Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group Meeting (UVTAGG) - Come Join Me!

The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group - UVTAGG (Formerly the Utah Valley PAF Users Group - UVPAFUG) will be on Saturday, 10 Sep 2011, from 9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo. Information about the Group, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on their website http://uvtagg.org and the press releases are at http://blog.uvpafug.org/ . With the organization's name change the latter URL will also be changed eventually.

The main presentation for this meeting will be by Dr. Ugo A. Perego on THE POWER OF DNA IN UNLOCKING FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS. This presentation will provide a general overview on how genetic testing can be of great assistance to family historians to trace, verify, expand, and link genealogical records and pedigrees. Particularly, we will cover the paternally-inherited Y chromosome and the maternally-inherited mitochondrial DNA with the purposes of showing how these two markers can play a powerful role in the search for our ancestors.

Ugo A. Perego, PhD, is the Director of Operations and a Senior Researcher and Senior Genealogist at the non-profit Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation ( http://www.smgf.org/ ) and a Scientific Consultant for GeneTree ( http://www.genetree.com/ ), both located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Ugo earned a BS and an MS in Health Sciences at Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah) and a PhD in Human Genetics at the University of Pavia, Italy. In his nearly eleven years with SMGF, Ugo has supervised the worldwide collection of more than 110,000 DNA samples and corresponding genealogical records and contributed numerous lectures and publications on DNA and its applications to population genetics, genealogy, and history. He came to the UVTAGG meeting (Then it was the UVPAFUG.) more than 10 years ago when the Sorenson Foundation collected DNA samples and pedigree charts from our members. Some of his recent publications include “The Book of Mormon and the Origin of Native Americans from a Maternally Inherited DNA Standpoint” (in No Weapon Shall Prosper, 2011); “Joseph Smith: The Question of Polygamous Offspring and DNA Analysis” (in The Persistence of Polygamy, 2010); “Expanding the Concept of Family History through DNA” (in Family Chronicle, 2010); “Mitochondrial DNA: A Female Perspective in Recent Human Origin and Evolution” (in Origins as a Paradigm in the Sciences and in the Humanities, 2010). He is married to the former Jenna McAllister and they are the parents of three boys and a girl.

Following the main presentation there will be several classes about family history and technology with something for everyone at any level of expertise. The teachers and classes presently scheduled for this meeting are as follows:
(1) Three Wikis: FamilySearch, Ancestry.com and Wikipedia, by Marilyn Thomsen;
(2) MAC: Q & A, by Ron Snowden;
(3) More Best Practices - Surviving in the Trenches, by Laurie Castillo;
(4) Personalized Help, including information for new Family History Consultants, by Don Engstrom and Finn Hansen;
(5) Q&A: The Power of DNA in Unlocking Family Relationships, by Ugo A. Perego;
(6) Video of last month's main presentation: New Family Search Best Practices, by Laurie Castillo; 
(7) RootsMagic 4, by Sue Maxwell;
(8) Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay;
(9) Legacy 7.5, by Dean Bennett; and
(10) Family Insight, by Andrea Schnakenburg.

All meetings of the Group are open to the public whether members of the Group or not. The Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually 100-125 attending the monthly meetings on the second Saturdays.

YES, You Can Still Search by the IGI Batch Number!

Remember when? Will it? Does it? I continue to see posts and hear discussions about not being about to search by the old IGI batch numbers. Here is a prime example of how FEEDBACK really pays off! You provided feedback to FamilySearch and FamilySearch listened and acted.

So the answer is very simply, YES, you can search FamilySearch by using the International Genealogical Index (IGI) batch numbers. 

You know how I feel about reinventing the wheel so I won't. Just click here and learn how to do it in the current version of FamilySearch.

And, if you want to see the listing of British Isle and North American IGI batch numbers, click here.

Search Feature Changes in Upcoming FamilySearch Releases

I've had the opportunity over the last few weeks to hear several of FamilySearch spokespersons talk about feature changes in future releases to FamilySearch. Jim Ericson, of FamilySearch has recently posted about these changes and I highly suggest you read up on them so you won't be surprised when it happens.


