The
NorthEast Ohio Computer-Aided Genealogy Society
QUARTERLY
A Summary of
Events and Topics of Interest to Online Genealogists
Vol.
13 No. 2--April 1, 2008
compiled
by Luther Olson
NorthEast
Ohio Computer-Aided Genealogy [NEOCAG] serves Eastern Cuyahoga,
Lake,
Geauga, Ashtabula, Portage & Summit Counties.
Regular
meetings 2nd Saturday of each month
St.
Bartholomew Episcopal Church
435 S.O.M.
Road, Mayfield Village, OH.
Jerry Kliot—President
CONTENTS
> News and
Views
> USGenWeb
Sites Departing Ancestry.com-Hosted RootsWeb
> Many
USGenWeb Sites Leave RootsWeb
> USGenWeb
- Where Are They Moving?
> The
Internet Effect On Local Genealogy Societies
> Internet
Effect on Membership of NEOCAG Society?
> Where Did
I Come From? TribalPages Genealogy Maps Have the Answer
> Research
Your Tree in Just-Updated PERSI
> Should We
Call It ‘Genealogy’ Or ‘Family History’?
> BYU
Family History Archive to Expand
> Everton's
Best Internet Sites for Finding Living Relatives
> Research at the Courthouse, Archives or Library/
10 Tips for Planning Your Visit & Maximizing Your Results
> NARA
Posts Free Passenger Indexes Online
=============================================================
> News and
Views
A few years ago NEOCAG members participated
in efforts to recycle our old equipment. It was evident from the start
that we were concerned about the problem and interested in doing what
we could to help keep toxic materials out of our environment. After a few years, however, it became obvious
that we had about reached the limit in what we could do. Fortunately
many of our local communities began picking up on the problem and it
seemed much better for each of us to work within our own city.
At that time we published a list of each
city, which I would like to do once again. This list is from the
Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District—may I suggest that right now you
bookmark this site so you can continue to go to it in the future. We
are grateful to Jan Shergalis for her collection of old cell phones and
empty printer cartridges each month which are recycled by the Kenston
Schools.
It seems that we at the local level,
including our individual communities, are carrying much of the load. A
lengthy article in the PD on Thursday, 4/17, was disappointing,
however, in that it appeared that the counties and the state are doing
little or nothing. You aren’t going to
drive to Berea or Medina to get rid of your old batteries. Perhaps in
the future we can find a way to make our officials at those levels more
aware of their responsibilities.
In the meantime, thanks for your continued
interest and support,
Luther
City |
Information |
Bay Village |
Drop-off April 7-18, 31300 Naigle Road, M-F
7:30-3:00 and Sat. 8:00-12:00. Questions, call (440) 871-1221 or www.cityofbayvillage.com |
Beachwood |
Year-round drop off, 2700 Richmond Road (Door #
5), M-F, 7:30-3:30. Questions, call (216) 292-1922 or www.beachwoodohio.com |
Bedford |
Drop-off July 1-31, 100 Solon Road, M-F
8:00-4:00. Questions, call (440) 735-6582 or www.bedfordoh.gov |
Bedford Heights |
Drop-off April 1-30, 25401 Solon Road, M-F
8:00-3:00. Questions, call (440) 232-8832 or www.bedfordheights.gov |
Bentleyville |
Year-round collection. Questions, call
(440) 247-5055 |
Brecksville |
Year-round drop-off (Saturday only), 9023
Brecksville Road, 9:00–12:00. Questions, call (440) 526-2643 or www.brecksville.oh.us |
Broadview Heights |
Year-round drop-off, 9543 Broadview Road -
Bldg. 10, M-F 7:00–3:00. Questions, call (440) 526-4718 or www.broadview-heights.org |
Brook Park |
Year-round drop-off, 19065 Holland Road, M-F
7:00–3:00. Questions, call (216) 433-7192 or www.cityofbrookpark.com |
Brooklyn |
Year-round drop-off, 9400 Memphis Avenue, M-F,
8:00–4:30. Questions, call (216) 635-4232 or www.brooklynohio.gov |
Brooklyn Heights |
Year-round drop-off, 233 Tuxedo Avenue, M-F,
8:00-4:30. Questions, call (216) 351-0131 or www.brooklynhts.org |
Chagrin Falls |
Drop-off April 1-30, 240 Solon Road, M-F
7:00-3:30. Questions, call (440) 247-5053 or www.chagrin-falls.org |
Cleveland |
Drop-off April 1-30, 5600 Carnegie Avenue and
3727 Ridge Road, M-F 9:00-3:00. Questions, call (216) 664-3717 or www.cleveland.oh.gov |
Cleveland Heights |
Year-round curbside collection. Questions, call
(216) 691-7319 or www.clevelandheights.com |
Cuyahoga Heights |
Curbside collection on Tuesdays. Questions,
call (216) 641-3505 or www.cuyahogaheights.com |
East Cleveland |
Drop-off April 1-30, 1610 Eddy Road. Questions,
call (216) 681-2421 or www.eastcleveland.org |
Euclid |
Drop-off April 1-30, 25200 Lakeland Boulevard.
Questions, call (216) 289-8345 or www.ci.euclid.oh.us |
Glenwillow |
Year-round drop-off, 29555 Pettibone Road.
