2014 Washington Family History Fair Saturday, November 8, 2014
2014 Washington Family History Fair 2014 Washington Family History Fair Saturday, November 8, 2014 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Bellevue, Washington KEYNOTE SPEAKER, 9:00 A.M. DR. GODFREY ELLIS TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING THE PRESENT BY UNDERSTANDING THE PAST THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS 15202 SE 28TH STREET, BELLEVUE, WA 98007 1 2014 Washington Family History Fair Table of Contents Instructor Biographies and Class Outlines .........................................................................4 10:00 – 11:00 Classes ............................................................................................................... 16 DNA and Genealogy – Part 1: The Basics, Tests and Companies..................................... 16 Legacy Tree & Family Search ...................................................................................................... 20 Census 1: Searching & Recording Census Basics (1900-1940) ....................................... 24 Germans from Russia and Research in Eastern Europe .................................................... 27 Keeping Up With the Jones: A Case Study of Tracing a Common Surname in Georgia30 Telling Your Stories ........................................................................................................................ 38 Why Mormons do Genealogy....................................................................................................... 41 Beyond Online: What Can I Find at the Courthouse ............................................................ 42 11:15 – 12:15 Classes ............................................................................................................... 43 Researching England Using the Internet ................................................................................ 43 Discovering the Other Census: Non-Population Census .................................................... 45 Census 2: Census Tracking – The Devil is in the Details .................................................... 49 Accessing Digital Books Online .................................................................................................. 51 How Healthy Is Your Family Tree? ............................................................................................ 52 Writing and Publishing Ancestral Stories .............................................................................. 53 Irish Potato Famine & Its Effects on Genealogical Records .............................................. 56 Introduction to FamilySearch.org ............................................................................................. 61 1:00 – 2:00 Classes..................................................................................................................... 63 Immigration & Nationalization .................................................................................................. 63 I Found My Family on the Internet! Now What Do I Do? .................................................. 66 DNA and Genealogy – Part 2: Examples, Cautions and Continuing Education ........... 69 Indexing – A Fun Way To Give Back .......................................................................................... 72 New and Improved Family Search............................................................................................. 73 The Volga Germans: From Germany to Russia ..................................................................... 78 Why Mormons Do Genealogy ...................................................................................................... 83 Scandinavian Resources ............................................................................................................... 84 2:15 – 3:15 Classes..................................................................................................................... 91 National Archives (NARA) Online .............................................................................................. 91 Unraveling Family Myths.............................................................................................................. 93 2 2014 Washington Family History Fair Census 3: Advanced Census Tracking – Keep it Simple (Head of Household Censuses (1790-1840)) .................................................................................................................................... 96 Using the Family Tree & Memories ........................................................................................... 98 Ten Places to Find Women’s Maiden Names ...................................................................... 100 Telling Your Stories (See 10:00-11:00 Class Notes)......................................................... 101 Writing and Publishing Ancestral Stories (See 11:15-12:15 Class Notes) ............... 102 Family Tree Overview ................................................................................................................ 103 3:30 – 4:30 Classes.................................................................................................................. 113 New & Improved Family Search .............................................................................................. 113 Finding and Using Historic Newspapers .............................................................................. 114 Land Records, Censuses, Probates – Oh My! ....................................................................... 117 What Is Genealogical Proof Standard? Why Should I Know It? ................................... 119 Can You Help Me Find My Cousins? Understanding Autosomal DNA......................... 120 Why Mormons Do Genealogy ................................................................................................... 122 Family Tree Photos and Stories .............................................................................................. 123 2014 Exhibitors ........................................................................................................................ 124 Schedule ...................................................................................................................................... 130 Building Layout ........................................................................................................................ 131 3 2014 Washington Family History Fair Instructor Biographies and Class Outlines Janice Blackhurst Janice Blackhurst has more than 20 years’ experience in Genealogy Research and has been working professionally as a genealogist for the past 3 years. She started her business Genea In A Bottle in 2009 (www.geneainabottle.com) and has completed many projects for clients under Ancestry.com’s former Expert Connect program and also for Genealogyfreelancers.com. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and a member of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution. One of her main areas she specializes in is the Gulf South which she is accrediting in this year. She can conduct research for all of the U.S. She has also conducted many international research projects for records in England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Mexico, Spain, France, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, Poland and the Caribbean. Her background in Spanish is a great benefit in researching records in other languages. She also spends many hours volunteering as a Family History Consultant for the LDS church, and as the Lineage Research Chairman and Corresponding Secretary for the David Douglas Chapter of the NSDAR. Contact info: [email protected]; [email protected] Classes Keeping Up With the Jones: A Case Study of Researching a Common Surname in Georgia: This class will provide an overview of strategies which can help you identify ancestors in Georgia. The presentation will provide examples of Georgia records and how to interpret them correctly to glean the genealogical information. Claudia Breland Claudia Breland is a professional genealogist who has been doing research since 1974. She has discovered treasures in archives and libraries across the country, and works with other genealogists in the US and abroad in locating records that are not online. Claudia has written articles for Archives.com, her local community newspaper, and for professional journals, and has lectured for the King County Library System for the past 3 years. DNA testing has just busted a 40year brick wall in her own family history, and she oversees DNA test results for several clients and family members. Contact info: [email protected] Classes DNA and Genealogy – Part 1: The Basics, Tests, and Companies: Genealogists have been researching using paper records for centuries, and new technology has only made it better. With DNA testing becoming available and affordable, opportunities await for those who are seeking answers to questions about their heritage. Learn (in plain English!) the basics of the DNA molecule, how it can help you discover your roots, the best companies to test with, and how to join with others to find a common heritage. 4 2014 Washington Family History Fair DNA and Genealogy – Part 2: Examples, Cautions, and Continuing Education: Further information on genetic testing as well as resources. Finding and Using Historic Newspapers: This presentation will focus on how to employ historical newspapers to glean family history insights. Carol Buswell Carol Buswell is the Education Specialist for the National Archives at Seattle, which holds the permanently valuable federal government documents for Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Carol has taught elementary and junior high school in various settings, from a one-room school house in Oregon to a special education classroom in the Los Angeles Public School system, both as a fulltime educator and a substitute teacher. The majority of her full-time experience was spent in middle school and special education classrooms in Colorado and Oregon. Immediately prior to working for the National Archives, Carol worked as an author, public speaker, professional genealogist, and owner of an American Indian antique shop and bookstore. She has published articles and books about American Indian migration, genealogy, and historical issues. Carol is certified to teach elementary school in Washington and several other states. She holds her BA in Elementary Education and Fine Art from Western State College of Colorado and a master’s degree in American Indian Studies from UCLA. Contact info: [email protected] 206-336-5151 Classes Immigration and Naturalization: Sometimes it is easy to become confused by all the records held on different genealogical websites. What documents were scanned first? Is there duplication between websites? How do I access these records of the National Archives itself? Do I have to pay for everything? In fact, National Archives records often comprise the bulk of records on popular websites, such as Ancestry.com, Fold3.com, Heritage Quest Online, and Family Search. Additionally, about 200,000 documents have been uploaded to the National Archives website at www.archives.gov. In this presentation, you will learn the answers to questions about what each web location provides as well as tips for maneuvering each of their pages. National Archives (NARA) Online: A great deal of the information found on Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest Online, Family Search and other genealogy websites are from the National Archives. The National Archives website itself contains a great deal of information for genealogists, but very little is indexed by the individual name. This presentation provides research tips for leveraging these resources. Delores Davis After being employed as a medical social worker for 20 years at the University of Washington hospital, I developed a second career in teaching ‘Understanding and Using the computer’ and Writing your LifeStories’. A widow of over 40 years, my interest in writing started when my younger children were questioning if their father ever worked. Their father died when my youngest son was 6 yrs. of age. I needed to let all my children 5 2014 Washington Family History Fair know about their hard working immigrant father and I needed to tell them before I forgot all the details MYSELF. That desire eventually was the impetus that got me involved with first learning and then teaching computer classes. Soon after their statements, I took a writing class for seniors through the Greenlake Park Dept. I had started writing in a journal about two years after my husband died and used part of that journal information when I began writing my first book “A Gift of Memories.” Mother of 6 children, 19 grandchildren and two great grandchildren, I previously attended Seattle U. and Boston College School of Social Work where I received my Master’s Degree. Through an article in the newspaper, I learned about and became involved with SeniorNet of Puget Sound in Bellevue in 1994 and the next year started teaching computer skills there and later in several community and senior centers in the greater Seattle- Bellevue-Mercer Island area. This teaching continued until the organization ceased that type of program in 2014. I gave my first book to my children in 1989. Initially, as I was writing and producing this book, I received many positive responses from persons who had helped me either with the copying, printing, editing or transcribing process. The response was, “I wish my parents would do that,” or, “Can I read it after you finish?” It was during this completion of the autobiography that the idea of creating a class with others wishing to do the same thing was developed. In Sept. 2000 I taught my first class on “Writing Your LifeStory” through the Puget Sound Senior Net programs. Since that first class I have had articles published and have given presentations to many local and national community and genealogical organizations on the subject of writing your own life story. The organizations include LDS Genealogy Society (Bellevue and Redmond), African American Genealogy group, Eastside Genealogy society, Daughters of the American Revolution including a memoir writing class at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library. Articles were published in Nostalgia magazines, Senior Line (National SeniorNet magazine), in the Seattle woman Magazine (in Focus) and two articles in the SHAG senior community flyers After now teaching for 20 years through SeniorNet of Puget Sound, in addition to community centers in Mercer Island and Seattle, in 2012-3, I began teaching taught at several retirement centers in the area and at Bellevue College (where I still teach Writing Your Life Stories). In 2013, I completed my second workbook “Writing on Senior Journeys” for the classes and have now written 10 family books. Contact info: [email protected] Class Telling Your Stories: A program teaching you the basic steps in the process of recalling and writing your life experiences, exploring the challenges involved, resources available and learning some valuable tools that can help you develop those stories into an interesting and entertaining document. Your life is as unique as your fingertips. It’s time to share those stories that only you can tell and you want to do it before you forget. This course will; Provide you with helpful tools and ideas to keep you motivated to deal with challenges in writing Provide information on what to include, the potential resources and ideas on the value of creative writing styles and adding enhancements that will make the document interesting to read And by using the computer, writing, organizing and editing is easier and more professional. 6 2014 Washington Family History Fair Godfrey Ellis Currently the Director of the Masters program in Counseling Psychology and Chair of the Department of Leadership and Counseling Psychology at St. Martin’s University in Lacey, WA, Dr. Ellis earned his BA in French from BYU, his MA in Family Relations from BYU, and his PhD in Family Sociology and Social Psychology from WSU. Dr. Ellis has worked as a professor of Family Relations and/or Psychology for 36 years. He has worked as a marriage and family therapist for 30 years. Dr. Ellis has been tracing his genealogy and English family roots, off and on, since adolescence. He and his wife, Merry, spend the majority of their free time engaged in the “addiction” we call family history. They have visited ancestral locations in England on several occasions. Godfrey and Merry Ellis have lectured on the topic of family history on cruise ships sailing in the Caribbean, up to Alaska, and to Hawaii as well as lecturing at state and local family history fairs. They currently serve as Ward Family History Consultants and as Stake Indexing Directors in the LDS Lacey, WA Stake. Contact info: [email protected] Classes Researching in England Using the Internet: While it is obvious that not all research can be done online, much can now be done from the comfort of our homes. This class emphasizes the large number of online tools available for conducting meaningful family history research in England using the Internet. It presents websites for modern maps of England and for period British maps. It also covers the use of English church parish records, bishops transcripts, and non-conformist records, FreeBMD searches of the Civil Registration, the valuable website of GENUKI, on-line access to the British census, websites to search for wills and monumental inscriptions, the on-line Booth Poverty Maps of London, and a number of other websites designed to help American researchers search their English roots without the expense of “crossing the pond.” Indexing – A Fun Way To Give Back: The marvelous opportunity to research family lines is a free gift provided by the efforts of hundreds of thousands of common, ordinary family historians just like each one of us. We have received so much through the efforts of these generous transcribers and indexers. Now you, too, can “give back” by supplementing your regular family history efforts by serving as an indexer – all for less than one hour per week. It is by the power of the army of indexers that great work can be accomplished, and you can help. The English transcribed the civil registration (vital records) of England but it has taken them 12 years to do so – and they’re still not finished. Indexing through the LDS resources could have done this job in a matter of months. The process is simple and can be done on any laptop or desktop. Within the next two months, it will be available on the Internet, allowing indexing on iPad or Android tablets. It is a “puzzle-with-consequences.” Come and find out how to join the fun. Merry Ellis Merry Ellis has been fascinated with her family history for many years. Related to the same Mayflower Pilgrim Fathers as Joseph Smith and Winston Churchill, she has lines extending to 7 2014 Washington Family History Fair England, France, Germany, and French-Canada. She has spent many days conducting research on these lines in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and has visited England several times to learn more about her and her husbands’ family histories. Along with her husband, Godfrey Ellis, she has also lectured on genealogy on cruise ships sailing to the Caribbean, up to Alaska and to Hawaii. They currently serve as Ward Family History Consultants and as Stake Indexing Directors in the Lacey, WA Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Contact info: [email protected] Classes Researching in England Using the Internet: While it is obvious that not all research can be done online, much can now be done from the comfort of our homes. This class emphasizes the large number of online tools available for conducting meaningful family history research in England using the Internet. It presents websites for modern maps of England and for period British maps. It also covers the use of English church parish records, bishops transcripts, and non-conformist records, FreeBMD searches of the Civil Registration, the valuable website of GENUKI, on-line access to the British census, websites to search for wills and monumental inscriptions, the on-line Booth Poverty Maps of London, and a number of other websites designed to help American researchers search their English roots without the expense of “crossing the pond.” Indexing – A Fun Way To Give Back: The marvelous opportunity to research family lines is a free gift provided by the efforts of hundreds of thousands of common, ordinary family historians just like each one of us. We have received so much through the efforts of these generous transcribers and indexers. Now you, too, can “give back” by supplementing your regular family history efforts by serving as an indexer – all for less than one hour per week. It is by the power of the army of indexers that great work can be accomplished, and you can help. The English transcribed the civil registration (vital records) of England but it has taken them 12 years to do so – and they’re still not finished. Indexing through the LDS resources could have done this job in a matter of months. The process is simple and can be done on any laptop or desktop. Within the next two months, it will be available on the Internet, allowing indexing on iPad or Android tablets. It is a “puzzle-with-consequences.” Come and find out how to join the fun. Eva Gremmert Eva Doherty Gremmert is a professional genealogist and lecturer specializing in Irish research. Currently she makes 3 or 4 research trips to Ireland annually. She also has extensive family history research experience in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom and the Ukraine. Eva has spent over 35 years traveling for her own research in addition to helping others gather their family history. Her greatest joy comes when she unites clients with long lost relations. Since 2001, Eva has been the Worldwide Reunion Coordinator for the O’Dochartaigh clan for the three previous major clan gatherings. For the next reunion in July 2015, hundreds of O’Dochartaighs will enjoy ten days of festivities and tours of the clans Ulster homeland. She is a founding member of the Irish Genealogical and Historical Society (IGHS) and currently is on the board of directors. Eva has researched and published six books on her family history, including a historical fiction novel based 8 2014 Washington Family History Fair on the life of her Irish great-grandmother. She hosts two major genealogy research websites. Eva and her husband Arden have four children and seven grandchildren. They maintain homes in Carnation, WA and Carndonagh, Co. Donegal, Ireland. Contact info: [email protected] Classes New and Improved Family Search: This class will give you insights into the enhancements to Family Search which will assist you in your family history research. Writing and Publishing Ancestral Stories: The daily sights and sounds, scents and foods, accents and laughter, music and dancing that we experience are a part of the fabric of our lives. These things were a part of our ancestors’ lives as well. Researching, collecting books, periodicals, letters, photos, and keepsakes create a tapestry of life in the towns and town lands of your ancestors. In addition to research and historical facts, gathering other information will help make your ancestors story come alive. Learn the techniques to create a wonderful family story and the processes to publish and distribute your ancestors’ story. Becky Hanich I live in Kent, and have been involved in Family History for almost 40 years. I have been a FamilySearch Missionary for 3 ½ years and have been a trainer for over 2 years. I work with the FamilySearch department to train new missionaries in the support of FamilySearch. I have taught all over Western Washington to help many understand the workings of FamilySearch. I have done research in Pennsylvania, North Dakota, Nebraska and Washington. Contact info: [email protected] 253-852-0764 Classes Family Tree overview: This class will help you understand the FamilyTree that is part of FamilySearch.org. I will show you how to maneuver and add information to your part of the tree. This is not a private tree but a tree that will connect to the trees of others so that you can collaborate with family far and wide. Family Tree Photos and Stories: One of the wonderful things about the Family Tree is the ability to add photos and stories to your ancestors. Our ancestors really come alive when we see pictures and read the stories. You will see not just your photos and stories but those that others have added. Nyle Kinghorn Nyle Kinghorn has extensive experience in family history and has presented at numerous prior events. Contact info: [email protected] 9 2014 Washington Family History Fair Class Why the Mormons Do Genealogy: Why does The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints devote so much time, money and effort around genealogy? Learn more about the scriptural background of genealogy. Mary Kathryn Kozy Mary Kathryn Kozy has been working on her own family history for 35 years, since she first became interested at the age of 13. Over the years she has researched families from the Midwest to the deep South, and from both Western and Eastern Europe. She started her own family history website in November 1996, and has continued developing it in her spare time. She has served in multiple positions in several local societies. She currently serves as President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State and teaches seminars to whoever will listen! Mary is married and the mother of three wonderful children and is a brand new grandma to an adorable grandson. She recently completed her second bachelor’s degree, in Information Technology and Systems and works full time for Boeing. She is very involved in church work and loves to read and knit whenever she can grab some free time, which isn't very often! Contact info: [email protected] Class Can You Help Me Find My Cousins? Understanding Autosomal DNA: DNA testing has really come to the fore as a way of helping us to break through brick walls in our genealogical research. Family Tree DNA, Ancestry, and 23 and Me are all competing to have you do your autosomal testing with them. How are these companies the same? How do they differ? What can autosomal DNA testing tell you and what are some techniques you can use to help