February MemberConnects: Why the USCIS Fee Increases Matter

 

Join NGS for our next MemberConnects! event with Rich Venezia, Marian Smith, and Renée Carl speaking about the proposed fee increases from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

 

Register for MemberConnects!

 

USCIS is the successor agency to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and has operated a genealogy program since 2008. Venezia, Smith, and Carl formed Records Not Revenue to support improvements to the program and advocate for better access, transparency, and efficiency from the USCIS Genealogy Program.

 

"The USCIS records are vital to the ability of all NGS members to tell the full story of their families, and for our professional genealogist members to serve their clients," said Matt Menashes, NGS executive director. "I look forward to hearing from Rich, Marian, and Renée about why this issue is so important."

 

"The USCIS Genealogy Program is a big part of our ability to tell the full story of 20th Century immigration to the United States," said Rich Venezia. "It's hard to tell that story, however, since it now takes up to two years to access the agency’s records–if they are even found. We must fix the program and encourage USCIS to transfer the records to the National Archives."

 

The panel will share background on the fee increase, what the implications are for genealogists, and how you can add your voice to the public record. The panel will also take questions from the audience. Following the Q&A, members can connect and share what's on their minds until 9:30 p.m. (ET).

 

Take advantage of this critical and informative Zoom event. Join NGS for MemberConnects! on Wednesday, 22 February 2023, at 8:00 p.m. (ET).

 

Register for MemberConnects!

Celebrating Black History Month

 

Celebrating Black History Month

Join the National Genealogical Society (NGS) in honoring Black History Month. The video resources and events listed below may be of interest and helpful to those researching Black ancestry: Revealing Our Full American Mosaic featuring an encore of Andre Kearns' keynote from the NGS Banquet (2022 MemberConnects!) Stories of Black Homesteaders featuring the National Park Service's Homestead National Historical Park hosted by Bernice Bennett (2022 MemberConnects!) Freedmen's Bureau and Freedman's Bank Records conversation with Nicka Sewell-Smith and Crista Cowan (2021 webinar sponsored by Ancestry) Manumissions Database Project by Godfrey Memorial Library (2022 SLAM! Idea Showcase) Georgetown Memory Project: Preserving the Stories of the GU272 by American Ancestors-NEHGS (2021 SLAM! Idea Showcase) Researching Black Ancestry with the MLC by Mississippi Library Commission (2021 SLAM! Idea Showcase)

No Longer Forgotten is a free, virtual conference that will be held on 11 February 2023. The keynote speaker is Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy, a member of NGS. All are welcome to participate via Zoom. Registration and the full program are on the event's page.

You also are invited to attend "Finding Black History in Our Family Tree" on 19 February 2023 with Andre Kearns, member of the NGS Board of Directors and chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. This event is offered in person in Atlanta, Georgia, or via Zoom. Visit the website to learn more and register for the workshop.

NGSQ December 2022 Issue is Now Online

Lillie Eva Jones, ca. 1905
(29 October 1887–21 April 1908)

The December 2022 Issue of the NGSQ is Now Online

The December 2022 issue of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Volume 110, Number 4, is available online in the members-only section of the website and printed issues are being prepared for mailing. The USPS is still experiencing delays in some areas for the delivery of print copies. We apologize if your print copy is affected.

CONTENTS:

FEATURE ARTICLES

• “Lost Sons: DNA Confirms the Parents of Robert Bradford Murray of Andrew and Worth Counties, Missouri” by Darcie Hind Posz, CG

• “Separating Identities of Two Hattie Campbells of Marion and Ralls Counties, Missouri, Reveals Hattie King’s Mother” by Ricki King

• “Archelaus (a.k.a. Archibald) M. White of Maury and Madison Counties, Tennessee: Who Were His Parents and Siblings?” by Deborah R. Harvey, CG

EDITORS’ CORNER

• Why We Write

SIDELIGHTS

• Back from the Grave
• An Inquiring Mind
• The Justice of Solomon Redux?
• Be Fruitful and Multiply

REVIEWS

The National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ) is published four times per year, in March, June, September, and December. The issue of the journal is the last for retiring editors Nancy A. Peters, CG®, CGLSM, and Allen R. Peterson, AG, CG®.

1Q 2023 NGS Magazine is now online!

The January–March 2023 Issue  

of the NGS Magazine is Now Online

The January–March 2023 issue of NGS Magazine, Volume 48, Number 4, is being printed and is now available online in the Members Only section of the website. Delivery of print copies depends upon USPS schedules. This issue’s theme is the Mid-Atlantic Region.

