October 2008 _MSWord_ - RootsWebcom Home Page

FAMILY HISTORY NEWSLETTER Volume II, Issue 10 20 October 2008 SYNCING WITH ANCESTRAL QUEST AND NEW FAMILY SEARCH For the past month I have been using Ancestral Quest to sync information from my PAF/AQ into New Family Search. It is so much fun that I stay up all hours of the night trying to update the records. The neatest thing is that once you open a record (and I always wait until the temple work is done cause it seems as if I can sync only once and then it‘s done, but I haven‘t investigated that), you can then send information to NFS or from NFS back to your PAF/AQ. I lump those two software items together because once you download AQ, it will automatically open the PAF file in AQ, and any changes that you make to AQ will be in PAF and vice versa. I work in AQ because it has the syncing feature which PAF does not. So here‘s how to sync. 1. Find your ancestor 2. Click on the FamilySearch button along the top 3. Click on Link (Sync) individual on the dropdown window 4. A window requests you to sign into New Family Search 5. Possible ―matching individuals‖ on New Family Search will appear if there is a match in NFS. They will receive a score of High, Medium, etc., so that you can tell what the computer conjectures about the possibility of a match. 6. Click on the matches at the top, investigate the information on the sideby-side comparison, and then click below on either ―Mark as Same‖ or ―Mark as Different.‖ 7. If there are several files of the same person, first combine. Then click on SYNC. Then click on PROCEED. Now this is the important thing if you want to switch information back and forth. Be sure that you select MANUAL instead of automatic. 8. Next, choose the information boxes that you want to use. If I like my information on the left better than what is on NFS, I click that box if available so that I can send it on to NFS too. Or if I want the info in NFS to go into my record, I click the box next to the best information on the right. You can even send notes over to NFS from AQ. 9. After you have finished your choices, then click on ―Save.‖ The information will go where you send it. The temple work dates will now appear in you AQ records if you have checked them, and you will have updated nFS with any additional information that you have on the person in PAF. There are other programs that sync with NFS, but we have chosen to use Ancestral Quest. If you are interested in purchasing a copy, it is a one-time cost of $29.99. By Sylvia Sonneborn For copies of Genealogy News, go to http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pay ork/York2Ward/ Thanks to Don and Jeanine Hartman of Utah for posting the newsletter online for us. 1 How to Get a 60-day Free Copy of Ancestral Quest by Gordon Finlay of Incline Software We know that many PAF 5 users and Family History Center consultants are anxiously awaiting the release of FamilySearch Certified PAF Add-ins to help them synchronize PAF 5 data with the Family Tree of new.FamilySearch.org. Incline Software released Ancestral Quest 12.1 over a month ago to a limited group, and we are now ready to open up access to any PAF 5 user who would like to synchronize their PAF 5 data with new.FamilySearch.org, and to any Family History Center that would like to have a copy of AQ 12.1 avaliable for their patrons. Things you should know about this certified PAF addin: * Incline Software gave a copy of the AQ source code to the LDS church in 1999, from which PAF 4 and PAF 5 were derived. So if you are familiar with PAF 5, and you use Ancestral Quest 12.1, most of it will feel very familiar to you. * Even though AQ 12.1 is a full program that could replace PAF 5, you can also use AQ simply as an Addin for PAF 5. If you don't care to use all the features of AQ, simply use the new features that synchronize your PAF 5 data with new.FamilySearch.org and ignore the rest of the program. After you install AQ to your computer, you will find it listed in the "Tools" menu of PAF 5. You can use this tool, and focus on AQ's menu labeled "FamilySearch" to synchronize your PAF 5 data with nFS. * You can download LDS ordinance data directly from nFS into your PAF file. You will find this easier than using the old methods of searching through the IGI to update your temple data -- in part because the FamilySearch team has already combined many of the duplicate records that used to exist in the IGI. * You can try AQ 12.1 for free for 60 days. After the 60 days, you can continue to view your PAF 5 data with NFS IDs, you can continue to link your PAF records to NFS, and import Family Lines from NFS without purchasing a key to fully unlock the program. To otherwise exchange data between your PAF file and nFS, you would need to purchase a key after 60 days. Family History Centers are granted a free license to activate AQ on all the computers in their center. If you would like to receive the unlock key for your center, send a request to ancquest@ancquest.com. PAF Insight Now in BETA Family Insight to use with PAF is available now in Beta. Download from ohanasoftware.com. Any changes you make will be made in nFS and you can automatically move info from nFS into your PAF file. There are tutorials to show you how to use it. It only works with a PAF file, but it is FABULOUS. Just remember it is a Beta version, subject to change at any time and/or offline from time to time. I do really love PAFINSIGHT. The only drawback to it I can see is that it won't work with large databases. I don't think there is an "official" upper limit. My PAFINSIGHT stopped working when I hit about 180,000 individuals. I wish they would fix it so that it would work on mine. By Karen Jorgensen FamiyInsight has all the functions of AFInsight, plus it adds syncing with newFamilySearch from your PAF file. For more info see their web site. http://www.ohanasoftware.com/?http=1 FREE PROGRAMS FOR FHC BY REQUEST Family History Centers have the following software programs licensed and free of charge from the various vendors and/or through LANDesk. They are all approved and licensed for the FHC. I do the software updates for our center. All of them have to be