Questions, call (440) 232-8788 or www.glenwillow-oh.gov |
Highland Heights |
Drop-off April 1-30, 5827 Highland Road, M-F
8:00-3:30. Questions, call (440) 461-2440 or www.highlandhts.com |
Hunting Valley |
Drop-off April 1-30, 38251 Fairmount Boulevard.
Questions, call (440) 247-2902 or www.huntingvalley.net |
Independence |
Special curbside collection on Fridays.
Questions, call (216) 524-9191 or www.independenceohio.org |
Lakewood |
Year-round drop-off, 12920 Berea Road, M-F
8:00–3:00 and Sat. 8:00–12:00. Questions, call (216) 252-4322 or www.ci.lakewood.oh.us/pw_refuse.html |
Lyndhurst |
Year-round curbside collection. Questions, call
(440) 473-5100 or www.lyndhurst-oh.com |
Maple Heights |
Drop-off August 4-8, 5353 Lee Road. Questions,
call (216) 587-9014 or www.mapleheightsohio.com |
Mayfield Heights |
Does not participate. Questions, call (440)
442-2626 or www.mayfieldheights.org |
Mayfield Village |
Drop-off April 5-12, 610 SOM Center Road, M-F
7:00-3:00 and Sat. 9:00-1:00. Questions, call (440) 442-5506 or www.mayfieldvillage.com |
Middleburg Heights |
Drop-off April 1-September 30, 7375 Engle Road,
call for an appointment. Questions, call (440) 234-2216 or www.middleburgheights.com |
Moreland Hills |
Drop-off April 1-25, 4350 SOM Center Road.
Questions, call (440) 248-1188 or www.morelandhills.com |
Newburgh Heights |
Call for more information. Questions,
call (216) 641-2714 |
North Olmsted |
Year-round drop-off, 5200 Dover Center Road.
Questions, call (440) 716-4151 or www.north-olmsted.com |
North Royalton |
Year-round drop-off, 11545 Royalton Road, M, W,
F 9:00-12:00 and T, Th 12:00-3:00. Questions, call (440) 582-3002 or www.northroyalton.org |
Oakwood |
Curbside collection in August. Questions, call
(440) 232-6924 or www.oakwoodvillageoh.com |
Olmsted Falls |
Drop-off April 1-30, 8045 Brookside Drive, M-F
7:30-4:00. Questions, call (440) 235-1345 or www.olmstedfalls.org |
Olmsted Township |
Year-round drop-off, 26900 Cook Road, M-F,
7:30–3:30. Questions, call (440) 235-1011 or www.olmstedtownship.org |
Parma |
Drop-off April 12, 5680 Chevrolet Boulevard,
7:30-2:30. Questions, call (216) 661-7375 or www.cityofparma-oh.gov/cityhall/service.htm |
Parma Heights |
Drop-off August 16, 6184 Pearl Road,
9:00-12:00. Questions, call (440) 884-9607 or www.parmaheightsoh.gov |
Pepper Pike |
Drop-off April 1-30, 28000 Shaker Boulevard.
Questions, call (216) 896-6149 or www.pepperpike.org |
Rocky River |
Curbside collection April 1-30. Questions, call
(440) 356-5630 or www.rrcity.com |
Seven Hills |
Drop-off May 6, behind City Hall, 8:00-6:00.
Questions, call (216) 525-6225 or www.sevenhillsohio.org |
Shaker Heights |
Drop-off April 12-13 and 19-20, 15600 Chagrin
Boulevard, 8:00-4:00. Questions, call (216) 491-3282 or www.shakeronline.com/services/collection/ |
Solon |
Curbside collection every first full week of
the month. Questions, call (440) 248-5834 or www.solonohio.org |
South Euclid |
Drop-off April 14-18, 4224 Monticello
Boulevard, 8:00-3:30. Questions, call (216) 381-0942 or www.seuclid.com |
Strongsville |
Year-round drop-off, 16099 Foltz Parkway, M-F,
8:00-3:30. Questions, call (440) 238-5720 or www.strongsville.org |
University Heights |
Year-round drop-off, 2300 Warrensville Center
Road. Questions, call (216) 932-7800 or www.universityheights.com |
Walton Hills |
Drop-off April 7-11 and April 14-18, 6800
Dunham Road, 8:00-3:30. Questions, call (216) 587-2574 |
Warrensville Heights |
Does not participate. Questions, call (216)
587-6570 or www.cityofwarrensville.com |
Westlake |
Drop-off April 7-11, 741 Bassett Road,
8:00-3:00. Questions, call (440) 835-6432 or www.cityofwestlake.org |
Woodmere |
Curbside collection, Mondays and Fridays only.
Questions, call (216) 292-4101 or www.woodmerevillage.com |
|
> USGenWeb
Sites Departing Ancestry.com-Hosted RootsWeb
The free, volunteer-driven genealogy Web site
RootsWeb has been transplanted to the domain of the subscription site
(and RootsWeb's sibling under parent The Generations Network)
Ancestry.com.
