Updated List of Local Lineage Societies

Judith Emry was kind enough to send us an updated list of local lineage societies in Eastern Washington and Washington State:

The Society of Daughters of Colonial Wars In The State Of Washington

Contact:
Ms. Judith A. Emry
2307 E. 6th Ave.
Spokane, WA 99202-4101
E-Mail: jae1234@comcast.net


National Society Of United States Daughters of 1812, Spokane House Chapter

Contact:
Mrs. Irene Berg
E. 15407 Springfield Ave.
Veradale, WA 99037-9536
(509) 924-9687
E-Mail: IreneRBerg@q.com


National Society Daughters Of the American Colonists, Spokane Falls Chapter

Contact:
Mrs. Deanie Binsfield, Regent
11213 N. Astor Ct.
Spokane, WA 99218-1603
(509) 466-8006
E-Mail: hdbinsfield@comcast.net


National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century, Meetinghouse Hill Chapter

Contact:
Mrs. Debra Clark
11920 E. 38th Ave.
Spokane, WA 99206-6326
(509) 926-0670
E-Mail: deb_wa_clark@ comcast.net


Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865, Lizbeth Turner Tent #4

Contact:
Mrs. Irene Berg
E. 15407 Springfield Ave.
Veradale, WA 99037-9536
(509) 924-9687
E-Mail: IreneRBerg@q.com

Indexing Project for Washington State City Directories

Charles mentioned this earlier, and then I received the following information from Terri Huntley, Historical Records Project Coordinator for the Washington State Digital Archives:

The Historical Records Project is designed for people to work from home using their computer/internet to transcribe or proofread selected documents (census, military, directories, birth, death, naturalization, and other materials). It isn't necessary to commit to specific hours since you work from your home donating your time at your convenience. The indexing efforts are posted online at the Washington State Digital Archives site: www.digitalarchives.wa.gov

Currently, many of the volunteers are transcribing many of the early Polk Directories that have been scanned at the Washington State Library. (We're working on early Seattle directories right now).

If you’re interested in volunteering, I need to know your spreadsheet preference: Works or Excel and your mailing address. Once we decide on a project to start on, I email a template and mail out paper copies along with postage paid return envelope. Once you have completed the project, you email the file back and return the paper copies in the envelope.

If you’re interested in volunteering, email Terri Huntley at: thuntley@secstate.wa.gov

New City Directory Website

Miriam Midkiff has started a new website for online City, County, and Rural Directories and it is now open! You can view it at:

http://sites.google.com/site/onlinedirectorysite/

If you have never used a city or county directory they can be a big help in your research. You may get the address, occupation, and place of work of your ancestor. Some have reverse directories to see who lived at the address before or after your ancestor.

The State of Washington library is using volunteers to extract city directories they have in their library so if you want to volunteer contact Terri Huntley thuntley@secstate.wa.gov

Enter to Win a Lifetime Membership to Footnote.com!

Celebrate Memorial Day by remembering your loved ones with I Remember, a Facebook application created by Footnote. Remember someone with I Remember and then share the page with 5 of your friends and you'll be entered to win a lifetime, All-Access membership to Footnote.com. Click here to learn more.

The 10th Annual Battle of Spokane Falls

The Washington Civil War Association is sponsoring the 10th annual Battle of Spokane Falls and Civil War Reenactment Weekend with living history demonstrations at Riverside State Park (Equestrian Area). This event will be held Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday through Monday, May 23rd through the 25th. Although I couldn't find admission prices, last year's admission was $7.00 per adult; those 12 and under were free. I imagine prices will be similar to last year.

For hours, schedule of events, directions, and more details, click here.

Memorial Weekend Open House 2009 - Heritage Funeral Home

Each Memorial Day weekend, the Heritage Funeral Home (508 N Government Way) puts on a weekend-long open house featuring a historic person. Past presentations have included John F. Kennedy, Ulysses S Grant, and even Elvis Presley! In addition to the historic display, military, aerospace, and vintage car displays are also available, along with free refreshments.

Don't forget to check out the thousands of flags at nearby Riverside Memorial Park and Greenwood Memorial Terrace, each one honoring a Spokane or Inland Northwest veteran.