Some of the users of the Record Search Pilot site were concerned about all the "white space" that was being wasted on each results page making it difficult to quickly find the results you were interested in. So FS will change the layout to rows and columns to speed that process.


Significant improvements to the search functionality are also planned. We will be able to search using multiple event and relationships; search across multiple collections; and refine the search using specific filters and matching criteria.


And to top if off, the number of records available will double to 2.1 billion records -- of which all will remain free to users. Remember that some records will continue to have contractual restrictions to images and/or content so you must log in to gain the most benefit.


You can read all of the detail here.

Footnote.com Becomes Fold3 - Becomes WHAT?

Okay, I wish I had the time to really get into this today, but I've been busy trying to update all my PowerPoint screens for a presentation TOMORROW on Footnote.com -- uh -- I mean Fold3! What the heck is Fold3, you ask?

Well, today Footnote.com and Ancestry (it's owner, as of this past year) announced that Footnote.com was changing its name and refocusing their primary direction to U.S. Military Records. According to the press release "The Fold3 name is derived from the third fold in a traditional military flag folding ceremony which "is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world."

What about all their other collections and the use/interaction with Ancestry.com? Their press release also states, "Many family historians and genealogists may use Ancestry.com to find an ancestor who served in the military and then use Fold3 to discover the details of their service." So what they are saying is that you still have to subscribe to both sets of records. If you want detail on any military records then you have to subscribe to Fold3. So does that mean that all of Ancestry's military IMAGES will be moved to Fold3? I don't know the answer to that, we'll just have to wait and see.

On a brighter note, I have spent the day using the site in great depth in an attempt to update my presentation so I tried to recreate just about everything. And it was relatively easy to do. Right now there are very few changes on the site with the exception of the layout. Most all functionality is still there. Since I have a few screen images from the old site I can share a few examples here. 

The old site has multiple ways to search for records. Those features are the same in the new site layout, just in a little different location.

Keyword / Name Search:

Historical Era / War-Other Search:

 I have more examples and will try to post more in a few days when the conference is over. Just remember that CHANGE is inevitable -- and it's the only thing that is truly a guarantee in this life! So continue to have fun in your research!

1940 U.S. Census to be Free on Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, today announced that both the images and indexes to the 1940 U.S. Federal Census will be made free to search, browse, and explore in the United States when this important collection commences streaming onto the website in mid-April 2012.

When complete, more than 3.8 million original document images containing 130 million plus records will be available to search by more than 45 fields, including name, gender, race, street address, county and state. It will be Ancestry.com’s most comprehensively indexed set of historical records to date.          

Ancestry.com is committing to make the 1940 Census free from release through to the end of 2013, and by doing so hopes to help more people get started exploring their family history.  As this census will be the most recent to be made publicly available, it represents the best chance for those new to family history to make that all-important first discovery.

Click here to see the complete announcement. Also, watch the countdown clock in the upper right corner -->>

FamilySearch Updates to Collections for Genealogy Research

Here are links to the latest additions and updates to collections at FamilySearch. Some are browsable images added to existing collections and some are indexed and/or new collections.

16 Aug 2011
Canada, Quebec Notarial Records, 1800–1900
Italy, Civil Registration, 1806–1940
Poland, Roman Catholic Church Books, 1600–1950
Spain, Cádiz, Testaments, 1550–1920
U.S., Louisiana, First Registration Draft Cards, compiled 1940–1945
U.S., North Carolina, Estate Files, 1663–1917
U.S., Washington State, Army National Guard Records, 1880–1947

10 Aug 2011
Austria, Upper Austria, Linz Citizen Rolls, 1658–1937
Brazil, Catholic Church Records,1835–1966
Canada, New Brunswick, County Deed Registry Books, 1780–1941
Hungary Civil Registration, 1895–1980
Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records, 1886–1933
Panama, Catholic Church Records, 1707–1973
U.S., Louisiana, Orleans Parish Second District Judicial Court Case Files, 1846–1880
U.S., Maine, State Archive Collections,1636–1964
U.S., Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Estate Files, 1686–1881
U.S., New York, Queens County Probate Records, 1899–1921
U.S., North Carolina, County Records, 1833–1970
U.S., North Carolina, State Supreme Court Case Files, 1800–1909

FamilySearch Announces Updated YouTube Channel

August 2011

SALT LAKE CITY— FamilySearch has unveiled a newly updated YouTube channel giving viewers an informative, fun and fascinating look at several different aspects of genealogy through a growing number of videos in five playlists.

