going to have much of a chance either.

I put Nils name into Ancestry.com and low and behold, their picture appeared. I have the exact same picture of them. I scanned and placed it on my website a number of years ago, and have since edited it. To make sure it is the same picture I compared the blemishes on the photograph and they match. The person that attached my picture to their tree must be a relative. They had already linked documents on Ancestry to their records, so that was helpful.



The period I believe Nils and Anna immigrated is 1869-1872. That is gap between the last daughter born in Sweden and the next one born in the United States. The ship manifest that appears a definite match is in 1907. Nils appears to be bringing a young boy into the United States from Sweden. That fits a cousin telling me he helped pay for their family members passages. His destination is Schuylerville, New York where I know he was living nearby at the time. For nationality, it lists US Cit, so I assume he naturalized by that time. What really helped was this note “County Court Washington Co. NY Mar 15, 1875”. I think that must be his naturalization date.

I continued to look for records on him and started to follow another Nils Osberg that has a date of naturalization as Oct 28, 1887 in County Court, Kings County, NY. I took down notes on him because I’m really not sure if it’s two different people yet. With the naturalization process, papers can be filed in different courts so he might have used two County Courts.

What I need to do now is order a copy of his naturalization records from the County Court in Washington County, New York. It would be great if it tells us exactly how he arrived in the United States.


The above picture I have in my collection is labelled Nils Osberg but I don't know which gentleman he is.  I am thinking he's the one in the middle.  What do you think?  I have no idea when the picture was taken either. It appears to be recognizing them as immigrants, maybe it was after his naturalization? Nils oldest daughter would have been 9 at the time of his possible naturalization in 1875. By the "graceful" way she is sitting she could be a 9 year old. Ugh! I need The Photo Detective, Maureen Taylor's help on this one.

See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

SLCC Genealogy Course: Post #28 - Land & Probate Records

I am still struggling to get caught up on my Salt Lake Community College Genealogy Course assignments. This latest assignment was on Land and Probate Records. I have to be honest and tell you this was virgin territory for me. I've taken classes on this subject but never searched actual records.

What I learned is there are a LOT of records made during whole recording process. They are really important records and I need far more practice than this one assignment gave me. I was just focusing on Washington County, New York in my attempts to find some family members.  Just my luck the images were on line, but not indexed. Ok, there are crazy indexes at the beginning of the records, but not one you can just type in who you're looking for. Ugh! I just hate those records. These are nothing more than digitized microfilms and personally I think the microfilm would have moved faster than FamilySearch and my internet browser tonight. I suppose if I considered the time it takes to ordering a film, waiting for it to come in, it would have been faster to look at the digital images online.

I spent FOREVER looking at records and didn't find anyone. Oh, I noted all the people with the same surnames, and they could turn out to be important, but I can't holler about anything great right now. Sure saw some cool stuff but nothing I can claim for my family story at this point.  We were asked to write up a summary of why land and probate records help us with our research.  I'm sharing it with you, but just be warned a lot of it came from the FamilySearch Wiki. If I had found a great discovery I could have written a more intriguing summary.

Land and Probate Records Summary

There is a wide variety of information that can be found in the land and probate records.

Probate records are all records which relate to the disposition of an estate, whether the person died leaving a will or not. They are essential for research because they often pre-date the birth and death records kept by the civil government.

In the collections of probate records, you can learn the deceased date of death, and residence. You can learn about their FAN club, i.e. name of spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, and their places of residence. Wills and probate records are good resources for learning the names of married daughters, which is often hard to trace. You can also learn about adoption or guardianship of minor children and dependants.

Through the inventories, you can learn about the person’s trade or occupation, and their economic standing in the community. The wording of the will could tell you what religious faith the person belonged to. Additional clues are former places of residence, land ownership, former spouses and their military service. All these items can help you locate additional records on the individual.

Land records are primarily used to learn where an individual lived and when he lived there. The availability of affordable or free land in the United States attracted many immigrants. Land ownership was generally recorded as soon as settlers arrived. They are important records because they exist when few other records are available during early periods.