you interpret the results? Come learn about what autosomal testing can and can’t do for you, some of the challenges with interpreting results in tightly knit communities, such as Colonial, Jewish, Mennonite, pioneer, etc., and what type of work it takes to interpret your results. Ann Lamb Ann Lamb is an independent family history and genealogy researcher who specializes in Scottish history, ethnology and folklore. Contact info: [email protected] Class Top 10 Places to Find Maiden Names Discovering the maiden name of a female ancestor can sometimes be difficult, but can lead to a whole new branch of your family tree. Janice Lovelace Janice Lovelace, Ph.D., has 20 years of experience in family history research as well as academic work in the area (Genealogy and Family History certificate at UW in 2012, certificate program in 10 2014 Washington Family History Fair genealogy at Boston University, 2013). A member of Seattle Genealogical Society for a number of years, she joined the SGS Board as Vice-President in June 2014. She is also a member of Association of Professional Genealogists. In her work life, she is a licensed clinical psychologist with a specialization in child and family therapy and has been a private practice therapist and a faculty member teaching psychology. Contact info: [email protected] Classes Beyond Online: What I Can Find at the Courthouse: This presentation will provide insights on physical records that can be obtained by visiting local courthouses. How Healthy Is Your Family Tree?: A genogram is a graphic representation of a family tree that displays detailed data on relationships among individuals. It goes beyond a traditional family tree by mapping out relationships and traits that may otherwise be missed on a pedigree chart. What is Genealogical Proof Standard and Why Should I Know It?: This presentation provides a definition of Genealogical Proof Standard and why it should be employed. Virginia Majeske Virginia Majeske has been interested in genealogy and family history work for more than 37 years. She worked to help create the first Family History Library in Adrian, Michigan and has been a volunteer Family History Consultant for many years. Virginia is currently researching and writing the history of John Raymond and Thelma Fleek, and plans on publishing a book. Virginia has used many products and tools while working on her genealogy. She has searched many censuses, looked at land records, ordered birth, death and marriage records, and searches the many available online sources as she researches her family. Virginia is excited to market and distribute the latest release of MagiKey Family Tree. Contact info: [email protected] Classes Census 1: Searching and Recording Census Basics (1900-1940): Best practices in recording census sources, tips and tricks for better searching of census data, and learning where to find censuses online. Emphasis is given to the 1900-1940 censuses with a case study on finding ancestors with few known details. Census 2: Census Tracking - The Devil is in the Details (1850-1890): Finding often missed genealogy information in censuses, finding the difficult to find person, and basic census tracking or the value in finding a family in multiple census years. Emphasis is given to the 1850-1890 censuses with a case study on finding the difficult to find person. Census 3: Advanced Census Tracking- Keep it Simple (Head of Household censuses 1790-1840): This class explores the “head of household” census and the secrets it holds. We learn how Occam’s razor and other logic principals apply to census records help make sense of the early records and make them useful for 11 2014 Washington Family History Fair research. Emphasis is given to the 1790-1840 censuses with a case study that uses the age ranges in early censuses to help pinpoint a probable birth date. Census 4: Land Records, Censuses, Probates, Oh My!: Combining the information in early land records and probates can help unlock the secrets hidden in the early census records. Emphasis is given to the 17901860 censuses with a case study in tracking women in censuses, and unraveling the mystery of the man who died in two states. Celia McNay Celia McNay did her first family history project when she was 16 years old for a special church event. She has been doing genealogy, preserving family stories, and searching out relatives ever since. Now with a bachelor’s degree in Family History from Brigham Young University and over 25 years of research, she has formed her own research company, Go West Family Research. Celia is a member of Eastside Genealogical Society, the Association of Professional Genealogists, and is working on her national certification. Although her first love is picking through old documents, Celia also enjoys teaching others about genealogy. She has served as a Family History Consultant for the LDS Church for the past 9 years, teaching classes and helping others become excited about their family tree. She recently taught for the Bellevue Regional Library in their ‘Genealogy Boot Camp’ workshop in 2013 and 2014. Contact info: [email protected] Classes Introduction to FamilySearch.org: This class will provide an overview on how to leverage this phenomenal resource which contains over 3 billion names. Using The Family Tree and Memories: This class will explore the features of the largest free website for genealogical records on the internet --Familysearch.org. Supported by the Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints, the newly refurbished Family Tree is a repository of submitted family connections linking generations, and the complementary Memories section for up loading and storing photos, stories, audio files, documents which can then be linked to people in the Family Tree. Jill Morelli Jill Morelli is a professional genealogist from Seattle, Washington who focuses on lecturing and writing. Lecturing in the Puget Sound region is presently her focus but looks forward to expanding beyond those boundries. She was thrilled to do her first all-day seminar in October. Jill has attended the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (Advanced Methodologies) and completed the ProGen and Mastering Genealogical Proof study courses. Jill is the Publications Director for the Seattle Genealogical Society and conference chair of the biennial conference of the Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of America and is a member of APG and GSG. She writes primarily at her blog http://genealogycertification.wordpress.com about topics related to the process of becoming 12 2014 Washington Family History Fair certified as a genealogist. While she continues to believe she will complete and submit her BCG portfolio before her “clock runs out” the likelihood is rapidly diminishing. Contact info: [email protected] Classes Discovering the Other Census: Non-Population Schedule: The United States by law is required to take a census of the US population once every ten years. The Federal government, however, does other surveys based on needs of the government to capture certain data. This presentation will cover the wealth of information that can be found in this other data. I Found My Family On The Internet! Now What Do I Do?: This class will walk through some methodologies to assess websites to ascertain to what level you should trust what you have found or whether you should treat the information as merely interesting. Unraveling Family Myths: Every family has its stories--undocumented, usually colorful snippets of remembrances of our ancestors. Some sound just ludicrous but every story usually is in the family lexicon for some reason, meaning, that some portion of the story just might be true! This class will describe how one goes about separating the “wheat from the chaff”. Jean Roth Jean A. Roth is a retired Certified Travel Consultant and has been an active genealogist with the Seattle Genealogical Society since 1977 - researching her German, Irish, and English ancestry. She is an Honorary Life Member and has served the Society as President and Director of Education. She is the current SGS Vice-President and Group Leader for the Irish and German Special Interest Groups. She also serves on the Board of Seattle's Irish Heritage Club as a genealogical advisor. Jean is a Life Member of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia and is the Greater Seattle Chapter's Vice President and Newsletter editor. She serves on the National AHSGR organization as a Village Coordinator and Historian for her paternal ancestral village in Russia's Volga River region. Contact info: [email protected] 206-782-2629 Classes The Volga Germans: From Germany to Russia: The unique ethnic group known as "Germans from Russia" has a broad history from the 18th century migration from Germany to Russia's Volga River Region at the invitation of the Empress Catherine the Great to the 19th century migration to Black Sea and Crimean settlements under Czar Alexander I, and the mass migrations to North and South America prior to the Russian Revolution and finally exile to Siberia in 1941 for those left behind. In 1991, the fall of the Soviet Union opened up exciting research possibilities once thought impossible to obtain. Through the efforts of organizations like the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, the Germans from Russia Heritage Society, the new Center for Volga German Studies, and a dedicated group of volunteers – Russian Archives have opened. Researchers from all over the world are coming together to share their family histories. 13 2014 Washington Family History Fair Jim Terry James Terry is the senior Customer Support Representative for Millennia Corporation, which produces the Legacy Family Tree genealogy program. Jim, as he likes to be called, majored in genealogical research at Brigham Young University from 1969 to 1971 and then enlisted in the US Navy as an avionics technician. After his naval service, which included a tour in Vietnam, he return to Brigham Young University where he graduated with a BA in Communication in 1978. After graduation, he worked as a professional genealogist in Salt Lake City, but eventually pursued a career in public relations and photography for two community hospitals, Rotary International and the military. In 1996, Jim returned to college to study computer networks and database management. Millennia Corporation hired him in 1999, even before he graduated. Jim now combines his favorite pursuits—genealogy and computers—into one career, and still carries on professional research for a small number of favored clients. He has also written articles on the use of the Internet and Scottish church records which have appeared in Heritage Quest Magazine and the AGLL Genealogical Bulletin. In addition he has spoken to a number of genealogical societies and groups in Illinois, Wisconsin, California, Utah and Washington, as well as British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. Jim is married and the father of two married children. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and resides in the Oak Harbor 2nd Ward of the Mount Vernon Washington Stake. His hobbies include photography, and kite flying. Contact info: [email protected] 360-675-5735 Class Family Tree and Family Search: Family Search Family Tree is now made easy through Legacy Family Tree. This class will provide an overview on how to start using this great resource. Karla Walters Karla Walters is a Wisconsin native and has graduate degrees from the University of Oregon. She has been a university professor and a high school English teacher and has been doing genealogical research for twenty-five years and is a member of the Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe (SGGEE), assisting in their parish records extractions and presenting workshops at their conferences. She has lived abroad in Europe and has traveled extensively in search of the secrets to family history. Contact: [email protected] 14 2014 Washington Family History Fair Classes Germans from Russia: Where Did They Really Come From? If your ancestors were “Germans from Russia,” they could have been living anywhere from Poland to the Black Sea. This overview will consider the migration of German-speaking people from the 1700’s onwards, reasons for their eastward migration, hardships they faced that ultimately led to their scattering completely, often to North and South America, and how to locate resources and work with the genealogical records of these families. Gary Zimmerman Gary Zimmerman is a fourth-generation resident of Seattle, the Historian of the Pioneer Association of the State of Washington and the President of the Fiske Genealogical Foundation. He is retired from a professional career as a university administrator, with thirty three years of service to Seattle University and Antioch University Seattle. He also was involved in local politics for many years, serving as Mayor of Bellevue in the 1970's and chairman of Seattle Metro from 1980 to 1990. He currently serves on the board of the Chief Seattle Council, Boy Scouts, as VP for Facilities. Gary's work in genealogy began with a 5th grade assignment and his exploration of family history has been continuous since that time. In the early 1960's he began teaching other people how to do genealogy. In the 1980's, he began to consult with lawyers and title companies on how to use genealogical techniques to resolve land ownership and "living heir" problem's. Today, most of his work is through the instructional programs of the Fiske Foundation and in supervising the responses to genealogical questions asked of the Pioneer Hall organizations. Contact: [email protected] Classes Accessing Digital Books Online: This class will provide numerous resources for accessing valuable content online to assist in family history research. Scandinavian Resources: If you’re looking for Swedish, Norwegian, Danish or Finnish information, this class will point you to myriad resources to help you in your search. 15 2014 Washington Family History Fair 10:00 – 11:00 Classes DNA and Genealogy – Part 1: The Basics, Tests and Companies By Claudia Breland Claudia C. Breland Genealogy and Online Research Gig Harbor, WA 425-443-2968 [email protected] http://www.ccbreland.com DNA: What is it, and why does it matter to a genealogist? Definition of DNA: ““Deoxyriboneucleic acid (DNA) is a molecule that encodes the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms…” All of us have 23 pairs of chromosomes, one each from mother and father The 23rd chromosome is made up of XX (for females) or XY (for males) Within each chromosome are housed long strands of DNA DNA is made up of long parallel strands of genetic coding, contained in 4 proteins, given the letters A, G, T and C. These proteins are paired: A with T, and G and C. One strand of DNA can look like this: aattgcgctagcttgcta tttaattggcctttag agacggggtt tcaccatgtt gtcaggctg These strings of letters, or “short tandem repeats” (STR’s) can have millions of different combinations. Just as the 26 letters of our alphabet can combine to make millions of words, and millions of books. DNA consists of two strands that mirror each other; during reproduction, it divides and recombines to make new strands of DNA. 16 2014 Washington Family History Fair Mitochondrial (mtDNA) Passed down from a mother to all of her children Can be taken by men or women Traces the maternal line back, potentially thousands of years Types of DNA Tests Y-DNA Passed down from father to son, virtually unchanged Available for men only Traces the paternal line back, potentially thousands of years Women can have their father, brother or male cousin tested Autosomal Autosomes are the 22 chromosomes that do not determine gender Can be taken by men or women Tests across all family lines DNA Testing Companies FamilyTreeDNA Largest database of subscribers; most widely used by genealogists Oldest genetic testing company for genealogists Ancestry Offers autosomal testing – across all family lines – for $99 Offers limited markers for YDNA and mt-DNA testing Offers several levels of Y-DNA and mt-DNA testing Ability to post your DNA results on your Ancestry family tree Does not allow you to see shared DNA segments Offers Chromosome Browser Ability to order standard tests and upgrade later Allows you to download raw data and your matches into Excel Ability to transfer results from other testing companies Can have an Ancestry DNA test without subscribing to Ancestry Requires use of their website to contact matches Allows you to download raw data Sells tests world-wide Does not sell DNA tests outside of the US Best for Jewish Ancestry Best for African American Ancestry Best for Colonial New England Ancestry Best overall for ethnicity estimates 17 23andMe Tests across all family lines Tests only autosomal DNA, but gives haplogroups for male & female ancestry Can be taken by men or women Initial communication with matches is done through website Allows you to download raw data Much lower percentage of people responding to questions about ancestry Sells tests in several countries, but shipping is expensive outside US Best for Native American Ancestry 2014 Washington Family History Fair DNA Testing Today: Can’t give you the name of your great-great-grandfather who’s been a “brick wall” problem for two decades of searching! Can put you in touch with people you’re related to Can’t provide answers with just your DNA – the best option is to test as many relatives as possible Needs to be used together with traditional paper records FamilyTreeDNA: http://www.familytreedna.com All kits are sent to your home, and DNA is collected by swabbing the inside of your cheek, and then mailing the kit back. Y-DNA tests: $169 for 37-marker kit (minimum recommended level of testing) $268 for 67-marker kit $359 for 111-marker kit Look for a surname or geographical project here: https://www.familytreedna.com/projects.aspx? Join a project for your surname and get a discount on the kits. A 37-marker kit through a surname project is $149. mtDNA tests: $199 for mtDNA full sequence Full sequence: 50% confidence in a match within 5 generations (~125 years) 95% confidence in a match within 22 generations (~550 years) By contrast: HVR1: 50% confidence in a match within 52 generations (~1300 years) HVR1 & HVR2: 50% confidence in a match within 28 generations (~700 years) Family Finder test: $99 for Family Finder (autosomal) matches are most accurate within 5-6 generations Ancestry: All kits are sent to your home, and DNA is collected by spitting in a tube, and mailing it back to Ancestry. Ancestry DNA: $99 for Ancestry DNA test (autosomal) matches are most accurate within 5-6 generations 23andme: All kits are sent to your home, and DNA is collected by spitting in a tube, and mailing it back to 23andme. $99 for their test (autosomal) matches are most accurate within 5-6 generations 18 2014 Washington Family History Fair DNA in Depth Recombining – the process by which chromosomes split and recombine. Three children of the same two parent will inherit different parts and percentages of their grandparents’ DNA. Chromosome mapping – figuring out on what specific part of a chromosome you and another person have matching markers on, and which ancestor that common segment came from. DYS – DNA Y-chromosome segment. These segments are numbered, and the number of matching markers is what determines the closeness of the relationship. STR – short tandem repeat. A section of the DNA strands that are repeated. Markers – pieces of the DNA molecule that have certain characteristics. Markers are tested in genetic genealogy, not genes. Triangulation – working with matches, comparing chromosome segments in common with someone you know is related with you, and another match, in order to pinpoint which segment of which chromosome you got from a specific ancestor. DNA and Ethnicity Ethnicity predictions are the least reliable reports of DNA testing – they’re limited by the reference populations in the database You are just a small subset of your ancestors’ DNA By the time you get back 5 or 6 generations from yourself, ancestors’ DNA starts disappearing from your chromosomes DNA testing companies all use different calculations and reference populations, and are constantly refining their ethnicity estimates DNA Testing Strategies First, determine what you want to know – look at where you’re stuck, or have a brick wall. Determine the type of test you need – mtDNA, Y-DNA, or autosomal Figure out who else to test – test every relative you can possibly get in touch with “Bank” the DNA of elderly relatives Third-Party Tools: download your raw data from FTDNA, Ancestry or 23andme, and upload to these websites Gedmatch: http://www.gedmatch.com Autosomal DNA Segment Analyzer: http://www.dnagedcom.com Genomemate: http://www.genomemate.org Promethease: http://www.promethease.com Get the most for your money! Test with Ancestry DNA for $99 Transfer results to FamilyTreeDNA for free; unlock your matches for free by getting 4 of your friends or relatives to transfer their results. OR, unlock your matches immediately for $39 Test with 23andme for $99 For a total of $198 to $237 – you have your autosomal DNA registered at all 3 companies! 19 2014 Washington Family History Fair Legacy Tree & Family Search By James Terry 20 2014 Washington Family History Fair 21 2014 Washington Family History Fair 22 2014 Washington Family History Fair 23 2014 Washington Family History Fair Census 1: Searching & Recording Census Basics (1900-1940) By Virginia Majeske Census Facts for 1900-1940 U.S. Federal Censuses___________ Birth Month and Year -- 1900 Years of Marriage 1900, 1910 Number of Children— 1900, 1910, 1940 Number of Children Living 1900, 1910, Immigration Year & Naturalization, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 Number of Farm Schedule—1900, 1910, 1920, 1940 Veteran of War—1910,1920,1930, 1940 Age at First Marriage—1930,1940 Married More than Once--1940 Grade of School completed—1940 Citizenship—1940 Residence in 1935—1940 Are census facts reliable? The place and time element can be classified as reliable census evidence. All other pieces of information (birth place, birthdate, etc.) are not given at the time of event and are considered less reliable (questionable) or may not be reliable at all. A census tracker will help sort the viable information from the unreliable data or junk. What is a Census Tracker? A Census Tracker is a visual presentation of census data in spreadsheet form. Census Tracking is a method to organize your census data by systematically recording and comparing censuses over time. Sort the viable information from the unreliable data or junk. Spot patterns and find new leads. Organize your census data. Track what you have done or not done. 24 2014 Washington Family History Fair Using MagiCensus to create a Census Tracker Available online from www.MagiCensus.com Opens and saves a GEDCOM file so you can use your known information Adds information to the GEDCOM file as you extract information from a Census Generates Timeline and other reports that go hand in hand with Census Tracking Includes 150+ interactive extraction forms for U.S. State and Federal Censuses and 10 countries Includes links to enumeration instructions Uses places and events occurred in the life of an individual or family members to suggest available censuses to search (such as State Censuses) How to get the most from census research? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Find an ancestor on an online index Preserve the census digital image Record and source all of the data in a readable form Enter all data into your genealogy program as events or facts for each person Organize your census data Summarize & plan how to verify census detail What have I learned? Are there any contradictions between what was expected and actual census data? What clues have I discovered to find other censuses? What potential sources can I use to verify the census data? Determining the best website based on your resources FamilySearch.org o Free access to indexes 1850 – 1940 (images available with membership) o Free access to many State Censuses o Some soundex matching, but no wildcard searching Ancestry.com o Free at many public libraries or LDS Family History Centers o 1880 and 1920 indexes are always free o Paid Membership provides access to index and images 1790 – 1940, + many state censuses o Allows Wildcard searches using * and ? HeritageQuest.com o Free online access at home through public libraries o Access to 1790 – 1940 Federal Censuses (only partial index to 1930) o No wild card or soundex searching Other resources available at http://TheMagiKey.com/censuslinks Common Problems Searching for an Ancestor.____________ Too much non-relevant information returned o Limit your search to only one census year at a time o Try matching name by exact spelling or wildcard instead of soundex o Add more information to your search 25 2014 Washington Family History Fair I can’t find them anywhere! o Search for misspellings or indexing errors o Check common handwriting problems, try substituting the following letter combinations when searching L often looks like an S or T s looks like an f ss looks like a B, especially in German/American communities I and J used interchangeably T and F can look the same U and V can look the same M and N can look the same o Search by Name Abbreviations such as Abrm => Abraham Andw => Andrew Chs => Charles Jro => Jerome Jas => James Jno => John or Jonathan Michl => Michael Robt => Robert Thos, Tho, Ths => Thomas o o o o o o Wm, Willm => William Search by middle name Try searching for old fashion nicknames Polly, Molly or Mamey for Mary Beth, Betsy, Liza for Elizabeth Sally for Sarah Meg, Peggy, or Ret for Margaret Fanny for Frances Lollie for Charlotte Search by first initial and last name in a specific location. Many census enumerators didn’t bother to record the first name, only the first initial. Try other combinations of facts in a specific location such as first name and birth location Try searching for a sibling or parent Try searching a different website, it may be indexed differently Unknown abbreviation in the census o Use enumerator instructions o RR for railroad or railway” o Ad.D for Adopted Daughter Parents of Ancestor is Unknown o Use birthplaces of parents as clues 1880-1940 o Look for potential parents with the same names as the children of the ancestor o Carefully examine entire census sheet for potential family members. o Search forwards and backwards and all siblings, sometimes parents live with children or their grandchildren in their old age. 26 2014 Washington Family History Fair Germans from Russia and Research in Eastern Europe By Karla Walters Karla K. Walters, Ph.D. [email protected] Origins of “Germans from Russia” : German-speaking immigrants who arrived in North America beginning in the 1870’s because of the increasing upheavals that occurred in Russia, Poland, and Eastern Europe, culminating in the first and second World Wars. Because the term “Russia” before World War 1 included many countries now known by other names, researching “Russian” ancestry can be tricky, not only for Germans, but for Jews, Ukrainians, Russians, and many other religious and ethnic groups. Many Germans left their homeland before 1800, had somehow survived Napoleon’s incursion into Russia, and had lived in German “colonies” throughout areas of Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Hungary, Bessarabia, Crimea, Romania, and Russia. They remained German-speaking and were primarily Protestant Christians (either Lutheran, Calvinists, Mennonites, or Baptists). Because Poland was partitioned between Russia, Prussia, and Austria-Hungary starting in 1790’s, the German settlers in Eastern Europe were usually known as “Germans from Russia” even though the areas where many of them lived are now in Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, Bessarabia, Crimea and Romania. 