Midwest Family History Expo

I am in Kearney, Nebraska attending the Midwest Family History Expo. This is a two day event at the convention center in Kearney. The center is associated with the Holiday Inn Motel in Kearney. It is a very nice place with plenty of space for the presentations.

They have 4 session each day with your choice of 1 of 6 lectures per session. There is a nice variety of subjects to choose from. There are several vendors for local  businesses and Family Roots Publishing with a great selection of books.

FamilySearch.org is here and is a supporter of the expo. There is a blogger lounge for the bloggers who are in attendance.

Family History Expos is the overall organizer.

This is the first time the Midwest Family History Expo has been held in Kearney. Hopefully the event will return and become a major event.

Interactive gravestones link to online tales of life.

Summing up the life of a dearly departed relative with just a terse description etched in stone may become a thing of the past with the introduction of interactive codes on gravestones.

One funeral company in the southern English town of Poole is offering to add quick response (QR) codes to headstones which will link smartphones to online memorials illustrated with pictures, videos and contributions from family and friends.

Chester Pearce funeral directors said QR barcodes enable visitors to learn a lot more about the person buried beneath gravestones than the age, dates of birth and death and the odd biblical passage or literary quote usually written on them.

"It's about keeping people's memories alive in different ways," managing director Stephen Nimmo told Reuters.

"When you lose somebody, whether it be suddenly or ongoing, you can really struggle with things.

Talking about them is very important, keeping their memory going is very important and this is just an add-on to that."

QR codes, a barcode that can be scanned with smartphones or QR scanners, allow users to pull up information on the internet and are frequently used in advertising and marketing campaigns.

"It's a new technology, it's something that there will be people who like it, there will be people who don't and that's the same in everything that we do," Nimmo said.

He said he has seen demand growing for QR codes as they catch the imagination of the public.

Chester Pearce charge about 300 pounds ($477) to create a code that can also be placed on gravestones, benches, trees or plaques and is linked to a page on their QR Memories website.

Gill Tuttiet, 53, was one of the first customers in Poole to use the technology for her late husband Timothy.

"Tim was quite outward-going and game for anything. I think this is the way forward and Tim would have wanted that, and it's making a process that's hard possibly easier," Tuttiet said.

The website linked to the code shows a profile of the departed, pictures, videos and tributes from family and friends.

Close friends and family given a password are also able to add personal messages of their own.

"We've all got a story to tell," Nimmo said.

(Reporting by Li-mei Hoang, editing by Paul Casciato)

THINGS TO KNOW

If you missed the general meeting you missed a lot of good information. It should be uploaded soon to the regular site. Randy Seaver had given two very informative lectures. In one lecture he discussed the trials and tribulations of tracking down his wife’s family in England, Australia and the US. The other lecture was information on Cloud Computing and innovative websites, devices and apps available on the internet. One not to miss is http://blog.billiongraves.com/ All you have to do it take the picture and the phone will put the GPS location on for you and upload it to the web. It is one of the easiest apps. The app is free, and there is the option to make a purchase in the app to be able to search for a record, but you can buy the convenience of searching on mobile if you desire. They have lots of fun things that they do like organizing groups of people to go to the cemeteries and take picture.

THINGS TO KNOW

THINGS TO KNOW http://www.idaillinois.org This is a site for Illinois Digital Archives. Audio is hard to hear but information is great. Some of the information you can find here…telephone books for some years in the 1930’s…some biographies of famous people from Illinois…newspapers. Have fun…wonderful website. Don’t forget to search for digital records for your home state!!!

The San Deigo Genealogical Society Library is moving. the merger with San Deigo Public Library is something we have been working on for years. It has come to fruition. Cataloguing of books is coming along and a mid March 2013 move is planned. Although the holding will move the Society will continue to have Wednesday classes at the SDGS Library at 7343 Ronson Road, the Beginning class will precede the second Saturday meetings at 9 am with monthly meeting at 10 am with always great speakers and refreshments. September meeting and January Annual meeting will always be all day seminars with outstanding speakers and opportunity drawings. The Education Committee Chair Penny McBride has plans for expanding and publicising even more educatinal opportunities.