Land records usually contain the following information.
1. Names of interested parties
2. Date of transaction
3. Legal description of the property
4. Monies exchanged
5. Details of the transaction
6. Names of witnesses

These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. They often reveal other family information, such as the name of a spouse, heir, other relatives, or neighbors. Sales between parent and child can help confirm relationships that might not be found in any other records. You may learn where a person lived previously, his occupation, if he served in the military, if he was a naturalized citizen, and other clues for further research.

See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!

Have the Free LDS Partner Subscriptions Begun to Roll-out?

It looks like the free LDS  access to premium websites: Ancestry, MyHeritage and FindMyPast are starting to get active. Here are some messages I received yesterday (22 Apr 2014) on the roll-out. So far I haven't seen anything official put out by FamilySearch or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Email received from Riverton FamilySearch Library consultant.
They announced today in our staff meeting that Directors of Family History Centers are suppose to have access to Ancestry.com today. Within the next week anybody that is listed as having a Family History church job is suppose to have access to Ancestry.com.

Then they will allow all people in Utah as the next group.
Then they will allow all members in United States.
Then they will allow all other Countries to have access

LDS-Ward-Consultant Mailing List on RootsWeb.
Concerning Roll out for LDS Partner Subscriptions Access will rollout by e-mail invitation. The e-mail invitation cannot be forwarded. It's only good for the person who received it. Roll out will start with General Authorities. Then to church employees and missionaries. Then Family History Consultants. Then to active Family Search patrons. Purpose is keep the Partner sites from going into overload from too many at once. This roll out will be for Ancestry.com, Findmypast and MyHeritage. Efforts are continuing for further partners in the future. This is from a notice received for Church Service Missionaries.

Deseret News article on 2 Apr 2014
"Access to genealogy websites for LDS Church members may come sooner than expected"

"Originally, FamilySearch encouraged church members to be patient because this special access wouldn't be available until the end of 2014.

But Thom Reed, FamilySearch's partner marketing manager, recently reported the project is ahead of schedule.

"The launch is currently scheduled for the middle of the second quarter," Reed said. "We are in the testing phase with our internal group right now. ... In the next two months, we will begin with a limited rollout. Patrons will be notified by an individual email invitation once we go live. We anticipate broad access for all members of the church will happen in the late summer, early fall, if all goes well."

Update:  James Tanner just announced he received his free access today as a Church Service Missionary. You can read about it at: "Free Access to Ancestry.com, MyHeritage and findmypast.com begins"

FamilySearch Historical Records Collection Update - 15 Apr 2014

The following is from FamilySearch.

FamilySearch Adds More Than 3.6 Million Images to Collections from China, Colombia, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, United States, and Wales

FamilySearch has added more than 3.6 million images to collections from China, Colombia, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, United States, and Wales. Notable collection updates include the 868,226 images from the new Colombia, Catholic Church Records, 1600–2012, collection; the 559,222 images from the U.S., Ohio, Hamilton County Records, 1791–1994, collection; and the 587,097 images from the China, Collection of Genealogies, 1239–2013, collection. See the table below for the full list of updates. Search these diverse collections and more than 3.5 billion other records for free at FamilySearch.org.

Searchable historic records are made available on FamilySearch.org through the help of thousands of volunteers from around the world. These volunteers transcribe (index) information from digital copies of handwritten records to make them easily searchable online. More volunteers are needed (particularly those who can read foreign languages) to keep pace with the large number of digital images being published online at FamilySearch.org. Learn more about volunteering to help provide free access to the worldís historic genealogical records online at FamilySearch.org.

FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources for free at FamilySearch.org or through more than 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Collection Indexed Records Digital Images Comments
Colombia, Catholic Church Records, 1600–2012 0 868,226 Added images to an existing collection.
China, Collection of Genealogies, 1239–2013 0 587,097 Added images to an existing collection.
Peru, La Libertad, Civil Registration, 1903–1998 0 158,401 Added images to an existing collection.
Philippines, Civil Registration (Local), 1888–1983 0 49,886 Added images to an existing collection.
Portugal, Setúbal, Catholic Church Records, 1555–1911 0 149,421 Added images to an existing collection.
Portugal, Viana do Castelo, Miscellaneous Records, 1707–1962 0 163,066 New browsable image collection.
Spain, Records of Widows and Orphans of Spanish Officers, 1826–1960 0 88,720 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., California, Oakland, Alameda County, Obituary Card Files, 1985–2011 0 738 New browsable image collection.
U.S., Delaware Vital Records, 1680–1962 0 356,143 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., Iowa, Polk County Probate Records, 1914–1924 0 81,578 New browsable image collection.
U.S., Iowa, Poweshiek County Land Records, 1855–1934 0 16,268 New browsable image collection.
U.S., Iowa, Poweshiek County Probate Records, 1850–1930 0 60,546 New browsable image collection.
U.S., Montana, Meagher County Records, 1866–2012 0 97,709 New browsable image collection.
U.S., Montana, Pondera County Records, 1910–2012 0 24,027 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., Montana, Teton County Records, 1881–2012 0 19,083 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., New Mexico, Naturalization Records, 1882–1983 0 29,163 New browsable image collection.
U.S., Ohio, Hamilton County Records, 1791–1994 0 559,222 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., Pennsylvania, Obituary and Marriage Collection, 1977–2010 0 122,063 New browsable image collection.
U.S., Utah, Juab County Records, 1847–1948 0 62,081 New browsable image collection.
United States, Cancelled, Relinquished, or Rejected Land Entry Case Files, 1861–1925 0 41,832 New browsable image collection.
Wales, Court and Miscellaneous Records, 1542–1911 0 84,157 Added images to an existing collection.

FamilySearch Historical Records Collection Update - 9 Apr 2014

The following is from FamilySearch.

FamilySearch Adds More Than 2.1 Million Images to Collections from Italy

FamilySearch has added more than 2.1 million images to collections from Italy. Notable collection updates include the 89,778 images from the new Italy, Lucca, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1807–1814, collection; the 445,302 images from the new Italy, Genova, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1796–1812, 1838–1859, 1866–1899, collection; and the 1,637,317 images from the Italy, Napoli, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809–1865, collection. See the table below for the full list of updates. Search these diverse collections and more than 3.5 billion other records for free at FamilySearch.org.

Searchable historic records are made available on FamilySearch.org through the help of thousands of volunteers from around the world. These volunteers transcribe (index) information from digital copies of handwritten records to make them easily searchable online. More volunteers are needed (particularly those who can read foreign languages) to keep pace with the large number of digital images being published online at FamilySearch.org. Learn more about volunteering to help provide free access to the worldís historic genealogical records online at FamilySearch.org.

FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources for free at FamilySearch.org or through more than 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Collection Indexed Records Digital Images Comments
Italy, Genova, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1796–1812, 1838–1859, 1866–1899 0 445,302 New browsable image collection.
Italy, Lucca, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1807–1814 0 89,778 New browsable image collection.
Italy, Napoli, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809–1865 0 1,637,317 Added images to an existing collection.

FamilySearch Historical Records Collection Update - 3 Apr 2014

The following is from FamilySearch.

FamilySearch Adds More Than 6.6 Million Indexed Records and Images to Collections from Austria, Brazil, England, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, and the United States

FamilySearch has added more than 6.6 million indexed records and images to collections from Austria, Brazil, Dominican Republic, England, Mexico, Nicaragua, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States. Notable collection updates include the 1,631,210 indexed records from the Mexico, Hidalgo, Catholic Church Records, 1546–1971, collection; the 411,508 images from the U.S., Minnesota, County Marriages, 1860–1949, collection; and the 1,117,286 images from the Austria, Seigniorial Records, 1537–1920, collection. See the table below for the full list of updates. Search these diverse collections and more than 3.5 billion other records for free at FamilySearch.org.