The move has spurred a large number USGenWeb
Project administrators to take their sites off RootsWeb. Why—and what
does all this mean for you?
http://www.familytreemagazine.com/insider/Many+
USGenWeb+Sites+Leave+RootsWeb.aspx
==================================
> Many
USGenWeb Sites Leave RootsWeb
Posted by Diane Haddad
About.com: Genealogy blogger Kimberley Powell
reports many USGenWeb project administrators are moving their sites off
RootsWeb—a change she says has long been coming, but was hastened by
The Generations Network’s (TGN) decision to transfer RootsWeb to
Ancestry.com’s domain (read more about that move in last week's blog
post).
See which USGenWeb state and project sites
are moving on Powell's blog. It looks like the relocated sites are
adding redirects, and national and state administrators are keeping up
with link updates.
A little background: USGenWeb is a network of
free genealogy Web sites, one for each state and county. Each state and
county site has a volunteer administrator who maintains it and adds
information and links, which is why the sites look different. USGenWeb
also hosts special projects on the national and state levels, such as
the Family Group Sheet Project to post and link to online pedigree
charts. National USGenWeb administrators link to the everything from
the USGenWeb home page.
The national USGenWeb site and many of the
local sites have long been hosted on RootsWeb, which TGN purchased in
2000 and has financially supported—and kept free—since then.
Powell says some USGenWeb administrators have
been unhappy with slow RootsWeb servers and the lack of ability to add
some of the bells and whistles today’s Web surfers are used to seeing.
Others are uncomfortable with the RootsWeb
acceptable use policy—the legalese of which gives TGN license to use
the data posted on RootsWeb servers (submitters retain copyright)—or
feel the free, volunteer nature of USGenWeb is incompatible with a
for-profit host. Of course, the connection was always there, but it's
more obvious with ancestry in RootsWeb's URL.
The Family Group Sheet Project’s site, for
example, has moved, and its redirect page bears a prominent message
that "THIS SITE IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ANCESTRY."
Read more about what USGenWeb administrators
have to say on Powell’s blog, and let us know what you think by
clicking Comments below.
Genealogy
Industry | Genealogy Web Sites
3/20/2008
Thank goodness and it's about time. I thought
Rootsweb would bring the end of the USGenWeb and volunteerism.
Martha Federle
Several years ago some webmasters picked up
cues that GenWeb was being bought as indeed happened. Many quietly
removed county pages and moved them to LHN / ALHN - American Local
History Network. This created a temporary war between the sites. Many
of these dedicated webmasters did not believe 'free' genealogy could
disappear. I always recommend researchers check both sites. Most of
GenWeb is archived and that on LHN has a great deal available on its
pages. I personally find it more difficult and time consuming to have
to try to find information in archived records.
This brings up another topic. Who "owns" the
information submitted by researchers? I believe that webmasters are the
care takers of the information donated by people. The way the pages
look is 'copyrighted' but the information is not. All donated
information should remain online. But change of webmasters often
creates very hard feelings and much of this donated data is lost, as in
the battles between ALHN and GenWeb. Both sides have dedicated talented
webmasters. However, web site information can disappear with the stroke
of a key when anger sets in.
Gloria Hall
=======================================================
> USGenWeb
- Where Are They Moving?
Kimberly's
Genealogy Blog--Monday March 17, 2008
From Kimberly
Powell,
Upcoming
changes for Web sites hosted at RootsWeb.com have prompted many sites
associated with the USGenWeb project to move off of the RootsWeb
servers to a variety of other servers and ISPs. Many say that the
change has been a long time in coming, although perhaps hurried a bit
by last week's announcement of URL changes, along with a previous
announcement of new co-branded RootsWeb/Ancestry mastheads to appear on
all RootsWeb sites. There are many other factors involved, however -
enough for me to discuss them in another blog post. The end result,
however is that many of the state and county coordinators at USGenWeb
have elected to move their sites, which will likely mean a bit of a
disarray at USGenWeb for a while until all of the links get sorted out.
USGenWeb sites that are moving or have
already moved include:
Colorado has moved with a new URL of
www.cogenweb.com.
DCGenWeb has moved to
www.theusgenweb.org/dcgenweb/
Georgia has moved its state pages to
www.thegaproject.org
Hawaii GenWeb has moved to a new server and
can be found at www.higenweb.org
Illinois has moved most of its 103 ILGenWeb
county sites, plus four special projects and the state pages off of
RootsWeb. The new Illinois GenWeb sites can be found at
http://www.ilgenweb.net.
Indiana has moved its pages to a new domain
at www.ingenweb.org
Iowa already had its own server
(www.iagenweb.org), but as many as 2/3 of the counties are now planning
to join the state pages on that same server.
Kentucky State Pages are also moving. They
already had their own domain, so the URL (www.kygenweb.net) won't
change, but the pages will now be hosted on a new server.
Maryland already had its own domain name at
www.mdgenweb.org, but has now moved off of the RootsWeb server as well.
Massachusetts has also moved to
mysite.verizon.net/magenweb/
MIGenWeb has moved the Michigan state pages
to www.migenweb.net.
Mississippi has moved its state pages to
www.msgenweb.org, with MSGenWeb county and special projects pages to
follow.
Montana is in the process of moving according
to state coordinator, Kevin Haddenham, and can be found at
www.mtgenweb.org.
Many North Carolina counties have left
RootsWeb for another server and the state pages will likely soon
follow.
