The recording of today's members-only webinar by Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS, "Samuel Witter vs. Samuel Witter: Separating Same Name Men, War of 1812” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for those with a webinar membership.

Online research today is immensely rewarding. Major genealogical data sites and software perform automatic searches for us and suggest documents bearing the names of people we are pursuing. However, every document we collect presents an identity issue we have to resolve before we can validly use it to build our family tree. This presentation demonstrates why, using three men named Samuel Witter whose descendants have all claimed for him the same War of 1812 service. As Mills separates the three Samuels, she explores the standards that govern our development of evidence, the Congressional laws that must guide our decisions, and the strategies needed to differentiate between men and correctly assign military service.

*** This class requires an active webinar membership to attend. ***

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Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Thursday, May 25, 2023 at:

• 2pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 1pm Central
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• 11am Pacific

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Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
6. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
7. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

The recording of today's webinar by Billie Stone Fogarty, M.Ed., "How Do I Keep All This Stuff Straight: Organizing Your Research” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

To ensure that your webinar connection is ready to go, click here.

Can't make it to the live event?

No worries. Its recording will be available for a limited time. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

With our Google Calendar button, you will never forget our upcoming webinars. Simply click the button to add it to your calendar. You can then optionally embed the webinar events (and even turn them on and off) into your own personal calendar. If you have already added the calendar, you do not have to do it again - the new webinar events will automatically appear.

Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at:

• 2pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 1pm Central
• 12pm Mountain
• 11am Pacific

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
6. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
7. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

The recording of today's webinar by Paul Woodbury, MEd., AG, "Fishing in Your Match List with MyHeritage DNA Tools” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free.

To ensure that your webinar connection is ready to go, click here.

Can't make it to the live event?

No worries. Its recording will be available for a limited time. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

With our Google Calendar button, you will never forget our upcoming webinars. Simply click the button to add it to your calendar. You can then optionally embed the webinar events (and even turn them on and off) into your own personal calendar. If you have already added the calendar, you do not have to do it again - the new webinar events will automatically appear.

Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at:

• 2pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 1pm Central
• 12pm Mountain
• 11am Pacific

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
6. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
7. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

Become a better Microsoft PowerPoint user with our new 8-part PowerPoint series by Seema Kenney.  You'll learn tips that will have you working faster and like a pro.

The 8-class series - Microsoft PowerPoint

1. Introduction to and Overview of Microsoft PowerPoint  (free through May 24, 2023)
2. Formatting PowerPoint Text
3. Graphics in Microsoft PowerPoint
4. Charting in Microsoft PowerPoint
5. From Presentation to Movie: Adding Motion to PowerPoint
6. Advanced Formatting Options in PowerPoint
7. Advanced Tools in Microsoft PowerPoint
8. Presenting with Microsoft PowerPoint

We're working hard to give our webinar subscribers the educational classes they need to maximize their genealogical research!

The first class in the series is free to all through May 24, 2023. The remaining seven are new bonus classes in the webinar library. The webinar previews are always free for non-members to watch.

New to webinars and online education? Learn more about our upcoming online genealogy education classes at Legacy Family Tree Webinars.

The individual classes

1. Introduction to and Overview of Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint is part of the Microsoft Office Suite. It is similar to other programs, yet different as well. This presentation will introduce you to the program as well as the personalization options available to make the program do more work for you

Free through May 24, 2023

2. Formatting PowerPoint Text

Formatting your presentation goes beyond Fonts, Bold, and Italic. Learn how to use the Font and Paragraph icons to quicken your work as well as special touches that will make your presentation more memorable.

3. Graphics in Microsoft PowerPoint

We are a visual society. Adding Graphics (ClipArt, Photos, Shapes, SmartArt, WordArt) to your PowerPoint presentation helps make your point. This session will cover inserting, layering, grouping, and modifying the many graphics available within Microsoft PowerPoint.

