TIP OF THE WEEK – 1921 CENSUS OF ENGLAND AND WALES The National Archives of the UK has announced the 1921 Census of England and Wales will be available online at Findmypast beginning January 6, 2022. This census is especially important since the 1931 census was destroyed by fire and no census was taken in 1941 because of World War II.
TIP OF THE WEEK – ‘TIS THE SEASON Predictably, DNA Test kits and memberships with the major DNA testing companies and family history research companies are on sale in November.
Ancestry is advertising their autosomal DNA Test kits on sale for $59 plus shipping. Also they have gift membership subscriptions on sale for 30% off. This sale is advertised to run until November 24, 2021. No guarantee, but in previous Novembers their autosomal DNA Test kits have sold for $49 plus shipping on Black Friday.
23andMe is advertising their Ancestry+Traits service for $79 (20% savings) and their Health+Ancestry Service for $99 (50% savings). This sale is advertised to run until November 29, 2021.
MyHeritage is offering DNA tests for $47 plus shipping and gift membership subscriptions starting at $99.
If you are in the market for DNA tests or membership subscriptions, check out each company’s web site for the services and deals that suit your needs.
TIP OF THE WEEK – SGS BOOK SALE WE’RE HAVING A BOOK SALE!
SGS has successfully moved our library to the Good Shepherd Center and will open soon for your research use. Meanwhile, at our former home on Sand Point Way there remain many, many books and periodicals that will not be making the move – and a few file cabinets, chairs, tables and bookcases as well. Don’t miss this chance to give some good books a new home!
SGS BOOK SALE – MEMBERS ONLY HOURS Thursday, November 11, 2021, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm Sale opens to the general public from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.
SGS BOOK SALE – OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC Friday, November 12, 2021, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Everything must go!
The sale will be held in our former library space under the blue awning at
TIP OF THE WEEK – LEARN THE LEEDS METHOD WITH A VIDEO The Leeds Method is simple, useful, and visual. After doing it once, you might comment “Gee, why didn’t I think of that?”. This method can be especially helpful for an adoptee or for someone with an unknown parent or grandparent.
In the Leeds Method you are organizing your DNA matches; therefore, generating hints for yourself by grouping your DNA matches according to shared (in common) DNA. Your matches are color coded and displayed in columns in a table.
In the purest form you will end up with 4 columns, each representing one of your grandparents’ family line. Then you must further evaluate each column of shared DNA matches by doing traditional genealogy.
You can learn the steps and more about the Leeds Method at Dana Leeds’ website: https://www.danaleeds.com/
But, since the Leeds Method is so visual, why not get a quick start by watching Dana’s presentation at RootsTech 2019. In the video, she is the third speaker in the hour-long Power Hour Session entitled “You Can Do DNA”. In this video, there are 3 speakers and 3 subjects:
“Do: The Right Test” with Christi Jacobsen “Do: Understand Your Ethnicity” with Diahan Southard “Do: Work on Your Matches” with Dana Leeds
Watch the entire video or skip to about 40 minutes to see Dana’s presentation.
TIP OF THE WEEK – SHARED DNA EXPLAINED IN A TABLE It happens frequently. Someone orders an autosomal DNA test, returns their DNA specimen, and when their results come in, they are confused by what it all means — what is a cM (centimorgan), how significant is this amount of shared DNA, and why does the predicted relationship say this match is a first cousin, when it actually is a great uncle?
In Family Tree Magazine online, I found the basics of DNA matches explained concisely, along with a table titled “Estimating Relationships from Shared DNA”. It all fits on one printed page. A cheat sheet, if you will; it should be helpful to the DNA novice. The table is compact with each row showing:
average shared DNA in cM
average shared DNA in percentages
probable/possible relationship(s) for this amount of shared DNA
If you are interested in learning more about DNA, SGS has two user groups, the DNA Special Interest Group that meets quarterly, and a DNA Workshop Group that meets monthly. See the Calendar of Events on the SGS website for upcoming meetings.
TIP OF THE WEEK – THE FREEDMEN’S BUREAU COLLECTION A bill, passed by U.S. Congress and signed by President Abe Lincoln, established the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands on March 3, 1865. It was part of their plan for reconstructing the post-Civil War South. This bureau, commonly known as the Freedmen’s Bureau, was headed by Union Army General Oliver Otis Howard (Yes, Howard University was named for him). President Andrew Jackson and the Southern States were vehemently opposed to the Freedmen’s Bureau and it was disbanded in 1872.
From 1865-1872, the Freedmen’s Bureau was charged with overseeing the transition to freedom for over 4 million formerly enslaved people, providing assistance to them, as well as to poor whites and veterans displaced by the Civil War.
The 3.5 million records of the Freedmen’s Bureau have long been available on microfiche at the National Archives. Now that these records have been transcribed and digitized, they are searchable, and available for free to everyone via Ancestry. If you are not an Ancestry subscriber, you simply need to open a free Ancestry guest account.
These records may help African Americans trace their family’s history in America.
The scope of these records includes, but is not limited to:
Legalization of marriages entered into during slavery
Labor contracts with land owners
Bounty claims, pensions, and back pay for soldiers
Apprenticeship disputes and complaints
Watch this short video describing the interesting information you can find in this varied collection of records from the Freedmen’s Bureau: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swIrgxVPEnc
TIP OF THE WEEK – WEBTEMBER Legacy Family Tree is inviting everyone to their free, online genealogy conference. When? Each Friday during the month of September 2021.
Described as “Webtember: All Genealogy. All September Long”, there will be a combination of 30 Live and Pre-recorded webinars. No need to register for the pre-recorded webinars, but if you wish to attend any of the live webinars, please register in advance.
One of the four speakers appearing on Friday, September 17th, is Janice Lovelace, former SGS board member. She will be presenting “Afro-LatinX in the Old West” at 11:00 AM EDT.
TIP OF THE WEEK – NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY GUIDES The New York Public Library (NYPL) is on the short list of top libraries for genealogy research. Anyone who lives, works, attends school, or pays property taxes in New York State can get a library card and visit the library in person, or online. For the rest of us, there is still some good information to be had via the NYPL Local History and Genealogy Research Guides. These guides are available online to anyone. No NYPL library card required. You’ll find dozens of helpful articles. Some titles of guides available on the site are:
Genealogy How-To Books: How a Little Reading Can Save You A Lot Of Time
Genealogy Tips: Searching the Census by Address
Using Maps for Genealogy Research, Parts 1 thru 5
How to Research Dutch Ancestors
Introduction to Polish Genealogy
5 Ways to Research Your Italian Heritage Without Leaving Home
TIP OF THE WEEK – FREE INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN AMERICAN GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH Want a preview of the SGS Fall Seminar?
An introductory presentation by Ari Wilkins, sponsored by the Chemung County (NY) Library District, will discuss the methodology, challenges, and myths regarding African American genealogical research. It will be an overview of useful sources for researching people of African American ancestry.
Ari Wilkins is a genealogy professional and staff member at the Dallas Public Library. She specializes in African American research and will be the speaker for our SGS Fall Seminar.
Birth records from Whatcom County. Census records from King County. Marriage records from Clallam, Clark, Franklin, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Skagit, Snohomish, and Yakima counties. Naturalization records from Jefferson, Kitsap, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties. School district registers and censuses from Clark, King, Lewis, and Pierce counties.
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