OHGenWeb has moved the Ohio state pages with
a new URL of www.ohgen.net/ohgenweb/
Oklahoma is voting on a move.
ORGenWeb is in the process of moving Oregon
state pages to www.orgenweb.org.
The TXGenWeb has moved off of RootsWeb
servers to www.txgenweb.org.
The State pages for VAGenWeb have moved to
www.vagenweb.org
West Virginia has moved the state WVGenWeb
pages to www.wvgenweb.org
WAGenWeb will moving to a new server with a
domain name of wagenweb.org
The National USGenWeb pages may also move to
a new server, but this is still under discussion. They already have
their own domain, however, so changes if they occur will be pretty much
"behind the scenes."
The Family Group Sheets Project is moving --
primarily for new features that will allow them to improve their
submission form -- and can be found at www.fgs-project.com. The
USGenWeb Census project (one of them) has also moved - to
www.usgwcensus.org.
Arizona, Tennessee, Kansas and Florida GenWeb
had previously moved to their own servers prior to this month.
California GenWeb has never been hosted on the RootsWeb server. Many
other state GenWeb sites were also already hosted on non-RootsWeb
servers, including Alaska, Iowa, Louisiana, South Carolina and Vermont.
It's not just USGenWeb, either. Many
WorldGenWeb sites are moving off of the RootsWeb domain as well. On the
other hand, there are also many country, state and county coordinators
who are happy with the free hosting they get from RootsWeb and who are
planning to stay put. Many, however, are concerned that the movement of
so many sites to scattered servers will be detrimental to the wonderful
USGenWeb Project.
The National USGenWeb site is doing a
wonderful job at keeping up with the URL changes, as are many of the
state pages - so start there first if you can't find a site you're
looking for. A lot of updating is going on!
=======================================================
> The
Internet Effect On Local Genealogy Societies
By James M.
Beidler, Lebanon Daily News
Longtime readers know that I usually forewarn
you when there’s a philosophy column ahead. We’re going to call this
the “Big Bang Theory” of genealogical societies and volunteerism.
While I’m no astronomer or astrophysicist or
anything like that, my understanding that a theory about the universe
was that it began as a small, tightly packed glob of material that
exploded billions of years ago and sent matter speeding away.
It’s been said that eventually this process
will reverse — that the universe will collapse and then begin again
with another “big bang.”
OK, so what’s this have to do with genealogy?
Well, it all came together for me recently
when I was talking with my friend and fellow genealogist Jonathan
Stayer, the head of reference for the Pennsylvania State Archives.
He was bemoaning how many societies have lost
members in the last 10 years as a critical mass of genealogical data
has moved to the Internet.
Simply put, societies have lost members to
age and death, while the new folks who would have been inclined to
replace them (pre-Internet) instead have chosen to do genealogy in
their pajamas from home on their computer desktops.
So, the first part of the heavenly analogy is
this: Consider Alex Haley’s “Roots” to be the “Big Bang” of 20th
century genealogy. That event helped spur the formation of
geographically based genealogical societies in most of the nation’s
counties as well as ethnic organizations, state organizations and other
groups.
These new societies transcribed cemetery
markers, indexed church records and newspapers and abstracted wills and
deeds. It was a veritable explosion of activity as most of the large
record groups were made easier to use by the millions of hours spent by
volunteers.
Then came the advent of the Internet.
Genealogical societies started shrinking. Conferences, once almost a
shoo-in to be successful, became more tenuous events financially.
The astronomical parallel here is the
still-theorized turnabout when the stars start moving toward one
another.
But Stayer hopes that at some point Internet
genealogists will get a sense of what they’re missing by sticking only
to the Web.
“There are so many records and documents that
the average genealogist knows nothing about,” he said. “Account books
in special collections libraries, family papers in university
libraries, collections in small county historical societies.”
If people do get a whiff of what they’re
missing, that might cause them to gather together, literally or
virtually — perhaps in smaller groups or long-distance e-societies — to
begin another great age of genealogical volunteerism.
Groups such as FamilySearch, the Mormon-based
group that runs the Family History Library, are already giving
long-distance collaboration a try to enable many more documents to be
indexed and posted on the Internet digitally.
Here’s to hoping that Stayer is right--all
family historians will benefit if this second “Big Bang” comes about.
Beidler is a freelance writer and lecturer on genealogy. Contact him either at Box 270, Lebanon, PA 17042, or by e-mail to james@beidler.us.
=========================================
> Internet
Effect on Membership of NorthEast Ohio Computer-Aided Genealogy Society?
Luther Olson
Since our membership and attendance has
slightly declined in recent years, it could be assumed that the
internet has cut into membership of our group. But there are reasons
other than the internet that have unfortunately come along during this
same short time span of our "golden years."
1.
During the
first years that our members owned computers they needed much help and
advice. Many had been doing genealogy for decades, but now it was how
to use this complicated machine that was of much greater concern.
2. Software was also of concern and members
looked forward with anxiety to the release of new versions that
promised to have more changes and the addition of new "bells and
whistles." By now we all know pretty much what to expect so new
releases are hardly mentioned. Members have now gone through a half
dozen new versions and know how to do most of the chores they desire.
3. Before the internet as we know it, the CD
was the medium that brought all the new information to our computer.
Remember the "12 free CDs with this version" and 24 if you bought the
most “Super Deluxe” box. We sometimes made our decisions more by the
CDs than by the software itself. Special databases were all available
on CD, seldom by download.
4. The many presentation topics that we heard
at our society meetings were often new to us, and we looked forward to
them with anticipation. By now, many of these (or the offspring of
these) have been brought back in up-to-date offerings, but it sometimes
appears that the interest and enthusiasm is not what it was in earlier
times.
We have to recognize that many of our members
during the past decade, are either gone or, for one reason or other,
are not going to be with us much longer. In spite of all these
developments NEOCAG membership is holding quite well. Fortunately, we
have more and more prospects for new members if we can find a way to
reach them. It seems that the number of those who have an interest in
genealogy is growing, not declining. Therefore one could argue that the
internet could prove to be a positive, not negative to our future, and
that it is up to us to adapt to the changing environment.
However, many of these new members are going
to be different than those of the past. They will come to us with a
greater knowledge of computers (and other digital devices) then we
have, and software and the internet are just taken for granted.
Hopefully, our societies can adapt quickly enough that we can attract
and then keep these younger members--who will be the leaders of
tomorrow.
==========================================================
> Where Did
I Come From? TribalPages Genealogy Maps Have the Answer
Tue Nov 27
Tampa, FL
New Genealogy Maps from TribalPages.com. plot
your family history using the industry-leading Google Maps.
TribalPages.com, home to over 175,000 family
tree websites, today announced the Beta release of their new Genealogy
Maps. These new tools take location information already present in
GEDCOM or online family trees, and provide a unique graphical view of a
family history to answer some fundamental questions:
"We aren't trying to be the leading research
site, or provide the largest database of names to search," explained
Vandana Rao of TribalPages, "What we do is help you present your family
history to the world. These new Genealogy Maps are a great new way to
do that. Seeing where your ancestors came from and where their families
ended up is a very powerful experience."
TribalPages is one of the last online
services offering completely free online family trees, with no trial
periods or gimmicks. "We're happy to provide these Maps to our free
family trees, " says Rao, "We feel that the more usable and powerful
our platform is, the more likely our free customers will choose to pay
for the additional photo storage and premium features our paid sites
provide."
About TribalPages.com:
Over the past seven years, TribalPages.com
has gained a loyal following and an outstanding reputation by providing
free and inexpensive genealogy sites while protecting the site owner's
content and privacy with flexible security options. Their easy to use
online interface requires no external genealogy program and provides
some of the best photo integration features on the web.
Contact:
Vandana Rao,
Business Development
TribalPages,
Inc.
http://www.tribalpages.com
703-286-6247
===============================================
> Research
Your Tree in Just-Updated PERSI
November 28,
2007 Family Tree Magazine
Posted by
Diane Haddad
The Allen County (Ind.) Public Library
genealogy staff has beefed up its Periodical Source Index (PERSI) with
references to another 132,000 history and genealogy articles published
in journals and magazines during 2006 and 2007.
HeritageQuest Online, the genealogy database
you can search free in many public libraries, has included the updates
in its searchable version of PERSI.
That brings PERSI's total article citations
to more than 2 million. They reference 6,600-plus periodicals published
in the United States, Canada and abroad since 1800. It’s the most
extensive periodical index available for local history and genealogy
research.
You can search the updated PERSI at libraries
offering HeritageQuest Online and at Allen County, Ind., public
libraries. The subscription site Ancestry.com offers an older version
of PERSI, dating from 1985.
Search PERSI on a name, place or subject, and
you’ll get citations for journal and magazine articles that mention
your term. Then, request the full article from your library, borrow it
through interlibrary loan or order copies from the Allen County library
($7.50 for up to six articles, plus the cost of photocopies).
Read more about the formation of PERSI and
about the Allen County library on FamilyTreeMagazine.com.
=======================================================
At one of our
genealogy meetings a few years ago I
asked, without warning, whether genealogy is “about” blood or family. I
gave no definitions or explanation why I asked the question—I was
interested in their visceral feelings at that moment, since most have
done extensive work in recording information on their family. I had no
idea what to expect for a response, and yet when they raised their
hands I was shocked. Almost unanimously the answer was “blood.”
My surprise
was that I expected a wide variety of opinions that might elicit some
discussions for further meetings. As it turned out, there just wasn't
much to say when everyone was in agreement. However,
the program committee might consider some variation on this topic for
the future. -----LO
> Should We
Call It ‘Genealogy’ Or ‘Family History’?
By James M.
Beidler, Lebanon Daily News,
Dick Eastman
Newsletter, July 31, 2007
This week’s column comes with a warning
label.
CAUTION: Philosophy ahead (Do not operate
heavy machinery after reading this column).
Especially in the last few decades as
ancestor hunting has become a mass sport, so to say, there has been a
debate inside and outside the so-called genealogical community (that
is, professionals, societies, libraries and other organizations) on
what we should call ourselves.
Should we stick with the traditional
term “genealogist” — which, strictly defined, is the study of
bloodline ancestors — or use the broader term “family historian”?