Searchable historic records are made available on FamilySearch.org through the help of thousands of volunteers from around the world. These volunteers transcribe (index) information from digital copies of handwritten records to make them easily searchable online. More volunteers are needed (particularly those who can read foreign languages) to keep pace with the large number of digital images being published online at FamilySearch.org. Learn more about volunteering to help provide free access to the worldís historic genealogical records online at FamilySearch.org.

FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources for free at FamilySearch.org or through more than 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Collection Indexed Records Digital Images Comments
Austria, Seigniorial Records, 1537–1920 0 1,117,286 Added images to an existing collection.
Brazil, Piauí, Civil Registration, 1875–2013 0 187,787 Added images to an existing collection.
Brazil, São Paulo, Immigration Cards, 1902–1980 0 751,108 Added images to an existing collection.
Dominican Republic, Civil Registration, 1801–2010 0 181,862 Added images to an existing collection.
England, Norfolk Register of Electors, 1844–1952 67,098 0 Added indexed records to an existing collection.
England, Northumberland, Cumberland, Durham, Miscellaneous Records, 969–2007 0 107,121 Added images to an existing collection.
Mexico, Coahuila, Catholic Church Records, 1627–1978 44,393 0 Added indexed records to an existing collection.
Mexico, Hidalgo, Catholic Church Records, 1546–1971 1,631,210 0 Added indexed records to an existing collection.
Mexico, Puebla, Catholic Church Records, 1545–1977 76,270 0 Added indexed records to an existing collection.
Mexico, Sonora, Catholic Church Records, 1657–1994 16,594 0 Added indexed records to an existing collection.
Mexico, Zacatecas, Catholic Church Records, 1605–1980 32,331 0 Added indexed records to an existing collection.
Nicaragua, Civil Registration, 1809–2013 183,723 117,825 Added indexed records and images to an existing collection.
Portugal, Coimbra, Passport Registers and Application Files, 1835–1938 0 190,710 Added images to an existing collection.
Portugal, Viana do Castelo, Catholic Church Records, 1537–1911 0 616 Added images to an existing collection.
Spain, Province of Gerona, Municipal Records, 1566–1956 0 10,682 Added images to an existing collection.
Spain, Records of Widows and Orphans of Spanish Officers, 1833–1960 0 187,704 Added images to an existing collection.
Switzerland, Fribourg, Census, 1834 35,826 0 Added indexed records to an existing collection.
U.S., District of Columbia Marriages, 1811–1950 5,287 0 Added indexed records to an existing collection.
U.S., Idaho, Bonneville County Records, 1867–2012 0 3,160 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., Illinois, Lee County Records, 1830–1954 0 9,521 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., Minnesota, County Marriages, 1860–1949 0 411,508 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., New York, Orange County Probate Records, 1787–1938 0 153,000 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., New York, Queens County Probate Records, 1785–1950 0 156,679 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., North Carolina, Civil Action Court Papers, 1712–1970 0 114,332 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762–1979 198,482 0 Added indexed records to an existing collection.
U.S., Oregon, Douglas County Records, 1850–1983 0 192,530 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., Oregon, Grant County Records, 1851–1992 0 35,132 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., South Carolina, Darlington County Records, 1798–1928 0 77,316 Added images to an existing collection.
United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907–1933 357,892 0 Added indexed records to an existing collection.

UGA - Lots of Fun Starting this Weekend!

The following is from the Utah Genealogical Association Newsletter.

South Davis Family History Fair
April 25-26
Woods Cross High School
600 West 2200 South
Dozens of classes and tracks!

Friday Night
Keynote presentation starts at 7 pm.
Please invite your friends - including youth - to this open-to-the public event on Friday evening.

Saturday
Registration opens at 7 am.
The keynote address Saturday morning is at 8am.

