Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Wordless Wednesday

Posted by PicasaAny one remember this location for the 2002 October Workshop? Remember the speaker?

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Footnote Releases Great Depression Collection

FOOTNOTE.COM RELEASES GREAT DEPRESSION COLLECTION

Collection includes the first-ever Interactive 1930 US Census, and becomes the gathering place for America’s story

Lindon, Utah - March 26, 2009 – Footnote.com, the premier history website for original content, announced today the launch of its Great Depression Collection, which provides unique insights into life’s struggles and the financial challenges Americans faced during the 1930s.

The Great Depression Collection includes millions of digitized and indexed documents including historical newspapers. Visitors to Footnote.com can view original pages featuring articles and advertisements that reveal fascinating details about what was happening in Washington, D.C., as well as in mainstream America.

Visitors can also read articles about Roosevelt’s New Deal or see how much groceries cost during the time of the Depression.

As part of this collection, Footnote.com is pleased to introduce the first ever Interactive 1930 US Census. Footnote.com has combined innovative technology with the 1930 Census to create an interactive experience allowing members to contribute their own family photos, documents and stories by attaching them to the names on the census.

“On Footnote.com, the 1930 Census is taking on a new role: a gathering place for the American story,” said Russ Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “Now all those stories that our parents and grandparents told us about the Depression have a place to come together and be preserved for future generations.”

In addition to contributing to the census documents, members can automatically create Footnote Pages for any individual found in the census. Footnote Pages allow users to create:

• Timelines
• Photo galleries
• Maps
• Links to other Footnote Pages

These pages can serve as memorial pages, research pages, or simply a starting place where individual shoeboxes of memories and memorabilia can be uploaded.

Footnote.com has successfully created a social framework around historical documents. Numerous people have already made hundreds of thousands of contributions on the site. “If you had family in America in 1930, you will most likely find them in the census,” continues Wilding. “We encourage all to come to Footnote.com and add your family story and preserve our nation’s heritage.”

To view the Great Depression Collection, including the Interactive 1930 US Census, please visit Footnote.com.

About Footnote, Inc.
Footnote.com is a subscription website that features searchable original documents, providing users with an unaltered view of the events, places and people that shaped the American nation and the world. At Footnote.com, all are invited to come share, discuss, and collaborate on their discoveries with friends, family, and colleagues. For more information, visit www.footnote.com.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

RootsMagic 4 Family Tree Software Officially Released

Latest Version of Leading Genealogy Software Now Available to the Public

SPRINGVILLE, Utah. - March 25, 2009 - RootsMagic, Inc. today announced the official release of RootsMagic 4, the latest version of the award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history easy and enjoyable. With the release comes a free trial version of the software as well as a discount offer for owners of other software products.

Impressive New Features

"RootsMagic 4 is the biggest release in our 20-year history of making genealogy software," said Bruce Buzbee, president. "We've updated RootsMagic to work with the latest genealogical technologies available today, while staying true to our mission to make family history easy, accessible, and fun."

RootsMagic 4 boasts an impressive list of new features including integrated web search, improved SourceWizard for citing sources, sharing events among multiple persons, creating pre-defined groups of persons, person and place mapping, recording DNA tests, and improved navigation and data entry. RootsMagic 4 is also one of the only desktop genealogy programs certified to work with New FamilySearch.

Freeing Your Data

"A common request that we hear from people is that they don't want their data to be trapped in their computer," said Michael Booth, vice-president of development. "One of the most popular features in RootsMagic 3 is our Shareable CD which puts your data and pictures onto a CD or DVD along with a special copy of RootsMagic. You can then give the discs to family and friends and they don't have to buy or install anything. It's all there on the disc."

"We've taken that a step further in RootsMagic 4," explains Booth. "One unique and exciting new feature is RootsMagic To-Go. It allows you to install RootsMagic onto a USB drive and transfer data between it and your computer. This gives you the freedom to take RootsMagic and your data wherever you go--to work, on vacation, to the library--anywhere."

Free Trial

A free trial version of RootsMagic 4 is available at http://www.rootsmagic.com. The trial version allows a person to import their data, add information, and play with RootsMagic's major features without any time limitation. "We're so excited about this new release, we wanted to give everyone a risk-free option to try it for themselves," said Buzbee.