Lisa Alzo’s September 8 Seminar Topics Following is a brief description of the topics Lisa will be presenting at our September 8 Seminar at the Handlery Hotel in Mission Valley. Cost is $40 which includes the four-lecture seminar, box lunch with drink, and door prizes. Any of you who have heard Liza speak, will agree when we say she is entertaining, energetic, knowledgeable and lots of fun. The Registration form is attached or go to our web site at http://casdgs.org. Click on Meetings and Events, Calendar of Events, September 8 and Download: Seminar Registration Form. The deadline is 30 August, so sign up now! Demystifying Eastern European Research  Anyone who has attempted to trace their ancestors back to Eastern Europe understands the special challenges and frustrations involved. Border changes, language differences, political considerations, and exotic-sounding surnames often complicate the research process. This session covers the most common myths and misconceptions and how to work around them. Show, Don’t Tell: Using Nonfiction Writing Techniques to Write Better Family History Do your family members start yawning and rolling their eyes when you mention Family History? This presentation will show you how to create interactive family histories using free, or low-cost online tools for adding photos, video, maps & more to bring your ancestor’s stories to life. You have the power to change family indifference or boredom into excitement about family history. Books, e-books, blogs, newsletters, family websites, online scrapbooks, memory or memorial pages, slide shows or presentations, video tours and social media will all be discussed as tools for making family history more interesting. Immigrant Cluster Communities: Past, Present and Future There are a handful of “cluster” immigrant communities throughout the United States that blossomed during the immigration influx of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Exploring “cluster genealogy”—the process of researching those relatives, friends, and neighbors who lived near an ancestor—can often break down brick walls in the search for individual family lines and help to place our ancestors’ lives in historical context. For those descendants who’ve moved away from such traditional immigrant enclaves, 21st-century technology can be used to rebuild “cluster communities” in the virtual world. This lecture will cover: How to identify chain migrations or cluster communities using key records; ways to share and collaborate with other researchers, and the benefits, pitfalls, and obstacles associate with a shift to “virtual” cluster communities; and how to use tools such as social networking sites, Wikis, etc., build online genealogical communities. 365 Ways to Discover Your Family History Serious genealogists recognize that they are never truly “done” when it comes to their research. However, while researching our roots, we often find that the process can become tedious and even frustrating, especially when you stumble across the inevitable “roadblock(s).” This session will discuss some of the ways to make the research process fun and challenging throughout the year, using your calendar as a genealogical research guide, and even how to utilize holidays to enhance your family history quest. Presentation will offer innovative approaches to common research tasks to assist both the novice and more experienced researcher.

The 1940 Census Index Just Keeps Building

I took a look at the index completion map at FamilySearch this morning and saw some more states listed as searchable. There are now 24 states ready to be used by genealogists and non-genealogists alike.

The states are: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana North Dakota, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wyoming

