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Free webinars to cover DNA research, 1890 census and research plans

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Several free webinars will be offered this week covering DNA research, research strategies and census research.

Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Using Chromosome Browsers, Segment Data and Triangulation,” on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 2 p.m. This webinar will delve into the world of DNA segment data and explain not only what it is but how to make best use of it to aid your family history research. Learn how to use chromosome browsers and learn about different tools available at the major testing companies. Through the use of practical examples, the presenter will illustrate intermediate and advanced autosomal DNA techniques such as triangulation, chromosome mapping, inferred matching and visual phasing.

To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3429542097211989505

The Minnesota Genealogy Society will present “Keeping Up with the Jones Girls : Discovering a Relationship Using Indirect Evidence,” on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 8 p.m. This case study connects a woman with her parents in 19th century Connecticut. Her maiden name is known but unfortunately that name is “Jones.” No document names her parents. By investigating potential parental couples, studying their known children, and identifying those children’s transactions with our target person, we will weave her back into her family. The techniques that are used are applicable to similar problems, regardless of location.

To register, go to:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7785497107389891600

The Ontario Genealogical Society will present “Get with the Plan: 7 Simple Steps to a Research Strategy” on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. Are your research methods unfocused? Do you find yourself jumping around with no clear strategy? This is a real sign that you’re not working with a research plan. In this webinar, learn to reign in your scattered approach to your research and stop the aimless and unorganized researching. Get more precise in your approach to uncovering the lives of your ancestors by learning to develop a research plan.

To register, go to: https://ogs.on.ca/zoom-meetings/webinar-2020-september/

The Southern California Genealogical Society will present “Researching Around the Missing 1890 Census,” on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 1 p.m. The loss of the 1890 Federal census is a source of great frustration for American genealogists, but all hope is not lost! Learn strategies and gather tips for success in locating your family in other records between the 1880 and 1900 Federal censuses.

To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4502466434412296706

Orange County California Genealogical Society will present “Using FamilySearch Digital Microfilm” and “Probate Records: My Favorite!” on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Both presentations will be made by Randy Seaver, author of the Genea-Musings. Learn about the unindexed collections on FamilySearch.org and the finding aids available to find records in these collections. In addition, learn about the overall probate process, the different kinds of probate records, and how to find and obtain probate records in repositories and online record collections.

To register for both of these webinars, go to: bit.ly/OCCGSseaver

 

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Free Scottish genealogy conference set for August 30

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The website, Scottish Indexes, will be hosted a free Scottish genealogy conference on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020. To accommodate people from around the world, sessions are repeated during the day. The conference will begin at 2 am Eastern Time and end at 5 pm Eastern Time.

The session topics are the following:

‘Discover Scottish Land Records’

‘DNA Case Studies: How to Successfully Combine DNA & Traditional Research Methods’

‘The Resources of the Fife Family History Society’

‘The Resources of the Scottish Genealogy Society’

‘Caring for Collections: protecting and preserving the family archive’

‘Genealogy in the Scottish Borders Archives’

‘Using the National Library of Scotland’s maps website to aid your local history’

‘Mapping the Archival Footprints of Scotland’s Ministers’

There will be time to ask the panel of genealogists questions throughout the day and there will be two Question and Answer sessions.

The conference can be viewed on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/8015957744689/WN_-RLpk1zESbubNj8Sk2lnuA  or on the Scottish Indexes Facebook Group page.

For more information go to: www.scottishindexes.com

 

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Price increase for USCIS records goes into effect on Oct. 2

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The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on July 31 that there will be an increase in prices to request genealogy records. These new prices will become effective on Oct. 2, 2020.

The new fees will be: Genealogy Index Search Request from $65 to $160 if filed online and $170 if filed using paper form. The Genealogy Records Request fee will go from $65 to $255 if filed online and $265 if filed using paper.

The USCIS is encouraging requesters to use electronic filing because it will reduce the time it takes to process the request and to receive genealogy records.

To request records, go to the USCIS website at: https://www.uscis.gov/records/genealogy

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Several free webinars to cover Jewish research, program management

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Several free webinars will be offered next week on Jewish research, Eastern European research and project management.

American Ancestors will present “Jews in the Catskills During and After the Holocaust,” on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 4 p.m. The Catskills was a summer haven for both Holocaust survivors and those who had arrived earlier. In the 1950s and 1960s over 1,000 hotels and bungalow colonies operated in what was then probably the world’s largest resort area. Yiddishist hotels and bungalow colonies, and even the persistence of speaking Yiddish, Yiddish-English patois, and Yiddish jokes in the Catskills was a form of resistance against the Nazi attempt to destroy Jewish life.

To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8168776966418237454?source=website

Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Slack for Genealogy Projects” on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 2 p.m. Whether you’re a professional genealogist trying to manage multiple clients and projects or just trying to juggle your own personal research, you may need to move beyond your current management tools. Slack is a FREE online collaboration hub to manage and improve workflow. Participants will learn how to install Slack and also delegate admin and other roles. Once installed, we’ll review sample projects as well as sample communications in REAL TIME during the lecture.

To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2473915859516448515

San Diego Genealogical Society will present “Eastern Europe and the Kingdom of Hungary” on Saturday, Aug. 29 from noon to 2:15 p.m. Eastern Time. Session 1 will cover church records of the Kingdom of Hungary including where the registers are held and ways to access them. Session 2 will cover civil registration and census records including where the records are held and ways to access them. The Kingdom of Hungary covers present-day Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Ukraine and Romania.

To register, go to: https://casdgs.org/event-3885704

The Jewish Genealogy Society of Illinois will present “Out of the Whirlwind: Finding Your Family Llst in the Holocaust” on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. The presenter, Deborah Long is the founder of the Triangle Jewish Genealogical Society in North Carolina.

There is a limit of 100 participants. To join the live streaming session, at meeting time go to: https://tinyurl.com/y3svjpcq.

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Free access to yearbook collection at Ancestry.com for limited time

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Ancestry.com is offering free access to over 700 million yearbook records.

Access to the records in the featured collections will be free until Aug. 27,  2020 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. You will need to create a free user name and password to view items in the collection.

After the free access period ends, you will only be able to view the records in the featured collections using a paid membership.

To get started, go to: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1265/

 

 

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New York prison records now available on Ancestry.com

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Two new databases related to New York prisons have recently been added to Ancestry.com.

New York, Great Meadow Correctional Facility Records, 1911-1933: Opened in 1911, Great Meadow Correctional Facility was the fourth male state prison in New York. Several different types of records, including admission registers, parole registers, and registers of aliens are included in this collection. Registers recorded the inmate’s name, county tried in, crime, dates of conviction and admission, sentence, alias, and county received from.

New York, Auburn Prison Records, 1816-1942: Auburn Prison (now known as Auburn Correctional Facility) was the second state prison in New York. Several different types of records, including registers of male inmates received/discharged, registers of female inmates received/discharged, registers of sentences, registers of foreign-born inmates, registers of commutations of male and female inmates are included in this collection.

Early registers recorded the inmate’s name, county tried in, crime, dates of conviction and admission, sentence, alias, and county received from. Personal details may include age, place of birth, marital and family status, residence, physical description, and identifying markings. Literacy, language spoken, religion, habits, and occupation were also noted. Later years added more detailed descriptions and incarceration history and, after 1914, forms were expanded to include details such as parents, nativity, immigration, military service, and more.

For those living in New York State, these collections are available through Ancesty.com New York. To access Ancestry.com New York, go to: http://www.archives.nysed.gov/research/how-to-video-ancestry

 

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Many genealogy webinars scheduled for this week

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The Wisconsin Genealogical Society will present “Bounty Land: It’s Complicated” on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. Bounty land was offered as compensation for soldiers who fought in the Revolution, War of 1812, and Mexican War, but veterans of these wars didn’t simply take up residence on their land grants. Some did, but many people who weren’t veterans ended up with these lands. Learn about the laws, all the people who got involved, and where to find the records.

To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2879923722299563276

The Arlington Heights Memorial Library will present “Successful Strategies for Researching Eastern European Ancestors,” on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. A vast number of immigrants came to America from Eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Border changes, language differences, political considerations, and exotic-sounding surnames often complicate the search for Austrian, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Rusyn, Slovak, Ukrainian, and other Eastern European ancestors. Traditional methods and online resources for tracking ancestors both in the U.S. and the old country will be discussed.

You must register to participate in this live program, which will be held on Zoom. You will receive a link to participate by email one day prior to the event:  https://www.ahml.info/scheduling/reservation/61722

New York Genealogical and Biographical Society will present “Unlocking Notation Codes on Alien Passenger Lists” on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. Passenger manifests often contain scribbled number and letter codes that relate to an immigrant’s arrival in the United States. Learn what these cryptic abbreviations mean and how they might reveal significant details about your ancestor’s immigrant experience.

To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8915992973052567566

New Jersey State Archives will present “Researching New Jersey Revolutionary and Civil War Ancestors” on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 12 p.m. New Jersey has a wealth of military service records especially for those interested in Revolutionary and Civil War ancestors. Together, we’ll be reviewing useful primary record collections, both State and Federal, available at the New Jersey State Archives and National Archives, plus supporting secondary materials available at the New Jersey State Library.

To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2334467003277903888

Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Getting to Know Mexican Church and Civil Registration Records” on Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 2 p.m. These records are often described as the best family history records in the world due to the wealth of genealogical information typically included in these records. Learn how to find and analyze Mexico civil and church registration collections to build out your Mexican family history. Even a non-Spanish speaker can be successful at this research.

To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5156388880004079875

The Southern California Genealogical Society will present “The Most Prominent Citizens: Using County Histories” on Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 9 p.m. Through using a biography from an Ohio county history, the audience will be led through a case study using “FAN club” principles, examining and comparing information from different county histories, and using all clues from these sketches to extend research queries.

To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3681098263114761474

Florida Genealogical Society will present “Death By Undue Means” on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. From colonial times to today, death not attributable to natural causes required investigation. Elected or appointed coroners worked with local juries to determine more about what caused each death. Learn more about coroners’ records and how to use them in genealogy. This will be presented by Judy Russell, The Legal Genealogist.

To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6088353628642701579

Utah Genealogical Association will present “Researching Your Tree When You’re Adopted” on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 9 p.m. Some people are told they were adopted; others find out by accident, with papers, rumored stories, or medical problems. People who want to search for their birth parent(s) then have to go through bureaucratic procedures, discovering they had a different name, and then potentially finding lots of overwhelming information. Learn about the excitement, problems, pain, and practical realities of researching a ‘new’ family.

To register, go to: https://ugagenealogy.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1gPTc0U8RRmi6VrUqamDbA

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MyHeritage.com photo enhancer free for next month

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From today until Sept. 10, 2020, non-subscribers to MyHeritage.com can take advantage of the company’s two popular photo tools — MyHeritage Photo Enhancer and MyHeritage in Color.

Normally, these features can be used by non-subscribers on up to 10 photos each. But now, for a whole month, anyone can enhance and colorize as many photos as they’d like for free.

To get started you will need to create a free user name and password to log onto MyHeritage. Once, logged in just look on the home page for the box that says Bring Your Family Photos into Focus.

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Several genealogy webinars to be offered next week

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New York Public Library will present “Genealogy Research with Maps,” on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 1 p.m. This webinar will describe how maps in the collections of The New York Public Library and elsewhere can be used to drive genealogical research and illustrate family histories. The focus will be on digitized maps.  Learn about fire insurance maps and atlases, military and topographical maps, county maps and atlases, and many more kinds of maps, to locate records, discover where our ancestors lived, and what their lives were like.

To register, go to: https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2020/08/11/online-class-genealogy-research-maps

Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Dissecting a Civil War Pension Packet” on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at 8 p.m.  Have you identified a Union or Confederate Civil War soldier in your ancestry? Lucky you. These records are the most accessible of all military records. Learn the history of these records, who was included and excluded, and the changes in the law. Civil War Pension records contain a wealth of information. This webinar will compare two pension packets, Confederate and Union–and how to acquire, use them and the stories they tell.

To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/357263617074339586

American Ancestors will present “The ABCs of Using School Records in Family History Research” on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 3 p.m. School records offer insight into an ancestor’s daily life, help fill in a timeline and can be a useful tool in cluster research. Learn how to find yearbooks, registers, teacher lists, and other school records from elementary school through college.

To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1884246679117138443?source=website

The Allen County Public Library will present “Evaluating Ancestry’s Public Member Trees,” on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 6:30 p.m. Ancestry’s Public Member Trees are a popular place for genealogists to store family information. They can be a storehouse of treasures but are also often filled with wrong information. This webinar will help you evaluate the trees and show techniques for adding research value to your own that will make it truly outstanding. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the program.

To register, go to: https://acpl.libnet.info/event/4497199

Georgia Genealogical Society will present “Creek Indians of Southern States” on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m. The Muscogee Creek people have a long history in the southern region of the United States. While the tribe predates written records, many modern accounts of the tribe, their culture, their history, and their families still exist and provide a wealth of information for genealogical research. Learn about documents, collections, and repositories and how to access them. Also discussed will be DNA research and how it is being used in genealogical applications pertaining to tribal ancestry.

To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8767996509564196622

Pinellas County Genealogy Society will present “Before Roads and Rails: Waterways to the Midwest,” on Saturday, Aug. 15 at 11 a.m. Before improved roads and the advent of the railroads, travel by water was the easiest and fastest way to the newly-opened territories of the midwestern United States. Our ancestors traveled them, worked on them, and lived by them. Learn how to reconstruct the stories of their travel and livelihood.

To register, go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85772712842?pwd=YmtxT1VMUkpXbkJybGNIb0ExRGRkQT09 

Connecticut Society of Genealogists will present “Google Search Strategies” on Saturday, Aug. 15, at 1:30 p.m.  This is a pre-recorded webinar presented by Lisa Louise Cook.

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtdOCgqT8iHtH4qT5PI80Z6x6zeNzQx1Ej

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

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Ancestry.com offers free remote access during August – Update

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Some good news for local genealogists — Ancestry.com is providing free remote access now through the end of September to anyone with library cards in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Just go to your home library website, go to the database section and look if your library subscribes to Ancestry.com.

As previously mentioned in another post, Ancestry.com is also providing free remote access to anyone who has a New York Public Library card.

For anyone outside of the Long Island, New York City area, check with your local library to see if you can use your library card for free access to Ancestry.com.

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