"If You Could SeeYour Ancestors"
If you could see your ancestors,All standing in a row,Would you be proud of them,Or don't you really know?
Some strange discoveries are made In climbing family trees;And some of them, you know,Do not particularly please.
If you could see your ancestors,All standing in a row,There might be some of them, perhaps, You wouldn't care to know.
But there's another question Which requires a different view ...If you could "meet" your ancestors,Would they be proud of you?
~ Author Unknown ~
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Reference Resources: NZ cemetery online database links
Resources: NZ cemetery online database links
This is a good one links most of the NZ online cemteries
http://www.pycroft.co.nz/services/NZ_Government_On-Line_Data.html
Kiwicelts is another good one links lots of cemeteries
http://fhr.kiwicelts.com/Cemeteries/NZ_Cem.html
Websites of New Zealand Cemeteries hosted by Rootsweb
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~shipstonz/cemeteries.html
Christchurch City Libraries has a good one too.
http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Resources/NewZealand/History/FamilyHistory/Cemeteries/
Transcriptions at Interment.net
http://www.interment.net/nz/index.htm
This is a good one links most of the NZ online cemteries
http://www.pycroft.co.nz/services/NZ_Government_On-Line_Data.html
Kiwicelts is another good one links lots of cemeteries
http://fhr.kiwicelts.com/Cemeteries/NZ_Cem.html
Websites of New Zealand Cemeteries hosted by Rootsweb
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~shipstonz/cemeteries.html
Christchurch City Libraries has a good one too.
http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Resources/NewZealand/History/FamilyHistory/Cemeteries/
Transcriptions at Interment.net
http://www.interment.net/nz/index.htm
Cemetery Genealogy
Every serious genealogist eventually ends up in the cemetery, looking for clues and tombstones of their ancestors. A wealth of information can be found in graveyards. To make your trip to the final resting place of your loved ones a fruitful one, you will need to be properly equipped and prepared.
If you are trying to locate a cemetery, you should contact the local public library, local genealogical society, or the city or county engineer to get a map of the local cemeteries. Funeral directors are also a big help in locating cemeteries.
Once in the cemetery, be respectful of the property. Vandalism and aging have led to many cemeteries being in disrepair. Make sure that you are environmentally responsible while doing your research.
It will save a lot of time and trouble if you take a handheld video camera or a digital 35 mm camera with you. A disposable camera works well, too. Take pictures of individual stones. It's a good idea in a small family cemetery to take pictures of all headstones or at least those close by your known ancestors. As your research progresses, you may find that some or all of those nearby are in your direct or indirect line and find the information very helpful.
A word of caution: . Be sure and back up your photos with notes. Number the pictures on a piece of paper so that you can match up the pictures to the information in case you can't read the headstone in the photograph.
A variety of products and techniques can be used to enhance the legibility of difficult-to-read stones. Be sure and take into account what the stones are made of. Some are made of marble, some native rock, slate, stone slabs, and a variety of other materials. You can use white flour, cornstarch or baby powder. Rub into the stone or paint with a paintbrush. You might prefer blue carpenters chalk or shaving cream. Be sure and bring water to wash the stones afterwards. Clorox in a garden sprayer can be used on old white marble stones to bleach out the dirt; wash and rinse thoroughly after cleaning. Bring a nylon brush or whisk broom for wiping the lettering. You can use a mirror to cast a shadow on a stone in order to read in bright sunlight. Chalk used sideways will not color in the letters and will wash off easily. You can also use thin paper placed on the stone and rubbed with coloured chalk to make a rubbing of the stone. In a pinch, wipe dirt or grass on the stones to see if they are more legible.
Remember to verify the information that you find on the headstones. Just because it's "engraved in stone" doesn't mean that it is accurate or true. Some dates are written wrong and names are misspelled. Some people are even buried in the wrong grave! Verify, verify, verify. Enjoy your time in the cemetery, gather your ancestors information, and be sure and leave the headstones in as good as or better than the condition that you found them.
If you are trying to locate a cemetery, you should contact the local public library, local genealogical society, or the city or county engineer to get a map of the local cemeteries. Funeral directors are also a big help in locating cemeteries.
Once in the cemetery, be respectful of the property. Vandalism and aging have led to many cemeteries being in disrepair. Make sure that you are environmentally responsible while doing your research.
It will save a lot of time and trouble if you take a handheld video camera or a digital 35 mm camera with you. A disposable camera works well, too. Take pictures of individual stones. It's a good idea in a small family cemetery to take pictures of all headstones or at least those close by your known ancestors. As your research progresses, you may find that some or all of those nearby are in your direct or indirect line and find the information very helpful.
A word of caution: . Be sure and back up your photos with notes. Number the pictures on a piece of paper so that you can match up the pictures to the information in case you can't read the headstone in the photograph.
A variety of products and techniques can be used to enhance the legibility of difficult-to-read stones. Be sure and take into account what the stones are made of. Some are made of marble, some native rock, slate, stone slabs, and a variety of other materials. You can use white flour, cornstarch or baby powder. Rub into the stone or paint with a paintbrush. You might prefer blue carpenters chalk or shaving cream. Be sure and bring water to wash the stones afterwards. Clorox in a garden sprayer can be used on old white marble stones to bleach out the dirt; wash and rinse thoroughly after cleaning. Bring a nylon brush or whisk broom for wiping the lettering. You can use a mirror to cast a shadow on a stone in order to read in bright sunlight. Chalk used sideways will not color in the letters and will wash off easily. You can also use thin paper placed on the stone and rubbed with coloured chalk to make a rubbing of the stone. In a pinch, wipe dirt or grass on the stones to see if they are more legible.
Remember to verify the information that you find on the headstones. Just because it's "engraved in stone" doesn't mean that it is accurate or true. Some dates are written wrong and names are misspelled. Some people are even buried in the wrong grave! Verify, verify, verify. Enjoy your time in the cemetery, gather your ancestors information, and be sure and leave the headstones in as good as or better than the condition that you found them.
Sharing Family Photos in Genealogy
You will work with many family photos in your genealogy research and eventually want to share them, perhaps at a family reunion. It used to be that if you wanted to share family photos you had to make extra prints to give out. Today, you can share your family history photos the old-fashioned way, or you can share digital prints in many different ways. If you have a computer and a digital camera, you can share your family photos with anyone else you know that also has a computer without spending a dime on processing costs. You can even share your photos via your cell phone if it works with photos. Though not all phones can do this, most of the newer model phones can handle not only photos, but videos as well.
The problem I have had with sharing family photos is that some of my family is not online. Though most of my relatives used to have a computer, some no longer do. Many have had computers that died long ago, and they have yet to replace them. Others have computers but no internet access. I can however, share my family photos with my parents, my sisters, my brother, and several other family members via the Internet. This makes sharing photos so much easier; it also saves me a lot of money. Though my digital camera was expensive, in the end I save money by not having to make so many prints. For old family photos I have scanned I can email them instead of printing them out.
When sharing family photos online, there are a few things you should remember. When you post pictures of your children on the Internet, you cannot control who sees them, not unless it is a controlled account which you can choose access. If you e-mail them to your family they are likely to remain private. However, if you put them in a public website anyone with access to a computer may view your family photos. Though not everyone is concerned with privacy, many people are. Consider the subject matter and content of your family photos before you post them where anyone can see them. As well you may want to consider posting family photos on the internet but not labeling them. This will keep the subjects names from being seen at least.
There is an even better way to share old or new family photos with those who may not have access to a computer and/or the internet. You don’t have to make prints, but you may have to spend a little money. You can put your old family photos and new ones on CD’s and pass them out at your genealogy reunions. CD’s are only about 50 cents apiece when bought in bulk. Just recently, I saw a new product in the store that I thought was pretty amazing. It was one of those things that made me think I wish I had thought of it first. What I found was a digital photo album that not only stores family photos, but can store videos as well. All you have to do is upload your photos into the frame, and you can give it to anyone you wish. Simply follow the instructions that come with the product and you will have a unique genealogy gift.
The problem I have had with sharing family photos is that some of my family is not online. Though most of my relatives used to have a computer, some no longer do. Many have had computers that died long ago, and they have yet to replace them. Others have computers but no internet access. I can however, share my family photos with my parents, my sisters, my brother, and several other family members via the Internet. This makes sharing photos so much easier; it also saves me a lot of money. Though my digital camera was expensive, in the end I save money by not having to make so many prints. For old family photos I have scanned I can email them instead of printing them out.
When sharing family photos online, there are a few things you should remember. When you post pictures of your children on the Internet, you cannot control who sees them, not unless it is a controlled account which you can choose access. If you e-mail them to your family they are likely to remain private. However, if you put them in a public website anyone with access to a computer may view your family photos. Though not everyone is concerned with privacy, many people are. Consider the subject matter and content of your family photos before you post them where anyone can see them. As well you may want to consider posting family photos on the internet but not labeling them. This will keep the subjects names from being seen at least.
There is an even better way to share old or new family photos with those who may not have access to a computer and/or the internet. You don’t have to make prints, but you may have to spend a little money. You can put your old family photos and new ones on CD’s and pass them out at your genealogy reunions. CD’s are only about 50 cents apiece when bought in bulk. Just recently, I saw a new product in the store that I thought was pretty amazing. It was one of those things that made me think I wish I had thought of it first. What I found was a digital photo album that not only stores family photos, but can store videos as well. All you have to do is upload your photos into the frame, and you can give it to anyone you wish. Simply follow the instructions that come with the product and you will have a unique genealogy gift.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Bible
"The Bible"
I hold in my hands a treasure so rare,I close my eyes and imagine I'm there,When she wrote each name with care,Not knowing with me some day she'd share.
Could she have known what a jewel it would be?That it would be something I waited to see?That one hundred years later the Bible I'd hold,That in it's pages more that God's story is told.
I imagine she was proud of her family,For what greater gift could there be,Did she imagine the family to come?That I would be from the family of her son?
This family heirloom I will handle with care,So that in another hundred years it will be there,For my great-great-grandchildren may it be,A gift they are searching for to add to the family tree.
~ Author unknown ~
With kind permission from:
http://www.pennyparker2.com/bible.html
I hold in my hands a treasure so rare,I close my eyes and imagine I'm there,When she wrote each name with care,Not knowing with me some day she'd share.
Could she have known what a jewel it would be?That it would be something I waited to see?That one hundred years later the Bible I'd hold,That in it's pages more that God's story is told.
I imagine she was proud of her family,For what greater gift could there be,Did she imagine the family to come?That I would be from the family of her son?
This family heirloom I will handle with care,So that in another hundred years it will be there,For my great-great-grandchildren may it be,A gift they are searching for to add to the family tree.
~ Author unknown ~
With kind permission from:
http://www.pennyparker2.com/bible.html
Your Name
"Your Name "
It came from your father,It was all he had to give;
So it's yours to use and cherish,As long as you may live.
If you lose the watch he gave you,It can always be replaced;
But a black mark on your name,Can never be erased.
It was clean the day you took it,And a worthy name to bear;
When I got it from my father,There was no dishonor there.
So make sure you guard it wisely,After all is said and done,
You'll be glad the name is spotless,When you give it to your son.
~ Edgar A. Guest ~
With permision from:
http://www.pennyparker2.com/poems.html
It came from your father,It was all he had to give;
So it's yours to use and cherish,As long as you may live.
If you lose the watch he gave you,It can always be replaced;
But a black mark on your name,Can never be erased.
It was clean the day you took it,And a worthy name to bear;
When I got it from my father,There was no dishonor there.
So make sure you guard it wisely,After all is said and done,
You'll be glad the name is spotless,When you give it to your son.
~ Edgar A. Guest ~
With permision from:
http://www.pennyparker2.com/poems.html
A prayer for Genealogists
"A Prayer For Genealogists"
Lord, help me dig into the past,
And sift the sands of time;
That I might find the roots that made
This family tree of mine.
Lord, help me trace the ancient roads,
On which my fathers trod;
And led them through so many lands,
To find our present sod.
Lord, help me find an ancient book
Or dust manuscript,
That's safely hidden now away
In some forgotten crypt.
Lord, let it bridge the gaps
that haunts My soul when I can't find,
The missing link between some name
That ends the same as mine.
Lord, help me dig into the past,
And sift the sands of time;
That I might find the roots that made
This family tree of mine.
Lord, help me trace the ancient roads,
On which my fathers trod;
And led them through so many lands,
To find our present sod.
Lord, help me find an ancient book
Or dust manuscript,
That's safely hidden now away
In some forgotten crypt.
Lord, let it bridge the gaps
that haunts My soul when I can't find,
The missing link between some name
That ends the same as mine.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Cite for sore eyes
A Cite For Sore Eyes -Quality Citations for Electronic Genealogy Sources
A version of this article first appeared in the May/June 1998 issue of Ancestry Magazine
By Mark Howells
Why We CiteAs the detectives of our family histories, we have accepted a responsibility in our research which goes beyond merely finding our ancestors. Besides the finding, there is the recording of what we have found out about our forefathers. It is within the recording portion of our efforts that we have a serious responsibility. That is to provide quality citations for the sources in which we find information about our ancestors.
As family historians, we accept this responsibility for two main reasons. The first is purely for our own benefit. A properly written source citation for a piece of genealogical information helps us remember where we originally found it. This can save us from performing redundant research in a source which we've already consulted. Source citations can also assist us in considering additional avenues of research when we've turned up something new.
We don't just cite our sources for ourselves. The second reason for citing our sources properly is for the benefit of others. The family history which we create should include source citations so that others interested in our genealogical information can judge the accuracy of our research for themselves. The future researchers of our genealogy - that one grandchild, niece, or 4th cousin once remove who shares our passion for the hobby - will need to know "how you know" that Aunt Edith was really born during the 1932 World's Series. Besides our posterity, contemporary researchers with whom we share our information have the same need to verify the facts which we have gathered and organized. If we share the results of our research, others must be able to judge the craftsmanship of our efforts by the quality of our source citations.
Citing Electronic Sources in GenealogyOne problem which we face in getting our source citations right is the new cornucopia of electronic sources from which we can obtain information. World Wide Web sites, Internet mailing lists, databases on CD-ROMs, and electronic mail (e-mail) messages are a few of the more common sources of electronic genealogical information from which we now research. With these new sources comes the dilemma of how to correctly write a citation for each type. Many of us learned how to write citations for sources long before the advent of CD-ROMs or the Internet and have struggled with what to do about citing the new media. Fortunately, help has arrived.
Elizabeth Shown Mills, long time editor of the National Genealogical Society's NGS Quarterly, has authored a book titled Evidence! - Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian (reviewed in the January/February '98 issue of Ancestry, page 11). This book was a much needed addition to the literature of proper genealogical documentation. It includes a very readable discussion of the fundamentals of both citation and analysis of genealogical source material. The book concludes with extensive examples of source citations for genealogical source materials of all types and media.
While noting that agreement on the "proper" method for citing the new electronic sources has not yet solidified, Mills recognizes the need we have as active family historians to make quality source citations now even in the face of uncertainty regarding their correct format. She has come to our rescue in providing citation examples for the new electronic sources including electronic mail, web pages, CD-ROMs, and mailing lists. The remainder of this article will discuss the formats for these four common types of sources. The examples given come directly from Evidence! They are Mills' examples of primary citations for endnotes or footnotes. The book also provides formats for subsequent citations and for bibliographic entries for the same sources which are not reproduced here.
Web PagesWeb page publishing has been a great boon to the family historian. Information is now quickly and easily obtainable from thousands of miles away at the touch of a button. However, information from web pages provide two challenges. First, the location of the web site, its URL or address, must be specified for the citation to be of value. Without this information, anyone reading your citation would be severely challenged to find the exact resource on the Internet which you used. A problem arises in how to format a web page address within a citation. Throughout Evidence!, Web page addresses are shown surrounded by angle brackets ( <> ). These brackets are not part of the web page addresses themselves. This usage may be confusing to those who do not know to omit the angle brackets when entering the address into a web browser.
The second challenge stems from the impermanence of web pages. Changes to a web page can be uploaded in a matter of minutes so what you viewed on a particular web page today may be changed by tomorrow. Because of this, it is critical to note the date on which you viewed the web page to obtain the information cited. Mills suggests including this date at the end of the citation. The "Minshew data" referred to in the below example is the surname which was searched for on the Texas State Library's online index to Confederate Pension Records.
Index to Texas Confederate Pension Records, Archives Division, Texas State Library, online
(Note that the URL quoted above has since been changed to http://link.tsl.state.tx.us/c/compt/index.html).
Electronic MailE-mail has extended the reach of every genealogist who uses the Internet. As fellow online researchers whom we will never meet provide us with useful genealogical information, we are obliged to cite their messages as source material. This is particularly true of the interesting tidbits of family history such as stories and reminiscences shared by other family members. Since people frequently change e-mail addresses, Elizabeth Shown Mills warns us to obtain and include a postal address with the citation to ensure that the contact can be repeatable in the event of an e-mail address change. Again, the angle brackets used by Mills to surround the e-mail address are not part of the actual e-mail address and may cause confusion.