Users of other genealogy software products will find it easy to experiment with RootsMagic 4 using their own data. RootsMagic can directly import data from PAF, Family Tree Maker (through 2006), Family Origins, and Legacy Family Tree. It can also read data using the popular GEDCOM format.

Pricing

RootsMagic 4 is available for only $29.95. Existing RootsMagic and Family Origins users may upgrade for only $19.95.

Discount Offer

For the first time in company history, users of other genealogy software programs can receive a competitive upgrade discount. Through May 31, 2009, users of Personal Ancestral File (PAF), Family Tree Maker, Legacy Family Tree, or The Master Genealogist may purchase RootsMagic 4 for only $19.95, saving $10 off of the regular price.

More information about the competitive upgrade can be found at http://www.rootsmagic.com/upgrade.

About RootsMagic, Inc.

For over 20 years, RootsMagic, Inc. has been creating computer software with a special purpose--to unite families. One of our earliest products--the popular Family Origins software--introduced thousands of people to the joy and excitement of family history.

That tradition continues today with RootsMagic, our award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history fun and easy. Personal Historian will help you easily write and preserve your life stories. Family Reunion Organizer takes the headaches out of planning those important get-togethers. And Family Atlas creates beautiful and educational geographic maps of your family history.

For more information, http://www.rootsmagic.com.

Source: RootsMagic, Inc.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Wordless Wednesday

Posted by Picasa
Speaker Dani Lee McGowan and program director Marvelene Carney talk at the 2001 conference at Spokane Falls Community College.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

2009 Family Trees and Ancestries Conference (FREE!)

The 2009 Family Trees and Ancestries, which is a FREE genealogy/family history conference sponsored by the Spokane, Washington North Stake LDS Church, will be held this coming Saturday, March 28th from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM at the North Stake LDS Church, 401 W. Regina Ave., Spokane.

You can get directions, read about the speakers, look at the schedule (there are three session times and 10 classes to choose from), and register online at http://www.spokanegenconf.org/. While the website says the registration deadline is today, March 22nd, I just received news that they will accept registration throughout this coming week. However, if you would like to order a syllabus, you must place your order today.

The following EWGS members are part of the line up of speakers: Barbara Brazington will be speaking on "Using County and Local Histories in Research"; Shirley Penna-Oakes will present "What Have You Missed in Vital Records"; and Miriam Robbins Midkiff will give presentations of using the WorldVitalRecords and Footnote websites.

Unlike past Family Trees and Ancestries Conferences, the conference will only be held half a day and therefore, no lunch will be available. If you have never had an opportunity to check out a Family History Center or would like to get a friend interested in beginning their genealogy, please consider attending this free conference!

2009 FGS Conference for the Nation's Genealogists in Little Rock



It's just five and a half months till the annual Federation of Genealogical Societies “Conference for the Nation’s Genealogists” that takes place this year in Little Rock, Arkansas. In past years it has been in Philadelphia, Fort Wayne, Boston, Salt Lake City, Orlando and other cities. The committees for both the Federation of Genealogical Societies and the host society, the Arkansas Genealogical Society, have been busy working on the details for the September 2-5, 2009 event. The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau and the host hotels have been a joy to work with.

• Choose from almost 200 lectures, workshops, special events, and meals offered during this event.

• A free Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social for conference registrants on Tuesday afternoon.

• Large Exhibit Hall filled with organizations, businesses, and individuals showcasing memberships, publications, databases, hardware, maps, books, digital images, services, and hundred of other items of interest to genealogists and related fields.

• Delegate Luncheon and special lectures for Delegates of FGS member societies and anyone else interested in learning more about FGS, running a genealogical society, getting new members, putting on seminars, creating a dramatic website, and much more.

• Networking Luncheon with no speaker. A perfect way to meet other conference registrants. Some tables will be designate for certain discussion topics, such as Arkansas research (by sections of the state), Confederate research, Genealogical Blogging (including the use of Twitter and Facebook) and some will have no designated topic.

• Several other great luncheons with speakers sponsored by various genealogical organizations.

• For the full and varied program and registration details check the Conference website at www.FGSConference.org or the frequently updated Conference Blog at www.FGSConferenceBlog.org.

FGS and AGS invite you to join us at this exciting conference.

FGS Conference Website: www.FGSConference.org
FGS Conference Blog: www.FGSConferenceblog.org

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Wordless Wednesday

Posted by PicasaRosemary Braun dressed for her presentation at the 2001 conference at Spokane Falls Community College.

