29 March 2012

Handy Links to 1940 U.S. Census Info

Let's make this a little easier to track down all the great 1940 U.S. Census materials that are being posted! Below you will find links to various websites with information that you might just find super helpful! Kudos to all the bloggers and organizations who are making this experience so very fun for everyone!

Partners in the 1940 Census Project:
Archives.com
FamilySearch.org
FindMyPast.com - BrightSolid

Other Key Sites:
1940census.archives.gov
1940Census.com

Register for the 1940 Census Indexing Project
FamilySearch: Register to Participate in the 1940 Census Indexing Project
NARA: Register to Participate in the 1940 Census Indexing Project

Miscellaneous:
1940 Census - Ancestry.com
1940 Census - Countdown, Research, Q&A, Maps
1940 Census - Instructions to Enumerators
1940 Census - Then and Now
1940 Census - The Greatest Generation by World Vital Records
1940 Census Explained in Wiki
1940 Census Facts from the U.S. Census Bureau
1940 Census Form on Ancestry.com
1940 Census Form on Census.gov
Compact Guide to the 1940 U.S. Census
National Archives-1940 Census-Indexes and Other Finding Aids
National Archives-Research our Records-1940 Census
Webinar Slides: The 1940 Census Records Release

Videos:
Video: 1940 Census - Are You In It?
Video: 1940 Census - Census of Agriculture by the Census Bureau (1940)
Video: 1940 Census - Census of Housing by the Census Bureau (1940)
Video: 1940 Census - Census of Population by the Census Bureau (1940)
Video: 1940 Census - I'm in It!
Video: 1940 Census - Introduction by the Census Bureau (1940)
Video: 1940 Census - Revealing Grandma's Secrets by SCGS
Video: 1940 Census Indexing Project by DearMyrtle
Video: 1940 Census Release - Q&A by Pro Genealogist
Video: Census Documenting Great Depression
Video: FamilySearch Indexing 1940 Census Common Mistakes To Avoid
Video: Getting Ready for the 1940 Census - Ancestry.com
Video: National Archives-1940 Census
Video: Navigating the 1940 U.S. Census by Thomas MacEntee
Video: Taking You Back to the 1940 Census

Video: (For Fun!) No Census, No Feeling, Part 1 (Three Stooges)
Video: (For Fun!) No Census, No Feeling, Part 2 (Three Stooges)

Blog Posts (Just a Sampling):
1940 Census Preparation by Dan Lynch
1940 Census Classes and Events by FamilyTree Magazine
1940 Census Consortium by The Ancestry Insider
1940 Census: Finding the Garbers by Emily Garber
1940 Census: Who We're Searching For and Why by Megan Smolenyak
1940 Census: World War II and Gas Rationing by Elisa Scharton
1940 Sneak Peak for Genealogists by Heather Rojo
Finding Family in the 1940 Census by Susan Petersen

Getting Ready for the 1940 Census by Seattle Gen Society
Honoring The Greatest Generation - 1940 Census by Thomas MacEntee
How to Prepare for the 1940 Census by Thomas MacEntee on Archives.com
Indexing Fun by Banai Feldstein
NARA Launches Live Broadcast on April 2, 2012 by Dick Eastman
Preparing for the Release of the 1940 Census by Gina Ortega

Three Genealogy Powerhouses Join Forces to Publish 1940 Census
Tidbits of the 1940s by Claire Brisson-Banks

News Stories (Just a Sampling):
1940 Census Opens Window on History
Unlocking a New Door to the 1940s - Chicago Tribune
1940 Census Goes Live April 2; Expecting 250k Indexers - Deseret News

Exciting 1940 U.S. Census Kick-Off Event at Riverton FamilySearch Library

Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 12th, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m at the Riverton FamilySearch Library. The Library along with the Family History Area Advisers serving the Salt Lake City Area are pleased to host this 1940 Census Kick-Off Event! This will be an open house so you can attend any time during the four hours.

Enjoy special classes on indexing, arbitration, and stake indexing leadership each hour. Bring along a laptop if you have one, and, invite your family, friends and neighbors to join the fun!

Go to the1940census.com to register for the indexing project -- even if you already are doing indexing!


