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The Challenges of Genealogy for the Disabled

A short time ago, we had a patron at the Mesa Regional Family History Center who was deaf. I had the opportunity to work with him in doing research for quite a while. We communicated by writing our questions and answers on slips of paper. I am afraid I don't write very quickly, and tried to convince him to use the computer, so I could write more quickly, but I did not seem to get that concept across to him very well. Then in response to my last post about attending genealogical conferences, I… Continue

Added by James Tanner on January 20, 2010 at 6:59pm — No Comments

Anatomy of an Archival Scrapbook Project

We are in the process of wrapping up a large scrapbook project for a client that has been such a delight to work on that I wanted to share the project and the process we’ve gone through as I believe many of my readers may have similar such scrapbooks and may wonder what can be done with them.

Some of you might be wondering, “scrapbook?? I thought you did video?” While our primary service is biographical and tribute videos, our core value proposition is helping you preserve your… Continue

Added by Stefani Twyford on January 20, 2010 at 3:54pm — No Comments

What is "blog"

I don't understand the word! I just read James Turner's article "why should I go to a genealogical conference?" and tried to respond to it. I wrote but it didn't appear. I can't seem to reach James turner even though we are both members of various Genealogy Wise groups. I don't know how to be involved with the Blog thing. I am Susan (S.J.) Cruse and I would like very much to respond to Mr. Turner. I am Deaf and I have some positive comments on this.

Added by S. J. Cruse on January 20, 2010 at 1:37pm — 2 Comments

Why should I go to a genealogical conference?

Genealogy can be a very solitary activity. Although you may have contact with your family and with other researchers, most of the work you do is done by yourself. Even though you may read journals, magazine articles and online resources about the work of doing genealogy, there are few places you can go to get feedback from knowledgeable people. Genealogical conferences provide the motivation to re-energize and re-think methods, procedures and sources. The social atmosphere of the conference… Continue

Added by James Tanner on January 19, 2010 at 10:36pm — 1 Comment

The Home Guard - Part 2

From “The London Free Press and Daily Western Advertiser” June 11, 1866.

As was seen in part one of the “Home Guard” the boys are fully trained and ready to go.

Corner of Dundas and Richmond Streets, under a gas lamp, 3 am.

“To the Captain commanding Home Guards - Formed my troops in square of the rendezyous . Told them London expected every man to do his duty. Threw out skirmishers into the back yards and dark doorways. Marched with the main body under my own immediate… Continue

Added by William Bruce Hillman on January 19, 2010 at 8:14am — No Comments

The Home Guard

This excerpt from “The London Free Press and Daily Western Advertiser” June 11, 1866. It reads to a 21st century critic as if it was straight out of Monty Python. It’s ofnone man’s tale of service in the London, Ontario, Home Guard during the Fenian Raids. In fact, just after as the Battle of Ridgeway is over, and at this point, most of the Fenians that fought at Ridgeway are in the custody of the U.S. Army.

“I’ve joined the Home Guard, Sir, Editor, I would have volunteered and gone… Continue

Added by William Bruce Hillman on January 18, 2010 at 9:04pm — No Comments

5 Tips to Choosing an Online Genealogy Database

Now more than ever, I can appreciate how confusing it can be for a family historian trying to decide on which database they would like to join when beginning their family research. If you’re an armchair genealogist then certainly you want to belong to an online genealogy database. The question is which database to join?

I am here to tell you, only you can know the answer to that. How do you know?

1. Gather as much information about your ancestors prior to seeking out a… Continue

Added by Lynn Palermo on January 18, 2010 at 2:45pm — No Comments

Use Legacy to Create a Puppy Pedigree

This weekend we brought home our family's first puppy - a Toy Poodle.

The next day the breeder called and said they had overcharged my credit card. I thought, "no big deal. It's probably just ten or twenty dollars." Then they admitted it was overcharged by about fifteen thousand dollars.

Click here to read the entire… Continue

Added by Geoff Rasmussen on January 18, 2010 at 11:49am — No Comments

The Illiterate Colonel

Last week I blogged about Colonel Joshua Burnham, and the fine mansion house he built in Milford, New Hampshire. His house was later sold to the Hutchinson family. Because of their fame as singers, I’ve been able to find many documents about my ancestor the Colonel. You would think that as a Revolutionary War officer, and as someone wealthy enough to build a large estate, he would have left documents for me, the future genealogist, to uncover. But that is not the case with Joshua… Continue

Added by Heather Wilkinson Rojo on January 18, 2010 at 9:40am — No Comments

Record Search update for New Zealand and Argentina

FamilySearch's Record Search has just published the New Zealand, Immigration Passenger Lists from 1871 to 1915. The records contain images only and are further described in the FamilySearch Wiki as follows:
Read more...