EDITOR'S NOTE by Deb Cyprych

In celebration of the National Genealogical Society 2023 Family History Conference in Richmond, Virginia, this issue features articles about unique genealogical aspects of the Mid-Atlantic region. The area includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Genealogists with ancestry in Virginia and nearby states can combine attending the conference, sightseeing, and research in one trip. Online preparation will maximize the effectiveness of in-person research time while visiting repositories. Roccie Hill provides information about using online catalogs, finding aids, guides, abstracts, and indexes to find the locations of offline documents in libraries, historical and genealogical societies, and courthouses in Virginia.

The Library of Congress in Washington, DC, is just one hundred miles from Richmond. Candice Buchanan and Karen Walfall present a researcher’s guide to the catalog and collections of the largest library in the world, highlighting the genealogical resources in the Local History and Genealogy Section, reading rooms dedicated to other subjects, digital collections, and assistance available from librarians.

All seven states in the Mid-Atlantic region use irregular metes and bounds boundary descriptions in land records. Drawing plats based on these descriptions can enhance genealogical research in a number of ways. Gerald Smith explains how surveyors measured metes and bounds descriptions, where existing plats may be recorded, and how researchers can create their own plats to solve genealogical problems, by hand or in software.

During Virginia’s long history of settlement, a variety of court systems has handled civil and criminal cases. Despite the loss of records for some courts, valuable genealogical information remains for many others. Kathy Petlewski offers a timeline of Virginia courts and suggestions for locating their records.

Local militia service may be the reason why men not known to have served in federal military units were known by military titles. William A. Veselik details a case study about a Virginia militiaman, discusses the history of militias in the United States, and summarizes the sources of militia records.

In other articles and columns, Claire Kluskens explores unusual federal records digitized by the National Archives; Paul Woodbury makes recommendations for analyzing shared matches in DNA research; Carla Cegielski demonstrates how software can make the process of transcription easier and more enjoyable; and Cheri Hudson Passey outlines the array of resources available to member organizations on the NGS website.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Features

• NGS 2023 Family History Conference: Virginia is for Family History Lovers by Mary O’Brien Vidlak, CG

• Online Preparation for a Research Trip to Virginia by Roccie Hill, MA

• Metes and Bounds Land Plats Can Solve Genealogical Problems by Gerald Smith, CG

• Library of Congress: Marvelous Resources, Open to All by Candice Buchanan, CG, and Karen Walfall

• Tracing Military Service in State Militia Records by William A. “Bill” Veselik

• Unusual Federal Census Records by Claire Kluskens

Departments

• PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE by Kathryn M. Doyle

• EDITOR'S NOTE by Deb Cyprych

• NGS NEWS
• Earn a Certificate in NGS’s New Institute-Level Online Course: Advanced Skills in Genealogy by Terry Koch-Bostic

• REFERENCE DESK
• Researching Virginia’s Early Court Records by Kathy Petlewski, MSLS

• SOCIETY FORUM
• Using the NGS Society and Organization Resources Web Page by Cheri Hudson Passey

• DNA DISCOVERY
• Working with  Shared Matches by Paul Woodbury

• TECH TIPS
• Tools to Make Transcribing Easier by Carla S. Cegielski

NGS Magazine is published quarterly to update members of the National Genealogical Society on NGS activities and to provide genealogists with special information and guidance on conducting effective genealogical research. The magazine is sent to libraries by subscription. Online access to NGS Magazine is available only as long as membership is active.

NGS Welcomes New NGSQ Editors in 2023

The National Genealogical Society Welcomes

Margaret Fortier and Mary Roddy as its New NGSQ Editors

The National Genealogical Society (NGS) has named Margaret R. Fortier, CG®, and Mary Kircher Roddy, CG, as co-editors of its National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ). They take the reins of editorial responsibility for this prestigious publication from retiring editors Nancy A. Peters, CG, CGLSM, and Allen R. Peterson, AG, CG.

“I am honored to be chosen as co-editor along with Mary,” said Margaret Fortier, of Medford, Massachusetts. “We look forward to presenting the work of genealogical authors to expand the knowledge and skills of all genealogists.” Mary Kircher Roddy of Seattle, Washington added, “It is an honor for us to be selected and add our contributions to those of the many great NGSQ editors. We’re excited to work with authors to share their research with the genealogical community.”

Mary Kircher Roddy, CG

Roddy is a trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists and was treasurer of the Association of Professional Genealogists from 2018 through 2021. She has both published and peer reviewed several articles in the NGSQ since 2018. She is a frequent presenter at conferences and for societies in the US, Canada and Australia on methodology and record types. She is one of the founders of the Applied Genealogy Institute. Her personal research focuses primarily in Ireland, California, Pennsylvania, and Ohio but extends to genealogical records in Germany. In addition to the NGSQ, her articles have appeared in NGS Magazine, Family Chronicle, Internet Genealogy, and various society publications. She was a mentor for ProGen study groups.