Christopher Nordmann, "Rochon Baptisms of Mobile: Translated Abstracts," email message from <104274.1313@compuserve.com> (2767A Mary Avenue; St. Louis, MO 63144-2725) to author, 12 January 1997.
Mailing ListsMailing lists are the electronic mail equivalent of radio broadcasting. A single message sent to an electronic mailing list is "re-broadcast" out to all of the individuals who are subscribed to that mailing list. There are now thousands of free genealogy-related mailing lists available. Mailing lists are often generically referred to as "listserves" after the LISTSERV(r) mailing list software from L-Soft International. This is similar to referring to a photocopier by the brand name Xerox(r). Evidence! reminds us that it is important to cite both the e-mail address of the person who posted the message being cited and the e-mail address of the mailing list itself.
In the example below, Mills includes the date on which the message cited was printed out. This printout date is not really necessary. Once a message is sent to a mailing list, the author of the message does not have the ability to change the message copies which were sent to other mailing list subscribers. Therefore the date required for the citation of a mailing list message is the date which it was sent to the mailing list by its author - its creation date.
Daphne Gentry (Library of Virginia, Richmond), unidentified "report" quoted at length by Jon Kukla, in "Virginia Personal Property Tax Records as a Research Source," , listserve message to IEAHCNET list , 18 November 1996. Printout dated 22 November 1996.
CD-ROMsEvidence! notes that there are really two types of CD-ROMs used by family historians. The first type are those produced from original records. The second type are those produced from prior publications. The majority of CD-ROM databases available in the market today are of the second type, so CD-ROMs produced from prior publications will be considered here. Observe the detail required in the citation below to correctly identify the source of the original information which is actually several times removed from the CD-ROM being cited.
Nicholas Shown entry, FamilyFinder database, Family Tree Maker, CD-ROM (Fremont, California: Banner Blue Software, 1994), citing Archive CD-153 (Orem, Utah: Automated Archives, no date). This data set is based on the census-index series complied by Ronald V. Jackson et al. (Salt Lake City [and elsewhere]; Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1970s-1980s).
Citations in the Electronic Age While the media from which we cite our sources is evolving, the reasons why we cite them for our genealogical research are unchanged. Citations act as a reminder to the researcher of what we've researched and how to find it again as well as providing other researchers with the ability to evaluate the accuracy of our research. Citations still perform the function of identifying the author of a piece of source information, the source type, the date of the source's "publication", and the additional information required to locate that source. Evidence! reminds us that the sources may have changed but the purpose and content required of quality citations remain constant.
For Further ReadingA copy of Elizabeth Shown Mills Evidence! should grace the bookshelf of every serious family historian. In one compact book, the author has brought together both the principles and examples of correct genealogical source citations. Evidence! may be obtained through online ordering from Amazon.com, by mail from the publisher - Genealogical Publishing Company, or by telephone at 1-800-296-6687.
This article has only considered four electronic examples out of the dozens and dozens of traditional and electronic source citation formats provided by Mills. Other citation formats for electronic sources such as the Ancestral File(tm) on CD-ROM are also provided in Evidence! but are not reproduced here.
In the book's bibliography, several World Wide Web sites for citation guidance are provided for our increasingly electronic world. The web sites provided in the book's bibliography and additional web sites on electronic citations may be found by visiting Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet - Citing Sources.
About the Author
Information published with permission from the Author Mark Howells http://www.oz.net/~markhow/writing/cite.htm
A version of this article first appeared in the May/June 1998 issue of Ancestry Magazine
By Mark Howells
Why We CiteAs the detectives of our family histories, we have accepted a responsibility in our research which goes beyond merely finding our ancestors. Besides the finding, there is the recording of what we have found out about our forefathers. It is within the recording portion of our efforts that we have a serious responsibility. That is to provide quality citations for the sources in which we find information about our ancestors.
As family historians, we accept this responsibility for two main reasons. The first is purely for our own benefit. A properly written source citation for a piece of genealogical information helps us remember where we originally found it. This can save us from performing redundant research in a source which we've already consulted. Source citations can also assist us in considering additional avenues of research when we've turned up something new.
We don't just cite our sources for ourselves. The second reason for citing our sources properly is for the benefit of others. The family history which we create should include source citations so that others interested in our genealogical information can judge the accuracy of our research for themselves. The future researchers of our genealogy - that one grandchild, niece, or 4th cousin once remove who shares our passion for the hobby - will need to know "how you know" that Aunt Edith was really born during the 1932 World's Series. Besides our posterity, contemporary researchers with whom we share our information have the same need to verify the facts which we have gathered and organized. If we share the results of our research, others must be able to judge the craftsmanship of our efforts by the quality of our source citations.
Citing Electronic Sources in GenealogyOne problem which we face in getting our source citations right is the new cornucopia of electronic sources from which we can obtain information. World Wide Web sites, Internet mailing lists, databases on CD-ROMs, and electronic mail (e-mail) messages are a few of the more common sources of electronic genealogical information from which we now research. With these new sources comes the dilemma of how to correctly write a citation for each type. Many of us learned how to write citations for sources long before the advent of CD-ROMs or the Internet and have struggled with what to do about citing the new media. Fortunately, help has arrived.
Elizabeth Shown Mills, long time editor of the National Genealogical Society's NGS Quarterly, has authored a book titled Evidence! - Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian (reviewed in the January/February '98 issue of Ancestry, page 11). This book was a much needed addition to the literature of proper genealogical documentation. It includes a very readable discussion of the fundamentals of both citation and analysis of genealogical source material. The book concludes with extensive examples of source citations for genealogical source materials of all types and media.
While noting that agreement on the "proper" method for citing the new electronic sources has not yet solidified, Mills recognizes the need we have as active family historians to make quality source citations now even in the face of uncertainty regarding their correct format. She has come to our rescue in providing citation examples for the new electronic sources including electronic mail, web pages, CD-ROMs, and mailing lists. The remainder of this article will discuss the formats for these four common types of sources. The examples given come directly from Evidence! They are Mills' examples of primary citations for endnotes or footnotes. The book also provides formats for subsequent citations and for bibliographic entries for the same sources which are not reproduced here.
Web PagesWeb page publishing has been a great boon to the family historian. Information is now quickly and easily obtainable from thousands of miles away at the touch of a button. However, information from web pages provide two challenges. First, the location of the web site, its URL or address, must be specified for the citation to be of value. Without this information, anyone reading your citation would be severely challenged to find the exact resource on the Internet which you used. A problem arises in how to format a web page address within a citation. Throughout Evidence!, Web page addresses are shown surrounded by angle brackets ( <> ). These brackets are not part of the web page addresses themselves. This usage may be confusing to those who do not know to omit the angle brackets when entering the address into a web browser.
The second challenge stems from the impermanence of web pages. Changes to a web page can be uploaded in a matter of minutes so what you viewed on a particular web page today may be changed by tomorrow. Because of this, it is critical to note the date on which you viewed the web page to obtain the information cited. Mills suggests including this date at the end of the citation. The "Minshew data" referred to in the below example is the surname which was searched for on the Texas State Library's online index to Confederate Pension Records.
Index to Texas Confederate Pension Records, Archives Division, Texas State Library, online
(Note that the URL quoted above has since been changed to http://link.tsl.state.tx.us/c/compt/index.html).
Electronic MailE-mail has extended the reach of every genealogist who uses the Internet. As fellow online researchers whom we will never meet provide us with useful genealogical information, we are obliged to cite their messages as source material. This is particularly true of the interesting tidbits of family history such as stories and reminiscences shared by other family members. Since people frequently change e-mail addresses, Elizabeth Shown Mills warns us to obtain and include a postal address with the citation to ensure that the contact can be repeatable in the event of an e-mail address change. Again, the angle brackets used by Mills to surround the e-mail address are not part of the actual e-mail address and may cause confusion.
Christopher Nordmann, "Rochon Baptisms of Mobile: Translated Abstracts," email message from <104274.1313@compuserve.com> (2767A Mary Avenue; St. Louis, MO 63144-2725) to author, 12 January 1997.
Mailing ListsMailing lists are the electronic mail equivalent of radio broadcasting. A single message sent to an electronic mailing list is "re-broadcast" out to all of the individuals who are subscribed to that mailing list. There are now thousands of free genealogy-related mailing lists available. Mailing lists are often generically referred to as "listserves" after the LISTSERV(r) mailing list software from L-Soft International. This is similar to referring to a photocopier by the brand name Xerox(r). Evidence! reminds us that it is important to cite both the e-mail address of the person who posted the message being cited and the e-mail address of the mailing list itself.
In the example below, Mills includes the date on which the message cited was printed out. This printout date is not really necessary. Once a message is sent to a mailing list, the author of the message does not have the ability to change the message copies which were sent to other mailing list subscribers. Therefore the date required for the citation of a mailing list message is the date which it was sent to the mailing list by its author - its creation date.
Daphne Gentry (Library of Virginia, Richmond), unidentified "report" quoted at length by Jon Kukla, in "Virginia Personal Property Tax Records as a Research Source," , listserve message to IEAHCNET list , 18 November 1996. Printout dated 22 November 1996.
CD-ROMsEvidence! notes that there are really two types of CD-ROMs used by family historians. The first type are those produced from original records. The second type are those produced from prior publications. The majority of CD-ROM databases available in the market today are of the second type, so CD-ROMs produced from prior publications will be considered here. Observe the detail required in the citation below to correctly identify the source of the original information which is actually several times removed from the CD-ROM being cited.
Nicholas Shown entry, FamilyFinder database, Family Tree Maker, CD-ROM (Fremont, California: Banner Blue Software, 1994), citing Archive CD-153 (Orem, Utah: Automated Archives, no date). This data set is based on the census-index series complied by Ronald V. Jackson et al. (Salt Lake City [and elsewhere]; Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1970s-1980s).
Citations in the Electronic Age While the media from which we cite our sources is evolving, the reasons why we cite them for our genealogical research are unchanged. Citations act as a reminder to the researcher of what we've researched and how to find it again as well as providing other researchers with the ability to evaluate the accuracy of our research. Citations still perform the function of identifying the author of a piece of source information, the source type, the date of the source's "publication", and the additional information required to locate that source. Evidence! reminds us that the sources may have changed but the purpose and content required of quality citations remain constant.
For Further ReadingA copy of Elizabeth Shown Mills Evidence! should grace the bookshelf of every serious family historian. In one compact book, the author has brought together both the principles and examples of correct genealogical source citations. Evidence! may be obtained through online ordering from Amazon.com, by mail from the publisher - Genealogical Publishing Company, or by telephone at 1-800-296-6687.
This article has only considered four electronic examples out of the dozens and dozens of traditional and electronic source citation formats provided by Mills. Other citation formats for electronic sources such as the Ancestral File(tm) on CD-ROM are also provided in Evidence! but are not reproduced here.
In the book's bibliography, several World Wide Web sites for citation guidance are provided for our increasingly electronic world. The web sites provided in the book's bibliography and additional web sites on electronic citations may be found by visiting Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet - Citing Sources.
About the Author
Information published with permission from the Author Mark Howells http://www.oz.net/~markhow/writing/cite.htm
Citing Sources
When researching your family it is very important that you keep track of every piece of information. This is important both as a means of verifying or "proving" your data and also as a way for you or other researchers to go back to that source when future research leads to information which conflicts with your original assumption. In genealogy research, any statement of fact, whether it is a birth date or an ancestor's surname, must carry its own individual source.
Source citations in genealogy serve to:
let others know on which records you based your facts (did the birth date you have for your great-grandmother come from a published family history, a tombstone or a birth certificate?)
assist others in evaluating your research (if you were lucky enough to find a complete family tree for your grandfather on the Internet, wouldn't you want to know where the information came from?)
provide a reference in cases where a newly found fact appears to conflict with previous assumptions
help you to go easily go back to a previously used source when you realize you may have missed information or you have found new details which may lead to more information from that source
In other words, properly citing your sources leaves a big audit trail for others to follow, letting them know what documents you looked at, so they can judge your family tree connections and assumptions for themselves. In conjunction with research logs, proper source documentation also makes it much easier to pick up where you left off with your genealogy research after time spent focusing on other things.
Types of Genealogy Sources When evaluating and documenting the sources used to establish your family tree connections, it is important to understand the different types of sources.
Primary vs. Secondary Sources Referring to the quality of the record, primary sources are records created at or near the time of an event by a person who had reasonably close knowledge of the event. Secondary sources, by contrast, are records created a significant amount of time after an event occurred or by a person who was not present at the event. While both types of sources are important in genealogy research, primary evidence usually carries more weight than secondary evidence.
Original vs. Derivative Sources Referring to the provenance of the record, original sources are records that contribute written, oral, or visual information not derived - copied, abstracted, transcribed, or summarized - from another written or oral record. Derivative sources are, by their definition, records which have been derived - copied, abstracted, transcribed, or summarized - from previously existing sources. Original evidence usually carries more weight than derivative evidence.
Two Rules for Great Source Citations
Rule One - Follow the Formula - While there is no scientific formula for citing every type of source, a good rule of thumb is to work from general to specific:
Author - the one who authored the book, provided the interview, or wrote the letter
Title - if it is an article, then the title of the article, followed by the title of the periodical
Publication Details, place of publication, name of publisher and date of publication, written in parentheses (Place: Publisher, Date) volume, issue and page numbers for periodicals
series and roll or item number for microfilm, Where You Found It - repository name and location, Web site name and URL, cemetery name and location, etc.
Specific Details - page number, entry number and date, date you viewed a Web site, etc.
Rule Two: Cite What You See - Whenever in your genealogical research you use a derivative source instead of the real thing, you must take care to cite the index, database or book that you used, and NOT the actual source from which the derivative source was created. This is because derivative sources are several steps removed from the original, opening up the door for errors, including:
handwriting interpretation errors
microfilm viewing errors (out of focus, back side bleeding through, etc.)
transcription errors (skipping lines, transposing numbers, etc.)
typing errors, etc.Even if a fellow researcher tells you that they found such and such a date in a marriage record, you should cite the researcher as the source of information (noting as well where they found the information). You can only accurately cite the marriage record if you have viewed it for yourself.
Examples
Article (Journal or Periodical) Citations for periodicals should include the month/year or season, rather than issue number where possible.
Willis H. White, "Using Uncommon Sources to Illuminate Family History: a Long Island Tuthill Example." National Genealogical Society Quarterly 91 (March 2003), 15-18.
Bible Record Citations for information found in a family bible should always include the information on publication and its provenance (names and dates for people who have owned the bible)
1. Family data, Dempsey Owens Family Bible, The Holy Bible (American Bible Society, New York 1853); original owned in 2001 by William L. Owens (put mailing address here). The Dempsey Owens Family Bible passed from Dempsey to his son James Turner Owens, to his son Dempsey Raymond Owens, to his son William L. Owens.
Birth & Death Certificates When citing a birth or death record, record 1) type of record and name(s) of the individual(s), 2) the file or certificate number (or book and page) and 3) name and location of the office in which it is filed (or the repository in which the copy was found - e.g. archives).
1. Certified transcription of birth certificate for Ernest Rene Ollivon, Act no. 7145 (1989), Maison Maire, Crespières, Yvelines, France.
2. Henrietta Crisp, birth certificate [long form] no. 124-83-001153 (1983), North Carolina Division of Health Services - Vital Records Branch, Raleigh.
3. Elmer Koth entry, Gladwin County Deaths, Liber 2: 312, no 96, County Clerk's Office, Gladwin, Michigan.
From an online index: 4. Ohio Death Certificate Index 1913-1937, The Ohio Historical Society, online, Death certificate entry for Eveline Powell downloaded 12 March 2001.
From a FHL microfilm: 5. Yvonne Lemarie entry, Crespières naissances, mariages, déecs 1893-1899, microfilm no. 2067622 Item 6, frame 58, Family History Library [FHL], Salt Lake City, Utah.
Book Published sources, including books, should list author (or compiler or editor) first, followed by the title, publisher, publication place and date, and page numbers. List multiple authors in the same order as shown on the title page unless there are more than three authors, in which case, include only the first author followed by et al. Citations for one volume of a multivolume work should include the number of the volume used.
Margaret M. Hoffman, compiler, The Granville District of North Carolina, 1748-1763, 5 volumes (Weldon, North Carolina: Roanoke News Company, 1986), 1:25, no.238.
*The number in this example, indicates a specific numbered entry on the page.
Census Record While it is tempting to abbreviate many items in a census citation, especially state name and county designations, it is best to spell out all words in the first citation to a particular census. Abbreviations which seem standard to you (e.g. Co. for county), may not be recognized by all researchers.
1920 U.S. census, population schedule, Brookline, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Enumeration District [ED] 174, sheet 8, dwelling 110, family 172, Frederick A. Kerry household; National Archives microfilm publication T625, roll 721; digital image, Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com (accessed 28 July 2004).
Family Group Sheet When you use data which has been received from others, you should always document the data as you receive it and not use the original sources cited by the other researcher. You haven't personally checked these resources, therefore they are not your source.
1. Jane Doe, "William M. Crisp - Lucy Cherry family group sheet," supplied 2 February 2001 by Doe (put mailing address here).
