Join us for the next episode of FGS Radio - My Society, an Internet radio show on Blog talk Radio presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. The Saturday, March 3d show is "Technology & Marketing Workshop for Genealogy Societies."
This week's host is Thomas MacEntee and he will answer your questions about the latest in technology and marketing for your genealogy society. Call in your questions during the show at +1 (619) 638-8565 or email your questions ahead of time to publicity@fgs.org or join in the helpful online chat room during the show. Afterwards, there'll be a list of resources discussed during the show on the FGS Voice website (http://voice.fgs.org).
The Delaware Genealogical Society, an FGS Member Society, is the featured organization in the weekly Society Spotlight.
Tune in to FGS Radio - My Society each week to learn more about genealogy societies and join in a discussion of the issues impacting the genealogical community.
Click this link to set a reminder or to tune in at 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST, Noon MST, and 11:00 PST. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2012/03/03/technology-marketing-workshop-for-genealogy-societies
02 March 2012
29 February 2012
Last post for Black History Month
By chance this morning I came across a wonderful Minnesota Black Newspaper Index. It was compiled in 2002 by Brendan Henehan. He wrote: "This is an informal index of newspapers that I have compiled over the past several years. It is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of topics. I have looked at each of the newspapers listed in the Newspaper Key of this index, quickly scanning them for topics of interest to me. You’ll notice particular passions of mine: baseball, media and the law. Yet I have tried to be general in my interests as well. Each of the papers listed in the key are available at the Minnesota Historical Society except for the New York Age, which is available at the University of Minnesota’s Wilson Library."
He indexed 15 newspaper titles and the index is on the Minnesota Historical Society's website. The index includes a key to the newspaper titles that are abbreviated in the index.
I found several items I want to check based on my own research and lecture interests:
Adams, J. Q.: Founder of St. Paul Afro-American League, AP 11-9-1889 p1 c2
Advertisement: Wanted: 10 good colored families for N. Dakota TCG 1-17-1920 p1 c3
WPA: Transient camp in Mendota has 108 Black men MSP 3-6-1936 p1 c6
WP:A Twin Cities survey of Blacks TCH 4-4-1936 p1 c5
Bundrant, J. W:. Forms Black World War I unit TCS 4-14-1917 p2 c2
Carey, Talmadge: To wed Theresa Ray 8-8 at St. Peter Claver MSP 8-10-1945 p7 c3
Carey, Talmadge: Photo of wedding to Theresa Ray MSP 8-24-1945 p3 c3
Carter, Charles: Former slave dies, came to Mpls in 1883 TCL 8-24-1940 p2 c5
Goins, Homer Former St. Paul officer dies at 42 TCH 8-27-1932 p4 c1
Goins, Homer Obituary of former St. Paul police officer TCH 9-3-1932 p1 c2
And that's just the beginning of the articles that interest me!
He indexed 15 newspaper titles and the index is on the Minnesota Historical Society's website. The index includes a key to the newspaper titles that are abbreviated in the index.
I found several items I want to check based on my own research and lecture interests:
Adams, J. Q.: Founder of St. Paul Afro-American League, AP 11-9-1889 p1 c2
Advertisement: Wanted: 10 good colored families for N. Dakota TCG 1-17-1920 p1 c3
WPA: Transient camp in Mendota has 108 Black men MSP 3-6-1936 p1 c6
WP:A Twin Cities survey of Blacks TCH 4-4-1936 p1 c5
Bundrant, J. W:. Forms Black World War I unit TCS 4-14-1917 p2 c2
Carey, Talmadge: To wed Theresa Ray 8-8 at St. Peter Claver MSP 8-10-1945 p7 c3
Carey, Talmadge: Photo of wedding to Theresa Ray MSP 8-24-1945 p3 c3
Carter, Charles: Former slave dies, came to Mpls in 1883 TCL 8-24-1940 p2 c5
Goins, Homer Former St. Paul officer dies at 42 TCH 8-27-1932 p4 c1
Goins, Homer Obituary of former St. Paul police officer TCH 9-3-1932 p1 c2
And that's just the beginning of the articles that interest me!
28 February 2012
University of Iowa yearbooks now online
Do you have an ancestor who attended the University of Iowa? The Iowa City institution has recently completed a project to digitize the Hawkeye yearbooks from 1892-1992. One hundred year's worth of great information for genealogists. Access this great resource here: http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/yearbooks. The website warns that the year book was a project of the junior class and reflects the year of graduation, not the year of publication. Confusing? Yes.This is part of the greater Iowa Digital Library project.
26 February 2012
New Romanian Genealogical Society
This was written by my friend, Vicki Albu.
I am a product of the American “melting pot.” Through genealogy I have discovered Irish, German, Norwegian, hillbilly, and Mormon Pioneer ancestors. Few ethnic traditions survived the four-plus generations that most of my family have been in this country. For years my genealogy “brick wall” has been my Romanian great-grandfather, Ilie Moisescu, who was born in 1875 in what was then Austria-Hungary, and emigrated to the U.S. in 1911. The Twin Cities and especially South St. Paul were popular destinations for Romanian immigrants in the early 20th century, and there are many people of Romanian descent who still live in this area. But I rarely encounter anyone involved in Romanian genealogy, and I know of only one or two Romanian family history organizations in the U.S., if not in the world. Befriended by Romanians who came to this country in the 1990s, my interest grew stronger. I became almost obsessed with my Romanian heritage, and developed a fondness for eggplant, visinata, and sarmale (popular Romanian foods). In 2009, we formed the Heritage Organization of Romanian Americans in Minnesota (www.hora-mn.org) to educate others about Romanian culture and traditions.
At my friends’ urgings, and upon reflection of my tough grandmother’s advice that if you want something done you will need to do it yourself, I decided to form a Romanian Genealogy Society in Minnesota. On November 18, 2011 we held the first meeting of the Romanian Genealogy Society, attended by sixteen people who braved our first seasonal Minnesota snowstorm. I was thrilled at the turnout, because I had known so few people to be researching Romanian ancestors. Officers are Vicki Young Albu, president; Dorrene Dragos Hern, secretary; and Peggy Corniea, treasurer. Our next membership meeting was at the Minnesota Genealogical Society (MGS) on February 18, and we’ve issued our first newsletter.
We are in the process of becoming an official branch group of MGS, and will participate in the Central & East European Family History Conference at Inver Hills Community College on April 27-28, 2012, with three planned presentations on Romanian research. I am getting almost daily e-mails from people all over the U.S., Canada and Romania, asking about the Romanian Genealogy Society! Things are moving so fast; I am learning so much, and I don’t know why I waited this long to “just do it.” If you have any questions or to sign up for a mailing list, please contact Vicki Young Albu by e-mail at young754@umn.edu. Membership dues for the RGS are $20.00 per calendar year per household, beginning in 2012. We welcome photos and stories about all Romanian-American families, especially those with connections to Minnesota and the Midwest.
Follow the RGS news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RomanianGenealogySociety
I am a product of the American “melting pot.” Through genealogy I have discovered Irish, German, Norwegian, hillbilly, and Mormon Pioneer ancestors. Few ethnic traditions survived the four-plus generations that most of my family have been in this country. For years my genealogy “brick wall” has been my Romanian great-grandfather, Ilie Moisescu, who was born in 1875 in what was then Austria-Hungary, and emigrated to the U.S. in 1911. The Twin Cities and especially South St. Paul were popular destinations for Romanian immigrants in the early 20th century, and there are many people of Romanian descent who still live in this area. But I rarely encounter anyone involved in Romanian genealogy, and I know of only one or two Romanian family history organizations in the U.S., if not in the world. Befriended by Romanians who came to this country in the 1990s, my interest grew stronger. I became almost obsessed with my Romanian heritage, and developed a fondness for eggplant, visinata, and sarmale (popular Romanian foods). In 2009, we formed the Heritage Organization of Romanian Americans in Minnesota (www.hora-mn.org) to educate others about Romanian culture and traditions.
At my friends’ urgings, and upon reflection of my tough grandmother’s advice that if you want something done you will need to do it yourself, I decided to form a Romanian Genealogy Society in Minnesota. On November 18, 2011 we held the first meeting of the Romanian Genealogy Society, attended by sixteen people who braved our first seasonal Minnesota snowstorm. I was thrilled at the turnout, because I had known so few people to be researching Romanian ancestors. Officers are Vicki Young Albu, president; Dorrene Dragos Hern, secretary; and Peggy Corniea, treasurer. Our next membership meeting was at the Minnesota Genealogical Society (MGS) on February 18, and we’ve issued our first newsletter.
We are in the process of becoming an official branch group of MGS, and will participate in the Central & East European Family History Conference at Inver Hills Community College on April 27-28, 2012, with three planned presentations on Romanian research. I am getting almost daily e-mails from people all over the U.S., Canada and Romania, asking about the Romanian Genealogy Society! Things are moving so fast; I am learning so much, and I don’t know why I waited this long to “just do it.” If you have any questions or to sign up for a mailing list, please contact Vicki Young Albu by e-mail at young754@umn.edu. Membership dues for the RGS are $20.00 per calendar year per household, beginning in 2012. We welcome photos and stories about all Romanian-American families, especially those with connections to Minnesota and the Midwest.