While I’ll admit to using the terms somewhat
interchangeably, there is a philosophical difference that is not
insignificant. For one example, would we want to omit adoptees from the
genealogies that are compiled? True enough, these folks do not share
the bloodline, but they share the experience of life with their adopted
families. And, in these days of “open” adoption as well as more
reunions with birthparents, it makes sense to me that adoptees “belong”
in both families — one by blood, the other by physical bonding. No one
should have to choose one or another family when he or she can be part
of both.
As another
example, with the introduction of DNA into genealogy, not a few
lineages that previously relied on the “paper proof” of documents all
of a sudden crumbled. Every so often one even hears of a story about
DNA proving that someone who has been the No. 1 researcher in a family
isn’t related by blood via what is delicately termed a “non-paternity
event.” These
individuals sometimes are emotionally disenfranchised — even feeling
like an imposter — in the families that they’ve lived in.
But using the phrase “family historian”
instead puts these people back in the game, since here we are talking
about the people who lived together, supported each other (and, yes,
probably fought with each other, as families also do). Of course, this
whole thing can be expanded further. When I recently spent a week as an
adult chaperone for a church youth mission trip, I felt the “crew” of
teens that I spent the week with were like a family — even telling one
of the boys that if I had a son, I’d want the kid to be like him.
Perhaps we have a lot of different “families”
in a lifetime. That’s probably taking the concept a little too far. But
I think it’s fair to say that even when we use the word “genealogy”
today, we’re no longer using it in that strict way of bloodline-only.
Using the phrase “family history” shows that it’s more than genes that
make a family.
Beidler is a
freelance writer and lecturer on genealogy. Contact him either at Box
270, Lebanon, PA 17042, or by e-mail to james@beidler.us.
===============================================
> BYU
Family History Archive to Expand
From Kimberly
Powell, Your Guide to Genealogy. August 20, 2007
An often unheralded, free resource that I
love is the BYU Family History Archive, a collection of family
histories and other genealogy books online. Now this great resource is
set to expand dramatically due to a joint partnership of three
genealogical libraries - The Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne,
Indiana, Brigham Young University Harold B. Lee Library, and
FamilySearch's Family History Library in Salt Lake City. When
complete, this massive digitization effort promises to be the most
comprehensive collection of city and county histories one the Web. Best
of all, access will remain free!
The digital history project is targeting over
100,000 published family histories and thousands of local histories,
city directories and other related records from the collections of the
three libraries. Once they are digitized, the collections will have
"every word" search capability, with search results linked to digital
images of the original publication. New additions will be announced and
linked to in the Family History Library Catalog at FamilySearch as they
are digitized.
=============================================
> Everton's
Best Internet Sites for Finding Living Relatives
Evertons
Newsline, September 19, 2007
The following
sites were selected as Evertons Best. Note that I am only including the
links. In the magazine you will find 16 pages of Dollarhides in-depth
reviews of these sites. We believe that these sites are the ones to
look to immediately if you wish to find cemetery records online. See
the article for far more information. Enjoy!
FIRST SEARCH
TOOLS
Google.com
= Advanced Search - http://www.google.com/advanced_search
- Free site.
Ancestry.com = Directory
& Public Records Indexes - http://www.ancestry.com
-Subscription site.
ProGenealogists.com = Genealogy Sleuth Pages - http://www.progenealogists.com/genealogysleuthb.htm
- Free site.
AT YOUR LOCAL
LIBRARY
ReferenceUSA
= Library Subscription Database - http://www.slco.lib.ut.us/database-referenceUSA.htm
- Free to library patrons only.
Telephone Directories and Locators = SL County Library Page
- http://www.slco.lib.ut.us/TELEDIRS.HTM
- Free site.
FREE DIRECTORY
LOOKUP SITES
ZabaSearch.com
= Free People Search - http://zabasearch.com/ -
Free
U.S. lookups = premium service
linked to Intelius.com
411.INFO = National Online Directory - http://www.411.info/
- Free lookups. U.S. and Canada directory listings.
DA+ (Directory Assistance Plus) = A
Service of infoUSA - http://www.daplus.us/ -
Free lookups.
U.S. and Canada directory listings.
InfoSpace.com = Free People & Company Finder - http://www.infospace.com/
- Free site.
The Ultimate White Pages = Search Six Directory
Databases - http://www.theultimates.com/white/
- Free U.S. lookups
SearchBug.com = Free People & Company Finder - http://www.searchbug.com/peoplefinder/
- Free U.S. lookups = premium service linked to
PeopleFinders.com
SuperPages.com = Free People Search - http://www.superpages.com/
- Free site.
WhitePages.com = Free People Search - http://www.whitepages.com/
- Free lookups = premium service linked to USSearch.com.
U.S. PUBLIC
RECORDS DATABASES
USSearch.com (1-800-U.S.Search) = Public Records
Databases - http://www.ussearch.com/consumer/index.jsp
- Free U.S. lookups = fees charged for details.
PeopleFinders.com = Public Records Databases - http://www.peoplefinders.com/
- Free U.S. lookups = fees charged for details.
Intelius.com = Public Records Databases - http://www.intelius.com/
- Free U.S. lookups = fees charged for details.
