UpFront with NGS

21 June 2011

I Found It At the National Archives Contest!

The National Archives wants to hear what you’ve discovered in the Archives that has made a difference in your personal or professional life! Share your story with us during our “I Found it in the National Archives” contest and you could win a prize.

"I Found It in the National Archives" is NARA’s take on the recent, nationwide "I Found it the Archives," contest sponsored by the Society of American Archivists.

Important Dates

· Submit your entry: June 9, 2011 – Tuesday, August 9, 2011

· Semi-finalists announced: August 23, 2011

· Public Voting: August 23, 2011 – September 13, 2011

· Final winners will be announced Friday, September 16th in honor of Constitution Day!

How to Enter

· Record the story of your quest for information, what made it important, and how you achieved success at the National Archives in the form of a 400-word essay or a video no longer than two minutes. Whether you’re in Philadelphia or Atlanta, Riverside or Washington, D.C., if you’ve visited a National Archives facility to do research or have been helped by our archivists to find records that you need, we want to hear about it. Make sure to tell us the National Archives location where you made your discovery.

Full details

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17 June 2011

Catch This Video -- My Life in Genealogy with David Rencher

NGS Online Interview Series presents David Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA, the Chief Genealogical Officer for FamilySearch, telling the story of how he got his start in genealogy, his personal research, and the legacy he hopes to leave his children.

Check out this video – My Life in Genealogy with David Rencher at Vimeo, YouTube or on the NGS website.

Film by Kate Geis and Allen Moore.

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Looking for a Genealogy Speaker for your Society, Conference or other event?

Summer is a great time to set up your fall programming and start thinking about your 2012 programs.

Whether you are seeking national or local genealogy speakers, here are three places where you might look for such speakers!

Genealogical Speakers Guild

The members of the Genealogical Speakers Guild, have compiled information about themselves as speakers making it easy for you to find them. You may search the Directory of Members alphabetically by speaker or by location of residence of the speakers. Program planners may also wish to visit the "Speakers' Calendar" page to determine when speakers may be appearing in your state.

GeneaSpeak

GeneaSpeak is a community-driven resource that allows genealogy speakers to post their own profiles and speaking engagements in order to publicize their presentations. GeneaSpeak replaces the GeneaBloggers Speakers Bureau which resided at the GeneaBloggers website since 2009…

Speakers and presenters who are currently on the genealogy speaking circuit and have a familiarity with blogging and using Google Calendars, can request author access by emailing geneabloggers@gmail.com.

SpeakerWiki

Speaker Wiki is a free speaker directory that has been written collaboratively by thousands of event planners, speakers, and agencies around the world. It currently lists almost 6000 speakers from around the world.

Whether you are preparing for a local genealogy society meeting, conference, all-day seminar, workshop or any other type event where you might need a speaker, consider using one of these resources

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16 June 2011

A Father's Gift to a Daughter and Her Father's Day Gift to Him

By Jan Alpert

I found Dad's hand written "Daily Log of 1981 Vacation" in the bottom of a box of pictures in 2008 when I was scanning Mom's pictures for her 90th Birthday. We put the photos on a digital camera card so Mom could easily view them on a digital picture frame. I was well aware of the trip, but did not know Dad kept a record of it. When I first read it, I was very frustrated with his lack of research planning. He drove thousands of miles looking for ancestors, without having belonged to a genealogy society, having read a "how to" book, or ever calling ahead to find out the hours a court house would be open. Dad began his family history research because his mother died before he was four and he wanted to learn more about her and her family. He was successful in meeting with a number of cousins who shared family information that took his family research further back.

My parents moved to Richmond, VA in 1982, so Dad could easily go to Washington DC to do research. He would get up early and take the train, arriving in DC about 9:30 a.m. and leaving about 4:00 p.m. and arriving back in Richmond in time for a late dinner. I would sometimes drive him to DC on Saturday.

I originally went with him because I had more success in finding records. I had a career in the title insurance business and was familiar with court house indexes and property descriptions. He had type II diabetes and was losing his eye sight in one eye. For the next six years, we took at least one week's vacation each year visiting many of the locations mentioned in his daily log. We found many more records and cemeteries. I had the benefit of his knowledge about where the family lived and died. By the time he died 10 July 1988, I was hooked.

Every time I make a new family research discovery, I think about how amazed he would be about all the additional information I have found in the last twenty years. Having all the census online, has made it possible to research siblings and collateral lines. With this information I am finding many more death certificates, obituaries and family stories in county histories. I'm also locating living males to provide Y DNA for many of my family surnames. Each record found increases the success of identifying another generation. We have the benefit of the Internet to find out about repositories, their collections and hours in advance. We have the ability to find distant cousins working on the same family lines without writing letters and waiting weeks for a response. We have the ability to preserve and share digital photos. When I visit the Family History Library in Salt Lake City each year, I take a family or two and comb through the microfilm for records about them in the counties in which they lived.

My father gave me the gift of an interest in family history. My Father's Day gift to him is recording, reporting, and preserving the information for future generations.

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Editor’s Note: These are some excerpts from the log.

Sept. 10–11th

Spent these two days at the Mormon Genealogy Library. This is one of the largest collections of statistics and records in the world. The people who work there are most helpful and there is no change for the use of the facilities, except for copies of records.

While there we went to organ recitals during the noon hours at the Tabernacle organ. On Thursday evening we went to hear the Tabernacle Choir practice. Dinner one evening at Benihanas of Tokyo. The weather was very nice these days in Salt Lake.

Sept. 26th

This morning we head for Elgin, about 150 miles, to meet and talk with the Barths. Mrs. [Grace] Barth has been doing a genealogy study on the Kopp family. They live in a very nice mobile Home Park on the Fox River. They appear to be people in their late 60’s or early 70’s. She has done a considerable amount of work in the field of genealogy, even for other people. We had a pleasant chat and then back to our motel for the evening. It rained most of the day and in the evening a real downpour, with thunder and lightning. A good old fashioned mid-western storm. [Jan’s note: Betty Nutter’s maiden name is Kopp. Among other things, Grace had the newspaper clipping about my mother’s grandparent’s wedding 26 February 1880 from the Henry, Illinois Republican. In 1990 I visited Grace Barth who was now a widow and residing in an assisted living facility. She had been with her granddaughter to

Germany

and had a photo of the Kopp family homestead from Stein in Baden-Baden.]

Sept. 27th–Sept 29th

… On Monday we went to Rockford [MI] to look for data on the Nutter family. Cemetery records for the city have been lost and although I am quite [sure] great grandmother Matilda [(Chamberlin) Nutter] is buried there, I cannot at this time find any records. We did visit the Cannon Twp. office and found records of both grandfather and great grandfather {Nutter} owning lands in the township. We looked through three other small cemeteries in the area but found nothing. We also looked through some records in the County Court House in Grand Rapids but found nothing.

Nov 2 thru Nov 6th

Back at Bath [NY] we were able to find some data at the county court house about the Hodges and the Borsts. Grandmother Hodges, Dad’s mother, was born in Painted Post, near Bath. We stay there till the offices close then drive to Elmira where we stay for the night.

… From there it’s a short drive to Thorofare where we meet cousin Isaac (Zeke) [Hall] and spend the night at his house. After dinner out we spend a lot of time looking at old pictures and data. He has most of his mother’s old albums and her Bible. He also gave me a history of the Waters family which traces back to

England

Nov. 17th and 18th

… Then we head for Mobile and to Mississippi to the town of Picayune. We get to Picayune just about noon and have our picnic lunch at a beautiful welcome and rest stop. The government gave all out to make the traveler comfortable in the southern states. We find the main city cemetery to look for Toxie’s grave. The caretaker tells us it is not here but he calls a couple of Jarrell families he knows. He soon gets a call from a lady who was at the funeral service and tells us what cemetery. The caretaker tells us how to find this cemetery and it is only about six miles. We find it and the grave site and take a few pictures.

[Jan’s note: Toxie Louis Jarrell was the first husband of Nancy Nutter. They were married in Susanville, Lassen Co., CA, and he died of a cerebral hemorrhage 1963 in Marietta,

Georgia

. It was believed he had a blood clot from a high school concussion while playing football.]

Dec 13th thru 16th

… The trip is over and we are safe and sound with a marvelous three months and 11,999 miles.

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[Jan’s note: In 1987 my father and I found the Nutter family plot in the Rockford Cemetery. The tombstone provides a lot of family information.]

15 June 2011

New Genealogical Educational Opportunity in 2012 -- The Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh

GRIP – The Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh – a new genealogical institute of learning announces a genealogy educational opportunity planned for July 2012. Consisting of four courses, it will be held Monday, July 23 through Friday, July 27, 2012, at LaRoche College, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. According to Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL, and Deborah Lichtner Deal, directors of GRIP, “the demand for in-depth genealogical education is so high that week-long courses sell out shortly after registration opens, disappointing many potential students. At the same time genealogists who have taken many courses want new content.” GRIP seeks to satisfy this growing need for high quality genealogy education through its week-long courses with internationally recognized instructors.

Nestled in the Pittsburgh suburbs, LaRoche’s campus includes economical air-conditioned “en suite” dorm accommodations steps from the classrooms, a buffet-style cafeteria, and free parking. The instructors are all experienced researchers, lecturers, and writers who bring their expertise into the classroom with case studies and problem solving exercises. Registration will begin in February.

