Historic Records Indexing - Volunteers Going Strong

23 New Projects; 5 New Partners

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—FamilySearch indexing volunteers continue to set new milestones, indexing 1.5 million historic records a day on average now. Volunteers wrapped up 16 projects in March and have indexed over 500 million records since 2005! So how do we reward such a great achievement? By giving them more work to do, of course! We’ve added 23 new projects for them to tackle! See the list below for details of over 100 current projects.  

We are also very excited to announce our list of FamilySearch indexing partners is growing. Indexing partners are invaluable. They bring additional zeal and expertise to indexing projects they sponsor. The partners’ members and FamilySearch patrons will benefit from high quality, highly searchable, and desirable online indexes as a result of their participation. Our latest partners and their currently sponsored projects are:

·       California State Genealogical Alliance—U.S., California, 1852 State Census

·       Guild of One-Name Studies—U.K., Yorkshire, Parish Registers, 1845–1930

·       JewishGen Hungarian—Hungary Jewish Vital Registers and Records

·                  -       Texas State Genealogical Society—U.S., Texas, County Tax Rolls 1837–1920 [Part A]

·                 -        Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society—U.S., Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh—City Deaths, 1870–1905

Volunteers are always needed and encouraged to help with any of FamilySearch’s indexing projects (see the lists below). Volunteers can start and stop any time at indexing.familysearch.org. Completed indexes will be published for free online access at familysearch.org.

New Projects Added in the Past Month

 ·      Canada, Bas-Canada—Recensement de 1831
(Canada, Lower Canada—1831 Census)

·      España, Málaga—Nacimientos, 1841–1870
(Spain, Malaga—Births, 1841–1870)

·      France, Protestant Church Records [Part 2A]

·      Hungary—Jewish Vital Registers
In partnership with JewishGen Hungarian SIG

·      Mexico, Tlaxcala—Nacimientos, 1867–1925
(Mexico, Tlaxcala—Births, 1867–1925)

·      Perú—Registros Civiles Nacimientos, 1860–1978 [Parte A]
(Perú—Civil Birth Registrations, 1860–1978 [Parte A])

·      Polska, Księgi Metrykalne—Diecezja Radom, 1654–1946 [Część 1]
(Poland, Radom Diocese—Church Books, 1654–1946 [Part 1])

·      U.K., Bristol—Parish Registers, 1837–1900 [Part I]

·      U.K., Dorset—Church of England Parish Records, 1538–1910 [Part A]

·      U.K., Yorkshire—Parish Registers, 1845–1930
In partnership with Guild of One-Name Studies

·      U.S., California—County Marriages, 1850–1952 [Part C]
In partnership with California State Genealogical Alliance

·      U.S., Indiana, Fayette County—Marriages, 1811–1959

·      U.S., Maine—Vital Records, 1892–1907 [Part A]

·      U.S., Montana—1930 Federal Census

·      U.S., New Jersey—1930 Federal Census

·      U.S., New York—1930 Federal Census [Part B]

·      U.S., Oregon—County Marriages, 1851–1975

·      U.S., Pennsylvania—1930 Federal Census [Part A]

·      U.S., Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh—City Deaths, 1870–1905
In partnership with Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society

·      U.S., Tennessee—County Marriages, 1790–1950 [Part D]

·      U.S., Texas—County Tax Rolls, 1837–1910 [Part A]
In partnership with Texas State Genealogical Society

·      Россия, Самара—Метрические книги церкви, 1869–1917 [часть 2]
(Russia, Samara—Church Books, 1869–1917 [Part 2])

·      Украина, Киев—Метрические книги русской православной церкви, 1843–1845 [Часть C]
(Ukraine, Kyiv—Orthodox Consistory Church Book Duplicates, 1843–1845 [Part C])

(See the chart below for a complete list and current status of all indexing projects.)

Recently Completed Projects

(Note: Recently completed projects have been removed from the available online indexing batches and will now go through a final completion check process. They will be published at familysearch.org in the near future.)

·      Deutschland, Baden, Achern—Kirchenbücher, 1810–1869 [Part D]

·      España, Avila, Barroman—Registros Parroquiales, 1550–1930

·      France, Saint-Lo—Registres Paroissiaux, 1802–1907

·      Jamaica—Civil Births, 1900–1930 [Part C]

·      Sverige, Södermanland—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1]

·      U.S., Colorado—1930 Federal Census

·      U.S., Indiana, Elkhart County—Marriages, 1811–1959

·      U.S., Kansas—1930 Federal Census

·      U.S., Nevada—WWII Draft Registration Cards, 1942

·      U.S., Ohio—Tax Records, Post 1825 [Part 4]

·      U.S., South Dakota—1930 Federal Census

·      U.S., Tennessee—County Marriages, 1790–1950 [Part C]

·      U.S., Utah, Salt Lake County—Death Registers, 1848–1908

·      U.S., Vermont—Vital Records, 1760–1954 [Part B]

·      U.S., Wyoming—1930 Federal Census

·      Украина, Киев—Метрические книги русской православной церкви, 1843–1845 [Часть B]