Margaret Fortier, CG

A genealogical researcher, writer, and instructor, Fortier is chair of the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) webinar committee and a board member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) where she serves on the bylaws and professional development committees. Her research focuses on the New England states, New York, Pennsylvania, Quebec, and Italy. She lectures at the NGS Family History Conference and has been an instructor for the Applied Genealogy Institute. She is facilitator for a GenProof study group and for the Certification Discussion Group. She has written for NGSQ, the APG Quarterly, and MASSOG: A Genealogical Journal for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She holds an MS in Information Design from Bentley University.

“We are pleased that NGS has selected two outstanding genealogists to succeed us as co-editors,” said Nancy Peters and Allen Peterson. “We are confident the Quarterly will be in good hands. Under their skilled editorial direction, the NGSQ will continue its long history of publishing leading-edge, quality case studies and family histories with enduring value to our field.”

Nancy A. Peters, CG, CGL

A full-time professional genealogist, Peters served as a trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) and was the editor of its newsletter, OnBoard. She conducts in-depth research to solve complex problems of identity and kinship for clients. Her personal and client research focuses primarily on the southeastern United States, New York, England, and Germany. Peters lectures at national and local conferences and instructs on skill-building topics and genealogy standards at BCG Education Fund workshops, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, and other venues. Her articles have appeared in the NGSQ among other publications. She authored the “Research Reports” chapter in the Writing, Editing & Publishing section of Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice, & Standards.

Allen R. Peterson, CG

Peterson has served as co-editor of the NGS Quarterly (NGSQ) since January 2019. He is a former BCG trustee and was vice-president of the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History. He has published and peer reviewed numerous articles in the NGSQ during the past decade. His research experience is primarily focused in England but extends to genealogical records in Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Virginia. Peterson served as the director of the Katy Texas Family History Center—an annex of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City—for seventeen years and is a member of NGS, and several other genealogical societies in the United States and Britain. In addition to the NGSQ, his articles have appeared in NGS Magazine; the Jackson County (North Carolina) Genealogical Society’s Journeys Through Jackson; The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, and The Derbyshire Family History Society. He is the author of two, privately printed, family history books.

“We are fortunate to have recruited such excellent genealogists to take the helm of the Quarterly and build on the work of Nancy Peters and Allen Peterson,” said NGS President Kathryn Doyle. “We are so thankful to Nancy and Allen and appreciate their talent, hard work, and dedication in maintaining the high standards of the NGSQ. As co-editors since 2019, they have not only given voice to wonderful authors, but they ensured the ‘Q’ remains invaluable to everyone learning genealogy. They have further cemented the ‘Q’ as one of the foremost scholarly genealogical journals. We know that Margaret and Mary will continue that legacy.”

NGS also gratefully acknowledges the work of NGSQ Editor Search Committee members LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson JD, CG, CGL, FASG, Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL, and David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA.

The words Certified Genealogist and its acronym, CG, are a registered certification mark, and the designations Certified Genealogical Lecturer and its acronym, CGL, are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®, used under license by board certificants after periodic evaluation.

The Newest Issue of NGS Magazine is Now Online!

The October–December 2022 Issue  

of the NGS Magazine is Now Online

The October–December 2022 issue of NGS Magazine, Volume 48, Number 4, is being printed and is now available online in the Members Only section of the website. Delivery of print copies depends upon USPS schedules. This issue’s theme is Ancestral Places.

EDITOR'S NOTE by Deb Cyprych

Although genealogists can’t physically travel back to the past, often we can visit the places where ancestors lived, worked, and worshipped. Even if those places no longer exist, traces remain in their history and records. The process of locating, visualizing, and researching specific places improves genealogical outcomes and adds details to family histories.

When a place name is found in a record, it has to be read, interpreted, identified, and located. Pam Vestal demonstrates a variety of ways to overcome obstacles in a search for locations, including difficult handwriting, low-quality images, garbled spelling, repetition of names, variations of names, and other challenging issues.

Land records are among the most valuable records in genealogical research, and fortunately, many are being digitized. Jean Atkinson Andrews discusses the types of public land records commonly found online. Her case study for an early settler illustrates the use of these records to discover details about his experience.

Maps are essential for understanding a place’s geography and proximity to potential record sources. Google My Maps makes it possible to compile historical information on a modern map and access it from a mobile device. Melinda Kashuba explains how to create, edit, annotate, and share maps in Google My Maps for genealogical purposes.

Every house has a story that can open doors into research for the people who lived there. Betsy J. Green explores techniques for researching the history of current and ancestral homes. Aaron Goodwin shares an example of how records in the New York City Municipal Archives provide historical background for a house.

Federal agricultural census schedules between 1850 and 1880 contain details about farmers’ land, crops, production, livestock, and cash values—up to one hundred items of information for each farm. Kathy Petlewski covers the development of the schedules and their locations in digitized and microfilm format, with a case study for how they can be used to enhance research.

The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has the agricultural census schedules for twenty-four states, as part of the largest genealogy collection in an American public library. John D. Beatty highlights the scope of the Center’s books, periodicals, microtexts, digital collections and databases, expert assistance, and free virtual educational programs.

In this issue’s columns, Carla Cegielski describes the benefits and components of family websites; Rhonda Hoffman concludes her article about society surveys by discussing online survey platforms; and Paul Woodbury explains tools for estimating the probability of different relationship levels based on amounts of shared DNA.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Features

• Where Did They Come From and Where Did They Go? Overcoming Obstacles in a Search for Ancestral Locations by Pam Vestal

• Public Land Records Research Online by Jean Atkinson Andrews, CG

• Using Google My Maps for Research, Analysis, and Sharing Information by Melinda Kashuba, PhD
• Discovering a Home’s History by Betsy J. Green

• The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library by John D. Beatty, CG

Departments

• PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE by Kathryn M. Doyle
• EDITOR'S NOTE by Deb Cyprych
• NGS NEWS
• REFERENCE DESK
• Using Agricultural Census Schedules in Family History Research by Kathy Petlewski, MSLS
• TECH TIPS
• Creating a Family Website by Carla S. Cegielski
• SOCIETY FORUM
• Surveying Society Memberships: Part 2, Online Surveys by Rhonda Hoffman, MLS
• DNA DISCOVERY
• Surveying Society Membership: Part 2, Online Surveys by Paul Woodbury

NGS Magazine is published quarterly to update members of the National Genealogical Society on NGS activities and to provide genealogists with special information and guidance on conducting effective genealogical research. The magazine is sent to libraries by subscription. Online access to NGS Magazine is available only as long as membership is active.

Foundations in Family History Course: Creating a Research Plan

Do You Use a Research Plan for Your Family History?

Researching family history is a gratifying and addictive pastime. Sometimes we chase down a rabbit hole and don’t find the elusive ancestor we're looking for. That particular ancestor and their parentage may be the key to the next generation we're trying to identify.

 

Creating a research plan helps us stay focused. An important first step is to formulate a specific research question for one person and focus on records that may answer that question.

 

Next, review the documents collected for information relating to the question and identify additional records available for the time and place. This effort at the beginning of the research project will pay off. Some research plans can be accomplished in a couple of hours (for example, to find when and where John Smith and Mary Jones got married). More extensive research plans (for questions such as “Who were the parents of John Smith and Mary Jones?”) may include several phases and require research over longer periods of time.

Whether you have a simple or complex question in your research, the National Genealogical Society (NGS) can help. The NGS Foundations in Family History online course will teach you all eight steps for creating a research plan and using a research log.

 

The lesson on creating a research plan is just one of the eighteen lessons in the Foundations in Family History course that will help you become a more successful genealogist and researcher. Learn more and sign up online.

 

Register for Foundations in Family History

 

Visit the NGS website to discover additional genealogy courses.

NGSQ September Issue is Now Online!

Andrew Blanchard Marriner, ca. 1890s
(1820–1902)

The September 2022 Issue of the NGSQ is Now Online

The September 2022 issue of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Volume 110, Number 3, is available online in the members-only section of the website and printed issues are being prepared for mailing. The USPS is still experiencing delays in some areas for the delivery of print copies. We apologize if your print copy is affected.

CONTENTS:

FEATURE ARTICLES

• “The Brambach, Mangold, and Beplat Saga: Evidence Supports Sensationalist News Stories” by Amy Larner Giroux, PhD, CG, CGL

• “Parents for Mary Ann (Marriner) Graves of New Jersey and Pennsylvania” by by Debbie Hadley

NOTES AND DOCUMENTS

• “Do Slave Schedules Accurately Report Owners?” by Tony Burroughs 

EDITORS’ CORNER

• Making the Most of What You Have

SIDELIGHTS

• Wall Family Bible
• The Three Bears Revisited

REVIEWS

The National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ) is published four times per year, in March, June, September, and December. The journal is edited by Nancy A. Peters, CG®, CGLSM, and Allen R. Peterson, AG, CG®.