Death Records Available on New Seeking Michigan Site

From the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries:

‘Seeking Michigan’ Web site employs today’s technology to deliver Michigan’s history to information seekers

The Department of History, Arts and Libraries today announced the launch of the Seeking Michigan Web site (www.seekingmichigan.org), a growing collection of unique historical information that – through digitized source documents, maps, films, images, oral histories and artifacts – creatively tells the stories of Michigan’s families, homes, businesses, communities and landscapes.

Seeking Michigan’s first major project is the digitization of roughly 1 million death records covering the years 1897 through 1920. These records – never before available electronically – are indexed for easy searching by name, death date, location and age, and hold tremendous research opportunities for genealogists, historians and students.

Whether you are interested in Civil War records, photographs, architecture, music, photography or family history, Michigan enthusiasts are sure to discover a brand new side to Michigan through this unique online resource, a collaboration that has long been in the making between the Archives of Michigan and the Library of Michigan. Site design and digitization of resources were funded through various grants.

“Seeking Michigan takes great information from both of our agencies and makes it available to everyone in a convenient and easy-to-navigate Web site,” said Sandra Clark, director of the Michigan Historical Center. “We were inspired by the state motto in designing the site. If you look, you will discover stories, photos and much more to connect you to our state’s pleasant peninsulas and one-of-a-kind past.”

With plans in place to add much more material, Seeking Michigan currently includes:

More than 100,000 pages of Civil War documents;

Approximately 10,000 photographs;

A variety of Michigan sheet music;

Roughly 1 million death records;

A rich section about Michigan’s 44 past governors;

Works Progress Administration data (circa 1936-1942) about land and buildings throughout rural Michigan; and

Oral histories with notable Michigan residents.

According to State Librarian Nancy R. Robertson, Seeking Michigan boldly moves the archives and library experience outside of the bricks and mortar of the building in which the collections are housed. By employing the latest Web technologies and social media, the site aims for an enhanced user experience. “We want to give visitors historical content and, whenever possible, the context for that content,” she explained. “For K-12 educators, there’s also a ‘teach’ page that links up with related resources and grade-level content expectations.”

Clark noted that Seeking Michigan will open up Michigan’s history to a whole new market of information hunters. “Seeking Michigan is definitely a big boost for those who already have an interest in our state’s history, including scholars, authors, genealogists and publishers,” she said. “What we’re very excited about is the prospect of introducing new generations of Michigan residents to the Michigan they thought they knew and helping them forge connections with our state’s remarkable past.”

Seeking Michigan was made possible with generous funding from the Talbert and Leota Abrams Foundation, a Lansing-based nonprofit that primarily focuses on funding library and educational science programs. Since the mid-1980s, the Abrams Foundation has provided more than $2.5 million toward the development of the Library of Michigan’s and Archives of Michigan’ genealogy collection, including the digitization of the death records so crucial to family historians’ research efforts. The National Historic Publications and Records Commission provided additional funding.

The Library of Michigan Foundation (www.michigan.gov/lmfoundation) and the Michigan History Foundation (www.michigan.gov/mhfoundation) helped facilitate the funding process for Seeking Michigan and provide donors the opportunity to contribute to Seeking Michigan and many other initiatives. The Archives of Michigan is part of the Michigan Historical Center. The Michigan Historical Center and the Library of Michigan are agencies within the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL). Dedicated to enriching quality of life and strengthening the economy by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan’s heritage and fostering cultural creativity, HAL also includes the Mackinac Island State Park Commission and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. To learn more, visit www.michigan.gov/hal.

In an additional message, I received the following:

The flood of visitors searching Seeking Michigan has caused the site's response time to drag. This challenge illustrates how popular we knew the information would be. We encourage researchers to check back periodically and continue to try to explore the site. We are working on the problem and hope to have things running smoothly in the near future.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Some Michigan Death Certificates, 1898 - 1920, Available Online for Free

Seeking Michigan has been adding images of death certificates for Michigan citizens for the years 1898 - 1920 to their website over the past couple months, with this last week seeing a huge influx of data. Genea-blogger Pam Warren tells me that the Department of History, Arts, and Libraries hopes to open Seeking Michigan on Tuesday, March 17th, with slightly over one-quarter of their data online. The plan is to add more data in three or four following stages, and the word from the Archives of Michigan is "it's new, be patient. We're getting fixes as quickly as we can after problems are discovered."