Follow the RGS news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RomanianGenealogySociety
25 February 2012
Research in the 1940 census is 36 days away!
April 2, 2012 is the date the 1940 U.S. census images will be released online. The census forms are released 72 years after they were taken. I am looking forward to looking at the households of several relatives and am trying to be patient. Patience is not one of my good qualities!
To see a short video that will help you prepare for the research click here. Connie Potter, an archivist from the National Archives makes a short presentation to help you get ready for April 2d. The census won't yet be indexed, but you can narrow down the area to search by using known addresses, addresses obtained from old city directories or telephone books, or old family letters from the time period that might be around your home.I have a list of addresses from city directories and have begin to narrow down the area to search by using the census enumeration maps.
Wish it were fully indexed? I do too, that's why I signed up to help index this important research resource. Archives.com, brightsolid, and FamilySearch are partnering to promote this volunteer indexing project. Please join me and other family historians in this endeavor by signing up here. Our indexing results will be FREE and online.
I just know that two neat parts of the 1940 census will help my research tremendously. First, it identifies who supplied the information for the household. Second, it lists where someone was living in 1935. Oh, I hope the latter part solves some location issues.
For more on the 1940 census, visit these websites:
To see a short video that will help you prepare for the research click here. Connie Potter, an archivist from the National Archives makes a short presentation to help you get ready for April 2d. The census won't yet be indexed, but you can narrow down the area to search by using known addresses, addresses obtained from old city directories or telephone books, or old family letters from the time period that might be around your home.I have a list of addresses from city directories and have begin to narrow down the area to search by using the census enumeration maps.
Wish it were fully indexed? I do too, that's why I signed up to help index this important research resource. Archives.com, brightsolid, and FamilySearch are partnering to promote this volunteer indexing project. Please join me and other family historians in this endeavor by signing up here. Our indexing results will be FREE and online.
I just know that two neat parts of the 1940 census will help my research tremendously. First, it identifies who supplied the information for the household. Second, it lists where someone was living in 1935. Oh, I hope the latter part solves some location issues.
For more on the 1940 census, visit these websites:
- http://stevemorse.org/#us click on several articles at the top of the list
- National Archives http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/
- https://www.familysearch.org/node/1520
- Blank 1940 census form http://www.1940census.net/1940_census_form.php
12 February 2012
Social Security Death Index access is threatened. We need to react!
I was planning to wax (maybe eloquently) about the recent political mess regarding access to the Social Security Death Index (SSDI). That's what we genealogists call it but the Social Security Administration (SSA) calls it the Death Master File. I use the SSDI frequently in my research. It helps me in research cases for county, state, and federal court cases, in cases of locating missing heirs, to help Indian tribes with enrollment issues, to clear land titles, and many other issues including researching my own family history. It has become more important to me in recent years as I am trying to locate more relatives or their descendants in relation to hereditary medical issues. I don't want to lose this resource.
I wish all banks, the IRS, state tax departments, credit card companies, insurance providers, and other businesses would check this long-time easily available resource to see if someone is illegitimately using a deceased person's Social Security number. The SSA is part of the federal government and so is the IRS. But the IRS hasn't used the FREE SSDI to check if all Social Security numbers used on tax returns are legitimate! Yes, you read that correctly. SSDI access is being threatened due to fraudulent tax returns. Duh, the IRS should have been checking the numbers. We all need to sign a petition to keep the SSDI accessible and to have the IRS use it.
My words stop here other than to give you three vital tasks:
p.s. I signed the petition as #1429
I wish all banks, the IRS, state tax departments, credit card companies, insurance providers, and other businesses would check this long-time easily available resource to see if someone is illegitimately using a deceased person's Social Security number. The SSA is part of the federal government and so is the IRS. But the IRS hasn't used the FREE SSDI to check if all Social Security numbers used on tax returns are legitimate! Yes, you read that correctly. SSDI access is being threatened due to fraudulent tax returns. Duh, the IRS should have been checking the numbers. We all need to sign a petition to keep the SSDI accessible and to have the IRS use it.My words stop here other than to give you three vital tasks:
- I suggest you read the words of a colleague and friend, Polly Kimmitt, CG, President of the Massachusetts Genealogical Council: http://pk-pollyblog.blogspot.com/. Her eloquent entry about the SSDI and the genealogical community is dated February 6th and says it better than I could.
