We purchased several copies of Legacy Software for club members at the Expo two weeks ago. We still have one package available for the bargain price of $20. If you've been thinking about getting your information into the computer, this might be a good time to start!
Contact Dick Rietz at 6544.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Grand Prize Winner
There were 10 grand prizes awarded at the Arizona Expo in Mesa. Our president, Rick Wood, was the recipient of one of them. He won a year's premium subscription to MyHeritage, which includes the World Vital Records site.
Congratulations, Rick!
Congratulations, Rick!
Monday, January 28, 2013
Workshop Reminder
Remember that Tuesday's workshop will begin with an overview of how to get started in genealogy. We will cover some basic forms, census research and briefly touch on vital records and other sources.
Hope to see all our beginners along with members who have already begun their research. Following the presentation you can plan to make use of the router for internet access for research, uploading to Find a Grave or working on your family trees. Our library and other resources will be available to everyone, and we'll try to provide assistance to anyone needing it.
Hope to see all our beginners along with members who have already begun their research. Following the presentation you can plan to make use of the router for internet access for research, uploading to Find a Grave or working on your family trees. Our library and other resources will be available to everyone, and we'll try to provide assistance to anyone needing it.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Pinal County Workshop
Just returned from a day of classes at the annual Pinal County Genealogy Workshop. Great to see several of our members in attendance. One of my favorite speakers taught the beginner class, so I listened to her lecture and picked up a few ideas. This afternoon I learned more about German research at Steve Packer's presentation. He'll be speaking to our club on that topic next month.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Friday Fact
Visit the Mesa FamilySearch Library (name change last year) and click MFSL Newsletter on the home page. www.mesarfhc.org
They produce an excellent monthly newsletter that you can read on the site each month OR request that they email it to you. Last month's newsletter specialized in German research, and January's focus is research in England.
It's well worth a look.
They produce an excellent monthly newsletter that you can read on the site each month OR request that they email it to you. Last month's newsletter specialized in German research, and January's focus is research in England.
It's well worth a look.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Irish Research Correction
JUST REALIZED: The article about free research on the Ireland version of Find My Past was dated yesterday, Jan. 23.
This means your research opportunity is TODAY, January 24. There are still a few hours left for exploring the site.
My apologies...
This means your research opportunity is TODAY, January 24. There are still a few hours left for exploring the site.
My apologies...
For Members Researching in Ireland
Researching ancestors in Ireland? Flex those typing muscles: Tomorrow, Jan. 24, Irish genealogy website findmypast.ie will let you access 21 million Irish vital records free in honor of its first Irish Family History Day.
This
according to the Irish news websites IrishCentral
and siliconrepublic.
The vital
records, new on the site, range from the 1800s to 1958.
Findmypast.ie
is a website from brightsolid publishing, which also operates findmypast.com
(US),findmypast .com.au
(Australia and New Zealand) and findmypast.co.uk
(England, Wales and Scotland), among other genealogy websites. When you visit
from the United States, you may get a pop-up suggesting you use the American
site, but you can just close it and carry on.
Also,
if you're in the United States, be mindful of time zone differences when you
plan your search session(s). Findmypast.ie is based in Dublin, which is five
hours ahead of the US East Coast.
Thanks to Ken Doane for this tip, who read his Family Tree Internet Newsletter earlier than I did this morning!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Wednesday Website
Many of us have used Find A Grave, which has 90 million grave records, to locate ancestors' tombstones. (Note the link on our menu.)
If you have been unsuccessful on that site, you might try www.billiongraves.com
Billion Graves is a relatively new project that has over 2,000,000 names and counting. You can search by surname or browse by cemetery and location. So the name is a bit misleading, but they have a lofty goal! Billion Graves has also partnered with Family Search, so the records will appear if you are doing a search there.
If you have been unsuccessful on that site, you might try www.billiongraves.com
Billion Graves is a relatively new project that has over 2,000,000 names and counting. You can search by surname or browse by cemetery and location. So the name is a bit misleading, but they have a lofty goal! Billion Graves has also partnered with Family Search, so the records will appear if you are doing a search there.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Legacy Webinar
Best Internet Resources for East European Genealogy is being presented by Lisa Alzo on Wednesday, January 23. You can watch live if you register ahead of time at www.legacyfamilytree.com/webinars.asp
The webinars have been shown in the past at 12 noon mountain time; be sure to check whether this time has changed. If you cannot "attend" on Wednesday, the webinars are available for viewing at the same website for ten days following the presentation.
The webinars have been shown in the past at 12 noon mountain time; be sure to check whether this time has changed. If you cannot "attend" on Wednesday, the webinars are available for viewing at the same website for ten days following the presentation.
Monday, January 21, 2013
January 22 Genealogy meeting
Join us this Tuesday as we welcome Howard Mathieson. He was a club member several years ago and spoke on a couple of occasions.
His main area of interest is England with particular emphasis on maps, family names, etc. This week's topic is called "Surnames of the Ancient Woodlands." If you've ever wondered about the origin of your ancestor's surname, it may be explained during Howard's presentation.
He tells me that "a surprisingly large number of English surnames are derived from woods which were inhabited by the Saxons as early as the sixth century. As villages were established they would frequently take the names of the woods they replaced. In the 13th and 14th centuries when surnames were being adopted, many individuals would take the names of the woodland villages they had inhabited."
His main area of interest is England with particular emphasis on maps, family names, etc. This week's topic is called "Surnames of the Ancient Woodlands." If you've ever wondered about the origin of your ancestor's surname, it may be explained during Howard's presentation.
He tells me that "a surprisingly large number of English surnames are derived from woods which were inhabited by the Saxons as early as the sixth century. As villages were established they would frequently take the names of the woods they replaced. In the 13th and 14th centuries when surnames were being adopted, many individuals would take the names of the woodland villages they had inhabited."
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Pinal County Genealogy Workshop
This is the final week to register for the 2013 workshop held at the LDS Church on Colorado Street. Registrations must be postmarked by January 19, 2013. You can still attend as a walk-in, but a lunch is not guaranteed for those registering on the day of the workshop. Registration form and the information about speakers and classes is at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~azpcg/
Hope to see you there!
Hope to see you there!
Arizona Expo
Several club members will be attending the 2013 Arizona Expo at the Mesa Convention Center this Friday and Saturday. Look for a report on our favorite classes next week!
Find A Grave
Tuesday evening Patty Foley gave an excellent demonstration on preparing and posting photographs to the website Find A Grave. Her outline listed the specific steps to follow in resizing pictures of gravestones. If you were unable to attend, her outline was attached to Dick's meeting notice.
This is a great way to "give back" to the genealogy community. If you have ever used www.findagrave.com you already know how helpful that site can be for learning more about your ancestors. It is a collection of 77 million grave records, many including photos of headstones and/or obituaries and family groups.
If you are taking a field trip to your home cemetery, check Find A Grave before you go to see whether anyone has posted a request for a photograph of a tombstone. OR, look for a cemetery on Find A Grave that you are unable to visit and post your own request.
This is a great way to "give back" to the genealogy community. If you have ever used www.findagrave.com you already know how helpful that site can be for learning more about your ancestors. It is a collection of 77 million grave records, many including photos of headstones and/or obituaries and family groups.
If you are taking a field trip to your home cemetery, check Find A Grave before you go to see whether anyone has posted a request for a photograph of a tombstone. OR, look for a cemetery on Find A Grave that you are unable to visit and post your own request.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Member News
Our vice president, Ken Doane, will be a busy guy this year!
Ken was elected President of The Doane Family Association of America, Inc. at their July 2012 meeting. The 965 member nonprofit organization, with members on three continents, creates interest in the history and welfare of the descendants of Deacon John Doane.
Ken will oversee the publication of the third book in the Doane Family genealogy series, the Deacon John Doane Research Committee and the partnership with Family Tree DNA. “Through the DNA project, and other research that has become available online, we want to pursue the identification of Deacon John Doane’s parents, who we believe came from England,” Doane said. Doane will also manage the family’s foundation, an auxiliary asset of the national organization. The Foundation funds college scholarships for family descendants, as well as students attending Doane College in Crete, NE.
The Doane Family Association of America, Inc. has met biennially for the past 104 years. It welcomes those with surnames of Doane, Doan, Done, Donne or variations thereof, their spouses and descendants, as well as those interested in the family’s history.
The next national reunion, which will feature historic tours, research updates and history presentations, will be held July, 2014, in Michigan. More information can be found at the association’s website, www.doanefamilyassociation.org.
Ken was elected President of The Doane Family Association of America, Inc. at their July 2012 meeting. The 965 member nonprofit organization, with members on three continents, creates interest in the history and welfare of the descendants of Deacon John Doane.
Ken will oversee the publication of the third book in the Doane Family genealogy series, the Deacon John Doane Research Committee and the partnership with Family Tree DNA. “Through the DNA project, and other research that has become available online, we want to pursue the identification of Deacon John Doane’s parents, who we believe came from England,” Doane said. Doane will also manage the family’s foundation, an auxiliary asset of the national organization. The Foundation funds college scholarships for family descendants, as well as students attending Doane College in Crete, NE.
The Doane Family Association of America, Inc. has met biennially for the past 104 years. It welcomes those with surnames of Doane, Doan, Done, Donne or variations thereof, their spouses and descendants, as well as those interested in the family’s history.
The next national reunion, which will feature historic tours, research updates and history presentations, will be held July, 2014, in Michigan. More information can be found at the association’s website, www.doanefamilyassociation.org.
January 15 Workshop
Tuesday's workshop will provide you an opportunity to "give back" to the genealogy community.
Patty Foley will be demonstrating all the particulars involved in posting your cemetery headstone photos to FindAGrave. (She says if you don't have a headstone photo, you can practice with any photo in your computer.)
Bring your computers (fully charged!) and be ready to follow along with her instructions. The handout for this topic will be attached to Dick's weekly meeting notice. Please print and bring with you. (If you'd like to bring an extra copy, feel free.)
Following her demonstration, you may continue to work with FindaGrave. Others can join any special interest group, using our books, folders, etc.
Patty Foley will be demonstrating all the particulars involved in posting your cemetery headstone photos to FindAGrave. (She says if you don't have a headstone photo, you can practice with any photo in your computer.)
Bring your computers (fully charged!) and be ready to follow along with her instructions. The handout for this topic will be attached to Dick's weekly meeting notice. Please print and bring with you. (If you'd like to bring an extra copy, feel free.)
Following her demonstration, you may continue to work with FindaGrave. Others can join any special interest group, using our books, folders, etc.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Treasurer Needed
We have lost Louise! Well, we know where she is--it just isn't in Palm Creek anymore. She and Doug have bought a house out of the park, so she has had to resign as our treasurer. If you would like to assume the office of treasurer until our February elections (or even continue in office), please contact one of the current officers. Rick Wood at 6244, Ken Doane at 6387 or Dick Rietz at 6544.
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
Tuesday's meeting
Last night we all enjoyed Louise's special cookies while watching a webinar explaining the changes being made on the family search website. Family Search is opening all of their genealogies to the general public. Anyone can upload their family tree, including sources. It is also possible to make changes in the existing trees, as long as there is a credible explanation (or source) for the change.
Now is the time to register on that site--everything is free--and make use of the extensive amount of information located there. www.familysearch.org
Now is the time to register on that site--everything is free--and make use of the extensive amount of information located there. www.familysearch.org
Monday, January 7, 2013
Tuesday Meeting
First meeting of 2013: January 8, 7 PM in the San Tan room
Welcome back!
Presentation: Video explaining the latest changes on the Family Search website. They have made it easier to access family trees. We are also being encouraged to use familysearch.org to store our genealogy online.
Handout: 101 best websites of 2012.
Refreshments provided! Come for cookies and conversation.
Welcome back!
Presentation: Video explaining the latest changes on the Family Search website. They have made it easier to access family trees. We are also being encouraged to use familysearch.org to store our genealogy online.
Handout: 101 best websites of 2012.
Refreshments provided! Come for cookies and conversation.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Volunteers Needed!
It's Craft Fair Tuesday January 8, 2013, from 9-1. If you can spare an hour or two next Tuesday to help register new clients for ancestor lookups, please let Annie know at 6544 or xwordsmith13@gmail.com
Palm Creek's Welcome Home Party is scheduled for Saturday, January 19, 11:30-1:30. We could use one or two volunteers to assist at the genealogy table. In past years this event has helped to gain new members for our club. The more, the merrier, right? Again, let Annie know if you can help.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)