PEOPLE AMD
ADDRESS DATABASE FINDING TOOLS
SearchSystems.net
= Public Records Portal - http://www.searchsystems.net/
- Subscription site.
Netronline.com = A Portal to Real Estate Records
Online - http://www.netronline.com/public_records.htm
- Free site.
VirtualGumshoe.com = Private Investigator Tools - http://www.virtualgumshoe.com/
- Subscription site.
MelissaData.com = Free People Finder Lookup (and much more)
- http://www.melissadata.com/cgi-bin/PeopleFinder.asp
- Free site.
INTERNATIONAL
DATABASES
Infobel.com
= A Portal to World Directories Online - http://infobel.com/world/default.asp
- Free site.
Numberway.com = A Portal to World Directories Online - http://www.numberway.com
- Free site.
192.com = UK People, Businesses & Places - http://www.192.com/
- Free directory lookups = fee-based premium databases.
The Phone Book = BT Business & Residential Listings - http://www.thephonebook.bt.com/
- Free site.
UK Phonebook.com = Free White Pages Lookups - http://www.ukphonebook.com/
- Free site = membership required.
=========================================================
This week (on March 8) I
celebrate my 8-year anniversary writing for About Genealogy. It's hard
to believe it's been so long! To each and every one of you, thank you
for allowing me to share my passion for genealogy with you. It's been a
blast!…..Kimberly
> Genealogy
Research at the Courthouse, Archives or Library/10 Tips for Planning
Your Visit & Maximizing Your Results
From Kimberly
Powell,
Your Guide to
Genealogy. 3/3/08
The process of researching your family tree
will eventually lead you to a courthouse, library, archives or other
repository of original documents and published sources. The day-to-day
joys and hardships of your ancestors’ lives can often be found
documented among the numerous original records of the local court,
while the library may contain a wealth of information on their
community, neighbors and friends. Marriage certificates, family
histories, land grants, military rosters and a wealth of other
genealogical clues are tucked away in folders, boxes, and books just
waiting to be discovered.
Before heading for the courthouse or library,
however, it helps to prepare. Try these 10 tips for planning your visit
and maximizing your results.
1. Scout the
Location
The first, and most important, step in onsite
genealogy research is learning which government most likely had
jurisdiction over the area in which your ancestors lived during the
time they lived there.
In many places, especially in the United
States, this is the county or county equivalent (e.g. parish, shire).
In other areas, the records may be found housed in town halls, probate
districts or other jurisdictional authorities. You'll also have to bone
up on changing political and geographical boundaries to know who
actually had jurisdiction over the area where your ancestor lived for
the time period you're researching, and who has current possession of
those records. If your ancestors lived near the county line, you may
find them documented among the records of the adjoining county. While a
bit uncommon, I actually have an ancestor whose land straddled the
county lines of three counties, making it necessary for me to routinely
check the records of all three counties when researching that
particular family.
2. Who Has the
Records?
Many of the records you'll need, from vital
records to land transactions, are likely to be found at the local
courthouse. In some cases, however, the older records may have been
transferred to a state archives, local historical society, or other
repository. Check with members of the local genealogical society, at
the local library, or online at the local GenWeb site to learn where
the records for your location and time period of interest can be found.
Even within the courthouse, different offices usually hold different
types of records, and may maintain different hours and even be located
in different buildings. Some records may also be available in multiple
locations, as well, in microfilm or printed form. For U.S. research,
The Handybook for Genealogists, 11th edition (Everton Publishers, 2006)
or Family Tree Resource Book (Family Tree Books, 2004) both include
state-by-state and county-by-county lists of which offices hold which
records.
3. Are the
Records Available?
You don't want to plan a trip halfway across
the country only to find that the records you seek were destroyed in a
courthouse fire in 1865. Or that the office stores the marriage records
in an offsite location, and they need to be requested in advance of
your visit. Or that some of the county record books are being repaired,
microfilmed, or are otherwise temporarily unavailable. Once you've
determined the repository and records you plan to research, it is
definitely worth the time to call to make sure the records are
available for research. If the original record you seek is no longer
extant, check the Family History Library Catalog to see if the record
is available on microfilm. When I was told by a North Carolina county
deed office that Deed Book A had been missing for some time, I was
still able to access a microfilmed copy of the book through my local
Family History Center.
4. Create a
Research Plan
As you enter the doors of a courthouse or
library, it's tempting to want to jump into everything at once. There
usually aren't enough hours in the day, however, to research all
records for all of your ancestors in one short trip. By planning your
research before you go, you'll be less tempted by distractions and less
likely to miss important details. Create a checklist with names, dates
and details for each record you plan to research in advance of your
visit, and then check them off as you go. By focusing your search on
just a few ancestors or a few record types, you'll be more likely to
achieve your research goals.
5. Time Your
Trip
Before you visit, you should always contact
the courthouse, library or archives to see if there are any access
restrictions or closures which may affect your visit. Even if the Web
site includes operating hours and holiday closures, it is still best to
confirm this in person. Ask if there are any limits on the number of
researchers, if you have to sign up in advance for microfilm readers,
or if any courthouse offices or special library collections maintain
separate hours. It also helps to ask if there are certain times which
are less busy than others.