I am happy to report that I have found death certificates for half a dozen of my ancestors. Some of it confirmed what I already had, but other information was brand new (always a delight)! I've also found information on siblings, children, and other relatives of my ancestors, expanding my family tree. I have found that running the same search on consecutive days yields new information each day, so apparently data is being added on a daily basis as Tuesday's opening day looms near. Comparing what I've found with data at FamilySearch Record Search, which has Michigan State Births (1867 - 1902), Marriages (1867 - 1925), and Deaths (1867 - 1897) from information gathered from county libers, as well as Federal Census records, helps confirm and expand the information I'm finding at Seeking Michigan.

The addition of these death records brings the death record information for Michigan
available online for the following years: 1867 - 1897 (FamilySearch Record Search - liber records, images), 1898 - 1920 (Seeking Michigan - death certificates, images, currently incomplete), and 1971 - 1996 (Ancestry - death indexes, transcribed, requires subscription). Michigan began keeping birth and death records in 1867, but they were gathered census-style, once a year by township supervisors and city supervisors or assessors, so many of our ancestors' births and deaths went unrecorded until birth and death certificates were issued in 1905 and 1897, respectively. If you are looking for death records during the "gap" years, check out the Michigan page at Joe Beine's Death Indexes website for county death indexes, obituaries, burial records, and other alternative sources.

Finally, if you have ancestors from Michigan, you should be aware that due to severe budget cuts, the Library of Michigan may be closed completely. Pam has a detailed article here, and urges her fellow Michigan citizens to contact their legislators regarding this serious matter. I think it would behoove those of us non-Michigan residents to "contact Senator Thomas George, chairman of the Michigan Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for History Arts and Libraries by phone at 517-373-2768 to express your support for the Library. You may visit his web page for more contact options." These legislators need to know how much such a drastic action would affect those who live outside Michigan and the economic impact it would have on the State of Michigan by cutting out-of-state income from those who would pay research fees or visit the Library themselves.

New Book in Collection: Italians of the American Northwest

Recently, EWGS librarian Juanita McBride announced a new addition to the collection of the genealogical holdings. Italians of the American Northwest, by Charley Vingo, is a 793-page, illustrated volume published in 2001 by a Spokane author. It is available in both the Genealogy Room (3rd floor) and Northwest Room (2nd floor) of the Downtown Branch of the Spokane Public Library, and is cataloged under call numbers GEN 973.0451 ITALIAN and NW 973.0451 ITALIAN, respectively. As a reference book, it cannot be checked out.

If you have Italian ancestry in the Northwest, you will want to consult this volume. For those out of town, you may wish to call the information desk at (509) 444-5300 to have a librarian do a lookup for a surname for you, or e-mail EWGS's researcher Charles Hansen.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

2009 FamilySearch Software Award Recipients Announced

From FamilySearch News:

SALT LAKE CITY—FamilySearch announced the recipients of the 2009 FamilySearch Software Awards at the FamilySearch Developers Conference in Provo, Utah. The 12 recipients were recognized for their outstanding and innovative work in advancing products and technologies that integrate with FamilySearch’s emerging suite of products and services.

The annual FamilySearch Software Awards has been established to encourage and recognize software development that benefits the family history and genealogy industry. “We are excited to announce the recipients of the 2009 FamilySearch Software Awards. The awards formally recognize the software achievements of those developers and companies that are making important contributions to the family history and genealogy industry,” said Gordon Clarke, FamilySearch Web services product manager.

The Best Features awards this year were decided by a panel of judges for the industry. The Develop Choice Awards are decided by the vote of members of DevNet.FamilySearch.org, an online community of developers. The awards were given for the categories of best Application (API) Library, Most Useful to Developers, and Potential Future Impacts.