installed from the Administrator login, except for Legacy, which has to be loaded from the Patron login. RootsMagic Legacy Ancestral Quest Ancestry Library Edition PAF Insight PRF Magnet Personal Historian Family Atlas PAF PAF Companion Genelines Map My Family Tree GenSmarts Generation Maps Place Finder (included with RootsMagic. It is searchable and contains current listings for all U.S. localities including lats/longs. This is really helpful even if patrons are not using RootsMagic.) Con‘t. on next page 2 Your tech person or director should have these already set up for you to access through the PC's at your FHC. All of the databases are subscription sites but are free for users at FHC's. FamilyLink Footnote.com Genline.com (launcher) (This database is for Swedish records and, if set up correctly, this should be a separate icon on the desktop.) Godfrey Memorial Library Heritage Quest Online World Vital Records By Sue Maxwell *** *** *** Alexander Street Press (civil war databases) has been added to the subscription databases available at FHC. The FHC subscription databases can be accessed at https://www.fhc.familysearch.org/ while at the Family History Center. By Rebecca Christensen FAMILY SEARCH INDEXING All indexes created by FamilySearch volunteers will be available free to the general public through FamilySearch.org http://www.familysearch.org/>. Access to any images with a "convenience fee" provided under FamilySearch affiliate agreements (e.g., with Ancestry.com, Findmypast.com, and Footnote.com) will be available for free through any family history center worldwide, to LDS Church members, and qualified FamilySearch indexers (a volunteer who indexes 900 names in a 90 day period will have 90 days of free image access). FamilySearch is testing a validation system that will enable it to authenticate qualified Family Search members to be implemented in 2009. This is on the home page at www.familysearchindexing.org. Very exciting news! Sounds like Ancestry.com is doing a similar thing. By Kathy of Portland, OR WHAT TO DO WITH ONLY FIRST NAME Very recently I was advised by the Recorder at the Temple nearby that the best way to handle situations where you have only a first name of the wife/mother - /after having researched all available material /- is to use the given name and the word "or." Example: Mary is the wife of John Jepson. Process as "Mary or Mrs. John /Jepson/." (No quotes.) It does help identify possible duplicates where there is birth date or place in addition to the given name. By Beverly Thanks to Alan Jones We just want to thank Alan Jones for the basic handout on New Family Search that we sent to you in September. Sylvia added to it, but Alan really deserves credit for the majority of the work. Here‘s just a little information about him: Alan is the stake‘s New FamilySearch trainer, Family History Center staff, and Ward Family History Consultant. Those are his callings. Then he is a FamilySearch Indexer, Immigrant Ancestor Program transcriber, FamilyInsight beta tester, lecturer at family history fairs, etc. Basically, he claims to be a family history addict. He lives in Mission Viejo, California. But best of all, he served a mission as a young man in Washington, D.C. We really appreciate the groundwork you laid for nFS, Alan. Bio. supplied by Alan Jones Mission Viejo, California This newsletter is compiled by Jack and Sylvia Sonneborn, family history consultants of the York 2nd Ward, for use within the ward. It is also e-mailed to parties interested in family history, but it is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. klompen@verizon.net slysyl@verizon.net 3 More on FamilySearch Research Wiki The FamilySearch Research Wiki, at wiki.familysearch.org, can help you answer family history research questions. The Research Wiki is under development, but you can access it and use it now. The following article by Maddie Wilson, which appeared in the July 8, 2008, edition of the Mormon Times, discusses the purpose of the Wiki and provides a glimpse of its potential. You can access the article online at http://mormontimes.com/ME_familyhistory.php ?id=1476. Wiki Adds Resources to FamilySearch Research Genealogical researchers have a new, easy-to-use tool providing sources for research. FamilySearch Research Wiki, which is in beta testing, is an "encyclopedia of research sources" from around the world, said Jim Greene, Wiki product manager. Greene said he hopes that within three to four months, the program will be formally released, with a link on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' familysearch.org Web site. Until then, Wiki can be found at wiki.familysearch.org. "The idea behind Wiki is let's create a community landing page where we can share knowledge, share tips and tricks, tell people what's successful, what works, what's the latest information out there." FamilySearch.org helps with genealogical research, but researchers eventually will have to look beyond it, Greene said. That is where Wiki comes in. There is a huge surge of source documents being added on the Internet every day, Greene said, coming from areas like Indexing and Record Search, both part of FamilySearch. Wiki is the place searchers can go to find out where all these different sources are located, Greene said. Greene said that, like the Web site www.wikipedia.org, anyone can share information about genealogy sources on Wiki. The community provides all of the content, he said. To edit and add content, users need to set up an account with the site. "We don't want to know about your ancestors; we don't want success stories. What we want is a list of sources and materials that are available for people to go look up their ancestors." Wiki users need some familiarity with the Internet, Greene said. But the site does provide help. On the left side of the main page, there is a link in the "Navigation" box titled "Get started with this site" that provides articles and tutorials. For example, under the "Get started" link, there is a tutorial about how to edit a page, where users can participate in a step-by-step, guided practice of the process. Once users set up an account and find a