Find Your Family in the 1940 Census

From our friends at Archives.com:
The 1940 Census is almost here! Are you ready? Archives.com has prepared this infographic to show some of the cool things you can discover about your family in the 1940 Census. It also shows the steps you'll take to find them when the Census is released on April 2, just a few short days away!

Archives.com is proud to have been selected by the National Archives to host the 1940 Census. Starting April 2, go to 1940census.archives.gov and find your family.

So, who is that with great-grandpa?!

1940 census archives.com

28 March 2012

RootsMagic 5.0.3 Update Released

Just in case you have been hiding out, on a long vacation, or just haven't had a chance to think about it, RootsMagic 5 was released about 4 months ago to include a number of new features. Three main features that I am finding so useful include the following:

Research Manager: No longer do you need to keep track of individual papers and files hanging out in your office or computer. The new Research Manager keeps track of all research logs you create, listing all you have found and all you have not found in your research and links to each person/family in your database. The more I use it the more I love it. I'm starting to get a better handle on my organization.

Timeline View: The new tab displays a full timeline of the person's events and those of his/her parents, siblings, spouses, and children. So I can select my great-grandmother, for instance, and immediately see how old she was on the day each of her children was born, when her husband died, or how old she was when her siblings died and where they died. I have access to my notes on this page and can therefore add notes to a fact that makes the narrative more meaningful and clear.

County Check: Once I got used to this I found I really like this feature. Based on a date that I enter for a fact, the county check tells me if the location I enter existed in the county name I entered and suggests the right one for the time period. So one person may have been born in Salt Lake City, Great Salt Lake, Utah Territory and died in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. This works for all places in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. This feature also links to an online historical map with county boundaries included.

Just a few days ago an updated version of RootsMagic (Version 5.0.3) was released with some things I've been waiting for!

Here is a breakdown of MY best-of-the-best "new" features added since version 5 was first released.

5.0.3 - 27 March 2012
  • New: New "Who Was There" list prints all people in a selected place at a selected time
  • New: "Fix Broken Media Links" now lets you select the starting drive and/or folder (This is one of my favorite features! It saves tons of time. Now, if I could only drill down further! )
  • New: Media Gallery now lets you sort media by either file name or caption
  • New: Added options to custom reports to shade alternate records or draw lines between records
  • New: Added "Living" checkbox to "Add Person screen"
  • New: Changed 95 year rule to 110 years in New FamilySearch features

5.0.2 - 25 January 2012
  • New: Added ability to split a place into separate place and place details (on Edit Place screen)
  • New: Added option to print place details in place index

See a detailed listing and images of new features in RootsMagic 5.

See a complete list of all new features and fixes added since version 5 was released.

27 March 2012

Updated Info About the FamilySearch Indexing App

Last month I posted about the new FamilySearch Indexing app. There were several questions that were raised about how the app operates that were not covered or were not clear in the Guide. I was able to speak with an employee at FamilySearch who is involved in the implementation of the app and he was able to shed some light on a number of issues. So here are a few questions and answers that you might find useful.

If you want to refer back to the original post click here:  FamilySearch Indexing App for Apple and Android...

1. I noticed that if you swipe your finger across an entry in the History Tab, the image can be removed. Does it "undo" the submitted transcription?

Answer: No, the only thing the DELETE does is remove the image from the history screen. The transcription has already been submitted.

2. The Guide does not say anything about viewing the tiny image in context by clicking on the right-hand icon at the top center of the app. So do you transcribe ONLY the portion of the name viewed in the small image or do you look for the full name as listed on the full-sized document and transcribe it?

Answer: Yes, view the name in the full image and find the full name. Then transcribe the entire name, but, do NOT transcribe titles such as Mr., Mrs, Miss, etc. You may end up with several submissions with a surname only.

3. Sometimes there are two names inside the name box. Which one do I transcribe?

Answer: Always transcribe the top name only.

4. Why do I not get every name on a full document when I start indexing? Sometimes I will get a name somewhere on the page and sometimes on a new document.

Answer: As you are indexing a name on a document the next name may be distributed to some other indexer. There is no arbitrator involved with indexing within the app. Each name is distributed to about three different indexers and continues until either a consensus is made, or it is pulled for audit. This process is referred to as "crowd sourcing model".