1. Begin with a passenger list in which you ancestor listed the home village and names of next of kin. If they emigrated before 1895, the passenger list will not provide much information, so you may need to use alternative sources, such as naturalization papers or family records. 2. Using a map that is current for the time period when your ancestors lived in the area, make an effort to locate where the original villages were and their current names. You may have to work in multiple languages (Polish, German, and Russia) as well as multiple names for the same village. Good map resources for most areas known as “Russia” can be found in the Map Room on the SGGEE website. Identify what the country is where this village is located: not only what country it currently can be found in, but what country it was in at the time your ancestor lived there. Wikipedia articles may be useful for finding larger cities or towns or provinces but are not usually helpful for small villages. 3. Learn as much as you can about the province in which the ancestral village is located, as the larger towns would have land records, church archives, and train stations and may have current websites to assist you. At the least, learn something about when such improvements as rail transportation came to the area, and find out what living conditions were like for education, transportation, law, religious observations and recording vital records and land purchases and (as a result of wars, land expropriations). The “Germans from Russia” lived in large areas and were always subject to the local laws, not German jurisdictions. 27 2014 Washington Family History Fair 4. Use the resources of the various ethnic groups who research genealogy in Eastern Europe: Subscription required, but excellent information for many countries of Central Europe, including Austria Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Galicia, Germans from Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Jewish, Russian: FEEFHS - Federation of East European Family History Societies : http://www.feefhs.org Polish heritage includes a free forum with help for translating Russian documents: http://polishorigins.com Lutheran Archives in Berlin: http://www.ezab.de/ Old Prussian archives http://www.ezab.de/e/ee1.html AGSGR: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia (primarily Black Sea, Bessarabia, and Volga River villages, who immigrated to Russia in groups in the 1700’s). This subscription organization has strong research by village and has focused on determining the original German villages of the original settlers. They have republished the work of Dr. Karl Stumpf, who made a project of lifelong research to link the Russian German colonists to their original German roots.. http://ahsgr.org/ GRHS Germans from Russia Heritage Society: Primarily Black Sea and southern Ukraine and Odessa; useful links especially for North Dakota immigrants. http://www.grhs.org/ SGGEE: The Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe, a subscription organization with useful map links, articles on the history of Germans in Poland and Ukraine, and database indexes specific to Germans living in Poland, Silesia, former Ost Prussia, Volhynia, and Ukraine/ http://www.sggee.org/ St Petersburg Archives of German Lutheran Church records in Volhynia and Ukraine (Covers Kiev, Podalia, Zhitomir, Heimtal, Rozyszcze, Wladimir-Wolynsk). These records are indexed at the Odessa Digital library website and can be obtained through familysearch.org, and are cross-indexed through the members-only index on the SGGEE website. The Odessa digital archives index is found at http://www.odessa3.org/ and includes more than the St. Petersburg Lutheran records. ROLL: German-Russia Resource Links. Free. Includes many links to other sites including translation aids and the EWZ files. http://rollintl.com/roll/links.htm Polish archives online, including digital images you can browse of German Lutheran records for all areas of Poland and Eastern portions of Ukraine/Volhynia after 1890. Use the indexes at other sites such as FEEFS and SGGE, and the North Dakota Odessa index, to help you find the images to look for in these archives. The original records may be in Polish, German, or Russian. You can use Google translate to help you translate and understand the site . http://www.agad.gov.pl/inwentarze/KsEA439x.xml#idp43798016 28 2014 Washington Family History Fair 5. Consult maps that reflect the time period in which your ancestors resided in a particular area. Maps after the first partition of Poland (1790 and before Napoleon (before 1812), dating from about 1804 are found at the University of Lodz, Poland library website: http://www.bcul.lib.uni.lodz.pl/dlibra/collectionstats?dirids=12 FEEFHS and SGGEE also have connections for maps for later time periods. The names of towns changed before the German-Prussian wars in the 1820-1830’s and again after Russia dominates Poland following the Polish peasant uprising in 1867-68 and again after World War I, during World War II, and again after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1990. 6. Expect church records to be in Latin if in Roman Catholic records, in Polish, or in German. Russian language records become the norm in Poland in 1868 but Lutheran records continued to be written in German in Ukraine until the 1890’s, when they become Cyrillic and in the Russian language, although surnames may still be included in German and Roman script. 7. If your family became refugees in Germany from Eastern Europe or Russia during World War II, some of the family were forced to return to Russia after the war. If they did get to remain in Germany or to North America, you may find useful information in the EWZ records which are microfilms in the Berlin Document Center but copies are also in US holdings in Washington, D. C. 8. A website with live webcams of cities in Ukraine, maps and many links on the area formerly called Volhynia is http://www.volhynia.com/ 9. If your family lived in the central Poland area known as Poznan, you might find marriage records indexed at http://bindweed.man.poznan.pl/posen/project.php 10. General indexing of German Lutheran parishes in Poland has been extensively done by the SGGEE for their subscribers, and this can be an immensely helpful tool if you do not know the village from which your ancestors came but you know their names and their parents’ names. You may also browse digital pages of the German Evangelical Lutheran records available through Polish archives, which also include Eastern Ukraine in areas of Volhynia covered by the Lutheran parish of Rozyszcze,. 11. If your ancestor arrived in the United States after 1900, their immigration records may be the most useful starting point, as these will tell you their date and port of arrival, name of ship, and the passenger lists which links to these facts will usually state a hometown in the country of origin as well as the name of the closest relative back home. Be prepared for less than straightforward information about who they were planning to contact in the United States—often the name is the name of a friend of a friend, just anyone to list for the purposes of immigration. 12. Germans from Russia in North America, frequently tried to downplay their origins as both Germans and as coming from “Russia” and often brought with them a diversity of culture which makes their heritage richer than simply “German.” 13. Although your ancestor may have been Baptist, it is possible they converted from Lutheranism, so do not overlook checking Lutheran records even if you are certain their religion was something else. Many converted in Russia after 1900, so their records will still be in Lutheran records, or the family may even have converted to a new religion after immigration. Check Catholic records for baptisms and marriages even for Lutheran families early in the 19th century before Lutheran parishes became widely available. 29 2014 Washington Family History Fair Keeping Up With the Jones: A Case Study of Tracing a Common Surname in Georgia By Janice Blackhurst 30 2014 Washington Family History Fair 31 2014 Washington Family History Fair 32 2014 Washington Family History Fair 33 2014 Washington Family History Fair --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Will of Sterling Jones Georgia, Warren County. In the name of the ever living God. I Sterling Jones of Said county being now of Sound & disposing mind & memory, but feeble in health – desirous of making a disposition of my estate, do make and declare the following as my last will and testament. I direct that my remains be intered in a decent manner – and that my just debts that I may owe, be paid from the funds herein after mentioned. I give and devise to my beloved Wife Patsey the lot on which we live including the Stable lot, bounded by the public Square, the Augusta Road – the lot conveyed by here in trust for my daughter Mrs. Rogers and by Neal & Chapman with all the buildings thereon, and The Rose tract of land, containing two hundred acres, more or less - I also give to her all the furniture in Said houses of every description, garden tools and stable utensils – all the cash & Bank bills in hand at my death, the carriage & harness & the pair of horses that may be used with it – the two horse wagon & harness – and the following slaves – hostler Tom, Isaac, Susannah, Sally, Terry and his daughter Cornelia – to her and to her heirs forever. To my son Andrew Jackson Jones I give and bequeath the following slaves – Seaborn – Henry Nelson – Susan – Abram & Lavona & their future increase. I give & bequeath to my sons Andrew Jackson & Sterling W as trustees the following slaves – Peter – Caroliner (a man) – Caroline – Cicilly – Patty & her child & their future increase – to be held by them in trust to and for the separate use & benefit of my daughter Adeline Smith during her life free & exempt from the claims & rights of her husband – and on her decease to be equally divided among her children. I give and bequeath to my sons Andrew Jackson & Sterling Washington the following slaves – Bob – Cynthia – Eliza & her child – Jane – Arnold & Dick & the future increase of the females to be held by them in trust to & for the separate use & benefit of my daughter Emeline, free & exempt from the (marital?) rights & claims of any man whom she may marry during her life and upon her death to such person or persons as she may in writing direct. To my Son Sterling Washington, I give & bequeath the following Slaves – Black Tom – Amos – Paul – Mary & her three children, Rachel, Nelly & George and the future increase of the females – and my watch – gun & cream colored horse. I direct that my plantation be cultivated by my Executors with such hands as they may have under their control for the benefit of the family: until a sale thereof be acquired – and that they keep up the stock – and whenever a majority in number of the legatees entitled shall in writing acquire a Sale it Shall be the duty of the executors to Sell Said plantation and all my land (except the tract herein before given to my Wife – and except one acre around & including the family burial ground) at the end of the current year or beginning of the next after Such notice, on Such terms as to quantity and time of payment as Such majority may suggest – giving at least sixty days notice – and also – all the Stock perishable property on Said plantation, of every kind & description at the time of 34 2014 Washington Family History Fair Such Sale – and after the payment of any debts that I may owe at my death, I direct that the proceeds of Such Sale be equally divided amongst my following children – Mrs. Maria Roberts – Sarah Satterwhite – Susan Boler – Samuel – James & William Jones – and for the purpose of Said Sale I hereby authorize the executors hereof and The Survivors to Sell all my lands herein directed to be Sold – and good & sufficient titles to make to the purchasers. I nominate & appoint my beloved Wife Patsey and my Son Andrew Jackson Jones executors of this my Will hereby revoking all & any former will by me made. In witness whereof I have hereto Set my hand & Seal this 5th day of November 1843. Sterling Jones (Seal) Signed, Sealed & declared by the Testator To be his Will – in our presence who in his Presence & in the presence of each other have Hereto subscribed our names Test J. A. Chapman W. H. Blount Nath. C. Sayre Recorded by Patrick N. Maddux, c.c.d. April - 1843 Court of Ordinary, Warren County, Georgia, Will Book 1829-1852, pp. 134-135, Will of Sterling Jones, FHL 219573, item 3. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mrs. Martha Jones Will Georgia Warren County} I Martha Jones of Said County being of Sound & disposing mind and memory and desirous of disposing of my estate which I have the power do make and declare the following Testamentary disposition thereof. I direct that my remains be decently interred and if by reason of my decease at any place not too remote that they be deposited by the side of my lately deceased husband. After the payment of all my just debts as soon after my decease as may be convenient I direct that all my Estate both real and personal be Sold by the Executors hereof and after the payment of all debts the proceeds thereof together, with the money that I may leave and from the collection of debts due me if any Shall be divided equally between all my Children, as well by my former husband as by my latter and the portion that may accrue to my Son James Seals shall be invested in State bonds or other undoubted Securities and the annual Interest thereon Shall be paid to him during his life and on his decease the principal shall be equally 35 2014 Washington Family History Fair divided among his children then in life and the decendants of any child that may have died before my said Son. And the portion that may accrue to my Daughter Martha Dickerson shall be held by the Executors invested in State bonds or other undoubted Securities to the sole and separate use of my Said Daughter during her life, free from the claim and right of her husband the interest whereof shall be paid annually to her alone, and on her decease the principle shall be equally divided amongst all her children then in life, and the decendants of any Child that may have died if any. And the portion that may accrue to my daughter Emeline Swinny, I direct shall be invested in a Similar manner and be held by the Executors lot for her sole and Separate use during her life, free and Exempt from the right or claim of her husband. And the interest Shall be annually paid to her alone and upon her decease the principle shall be equally divided among her Children then in life and the descendants of any Child that may have died before her. And as to the portion that may accrue to my other Children I direct that the same shall be paid to them in person for their own use & benefit and I further direct that if any of the above named three Children Shall die without leaving a Child or descendant of a child the portion or portions of Such Child or Children & dying Shall be divided by said Executor between the Surviving Children and decendants of any that may have died to be used and enjoyed in the manner herein above expressed as the Separate estate and as the life estate. I authorize the Executor hereof and Such as Shall qualify to sell all my estate real and personal at such times & on Such terms as they or he may think expedient & advantageous. Lastly I nominate to appoint my friend Nathan C Sayre Executor of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this Eleventh day of October 1851. Subscribed and declaired by the Testatrix to be her Will in our presence. The word James inserted and word three. inserted of fore Martha Jones Columbus C. Cody Eason D. Hudson Marshall H. Wellborn Recorded October 10th 1853 By Arden Rickershon Ordinary Codicil 36 2014 Washington Family History Fair State of Georgia Warren County Eighteen hundred and fifty one Whereas I Martha Jones did on the Eleventh day of October Make Sign Seal and declare my Last Will & Testament in the presence of Columbus C. Cody, Eason D. Hudson, & Marshall H. Wellborn who signed the same as witnesses thereto and whereas I am desirous of adding a bequest thereto do make this codicil there to, to wit., I will and bequeath that my body and that of my beloved deceased Husband Sterling Jones be buried and interred in a good metal coffin to be purchased by my Executor and I wish him to procure a valuable article without regards to price or Cost and I appoint my Son Sterling W. Executor in place of N. C. Sayre who is now dead. Signed Sealed declared and published as a codicil to my Will in the presence of N. C. Sayre who is now dead inserted before Signing this August 26th 1853 her Wm. Gibson C. A. Lightfoot Martha X Jones mark Eason D. Hudson Warren Couny, Georgia, Administration [of] estates and wills, 1798-1937, Book 4 : 15-17, Will of Martha Jones, 1853, FHL microfilm 219574. 37 2014 Washington Family History Fair Telling Your Stories By Delores Davis INTRODUCTION A. Children/Grandchildren/ Family/ Ourselves / Colleagues tell us to write because; You should write about your life You have had such an interesting/challenging/different life/experience You tell such interesting stories/ You lived during such a different time You had so much to overcome B. Why do we want to write; We had a ‘different’ experience and want to record them We want to let others know what I (another) went through We want to record what my life, time, and experiences were like C. Let the answer to why you write be the Introduction to your story/project/book D. Determining who you are writing the book for (or to) could be your Dedication 1. What do you want them to tell them (your audience)…. (information to answer the why above). The form it takes; a. Your life and experiences from childhood to present (autobiography) i. Birth, school experiences, teen years, adult (career, marriage) parenthood. Death, divorce, aging, retirement b. Certain section, episodes of your life (memoirs) i. Early days to marriage; married life; single life/years/career experience. ii. Parenthood (single) military life/ travels/ home country to present/ special decade/effect of life changes (health, divorce, death etc. c. The answer will be the Outline to your story/book/project 2. Organize Sections a. Beginning i. Write down in outline form current thoughts, ideas, and suggestions ii. Re-do as needed but wait until several sections or chapters are finished but don’t delete original 38 2014 Washington Family History Fair iii. As ideas, thoughts, stories, resources come up-write them down 1. Have a note book in all places in home, work, car etc. Jot down things as they occur, voice recording in car; note book in bedroom, kitchen, to do notes on the computer. 2. Store in Documents and/or OneNote on computer 3. Writing a. Beginning free style-don’t try editing now, ‘get those ideas out of your head’ b. Write feelings, thoughts-whatever comes up c. File under sections in (draft) outline; to do (future) If you want to finish in 1-2 years aim for at least 2 stories a week. 4. Write Stories in readable and creative style a. Add illustrations and write in informative and creative style i. Adding pictures, documents (marriage, birth certificates, naturalization papers, awards, death certificates etc.) 1. These visualizations enhance the reading of the story. 2. Recipes, poems, sayings can be put in ‘side notes’ on the document. b. Tell the story using dialogues, details describing the occurrences, identifying by name, position; write as if you’re talking to a trusted friend (using your own voice and style). c. Describe in the writing what you see. Not car (Ford) not fruit (grapes) not dog (Brown Poodle with white spot on nose) Help reader visualize what they read as they read it. d. Add footnotes, for additional information; indenting material for emphasis, quotes for dialogues, slang expressions. 5. In writing the stories –consider a. Focus… who you are writing for? If you write to the youngest loved one or future, you will write in more detail. There is a great possibility your book will be read by persons you don’t know (future generations). i. They may not know items, expressions etc. Explaining those items, phrases, situations will make the stories more readable and better understood. b. Challenges……Create plan to overcome personal reluctance/ procrastination/ apathy/fear of judgments/ disagreement by others. Deal with concern of inflicting of painful memories c. Resources.... Personal Documents/family, friends and colleagues interviews, outside resources, classes, library. d. Autobiographical books. Computer-voice recording, templates, online search 39 2014 Washington Family History Fair 6. Pulling it all together a. Process 1st 6 months i. Do draft of thoughts, ideas, resources, needs. Writing up initial plan what, for whom, how. List/collect/record documents, resources and needs. ii. Do research on the needs. Read other books for ideas. iii. If possible participate with a group doing the same thing. Online as necessary. iv. Free style writing of stories b. Six months-1 yr. i. Write stories; work on computer skills, doing inserts and writing creatively. ii. Read autobiographies, do research, re-do outline as needed c. 1year -1 ½ yr. i. Review stories for clarity, duplication, mistakes or what’s missing. ii. Re read-stories after this and combine and edit. iii. Check out publication resources, printing and self-publishing, costs and helpfulness. iv. Do draft re read finish. OUTLINE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Why you are writing is your INTRODUCTION To whom and for whom you are writing is your DEDICATION What you hope to say is your OUTLINE The stories you write should fit into your outline APPENDIX- includes pictures, documents. certificates (or index of), employment history, awards, travels, historical footnotes, timeline 6. ENDING…..Picture and information about you, the author, and maybe a statement about what you hope they get out of the book/ a. Or what you hope for them b. Or what are your values. ( sometimes called an ‘ethical’ will) 40 2014 Washington Family History Fair Why Mormons do Genealogy By Nyle Kinghorn 41 2014 Washington Family History Fair Beyond Online: What Can I Find at the Courthouse By Janice Lovelace Property (mostly Land) Records Probate Records Guardianship Vital Records – Birth, Marriage, Divorce, Death Court Proceedings – civil and criminal Tax Records 42 2014 Washington Family History Fair 11:15 – 12:15 Classes Researching England Using the Internet By Godfrey and Merry Ellis Topic 1: Online Maps of England 1. A comparison of Washington and England reveal them to be the same size: 543 miles tipto-tip and 281 miles Seattle/London to Spokane/Newcastle. Also: Number of Counties Towns & Cities Population Pop. Density Washington 39 290 7 million 100 sq. mile England 86 > 50,000 56 million 984 sq. mile 2. One mapping option is to Google-search your location and click on “Maps” (5th tab to the right): https://www.google.com In addition to a map, this will give you a satellite and/or a hybrid (combo of map and satellite) view. 3. Another mapping website is streetmap.co.uk which shows villages and even individual streets. Although more detailed, you can’t zoom in as effectively. 4. An alternative site, often giving different color and/or availability is Microsoft’s www.bing.com/maps/. This site also gives a bird’s eye (3/4 angle) satellite view. 5. One map websites gives historical period maps: www.old-maps.co.uk. The maps online are deliberately slightly blurred to encourage expensive purchasing. 6. There is a series of older maps, but largely limited to London (from 1705), at www.motco.com/MAP/ 7. You can download a free copy of Google Earth by following the instructions at: www.google.com/earth/. 8. Charles Booth was a sociologist from the late 1800s who provided socio-economic maps and descriptions of London. See booth.lse.ac.uk/. 9. The LDS Church offers maps.familysearch.org, which gives information about every parish in England. It also lists dates of origin of the parish and contiguous parishes to facilitate radius searches. Topic 2: Church Records 10. Parish records began in 1538 and were widespread by late 1500s. Some are difficult to read and spelling varied based on the ministers guess about how a name sounded 11. Ancient, blurry, or faded entries from the parish registers (PRs) and Bishops Transcripts (BTs) are rapidly being transcribed and placed online on FamilySearch.com (free), Ancestry.com (pay), and FindMyPast.com (pay). These include Non-Conformist (non CofE) registers 12. Transcripts of PRs are also available at: www.freereg.org.uk (free). 13. A good example of a county transcription project is the county of Somerset. See wsomopc.org.uk. Topic 3: Civil Registration (Vital Records) 14. The GRO Index of Civil Registration is on-line at www.freebmd.org.uk . That site also gives the Freebmd coverage of civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths (July 1837 to mid-1900s). 