Free Seminar Offers Tips on Growing Your Family Tree

The Riverton FamilySearch Library Hosts Event on January 15

A new year is an ideal time to set a goal to dig into your family history and the Riverton FamilySearch Library can help. This state-of-the-art facility offers research tools and personal assistance six days a week, in addition to a monthly Saturday seminar. On Saturday, January 15, 2011, the Riverton FamilySearch Library will host a three-hour seminar from 9:00 a.m. to noon featuring a keynote speaker and eight classes.  

The keynote speaker, Dan Lawyer, will address the topic “Making it Easier to Grow Your Family Tree.” Lawyer works as a senior product manager for FamilySearch and is currently responsible for the FamilySearch.org website.

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:

• Synchronizing New FamilySearch Data Using FamilyInsight –  Andrea Schnakenburg
• FamilySearch Search: The Present and the Future –  Robert Kehrer
• My Ancestors Were From Germany, But I Don’t Speak German – Tamra L. Stansfield
• Getting the Most out of Census Records in Your Family –  Ron Ray

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

• Will Your Family History Survive the Digital Age? – Janet Hovorka
• The Evolving Role of the Family History Consultant: Helping to Turn the Hearts –  Jim Greene
• What’s New in Ancestral Quest, A Natural Upgrade from PAF –  Gaylon Findlay

• The 50 Most Popular Genealogical Websites –  Kory L. Meyerink

Registration is not required for this free seminar. The library will also be open until 5:00 p.m. that day for patrons desiring to do individual family history research. For more information, please visit www.familysearch.org/fhc/riverton.

The Saturday Seminars will be held on the third Saturday of each month. 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.

UVPAFUG Meeting/Classes

The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 8 Jan 2011, from 9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo. 

The main presentation for this meeting will be by Barbara Renick on EPUBLISHING. 

Genealogists are motivated to preserve and share what they have found and by publishing they open their work to peer review (critique) which often brings to light possible errors and additional resources. Today there are two approaches to publishing: low or no cost electronic publishing (for part or all of research summaries and family history books) and the use of the Internet to find and manage the best paper publishing options. This presentation will be an extensive discussion of electronic publishing media, including online library catalogs with Web 2.0 user-added-content, different types of Wikis and Web sites, blogs, digitized books online, plus publishing to CDs and DVDs. 

Barbara Renick is a nationally known genealogy lecturer who lectures frequently at national and local genealogy conferences. She currently serves on staff and teaches at the LDS Regional Family History Center in Orange, California. She writes for several genealogy publications and has written several genealogy books, her most recent one being Genealogy 101: How to Trace Your Family's History and Heritage. That book was sponsored by the National Genealogical Society for their 100th Anniversary. 

She is also well known for the 'Z' Links page at her website http://www.zroots.com/ which is a favorite tool for many people. Her maiden name was Zuknick and she was born in Maryland to a German immigrant father and and a Tennessee hillbilly mother. She had a four-year scholarship in electrical engineering with an eye toward designing computers, but ended up graduating from BYU in nursing in 1974. After purchasing her first computer in 1983 she was asked to train and supervise a crew of workers for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for data entry of the International Genealogical Index and the Ancestral File. She teaches many family history classes, writes many family history articles, and is a frequent alpha and beta tester for software programs and Internet sites.

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. Scandinavian Research on the Internet, by Rick Mathews
2. Fun Ideas for Family History Consultants, by Bret Petersen
3. Personalized Family History Help, by Claudia Benson & Finn Hansen
4. Making A List and Checking it Twice, by Barbara Renick
5. Video of last month's main presentation: Introduction to Waypointing, by Travis Mecham
6. MAC: Uploading to Ancestry and Creating a Web Site, by Ron Snowden
7. Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay & Merlin Kitchen
8. Family Insight, by Andrea Schnakenburg
9. Legacy, by Joel Graham
10. RootsMagic, by Bruce Buzbee.

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. 

Ancestry.com Library Edition Updates

Surprised?  Are you surprised to know that your local Family History Library, (yes, all of them) have or should have access to SOME of the Ancestry.com databases?


