The Genealogy & Family History Social Network

January 2010 Blog Posts (93)

How would being deaf affect your genealogical research?

Although none of my immediate family members have been completely deaf, many of us have moderate to severe hearing loss. I recently wrote about the challenges of disability to participating in genealogical research. Since we just finished the Family History Expo here in Mesa, Arizona, it reminded me of the difficulty of functioning in that environment if you were totally deaf. I had a hard enough time with my hearing aids and being only partially deaf. Very, very few of the presentations would… Continue

Added by James Tanner on January 26, 2010 at 8:58am — 1 Comment

boswell family

Actually trying to find information about the boswell family- where they spent quite a bit of time in wagga wagga n.s.w. the grandfather being charles edward boswell had something at one time to do with horses married a minnie alexia georgina alice isobel I believe surname wilson - there were daughters or daughter that lived in woolongong n.s.w. and other siblings lived at appin falls - any information would be great thanks brid

Added by brid boswell on January 26, 2010 at 3:23am — No Comments

Internet Genealogy Survey

A woman at New Mexico State University conducting a doctoral dissertation study on how cultural identity and family history research relate to each other. She would welcome more participants for her Internet survey. The link is www.mygenealogystudy.com.

Added by Debbie Winchell (Loving Dove) on January 25, 2010 at 9:17pm — No Comments

An Afternoon with Ancestry.com

I had computer problems earlier this year. My computer had a lot of memory, but my Family Tree Maker 2006 file was getting very large. My computer crashed several times, and I became a back up fanatic because I was afraid of damaging my file and losing everything. The Family Tree Maker database was taking forever to close down or backup. It wasn’t fun to sit and wait every night to see if it would back up or not. Eventually, I had my computer overhauled, with a new 1.5 terabit hard drive, more… Continue

Added by Heather Wilkinson Rojo on January 25, 2010 at 7:25am — No Comments

Family Tree Connection - Update (24/Jan/2010)

Family Tree Connection has added the following genealogy items to its database:

St. Lawrence College 1895-1896 Catalogue - Catalogue of St. Lawrence College, Mt. Calvary, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, 1895-1896. This institution was founded in the year 1856 by the Very Rev. Francis Haas and the Very Rev. Bonaventure Frey, shortly after they had introduced the Capuchin Order into this…

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Added by Illya Daddezio on January 24, 2010 at 9:39pm — No Comments

A great experience at the Arizona Family History Expo

Despite a huge rainstorm and actual tornado warnings, the Arizona Family History Expo was a huge success. I was invited to attend as a Blogger and had a excellent time meeting other Bloggers and talking to the exhibitors and attendees. Although I have not heard any official attendance figures, I would assume there were at least twice as many people there, than last year. I hope they didn't come expecting the usual Mesa, Arizona really nice weather in January because we had a very large rain… Continue

Added by James Tanner on January 24, 2010 at 5:48pm — No Comments

SCOTT, Thomas in VA and SCOTT, JOHN in Canada and probably MASS before early to mid 1700's.

Another Day Another Time, Chasing down a family line. Scott's that are beating out of time.

We are excited and confused. But we will take what we are given. We are now up to 4 perfect matches on the Scott line. How is yet to be determined. We suspect the VA Scott will fairly easily link in since we do not have all of Thomas Scott's data from him being in Pittsylvania Co. VA. Isaac are you a brother to John? It could easily be.

Now the Canadian line has created quite a… Continue

Added by Susi (Susan C Jones) Pentico on January 23, 2010 at 11:58pm — No Comments

Casper, Savage, Lithuanian

I am researching my Grandparents, John and Mary (Savage) Casper. My Grandfather immigrated in 1901. My Grandmother was born of Lithuanian parents (Frank and Josephine) in Mahoney City in 1895.

Added by Barbara Bryan on January 21, 2010 at 6:30pm — 1 Comment

An Indian without a Nose

The story of John Locke, Rye, New Hampshire

John Locke was baptized at London’s White Chapel on 16 September 1627, as the son of Thomas Locke and Christina French. In 1916 Arthur H. Locke published “A History and Genealogy of Captain John Locke of Portsmouth and Rye, New Hampshire and his descendants.” In this book it is theorized that his brother Nathaniel was baptized there at White Chapel on 11 November 1629, and they both removed to New Hampshire.

John Locke settled in… Continue

Added by Heather Wilkinson Rojo on January 20, 2010 at 8:47pm — No Comments

The Challenges of Genealogy for the Disabled

A short time ago, we had a patron at the Mesa Regional Family History Center who was deaf. I had the opportunity to work with him in doing research for quite a while. We communicated by writing our questions and answers on slips of paper. I am afraid I don't write very quickly, and tried to convince him to use the computer, so I could write more quickly, but I did not seem to get that concept across to him very well. Then in response to my last post about attending genealogical conferences, I… Continue

Added by James Tanner on January 20, 2010 at 6:59pm — No Comments

Anatomy of an Archival Scrapbook Project

We are in the process of wrapping up a large scrapbook project for a client that has been such a delight to work on that I wanted to share the project and the process we’ve gone through as I believe many of my readers may have similar such scrapbooks and may wonder what can be done with them.

