Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

TIP OF THE WEEK – LARGE GERMAN GENEALOGY
CONFERENCE IN CALIFORNIA

The 2019 International German Genealogy Conference, to be held June 15-17 in downtown Sacramento at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, will offer three days of German-centric presentations in multiple tracks –Geographic, Technology, Advancing Your Research, and more. Attendees will learn from genealogists, authors, historians, and archivists who are top presenters with advanced proficiency in their fields of study.

This is the 2nd international conference of the International German Genealogy Partnership, a federation of German genealogy organizations whose mission is to facilitate German genealogy research globally. The first was in Minnesota in 2017.  

The  local sponsor for this 2019 conference is the Sacramento German Genealogy Society. This is billed as the largest worldwide gathering on the specific topic of German genealogy this calendar year; 700+ attendees are expected.

Use either organization’s website for more information or registration:

https://iggpartner.org/index.php

www.sggs.us

Seattle Genealogical Society News


SGS MEMBERSHIP MEETING
MARCH 9, 2019, 12:30 PM

The meeting will start at 12:30 PM, followed at 1:00 PM  by the Second Saturday Speaker Series presentation “Finding Your Female Ancestors” with Lisa Oberg.

Topics at this membership meeting will be the proposed bylaw changes and the SGS Board election.  The following incumbent candidates have been nominated to serve as the SGS Board in 2019-2020.

The following incumbent candidates have been nominated to serve as the SGS Board in 2019-2020.

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS:  
     
President:      Jill Morelli
Treasurer:      Karen Knudson     
Secretary:      Amandalei Bennett
Education:      Janice Lovelace
Library:          Sue Jensen
Membership:  Christine Schomaker                     
Operations:    Rob Sexton    
Publications:   no candidate          
Technology:    David Rimmer
Volunteers:     Heidi Mair

In addition, there are no candidates for Vice President, Director of Publications, and the Nominating Committee. Nominations will be accepted for all positions at the 3/9/19 Membership Meeting (12:30 PM). The slate, biographies, and the annual Board ballot will then be mailed along with the ballot addressing the changes to the ByLaws. Both ballots must be received by April 30, 2019.

URGENT!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR IRISH WEEK!

Volunteers are needed to staff the SGS Booth, pass out brochures, and answer questions at the Irish Week Festival at Seattle Center Armory on Saturday, March 16 & Sunday, March 17. Each volunteer will be scheduled for a 2 hour stint in the booth. If you can help on either day, please contact Jean Roth at 206 782-2629 or email volunteers@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org  CORRECTION FORJEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF
WASHINGTON STATE MEETING

The place and time for this meeting were reported incorrectly in the eNews! on 2/15. This meeting will be at the Downtown Bellevue Public Library and will start at 6:30 pm on Monday, March 4. See the entry in SAVE THE DATE for complete info.  

FAMILY TREE @ FAMILY SEARCH
MEETING There are some fantastic enhancements coming to FamilySearch.org, including the possibility of creating a PRIVATE family tree that no one else can touch.
  Come hear about these exciting new items. There will be time to go over any questions or problems you may have. Lou Daly is the leader of this interest group. The next meeting will be Saturday, March 2, 10:15am-12:15pm, at the SGS Library.     SAVE THE DATE
Using MacKiev’s Family Tree Maker Software, 
With Mark Olsen,
Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State,
Downtown Bellevue Public Library, Room 1, **
1111 110th Ave NE  **
Bellevue, WA 98004
Monday, March 4, 6:30 pm **


Doors open at 6:15 pm, presentation starts promptly at 6:30 pm. ** Please note, there is a change of venue, date, and time for this meeting only   Ulster Historical Foundation, USA Lecture Tour 2019
Lake City Center, 1916 N Lakewood Dr,
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814

Wednesday, March 20, 2019, 1:00pm-8:30pm

Enjoy this all day Irish & Scots-Irish Research Seminar with presenters Finton Mullan and Gillian Hunt from the Ulster Historical Foundation, Belfast.  Register by February 20th for the early bird price of $35. It will be $50 after that.

