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A Canvas of My Own - Creating a Family History Book

Interested in learning more about My Canvas to create your family history book. Today at www.thearmchairgenealogist.com Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers guests posts, and tells us of his personal experience with this program by Ancestry.com.

Added by Lynn Palermo on February 3, 2010 at 10:03am — 4 Comments

For Genealogists -- an illusion of security

During the past few days at the Mesa Regional Family History Center, we have had some lively discussions about transferring our genealogy files to work on a computer other than our own, particularly, bringing files to the Center for research purposes. This discussion brought up another old bugaboo, the illusion of security for backed up files.

The origin of this problem dates back into computer antiquity with the early versions of Personal Ancestral File. Primarily because of storage… Continue

Added by James Tanner on February 3, 2010 at 8:47am — No Comments

Devantier family updates

I've just updated information about the Devantier family on my main family history blog.

Torben Devantie, who has the biggest collection of Davantier family information, recently changed the address of his site. There are also Devantier family groups on Facebook and Orkut.

Added by Steve Hayes on February 3, 2010 at 4:15am — No Comments

Family ChArtist, a new addition to the FamilySearch Affiliates Family

Even if you have not had the opportunity to login to New FamilySearch, you may be interested in several new products that stand well on their own merits, irrespective of their affiliation with New FamilySearch. At the Family History Expo in Mesa, Arizona, I had a personal tour of the pre-release Family ChArtist program from Generation Maps from Janet Hovorka. I also enjoyed her presentation on New FamilySearch certified genealogy software.…

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Added by James Tanner on February 2, 2010 at 12:01pm — No Comments

Interviewing for Family History Writers

4 Important Tips (Carol M. Upton)

Interviewing is an important skill for the life storywriter, no matter what the size of your family memory project. You will want to do plenty of it as you build the research you need to write your family stories. How will you begin?

1. Establish Trust with Simple Questions

You want to establish trust and empathy with your interview subject, so small talk at the beginning of an interview is not necessarily a waste of time. You may… Continue

Added by Deanna Ramsey on February 1, 2010 at 10:10pm — No Comments

Mac Genealogy Software Review

As a Technology Instructor and Genealogy Lecturer, I often get asked about genealogy software for the Mac. Thought I would share this article for those interested ...

http://genealogy-software-review.toptenreviews.com/mac-genealogy-software/

Added by Deanna Ramsey on February 1, 2010 at 9:19pm — No Comments

February Birthdays

It’s time to recognize ancestors who were born in February:

Jonathan Curtis, 8x-great-grandfather, born 19 Feb 1690 in Wiltshire, England.

John Garrett, 5x-great-grandfather, born 19 Feb 1739 in Kennet, Chester, Pennsylvania.

Catherine Powell, 5x-great-grandmother, born 20 Feb 1785 in Burke County, North Carolina.

Rosamond, 4x-great-grandmother, born 25 Feb 1805 in North Carolina.

Martin Langston, 4x-great-grandfather, born 15 Feb 1809 in [...]

Read… Continue

Added by Tonia Kendrick on February 1, 2010 at 7:03pm — 2 Comments

Why no Beckmanns? or Karkutts?

I think I can understand why Karkutt isn't a listed surname, but amazed that Beckmann doesn't appear. Aren't there any of you out there?

Added by marguerite Sykes on February 1, 2010 at 4:49pm — No Comments

Grandma Great Great , whom are you.

SOME potential last names for this Grandma Great Great of my Grandfather HOffman.

DUVALL, HAINES, ELY EALY, RITCHIE, PATTERSON, HENDERSON, STOLLAR, FRY /FRYE,

Area could be sw PA ( Washington, Greene, Fayette Co.'s) West Virginia of today, Virginia at the time picture taken, Maryland, New Jersey or mid eastern PA or Philadelphia .. for where born? OOps maybe even NJ.

If you compare her to your photos or… Continue

Added by Susi (Susan C Jones) Pentico on February 1, 2010 at 4:06pm — No Comments

Writing a Family Biography (Part 2)- A Handy Template

A Family Biography Template

Many people shy away from including too much writing in their family history books, assuming it takes some special talent. Often this results in a quick rendition of the facts of a person's life, born, worked, married, died. Not exactly creative.

Below I have prepared a simple template anyone can use to write a creative biography about an ancestor or a living relative. This template provides an added element, a family element. This tool will help you… Continue

Added by Lynn Palermo on February 1, 2010 at 12:40pm — 2 Comments

Levi Younger, Mariner and Prisoner of War

Levi Younger, Mariner and Prisoner of War

During the War of 1812, Britain imposed its power over the newly minted United States of America and thus impressed thousands of American soldiers into British service. The Royal Navy had 175 ships of the line and 600 ships overall, requiring 140,000 sailors. Volunteers alone were not enough to recruit enough seamen. New England lost many fishermen, sailors and mariners to forced labor or imprisonment.

Levi Younger was a Gloucester… Continue

Added by Heather Wilkinson Rojo on February 1, 2010 at 7:30am — No Comments

Family Tree Connection - Update (31/Jan/2010)

Family Tree Connection has added the following genealogy items to its database:

Navy Pension Fund 1803 Annual Report - Letter from The Secretary of the Navy accompanying a Report of the Commissioners of the Fund for Navy Pensions. 28th December, 1803, Read, and ordered to lie on the table.

Washington Hospital for Foundlings…

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Added by Illya Daddezio on January 31, 2010 at 12:13pm — No Comments

"New FamilySearch" integration now available in Legacy Family Tree 7.4 (public pre-release)

We have a great new update for you to download. This update has been several years in the making and for those with a "New FamilySearch" account you will be especially excited.

Watch the video

We've published a few videos showing you all about the new FamilySearch tools. Visit www.legacyfamilytree.com/fs.asp and click on the links in the Video Tutorials section.…

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Added by Geoff Rasmussen on January 31, 2010 at 7:36am — No Comments

The future of FamilySearch

FamilySearch, the genealogical organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is well known for its Website, FamilySearch.org. However, the Website for the actual organization is that of The Genealogical Society of Utah, the previous name of the organization. In answering the question, "What is FamilySearch?' the Website says:

FamilySearch, historically known as the Genealogical Society of Utah, is dedicated to the discovery and preservation of a record of the… Continue

Added by James Tanner on January 30, 2010 at 8:21pm — No Comments

Famous family

I am a first cousin 5 times removed of President Andrew Jackson.
Bonnie Morris Conrad

Added by bonnie Morris Conrad on January 30, 2010 at 5:19pm — No Comments

Scott Research Mix Mash Mulligan in Orange Co. VA

As I am watching the early film THE FUGITIVE I spent my time scanning early records that were posted on usgenweb.org. I did not find much but some tidbits that sent me to rootsweb.com to find queries that

people have posted over the last ten years.

It appears an old friend is going to link in again to another line. It also appears I may have found where

to seriously dig for more information.

The site boasted an early map of Orange Co and its splinters off but it… Continue

Added by Susi (Susan C Jones) Pentico on January 30, 2010 at 1:20am — No Comments

Stome cutters Art

· The term "relict" on a tombstone means that the woman was a widow at the time of her death.

· The term "consort" on a tombstone means that her husband survived her.

· The term "cenotaph" engraved on a tombstone indicates an empty grave, with the stone erected in honor or memory of a person buried elsewhere (often erected in honor of a person lost at sea or in war)

CARVINGS AND THEIR MEANINGS

· Arches - victory in death

· Arrows - mortality

· Bouquets, Flowers -… Continue

Added by John A Gwinn on January 29, 2010 at 8:16pm — No Comments

Backing up your family tree

Ok, I admit, it was my fault, I hadn't backed up my tree for TWO whole months, and then kabang - computer dies, loose all my photo's documents (read certificates), well, just everything. Panic, what to do, I got a computer guy out who couldn't retrieve much either. It was just gone. I was devestated, and the reason this guy told me mine had gone is that Windows 7 has a tendency to do that - well why the heck wasn't I told. Too late.

So, the very next day I ran out and bought a… Continue

Added by Jo Kotylak on January 29, 2010 at 6:33pm — 2 Comments

The end of the Family Tree Project

For the past few years, if you have been watching the FamilySearch Labs Web page, you are likely aware of the application called Family Tree. In an announcement made in the FamilySearch Labs Blog, Dan Lawyer notes that "The time has come to retire the very popular Family Tree project from FamilySearch Labs." Many users of the New FamilySearch program became acquainted with the Family Tree version of the program and used it to show a more developed pedigree view of the data and also to provide… Continue

Added by James Tanner on January 29, 2010 at 5:05pm — No Comments

JOHN KOZINKSI? Orphan train ring a bell to anyone??

My paternal great grandfather was on the orphan train in 1909. He had a tag around his neck saying his first and last name. It said "john kozinski", he had no middle initial. We know that he was born in 1906, was born in nyc, ny (manhattan area we believe). His mother had other children that we believed she did not give up for adoption. He was adopted by the damborinos in bay st. louis, ms. If anybody has ANY information on this missing link, it would be helpful.

Added by Kimberly Ellen Hale on January 29, 2010 at 10:02am — 2 Comments