Things to Know

The following are recent sites that have been used and are very interesting. The first one is just information concerning the move of Sutro Library which most people did not know about. THINGS TO KNOW The Sutro Library Is Moving! The Sutro Library is in the process of moving to a new location and is temporarily closed. We anticipate re-opening in late June or early July, 2012. Upon re-opening, genealogists, historians, and other researchers will discover that Sutro’s rich collections and resources are newly housed in a spacious, well-lit reading room designed specifically for our patrons. Here is what you need to know: Our New Location 1630 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco 94132 Sutro will be located on the 5th and 6th Floors of the newly renovated J. Paul Leonard- Sutro Library on the San Francisco State University campus. Please visit http://www.sfsu.edu/~sfsumap/ for a detailed map. Parking and Getting Around University parking and free shuttle service to our new location will be available. For more information, please visit the San Francisco State Parking and Transportation webpage at http://www.sfsu.edu/~parking/. For More Information For more information about the Sutro Library, contact us at our new telephone number: (415) 469-6100 or send us an e-mail: sutro@library.ca.gov. If you want to receive weekly updates about our move progress and automatically receive notification of the exact date Sutro will re-open, please send an e-mail to sutro@library.ca.gov and ask to be added to our move update list. We look forward to seeing you at the new location! Established in 1908 by the Polish National Alliance, Dziennik Zwiazkowy continues to be published today as the Polish Daily News. This database includes the first ten years (1908-1917) of publication, which represent local, national and international issues of utmost concern to the Polish community of Chicago at that time. Explore the Collection: view all issues browse by date: browse by volume/issue: Funding for this grant was awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Division of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the federal Library Services and Technology Act. about the collection | related CRL resources e-collections home | about CRL ©2010 Center for Research Libraries http://ecollections.crl.edu/index.php This site has interesting documents http://www.accessgenealogy.com This site is very good for Native American documents. It gives the degree of Native American in particular lines.

Some more 1940 Census Indexing stuff

Many people don't avail themselves of the valuable assets on the FamilySearch WIKI. The entire wiki is a valuable resource of genealogical research. Of import right now is the overview for indexing the 1940 U.S. Federal Census. The link below is to that overview page.

1940 Census Indexing Overview This link takes you to the FamilySearch.org website and will open a new browser window.

If you click on the "Project Updates" tab you can find the official way to list the entries for French Canada, English Canada, Northern Ireland, Free Ireland and Eire.

1940 Census Arbitration

Arbitration of your indexed census occurs when a specific data field from Indexer A and Indexer B do not concur. The arbitrator looks at the census batch and both indexers inputs. The arbitrator then selects the data that appears to be most correct.

After a batch is arbitrated the batch is available under the indexers Arbitration Results tab. Each listed batch can be opened so the indexer is able to review the arbitration results.

All indexers should open the arbitrated batches to learn where they are making errors.

1940 Census Indexing Hint

I was indexing a census batch this afternoon and had a practically unreadable surname. It is the surname on line 51. My first guess was Schmoe. That is obviously a poor choice.

Then I noticed that the last family member was on one of the supplemental information lines. When I looked at the supplemental lines I saw that the surname is clearly Schnoor. It pays to explore all options.

1940 Census Indexing Project

We have 32 volunteer indexers for the 1940 Census. Our group has indexed over 64,000 names for the project. That is less than 1/2 of 1% of the entire census. WE NEED MORE HELP! If you would like to help all genealogists with their research, contact us at sdgsinfo@yahoo.com You can also joint the census indexing project from the1940census.com

KPBS

Look for a new show on KPBS called "Finding Your Ancestors". You also are able access the shows that have aired on their web site.

Research Hints

When you are researching you family do not over look the following web site...

http://www.faqs.org/patents/

You may be surprised to learn that one of your ancestors may have submitted a patent for something.

One of our members contacted the Library of Congress with a simple request(a paragraph explanation) on one of her ancestors and received a 13 page response with the top paragraph including the following phrase " we do not have the time or resources to research your ancestor". The next 12 and half pages were web sites as to where and who to contact. So do not over look asking for help at the Library of Congress either. http://www.loc.gov/index.html

This week at the Library 25 - 31 March

Tuesday 27 March 10 a.m. - Noon: Legacy Users Group

Wednesday 28 March 10 a.m. - Noon: Brick Walls Brainstorming

Thursday 29 March 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.: Library open to the public

This week at the Library 18 - 24 March

Monday 19 March 10 a.m. - Noon: SDGS Writer's Group

Wednesday 21 March 10 a.m. - Noon: Scandinavian Research (Primarily Denmark)

Friday 23 March 10 a.m. - Noon: Visit San Diego County Administration Building (Limit 12 people. Contact SDGS 858-279-7349 for reservation.)