Register at http://ugagenealogy.org/aem.php?eid=10

Registered attendees received a link to download the syllabus today.

Have you signed up for the Virtual Chapter Meeting?
The UGA Virtual Chapter meets online on the third Thursday of each month at 7 pm Mountain Time. These meetings are free to the public. To attend the presentation, you will need to preregister at virtual.ugagenealogy.org.

SLIG Registration
Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy's online registration will open on 7 June 2013 at 9:00 am. Many tracks fill up in minutes, so make sure your membership is renewed and that you are familiar with accessing the membership page before that date and set your alarm clock! The hard part will be trying to decide which course to take!

Congratulations to Our UGA New Board Members!
Welcome Adele Marcum, James Tanner and Peg Ivanyo! Patsy Hendrickson will be returning to the board and we are grateful for her continued presence and service.

To read more about our new board members, please go to ugagenealogy.org where their bios will be posted shortly.

UGA is always looking for volunteers, if you are interested in serving, please contact us!

RootsTech Announces Call for Presentation for 2015 Conference to be Held February 11-14, 2015

The following is from RootsTech.

RootsTech 2015 Call for Presentations

Rootstech - February 6-8, 2014
ABOUT ROOTSTECH | 2014 VIDEOS
RootsTech 2015 Content Committee Issues a 
Call for Presentations
The RootsTech Content Committee is calling for dynamic presentations for RootsTech 2015 that inform and educate both those seeking to begin and those continuing to discover their family story through technology.  

Presentation submissions will be accepted June 2 to June 27, 2014, through the Call for Presentations portal on RootsTech.org.

Presentations will be accepted for both RootsTech and Innovator Summit.  

  • RootsTech is a three day family history conference offering over two hundred classes for beginners, avid hobbyists and experienced researchers.
  • Innovator Summit starts with a pre-RootsTech event onWednesday, February 11, and is a unique opportunity for software developers, entrepreneurs and technology business leaders to explore and influence technology solutions in the family history industry.  Classes will continue throughout the RootsTech conference.
In 2015, RootsTech and The Federation of Genealogical Societies are teaming up to offer two great conferences in one venue. Speakers interested in presenting at FGS can visit their website for more information about the FGS National Conference and their call for presentations. 
Youth Header

Presentations submissions are requested for all family history and technology skill levels in the following categories:
RootsTech

  • Finding and Organizing: search tactics, resources, specialized tools, methodologies, solutions, metadata, apps and software 
  • Preserving Your Work And Legacy: family trees, digital migration, audio and video solutions 
  • Sharing: social media, tools for collaboration, wikis, crowd sourcing, community building, blogs
  • Stories and Photos: storytelling and interviewing, capturing stories, preserving stories, enhancing stories with photos, photo restoration, movies and presentations, photo editing, oral histories
  • Tools: technology introductions, gadgets, genetic research, DNA, breaking down barriers, 
  • General:  family history topics in general including geographic research, time-period research, inspirations, market trends, research trends, adjacent industries, record types. (Please note, there is still an expectation in this category that technology is a part of the presented topic.)
  • Family Traditions And Lifestyle: cultural arts, handicrafts, food, influential historical events, everyday living standards, social customs, pastimes, artifacts. (Please note there is still an expectation in this category that this knowledge assists the learner in family history and that technology is a part of the presented topic.) 
RootsTech Innovator Summit
  • Developer: standards and API's, mobile app development, social applications, record imaging and visualizations, apps for youth, software and tools that enable the work of family history.
  • Business: funding and investment, startups- success stories and tips, opportunities and market trends, networking and partnerships, insights and entertainment 
For more information, download the complete Call for Presentations document. It includes presentation and evaluation criteria, the submission timeline, and process details.

Questions regarding the RootsTech 2015 call for presentations can be emailed to the Content Committee at info@rootstech.org.


Do you know someone who would be a great presenter for RootsTech 2015? Please share this email with them. 