page of interest, they can choose the "watch" application and have all updates on the page e-mailed to them. So far, the site is in English only, Greene said. He hopes to be releasing sites in Spanish and Chinese languages soon. "Really, it's up to the community what order we release languages in. When we have people who can speak both that language and English come to us ready to be an active part of that community, then we open a site for them." Greene said that Wiki is one of the "collaborative, next-generation Internet applications" that make up Web 2.0. Other Web 2.0 applications include blogs, forums, Facebook and other social networking sites, he said. Con‘t. on p. 3 4 "We started examining those applications, looking at what they'd be good for and seeing where they would apply as far as family history. We're looking at all the Web 2.0 tools. We believe that family history is a topic of interest that will absolutely make for a tight-knit community. We think it's just natural to do this." Greene said there is a forum associated with Wiki, and soon they will be adding blogs. Greene said an "overarching" purpose in FamilySearch is to get more people involved in family history work so that more temple work can be completed. To fulfill this purpose, researchers need tools that are easy to use. Wiki is one tool. "Wiki isn't the last place to look, but if it's the first, you'll be more successful." Published by familysearchsupport@lds.org We continue to encourage you to use the many new sites that will help you to learn more about doing family history. We have featured Wiki before but just want to stress how useful it can be. Researcher's Psalm The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to write down all of my families' histories. He leadeth me in the path of the most excellent clues for my posterity's sake. Yea, 'tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of doubt, I shall not fear success. Thy Family History centers and thy internet, they comfort me. Thou preparest Genealogy classes before me. In the presence of my agnostic relatives, Thou annointest my tongue with gilding. My data runneth over. Surely my family ties and thy holy temple work shall follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell with Them in the mansions of the Lord forever. Amen. Submitted by Deb Walden Help for Leaders      All consultants please register at: consultant.familysearch.org All priesthood leaders: please register at: priesthood.familysearch.org Helpful Priesthood links: Church Handbook of Instructions: Book 2, Section 9 (2006) item 35709 (order from LDS Distribution) Updated 8-page Administrative Guide News from the Church: Priesthood Resources available I pray that all of our leaders will access these sites and pray for the Spirit of Elijah to come into their lives…. Jack Sonneborn. This quote is from Pres. Howard W. Hunter in "We Have a Work to Do" Ensign, Mar. 1995, pp. 64-65. "In recent years we have begun using information technology to hasten the sacred work of providing ordinances for the deceased. The role of technology in this work has been accelerated by the Lord himself, who has had a guiding hand in its development and will continue to do so. However, we stand only on the threshold of what we can do with these tools. I feel that our most enthusiastic projections can capture only a tiny glimpse of how these tools can help us - and of the eternal consequences of these efforts." 5 It’s True So many members think their family history and temple work for their family has already been done. They also think that family history is just too involved, and they don't have time or interest. By having these classes, it gives them the opportunity to get an introduction to the new worldwide system that the Church has put together for every member (New FamilySearch). This IS the work of the Lord and it takes all of us to make it work correctly. Our full-time missionaries regularly come to our home and ask for referrals. Is that forcing us to talk to our friends about the gospel? Being a leader, in my mind, involves setting up situations where everyone has the opportunity to be inspired. If we got everyone registered in our ward during SS, wouldn't there be some who went home and got interested in playing with it? If they can't or won't at that point, how is getting them registered forcing them in *anyway* to do genealogy or family history? I would love to help everyone in our Ward to get registered on nFS. I would not love to go to their house with a club and beat them into doing genealogy. For those individuals registered, I would then have 2 week-long mini-classes to help them get started on nFS and show them how to download PAF. Then when they are ready, we could set up an assigned ward family history consultant to help them at their computer, if necessary. Does it occur to anyone that not everyone *wants* people to come to their homes, into their personal computer space? So come to the FHC. Just a few Thoughts to get you THINKING Not everyone will catch the family history bug or get the vision, but they all will have the opportunity to see what is available for them if they choose. I do not understand why asking, inviting, requesting, or setting up a situation for all attending members to register for nFS has anything to do with agency, and I believe this point should be dropped. No one who understands the gospel plan wants to limit others‘ agency. No one on this list wants to restrict others‘ agency. All female members of the church are members of Relief Society. Did anyone ask us if we wanted to be? All who agree to be a home teacher / visiting teacher are given a route that is assigned by our leaders. Are we asked who we want to visit? Everyone who attends sacrament meeting is passed the sacrament. Do we ask those who want to take the sacrament to stand and only pass it to them? Everyone is asked yearly to attend a tithing settlement. Is that forcing them to pay tithing? New Stuff Just Keeps Rolling Out Temple Work Tracker is a new feature on the equally new Family Tree view. Try it - it is impressive. Go to: http://labs.familysearch.org/familytree/#start I just