Saturday 24 March 10 a.m. - Noon: RootsMagic Users Group

1940 Census Indexing

The release of the 1940 US Federal Census is just 15 days away!

San Diego Genealogical Society is a sponsoring group to help index the census for FamilySearch.org

If you have signed up to index, or if you are still fence sitting, Chris Christensen will be available to give you a hand.

Chris will be available at the San Diego Genealogical Society library during the next two weeks demonstrate the indexing software and assist in getting familiar with it.

If you want a little help contact the library at 858-279-7349 or sdgsinfo@yahoo.com

This week at the library 11 - 17 March 2012

Tuesday March 13 1 - 3 P.M.: Lost Treasures Group
6 - 8 P.M.: Reunion Users Group

Wednesday March 14 10 A.M. - Noon: Computer Basics

Thursday March 15 10 A.M. to 3 P.M.: Library Open to the Public

Something New

We are trying something new. Please post a comment concerning your research that you may be having trouble with. Such as you may not know where to start to locate an ancestor or you have missing links and need just a generation or two to keep you moving. Another SDGS member may be able to help you with some suggestions on how or where you might look. Sometimes just another person looking at what you have with fresh eyes may be all you need.
Also other members may be interested in your trips that you have taken regarding your genealogy research and what you discovered. Several members while on genealogical vacations have stumbled on the answers to their "brickwalls" while walking in cemeteries.
Happy Hunting!!!!

This week at the library 4 - 10 March 2012

Monday 5 March 10 A.M. - Noon: SDGS Writer's Group

Wednesday 7 March 10 A.M. - Noon: Researching Military Records: Del Ritchhart
6:30 P.M.: Board of Directors Meeting

Thursday 8 March 10 A.M. - 3 P.M.: Library Open to the Public

Saturday 10 March 9 - 10 A.M.: Beginning Genealogy Class at St. Andrews
10 A.M. - Noon: Monthly Meeting at St. Andrews:

Our member meeting on March 10th Features guest speaker Joel Weintraub.

Due to the length of the presentations please note that coffee, etc. will be put out before the meeting...after 9:00 a.m. We are not allowed in building until after 8:00 a.m. Coffee will not be ready to serve until after 9:00 a.m.
We won't be having the standard break between sessions to guarantee the meeting concludes before the clock runs out.

Indexing the 1940 census

As previously posted San Diego Genealogical Society is a participating society in the 1940 census project.

Today I logged into the indexing software to get some general practice. When I downloaded a batch of records to work on I noticed there were some 1940 practice batches. Since the census will not be released until 2 April these may have been dummy records. That doesn't matter because it gave me a chance to see what will be expected.

The main thing I noticed was that there will be 40 lines per page. That means 40 records per batch which is entirely manageable. It should take less than an hour to index a full page.

The information that the indexer will be required to enter are the Sheet number and side number. That only has to be entered one time.

From the "guts" of the page the following fields are entered.

Line nr, household number, last name, first name, title, position in household, sex, marital status, age, birth city, residence city, res county and res state. The last three fields are for the year 1935.

If you are ready to volunteer go to The 1940 Census webpage and sign up. When you are filling out the registration make sure you select San Diego Genealogical Society as your favored group.

This Week at the Library 26 Feb - 3 Mar

Tuesday 28 February 10 a.m. - Noon: Legacy Users Group

Thursday 1 March 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.: Open to the public

Saturday 3 March 10 a.m. - Noon: Family Tree Maker Users Group

San Diego Genealogical Society Joins the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project

San Diego Genealogical Society has joined forces with genealogy societies and organizations around the country as part of the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project. The initiative aims to publish a free, online searchable name index of the 1940 U.S. Federal Census after images of the census are released to the public in April 2012. This online index will be free forever, offering family history researchers a rich genealogical data set for their ongoing use. Three leading genealogy organizations, Archives.com, FamilySearch International, and findmypast.com, launched the initiative at the end of last year, and the project is already engaging volunteers to help provide this invaluable resource to family historians around the world as soon as possible.

