Focusing on genealogy research with emphasis on New York State
In honor of Canada Day, MyHeritage.com is offering free access to all its Canadian records from June 29 to July 2, 2023.
The website has 176 collections, featuring 3,662,055 records, centered around the diverse history of Canada. Canadian records include: immigration documents, military records, census data, and more.
You will need to set up a free user name and password to view the images.
To start searching, go to: https://www.myheritage.com/research/catalog?location=Canada
Several free genealogy webinars will be offered this week covering Irish research, digitized newspapers and Southern research.
Genealogical Society of Rockland County will present “Make Those Skeletons Dance,” on Tuesday, June 27 at 7 p.m. How well do you really know your ancestors? Most of us want to believe our ancestors were hard-working, noble, or “salt-of-the-earth” types. We want to like them, and even brag about them. However, the reality is that if we go back far enough, we all can dig up a few proverbial “skeletons in the closet.” The horse thief, the philanderer, the murderer! If you suspect a few black sheep lurking in your family tree, this session will show you how to hunt them down, bust through the speculation, and tell the real story.
To register, go to: https://newcity.librarycalendar.com/event/genealogical-society-rockland-county-meeting-make-those-skeletons-dance
Allen County Public Library will present “Fundamental Research in the South” on Tuesday, June 27 at 2:30 p.m. This presentation will cover major concepts to consider with your family research in the southern United States including migration, settlement patterns, religion, land, and geography. Learn how to find available resources and develop a strategy to find your southern ancestors.
To register, go to: https://acpl.libnet.info/event/8553424
Villages Genealogical Society will present “Irish Chain Migration to North America” on Wednesday, June 28 at 10 a.m. Our Irish ancestors did not immigrate on a whim. They often followed in the footsteps of other family members or their neighbors and friends. Learn about the history of chain migration including well known routes from specific Irish locations to cities and regions in North America. Discover strategies for recognizing and exploring chain migration in your family.
To register, go to: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwudumqqT4oHNG_GKL29Ld182r3xBNPjBBa#/registration
Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “A Fresh Light on Old Newspapers” on Wednesday, June 28 at 2 p.m. Researching in old newspapers no longer means sitting at a microfilm reader for hours on end, winding through a seemingly endless string of news stories and advertisements. Today, the results we seek could be a matter of minutes away, thanks to the many digitization projects that have placed millions of newspaper pages on the Internet. But what are the pitfalls? This presentation takes you through the digitization process, from hard copy to your computer screen. It is designed to help you achieve the best results from your work.
To register, go to: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/a-fresh-light-on-old-newspapers/
New York Public Library will present “Getting Started with Jewish Genealogy: Part 2” on Thursday, June 29 at 1 p.m. Part 2 will be taught by a librarian from the Dorot Jewish Division, and will go over secondary resources and Jewish-specific materials that will help provide context for your findings.
To register, go to: https://nypl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mwUIJyrsTvK6t1SxQWlhMg#/registration
The Wantagh Preservation Society will present “New York Heritage Website” on Tuesday, June 27 at 7 p.m. at the Wantagh Preservation Society Museum, 1700 Wantagh Avenue.
The New York Heritage website is where libraries, universities and historical societies post their historic photos, historic maps, digitized newspapers, documents and oral histories. There are 28 contributing organizations from Suffolk County and 36 from Nassau County, including our library here in West Hempstead.
The website is a great place learn what your ancestor’s town may have looked like in the past or maybe they appeared in local newspapers.
Light refreshments will be served.
For more information, go to: https://www.wantagh.li/museum/ or visit their Facebook page.
The New York Public Library will present a two part series on Jewish genealogy research on Wednesday, June 28 and Thursday, June 29 both at 1 p.m.
Part I covers genealogical research basics and vital record searches taught by members of the Irma and Paul Milstein Division. Part II covers Jewish-specific resources and how they might contextualize your findings. Both courses cover essential resources and electronic resources available at the library and from home.
You must register for both parts. To register for Part 1, go to: https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2023/06/28/getting-started-jewish-genealogy-new-york-public-library-part-1
To register for Part II, go to: https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2023/06/29/getting-started-jewish-genealogy-new-york-public-library-part-2
Several free genealogy webinars will take place this week covering: Greek research, Wisconsin research and urban research.
New York Genealogical and Biographical Society will present “Writing the Book on the State Archives Records and Untold Discoveries” on Tuesday, June 20 at 12:30 p.m. The author of a new book on the New York State Archives will share insights and discoveries gleaned from pouring through hundreds of colonial and State government records held by the Archives. She will also tell some stories of the people she met along the way. To register, go to: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ejdvylmpf2aeb375&oseq=&c=&ch=
Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Methods and Tips for Urban Research” on Tuesday, June 20 at 8 p.m. Family history research in a large city can be richly rewarding as urban centers typically kept better records. However, when it is your ancestor who does not appear in the vital records, how do you find them? Searching among the plethora of people in a city such as New York can be challenging. This presentation will give attendees some ways to navigate research in urban areas using a case study in 19th-century New York City to illustrate the methods.
