New Ancestry.com Family Tree Maker 2011 Introduces More Than 100 Enhancements to Software

No. 1 Selling Family Tree Software Offers Simplicity and Depth for Recording Family Histories

PROVO, Utah, August 31, 2010 – Ancestry.com today announced the release of Ancestry.com Family Tree Maker® 2011, an improved version of the world’s No. 1 selling family history software.

For the last 20 years, Family Tree Maker has provided tools that make it easy to build family trees, record memories and organize family photos. Family Tree Maker also enables users to capture stories, and attach videos and audio clips in a way that will help them easily capture and share the story of their ancestors both on-and offline.

“Family Tree Maker 2011 delivers significant improvements on many fronts.  By incorporating changes recommended by a diverse base of novice and experienced family researchers, we have arrived at what we believe to be our best release yet,” said Eric Shoup, Senior Vice President of Product at Ancestry.com. “With the recent surge in interest in family history, Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker have an important role to play in creating new family historians.”

Without leaving Family Tree Maker, users can search the robust collection of family history records on Ancestry.com and simply incorporate matching results directly into their tree. Family Tree Maker 2011 automatically searches Ancestry.com for historical documents about the individuals in the user’s family tree when connected to the Internet. Family Tree Maker 2011 comes with either a free trial or subscription to Ancestry.com.

Ancestry.com Family Tree Maker makes it easier than ever to discover your family story, preserve your legacy and share your unique heritage. Of the more than one hundred enhancements added to the software, the following are some of the new and improved features found in Family Tree Maker 2011:

• Smart Stories™ – Ready to start on an ancestor’s story? The Smart Story editor makes it easy to drag and drop text and photos from your tree into story pages that will update automatically when you make changes to your tree.
• More Complete and Relevant Timelines – Find and add more events to your ancestors' lives. Add, edit and delete your own historical events and apply historical events by time and geography.
• New and Improved Charts – Enjoy four new fan chart styles. Enhance charts with backgrounds, borders and embellishments. And use fonts you can change based on fact type.
• Improved Integration with Ancestry.com – Ancestry.com has millions of members all over the world. Now you can find out if any of them are searching for your ancestors by viewing Member Connect activity on your home page, plus links to related message boards and new messages in your inbox. You'll also enjoy faster uploading and downloading of your tree.
• New Media Management Tools - Drag and drop, cut and paste, and even categorize multiple items at the same time. You'll also find a new tool that will help you locate missing media files.
• Enhanced Reports – Enhanced ancestor and descendant reports, added a surname report and allowed you to sort custom reports, plus you can now save and reuse report settings.

Family Tree Maker 2011 will include either a printed or electronic Companion Guide to help users quickly master the simple and even advanced tasks. The Companion Guide will come with easy-to-understand screenshots of the software.

Family Tree Maker 2011 is now available to purchase online at http://www.familytreemaker.com/ starting at $39.95. The program is also set to be released in select retail stores.

Internet access required for all Web integration.

About Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM) is the world's largest online family history resource, with more than one million paying subscribers. The company has digitized and put online more than 5 billion records over the past 13 years. Ancestry users have created over 18 million family trees containing nearly 1.8 billion profiles. Ancestry.com has local Web sites directed at nine countries, including its flagship Web site at www.ancestry.com.

Ancestry.com Launches the Largest Searchable Online Yearbook Collection

Ancestry.com Launches the Largest Searchable Online Yearbook Collection that Includes Photos of Will Smith, Sandra Bullock and Betty White

World’s Largest Family History Website Adds 58 Million New Yearbook Records

PROVO, UTAH – August 27, 2010 – Ancestry.com today launched millions of records that now make up the largest searchable collection of yearbooks available online. Along with Ancestry.com’s existing collections, there are now more than 60 million yearbook records available in the site’s U.S. School Yearbook collection, which also includes class and candid photos of famous celebrities.

The 10,000 yearbooks included in the new U.S. School Yearbook collection feature yearbooks from high schools, junior highs, academies, colleges, and universities—military, public, parochial, and private—from almost every state in the United States spanning 1875-1988.

“The new U.S. School Yearbook collection just made starting your family history even easier by adding an entirely new dimension to your research,” said Christopher Tracy, Senior Vice President of Global Content at Ancestry.com. “Yearbooks contain graduation and candid photos, which add insight into an ancestor’s extracurricular activities in school. Along with our ever-expanding database of billions of other historical records, the U.S. School Yearbook collection will help people discover the deeper details about their ancestors that they would not have otherwise been able to find.”

What can be found in an old yearbook? Perhaps you will find a photo of your great grandfather or even a famous classmate. Like Ancestry.com that discovered the Academy Award-winner, Sandra Bullock, at her high school homecoming dance was already fighting off men – or in this case a young man – trying to steal a kiss on the dance floor, or a teenage Will Smith tackling science class before he ventured off to be the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Below are more details on the new celebrity photos found in the U.S. School Yearbook collection. In addition to their official yearbook photos, many of today’s biggest stars were captured in their school activities exhibiting the dynamism that later brought them to fame and fortune.

• Sandra Bullock – “To be a varsity cheerleader, the girls had to sacrifice a lot of time, money and energy,” appeared in the 1982 Washington-Lee High School yearbook story on the Arlington, Virginia Varsity Cheerleaders, which included Academy Award-winner Sandra Bullock. Bullock had no shortage of energy since Ancestry.com also discovered her high school photos from the Thespian Honor Society and the German Honor Society. Of course she still had time to attend the Homecoming Dance where her dancing partner was captured trying to steal a kiss.
• Betty White - The Emmy Award-winning actress is experiencing a career comeback after a Facebook campaign landed her a gig as the most popular guest host on this past season of “Saturday Night Live”. Along with her newly discovered popularity, White’s fans can now share her newly discovered high school photo from Beverly Hills High School in 1936.
• Will Smith – The Overbrook High School yearbook photo of top international box-office star and Academy Award nominee, Will Smith, shows he was once a high school student perplexed by science, in 1986 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, before he was a ‘man in black.’
• Alec Baldwin – Alexander Baldwin was no high school activity slouch at Alfred G. Berner High School in Massapequa, New York. In 1976, he served as Class President, and was a member of the youth council, drama club, the student activities council, the lacrosse and football teams.
• Brad Pitt – Academy Award-nominee and Angelina Jolie’s significant other exercised his creativity in high school as a member of the 1981-82 Kickapoo High School Student Council in Springfield, Missouri. This newly discovered photo finds Pitt creating the decorations for the school’s “Chief Ceremonial.”
• Nicolas Cage – A very young Nicolas Coppola is pictured in his Beverly Hills High School 1979 yearbook official picture looking quite serious hiding any glimpse to the versatile star’s great sense of humor.
• Jay Leno – The “Tonight Show” host was recognized early on by his classmates who named him the “funniest” in this candid photo of Leno in his Loyola Academy (Andover, Massachusetts) 1966 yearbook. Also noted next to his class yearbook photo, Leno listed his possible future career as “retired millionaire.”
• Matt Lauer - The popular "Today" show anchor revealed his secret to success as a broadcast journalist, who often has to ask tough questions, in the quote he selected by English writer William Hazlitt that ran under his official 1975 Greenwich High School (Connecticut) yearbook photo, "He will never make true friends who is afraid of making enemies.”

The entire yearbook collection will be available on Ancestry.com to existing members or through a 14-day free trial for new members.

For anyone interested in discovering their ancestors in the yearbook collection, visit www.ancestry.com/yearbook to search the full collection of 60 million records.

About Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM) is the world's largest online family history resource, with more than one million paying subscribers. More than 5 billion records have been added to the site in the past 13 years. Ancestry users have created more than 18 million family trees containing over 1.8 billion profiles. Ancestry.com has local Web sites directed at nine countries, including its flagship Web site at www.ancestry.com.

Ancestry.com and NBC Team Up for a Second Season of "Who Do You Think You Are?"

World's Largest Family History Web Site Continues Sponsorship of Critically Acclaimed TV Series That Takes a Personal Look at Celebrity Family Histories

PROVO, Utah, August 25, 2010 – Ancestry.com is pleased to announce it has extended its relationship with NBC for the second season of the “Who Do You Think You Are?” television series.