For more information on the USA lecture tour, or the Spokane area Coeur d’Alene, ID stop in particular, visit their website: https://www.ancestryireland.com/lecture-tour-2019/IRISH WEEK! 
MARCH 9 – 23, 2019
SEATTLE, WA


You don’t need to be Irish to join in the fun. The main events will be the weekend of March 16-17 at Seattle Center. For a full list of activities and venues, see the brochure link below.  Don’t forget the seminar on Irish genealogy, “Beyond the Basics in Irish Genealogy”, on March 23.  

http://irishclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/2019-Program.pdf

Beyond the Basics in Irish Genealogy,
Fairview Christian School,
844 NE 78th St,  
Seattle, WA 98115
Saturday, March 23, 9:00 am – 5:00pm


Finishing Irish Week, don’t miss this Irish genealogy workshop with regional specialists Steven W Morrison and Jean A Roth. Organized by the Irish Heritage Club of Seattle. More information and registration at this link

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/irish-genealogy-workshop-tickets-55102458938

The ABCs of DNA Genealogy,
With Janet O’Conor Camarata,  
Mercer Island Library,
4400 88th Ave SE,
Mercer Island, WA
Thursday, March 28, 7-8 pm   


Genealogist Janet O’Conor Camarata provides tips and tools for selecting and interpreting DNA results from a variety of health and ancestry DNA providers, like Ancestry, FamilyTreeDNA, 23andMe and more. Designed for the non-technical, genealogy oriented audience. Please register. Sponsored by the Friends of the Mercer Island Library, in partnership with Mercer Island Historical Society.

Registration link:  https://kcls.bibliocommons.com/events/5c350f9b48fd702a009916d9

Olympia Genealogical Society,
Beyond the Basics: Genetic Genealogy In Practice
Olympia, WA
Saturday, March 30, 8:30am-3:30pm   


Seminar presented by Blaine Bettinger, the Genetic Genealogist. Additional information and registration at : 
https://olygensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=4
 SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle. Check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections. Programs may be canceled or postponed because of inclement weather. 

MARCHSaturday, March 2, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm,

Family Tree Interest Group, Lou Daly is leader of this special interest group exploring all the features of the tool Family Tree on FamilySearch.org  Come learn about the proposed changes coming to Family Search and Family Tree. 

Sunday, March 3, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright. Q&A first hour, while focus second hour in on Genome Mate Pro.

Saturday, March 9, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm,

(FTM) FAMILY TREE Maker Users Group, co-leaders Reiley Kidd & Jess Ramey, meets on the 2nd Saturday of every odd month (Jan 2019, Mar 2019, May 2019). Family Tree Maker is the genealogy software long associated with Ancestry.com 

Saturday, March 9, 12:30 pm-1:00 pm,

Seattle Genealogical Society Membership Meeting, important meeting – discuss proposed bylaw changes and board nominees 

Saturday, March 9, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm,

Second Saturday Speakers Series – “Finding Your Female Ancestors” with Lisa Oberg

Saturday, March 30, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm,

DNA SIG , this group meets quarterly at Wedgwood Presbyterian Church, 8008 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115, co-chaired by Cary Bright & Herb McDaniel. For more info contact SGSDNASIG@gmail.com

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

TIP OF THE WEEK –

 NEW YORK ARRIVALS 1820-1957


Between the years 1820 and 1920, thirty five million immigrants arrived at US ports and 82% of them came through the port of New York. Before Ellis Island was opened in 1892, Castle Garden was the official immigrant reception area. Combined, the three collections cited below have over 66 million searchable passenger records that cover the port from 1820-1957. Access is available to you through your account on the free genealogy website, FamilySearch.org  

Castle Garden (1820-1891 arrival dates)
https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1849782

Ellis Island (1892-1924 arrival dates)
https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1368704  

NY Passenger and Crew Lists, 1925-1957 dates
https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1923888