15. It has taken freebmd over 8 years to transcribe the Civil Registration Index. The LDS Church also does transcribing/indexing but has hundreds of thousands of volunteers and 43 2014 Washington Family History Fair could do such a project in a matter of months. They are transcribing almost 1,000,000 pages per day and the index will be tied to scanned images online. But more contributors are needed. Volunteer at” https://familysearch.org/indexing/. You do not have to be LDS to give back and help other researchers in this way – it’s a lot of fun! 16. Civil registration certificates can be ordered online for approx. $16 each at www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/ Topic 4: The British Census 17. An increasing number of for-free and for-fee websites are making the 1841 to 1901 English census returns available. For-pay sites usually include actual images. Examples are www.thegenealogist.co.uk, www.ancestry.com, and www.findmypast.com. https://familysearch.org is free and also offers free images at Family History Centers 18. There are For-free websites that offers transcriptions (not images) of some of the censuses. Examples include many county projects, www.freeCen.org.uk, https://familysearch.org (1881 only), and the LDS Church indexing project. Topic 5: Other Online Resources 19. City and town directories can be found at a University of Leicester website. Go to “Directories Help” because this website is awkward. You browse by location, put in your ancestor’s name, and narrow by “Place” or “Period Covered.” Go to: http://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/cdm/landingpage/collection/p16445coll4 20. The documents on line can be found at www.discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/. This site has a vast amount of information and can be quite confusing to navigate. 21. The WWI and WWII commonwealth graves are at: www.cwgc.org. 22. Recipients of the Victoria Cross at www.victoriacross.org.uk/vcross.htm 23. More and more wills are common online, starting with Prerogative Court of Canterbury but being extended to other wills, also. See: nationalarchives.gov.uk. 24. Some transcriptions of graves are coming online but, so far, only 4,300 for all of England (there were hundreds of thousands). This may be because of weathering and aging. It’s worth a check at www.findagrave/com. (Go to Locations then England). 25. “FamilySearch Wiki” is a Wikipedia-like encyclopedia built and maintained by the LDS Church. It contains a wealth of free info on not only England but any and every imaginable family history topic such as locations, techniques (DNA, Ahnentafel charts, etc), and various populations (African-American, Native-American, etc.). Go to https://familysearch.org and select “Wiki” under the heading of “Search.” 26. A cadillac website for British family history is: www.genuki.co.uk 27. Most For-Pay websites offer searches of period newpapers. That included Ancestry.com, FindMyPast.com, TheGenealogist (all for-pay) and also at: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk. 28. The definitive and in-depth text on English family history is: Ancestral Trails: The Complete Guide to British Genealogy and Family History by Mark Herber, revised ed., May 2000 from www.amazon.com or www.abebooks.com. 29. A ½ hour presentation on British terms and locations can be found at http://broadcast.lds.org/elearning/FHD/Community/en/The_National_Archives/Audrey_Colli ns/What_Is_Britain_/Player.html. 44 2014 Washington Family History Fair Discovering the Other Census: Non-Population Census By Jill Morelli [email protected] DISCOVERING THE “OTHER” CENSUSES: http://genealogycertification.wordpress.com THE NON-POPULATION SCHEDULES The United States by law is required to take a census of the US. population once every ten years for the purpose of allocating representatives for the House of Representatives by the percentage of individuals within any particular state. The Federal government does other surveys based on needs of the government to capture certain data. Some of these capture the names of individuals and others provide contextual information. For example, the 1935 census of Business (not covered in this presentation), a non-population schedule, enumerates information about various business types with the concept that this information could determine the effect of the Depression on various business types. Business type information, even without naming an individual, could provide context (value of business, etc.) or evidence (your ancestor owned the bank). The extant records vary. (See resources for a schedule by state and year.) If your state is covered, unfortunately, it does not mean your county of interest is. For example, the Illinois Industry schedule for 1880 is extant only for the early alpha counties; the latter counties are missing. Some of the information recorded in the non-populations schedules, is also contained, usually with less specificity, in the population schedule. For example, Dirk Jans Bode appears in both the 1880 population census and the 1880 Delinquents, Deficient & Dependents schedule. He is also noted in the 1870 population schedule as “idiot” and is found in the home of his sister. RESOURCES While there are many resources explaining the various schedules, they all seem to refer to the two sites. The first two, NARA and the University of Delaware, are excellent and answer many questions about each of the types of non-population schedules: Overview of non-population censuses and also, if you scroll to the bottom, a table records which state has which schedule: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/nonpopulation/#mfg Research guide (includes slave schedules): http://guides.lib.udel.edu/content.php?pid=532855&sid=4385271 If there is a need for a single schedule with a known location or individual, I refer you to http://ancestry.com. See below on how to access these schedules that are more challenging to find. 45 2014 Washington Family History Fair HOW TO FIND THE SCHEDULES 1. On the front page of Ancestry, click on “Show Advanced.” 2. Click on the title “Census and Voter List” 46 2014 Washington Family History Fair 3. Click on US Federal Census collection 4. IMPORTANT! Scroll to the bottom (your computer cuts off this list) to see a list of “Included data collections”. In that list, look for the specific non-population schedule you are looking for—mortality, social statistics, agricultural etc. You may have to use the scroll bar on the side to get to the bottom of this list. Either click on the list you want or click on the “Selected U.S. Federal Census NonPopulation Schedules, 1850-1880.” 47 2014 Washington Family History Fair 5. If you choose “Selected U.S. Federal Census Non-Population Schedules 1850-1880,” you will get the option of selecting from all types and the years the records are extant for the state you wish. These records can provide information that is found nowhere else, provide information that courts protect, break through brick walls and provide context to us about the businesses and farms our ancestors worked. Happy Hunting! 48 2014 Washington Family History Fair Census 2: Census Tracking – The Devil is in the Details By Virginia Majeske U.S. Census History http://www.rootsweb.com/~census/help/history.html 1850-1900 June 1st designated as Census Day. All but 6160 names in the 1890 census (in AL,DC,GA,IL,MN,NJ,NY,NC,OH,SD,TX) destroyed in 1921 fire. Abt. 1855 Many states such as Alabama, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota begin taking State censuses as well. 1910-1930 Other specific dates designed as Census Day 1900-1930 Farm Schedules were destroyed at the national level. These were offered to the states, so some farm schedules are at state libraries, state historical societies, state archives, or they were not kept. Errors Caused from Census Enumeration Information was supposed to be recorded as of the official census day, not the day the enumerator came. o The info might have been given as of any time in that range. o This can result in the same people being enumerated in different locations. Head of households may not be the informant for enumeration. o Sometimes the only person at home would be one of the kids or servant who "thinks maybe he was born in....". o It wasn't unheard of to get the information from a neighbor. Watch for is what was known as "padding the census" o Enumerators were usually paid by the number of households (sometimes per person) they visited. o If it was a very rural area they were paid a little more per household as the dwellings were much fewer. Searching Tips for 1850-1890 censuses Use wild cards in the first and last name Remember common nicknames such as Peg or Peggy, Ret or Marge Expand birthdate range to +/- 10 years from expected Search a specific locality for first name only, first initial, etc. Search any locality for specific names and ages 49 2014 Washington Family History Fair Determining how household members are related to each other 1860 U.S. Federal Census Enumerator instructions: The names are to be written beginning with the father and mother, or, if either or both be dead, begin with some other ostensible head of the family, to be followed, as far as practicable, with the name of the oldest child residing at home, then the next oldest, and so on to the youngest, then the other inmates, lodgers, and boarders, laborers, domestics, and servants. Use Time—compare multiple censuses to identify child/parent relationship Census track extended family to identify nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. Use other sources that list family members MagiCensus Tracking Method 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Search and find individuals in a census Preserve and source original census image Record and source all of the data in the interactive extraction form Add any additional census facts into the individual editor Analyze and summarize census details a. Compare Census facts using the census tracker b. Use a timeline to compare census data to other known information c. Record observations, contradictions, and questions d. Verify census details and assumptions with other genealogical research Finding the hard to find person in the censuses—Start Over 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Use broad searching parameters Review all known information Double check the sources of your information. How reliable is it? Go back to the original source for your known information Look for details you may have missed Consider all the details before drawing conclusions Enlarge your search, use state censuses Look for potential relatives on a census page and in the index 9. Track all possibilities, based on comparison points a. Find hidden clues by examining the entire census image b. Extract all of the potential relatives found on the census page c. Use census details to build a possible case 10. Prove the Negative: narrow down a list of possible matches in one census by tracking persons with similar names, age and birthplaces in multiple censuses. 11. Consider the possibility that the known name may be incorrect. 50 2014 Washington Family History Fair Accessing Digital Books Online By Gary Zimmerman Fiske Genealogy Library 1644 43rd Ave E, Seattle WA 98112-3222 www.fiskelibrary.org 206-328-2716 The Online Books Page http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/ http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/new.html http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/subjects.html http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/search.html http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/serials.html http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/archives.html The Hathi Trust http://www.hathitrust.org Internet Archive http://www.archive.org Google http://books.google.com http://scholar.google.com Digital Book Index http://www.digitalbookindex.org/about.htm Ancestry.com http://www.ancestry.com http://www.ancestry.ca http://www.ancestry.fr http://www.ancestry.de http://www.ancestry.it http://www.ancestry.se http://www.ancestry.mx Regional libraries http://sno-isle.org http://www.spl.org http://www.kcls.org Family History Archive http://lib.byu.edu/fhc/index.php Library of Congress http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html http://www.loc.gov/chroniclingamerica/ Univ. Michigan http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/micounty/ http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moagrp/ Eastern NC Digital http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/historyfiction/ 51 2014 Washington Family History Fair How Healthy Is Your Family Tree? By Janice Lovelace What is a Health Genogram? Where to Find Information Looking at Patterns Primary Health issues – • Cancer • Heart • Stroke Primary Mental Health issues – • Depression • Anxiety • Psychosis Case example 52 2014 Washington Family History Fair Writing and Publishing Ancestral Stories By Eva Gremmert Oral History is the systematic collection of living people’s testimony about their own experiences. Oral history is not folklore, gossip, hearsay, or rumor. Oral historians attempt to verify their findings, analyze them, and place them in an accurate historical context. Oral historians are also concerned with storage of their findings for use by later scholars. Be clear on what your goal is. Who is your audience and what do you hope to accomplish? Keep this in mind throughout the project. Preparation ahead of the Interview Questionnaires - A questionnaire can help relieve anxiety for both you and who you are interviewing. Make your questionnaire a mix of open-ended and closed questions. It is a good idea to get a copy of any existing family genealogies, last resume, medical histories (where appropriate), documents and photographs. Equipment - . Frequently items will be discussed that you should be recording. You can use Digital and Cassette Recorders - Know your Equipment Features, Volume, Jacks, How to change Tapes Practice with your equipment ahead of your interview (25 is the golden number) Testing- Check equipment after setting up by adding Header, Check volume of interviewee, Explain how interruptions will be handled (telephone, bathroom, dog, children, noises) Equipment Checklist (this is not an exhaustive list, just suggestions) financial agreement, archival pens, legal pads, interview agreement, 2-3 audio tape recorders with tape counters, research, audio tapes + 4 extra, preset and labeled, interview questions, external microphone, cord, adapters, address and telephone number of interview location, video camcorder (if needed), tapes, foam core board, lights, tripod, 50-100’ extension cord and two sets of new batteries, maps and a watch. Background research Background Research Give yourself sufficient time before the interview to do relevant reading, develop a timeline, ask who else knows this person and can they be interviewed, gather maps and prepare an outline to follow. Do not share questions, only topic ideas before actual interview. Gather Family documents (i.e.: histories, photographs, legal documents, newspapers, diaries, autobiographies) before the interview. Developing Interview Questions - Interview the whole person. Mix it up by asking both short and long questions. Ask follow-up questions. Use sensorial prompts (visuals, smells, music). It is OK to ask about beliefs, feelings, customs, religion, politics, morality, health, counsel and wisdom, life lessons, superstitions, phobias, heroes, advice, values, principles, achievements, disappointments, opinions and behaviors. Also feel free to abandon your questions, be flexible and patient Critical competencies-mastery-what the individual thinks and what is real includes abilities, education, training, hobbies, performance, problem solving, organizational abilities, talents and skills. Motivations- include achievements, goals, dedication, personal integrity Attitudes-negative vs. positive, general outlook, perceptions, thinking styles Relationships-stress management, teachability (humility), quality of relationships, ability to communicate, interpersonal effectiveness Character-qualities, core standards, beliefs, ethics Background-culture, current problems, life experiences Timelines - note ahead of your interview which major historical events your relative has lived through. Wars, Technology, Depression, Stock Markets, Natural Disasters, Significant newsworthy events, Current events, Music, Fashion, Movies, Sports, Games, Pictures Use Items that Invoke Memories - Use Sight-Pictures, Hearing-Music, Smells-(The scent bag), Taste-A favorite recipe, Touch-Objects to invoke memories especially if the individual interviewed is a senior. 53 2014 Washington Family History Fair False Assumptions - It is very important to get out of the way of your own interview. Be open minded and let the interviewee tell their story. Cross Reference with other People for Balance If you broaden the interview circle, you can check facts and get different perspectives. Be clear about whether you are asking for a fact or a story. Eye contact is more important than notes. Asking open-ended questions will get the person talking in depth. Avoid asking questions that create a “yes” or “no” response. Ask questions about the present before the past or future. Scheduling an Interview - Call again to confirm the interview time and place. Remember you do not have to do it all in one session. Don’t skip meals and consider the age and health of the person you are interviewing. Keep the interview short enough to not exhaust your or your relative. Breaking the Ice & Setting Up - Arrive on time. Make small talk to establish rapport – short and simple is best. Be reassuring and don’t draw attention to the equipment. Reduce noise and try to prevent interference. Turn off your own cell phone. Even if someone has come with you it is best is only one person asks questions. Suggested Arrangements for a Tape-Recorded Interview - Sit at a right angle to the person for a family history interview, not across from them as in a power interview. Becoming a Great Interviewer - Draw the interviewee out by asking a question and then refrain from talking. Develop listening skills instead. Remain neutral – it is not your job to approve of answers or to give opinions. Also ask for clarification but do not correct. Let them tell the story. Look for the full story not just a list of details. Finishing an Interview - End on time and schedule the next interview session. It is a good idea to send a thank you card when the interview is completed. Field Notes - All notes should be completed before you leave the interview location. They should be understandable by anyone who would read them later and written on acid free paper and with permanent ink. They should include correctly spelled names and places, dates and places of interviews. Include your observations. Preservation Storage- you should make sure that all pertinent material from the project is organized and left in a depository. This includes all the original tapes, the duplicates if possible, the corrected transcriptions, the notes from the preliminary research and any notes that you wrote while in the field. Return any original documents to the interviewee after you have copied them. Writing the History Compile your collection in one location. Decide the style of your work, will is be a biography or historical fiction. What voice will you use, 3rd person observer or 1st person narrative. Experiment a little, it can be fun to see the difference in perspective that is created by using different voice. The hardest part is to begin. Just start writing. You can write by dictating into your recorder, or typing in a word processing program or hand-writing on paper. Just start. Include pictures of artifacts and important items to the person and their experiences. At some point you need to decide you are finished. Find a friend or two to read your manuscript as a beginning to editing. Editing the Manuscript Editing is very important. Spell check in your word processing software is not enough. You can hire a professional copy editor, or create a group of qualified experienced people to edit your work. DON”T BE OFFENDED by what they suggest. You are the writer, you don’t need to change anything if you don’t want to. But look carefully at what suggestions you receive especially if you have the same suggestion from more than one person. Publishing Research which publishing houses publish books like yours. Discover their submission requirements and send your work out. Reject letters are part of being an author. Many houses won’t even look at your work 54 2014 Washington Family History Fair if you don’t have an agent. You can hire an agent, their fees are often contingent on the book being published. If you don’t get picked up by a publisher, you can always self publish. This is what I did. I created the manuscript, and worked with a printer to print 500 copies of my book. I created everything from sizing the photos to font selection. From pagination to cover art. I purchased my ISBN number and submitted my completed book to the Library of Congress. I made a website to sell my book and sold it on Amazon.com. I promoted my book on FaceBook and Twitter as well as doing a direct email campaign to everyone I knew. I offered to do book readings and give talks at local Irish club meetings in a tri-state area. I sent my book to an Irish historian in Ireland and actually was invited to launch my book in Ireland last year. It was very fun. My book title is “A Cottage in Donegal, Mary Doherty’s Story”, the website is http://www.evagremmert.com After selling almost all of my original 500 books, I discovered Create Space, an affiliate of Amazon.com. They do On Demand book publishing. I had to reformat my manuscript to meet their criteria, however, now when someone orders a book on Amazon, Create Space prints and ships it and all I do is wait to receive my royalties. In addition, I formatted my manuscript for Kindle and other e-book publishers and love it when the royalties are just deposited into my bank account each month. This is not a get rich scheme, but Arden and I usually can go out to dinner each month on my royalties, sometimes it is even a sit-down restaurant. To date I have sold my book all over the world in both print and electronic format. Many people have enjoyed reading my creation. This journey has been amazing and I highly recommend it. I encourage you to publish your family story. Please send me an email if you have questions. Eva Doherty Gremmert, Irish Genealogical and Historical Society www.irishresearch.net, [email protected] [email protected] 55 2014 Washington Family History Fair Irish Potato Famine & Its Effects on Genealogical Records By Jean Roth Ireland has a very complicated political, religious, social, and military history that continues even today. You must be aware of this in order to understand your ancestor’s place in the events that shaped their lives. Ireland's Great Famine of 1845 is seen by some historians as a turning point in Ireland’s history. In 19th century Ireland, famine had been common in the country’s rural life. But the Great Famine of 1845 was an extraordinary event. The Great Famine (in Gaelic an Gorta Mór) was a period of mass starvation, disease and emigration in Ireland between 1845 and 1852. Outside of Ireland it is often called the Irish Potato Famine because about two-fifths of the population was solely reliant on this cheap crop. The Irish still call it “The Great Hunger.” There were already strained relations between many of the Irish people and the British Crown. The famine heightened Irish republicanism, which led to Irish independence in the next century. ANTI-CATHOLIC LEGISLATION and the PENAL LAWS: From the 15th through the 19th centuries, successive English monarchies and governments enacted laws designed to suppress and destroy Irish manufacturing and trade, and to govern the conduct of Irish Catholics. Periodic repression of Catholic worship and freedom intensified after the defeat of the Catholic James II by the Protestant William III in 1690 and the first Penal Laws were passed in 1695. This legislation placed further limitations on Catholic freedom in religious and secular life. These discriminatory Penal Laws deprived Catholics of all civil life; reduced them to a condition of most extreme and brutal ignorance and dissociated them from the soil. The violence of the 17th and 18th centuries, created an increasingly dangerous polarization between Ireland’s Catholic and Protestants. Many landholding Catholic families converted to the Church of Ireland to retain their rights. The Penal Laws were one reason for the scarcity of priests and disorganization of parishes. Surviving Catholic and Presbyterian Church registers generally only date from the 19th century. The violence of the 17th and 18th centuries created an increasingly dangerous polarization between Ireland's Catholics and Protestants. THE ACT OF UNION of 1801: The Act of Union came into effect on 1 January 1801 and took away the measure of autonomy granted to Ireland’s Protestant Ascendancy. The Irish Parliament was abolished and Ireland became part of a new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The political power to the Church of Ireland was diminished in a series of reforms as its privileged position was resented by other denominations. The Catholic Relief Acts of the last quarter of the 18th Century repealed most of the Penal laws against Catholics but still excluded election to Parliament and to major office. This barrier was lifted with the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829 which ushered in a new confidence and was reflected by the opening of churches and convents. The Irish Church Act of 1869 placed all denominations on the same standing. Many of the following records are now available online: TITHE APPLOTMENT BOOKS 1823 - 1838 : Ordnance Survey valuation was began in 1826 and amended in 1836 to ensure that the relative values of townlands in different counties, should be 56 2014 Washington Family History Fair the same. Occupants of land were required to pay an annual tithe or religious tax of 10% of their agricultural produce. It was demanded from all landowners, regardless of their religion, and was paid directly to the Anglican Church of Ireland. The Tithe Applotment Books Information includes the name of the occupier, townland, acreage, classification of land and the amount of tithe due. It includes 223 parishes and is the nearest census of pre-Famine Ireland. Tithe Applotment Books are held both in PRONI in Belfast and