Some of you might be wondering, “scrapbook?? I thought you did video?” While our primary service is biographical and tribute videos, our core value proposition is helping you preserve your… Continue

Added by Stefani Twyford on January 20, 2010 at 3:54pm — No Comments

What is "blog"

I don't understand the word! I just read James Turner's article "why should I go to a genealogical conference?" and tried to respond to it. I wrote but it didn't appear. I can't seem to reach James turner even though we are both members of various Genealogy Wise groups. I don't know how to be involved with the Blog thing. I am Susan (S.J.) Cruse and I would like very much to respond to Mr. Turner. I am Deaf and I have some positive comments on this.

Added by S. J. Cruse on January 20, 2010 at 1:37pm — 2 Comments

Why should I go to a genealogical conference?

Genealogy can be a very solitary activity. Although you may have contact with your family and with other researchers, most of the work you do is done by yourself. Even though you may read journals, magazine articles and online resources about the work of doing genealogy, there are few places you can go to get feedback from knowledgeable people. Genealogical conferences provide the motivation to re-energize and re-think methods, procedures and sources. The social atmosphere of the conference… Continue

Added by James Tanner on January 19, 2010 at 10:36pm — 1 Comment

The Home Guard - Part 2

From “The London Free Press and Daily Western Advertiser” June 11, 1866.

As was seen in part one of the “Home Guard” the boys are fully trained and ready to go.

Corner of Dundas and Richmond Streets, under a gas lamp, 3 am.

“To the Captain commanding Home Guards - Formed my troops in square of the rendezyous . Told them London expected every man to do his duty. Threw out skirmishers into the back yards and dark doorways. Marched with the main body under my own immediate… Continue

Added by William Bruce Hillman on January 19, 2010 at 8:14am — No Comments

The Home Guard

This excerpt from “The London Free Press and Daily Western Advertiser” June 11, 1866. It reads to a 21st century critic as if it was straight out of Monty Python. It’s ofnone man’s tale of service in the London, Ontario, Home Guard during the Fenian Raids. In fact, just after as the Battle of Ridgeway is over, and at this point, most of the Fenians that fought at Ridgeway are in the custody of the U.S. Army.

“I’ve joined the Home Guard, Sir, Editor, I would have volunteered and gone… Continue

Added by William Bruce Hillman on January 18, 2010 at 9:04pm — No Comments

5 Tips to Choosing an Online Genealogy Database

Now more than ever, I can appreciate how confusing it can be for a family historian trying to decide on which database they would like to join when beginning their family research. If you’re an armchair genealogist then certainly you want to belong to an online genealogy database. The question is which database to join?

I am here to tell you, only you can know the answer to that. How do you know?

1. Gather as much information about your ancestors prior to seeking out a… Continue

Added by Lynn Palermo on January 18, 2010 at 2:45pm — No Comments

Use Legacy to Create a Puppy Pedigree

This weekend we brought home our family's first puppy - a Toy Poodle.

The next day the breeder called and said they had overcharged my credit card. I thought, "no big deal. It's probably just ten or twenty dollars." Then they admitted it was overcharged by about fifteen thousand dollars.

Click here to read the entire… Continue

Added by Geoff Rasmussen on January 18, 2010 at 11:49am — No Comments

The Illiterate Colonel

Last week I blogged about Colonel Joshua Burnham, and the fine mansion house he built in Milford, New Hampshire. His house was later sold to the Hutchinson family. Because of their fame as singers, I’ve been able to find many documents about my ancestor the Colonel. You would think that as a Revolutionary War officer, and as someone wealthy enough to build a large estate, he would have left documents for me, the future genealogist, to uncover. But that is not the case with Joshua… Continue

Added by Heather Wilkinson Rojo on January 18, 2010 at 9:40am — No Comments

Record Search update for New Zealand and Argentina

FamilySearch's Record Search has just published the New Zealand, Immigration Passenger Lists from 1871 to 1915. The records contain images only and are further described in the FamilySearch Wiki as follows:
Read more...

Added by James Tanner on January 18, 2010 at 9:12am — No Comments

Family Tree Connection - Update (17/Jan/2010)

Family Tree Connection has added the following genealogy items to its database:

Quinobequin Lodge I.O.O.F. 1918 By-Laws - Constitution, By-Laws and List of Membership of Quinobequin Lodge No. 70, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Jamaica Plain, Mass.

Revolutionary War Invalid Pensioners 1807 Report - Letter…

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Added by Illya Daddezio on January 17, 2010 at 11:29pm — No Comments