4. Charting in Microsoft PowerPoint

Charts are a great way to display information in PowerPoint. In this session we’ll cover types of charts, the tools available for editing and customizing your charts, and the options for animating your chart for the added element of surprise!

5. From Presentation to Movie: Adding Motion to PowerPoint

Ready to turn your PowerPoint into more of an action film? Adding animations to your slides and transitions between your slides sets you up for converting your presentation to a movie.

6. Advanced Formatting Options in PowerPoint

Advanced formatting options for PowerPoint in this session will include Tables, Screenshots, Videos, Audio, Action Buttons, and Hyperlinks. In addition, this is where we’ll discuss the use of PowerPoint designs.

7. Advanced Tools in Microsoft PowerPoint

Wrapping up our exploration of PowerPoint, we need to review output options, comments, headers and footers, working with multiple files, and Masters!

8. Presenting with Microsoft PowerPoint

This session will review the tools for preparing to present as well as those available while presenting with Microsoft PowerPoint.

Seema Kenney

A wife, mother of 3, and entrepreneur, Seema is an active member of several societies and part of the NERGC planning committee. Based on over 20 years of research, her known roots are deep in New England as well as England, Germany, and Sweden. DNA research has now added The Netherlands to that list.

Not a member yet?

Legacy Family Tree Webinars provides genealogy education where-you-are through live and recorded online webinars and videos. Learn from the best instructors in genealogy including Elizabeth Shown Mills, Judy Russell, J. Mark Lowe, Thomas MacEntee, Cyndi Ingle, Paul Woodbury, and many more. Learn at your convenience. On-demand classes are available 24 hours a day! All you need is a computer or mobile device with an Internet connection.

Subscribe today and get access to this BONUS members-only webinar AND all of this:

• All 1987 classes in the library 
• 1,578 pages of instructors' handouts
• Chat logs from the live webinars
• Additional 5% off anything at FamilyTreeWebinars.com
• Chance for a bonus subscribers-only door prize during each live webinar
• Additional members-only webinars

It's just $49.95/year.

The recording of today's webinar by Colleen Robledo Greene, MLIS, "Your 19th & 20th Century Mexican Ancestors in the U.S.” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

To ensure that your webinar connection is ready to go, click here.

Can't make it to the live event?

No worries. Its recording will be available for a limited time. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

With our Google Calendar button, you will never forget our upcoming webinars. Simply click the button to add it to your calendar. You can then optionally embed the webinar events (and even turn them on and off) into your own personal calendar. If you have already added the calendar, you do not have to do it again - the new webinar events will automatically appear.

Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Friday, May 19, 2023 at:

• 2pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 1pm Central
• 12pm Mountain
• 11am Pacific

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
6. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
7. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

The recording of today's webinar by Seema Kenney, "Introduction to and Overview of Microsoft PowerPoint – Class 1 of 8” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

To ensure that your webinar connection is ready to go, click here.

Can't make it to the live event?

No worries. Its recording will be available for a limited time. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

With our Google Calendar button, you will never forget our upcoming webinars. Simply click the button to add it to your calendar. You can then optionally embed the webinar events (and even turn them on and off) into your own personal calendar. If you have already added the calendar, you do not have to do it again - the new webinar events will automatically appear.

Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at:

• 2pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 1pm Central
• 12pm Mountain
• 11am Pacific

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
6. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
7. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

I recently came across a Minnesota Historical Society LibGuide that really interested me. In their LibGuide, Photographs: Research & Ordering, they include a section on "images as primary sources." This got me thinking about how often we take our historical photos and really study them. Analyzing them for clues that may not be apparent from a cursory look.

Not all photos may require careful study. But in cases where photos show multiple people, an unknown background, an activity, or something else you are curious about, carefully analyzing the image should be done, just as we could analyze documents. This can especially be important when using a non-relative related photograph to provide historical or social context.

Minnesota Historical Society recommends "reading" photos by asking questions such as :

• "What do you already know about the photo?

• Photographer?
• Location?
• Date?
• Caption or other written description?