Current FamilySearch Indexing Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

Argentina, Balvanera—Registros Parroquiales, 1833–1934 [Parte C] (Argentina, Balvanera—Church Records, 1833–1934 [Part B])	Spanish	17%
Argentina, Santa Fe—Registros Parroquiales, 1634–1926 [Parte A] (Argentina, Santa Fe—Church Records, 1634–1926 [Part A])	Spanish	71%
Brasil—Registro Civil, 1852–1914 [Parte 2A] (Brazil—Civil Registration, 1852–1914 [Part 2A])	Portuguese	6%
Brasil, Florianópolis—Registros da Igreja, 1751–1954 [Parte A] (Brazil, Florianópolis—Church Records, 1751–1954 [Part A])	Portuguese	21%
Brasil, Pernambuco, Recife—Registro Civil, 1900–1920 (Brazil, Pernambuco, Recife—Civil Registration, 1900–1920)	Portuguese	4%
Brasil, Rio de Janeiro—Imigração Cartões, 1900–1965 [Parte A] (Brazil, Rio de Janeiro—Immigration Cards, 1900–1965 [Part A])	Portuguese	45%
Brasil, Rio de Janeiro—Matrimonios, 1900–1910 [Piloto] (Brazil, Rio de Janeiro—Marriages, 1900–1910)	Portuguese	61%
Canada—Passenger Lists, 1881–1922	English	6%
Canada, Bas-Canada—Recensement de 1831 (Canada, Lower Canada—1831 Census)	French	(New)
Canada, Ontario—Marriages, 1869–1927 [Part B]	English	20%
Chile—Registros Civiles, 1885–1900 (Chile—Civil Registration, 1885–1900)	Spanish	49%
Chile, Concepción—Registros Civiles, 1885–1903 [Parte 2B] (Chile, Concepcion—Civil Registration, 1885–1903 [Part 2B])	Spanish	74%
Colombia, Bucaramanga—Registros Parroquiales, 1649–1959 (Colombia, Bucaramanga—Church Records, 1649–1959)	Spanish	16%
Deutschland, Baden-Württemberg, Kirchzarten—Kirchenbücher, 1810–1869 (Germany, Baden-Württemberg, Kirchzarten—Church Book Duplicates, 1810–1869)	German	40%
El Salvador—Registros Civiles, 1835–1910 (El Salvador—Civil Registration, 1835–1910)	Spanish	44%
El Salvador—Registros Civiles, 1836-1910 [Parte B] (El Salvador—Civil Registration, 1836–1910 [Part B])	Spanish	3%
España, Andalucía—Registros Civiles, 1837–1870 (Spain, Andalucia—Civil Registration, 1837–1870)	Spanish	23%
España, Lugo—Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1930 [Parte 1] (Spain, Lugo—Parish Registers, 1530–1930 [Part 1])	Spanish	44%
España, Málaga—Nacimientos, 1841–1870 (Spain, Malaga—Births, 1841–1870)	Spanish	(New)
France, Cherbourg—Registres Paroissiaux, 1802–1907 (France, Cherbourg—Parish Registers, 1802–1907)	French	53%
France, Protestant Church Records [Part 2A]	French	(New)
Guatemala, Guatemala—Registros Civiles, 1800–1900 (Guatemala, Guatemala—Civil Registration, 1800–1900)	Spanish	36%
Guatemala, Guatemala—Registros Civiles, 1877–1900 (Guatemala, Guatemala—Civil Registration, 1877–1900)	Spanish	51%
Ireland—Tithe Applotment Books, 1824–1840	English	23%
Italia, Provincia di Vicenza—Registri Parrocchiali, 1597–1937 (Italy, Vicenza Province—Parish Registers, 1597–1937)	Italian	60%
Italy, Trento—Baptisms, 1784–1924 [Part 2A]	Italian	76%
Jamaica—Church of England Parish Baptisms, 1664–1880	English	42%
Magyarország, Szabolcs—polgári anyakönyvi adatok, 1895–1978 [1. Rész] (Hungary, Szabolcs—Civil Registration, 1895–1978 [Part 1])	Hungarian	8%
Mexico, D.F.—Bautismos, 1536–1900 [Parte A] (Mexico, D.F.—Church Baptisms, 1536–1900 [Part A])	Spanish	8%
Mexico, Tlaxcala—Nacimientos, 1867–1925 (Mexico, Tlaxcala—Births, 1867–1925)	Spanish	(New)
Mexico, Veracruz—1930 Federal Censo (Mexico, Veracruz—1930 Federal Census)	Spanish	94%
New Zealand—Passenger Lists, 1871–1915 [Part 2A]	English	16%
Nicaragua, Masaya—Registros Civiles, 1879–1984 (Nicaragua, Masaya—Civil Registration, 1879–1984)	Spanish	9%
Norge —Tinglysningskort, 1640–1903 (Norway—Probate Index Cards, 1640–1903)	Norwegian	5%
Perú—Registros Civiles Nacimientos, 1860–1978 [Parte A] (Perú—Civil Birth Registrations, 1860–1978 [Parte A])	Spanish	(New)