Seattle Genealogical Society News


VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR IRISH WEEK!
Volunteers are needed to staff the SGS Booth, pass out brochures, and answer questions at the Irish Week Festival at Seattle Center Armory on Saturday, March 16 & Sunday, March 17. Each volunteer will be scheduled for a 2 hour stint in the booth. If you can help on either day, please contact Jean Roth at 206 782-2629. 
A NOTE FROM HONEST ABE 
With Lincoln’s birthday just last week and President’s Day coming up on Monday, now is the perfect time for an anecdote about my ancestor, Wait Talcott, Abe Lincoln, and Abe’s friend, Elihu Washburne. When visiting the Talcott Free Library in Rockton, IL, the librarian showed our group some pieces of our family memorabilia they held in their collection. Here was this short, amusing note from Abe to Wait. A photo of the note will follow, but for ease of reading, I’ll transcribe it for you. It shows even Honest Abe was not above a little nepotism.

“Executive Mansion,
Washington   Aug 27, 1862

Hon. Wait Talcott,
My dear Sir,

I have determined to appoint you collector. I now have a very special request to make of you, which is that you will make no war upon Mr. Washburne, who is also my friend of longer standing than yourself. I shall even be obliged if you can do something for him if occasion presents.

Yours truly,  A Lincoln”

While Abe requires no introduction, the backstories for Wait and Elihu are, they were all politicians in Illinois. Wait aligned himself with the anti-slavery Liberty Party and was in the Illinois Senate, representing Winnebago, Carroll, Boone, and Ogle Counties, from 1854-1858. During that time he became friends with Abe. After the passage of the Internal Revenue Act, President Lincoln appointed Wait Collector of Internal Revenue for the Illinois 2nd Congressional District, a position he held 1862-1867. Wait was also selected to represent Illinois at Lincoln’s funeral.

Elihu Washburne was in the US House of Representatives from 1853-1869.  He was an early staunch supporter of Lincoln, both in his Senate and Presidential bids. Originally a Whig, Washburne evolved into a leader of the Radical Republicans, supporting African American suffrage and civil rights. 

Certainly, Abe appreciated and rewarded their long standing loyalty, when in his own words “occasion presents”.  

 

SAVE THE DATE

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State proudly presents

“Using MacKiev’s Family Tree Maker Software”

presented by Mark Olsen, Family Tree Maker Ambassador

DATE:  Monday, March 4, 2019 (1st Monday)

Note Date, Time and Place Change for this one evening:
  Downtown Bellevue Public Library, Room 1
  1111 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA  98004

·        Come early to network with other attendees and to check out the fabulous genealogy section of the Bellevue Library on the 2nd floor!

·        Free Wi-Fi available.

·        Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and Presentation starts promptly at 6:30 p.m.

·        Free admission and refreshments

 

Ulster Historical Foundation, USA Lecture Tour 2019
Lake City Center, 1916 N Lakewood Dr,
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814

Wednesday, March 20, 2019, 1:00pm-8:30pm

Enjoy this all day Irish & Scots-Irish Research Seminar with presenters Finton Mullan and Gillian Hunt from the Ulster Historical Foundation, Belfast.  Register by February 20th for the early bird price of $35. It will be $50 after that.

For more information on the USA lecture tour, or the Spokane area Coeur d’Alene, ID stop in particular, visit their website: https://www.ancestryireland.com/lecture-tour-2019/

 

Beyond the Basics in Irish Genealogy,
Fairview Christian School,
844 NE 78th St,  
Seattle, WA 98115
Saturday, March 23, 9:00 am – 5:00pm

Irish genealogy workshop with regional specialists Steven W Morrison and Jean A Roth. Organized by the Irish Heritage Club of Seattle. More information and registration at the link below. 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/irish-genealogy-workshop-tickets-55102458938

The ABCs of DNA Genealogy,
With Janet O’Conor Camarata,  
Mercer Island Library,
4400 88th Ave SE,
Mercer Island, WA
Thursday, March 28, 7-8 pm   

Genealogist Janet O’Conor Camarata provides tips and tools for selecting and interpreting DNA results from a variety of health and ancestry DNA providers, like Ancestry, FamilyTreeDNA, 23andMe and more. Designed for the non-technical, genealogy oriented audience. Please register. Sponsored by the Friends of the Mercer Island Library, in partnership with Mercer Island Historical Society.

Registration link:  https://kcls.bibliocommons.com/events/5c350f9b48fd702a009916d9

Olympia Genealogical Society,
Beyond the Basics: Genetic Genealogy In Practice
Olympia, WA
Saturday, March 30, 8:30am-3:30pm   

Seminar presented by Blaine Bettinger, the Genetic Genealogist. Additional information and registration at : 
https://olygensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=4 

          SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle. Check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections. Programs may be canceled or postponed because of inclement weather. 

FEBRUARY

Saturday, February 16, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Irish SIG, Jean Roth, leader ** Canceled due to weather **

Saturday, February 16, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, German SIG, Jean Roth, leader ** Canceled due to weather **

MARCH

Saturday, March 2, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Family Tree Interest Group, Lou Daly is leader of this special interest group exploring all the features of the tool Family Tree on FamilySearch.org

Sunday, March 3, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright. Q&A first hour, while focus second hour in on Genome Mate Pro.

Saturday, March 9, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, (FTM) FAMILY TREE Maker Users Group, co-leaders Reiley Kidd & Jess Ramey, meets on the 2nd Saturday of every odd month (Jan 2019, Mar 2019, May 2019). Family Tree Maker is the genealogy software long associated with Ancestry.com  

Saturday, March 9, 12:30 pm-1:00 pm, Seattle Genealogical Society Membership Meeting, important meeting – discuss proposed bylaw changes and board nominees 

Saturday, March 9, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Second Saturday Speakers Series – “Finding Your Female Ancestors” with Lisa Oberg

Saturday, March 30, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm, DNA SIG , this group meets quarterly at Wedgwood Presbyterian Church, 8008 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115, co-chaired by Cary Bright & Herb McDaniel. For more info contact SGSDNASIG@gmail.com

 

 

Seattle Genealogical Society News

GREAT NEWS FOR SGS!

4Culture has renewed our Sustained Support Grant for the next two years. 4Culture is a tax-exempt public development authority (PDA) run by King County. Sustained Support grants assist with the day-to-day needs of arts, heritage, and preservation organizations such as Seattle Genealogical Society. A portion of the lodging tax revenues collected in King County provides all of the funding for the grants.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR  SGS MEMBERS
The SGS Board has recently reviewed the Bylaws and found a need for some updating. Bylaw changes require a vote of the membership. Below is a link to the proposed changes – we will be asking the membership for a vote on these changes sometime before the next election period. Please take a moment and look them over and stay tuned for more information regarding your vote!

Proposed Bylaws Changes 2019

SGS MEMBERSHIP MEETING 
SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2019
12:30 PM

  The SGS Spring Membership Meeting will be Saturday, March 9th at 12:30 PM, right before the 2nd Saturday Speaker Series presentation. 

We will once again review the proposed changes to the Society’s ByLaws and also discuss the slate of nominees for the Board of Directors in 2019-2020.   

Names of nominees being accepted. If you have a suggest contact  nominations@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org     

CALL FOR SGS BOOTH VOLUNTEERS FOR
MARCH 16 & 17

Volunteers are needed to staff the SGS Booth, pass out brochures, and answer questions at the Irish Week Festival at Seattle Center Armory on Saturday, March 16 & Sunday, March 17. Each volunteer will be scheduled for a 2 hour stint in the booth. If you can help on either day, please contact Jean Roth at 206 782-2629 or jeanaroth@juno.com   

While you are down there, you’ll have time to enjoy some of the cultural exhibits and the Irish dancing. This festival is fun for the entire family and a great way to spend St Patrick’s Day.   
SAVE THE DATE
FREE JAPANESE GENEALOGY SEMINAR
with Linda Harms Okazaki
February 2-3, 2019
Seattle Public Library,
1000 4th Ave, Seattle, WA

SGS is proud to sponsor one of the first seminars in the region to assist those interested in learning how to research Japanese-Americans heritage. While the program is free, registration is required.  Hurry, sign up now.  

Entry level family historians are encouraged to attend  Saturday’s all-day program “Exploring Our Nikkei Genealogy” geared toward novice researchers. 

Intermediate and advanced level researchers are encouraged to attend Sunday morning’s program “Japanese American Research for Genealogists”. 

Click this link to register online:  Register for SGS Japanese Genealogy Seminar

Strategies for Breaking Down Brick Walls, 
With Mary Kozy,
Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State,
LDS Factoria Church Building
4200 124th Ave SE
Bellevue, WA 98006
Monday, February 11, 7:15 pm

Doors open at 6:30 pm for all to enjoy the extensive JGSWS library’s genealogical resources. Free Wi-Fi, admission, and refreshments. Come early to network with other attendees. Presentation starts promptly at 7:15 pm.
Beyond the Basics in Irish Genealogy,
Fairview Christian School,
844 NE 78th St,  
Seattle, WA 98115
Saturday, March 23, 10:00 am  


An all day seminar with speakers Steven Morrison and Jean A Roth. Information and registration will be through the Irish Heritage Club of Seattle website : 

http://irishclub.org/irish-week/

The ABCs of DNA Genealogy,
With Janet O’Conor Camarata,  
Mercer Island Library,
4400 88th Ave SE,
Mercer Island, WA
Thursday, March 28, 7-8 pm   


Genealogist Janet O’Conor Camarata provides tips and tools for selecting and interpreting DNA results from a variety of health and ancestry DNA providers, like Ancestry, FamilyTreeDNA, 23andMe and more. Designed for the non-technical, genealogy oriented audience. Please register. Sponsored by the Friends of the Mercer Island Library, in partnership with Mercer Island Historical Society.

Registration link:  https://kcls.bibliocommons.com/events/5c350f9b48fd702a009916d9

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle. Check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections. Programs may be canceled or postponed because of inclement weather. 

FEBRUARYSaturday, February 2, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Family Tree Interest Group, Lou Daly is leader of this special interest group exploring all the features of the tool Family Tree on FamilySearch.org

Sunday, February 3, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright. Q&A first hour, while focus second hour in on Genome Mate Pro.

Saturday, February 9, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Second Saturday Speakers Series – “Using Manuscripts and Family Records for Genealogical Proof” with Steven Morrison

Saturday, February 16, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Irish SIG, Jean Roth, leader  Saturday, February 16, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, German SIG, Jean Roth, leader 

MARCHSaturday, March 2, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Family Tree Interest Group, Lou Daly is leader of this special interest group exploring all the features of the tool Family Tree on FamilySearch.org

Sunday, March 3, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright. Q&A first hour, while focus second hour in on Genome Mate Pro.

Saturday, March 9, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, (FTM) FAMILY TREE Maker Users Group, co-leaders Reiley Kidd & Jess Ramey, meets on the 2nd Saturday of every odd month (Jan 2019, Mar 2019, May 2019). Family Tree Maker is the genealogy software long associated with Ancestry.com 

Saturday, March 9, 12:30 pm-1:00 pm, Seattle Genealogical Society Membership Meeting, important meeting – discuss proposed bylaw changes and board nominees 

Saturday, March 9, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Second Saturday Speakers Series – “Finding Your Female Ancestors” with Lisa Oberg

Saturday, March 30, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm, DNA SIG , this group meets quarterly at Wedgwood Presbyterian Church, 8008 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115, co-chaired by Cary Bright & Herb McDaniel. For more info contact SGSDNASIG@gmail.com

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

TIP OF THE WEEK –NOW WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING
Legacy Family Tree Webinars has announced they will add the option of closed captioning to all their new webinars going forward. Also, the most popular 50 webinars on their platform, as well as the MyHeritage-specific webinars, have been captioned.

Geoff Rasmussen, founder and host of Legacy Family Tree Webinars says, “Captioning is an excellent way to make online education more accessible, and is also a benefit to non-native English speakers who struggle with spoken English, but have an easier time with written English”.

Beginning this year, they also have plans to host webinars in non-English languages, as well as translate English closed captions into select foreign languages.

Legacy Family Tree Webinars makes each new live webinar, and its recording, free to watch for the first 7 days. With a paid subscription, you get additional benefits, plus access to the library of past webinars, containing over 1,000 hours of quality genealogy education.  

To try out the newly implemented Closed Caption option, just click on the blue CC icon displayed in the right hand, bottom corner of the screen of the webinar.

Here is a link to some free webinars at Legacy Family Tree Webinars with the closed caption option:

https://familytreewebinars.com/mhlive2018

Seattle Genealogical Society Vital Records Closure

 January 29, 2019

Members and Friends of Seattle Genealogical Society,

It has been brought to our attention by Virginia Majewski, President of Washington State Genealogical Society, as well as friends of SGS, Mary Kathryn Kozy, and Cyndi Ingle, that the Washington State Dept of Health is proposing changes to Vital Records access in our state that will adversely effect genealogists.  This bill is scheduled for a hearing before the Senate Law and Justice Committee on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 at 10 am. 

This proposal will : 
Place restrictions on release of records to the public
Place restrictions on who can request certified copies of documents
Place restrictions on information included on the documents 
WASGS has taken the position in bullet points below. It helps clarify what effect the proposed changes might have on you as a genealogist:
Vital Records are the backbone of our profession and hobby.
Access to these records is essential to our work and embargo periods to records are unnecessarily restrictive.
We support keeping all Vital Records open.
Access to vital records has not been demonstrated to increase the risk of identity theft.
We believe that keeping birth, marriage, divorce and death records open does more to prevent identity theft.
Keeping the cause of death on Informational Death Records is essential to genetic and forensic genealogists.
We support proposed changes to cover the cost for providing access to Vital Records.
Redaction of Social Security numbers on an Informational Copies of Vital Records is supported.
You may read the bill in its entirety here:  
https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5332&year-2019&Initiative=False

You may read the WASGS blog on the subject here: 
https://wasgs.org/blog/2019/01/26/closing-access-to-washington-vital-records/
If you want to contact the members of the committee and let them know how crucial access to these records (and their indexes) are to us as genealogists, you can write them here:
Chairman: Pederson, Jamie (D) Jamie.Pedersen@leg.wa.gov
Vice chair: Dhingra, Manka (D) Manka.Dhingra@leg.wa.gov
Ranking member: Padden, Mike (R) Mike.Padden@leg.wa.gov
Holy, Jeff (R) Jeff.Holy@leg.wa.gov
Kuderer, Patty (D) Patty.Kuderer@leg.wa.gov
Salomon, Jesse (D) Jesse.Salomon@leg.wa.gov
Wilson, Lynda (R) Lynda.Wilson@leg.wa.gov
Staff Coordinator: Ford, Tim tim.ford@leg.wa.gov
Please submit your comments before Thursday!

Thank you for your time, 

Seattle Genealogical Society 

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

TIP OF THE WEEK –

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS FOR GENEALOGY
Review your resolutions from last year. If you didn’t accomplish many of them, ask yourself why not. Try again. Be realistic and set reasonable goals. Stay on top of the basics.

Visit and interview your older relatives, carefully recording their memories.

Backup the genealogy data you keep on your computer – family tree, photos, documents. Set a schedule for this. Create a gedcom of your family tree. Back up to the cloud or to an external drive.   

Review your sources and documents

Start writing your family history. Make a list of stories to tell. Commit to writing one story monthly, or every other month, or even just quarterly – whatever frequency suits you. Have fun with it.