Follow Friday – Conference Keeper Website

[Editor's Note: Today's post was written by Richard Hanson.]

Local genealogist Virginia Kysh recently found a useful calendar of upcoming genealogical conventions called Conference Keeper (www.conferencekeeper.net). It lists local, state, national and international genealogical conferences. It also includes calls for papers, writers events, a #genchat schedule and conference alerts.

If you look on the list for California, you will see an announcement for Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society's 2014 annual seminar.

Spring Seminar: Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society

Apr 5, 2014; Fair Oaks, CA. Website.

Follow Friday – Root Cellar's Message Boards

[Editor's Note: Today's post was written by Richard Hanson.]

One of the under-used features of Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society's new website is its Forums page (message boards). A message board allows logged-in members to post new textual messages and reply to existing posted messages. Each message board has an assigned topic.

One of Root Cellar's message boards (dated 25 Mar 2013).

Root Cellar's message boards can be browsed by the visiting public. But the visitor must be logged-in to post messages or replies. Root Cellar currently has messages boards for the following topics.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General Genealogy & How-TO

Reunion for Mac Software & SIG

Legacy Family Tree Software

Roots Magic Software

Family Tree Maker Software

The problem here is that these message boards are deader than cemeteries on a Monday night.

So what message board topics would motivate YOU to view and post messages? Topics could pertain to an area of knowledge, a genealogical activity, a product, a location, some part of history, some aspect of problem solving, Root Cellar meetings plus many other possibilities. Please post your ideas as replies to this blog.

The Geni Blog – Follow Friday

The Geni Blog is one you may wish to follow (http://www.geni.com/blog/). The blog deals mainly with profiles and genealogy tips. But the subject that I find the most entertaining is the "Monday Recap" for the week. They list "On Geni" and "Profile of the Day." Also listed is "The Genealogy Sphere." This section introduces you to a variety of blog entries you might have not run across on your own. Here is an example. This is Ashley Gilreath's genealogy jewelry (http://holykaw.alltop.com/wearing-the-family-tree) – Great idea. Check out Geni Blog and, or course, Ashley's story.

Wearing the family tree

Posted Dec 12th, 2012 at 3:02 AM and seen 2358 times

Not every family picture is fit to be seen by outsiders, but there’s a certain charm to old black-and-white photos that begs to be taken off the shelf and with you wherever you go.

This incredible creation is the work of Ashley Gilreath, who explained that:

This necklace was made to represent the memory of my grandparent's long staircase in their house. I want the viewer to see my history as the necklace wraps around, and to feel the sensation of climbing up and down the stairs as the images of my family line the walls. More importantly, I wanted my skin to show through as my family's skin, so that my stories, my life and who I am as an individual is shown as the sum of all of the people that came before me.

In this case, the family is the heirloom, and one that all members can share.

Follow Friday – Mocavo Blog

Here is a blog you might wish to follow. "The Mocavo Genealogy Blog is a collection of articles to inform and educate you about the genealogy industry, company announcements, and research tips." The blog is written by Michael J. Leclerc, the database's Chief Genealogist. You will find a wide variety of articles on the blog that are of interest to the genealogist. Recently some of the subjects are: RootTech 2013, "An Amazing British Resource: GENUKI" (a website dedicated to research in the British Isles), the "Myth of Ellis Island," the use of acid-free containers for your documents, photographs, and other materials. Michael also periodically reviews genealogical blogs that might be of interest to all of us. Go to http://blog.mocavo.com to read more from Mocavo.
Posted by Ron Setzer

Follow Friday – Your Genetic Genealogist

If you are interested in the use of DNA for genealogy research, you may want to follow the "Your Genetic Genealogist" blog. The author of the blog, CeCe Moore, is issuing a series entitled DNA Testing for Genealogy. Since I am having my DNA analysis done, I am very curious about all that I do not know about this approach to genealogy. 