Polska, Księgi Metrykalne—Diecezja Radom, 1654–1946 [Część 1] (Poland, Radom Diocese—Church Books, 1654–1946 [Part 1])	Polish	(New)
Portugal, Setúbal—Registros da Igreja, 1581–1910 (Portugal, Setúbal—Church Records, 1581–1910)	Portuguese	31%
República Dominicana—Nacimientos Civiles, 1828–1906 (Dominican Republic—Civil Births, 1828–1906)	Spanish	2%
Russland, Sankt Petersburg—Kirchenbuchduplikat, 1833–1885 (Russia, Saint Petersburg—Parish Register Duplicates, 1833–1885)	German	48%
South Africa, Cape Province—Church Records, 1660–1970	Afrikaans, Dutch, English	81%
Sverige, Uppsala—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] (Sweden, Uppsala—Church Records, to 1860 [Part 1])	Swedish	89%
Sverige, Örebro—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] (Sweden, Örebro—Church Records, to 1860 [Part 1])	Swedish	34%
U.K., Bristol—Parish Registers, 1837–1900 [Part I]	English	(New)
U.K., Dorset—Church of England Parish Records, 1538–1910 [Part A]	English	(New)
U.K., Essex—Parish Registers, 1538–1900 [Part A]	English	19%
U.K., Warwickshire—Parish Registers, 1538–1900 [Part 2 Adv]	English, Old English	62%
Uruguay—Registros Civiles (Nacimientos), 1879–1930 (Uruguay—Civil Registration (Births), 1879–1930)	Spanish	20%
U.S., Arkansas—WWII Draft Registration, 1942	English	74%
U.S., California—WWII Draft Registration, 1942	English	19%
U.S., Florida—County Marriages, 1830–1957 [Part A]	English	18%
U.S., Illinois—1865 State Census	English	92%
U.S., Indiana, Fayette County–Marriages, 1811–1959	English	(New)
U.S., Iowa—County Births, 1880–1935 [Part A]	English	54%
U.S., Iowa—County Marriages, 1838–1992 [Part A]	English	79%
U.S., Maine—Vital Records, 1892–1907 [Part A]	English	(New)
U.S., Michigan—County Marriages, 1820–1956 [Part A]	English	12%
U.S., Montana—1930 Federal Census	English	(New)
U.S., New Jersey—1930 Federal Census	English	(New)
U.S., New Jersey—County Marriages, 1682–1956 [Part 1]	English	57%
U.S., New York—1930 Federal Census [Part A]	English	33%
U.S., New York—1930 Federal Census [Part B]	English	(New)
U.S., New York—Marriage Licenses, 1908–1938 [Part A]	English	73%
U.S., New York—Marriages, 1908–1935 [Part A]	English	59%
U.S., North Carolina—County Marriages, 1762–1959 [Part B]	English	85%
U.S., North Carolina—Freedmen Letters, 1862–1870	English	53%
U.S., North Dakota—1930 Federal Census	English	36%
U.S., Ohio—1930 Federal Census	English	84%
U.S., Oklahoma—Land Allotment Records, 1899–1907 [Part B]	English	33%
U.S., Oregon—County Marriages, 1851–1975	English	(New)
U.S., Pennsylvania—1930 Federal Census [Part A]	English	(New)
U.S., Pennsylvania—WWII Draft Registration Cards, 1942	English	44%
U.S., Puerto Rico—1910 Censo Federal (U.S., Puerto Rico—1910 Federal Census)	Spanish	46%
U.S., Puerto Rico—Nacimientos Civiles, 1836–1930 [Parte B] (U.S., Puerto Rico—Civil Births, 1836–1930 [Part B])	Spanish	14%
U.S., Tennessee—County Marriages, 1790–1950 [Part D]	English	(New)
Venezuela—Nacimientos Civiles, 1873–1909 (Venezuela—Civil Births, 1873–1909)	Spanish	7%
Venezuela, Mérida—Registros Parroquiales, 1654–1992 [Parte 2] (Venezuela, Merida—Parish Registers, 1654–1992 [Part 2])	Spanish	57%
Česká Republika (Tschechien), Litoměřice—Matriky, 1552–1905 [část 1B] (Czech Republic, Litomerice—Church Records, 1552–1905 [Part 1B]	German	28%
Österreich, Wiener Meldezettel, 1890–1925 (Austria, Vienna—Population Cards, 1890–1925)	German	50%
Россия, Самара—Метрические книги церкви, 1869–1917 [часть 2] (Russia, Samara—Church Books, 1869–1917 [Part 2])	Russian	(New)
Украина, Киев—Метрические книги русской православной церкви, 1843–1845 [Часть C] (Ukraine, Kyiv—Orthodox Consistory Church Book Duplicates, 1843–1845 [Part C])	Russian	(New)

Current FamilySearch Partner Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