---

Memorial Weekend Open House 2009
Saturday, May 23 thru Monday, May 25, 2009
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM each day

Join us for our special remembrance of Amelia Earhart. We will have photos, memorabilia and special presentations honoring this "first lady of flight".

We will also have displays honoring our military veterans, an aerospace display, vintage car display, Tree of Remembrance, entertainment and refreshments. There will be a power point presentation at Noon each day by authors of books about Amelia Earhart. There will also be an organ concert each day at 2:00pm in the Heritage Chapel.

Please join us for this special time of remembrance!

Also:

Sunday May 24th

Band Concert at the Cross of Inspiration -- 6:00 p.m.
Join us for the annual Memorial Weekend Band Concert in Greenwood Memorial Terrace at the Cross of Inspiration. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets, have a free ice cream bar and enjoy the free concert.

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FamilySearch Record Search Update: New Brazil, Czech Republic, Italy, and U.S. Records Added

20 May 2009

Thirteen collections were added or updated on the FamilySearch Record Search pilot—over 3.5 million new records. International researchers will be excited to know that collections were added for Brazil, Czech Republic, and Italy.

In the United States, collections were added for Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

These collections can be searched for free at the FamilySearch.org Records Search pilot (click Search Records, and then click Record Search pilot).

Special thanks to the FamilySearch volunteers who helped create the 2 million indexed names published this week!

Collection Name: Brazil Pernambuco Civil Registration 1889–2003
Indexed Records: ---
Digital Images: 470,743
Comments: New — Partial collection (26%), images only

Collection Name: Czech Republic, Northern Bohemia, Litoměřice Archive Church Books 1552–1905
Indexed Records: ---
Digital Images: 54,068
Comments: Updated — Additional images and localities added.

Collection Name: Czech Republic, Southern Bohemia, Trebon Archive Church Books, 1650–1900
Indexed Records: ---
Digital Images: 14,646
Comments: Updated— Additional images and localities added.

Collection Name: Florida Deaths 1877–1939
Indexed Records: 471,800
Digital Images: 0
Comments: New

Collection Name: Indiana Marriages, 1811–1959
Indexed Records: 153,361
Digital Images: 0
Comments: New — Partial collection (18%).

Collection Name: Italy, Palermo Province, Monreale Diocese, Catholic Church Records, 1530–1919
Indexed Records: ---
Digital Images: 24,705
Comments: New

Collection Name: Massachusetts State Census, 1855
Indexed Records: ---
Digital Images: 13,071
Comments: Updated — Additional images and localities added.

Collection Name: Massachusetts State Census, 1865
Indexed Records: ---
Digital Images: 2,222
Comments: Updated — Additional images and localities added.

Collection Name: New York State Census, 1865
Indexed Records: ---
Digital Images: 35,851
Comments: New

Collection Name: North Carolina Deaths 1906–1930
Indexed Records: 615,568
Digital Images: 612,154
Comments: New — Index linked to images.

Collection Name: North Carolina, Davidson County Vital Records, 1867–1984
Indexed Records: ---
Digital Images: 79,128
Comments: New — Marriage and death records only.

Collection Name: South Carolina Deaths 1915–1943
Indexed Records: 636,445
Digital Images: 635,098
Comments: New—Index linked to images

Collection Name: South Carolina Deaths 1944-1955
Indexed Records: 231,138
Digital Images: 0
Comments: New

About FamilySearch
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 may 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.

FamilySearch News: Southern Collections Online Are Rapidly Growing

14 May 2009

Millions of Historic Southern Records Now on the Web

SALT LAKE CITY—FamilySearch announced today it has published millions of records from Southern states to its rapidly growing, free online collection. The collection includes both digital images and indexes. Millions of death records from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida were the most recent additions. Viewers can search the free collection on the Record Search pilot at FamilySearch.org (click Search Records, and then click Record Search pilot).

In the past 18 months, FamilySearch has been diligently publishing digital images and indexes from Southern states. It is part of a worldwide initiative to provide fast, economical access to genealogical records. Fueled by over 100,000 online volunteers, FamilySearch is digitizing and indexing historical records and publishing them online.

The most recent additions are from the following collections:

· Alabama Statewide Deaths 1908 to 1974 (Index)

· Arkansas County Marriages: 1837 to 1957

· Civil War Pension Index Cards (Digital Images)

· Florida Deaths 1877 to 1939 (Index)

· Florida State Censuses: 1855, 1935, 1945 (Digital Images)

· Freedman Bank Records: 1865 to 1874

· Freedman’s Bureau Virginia Marriages 1855 to 1866

· Georgia Deaths 1914 to 1927

· Louisiana War of 1812 Pension Lists (Images)

· North Carolina Deaths 1906 to 1930

· North Carolina, Davidson County Marriages and Deaths, 1867–1984 (Digital Images)

· South Carolina Deaths 1915 to 1943

· South Carolina Deaths 1944 to 1955 (Index)

· Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 (Index)

· Texas Deaths 1890 to 1976

· Virginia Fluvanna County Funeral Home Records 1929 to 1976 (Digital Images)

· West Virginia Births 1853 to 1990 (Index)

· West Virginia Marriages 1853 to 1970 (Index)

· West Virginia Deaths 1853 to 1970 (Index)

FamilySearch has also published free indexes to the 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, and 1920 (partial) U.S Censuses—all important resources for Southern states research.

David E. Rencher, FamilySearch chief genealogical officer said, “This significant set of records fills a real need in Southern states research. To be able to search vital records across the South by name and locality leverages the best search techniques and greatly improves the odds of success for those researching Southern families.”

During both pre and post Civil War eras, there was general migration from the eastern seaboard, down through the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, and on into Texas. “The publication of these records will begin to open up and answer many questions about family members that migrated and were never heard from again,” Rencher added.

With just a few clicks, visitors can now search millions of records online for that elusive ancestor. Or pore through digital images of historic documents that before this time were inconvenient or impossible for many to access because the original documents were located in an archive somewhere in the South.

“There is much more to come,” said Rencher. “FamilySearch has a large collection of records [on film] from the Southern states that still need to be digitized, indexed, and made available for the public online—and we are acquiring new records all the time. It’s a great time to be a family history enthusiast,” concluded Rencher.

FamilySearch is currently working on federal and state censuses and birth, marriage, death, and war records. New indexing projects and searchable collections are added weekly.

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 May 21st). Lew and Trudy Lundy lead this group. For more information, e-mail them here.

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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, May 20th, 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.

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Footnote.com Launches Application on Facebook® Platform To Help Friends Remember Friends

I REMEMBER Uses The Fourth-Most Trafficked Website in the United States To Bring Memories Together Like Never Before

May 5, 2009 – Lindon, Utah – Footnote.com today announced the launch of I Remember, a Facebook application aimed at helping connect Facebook users in order to share memories of loved ones. Few events in life generate the emotions and memories as does the passing of a friend, family member or colleague. However, without the appropriate tools and forum to preserve and share these memories, a loved one’s legacy may be lost. Now with I Remember, Facebook users can create a meaningful experience to honor those individuals that had an impact on their lives.

“A big challenge with gathering memories and stories together is getting everyone to contribute and share in one place,” explains Russell Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “Facebook helps eliminate that barrier by bringing millions of people together on a daily basis. The I Remember application simply leverages Facebook’s successful platform so friends and family can participate in remembering people that meant the most to them.”

Using I Remember, Facebook users can share stories, upload photos, post comments and add facts about an individual. These facts will automatically generate a timeline of the individual’s life and a map detailing important places and events. Further, shared information will undoubtedly spark more memories. Soon a robust page can be created through the simple efforts of a few people coming together. For an example of an I Remember page, click here.

In addition, contributions using I Remember on Facebook will also be accessible on Footnote.com, a premier history website. From the I Remember pages on Facebook, users can easily tap into the over 53 million historical documents found on Footnote.com to discover additional information about those people they are remembering.

To learn more about the I Remember application, go to http://go.footnote.com/iremember/

About Footnote.com
Footnote.com is a history website where real history might just surprise you. Footnote.com features millions of 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.

Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.