- Then check out the Records Preservation and Access section of the Federation of Genealogical Societies website for more details. RPAC is a committee of the Federation of Genealogical Societies, National Genealogical Society, and the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies. It is supported by other major genealogical organizations. http://fgs.org/
- Lastly vote on the issue http://wh.gov/khE and then contact all your congressional reps to let them know your feelings on the subject. Together we can get this addressed.
p.s. I signed the petition as #1429
11 February 2012
California African American Genealogical Society 35th Anniversary Conference
Next Saturday, 18 February 2012, I will be the speaker for the California African American Genealogical Society's seminar in Los Angeles. I have several friends who are members of the CAAGS and I look forward to making new friends. I will be presenting these four lectures with both a general outlook and with some specific African American research angles.
To learn more about CAAGS: http://www.caags.org/
- Tho' They Were Poor, They May Have Been Rich in Records
- Genealogy & the Internet: Make it Work for You"
- Railroad Records & Railroad History: Methods for Tracking"
- Southern Records
To learn more about CAAGS: http://www.caags.org/
09 February 2012
Update on GRIP
The Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh opened registration on February 7th. Of the four courses, Tom Jones' Advanced Research Methods sold out already. The other courses still have some openings.
Intermediate Research: Tools for Digging Deeper in which Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, is encouraging students to bring their own family research for discussion and brainstorming. The classwork will include much hands-on work and discussion during the week. There will be a class research project that begins on Monday.
Beneath the Home Page: Problem Solving with Online Repositories in which Josh Taylor will have you work on your own computer (required). You will be delving into websites, databases, and finding aids that many genealogists miss.
German Genealogical Research in which you will be able to learn from John Humphrey, CG, one of the experts in the subject.
The limited private dorm rooms have sold out but shared dorm room packages are still available. It is not mandatory to stay on campus but it is an economical alternative to local hotels. The dorm package includes five nights and fifteen meals from Sunday evening, July 22 through Friday lunch, July 27.
To see the full lineup of classes for these courses, register, or to sign up for email update notifications visit www.GRIPitt.org.
Intermediate Research: Tools for Digging Deeper in which Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, is encouraging students to bring their own family research for discussion and brainstorming. The classwork will include much hands-on work and discussion during the week. There will be a class research project that begins on Monday.
Beneath the Home Page: Problem Solving with Online Repositories in which Josh Taylor will have you work on your own computer (required). You will be delving into websites, databases, and finding aids that many genealogists miss.
German Genealogical Research in which you will be able to learn from John Humphrey, CG, one of the experts in the subject.
The limited private dorm rooms have sold out but shared dorm room packages are still available. It is not mandatory to stay on campus but it is an economical alternative to local hotels. The dorm package includes five nights and fifteen meals from Sunday evening, July 22 through Friday lunch, July 27.
To see the full lineup of classes for these courses, register, or to sign up for email update notifications visit www.GRIPitt.org.
05 February 2012
Calling all Genealogists: GRIPitt on February 7th
Registration for the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh begins in two days. TWO days means February 7th. The inaugural year of this institute debuts from July 23-27, 2012. The location is LaRoche College in Pittsburgh which is a newer campus with updated dorms, neat cafeteria, and gathering spaces. The dorm and classrooms are just a few steps away from each other. The gathering spaces and dining area are conducive to networking, deep discussions (aren't all of our discussions, deep?), and for some fun, too.
Helpful registration information has been placed on the GRIP Registration tab. It describes what information you will need to provide during the registration process.
To learn more about the exciting courses, click here.
I am coordinating the Intermediate Genealogy: Tools for Digging Deeper course which is about United States records, resources, and methodology. It will not be exactly the same as the one I do at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. Of course there will be some similar elements but the GRIP course has more hands-on work and discussion because we don't have the Family History Library nearby. It is strongly suggested that you bring along a laptop computer, netbook, or iPad to use in the classroom and after-hours. Students may also send me a United States family history problem of their own for use in discussion during the week. Write a one page essay about the problem and then include a page detailing what you have already checked. You will leave the class with many ideas for furthering your research.
I will also be teaching in D. Joshua Taylor's course Beneath the Home Page: Problem Solving with Online Repositories. Josh will be teaching some of the classes in my course. Full class descriptions are on the GRIP website.
The other two excellent courses are Thomas W. Jones' Advanced Research Methods and John Humphrey's German Genealogical Research.
Helpful registration information has been placed on the GRIP Registration tab. It describes what information you will need to provide during the registration process.
To learn more about the exciting courses, click here.
I am coordinating the Intermediate Genealogy: Tools for Digging Deeper course which is about United States records, resources, and methodology. It will not be exactly the same as the one I do at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. Of course there will be some similar elements but the GRIP course has more hands-on work and discussion because we don't have the Family History Library nearby. It is strongly suggested that you bring along a laptop computer, netbook, or iPad to use in the classroom and after-hours. Students may also send me a United States family history problem of their own for use in discussion during the week. Write a one page essay about the problem and then include a page detailing what you have already checked. You will leave the class with many ideas for furthering your research.