België—Burgerlijke Stand, 1851–1900 [Deel 3A] (Belgium—Civil Registration, 1851–1900 [Part 3A])	Dutch, Flemish	24%
Belgique—Registres Civile, 1851–1900 [Partie A] (Belgium—Civil Registration, 1851–1900 [Part A])	French	88%
Belgique—Registres Civile, 1851–1900 [Partie C] (Belgium—Civil Registrations, 1851–1900 [Part C]	French	10%
Brasil, Minas Gerais—Church Records, 1706–1952	Portuguese	1%
Canada, Ontario, Toronto—Trust Cemeteries, 1826–1935	English	31%
Deutschland, Westfalen, Minden—Volkszählung, 1880–1900 (Germany, Westphalia, Minden—City Censuses, 1880–1900)	German	18%
España, Avila, Bernuy-Zapardiel—Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1935 (Spain, Avila, Bernuy-Zapardiel—Parish Registers, 1530–1935)	Spanish	19%
España, Malaga—Registros Civiles, 1846–1870 (Spain, Malaga—Civil Registration, 1846–1870)	Spanish	54%
France, Quimper et Leon, Brest, Saint Pierre—Registres Paroissiaux, 1772–1909 (France, Quimper et Leon, Brest, Saint Pierre—Parish Registers, 1772–1909)	French	73%
Hungary—Jewish Vital Registers	Hungarian, German, and more	(New)
Norway—1875 Census [Part B]	Norwegian	95%
Norway—1875 Federal Census [Part C]	Norwegian	2%
Polska—Księgi Metrykalne—Diecezja Lublin, 1902–1945 (Poland, Lublin Diocese—Church Books, 1902–1945)	Polish	66%
U.K., Norfolk—Parish Registers, 1538–1900	English	80%
U.K., Yorkshire—Parish Registers, 1845–1930	English	(New)
U.S., California—1852 State Census	English	72%
U.S., California—County Marriages, 1850–1952 [Part C]	English	(New)
U.S., Colorado—1885 State Census	English	11%
U.S., Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh—City Deaths, 1870–1905	English	(New)
U.S., Texas—County Tax Rolls, 1837–1910 [Part A]	English	(New)

About FamilySearch

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at familysearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City,Utah.

How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Collections—600 to Be Exact!

Latest Additions Reach New Milestone in Free Online Historic Record Collections

The latest additions to FamilySearch's online collection of free historic record collections pushes it to 600! That's right, 600 free, original source record collections online from all over the world. The tally of insomniacs will certainly expand as the numbers of family history researchers enjoy the latest updates. This week there are new international records from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Poland, and Spain. Now take a seat while the list of updates for the U.S. collections are noted: California, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington State, Wisconsin, and the Virgin Islands. Whew! See the table below for details. You can search all of the record collections now for free at FamilySearch.org.

If you are enjoying the steady stream of free records added weekly, please consider "giving back" as a FamilySearch volunteer. You can start and stop volunteering at any time. Find out more at indexing.familysearch.org.

Collection	Records	Images	Comment
Argentina, Catholic Church Records	360,671	347	Added images and index to existing collection.
Brazil, Catholic Church Records	0	147,511	Added browsable images to existing collection.
Canada, Quebec Notarial Records, 1800-1900	0	19,974	Added browsable images to existing collection.
Colombia, Catholic Church Records	41,672	0	Added index records to existing collection.
France, Coutances, Catholic Diocese, 1802-1907	133,771	0	Added index records to existing collection.
France, Protestant Church Records, 1612-1906	45,305	14,155	Added images and index to existing collection.
Italy, Civil Registration, 1806-1940	47,588	37,439	Added index records and images for Castellammare di Stabia, Catania, Teramo, and Trieste to existing collection.
Jamaica, Civil Birth Registration	275,358	308,905	Added images and index to existing collection.
Mexico Census, 1930	1,063,750	0	Added the state of Oaxaca.
Mexico, Chiapas, Catholic Church Records, 1558-1978	0	218,722	Added browsable images to existing collection.
Mexico, Nayarit, Catholic Church Records, 1596-1967	0	47,203	Added browsable images to existing collection.
Mexico, San Luis Potosí, Catholic Church Records, 1586-1970	0	51,249	New browsable image collection.
Peru, Catholic Church Records	0	592,054	New browsable image collection.
Poland, Roman Catholic Church Books, 1600-1950	0	216,211	Added browsable images to existing collection.
Spain, Cádiz, Passports, 1810-1866	0	8,573	New browsable image collection.
U.S., California, County Marriages, 1850-1952	123,230	0	Added Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Shasta, Sierra, Solano, Stanislaus, and Sutter Counties to existing collection.
U.S., California, San Mateo County Records, 1856-1967	0	17,569	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., District of Columbia Marriages, 1811-1950	377,681	127,190	New index collection, first part.
U.S., Illinois County Marriages, 1810-1934	323,712	0	Added Adams, Alexander, Bond, Boone, Brown, Champaign, Christian, Clark, and Clay Counties to existing collection.
U.S., Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959	114,658	0	Added Elkhart County to existing collection.
U.S., Kentucky, Death Records, 1911-1955	1,384,241	0	New index collection.
U.S., Louisiana Confederate Pensions, 1898-1950	0	1,469	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Massachusetts, Boston Passenger Lists, 1820-1891	0	80,509	New browsable image collection.
U.S., Massachusetts, Springfield Vital Records, 1638-1887	68,176	0	New index collection.
U.S., Minnesota, County Marriages, 1860-1949	156,395	88,640	New collection. Counties published: Anoka, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Cottonwood, Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, and Goodhue.
U.S., Mississippi, Tippah County Records, 1836-1923	0	55,910	New browsable image collection.
U.S., New York State Census, 1892	1,051,915	5,175	Added Madison, Warren, Greene, Albany, Hamilton, Ontario, Broome, Herkimer, Cayuga, Oswego, Onondaga, Essex, Lewis, and Queens Counties to existing collection.
U.S., New York, Northern Arrival Manifests, 1902-1956	0	850,465	New browsable image collection.
U.S., Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Case Files of Chinese Immigrants, 1900-1923	0	60,096	New browsable image collection.
U.S., Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Passenger Lists, 1800-1882	0	58,940	New browsable image collection.
U.S., Texas, Eastland County Records, 1868-1949		38,070	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Washington State County Records; King, Kitsap and Pierce Counties, 1854-1950	0	15,653	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Wisconsin, Probate Estate Files, 1848-1933	0	2,184	Added browsable images to existing collection.
Virgin Islands US, Church Records	0	5,363	New browsable image collection.