Join Ancestry.com in Southern California for 4 Days of Family History

The following is from Ancestry.com.

ancestry.com
Join Ancestry.com at the 45th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree & the Family History and DNA Conference.
Register for Jamboree today!

Don't miss the 45th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree
Join Ancestry.com in Southern California at the 45th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree & the Family History and DNA: Genetic Genealogy Conference.

Register today!
Just starting to build your family tree? Ready to take your research skills to the next level? Trying to break through some stubborn brick walls? Then you won't want to miss the biggest genealogy weekend on the West Coast. Register today to attend one or both conferences for classes to help every family historian – from those just beginning their search to those who've been working on genealogy for years. Stop by the Ancestry.com booth to get hands-on answers to yourAncestry.com questions. Sit in on demonstrations covering Ancestry.com, Family Tree Maker and more. The exhibit hall also features family history exhibitors from across the country. The exhibit hall is free and open to the public.

Register today to attend the 2014 Southern California Genealogy Jamboree. We hope to see you in Southern California!

Sign up to have your documents scanned! Jamboree attendees can sign up for free 15-minute scanning sessions with Ancestry.com digitization experts.
Southern California Genealogy Jamboree

Ancestry Provides Pennsylvania Death Certificates for Free to Residents

The following was posted on my Salt Lake Community College - Genealogy Course Discussion board.

"Ancestry has been working with the Pennsylvania State Archives to digitize Pennsylvania death certificates and put them online. The first group of scanned death certificates covering 1906-1924 is available now at Ancestry." "Ancestry is planning on adding more digitized Pennsylvania death certificates (to 1963) in the next few months. The tentative schedule for when the remaining Pennsylvania death certificates will go online at Ancestry is:

1925-1944 -- June 2014
1945-1963 -- November 2014"

"If you are a resident of Pennsylvania you may be able to access these Pennsylvania death certificates for free. See: Ancestry.com Pennsylvania for more information". 

Upcoming ISGS Webinars

The following is from the Illinois State Genealogical Society.

Upcoming ISGS Webinars


Join us on Tuesday, May 13, at 8:00 PM Central, where James M. Beidler will present Organizing (or Reorganizing!) That Family Reunion.  To attend this webinar, register athttps://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4100612476706085633.

Last week's webinar, Using Canadian Records to Find Your Midwestern Ancestor, presented by Kathryn Lake Hogan, is now available to ISGS members in the Members Section of the ISGS website (http://ilgensoc.org/members.php).

Upcoming Webinars

May 13 – Organizing (or Reorganizing!) That Family Reunion
Presenter:  James M. Beidler
Registration:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4100612476706085633

June 10 – Plotting, Scheming, and Mapping Online
Presenter:  Cyndi Ingle
Registration:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3486718851035076865

July 8 – Newspaper Research—More Than Obituaries
Presenter:  Patricia Walls Stamm, CG, CGL
Registration:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4215015562064657921

For the complete list of upcoming webinars, visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=234.

And don't forget to spread the word!  Forward this email onto your friends and colleagues, post the information to social media sites and/or your blog/website, or print out a few copies of our webinar flyer to hand out at your local society meetings.  The flyer can be accessed athttp://bit.ly/isgs2014webinars.

Support the ISGS Webinar program by making a financial contribution, which will help ISGS expand its educational offerings in a virtual manner.  To learn why we need your help, or to make a contribution, please visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=345.

Please direct any questions to the ISGS Education Committee at isgseducation@ilgensoc.org

The 2014 ISGS Webinar Series is Sponsored by FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org).

FamilySearch Indexing Community Newsletter

The following is from FamilySearch.

New Indexing Program: Tablet Support and the New Learning Experience



indexing.familysearch.org

Are you getting excited about the new indexing program coming later this year? We are! You will soon be able to index on your tablet through your Internet browser. There will also be a new learning experience to guide you through the indexing process. Read this article to learn more about these exciting features.