I will also be teaching in D. Joshua Taylor's course Beneath the Home Page: Problem Solving with Online Repositories. Josh will be teaching some of the classes in my course. Full class descriptions are on the GRIP website.
The other two excellent courses are Thomas W. Jones' Advanced Research Methods and John Humphrey's German Genealogical Research.
30 January 2012
D. Joshua Taylor and brightsolid
This is a press release that I am honored to share. It represents wonderful news about a good friend and colleague and someone I thoroughly enjoy working with on projects and research.
January 30, 2012
BRIGHTSOLID HIRES TOP GENEALOGIST D. JOSHUA TAYLOR TO SUPPORT MOVE INTO US MARKET
• He's helped stars find their roots on TV's "Who Do You Think You Are?" Now, he's helping brightsolid's US launch as business development manager and media spokesperson
• Taylor is one of several new appointments to the new US operation of UK's major online genealogy business
SANTA MONICA, CA. brightsolid, a leading online provider of historical and genealogical content, today announces that top genealogist D. Joshua Taylor has joined its new US office with immediate effect, as business development manager and media spokesperson.
D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS is one of America’s most prominent genealogists – a prolific genealogical researcher, speaker and author, who has also received numerous awards for his work. Adept at media interviews, he has twice been featured on the NBC series 'Who Do You Think You Are?', helping both Sarah Jessica Parker and Ashley Judd trace their family trees.
"We’re thrilled to have recruited such a dynamic and talented genealogist to represent us both to the media and the wider genealogical community", says Neil Curtis, brightsolid’s new Senior Vice-President (SVP) of North America.
Speaking about his appointment, Taylor says: "Having seen what brightsolid has achieved on the UK genealogy scene, I'm excited about helping them fulfill their huge potential in the US."
British-owned brightsolid has itself been at the forefront of technological innovations in family history for over three decades. It hosts over a billion genealogical records across its family of brands and was this month voted Best Genealogy Organization in the online Gene Awards.
As part of its move into North America, brightsolid is sponsoring RootsTech 2012, the major family history and technology conference, taking place in Salt Lake City from February 2-4 2012, where Taylor himself will be giving three talks. They will cover, respectively, the need for a universal standard in online digital archiving; best practices for using Cloud computing in family history research; and a forecast for future genealogy software developments.
Other new appointments to brightsolid's new US operation:
D. Joshua Taylor is just one of several new appointments for brightsolid, following the opening this month of its new US operation, based in Santa Monica, California.
• Neil Curtis moves from his role as brightsolid Corporate Development Manager to focus on the US market as Senior Vice President (SVP) of North America.
• Rachel Denning joins as the General Manager of North America, after 14 years experience in the IT and web industries.
• Brian Speckart join as Marketing Manager of North America, after a varied 15-year career in marketing and public relations, including teaching New Media Marketing at UCLA Extension.
• Katy Curtis will focus on North America as Finance Manager, after previously working as a director at KPMG.
January 30, 2012
BRIGHTSOLID HIRES TOP GENEALOGIST D. JOSHUA TAYLOR TO SUPPORT MOVE INTO US MARKET
• He's helped stars find their roots on TV's "Who Do You Think You Are?" Now, he's helping brightsolid's US launch as business development manager and media spokesperson
• Taylor is one of several new appointments to the new US operation of UK's major online genealogy business
SANTA MONICA, CA. brightsolid, a leading online provider of historical and genealogical content, today announces that top genealogist D. Joshua Taylor has joined its new US office with immediate effect, as business development manager and media spokesperson.
D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS is one of America’s most prominent genealogists – a prolific genealogical researcher, speaker and author, who has also received numerous awards for his work. Adept at media interviews, he has twice been featured on the NBC series 'Who Do You Think You Are?', helping both Sarah Jessica Parker and Ashley Judd trace their family trees.
"We’re thrilled to have recruited such a dynamic and talented genealogist to represent us both to the media and the wider genealogical community", says Neil Curtis, brightsolid’s new Senior Vice-President (SVP) of North America.
Speaking about his appointment, Taylor says: "Having seen what brightsolid has achieved on the UK genealogy scene, I'm excited about helping them fulfill their huge potential in the US."
British-owned brightsolid has itself been at the forefront of technological innovations in family history for over three decades. It hosts over a billion genealogical records across its family of brands and was this month voted Best Genealogy Organization in the online Gene Awards.