Berlin 2807 – Einstein's Telephone Number One of Millions Now Online

20th Century German Phone Books feature over 35 million names including Albert Einstein, Actress Marlene Dietrich and Hitler’s Mistress Eva Braun

PROVO, UTAH – May 8, 2009 - In a world first, Ancestry.com, the world's largest online family history resource, today launched online the German Phone Directories, 1915-1981 - a unique collection of phone books containing the names and addresses of more than 35 million people who lived in Germany’s major cities during the 20^th century.

This is the first time that these phone books, which are held in paper-form at the German National Library, have been digitized and made available online.

This collection will be of international interest as for social, political, religious and economic reasons, the 20^th century was a period of large scale emigration from Germany to countries such as the US, UK and Australia.

An estimated 49 million Americans (one in six) alone claim German heritage – many will be descended from German immigrants whose names can be found in these phone books.

As phone books provide an annual account of an individual’s location, they are a hugely valuable resource for tracing people’s movements around Germany before or after the two World Wars and the Great Depression, during the tyranny of the Third Reich and following Germany’s division by the Berlin Wall.

“Few countries in the 20^th century have experienced the scale of social and economic change that Germany has, as many Germans moved around the country and the world before and after the two world wars,” said Josh Hanna, senior vice president of Ancestry.com International. “These directories will play a vital role for those with German heritage trying to trace their family to a particular place and time.”

The information they contain: for the cities of Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt am Main and Leipzig, is especially useful when supplemented with complementary documents such as passenger lists and censuses, which can help trace individuals’ movements around the globe.

In addition to everyday Germans, the phone books contain names of some of the country’s most famous - and infamous - citizens, including:

*Albert Einstein – The Nobel Prize winning physicist is listed in the 1930 Berlin directory as Prof. Dr. Univ. His phone number was 2807.

*Marlene Dietrich – The legendary actress who starred in Shanghai Express is listed in the 1930 Berlin directory living at 54 Kaiserallee. Her telephone number was H1 Pfalzburg 2142.

*Eva Braun – Mistress and later wife of Adolf Hitler, Ms. Braun is listed in the 1937 Munich directory living at Wasserburger Strasse. Her telephone number was 480844.

*Rudolf Hess – Hitler’s private secretary and later Deputy Fuhrer is listed in the 1938 Hamburg directory, which describes his title as ‘SS-Untersturmfuhrer’.

*Dr Karl Braun – The physicist, inventor and Nobel Prize winner traveled to the US in 1914 but was forbidden to return when America entered the First World War. He is listed in the 1915 Berlin director, with no further entries after that year. Braun died in Brooklyn, New York in 1918.

*Otto Lagerfeld – The father of the famous fashion designer Karl appears in the 1933 Hamburg directory living in the wealthy Elbchaussee. His telephone number was 462349. It is believed that Karl Lagerfeld still owns an exclusive villa on that street.

*Kaiser Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert von Preußen – Germany’s last Kaiser is listed in the 1915 Berlin directory residing in the Royal Castle Berlin. His phone number was 482.

German Phone Directories, 1915-1981 also list names and addresses for many of Germany’s major businesses operating during the 20^th century, including an entry for BMW listed in Munich in 1928.

In addition to the German directories, Ancestry.com hosts the British phone books, 1880-1984, which contain the names of more than 280 million Brits, including the phone number of heroic wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who is listed as ‘Central London – 6823’.

The German Phone Directories, 1915-1981, will be available on all Ancestry.com websites to members and through a 14-day free trial.

About Ancestry.com and The Generations Network: The Generations Network, Inc., through its flagship Ancestry.com property, is the world's leading resource for online family history. Ancestry.com has local websites in nine countries and has digitized and put online over 8 billion names and 28,000 historical records collections over the past ten years. Since July 2006, Ancestry.com users have created 10 million family trees containing 1 billion profiles and 20 million photographs and stories. The Generations Network also includes myfamily.com, Genealogy.com, Rootsweb.ancestry.com, MyCanvas.com, dna.ancestry.com, Family Tree Maker and Ancestry Magazine. More than 9.2 million unique visitors spent over 4.7 million hours on a TGN website in March 2009 (comScore Media Metrix, Worldwide).