· Intermediate Genealogy: Tools for Digging Deeper with Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA. Warren focuses on unusual resources, manuscripts, methodology, and analyzing records. She researches across the

U.S.

and has coordinated and taught at multiple genealogical institutes and conferences. Warren serves on the Federation of Genealogical Societies board and is President of the Northland Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

· Advanced Research Methods with Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS. Jones has edited the National Genealogical Society Quarterly since 2002. A former trustee and a past president of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, he works as a researcher, writer, editor, and educator. Jones coordinates courses at Samford University’s Institute on Genealogy and Historical Research, at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, and he teaches in Boston University’s Genealogical Research Certificate program.

· Beneath the Home Page: Problem Solving with Online Repositories with D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS. Taylor is Director of Education and Programs at New England Historic Genealogical Society, and has appeared on the television program “Who Do You Think You Are?” A frequent speaker at various venues, Taylor is a course coordinator for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. He is also Vice President of Administration for the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), where he serves as co-chair of the FGS/ISGS 2011 National Conference.

· German Genealogical Research with John T. Humphrey, CG. Humphrey is an award winning author who specializes in German and Pennsylvania research. In 2010 he was invited to give a presentation on researching Germans in

America

in the Rhineland-Palatinate; in 2008, at the request of the German Embassy, he presented the keynote address at the 400th Anniversary Celebration commemorating four centuries of German immigration into the

United States

. Humphrey is a past president of the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society and past vice president of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania.

About GRIP

The Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh will serve a need for in-depth genealogical education in the Mid-Atlantic region and nationally. Located about 300 miles from major cities such as Cincinnati, Ohio; Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Detroit, Michigan; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Rochester, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Charleston, West Virginia; and Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh is strategically placed and economical to visit.

The directors of GRIP have been doing genealogical research for a combined 40 years and have volunteered thousands of hours to various genealogical societies. Deborah Lichtner Deal is an Ohio Genealogical Society Trustee and has run their week-long Summer Workshop for over ten years. Deal also has attended both Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the Institute for Genealogy and Historic Research (IGHR) at Samford University, winning its prized Walter Lee Sheppard, Jr., award in 2010. She is a local lecturer and southeast Ohio researcher.

Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL, is a Board for Certification of Genealogists Trustee and instructor at Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. She is the course coordinator for the Professional Genealogy course at IGHR and has attended the National Institute for Genealogical Research in Washington, D. C. She wrote part and instructs in part of Boston University’s fourteen-week Genealogical Research Certificate course. She has encouraged others in their genealogical education in the classroom and by teaching online. Powell is past-president of two Pittsburgh area genealogical societies and served six years as a board director for the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG). She has video lectures available through the PMC Webcast link at http://www.apgen.org/ on choosing the best continuing education options and on professional development.

The directors’ commitment to genealogy educational excellence is shown in this newly-formed institute. For more information, visit our website at http://www.gripitt.org/.

CG, Certified Genealogist, CGL, and Certified Genealogical Lecturer are Service Marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by board certificants after periodic evaluations by the Board.

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14 June 2011

AARP The Magazine's Discover Your Roots Sweepstakes

Here’s your chance to win a genealogy grand prize package that can help you uncover the mysteries of your family’s past.

GRAND PRIZE PACKAGE includes:

· Five hours of private consultation via phone with internationally-renowned professional genealogist, Megan Smolenyak

· Signed copies of Megan Smolenyak’s books – “Who Do You Think You Are?” and “Trace Your Roots with DNA”

· One time DNA ancestry testing through FamilyTreeDNA.com

· A one-year subscription to Ancestry.com

· $1000 gift card

Prizes courtesy of AARP The Magazine and Megan Smolenyak are valued at $2,500.

Official Rules.

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10 June 2011

Two New Titles -- NGS Research in the States Series

Two new titles have been added to the NGS Research in the States Series—Research in Georgia by Linda Woodward Geiger and Paul K. Graham and Research in South Carolina by Janis Walker Gilmore.

Available in both print and digital (PDF) formats, these volumes provide a brief summary of the early history of the state followed by a discussion of major research facilities and their resources including those available online. The remainder of each volume provides an overview of major research sources from atlases, gazetteers and maps to major sources for military and religious records and special sources for researching women. Researches will find the overview of the court system and its records as well as the discussion of the availability and restrictions on vital statistics especially helpful. Topics include information on manuscript, microfilm, print and online resources.

Research in

Georgia

and Research in South Carolina are the latest in the series which also includes:

· Arkansas,

· Illinois,

· Maryland,

· Michigan,

· Missouri,

· New Jersey,

· North Carolina,

· Ohio,

· Oregon,

· Pennsylvania,

· Tennessee,

· Virginia, and

· West Virginia

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