Ancestry.com worked with NBC on the first season of “Who Do You Think You Are?” that debuted in March 2010. The company provided important family history research for the show, including tracing the roots of the seven celebrities featured, and collaborated with NBC to promote the series. Each episode took one celebrity on an emotional, and often times soul-searching journey to discover the lives of family members who came before them.

“It is remarkable to work on this series with the leader in the online family history category, Ancestry.com,” said Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President of Alternative Programming & Production at NBC Universal. “A show of this caliber takes a lot of research and ground work to make the celebrities stories come to life. With the valued collaboration of Ancestry.com, we’ve been able to tell seven amazing stories in the first season, and look forward to even greater family history discoveries to be uncovered in season two.”

“We are excited to continue working with NBC on this series,” said Josh Hanna, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Marketing for Ancestry.com. “The first season of the show has truly elevated awareness around the family history category and we couldn’t be more pleased to be an integral part of a television series that brings excitement to the discoveries people can make when researching their ancestral roots.”

“Who Do You Think You Are?” is produced by Wall to Wall Entertainment in collaboration with Lisa Kudrow and Dan Bucatinsky for their production company, Is or Isn’t Entertainment. NBC has announced the show will air in the 2010-11 season.

About Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM) is the world's largest online family history resource, with more than one million paying subscribers. More than 5 billion records have been added to the site in the past 13 years. Ancestry users have created more than 18 million family trees containing over 1.8 billion profiles. Ancestry.com has local Web sites directed at nine countries, including its flagship Web site at www.ancestry.com.

Thomas MacEntee Featured Speaker at Annual EWGS October Workshop

The Eastern Washington Genealogical Society presents its annual October Workshop Saturday, October 2, 2010 at the Spokane Public Library, 906 W. Main, 1st Floor Meeting Rooms in Spokane, Washington. Noted genealogy blogger, writer, and lecturer Thomas MacEntee will be our featured speaker. His presentations include:

• Facebook for Genealogists
• Become a Genealogy Blog User
• Building a Genealogy Blog
• Google Docs for Beginners

Thomas specializes in educating the “non-techie” crowd on various types of technology in a friendly and non-threatening environment.

Cost will be $20 for EWGS members or $25 for non-members, which includes a choice of three box lunches from Apple Spice Junction for pre-registered attendees. A special presentation, "Building a Research Toolbox," will be held for EWGS members only on Friday evening, October 1 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM, in the same location. A registration form can be downloaded here.

Check in will be at 8:30 AM Saturday and the workshop will be held from 9:00 AM through 3:30 PM. A lunch break will take place from 11:45 AM to 1:15 PM. Paid parking is available across the street in River Park Square. For more information, contact Miriam Robbins Midkiff.

2010 WSGS Conference

WSGS Annual Conference 2010

Journey of Discovery


When: Friday, September 17, 2010 (bonus) 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Saturday, September 18, 2010 8:00 -3:45 pm

Where:
Assembly of God Bethel Church
132 Kirkland Road
Chehalis, Washington

Hosted by
Lewis County Genealogical Society and
Lower Columbia Genealogical Society




Speaker: Saturday - Diane VanSkiver Gagel


Topics:
1. No AAA? How did our Ancestors get here?
Depending on what your ancestors migration trail may be in America, have you ever thought that they came without having Triple A maps and guidebooks? Knowing why and how our ancestors moved west provides clues and insights into our ancestors' lives.

2. Women and the Law: Researching our Female Ancestors
Tracing our foremothers can often be difficult; however, knowing the laws at a particular time can provide information and clues about our female ancestors that most genealogists overlook.

3. Ancestors in the Attic: Finding and Sharing Family Photographs
This session provides information on finding photographs or seeking identification of photographs of our ancestors from distant relatives, libraries, and on the net, preserving, and sharing our photographs with others in using cameras, computer technology and the net.

4. Social History and Genealogy: Filling in the Gaps
During this session, Social History will be discussed to find clues about our ancestors and their lives as well as using Social History to write family histories through fleshing out the bones of information from our genealogical research.


For more information:click here

NEHGS Launches New Website

AmericanAncestors.org reflects organization's expanding national collection and resources

Boston, MA - August 19, 2010 - D. Brenton Simons, President and CEO of the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), today announced the launch of AmericanAncestors.org, the organization's new website that will serve as the home of its growing regional and national genealogical resources. AmericanAncestors.org will contain all of the Society's New England and New York content, features, articles, and resources, as well as weekly updates and databases in a variety of regional and ethnic specialties, such as sources for mid-Atlantic, Irish, and African American research.

AmericanAncestors.org provides online access to some of the most important research tools and resources available, and includes a new image viewer, faster navigation and search results time, and more unique content. This expanded scope allows greater opportunity for NEHGS to bring unique content to its members and the public while establishing new and beneficial collaborations with likeminded non-profit organizations and important commercial entities.

Simons said, "This website marks a transformative experience in our 165-year history, the first genealogical society founded in America. It represents the next major step ahead as we continue to expand our resources." Simons added, "AmericanAncestors.org is a new, dynamic platform from which we will grow in our position as a leader in American genealogy and as the nation's largest genealogical society."

Simons also said that NEHGS remains committed to its core strength, namely New England genealogical scholarship. "New England will always be our greatest strength and primary focus, as well as our cherished institutional name. We have much New England material to bring to the public and the new website will add 25 million additional New England names to search."

NEHGS Board Chairman, Eric B. Schultz, said, "AmericanAncestors.org will help family historians of all levels have a much better understanding of our core assets and resources. We are proud of the fact that NEHGS has worked to define genealogy in America, and this site will help advance our important national mission."

Among other things, AmericanAncestors.org will provide:

• More exclusive content: more unique, searchable, highly vetted materials for New England, New York, and other regions added weekly
• Enhanced search engine: an all-new, true "master search" that will search across all databases and other web-based content, with faster results and easier navigation
• Personal research profile: a social networking feature for NEHGS members to develop an online profile and input family research information, and even share them with others
• Improved images: a state-of-the-art new image viewer that will provide easier saving, and viewing of images and data
• Timely information: more news on our homepage and an enhanced blog "The Daily Genealogist" will bring our weekly electronic newsletter to the next level with stories and helpful research tips

In addition, NEHGS is inviting people to sign up for the NEHGS "Guest User" program. This free registration gives anyone access to the popular weekly news stories as well as special access to a variety of databases, resources, articles, and other tools to help with their research. More information can be found on the NEHGS website at www.AmericanAncestors.org.

The Society's "American Ancestors" identity was announced earlier this year, when its quarterly member magazine was rebranded American Ancestors: New England, New York, and Beyond. In October 2009, NEHGS began publishing American Ancestors Journal, an annual supplement to its quarterly journal, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register.

Feature Update: Tennessee Page on FamilySearch Research Wiki

Summary

The Tennessee page on the FamilySearch Research Wiki has recently been updated and now includes a wealth of new information and resources to help people find their ancestors in the Volunteer State. The link for this revised page is: http://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Tennessee

Background

The FamilySearch Research Wiki is a free resource created by the genealogy community. The core content for the Tennessee page was contributed by the expert researchers at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. The page also includes tips and research advice from local experts.

The Wiki staff is currently working on updating all of the state pages; Tennessee is one of the first because the 2010 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference will be held in Knoxville August 18 to 21. For more information about the FGS conference, please visit: http://www.fgs.org/2010conference/index.php .

Page Highlights

• A clickable county map on the main page
• Easy navigation at the bottom of each page
• How to find Tennessee sources in archives, libraries, in print, and online
• Information on substitute sources when records are lost
• Local lists of published family histories
• Links to published Tennessee county tax lists
• Audio files of locals pronouncing Tennessee county names
• Contact information for volunteers who will look up information in local resources

Quotes 

“These pages are beautiful and contain a wealth of valuable information.”

 --Charles Reeves Jr., Cartographer and TNGenWeb County Coordinatorfor Bedford, Clay, Jackson, and Putnam Counties

“We’ve pulled together Family History Library staff and local experts to create outstanding research guides for Tennessee genealogists. The web 2.0 format allows new information to be added as soon as it becomes available, unlike printed guides, where updates wait until the next edition. If you were to print all 154 Tennessee Wiki county, topic, and archive guides found on this site, and bind it into a book, this Tennessee genealogy encyclopedia would be more than 1000 pages long."

--Nathan W. Murphy, MA, AG, Tennessee Wiki Project Team Leader