tried it - it is easy to use; and very visual. You can quickly glide up/down your family tree viewing every person.... ancestors or cousins etc. and in seconds - see what information is in nFS - what Temple work needs to be completed etc. Wow - nFS is only getting better and better. What a great day for genealogy! Thanks to Thomas J. Kemp for this link. 6 Try this Program www.heritagecollector.com as good program to scan my pictures and make a life story movie that can be played on Computer or DVD player. View Government listings: http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/History_Fa mily/State_Genealogy.shtml. Thanks, Lida L. Random Acts Of Genealogical Kindness (ROARK) ROARK is a global volunteer organization. With over 4000 volunteers in every U.S. state and many international locations, they have helped thousands of researchers. Volunteers take time to do everything from looking up courthouse records to taking pictures of tombstones. All they ask in return is reimbursement for their expenses (never their time) and a thank you. http://www.raogk.org/ Story about Former President, John Quincy Adams "When John Quincy Adams was well past the usual span of life, a young friend met him on the street and asked, 'How is John Quincy Adams today?' Adams replied: 'John Quincy Adams is very well, thank you. But the house he lives in is sadly dilapidated. It is tottering on its foundations. The walls are badly shattered and the roof is worn. The building trembles with every wind, and I think John Quincy Adams will have to move out before long. But he himself is very well, thank you.‖ John Quincy Adams was obviously someone who had made peace with his own mortality. FamousQuotes.com Family History Library Favorite Websites Have you ever been to the family history library in Salt Lake City and used the Internet Favorites they have in Internet Explorer and wished you had them on your computer? Now you can. Check out www.fhlfavorites.info (This is a personal website, not maintained by FHL). We keep reminding you that this site exists because it is such a great site. WebTree.com WebTree.com provides a free place online for families to store, share, and print heirloomquality family history charts and graphs. WebTree.com (owned by FamilyLink.com, Inc.) began six weeks ago with the launch of a beta site. During the six-week beta period, more than ten million names and almost seven hundred GEDCOMs were uploaded to the site. Upcoming site features include the ability to edit information and change the display and output settings of each tree, photo links, research connection links between different trees based on ancestral relationships, printing features for family trees with pictures, the ability to embed family trees into blogs, and other features requested by users. Source: World Vital Records Newsletter, August 11, 2008 Volunteers Needed The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is developing a new version of the FamilySearch.org Web site. This new Web site will help individuals identify ancestors and link them to families. Can you volunteer an hour of time to help evaluate this new Web site? Do you know someone else who might be interested? FamilySearch.org is looking for feedback to help make the website as easy and enjoyable to use as possible. They are especially interested in feedback from individuals who are new to family history. Anyone over age 18 interested in participating in this evaluation is invited to go to the following Internet address to sign-up: http://labs.familysearch.org/temple/static/signup.htm 7 Family Tree – a ―Must See‖ 1. Type this into the browser: www.labs.familysearch.org 2. Click on Family Tree. 3. Next sign into the program as if you are signing on to nFS, using the nFS username and password. 4. Your pedigree will come up. Click and drag to see other family members. 5. Click on the ―Temple‖ tab along the top. This will show you the assignments of your temple work. ONLINE VITAL RECORDS— DEATH CERTIFICATES More and more states are beginning to place searchable images of their death certificates online. Some of these, such as Ohio, Texas and Washington, are located at Family Search Labs (http://pilot.familysearch.org). Others are hosted by the states on their own websites. These are important pieces of information in our searches for family history, so I thought I would provide a list of some of the sites that I have run across. Arizona: http://genealogy.az.gov/ Georgia: http://content.sos.state.ga.us/cdm4/gadeaths.php Kentucky: http://kyvitals.com/vis/search/search_death_recs .php Missouri: http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/death certificates/advanced.asp Utah: http://historyresearch.utah.gov/indexes/20842.ht m West Virginia: http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_dcsearch.aspx I hope that some of these sites are useful in your research. Thanks to Miles Meyer for this information. Family Tree Now Available in Spanish and Japanese The Family History Department is developing new features for FamilySearch. One of these features is FamilySearch Family Tree. Members who have a log-in to the new FamilySearch can access the Family Tree at labs.familysearch.org. An exciting new option on the Family Tree login page now allows you to choose to display Family Tree in English, Spanish, or Japanese. This option is found in the upper right hand corner of the Family Tree log-in page. Family Tree displays family history information in an extended pedigree view. It allows you to easily navigate from yourself to your ancestors. Family Tree allows families to learn, share, and collaborate on their family history. Changes you make to your family history information in Family Tree will also appear in the new FamilySearch. Share Your Knowledge and Skills Many of you who receive this newsletter are experienced family historians and researchers, or you just love to play around with your ancestors. Please consider sharing your knowledge and skills by serving as a volunteer here at the York Family History Center. Our patrons need your expertise, and you need the blessings that come only through service to others. Contact Sister Glenda Yaksich at 7411266 for an appointment to learn more about staffing a shift at our FHC. You really are NEEDED. 