Added by James Tanner on January 18, 2010 at 9:12am — No Comments

Family Tree Connection - Update (17/Jan/2010)

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

Quinobequin Lodge I.O.O.F. 1918 By-Laws - Constitution, By-Laws and List of Membership of Quinobequin Lodge No. 70, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Jamaica Plain, Mass.

Revolutionary War Invalid Pensioners 1807 Report - Letter…

Continue

Added by Illya Daddezio on January 17, 2010 at 11:29pm — No Comments

WorldCat, RedLaser, Google Books and much more

In my last post, I mentioned a new iPhone called RedLaser. I guess I need to be a little more specific. RedLaser is an app that reads UPC barcodes. If you read a barcode from a product in a store (or elsewhere) it will look up the product and search for a price on the Internet. The app has recently been expanded to read UPC barcodes on books. In addition to looking up the book and a price on the Internet, the program also looks in WorldCat to find a copies of the book in libraries, starting… Continue

Added by James Tanner on January 17, 2010 at 3:45pm — No Comments

My Ancestors

Here is a list of my ancestors:

Great Grandparents:

Albert Kolstee (1879-1937)

Louise Trump (1900-1985)

Merle Harrington (1894-1978)

Alice Washburg (1895-1991)

Martin Widegren (1903-1990)

Elmira Harrison (1906-1994)

Carl Johnson (1905-1968)

Rose Conti (1921-2004)

Great-Great Grandparents:

Jan Willem te Kolstee (1830-1895)

Johanna Geertruida Theodore Hesselink (1840-1905)

John Leonhard Trump (1864-1939)

Barbara Pfiffier…

Continue

Added by Andrew Kolstee on January 17, 2010 at 9:00am — No Comments

Genealogy Doctoral Study: Myth, Memory and Multiculturalism

My name is Emily M. Matthias and I am a doctoral student in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at New Mexico State University. I am also a family historian, working on my own family (hi)story since 2000.

The purpose of my study is to explore ideas surrounding cultural identity formation using the pursuit of genealogy as one lens. I am interested in hearing from fellow family historians working on their own research.

Please help me out by going to my website @… Continue

Added by Emily M. Matthias on January 17, 2010 at 7:25am — No Comments

Now if I could just think of some use for it...

The latest from WorldCat and RedLaser, an iPhone app that looks up books in libraries:
Read more...

Added by James Tanner on January 15, 2010 at 5:45pm — No Comments

meetyourfamily

Meet Your Family are a Professional Genealogy company who provide a valuable service to families who want to trace their family tree history to find missing people. We provide Probate Research, to identify missing beneficiaries, and unclaimed inheritance.

Added by meetyourfamily on January 15, 2010 at 1:43am — No Comments

Determining a Budget for Your Family History Book

Deciding to create a family history book can be a large undertaking and it can be an expensive undertaking. Often the process can take on a life of its own. Therefore, it is important to set parameters for your family history book. One of those parameters must include a budget. It is very important to decide on a budget for your book in conjunction with deciding on the size and scope of your book. A great way to determine your budget is to ask yourself some key questions.

Do I… Continue

Added by Lynn Palermo on January 14, 2010 at 7:04pm — No Comments

Do Wikis really work for genealogy?

Before we get into any controversy over the question in the title to this post, I believe the answer to be yes, collaborative shared information sites, like the FamilySearch Wiki or the family tree Website, Werelate.org, certainly have a large role to play in genealogical world of the near future. But, is genealogy really about consensus? Just because I can get all of relatives to agree with me where my great-grandfather was born in California, does that really change the fact that I may be… Continue

Added by James Tanner on January 13, 2010 at 3:03pm — No Comments

Minstry of Truth

I tried to type this in my "status" area on my page, it said, "why are you stopping by?" but you are limited to 140 characters, So I posted it here. I haven't been to GeneaologyWise in months but.....

I heard that my friend Debbie Anne Jackson had been "disappeared" and I just had to look for myself.

Not only is she gone but all our correspondence is gone, I see the groups that she started were very carefully edited so that they could stay.

It is very spooky… Continue

Added by Randy C on January 13, 2010 at 11:05am — 1 Comment

Technology Tip - make your digital camera wireless with Eye-Fi

That's it. I will never be surprised by technology again. When I hear about some new gadget or technology idea - I will no longer think, "yah right, maybe in the future." The future is here.

LIke most genealogists, I like taking pictures - pictures of the family, trees, and cemeteries. When I read about Eye-Fi last night, not only did I realize that the future was here, but I also knew that taking pictures would never be the same.

Eye-Fi makes your digital camera go… Continue

Added by Geoff Rasmussen on January 12, 2010 at 10:32am — No Comments