the National Archives in Dublin. THE TITHE WAR OF 1831: In 1831, many people refused to pay the tithe tax and started a Tithe War. The people who refused were those who would be most affected by emigration and the famine in the next generation. The mandatory tithes were abolished in 1869.There are records of those who refused - most who would later be affected by emigration and the famine. There are 30,000 names with complete records for 232 parishes. Some counties and parishes are missing. Valuation and Poor Law Records: The Poor Law Act was passed in 1838; it became the major source of Ireland’s social services. The workings of the Poor Law generated a great quantity of documentary material. The Poor Laws would have a direct impact on the Famine victims. GRIFFITHS VALUATION: Griffith’s Valuation, or Primary Valuation of Ireland, is indexed with images in the Ancestry database. It is one of Ireland’s premier genealogical resources, referencing approximately one million individuals who occupied property in Ireland between 1848 and 1864. It was executed under the direction of Sir Richard Griffin to provide a basis for determining taxes. This involved establishing the value of all privately held lands and buildings in both rural and urban areas in order to figure a rental rate for each unit of property. The resulting survey was arranged by barony and civil parish, with an index to townlands appearing in each volume. The original volumes of the survey are held in the National Archives in Dublin and the Public Record Office in Belfast. It is an invaluable reference because no census material from the 19th century has survived. It is the only detailed guide to where in Ireland people lived in the mid-19th century and what property they owned or leased. Griffiths Valuation serves as a census substitute for the years before, during, and after the Great Famine. It is also a valuable record of social and economic data and includes map reference numbers that can help researchers identify and perhaps locate property on Ordinance Survey maps created before the valuations took place. Only Griffith’s Valuation links an individual to a specific townland and civil parish THE POTATO FAMINE – THE GREAT HUNGER: The Irish “Potato Famine” of the 1840’s was one of the worst disasters in world history. By the early 1840’s, almost one-half of the Irish population depended almost exclusively on the potato for their diet. The potato was packed with vitamins resulting in an enormous growth in population – from 3 million in 1800 to 8 million in 1845. A farmer could grow triple the amount of potatoes than grain on the same plot of land. A single acre of potatoes could support a family for a year. Part of the crop was sold to pay the rent and supplies, the rest was for food. A devastating plant fungus arrived accidentally in 1845 from Mexico and crossed Europe. When it reached Ireland, it destroyed the potato crop. With one of the coldest winters in Irish history, poverty-related diseases such as typhus, jaundice, scurvy, cholera, dysentery, and infestations of lice became widespread. Observers reported children crying with pain and looking “like skeletons, their features sharpened with hunger and their limbs 57 2014 Washington Family History Fair wasted, so that there was little left but bones.” The starving and sick crowded into towns in the hope of securing help. Ireland, the beautiful country with some of the best farm land in the world, became a place that was littered with bodies and abandoned villages. While the British did not cause of the Famine, they were the reason so many people died. Britain’s economic policy was “laissez-faire” (meaning “let be”) which held that it was not a government’s job to provide aid for its citizens, or to interfere with the free market of goods. The British Government felt the problems arose from Ireland’s perennial rebelliousness and from the swarming, povertystricken “surplus” population, as it was called, that absorbed the attention of Parliament. The British failed to take swift and comprehensive action in the face of Ireland’s disaster. It is time to stop using the euphemism “Irish Potato Famine” for two reasons. First, there was no shortage of food in Ireland. There were eight ships a day filled with food being exported to England. It was not simply a “famine” but a starvation based on systematic British exploitation of the Irish people, inaction in the face of the potato crop failure, and a vindictive, racist attitude toward the Irish. Nearly two million died out of a population of eight million. Frank O’Conner noted: “Famine is a useful word when you do not wish to use words like genocide and extermination.” In 1861, John Mitchell wrote: “The Almighty indeed sent the potato blight but the English created the famine.” He observed that “a million and a half men, women, and children were carefully, prudently and peacefully slain by the English government. “As a nation, the English have proved to be capable of generosity, tolerance, and magnanimity – but not where Ireland was concerned.” EVICTION: Laws passed by the British Parliament intended to help the poor became part of the problem. The Poor Law Extension Act made landlords responsible for the maintenance of their own poor. When peasants were unable to pay rent, the landlords soon ran out of funds with which to support them. In the early years, many landlords reacted with compassion, some reducing rents. But, a way around the Poor Laws was eviction. If a landowner had no tenants on his land, what responsibility would he have? Tenants were helpless as their tiny homes were destroyed to make sure that they couldn’t come back as squatters. Starving people with their possessions on their back, walked with their children to nowhere. Many dropped dead on the roads. Some tried to shelter their families by building a lean-to or living in holes dug in the Irish bog. Whole villages of healthy peasants were turned into starving, rag-clad people for whom death became a relief. Landlords evicted hundreds of thousands of peasants, who crowded into disease-infested workhouses. WORK HOUSES: A series of work houses had originally been established to provide for Ireland’s destitute. Under the Poor Law act of 1838, each Poor Law Union was required to maintain a workhouse where local paupers could be fed and housed. By 1845, there were 130 of them. The conditions were so bad and the rules for entry so strict that people would only go to them as a last resort. Families were torn apart and children were separated from the adults. Work houses soon became filled to capacity. Many starving people were turned away. Some 2.6 million Irish entered overcrowded workhouses, where more than 200,000 died. SOUP KITCHENS: In the spring of 1847, Britain tried to cope with the famine, setting up soup kitchens and programs for emergency work relief. But, many of these closed when a banking crisis hit Britain. Religious groups also set up soup kitchens. Some, like the Quakers were generous, others would only provide soup to Catholics if they “converted.” It was said about those who converted that “They took the Soup” DEATH without DIGNITY: Death descended on the Emerald Isle as starvation and disease killed thousands. By 1847, witnesses reported there were unattended bodies by the roadside and in homes. 58 2014 Washington Family History Fair Some people were dead as long as 11 days before they were buried. Burdened beyond their capacity, coroners stopped holding inquests for people who died in the streets. Some dead were buried where they died, in fields, or on the side of the road. People were dying so fast that mass graves were left open to receive corpses. There was no one or no time to keep records. RELIEF EFFORTS CHOCTAW DONATION - A plaque on Dublin's Mansion House honors a Famine contribution received in 1847 from the Choctaw Indians. The plaque reads: "Their humanity calls us to remember the millions of human beings throughout our world today who die of hunger and hunger-related illness in a world of plenty." On March 23, 1847, the Indians of the Choctaw nation took up a collection and raised $170 for Irish Famine relief. These noble Choctaw people, who had such meager resources, gave all they could on behalf of others in greater need. What made the Choctaw donation so extraordinary was the tribe’s recent history The Choctaw themselves had been forced off their lands in 1831 and made to embark on a 500 mile trek to Oklahoma called "The Trail of Tears." Along with The man who forced them off their lands was President Andrew Jackson, the son of Irish immigrants from Antrim. Of the 21,000 Choctaws who started the journey, more than half perished from exposure, malnutrition, and disease. This, despite the fact that during the War of 1812 the Choctaws had been allies of then General Jackson in his campaign against the British in New Orleans. UNEMPLOYMENT: Land in Ireland had always been scarce, and was almost impossible to obtain by the mid-19th century. Employment was so scarce and so poorly paid that men left the country to find labor jobs in England, particularly in Liverpool and Manchester. The introduction of the Corn Laws in 1846 further reduced the number of land holdings and prompted landlords to turn pasture into grain and evict their tenants. Check the English census records from 1841 to 1881 – on Ancestry.com International to try and locate Irish workers. IRISH IMMIGRATION: - 19th Century: A long term legacy of the famine was emigration. Over a million people emigrated to Britain and North America. Most were Native Irish and Catholic. Ship owners crowded hundreds of desperate Irish onto rickety vessels. The majority of the emigrant ships were small, ill-equipped, dangerously unsanitary, and often unseaworthy. They became known as “coffin ships.” Some never arrived, those that did carried passengers already infected with and dying of typhus. Many ships reached port only after losing a third of their passengers to disease and hunger. Sharks followed in the wake. Although they left Ireland for a myriad of reasons – all the emigrants had one thing in common – hope. Their experiences varied but for those who made it - the first night in America was better than the last night in Ireland. Still, arrival in America meant more hardship. The Irish who managed to reach this country had little or no money and were often too weak to work. They crowded into cellars without light or sanitation, begged in the streets, and accepted whatever employment they could get at poor wages. Irish immigrants came to be regarded as a danger to the health of the community and a burden on society. Signs for jobs often noted “No Irish Need Apply.” Between 1848 and 1864, £13,000,000 pounds was sent home to Ireland by emigrants to bring relatives out. It was said that “it is part of the famine tragedy that a steady drain of the best and most enterprising left Ireland to enrich other countries.” FAMINE IMMIGRANT RECORDS: Famine Passenger Lists are a specialized data base now available through the National Archives of Ireland. This record group lists nearly 680.000 passengers who arrived at the Port of New York from January 12, 1846 to December 31, 1851 – Collection CIR. 59 2014 Washington Family History Fair A second list includes about 3,200 ships that arrived in New York during that same period. See National Archives of Ireland: CENSUS RECORDS: U.S. Federal census records begin in 1790 and were taken every ten years. Most survive except for the 1890 census which was lost in a fire. In contrast, the earliest complete surviving Irish Censuses are the 1901 and 1911. Modern census in which information is gathered about each individual rather than each household began in Ireland in 1821. On 28 May of that year, enumerators started to call on every household in Ireland. The subsequent decennial censuses were all successful. The Irish census returns for the years 1813, 1821, 1831, 1841 and 1851 were preserved in the National Archives, Dublin, where they were destroyed in the explosion and fire of 1922 in the Public Record Office. This great collection was the saddest loss in that holocaust of Irish history. Returns for 1861 and 1871 were officially destroyed following the extraction of the statistics and those for 1881 and 1891 were pulped by the UK authorities during World War I. After the introduction of old age pensions in 1908, the census returns for 1841 and 1851 were used by many people to establish the fact that they were over 70 years of age and thus entitled to a pension. Since registration of births did not begin until 1864, birth certificates were not available for this purpose. There is an index of these applications in both PRONI in Belfast and the National Archives in Dublin. 1901 and 1911 CENSUS RECORDS of IRELAND: The 1901 and 1911 census returns were stored locally and thus were saved from destruction. The 1901 and 1911 censuses are available on line for free at the National Archives and worth checking as families often remained on the farmland for generations. All 32 counties are searchable. To date, there have been over 750 million hits. http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search AFTERMATH: The Irish Penal Laws. The “Potato Famine, and later the fight for Independence, Partition, and ‘The Troubles” left lasting feelings of bitterness and distrust toward the British. There is an uneasy peace at best in Northern Ireland. The resentment of British Colonialism, its failure to significantly aid the Irish during the Famine, and its barbaric domination over the Irish continues to this day. Now Irish Society has also rebelled against the domination of the Catholic Church and adopted relatively more liberal social policies during this period. Divorce was legalized, homosexuality was decriminalized, and abortion in limited cases was allowed by the Irish Supreme Court. 60 2014 Washington Family History Fair Introduction to FamilySearch.org By Celia McNay 1. Welcome, Intro Self, Title of Class and what it will cover a. “Church” and their site i. 100 years of gathering and preserving records ii. 3 billion names – largest free site on web iii. Non-profit FH organization dedicated to connecting families to bring joy and meaning to life. b. Sign in: advantages, partnerships with fee sites to view images c. Terms of Use: no copyrighted info without permission d. Search Time caveat – come back to me! 2. The Home page a. Tree logo to return to this page b. Sign in c. Get Help – chat, email, phone #s, FAQ’s d. Volunteer – indexing, research assistant, helpline e. 4 Tabs i. Family Tree ii. Memories iii. Search iv. Indexing v. Temple 3. Indexing: what is it? a. Sign up and try it! 4. Search Tab a. Records page gives template form i. Use filters to make the search wide or narrow ii. Use wildcards to search for variations (Gus* Har*) b. Hover over the Continents to see collections i. Go to US, CA, newest one (With *), then search with Orval McNay, b. 1895-1910, spouse Nettie ii. Look at # of results, # to show, Other Historical Records, iii. Show right click and open another tab or window c. Do a search for a deceased person in your line. (10 minutes) 61 2014 Washington Family History Fair d. If you can’t find anything: i. Vary the name spelling, use wildcards ii. Change the place such as county to town, to neighboring locality iii. Try another kind of search such as keyword iv. Try later – constantly adding new material (13 million a week on average) e. Genealogies: family records that have been submitted over the last 50 years i. Made up the Ancestral File, Pedigree Resource File ii. Not verified, for review and search but not to add to line iii. Example: Daniel Leary, b. 1850-1910, spouse Elizabeth f. Catalog: Holding in the Family History Library in SLC, largest genealogical library in world i. Has films, books, maps, volunteers to help ii. Books are not circulated, but are digitizing them, lend films to FHC iii. Search their holdings by several categories iv. Surname 1. McNay only – online only 2. McNay – all sources (WorldCat) 3. McNay – last one – film only- click to Wiki to order and locate a FHC v. Place: enter it largest to smallest. It will suggest locations 1. California – see all possibilities 2. Right click comes in handy g. Books: all these are online, digitized versions from a variety of libraries which cater to genealogical research. i. If you don’t know the name of a book or author, search by surname, place, or keyword. 1. McNay – then go to WorldCat, also 2. Suggest an interlibrary loan with KCLS h. Wiki: 79,893 articles where you can learn get help, do a tutorial, find a list of FHC, use the sandbox, find research outlines, forms, research logs samples, and other languages. i. 5 minute genealogy lessons 5. Family Tree and Memories will be covered in the next class. 62 2014 Washington Family History Fair 1:00 – 2:00 Classes Immigration & Nationalization By Carol Buswell Major Sources for Immigration History US Census Locates person in geographic space and time, sometimes gives naturalization and immigration information (search every census year applicable) Naturalization Records May give important information about original home, arrival ship name, photograph. Varies by time period. May include name changes. May include military service information. May include information leading to other family members. Selective Service Records Naturalization may be noted in record and/or alien status. Immigration (ship arrivals) Records Lists of passengers. May include information leading to other family members. Sometimes connected to ship histories/ photographs. To assign property to heirs Ability to purchase land or file a mining claim Requirement for homestead Right to Vote To avoid or minimize persecution directed at aliens during war years Requirement for Federal employment • Census Information • Country, state, territorial and county boundaries change with every census • Census takers recorded names as they heard them. • Census takers sometimes had horrible handwriting • Indexes were created in different ways and by different organizations. • The “census date” changes for every census. The census taker was instructed to ask “on ____ date how many people were living in this home.” US Census 1790 1800 1810 1820 1830 1840 1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 Incomplete and with limited information Incomplete and with limited information Incomplete and with limited information Incomplete and with limited information All states , limited information … lists “foreigners not naturalized.” All states – limited information All states – all family members - birthplace of each All states – all family members - birthplace of each All states – all family members – birthplace of each. “Father/mother foreign born,” “Eligible to vote” All states – all family members – birthplace of each Mortality Schedules asks “Father/mother foreign born” Fragments only. Birthplace of each family member - Number of years in the US – Naturalization Information - Able to speak English, if not, what language? Veteran’s schedules do not contain any immigration information 63 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 2014 Washington Family History Fair Available for every state. Birthplace of each person. Birthplace for each of that person’s parents. Year of immigration, Length of time in the United States. Citizenship Status (NA (naturalized), PA (first papers filed), AL (alien), and sometimes UK (unknown) Available for every state. Birthplace of each person. Birthplace for each of that person’s parents. Year of Immigration. Naturalized or Alien. Language spoken. Available for every state. Birthplace of each person. Birthplace for each of that person’s parents. Citizenship information. Year of immigration. Year of naturalization. Mother tongue of each person AND their parents. Specific city, state, province or region of those born in Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, or Turkey. Available for every state. Birthplace of each person. Birthplace for each of that person’s parents. Citizenship information. Year of immigration. Whether they can speak English. Additional Schedules 1930 Census of Merchant Seamen. Nonpopulation Census Schedules for Hawaii, 1930: Agriculture. Nonpopulation census schedules for the U.S. Virgin Islands, 1917 and 1930: Agriculture and others Birthplace of each person in the household. Naturalization information. Only the sample (two people per page) lists father’s and mother’s birthplaces and language Naturalizations • Before 1906, naturalizations could take place in any court: Federal, State or Territorial, County, City and other courts (not military courts, however). Sample court titles: Court of Common Pleas, Supreme Court, District Court (ie. Idaho Supreme courts are called “District Courts” but also Federal Courts are called District Courts as well), Chancery Courts, Probate Courts, Equity Courts, etc. • After 1906, naturalizations could take place in any court but were also recorded at the Bureau of Immigration & Naturalization (US federal agency) • Naturalization by Military Duty – relieves the residency requirement and does not require a Declaration of Intent • Naturalization by Act of Congress – see US Serial Set at Heritage Quest Online Pre-United States Naturalization • English law required • Oaths of Allegiance - Renunciation of claims to the throne of England by “pretenders” and a denial of the right of the pope to outlaw a Protestant monarch. • Letters of denization "A denizen is a kind of middle state, between an alien and a natural-born subject, and partakes of both." – (Blackstone: Commentaries, Book 1, Chapter X, p374). Allowed transfers of land to heirs only. • Naturalization by Act of Parliament, – Qualification to public office – Voting rights – Ship ownership – Land ownership Records that might give naturalization information • Military service and pension records – Civil War forward • Social Security applications – 1940 forward • Passports – Not required before 1914 64 2014 Washington Family History Fair • Alien Registration Records, 1940 to 1944 • Obtain from USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Service) local offices. Some are available at the Archives • Includes: • Next of kin in last country of residence, • Father’s information due to derivative citizenship; • May include marriage certificates., statements of birth, citizenship info, application for Derivative citizenship, etc.. • Alien Registration Act of 1940 also known as the Smith Act • All alien residents over 14 had to register at a local post office. • Subject to FOIA restrictions Immigration Records Passenger Records Before 1890 usually contain only names. Several different “passenger lists” may have been created Port of embarkation Ports of call along the route Port of arrival Newspapers at the port of departure Newspapers at the city of arrival A copy kept with the ship manifest Notations of passengers on the “ships log” Diaries, Journals, and letters of passengers and/or crew Medical reports (where ship quarantine was involved) Project records (Immigrant Aid society, etc) • After 1890, all passenger/crew lists are filed by Port of arrival Date of arrival Then (perhaps) by name index Border Crossings St Alban’s, Vermont • After 1882 • Recording district for Canadian/ US border crossings • Smaller “ports” within the district are often microfilmed separately Mexican Border Crossings After 1906 Recorded in various locations 65 2014 Washington Family History Fair I Found My Family on the Internet! Now What Do I Do? By Jill Morelli I FOUND MY FAMILY ON THE INTERNET! NOW WHAT DO I DO? Every genealogist looks to Ancestry, FamilySearch, FindAGrave and Rootsweb to find family information posted by others. It offers terrific clues, sometimes evidence and is usually written by cousins who were previously unknown. But, can you trust the information? We will walk through some methodologies to assess these websites, methodologies which are equally applicable to private websites and blogs, to ascertain to what level you should trust what you have found or whether you should treat the information as interesting and perhaps provable. Specifically, we decrease your risk by learning to …. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Read the URL for clues Analyze the source Analyze the information Analyze the evidence Now, can I use it? Uniform Resource Locator (URL) The web address or URL is composed of a root directory which contains the designator code, and possibly file folders within file folders and the document you seek. The designator code, e.g. .gov, can give you your first clue. “.Org” is reserved for non-profits while .com is for businesses. Other common codes are .edu, .gov, .mil and .us. You will find the .gov and the .edu websites more trustworthy as they tend not to have a specific point of view (this adage is not true in the case of student work posted on the site. Tip: if you insert a URL and it gives you an error message, remove the name of the document and see if you can get to the sub-folder. If that doesn’t work, remove the subfile folder back to the forward slash (/). If it still doesn’t work, take the next layer of the address off. Host site: The first question you must ask yourself is “For what purpose am I gathering this information?” And, “for what purpose might I put it to in the future?” The reason you will ask yourself this is because the Terms of Service, also sometimes called Terms of Use, of the host site outline if you can use the information for your intended purpose. Of the four sites listed we do have a high confidence that they are trustworthy, are not manipulating the data that is posted on the site, they update the site frequently, etc. The difference between them will sometimes lie with how you can use them. Rootsweb: This site is owned by Ancestry and both restrict the use of the content to that of a personal or professional nature. Family Search, on the other hand, allows you to use information on the site only for your personal use. FindAGrave restricts usage to personal research or scholarly historical research. None of the sites will allow wholesale download of data that restricts their marketability of their product. Other tidbits of controls are in these terms and you are urged to review them frequently as they change frequently. Family Page: This information is provided by individuals and rests within the site. Some of this information will be germane to your search but most is not. You as a researcher much sift through it all to find a family tree that might be your family. The process of analyzation begins for a second time. This time the 66 2014 Washington Family History Fair information you seek concerns the author’s name, the freshness of their postings, contact information etc. and is in different locations and varies in the amount of information that is dispensed. For example “Peter’s Family Tree” from Rootsweb tells you that Peter Corbasson last updated the site in 2012 and it gives his email address. Peter Corbasson’s page on Ancestry, has no such linkage, update date etc. FindAGrave information is found at the bottom where it lists the creator and the date the information was added. Family Page Evidence: But, you realize you do not need it all--and using judgment make a calculated decision about which piece of information answers your research question--you have extracted the evidence from all the information presented. But, what is its validity? Again, there are clues on the page devoted to the ancestor. Are there obvious errors (birth date, marriage date the same)? Did the author cite their sources or offer any document images that corroborate their presentation? Can you tell what family line through which the individual is related, if not yours? Age of the posting may or may not come into consideration in your assessment. Remember: Attribution does not equal permission. RESOURCES Evaluating a website: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html Checklist: http://www2.lib.unc.edu/instruct/evaluate/websites.pdf Checklist: http://www.lib.umd.edu/tl/guides/evaluating-checklist http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/webcrit.html Kapoun, Jim. "Teaching undergrads WEB evaluation: A guide for library instruction." C&RL News (July/August 1998): 522-523. Now can I use it and if so how? Copyright/Fair Use/Creative Commons What is a good designator code for information on this topic? Is Wikipedia a good place to look? Know the difference between the terms ALA Fair Use Evaluator: http://librarycopyright.net/resources/fairuse/ ALA Copyright Evaluator: http://librarycopyright.net/resources/digitalslider/ Columbia U: http://copyright.columbia.edu/copyright/fair-use/fair-use-checklist/ 67 2014 Washington Family History Fair Copyright: Copyright protects the particular way the creator has expressed him/herself. It does not extend to any ideas, systems, or factual information conveyed in a work. Fair Use: ability to use copyrighted material without obtaining permission. Four criteria: the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes; the nature of the copyrighted work; the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work (17 U.S.C. § 107) Creative Commons: an effort to make content more available. Six levels of CC license and so check the meaning using this tool: https://creativecommons.org/ Be a “skeptical genealogist!” A skeptic doubts all he/she reads and is constantly saying “Prove it”. They expect to challenge and be challenged. 68 2014 Washington Family History Fair DNA and Genealogy – Part 2: Examples, Cautions and Continuing Education By Claudia Breland Examples of Test Results: 1. I tested at 23andme in 2010. Purpose: to make cousin connections Results: far lower frequency of people responding to queries Needed: transferred my results to FamilyTreeDNA in 2014, in order to discover more matches. 2. Richard Breland did a 12-marker Y-DNA test at FamilyTreeDNA in 2013 Purpose: to get his DNA in the system Needed: upgrade to 37-marker level, in order to match with other Brelands at the 12-marker level, there are 40 pages of matches 3. Jason Reed did a 46-marker Y-DNA test with Ancestry in 2008 Ancestry discontinued their Y and mt DNA tests, and took down results I transferred his results to FamilyTreeDNA in June 2014, and upgraded to 37 markers Purpose: to find information on the Reed line Results: 3 matches at the 37-marker level; have begun conversations with those matches 4. Cousin #1 (MJP) did a 37-marker Y-DNA test with FamilyTreeDNA in 2013 Purpose: to find information on the Prosser ancestry Results: 3 matches at the 37-marker level; 2 of them go back to John Prosser, d. 1714 in RI More research needed on Prosser families in New York and Rhode Island 5. Client #1 (ST) tested at Ancestry in 2014 Purpose: to find cousin matches Results: several matches; some of whom I have more information than the other person does! More ongoing conversation with these matches needed; regular checking in for new matches 6. Client #1 (ST) tested Y-DNA at the 111-marker level with FamilyTreeDNA in 2014. Purpose: to find information on paternal line Results: no matches at 111 or 67 marker levels Joined 3 projects: a surname project, and 2 geographic projects (Ireland & Boston Irish) Needed: ongoing conversations with matches and project administrators 7. Client #1 (ST) tested with Ancestry DNA in 2014 Purpose: to find cousin matches across all family lines Results: several cousin matches, began ongoing conversation Needed: transfer these results to FamilyTreeDNA, to “fish in another pond” Note: this client already has Y and mt DNA in FamilyTreeDNA; needs the autosomal 8. Client #2 (MPT) tested mt-DNA full sequence with FamilyTreeDNA in 2014. Purpose: to find information on maternal line Results: her ancestry (with sources) goes back only 7 generations, to 1777 Needed: ongoing conversations with matches, and additional research 69 2014 Washington Family History Fair Cautions and Concerns DNA testing may reveal unexpected information – such as a hidden adoption or illegitimacy DNA testing is not useful to insurance companies or government agencies Our genetic information can’t be used to discriminate against us DNA Matching information is only available to other subscribers to that database, who match us Continuing Education Continuing education is vital in this area, which is rapidly changing and improving! These genealogy societies offer regular webinars, occasionally on the subject of DNA: FamilyTreeDNA: https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/ftdna/webinars/ Free webinars Legacy Family Tree: http://www.familytreewebinars.com View live webinars for free; $49 membership to view archived webinars Illinois Genealogical Society: http://www.ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=227 View live webinars for free; $30 per year membership to view archived webinars For Further Reading: Books: Genetic Genealogy: the basics and beyond (2013), by Emily Aulicino Finding Family: my search for roots and the secrets in my DNA (2012), by Richard Hill Reunion: a search for ancestors (2013), by Ryan Littrell DNA and social networking (2011), by Debbie Kennett Faces of America (2010), by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Blogs and Newsletters: International Society for Genetic Genealogy: http://www.isogg.org/wiki/Wiki_Welcome_Page Genetic Genealogy: http://genealem-geneticgenealogy.blogspot.com/ DNA Explained: http://www.dna-explained.com The Legal Genealogist: http://www.thelegalgenealogist.com/blog Cruwys News: http://cruwys.blogspot.com/ Kitty Cooper’s Blog: http://blog.kittycooper.com/ Your Genetic Genealogist: http://www.yourgeneticgenealogist.com/ The Genetic Genealogist: http://www.thegeneticgenealogist.com/ “Like” the Facebook pages for many of these groups! Articles: Judy G. Russell, CG (sm), “2014: Most Bang for DNA Bucks” http://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog/2014/04/06/2014-most-bang-for-dna-bucks/ 70 2014 Washington Family History Fair “Professor Takes DNA Testing to New Levels,” http://www.nbcnews.com/id/51998425/ns/local_news-philadelphia_pa/t/professor-takes-dnatesting-new-levels/#.UaOd60DneSo Judy G. Russell, CG (sm), “Who’s the mama?” http://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog/2013/05/26/whos-the-mama/ William Remus, “How to Use DNA in Your Genealogical Research” http://feefhs.org/journal/13/remus.pdf Daniel Engber, “Who’s Your Daddy? The perils of personal genomics,” http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/05/paternity_testing_personal_ genomics_companies_will_reveal_dna_secrets.html Chris Staats, “Because I know he is: Edith Staats vs. Jesse Pickering, 1838,” http://www.staatsofohio.com/?p=2483 Judy G. Russell, CG(sm), “Protection for Genetic Privacy,” http://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog/2013/04/21/protection-for-genetic-privacy/ Michael Lacopo: “Hoosier Daddy?” http://roots4u.blogspot.com/2014/02/beginnings.html (This is a MUST READ, with as many twists and turns as the best mystery novel you could imagine!) PBS Finding Your Roots Blog: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/finding-your-roots/blogs/genealogy-blog/ Read about the DNA testing that goes along with the research! There has never been a better time to be a genealogist! 71 2014 Washington Family History Fair Indexing – A Fun Way To Give Back By Godfrey and Mary Ellis 72 2014 Washington Family History Fair New and Improved Family Search By Eva Gremmert Ancestral File Ancestral File is a genealogy database that contains lineage-linked names and other genealogically vital information, such as the dates and place names for the births, marriages, and deaths of millions of individuals. Ancestral File data is made up of LDS member-submitted information from around the world. The previous FamilySearch site contained about 25 million records. The new site contains about 40 million. It no longer displays information about people who may be alive. You can click to view a person in the FamilySearch Family Tree. The Pedigree Resource File Pedigree Resource File (PRF) is a growing collection of user submitted genealogies. It shows individuals’ names; family relationships; and dates and places of birth, marriage, and death. No merges, corrections, or additions are made to genealogies submitted to Pedigree Resource File. Submit your own research to the PRF for preservation and to allow others to build upon it. Some notes about PRF Contains all submissions made by users Has about 200 million records You can click to view a person in the FamilySearch Family Tree. You cannot download the information as a GEDCOM file The data is shown as individual submissions Submissions by the same contributor are not combined Sources and notes are displayed Multimedia links are not displayed Learning Center Click on https://familysearch.org/learningcenter Or Log in to FamilySearch.org and choose Get Help in the top left hand corner, then choose Learning Center. Browse hundreds of online genealogy courses to help you discover your family history. Here is an example. Finding Our Cousins: Using New Tools on FamilySearch.org - Are you interested in taking family names to the Temple but don’t know where to start? Learn how to use the Family Tree to identify distant cousins who might be missing family members or need Temple work. This video will review the process of 1) choosing an ancestor, 2) selecting one of their descendants who might be missing family members, 3) finding a record identifying those missing family members, 4) attaching the record and adding new people, and 5) reserving ordinances. Review a longer pre-recorded webinar discussing this topic on the Consultant Webinar Series page. Search for “New Tools for Finding Your Missing Cousins.” Other Course Titles include: Duplicates in Family Tree, Finding Our Cousins: Introduction to Puzzilla.org , The Federal Census, Introduction to Hispanic Research, U.S. Courthouse Research, Basic Italian Research, Decendancy Research, Family Tree Training Lessons and Videos, Reading German Handwritten Records, Research Logs, and Manual Separation Process for Separating Incorrectly Combined Records. 73 2014 Washington Family History Fair Beginning Genealogy Courses Choose from a series of online genealogy training videos designed to help you quickly discover your family history. 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 1: Quick Start 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 2: The Research Process 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 3: Record What You Know 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 4: Learn from Family 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 5: Choose an Ancestor and Question 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 6: Locate Where Your Ancestor Lived 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 7: Records, an Introduction 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 8: Find a Record 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 9: Using Indexes to Find a Record 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 10: Using Name Variations to Find a Record 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 11: Find Help from Others Online 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 12: Write It Down 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 13: Organize Your Records 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 14: Understand how records are created 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 15: Share with Others 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 16: Completing Your Research 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 17: Get Help In-Person 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 18: Get Help from Others Researching the Same Name 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 19: I Want to Interview a Living Relative 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 20: I Want to Learn More About Sourcing 5 Minute Genealogy Episode 21: Indexing, I want to help https://FamilySearch.org/Blog - Here are some examples of what you can find. Additional Record Hints Released, August 19, 2014 By Robert Kehrer On Monday, August 18th FamilySearch released a new update of the hinting data visible on an ancestor’s detail page in the Family Tree. This data update represents advancements in the software that will allow users to view a whole new set of hints for each ancestor. Users of the Family Tree may wish to visit their ancestor pages again and evaluate any new hints that may be displayed. Public Preview Release On June 17th, 2014, FamilySearch released a public preview of the record hinting feature. With this new feature, users can view the details page of any ancestor in the family tree and see suggested records that have a high confidence of being applicable to that specific ancestor. . These hints are identified by comparing the ancestor’s vital information, relatives and the relative’s vital information against all the historical records published on FamilySearch database. During the public preview phase of development significant enhancements will continue to be made to the quality and capability of the hinting software. An update system is also being built to 74 2014 Washington Family History Fair provide new hints more quickly. The Hints data will continue to be updated as new records become available (more or less on a monthly basis). That means that as new people are added to the tree, they may not show record hints until the next data update. Later this fall, when the update system is complete, new hints will be generated anytime a tree person is added or significantly changed. Hints that Mention your Ancestor Genealogical researchers recognize that the first step in understanding an ancestor is to gather as many records about their life as possible. Many of the records that position the ancestor in a place, time and relationships may not be about the ancestor, but about their family members (ex. The ancestor may be listed as the mother on her daughter’s birth certificate). With this data update, the hinting system will now present all the valuable records that mention an ancestor rather than just those that are “about” the ancestor. When a user attaches a record to their tree, they are affirming to Family Tree that the person in the record is the same person they are attaching the record to in the tree. The updated hinting data will make it easier for researchers to use valid sources to document the conclusions they make. We are as excited as our users are about the accuracy and efficiency these new tools provide both to the task of doing research as well as the quality of the information found in the Family Tree. We invite all users who have used the new tools to share their experience with other friends and family members so that we can greatly accelerate this great work. Removing Names from the Family Tree History List, September 9, 2014 By Jeff Hawkins Within Family Tree, when you do a search in Family Tree, the names you search are kept in a history list. This list allows you quickly and easily to go back to a search you previously did. This is a great feature, especially if you find it hard to remember which names you were working on in a previous search session. The problem with this feature has been that the list of names can become long and a bit cumbersome. This is especially true if you do a lot of searching through the tree. FamilySearch has made a slight change to this feature to provide you with a way to weed out names from your search history list. To remove names from this list: 1. From the menu bar, click the down arrow on the right side of the Tree link or the Person link. A drop-down menu will show a list of names you’ve recently searched in Family Tree. 75 2014 Washington Family History Fair 2. Hover your cursor over the name you want remove. You will notice that the background behind the name turns a slightly different color and an X appears to the right of the name. 3. Click the X. 4. Once you’ve clicked the X, the name will disappear from your search history list. How the New Features Help You Connect with Your Ancestors, July 14, 2014 By Robert Kehrer Lots of new features have been added to Family Tree recently. Each one is helpful, but together they make family history easier than ever. Tip: If you’re trying to involve others in the great adventure of getting to know their ancestors, teaching them to use Record Hints could be the way. Why not do it now? Here’s an easy way to use the new Descendancy view, Record Hints, and Attach a Source features to simplify your efforts to connect with ancestors. The Descendancy View Shows You Record Hints Icons Record Hints Shows You Records for Your Ancestors New Attach a Source Feature Adds Sources, Information, and New People to Your Family Tree Using the Source Feature to Add a New Person to Family Tree IMPORTANT: The system won’t let you add the person to Family Tree until you click Living or Deceased. If the person was born more than 110 years ago, you can click Deceased. If the person was born less than 110 years ago, unless you have a record or personal knowledge that the person is deceased, you must click Living. Using the New FamilySearch Tree App , August 7, 2014 By Jesh Barlow FamilySearch recently introduced two new mobile apps. These apps were created to make it easier and a lot more fun to do your own family history research. One of these mobile apps is the FamilySearch Tree app. With this new app, you can easily: Connect with an ancestor. View the photos, life stories, and recordings you have added to the ancestor. See spouses, children, parents, brothers and sisters, and important events in your ancestor’s life. Make audio recordings and take photos of important documents, family photos, sources, and family events, and add them to Family Tree. Share photos, stories, and recordings with your family. Save and print charts that show generations of your family. 76 2014 Washington Family History Fair If you don’t have much information in Family Tree, you won’t see much in the app. But you can change that by adding photos, stories, audio files, and sources. For now, to add a person or correct information, you have to go to FamilySearch.org, but those features are coming to this app soon. View a Pedigree or View a Specific Person On this app, you can view your ancestors in a portrait pedigree (which shows how the generations of your ancestors link together), or you can look at the information, photos, and stories about a specific ancestor. When you tap an ancestor in the pedigree, you go to the ancestor’s personal information. In the personal information, when you tap View This Tree, you return to the pedigree for the ancestor. View Your Ancestors in a Pedigree When you first open FamilySearch FamilyTree, you see the portrait pedigree for your family. To see more generations, tap an arrow at the top of the pedigree. To see details about a person, tap the person. To display the ancestors and children of a different ancestor, tap the ancestor, and then tap View This Tree. To search for a person, near the top of the screen, tap the magnifying glass. Enter information about the person, and tap the Find button. To return to a person you have viewed before, at the top of the screen, tap the history icon . You and the last 50 people you viewed are listed. Tap the person you want to return to. View the Information for a Specific Ancestor When you tap an ancestor in the Pedigree, you see the ancestor’s details. At the top of the screen is the ancestor card. The ancestor card shows the ancestor’s portrait (if available), name, life span, and identifier number. If you tap View This Tree, you return to that ancestor in the Pedigree. To Learn more about the App go to the Blog. 77 2014 Washington Family History Fair The Volga Germans: From Germany to Russia By Jean Roth The “Germans from Russia” are a unique ethic group that sought freedom from oppressive rulers and an opportunity of self-determination by accepting the invitations to become colonists in tsarist Russia. The mass migration of Germanic-speaking peoples to the expanding Russian Empire of the 18th and 19th centuries began under the auspices of Tsarina Catherine the Great in the 1760’s when she invited Western Europeans to settle in the sparsely populated steppes along the great Volga River near the city of Saratov. A German princess prior to her marriage to Peter III, heir to the Romanov throne, she had just usurped the Russian crown with the military coup and suspicious death of her ineffectual and deranged husband. Her first invitation of 1762 was poorly written and largely ignored. On July 22, 1763, Catherine issued her second Manifesto which spelled out the conditions and the special rights and privileges granted. There were 30,623 colonists, primarily from the central region of present day Germany, who founded 106 colonies along the unsettled Russian steppe near the banks of the Volga between 1763 and 1772. Germans from Hesse responded in the greatest numbers. Two powerful impacts started the migration - continued war on German soil, and a dazzling offer of free land. In Germany, war had devastated the people. The Reformation of 1521 ignited religious wars. The Thirty Years War (1618-1648) resulted in a 30% loss of population. The Treaty of Westphalia (1648) gave the Holy Roman Empire partial control of Germany. King Louis XIV of France invaded Germany in 1674 and brought destruction of many cities. The War of Spanish Succession (17011714) again brought French armies on German soil. Finally, the Seven Years War (1756-1763) was the most destructive and involved all of Europe with Germany as the battlefield. There was utter poverty. There was no actual country called Germany. What we call Germany was weak and it did not have a central government. It was a patchwork of 75 principalities, 51 imperial cities, and 1,475 areas ruled by knights. Most subjects were serfs. Catherine offered a glittering proposal of privileges and free land. The terms offered were: free transport to all areas of settlement, permission to bring personal possessions with them duty-free, unqualified religious freedom, freedom from taxation and licenses for 30 years to rural settlers, government support with interest-free loans and repayment after 10 years, a guarantee of self-rule within the colonies, and no military service for all settlers and their descendants. About 30,000 left Germany initially with about 27,000 finally settled in 106 Volga River colonies. Nearly 3,000 died en route or did not complete the year-long journey. To avoid repetition of the religious conflicts of central Europe that had plagued most of the 17th and 18th centuries, the Volga German colonists were initially assigned to colonies based upon their religious affiliation. The colonies were made up primarily or exclusively of one of three religious groups: Evangelical (what we would today call Lutheran); Reformed; and Roman Catholic. These original colonists were joined in 1812 by mostly German soldiers who had been a part of Napoleon's Army when it invaded Russia. A second wave of German immigration to the southern reaches of the Ukraine began in the early 1800’s. About 50,000 started 200 colonies by the Black Sea, and this was followed by about 28,000 German colonists moving into 139 villages in the Polish and Ukrainian areas known as Volhynia west of Kiev. These migrations lasted into the 1840’s. Starting in 1846, daughter colonies or “Khutors” were established to the southwest and on the eastern or Samara side of the Volga. As a result of increased population, many residents of the colonies moved to the newly established daughter colonies. There was a great deal of travel, communication, and marriage between residents of these villages. 