FGS and PMC Conference and Advertising Deadlines Approaching

From Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FGS/AGS Conference National Publicity Chair:

Early registration discount

The deadline for the early registration discount for this “Passages through Time” Conference for the Nation’s Genealogists is inching closer. This Federation of Genealogical Societies/Arkansas Genealogical Society Conference takes place from 2-5 September in Little Rock, Arkansas.

As of May 6^th, the discount deadline is less than four (4) weeks away. If you register (postmarked or online) by 2 June 2009, you save $50.00 off the full registration price. This is also the discount deadline for the Association of Professional Genealogists Professional Management Conference. www.apgen.org. APG members can save $30.00 off the price for that special part of the conference. It’s easy to register for both online at the FGS Website www.fgsconference.org. That site has the full program which can be sorted in a variety of ways, details on meal events, Exhibit Hall reservations, conference hotels, travel and other important information. Of course, we welcome your registration after 2 June, but the discount will not be available.

Watch the Conference Blog www.fgsconferenceblog.org for updated details that every registrant will need to know. The blog will also carry some special announcements from the Federation of Genealogical Societies and the local host, the Arkansas Genealogical Society! A subject index to previous blogs posts for this conference is in the right hand column of the blog.


Advertise your business, services, publications and memberships

FGS welcomes advertising from genealogical and historical businesses, individuals, publications, websites, or organizations for the conference syllabus and the onsite Conference Guide. The Conference Guide is used each day by registrants to find which lectures and speakers are at a given time and in what room, locations for special events and meals, and where each exhibitor is located in the Exhibit Hall. One affordable payment includes the placement of the same ad in the printed and CD versions of the syllabus and in the onsite Guide.

Advertising Cost and Details: Black and white camera-ready advertisement placed in both the printed and CD versions of the syllabus and the Conference Guide for just one payment:

1/4-page ad (3.5" x 5") - $70

1/2-page ad (7.5" x 5") - $135

Full-page ad (8.25" x 10.75") - $235

Inside Front Cover (full-page) - $325

Inside Back Cover (full-page) - $325

The deadline for submitting the advertisement and payment is 01 June 2009. Send inquiries, advertisements, and payment details to Conference Chair Jan Davenport at FGS2009@fgs.org.

If you have any questions about the advertising or payment, contact Jan at that same email.

FamilySearch News: David E. Rencher Named FamilySearch Chief Genealogical Officer

SALT LAKE CITY—FamilySearch today named David E. Rencher Chief Genealogical Officer (CGO). He will have responsibility to help FamilySearch align strategic business decisions with needs and demands of genealogy-related markets. Rencher is a 28-year veteran of FamilySearch and a popular leader in genealogy and archive circles. He has held leadership positions with several national organizations, is a professional genealogist, and is in great demand as a keynote speaker. In addition to his new role as the CGO, Rencher will continue to direct FamilySearch’s collection development activities.

FamilySearch is a growing, worldwide organization focused on providing quicker and more affordable access to genealogical records. The chief genealogical officer helps ensure various efforts in the genealogy community are connecting with FamilySearch’s efforts and that FamilySearch continues to grow in genealogical understanding and depth as an organization.

"We are pleased to place David’s talents in this key role," said Jay Verkler, chief executive officer of FamilySearch. "David will provide a public face for FamilySearch to communities it serves and be a representative voice for the genealogical market, products, and services,” continued Verkler.

Given his deep experience and strong industry relationships, Rencher will serve as a liaison to key industry communities and associations worldwide. Rencher and his organization will also provide input on third-party affiliation opportunities and related marketing initiatives, and he will help build an open FamilySearch environment.

“I’m hopeful that the new CGO position can provide a genealogical perspective to our products and services and ensure that we adhere to fundamental principles that are genealogically sound. The genealogical community looks to us to provide that kind of leadership, and in turn, this is a significant benefit to FamilySearch patrons because it ensures that what we do contributes to the accuracy of linking families together,” said David Rencher, CGO for FamilySearch.

During his career at FamilySearch, David has been instrumental in the development of key services and databases. He has worked to ensure that patrons of family history centers had more timely delivery of microfilm, and he has extended microfilm circulation to public libraries. He initiated the book scanning program for the Family History Library collection, and he was instrumental in the production of the automated indexes for the Social Security Death records, the 1880 U.S. Census, the 1881 British Census, and the military casualty files for Korea and Vietnam. He spent a number of years aligning the standards FamilySearch uses for names and localities and worked on record-matching techniques for FamilySearch databases.