As some of you already know, the desktop at our Family History Center has a shortcut link to the Ancestry.com Library Edition right on the desktop. But did you know that a few more records have been recently added?


The "Ancestry Insider" (AI) has been kind enough to make a great chart showing what is now available at your local center, and also some of the databases available at the Family History Libraries in Salt Lake City, Riverton Utah, and  Los Angeles California.


Check out the AI's Ancestry Chart here.

RootsTech 2011 - Early Bird Registration Extended

FamilySearch announced that they have extended the early-bird registration until January 15th, 2011 for the February RootsTech. This conference will serve genealogists, family history center and library patrons, family history enthusiasts, and anyone who is interested in learning how to get to know their ancestors better.  Embrace the technologies that are available at our fingertips!


This article in the Provo Daily Herald News provides a great overview of the conference and the benefits provided.

Good-bye to Family Record Extraction

I borrowed this from the FamilySearch Indexing newsletter that came out today. I thought many of you would be interested in this.


Good-bye to Family Record Extraction
This month’s newsletter is dedicated to the thousands of workers who participated in family record extraction since it was introduced by Spencer W. Kimball in 1978. Some extractors participated early in the program, transferring the information from paper or microfilm to printed forms. Later extractors typed the information directly into a computer program. The workforce continues to grow, and the use of technology continues to accelerate as we transition from family record extraction to the online FamilySearch indexing program.
FamilySearch is deeply grateful to all who were dedicated to making family record extraction so successful. Some workers have moved on, others have served faithfully for years, and some are newcomers. Regardless of experience or position, each participant labored to accomplish this great task of sharing family history information.
Over 100 groups, including six correctional facilities who devoted themselves to the extraction program, have now made the switch to FamilySearch indexing. We know this was not an easy change for some and we thank you for your patience and dedication to this extraction, and now indexing, initiative. If you or someone you know worked with the extraction program and need help to make this transition, please contact FamilySearch.

So many people worked so hard for so many years doing extraction! Thank you from me to everyone who participated in helping provide those records for all of us!

First Polish Indexing Project Now Available

FamilySearch Indexing now has projects available in 11 languages, with the addition of the first project in Polish. If you would like to help index Polska—Ksiegi Metrykaine—Diecezja Lublin, 1902–1945, please contact FamilySearch or e-mail kontakt@piotrreszka.pl to learn more.

Recently completed projects that will soon be available to search on FamilySearch.org include records from the Czech Republic, Spain, Nicaragua, and the United States.

 New Projects in the Past Three Weeks

·         België—Burgerlijke Stand, 1851–1900 [Deel 3A]
(Belgium—Civil Registration, 1851–1900 [Part 3A])
(In partnership with Algemeen Rijksarchief en Rijksarchief in de Provincien)

·         Canada, Ontario—1861 Census Records [Part 2]

·         Polska—Księgi Metrykalne—Diecezja Lublin, 1902–1945
(Poland, Lublin Diocese—Church Books, 1902–1945)
(In partnership with Lubelskie Towarzystwo Genealogiczne)

·         U.S., Colorado—1885 State Census
(In partnership with Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies)

·         U.S., Illinois—1930 Federal Census

·         U.S., Mississippi—1930 Federal Census

·         U.S., New York—1892 State Census [Part 2]

·         U.S., Ohio—Tax Records, Post 1825 [Part 4]
(In partnership with Ohio Genealogical Society)

·         U.S., Oklahoma—Land Allotment Records, 1899–1907 [Part B]

·         U.S., Texas—1910 Federal Census [Part B]

·         U.S., Texas—Birth Records, 1903-1934 [Part D]

(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.)

·         Česká republika, Litoměřice—Matriky, 1552–1905 [část 1]
(Czech Republic, Litomerice—Parish Registers, 1552–1905 [Part 1])

·         España, Avila, Madrigal y Garganta—Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1935
(Spain, Avila, Madrigal y Garganta—Church Registers, 1530–1935)

·         Nicaragua, Managua—Registros Civiles, 1879–1984 [Part 3B]
(Nicaragua, Managua—Civil Registration, 1879–1984 [Part 3B])

·         U.S.—Index to War of 1812 Pension Application Files, 1812–1905

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

·         U.S., District of Columbia—Deaths, 1874–1959

·         U.S., Iowa—1930 Federal Census

·         U.S., Maine—1930 Federal Census

·         U.S., Ohio—Tax Records, Post 1825 [Part 3]

·         U.S., Texas—Birth Records, 1903–1934 [Part C]

Current FamilySearch Indexing Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

Argentina, Balvanera-Registros Parroquiales, 1833–1934 [Pt B] (Argentina, Balvanera—Church Records, 1833–1934 [Part B])	Spanish	71%
Argentina, Cordoba—Registros Parroquiales, 1722–1924 [Pt B] (Argentina, Cordoba—Church Records, 1722–1924 [Part B])	Spanish	91%
Argentina, Santa Fe—Registros Parroquiales, 1634–1926 [Pt A] (Argentina, Santa Fe—Church Records, 1634–1926 [Part A])	Spanish	42%
Brasil—Registro Civil, 1852–1914 [Pt 2A] (Brazil—Civil Registration, 1852–1914 [Part 2A])	Portuguese	1%
Brasil, Florianópolis—Registros da Igreja, 1751–1954 [Pt A] (Brazil, Florianópolis—Church Records, 1751–1954 [Part A])	Portuguese	15%
Brasil, Pernambuco, Recife—Registro Civil, 1900–1920 (Brazil, Pernambuco, Recife—Civil Registration, 1900–1920)	Portuguese	3%
Brasil, Rio de Janeiro—Matrimonios, 1900–1910 [Piloto] (Brazil, Rio de Janeiro—Marriages, 1900–1910)	Portuguese	54%
Canada—Passenger Lists, 1881–1922	English	5%
Canada, Bas-Canada—Recensement de 1842 (Canada, Lower Canada—1842 Census)	French	1%
Canada, New Brunswick—Deaths, 1815–1938 [Part B]	English	39%
Canada, Ontario—1861 Census Records [Part 2]	English	(New)
Canada, Ontario—Marriages, 1869–1927 [Part B]	English	6%
Chile—Registros Civiles, 1885–1900 (Chile—Civil Registration, 1885–1900)	Spanish	32%
Chile, Concepción—Registros Civiles, 1885–1903 [Parte 2B] (Chile, Concepcion—Civil Registration, 1885–1903 [Part 2B])	Spanish	41%
Colombia, Bucaramanga—Registros Parroquiales, 1649–1959 (Colombia, Bucaramanga—Church Records, 1649–1959)	Spanish	13%
Colombia, Marinilla—Registros Parroquiales, 1815–1959 (Colombia, Marinilla—Parish Records, 1815–1959)	Spanish	70%
Deutschland, Baden, Achern—Kirchenbücher, 1810–1869 [Pt D] (Germany, Baden, Achern—Church Books, 1810–1869 [Part D])	German	26%
El Salvador—Registros Civiles, 1835–1910 (El Salvador—Civil Registration, 1835–1910)	Spanish	28%
España, Andalucía—Registros Civiles, 1837–1870 (Spain, Andalucia—Civil Registration, 1837–1870)	Spanish	6%
España, Lugo—Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1930 [Parte 1] (Spain, Lugo—Parish Registers, 1530–1930 [Part 1])	Spanish	42%
France, Cherbourg—Registres Paroissiaux, 1802–1907 (France, Cherbourg—Parish Registers, 1802–1907)	French	44%
France, Coutances—Registres Paroissiaux 1802–1907 (France, Coutances—Parish Registers, 1802–1907)	French	63%
France, Paris—Registres Protestants, 1612–1906 [Partie D] (France, Paris—Protestant Registers, 1612–1906 [Part D])	French	88%
France, Saint-Lo—Registres Paroissiaux, 1802–1907 (France, Saint-Lo—Parish Registers, 1802–1907)	French	61%
Guatemala, Guatemala—Registros Civiles, 1800–1900 (Guatemala, Guatemala—Civil Registration, 1800–1900)	Spanish	11%
Guatemala, Guatemala—Registros Civiles, 1877–1900 (Guatemala, Guatemala—Civil Registration, 1877–1900)	Spanish	31%
Ireland—Tithe Applotment Books, 1824–1840	English	3%
Italia, Napoli, Castellammare di Stabia—Atti di Morte, 1809–1936 [Parte B] (Italy, Napoli, Castellammare—Deaths, 1809–1936 [Part B])	Italian	80%
Italy, Trento—Baptisms, 1784–1924 [Part 2A]	Italian	47%
Jamaica—Civil Births, 1900–1930 [Part C]	English	12%
Mexico, D.F.—Bautismos, 1536–1900 [Parte A] (Mexico, D.F.—Church Baptisms, 1536–1900 [Part A])	Spanish	3%
Mexico, Oaxaca—1930 Federal Censo (Mexico, Oaxaca—1930 Federal Census)	Spanish	46%
Mexico, Puebla—1930 Federal Censo (Mexico, Puebla—1930 Federal Census)	Spanish	90%
New Zealand—Passenger Lists, 1871–1915 [Part 2A]	English	9%
Nicaragua, Masaya—Registros Civiles, 1879–1984 (Nicaragua, Masaya—Civil Registration, 1879–1984)	Spanish	1%
Norge —Tinglysningskort, 1640–1903 (Norway—Probate Index Cards, 1640–1903)	Norwegian	3%
Perú, Lima—Registros Civiles, 1887–1921 [Parte A] (Peru, Lima—Civil Registration, 1887–1921 [Part A])	Spanish	82%
Portugal, Setúbal—Registros da Igreja, 1581–1910 (Portugal, Setúbal—Church Records, 1581–1910)	Portuguese	25%
República Dominicana—Nacimientos Civiles, 1828–1906 (Dominican Republic—Civil Births, 1828–1906)	Spanish	1%
Russland, Sankt Petersburg—Kirchenbuchduplikat, 1833–1885 (Russia, Saint Petersburg—Parish Register Duplicates, 1833–1885)	German	42%
South Africa, Cape Province—Church Records, 1660–1970	Afrikaans, Dutch, Engl.	67%
Sverige, Södermanland—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] (Sweden, Södermanland—Church Records, to 1860 [Part 1])	Swedish	72%
Sverige, Uppsala—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] (Sweden, Uppsala—Church Records, to 1860 [Part 1])	Swedish	78%
Sverige, Örebro—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] (Sweden, Örebro—Church Records, to 1860 [Part 1])	Swedish	32%
U.K., Essex—Parish Registers, 1538–1900 [Part A]	English	15%
U.K., Manchester—Parish Registers, 1813–1925 [Part B]	English	38%
U.K., Warwickshire—Parish Registers, 1538–1900 [Pt 2 Adv]	English, Old English	34%
Uruguay—Registros Civiles (Nacimientos), 1879–1930 (Uruguay—Civil Registration (Births), 1879–1930)	Spanish	8%
U.S.—Naval Enlistment Registers, 1855–1891	English	30%
U.S., Alabama—County Marriages, 1809–1950 [Part A]	English	63%
U.S., Arkansas—County Marriages, 1837–1957 [IX]	English	79%
U.S., Arkansas—WWII Draft Registration, 1942	English	42%
U.S., California—County Marriages, 1850–1952 [Part B]	English	88%
U.S., District of Columbia-County Marriages, 1811–1950 [Pt A]	English	57%
U.S., Illinois—1930 Federal Census	English	(New)
U.S., Illinois—County Marriages, 1810–1934 [Part A]	English	74%
U.S., Indiana, Bartholomew—County Marriages, 1811–1959	English	75%
U.S., Iowa—County Births, 1880–1935 [Part A]	English	17%
U.S., Iowa—County Marriages, 1838–1992 [Part A]	English	53%
U.S., Minnesota—County Marriages, 1860–1949 [Part A]	English	63%
U.S., Mississippi—1930 Federal Census	English	(New)
U.S., New Jersey—County Marriages, 1682–1956 [Part 1]	English	26%
U.S., New Jersey—WWII Draft Registration Cards, 1942	English	54%
U.S., New York—1892 State Census [Part 2]	English	(New)
U.S., New York—Marriage Licenses, 1908–1938 [Part A]	English	41%
U.S., New York—Marriages, 1908–1935 [Part A]	English	36%
U.S., North Carolina—County Marriages, 1762–1959 [Part B]	English	26%
U.S., North Carolina—Freedmen Letters, 1862–1870	English	16%
U.S., Oklahoma—Allotment Records, 1899–1907	English	93%
U.S., Oklahoma—County Marriages, 1891–1959 [Part B]	English	50%
U.S., Oklahoma—Land Allotment Records, 1899–1907 [Pt B]	English	(New)
U.S., Puerto Rico—1910 Censo Federal (U.S., Puerto Rico—1910 Federal Census)	Spanish	16%
U.S., Puerto Rico—Nacimientos Civiles, 1836–1930 [Parte B] (U.S., Puerto Rico—Civil Births, 1836–1930 [Part B])	Spanish	6%
U.S., Tennessee—County Marriages, 1790–1950 [Part B]	English	29%
U.S., Tennessee—County Marriages, 1790–1950 [Part C]	English	52%
U.S., Texas—1910 Federal Census [Part B]	English	(New)
U.S., Texas—Birth Records, 1903-1934 [Part D]	English	(New)
U.S., Texas—County Marriages, 1837–1977 [Part B]	English	33%
U.S., Wisconsin—1930 Federal Census	English	58%
Venezuela—Nacimientos Civiles, 1873–1909 (Venezuela—Civil Births, 1873–1909)	Spanish	2%
Venezuela, Mérida—Registros Parroquiales, 1654–1992 [Pt 2] (Venezuela, Merida—Parish Registers, 1654–1992 [Part 2])	Spanish	29%
Österreich, Wiener Meldezettel, 1890–1925 (Austria, Vienna—Population Cards, 1890–1925)	German	35%
Россия, Самара—Метрические книги церкви, 1869–1917 (часть 1) (Russia, Samara—Church Books, 1869–1917 [Part 1])	Russian	83%
Украина, Киев—Метрические книги русской православной церкви, 1843–1845 [Часть B] (Ukraine, Kiev—Orthodox Consistory Church Books, 1843–1845 [Part B])	Russian	22%

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	(New)
Belgique—Registres Civile, 1851–1900 [Partie A] (Belgium—Civil Registration, 1851–1900 [Part A])	French	66%
Brasil, Minas Gerais—Church Records, 1706-1952	Portuguese	1%
Canada, Ontario, Toronto—Trust Cemeteries, 1826–1935	English	19%
Deutschland, Westfalen, Minden—Volkszählung, 1880–1900 (Germany, Westphalia, Minden—City Censuses, 1880–1900)	German	12%
España, Avila, Barroman—Registros Parroquiales, 1550–1930 (Spain, Avila, Barroman—Parish Registers, 1550–1930)	Spanish	14%
España, Malaga—Registros Civiles, 1846–1870 (Spain, Malaga—Civil Registration, 1846–1870)	Spanish	54%
France, Quimper et Leon, St. Louis—Registres Paroissiaux, 1722–1909 (France, Quimper et Leon, St. Louis—Church Registers, 1722–1909)	French	85%
Norway—1875 Census [Part B]	Norwegian	68%
Philippines, Lingayen, Dagupan—Registros Parroquiales, 1615–1982 (Philippines, Lingayen, Dagupan—Church Registers, 1615–1982)	Spanish	77%
Polska—Księgi Metrykalne—Diecezja Lublin, 1902–1945 (Poland, Lublin Diocese—Church Books, 1902–1945)	Polish	(New)
U.K., Norfolk—Parish Registers, 1538–1900	English	52%
U.S., Colorado—1885 State Census	English	(New)
U.S., Ohio—Tax Records, Post 1825 [Part 4]	English	(New)
U.S., Utah, Salt Lake County—Birth Registers, 1890–1908	English	67%
U.S., Utah, Salt Lake County—Death Registers, 1848–1940	English	33%

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. 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. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 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.