Research Reminder

Have you revisited favorite websites recently? New information is posted regularly on sites such as Family Search, Ancestry and Find A Grave. I've been checking surnames this week and found many surprises on Find A Grave--information that has been uploaded within the past year. I have also taken advantage of the subscription websites at the Family History Library while on a break from reading microfilm. Remember to verify any information found on those online family trees.

Changes at the Family History Library

We are spending the week in Salt Lake City (because it's right on the way to Minnesota and Wisconsin) and enjoying the chance to research. We've been into German microfilm, English vital records, and Indiana books and film during the first few days.

Those of you who have visited the Family History Library will remember the large information desk on each floor where you could take your film or copies to ask questions. This has been changed within the past couple of months. The new area has a single information kiosk. When you ask for help you are given a pager and it will indicate when your expert is available.

The new information desk

New British Isles help desk

The experts themselves are located at various spots around the floor. They have a computer and microfilm reader available at their station to assist patrons. This will avoid any congestion or standing in line at the main desk area.

Legacy Webinar

Wednesday, May 20, Legacy's webinar seems to be a case study that will explain how to find records for those ancestors who were never naturalized. Judy Russell is the presenter and the presentation is suggested for intermediate researchers. A clip from the description follows. Register or read more about it at www.familytreewebinars.com. 


Martha Benshura - Enemy Alien

Not all our ancestors were naturalized. The ones who didn't become citizens suddenly became suspect when war divided their native countries from their new residences, creating the kinds of records genealogists love.

April/May Internet Genealogy

We received the latest issue of Internet Genealogy recently. If you have an interest in researching in Denmark, cloud storage, births at sea,finding preachers who might have officiated at your ancestors' weddings, or Windows-based hardware--you might want to locate a copy. As the name of the magazine indicates, it focuses on websites in its varied articles.

May 13 Legacy Webinar

Thomas Jay Kemp will be talking about GenealogyBank.com during this week's webinar. He is affiliated with the website but is also well-known as a genealogist and speaker. Visit www.familytreewebinars.com to learn more or to register. The description of the topic, which is on a beginner level, follows:


"Families often have one or two family traditions passed down over centuries – but how do we document them? Do we have old family letters or journals? If not – we need to focus on newspapers to discover and document our stories."


I have had a subscription to GenealogyBank for a couple of years and, although I don't use it as often as other websites, I have generally found something of interest when searching.

WWII Records Free on Fold3

Here is the information from Family Tree Magazine's enewsletter:


Historical records subscription site Fold3 is making its WWII content free through Friday, May 15, in observance of the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, May 8, 1945.



Free records include:

    Interactive USS Arizona Memorial
    Historical photos
    War crimes case files
    Army and Navy Judge Advocate General Files
    Holocaust records collection

...and many others.


Visit Fold3.com to see the complete WWII collection. You will be asked to sign up for a free basic account before you can view a record. (If you run into a "free trial signup," just return to the main collection and search from there.) 

Wednesday's Legacy Webinar

Peggy Clemens Lauritzen will present part 2 of her beginning genealogy series on Wednesday, May 6. Registration and more information at www.familytreewebinars.com. During this week's session, she will discuss compiled sources as described below.


"Session 2 - Using Compiled Sources. There are many opportunities to view what has been researched before. Some of those collections include compiled genealogies and heritage books, and online compilations. We will look at some ways to discover if the previous research is credible and can aid in our own family history research."

Citing Sources Revisited

The May/June issue of Family Tree Magazine has a comprehensive article about source citation. Rick Crume gives specific instructions for creating sources in Family Tree Maker 14, Legacy 8 and Roots Magic 7, complete with a screen capture. He adds a few "quick tricks" for each brand of software.

If you do not subscribe to the magazine, you might be able to access the article online, find it in a bookstore, or locate it in your public library.