• Look at the entire photograph

• What is the subject matter? (Portrait, building, event, etc.)
• What is happening in the photo?

• Look at individual parts of the photograph

• What is in the Foreground? The Background?
• Where is your eye drawn first? What less-obvious things do you notice?
• Examine people, objects, signage, setting, time, etc...

• What does the photo say to you? To others?

• Are the people in the photo expressing certain emotions?
• Does it evoke certain emotions in the viewer?

• Why was the photograph taken, and who is the audience?

• For a documentary or journalism purpose?
• For sale (as a postcard, poster, etc.)?
• To advertise something?
• As an artistic expression?

• What decisions did the photographer make when taking this picture?

• Is it posed?
• Why did they take the photo at that exact moment? What happened right before the photo was taken? Right after?
• Did the photographer make the choices they did (perspective, focus, angles, etc.)?
• Was the photo edited, cropped, or colorized? What did that change?

• What questions do you have after viewing the photo?" [1]

Using this methodology, let's consider a historic photograph and what more can be learned from it.

Courtesy: Library of Congress. https://flic.kr/p/2mKNnx5

Take a minute, even if you know what this photo is about, to "read" the photo.

What is shown in the photo?

• A building that appears to contain a grocery-type store called Wanto Co. A sign reading Grocery can be found at the top left. Fruits and vegetables are listed in the left-side window.
• A car is parked next to a mailbox.
• A sign that reads, "I am an American."

What is the purpose of this photograph, and who is the audience? This most likely is not a family photo. It appears to be more of a documentary photo. The photographer seems to have taken it to document a moment in time.

Just looking at the photograph itself, we don't know the answer to who the photographer is or why they took the photo. Research into newspapers and city directories might provide us with a clue about Wanto Co. Adding information about the car might help to date the photo.

We may ask why a sign stating I Am An American is added. Why would this be important to announce to a community?

If we go to the website Flickr the Commons and see the page for this photo uploaded by the Library of Congress, we read that the photo was taken by Dorthea Lange, who spent some time taking photographs for the US government. The description states:

Oakland, Calif., Mar. 1942. A large sign reading "I am an American" placed in the window of a store at [401 - 403 Eighth] and Franklin Streets on December 8, the day after Pearl Harbor. The store was closed following orders to persons of Japanese descen[t]

The description tells us more. We can assume that the store owner was of Japanese descent. This information can lead us to other questions about the time period, the owner, and his store. Googling adds even more to this story, including information about the sign commissioned by Tatsuro Matsuda, whose family owned the store, and the taking of the photo. You can read more in the article The Wanto Co Family.

Start Reading Your Photos

It's said that a photo is worth a thousand words, but when we take time to read it, we may find more information than what's on the surface. What questions do you consider as you "read" your historic photographs? Have you ever used those questions to learn more about the photos?

[1] "Images as Primary Sources," Photographs: Research & Ordering (https://libguides.mnhs.org/photos/primary: accessed 1 May 2023).

Gena Philibert-Ortega is an author, instructor, and researcher. She blogs at Gena's Genealogy and Food.Family.Ephemera. You can find her presentations on the Legacy Family Tree Webinars website.

The recording of today's webinar by the Board for Certification of Genealogists and Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL, "Name Changes and the Law” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/BCG for free for a limited time.

To ensure that your webinar connection is ready to go, click here.

Can't make it to the live event?

No worries. Its recording will be available for a limited time. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

With our Google Calendar button, you will never forget our upcoming webinars. Simply click the button to add it to your calendar. You can then optionally embed the webinar events (and even turn them on and off) into your own personal calendar. If you have already added the calendar, you do not have to do it again - the new webinar events will automatically appear.

Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at:

• 8pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 7pm Central
• 6pm Mountain
• 5pm Pacific

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
6. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
7. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

The recording of today's webinar by Michael L. Strauss, AG, "Spies, Slackers, and Aliens: Records of the American Protective League” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.