Rencher is an Accredited Genealogist^CM with ICAPGen^SM in Ireland research and a Certified Genealogist^SM with the Board for Certification of Genealogists^®. He holds a BA in Family and Local History from Brigham Young University. He served as president of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) from 1997 to 2000 and the Utah Genealogical Association (UGA) from 1993 to 1995. He is a Fellow of the UGA and the Irish Genealogical Research Society, London. He is currently serving as the chair of the joint Federation of Genealogical Societies and National Genealogical Society committee for Record Preservation and Access and serves as a director for the National Institute of Genealogical Research Alumni Association (NIGRAA). He will continue to serve as the vice president of the Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU) and the director of the Planning and Coordination Division of FamilySearch.

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 may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries, including the renowned Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

FamilySearch Record Search Update: 2 Million Records Added

Two million new records were added to the FamilySearch Records Search pilot. The completed statewide deaths index for Alabama was published—over 1.8 million names. This collection covers deaths from 1908 to 1974.

Digital collections were added for Jamaica (Trelawny Parish Civil Registration—births), the 1892 New York Census, and Spain (Avila Diocese, Catholic Church Records).

These collections can be searched for free at the FamilySearch.org Records Search pilot (click Search Records, and then click Record Search pilot).

Collections

Alabama Statewide Deaths
Indexed Records: 1,858,819
Comments: New—Full collection, no images

Jamaica, Trelawny Parish Civil Registration Births
Digital Images: 66,333
Comments: New—Full collection, images only

New York Census, 1892
Digital Images: 19,634
Comments: New—Full collection, images only

Spain, Avila Diocese, Catholic Church Records
Digital Images: 48,788
Comments: New—images and updated localities

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 may 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.

FamilySearch Indexing Update 5 May 2009

The 1916 Canada Census is now available for free for patrons of family history centers through the center’s AncestryInstitution.com login.

Our indexers wrapped up 11 projects and 8 new projects were added. In U.S. Collections, Arkansas County Marriages, Illinois Cook County Births, and Minnesota, Montana, and Nebraska for the 1920 U.S. Census were added. Yucatan, Mexico (1930 Census), Avila, Spain (Moraleja de Matacabras Parish Registers), and Canada, (British Columbia Marriages) were the latest International projects added.

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.)

· Australia, New South Wales Newspaper Clippings, 1861-1987

· Illinois, Cook County Birth Registers, 1905-1916

· Indiana Marriage Returns, 1882-1905

· Mexico, Censo de 1930–Sonora

· Mexico, Censo de 1930–Tabasco

· Minnesota 1895 State Census

· Missouri–1920 US Federal Census

· Nevada–1920 US Federal Census

· New Mexico–1920 US Federal Census

· Spain, Ávila–Registros Parroquiales, 1572-1890

· UK, Cheshire–School Records, 1796-1950


Current FamilySearch Indexing Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

Argentina, Buenos Aires 1855 Census, Spanish, 20%

Argentina Censo 1869–Catamarca y La Rioja, Spanish, 78%

Argentina Censo 1869–Corrientes y Entre Rios, Spanish, 64%

Arkansas County Marriages V, 1837-1957, English, 64%

Arkansas County Marriages VI, 1837-1957, English, (New)

Belgium–Antwerp Foreigners Index, 1840-1930, Dutch, Flemish, 33%

Brandenburg Kirchenbücher, 1789-1875, German, 55%*

France, Coutances, Paroisses de la Manche, 1792-1906, French, 9%

Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1916-1922, Part 1, English, (New)

Italy, Trento Baptism Records, 1784-1924, Italian, 68%

Mexico, Censo de 1930–Sinaloa, Spanish, 53%

Mexico, Censo de 1930–Tamaulipas, Spanish, 29%

Mexico, Censo de 1930–Yucatan, Spanish, (New)

Minnesota–1920 US Federal Census, English, (New)

Montana–1920 US Federal Census, English, (New)