The following recipients were announced and presented at the FamilySearch Developers Conference:

Desktop Productivity

· Incline Software’s Ancestral Quest for the “Best Listing Tool”
· Ohana Software’s FamilyInsight for “Best Standardizer”
· RootsMagic’s RootsMagic 4 for “Best Dashboard”


Desktop Syncing or Tree-Cleaning

· Incline Software’s Ancestral Quest for the “Most Comprehensive Syncing”
· Ohana Software’s FamilyInsight for “Best Person Separator”
· RootsMagic’s RootsMagic 4 for “Easiest to Sync”


Desktop Use of Media

· Progeny Software’s Charting Companion for the “Best for Desktop Printing”


Web Productivity

· US Family Tree’s Grow Branch for the “Best Web Site Feature for Publishing”

Web Use of Media

· Generation Maps for the “Best Web Site Feature for Printing”
· TreeSeek for “Best Web Site Feature for Mapping”


Developers Choice Awards

· David Pugmire’s fsapi.net for the “Best API Library”
· Ben Godard’s fs-ubiquity for the “Potential Future Impact on the Genealogy Industry”

To learn more about the award recipients and respective products in each category, visit the FamilySearch Developers Network website.

FamilySearch
International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons can access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Genealogy Classes for Seniors in the Spokane Area

Donna Potter Phillips will be offering four classes this spring as part of the Spokane's Senior Program. Each class is on a Friday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at CenterPlace at Mirabeau, and costs $9.00. Register at 533-8010. Classes will be canceled if there are not enough registered.

Class #M215 - March 20 - Leave a Legacy, Not a Mess

Class #M216 - March 27 - Where is the Book with My Family in It?

Class #M217 - April 24 - FamilySearch Indexing: Paying it Forward

Class #M218 - May 1 - 50 Ways to Document a Death

Footnote's Tip of the Month Video: Using Wildcard Searches

Footnote.com is now offering Tip of the Month videos. March's video is Using Wildcard Searches. Please note: As with all online videos, you need a high-speed internet connection (not dial-up) and speakers or headphones to view and hear this properly.

Museum Exhibit Celebrates Area's Farming Legacy

From the Spokesman-Review:
Irrigation gave life to Spokane Valley, and now the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum is giving new life to the area’s farming history with a special exhibit on irrigation.

If your family farmed the Spokane Valley, or your childhood memories involve visiting the Valley farms to harvest their delicious fruits and vegetables, or if you just love local history, you'll want to visit the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum's "Water is the Story" exhibit.

More details and photographs here.

Legacy Users Group

The EWGS "LUG" (Legacy Users Group) had their first meeting on Wednesday, March 11, at the Shadle Library. Everyone was asked to bring their specific questions on a 3x5 card and at meeting's end, most questions were answered after some good discussions. Donna Potter Phillips assumed the roll of moderator for this first meeting but ALL will be taking that position and teaching one another. Millennium Corp offers two sets of training CDs and the group authorized their purchase and will divide up the $54 cost among the "LUGgers." Next meeting will be the third Wednesday, April 15th, 1:30 to 3:30, at the Shadle Library. All who use or want to use the Legacy genealogy program are invited to attend.

WSGS 2009 Conference Update

The happy committee of EWGS members working to ensure a successful Washington State Genealogical Conference (11-13 Sep 2009) had their umpteenth meeting on Friday, March 13, and report that all is going splendidly and everything is on track for a successful conference. The principal speaker is Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and the 16 mini-sessions are all in place. Details are on our EWGS website and will be soon on the WSGS website too. Hope all who read this are saving their pennies and plan to attend!! Remember the WSGS motto: "You won't know if you don't go!"

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Spokane Area RootsMagic Users Group to Meet Thursday

If you are a RootsMagic user, or are simply curious about this genealogy software program, you may be interested in the RootsMagic Users Group, which meets at 7 PM on the third Thursday of each month at the LDS Church at 808 E. Sitka (this month's meeting is on March 19th). Lew and Trudy Lundy lead this group. For more information, e-mail them here.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Wordless Wednesday

Posted by PicasaMelissa Siegel one of the speakers at the 2001 Conference at Spokane Falls Community College. She was dressed in costume for her talk. Want to see her bloomers??

Spokane Area Legacy Users Group to Meet Wednesday

If you are a Legacy Family Tree genealogy software user, or are simply curious about this genealogy software program, you may be interested in the Legacy Users Group (LUG), which will meet next Wednesday, March 17th, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM in the meeting room of the Shadle Park Branch of the Spokane Public Library at 2111 W. Wellesley. Regular attendees will take turns in the role of moderator for each meeting. If you have more questions, please contact Donna Potter Phillips here.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Free E-Book Offer From Family Tree Magazine

Family Tree Magazine is giving away a free e-book to those who sign up for our free, weekly E-mail Update newsletter.