Meet the Indexer

Meet the Indexer
Thousands of indexing volunteers make the world’s records freely available. Get to know the indexers of FamilySearch! Who are they? What makes them tick?

Indexing Tip

Am I Really a Beginning Indexer?


Arbitration Tip

Record Matching: An Essential Step



What Is Your Indexing Language?

Your native language skills will help millions of people from distant lands discover family connections. 

Obituaries FAQ

Amazing progress has been made in understanding these quirky records. Here are a few answers to your commonly asked questions. 

RootsTech 2014 Recordings

Were you unable to attend RootsTech? Would you like to watch Elder Anderson, Elder Foster, or Elder Packer's presentations? Recordings are now available!

Thank You

"I really appreciate the arbitrators who have been diligent in learning to arbitrate. None of what I index would be useful without them. Thanks."
- Susan

FamilySearch Indexing Statistics

1,146,272,608
Total Records
Completed
207
Current
Projects
42,666,472
Total Records
Completed in 2014
121,651
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HeritageQuest Online Overview

From the ProQuest Newsletter.  If you live in Utah you can gain at home access to HeritageQuest through your local library.

HeritageQuest® Online is a comprehensive treasury of American genealogical sources—rich in unique primary sources, local and family histories, and finding aids.

18th Century or 20th Century. European or Native American. Farm or Factory. East Coast or West Coast. Where does your American past begin?

Discover the amazing history of you with HeritageQuest Online. It delivers an essential collection of genealogical and historical sources—with coverage dating back to the 1700s—that can help people find their ancestors and discover a place’s past.

The collection consists of the following core data sets:

U.S. Federal Censuses feature the original images of every extant federal census in the United States, from 1790 through 1940, with name indexes for many decades. In total the collection covers more than 272 million names.

Genealogy and local history books deliver more than 7 million digitized page images from over 28,000 family histories, local histories, and other books. Titles have been digitized from our own renowned microform collections, as well from the American Antiquarian Society via an exclusive partnership.

Periodical Source Index (PERSI) Archive (1800-2009), published by the Allen County Public Library, it contains more than 2.3 million records covering both English and French periodicals published around the world since 1800.

Revolutionary War records contains original images from pension and bounty land warrant application files help to identify more than 80,000 American Army, Navy, and Marine officers and enlisted men from the Revolutionary War era.

Freedman’s Bank Records, with more than 480,000 names of bank applicants, their dependents, and heirs from 1865–1874, offers valuable data that can provide important clues to tracing African American ancestors prior to and immediately after the U.S. Civil War. It is considered one of the most important resources for African-American genealogical research.

U.S. Serial Set records the memorials, petitions, private relief actions made to the U.S. Congress back to 1789, with a total of more than 480,000 pages of information.

With a robust search interface, easy-to-use document management tools, and convenient remote access, it’s easy to see why HeritageQuest continues to be one of the most recommended resources by family history publications and genealogists.

The clues are out there waiting. Let HeritageQuest help you to find them.

Try HeritageQuest Online in your library.

Or, contact your ProQuest Account Representative to learn more about this product and others that directly support research into the genealogy and local history, including:

  • Ancestry® Library Edition features over 200 billion images in more than 8,000 unique databases via a library edition of the popular Ancestry.com website
  • ProQuest® African American Heritage focuses exclusively on resources devoted to African American family history research
  • Historic Map Works™ Library Edition provides the largest digital collection of historic maps with over 1.5 million maps
  • ProQuest Sanborn Maps Geo Edition (1867-1970) provides digital access to thousands of large-scale maps of American towns and cities, searchable by address and GPS coordinates.
  • Digital Sanborn® Maps details over 100 years of urban growth in America with more than 600,000 property and land-use records
  • ProQuest® Historical Newspapers delivers a definitive digital archive of significant regional, national, and international newspapers
  • ProQuest® Black Historical Newspapers delivers a definitive digital archive of newspapers published ProQuest® American Jewish Newspapers features four key American Jewish newspapers that enable researchers to investigate Jewish immigration, genealogy, history and so much more.
  • NewspaperARCHIVE Library Edition provides searchable access to more than 300 hundred years of local historical newspapers dating back to the 17th century. The full collection of NewspaperARCHIVE Library Edition contains more than 130 million digitized pages of content from over 6,000 newspapers throughout North America, the UK, and other select countries worldwide.