As part of its move into North America, brightsolid is sponsoring RootsTech 2012, the major family history and technology conference, taking place in Salt Lake City from February 2-4 2012, where Taylor himself will be giving three talks. They will cover, respectively, the need for a universal standard in online digital archiving; best practices for using Cloud computing in family history research; and a forecast for future genealogy software developments.
Other new appointments to brightsolid's new US operation:
D. Joshua Taylor is just one of several new appointments for brightsolid, following the opening this month of its new US operation, based in Santa Monica, California.
• Neil Curtis moves from his role as brightsolid Corporate Development Manager to focus on the US market as Senior Vice President (SVP) of North America.
• Rachel Denning joins as the General Manager of North America, after 14 years experience in the IT and web industries.
• Brian Speckart join as Marketing Manager of North America, after a varied 15-year career in marketing and public relations, including teaching New Media Marketing at UCLA Extension.
• Katy Curtis will focus on North America as Finance Manager, after previously working as a director at KPMG.
28 January 2012
FGS Radio Show and the CAAGS!
I am listening to the Federation of Genealogical Societies My Society radio show right now as I sit in the Family History Library. The earbuds and computer work just fine for this. Why not tune in? http://www.Blogtalkradio.com/
The featured FGS Members society today is the California African American Genealogical Society based in Los Angeles. That's the society where I will be presenting a day-long seminar on February 18th! http://www.caags.org
The featured FGS Members society today is the California African American Genealogical Society based in Los Angeles. That's the society where I will be presenting a day-long seminar on February 18th! http://www.caags.org
Do you appreciate the SSDI?
What family historians call the Social Security Death Index has been under assault from a number of directions in recent weeks. Now it's the subject of a hearing that may jeopardize our access to it or access as we have known it.
In view of the limited time available to hear witnesses, oral testimony at this hearing will be from invited witnesses only. However, any individual or organization not scheduled for an oral appearance may submit a written statement for consideration by the Subcommittee and for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing."
Check out the full details here and make sure your voice is heard:
http://waysandmeans.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=276834
I have used the SSDI in many ways. These include sorting out land ownership issues, researching enrollment issues for sovereign American Indian tribes, locating details needed in court cases, establishing ancestry in matters of medical issues, and many other ways. Would a big change affect my business? Definitely. Would it affect the business and personal matters of my clients? Definitely. One of the things I don't understand about the "threat" of identity theft is why banks, credit card issuers, employers, insurance companies, and others don't simply verify Social Security numbers against the SSDI (Social Security Death Master File) to see if the number is listed there.
"U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security announced today that the Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the accuracy and uses of the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File. The hearing will take place on Thursday, February 2, 2012 in B-318 Rayburn House Office Building, beginning at 9:00 a.m.
In view of the limited time available to hear witnesses, oral testimony at this hearing will be from invited witnesses only. However, any individual or organization not scheduled for an oral appearance may submit a written statement for consideration by the Subcommittee and for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing."
Check out the full details here and make sure your voice is heard:
http://waysandmeans.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=276834
I have used the SSDI in many ways. These include sorting out land ownership issues, researching enrollment issues for sovereign American Indian tribes, locating details needed in court cases, establishing ancestry in matters of medical issues, and many other ways. Would a big change affect my business? Definitely. Would it affect the business and personal matters of my clients? Definitely. One of the things I don't understand about the "threat" of identity theft is why banks, credit card issuers, employers, insurance companies, and others don't simply verify Social Security numbers against the SSDI (Social Security Death Master File) to see if the number is listed there.
Back to blogging about family history research
Yes, I have been missing in action. The past month has been dictated by client, writing, and lecture deadlines plus some family time. Some of my upcoming seminar presentations are listed in the right hand column complete with live links for more information. I would love to meet readers at these places.
I just completed a week of intense teaching at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. I coordinate and teach the two part Intermediate American Records Course. In January 2013, the second half of the course will be offered. Registration will open this coming June and between now and then the full lineup of courses, classes and other details will appear on the Utah Genealogical Association website. www.infouga.org
I just completed a week of intense teaching at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. I coordinate and teach the two part Intermediate American Records Course. In January 2013, the second half of the course will be offered. Registration will open this coming June and between now and then the full lineup of courses, classes and other details will appear on the Utah Genealogical Association website. www.infouga.org
27 January 2012
RootsTech Conference Will Broadcast Select Sessions Free Online
Can't join us in Salt Lake City for RootsTech next week? Some of the sessions will be live on the Internet!
SALT LAKE CITY—RootsTech, a leading family history and technology conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 2-4, 2012, announced today that fourteen of its popular sessions will be broadcasted live and complimentary over the Internet. The live broadcasts will give those unable to attend worldwide a sample of this year’s conference content. Interested viewers can watch the live presentations at RootsTech.org. The second-year conference has attracted over 3,000 registered attendees.
The free online sessions include the keynote speakers and a sampling of technology and family history presentations. Following are the fourteen broadcasted sessions and speakers. All times are in Mountain Standard Time (MST):
Thursday, February 2
8:30-10:00 am, Inventing the Future, as a Community (Keynote Address) by Jay L. Verkler
11:00 am-12:00 pm, Do I Trust the Cloud? by D. Joshua Taylor
1:45-2:45 pm, Effective Database Search Tactics by Kory Meyerink
3:00-4:00 pm, Twitter – It’s Not Just “What I Had for Breakfast” Anymore by Thomas MacEntee
4:15-5:15 pm, Eleven Layers of Online Searches by Barbara Renick
Friday, February 3
8:30-9:30 am, Exabyte Social Clouds and Other Monstrosities (Keynote Address) by Josh Coates
9:45-10:45 am, Publish Your Genealogy Online by Laura G. Prescott
11:00 am-12:00 pm, Optimize Your Site for Search Engines by Robert Gardner
1:45-2:45 pm, Genealogists “Go Mobile” by Sandra Crowly
3:00-4:00 pm, Google’s Toolbar and Genealogy by Dave Barney
Saturday, February 4
8:30-9:30 am, Making the Most of Technology to Further the Family History Industry (Keynote Address) by Tim Sullivan and Ancestry.com Panel
9:45-10:45 am Genealogy Podcasts and Blogs 101 by Lisa Louise Cooke
11:00 am-12:00 pm, Future of FamilySearch Family Tree by Ron Tanner
1:45-2:45 pm, Privacy in a Collaborative Environment by Noah Tatuk
16 January 2012
FGS 2012 Birmingham Conference Registration is now open!
January 16, 2012 – Austin, TX. Registration for the 2012 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference, scheduled for August 29 - September 1, 2012, in beautiful Birmingham, Alabama, is now open. This year’s conference theme is “Indians, Squatters, Settlers and Soldiers in the ‘Old Southwest’,” and the local host is the Alabama Genealogical Society (AGS).
This year's FGS conference offers an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in researching their family history. Over 175 educational sessions and 13 luncheons are designed to balance the needs of genealogists at all levels, exploring a variety of records, strategies, and other tools available to those interested in researching their family history. Special sessions include a wide variety targeting members and leaders of genealogical and historical societies. In addition, special events, such as the Alabama Genealogical Society Opening Social at the Alabama Theater, the FGS Evening Social at the historic Sloss Furnaces, Spotlight on Societies, and daily sponsored lectures provide an excellent environment to meet and network with others interested in family history and genealogy. Session sponsors include FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, findmypast.com, the National Archives and Records Administration, and others.
Conference Highlights
This year's FGS conference offers an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in researching their family history. Over 175 educational sessions and 13 luncheons are designed to balance the needs of genealogists at all levels, exploring a variety of records, strategies, and other tools available to those interested in researching their family history. Special sessions include a wide variety targeting members and leaders of genealogical and historical societies. In addition, special events, such as the Alabama Genealogical Society Opening Social at the Alabama Theater, the FGS Evening Social at the historic Sloss Furnaces, Spotlight on Societies, and daily sponsored lectures provide an excellent environment to meet and network with others interested in family history and genealogy. Session sponsors include FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, findmypast.com, the National Archives and Records Administration, and others.
Conference Highlights
- Librarian’s Day: On Wednesday, August 29, 2012, ProQuest is sponsoring a full day of sessions designed for librarians, archivists, and other information professionals serving family history researchers.
- Conference Sessions: A wide variety of genealogy-related lectures and workshops for all experience levels. Topics include Southern research, Settlers and Indians, soldiers, strategies and techniques, technology, and writing.
- Special Events: Include the AGS Opening Social at the Alabama Theater and the FGS Evening Social at the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark—all providing an excellent environment to meet and network with others interested in family history and genealogy. This exciting week of genealogy closes with a Farewell Brunch on Sunday.
- Exhibit Hall: Filled with a wide array of vendors and organizations, Cyber Cafe and lounge area sponsored by RootsMagic, and a special Spotlight on Societies area will showcase local and regional genealogical and historical societies.
There are more activities and research opportunities too numerous to list. However, you can learn all about the 2012 FGS Conference and register for this exciting four-day event at http://www.fgs.org/
Learn More and Stay Connected- Visit the Conference News Blog: http://www.fgsconferenceblog.
org - Follow the Conference on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/
fgs2012 and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/fgs2012 - Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau at http://www.birminghamal.org
14 January 2012
Weller's opens in time for SLIG, RootsTech, and the PMC
You may already know this if you live in the Salt Lake City area. The throngs of people with an interest in genealogy, history, libraries, technology and other things who will visit there in the next 3 weeks might not know it yet.