The blog's header reads:

YOUR GENETIC GENEALOGIST

DISCOVER THE FASCINATING WORLD OF GENETIC GENEALOGY (DNA TESTING FOR GENEALOGY)! THIS BLOG STRIVES TO MAKE THE SUBJECT ACCESSIBLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE FOR THE NON-SCIENTIST. WRITTEN BY CECE MOORE, A PROFESSIONAL GENETIC GENEALOGIST AND EXPERIENCED PERSONAL GENOMICS CONSUMER.

Some of the most recent titles for the blog include: 

• Known Relative Studies at FTDNA: Third Cousin Comparison and More Random atDNA Inheritance
• Family Tree DNA Adds New RSRS Reporting for Mitochondrial DNA
• Latest News from Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation and GeneTree
• My Review of AncestryDNA's Admixture Tool and a Glimpse into the Future of Genetic Genealogy
• 23andMe Announces Beta Testing of New Ancestry Features at Jamboree
• I Found My Third Cousin Today at 23andMe!

You can follow "Your Genetic Genealogist" by following the RSS feed from www.yourgeneticgenealogist.com/. 

Posted by Ron Setzer

Follow Friday: National Library of Medicine and Your Ancestors

The U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) National Institutes of Health (NIH) is my one of my top go-to resources for current day health questions.  Their url is the one I'll choose from the hundreds of results from a health-related search term/phrase in Google.  I was recently reminded on the National Genealogical Society's blog that the NLM can also be a helpful resource for family history research. 

Under "Explore the NLM" there is a link to the History of Medicine.  Looking further, the links break down as follows: 

Historical Collections

• Books and Journals: NLM pre-1914 books and serials, pre-1871 journals, and pamphlets and dissertations
• Archives and Manuscripts: archive and modern manuscript collections and Western and Islamic manuscripts, from the 11th century to the present
• Prints and Photographs: images illustrating the social and historical aspects of medicine
• Films and Videos: films and video recordings documenting the history of medicine
• Digital Resources: selected digitized material from NLM historical collections, covering a spectrum of centuries and cultures

Using the Collections

• Online Catalogs: online resources for searching NLM historical material
• Printed Catalogs and Guides: printed catalogs and guides to historical material
• Reference Services and Information: information about locating and using material in NLM historical collections

Archives, Manuscripts and Reference Services.  Hmm. My great-great grandfather served in the Civil War.  According to his voluminous pension file and that of his widow, both of which I have, his diagnosis was "acute rheumatisn and disease of the heart"  Very interesting.  I have a chronic medical condition called rheumatoid arthritis. The disease may have a genetic link but fortunately no other current day family member has it.  Could there be a medical link to an ancestor?  To find out the history of the term 'rheumatism' I did a search using "rheumatism AND civil war". Here is the result: 

Arthritis Rheum. 1991 Sep;34(9):1197-203. Rheumatic diseases among Civil War troops. [emphasis added] Bollet AJ. Source: Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Abstract: There are extensive existing medical records of Federal Civil War troops. More than 160,000 cases of "acute rheumatism" occurred among these soldiers, and acute rheumatic fever was known to be the main cause. Infectious arthritides were frequent but not understood; gout was rare. "Chronic rheumatism" was diagnosed more than 246,000 times; prolonged rheumatic fever and reactive arthritis following dysentery were probably the major causes. Over 12,000 soldiers were discharged because of chronic rheumatism, many with "lumbago," which was probably spondylarthropathy.  PMID: 1930338 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

This "hit" looks promising for a start.  I'm sure there are more results to mine on the History of Medicine website.  Give it a try.  You may be able to clarify the history of a medical term or condition discovered during your family research. Good luck!

Follow Friday is one of several blogging prompts suggested on Geneabloggers.  If you have a tip, a resource or a special ancestor story, please share it with other readers.  Send it to rootcellarsgs@gmail.com and we will post it here.

posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Follow Friday – Geneawebinars

If you love to learn more about genealogy and you are interested in the free webinars on the Internet, you have got to follow the webinars offered by Legacy family tree. Here is a list of upcoming webinars that might be of interest to you. Click on the link at the bottom of the blog to go to the GeneaWebinars' site. Consider signing up for their blog so you will not miss any of Legacy offered webinars. Or sign up for the GeneaWebinars blog.