To register, go to: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/finding-your-one-among-millions-methods-and-tips-for-urban-research-a-new-york-city-case-study/
Wisconsin Genealogical Society will present “Finding Bits and Pieces of Your Wisconsin Ancestors” on Tuesday, June 20 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Vertical Files, sometimes called Subject Files, are a collection of miscellaneous documents and ephemera that are puting in file folders which are then stored in filing cabinets and catalogued by surname and by subject name. These files are a hodge-podge of records and could contain just about anything that can fit into a file folder. This presentation will show the genealogist how to find these records in Wisconsin and how to use them.
To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4797761196362768655
Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Greece’s Top 5 Types of Genealogy Records” on Wednesday, June 21 at 2 p.m. Genealogy research in Greece is sometimes hard, yes, but with a good knowledge of the different types of records available, one can overcome several challenges! This webinar will teach you everything you need to know about the most important types of Greek records: what to look for, where to find, how to analyze & how to use!
To register, go to: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/greeces-top-5-types-of-genealogy-records/
Allen County Public Library will present “Finding and Using Pennsylvania Land Records to Solve Difficult Problems” on Thursday, June 22 at 6:30 p.m. Land records often provide the names, dates, and locations necessary to answer tough genealogical questions. But finding the records to answer these questions in Pennsylvania can be a challenge. Learn what types of land records were created in a particular place and time, what kinds of information the records contain, and where you can find the records today. We’ll also discuss research strategies to use these land records to solve tough cases, which apply to using land records in any location.
To register, go to: https://acpl.libnet.info/event/8553421
There are many free genealogy programs being offered this week covering: DNA research, digitized newspapers and land records.
Broward County Genealogical Society will present “Probate Documentation” on Sunday, June 11 at 2 p.m. Probate documentation can be a goldmine of information on a decedent and his family. However, have you searched for your ancestor in a neighbor’s estate file? Examples from Florida and elsewhere in the 18th and 19th centuries will demonstrate what information can be gleaned on the decedent and neighbors involved during the probate process.
To register, go to: https://nova.libcal.com/event/9874114
Genealogical Society of Bergen County NJ will present “Navigating FultonHistory.com” on Monday, June 12 at 2 p.m. FultonHistory.com, or Old Fulton NY Postcards, is a free, historic newspaper website that contains archives of over 50 million pages of microfilmed newspaper images (mostly New York State newspapers, along with collections from other states and Canada). This presentation will give an overview of the content and a variety of search strategies.
To register, go to: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2478854892528605532
Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Strategies to Discover Ancestors Playing Hide and Seek” on Wednesday, June 14 at 8 p.m. Successful researchers carefully mine sources, correlate, and analyze extracted information to solve research problems. Identifying a research subject that materializes or disappears from thin air is challenging, but careful attention to detail may help researchers overcome frustration. This lecture will use mini-case studies to outline strategies.
To register, go to: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/ready-or-not-strategies-to-discover-ancestors-playing-hide-and-seek/
New York Genealogical & Biographical Society will present “Using DNA to Find an Immigrant Ancestor’s Irish Origin” on Thursday, June 15 at 7 p.m. This lecture will provide a case study in how to use DNA analysis, coupled with traditional genealogical research, to find the ancestral village of Daniel McCormick. Daniel was an Irish Famine immigrant into New York City and he and his family lived in Flushing, New York, for many years.
To register, go to: https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/events/finding-daniel-mccormick-using-dna-find-immigrant-ancestor%E2%80%99s-irish-origin
Allen County Public Library will present “Introduction to Arab American Genealogy” on Thursday, June 15 at 6:30 p.m. Similar to other Americans, those whose ancestors come from Arab-identified countries of the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region can find clues to their family history in traditional genealogical sources. This presentation will introduce tips and tricks to conducting Arab American genealogical research. Beyond traditional resources, unique record groups specific to the Arab American experience will be addressed.
To register, go to: https://acpl.libnet.info/event/8592759
Florida State Genealogical Society will present “Organize, Visualize and Evaluate the Evidence” on Thursday, June 15 at 8 p.m. We gather lots of information, data, and evidence as we research our ancestors. The difficulty lies in analyzing the information, correlating and comparing it to data gathered from multiple sources, evaluating the evidence, and ultimately concluding what it all means. Organizing data using timelines, chronologies, charts, tables, and other assemblages can help us visualize the evidence to make it easier to analyze and evaluate. We can discover gaps and missing information, see how pieces of the puzzle fit together (or don’t), and uncover new paths for research.