Nebraska–1920 US Federal Census, English, (New)

New York 1892 State Census, English, 92%

Nicaragua, Managua Civil Records, 1879-Present, Spanish, 15%

Peru, Lima–Registros Civiles, 1910-1930, Spanish, 21%

Rhode Island 1925 State Census, English, 93%

Russia, St Petersburg Kirchenbuchduplikat, 1833-1885, German, 1%

Spain, Avila, Moraleja de Matacabras, 1540-1904, Spanish, (New)

Spain, Lugo–Registros Parroquiales [Part 1], 1530-1930, Spanish, 17%

UK, Cheshire–Land Tax, 1778-1832, English, 72%

Ukraine, Kyiv, 1840-1842, Russian, 13%

Venezuela, Mérida Registros Parroquiales. 1654-1992, Spanish, 1%

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


Current FamilySearch Partner Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

Arkansas Marriages IV, 1837-1957, English, 27%

Belgique–Registres Des Décès (Français), 1796-1910, French, 21%*

België–Overlijdens Registers–Charleroi, 1851-1900, Dutch, Flemish, 12%

België–Overlijdens Registers–In het Nederlands, 1796-1910, Dutch, Flemish, 79%*

België–Overlijdens Registers–Kalmthout, 1851-1900, Dutch, Flemish, 14%

België–Overlijdens Registers–Mechelen, 1851-1900, Dutch, Flemish, 1%

Bremer Schifflisten, 1904-1914, German, 49%

Flanders Death Registration, 1796-1900, French, Dutch, Flemish, 78%*

Indiana Marriages, 1882 to April 1905, English, 86%

Norway 1875 Census part 1, Norwegian, 22%

Nova Scotia, Antigonish Church Records, 1823-1905, English, 76%

Ohio Tax Records–2 of 4, Post 1825, English, 75%

Vermont Militia Records, 1861-1867, English, 38%

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


Current FamilySearch Regional Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

Australia, Sydney Cemetery Inscriptions, 1800-1960, English, 3%

Australia–Victoria Probate Records, 1853-1989, English, 61%

Canada, British Columbia Marriages, 1859-1932, English, (New)

Quebec-Trois-Rivieres_IC, 1800-1900, French, 42%

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 may 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.

FamilySearch Publishes its First Portuguese Collection Online

Millions of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro Civil Registration Records Now Digitally Searchable on the Web

SALT LAKE CITY—FamilySearch added the Brazil, Rio de Janeiro Civil Registration to its online collection—about 4.5 million new digital images. The free collection contains searchable digital images of the original birth, marriage, and death records from all of the municipalities in the state of Rio de Janeiro from 1889 to 2006. The new digital images can be searched for free at FamilySearch.org (click Search Records, and then click Record Search pilot).

The published records cover births up to 1930, marriages to 1950, and deaths up to 2006. There are an estimated 18 million names in the free online digital collection. FamilySearch continues to film civil registration records in Rio de Janeiro and will update the collection as applicable.

Prior to now, the Rio de Janeiro Civil Registration records were only available in archive offices in Brazil or on microfilm through one of FamilySearch’s family history centers worldwide. FamilySearch digitized the collection—over 2,500 microfilms, spanning 117 years of vital records—and published them online for free public access.

“Now instead of ordering some of the films and traveling to a local family history center to use it, researchers worldwide can search any of the 2,500 films digitally and freely online from the comfort of their home,” said Paul Nauta, FamilySearch public affairs manager. “Family history enthusiasts with Rio de Janeiro ancestors have just been handed a big-time free gift,” added Nauta.

FamilySearch’s online digital image viewer makes it easy to search the historical documents. Patrons can quickly navigate from a Rio de Janeiro municipality down to individual towns. Simply click on a town, and the images are typically divided up by birth, marriage, death, and a year range—making it very convenient to comb through the original records for that town during a specific period in search of a Brazilian ancestor from Rio de Janeiro. Digital images can also be printed or saved electronically.

“Civil registrations (Registros Civis) are the vital records made by the Brazilian government and are an excellent source of accurate information on names, dates, and vital events,” said Lynn Turner, FamilySearch collection manager records specialist for Latin America. “The new digital image collection online is extremely important for those doing genealogical research in Rio de Janeiro because they document critical events in a person’s life and cover such a large percentage of the population—and they are freely accessible to anyone with Internet access,” concluded Turner.