Register for our upcoming webinars (free) 

• Genealogy Idol Competition with Geoff Rasmussen, February 2. 
• Ten Brick Wall Tips for Beginners with Marian Pierre-Louis, February 15. 
• Organizing and Sharing Digital Images with Geoff Rasmussen, February 29. 
• Are You Ready for the 1940 U.S. Census Images with Thomas MacEntee, March 7. 
• DNA Research for Genealogists: Beyond the Basics with Ugo Perego. March 21. 
• Obituaries: Clues to Look For. Tips for making sure you get the full benefit from an obituary notice with Tom Kemp, March 28. 
• Digital Writing Tools for Genealogists with Lisa Alzo, March 30. 
• Genealogy on the Go - the Families app for your Android, iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad with Malcolm Green, April 11. 
• Researching Your Scottish Ancestors with Marie Dougan, April 18. 
• Reverse Genealogy: Finding the Living with Megan Smolenyak, April 25. 
• Researching Your Pennsylvania Ancestors with Lisa Alzo, May 2. 
• Researching Your New York Ancestors with Thomas MacEntee, May 30. 
• Putting Flesh on the Bones with Ron Arons, June 13. 
• Marriages and Anniversaries. Mining newspapers for engagements, marriages, anniversaries, and divorce records with Tom Kemp, June 20. 
• Digital Images for Genealogists and Technologists: scanning, digitizing, editing, and preserving your photos with Geoff Rasmussen. June 27. 
• The Quest for your English Ancestors with Claire V. Brisson-Banks. July 11. 
• Wikis for Genealogists with Thomas MacEntee. August 8. 
• Beyond the Arrival Date: Extracting More from Passenger Lists with Lisa Alzo. September 5. 
• What is a 'Reasonably Exhaustive Search'? with Michael Hait. September 12. 
• Privacy and our Ancestors with Thomas MacEntee. October 3. 
• Your Civil War Ancestors: Beginning Your Research with Michael Hait. October 24. 
• Genealogy for Novices: Where Do We Begin with Linda Geiger. November 14. 

Click here to register for Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
Posted by Ron Setzer

Follow Friday - GeneaWebinars

This blog bills itself as "a calendar and blog devoted exclusively to coordinating online genealogy seminars." And it delivers what it promises. If you are interested in picking up more information about genealogy, you should follow this blog. Go to http://blog.geneawebinars.com/ to sign up for that very valuable information.

GeneaWebinars
News about upcoming genealogy webinars offered throughout the online genealogy community.
An example from their calendar :
Free Webinar: Introduction to the 1940 Federal Census
When: Monday, January 9th, 2012
Time: 7:00 pm Eastern
Presenter: Constance Potter, archivist and genealogist
Topic: Introduction of the 1940 Federal Census
Sponsor: Friends of the National Archives Southeast Region, Inc.
You won't want to miss this timely presentation by Connie Potter. Connie is a reference archivist at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, DC, and specializes in federal records of interest to genealogists. She has a particular interest in, and affection for, federal census records. Potter has worked on the openings of the 1920, 1930, and, now, the 1940 census.
Although the webinar is free of charge, registration is required. Please join us!

or maybe this will interest you:
10 Ways to Jump Start Your Genealogy in 2012
On January 10, 2012, ISGS presents 10 Ways to Jump Start Your Genealogy in 2012 presented by Thomas MacEntee.
Whether you've been stuck in a rut with your genealogy research for the past year or you just want to expand the ways in which you pursue your family history, join ISGS for this fun and informative FREE webinar. Presented by nationally-known genealogist, educator and author Thomas MacEntee, you'll find out how to energize your research and hit the ground running in 2012.
Title: 10 Ways to Jump Start Your Genealogy in 2012
Date: Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Time: 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM CST
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/889377446