8 A Quote by President Monson "You may sometimes be tempted to say, 'Will my influence make any difference? I am just one. Will my service affect the work that dramatically?' I testify to you that it will. You will never be able to measure the influence for good you will have." President Thomas S. Monson, Church News, June 28, 2008 Places to Search First for Immigrant Ancestors There's a unique thrill that comes when we identify an immigrant ancestor in our family tree. Someone long ago, an ancestor who was born in a foreign place, left his home and everything he or she knew. That decision had a huge impact on who we are today. Finding these ancestors can be challenging, but this article by Juliana Smith gives excellent suggestions and links to get started: Immigrant Ancestors, Source: Family History Circle, August 10, 2008. Genealogy Blog Finder Want to stay up to date on the latest developments in the genealogical world or learn new tips for building skills and finding resources? Why not try the Genealogy Blog Finder at http://blogfinder.genealogue.com/ Social Security Death Index (SSDI) GenealogyBank.com has just made the complete SSDI available online and free to everyone. It is updated weekly. Genealogy Blogs Blogging has become the website style of choice for the masses, especially genealogists. Many genealogy blogs are unique in that they offer a real value, in the form of research tips, guides to record types and the inside scoop on family history companies and organizations. This article lists some of the most popular genealogy blogs and their content: genealogy blogs. ---Source: Washington DC Family History Center Newsletter, 9/7/08 Your Personal History "Your personal history isn't for the masses -- it's for your family. And your family doesn't want volumes - they just want pages. They don't need golden plates -- plain paper will do. The key is to just get busy and do it. Write one experience at a time... Your personal history is scripture for your posterity. It is a means by which you can teach them long after you are gone. It will help your family understand you, and will probably help you understand yourself. And as you write it, you will probably experience a spiritual awakening. You will come to realize how blessed you have been, and how much the Lord loves you. A personal history is an essential part of what you should leave for your posterity. You should leave your genealogy so they know you were born. And you should leave your personal history so they know you lived -- you really lived.‖ ---George D. Durrant, Church News, January 16, 1982 Question: Many of my family members are into "blogging". I love reading them and seeing pictures of grandchildren and have even started a blog of my own. It is fun and easy, but I'm worried about how I can preserve my family's "electronic diaries"? Answer: A fun, easy way I just learned about at the BYU Genealogy Conference is Blurb.com. It works with many blogging platforms. It automatically imports and maps blog text, images, comments, and links into professionally designed page layouts. You can then print just one or many copies of your book. 9 Top Ten Reviews On this site, you'll find articles on genealogy, news stories and comprehensive reviews on genealogy search websites that will help you make an informed decision on which website is right for you. genealogy-searchreview.toptenreviews.com/ Genealogy News Celebrates One Year It was a year ago that Jack and Sylvia Sonneborn started to write this newsletter for the York 2nd Ward. It was their attempt to celebrate Family History Month. They thought it would be a one-time issue. Instead, you wanted more, and comments were encouraging, so they celebrate one year of family history news with hope that they have helped you with your research. What an exciting FH year it has been! We are connected to nFS now, we have seen new software sites to sync with nFS along with addons produced, greater rapidity of temple work being done, and now a temple announced for Philadelphia. Don and Jeanine Hartman flew in from Utah to present at the spring Family History Conference put on by the Susquehanna Trail Genealogy Club. They asked if they could post the newsletter on Rootsweb. We were flattered but wondered if anyone would want it. So far about 5 people have responded to the Sonneborns, asking to be placed on the monthly transfer. There are some who cannot open the attachment. If you are one, let Sylvia know, and she will place you on the ―Dee Bryan‖ list and copy the newsletter into an e-mail for you. All the Sonneborns wonder is, ―How did that year go by so fast.! If You Could See Your Ancestors If you could see your ancestors, All standing in a row, There might be some among them Whom you wouldn't care to know. But there's another matter, Which requires a different view; If you could see your ancestors, Would they be proud of you? -- Rufus Craig October - Family History Month October is Family History Month! On October 21, 2001, the United States Senate unanimously passed a bill commemorating October as Family History Month. To read the press release from Senator Orrin Hatch, click here: Family History Month Press Release With summer over and the holidays still a few weeks away, this is the perfect time to find another ancestor! Take advantage of one of the classes at our FHC to learn a new skill or become re-motivated to pick up where you left off, or to get started in a new direction. Remember, only YOU can make a difference in your ancestor‘s salvation. In York 2nd Ward, Sylvia Sonneborn has been called as the Family History Teacher. Each Sunday she will take 4 people into the FHC in place of Sunday School and help them to register on nFS and learn to navigate. Canada, Ontario Genealogy Databases http://granniesgenealogygarden.com/ --submitted by Celia Sumers . . I encourage you . . . to begin to unlock the knowledge of who you really are by learning more about your forebearers." By James E. Faust, "The Phenomenon That Is You," Ensign, Nov. 2003, p53 ---submitted by Richard Mills, 9/24/08 10 What is Record Search - Pilot? Record Search is a quick and easy way to search millions of historical records for clues about your ancestors. The current half billion records are the result of the current and ongoing FamilySearch indexing program and the former Names Extraction program. Keep in mind: Record Search is still under development. This release is considered a PILOT. This means that at times Record Search will not be available while additional records are added and when features are being improved. Record Search is free to all and there‘s no registration. Millions of new records are being added, so check back often. How do you find information on a particular ancestor? 