High-quality videos are available for the rookie genealogist and the seasoned veteran alike. The Genealogy in 5 Minutes playlistdemonstrates how, in just a few minutes, individuals with little or no genealogy experience can make some headway on their family’s history.

The Woven Generations playlist features powerful, personal experiences from those who have found success or inspiration through family history work.

Additionally, FamilySearch sent camera crews to Virginia, Ohio, California, Indiana and other locations for a closer look at how FamilySearch works with societies and archives to provide access to more records online and to further mutual interests in family history. These videos can be found in the Societies and Archives playlist.

These videos and others are available at YouTube.com/FamilySearch and can be powerful tools in introducing the excitement of family history to a friend or family member. They will also enrich the life of a veteran genealogist.

# # # # # 

Note from Sue: I use these and many other YouTube video's on a regular basis. Don't know how to do something and need a little extra help?...just search YouTube and you will often find your area of interest. Search YouTube here. And here is a link to search based on the term "genealogy"! Use a term like "census", or "cemeteries" or "familysearch indexing" and see what you get! 

Riverton FamilySearch Library FREE Saturday Seminar-Aug 2011

Saturday, August 20, 9:00 a.m. - noon

Riverton FamilySearch Library
13400 South and Bangerter
(Four-Story Building East of Home Depot)

The library offers a free seminar every third Saturday of the month. An opening session is held at 9:00 a.m. featuring a keynote address. Following this session attendees are offered four choices of presentations at both 10:00 and 11:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m. - Keynote Address - "The Three Word Journal: Finding Your Purpose in Life" - Randal Wright

This presentation teaches you how to recall the meaningful experiences in your life by summarizing each into 3 well chosen words in approximately 10 seconds. These 3 words can later be expanded into a full journal entry that becomes part of your life history.

Randal A. Wright obtained a PhD in Family Studies from Brigham Young University. He has worked with the LDS Church Educational System for many years and also taught in the religion department at BYU. He is the author of several books including: The Three Word Journal; Achieving Your Life Mission; 25 Mistakes LDS Parents Make; Protecting Your Family in an X-rated World andThe Case for Chastity. He has been a frequent speaker at Education Week and Especially for Youth. He and his wife, Wendy, live in Austin, Texas and are the parents of five married children and have fourteen grandchildren. 

10:00 a.m. - “New FamilySearch Advanced Issues, Part 1" - Cathy Anderegg
10:00 a.m. - "The Google Genealogist" - Devin Ashby
10:00 a.m. - "Pennsylvania Research, an Overview" - Tim Bingaman
10:00 a.m. - "You sNEWS You Lose - Using Newspapers in Research" - Bret Peterson

11:00 a.m. - “New FamilySearch Advanced Issues, Part 2" - Cathy Anderegg
11:00 a.m. - “Synchronizing PAF 5 Data with New FamilySearch using Ancestral Quest, the Program from which PAF 5 was Derived" - Paul Johnson
11:00 a.m. - "Research Strategies and Web Sites" - Diana Toland
11:00 a.m. - "FamilySearch and Billion Graves - Family History Sources Right at Your Feet" - Tim Cross 

FamilySearch Records Update - 1.8 Million Records and Images Added

Historic records from eight countries have been digitized and added to FamilySearch.org. In addition to 1.8 million new U.S. records, collections from seven other countries were added: Canada, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Mexico, Philippines, and Poland. There are many gems for curious minds, such as the updates to the South Dakota 1945 State Census, New York court records, Indiana marriage records, or how about the service affidavits of Utahans who served in the militia during the Indian Wars from 1909-1917. Begin searching now at FamilySearch.org.


Collection
Canada, Quebec Notarial Records, 1800–1900
Czech Republic Church Books, 1552–­1935
France, Coutances Catholic Diocese, 1802–1907
Italy, Civil Registration, 1806–1940
Mexico, Jalisco, Catholic Church Records, 1599–1979
Mexico, Morelos, Catholic Church Records, 1598–1969
Mexico, Puebla, Catholic Church Records, 1545–1970
Mexico, Quintana Roo, Civil Registration, 1866–1902
Philippines, Lingayen-Dagupan Catholic Archdiocese Parish Registers, 1615–1982
Poland, Roman Catholic Church Books, 1600–1950
U.S.,California, Collections of the California Genealogical Society, 1700–1942
U.S.,California, San Mateo County Records, 1856–1967
U.S.,California, San Mateo County, Colma, Italian Cemetery Records, 1932–2011
U.S., Indiana, Marriages, 1811–1959
U.S.,Louisiana, First Registration Draft Cards, compiled 1940–1945
U.S.,Louisiana, Orleans Parish Second District Judicial Court Case Files, 1846–1880
U.S.,Louisiana, Second Registration Draft Cards, compiled 1948–1959
U.S.,Maryland, Register of Wills Books, 1792–1983
U.S.,Montana, Cascade County Records, 1888–1945
U.S.,New York, Orange County Probate Records, 1787–1938
U.S.,New York, Queens County Probate Records, 1899–1921
U.S.,North Carolina, County Records, 1833–1970
U.S.,North Carolina, State Supreme Court Case Files, 1800–1909
U.S.,Ohio, Montgomery County, Probate Estate Files, 1850–1900
U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1962–2011
U.S.,South Dakota State Census, 1945
U.S.,Texas, Gonzalez de la Garza Genealogy Collection, 1800–1999
U.S.,Utah, Indian War Service Affidavits, 1909–1917
U.S.,Utah, Salt Lake County Birth Records, 1890–1915
U.S.,Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records, 1908–1949
U.S.,Washington State County Records, 1885–1950
U.S.,Washington State, Army National Guard Records, 1880–1947
United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942

UVTAGG - 3 Hours of Classes on Saturday in Provo!

UTAH VALLEY TECHNOLOGY AND GENEALOGY GROUP MEETING (UVTAGG) 

The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group - UVTAGG (Formerly the Utah Valley PAF Users Group - UVPAFUG) will be on Saturday, 13 Aug 2011, from 9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo. Information about the Group, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on their website http://uvtagg.org and the press releases are at http://blog.uvpafug.org/ . With the organization's name change the latter URL will also be changed eventually.

The main presentation for this meeting will be by Laurie Werner Castillo on NEW FAMILYSEARCH IN THE TRENCHES - BEST PRACTICES. There are many day-to-day issues facing genealogists today, including new FamilySearch. This presentation is designed to help with practical information that will clarify the best approach to dealing with things like: Do I need to keep a personal database? What contact information should I post? What do I need to know about Family Ordinance Requests (FORs) and Ordinance Cards? How can I correct information on an Ordinance Card? How can I get help with Temple Ordinances? Where can I get the latest information on how NFS works? Where can I find out about software that is compatible with NFS?

Following the main presentation there will be several classes about family history and technology with something for everyone at any level of expertise. The teachers and classes presently scheduled for this meeting are as follows: 
(1) Getting the Most From Ancestry.com, by Lisa Arnold; 
(2) Where's Your GPS (Genealogy Proof Statement) - Navigating the Research Process, by Bret Petersen;
(3) Personalized Help, by Don Engstrom & Finn Hansen;
(4) Q&A on NFS Best Practices, by Laurie Castillo;
(5) Video of last month's main presentation on FamilySearch Products and Features, by David E. Rencher; 
(6) Family Insight, by Andrea Schnakenburg; 
(7) Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay;
(8) Legacy 7.5, by Dean Bennett; and 
(9) RootsMagic 4, by Bruce Buzbee.

All meetings of the Group are open to the public whether members of the Group or not. The Users Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually 100-125 attending the monthly meetings on the second Saturdays.