6. Learn the
Lay of the Land
Each genealogical repository you visit is
going to be slightly different - whether it's a different layout or
setup, different policies and procedures, different equipment, or a
different organizational system. Check the facility's Web site, or with
other genealogists who utilize the facility, and familiarize yourself
with the research process and procedures before you go. Check the card
catalog online, if it is available, and compile a list of the records
you want to research, along with their call numbers. Ask if there is a
reference librarian who specializes in your specific area of interest,
and learn what hours he/she will be working. If records you'll be
researching use a certain type of index system, such as the Russell
Index, then it helps to familiarize yourself with it before you go.
7. Prepare for
Your Visit
Courthouse offices are often small and
cramped, so it is best to keep your belongings to a minimum. Pack a
single bag with a notepad, pencils, coins for the photocopier and
parking, your research plan and checklist, a brief summary of what you
already know about the family, and a camera (if allowed). If you plan
to take a laptop computer, make sure that you have a charged battery,
because many repositories do not provide electrical access (some do not
allow laptops). Wear comfortable, flat shoes, as many courthouses don’t
offer tables and chairs, and you may spend a lot of time on your feet.
8. Be
Courteous & Respectful
Staff members at archives, courthouses and
libraries are generally very helpful, friendly people, but they are
also very busy trying to do their job. Respect their time and avoid
pestering them with questions not specifically related to research in
the facility or hold them hostage with tales about your ancestors. If
you have a genealogy how-to question or trouble reading a particular
word that just can't wait, it is usually better to ask another
researcher (just don't pester them with multiple questions either!).
Don't request records or copies just before closing time, either!
9. Take Good
Notes & Make Plenty of Copies
While you may take the time to reach a few
on-site conclusions about the records you find, it is usually best to
take everything home with you where you have more time to examine it
thoroughly for every last detail. Make photocopies of everything, if
possible. If copies aren't an option, then take the time to make a
transcription or abstract, including misspellings. On each photocopy,
be sure to make note of the complete source for the document. If you
have time, and money for copies, it can also be helpful to make copies
of the complete index for your surname(s) of interest for certain
records, such as marriages or deeds. One of them may later make an
appearance in your research
10.
Concentrate on the Unique
Unless the facility is one you can easily
access on a regular basis, it is often beneficial to begin your
research with the parts of its collection that aren't easily available
elsewhere. Concentrate on original records that haven't been
microfilmed, family papers, photograph collections, and other unique
resources. At the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, for
example, many researchers begin with the books as they are generally
not available on loan, while the microfilms can be borrowed through
your local Family History Center.
==================================
> NARA
Posts Free Passenger Indexes Online
Posted by
Diane Haddad
Tuesday, March
04, 2008
The National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) has added passenger lists of Russian, German and
Italian immigrants to its free Access to Archival Databases (AAD)
service. (Irish passenger lists already were available here.)
Each collection consists mostly of immigrants
who identified their nationality as Russian, German or Italian and
arrived at the ports of New York, Boston, Baltimore, New Orleans or
Philadelphia during the 19th century.
The database for each nationality also
contains some names of immigrants from other places. For example, 90
percent of people in the German records said they were from Germany or
a “German” area—the other 10 percent came from elsewhere.
The data are from passenger list indexes
created by the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies. Keep in mind they’re
not complete listings of all Russian, German, Italian or Irish
immigrants.
For each collection, you'll see a Manifest
Header Data File and a Passenger Data File. The search isn't the most
intuitive we've ever seen, so get started with these tips:
1. From AAD, click Passenger Lists under
Genealogy/Personal History. Then, click the Search button to the right
of a Passenger Data File to look for an ancestor. (NARA calls the
search terms you enter “values.”)
2. In your results, click View Record on the
left to see first and last name, age, sex, occupation, last residence,
destination and other information.
3. Use the ship manifest identification
number to determine the port of arrival. Click View the FAQs and scroll
to the chart showing ports and the range of manifest numbers assigned
to each port’s records.
If you think you've found an ancestor, you
can search the database for his or her passenger manifest
identification number. That lets you see all passenger records from
that ship—handy for finding traveling companions.
In the Manifest Header Data File, you can
search for all ships with a particular manifest identification number,
ship name, departure port or arrival date. For example, say you know
your German ancestor arrived March 16, 1846. Click the Search button
next to the German Manifest Header Data file and enter 03/16/1846 in
the Arrival field. You'll get all the ships included in this database
that arrived that day. Then you can go back to the Passenger Data File
and search for the passengers on each ship.
I highly, highly recommend reading the FAQ
document—each database has its own, linked at the top of the search
screen. It’ll help you search the databases and understand your
ancestor’s record.
Some places of
origin or other data are difficult to interpret. You’ll want to see
your ancestor’s original passenger list, which you can do on microfilm
at major genealogy libraries, NARA facilities and the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Family History Library. You can view records online through the
subscription Web site Ancestry.com.
=================================================
CONTRIBUTIONS:
When you come across something you think
would be of interest to others who are involved in genealogy, whether
it be about genealogy, software, or hardware, please send it to our
editor, Marcy Milota at < milota@jcu.edu>.
Please include your name and all credits of
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EASTMAN NEWSLETTERS
The following article is from Eastman’s
Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright 2007 by Richard W.
Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author.
Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.
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