1. Enter the ancestor‘s name in the search box. 3. Find the name in the list on the screen. 4. Double-click the name of the ancestor. 5. Usually you‘ll see additional index information. 6. To see the image, click the tab: View Image or click the page icon at the right side. How do you know if you can access images and/or an index of the records? To help you quickly identify what kind of content is available in a collection, there is a tag to identify collections without images. Look for this tag – ―no images‖ just after the collection name. However, it is sometimes possible to access an original image when there are ―no images‖ : Because of contractual agreements with the original archive, there may not have been permission to display the digitized images on Record Search. Go to the online archive site and see if the digitized images are available there. Another possibility is that Record Search is working out glitches in the program and has temporarily removed the images from the database. Some of the digitized books have indexes within the book itself that will take you directly to the name you need. [I used screens of the Diocese of Belleville records in Illinois]. How do you find Record Search on your computer? Go to familysearch.org and put your cursor over the tab, Search Records. Click: Record Search pilot. Or~ Go to familysearch.org (on the left side of the screen) and click: See new prototype for searching millions of new records - found under What‘s New. Or~ Go to familysearch.org (on the right side of the screen) and click: Record Search pilot - found under Start Your Family History or Go to: pilot.familysearch.org How do you navigate the Record Search - Pilot Site? You have three options to begin your search: Click on a map to see what records exist for a geographic area. Or~ Enter what you know about an ancestor into the search box and then click search to look for matching records. Or~ Click: View all databases and then enter the name of the ancestor in the search box. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** How can you tell which records have recently been added? There is a small box on the home page of the Record Search that lists newly updated data. When you go to a specific site, the most recent date of addition will be listed. Also listed will be the percentage of completion - for example, you may find: 76% completed or completed. The home page of familysearch.org posts new releases under News and Events (left side of the 11 screen). Click: See new prototype for searching millions of new records. Looking for French Ancestors? I received information on this yesterday but have not had time to check it out and had not actually received the address until no, so here you go. http://www.archivesdepartementales.cg59.fr Right now you will find * Civil Register10-year tables (1802-1893) for all 652 communes of the département, * the 1906 census (recensement) * other tables on the « états signalétiques » and military branches, * Napoleonic land registry map. The Charente-Maritime also launched its site yesterday at http://www.charentemaritime.org/conseil_general_17/archives_departemen tales/accueil_archives.htm 4 million pages of records online - parish records as well as civil records for all communes of the Departement Happy Hunting! Regine Brindle PS: The Seine's archives are about to be released too, but not everything will be online. Check the map of what French archives have been put online so far at http://www.francegenweb.org/~archives/ archivesgenweb/ ?id=adfrance http://www.francege nweb.org/ ~archives/ archivesgenweb/ ?id=carte_ ad or this site gives information as 10 Sept 2008 http://pagesperso- orange.fr/ frph/ADenligne. Htm How can you use a set of records that has not yet been indexed? On the home page click: View all collections. Click the database that you would like to browse. How can you tell which records come from the Name Extraction Program? When you click on a database in the collection, beneath the search box you will find description headings of the records. Some of these headings are: Record History, Record Description, Record Coverage, and Record Content. If the database was derived from the Name Extraction Program, the information will be given under Record History. This digitized index contains more names than the CD‘s which have been available through the years. [I used screens to show those that derive from the Extraction program, e. g., Germany Baptisms, 17001900 (No images). Also, there are more records on the Pilot version than on the old CDs. What if your ancestor‘s name does not appear in the record?       Sometimes you will find the indexing has not been fully completed. Perhaps the records for the locality you need have not been indexed yet, or perhaps the records are no longer in existence. There were problems as the names were written at the time the record was created. The indexer could not properly or easily read the name. Perhaps your ancestor did not reside in the locality where you are searching. You may have put too much information in the search box and limited your options. Missing Records on New Family Search?? Maybe some of you will remember a problem that I described with a grandfather who had done his own work in the early 1900's and yet nFS showed his work as being done in 2005. Both of his sealing to spouses were on his records showing the sealing dates in 1913 and 1919. It also showed that his parents were sealed in the endowment house before the birth of my grandfather. I had submitted an inquiry to Family History Support, and they agreed with what I offered and said the dates would be corrected. The BIC was changed but not the others, but they did not offer an to explain why 12 Indexes from all FamilySearch Records Access agreements will be available for free on a single website—FamilySearch.org. MAC compatible. Joan Kartcher the other dates were not corrected. Because of my discussion on a message board, an individual offered to have the inquiry reopened and checked on. Here is part of the response I received: "The membership records containing living baptisms/confirmations performed in the early 1900s are in the process of being added to NFS. Your Grandfather's membership record is part of this process. The dates will eventually show in new family search and the original dates will replace the ordinances done by proxy in 2005. In the information you provided, you mentioned that your grandfather performed his own temple ordinances in 1913. Since he was sealed to Erma in the Salt Lake Temple, I assume this is the temple where he received his endowment. When the temple records were migrating to New Family Search, there was a problem with the Salt Lake Temple portio, and the male ordinances for the years of 1913-1931 did not transfer in as anticipated. These records are now being moved into nFS. Here again, the older dates will replace the 2005 & 2006 ordinance dates. The correct dates will likely show for these ordinances sooner than the correct baptismal/confirmation dates." Janet Ballingham If you want an updated list of the programs that sync with New Family Search, look at this site: http://devnet.familysearch.org/certification/affili ate-program/AffiliateCertfied Gordon Findlay Elder Snow Posts Valuable FH Notes I've sent this reference before, but others may be interested in it now. In my class notes on ―What's New in FH in the Church?‖ there's a link to Sandra Jarvis' home page where she has posted an early draft version of the FH Consultants' manual from a conference. There's a good FH Progress Report in that manual. It looks like a helpful form. Here's the link to my notes. http://uvpafug.org/classes/dons/donswhatsnew.html I've written and posted lots of other FH notes that some of you might find helpful in your classes. They are posted on http://uvpafug.org under Class Outlines/Don's Listings and many are linked on our http://www.hydeparkfhc.org webpage under Events. BTW, we are developing a new webpage on http://www.londonfhc.org and hope to have everything moved there from the Hyde Park one within the next month or so. Elder Snow Roots Magic to Sync with NFS I just wrote a blog article about RootsMagic 4 syncing with nFS. I am passing along the link in case any of you are interested. http://rzamor1.blogspot.com/2008/09/rootsmagi c-4-to-sync-with-new.html Subscribe to Renee‘s blog at FeedBlitz [feedblitz@mail.feedblitz.com] Renee Zamora SSDI Free on Footnote plus new Footnote Footnote.com announced a new 'Footnote Pages' yesterday. The pages allow you to both see the SSDI number as well as add documents, photos, etc., for the person. A timeline and Google map with locations is included in the ‗Pages.‘ 13 http://go.footnote.com/pages/ Click on the arrow head icon next to the SSDI heading, and it drops down to show all the info. Accounts are free for non-member uploads or just looking for the SSDI info. Members can also add the original documents found on Footnote to the Pages. Here's an example page they've listed. How to Handle Getting Sealed to Your Deceased Parents Jack and I often get calls from people who want to be sealed to their deceased parents but don‘t know how to go about doing it. This note will explain the process: I was recently sealed to my parents and we sealed my deceased brother to them at the same time. You have to contact the Temple and make an appointment. It is considered a live ordinance. Family group sheet and live ordinance recommends are needed. When I did mine, I just made the appointment for my sealing to my parents. When I was taken to records verification, they saw that my brother had his ordinances done also and asked if I wanted to seal him to our parents also. Amy Griffin Paulden Ward,Prescott, AZ Stake http://www.footnote.com/page/71802616_craig _l_christiansen/ Lee Some Native American Stories and Genealogy Look at my under construction web page: www.nativeorigins.com It lists my books, that would be more meaningful than the lecture outlines. Robert African-American Research In Seattle, an African-American Museum has been established in the past year or so. The church is supporting the museum by providing equipment and volunteers to help with the family history part. They have the Freedman Bank Records and perhaps some other databases that would help patrons, but there is not much. Here is a good site for African-American Research: http://www.afrigeneas.com/ By Gay Davis Sylvia’s Gems of Wisdom on Collaboration and Sharing While checking on Ancestry to find a census for my great-grandfather Reazin Haines of Hampshire County, West Virginia, I ran across a website that had posted some information about him and his two wives/families, but it was far from complete. By exploring this site posted by Carol Cox, I became curious to learn how she is related to this man. I began the process of collaboration by e-mail through Ancestry. As it turned out, she is researching the Peer and Poland families in the same area and realized there was much intermingling of the families. While she was not directly related to the Haines Family, she had run across the family several times and had added it in as a connected family. Next, I was able to e-mail her pictures and family group sheets, and she was elated to be able to update the records and to add the photos. Collaboration on Family History I have quite enjoyed using the GenForum at http://www.genforum.genealogy.com/ The idea of collaboration is one of the features of the nFS program. Terry Mason 14 I think that some of you who are using PAF might like to use the same process without making a gedcom; instead, you can send the family group sheet (FGS) as an attachment. This is the procedure: Go to File and ―Print Reports.‖ Select the ―Family Group Sheet Tab.‖ Then check the choices of what you want to send. For instance, you can decide whether or not to send your notes. If you are not certain about sending sacred temple records, just click on ―Preferences‖ and uncheck ―Show LDS data on reports.‖ NOW, THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART. At the bottom of the right hand column, there is a place to check ―Print to File.‖ Check that. Then click on ―Print‖ at the top of the same column. A window will next ask you where to save this. I just add it to my documents and call it something like ―Reazin Haines FGS.‖ Then I open my e-mail, send a New message and add the FGS as an attachment. I can browse in my documents, find it and attach it. Unfortunately, if you have pictures added to your database, they will not transfer, so you can insert the pictures into the e-mail or add them as separate attachments. Carol was very pleased to receive the Family Group Sheets of both of Reazin‘s families with a lot more information than she had. Now the site will have more accurate information as well as photos. Besides being able to give Carol all of my family‘s research notes on the Reazin Haines‘ families, I was able to get her military records and copies of her census records for my great-grandfather without having to do the research myself. I was also able to clear up a little confusion about ages that everyone questions as my greatgrandfather lost his first wife after Elizabeth had 10 children, and when he was almost 67, he married Virginia Foltz, age 23. They had 5 additional children (total 15 for Reazin), and when she was 35, Reazin died, leaving her with a one-year-old son. My great-grandmother Virginia reared the children alone and never remarried. She lived to be almost 93 years old. TRIBUTES.COM Are you into obituaries? Tributes.com is an online resource for current local and national obituary news, lasting tributes celebrating the lives of loved ones, and an online community to provide support during times of loss and grieving. They are currently in beta, and I have been testing it out. They just released a new update this week. It appears that they scour the web for death information and compile it into an obituary-like profile. For example, I put in my grandfather‘s name, and it came up with information that used SSDI data to create a short obituary. Some names also have newspaper obituaries attached to them. Once you find your relative, you can add unlimited text and pictures to write a tribute to them or place an obituary with their name. Thanks to Miles Meyer for this link. 29 Million More Records Added to Record Search Pilot Over 29 million names or record images were added this week to FamilySearch‘s Record Search pilot. Significant data was published from 2 indexing projects (1860 and 1870 U.S. Censuses), 3 digital image collections (Vermont Probate Files, Quebec Parish Registers, and Cheshire Church Records), and 3 enhanced vital record index collections (Mexico and Germany Baptisms). The entire collection can be searched for free directly online at http://pilot.familysearch.org or through the Search Records feature at FamilySearch.org. Following is a chart of the new data added the week of September 29, 2008. Information posted by Family Search. 15 Collection Name 1860 US Census 1870 US Census Vermont Probate Files Quebec Parish Registers Cheshire Church Records Mexico Baptisms Germany Baptisms Germany Marriages Indexed Records 7,015,614 3,308,819 Digital Images 7,015,614 205,527 1,361,289 698,970 17,038,268 New, 19,682,189 reloaded 20,626,866 reloaded 4,439,954 reloaded N/A N/A N/A Summit County, Ohio Court Receives Grant to Digitize Records 7 October 2008 Hundreds of thousands of historic records will be freely available online SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and the National Association of Government Archive and Records Administrators (NAGARA) announced on July 24, 2008, that Judge Bill Spicer and the Probate Division of the Summit County Common Pleas Court in Akron, Ohio, were awarded a 2008 grant for the digitization of Summit County marriage, birth, and death records. The court’s grant was one of only two awarded in 2008. This significant grant will make it possible for Summit County to digitally preserve and provide free online access to select historical documents. The project targets 1840 to 1980 marriage records for over 550,000 individuals, birth records prior to 1908 for over 46,000 individuals, and death records prior to 1908 for over 22,000 individuals. A free, searchable name index linked to the digital images of the original records will be available to the public through the probate court’s Web site www.summitohioprobate.com and the grant partners’ sites. “As a result of the grant, our Website, which was chosen as one of the 10 best in the country by the National College of Probate Judges, will now have the added distinction of being a model for the state and country for accessing historical court records,” said Judge Spicer. “Not only will it improve access, but by reducing the need to see the often-fragile originals, it will make the court’s job of preserving hundreds of thousands of original records easier. The project is a far-sighted and important effort in preserving local history. On behalf of the court and the citizens of Summit County, I thank the project sponsors for selecting Summit County Probate Court as its 2008 grant recipient.” This is the first year that this national grant was offered. It is sponsored by Ancestry.com and FamilySearch and administered by NAGARA. Under the grant, FamilySearch will digitize the original documents on-site in the Summit County courthouse by the end of 2008, and Ancestry.com will create an electronic index linked to the images. The entire project is scheduled for completion in 2009. The commercial value of the grant is estimated to be $150,000.00. Outside of this and similar business transactions, no legal or other affiliation exists between FamilySearch and The Generations Network. 16