Preserving Your Story is Now Easier than Ever

The following is from Mocavo.


In October, we announced the Free Forever Revolution and committed to bringing 1,000 databases online for free, every single day. We’ve kept that promise every day since.

In January, we added 10,000 databases in a single day to put our total count at more than 200,000 databases available online for the world to enjoy.

In March, we reached a major milestone when we hit 300,000 databases and we are still going strong.

Along the way, we’ve been improving our product and launching new features designed to help you make more discoveries, faster.

As exciting as the last six months have been, believe me, we’re just getting started.

Preserving Your Story is Now Easier than Ever

The next frontier for Mocavo is to make it as easy as possible for every one of you to bring your family’s historical content online and available to share with the world. Every family history book, photo, letter, pamphlet, brochure, or directory you’ve ever gotten your hands on; we want to help you bring it online for your relatives to discover, near or far, close or distant. Let’s get every single piece of it online for free.

But how?

Early last year, we announced our Free Scanning program that allows you to mail us all of your books, documents, and photos. We scan in the materials, provide you with a digital copy, and add it to our index. To date, through the Free Scanning program, the Mocavo community has added more than 40,000 historical documents to our search index. That’s 40,000 documents packed with family history that will be free, forever.

But what about the content you’ve already scanned in yourself? How can you get that added to our index? We wanted to make it even easier for you to contribute content to Mocavo, so we’ve completely redesigned the Contribute section of our site.

Now, all it takes is a few simple clicks to upload your documents to Mocavo! We will process your content, add it to our index so that all of the text within your documents is completely searchable, and then you can show off your hard work to your loved ones and collaborate with family members to make even more discoveries!

Wouldn’t it be nice if your ancestors had left more of a paper trail? Upload your documents now and gain the peace of mind knowing that when you share your content on Mocavo, your story will be securely preserved forever.

Upload my documents now

Best regards,
Cliff Shaw, Founder

FREE ACCESS: Discover your Civil War Ancestors

The following is from Fold3.

Access the Civil War Collection

In remembrance of the Civil War's commencement in April 1861, Fold3 invites you to explore all records in its Civil War Collection for free April 14–30.
Civil War 150th AnniversaryExplore Civil War documents featuring everything from military records to personal accounts and historic writings. Soldier records include service records, pension index cards, “Widows’ Pension” files, Navy survivors certificates, Army registers, and much more. Other record types include photographs, original war maps, court investigations, slave records, and beyond. Items such as the Lincoln Assassination Papers, Sultana Disaster documents, letters to the Adjutant General and Commission Branch, and the 1860 census are also contained in the Civil War Collection.
Confederate-specific records include Confederate service records, amnesty papers, casualty reports, and citizens files, as well as Confederate Navy subject files and Southern Claims Commission documents.
Join Fold3 in its commemoration of the Civil War. Discover information on famous participants as well as your own Civil War ancestors through documents, photos, and images that capture the experiences and vital information of those involved in America’s deadliest conflict. Then commemorate your ancestors by creating or expanding memorial pages for them on Fold3’s Honor Wall. Get started searching the Civil War Collection here.


BYU Family History Library Classes

The following is from FamilySearch.

BYU Family History Library Classes


Family History Beginners, Researchers, and Consultants,

We invite you to attend the free family history classes held the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month at the BYU Family History Library. Visit the BYU Family History Library website found here for updates and to see the many resources they have to offer.

To see a list of classes for the second quarter of 2014, click here.

We hope to see you there on:

April 27
May 11 No classes due to Mother's Day
May 27 No classes due to Memorial Day weekend
June 8
June 22

The FamilySearch Team