The Sam Weller bookstore formerly on Main Street has now reopened in Trolley Square as Weller Book Works. Check out the full news article in today's Salt Lake Tribune. Be sure to look at the picture that heads the article and be prepared to drool.
SLIG (Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy): www.infouga.org
RootsTech: www.rootstech.org
PMC (Association of Professional Genealogists): www.apgen.org
The Sam Weller bookstore formerly on Main Street has now reopened in Trolley Square as Weller Book Works. Check out the full news article in today's Salt Lake Tribune. Be sure to look at the picture that heads the article and be prepared to drool.
SLIG (Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy): www.infouga.org
RootsTech: www.rootstech.org
PMC (Association of Professional Genealogists): www.apgen.org
10 January 2012
U.S. National Archives New Copiers/Scanners/Copy Cards
From the National Archives blog NARAtions I just learned that The U.S. National Archives is replacing "copiers and the copy card system in the research rooms of College Park, MD (Archives II) and Washington, DC (Archives I) in early 2012. The new copiers/scanners will have more features than the current copiers. The new machines produce paper copies and digitized scans that can download to thumb drives."
You may read the entire post here.
You may read the entire post here.
06 January 2012
Listen to genealogy radio online to kickstart 2012.
Yes, sit in your pj's with the libation and snack of your choice at hand and listen to great shows on your computer, iPad, etc. Sign in to join in the chat rooms. They are fun, chatty, and I do learn a lot. I plan to listen to both shows this weekend and to participate in the chat rooms.
Tonight, Friday, January 6th is Geneabloggers Radio. www.blogtalkradio.com/geneabloggers
Hosted by Thomas MacEntee, the special guests include:DearMYRTLE of DearMYRTLE.com who will have tips and handy information on how to keep your genealogy data and materials organized; Amy Coffin, of the We Tree genealogy blog will discuss setting genealogy goals and resolutions for 2012. And Jan Meisels Allen, Vice President of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) and a member of the Records Preservation and Access Committee (RPAC) with important information on how you can get involved with the preservation and access of vital records, especially the Social Security Death Index. And, as usual, you never know what other aspects of genealogy and family history will be covered at GeneaBloggers Radio so tune in! GeneaBloggers Radio is about the most fun you can have with your genealogy on a Friday night!
Tomorrow, Saturday, January 7th is FGS My Society Radio www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety
Join us for the next episode of FGS Radio - My Society, an Internet radio show on Blog talk Radio presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. This week’s episode hosted by FGS board member, Randy Whited, is entitled New Year, New Board Members. Our guests will include Polly FitzGerald Kimmitt, president of the Massachusetts Genealogical Council (MGC) and editor of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Voice Newsletter. In addition, we’ll be highlighting FGS member society, Clallam County Genealogical Society (Washington) in our weekly Society Spotlight feature. Tune in to FGS Radio – My Society each week to learn more about genealogy societies and join in a discussion of the issues impacting the genealogical community.
Tonight, Friday, January 6th is Geneabloggers Radio. www.blogtalkradio.com/geneabloggers
Hosted by Thomas MacEntee, the special guests include:DearMYRTLE of DearMYRTLE.com who will have tips and handy information on how to keep your genealogy data and materials organized; Amy Coffin, of the We Tree genealogy blog will discuss setting genealogy goals and resolutions for 2012. And Jan Meisels Allen, Vice President of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) and a member of the Records Preservation and Access Committee (RPAC) with important information on how you can get involved with the preservation and access of vital records, especially the Social Security Death Index. And, as usual, you never know what other aspects of genealogy and family history will be covered at GeneaBloggers Radio so tune in! GeneaBloggers Radio is about the most fun you can have with your genealogy on a Friday night!
Tomorrow, Saturday, January 7th is FGS My Society Radio www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety
Join us for the next episode of FGS Radio - My Society, an Internet radio show on Blog talk Radio presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. This week’s episode hosted by FGS board member, Randy Whited, is entitled New Year, New Board Members. Our guests will include Polly FitzGerald Kimmitt, president of the Massachusetts Genealogical Council (MGC) and editor of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Voice Newsletter. In addition, we’ll be highlighting FGS member society, Clallam County Genealogical Society (Washington) in our weekly Society Spotlight feature. Tune in to FGS Radio – My Society each week to learn more about genealogy societies and join in a discussion of the issues impacting the genealogical community.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
+of+Bill+Feb+4+one.jpg)