The book is our 42-page Best of the Photo Detective, a step-by-step guide that helps you examine old family photos for hidden clues to when they were taken and who’s in them. It includes an exclusive excerpt from Uncovering Your Ancestry Through Family Photographs by our Photo Detective, Maureen A. Taylor.

Family Tree Magazine’s E-mail Update newsletter delivers the latest news, tips and resources for doing family history research. You can sign up at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/enews. After you submit your registration, you’ll get a link to download the book as a PDF file.

dynastree Maps Canadian Last Names

New York, March 5, 2009 – Family network dynastree just launched the Canadian version of its famous Surname Maps. The free tool that shows the surname distribution of more than 600,000 Canadian last names is the perfect companion for surname research.

The Canadian surnames, mostly of English and French origin, can be searched for under
http://www.dynastree.ca. The distribution among the provinces is shown in a coloured map, the user can choose from relative or absolute distribution. With the help of dynastree’s tool, the origin of surnames can be researched quickly and easily.

Dynastree is a fast-growing family network to build a family tree. Once the family tree is started, relatives can be invited directly to add knowledge and help to extend its reach. Together, family members can enter information on other relatives and ancestors. The communication with relatives and friends can be established and carried on even if the connection had been lost or if they live far away.

About dynastree
Apart from the English site, the services are available in Germany (www.verwandt.de), in Poland (www.moikrewni.pl), Spain and South America (www.miparentela.com), Portugal
(www.meusparentes.com.pt), Brazil (www.meusparentes.com.br), the Netherlands
(www.verwant.nl), Italy (www.parentistretti.it), Russia (www.semyaonline.ru) and France (www.familleunie.fr). The platform will continue expanding to other European countries as well as worldwide. Dynastree is supported by leading Business Angels, Hasso Plattner Ventures and Neuhaus Partners, a well-known venture capitalist.

Washington State Named Number One by Ancestry Magazine

Recently, Family Tree Magazine ranked Washington State the Number Two state for online resources in its May 2009 issue (already mailed to subscribers; coming soon to a newsstand near you).

Today, I read an article in the March/April 2009 issue of Ancestry magazine online, titled "The Wired States of America: A Look at Digital Records Near You." On page 10 of this online article, Ancestry names Washington State as its Number One state for online resources, thanks to the over 60 million searchable records in its state Digital Archives collection, the same reason that Family Tree Magazine gave us a thumbs up.

Have you checked out the Washington State Digital Archives yet?

RootsMagic Invites Public to Preview Family Tree Software

Free Preview of Leading Genealogy Software Now Available to the Public

SPRINGVILLE, Utah. — March 4, 2009 — RootsMagic, Inc. today announced RootsMagic 4 public beta, the latest version of the award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history easy and enjoyable. During the public beta period, all are invited to download and experience the software, free of charge.

Impressive New Features

“RootsMagic 4 is the biggest release in our 20-year history of making genealogy software,” said Bruce Buzbee, president. “We’ve updated RootsMagic to work with the latest genealogical technologies available today, while staying true to our mission to make family history easy, accessible, and fun.”

RootsMagic 4 boasts an impressive list of new features including integrated web search, improved SourceWizard for citing sources, sharing events among multiple persons, creating pre-defined groups of persons, person and place mapping, recording DNA tests, and improved navigation and data entry. RootsMagic 4 is also one of the only desktop genealogy programs certified to work with “New FamilySearch”.

Freeing Your Data

“A common request that we hear from people is that they don’t want their data to be trapped in their computer,” said Michael Booth, vice-president of development. “One of the most popular features in RootsMagic 3 is our ‘Shareable CD’ which puts your data and pictures onto a CD or DVD along with a special copy of RootsMagic. You can then give the discs to family and friends and they don’t have to buy or install anything. It’s all there on the disc.”

“We’ve taken that a step further in RootsMagic 4,” explains Booth. “One unique and exciting new feature is ‘RootsMagic To-Go’. It allows you to install RootsMagic onto a USB drive and transfer data between it and your computer. This gives you the freedom to take RootsMagic and your data wherever you go- to work, on vacation, to the library- anywhere.”