or this:
Ten Brick Wall Tips for Beginners by Marian Pierre-Louis
When: Wed, February 15, 2012, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Where: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/webinars.asp
Description: Marian Pierre-Louis, the genealogist who cracked the case of Nathan Brown's parents, is at it again. Once again she's tackling the topic of brick walls. Everyone needs a little help and encouragement to jump-start the research, especially on hard-to-solve cases. In this webinar, Marian will present 10 brick wall tips that will help every genealogist look at their research challenges in a fresh way. This webinar will bring you the momentum you need to get your family history research back on track.
Time zones: 2 PM Eastern U.S., 1 PM Central, 12 PM Mountain, 11 AM Pacific.
Register (free) at http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/webinars.asp

Posted by Ron Setzer

Follow Friday - The New England House Historian

Today's article is a follow-up to Cath Madden Trindle's guest blog article about House Histories posted yesterday.  I forgot to mention that Cath is a wonderful and knowledgeable speaker.  Be sure to attend one of her lectures when the opportunity presents itself. 

Cath mentioned websites in her article and I want to recommend one for you to follow.  It's actually a blog by Marian Pierre-Louis titled The New England House Historian.  According to the blog, Marian is a House Historian and Genealogical Lecturer who specializes in southern New England research which includes the states of Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Her particular research interests include early (1700-1850) African Americans in New England.  She is a frequent presenter on Legacy Family Tree Webinars and at conferences, societies and libraries.


Leland Stanford House,
Sacramento, California
Built 1857
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons



The New England House Historian blog is for everyone, not just those with New England ancestors.  The guidance she provides has broad application.  Here's a sampling of Marian's article titles that could help in creating a house history for, say, the Leland Stanford House (pictured):

Using General Land Indexes

• How Long Does it Take to Do Deed Research?
• What Can You Find in Assessors Tax Records?
• 19th Century Panoramic Maps

Marian authors two other blogs: Marian's Roots and Rambles and The Symbolic Past.  She will be the featured presenter for Legacy Family Tree Webinars in January and February 2013.

Have you created a house history for one of your ancestors?  Tell us about it by leaving a comment on our blog or send an email to rootcellarsgs@gmail.com.

Follow Friday is just one  of several blog themes suggested by Geneabloggers.  Let the thousands of blog readers know about your ancestor's stories.  Send a short story and photo to rootcellarsgs@gmail.com. 

posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond.

Follow Friday - Michael John Neill's Blogs

Michael John Neill authors four blogs:

• Genealogy Tip of the Day
• Genealogy Search Tip of the Day
• Casefiles Clues
• Daily Genealogy Transcriber

I read the first two regularly.  For me, his tips are food for thought - new information or information I have learned before but serve as an excellent reminder, a 'slap on the forehead duh' moment.

Take a look for yourself.  His tips may open new avenues of research for you!

Follow Friday is one of several blogging themes suggested on Geneabloggers.  Suggest a genealogy or research-related blog or website to follow by sending the link to rootcellarsgs@gmail.com.

posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond for Ron Setzer who's in the swamp this week

Follow Friday–Ancestry.com Blog

It seems that if you do genealogical research today, you have to use the computer for that end. And why not, you can do it at home, you could do it when you have some time, day or night, you don't have to dress up, and you don't have to get in the car and go someplace. If you fall into that category, then you know about ancestry.com. Apparently millions of us subscribe to their services and many more use their website through libraries and family history centers. So to stay abreast of what happens on Ancestry, you should follow the ancestry.com blog.

For example, the latest blog detailed the beta version of the image viewer. some of the features they detailed  are:
Summary of key features

• Faster image loading. We’ve invested in the backend services that power the image viewing experience. We’ll continue to optimize and improve performance, but this experience should be faster for most of our users.
• Works on more platforms and with more browsers. Windows and Macintosh. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari.
• New and improved features. Rotate, mirror, and better zoom controls are new for all users. Magnify, thumbnail view, and enhanced images are new for anyone who couldn’t use the previous Advanced Image Viewer.
• Familiar interface. The basic user interface around the viewer is relatively unchanged. Some of the interactions have changed (such as zoom and pan controls).
• Simplified installation experience. For most of you, the viewer will just work. Some of you will first need to install a more recent version of Adobe Flash.
• BETA. We’re still working on this. There are some known issues. We’re also taking feedback for further improvements. Let us know what you think at feedback-imageviewer@ancestry.com.

