Welcome Home Event

Lisa and Carolyn were two of the volunteers at the Welcome Home event. Notice that our mascot doesn't need sunglasses, a hat or sunscreen.

Greeting possible new members

Thanks to everyone who helped to staff the table Friday afternoon.

January 23 Genealogy Club

Debbie Spencer demonstrated features of the Family Search website, beginning with the Family Tree section. She talked about the pedigree view, showing the different charts available. She mentioned that you can include photos and stories in the person view. Her presentation also touched on the search feature, where you can look at records, books, the catalog and the Wiki.

Debbie Spencer

Part of the membership in attendance

It was great to have such a large group for our first outside speaker of the year. We will continue to explore the FamilySearch website in future meetings.

Genealogy Club Mascot

At last week's workshop we asked if anyone in the club might be able to build a chair or bench that could be used to display our skeleton. Ralph volunteered that night and delivered the chair the next day! Our mascot can now join us at any genealogy table; he really does attract attention.

But, does he now need a name? Any suggestions?

Thanks, Ralph!

January 16 Workshop

Find A Grave: We looked at the "new" Find A Grave website: after it was purchased by Ancestry the entire site was redone. You can find the same information, but the search format looks different. Find A Grave still requires exact spelling to produce search results.


BLM Records: U. S. researchers should use the Government Land Office site to discover whether an ancestor received a land grant. The site provides a copy of the deed and a map of the location of the land description.


Both of these sites can be reached from our list of website links.

Surname Entry Discussion

A friend sends weekly website suggestions, and many of them link to Dick Eastman's genealogy blog, which he has been writing for over 20 years. We talked in November about the "correct" way to record a surname, suggesting that it be displayed in upper case. It seems that Family Search no longer recommends this procedure.

You can read, if interested, Eastman's blog post about using all caps and several comments at the link below.


https://blog.eogn.com/2017/12/05/genealogy-data-entry-techniques-2/

January 9 Meeting

It was unfortunate that our scheduled speaker had to cancel due to illness. We replaced her talk with a webinar titled "Did I Get Everything? Creating a Checklist for Genealogy Research" by Thomas MacEntee. This was one of January's Legacy webinars that we watched free during the week following its presentation.

MacEntee has devised an extensive checklist to help researchers gather every possible bit of information on an ancestor. (Our folders have a similar list of suggestions for sources to research.) He also strongly suggests using a research log to keep better track of your work. Part of his talk focused on using social websites such as Facebook and Twitter for genealogy.

Mesa Family History Conference

Here's the announcement about another conference next month. The conference is FREE except if you choose to order lunch. Here's the link to register: www.mesafamilysearchlibrary.com


ANNOUNCING a Family History Conference sponsored by the Mesa FamilySearch Library on Saturday, February 10, 2018, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. at the ASU Polytechnic LDS Institute Building, 7124 East Innovation Way North in Mesa, off Williams Field Road, east of Power Road.  Please note this conference is located on the ASU Polytechnic campus in Mesa, not the ASU campus in Tempe.

Our theme is “Bridging Generations” and provides a wide variety of 40 class choices for all types of learners, from beginners to the most advanced genealogists.  Come and learn how to be more effective and efficient when doing your research.  Learn to trace your roots with DNA.  Learn to find and document your sources.  Get specific information on various ways to research in specific states and countries.  If you are new to family history, come learn the basics.  Some of the most popular classes are repeated in an effort to accommodate everyone.   Spend all day or come for a single class or two; you may attend a maximum of five classes.

Detailed conference information will become available and registration will begin online at www.mesafamilysearchlibrary.com on Wednesday, January 10, 2018.  At the time of registration, registrants will be given the opportunity to purchase lunch from Jason’s Deli.  Otherwise, the conference is FREE.  Parking is also free and convenient but registrants are reminded that cars are parked in a public facility and are urged to be cautious with their valuables.

January 2 Workshop

The workshop presentation demonstrated how the information in a family bible could send a researcher down the wrong path. When "siblings" in the bible are actually from three different sets of parents, it makes research difficult.

We began sign-ups for the upcoming field trip to the local family history center, scheduled for January 31.

Volunteers for next week's genealogy table at the craft fair were also accepted. It is not too late to contact Annie or Dick to add your name to the list!

January Legacy Webinars

Legacy has announced the coming webinar schedule. Here are the topics for January. Register to watch any of these free webinars at www.familytreewebinars.com or plan to watch at your leisure for seven days after each presentation.

Wednesday, January 3 - "Did I Get Everything? Creating a Checklist for Genealogy Research" by Thomas MacEntee.   Beginner

Friday, January 5 - "Legacy 9 Unlocked (part 1): Your First Few Legacy Tips" by Geoff Rasmussen.  Beginner

Wednesday, January 10 - "Quality, Time and Completion: Developing a Research Plan (part 1)" by J. Mark Lowe.  Beginner

Friday, January 12 - "Full Circle: Tracing the Descendants of a Slaveholding Ancestor" by Nicka Smith.  Beginner, Intermediate

Tuesday, January 16 - "Genealogy for Beginners: Start Your Online Family Tree" by Daniel Horowitz.  Beginner  (This is the MyHeritage website.)

Tuesday, January 16 - "Finding Thomas' Father: an 18th Century Prince William County Virginia Case Study" by Pam Stone Eagleson.   Intermediate

Wednesday, January 17 - "Introducing the Geni World Family Tree" by E. Randol Schoenberg.  Beginner

Wednesday, January 24 - "Finding Jamestown Ancestors" by KC Reid.  Beginner, Intermediate

Tuesday, January 30 - "Understanding DNA Matching Technology" by MyHeritage Webinars. Beginner, Intermediate

Wednesday, January 31 - "Comparing the Genealogy Giants: Ancestry, FamilySearch, Findmypast and MyHeritage" by Sunny Morton.  Beginner

January Plans

January 2: Workshop - "Family Bible Mistakes"

January 9: "Stepping Back in Time"

January 16: Workshop - Useful Websites

January 23: "FamilySearch Website"

January 27: Pinal County Workshop

January 30: Workshop - Useful Websites
 
January 31: Field Trip - Family History Center