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

140 Free Online Genealogy Research Courses Growing Course Catalog Makes It Easier to Expand Family History Skills

The following is from FamilySearch:

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—Ever found yourself researching your family tree and discovering a new branch that extended to another country—and you are not familiar with that country’s records or language? Or perhaps you are a fan of the popular reality show Who Do You Think You Are? and wonder, “How do the producers know what public records to search to find all of those cool stories about that celebrity’s ancestors?” Maybe you’d like to learn more about how to do your family history research but don’t think you can afford to take a class. Thousands of individuals are now satisfying many of those needs through FamilySearch’s growing collection of free online genealogy courses.

In just one year, the number of free FamilySearch courses has grown to over 140—and new courses are added monthly. Most recently, over 25 courses were added for Australia, England, Germany, and the U.S. Additional courses were added that focus on basic tools and techniques for anyone just getting started in family history research, as well as courses for intermediate and advanced researchers.  

“The goal of the initiative is to educate more people worldwide about how to find their ancestors. We do it by filming the experts teaching a particular class of interest and then offering free access to that presentation online—complete with the PowerPoint used and any electronic handouts that the user can download or print for future reference,” said Candace Turpan, FamilySearch instructional designer. 

Turpan’s team films presentations made by its staff from the FamilySearch Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as special guests (the library is frequented by accredited researchers from all over the world). They also travel to industry conferences or other venues where record and research specialists gather. There they film specialists’ presentations and make them available online.

Of course, you don’t have to be into genealogy to find presentations of interest. Fans of The Da Vinci Code or National Treasure might find the Cemetery Art course by Ellen Miller of the Mid-Continent Public Library System in Independence, Missouri, very intriguing and enlightening. Miller’s course teaches about funerary traditions and cemetery iconography. “[Tombstone] practices differ from country to country, culture to culture, and religion to religion. As funeral ceremonies differ, so do the burial practices,” said Miller. Those elements often influence the types of funeral markers and symbols used on headstones, footstones, and tablet stones and can therefore tell important facts about the person they help identify. The key is in understanding the messages behind the symbolism.

FamilySearch uses viewing software that splits the viewing screen (sort of like the picture-in-picture features on some televisions) so the user can watch the video of the presenter while also seeing the PowerPoint presentation. Most courses are 30 minutes in length. You can also fast forward through the presentation or presentation slides or stop and pick up later where you left off—a luxury you don’t get in the live presentation.

“Maybe you enjoy the thrill of deciphering or reading old records in other languages. FamilySearch also has free courses to help genealogy students understand key words and terms of older foreign alphabets and handwriting, including Gothic,” added Turpin. The intent behind all of these courses is to give people the keys they need to successfully find their elusive ancestors in historic records. “Sometimes they just need a new sleuthing skill or resource. These genealogy courses are perfect for those personal development needs,” concluded Turpin.

Whatever your motivation or objective, bookmark and make regular visits to the growing catalog of free courses at FamilySearch.org.

And if you or someone you know currently teaches a class that would be of value to the genealogy community and wants to share it, find out how online at FamilySearch’s genealogy classes online.

Latest Course Additions:

Australia

    ·      Australia BDM Civil Registration Index

    ·      New South Wales Early Church Records 1788–1886

    ·      Using the New South Wales Birth, Death, Marriage Index

England

   ·      Getting the Most from the National Archives Website

    ·      Researching in the British Isles

    ·      What Is Britain?