Civil records were kept for all the population, including the Catholics and the non-Catholics. There was a large infusion of non-Catholics in Brazil after the 1880s. The civil registration records are an important public record of this section of the population as well.

FamilySearch has the largest collection of Brazilian vital records outside of Brazil. Currently these records are available to the public on microfilm through FamilySearch’s 4,500 family history centers worldwide or affiliate public libraries. FamilySearch plans to continue expanding online access to its Brazil collections. Pernambuco and Paranã will be the next state civil registrations added to the collection.

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 may 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.

Obituary Database

The Obituary Database of the Spokane Public Library has finally gone online and is ready to be searched! The web site is here. It currently includes over 17,000 records and is complete from January 1, 2008 on. Earlier records are included and are one’s that I have done lookups for and added to the database. It is searchable by name. Check it out and let us know what you think!

Reminder: Get Your Registration In to Hear Colleen Fitzpatrick

Kootenai County Genealogical Society
& The Family History Store
Present

Colleen Fitzpatrick, PhD - Forensic Genealogist

Come join us - May 30, 2009

Friends Church
251 West Miles Avenue - Hayden, Idaho

Dr. Fitzpatrick is the author of several books, including:

Forensic Genealogy

DNA & Genealogy

The Dead Horse Investigation: Forensic Photo Analysis for Everyone

Dr. Fitzpatrick is world renowned for her expertise in solving the cases of "The Hand in the Snow" in Alaska, "The Unknown Baby from the Titanic," and in helping Dr. Ken Waltzer expose the Herman Rosenblat Holcaust Fraud.

9:30 a.m. ~ Registration

10:15 a.m. ~ Introductions

10:30-11:30 a.m. ~ Session 1: Forensic Genealogy
CSI Meets Roots: The DNA Detective - As described in Forensic Genealogy and DNA & Genealogy, and featured on National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation program, forensic scientists and genealogists share the same goal - to find out who was who, and who did what and when. If you are interested in using your genealogical materials in unique and innovative ways, this talk is for you! Come learn new approaches to using photographs, databases, and DNA either alone or in combination to solve your genealogical mysteries. This talk will give you new insights into how DNA works and how it can be useful.

11:30-12:00 p.m. ~ Break and Browse Books

Lunch Break ~ 12:00 - 1:00
Bring a sack lunch or eat at a nearby restaurant

1:00-2:00 p.m. ~ Session 2: DNA & Genealogy
You Will Never Look at Your Old Photos the Same Way Again! As featured on NPR’s Talk of the Nation with Neil Conan, in Internet Genealogy, Family Tree Magazine, Ancestry, and Family Chronicle, Forensic Genealogy offers innovative new tools for getting the most information out of your old photographs. This talk will present innovative approaches to identifying old photographs, many drawn from Forensic Genealogy and from solutions to the weekly photographic quizzes offered on the website www.forensicgenealogy.info. After attending this talk, you will never look at your old photos the same way again!

2:00-2:30 p.m. ~ Break and Browse Books

2:30-3:30 p.m. ~ Session 3 Forensic Photo

Analysis: The Database Detective- Discovering facts about your ancestor such as his birth, marriage, and death dates is much easier to find nowadays thanks to the internet. The challenge to modern genealogists is to extract information from those facts. As featured on National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation program, and as the cover article of Internet Genealogy, Family Tree Magazine, Ancestry, and Family Chronicle, Forensic Genealogy shows you how to extract exciting and unusual information about your ancestors by milking databases for every drop of information they can provide.

3:30-4:00 p.m. ~ Break and Browse Books

$25 Pre-registration ~ $30 at the door, if space is available

Make checks payable to KCGS and mail with name, address and phone number to:
Kootenai County Genealogical Society
8385 North Government Way
Hayden, Idaho 83835

Space is limited so pre-registrations must be in by May 15, 2009.

Questions? Contact Louisa Durkin at (208) 699-2687 or (208) 666-6064
or email leory1@earthlink.net.