The index created by the project will allow the public to easily search every person found in the census and view digital images of the original census pages where he or she is listed. The highly anticipated 1940 U.S. Census is expected to be the most popular U.S. record collection released to date.

“The 1940 Census is attractive to both new and experienced researchers because most people in the United States can remember a relative that was living in 1940. It will do more to connect living memory with historical records and families than any other collection previously made available,” said David Rencher, Chief Genealogical Officer for FamilySearch.

The 1940 U.S. Census Community Project is also receiving support from leading societal organizations like the Federation of Genealogical Societies, National Genealogical Society, and Ohio Genealogical Society, as well as other societies around the United States.

Go to www.the1940census.com/society and register to participate with our society. Simply select San Diego Genealogical Society on the profile screen when creating your account. Every new person indexing with our society gets us closer to milestones that qualify us for incentives provided by the sponsors of the project, so sign up today!

Chris Christensen is the SDGS point of contact.

This Week at the Library 19 - 25 February 2012

Monday February 20 10 a.m. to Noon - SDGS Writer's Group

Wednesday February 22 10 a.m. to Noon - Brick Walls - If your up against that brick wall in your research, you might get some clues for different resources to check.

Thursday 23 February 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Library open to the public.

Friday 24 February 10 a.m. to Noon - San Diego County Ancestry SIG. Visit the La Mesa Historical Society. Advance reservation is required. (858)279-7347.

Saturday 25 February 10 a.m. to Noon - RootsMagic users group.

"Who Do You Think You Are"

"Who Do You Think You Are"

The next episode of "Who Do You Think You Are" will feature Blair Underwood.
Ancestry is having a sweepstakes. The following was copied and pasted from Ancestry.com
Enter for a chance to uncover your roots.

For a third season, Ancestry.com and NBC are teaming up to help celebrities discover their families' roots on Who Do You Think You Are? Their stories are so compelling that Ancestry.com wants to help you discover your own amazing story.

Enter the Ultimate Family History Journey™ Sweepstakes for the chance to win great prizes that will help you uncover your roots. Three people will win the trip of a lifetime to visit their home countries, while 20 others will win 6-month memberships to Ancestry.com.

Enter your email address to begin. Sign back in every day until May 18, 2012 to improve your chances of winning, and don't forget to watch an all-new season of Who Do You Think You Are? starting February 3, 2012.

You do not have to have a subscription to Ancestry.com to enter.
For details see Ancestry.com

This week at the library

13 February - 18 February 2012
14 February 6 P.M. -Reunion User Group - SDGS Library
15 February 10 A.M. - Wednesday at the Library Presented by June Hanson
England and Wales - SDGS Library
16 February 10 A.M. - 3 P.M. - Library Open to the Public

FamilySearch to raise microfilm rental by 50%

Dick Eastman has an article on his blog about FamilySearch raising the price of microfilm rental. The fee increase will be on 15 February. The short term rental fee is increasing from $5.00 to $7.50.

You can read his blog article at Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter.

He has a link to FamilySearch.org/films that offers further information.

This week at the library 5 February - 11 February 2012

6 February 10 A.M. - SDGS Writer's Group - SDGS Library

8 February 10 A.M. - Computer Basics Class - SDGS Library
1 P.M. - Lost Treasures Committee Meeting - SDGS Library
6:30 P.M. - Board of Directors Meeting - SDGS Library

9 February 10 A.M. - 3 P.M. - Library Open to the Public

11 February 9 A.M. - Basic Genealogy Class - St. Andrew's Lutheran Church
10 A.M. - Monthly Meeting - St. Andrew's Lutheran Church
Hal Horricks 1. British Research: Parish Registers and Census
2. Beyond the Census

This week at the Library January 30- February 4, 2012

Wednesday 1 February 10 A.M.-Class-Organizing Your Records

Thursday 2 February 10 A.M.-Library open to the public

Saturday 4 February 10 A.M.-Family Tree Maker User Group