Germany

    ·      My Experiences in German Family Research

Research Principles and Tools

    ·      Cemetery Art

    ·      Finding Your Way: Locating and Using Maps in Your Research

    ·      How to Find More at a Genealogy Library

    ·      If I’d Only Known: Beginner Genealogy Mistakes

    ·      Managing Your Family Records on the Internet

United States of America

    ·      Basic U.S. Military Records with Tiff

    ·      Beginning Census Research and Record Keeping

    ·      Colonial Immigration

    ·      Colonial Land

    ·      County Histories and Your Family

    ·      Finding the Slave Generation

    ·      Locating Ancestors on the Final Rolls of the Five Civilized Tribes

    ·      See You on Sunday! Church Records in Genealogy

    ·      Some Underused Online Resources

    ·      U.S. Courthouse Research

    ·      Welcome to the World of Periodicals

ICAPGen The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists

   ·      Mentoring Class: Introduction to ICAPGen 

   ·      Mentoring Class: Research Binder 

·      Mentoring Class: Evidence Analysis Part II 
·      Mentoring Class: Written Exam and Oral Review

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer–driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in SaltLake City, Utah.

RootsMagic Training Classes Begin Tonight! April 12th

Reminder: The first of five classes for training on the RootsMagic Software program begins tonight at the Riverton FamilySearch Library. I will be teaching each Tuesday evening from 7-9pm from April 12th through the 10th of May. Please come join me! Even if you need to miss a class, no problem! Each class stands by itself. See you there!

Utah Genealogical Association (UGA) Virtual Chapter

The Utah Genealogical Association Virtual Chapter presents Devin Ashby and 'The Google Genealogist'.

What are the latest tools from Google and how can I use them in my research? Come learn about products like Picasa, Alerts, Sites, Books, Video, Maps and much more that can help you save time and money as you utilize the internet to help you get the job done. 

 

Devin Ashby is a Project Coordinator for FamilySearch, the largest genealogical organization in the world. Devin has been involved in family history for years and in 2004 he received Bachelor degrees in History and Spanish and the following year earned a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University.

April 21, 2011, 7:00 pm MT @
http://ugagenealogy.na5.acrobat.com/vc_april_2011

Th e UGA Virtual Chapter meets monthly on the third Th ursday of the month. Th rough May these meetings are free to members and non-members of UGA. They include both video and audio, and can be accessed anywhere there is internet access. Please join us by visiting the URL above.
Email suzannecurley@gmail.com with questions.

Riverton Seminar Series—April Classes

Many people want to do family history. But after we go to work to provide for our temporal needs and wants; care for our families, friends, and neighbors; and serve in our church or community, there just doesn’t seem to be much time left at our disposal. However, it doesn’t have to take a lot of time to do family history work, and help is nearby when you need it.

The Riverton FamilySearch Library stands ready to help with research tools and personal assistance six days a week, in addition to a monthly Saturday seminar. This month’s seminar, to be held on Saturday, April 16, 2011, will be a three-hour seminar from 9:00 a.m. to noon featuring a keynote address and eight classes.

Tim Cross, the keynote speaker, will present a message entitled “Family History: Isn’t It About Time?” During his presentation, he will help you discover ways to do family history in 30 minutes or less using FamilySearch, and he will also provide a glimpse of the new source feature for new FamilySearch. Cross has worked as a product manager for FamilySearch for 7 years. Prior to that he worked in the computer industry for Price Waterhouse, Booz Allen & Hamilton, and Novell. He is currently responsible for integrating all the FamilySearch components into familysearch.org and linking source records into the Family Tree (new.familysearch.org).

Following the keynote presentation, there will be two blocks of four classes that will cover topics of interest to both beginning and advanced family historians.

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

• “Blog Your Way to Genealogical Success”—Robert Raymond
• “Beginning English and Welsh Ancestry”—Raymon Naisbitt
• “Best Strategies for Searching Ancestry.com”—Christa Cowan
• “Solving Really Tough Research Problems”—Jason Harrison

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

• “Mobile Apps for Genealogy”—A.C. Moore
• “An Overview of New English Research”—Jason Harrison
• “Synchronizing PAF 5 Data with New FamilySearch Using Ancestral Quest, the Program from Which PAF 5 Was Derived”—Gaylon Findlay
• “A Personal Journey in Discovering and Recording Our Family Heritage”—Brigham Cheney

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.   

FamilySearch: 14 Million More New Records!

Whether you say it maravilloso, wonderlijk, or merveilleux, it all describes this week’s new, free collection updates at FamilySearch.org—marvelous!

Researchers with Netherlands roots are going to have a heyday perusing the 9 million new digital images for the Netherlands Civil Registration, 1792 to 1952, collection. If your Netherlands ancestors headed south to Belgium, you might find them in the 1.5 million new records added to the Belgium Civil Registration, 1795–1910, online collection. And how about Canada, Chile, Slovakia, and South Africa, with another million records added between them? The wildly popular Ohio County Marriage collection just received a boost of 596,000 images of marriage certificates and an updated index. That means that about 76 percent of Ohio’s county marriages can now be searched online for free. Vermont and Wisconsin collections got a boost this week as well. See the table below for more details. You can search all of the record collections now for free at FamilySearch.org.

It is also worthy to note that the 1881 England and Wales Census index received significant enhancements this week. Searchable fields were added for county, civil parish, ecclesiastical parish, occupation, disability, and folio/page numbers. These additional fields will help users more easily identify the person they are seeking. Even of greater worth is the fact that households are now grouped together so users can see the family in context. The index is linked to the images on findmypast.com.

If you are enjoying the steady stream of free records added weekly, please consider “giving back” as a FamilySearch volunteer. You can start and stop volunteering at any time. Find out more at indexing.familysearch.org.

The new collections include records and updates from the following:

Belgium Civil Registration, 1795-1910

Canada, Quebec Notarial Records, 1800-1900

Chile, Concepcion, Civil Registration, 1885-1903

England and Wales Census, 1881  

Netherlands, Civil Registration, 1792-1952

Slovakia Church Books, 1592-1910

South Africa, Cape Province Dutch Reformed Church Registers, 1660-1970

U.S., Ohio, County Marriages, 1790-1950

U.S., Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-1954

U.S., Wisconsin, Probate Estate Files, 1848-1933    

Archives.com Update: 3.5 Million New Records

Today, Archives announces the addition of over 3.5 million new U.S. vital records and images to the website, demonstrating its commitment to adding value while maintaining the same low price point. Throughout the past year, Archives has significantly increased the number of historical records available to members, and this will continue to remain a key focus for the site. Archives is pleased to bring users these new, compelling record collections that will help them to discover new information about their ancestors.

The addition of these 3.5 million digital records is accompanied by the integration of 170,000 images of historical marriage certificates. Dating back to 1846, these images reveal valuable information to family historians about the life and times of their ancestors.

Each record collection added to Archives.com is easy to find through its simple search interface. Users can search by name, date, and location to filter results for a precise match. In total, Archives.com provides access to over 1.1 billion historical records, including vital, census, newspaper, immigration, and more.

These new record collections represent eight states including Texas, Kentucky, Maine, South Carolina, Colorado, Arizona, South Carolina, and Ohio. Regarding the Ohio collection, Archives worked with theRutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center to integrate their set of close to 1.5 million obituary records. The index was compiled from original newspapers by library staff and volunteers, and covers years 1810 to 2010. On the value of the collection, Head Librarian Rebecca B. Hill notes, "Obituaries are a great tool for building your own family history. Genealogists have long found that they can help flesh out the bare bones of a skeletal family tree."

Archives is thrilled to help increase access to and visibility of these records, allowing people to find more records online than ever before. Please visit the Collections page to learn about the records available on Archives.com. To receive regular updates about the website, please visit the Archives.com blog.

Eating an Elephant One Bite at a Time-UVPAFUG

The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 9 Apr 2011, from 9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo. Information about the Users Group, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on the Group website http://uvpafug.org and the press releases are at http://blog.uvpafug.org/ .

The main presentation for this meeting will be by Marilyn Thomsen on EATING AN ELEPHANT ONE BITE AT A TIME: IDEAS TO ORGANIZE YOUR FAMILY HISTORY TIME.  If you feel overwhelmed and don't know where to start on your family history, this presentation will help you set a goal, get organized, and show you how to use a personal coach to help you eat your genealogical elephant.  Marilyn Thomsen graduated with a B.A. in family history from Brigham Young University. Her internship was at the National Archive Branch in Atlanta, Georgia.  Twice she won BYU's award for her family histories.  Recently she served as a US & Canada consultant at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and is currently the Director of the Utah Orem Sunset Heights Tri-Stake Family History Center.  Her husband, Richard, shares a passion for digging up dead relatives and sharing it with living.

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)  Comparing Ancestral Quest, Legacy, and RootsMagic, by Debbie Gurtler;  (2)  MAC:  Recent DNA experiences--and Reunion Q&A, by Ron Hatch;  (3)  Personalized Help, by Finn Hansen & Don Engstrom;  (4)  Getting Genealogy Clutter Under Control, by Marilyn Thomsen;  (5)  Video of last month's main presentation:  Back-Door Research Breaks Through Brick Walls, by Stephen Ehat;  (6)  Family Insight, by Andrea Schnakenburg;  (7)  Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay;  (8)  Legacy, by Dean Bennett; and  (9)  RootsMagic, by Sue Maxwell.

All meetings of the Users 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.

New Free Records Online for Czech Republic, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain

Keep updating your wish list as FamilySearch continues to expand its online historical records. New collection additions this week represent seven European countries. Â Millions of records were added for the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. Oh, and did we forget to mention that over a million new records were added for California, Maryland, Montana, Ohio, Texas, and Washington State? See the table below for more details. You can search all of the record collections now for free at familysearch.org.


If you are enjoying the steady stream of free records added weekly, please consider "giving back" by contributing a little time online as a FamilySearch volunteer. You can start and stop volunteering at any time. Find out more at indexing.familysearch.org.