Free and Available Now

RootsMagic 4 beta is available now for free at http://www.rootsmagic.com/preview. “We’re so excited about this new release, we wanted to give everyone a risk-free option to try it for themselves,” said Buzbee. Each person who wishes to participate will be given a registration key which will allow them to download and experience the software for the duration of the public beta period.

Users of other genealogy software products will find it easy to experiment with RootsMagic 4 using their own data. RootsMagic can directly import data from PAF, Family Tree Maker (through 2006), Family Origins, and Legacy Family Tree. It can also read and write data using the popular GEDCOM format.

The public beta also gives users the chance to give feedback and suggestions to improve the software. “Customer feedback is essential to us. All of the changes and improvements in RootsMagic 4 are in direct response to needs and desires expressed by our users,” said Booth. Buzbee added, “We’ve already received invaluable comments and suggestions from the early testers and we’re looking forward to hearing from the general public.”

About RootsMagic, Inc.
For over 20 years, RootsMagic, Inc. has been creating computer software with a special purpose- to unite families. One of our earliest products- the popular “Family Origins” software, introduced thousands of people to the joy and excitement of family history.

That tradition continues today with “RootsMagic”, our award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history fun and easy. “Personal Historian” will help you easily write and preserve your life stories. “Family Reunion Organizer” takes the headaches out of planning those important get-togethers. And “Family Atlas” creates beautiful and educational geographic maps of your family history.

For more information, visit www.rootsmagic.com.

FamilySearch Indexing Update: Application Now Available in Three Additional Languages

March 4, 2009

The FamilySearch indexing application is available in three new languages: Italian, Portuguese, and Russian. These languages are in addition to English, French, German, and Spanish.

We have current indexing projects in all of these languages except Portuguese. We will be introducing a Portuguese project in the near future.

Volunteers can help with any of this projects by registering online at FamilySearchIndexing.org.

Recently Completed Projects

(Note: Recently completed projects have been removed from the available online indexing batches and will now go through a final completion check process in preparation for future publication.)
  • * UK - Cheshire - Church Records
  • * District of Columbia - 1920 US Census
  • * Florida 1885 Census
  • * Florida 1935 Census
  • * Massachusetts 1865 State Census

Current FamilySearch Indexing Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

Argentina Censo 1869 - Cordoba y San Luis - Spanish - 81%

Argentina Censo 1869 - Corrientes y Entre Rios - Spanish - 13%

Arkansas Marriages - Part 3 - English - 59%

Belgium - Antwerp Foreigners Index - English - 21%

Brandenburg Kirchenbücher - German - 40%*

España Lugo Registros Parroquiales [Part 1] - Spanish - 15%

España Ávila Registros Parroquiales - Spanish - 52%

France, Coutances, Paroisses de la Manche - French - 9%

Michigan - 1920 US Federal Census - English - 8%

Minnesota 1895 State Census - English - 11%

Nayarit - Censo de Mexico de 1930 - English - 76%

New Brunswick 1871 Census - English - 27%

New Jersey - 1920 US Federal Census - English - 18%

Nicaragua, Managua Civil Records - Spanish - 10%

Norway 1875 Census part 1 - Norwegian - 6%

Nova Scotia 1871 Census - English - 21%

Ontario 1861 Census - English - 84%

Perú Lima-Registros Civiles - Spanish - 5%

Rhode Island 1915 State Census - English - 2%

Sonora - Censo de Mexico de 1930 - Spanish - 26%

St Petersburg Kirchenbuchduplikat 1833-1885 - German - 1%

Tabasco - Censo de Mexico de 1930 - Spanish - 23%

Trento Italy Baptism Records, 1784-1924 - Italian - 50%

UK - Cheshire - Land Tax - English - 14%

UK - Cheshire - School Records - English - 17%

UK-Cheshire-Parish Records 01 - 3%

Ukraine Kyiv 1840-1842 - Russian - 5%

Venezuela Mérida Registros Parroquiales - Spanish - 1%

(*This percentage refers to a specific portion of a larger project.)

Current FamilySearch Affiliate Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

Arkansas Marriages IV - English - 37%

Belgique - Registres Des Décès (Français) - French - 14%

België - Overlijdens Registers - In het Nederlands - Dutch, Flemish - 18%

Bremer Schifflisten - German - 32%

Flanders Death Registration - French, Dutch, Flemish - 38%

Indiana Marriages 1882-Apr 1905 - English - 73%

Nova Scotia Antigonish Church Records - English - 64%

Ohio Tax Records - 2 of 4 - English - 68%

Vermont Militia Records - English - 23%

The Genealogy Gems Podcast Announces Exclusive Interview with Darby Hinton

San Ramon, CA - March 3, 2009 -

On the newest episode of The Genealogy Gems Podcast Lisa Louise Cooke's guest is a man who started "living history" from a very young age!

Darby Hinton was just 7 years old when he signed on to play Israel, the son of Daniel Boone (played by Fess Parker) in the 1960s hit TV series "Daniel Boone."

"You know I really grew up doing it even before I knew what I was doing. It was just a way of life," Darby tells Lisa.

Most recently he has been producing a new television series pilot starring his own family called "Hinton Living History" where he hopes to show American families how inexpensive and fun it can be to get out and participate in historical reenactments across the country.

"I've had this fascination with history, and it just got to me that the kids just didn't care about it," says Darby. "So what I'm trying to do now is to not only get them away from the computer games and off the couch, but to show other families how they can go do it."

In this episode Darby shares what it was like being a child actor, working with folks like Walt Disney and Vincent Price. In upcoming episodes Lisa and Darby will climb the Hinton family tree, and talk about the family history TV series that's in the works.

"It's such a pleasure having a guest like Darby Hinton who evokes memories of my own youth growing up in the 1960s," says Lisa. "And this episode is also very special to me because with this 60th episode, The Genealogy Gems Podcast celebrates it's 2nd birthday!"


About Genealogy Gems
Genealogy Gems is a multi-media resource for the genealogist providing audio podcasts, videos, blog, e-newsletter and online family history research resources:

The Genealogy Gems Podcast is a free audio show available on the Web at www.GenealogyGems.TV and through iTunes. Host Lisa Louise Cookes provides genealogy research strategies, expert and celebrity interviews, and creative ideas for sharing and displaying family history.

Genealogy Gems Premium Membership offers listeners complete access to all features of the website including members-only podcasts and videos, Message Forum, Newsletter Archive, Genealogy Puzzles, and Behind the Scenes information. Monthly and Annual subscriptions are available.

The Family History: Genealogy Made Easy podcast is a free weekly show that walks new and experience family historians alike comprehensively through the research process, featuring national genealogy experts.

Lisa Louise Cooke is also the host of the The Family Tree Magazine Podcast. She is the author of the book Genealogy Gems: Ultimate Research Strategies, and a national genealogy speaker.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Saturday Night Fun - True Confessions of a Genealogy Junky

This is from Geneamusing Blog by Randy Seaver. It's almost Saturday Night here in the West. Let's have a little fun before we go to bed or wherever in the morning. We must be Genealogy Junkies, right (after all, many of you come back every Saturday Night!). How about a True Confessions time, genealogy style?

The assignment: Answer these questions about your genealogy life :

1. When did you start genealogy research? 1991

2. Why did you start doing research? We had a family reunion of the Hansen family and my sister and I wanted to know more about our family.

3. What was your first big success in research? Finding my Irish great grandmother's maiden name (Vanderpool, not really Irish it is Dutch, and on that side of my family I have Irish, Scotch-Irish, Dutch, English and German)

4. What is your biggest genealogy regret? Sending my complete GEDCOM to the Edward Doty society, it ended up on the internet a few months later with all my living relatives listed.

5. What are you best known for in the genealogy world? Being the EWGS research expert.

6. What is your professional status in genealogy? Not certified or registered, but still have done a lot of local research, so probably know the local records pretty well.

7. What is your biggest genealogy achievement? Indexing records for the local and state libraries and the Digital Archives at Cheney.

8. What is the most FUN you've had doing genealogy? Helping others with local research

9. What is your favorite genealogy how-to book? Not really a how to book, but a set of books on local people. The Family Records of Washington Pioneers by the DAR

10. What notable genealogist would you like to meet someday? Charles Morton Hansen When I first received the index for the articles in the NEHGS quarterlies, I found an author Charles M. Hansen of one of the articles, later found his middle name was Morton not Michael like my middle name.

There you are - talk about yourself for a change! Go forth and blog about your True Confessions of a Genealogy Junkie! Or write a comment to this post.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Wordless Wednesday


Posted by PicasaPat and Doris conferring at the 2001 Conference at Spokane Falls Community College