5. After I submit a transcription and realize that I either made a mistake or hit the submit button in error, can a fix it?

Answer: Yes, but only the very most recent submit. When you click on the UNDO button in the upper left of the app after submitting the transcription, the image will return and it can be corrected. This only works on the one document. It will not continue to bring back multiple submissions.

6. Will you explain the Queue size listed in the settings?

Answer: Offline Queue Size - Indexing on the app can be worked on without an internet connection after first downloading or queuing up a number of records while connected to the internet/wifi. You can download as many as 500 records while connected and, then without an internet connection, transcribe all 500 records. Then when you reconnect to an internet/wifi connection the 500 records will be submitted and another 500 records will be automatically queued up.

History Queue Size is simply the number of records that you have indexed that you want to continue to display in the History tab.

7. Why are my stats so low?

Answer: You submissions may take a while to make it through the system long enough to gain a consensus by all indexers. Also, handwriting can be very difficult to interpret.



26 March 2012

FamilySearch Records Updated

We continue to have new FREE records added to FamilySearch and the last couple of months are no exception! As you remember, some of the following databases are new records being added; some are new images added to existing databases; or are new indexes or additional indexes to existing databases. So if you have tried these databases in the past with no luck, try again!

Remember that next week is what we have all been waiting for as the 1940 U.S. Census records will be posted at FamilySearch. Don't forget to go to the1940census.com and register to help index the records. Even if you are already indexing on the FamilySearch website or on one of the indexing apps on your phone or other mobile device you need to register.

Here are new or updated record sets released over the last couple of months:

Australia, Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981
Australia, NSW and ACT, Masonic Lodge Registers, 1831-2004
Australia, Tasmania, Miscellaneous Records, 1829-1961
Bahamas, Civil Registration, 1850-1959
Bolivia, Catholic Church Records, 1566-1996
Brazil, Immigration Cards, 1900-1965
Brazil, Marriages, 1730-1955

Canada, Lower Canada Census, 1831
Canada, Lower Canada Census, 1842
Canada, New Brunswick, Births and Baptisms, 1819-1899
Canada, New Brunswick, Late Registration of Births, 1810-1899
Canada, Nova Scotia, Births and Baptisms, 1702-1896
Canada, Ontario, Births and Baptisms, 1779-1899
Canada, Ontario, Roman Catholic Church Records, 1760-1923
Canada, Quebec Notarial Records, 1800-1900
Canada, Quebec, Quebec Judicial District, Guardianships, 1639-1930
Canada, Saskatchewan, Probate Estate Files, 1887-1931
Canada, Saskatchewan Provincial Records, 1879-1987

Caribbean, Births and Baptisms, 1590-1928
Chile, Civil Registration, 1885-1903
Chile, Santiago, Cementerio General, 1821-2010
Colombia, Catholic Church Records, 1600-2009
Cote d'Ivoire, Census, 1975
Czech Republic, Třeboň, Nobility Seignorial records, 1619-1859

Dominican Republic, Catholic Church Records, 1590-1955
El Salvador, Catholic Church Records, 1655-1977
England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
England, Derbyshire, Church of England Parish Registers, 1538-1910
England, Dorset, Parish Registers, 1538-1910
England, Kent, Land Tax Assessments, 1689-1832
England, Kent, Wills and Probate, 1440-1881
England, Marriages, 1538–1973
Estonia, Population Registers, 1918-1944Finland, Baptisms, 1657-1890
Finland, Marriages, 1682-1892

Germany, Brandenburg, Angermünde, Miscellaneous City Records 1706-1922
Germany, Brandenburg, Heegermühle, Church Records, 1664-1824
Germany, Saxony, Bautzen, Church Records, 1699-1915
Germany, Saxony, Bautzen, Citizen Rolls, 1496-1923
Germany, Saxony, Dresden, Citizen's Documents & Business Licenses, 1820-1962
Germany, Saxony, Freiberg, Funeral Sermons, 1614-1661
Germany, Saxony, Meissen, Miscellaneous City Records, 1724-1889
Germany, Württemberg, Schwäbisch Hall, Probate Records, 1803-1932
Germany, Württemberg, Schwäbisch Hall, Probate Records, 1803-1925

Hungary Reformed Church Christenings, 1624-1895
Ireland, Marriages, 1619-1898
Italy, Biella, Borriana, Catholic Church Records, 1740-1938
Italy, L'Aquila, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1865
Italy, Messina, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1820-1865
Italy, Messina, Messina, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1939
Italy, Messina, Patti, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1865-1910
Italy, Torino, Torino, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1899
Italy, Treviso, Treviso, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1871-1941
Korea, Collection of Genealogies, 1500-2009

Mexico, Campeche, Civil Registration, 1860-1926
Mexico, Coahuila, Civil Registration, 1861-1998
Mexico, Guanajuato, Catholic Church Records, 1576-1984
Mexico, Hidalgo, Civil Registration, 1861-1967
Mexico, Oaxaca, Civil Registration, 1861-2002
Mexico, Querétaro, Civil Registration, 1864-2005
Mexico, Yucatán, Civil Registration. 1860-1926

Micronesia, Pohnpei Civil Registration, 1948-2009
Netherlands, Army Service Records, 1807-1929
New Zealand, Probate Records, 1878-1960
Nicaragua, Civil Registration, 1809-2011
Nova Scotia, Church Records, 1720-2001
Peru, Civil Registration, 1874-1996
Portugal, Porto, Catholic Church Records, 1535-1949
Portugal, Viseu, Catholic Church Records, 1523-1989
Portugal, Viana do Castelo, Catholic Church Records, 1537-1909
Russia, Tver Confession Lists, 1728-1913.

Slovenia, Ljubljana, Funeral Accounts, 1937-1970
Spain, Municipal Records
Sweden, Kopparberg Church Records, 1604-1900; index 1628-1860
Sweden, Kristianstad Church Records, 1585-1910; index 1646-1860
Sweden, Kronoberg Church records to 1860
Sweden, Malmöhus Church Records, 1541-1918; index 1646-1860
Sweden, Norrbotten Church Records, 1612-1923; index 1658-1860
Sweden, Örebro Church Records, 1613-1918; index 1635-1860
Sweden, Östergötland Church Records, 1555-1911; index 1616-1860
Sweden, Södermanland Church Records, 1604-1900; index 1640-1860
Sweden, Stockholm Church Records, 1556-1939, index 1634-1860
Sweden, Uppsala Church Records, 1308-1901; index 1613-1860
Sweden, Värmland Church Records, 1509-1925; index 1640-1860
Sweden, Västerbotten Church Records, 1619-1896; index, 1688-1860
Sweden, Västernorrland Church Records, 1501-1940; index 1650-1860
Sweden, Västmanland Church Records, 1538-1901; index 1622-1860

U.S., Alabama, County Estate Records, 1800-1996
U.S., Arkansas County Marriages, 1837-1957
U.S., Arkansas, Death Index, 1914-1950
U.S., Arkansas, Divorce Index, 1923-1939
U.S., Arkansas, Marriage Index, 1933-1939
U.S., California, Death Index, 1905-1939
U.S., California, Death Index, 1940-1997
U.S., California, Divorce Index, 1966-1984
U.S., California, Great Registers, 1866-1910
U.S., California, Northern U.S. District Court Naturalization Index, 1852-1989
U.S., Colorado, Statewide Marriage Index, 1900-1939
U.S., Connecticut Divorce Index, 1968-1997

U.S., Delaware, Vital Record Index Cards, 1680-1934
U.S., Delaware, Wilmington Vital Records, 1847-1954
U.S., District of Columbia Marriages, 1811-1950
U.S., Florida, Death Index, 1877-1998U.S. 
U.S., Florida, Marriage Index, 1822-1875 and 1927-2001
U.S., Georgia, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1942
U.S., Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959 (LaGrange and Lawrence counties)
U.S., Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959 (Lake county)
U.S., Iowa, County Births, 1880-1935

U.S., Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records, 1676-1918
U.S., Maryland, Probate Estate and Guardianship Files, 1796-1940
U.S., Massachusetts, State Vital Records, 1841-1920
U.S., Michigan, County Marriages, 1820-1935
U.S., Minnesota, County Marriages, 1860-1949
U.S., Minnesota, Divorce Index, 1970-1995
U.S., Minnesota, Marriage Index, 1958-2001

U.S., Nevada, Marriage Index, 1956-2005
U.S., New Mexico, County Death Records, 1907-1952
U.S., New York, Probate Records, 1629-1971
U.S., North Carolina, County Records, 1833-1970
U.S., North Carolina, Estate Files, 1663-1964
U.S., North Carolina, State Supreme Court Case Files, 1800-1909
U.S., Ohio, County Births, 1856-1909
U.S., Ohio, County Marriages, 1790-1950
U.S., Oklahoma, Applications for Allotment, Five Civilized Tribes, 1899-1907

U.S., Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh City Deaths, 1870-1905
U.S., South Carolina Deaths, 1915-1943
U.S., South Dakota, School Records, 1884-1938
U.S., Tennessee, State Marriage Index, 1780-2002
U.S., Utah, Territorial Militia Records, 1849-1877
U.S., Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-1954

U.S., Washington, King County Probate Records, 1854-1927
U.S., West Virginia Will Books, 1756-1971
U.S., Wisconsin, Dane County Naturalization Records, 1887-1945
U.S., Wisconsin, Death Index, 1820-1907
U.S., Wisconsin, Divorce Index, 1965-1984
U.S., Wisconsin, Marriage Index, 1973-1997

United States, Civil War Widows and Other Dependents Pension Files
United States, Index to Indian Wars Pension Files, 1892-1926
United States, Mexican War Pension Index, 1887-1926
United States, Old War Pension Index, 1815-1926
United States, Remarried Widows Index to Pension Applications, 1887-1942
United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 (HI)



15 March 2012

Intro the 1940 US Census at Riverton FS Library


Riverton FamilySearch Library to Host an Event 
Introducing the 1940 Federal Census
 On March 17th from 9:00 A.M. to Noon

When you think of the 1940s, images of World War II, big band music, Casablanca, Humphrey Bogart, and Ingrid Bergman come to mind.  It was the era of swing dancing, victory gardens, rationing sugar, and when you might have referred to someone old-fashioned as a “fuddy-duddy.”

Popular genealogist Tim Bingaman will bring the 1940s to life in his keynote address at the Riverton Saturday Seminar on March 17. In his presentation, “The 1940 Federal Census: The Greatest Generation,” he will explain what genealogical gems can be gleaned from the 1940 census, how to get involved in indexing it so it will be made available free online, and how individuals can be located on the census until indexes are available. 

Tim Bingaman was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and has lived in Utah since 1980. He began to research his family lines in 1982 and has never stopped. After a three-year stint in the U.S. Army, he attended Harrisburg Area Community College and received his B.A. in history from Brigham Young University. Tim taught high school in St. Johns, Arizona, from 1984-1989, teaching U.S. and world history, geography, economics, and health. He has been an accredited genealogist since 1991 in Mid-Atlantic States research. Currently he is a reference consultant at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

Following the 9:00 a.m. keynote presentation, there will be two blocks of four classes each that will cover topics of interest to both beginning and advanced family history enthusiasts.

Classes to be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. are:

“FamilySearch and Billion Graves--Family History Sources Right at Your Feet”--Curtis Tirrell 
“Ireland Research Online”--Phil Dunn
“Synching Legacy 7.5 with the new FamilySearch”--John Baker
“Searching for Interesting Information about Your Utah Pioneer Ancestors”--Delwin Remington


The classes available from 11:00 a.m. to noon are:

“FamilySearch and Billion Graves--Family History Sources Right at Your Feet” (Repeat) -- C Tirrell
“Genealogy Gifts and Games”--Kim Woodbury
“Increasing Productivity on the New FamilySearch Website”-- Andrea Schnakenburg
“Hatching Eggs:  The Chart Chick Tries to Engage Her Teenage Children with Their Family History”--Janet Hovorka

Registration is not required for this free seminar. The Riverton FamilySearch Library is located in the LDS Riverton Office Building at 3740 Market Center Drive. The facility is near the intersection of Bangerter Highway and 13400 South, just east of the Home Depot.