Collection	Records	Images	Comment
Czech Republic, Northern Bohemia, Litoměřice Archive Church Books, 1552-1905	39,869	0	Added index records from various church parishes within Northern Bohemia from the State Archive of Litoměřice.
Czech Republic, Northern Moravia, Opava Archive Church Books, 1571-1905	0	68,345	Added browsable images from various church parishes within Northern Moravia from the Provincial Archive of Opava.
France, Quimper et Léon Catholic Diocese, 1772-1909	56,003	22,130	Added images and index to existing collection.
Germany, Miscellaneous City Records	0	74,517	Added browsable images for Neumarkt.
Poland, Roman Catholic Church Books, 1600-1950	0	197,923	Added browsable images from Lublin, Gliwice, and Częstochowa Roman Catholic Church Diocese.
Portugal, Catholic Church Records, 1530-1890	0	519,943	Added browsable images from Braga.
Slovakia, Church Books, 1592-1910	0	257,568	Added browsable images from the area of western Slovakia that are within the jurisdiction of the State Regional Archive of Bratislava.
Spain, Catholic Church Records, 1500-1930	50,278	293	Added images and index from Spain, Avila parish (Madrigal and Garganta) to existing collection.
Spain, Municipal Records	20,068	677,871	Â Added marriage record index for the city of Malaga, Spain; and browsable images from the Sevilla, Spain Municipal Archive.
U.S., California, San Mateo County Records, 1856-1967	0	9,030	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Maryland, Probate Estate and Guardianship Files, 1796-1940	12,943	441,525	Added images and index to existing collection.
U.S., Maryland, Register of Wills Books, 1792-1983	0	107,465	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Montana, Rosebud County Records	0	13,818	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Ohio, Cuyahoga County Probate Files, 1813-1900	0	36,230	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1934	195,240	158,733	Added images and index to existing collection.
U.S., Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977	120,536	0	Added index records to existing collection.
U.S., Washington State County Records; King, Kitsap and Pierce Counties, 1854-1950	0	30,216	New browsable image collection.

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Season Two: The Generations Project

NOTE: The following was received from FamilySearch.

The second season of BYUtv’s The Generation Project premiers Monday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m. MDT. The Generations Project is a reality-based family history show that uncovers the remarkable stories and family histories of everyday people. The people take a hands-on journey to learn about their ancestors, and in the process they discover more about themselves.

The second season of The Generations Project “takes you from Germany to Holland to New York's 'Little Pakistan' and everywhere in between, following eleven journeys into the past: the Denkes explore the origins of their children’s life-threatening genetic disease. Kerry hopes his ancestors will help him find his estranged son, and Ty delves into his complicated heritage as a son of Nazi Germany. They along with eight other guests engage with the past to understand the present.”

BYUtv is available through many local satellite and cable companies. In addition, The Generations Project can be viewed live online at http://www.byutv.org (you'll need to register for a free account to view the show live). All episodes are also available to be viewed immediately after airing at http://www.byutv.org/thegenerationsproject/episodes (no registration required).


A link to more information has been placed on the home page of the FamilySearch.org website. Please share the information in this e-mail with others.

FamilySearch Indexing - Can you spare 30 minutes?

Are you tired of the bad weather and need a great "feel good" project? Are you finding nothing good on TV these days? Are you into genealogy? Do you read a foreign language? Well here's a great activity for you to get involved in. It's FamilySearch Indexing! 


72% of the thousands of people who are indexing genealogical records right now claim they are motivated to do it just because they want to help provide free records to the genealogical community! Wouldn't you just love to see your great-grandfather's military record or a record of grandma's marriage?


FamilySearch has published over 1.5 billion records so far including extracted records! Yes that's BILLION! And the indexing project just started in 2006! There are billions more records available that need to be transcribed and it's so easy for you to help!


Just go to FamilySearch Indexing and click on "Get Started".  Fifteen to 30 minutes is all you need. Once you get the hang of it you will become addicted and really have fun. This can be a great family project. You know our young people -- they love their technology and find the process to be a great break from their daily homework and fast-paced life! And indexing is something you can do at midnight when you can't get to sleep or after you get the kids off to school each morning. Get a challenge going within your family or with a group of friends. Maybe you even belong to an organization and you are interested in specific records. Well you group can contact FamilySearch and make arrangements to index specific records.


FamilySearch has a goal of completing 220 million more records this year alone. Volunteers have indexed almost 46 million records so far this year. But your help is needed. If you can read a foreign language, indexing needs your help. Even if you don't, you can use the language information on FamilySearch Wiki and give another language a try. For instance, here is the Spanish Genealogy Word List and the French Word List. 


FamilySearch has a number of new features that will be added to the existing system sometime soon. You'll be able to see your accuracy rate, get RSS feeds, be able to invite a friend, and create links from the old extracted records to their respective images. They are also working on creating an app for your mobile device! So lets all pass this info along and gather some extra help in getting these records available to the world for FREE.