Interview Be sure to document who you interviewed and when, as well as who is in possession of the interview records (transcripts, tape recordings, etc.)
1. Interview with Charles Bishop Koth (interviewees address here), by Kimberly Thomas Powell, 7 August 1999. Transcript held in 2001 by Powell (put mailing address here). [You can include an annotation or personal comment here.]
Letter It is much more accurate to quote a specific letter as a source, rather than just citing the individual who wrote the letter as your source.
1. Letter from Patrick Owens (put mailing address here) to Kimberly Thomas Powell, 9 January 1998; held in 2001 by Powell (put mailing address here). [You can include an annotation or personal comment here.]
Marriage License or Certificate Marriage records follow the same general format as birth and death records.
1. Marriage license and certificate for Dempsey Owens and Lydia Ann Everett, Edgecombe County Marriage Book 2:36, County Clerk's Office, Tarboro, North Carolina.
2. George Frederick Powell and Rosina Jane Powell, Bristol Marriage Register 1:157, Bristol Register Office, Bristol, Glouchestershire, England.
Newspaper Clipping (Marriage Announcement, Obituary, etc.) Be sure to include the name of the newspaper, the place and date of publication, the page and column number.
1. Henry Charles Koth - Mary Elizabeth Ihly marriage announcement, Southern Baptist newspaper, Charleston, South Carolina, 16 June, 1860, page 8, column 1.
Web Site This general citation format applies to information received from Internet databases as well as online transcriptions and indexes (i.e. if you find a cemetery transcription on the Internet, you would enter it as a Web site source. You would not include the cemetery as your source unless you had visited personally).
1. Wuerttemberg Emigration Index, Ancestry.com, online.
Information obtained with permission from:
http://genealogy.about.com/od/citing/a/sources_3.htm
Source citations in genealogy serve to:
let others know on which records you based your facts (did the birth date you have for your great-grandmother come from a published family history, a tombstone or a birth certificate?)
assist others in evaluating your research (if you were lucky enough to find a complete family tree for your grandfather on the Internet, wouldn't you want to know where the information came from?)
provide a reference in cases where a newly found fact appears to conflict with previous assumptions
help you to go easily go back to a previously used source when you realize you may have missed information or you have found new details which may lead to more information from that source
In other words, properly citing your sources leaves a big audit trail for others to follow, letting them know what documents you looked at, so they can judge your family tree connections and assumptions for themselves. In conjunction with research logs, proper source documentation also makes it much easier to pick up where you left off with your genealogy research after time spent focusing on other things.
Types of Genealogy Sources When evaluating and documenting the sources used to establish your family tree connections, it is important to understand the different types of sources.
Primary vs. Secondary Sources Referring to the quality of the record, primary sources are records created at or near the time of an event by a person who had reasonably close knowledge of the event. Secondary sources, by contrast, are records created a significant amount of time after an event occurred or by a person who was not present at the event. While both types of sources are important in genealogy research, primary evidence usually carries more weight than secondary evidence.
Original vs. Derivative Sources Referring to the provenance of the record, original sources are records that contribute written, oral, or visual information not derived - copied, abstracted, transcribed, or summarized - from another written or oral record. Derivative sources are, by their definition, records which have been derived - copied, abstracted, transcribed, or summarized - from previously existing sources. Original evidence usually carries more weight than derivative evidence.
Two Rules for Great Source Citations
Rule One - Follow the Formula - While there is no scientific formula for citing every type of source, a good rule of thumb is to work from general to specific:
Author - the one who authored the book, provided the interview, or wrote the letter
Title - if it is an article, then the title of the article, followed by the title of the periodical
Publication Details, place of publication, name of publisher and date of publication, written in parentheses (Place: Publisher, Date) volume, issue and page numbers for periodicals
series and roll or item number for microfilm, Where You Found It - repository name and location, Web site name and URL, cemetery name and location, etc.
Specific Details - page number, entry number and date, date you viewed a Web site, etc.
Rule Two: Cite What You See - Whenever in your genealogical research you use a derivative source instead of the real thing, you must take care to cite the index, database or book that you used, and NOT the actual source from which the derivative source was created. This is because derivative sources are several steps removed from the original, opening up the door for errors, including:
handwriting interpretation errors
microfilm viewing errors (out of focus, back side bleeding through, etc.)
transcription errors (skipping lines, transposing numbers, etc.)
typing errors, etc.Even if a fellow researcher tells you that they found such and such a date in a marriage record, you should cite the researcher as the source of information (noting as well where they found the information). You can only accurately cite the marriage record if you have viewed it for yourself.
Examples
Article (Journal or Periodical) Citations for periodicals should include the month/year or season, rather than issue number where possible.
Willis H. White, "Using Uncommon Sources to Illuminate Family History: a Long Island Tuthill Example." National Genealogical Society Quarterly 91 (March 2003), 15-18.
Bible Record Citations for information found in a family bible should always include the information on publication and its provenance (names and dates for people who have owned the bible)
1. Family data, Dempsey Owens Family Bible, The Holy Bible (American Bible Society, New York 1853); original owned in 2001 by William L. Owens (put mailing address here). The Dempsey Owens Family Bible passed from Dempsey to his son James Turner Owens, to his son Dempsey Raymond Owens, to his son William L. Owens.
Birth & Death Certificates When citing a birth or death record, record 1) type of record and name(s) of the individual(s), 2) the file or certificate number (or book and page) and 3) name and location of the office in which it is filed (or the repository in which the copy was found - e.g. archives).
1. Certified transcription of birth certificate for Ernest Rene Ollivon, Act no. 7145 (1989), Maison Maire, Crespières, Yvelines, France.
2. Henrietta Crisp, birth certificate [long form] no. 124-83-001153 (1983), North Carolina Division of Health Services - Vital Records Branch, Raleigh.
3. Elmer Koth entry, Gladwin County Deaths, Liber 2: 312, no 96, County Clerk's Office, Gladwin, Michigan.
From an online index: 4. Ohio Death Certificate Index 1913-1937, The Ohio Historical Society, online
From a FHL microfilm: 5. Yvonne Lemarie entry, Crespières naissances, mariages, déecs 1893-1899, microfilm no. 2067622 Item 6, frame 58, Family History Library [FHL], Salt Lake City, Utah.
Book Published sources, including books, should list author (or compiler or editor) first, followed by the title, publisher, publication place and date, and page numbers. List multiple authors in the same order as shown on the title page unless there are more than three authors, in which case, include only the first author followed by et al. Citations for one volume of a multivolume work should include the number of the volume used.
Margaret M. Hoffman, compiler, The Granville District of North Carolina, 1748-1763, 5 volumes (Weldon, North Carolina: Roanoke News Company, 1986), 1:25, no.238.
*The number in this example, indicates a specific numbered entry on the page.
Census Record While it is tempting to abbreviate many items in a census citation, especially state name and county designations, it is best to spell out all words in the first citation to a particular census. Abbreviations which seem standard to you (e.g. Co. for county), may not be recognized by all researchers.
1920 U.S. census, population schedule, Brookline, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Enumeration District [ED] 174, sheet 8, dwelling 110, family 172, Frederick A. Kerry household; National Archives microfilm publication T625, roll 721; digital image, Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com (accessed 28 July 2004).
Family Group Sheet When you use data which has been received from others, you should always document the data as you receive it and not use the original sources cited by the other researcher. You haven't personally checked these resources, therefore they are not your source.
1. Jane Doe, "William M. Crisp - Lucy Cherry family group sheet," supplied 2 February 2001 by Doe (put mailing address here).
Interview Be sure to document who you interviewed and when, as well as who is in possession of the interview records (transcripts, tape recordings, etc.)
1. Interview with Charles Bishop Koth (interviewees address here), by Kimberly Thomas Powell, 7 August 1999. Transcript held in 2001 by Powell (put mailing address here). [You can include an annotation or personal comment here.]
Letter It is much more accurate to quote a specific letter as a source, rather than just citing the individual who wrote the letter as your source.
1. Letter from Patrick Owens (put mailing address here) to Kimberly Thomas Powell, 9 January 1998; held in 2001 by Powell (put mailing address here). [You can include an annotation or personal comment here.]
Marriage License or Certificate Marriage records follow the same general format as birth and death records.
1. Marriage license and certificate for Dempsey Owens and Lydia Ann Everett, Edgecombe County Marriage Book 2:36, County Clerk's Office, Tarboro, North Carolina.
2. George Frederick Powell and Rosina Jane Powell, Bristol Marriage Register 1:157, Bristol Register Office, Bristol, Glouchestershire, England.
Newspaper Clipping (Marriage Announcement, Obituary, etc.) Be sure to include the name of the newspaper, the place and date of publication, the page and column number.
1. Henry Charles Koth - Mary Elizabeth Ihly marriage announcement, Southern Baptist newspaper, Charleston, South Carolina, 16 June, 1860, page 8, column 1.
Web Site This general citation format applies to information received from Internet databases as well as online transcriptions and indexes (i.e. if you find a cemetery transcription on the Internet, you would enter it as a Web site source. You would not include the cemetery as your source unless you had visited personally).
1. Wuerttemberg Emigration Index, Ancestry.com, online.
Information obtained with permission from:
http://genealogy.about.com/od/citing/a/sources_3.htm
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Conference Highlights
Highlights
Dan Poffenberger - Getting the Most Out of the Family History Library CatalogueA Professional Researcher's Tips and Tricks The key to research is source material. The key to an incredible amount of source material is the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC). This is particularly true if it will be necessary to order microfilm to a local centre. This lecture will thoroughly review the FHLC in a way that will help you find the information you are looking for.
There is more information in the Family History Catalog than meets the eye. If not searched properly you can miss valuable information
The fact that the microfilms are now being digitised and linked to the index record is amazing
John Grenham – Whatever you’re having yourself: Irish census substitutesThe talk includes a brief summary of the better-known census substitutes, but focuses on more useful and lesser-known records, including the Loan Funds, the Charleton Marriage Fund, agricultural surveys, official petitions and electoral records. Since the range of records is by definition infinite, a complete account is impossible; the aim of the talk is to sketch the main areas in which these records are being uncovered, to show how they can be used, and to bring hope to those who have run out of the standard Irish sources. John gave us a list of useful websites some free and some pay sites. I will post them here soon.
Dan Poffenberger - Getting the Most Out of the Family History Library CatalogueA Professional Researcher's Tips and Tricks The key to research is source material. The key to an incredible amount of source material is the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC). This is particularly true if it will be necessary to order microfilm to a local centre. This lecture will thoroughly review the FHLC in a way that will help you find the information you are looking for.
There is more information in the Family History Catalog than meets the eye. If not searched properly you can miss valuable information
The fact that the microfilms are now being digitised and linked to the index record is amazing
John Grenham – Whatever you’re having yourself: Irish census substitutesThe talk includes a brief summary of the better-known census substitutes, but focuses on more useful and lesser-known records, including the Loan Funds, the Charleton Marriage Fund, agricultural surveys, official petitions and electoral records. Since the range of records is by definition infinite, a complete account is impossible; the aim of the talk is to sketch the main areas in which these records are being uncovered, to show how they can be used, and to bring hope to those who have run out of the standard Irish sources. John gave us a list of useful websites some free and some pay sites. I will post them here soon.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Elusive Kinsman
KINSMAN
Alas, my elusive clansman, You've led me quite a chase. I thought that I'd found your courthouse, But a fire'd destroyed the place.
You constantly kept your bags packed Although you had no fame, And for some inexplicable reason You twice have changed your name.
You never have owed to any man; I've found no nary a bill. You fathered eleven children But never left a will.
They say our name's from Europe, Crossed the ocean on a ship. They either lost the name list, or you, Dad, gave them the slip.
Am I the only one looking? Other searchers I can't find. I ask, was John your father's name, as I go out of my mind.
They said you had a headstone In a specific shady plot. I've been there now a dozen times; I can't even fine the lot.
You sent ne'er a single letter And no-one has found your Bible. I'd gladly name you our black sheep If someone had sued you for liable.
You married your first wife, Mary, Whose last name, of course, is "Unknown". Your following wives were all Sarahs; The first one just set the tone.
You've cost me uncountable hours, I travel and search the 'net. You want me the quest to abandon But I haven't given up yet.
For somewhere you slipped up, Granddad, Yes, somewhere you left a track. And, if I don't find you this year, Why, next year I'll be back!
Alas, my elusive clansman, You've led me quite a chase. I thought that I'd found your courthouse, But a fire'd destroyed the place.
You constantly kept your bags packed Although you had no fame, And for some inexplicable reason You twice have changed your name.
You never have owed to any man; I've found no nary a bill. You fathered eleven children But never left a will.
They say our name's from Europe, Crossed the ocean on a ship. They either lost the name list, or you, Dad, gave them the slip.
Am I the only one looking? Other searchers I can't find. I ask, was John your father's name, as I go out of my mind.
They said you had a headstone In a specific shady plot. I've been there now a dozen times; I can't even fine the lot.
You sent ne'er a single letter And no-one has found your Bible. I'd gladly name you our black sheep If someone had sued you for liable.
You married your first wife, Mary, Whose last name, of course, is "Unknown". Your following wives were all Sarahs; The first one just set the tone.
You've cost me uncountable hours, I travel and search the 'net. You want me the quest to abandon But I haven't given up yet.
For somewhere you slipped up, Granddad, Yes, somewhere you left a track. And, if I don't find you this year, Why, next year I'll be back!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
AFFHO Last Day
The Australasian Federation of Family History Organisations (AFFHO) has been holding a "Congress" for the past five days. The event was packed with presentations, seminars, workshops, dinners, a cocktail party, a Maori welcome, and more. However, nothing lasts forever. The Congress wound down on Tuesday afternoon with speeches and a very interesting Maori ceremony, although quite different from the one held at the opening. A bunch of smiling genealogists filed out of the FindMyPast Hall and began to make their way home.
The AFFHO event is only held once every three years, and the organizers apparently pull out all the stops in an attempt to make it a great affair. They certainly were successful this year: everyone I talked to at the Congress remarked about how much they enjoyed the event.
My hat is off to the organizers of the Australasian Federation of Family History Organisations. Well done!
These Congresses are only held once every three years. The next one will be in Adelaide, Australia in 2012. That seems a long time from now, but you might want to start the planning process now! I suspect you will enjoy it.
The AFFHO event is only held once every three years, and the organizers apparently pull out all the stops in an attempt to make it a great affair. They certainly were successful this year: everyone I talked to at the Congress remarked about how much they enjoyed the event.
My hat is off to the organizers of the Australasian Federation of Family History Organisations. Well done!
These Congresses are only held once every three years. The next one will be in Adelaide, Australia in 2012. That seems a long time from now, but you might want to start the planning process now! I suspect you will enjoy it.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
AFFHO: Elaine Collins 1911 Census
If you have been reading this newsletter in the past few days, you already know that I am attending the Australasian Federation of Family History Societies Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry being held in Auckland, New Zealand. The Congress continued today with four to five simultaneous tracks of presentations most all day. One thing caught my eye today as a technological marvel and greatly impressed me. I would suggest that future conference organizers worldwide should consider doing the same on occasion. This could enable more content and better speakers at a reduced cost.
Elaine Collins is the Commercial Director of findmypast.com (formerly 1837 Online). She was scheduled to provide a plenary address at this Auckland, New Zealand, event this morning at 8.30am entitled, "For your eyes only: A preview of the 1911 census for England & Wales.” Because of the business demands of releasing the new online offering last week, Elaine could not get away as planned. In short, Elaine was a "no show" lecturer. She remained in England to take care of business. However, she and the conference organizers solved the problem with a bit of technology that impressed the conference attendees. She attended "virtually" and gave a great presentation to a large audience that filled the gynasium at Kings College in Auckland.
Elaine Collins remained in England but attended the New Zealand event by teleconference. Her live image appeared on a large projection screen in the hall, and her voice emanated from a connection to the public address system. In short, the audience had a better view of her on the large screen than they would have had if she had been there in person, standing behind a lectern. At appropriate times, the live image of her face was replaced by video from a computer accessing the 1911 census of England & Wales. Even though Elaine was on the opposite side of the world in England, she was able to deliver a first-class demonstration of the new service to an audience of several hundred people in New Zealand. The audience were able to ask her questions live just as though she was here.
It was a bit eerie to sit in the audience and watch a presentation being delivered by someone who was about 12,000 miles away, but also great fun. The teleconference solution was an excellent use of technology to simultaneously solve the problems of a presenter's busy schedule and to deliver the very latest possible information to an assembled audience on the other side of the world.
Elaine Collins is the Commercial Director of findmypast.com (formerly 1837 Online). She was scheduled to provide a plenary address at this Auckland, New Zealand, event this morning at 8.30am entitled, "For your eyes only: A preview of the 1911 census for England & Wales.” Because of the business demands of releasing the new online offering last week, Elaine could not get away as planned. In short, Elaine was a "no show" lecturer. She remained in England to take care of business. However, she and the conference organizers solved the problem with a bit of technology that impressed the conference attendees. She attended "virtually" and gave a great presentation to a large audience that filled the gynasium at Kings College in Auckland.
Elaine Collins remained in England but attended the New Zealand event by teleconference. Her live image appeared on a large projection screen in the hall, and her voice emanated from a connection to the public address system. In short, the audience had a better view of her on the large screen than they would have had if she had been there in person, standing behind a lectern. At appropriate times, the live image of her face was replaced by video from a computer accessing the 1911 census of England & Wales. Even though Elaine was on the opposite side of the world in England, she was able to deliver a first-class demonstration of the new service to an audience of several hundred people in New Zealand. The audience were able to ask her questions live just as though she was here.
It was a bit eerie to sit in the audience and watch a presentation being delivered by someone who was about 12,000 miles away, but also great fun. The teleconference solution was an excellent use of technology to simultaneously solve the problems of a presenter's busy schedule and to deliver the very latest possible information to an assembled audience on the other side of the world.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
AFFHO Congress
This blog post comes to you from the Australasian Federation of Family History Organisation's (AFFHO) Congress being held this week in Auckland, New Zealand. The opening ceremonies kicked off yesterday evening at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Launching this kickoff was a traditional Maori powhiri, and I must say that I was very impressed.
Once the powhiri finished, various dignitaries made several welcoming comments. All of these events took place in the ultra-modern arena of Auckland War Memorial Museum, an impressive building built on a high hill with magnificent views in all directions. Wine, beer, soft drinks, and hors d'oeuvres were served all evening. I must admit I was saddened when it was time to board the buses and return to our dormitories.
Oh yes, the dormitories. The Australasian Federation of Family History Organisation's 2009 Congress is happening at King's College in Otahuhu, a suburb of Auckland. This is a private boys' school for young men of 13 to 18 years of age. It is a boarding school, and attendees at the Congress had the opportunity to stay in the dormitories. (It is summer in New Zealand, and all the young men apparently have gone home for the season.)
The use of a boarding school's campus has turned out to be an excellent attraction for attendees from out of town. We have comfortable accommodations within a couple hundred yards of all the lecture halls and the dining room, all available at modest prices. I do think my room has the best bed that I have slept in for a long time, however. I slept soundly.
Following last night's opening ceremony are four days of lectures, workshops, meals, and other offerings. The lectures started this morning with a presentation on "Resources, Research, Results in the 21st Century," The rest of the days are full of four to five simultaneous offerings all day long. The presenters are from all over New Zealand and Australia, with others from the U.S., Canada, England, Ireland, and Poland.
I am writing these words in late afternoon of the first full day. If you have an interest in this year's conference, you might be interested in a Roots Television videotape that was recorded with Dick eastman & Jan Gow, one of the organizers of the Congress. That video was recorded nearly and a half ago, but the predictions that Jan made at the time are now coming true. That video is as relevant today as it was on the day we recorded it. You can see the Roots Television video at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2007/09/video-interview.html.
Dinner this evening will be in the King's College Dining Hall, to be followed by speed genealogy, a humorous presentation by Dan Poffenberger from Salt Lake City about unusual names and facts he has found in the past twenty years, a presentation by Stephen Young (also from Salt Lake City) about the 1881 British census, movies from the New Zealand Film Archive about the different immigrant groups who settled in New Zealand, and an opportunity to explore some of the genealogy "for pay" sites.
Once the powhiri finished, various dignitaries made several welcoming comments. All of these events took place in the ultra-modern arena of Auckland War Memorial Museum, an impressive building built on a high hill with magnificent views in all directions. Wine, beer, soft drinks, and hors d'oeuvres were served all evening. I must admit I was saddened when it was time to board the buses and return to our dormitories.
Oh yes, the dormitories. The Australasian Federation of Family History Organisation's 2009 Congress is happening at King's College in Otahuhu, a suburb of Auckland. This is a private boys' school for young men of 13 to 18 years of age. It is a boarding school, and attendees at the Congress had the opportunity to stay in the dormitories. (It is summer in New Zealand, and all the young men apparently have gone home for the season.)
The use of a boarding school's campus has turned out to be an excellent attraction for attendees from out of town. We have comfortable accommodations within a couple hundred yards of all the lecture halls and the dining room, all available at modest prices. I do think my room has the best bed that I have slept in for a long time, however. I slept soundly.
Following last night's opening ceremony are four days of lectures, workshops, meals, and other offerings. The lectures started this morning with a presentation on "Resources, Research, Results in the 21st Century," The rest of the days are full of four to five simultaneous offerings all day long. The presenters are from all over New Zealand and Australia, with others from the U.S., Canada, England, Ireland, and Poland.
I am writing these words in late afternoon of the first full day. If you have an interest in this year's conference, you might be interested in a Roots Television videotape that was recorded with Dick eastman & Jan Gow, one of the organizers of the Congress. That video was recorded nearly and a half ago, but the predictions that Jan made at the time are now coming true. That video is as relevant today as it was on the day we recorded it. You can see the Roots Television video at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2007/09/video-interview.html.
Dinner this evening will be in the King's College Dining Hall, to be followed by speed genealogy, a humorous presentation by Dan Poffenberger from Salt Lake City about unusual names and facts he has found in the past twenty years, a presentation by Stephen Young (also from Salt Lake City) about the 1881 British census, movies from the New Zealand Film Archive about the different immigrant groups who settled in New Zealand, and an opportunity to explore some of the genealogy "for pay" sites.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Guest Lecturers and their Topics
Guest Lecturers and their Topics
Dick Eastman – Resources, Research, Results in 21st Century
The list of resources we can access in the 21st Century grows every day - or even - every minute. The ways we can Research and the Results we can expect change daily also. An up-to-the-minute look at what is exciting in our genealogy world today.
Sherry Irvine – Contracts & Sales in Scotland
Solve Problems Without the OPRs Two classes of Scottish records, the registry of deeds and sasines, are under-utilized, yet they can provide important family information. People of all classes are mentioned; vital facts and relationships may be found.
These records should be searched on a routine basis. This lecture explains content and access, and demonstrates problem-solving strategies built around deeds and sasines.
Graham Langton - A World Away
Records of Immigration to New Zealand, 1840-1960s
All New Zealanders are immigrants or descendants of immigrants. Written records exist from 1840 (and occasionally earlier) to the 1960s in a variety of forms and places. The greatest concentration of records is at Archives New Zealand, but not all under ‘immigration’. Lateral thinking is necessary to make the most of that and other sources.
Dan Poffenberger - Getting the Most Out of the Family History Library Catalogue
A Professional Researcher's Tips and Tricks The key to research is source material. The key to an incredible amount of source material is the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC). This is particularly true if it will be necessary to order microfilm to a local centre. This lecture will thoroughly review the FHLC in a way that will help you find the information you are looking for.
Kasia Grycza - Introduction to Footnote
A discussion about what it is, how we built it, what we plan to do with it, and how that can help you find and connect information about your family.
Jennifer Harrison – She only stole a handkerchief
Researching recidivist convicts While the voyage to Australia and life in Sydney and Hobart changed the direction of most convicts, several persisted with lives of crime. Follow these miscreants through the colonial courts, gaols and other places of detention. Trace them as they move between penal settlements and locate them in records kept far from the capital cities.
John Grenham – Whatever you’re having yourself: Irish census substitutes
The talk includes a brief summary of the better-known census substitutes, but focuses on more useful and lesser-known records, including the Loan Funds, the Charleton Marriage Fund, agricultural surveys, official petitions and electoral records. Since the range of records is by definition infinite, a complete account is impossible; the aim of the talk is to sketch the main areas in which these records are being uncovered, to show how they can be used, and to bring hope to those who have run out of the standard Irish sources.
Cora Num – Digital Data: The Delivery, the Dynamics and New Developments
This paper explores the ever expanding trend for the digitisation and electronic delivery of primary genealogical material, and other related information, directly to family history researchers worldwide. Key issues for family history research such as fees for service, copyright, citation, privacy and preservation are addressed including advice on the use, display, recording/cataloguing, appropriate storage and backup of the electronic material once it is received.
Megan Hutching – Getting the best from your oral history interviews
Oral history interviews are a good way of getting information to supplement written material and to get information that does not existing anywhere else. To make the exercise worthwhile, it is essential that interviews are worth the time and energy put into them. This lecture will cover some of the issues that family historians need to consider when you begin to preserve the past for the future using oral history.
Megan Smolenyak – Which DNA Test is Right for you?
This workshop will combine the content of Trace Your Roots with DNA and Beyond Y-DNA: Your Genetic Genealogy Options, and allow time for participants to ask questions about their specific family situations to help determine the best test and testing candidate(s) for their purposes.
Todd Knowles - A taste of National Archives in England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand This workshop will delve in to the records and resources that are available in the archives preserved by most national archives. Just which records are always preserved, what are some of the special records that each country stores. The access to these records and how this differs from country to country. What is available in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. And, especially, what is available on line for these countries.
John Kitzmiller – The Life Preserver of Family History
Archiving Your Family Memorabilia Treasured memorabilia are slipping away every minute of every day, from photographs to needlework! You will learn how to preserve these by using such things as websites, blogs, online publishing, etc. Please bring some of your treasures, (on a flash drive perhaps!) and you will learn how to create online magic.
Paul Allen - Introducing the World Vital Records England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales,
Australia and New Zealand collections.
Peter Walker - The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding (TNG)
This workshop describes the features and benefits of this online database application for family trees. Utitlising PHP/MySQL server technologies, TNG generates data, reports and trees using active web-pages, a more flexible solution than creating multiple static pages.
Paul Smart – What’s New at Family Search
An overview of the new software and inside look at what is new and different. See the new ideas and features. Not only what is new, but what is VERY NEW!!
Michael Gandy – The British in India
Especially the records of the East India Company Tens of thousands of ordinary British people (especially Scots) worked for the East India Company, especially in its Army, or were stationed in India later during their service with the Indian Civil Service or the British Army.
Records are excellent and a lot of material is available from Salt Lake City; for other material you will need to visit or write to India - a wonderful excuse! This lecture will concentrate on the 19th century but questions about the earlier and later periods are welcome.
Judy Jones - Using Strategy to Find a 19th Century Family in England and Wales
Using civil registration, census and church records, as well as analysis to find and verify a family in 19th century England and Wales. Learn to find an entire family by following a predetermined strategy, mixing two or more records, and using analysis and evaluation to make decisions. To benefit fully from this class you should already know how to find the 3 basic record types (civil registration, census, church records) for researching in England and Wales. The strategy used in this class will be demonstrated in the following workshop section, showing how to use many online sources to work the strategy.
Lynne Blake – My Ancestors Worked on the Land
Many of us have ancestors who worked on the land as farmers, agricultural labourers or ancillary occupations (eg. ploughmen, blacksmiths etc.). But what do we know of their daily lives, and the social and economic conditions that impacted upon them? This session will show how we can add social context to the names and dates you have collected.
Chris Watts – Just what is there at TNA!!
Records of interest to the family historian at The National Archives of the UK (TNA).
This talk will introduce the researcher to some of the key records, of interest to the family historian, held at The National Archives of the UK (TNA). It will explain what you should expect from the Catalogue and why you will not find everything indexed.
Pat Parsons – Pioneer Whalers of the Hawke’s Bay Coast – Their Origins and Impact
Pioneer Whalers of the Hawke’s Bay Coast – Their Origins and Impact The origins and inter-marriage of the early whaling fraternity of the Hawke's Bay coast are attracting more and
more attention from genealogists and descendants. This paper examines these pioneer whalers and provides direction for those trying to trace ancestral lines back to America, Europe and Australia. It also addresses intermarriage with the coastal Maori communities and suggests where researchers might have success with missing details.
Locating and Researching Manor Records in Europe
A multimedia presentation set at the Palace of Rogalin using the manorial records and the writings of the owner Count Edward Raczyński. It dispels the myth that records for Eastern Europe were destroyed during the World Wars. The session demonstrates how to research ancestors' lives as workers on a manorial estate. Includes a tutorial using gazetteers and online catalogs.
Stephen Young - PowerPoint Your Family History: Make Powerful Points in Your
Presentations Using Microsoft PowerPoint can be a very persuasive and entertaining tool in presenting your family history. This lecture will demonstrate the dramatic effects this tool can employ using text, graphics and animation. Technological presentations can be used not only by teachers in the classroom, but also shared by genealogists with relatives on their own desktop computers.
John Kitzmiller - Do You really have a family crest?
How to identify families by tracing the symbols (Heraldry) associated with them.
Heraldry was and is a very useful tool in tracing families past the end of parish registers. How to use heraldry in connecting families will be discussed, especially using the various Visitations. Those attending this lecture will learn how to read a blazon, which sources to use to see if their ancestor had a coat of arms, and how to register a coat of arms.
Vivienne Parker & Keith Vautier - Imprint~Preparing to Publish your Family History -
Part One ~ Presented by Vivienne Parker Covers the preparation required to prepare your book for publishing covering the parts of a book, writing, desktop publishing and layout including pictures, proofreading, copyright and privacy. Now you will be ready for the next stage... Part 2 Monday 10am
Elaine Collins – Ancestors on Board Elaine gives us the low down of the 1911 census.
Sherry Irvine – Irish Church Records: Guaranteeing a Complete Search
No, this is not an oxymoron. “Complete” means searching every surviving church record of baptism, marriage or burial that could possibly mention your ancestors. This lecture explains the necessary steps to identifying, locating and accessing church records of five denominations: Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Quaker.
Judy Webster - 'Black Sheep' and Vanishing Relatives
Can't find a death registration? Want to identify the father of an illegitimate child? Are you researching someone who 'vanished', or a convicted criminal, alleged offender, victim of crime, deserted wife/child, or mental asylum patient? This talk describes relevant sources and problem-solving techniques. It uses mainly Queensland examples, but much of the advice is also relevant elsewhere.
Clark Stiles - Papers Past - delivering New Zealand's newspapers
Newspapers are one of the most important sources for historical research but they are one of the most difficult to preserve and to access. A significant amount of our newspaper heritage has been lost. Much of what remains is at risk. This talk examines the state of our newspaper heritage and outlines what the National Library has and is doing to save it and make it more accessible through Papers Past, the Library's digitisation site.
Paul Allen - Inventing the Future: Genealogy in this decade
Paul's predictions and ideas on where the genealogy industry is headed including social networking, collaborative efforts, searching functionality and what World Vital Records Inc is doing to help genealogists receive improved access to records world wide.
John Kitzmiller - At the End of Your Rope
Techniques to Solve Complex Problems, Track Migrants, and Trace Immigrants
Many scientific research techniques are in use by genealogists, and others remain to be used. Pattern recognition, probability, location & jurisdictions, chronology, generational spacing, and intergenesic intervals will be studied. Answer the question - why did your ancestors do what they did?
Graham Langton - In New Zealand’s Service:
The Variety of Military Records at Archives New Zealand
New Zealand has a strong military tradition and few families of more than two generations in New Zealand have not been touched by war. Archives New Zealand holds many Military records from the 1840s to the 1960, mostly Army, but some Navy and Air Force. Records are far from complete but their variety gives hope to researchers.
Cathy Pilgrim - I have always imagined that Paradise would be a kind of library”:
Collections and services at the National Library of Australia
This paper will explore the innovative uses we have made of new technologies in recent years, to preserve and improve access to our collections. It will outline digitisation projects and their benefits to those with an interest in family history and genealogy in particular. It will also describe specialised, subject based search services such as Music Australia and Australia Dancing, as well as services based around collection and information formats, such as pictures and people data. We’re not only developing ways of assisting users to locate highly relevant
material, but also to contribute their knowledge to the nation’s collections.
David Hey – Discovering English Apprenticeship Records
Apprenticeship registers from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are informative not only about past trades and crafts but about how far people moved in search of work. They give the name of an apprentice's father, his occupation, and where he lived, as well as the master's name, occupation and residence. The recorded surnames show that most boys did not move far, unless they went to London.
Stephen Young - Presenting Your Family History Using PowerPoint
Learn how to use this Microsoft Product to enliven your family history presentations in this computer workshop. Basic tips and tricks using graphics and animations will be taught. Registrants should know basic computer technology and are encouraged to bring a flash drive containing family history photos and information to apply in their own productions.
Judy Jones - Hands-On Using Strategy to Find a 19th Century Family in England &
Wales using on-line sources, document a family group. This workshop is a hands-on demonstration of the “Using Strategy to Find a 19th Century Family in England and
Wales” lecture.
Nigel Bayley – Using the Genealogist
John Grenham – Naming of the Green – Irish Place Names and Surnames
Beginning with an overview of hereditary naming practices, the talk focuses on the distinctiveness of Irish patronymics, “O” and “Mac”; the division and subdivision of tribal patronymics, with examples including the O’Neills, Hegartys, O’Kanes and O’Donnells; genealogy in early Ireland and its relation to naming traditions; Norman influences and the linguistic background; anglicisation: translation, transliteration and distortion. A section on place names then gives a summary of Irish territorial divisions, their origins and genealogical relevance. The final section deals with the connections between place names and surnames, focusing on the
territoriality of Irish surnames, with specific examples from Longford, Donegal and Kerry.
Ken Scadden -‘Three months in a leaking boat’
Life on board a Nineteenth Century migrant ship bound for New Zealand
Join the voyage of an immigrant ship bound for New Zealand: hear of the pain of departure, the living conditions on board. What did they eat? Where did they sleep? How did the handle the shipboard routine and the strange manners and customs of the seafarers? How did they entertain themselves? What was it like to be battened down below in a big gale? Hear of the shenanigans onboard - fraternisation between passengers and between passengers and crew, shipboard romances, life-long friendships and enemies made, occasional drunken, lecherous or mutinous crews and the hazards posed by collision at sea, running aground, fire and striking
icebergs and arrival in the new land. The lecture will be fully illustrated and accompanied by music and reading of diary extracts and poetry.
Michael Gandy - 'Where two or three are gathered together'.
The main religious groups in English family history From the moment the Church of England was set up lots of people disagreed with it! This lecture describes the main religious groups of the 1600s, 1700s and 1800s, what they thought about the things family historians mind
about, and what records there are - kept by them or others. Scotland and Ireland may be referred to but the talk is not about them.
Cora Num - Occupational Records: Getting Them Working for You
Work plays a major role in everyone's life. Occupational and work related records can contain a wealth of information about individuals and the nature of their work. This paper aims to encourage researchers to access this under-utilised but very valuable source of information.
The sources highlighted include books, manuscripts, newspapers, pictorial material and Internet sources. There are strategies for locating an ancestor’s occupation, dealing with the often outdated terminology and locating relevant records. The tendency for many authors of work related books to give their publications quirky titles that reflect the trade, business or occupation is discussed and examples given so that researchers become aware of the need to search ‘beyond the title’ for access to these publications.
Megan Smolenyak – Trace Your Roots with DNA
Genetic genealogy has swiftly graduated from pioneering research to standard practice. But what is it and how can you use it to further your genealogical endeavors? Come hear one of the co-authors of Trace Your Roots with DNA discuss her own and others' experience managing a DNA project, including such considerations as test and vendor selection, privacy, and convincing others to participate.
Paul Smart - Get me to the Kirk on Time
Church Records in Scotland The Background to early Church Records from 14th Century, what they contain, and the availablity and access to the records. Looking at access to these records at home, in the Family History Library and in Scotland.
Dan Poffenberger -Who’s the Father??
Finding the Fathers of Illegitimate Children in England If someone with English ancestry doesn't have a base born ancestor it is because they haven't found him or her. This sometimes sensitive subject may cause frustration as lines on a pedigree chart are left blank because of an unknown name of a father. This course will review all relevant sources which may provide the name of a father including parish registers, Bishop's Transcripts, civil registration, census, parish chest/poor law, and court records. Examples and statistics will be shown so that those attending the course will feel confident that all reasonable efforts have been exhausted to learn the name of a father. Points to consider if the name of the father cannot be determined will also be noted.
Dick Eastman – Digital Data – “Grandpa in your Pocket”
A light hearted look at Technology to Take with You When Researching Away from Home - some of the portable, high-tech gadgets of today that can help simplify your genealogy searches or allow you to extend those searches in ways not easily available before.
Neville Thomas – Family History on Video
Not everyone is interested in looking at a Family Tree via charts and reports, but many will watch a video on tape or DVD. Interest in genealogy, Apple Macs, and video production come together in the creation of a "MY FAMILY HISTORY" video. Gathering visual information is a challenge, but a rewarding one. Sources include family photographs, books, maps, Parish Registers, and archive images. Then the task is to assemble it all into a visual story together with commentary. This presentation will show a completed project as well as looking at the
tools and techniques.
Elaine Collins – Using Find My Past
Chris Watts - Unlocking those English resources
This workshop will start with by looking at sources for English Genealogy such as Estate Duty Office Registers; the contents of the parish chest; marriage licenses; divorce; tithe maps, land tax, Lloyd George's doomsday; manor rolls. Then a question and answer session during which Chris will guide the researcher and call up records available on line that might assist. Looking at Pay2View sites and free sites. Those attending will need to bring their questions. There will be a list of Do’s and Don'ts available to guide enquirers in formulating their questions.
Todd Knowles – A taste of Civil Registration in England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand What is Civil Registration and when did it start and under what circumstances and what information was and is collected in these countries. Are there special years when the information requested changed? What are the special differences between the countries. What has been preserved and how do we access the information - both at home via the internet and away when we are visiting our countries or the Family History Library in Salt
Lake City.
Sherry Irvine – Irish Church Records: Guaranteeing a Complete Search
The workshop demonstrates how to determine exactly what survives for five denominations. It begins with how to identify the churches that ancestors may have attended and what sources, online and published, indicate the extent and location of surviving records. There is advice about using resources of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and those of heritage centres and archives in Ireland. The purpose of the workshop is entirely practical and two-fold. First, dispel the myth about avoiding Irish research because nothing survives and secondly show there are straight-forward steps to discovering the situation for your research problems. There is an added benefit—once the importance of ensuring “complete” searches is understood it will be beneficial to all research in Ireland.
Megan Hutching – Getting the best from your oral history interviews: a practical
approach This workshop will provide practical information for family historians who wish to use oral history as a means of preserving the past for the future. We will go through the stages of an oral history interview, and discuss ways of using recording material. Handouts will be provided.
Megan Smolenyak – Ouch! - Cases that hurt my brain
How could brothers also be uncle and nephew? How could the 1853 death of a toddler in Scotland help solve an American Civil War history-mystery? How do you find serial centenarians in the same family? Come and hear!
Geraldene O’Reilly – Irish Emigration: Nominated & assisted immigrants to New
Zealand Ships Passengers Lists are the main source of information on Irish Immigrants arriving in New Zealand. However there are other resources such as Nomination lists, Promissory Notes and Treasury Account Books that can reveal additional details on Irish family links. British Parliamentary Papers and Government letters contain nomination lists, some of these documents for the period prior to the Immigration & Public Works Act of 1870.
John Kitzmiller – Migration How Scotland came to be.
What is a Scot? A Scot is someone who is literally a product of the genetics of migration and lineage. Picts, Celts in all their variety, Norsemen, Normans, and Flemings contributed to this framework. Learn where current Clan names really came from.
Kasia Grycza – Preserving Photos
A look at how you can preserve your family photos (old and new) using today's technology. Scanning, some restoration (wouldn't you like the chance to make great great grandfather look handsome!!) using inexpensive hardware and software. A look at five mistakes most family photographers make, how to store your files, how to access these and how to share them around your family.
Cathy Pilgrim - Moving type from past to present: chronicling Australia through the
digitisation of newspapers This presentation will outline the progress made in recent years in locating, preserving and digitising Australia’s newspaper collections.
Through the Australian Newspaper Digitisation Project, the National Library of Australia has enabled Australian historical newspapers to be made freely available online for research purposes. We are building a service where anyone with access to the Internet can search the content of the first Australian newspapers, published from 1803 through to 1954, in their entirety.
Chris Watts – Every Journey has two ends
Getting the most out of departure and arrival records So often when searching for migration details of our ancestor researchers think in terms of just arrival or departure records. This talk will, through the medium of examples, demonstrate how by using the two together the shortcomings of content, indexing and accessibility may be minimized. This talk will not be a survey of available passenger lists but a demonstration of research technique. Material from New Zealand, Australia, UK, Canada, USA and Germany will be used.
Michael Gandy – Huguenot Ancestry
In the late 1600s about 60,000 Huguenots (French Protestants) came to England and settled in London or the South East of England. They kept very good records and we can nearly always trace back to the original refugees and find where in France they came from. This lecture explains the published material, the unpublished material and the non-Huguenot records in which Huguenots all appear. It will also indicate what sort of records are likely to exist in France and how to access them.
Cora Num – Solve not Revolve: Take a Spin with the Internet Revolution
This paper explores techniques and strategies for effective and efficient access to family history information on the Internet. These include the use of structured and precise queries, keyword selection and appropriate phrasing. A knowledge of these basics will allow users to become effective search engine users. Some of the pitfalls to avoid when using search engines will be highlighted. Techniques for using technology, to enhance access to existing records are discussed and useful Australian and overseas web sites for family history research are also highlighted.
Ken Scadden - ‘What on earth do I do with all this stuff?’
Protecting your family treasures How to identify, use, care for and protect the family treasures that you have inherited or gathered during the process of your family history research. How do I care for them to ensure that they survive for future generations?
This paper does not purport to provide all the answers from a conservators point of view. The presenter is an experienced archivist and museum curator and will offer basic practical advice as to how you can care for this material in your home. It will cover: historic photographs and post cards, maps and plans newspaper clippings, care for textiles, medals trophies etc. Opportunity for interaction with a questions and answers session.
Paul Smart - New FamilySearch
An overview of the new software and inside look at what is new and different. See the new ideas and features. Not only what is new, but what is VERY NEW!!
John Grenham - Chasing shadows: Irish genealogy online
For a variety of reasons, few large sets of Irish genealogical records are available online. However, there are many highly-valuable local or partial record-sets, which can be difficult to track down. The workshop will start with an outline of the main Irish records and where any online transcripts can be found, and will proceed to guided hands-on research. Participants will receive complementary subscriptions to the ireland.com Irish Ancestors site."
Vivienne Parker & Keith Vautier - Imprint~Preparing to Publish your Family History
Part 2 of 2 Presented by Keith Vautier
Includes alternatives to paper publishing: CD/DVD technology, video and web publishing. The various printing processes are discussed along with different bindings. Financing, and marketing your finished work are an important part of the project so that you are not “out of pocket” when you have completed your dream. Stephen Young – Presenting your Family History using Power Point Learn how to use this Microsoft Product to enliven your family history presentations in this computer workshop. Basic tips and tricks using graphics and animations will be taught. Registrants should know basic computer technology and are encouraged to bring a flash drive containing family history photos and information to apply in their own productions.
Paul Allen - Getting the most out of World Vital Records, Family Link and "We're
Related"
Sherry Irvine “Gold in the Ring of Fire” History Trails and Genealogical Research
Gold was a seductive cry that drew many across continents and oceans. In the middles 1800s there were several gold rushes in the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. This lecture uses a gold rush theme to stress the importance of developing genealogical research along historical trails. It demonstrates how to tie records and history together to achieve research results when two or more countries are involved.
Peter Lineham - Religions are like tribes:
How New Zealand's Religious History has been passed through families
This lecture will look at the way in which denominational divisions have been maintained in family traditions, from fathers and mothers to children and grand-children. It will particularly look at Methodists, Congregationalists, Baptists and Brethren. Historically religious distinctiveness has often focused on Catholics. In New Zealand I argue that there is unexpected power in the various religious traditions of Protestantism which has shaped and haunted families and their traditions.
Jennifer Harrison – More than Maps
Using Irish Ordnance Survey Records
While researchers may use Ordnance Survey maps, many may not utilise other products which emanated from the years when Ireland was mapped. The Memoirs series was augmented by the Name Books and the Letters. Several of these have been reprinted and available in many libraries. These invaluable items will assist in acquiring the essential knowledge of location required for undertaking Irish research.
Judy Webster - Using Indexes: Tips and Traps
There are traps involved in using indexes. We are less likely to miss relevant items if we are aware of potential problems, such as mistakes commonly made by indexers when interpreting handwriting. Indexes also differ in the way they sort entries with Mc/Mac, O', surnames without a given name, Chinese or compound names, etc.
Judy Jones - Can Archiving Save Space, Money, Your Mind and Your Marriage?
Creating digital and electronic files to resolve problems and create opportunities.
Turn your overstuffed desk or office into powerful, useful space. Learn how to create an effective electronic filing system that will be easy to use, share and keep current. Use the tips in this class to identify the computer skills and equipment needed to store electronically, ways to customize files to meet individual needs, organize your files, and create and execute a conversion plan.
Todd Knowles - Pacific Island Research at home and away from home The Family History Library is Salt Lake City has a wonderful collection of records for the Pacific Islands. But it is
not easy to access! You can use the International Genealogical Index to search for a name, but finding information about the Polynesia Islands is not easy. Todd will show the wealth of information that is available and what you can access at home and away from home, especially in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. And, what films you can order to research in your local Family History Centre or the NZSG Rooms in Panmure.
Herb Farrant - With New Zealanders on the Western Front 1914-1918
A Review of the NZEF’s service in France and Belgium World War I to many means Gallipoli. However it was on the battlefields of the Western Front over 32 months that New Zealand citizen soldiers through fortitude, stoicism and courage fought as a division to become one of
the finest in the British Army. From a distance of some 90 years the sequence of military events and achievements of that period will be reviewed, with that which is now visible illustrated as a lasting tribute and legacy to a generation now passed from our sight.
Peter Walker – Tools and Techniques for One-Name Studies
This lecture will describe what One-Name Studies are and the differences between them and regular genealogy, highlighting the tools and techniques that can assist with such broad surname studies. Topics will include data sources, database and software tools, mapping and DNA analysis. Peter will also explain how the Guild of One- Name Studies assists its members with their studies.
Barbara Mansell – Locating School Records in New Zealand
Barbara will talk about the types of records that could be available to you and where to locate them. She will cover the years prior to the Education Act 1877 through to the present day. Industrial Schools, Native/Maori Schools and Special Schools will also be discussed.
Dick Eastman – How to Select a Genealogy Program A side-by-side comparison of the leading programs of today. Ask yourself these questions - Do you need a program? What do you need in a program? What about those extra CDs? What is important to you in a genealogy program? In this workshop, Dick will look at these questions and more, compare programs and suggest the answers!!
Todd Knowles – Origins Network
Megan Smolenyak – Which DNA Test is right for you?
Surname studies using Y-DNA tests are a popular and obvious application of genetic testing for genealogical purposes, but are you aware of your other options? Come learn about mtDNA, SNP, BioGeographical and ethnic tests, as well as the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation and the Genographic Project, and determine if one or more of them is right for you.
Kasia Grycza - Now Boarding: Armchair Travelers and Frequent Flyers
Planning a Trip for Overseas Research The Internet is a powerful research tool. But it can be intimidating when researching in other countries. This lecture covers techniques for finding researchers and providers in other counties who will retrieve needed information and records. Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness offers low cost research. This session is based
on 30 years of travel experience leading overseas tours as well as private research in Europe. Learn how to plan ahead, get the most for your dollar, travel light and bring home the research you went for!
Lynne Blake - My Ancestors Worked on the Land;
Finding out more in records in New Zealand and abroad
Many of us have ancestors who worked on the land as farmers, agricultural labourers or ancillary occupations (eg. ploughmen, blacksmiths etc.). But what do we know of their daily lives, and the social and economic conditions that impacted upon them? This workshop will show how we can add social context to the names and dates you have collected.
Jennifer Harrison – Days of our Lives - Preserving your own life-stories
Each person is a pivot, probably remembering at least their grandparents and possibly knowing two or more further generations. Therefore their role in remembering stories and passing them on is vital. Also important, is the recording of their own life experiences. Several pointers will be offered to inspire intriguing personal stories. This lecture will teach aspects of biography and perhaps influence the descriptive writing style of listeners encouraging them to ask penetrating questions of their material.
Judy Jones - Ancestors at your Finger Tips:– Can jurisdictions help?
Find records of your ancestors using a new website (CD database) that breaks down barriers to finding jurisdictional boundaries. Upon the completion of this tool, the ability to find the jurisdiction which created records and connects you to indexes and images will become a “click of the mouse” experience.
Chris Watts - Is there a Tommy Atkins in your family?
First World War Army Service Records This talk will look at the material available about soldiers, both officers and other ranks, who saw service in the British Army during the First World War. The material covered will include that at The National Archives (TNA)
and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as well as some currently on-line sites.
Kasia Grycza - Roast the Scribe
A light hearted look at record errors and bad handwriting while offering useful solutions to navigate around them. The session begins with a survey of comical but erroneous record entries both from traditional and electronic sources. This session will help you learn techniques for deciphering hard-to-read handwriting or script, whether modern or archaic. Recognize the rubrics common to civil and religious records. Tips and tricks to successfully find ancestors in online databases.
Dick Eastman – Putting the Genes in Genealogy
A serious look at the new role of the Family Historian in a DNA world. And the possibility that today's genealogists may become the lifesavers of family and loved ones in the near.
Sherry Irvine – Visiting Kin - Facts and Fun with Family Travellers
Many years before computers I found a collateral relation visiting in England in 1851. That took time and effort. Today it is easy to check for travelling kin in census and passenger records, and use the facts to solve problems. This lecture presents new ideas for searching online censuses and passenger lists that may get you out of genealogical trouble.
John Grenham – Improving the Poor: Irish Loan Fund Records
Irish Loan Funds, in particular the Reproductive Loan Fund, can provide wonderful information on the rural poor in the 1830s and 1840s. The lecture describes the background to the records, their formats and locations, and outlines the best ways of using them.
Jan Gow – Genealogy in 2020 - A Report from the Future
In 2020, you will attend a family reunion and have dinner with the animated holograms of your ancestors. What questions would you ask your ancestors? How would the conversation go? Would your ancestors ask you, "How did you get so much of my life wrong?"
Megan Smolenyak – Beyond Y-DNA: Your Genetic Genealogy Options
Surname studies using Y-DNA tests are a popular and obvious application of genetic testing for genealogical purposes, but are you aware of your other options? Come learn about mtDNA, SNP, BioGeographical and ethnic tests, as well as the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation and the Genographic Project, and determine if one or more of them is right for you.
John Kitzmiller- The Life Preserver of Family History
Treasured memorabilia are slipping away every minute of every day, from photographs to needlework! You will learn how to preserve these by using such things as websites, blogs, online publishing, etc. Please bring some of your treasures, (on a flash drive perhaps!) and you will learn how to create online magic!
Paul Smart – New FamilySearch
Dan Poffenberger – Ancestry
Peter Walker - Custodian
This workshop demonstrates the features of this database program that allows raw and unlinked genealogical data to be stored in an easy way. Custodian is of great value to One-Name Studies, but can be used by anyone wanting to record all their base data separately from their ‘family tree’ program.
Alan la Roche - Fencibles and Governor Grey’s Folly
The Royal New Zealand Fencible immigration scheme in Auckland 1847 to 1852
The soldier-settler immigration scheme initiated by Earl Grey to provide military protection for settlers was highly successful but had its critics. For the Irish escaping from the potato famine or English from the effects of the Industrial Revolution, these “worn out” men brought their young wives and families to start a new life in a new land. Most overcame the bad habits encountered in military life and successfully created villages just like those at “home”.
Dick Eastman – Resources, Research, Results in 21st Century
The list of resources we can access in the 21st Century grows every day - or even - every minute. The ways we can Research and the Results we can expect change daily also. An up-to-the-minute look at what is exciting in our genealogy world today.
Sherry Irvine – Contracts & Sales in Scotland
Solve Problems Without the OPRs Two classes of Scottish records, the registry of deeds and sasines, are under-utilized, yet they can provide important family information. People of all classes are mentioned; vital facts and relationships may be found.
These records should be searched on a routine basis. This lecture explains content and access, and demonstrates problem-solving strategies built around deeds and sasines.
Graham Langton - A World Away
Records of Immigration to New Zealand, 1840-1960s
All New Zealanders are immigrants or descendants of immigrants. Written records exist from 1840 (and occasionally earlier) to the 1960s in a variety of forms and places. The greatest concentration of records is at Archives New Zealand, but not all under ‘immigration’. Lateral thinking is necessary to make the most of that and other sources.
Dan Poffenberger - Getting the Most Out of the Family History Library Catalogue
A Professional Researcher's Tips and Tricks The key to research is source material. The key to an incredible amount of source material is the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC). This is particularly true if it will be necessary to order microfilm to a local centre. This lecture will thoroughly review the FHLC in a way that will help you find the information you are looking for.
Kasia Grycza - Introduction to Footnote
A discussion about what it is, how we built it, what we plan to do with it, and how that can help you find and connect information about your family.
Jennifer Harrison – She only stole a handkerchief
Researching recidivist convicts While the voyage to Australia and life in Sydney and Hobart changed the direction of most convicts, several persisted with lives of crime. Follow these miscreants through the colonial courts, gaols and other places of detention. Trace them as they move between penal settlements and locate them in records kept far from the capital cities.
John Grenham – Whatever you’re having yourself: Irish census substitutes
The talk includes a brief summary of the better-known census substitutes, but focuses on more useful and lesser-known records, including the Loan Funds, the Charleton Marriage Fund, agricultural surveys, official petitions and electoral records. Since the range of records is by definition infinite, a complete account is impossible; the aim of the talk is to sketch the main areas in which these records are being uncovered, to show how they can be used, and to bring hope to those who have run out of the standard Irish sources.
Cora Num – Digital Data: The Delivery, the Dynamics and New Developments
This paper explores the ever expanding trend for the digitisation and electronic delivery of primary genealogical material, and other related information, directly to family history researchers worldwide. Key issues for family history research such as fees for service, copyright, citation, privacy and preservation are addressed including advice on the use, display, recording/cataloguing, appropriate storage and backup of the electronic material once it is received.
Megan Hutching – Getting the best from your oral history interviews
Oral history interviews are a good way of getting information to supplement written material and to get information that does not existing anywhere else. To make the exercise worthwhile, it is essential that interviews are worth the time and energy put into them. This lecture will cover some of the issues that family historians need to consider when you begin to preserve the past for the future using oral history.
Megan Smolenyak – Which DNA Test is Right for you?
This workshop will combine the content of Trace Your Roots with DNA and Beyond Y-DNA: Your Genetic Genealogy Options, and allow time for participants to ask questions about their specific family situations to help determine the best test and testing candidate(s) for their purposes.
Todd Knowles - A taste of National Archives in England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand This workshop will delve in to the records and resources that are available in the archives preserved by most national archives. Just which records are always preserved, what are some of the special records that each country stores. The access to these records and how this differs from country to country. What is available in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. And, especially, what is available on line for these countries.
John Kitzmiller – The Life Preserver of Family History
Archiving Your Family Memorabilia Treasured memorabilia are slipping away every minute of every day, from photographs to needlework! You will learn how to preserve these by using such things as websites, blogs, online publishing, etc. Please bring some of your treasures, (on a flash drive perhaps!) and you will learn how to create online magic.
Paul Allen - Introducing the World Vital Records England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales,
Australia and New Zealand collections.
Peter Walker - The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding (TNG)
This workshop describes the features and benefits of this online database application for family trees. Utitlising PHP/MySQL server technologies, TNG generates data, reports and trees using active web-pages, a more flexible solution than creating multiple static pages.
Paul Smart – What’s New at Family Search
An overview of the new software and inside look at what is new and different. See the new ideas and features. Not only what is new, but what is VERY NEW!!
Michael Gandy – The British in India
Especially the records of the East India Company Tens of thousands of ordinary British people (especially Scots) worked for the East India Company, especially in its Army, or were stationed in India later during their service with the Indian Civil Service or the British Army.
Records are excellent and a lot of material is available from Salt Lake City; for other material you will need to visit or write to India - a wonderful excuse! This lecture will concentrate on the 19th century but questions about the earlier and later periods are welcome.
Judy Jones - Using Strategy to Find a 19th Century Family in England and Wales
Using civil registration, census and church records, as well as analysis to find and verify a family in 19th century England and Wales. Learn to find an entire family by following a predetermined strategy, mixing two or more records, and using analysis and evaluation to make decisions. To benefit fully from this class you should already know how to find the 3 basic record types (civil registration, census, church records) for researching in England and Wales. The strategy used in this class will be demonstrated in the following workshop section, showing how to use many online sources to work the strategy.
Lynne Blake – My Ancestors Worked on the Land
Many of us have ancestors who worked on the land as farmers, agricultural labourers or ancillary occupations (eg. ploughmen, blacksmiths etc.). But what do we know of their daily lives, and the social and economic conditions that impacted upon them? This session will show how we can add social context to the names and dates you have collected.
Chris Watts – Just what is there at TNA!!
Records of interest to the family historian at The National Archives of the UK (TNA).
This talk will introduce the researcher to some of the key records, of interest to the family historian, held at The National Archives of the UK (TNA). It will explain what you should expect from the Catalogue and why you will not find everything indexed.
Pat Parsons – Pioneer Whalers of the Hawke’s Bay Coast – Their Origins and Impact
Pioneer Whalers of the Hawke’s Bay Coast – Their Origins and Impact The origins and inter-marriage of the early whaling fraternity of the Hawke's Bay coast are attracting more and
more attention from genealogists and descendants. This paper examines these pioneer whalers and provides direction for those trying to trace ancestral lines back to America, Europe and Australia. It also addresses intermarriage with the coastal Maori communities and suggests where researchers might have success with missing details.
Locating and Researching Manor Records in Europe
A multimedia presentation set at the Palace of Rogalin using the manorial records and the writings of the owner Count Edward Raczyński. It dispels the myth that records for Eastern Europe were destroyed during the World Wars. The session demonstrates how to research ancestors' lives as workers on a manorial estate. Includes a tutorial using gazetteers and online catalogs.
Stephen Young - PowerPoint Your Family History: Make Powerful Points in Your
Presentations Using Microsoft PowerPoint can be a very persuasive and entertaining tool in presenting your family history. This lecture will demonstrate the dramatic effects this tool can employ using text, graphics and animation. Technological presentations can be used not only by teachers in the classroom, but also shared by genealogists with relatives on their own desktop computers.
John Kitzmiller - Do You really have a family crest?
How to identify families by tracing the symbols (Heraldry) associated with them.
Heraldry was and is a very useful tool in tracing families past the end of parish registers. How to use heraldry in connecting families will be discussed, especially using the various Visitations. Those attending this lecture will learn how to read a blazon, which sources to use to see if their ancestor had a coat of arms, and how to register a coat of arms.
Vivienne Parker & Keith Vautier - Imprint~Preparing to Publish your Family History -
Part One ~ Presented by Vivienne Parker Covers the preparation required to prepare your book for publishing covering the parts of a book, writing, desktop publishing and layout including pictures, proofreading, copyright and privacy. Now you will be ready for the next stage... Part 2 Monday 10am
Elaine Collins – Ancestors on Board Elaine gives us the low down of the 1911 census.
Sherry Irvine – Irish Church Records: Guaranteeing a Complete Search
No, this is not an oxymoron. “Complete” means searching every surviving church record of baptism, marriage or burial that could possibly mention your ancestors. This lecture explains the necessary steps to identifying, locating and accessing church records of five denominations: Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Quaker.
Judy Webster - 'Black Sheep' and Vanishing Relatives
Can't find a death registration? Want to identify the father of an illegitimate child? Are you researching someone who 'vanished', or a convicted criminal, alleged offender, victim of crime, deserted wife/child, or mental asylum patient? This talk describes relevant sources and problem-solving techniques. It uses mainly Queensland examples, but much of the advice is also relevant elsewhere.
Clark Stiles - Papers Past - delivering New Zealand's newspapers
Newspapers are one of the most important sources for historical research but they are one of the most difficult to preserve and to access. A significant amount of our newspaper heritage has been lost. Much of what remains is at risk. This talk examines the state of our newspaper heritage and outlines what the National Library has and is doing to save it and make it more accessible through Papers Past, the Library's digitisation site.
Paul Allen - Inventing the Future: Genealogy in this decade
Paul's predictions and ideas on where the genealogy industry is headed including social networking, collaborative efforts, searching functionality and what World Vital Records Inc is doing to help genealogists receive improved access to records world wide.
John Kitzmiller - At the End of Your Rope
Techniques to Solve Complex Problems, Track Migrants, and Trace Immigrants
Many scientific research techniques are in use by genealogists, and others remain to be used. Pattern recognition, probability, location & jurisdictions, chronology, generational spacing, and intergenesic intervals will be studied. Answer the question - why did your ancestors do what they did?
Graham Langton - In New Zealand’s Service:
The Variety of Military Records at Archives New Zealand
New Zealand has a strong military tradition and few families of more than two generations in New Zealand have not been touched by war. Archives New Zealand holds many Military records from the 1840s to the 1960, mostly Army, but some Navy and Air Force. Records are far from complete but their variety gives hope to researchers.
Cathy Pilgrim - I have always imagined that Paradise would be a kind of library”:
Collections and services at the National Library of Australia
This paper will explore the innovative uses we have made of new technologies in recent years, to preserve and improve access to our collections. It will outline digitisation projects and their benefits to those with an interest in family history and genealogy in particular. It will also describe specialised, subject based search services such as Music Australia and Australia Dancing, as well as services based around collection and information formats, such as pictures and people data. We’re not only developing ways of assisting users to locate highly relevant
material, but also to contribute their knowledge to the nation’s collections.
David Hey – Discovering English Apprenticeship Records
Apprenticeship registers from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are informative not only about past trades and crafts but about how far people moved in search of work. They give the name of an apprentice's father, his occupation, and where he lived, as well as the master's name, occupation and residence. The recorded surnames show that most boys did not move far, unless they went to London.
Stephen Young - Presenting Your Family History Using PowerPoint
Learn how to use this Microsoft Product to enliven your family history presentations in this computer workshop. Basic tips and tricks using graphics and animations will be taught. Registrants should know basic computer technology and are encouraged to bring a flash drive containing family history photos and information to apply in their own productions.
Judy Jones - Hands-On Using Strategy to Find a 19th Century Family in England &
Wales using on-line sources, document a family group. This workshop is a hands-on demonstration of the “Using Strategy to Find a 19th Century Family in England and
Wales” lecture.
Nigel Bayley – Using the Genealogist
John Grenham – Naming of the Green – Irish Place Names and Surnames
Beginning with an overview of hereditary naming practices, the talk focuses on the distinctiveness of Irish patronymics, “O” and “Mac”; the division and subdivision of tribal patronymics, with examples including the O’Neills, Hegartys, O’Kanes and O’Donnells; genealogy in early Ireland and its relation to naming traditions; Norman influences and the linguistic background; anglicisation: translation, transliteration and distortion. A section on place names then gives a summary of Irish territorial divisions, their origins and genealogical relevance. The final section deals with the connections between place names and surnames, focusing on the
territoriality of Irish surnames, with specific examples from Longford, Donegal and Kerry.
Ken Scadden -‘Three months in a leaking boat’
Life on board a Nineteenth Century migrant ship bound for New Zealand
Join the voyage of an immigrant ship bound for New Zealand: hear of the pain of departure, the living conditions on board. What did they eat? Where did they sleep? How did the handle the shipboard routine and the strange manners and customs of the seafarers? How did they entertain themselves? What was it like to be battened down below in a big gale? Hear of the shenanigans onboard - fraternisation between passengers and between passengers and crew, shipboard romances, life-long friendships and enemies made, occasional drunken, lecherous or mutinous crews and the hazards posed by collision at sea, running aground, fire and striking
icebergs and arrival in the new land. The lecture will be fully illustrated and accompanied by music and reading of diary extracts and poetry.
Michael Gandy - 'Where two or three are gathered together'.
The main religious groups in English family history From the moment the Church of England was set up lots of people disagreed with it! This lecture describes the main religious groups of the 1600s, 1700s and 1800s, what they thought about the things family historians mind
about, and what records there are - kept by them or others. Scotland and Ireland may be referred to but the talk is not about them.
Cora Num - Occupational Records: Getting Them Working for You
Work plays a major role in everyone's life. Occupational and work related records can contain a wealth of information about individuals and the nature of their work. This paper aims to encourage researchers to access this under-utilised but very valuable source of information.
The sources highlighted include books, manuscripts, newspapers, pictorial material and Internet sources. There are strategies for locating an ancestor’s occupation, dealing with the often outdated terminology and locating relevant records. The tendency for many authors of work related books to give their publications quirky titles that reflect the trade, business or occupation is discussed and examples given so that researchers become aware of the need to search ‘beyond the title’ for access to these publications.
Megan Smolenyak – Trace Your Roots with DNA
Genetic genealogy has swiftly graduated from pioneering research to standard practice. But what is it and how can you use it to further your genealogical endeavors? Come hear one of the co-authors of Trace Your Roots with DNA discuss her own and others' experience managing a DNA project, including such considerations as test and vendor selection, privacy, and convincing others to participate.
Paul Smart - Get me to the Kirk on Time
Church Records in Scotland The Background to early Church Records from 14th Century, what they contain, and the availablity and access to the records. Looking at access to these records at home, in the Family History Library and in Scotland.
Dan Poffenberger -Who’s the Father??
Finding the Fathers of Illegitimate Children in England If someone with English ancestry doesn't have a base born ancestor it is because they haven't found him or her. This sometimes sensitive subject may cause frustration as lines on a pedigree chart are left blank because of an unknown name of a father. This course will review all relevant sources which may provide the name of a father including parish registers, Bishop's Transcripts, civil registration, census, parish chest/poor law, and court records. Examples and statistics will be shown so that those attending the course will feel confident that all reasonable efforts have been exhausted to learn the name of a father. Points to consider if the name of the father cannot be determined will also be noted.
Dick Eastman – Digital Data – “Grandpa in your Pocket”
A light hearted look at Technology to Take with You When Researching Away from Home - some of the portable, high-tech gadgets of today that can help simplify your genealogy searches or allow you to extend those searches in ways not easily available before.
Neville Thomas – Family History on Video
Not everyone is interested in looking at a Family Tree via charts and reports, but many will watch a video on tape or DVD. Interest in genealogy, Apple Macs, and video production come together in the creation of a "MY FAMILY HISTORY" video. Gathering visual information is a challenge, but a rewarding one. Sources include family photographs, books, maps, Parish Registers, and archive images. Then the task is to assemble it all into a visual story together with commentary. This presentation will show a completed project as well as looking at the
tools and techniques.
Elaine Collins – Using Find My Past
Chris Watts - Unlocking those English resources
This workshop will start with by looking at sources for English Genealogy such as Estate Duty Office Registers; the contents of the parish chest; marriage licenses; divorce; tithe maps, land tax, Lloyd George's doomsday; manor rolls. Then a question and answer session during which Chris will guide the researcher and call up records available on line that might assist. Looking at Pay2View sites and free sites. Those attending will need to bring their questions. There will be a list of Do’s and Don'ts available to guide enquirers in formulating their questions.
Todd Knowles – A taste of Civil Registration in England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand What is Civil Registration and when did it start and under what circumstances and what information was and is collected in these countries. Are there special years when the information requested changed? What are the special differences between the countries. What has been preserved and how do we access the information - both at home via the internet and away when we are visiting our countries or the Family History Library in Salt
Lake City.
Sherry Irvine – Irish Church Records: Guaranteeing a Complete Search
The workshop demonstrates how to determine exactly what survives for five denominations. It begins with how to identify the churches that ancestors may have attended and what sources, online and published, indicate the extent and location of surviving records. There is advice about using resources of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and those of heritage centres and archives in Ireland. The purpose of the workshop is entirely practical and two-fold. First, dispel the myth about avoiding Irish research because nothing survives and secondly show there are straight-forward steps to discovering the situation for your research problems. There is an added benefit—once the importance of ensuring “complete” searches is understood it will be beneficial to all research in Ireland.
Megan Hutching – Getting the best from your oral history interviews: a practical
approach This workshop will provide practical information for family historians who wish to use oral history as a means of preserving the past for the future. We will go through the stages of an oral history interview, and discuss ways of using recording material. Handouts will be provided.
Megan Smolenyak – Ouch! - Cases that hurt my brain
How could brothers also be uncle and nephew? How could the 1853 death of a toddler in Scotland help solve an American Civil War history-mystery? How do you find serial centenarians in the same family? Come and hear!
Geraldene O’Reilly – Irish Emigration: Nominated & assisted immigrants to New
Zealand Ships Passengers Lists are the main source of information on Irish Immigrants arriving in New Zealand. However there are other resources such as Nomination lists, Promissory Notes and Treasury Account Books that can reveal additional details on Irish family links. British Parliamentary Papers and Government letters contain nomination lists, some of these documents for the period prior to the Immigration & Public Works Act of 1870.
John Kitzmiller – Migration How Scotland came to be.
What is a Scot? A Scot is someone who is literally a product of the genetics of migration and lineage. Picts, Celts in all their variety, Norsemen, Normans, and Flemings contributed to this framework. Learn where current Clan names really came from.
Kasia Grycza – Preserving Photos
A look at how you can preserve your family photos (old and new) using today's technology. Scanning, some restoration (wouldn't you like the chance to make great great grandfather look handsome!!) using inexpensive hardware and software. A look at five mistakes most family photographers make, how to store your files, how to access these and how to share them around your family.
Cathy Pilgrim - Moving type from past to present: chronicling Australia through the
digitisation of newspapers This presentation will outline the progress made in recent years in locating, preserving and digitising Australia’s newspaper collections.
Through the Australian Newspaper Digitisation Project, the National Library of Australia has enabled Australian historical newspapers to be made freely available online for research purposes. We are building a service where anyone with access to the Internet can search the content of the first Australian newspapers, published from 1803 through to 1954, in their entirety.
Chris Watts – Every Journey has two ends
Getting the most out of departure and arrival records So often when searching for migration details of our ancestor researchers think in terms of just arrival or departure records. This talk will, through the medium of examples, demonstrate how by using the two together the shortcomings of content, indexing and accessibility may be minimized. This talk will not be a survey of available passenger lists but a demonstration of research technique. Material from New Zealand, Australia, UK, Canada, USA and Germany will be used.
Michael Gandy – Huguenot Ancestry
In the late 1600s about 60,000 Huguenots (French Protestants) came to England and settled in London or the South East of England. They kept very good records and we can nearly always trace back to the original refugees and find where in France they came from. This lecture explains the published material, the unpublished material and the non-Huguenot records in which Huguenots all appear. It will also indicate what sort of records are likely to exist in France and how to access them.
Cora Num – Solve not Revolve: Take a Spin with the Internet Revolution
This paper explores techniques and strategies for effective and efficient access to family history information on the Internet. These include the use of structured and precise queries, keyword selection and appropriate phrasing. A knowledge of these basics will allow users to become effective search engine users. Some of the pitfalls to avoid when using search engines will be highlighted. Techniques for using technology, to enhance access to existing records are discussed and useful Australian and overseas web sites for family history research are also highlighted.
Ken Scadden - ‘What on earth do I do with all this stuff?’
Protecting your family treasures How to identify, use, care for and protect the family treasures that you have inherited or gathered during the process of your family history research. How do I care for them to ensure that they survive for future generations?
This paper does not purport to provide all the answers from a conservators point of view. The presenter is an experienced archivist and museum curator and will offer basic practical advice as to how you can care for this material in your home. It will cover: historic photographs and post cards, maps and plans newspaper clippings, care for textiles, medals trophies etc. Opportunity for interaction with a questions and answers session.
Paul Smart - New FamilySearch
An overview of the new software and inside look at what is new and different. See the new ideas and features. Not only what is new, but what is VERY NEW!!
John Grenham - Chasing shadows: Irish genealogy online
For a variety of reasons, few large sets of Irish genealogical records are available online. However, there are many highly-valuable local or partial record-sets, which can be difficult to track down. The workshop will start with an outline of the main Irish records and where any online transcripts can be found, and will proceed to guided hands-on research. Participants will receive complementary subscriptions to the ireland.com Irish Ancestors site."
Vivienne Parker & Keith Vautier - Imprint~Preparing to Publish your Family History
Part 2 of 2 Presented by Keith Vautier
Includes alternatives to paper publishing: CD/DVD technology, video and web publishing. The various printing processes are discussed along with different bindings. Financing, and marketing your finished work are an important part of the project so that you are not “out of pocket” when you have completed your dream. Stephen Young – Presenting your Family History using Power Point Learn how to use this Microsoft Product to enliven your family history presentations in this computer workshop. Basic tips and tricks using graphics and animations will be taught. Registrants should know basic computer technology and are encouraged to bring a flash drive containing family history photos and information to apply in their own productions.
Paul Allen - Getting the most out of World Vital Records, Family Link and "We're
Related"
Sherry Irvine “Gold in the Ring of Fire” History Trails and Genealogical Research
Gold was a seductive cry that drew many across continents and oceans. In the middles 1800s there were several gold rushes in the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. This lecture uses a gold rush theme to stress the importance of developing genealogical research along historical trails. It demonstrates how to tie records and history together to achieve research results when two or more countries are involved.
Peter Lineham - Religions are like tribes:
How New Zealand's Religious History has been passed through families
This lecture will look at the way in which denominational divisions have been maintained in family traditions, from fathers and mothers to children and grand-children. It will particularly look at Methodists, Congregationalists, Baptists and Brethren. Historically religious distinctiveness has often focused on Catholics. In New Zealand I argue that there is unexpected power in the various religious traditions of Protestantism which has shaped and haunted families and their traditions.
Jennifer Harrison – More than Maps
Using Irish Ordnance Survey Records
While researchers may use Ordnance Survey maps, many may not utilise other products which emanated from the years when Ireland was mapped. The Memoirs series was augmented by the Name Books and the Letters. Several of these have been reprinted and available in many libraries. These invaluable items will assist in acquiring the essential knowledge of location required for undertaking Irish research.
Judy Webster - Using Indexes: Tips and Traps
There are traps involved in using indexes. We are less likely to miss relevant items if we are aware of potential problems, such as mistakes commonly made by indexers when interpreting handwriting. Indexes also differ in the way they sort entries with Mc/Mac, O', surnames without a given name, Chinese or compound names, etc.
Judy Jones - Can Archiving Save Space, Money, Your Mind and Your Marriage?
Creating digital and electronic files to resolve problems and create opportunities.
Turn your overstuffed desk or office into powerful, useful space. Learn how to create an effective electronic filing system that will be easy to use, share and keep current. Use the tips in this class to identify the computer skills and equipment needed to store electronically, ways to customize files to meet individual needs, organize your files, and create and execute a conversion plan.
Todd Knowles - Pacific Island Research at home and away from home The Family History Library is Salt Lake City has a wonderful collection of records for the Pacific Islands. But it is
not easy to access! You can use the International Genealogical Index to search for a name, but finding information about the Polynesia Islands is not easy. Todd will show the wealth of information that is available and what you can access at home and away from home, especially in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. And, what films you can order to research in your local Family History Centre or the NZSG Rooms in Panmure.
Herb Farrant - With New Zealanders on the Western Front 1914-1918
A Review of the NZEF’s service in France and Belgium World War I to many means Gallipoli. However it was on the battlefields of the Western Front over 32 months that New Zealand citizen soldiers through fortitude, stoicism and courage fought as a division to become one of
the finest in the British Army. From a distance of some 90 years the sequence of military events and achievements of that period will be reviewed, with that which is now visible illustrated as a lasting tribute and legacy to a generation now passed from our sight.
Peter Walker – Tools and Techniques for One-Name Studies
This lecture will describe what One-Name Studies are and the differences between them and regular genealogy, highlighting the tools and techniques that can assist with such broad surname studies. Topics will include data sources, database and software tools, mapping and DNA analysis. Peter will also explain how the Guild of One- Name Studies assists its members with their studies.
Barbara Mansell – Locating School Records in New Zealand
Barbara will talk about the types of records that could be available to you and where to locate them. She will cover the years prior to the Education Act 1877 through to the present day. Industrial Schools, Native/Maori Schools and Special Schools will also be discussed.
Dick Eastman – How to Select a Genealogy Program A side-by-side comparison of the leading programs of today. Ask yourself these questions - Do you need a program? What do you need in a program? What about those extra CDs? What is important to you in a genealogy program? In this workshop, Dick will look at these questions and more, compare programs and suggest the answers!!
Todd Knowles – Origins Network
Megan Smolenyak – Which DNA Test is right for you?
Surname studies using Y-DNA tests are a popular and obvious application of genetic testing for genealogical purposes, but are you aware of your other options? Come learn about mtDNA, SNP, BioGeographical and ethnic tests, as well as the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation and the Genographic Project, and determine if one or more of them is right for you.
Kasia Grycza - Now Boarding: Armchair Travelers and Frequent Flyers
Planning a Trip for Overseas Research The Internet is a powerful research tool. But it can be intimidating when researching in other countries. This lecture covers techniques for finding researchers and providers in other counties who will retrieve needed information and records. Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness offers low cost research. This session is based
on 30 years of travel experience leading overseas tours as well as private research in Europe. Learn how to plan ahead, get the most for your dollar, travel light and bring home the research you went for!
Lynne Blake - My Ancestors Worked on the Land;
Finding out more in records in New Zealand and abroad
Many of us have ancestors who worked on the land as farmers, agricultural labourers or ancillary occupations (eg. ploughmen, blacksmiths etc.). But what do we know of their daily lives, and the social and economic conditions that impacted upon them? This workshop will show how we can add social context to the names and dates you have collected.
Jennifer Harrison – Days of our Lives - Preserving your own life-stories
Each person is a pivot, probably remembering at least their grandparents and possibly knowing two or more further generations. Therefore their role in remembering stories and passing them on is vital. Also important, is the recording of their own life experiences. Several pointers will be offered to inspire intriguing personal stories. This lecture will teach aspects of biography and perhaps influence the descriptive writing style of listeners encouraging them to ask penetrating questions of their material.
Judy Jones - Ancestors at your Finger Tips:– Can jurisdictions help?
Find records of your ancestors using a new website (CD database) that breaks down barriers to finding jurisdictional boundaries. Upon the completion of this tool, the ability to find the jurisdiction which created records and connects you to indexes and images will become a “click of the mouse” experience.
Chris Watts - Is there a Tommy Atkins in your family?
First World War Army Service Records This talk will look at the material available about soldiers, both officers and other ranks, who saw service in the British Army during the First World War. The material covered will include that at The National Archives (TNA)
and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as well as some currently on-line sites.
Kasia Grycza - Roast the Scribe
A light hearted look at record errors and bad handwriting while offering useful solutions to navigate around them. The session begins with a survey of comical but erroneous record entries both from traditional and electronic sources. This session will help you learn techniques for deciphering hard-to-read handwriting or script, whether modern or archaic. Recognize the rubrics common to civil and religious records. Tips and tricks to successfully find ancestors in online databases.
Dick Eastman – Putting the Genes in Genealogy
A serious look at the new role of the Family Historian in a DNA world. And the possibility that today's genealogists may become the lifesavers of family and loved ones in the near.
Sherry Irvine – Visiting Kin - Facts and Fun with Family Travellers
Many years before computers I found a collateral relation visiting in England in 1851. That took time and effort. Today it is easy to check for travelling kin in census and passenger records, and use the facts to solve problems. This lecture presents new ideas for searching online censuses and passenger lists that may get you out of genealogical trouble.
John Grenham – Improving the Poor: Irish Loan Fund Records
Irish Loan Funds, in particular the Reproductive Loan Fund, can provide wonderful information on the rural poor in the 1830s and 1840s. The lecture describes the background to the records, their formats and locations, and outlines the best ways of using them.
Jan Gow – Genealogy in 2020 - A Report from the Future
In 2020, you will attend a family reunion and have dinner with the animated holograms of your ancestors. What questions would you ask your ancestors? How would the conversation go? Would your ancestors ask you, "How did you get so much of my life wrong?"
Megan Smolenyak – Beyond Y-DNA: Your Genetic Genealogy Options
Surname studies using Y-DNA tests are a popular and obvious application of genetic testing for genealogical purposes, but are you aware of your other options? Come learn about mtDNA, SNP, BioGeographical and ethnic tests, as well as the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation and the Genographic Project, and determine if one or more of them is right for you.
John Kitzmiller- The Life Preserver of Family History
Treasured memorabilia are slipping away every minute of every day, from photographs to needlework! You will learn how to preserve these by using such things as websites, blogs, online publishing, etc. Please bring some of your treasures, (on a flash drive perhaps!) and you will learn how to create online magic!
Paul Smart – New FamilySearch
Dan Poffenberger – Ancestry
Peter Walker - Custodian
This workshop demonstrates the features of this database program that allows raw and unlinked genealogical data to be stored in an easy way. Custodian is of great value to One-Name Studies, but can be used by anyone wanting to record all their base data separately from their ‘family tree’ program.
Alan la Roche - Fencibles and Governor Grey’s Folly
The Royal New Zealand Fencible immigration scheme in Auckland 1847 to 1852
The soldier-settler immigration scheme initiated by Earl Grey to provide military protection for settlers was highly successful but had its critics. For the Irish escaping from the potato famine or English from the effects of the Industrial Revolution, these “worn out” men brought their young wives and families to start a new life in a new land. Most overcame the bad habits encountered in military life and successfully created villages just like those at “home”.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Forms and Charts
Free Genealogy Charts and Forms - Family Tree Chart
Download free family tree charts, pedigree charts research logs, and other free genealogy charts and forms to help you in your genealogy research and keep your family tree organized.
Decorative Charts (8) Wall_Charts (13)
Free Family Tree ChartsView, download, save and print a variety of free family tree charts and forms. Some of the free family tree charts are even interactive - meaning that you can type in the fields online before saving locally to your computer or printing for family members. The interactive forms require only the free Adobe Reader to use.
zSB(3,3)
Free U.S. Census Extraction FormsFree interactive U.S. federal census extraction forms can be completed online right in your browser and then saved locally to your computer or printed. Free census forms are available for the U.S. federal census years 1790 through 1930.
See more links below...
Sponsored Links
Create Pedigree ChartsMake a Pedigree Chart Fast. See Examples. Free Trial!www.SmartDraw.com/2009
Scottish GenealogyHelp finding your Scottish Genealogy From Research Pro'swww.BritishAncestors.com
Online Currency TradingTrade Currency Directly Online. Free Practice. Start Trading Now!www.ac-markets.com
Free Family Tree Fan Chart - Genealogy Chart with Flowers for Free DownloadDisplay your family tree in style with this free, printable genealogy fan chart. It displays five generations of ancestors in a beautiful fan style, complete with vining roses. Available for free download and printing.
Filling Out Genealogical Forms - Pedigree Chart and Family Group SheetThe two most commonly used forms used by genealogists to record information on the family tree are the pedigree chart and the family group sheet. Learn how to use these forms in your genealogy research, plus download a free, interactive family group sheet and pedigree chart for your own use.
Free Interactive Family Tree ChartThis graphical family tree chart records the ancestors from whom you directly descend in a traditional family tree format, suitable for sharing or even framing. A muted tree in the background and embellished boxes give it a bit of an old-fashioned feel, while the wonders of technology allow you to add names and dates right in your browser window.
Free Interactive Pedigree ChartThis interactive pedigree chart records four generations of ancestors--with additional room for one generation of descendants. It can be completed right online in your browser window, making it very handy for sharing your family tree with friends and relatives.
Genealogical Relationship ChartIt's easy to untangle those complicated family relationships with this free, simple chart!
Ancestor Detective FreebiesFree downloadable Research Calendar Template for Microsoft Word 97 and WordPerfect 7.0 and 8.0 and an Internet Research Log Template for WordPerfect 8.0.
Census Extraction Forms - U.S. 1790-1920These free forms allow you to easily record census information from microfilm or online images or check at a glance to see what information is contained in each column. Forms are available from 1790 to 1920.
AnceStories: Free FormsMiriam Robbins Midkiff offers several unique forms in PDF format, including an online research log, U.S. research checklist, timeline, and interview note sheets for interviewing cemetery and funeral home employees.
Census Tools32+ spreadsheets available covering the U.S., Canada, England, Ireland and Scotland! These spreadsheets are in Microsoft Excel format and can be opened by most spreadsheet programs. You can enter the data right on your computer and save to your harddrive - no more paper!
Charts and RecordsAncestors, the family history and genealogy television series, has a nice set of free charts and forms available to download for general use, or in conjunction with the teacher's guide.
Downloadable Charts & FormsA very nice collection of downloadable forms from Ancestry.com including an Ancestral Chart, a Correspondence Record, a Family Group Sheet, and more.
Easy Genealogy FormsPedigree charts and family group sheets in both Macintosh and PC formats. Available in several formats to download and print.
Family Tree Magazine FormsA veritable plethora of free forms and charts to assist you with keeping your research organized - there is one here for pretty much any type of genealogical research including most of the traditional forms plus a note-taking form, deed index form, military records checklist, and cemetery transcription form.
Free Form LettersA variety of free form letters in 5 languages (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish) plus abstracts for census records, a research table and correspondence log from Genealogy.com.
Free Forms in GermanA variety of nice genealogy forms including pedigree charts, research forms and more presented in German. Available for free download in a variety of formats including MS Word, MS Excel, RTF and PDF.
Free HTML Pedigree Chart & Family Group SheetDownload these simple forms to your computer, fill in your family names in your favorite text editor, and upload to your Web site for an easy way to graphically display your family tree.
Genealogy Research ChecklistThis free research checklist makes it hard to overlook a source when searching for your US ancestor.
Martha Stewart Genealogy Fan ChartA beautiful fan chart available for free download from MarthaStewart.com in PDF format. To view and print the file, you need a program called Adobe Acrobat Reader, which most browsers already include. If you don't have it, you can download it for free.
Misbach Enterprises - Free Downloadable Genealogy ChartsBeautiful and unique chart designs are available for free download in PDF format, including a beautiful tree chart, traditional pedigree chart, fan chart, bowtie chart and photo chart.
Research FormsA variety of free, downloadable research forms from Family Tree Genealogy Bookstore. These forms work for both Mac and PC users and include forms for keeping track of sources, correspondence, addresses, films you have ordered through your FHC and more.
Research Forms for Word for WindowsThis file includes many useful forms for genealogists available for download in Microsoft Word format. It will automatically download the file when you click on the link.
With permission from:
http://genealogy.about.com/od/free_charts/Free_Genealogy_Charts_Forms_Family_Tree_Chart.htm
Download free family tree charts, pedigree charts research logs, and other free genealogy charts and forms to help you in your genealogy research and keep your family tree organized.
Decorative Charts (8) Wall_Charts (13)
Free Family Tree ChartsView, download, save and print a variety of free family tree charts and forms. Some of the free family tree charts are even interactive - meaning that you can type in the fields online before saving locally to your computer or printing for family members. The interactive forms require only the free Adobe Reader to use.
zSB(3,3)
Free U.S. Census Extraction FormsFree interactive U.S. federal census extraction forms can be completed online right in your browser and then saved locally to your computer or printed. Free census forms are available for the U.S. federal census years 1790 through 1930.
See more links below...
Sponsored Links
Create Pedigree ChartsMake a Pedigree Chart Fast. See Examples. Free Trial!www.SmartDraw.com/2009
Scottish GenealogyHelp finding your Scottish Genealogy From Research Pro'swww.BritishAncestors.com
Online Currency TradingTrade Currency Directly Online. Free Practice. Start Trading Now!www.ac-markets.com
Free Family Tree Fan Chart - Genealogy Chart with Flowers for Free DownloadDisplay your family tree in style with this free, printable genealogy fan chart. It displays five generations of ancestors in a beautiful fan style, complete with vining roses. Available for free download and printing.
Filling Out Genealogical Forms - Pedigree Chart and Family Group SheetThe two most commonly used forms used by genealogists to record information on the family tree are the pedigree chart and the family group sheet. Learn how to use these forms in your genealogy research, plus download a free, interactive family group sheet and pedigree chart for your own use.
Free Interactive Family Tree ChartThis graphical family tree chart records the ancestors from whom you directly descend in a traditional family tree format, suitable for sharing or even framing. A muted tree in the background and embellished boxes give it a bit of an old-fashioned feel, while the wonders of technology allow you to add names and dates right in your browser window.
Free Interactive Pedigree ChartThis interactive pedigree chart records four generations of ancestors--with additional room for one generation of descendants. It can be completed right online in your browser window, making it very handy for sharing your family tree with friends and relatives.
Genealogical Relationship ChartIt's easy to untangle those complicated family relationships with this free, simple chart!
Ancestor Detective FreebiesFree downloadable Research Calendar Template for Microsoft Word 97 and WordPerfect 7.0 and 8.0 and an Internet Research Log Template for WordPerfect 8.0.
Census Extraction Forms - U.S. 1790-1920These free forms allow you to easily record census information from microfilm or online images or check at a glance to see what information is contained in each column. Forms are available from 1790 to 1920.
AnceStories: Free FormsMiriam Robbins Midkiff offers several unique forms in PDF format, including an online research log, U.S. research checklist, timeline, and interview note sheets for interviewing cemetery and funeral home employees.
Census Tools32+ spreadsheets available covering the U.S., Canada, England, Ireland and Scotland! These spreadsheets are in Microsoft Excel format and can be opened by most spreadsheet programs. You can enter the data right on your computer and save to your harddrive - no more paper!
Charts and RecordsAncestors, the family history and genealogy television series, has a nice set of free charts and forms available to download for general use, or in conjunction with the teacher's guide.
Downloadable Charts & FormsA very nice collection of downloadable forms from Ancestry.com including an Ancestral Chart, a Correspondence Record, a Family Group Sheet, and more.
Easy Genealogy FormsPedigree charts and family group sheets in both Macintosh and PC formats. Available in several formats to download and print.
Family Tree Magazine FormsA veritable plethora of free forms and charts to assist you with keeping your research organized - there is one here for pretty much any type of genealogical research including most of the traditional forms plus a note-taking form, deed index form, military records checklist, and cemetery transcription form.
Free Form LettersA variety of free form letters in 5 languages (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish) plus abstracts for census records, a research table and correspondence log from Genealogy.com.
Free Forms in GermanA variety of nice genealogy forms including pedigree charts, research forms and more presented in German. Available for free download in a variety of formats including MS Word, MS Excel, RTF and PDF.
Free HTML Pedigree Chart & Family Group SheetDownload these simple forms to your computer, fill in your family names in your favorite text editor, and upload to your Web site for an easy way to graphically display your family tree.
Genealogy Research ChecklistThis free research checklist makes it hard to overlook a source when searching for your US ancestor.
Martha Stewart Genealogy Fan ChartA beautiful fan chart available for free download from MarthaStewart.com in PDF format. To view and print the file, you need a program called Adobe Acrobat Reader, which most browsers already include. If you don't have it, you can download it for free.
Misbach Enterprises - Free Downloadable Genealogy ChartsBeautiful and unique chart designs are available for free download in PDF format, including a beautiful tree chart, traditional pedigree chart, fan chart, bowtie chart and photo chart.
Research FormsA variety of free, downloadable research forms from Family Tree Genealogy Bookstore. These forms work for both Mac and PC users and include forms for keeping track of sources, correspondence, addresses, films you have ordered through your FHC and more.
Research Forms for Word for WindowsThis file includes many useful forms for genealogists available for download in Microsoft Word format. It will automatically download the file when you click on the link.
With permission from:
http://genealogy.about.com/od/free_charts/Free_Genealogy_Charts_Forms_Family_Tree_Chart.htm
Friday, January 2, 2009
Murphy's law for Genealogists
Murphy's law for genealogists
The public ceremony in which your distinguished ancestor participated and at which the platform collapsed under him turned out to be a hanging.
When at last after much hard work you have solved the mystery you have been working on for two years, your aunt says, "I could have told you that."
You grandmother's maiden name that you have searched for four years was on a letter in a box in the attic all the time.
You never asked your father about his family when he was alive because you weren't interested in genealogy then.
The will you need is in the safe on board the Titanic.
Copies of old newspapers have holes occurring only on the surnames.
John, son of Thomas, the immigrant whom your relatives claim as the family progenitor, died on board ship at age 10.
Your gr. grandfather's newspaper obituary states that he died leaving no issue of record.
The keeper of the vital records you need has just been insulted by an another genealogist.
The relative who had all the family photographs gave them all to her daughter who has no interest in genealogy and no inclination to share.
The only record you find for your gr. grandfather is that his property was sold at a sheriff's sale for insolvency.
The one document that would supply the missing link in your dead-end line has been lost due to fire, flood or war.
The town clerk to whom you wrote for the information sends you a long handwritten letter which is totally illegible.
The spelling for your European ancestor's name bears no relationship to its current spelling or pronunciation.
None of the pictures in your recently deceased grandmother's photo album have names written on them.
No one in your family tree ever did anything noteworthy, owned property, was sued or was named in wills.
You learn that your great aunt's executor just sold her life's collection of family genealogical materials to a flea market dealer "somewhere in New York City."
Ink fades and paper deteriorates at a rate inversely proportional to the value of the data recorded.
The 37 volume, sixteen thousand page history of your county of origin isn't indexed.
You finally find your gr. grandparent's wedding records and discover that the brides' father was named John Smith.
The public ceremony in which your distinguished ancestor participated and at which the platform collapsed under him turned out to be a hanging.
When at last after much hard work you have solved the mystery you have been working on for two years, your aunt says, "I could have told you that."
You grandmother's maiden name that you have searched for four years was on a letter in a box in the attic all the time.
You never asked your father about his family when he was alive because you weren't interested in genealogy then.
The will you need is in the safe on board the Titanic.
Copies of old newspapers have holes occurring only on the surnames.
John, son of Thomas, the immigrant whom your relatives claim as the family progenitor, died on board ship at age 10.
Your gr. grandfather's newspaper obituary states that he died leaving no issue of record.
The keeper of the vital records you need has just been insulted by an another genealogist.
The relative who had all the family photographs gave them all to her daughter who has no interest in genealogy and no inclination to share.
The only record you find for your gr. grandfather is that his property was sold at a sheriff's sale for insolvency.
The one document that would supply the missing link in your dead-end line has been lost due to fire, flood or war.
The town clerk to whom you wrote for the information sends you a long handwritten letter which is totally illegible.
The spelling for your European ancestor's name bears no relationship to its current spelling or pronunciation.
None of the pictures in your recently deceased grandmother's photo album have names written on them.
No one in your family tree ever did anything noteworthy, owned property, was sued or was named in wills.
You learn that your great aunt's executor just sold her life's collection of family genealogical materials to a flea market dealer "somewhere in New York City."
Ink fades and paper deteriorates at a rate inversely proportional to the value of the data recorded.
The 37 volume, sixteen thousand page history of your county of origin isn't indexed.
You finally find your gr. grandparent's wedding records and discover that the brides' father was named John Smith.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Genealogy Humour
Humor only genealogists can appreciate:
1. My family coat of arms ties at the back....is that normal? 2. My family tree is a few branches short! Help appreciated. 3. My ancestors must be in a witness protection program! 4. Shake your family tree and watch the nuts fall! 5. My hobby is genealogy, and I raise dust bunnies as pets. 6. How can one ancestor cause so much TROUBLE?? 7. I looked into my family tree and found out I was a sap. 8. I'm not stuck, I'm ancestrally challenged. 9. I'm searching for myself. Have you seen me? 10. If only people came with pull-down menus and on-line help. 11. Isn't genealogy fun? The answer to one problems, leads to two more! 12. It's 1999. Do you know where your Great-Great Grandparents are? 13. A family reunion is an effective form of birth control. 14. A family tree can wither if nobody tends it's roots. 15. A new cousin a day keeps the boredom away. 16. After 30 days, unclaimed ancestors will be adopted. 17. Am I the only person up my tree-seems like it. 18. Any family tree produces some lemons, nuts & a few bad apples. 19. Ever find an ancestor HANGING from the family tree? 20. FLOOR: The place for storing your priceless genealogy records. 21. Gene-Allergy-It's a contagious disease, but I love it. 22. Genealogists are time unravelers. 23. Genealogy is like Hide & Seek: They Hide & I Seek! 24. Genealogy: Tracing yourself back to better people. 25. "Crazy" is a relative term in my family. 26. A miser is hard to live with, but makes a fine ancestor. 27. I want to find ALL of them! So far I only have a few thousand. 28. I Should have asked them BEFORE they died! 29. I think my ancestors had several "Bad heir" days 30. I'm always late. My ancestors arrived on the JUNEflower 31. Only a Genealogist regards a step backwards, as progress 32. Share your knowledge, it is a way to achieve immortality 33. Heredity:Everyone believes in it until their children act like fools! 34. It's a poor family that hath neither a Lady of the evening or a thief. 35. Many a family tree needs trimming. 36. Shh! Be very, very quiet.... I'm hunting forebears. 37. Snobs talk as if they had begotten their own ancestors! 38. That's strange: half my ancestors are WOMEN! 39. I'm not sick, I've just got fading genes 40. Genealogists live in the past lane 41. Genealogists do it generation after generation.... 42. Cousins marrying cousins: Very tangled roots! 43. Cousins marrying cousins: A non-branching family tree 44. Alright! Everybody out of the gene pool! 45. Do I hear the rattle of Chains? 46. Always willing to share my ignorance.... 47. Documentation...The hardest part of genealogy 48. For a reply, send a self-abused, stomped elephant to... 49. Genealogy: Chasing your own tale! 50. Genealogy-will I ever find time to mow the lawn again? 51. That's the problem with the gene pool: NO Lifeguards 52. I looked up my family tree...there were two dogs using it. 53. I researched my family tree......apparently I don't exist! 54. SO MANY ANCESTORS........................SO LITTLE TIME!
1. My family coat of arms ties at the back....is that normal? 2. My family tree is a few branches short! Help appreciated. 3. My ancestors must be in a witness protection program! 4. Shake your family tree and watch the nuts fall! 5. My hobby is genealogy, and I raise dust bunnies as pets. 6. How can one ancestor cause so much TROUBLE?? 7. I looked into my family tree and found out I was a sap. 8. I'm not stuck, I'm ancestrally challenged. 9. I'm searching for myself. Have you seen me? 10. If only people came with pull-down menus and on-line help. 11. Isn't genealogy fun? The answer to one problems, leads to two more! 12. It's 1999. Do you know where your Great-Great Grandparents are? 13. A family reunion is an effective form of birth control. 14. A family tree can wither if nobody tends it's roots. 15. A new cousin a day keeps the boredom away. 16. After 30 days, unclaimed ancestors will be adopted. 17. Am I the only person up my tree-seems like it. 18. Any family tree produces some lemons, nuts & a few bad apples. 19. Ever find an ancestor HANGING from the family tree? 20. FLOOR: The place for storing your priceless genealogy records. 21. Gene-Allergy-It's a contagious disease, but I love it. 22. Genealogists are time unravelers. 23. Genealogy is like Hide & Seek: They Hide & I Seek! 24. Genealogy: Tracing yourself back to better people. 25. "Crazy" is a relative term in my family. 26. A miser is hard to live with, but makes a fine ancestor. 27. I want to find ALL of them! So far I only have a few thousand. 28. I Should have asked them BEFORE they died! 29. I think my ancestors had several "Bad heir" days 30. I'm always late. My ancestors arrived on the JUNEflower 31. Only a Genealogist regards a step backwards, as progress 32. Share your knowledge, it is a way to achieve immortality 33. Heredity:Everyone believes in it until their children act like fools! 34. It's a poor family that hath neither a Lady of the evening or a thief. 35. Many a family tree needs trimming. 36. Shh! Be very, very quiet.... I'm hunting forebears. 37. Snobs talk as if they had begotten their own ancestors! 38. That's strange: half my ancestors are WOMEN! 39. I'm not sick, I've just got fading genes 40. Genealogists live in the past lane 41. Genealogists do it generation after generation.... 42. Cousins marrying cousins: Very tangled roots! 43. Cousins marrying cousins: A non-branching family tree 44. Alright! Everybody out of the gene pool! 45. Do I hear the rattle of Chains? 46. Always willing to share my ignorance.... 47. Documentation...The hardest part of genealogy 48. For a reply, send a self-abused, stomped elephant to... 49. Genealogy: Chasing your own tale! 50. Genealogy-will I ever find time to mow the lawn again? 51. That's the problem with the gene pool: NO Lifeguards 52. I looked up my family tree...there were two dogs using it. 53. I researched my family tree......apparently I don't exist! 54. SO MANY ANCESTORS........................SO LITTLE TIME!
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