To register, go to: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwrcOGhqzgqH9YyThFY3bN-FptxA5-Zs9Q7#/registration
Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Finding Your Ancestors in Canadian Land Records” on Friday, June 16 at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Canadian land records contain valuable genealogy information but can be tricky to find. This presentation will give you instructions for finding these records. Using case studies, you’ll learn where to look for land records in Canada, the intricacies in finding them, and what information they may contain.
To register, go to: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/finding-your-ancestors-in-canadian-land-records/
Several free genealogy webinars will take place this week covering Hispanic genealogy research and genealogy databases.
New York Genealogical & Biographical Society will present “My People Were Here Too” on Tuesday, June 6 at 7 p.m. Many members of the Latino diaspora are not aware of the plethora of resources available to connect them to their history. This lecture will help people understand that relevant information about their ancestors is available and to teach participants methods of discovering their own familial history, particularly those with Latino heritage. The presenter will guide attendees to the resources that are available to them at little to no cost and will teach participants how to do their research and begin work on their family tree.
To register, go to: https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/events/mi-gente-estuvo-aqui-tambi%C3%A9n
Minnesota Genealogical Society will present Tracing Bartending, Saloonkeeping, and Tavernkeeping Ancestors on Wednesday, June 7 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Taverns and saloons have been a crucial American institution, and the men behind the bar were the social rock stars of their era. This webinar will lead you through the pre-prohibition records and resources which will help you add an extra shot of flavor into your research. To register, go to: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_- hRh9o8NRNqJ7uFwyAVKUQ#/registration
San Diego Genealogical Society will present “Introduction to AmericanAncestors.org and Fold3.com” on Saturday, June 10 at 1 p.m. Eastern. AmericanAncestors.org is the website and databases of the New England Historical and Genealogical Society. Fold3.com provides a wealth of military resources and documents.
To register, go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3iFmbPz_TMqYnkd43SH03Q#/registration
The Friends of the Lakeview Cemeteries, located in Patchogue, Suffolk County, will be hosting a headstone repair clinic on Saturday, June 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This is part of a multi-year restoration project of five cemeteries that began in November 2022 with volunteers removing invasive plants. Future projects include repair and replacement of damaged gravestones, landscaping and removal of invasive plants, and replacement of damaged fencing. A 2023 professional assessment found over 300 historic gravestones in Waverly Cemetery in need of repair or replacement.
Professional monument specialists will train volunteers to re-set and clean gravestones. Volunteers will receive this training and then be asked to return to assist on repair work as the project progresses over the next several years.
Registration is required and should be sent to LakeViewCemeteries@gmail.com
Several free webinars will take place at the end of this week featuring African-American Research and DNA testing.
Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Afro-Louisiana History and Genealogy, 1718-1820” on Friday, June 2 at 2 p.m. This groundbreaking collection, which also goes by the name Louisiana, U.S., Records of Enslaved People, 1719-1820, was the brainchild of Dr. Gwendolyn Midlo-Hall and features the names, genders, ages, occupations, illnesses, family relationships, places of origin and more for upwards of 100,000 formerly enslaved in Louisiana. In this session, learn the history of the collection, where records were obtained, how to search and find original documents, and more.
To register, go to: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/afro-louisiana-history-and-genealogy-1718-1820/
The Solano County Genealogical Society (CA) will present “Overview of the Major DNA Testing Company Tools” on Saturday, June 3 at 1 p.m. Eastern time. Get an overview of the four major DNA testing companies: Ancestry, MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA and 23andMe, focusing on the tools each of these companies offers and a comparison of their strengths and weaknesses. Also learn the general best practices for managing DNA kits and provide tips for analyzing DNA matches. The talk will include demonstrations of each company’s website.
To register, send an email to: scgs@scgsca.org no later than 4 pm the day prior to the event.
Cabarrus County Library and the Kannapolis African-American Museum and Cultural Center, Inc. will present “I’ve Traced My Family Back to 1870, Now What?” on Saturday, June 3 at 11 a.m. Researching African American ancestors pre-1870 presents unique challenges. Learn sources and techniques to locate ancestors during the reconstruction and enslavement eras.
To register, send an email to: lmkesler@cabarruscounty.us
The German Genealogy Group, which meets in Bethpage, NY, has recently added many records to its databases.
Birth records, Kings County, 1881-1892 – 210 given names added and 567 changes/additions made
Marriage Licenses, Kings County – added 2,214 missing brides and 81 grooms
Marriage Licenses, Queens County – 7,199 added the year 1930
Marriage Certificates, Kings County – 961 brides and 130 grooms were added for 1868 that were missing from the original index
Databases are always free to search and include all nationalities. To start searching these records, go to: https://www.germangenealogygroup.com/records-search/NYCSearchDatabases.php