78 2014 Washington Family History Fair Beginning in 1848 and through the 1850s, a number of Mennonite colonies were also established. The new colonists faced multitudinous hardships in this bleak and hostile land. Crop failures tended to follow year after year until they became acclimated and earned how to cope with the land, its marauders who preyed on hapless victims, and their own restlessness. The colonies began to blossom and became the agricultural pacesetters of Russia. Altogether more than 100,000 Germans immigrated to Russia from 1763 to 1871. THE BEGINNING OF THE END: The German minority really did not consider themselves Russian – nor did they consider themselves loyal to the Germany they had left over a century before. However, the changing political climate and social unrest would signal the beginning of the end of the Germans in Russia. Russia passed legislation that revoked many of the privileges promised to them by Catherine the Great. The sentiment in Russia became decidedly anti-German. The Germans now began facing new challenges. Should they give up certain freedoms, surrender to a system that required them to deny their heritage, or seek a new home? By 1870, Russian Nationalization was sweeping the country. Czar Alexander II wanted to “russify” the ethnic minorities in his realm and take away the rights of self-government In 1871, after a series of short victorious wars, Otto von Bismarck, Minister President of Prussia unified most of the German states (excluding Austria) into a powerful German Empire under Prussian leadership Bismarck created a disturbingly powerful potential enemy to Czarist Russia. Alexander II reacted strongly and on June 4, 1871, Alexander repealed all privileges promised to the Germans by Catherine the Great. In 1874 – he ended the Germans freedom from military service. Czar’s policy was succinctly expressed in one phrase: “One Czar, One religion, One language.” For the German colonists, this represented a breach of faith. In the 1880’s, Russia began a subtle attack on German schools and other German institutions. Many Germans in Russia were persuaded to seek new vistas elsewhere in the world, particularly in the West. Slowly at first, then for the next 50 years - the Germans began to leave Russia to resettle in North and South America. The American railroads had sent emissaries to actively recruit settlers in Russia. By 1920 nearly 300,000 came to the United States, settling mainly in the heartland of Nebraska and Kansas, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Montana, and California. They also went east to Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. About 7,000 went to Canada – Alberta and Saskatchewan and 7,000 to South America to Brazil and Argentina. The Volga Germans arrived in the Pacific Northwest in 1881 and 1882 in Portland, Walla Walla and the Palouse. Many would go later to Ritzville, Odessa, and the Yakima Valley. Within one or two generations – they would be completely assimilated into the lifestyles of their new homes. Today, those born in Russia and their descendants are scattered in many parts of the world including Canada, the United States, Germany, Argentina, Brazil Australia and South Africa, as well as those who are still in European Russia, Kazakhstan, and Siberia. THOSE WHO REMAINED BEHIND: Those who remained in Russia were to suffer loss of homes, dispersions, purges, and famine under Bolshevik and Communist rule. About 100,000 did reach freedom in Western Europe. The genocide committed against the ethnic Germans of Russia comprised a series of mass murders and genocidal actions including forced famine that unfolded in the 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. In all, from 1915 to 1945, probably over one million Russian Germans perished from unnatural causes under three successive Russian governments—those of Tsar Nicholas II, Lenin, and Stalin—chiefly by means of mass executions, forced labor, deliberate starvation, and brutal deportations. After the Russian Revolution in 1918, all Germans who had any means had everything taken from them and many were sent to Siberia. Collectivization was put into place and the Germans now worked for the State, often away from their villages. Stalin's law banning the activities of church communities and religious services in the country was issued 8 April 1929. 79 2014 Washington Family History Fair The colonists had built some magnificent church structures. Following Stalin's religious ban, those buildings remaining at the time were destroyed or put to other uses. In 1941, when Adolph Hitler invaded Russia in Operation Barbarossa, despite an uneasy peace treaty, Stalin retaliated and put an end to the whole German settlement. Some were executed, and the rest more moved eastward to the work armies and gulags. All the colonists who had not yet emigrated from the Volga region were deported by Stalin's Soviet government to Siberia, Kazakhstan, and other remote regions because of their German heritage. Resistance to Soviet rule, separatism, and widespread collaboration with the German occupation forces were among the official reasons for the deportation of these non-Russian peoples. On 1 September 1941 mass evacuation was announced for the approximately 440,000 Volga Germans. The deportees were rounded up and transported to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizia, and Siberia. All men of 18 years and older were taken to the labor camps (Trudarmee). In 1942 and 1943, all women of 18 years and older were also taken to forced labor camps. Families were separated and scattered throughout Russia. The consequences were devastating. Some families were given as little as five or ten minutes to pack up their belongings and food for the trip. No food was supplied. Tens of thousands are believed to have died during journeys which lasted up to two months. In some cases, bodies were left in the overcrowded cattle wagons for weeks on end. In others, they were thrown out beside the tracks. Most estimates indicate that close to 40 percent of the affected population perished. When World War II ended – the Volga Germans were not allowed to return to their homes. They were stripped of their citizenship and did not regain their civil rights until after Stalin’s death in 1953. In February 1956, Nikita Khrushchev condemned the deportations as a violation of Leninist principles. He stated that the Ukrainians avoided such a fate "only because there were too many of them and there was no place to which to deport them." The Volga Germans, were not, for the most part, permitted to return to their homelands until after the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991. Most of the villages now are in ruins or have completely disappeared. The events of the 1990’s with the fall of the Soviet Union have finally allowed some historians to go back to Russia and have opened once-inaccessible archives to researchers. THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY for GERMANS FROM RUSSIA: Founded in 1968, the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia – known as AHSGR is an International non-profit educational organization headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska where it maintains a research library and museum. AHSGR is a membership-based organization with annual fees to support both the local and international organizations. In the Seattle metropolitan area, the Greater Seattle Chapter of AHSGR represents the international organization at the local level and hosts regular meetings and events. AHSGR represents all of the German ethnic groups that settled in the former Russian empire, but especially the Volga Germans. Among its resources are the Village Coordinators who assist individuals by bringing families and villages together as well as to gather and organize information about the village’s history. The SOAR Project (Saving Our Ancestral Records) has now been relocated the massive obituary collection to FamilySearch at www.familysearch.org . The German Origins Project assembles in one place, all known information regarding the German origins of Germans who settled in Russia. www.ahsgr.org 80 2014 Washington Family History Fair THE CENTER FOR VOLGA GERMAN STUDIES (CVGS): The first Germans from Russia came to the Pacific Northwest in 1881 and 1882. The Center for Volga German Studies at Concordia University in Portland supports research into and the preservation of the heritage, history, traditions and accomplishments of the Volga Germans. The CVGS is an academic organization, not a membership organization. The AHSGR Oregon Chapter of AHSGR works closely with the CVGS. The Director of the CVGS is Concordia University Professor Dr. Brent Mai. The Center is staffed by trained volunteers and is open when those volunteers are present. http://cvgs.cu-portland.edu GERMANS FROM RUSSIA HERITAGE SOCIETY (GRHS): The Germans from Russia Heritage Society, located in Bismarck, North Dakota, has become one of the leading research centers for the Black Sea Germans from Russia in the United States and Canada. Their library is located at the International Headquarters in Bismarck. It has a deep focus on the Germans from Russia in the Dakotas. GRHS functions as a non-profit, non-denominational, non-political organization. Its aims are educational and social. Its purpose is to bring together people who are interested in discovering the common history unique to Germanic-Russian ethnics and to preserve the many elements of their rich heritage. The Society collects, lists, and catalogues published materials and personal documents that tell of the European migrations and exodus to the United States and Canada and also of the pioneer life on the plains. www.grhs.org GERMANS FROM RUSSIA HERITAGE COLLECTION (GRHC): This Library Collection at North Dakota State University in Fargo is administered by Michael M. Miller. It has become one of the most comprehensive collections of German-Russian resources in the world. www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/grhc FEDERATION OF EAST EUROPEAN FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETIES (FEEFHS) The Federation of East European Family History Societies is an umbrella organization that promotes family research in eastern and central Europe. It has shortcut links to organizations doing research on Austria, Belarus, Bukovina, Carpatho-Rusyn, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Galicia, Germans from Russia, Germany, Hungary, Jewish, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the Ukraine. http://feefhs.org THE SOCIETY for GERMAN GENEALOGY IN EASTERN EUROPE (SGGEE): The Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe is another specialized research group. This national organization helps interested in the genealogy, culture and history of their ancestors who migrated through Eastern Poland, the Ukraine, Volhynia, and surrounding areas. www.sggee.org BLACK SEA GERMAN RESEARCH (BSGR): This free website specializes in the research by the late Dale Wahl. It combines multiple media platforms to further the mission of bringing Black Sea and Ukraine research. There is a huge Black Sea German database with discussion forums. The BSGH team is a group of amateur genealogy researchers working on various geographic areas including the Crimea, Odessa, Bessarabia, Dobrudscha and others. www.blackseagr.org HELPFUL SOURCES 81 2014 Washington Family History Fair The Emigration from Germany to Russia in the Years 1763-1862 by Karl Stumpp 2 volume set Lincoln, Nebraska 1993. It contains alphabetical lists of thousands of names of German immigrants to Russia, many with vital statistics, place of origin in Germany, and locality of settlement in Russia. The information is nearly complete for Black Sea immigrants, less definitive for Volga Germans. It lists mother colonies of the Volga and Black Sea, giving both the German and Russian name of each village, its governmental district, religious denomination, year of founding, and population statistics. Pleve Surname Charts: Dr. Igor Pleve, Deputy Dean of Saratov State University, contracted to do many genealogy charts of the Volga Germans – taken from census records in the Russian Archives. Pleve First Settlers Lists – 4 Volumes: Einwanderung in das Wolgagebiet, 1764-1767 (Immigration to the Volga Region) by Dr. Igor R. Pleve Ed. by Dr. Alfred Eisfeld. These books address the earliest period of German settlement in the Volga Region of Russia. These include detailed lists of the first settlers who responded to the Manifesto of Catherine the Great include information about their ages, occupations, families, and place of origin in Germany. Unfortunately – the lists vary by village. The Kuhlberg Lists: Lists of Colonists in Russia in 1766. By Dr. Igor Pleve 2010. Includes important information about more than 20,000 colonists and ships, commanders, and arrival information. They were compiled by Titular Counselor Ivan Kuhlberg as the colonists arrived in Oranienbaum. More than 20,000 persons in 6,500 families are documented in the Kuhlberg lists. 1798 Census of the German Colonies Along The Volga: by Dr. Brent Alan Mai 2 volume set: Translation of 1798 Census information, including narrative of economic, religious, educational and structural makeup, colony movement, agricultural information. Lists 38,800 individuals by name (including maiden), age, colony of original settlement, and household. Complete indexes, including surname, colony, movement by surname and movement by colony. The Immigration of German Colonists to Denmark and their subsequent Emigration to Russia in the Years 1759-1766 by Alexander, Jacob and Mary Eichhorn. Over 5000 Germans moved to Jutland and the Duchy of Schleswig at the invitation of King Frederick V of Denmark. After several years – about half moved on to Russia when Catherine the Great issued her manifesto. Biographical information is provided on almost 2000 families. The maiden names of women are included when known. Many villages of origin are included. 82 2014 Washington Family History Fair Why Mormons Do Genealogy By Nyle Kinghorn 83 2014 Washington Family History Fair Scandinavian Resources By Gary Zimmerman 84 2014 Washington Family History Fair 85 2014 Washington Family History Fair 86 2014 Washington Family History Fair 87 2014 Washington Family History Fair 88 2014 Washington Family History Fair 89 2014 Washington Family History Fair 90 2014 Washington Family History Fair 2:15 – 3:15 Classes National Archives (NARA) Online By Carol Buswell A great deal of the information found on Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest Online, Family Search and other genealogy websites are from the National Archives. The National Archives website itself contains a great deal of information for genealogists, but very little is indexed by the individual name. The archives website at www.archives.gov is most efficiently used for 1. Learning basic principles of genealogical research. 2. Putting your ancestor’s experience into historical context and illustrating the events occurring during the time of your ancestor’s life. 3. Finding Federal records that are not yet online. There is a huge percentage of records that have never been scanned or photographed and are languishing in boxes in an archives waiting for you to discover them! Our online resources can help you find them. Important website pages The National Archives main page: www.archives.gov The NARA main webpage contains a general search box, access to all search engines (Research Our Records), access to all NARA-focused social media sites, such as Flickr, YouTube, and many National Archives blogs. Research Our Records: www.archives.gov/research/ Research Our Records contains our search engines and instructions for conducting online, in-person, and other types of historical research. “Research a Specific Topic” will lead you to the brand new American Indian source pages (Ethnic Heritage>People>American Indian). “Resources for Genealogists” will lead you to many instructional pages on genealogical topics. Seattle contact information, hours of operation and a map: http://www.archives.gov/seattle/ Other facilities of the National Archives across the United States: http://www.archives.gov/locations/ 91 2014 Washington Family History Fair The National Archives Online Catalog: http://www.archives.gov/research/search/ Remember to search using as few words as possible. Try to include an important word from the name of the federal agency that created the records you are looking for. Think broadly. You are probably looking for groups of records. They are never organized by topic. You may find descriptions of related records, called “Series,” and scans of individual records. It is more common to find series descriptions. The National Archives Microfilm Catalog: http://www.archives.gov/research Microfilm can be borrowed from other National Archives facilities to be viewed at the Seattle facility (with the exception of those held in Washington DC). Click on “microfilm catalog” … type in a generalized search term, such as “naturalization.” Click on an appropriate microfilm title. Publication Summary gives general and specific information. Publication Details can be very valuable! Be sure to click on the Adobe Acrobat icon so you can read it. It contains the finding aid for the microfilm publication. The list at the bottom of the finding aid tells you what is on each specific roll, so you can narrow down your search. Location tells you where the microfilm can be found. Be sure to click on the location (such as Seattle) to see if they hold the entire series of microfilm rolls. 92 2014 Washington Family History Fair Unraveling Family Myths By Jill Morelli UNRAVELING FAMILY MYTHS USING THE PRINCIPLES OF LOGIC Every family has its stories--undocumented, usually colorful snippets of remembrances of our ancestors. Some sound just ludicrous but every story usually is in the family lexicon for some reason, meaning, that some portion of the story just might be true! But, as a genealogist who practices mindful analysis to determine the level of truth in any data point we use., how does one go about separating the “wheat from the chaff?” There are many different kinds of myths but in this case we are investigating those stories that have passed to us from others about our families. or family members. Family myths seem to cluster themselves into some basic categories: origins of names (Ellis Island), relationship to someone famous or to nobility, birth place (in the castle), military service, the “three brothers,” existence of Native American ancestry and a person story of immigration. This presentation looks at three of these myths: Case Study #1: Jens Dahle’s military service Case Study #2: Client was related to someone famous, a signer of the Declaration of Independence Case Study #3: The immigrant’s story We approach with the assumption the stories we have been given are true and set about proving it by applying the principles of logic. We approach the problem with the same mind set we use for all of our genealogical work--with a healthy dose of skepticism and open mindful analysis. With this approach we have the best chance to tease out the facts of the story and to assess the others segments of the story for its plausibility. We will use the same principle of logic that applies to “arguments.” Arguments in this case are rational discussions of facts which result in a conclusion of truth, false or undetermined at this time. (Note that we say “at this time” because further information may come to light later which may change the answer.) 93 2014 Washington Family History Fair BASIC PRINCIPLE: Premise #1 is true and Premise #2 is true and Premise #3 is true and .... Therefore, the conclusion is also true. ARG: We analyze our stories using the ARG model (think ARGument) for “Acceptable, Relevant, and Grounds.” By analyzing your myth for each we can discern whether to discard the premise or identify missing evidence, some of which may be found and some may just be left for the future. Acceptable: does it pass the “smile” test? Relevant: Is it relevant to our myth? If not, discard. Grounds: what is our evidence? If our evidence is only Aunt Polly said so, we have work to do. the most important question is--what is missing? What might I be able to find that would support (or not) that particular premise. PRACTICAL EXERCISE Step-by-step: a. write the myth down b. break it up into premises, both stated and implied c. Assess for Acceptability (does it pass the “smile test>”) d. Assess for Relevance (does it germane to the myth?) e. Assess the grounds or evidence you have that supports --or doesn’t--east premise. f. Are you missing any key piece of evidence g. Evaluate your outcome, not because it is what your auntie told you but rather what I have proven 94 2014 Washington Family History Fair Practice here with your own myth: You can find this syllabus on the web for 7 days after the presentation at: http://jkmpresentations.wordpress.com RESOURCES Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, “Family Legends and Myths,” Genealogy.com (http://www.genealogy.com/90_carmack.html : accessed 30 October 2014). Trude Govier, A Practical Study of Argument (Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1985). Jean Wilcox Hibben, CG, “Proving or disproving family legends, NGS Magazine, 37 (April-June 2011): 2, 2024. Richard Hite, Sustainable Genealogy: Separating Fact from Fiction in Family Legends (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 2013). Kimberly Powell, “Common Myths: Fiction or Fact?” About.com (http://genealogy.about.com/od/family_legends/a/common_myths.htm : accessed 30 October 2014). Donna Przecha, “They Changed our Name at Ellis Island,” Genealogy.com (http://www.genealogy.com/88_donna.html : accessed 30 October 2014.) “Family myths of the future are those which we do not source today.” -- Thomas W. Jones 95 2014 Washington Family History Fair Census 3: Advanced Census Tracking – Keep it Simple (Head of Household Censuses (1790-1840)) By Virginia Majeske U.S. Census History 1790-1840 http://www.rootsweb.com/~census/help/history.html Lists the name of the head of household and age brackets for males and females living in the household. Has additional questions about land and military service 1840 The age ranges changed from census year to census year. For us as genealogists, this is a good thing because if helps us narrow down birth dates. o o o o 1790: 0-16,16+ 1800-1820: 0-10,10-16,16-26,26-45,45+ 1820: added 16-18 in addition 1830-1840: 0-5, 5-10, 10-15, 15-20, 20-30, … Making Family Footprints…. In order to utilize the census data, you must link household members to known family members. This process requires making assumptions. Learn as much as possible about the potential household you want to track. Track the household in the later censuses before beginning to track the earlier censuses Use the Census Rules to make assumptions about who is living in the household. Use a Census Tracker to compare the family footprint over time. Use a Timeline to see if the census fits into known chronological order of events. Census Rules for identifying household members 1. Assume that the head of household is a male unless the Given Name is a female name, because there are relatively few female heads of household in early censuses compared to the number of male head of households. 2. In most households, the head of household is the oldest male. 3. Look for a wife as head in case the husband has died. 4. If there is children in a female head of household, there is a good chance that oldest female is a widow who is now head of household. 5. Head of household spouses are generally within + or - 10 year age range. 6. If there is more than 10 years difference between head of household and spouses you must suspect that it is not a spouse, perhaps a mother or mother-in-law, servant, etc. 7. Information might not be as of census date. 8. Estimate about 2 years between each child. 9. “Wife” age change may indicate remarriage. 10. Look for children as heads to find elderly. 11. Not everyone in the household is necessarily a family member. 96 2014 Washington Family History Fair How do I build a case from circumstantial evidence? Start with what is possible; Build up to what is probable given Occam’s razor “When you have two competing theories that explain a situation, the simpler one is the most likely” This means explanations with fewer assumptions are better. (Unless you can disprove them) How to Resolve Conflicts between known information and census data o You may have selected the wrong household o Your known information may be incorrect o Census informant may have given incorrect data o Enumerator filled in the wrong age bracket o A person may have died between censuses o There may be non-related persons living in the household o A family member may be residing in another household o Comparing census footprints across multiple censuses, is helpful in checking the accuracy of assumptions MagiCensus incorporates census logic for building a probable case into the Census Tracker worksheet: Known Information MagiCensus Number of years in an age range can vary from census to census. Automatically estimates and calculates an age range using all census data available and updates it in a spreadsheet to help you narrow birthdates. Location of an individual at a specific point of time. Displays census locations of all known family members to give you possible places for additional research. Quantity and gender of the household members for a given census, also known as a footprint of a household. Displays both expected family names and ages, together with the extracted information. This assists in making assumptions and building probable cases. Automatically highlights age discrepancies between expected and extracted information and displays them in color-coded cells to help you as you make comparison over time. 97 2014 Washington Family History Fair Using the Family Tree & Memories By Celia McNay This class will explore the features of the largest website for free genealogical records on the internet: Familysearch.org. Supported by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is the newly refurbished Family Tree- a repository of submitted family connections linking generations, and the complementary Memories section for up loading and storing photos, stories, audio files, documents which can then be linked to people in the Family Tree. 1. Family Tree: the place where you can post your pedigree lines and family group records for others to view, add to, and communicate with you. a. This is not the place for your unconfirmed data. Keep that in your personal files until you feel confidant you have the right relationships, with sources. b. You can add living people. Living people are only seen by you. They are not searchable. c. Tree view is the pedigree or direct family line. i. 4 versions: traditional, portrait, fan, descendancy ii. Dynamic and changeable iii. Hover over the names for quick info about that person d. Person page: is like the family group records, with spouse, children, parents, and siblings i. This is where your sources, photos, memories, and comments are linked. ii. From here, search the records in the historical side of the site. e. Find only looks for people in the tree who are deceased f. Lists allows you to get alerts when there are changes or additions on a person page. 2. Memories: This is the area where your photos, stories, documents, and audio files are uploaded. They are saved here until you link them to a person in the Family Tree. They can be divided into albums here. You must sign the submission agreement in order to post into this area. a. Photos: this view opens the photos that you have already uploaded. Those with a red circle have not yet been tagged to a person in the tree. 1. Click on the photo and you will open an editing page. This will allow you to add a title, identify the people in the photo, put the photo into an album, and write about the photo itself. 2. There are options to delete the photo, move it to different albums, and link the photo to multiple people in the Family Tree. b. Stories: Here is where you can save stories about your family members. Click on “Add New Story” to type right into the site, or copy and paste from a word processing program. 98 2014 Washington Family History Fair c. Documents: Finally a place to save your special certificates and clippings for preservation and sharing! i. Scan your printed or hand written documents. Upload in the following extensions: .jpg, .png, .pdf, up to 15 MB. ii. When uploaded, every submission is viewed and screened before it is published. This can take up to 48 hours. All posted items are then public. d. Audio: the newest addition for storing memories! Clicking the upload button (a circle with a + in the middle) will allow you to upload items to link to people in your Family Tree. The site supports .mp3 and .m4a files up to 15 MB. e. People: shows the photos uploaded by you and others. Their title and ID number is shown if attached to the Family Tree. A yellow band is across the lower right corner for photos that were not added by you but are attached to people in your Family Tree. You can click on the photo to go back to where it is saved in the photos area. i. Filter: allows viewing of all photos and those not linked to the Family Tree. f. Albums: This place allows you to create albums and then place photos into these albums. It is an organizing area. g. Find: will allow you to search through all items in the Memories tab. Note that no results for living people will show up. 99 2014 Washington Family History Fair Ten Places to Find Women’s Maiden Names By Ann Lamb Discovering the maiden name of a female ancestor can sometimes be difficult, but can lead to a whole new branch of your family tree. In this class we will see examples and sources to find maiden names in 1. Marriage Records 2. Cemetery Records 3. Census Records 4. Land Records 5. Church Records 6. Probate Records & Wills 7. Newspaper Records 8. Death Records 9. Military Records 10. Naming Patterns 100 2014 Washington Family History Fair Telling Your Stories (See 10:00-11:00 Class Notes) By Delores Davis 101 2014 Washington Family History Fair Writing and Publishing Ancestral Stories (See 11:15-12:15 Class Notes) By Eva Gremmert 102 2014 Washington Family History Fair Family Tree Overview By Becky Hanich 103 2014 Washington Family History Fair 104 2014 Washington Family History Fair 105 2014 Washington Family History Fair 106 2014 Washington Family History Fair 107 2014 Washington Family History Fair 108 2014 Washington Family History Fair 109 2014 Washington Family History Fair 110 2014 Washington Family History Fair 111 2014 Washington Family History Fair 112 2014 Washington Family History Fair 3:30 – 4:30 Classes New & Improved Family Search By Eva Gremmert 113 2014 Washington Family History Fair Finding and Using Historic Newspapers By Claudia Breland Newspapers: good for more than just obituaries! Birth announcements Wedding anniversaries Family reunions Criminal activity Land sales Pensions received Bankruptcy Letters Marriage announcements Divorce records Probate notices “25 years ago” Military news Advertisements Going out of business Journals Free Newspaper Databases: Chronicling America: http://www.loc.chroniclingamerica.gov A searchable database of digitized newspapers from most states and metropolitan areas, dating from 1836 to 1922. You can use the advanced search to search for several words or an exact phrase, and narrow your search by the state or a range of years. The “U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-present” tab is an important feature, and can help you find the titles of newspapers that may be on microfilm but not yet digitized. Google News Archive: http://news.google.com/newspapers Google has digitized over 500 newspapers and put them in an online archive that is (unfortunately) not really searchable. It is worth your time to look over the list of titles and explore these. Newspaper Databases through your local library: King County Library System pays for the following databases, which you can use from home: 19th Century U.S. Newspapers: newspapers from 1800 to 1899; searchable by key word (search “entire article”) and narrowed by date or place. List of newspapers & dates included: http://solutions.cengage.com/Gale/Database-TitleLists/ncnp.html Newspaper Archive: database of digitized U.S. and international newspapers. Strongest coverage of the US is in the Midwest (Ohio, Illinois, Indiana). Personal subscriptions are not recommended; access this database through a library or genealogy society. Subscription Newspaper Databases: Ancestry.com: sizable collection of digitized newspapers; significant numbers from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois. Only available with individual subscriptions, not with Library Edition. 114 2014 Washington Family History Fair Newspapers.com: http://www.newspapers.com $79.95 annually / 7.95 per month discount available with Ancestry.com World membership. This database includes over 3000 US newspapers from the 1700s to the 2000s; their international collection includes papers from Canada, England and Ireland. Papers can be easily searched or browsed, and narrowed by place and/or date. GenealogyBank: $69.95 annually One of the best-known newspaper subscription websites; offers Historical Documents and free access to the Social Security Death Index (updated weekly). You can see their list of newspaper titles here: http://www.genealogybank.com/gbnk/newspapers/sourcelist/ Note that FamilySearch has begun indexing the collection of recent obituaries (1977-today); try searching there first. Fold3: http://www.fold3.com. $79.95/year ($39.95 for members of the National Genealogical Society) Although this website has changed its focus to military records, there are still sizeable newspaper collections, including Atlanta (1868-1923), Chicago (1849-1923) and Fort Wayne, IN (1864-1923). Paper of Record: http://www.paperofrecord.com $71.40 (Canadian) annually/ $12.95 per month This website was created in Canada, and its strength is in Canadian newspapers, especially those from Ontario. It also has an impressive collection of newspapers from Mexico. Find My Past: http://www.findmypast.com $9.95 per month This website has several newspaper collections from Britain, Ireland and the United States. You can narrow your search by date, place, county, newspaper title or article type. No immediately available date ranges until you perform a search. State Newspaper Collections: California Digital Newspaper Collection: http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection: http://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org Illinois Digital Newspaper Collections: http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/ New York State Historic Newspapers: http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/ Finding Aids: The Ancestor Hunt: http://www.theancestorhunt.com/newspapers.html Kenneth Marks has written a great blog, with several helpful posts on newspapers. Included is a state-by-state listing of counties with online newspapers. United States Online Historical Newspapers: https://sites.google.com/site/onlinenewspapersite/Home/usa/ 115 2014 Washington Family History Fair Occasionally updated by professional genealogist Miriam Robbins of Spokane, this is a directory, by state, of online newspapers, including those in state archives, Google News Archives, Chronicling America, and GenealogyBank. US GenWeb: http://www.usgenweb.org This is a volunteer-driven website, organized by state and then by county. Many of these will have obituary indexes, or links to libraries or historical societies that have indexes. Wikipedia List of online newspaper archives: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_online_newspaper_archives Not complete, but this is a good reference for online newspapers. Using WorldCat http://www.worldcat.org Click the “Everything” tab and enter your location (city and state) Check the “newspaper” box on the left to narrow your results Reading a library catalog entry: The entries in WorldCat do not always show the date ranges for the newspapers. To pinpoint the titles and dates you need, you’ll need to search an online library catalog. Each state has a (generally) central collection of microfilmed newspapers, in the state library or archives, or a university library. Directory of microfilmed US newspapers: http://www.neh.gov/us-newspaper-program Check the online catalogs of state libraries or university libraries for newspaper collections The subject heading for newspapers is: Allegan County (Mich.) - - Newspapers Corvallis (Or.) - - Newspapers Brevard County (Fla.) - - Newspapers There has never been a better time to be a genealogist! 116 2014 Washington Family History Fair Land Records, Censuses, Probates – Oh My! By Virginia Majeske How to build a probable case? Many times when you find a potential ancestor in the 1790-1840 censuses, there are too many uncertainties. Making assumptions based solely on the family footprint becomes difficult, if not impossible. o In cases like these, any evidence you can find that reveals family relationships and their names becomes important to building a probable case about a prospective ancestor. There are more names of persons found in land and probate records than in the 1790-1840 census records For More information on building a probable case- see class notes for Class 3 (Keep it Simple). How are land records helpful? They may provide a date and place for your ancestor. When a courthouse burns, they are the first records to be reconstructed. “Dower Rights” apply to selling land; this means the wife’s name is listed. Family relationships, married names, and other places of residence can be listed. Land indexes that have “Et Al” next to a name, indicates that there are other persons that are part of the transaction not named in the index. 117 2014 Washington Family History Fair How are Probate Records helpful? Debts and receipts may give clues about family relationships, and give names of persons who had business dealings with the deceased household. o Census tracking names from probate records could lead to identifying a wife’s surname. Neighbor and relatives may be listed when household items are sold from the estate. Heirs are named when property or money has to be distributed. Where can I locate Land Records and Probate Records? Personally visit county court houses Order microfilms from FamilySearch.org and view them in the closest local Family History Center Public libraries may have microfilm records of land indexes. o Indexes are not as helpful, they don’t list the spouses name if the land is sold. How to resolve conflicting assumptions with other researchers. Identify a contradiction, and ask yourself a question Look for the sources of data that other researchers used and review them for yourself Formulate a competing theory: o Following historical accounts and using census tracking are useful tools for pinpointing where individuals reside at a particular point in time. o Comparing information in a time line allows a researcher to analyze different types of known facts with family artifacts and lore. o “When you have two competing theories that explain a situation, the simpler one is the better.” Make sure your theory accounts for all the evidence. Do a reasonable exhaustive search to gather as much information as you can. See if you can find something other researchers may have missed. Organize your information in a way so it can be analyzed differently. o Conclusions drawn from it that can be tested with other research is essential in differentiating individuals. Determine if the conflicting data is now accounted for. Technique Tip: Process of Elimination You have 9 white marbles and one black marble and you put them into a bag. If you take out the 9 white marbles, what is the color of the remaining marble? Sometimes it is easier to prove that all other options are false, then to prove one that is true. Example-- Finding an online family tree that fits known information, but your ancestor is not there. Census Track all of the sons and see if there are children in the census missing from the family tree. If you only find one that has unaccounted for children, then he must be the father. 118 2014 Washington Family History Fair What Is Genealogical Proof Standard? Why Should I Know It? By Janice Lovelace Definition of Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) Why use it? 5 elements of GPS 1. Thorough Research, “reasonably exhaustive” 2. Citation of Sources 3. Analysis and Correlation 4. Resolving Conflicts 5. Writing a Conclusion Case using GPS 119 2014 Washington Family History Fair Can You Help Me Find My Cousins? Understanding Autosomal DNA By Mary Kathryn Kozy 120 2014 Washington Family History Fair 121 2014 Washington Family History Fair Why Mormons Do Genealogy By Nyle Kinghorn 122 2014 Washington Family History Fair Family Tree Photos and Stories By Becky Hanich 123 2014 Washington Family History Fair 2014 Exhibitors The following organizations will be exhibiting at the 2014 Fair AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF GERMANS FROM RUSSIA (AHSGR), GREATER SEATTLE CHAPTER The American Historical Society of Germans from Russia is an international, non-profit educational organization. The group's purpose is to bring together people interested in the history of Germans from Russia, and promote a better appreciation of their history and preservation of the culture. The Greater Seattle Chapter has been active in furthering the goals of AHSGR on the local level since being founded in 1975. The Chapter hosted the annual AHSGR National Convention in 1979 and in 1992 co-hosted the convention with the Rainier Chapter located in Tacoma, Washington. http://www.ahsgr.org/greater_seattle_chapter.htm ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL GENEALOGISTS (APG) - PUGET SOUND CHAPTER APG is an independent organization whose principal purpose is to support professional genealogists in all phases of their work: from the amateur genealogist wishing to turn knowledge and skill into a vocation, to the experienced professional seeking to exchange ideas with colleagues and to upgrade the profession as a whole. The association also seeks to protect the interest of those engaging the services of the professional. http://psapg.org BLACK GENEALOGY RESEARCH GROUP OF SEATTLE (BGRG) The goals of the BGRG are: 1. To assist members in their individual family research projects. 2. To share information and techniques relative to the task of conducting family research in general and African American family research in particular. 3. To gather, maintain, interpret, and make accessible to all members the materials, resources, and information that may be useful as research aids. 4. To share experiences and expertise in matters such as keeping records, preserving documents and photographs, and computerizing family research findings. 124 2014 Washington Family History Fair DAUGHTERS OF AMERICAN COLONISTS - WASHINGTON STATE SOCIETY The NSDAC is a lineage society that conducts research as to the history and deeds of the American colonists, commemorates deeds of colonial interest, and fosters love of America and its institutions by all residents. http://www.nsdac.org DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION The DAR is a lineage society for descendants of those who aided in achieving American independence. The society maintains a genealogical records collection at the Seattle Public Library, and other libraries. http://www.wssdar.org/ DAUGHTERS OF THE FOUNDERS AND PATRIOTS OF AMERICA (DFPA), WASHINGTON STATE CHAPTER The Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America is a lineage society formed over 100 years ago. Eligibility requires an unbroken paternal line to a Colonial Founder who arrived in one of the Colonies between May 13, 1607 and May 13, 1687, and in this unbroken line, an intermediate Patriot ancestor who, by personal service in a civil or military capacity or by other acts proving his unfailing loyalty, assisted in establishing American independence during the Revolutionary Period, 1775 to 1784. http://www.nationalsocietydfpa.com/ DAUGHTERS OF THE UTAH PIONEERS (DUP) The DUP was organized solely for historical, educational and public purposes and is completely non-political and non-sectarian. It is dedicated to perpetuating the names and achievements of those men, women, and children who founded Utah. The Pioneer Memorial Museum in Salt Lake City houses the world's largest collection of artifacts on one subject. Included in this collection are over 300,000 pioneer histories and 80,000 pioneer photographs that are available to the public. http://www.dupinternational.org/ EASTSIDE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY (EGS) The EGS provides members a forum for learning and the exchange of information related to genealogy. It obtains and provides resources for use by members, encourages genealogical research and documentation and aids in organizing and computerizing local records related to genealogy. http://www.rootsweb.com/~wakcegs/ 125 2014 Washington Family History Fair FISKE GENEALOGICAL LIBRARY The Fiske Genealogical Library has many of genealogical materials not readily available, especially for those townships east of the Mississippi River. http://www.fiskelibrary.org GENERAL SOCIETY OF THE WAR OF 1812 The General Society of the War of 1812 is a lineage society for male descendants of those who fought in the War of 1812. https://www.facebook.com/GSWarOf1812/info https://www.facebook.com/GeneralSocietyWarOf1812StateOfWashington/info GERMAN INTEREST GROUP (EGS) This is the German SIG of the Eastside Genealogical Society. http://www.rootsweb.com/~wakcegs/calendar2.htm IRISH GENEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY The IGHS collects and preserves information illustrative of Ireland's past and present. The IGHS web site hosts individual family histories and displays them in one searchable list. http://www.irishgenealogyandhistory.org ITALIAN INTEREST GROUP (EGS) Founded in March 1990, the ITALIAN INTEREST GROUP is for those researching roots in the boot! Meets monthly to Share Ideas– successes and problems on how to trace your own Italian family history. Someone in the group may have the key that will help advance your Italian family history research! http://www.rootsweb.com/~wakcegs/calendar2.htm JACK JULICH AND STANLEY HUNGERFORD (COUSINS) Our maternal grandmother recorded multiple branches of our ancestors in an interesting format in Ancestral Tablets; became a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) National Society (1933); and designed a large and unique hand-colored 10-generation family tree of her Scottish Oliphant lineage. This past decade we, her two eldest grandsons, used information gleaned from various peerages, aristocratic and landed gentry genealogies, out-of-print reference books and informational sources obtained from the Internet to create Word documents and Excel charts illustrating relevant Scottish history and designed a 36-generation chart displaying our 126 2014 Washington Family History Fair Oliphant heritage. We discovered that: (1) a shipwrecked Norwegian Viking ancestor (Holifard) settled in Eastern Scotland (865-872 AD); (2) an Oliphant (Olifard) rescued in battle his godfather, King David I. of Scotland (1141); (3) a marriage between an illegitimate daughter of King Robert I. “the Bruce” and an Oliphant (Olyfaunt) (by 1365); and (4) traced the ‘Gask’ line of descent to our Scottish born direct ancestor Duncan Oliphant, who arrived in America at Staten Island (abt. 1685). However, recent communications with three Scottish genealogists, who have made intensive studies of the Oliphant clans based on original documentation and DNA analyses, suggested that we reconsider our line of descent by following a secondary ‘Kellie’ family branch, which resulted in a 29-generation lineage chart beginning in the 12th century. A primary, perhaps not solvable question arises as to whether our family originated with the earliest Viking invasions or subsequent lines leading to the aristocratic landholding Oliphant clans and lineages. Using uniquely designed Excel spreadsheets which we developed, rather than standard genealogical software programs, we were able to display in a clear and easy to follow visual presentation, our Oliphant family, flexible enough to present and modify alternative and variable family tree structures, with supporting descriptive text and notes, quotations, pictures, and maps all in a single large computer file. The development of this documentation appears on several progressive display boards depicting our researches, resolution of several brick walls, and concludes with lineage charts depicting these hypotheses. Handouts describing how you can develop your own charts using our “Excel Spreadsheet Pre-set Format for Charting Genealogical Lineages” are available for free to unravel and clearly display the intricacies of your own complex family trees. We hope that with our discussions and format, you will be able to prepare easy to understand visual genealogical charts for distribution to your relatives and descendants. Email addresses: [email protected] and: [email protected] KING COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM The King County Library System is a great place to start your ancestry investigation. You’ll find online research databases, including Ancestry.com, Reference USA directories, Washington State historic maps and Polk directories, all free with your equally free KCLS library card. The Auburn and Bellevue KCLS libraries also house collections donated by The South King County Genealogical Society and Eastside Genealogical Societies. Volunteers from these groups hold regularly scheduled help sessions for tough research questions. You’ll find more information about the collections and online resources at: http://guides.kcls.org/genealogy NORTHWEST AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM The mission of the Northwest African American Museum is to be a vibrant community gathering place, a place where youth, adults and families can honor the past and articulate the future. The 127 2014 Washington Family History Fair Museum documents and exhibits the unique historical and cultural experiences of African Americans in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. The Museum is a generative institution whose momentum will capture history and culture as it occurs, synthesizing what it means for today and tomorrow. http://www.naamnw.org SEATTLE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY (SGS) The Seattle Genealogical Society maintains a research library, publishes a bulletin and newsletter, and sponsors a wide range of educational activities and events. It also has several Special Interest Groups with additional meetings and events. The SGS library has an outstanding genealogical collection: some of the materials are not available elsewhere in the west. SGS makes available books, pamphlets, periodicals, and data CD's for researching various parts of the United States and other countries as well. Computers and a wireless Internet connection are also available for researchers. Periodically, the Society publishes resource materials. Members are encouraged to visit the library often, to share their skills and expertise, to meet new people and expand their own genealogical horizons. All members of SGS have unlimited access to the library. http://seattlegenealogicalsociety.org SIMPLY INSPIRED IMAGES Leta Paine, from Winlock, WA is a mother and grandmother who has a love for photo restoration. She can take your damaged, torn, wrinkled, and faded images from old photographs, slides, or negatives, and restore them into beautiful pictures that will preserve your memories for generations to come. Restored images can be stored digitally, and she can even convert your old VHS movies to DVD format. http://simplyinspiredimages.com SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION - CASCADE CENTENNIAL CHAPTER The SAR is a lineage society for male descendants of those who aided in achieving American independence. http://www.sar.org/About http://www.wassar.net/Home/chapters/cascadecentennial-chapter U.S. DAUGHTERS OF 1812, LEWIS AND CLARK CHAPTER The U.S. Daughters of 1812 is a lineage society for direct descendants of veterans of the War of 1812. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wassusd/lc-01-index.htm WASHINGTON STATE ARCHIVES, PUGET SOUND REGIONAL BRANCH 128 2014 Washington Family History Fair The Puget Sound Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives provides a variety of resources to aid you in your genealogy research, as well as an Online Census Search. http://www.secstate.wa.gov/archives/archives_puget.aspx http://www.secstate.wa.gov/archives/ genealogy.aspx WASHINGTON STATE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY (WSGS) The WSGS is a combination of individual members and local, county and regional genealogical organizations who share by newsletter, information about genealogical activities and resources. The WSGS sponsors an annual genealogical conference with nationally known speakers and mini sessions. It also issues a Washington State Pioneer Certificate to all who can prove their ancestor lived in the Territory of Washington before 11 November 1889. The WSGS has Regional Representatives in each of its eight regions and conducts workshops and seminars in those regions, and publishes a bi-monthly newsletter of local, state and national research information and calendar of events in support of genealogical organizations operating in the state. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wasgs/index.htm WASHINGTON STATE LIBRARY The Washington State Library provides a variety of resources to aid you in your genealogy research. http://www.secstate.wa.gov/library/ http://www.secstate.wa.gov/history/genealogy.aspx NOTE: Since the event is being held in a church building, no vending is permitted at the event. 129 2014 Washington Family History Fair Schedule 130 2014 Washington Family History Fair Building Layout 131
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