With the blog you will be kept up-to-date with your service at Ancestry.com. All from the convenience of your mail program. Go to: http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/.


Submitted by Ron Setzer

Follow Friday – Those Who Went Before

"Month One of My Certification Track"

One of the blogs that I follow is Those Who Went Before: Photos, stories and history of the ancestors of Jo Lee Archer Arnspiger. I met Jo at this year's Jamboree and was delight with her genealogical experience and knowledge. Now Jo is beginning the process of acquiring her Genealogy Certificate and you may want to follow her journey by reading http://arnspiger.blogspot.com/.

Way back in February of 2011 I wanted to participate in a Family History Writing Challenge.  Unfortunately, life got in the way of that but now in October of 2011 I am starting my Certification Process.  I sent my Preliminary Application in the first part of September 2011.  I have had a month to think about which of my research projects I want to use in my portfolio, which document I will be using for the transcription portion and I have contacted an individual to be my client guinea pig.  On a pro bono basis I will undertake a research project for her with a specific goal and time limit.  This will be on a subject I have done no previous research on.  I am really looking forward to that challenge.
A special maillist is set up for those of us embarking on this journey, to ask questions and provide whatever support may be needed.  Additionally, a six month plan is provided with a suggested timeline.  Even though candidates are given a full year to complete the process, many seem to have much of the work done before the preliminary application is tendered.  This is true in my case.  I have been researching for over thirty years and have been thinking about Certification for three years or more.  So here I go....and I want to chronicle my journey and share my thoughts, insights, crisis and setbacks for myself and maybe for others thinking about taking this huge step.
Now in the first actual active month of this process, Month One, I will reread the first two chapters of Evidence Explained, review Requirement 1 of the BCG Application which includes the Genealogist's Code and what is suggested for my resume.  I have already taken the "Are You Ready?" test from the BCG website and passed with flying colors.  There are additional articles available in the BCG Skillbuilding area which I will also read. The last task for this month will be to write the resume and add it as the first piece of my portfolio.
I am happy to be back to my blog; excited to be actually STARTING the certification process and curious to see where I will be in eight months.


Posted by Ron Setzer

Follow Friday

A Shoutout for an Interesting Blog

I have been following The Ancestry Insider blog for the past few weeks and am very impressed with the thoroughness of the articles. It is worth a look. As the blogger himself describes the blog, "The Ancestry Insider: The unofficial, unauthorized view of Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. The Ancestry Insider reports on, defends, and constructively criticizes these two websites and associated topics. The author attempts to fairly and evenly support both." Go to http://ancestryinsider.blogspot.com/ to find the blog.

Posted by Ron Setzer

Follow Friday

The California Genealogical Society and Library blog is well worth following. They offer excellent information, workshops and seminars. Their library is conveniently located in Oakland.  They are joining with Ancestry.com to put on a seminar in San Francisco on Saturday, November 5, 2011. Go to their website for further details. Check out their blog at: http://blog.californiaancestors.org/.


Posted by Ron Setzer

Follow Friday: Sassy Jane Genealogy Blog: An Archivist Blogs about Family History

Sassy Jane is an archivist who blogs about genealogy from an archivist's perspective.  Her posts contain helpful information about preserving family documents and treasures.  I found her blog on Geneabloggers and added it to my reader service.  Now, I am "blogging forward" Sassy's recent Follow Friday post about the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) which has even more advice about preservation.  If the tip about NEDCC is helpful to you, consider following Sassy Jane Genealogy Blog.

Follow Friday is just one of the daily blog themes suggested on Geneabloggers. Get your ancestors noticed here - submit content to r rootcellarsgs@gmail.com.

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond