29 April 2016

National Genealogical Society - March 2016 Quarterly Now Online



Volume 104, No.1, March 2016 (PDF 1.6MB) of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly is now available online in the Members Only section of the website.

Feature Articles
+ Thinking Philosophically About Genealogy by Stephen B. Hatton
+ Aaron Strickland’s North Carolina Origin by Laurel T. Baty, CG
+ Indirect Evidence Connects Frances Shaffer to Her Grandfather, Michael Bossler of Blair County, Pennsylvania by Gayla S. Nieminen

Notes And Documents
+ Pursuing the Dismissed Case: Simon Sweeney’s Freedom Petitions in Loudoun County, Virginia by Alycon Trubey Pierce, CG

and other regular features ...



Editor’s Note: Please note that online access to the NGS Quarterly (NGSQ) and NGS Magazine are available only as long as your membership is active. You can access the NGSQ archive – the index is available for FREE and as a member you can access archives encompassing 1960-1974, 1976–current.







~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to [email protected]. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to [email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

28 April 2016

Washington DC NGS Research Trip Still Has Openings -- And not for long!


Have you ever been to Washington DC and visited NARA, the DAR or the Library of Congress?

If not, consider joining the NGS Research trip there, 1-6 November 2016.

Based on my own personal experience, you will greatly benefit from having someone guide you as first-time visitors to each of these repositories, especially the National Archives.  Using finding aids, filling out pull slips & understanding about the fixed pull times, personal research consultations and more, are invaluable when visiting these national treasures. With only discrete pull times available, you want to make sure your requests are correctly formatted and for exactly what you want to look at.

Under the guidance of Patricia Walls Stamm, CGsm, CGLsm, Craig Roberts Scott, CG, FUGA, and Shirley Langdon Wilcox, CG, FNGS, FVGS, participants will use the genealogical resources at the National Archives and Records Administration, the Daughters of the American Revolution Library, and the Library of Congress to conduct their personal genealogical research. For more information, or to register for the trip, visit http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/conferences_events/research_tips/dc_research_trip.

Early bird registration ends 2 August 2016!  Remember that the “early bird gets the worm” or in this case a discount of $300 off the published price!

Patricia, Craig and Shirley look forward to guiding you as you conduct research in these wonderful DC repositories.





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to [email protected]. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to [email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

26 April 2016

Israel State Archives Putting Collection Online



The Israel State Archives is in the process of putting its entire collection online.  

You can currently search the archive.  Sometimes you will get an index entry (example for Mrs. Frida Levy) and sometimes you will see an actual document (I found an example of a scanned item for Frieda Levy, maiden name Hemo).

When any page loads, I just “right clicked” my mouse and selected “Translate to English.”

Everything isn’t quite fully functional (I had issues getting to videos except in Hebrew, a language that I do not speak) and that’s why you will see “The site is still under development” in bright red letters on the main page.

I did eventually find a video, in English, about the new web site!


Do note that using the English language interface only allows you to research documents that are in English.  The project hopes to eventually catalogue the entire collection into English. Until then, you can also search using the Hebrew-language catalog (use Google Translate if needed to translate into Hebrew) and then translate into English.

If you have family who lived in Israel and/or you have an interest in the history of Israel, do check out the web site.  If you find a document listed and not yet scanned, contact them and they will work to scan the requested document.



What interesting index entry or document did you discover?








Editor’s Note: Thanks to a recent IAJGS access alert for letting me know about this new web site.






~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to [email protected]. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to [email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

25 April 2016

Let's Celebrate Preservation Week! #preswk


It’s Preservation Week #preswk -- Are you celebrating? 

In 2005 the first comprehensive national survey of the condition and preservation needs of the nation’s collections reported that U.S. institutions hold more than 4.8 billion items. Libraries alone hold 3 billion items (63 percent of the whole). A treasure trove of uncounted additional items is held by individuals, families, and communities. These collections include books, manuscripts, photographs, prints and drawings, and objects such as maps, textiles, paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, and furniture, to give just a sample. They include moving images and sound recordings that capture performing arts, oral history, and other records of our creativity and history. Digital collections are growing fast, and their formats quickly become obsolescent, if not obsolete.

The real question is whether you are preserving?  Almost 40% of collections are held by individuals, families, and communities.  That’s you! 

If you are responsible for maintaining your families archive, check out Saving Your Stuff – a real quick look at a few easy things you can do to help protect your personal or family archive.

There is also a webinar archive on various preservation topics.

Is your local library, archive, or repository sponsoring events to celebrate preservation?

What are you doing to preserve invaluable family documents, heirlooms and more!

Just search the internet on preservation and you will find a plethora of resources to assist you in preserving your family heritage for future generations!






Editor’s Note: Past posts on this topic include Let's celebrate Preservation Week -- We all benefit! (2015),









~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to [email protected]. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to [email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

22 April 2016

WDYTYA? Live speaker handouts and some lectures FREE to access

Event is now past and you can still learn from it!  Read below about how.

Many are familiar with WDYTYA?  Did you know that it started as a UK series on the BBC? Did you know that since 2006 there has been a Who Do you Think you Are? Live program in the UK and that it’s massive?

Well, even if you did know about all that, did you know that some of the programs and handouts are available online and for FREE?

I might have gotcha with that one.

The Society of Genealogists (SOG) has a collection of handouts (also includes handouts from 2014 & 2015). Handouts from 2013 are here.

DNA Lectures given are available on this YouTube channel.  The event itself also has a YouTube channel though it only seems to have a few older video clips.

If you know of any other resources available from this event, please let me know.

Again, just because you cannot attend event, doesn’t mean that you cannot still share in some of what happened and learn from experts, whether near or far.

Which WDYTYA? Live handout or video did you find most helpful?




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to [email protected]. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to [email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

20 April 2016

Pre-Registration for the NGS Conference and All Ticketed Events Sales Closes 22 April 2016


ARLINGTON, VA, 20 APRIL 2016: It’s not too late to register for the NGS Family History Conference in Fort LauderdaleThe deadline for pre-conference registration is Friday, 22 April 2016. On-site registration and check-in will be available beginning at 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m., 3 May 2016, in the Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center.

Registration for all meals, social events, and workshops also close on 22 April 2016. Ticket purchases will not be available on-site at the conference for meals, social events, or workshops.  The BCG Education Fund Workshop, the Chromosome Mapping Workshop and the NYG&B Luncheon are sold out.  For conference information and to register visit the NGS website.

Luncheons and the NGS Banquet
Participating organizations sponsor several meal events during the conference. Seats are still available for most luncheons, the FSGS Society Host Event, and the NGS Banquet. Make your reservations now at the NGS Conference website.

Add Items to an Existing Registration
To add meals, tours, and pre-conference workshops and events to your current registration, log on at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org, click on My Account, select My Events, and then click to Add Sessions.

Live Streaming Sessions – Registration extended to 3 May
NGS has selected some of the most popular topics and nationally known speakers to be live streamed at the conference for those who are not able to attend in person or for those who missed a session at the conference or simply want to hear it again. Details of the live streaming program can be found on the NGS Conference website. NGS offers a video recordings option too that can be purchased up until 31 July.

You do not want to miss this year’s exciting conference program!

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogy education, high research standards, and the preservation of genealogical records. The Arlington, Virginia, based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian, seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, research guidance, and opportunities to interact with other genealogists.

Please visit the NGS Pressroom for further information.








~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to [email protected]. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to [email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

Fort Wayne NGS Research Trip Still Has Openings -- And not for long!

Have you ever been to the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana?

If not, consider joining the NGS Research trip there, 15–19 August 2016.

This world-class research library is one not to miss. Under the guidance of research consultants Pamela S. Eagleson, CG SM and Patricia Walls Stamm, CG SM, CGLSM, participants have five days to conduct personal research at one of the largest genealogical libraries in the Midwest. For more information or to register for the trip, visit http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/ft_wayne_research_trip.

Want to learn more about the renowned Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center (the focal point of your research trip), check out its website.


Early bird registration ends 11 May 2016!  Remember that the “early bird gets the worm” or in this case a discount of $150 off the published price!

Pamela and Patricia look forward to guiding you as you conduct research in this noteworthy research repository.





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to [email protected]. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to [email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

19 April 2016

Things are a Changin' -- AncestryDNA Will Be Updating Its Matching Algorithm



The news all over Facebook (FB) yesterday and today is AncestryDNA’s plans to change its matching algorithm.

Blaine T Bettinger, The Genetic Genealogist, has a well-written piece on what’s possibly coming and what it means for genealogists in AncestryDNA Plans Update to Matching Algorithm.  He also refers to a post written by Roberta Estes (DNAeXplained) and comments posted by Tim Janzen on Rootsweb.   

I suggest you read the three pieces to come up to speed on this topic.

Once AncestryDNA has implemented the changes, the dust has settled, and AncestryDNA has provided new educational materials and explanations, then Angie Bush, an NGS Director and the head of the NGS Genetic Genealogy Committee, will do a guest post.








~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to [email protected]. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to [email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

18 April 2016

Red Cross -- Invaluable Service & Extensive Archives -- Have you checked these out?



Today I woke up thinking about The Red Cross and the unimaginable scale of humanitarian aid provided by it since its founding.

Many of our ancestors have either contributed financially or physically to this organization and/or been assisted through provided services.

I knew that the British version, a few years ago, had made available a database of “Over 90,000 people volunteered for the British Red Cross at home and overseas during the war.” which refers to WWI.

I also learned that there is a physical British Red Cross museum and archives,
The British Red Cross museum and archives contain a fascinating portrait of our humanitarian work, from our beginnings in 1870 to our vital contribution in today's society.

Of course, I then had to see if the American Red Cross (ARC) had anything similar.  First, I reminded myself of its history ...

Clara Barton and a circle of her acquaintances founded the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C. on May 21, 1881. Barton first heard of the Swiss-inspired global Red Cross network while visiting Europe following the Civil War. Returning home, she campaigned for an American Red Cross and for ratification of the Geneva Convention protecting the war-injured, which the United States ratified in 1882.

I then learned that the National Archives actually has extensive holdings covering 1881-2008 donated by ARC. Here is an article about part of that collection as records were processed in 2011.

Additionally, the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, has a large WWI-related collection.

Dating from 1917 to 1921, the large collection of American Red Cross records at Hoover documents the efforts to deliver aid to Europe, the Middle East, Russia, and China during and immediately after World War I. The records, consisting of correspondence, memoranda, reports, financial records, lists, and photographs, are arranged by the name of ARC commission, which specifies its geographic area of operation.

Ancestry.com, quite familiar to genealogists, has an online database of American Red Cross Nurse Files, 1916-1959.

We cannot talk about the British and American Red Cross agencies without referring to the International Committee of the Red Cross (IRC) and its archives and history.

What was to become the International Committee of the Red Cross met for the first time in February 1863 in Geneva, Switzerland. Among its five members was a local man named Henry Dunant who, the year before, had published a crusading book (A Souvenir of Solferino) calling for improved care for wounded soldiers in wartime.

Earlier this year, the ICRC made its Audiovisual Archives open and available online --  “Thousands of photos, films/videos and audio recordings belonging to the ICRC and documenting the organization's past and present are now open to the public.”

Why stop now, the Australian Red Cross in 2014, the Centenary of the organization, donated its archive and heritage collection to the University of Melbourne Archives.  I’m sure that the list goes on.

It is great to see these archives becoming more available to researchers either by the material being donated to a national or large publicly accessible archive or through digitization and online access.

Many of our family members are part of the history of the Red Cross.

Did a family member of yours serve in or be served by the Red Cross? Do you have or have you sought out documentation of such?  What type of documentation do you have or found?

What other archives of the Red Cross and its activities have I overlooked that would interest family historians?




















~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to [email protected]. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to [email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

15 April 2016

FOIA Mapper -- FREE tool to facilitate making FOIA requests


Earlier this week we posted New York City marriage Records Indexes 1908-1929 online & FREE to access which was about the eventual success of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) type request for access to records by Reclaim the Records.

Last month there was a new tool released to actually help you figure out about doing FOIA requests and it is discussed in What should you FOIA? There’s a new tool to help you figure that out.

Years of FOIA requests taught Galka that there was no easy way to determine which organization had the information he wanted. What format was the information stored in? What language should he use to ensure his request actually got fulfilled? Over time, he realized there were ways, including requesting FOIA logs, to get a sense of the hidden landscape.

"There exists an enormous body of information sitting out there, not documented," he said. "So in theory, everyone has access to it, but practically speaking, it's hard."

As a result, Galka launched FOIA Mapper, described by him ...

I have learned a few ways of identifying these hidden record systems.
In some cases, information about these record systems can be inferred from online documents (for example: public RFP documents, Federal Register notices). In other cases, information about record systems can itself be obtained via FOIA (for example: database relational schema, lists of FOIA requests made by other people).

FOIA Mapper compiles this information into a centralized catalog of government records, searchable by topic.

It seems like it would have applicability to genealogists and our research with regard to federal government agencies.


I haven’t yet played around with it much and if you have, what do you think?

Will it benefit family historians and if so, how?







~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to [email protected]. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to [email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter