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April 2012

Digital Writing Tools for Genealogists - free webinar now online by Lisa Alzo

Lisa-alzo-100If you have been considering writing about your family history, you need to watch the recording of Lisa Alzo's webinar, Digital Writing Tools for Genealogists. Telling your family's story just got a lot easier thanks to a number of cloud-based notetaking and writing tools and apps you can access from home, your netbook, iPad, tablet, or even your smartphone. I'm personally super-excited to use the Scrivener software she mentioned. With all of the digital tools Lisa presented, we no longer "have an excuse to procrastinate" the writing of our family's story. One viewer commented, "I was always afraid of the writing process, but it now seems possible." Terrific presentation Lisa!

View the recording

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 1 hour 30 minute recording of Digital Writing Tools for Genealogists is now available to view in our webinar archives. Visit www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/webinars.asp to watch. It will be available until April 10, 2012 at no cost.

Pre-order the webinar-on-CD

Own your own copy of Digital Writing Tools for Genealogists by purchasing the webinar-on-CD for just $9.95. It includes the 1 hour 30 minute recording of the class, the complete Q/A session, and 6 pages of handouts. Click here for more information or to purchase.

Lisa's other webinar CDs:

Special discount coupon

The special discount coupon of alzo that was announced during the webinar is valid for 10% off anything in our online store through Monday, April 2, 2012.

WebinarlogoRegister for our upcoming webinars (free)

  • The Pursuit from Genealogy Hobbyist to Professional with John Kitzmiller and Claire Brison-Banks, April 4.
  • Genealogy on the Go - the Families app for your Android, iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad with Malcolm Green, April 11.
  • Using Legacy Family Tree to Support Family Groups/Organizations with Geoff Rasmussen and Ken McGinnis, April 14.
  • 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.
  • Researching Your German Ancestors with Kory Meyerink, June 6.
  • 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.
  • Staying Safe with Social Media with Thomas MacEntee, June 22.
  • 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.
  • Plan Your Way to Research Success with Marian Pierre-Louis, July 18.
  • Neglected History by Megan Smolenyak, August 1.
  • Wikis for Genealogists with Thomas MacEntee. August 8.
  • The 5 C's for Success in Genealogy Today with Barbara Renick. August 22.
  • 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.
  • Use Your Digital Camera to Copy Records with Mary Hill. September 19.
  • Digital Research Guidance, Research Logs, and To Do Lists: FamilySearch, Research Wiki, and Legacy Family Tree with Geoff Rasmussen. September 26.
  • Privacy and our Ancestors with Thomas MacEntee. October 3.
  • Researching Your Irish Ancestors: Beyond the Basics with Judy Wight. October 10.
  • Ten Brick Wall Tips for Intermediate Researchers with Marian Pierre-Louis, October 17.
  • Your Civil War Ancestors: Beginning Your Research with Michael Hait. October 24.
  • Breaking Down Your Irish Brick Wall with Judy Wight. October 31.
  • Genealogy for Novices: Where Do We Begin with Linda Geiger. November 14.
  • The Big 4 U.S. Record Sources with Mary Hill. November 28.

Click here to register.

See you online!


Obituaries: Clues to Look For - free webinar now online by Tom Kemp

Kemp-100Tom Kemp was spectacular - again. In his webinar today, "Obituaries: Clues to Look For" Tom explained the value of obituaries and gave tips about using and locating the right newspapers. The Q/A session was one of the best we've ever had, and concluded with advice about writing our own obituaries.

View the recording

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 1 hour 50 minute recording of Obituaries: Clues to Look For is now available to view in our webinar archives. Visit www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/webinars.asp to watch. It is available to view indefinitely.

GenealogyBank.com discount

Subscribe to GenealogyBank.com by Friday, March 30, 2012 and get 25% off (normally $69.95 per year, now just $52.46 per year). Existing members can also extend their subscription by calling 1-866-641-3297 and mentioning product code 1203WEB. Visit www.genealogybank.com/webinar for the offer.

Special discount coupon

The special discount coupon of kemp that was announced during the webinar is valid for 10% off anything in our online store through Monday, April 2, 2012.

WebinarlogoRegister for our upcoming webinars (free)

  • Digital Writing Tools for Genealogists with Lisa Alzo, March 30.
  • The Pursuit from Genealogy Hobbyist to Professional with John Kitzmiller and Claire Brison-Banks, April 4.
  • Genealogy on the Go - the Families app for your Android, iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad with Malcolm Green, April 11.
  • Using Legacy Family Tree to Support Family Groups/Organizations with Geoff Rasmussen and Ken McGinnis, April 14.
  • 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.
  • Researching Your German Ancestors with Kory Meyerink, June 6.
  • 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.
  • Staying Safe with Social Media with Thomas MacEntee, June 22.
  • 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.
  • Plan Your Way to Research Success with Marian Pierre-Louis, July 18.
  • Neglected History by Megan Smolenyak, August 1.
  • Wikis for Genealogists with Thomas MacEntee. August 8.
  • The 5 C's for Success in Genealogy Today with Barbara Renick. August 22.
  • 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.
  • Use Your Digital Camera to Copy Records with Mary Hill. September 19.
  • Digital Research Guidance, Research Logs, and To Do Lists: FamilySearch, Research Wiki, and Legacy Family Tree with Geoff Rasmussen. September 26.
  • Privacy and our Ancestors with Thomas MacEntee. October 3.
  • Researching Your Irish Ancestors: Beyond the Basics with Judy Wight. October 10.
  • Ten Brick Wall Tips for Intermediate Researchers with Marian Pierre-Louis, October 17.
  • Your Civil War Ancestors: Beginning Your Research with Michael Hait. October 24.
  • Breaking Down Your Irish Brick Wall with Judy Wight. October 31.
  • Genealogy for Novices: Where Do We Begin with Linda Geiger. November 14.
  • The Big 4 U.S. Record Sources with Mary Hill. November 28.

Click here to register.

See you online!


Digital Writing Tools for Genealogists - free webinar Friday, March 30 by Lisa Alzo

WebinarlogoTelling your family’s story just got a whole lot easier thanks to a number of cloud-based notetaking and writing tools and apps you can access from home, your netbook or iPad, and even your smartphone. Learn about the latest tech tools and writing apps for bringing your family’s story to life!

The live webinar is scheduled for Friday, March 30, 2012 at 2PM Eastern U.S., so register today to reserve your virtual seat. Registration is free but space is limited to the first 1,000 people to join that day. Join at least 15-20 minutes early to ensure your virtual seat.

Registerbut

About the presenter

Lisa-alzo-100Lisa A. Alzo. M.F.A. is a freelance writer, instructor, and internationally recognized lecturer, specializing in Slovak/Eastern European genealogical research, writing your family history, and using the Internet to trace female and immigrant ancestors. She is the author of nine books, including the award-winning Three Slovak Women, and hundreds of magazine articles, and writes the blog "The Accidental Genealogist"

She is the also the author of:

Lisa will also be the speaker for the following webinars in 2012:

Add it to your Google Calendar

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, March 30, 2012 at:

  • 2pm Eastern (U.S.)
  • 1pm Central
  • 12pm Mountain/Arizona
  • 11am Pacific
  • 7pm GMT

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

  1. Register at www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/webinars.asp today. It's free!
  2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
  3. You will receive a reminder email during the week prior to the webinar.
  4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
  5. Make sure you have the latest version of Java installed on your computer. Check at www.java.com.
  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!


A Unique Source for Photos of Your Ancestors

HoudiniHarry-1919-USPassportAppNeed photos of your grandparents or great-grandparents? Here is a unique source that you have likely never considered. It is not going to work for everyone but if your ancestors lived in the United States and either immigrated in the 20th century or had the means to travel abroad you just may be in luck.

(image courtesy of Ancestry.com, used with permission)

United States Passport Applications

A great source of 20th century photos is the U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 database from Ancestry.com. If your family had the means to travel abroad there is a good chance that they were included in this database. In addition to the wealthy, the staff and servants might have accompanied their employers abroad. And let's not forget about recent immigrants! They had a tendency to go back and forth to the old country. They are good candidates for passports as well.

There are almost 2 million records of passport applications on Ancestry.com. There are another 6,000 in a companion database for emergency passport applications. One thing to watch out for when using this database is indexing errors. There seem to be an unusually high number of indexing errors. If you don't find your ancestor with an initial first name - surname search try getting a little creative. Search instead for the first name plus the birth town (but exclude county). Also try the first name and residence combination. If you still strike out with that try using the keyword field in addition to the first or last name.

What many people don't realize is that the later passports contain photos. The photos started appearing in the 1915 passports and continue to the end date of the database with 1925. Some 1915 passport applications may be without photos, some may have a photo on the front page and others will be found on the back page. By 1916 all passport applications are at least two pages with the photo on the second page.

When you find your ancestor in the Passport Applications database you will be brought to page one of the passport application. This will contain information about your ancestor's birth date, who they are travelling with, where they are travelling and why they are going abroad. Be sure to press the forward arrow to go to the next page. Your ancestor's photo will appear on the second page. Note, however, that when you save the page with the photo that the left hand side relates to your ancestor but the right hand side of the page is an unrelated person. The same will be true if you save the first page but in that case your ancestor will be on the right hand side and an unrelated person's photo will be on the left.

Another unique feature of that page of passports was that family members could all travel under one passport. It is not unusual to find photos of both a husband and wife in the same passport application. Likewise you could find a photo of a mother and all five of her children.

Not searching for photos in the passport applications database could be a real missed opportunity to come face to face with your more recent ancestors. Spend some time searching this database and see if you can locate photos of your family members.

Passport2- Note from Geoff: Great article Marian! I quickly searched for Hans Rasmussen, my 2nd great-grandfather and found his application. Although he did not have a photograph, it was fascinating seeing this document of his.

 

Guest blogger, Marian Pierre-Louis, is a historical researcher who loves to share, encourage and inspire others on their genealogy research journey. You can see her upcoming webinars on Legacy Family Tree and read her blog, Marian's Roots and Rambles. She is the author of Ten Brick Wall Tips for BeginnersDiscovering Your Massachusetts AncestorsBrick Walls: Cracking the Case of Nathan Brown's Parents and Researching Your Connecticut Ancestors.


New Book Now Available - Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing by Megan Smolenyak

HAYRAS-coverI cannot wait to read Megan Smolenyak's new book, Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing. Everyone I ask tells me they could not put it down. It is now available in our online store for just $11.20 (30% off).

Click here for more information or to purchase.

I'm also excited to hear Megan in person again - she will be presenting two webinars for our Legacy Family Tree webinar series this year:

Reverse Genealogy: Finding the Living, April 25. Click here to register (free).

Neglected History, August 1. Click here to register (free).

Book's Description

You've heard of the Dog Whisperer? Meet the Ancestor Rescuer.
Part forensic scientist, part master sleuth, Megan Smolenyak2 has solved some of America's oldest and most fascinating genealogical mysteries. You've read the headlines; now get the inside story as the "Indiana Jones of genealogy" reveals how she cracked her news-making cases, became the face of this increasingly popular field—and redefined history along the way.

How did Smolenyak2 discover Barack Obama's Irish ancestry—and his relation to Brad Pitt? Or the journey of Michelle Obama's family from slavery to the White House? Or the startling links between outspoken politicians Al Sharpton and Strom Thurmond? And why is Smolenyak2's name squared? Test your own skills as she shares her exciting secrets.

Whether she's scouring websites to uncover the surprising connections between famous figures or using cutting-edge DNA tests to locate family members of fallen soldiers dating back to the Civil War, Smolenyak2's historical sleuthing is as provocative, richly layered, and exciting as America itself.

"Watch out Watson and Crick! Megan Smolenyak decodes our fascinating, complicated past in this tour de force of detective work."— Ken Burns 

"Thank you for taking the time to lay out our family map...You're practically family. You certainly know more about us than we do."— Stephen Colbert 

"This splendid book makes genealogy come alive in the most vivid and compelling manner."— from the Foreword by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. 

"Megan is a genealogist's dream, a forensic investigator who can also tell a great story."— Sam Roberts, The New York Times 

"Megan is a blessing to cold-case detectives and a master genealogist."— Julie M. Haney, special agent, NCIS Cold Case Homicide Unit 

"Megan . . . is, hands down, America's greatest genealogist, and this book is proof of it." — Andrew Carroll, editor of the New York Times bestsellers War Letters and Behind the Lines 

"The Indiana Jones of genealogy...Megan Smolenyak is a national treasure."— Buzzy Jackson, author of Shaking the Family Tree 

"Megan Smolenyak is the genealogist's genealogist - the go-to person for building your family tree and solving stubborn historical mysteries."— Dr. Spencer Wells, Director of the Genographic Project, National Geographic 

"In this breezy narrative, Smolenyak allows us to look over the shoulder of a relentless genealogist as she works the puzzle pieces of her craft. Whether unearthing evidence from Internet databases, newspaper offices, court houses, libraries and cemeteries, consulting translators, historians or her vast network of fellow genealogists, pioneering the use of genealogical DNA testing, solving the mystery or occasionally hitting a brick wall, Smolenyak remains wholly committed, curious and cheery, eager to share her methods and excitement."— Kirkus Reviews, "Bottom-up history from a top-shelf researcher"

288 pages, 5.4" (w) x 8.2" (h), published February 1, 2012.

About the author:
Megan-100Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak (yes, that's her real name) is a genealogical adventurer who loves solving mysteries, making unexpected discoveries and pushing the boundaries of conventional genealogy.

A popular writer, speaker and TV guest, Megan has appeared on Good Morning America, the Today Show, the Early Show, CNN, NPR and BBC. In addition to consulting on shows ranging from Who Do You Think You Are? to Top Chef, she is the author of six books, a Huffington Post contributor, a cold case researcher for the Army, NCIS and the FBI, and former Chief Family Historian and spokesperson for Ancestry.com.

Click here for more information or to purchase.


Register for our next 7 genealogy webinars today

WebinarlogoWe've got a terrific lineup of webinar speakers for you over the next month or so. From your own computer you will learn from genealogy's experts about obituaries, digital writing tools, professional genealogy, mobile apps, family organizations, Scottish research, and finding your living relatives. Best of all - every webinar is free to you.

Sign up for one or all of them today and we will remind you via email both one day and one hour before the live event. Because of the popularity of these topics, plan to arrive at least 15-20 minutes early. Remember, only the first 1,000 to join on the day of the live event will get in. Hope to see you online!

Obituaries: Clues to Look For. Tips for making sure you get the full benefit from an obituary notice by Tom Kemp. Newspapers have been publishing obituaries for over 300 years. Dig in and identify every clue as you learn how newspaper editors have changed their syntax, style and scope of obituaries over the years. Obituaries are critical for building an American family history. Wednesday, March 28.

Click here to register.

Digital Writing Tools for Genealogists by Lisa Alzo. Telling your family’s story just got a whole lot easier thanks to a number of cloud-based notetaking and writing tools and apps you can access from home, your netbook or iPad, and even your smartphone. Learn about the latest tech tools and writing apps for bringing your family’s story to life! Friday, March 30.

Click here to register.

The Pursuit from Genealogy Hobbyist to Professional by John Kitzmiller and Claire V. Brison-Banks. Several terms are applied to individuals that are interested in their ancestors. Those who are fascinated by the story but not really interested in the data could be termed amateurs. Moving up a rung on the ladder would be the hobbyists, who gather photos, letters and family memorabilia to share with others. They quite often are members of societies, are familiar with local history, and help others to find their ancestors. This group is quite underestimated, in that many have self-taught expertise and are quite knowledgeable. However, most of them do not charge money for their assistance. The next step is to operate at the “professional” level, which requires perspective, attitude, methods, process, and some business skills. This webinar will discuss various ways to make that transition. Join John M. Kitzmiller, II, AG and Claire V. Brison-Banks, AG for this special webinar, sponsored by the The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). Wednesday, April 4.

Click here to register.

Genealogy on the Go - the Families app for your Android, iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad by Malcolm Green. Got an iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, or an Android device? With the "Families" application you can easily transfer your Legacy Family Tree files and pictures from your computer to your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, or Android device, enabling them to be viewed and edited wherever you are. Any changes you make on these devices can then be synced back to your Legacy family file. Join the developer of Families, Malcolm Green, for a demonstration of how it all works and what it looks like. Wednesday, April 11.

Click here to register.

Using Legacy Family Tree to Support Family Groups/Associations by Geoff Rasmussen and Ken McGinnis. This 1-hour webinar will discuss how the Legacy Family Tree software can help your family organization work together. These specific features and concepts will be taught: importing your PAF and GEDCOM files into Legacy; best practices for adding new data, including adding new events and sources; how to share your Legacy file with other association/family members to avoid duplication utilizing Legacy's IntelliShare tool; using Legacy's Research Notes and Tree Finder tools to document opinions, theories, and unproven relationships; using Legacy's Research Guidance to guide you to the right sources and websites to extend your pedigree. The webinar will be taught by two of Legacy's developers, Ken McGinnis and Geoff Rasmussen. Saturday, April 14.

Click here to register.

Researching Your Scottish Ancestors by Marie Dougan. Scotland has a wealth of records available to assist you in researching your Scottish ancestry. Scottish statutory records of births, marriages and deaths began in 1855 and are available online together with census returns from 1841 - 1911. Other online records include Old Parish Records of baptisms, marriages and burials, records from Catholic archives and Scottish wills and testaments. Join our webinar to find out about these records and strategies to help you use these and other useful sources effectively in your research. Wednesday, April 18.

Click here to register.

Reverse Genealogy: Finding the Living by Megan Smolenyak. Although genealogy is at its heart the study of long-deceased ancestors, connecting with living relatives has become almost as important to many family historians. Some seek living kin in an effort to track down family photos; others do it to find family history playmates, plan reunions or identify DNA project participants. Whatever the motivation, one of the most addicting aspects of genealogy is the thrill of finding distant cousins, or in some cases, parents, children or siblings. But this "reverse genealogy" (working from the past to the present) has its own special challenges and requires the researcher to be part genealogist and part private investigator. This presentation covers proven techniques for tracing 20th and 21st century friends and relatives from the past to the present. Wednesday, April 25.

Click here to register.

Life is short - do genealogy first!


1940 U.S. Census Kick-Off Event at the Riverton FamilySearch Library

The 1940 U.S. Federal Census release is one of the biggest things to happen here in the U.S. in the past 10 years. There's a lot of excitement out there. The Riverton FamilySearch Library has now announced that they will have a big kick-off event on Thursday, April 12. Since the census will not initially be indexed, the library will provide guidance and support in the massive indexing project (132,000,000 names to index). Even if you do not live nearby (Salt Lake valley in Utah) read about what they are doing below, it might give your local society some ideas.

  • Learn how to index and arbitrate 1940 U.S. Census records
  • Download your first 1940 U.S. Census batches on Family History Center computers or using your own laptop computer
  • Submit completed batches to earn prizes
  • Discuss concerns with FamilySearch indexing staff members and volunteers
  • Invite family, friends, and neighbors
  • Ward youth groups are encouraged to attend
  • Receive training on the FamilySearch indexing software
  • Discuss 'Best Practices' with indexers and indexing leaders from throughout the area

Date, time and location:

Thursday, April 12 5:00-9:00pm (open house)

Riverton FamilySearch Library and 3740 West Market Center Drive (13175 South, just off the Bangerter Highway)

Open House Format

Everyone is invited to attend any time between 5:00pm and 9:00pm

  • Specialized classes will be offered each hour (5, 6, 7, and 8:00 pm) on indexing, arbitration, and on stake indexing leadership.
  • If you have a laptop computer, please bring it with you. You may want to ensure that you have the latest version of the FamilySearch indexing software before the event.

FamilySearch Indexing webinars

If you are new to indexing, or want some background information, listen to Jim Ericson's webinar, Helping Unlock the World's Records - An Insider's Perspective on FamilySearch Indexing. For more advanced indexers, view Katie Gale's webinar, FamilySearch Indexing for Power Users.

Volunteer

Indexing is one of the best ways to give back to the genealogy community. I've personally been involved now for several years. Records that are indexed are published and are searchable for free at www.FamilySearch.org. To learn more, or to volunteer to index, click here.

1940 Census webinars


DNA Research for Genealogists: Beyond the Basics - free webinar now online by Ugo Perego

Ugo_PeregoIf you are considering using DNA as a genealogy research strategy be sure and watch the recording of today's webinar by Ugo Perego, "DNA Research for Genealogists: Beyond the Basics." One viewer commented that "Ugo made a very complicated subject clear and interesting." I agree. This webinar follows Ugo's first webinar, "The Power of DNA in Unlocking Family Relationships" where he provided an introduction to using DNA in genealogy. It is still available to view in the webinar archives here. Ugo was a delight to listen to and knows the subject very well.

If you have additional questions about how to interpret your DNA results, or how DNA can help you, visit Ugo's website at http://www.geneticgenealogyconsultant.com/.

View the recording

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 1 hour 30 minute recording of DNA Research for Genealogists: Beyond the Basics is now available to view in our webinar archives. Visit www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/webinars.asp to watch. It is available for free until April 2, 2012.

2012-03-21-webcdPre-order the webinar-on-CD

Own your own copy of DNA Research for Genealogists: Beyond the Basics by purchasing the webinar-on-CD for just $9.95. It includes the 1 hour 30 minute recording of the class, the complete Q/A session, and handouts. Click here for more information or to purchase.

Special discount coupon

The special discount coupon of dna2 that was announced during the webinar is valid for 10% off anything in our online store through Monday, March 26, 2012.

WebinarlogoRegister for our upcoming webinars (free)

  • 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.
  • The Pursuit from Genealogy Hobbyist to Professional with John Kitzmiller and Claire Brison-Banks, April 4.
  • Genealogy on the Go - the Families app for your Android, iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad with Malcolm Green, April 11.
  • Using Legacy Family Tree to Support Family Groups/Organizations with Geoff Rasmussen and Ken McGinnis, April 14.
  • 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.
  • Researching Your German Ancestors with Kory Meyerink, June 6.
  • 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.
  • Staying Safe with Social Media with Thomas MacEntee, June 22.
  • 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.
  • Plan Your Way to Research Success with Marian Pierre-Louis, July 18.
  • Neglected History by Megan Smolenyak, August 1.
  • Wikis for Genealogists with Thomas MacEntee. August 8.
  • The 5 C's for Success in Genealogy Today with Barbara Renick. August 22.
  • 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.
  • Use Your Digital Camera to Copy Records with Mary Hill. September 19.
  • Digital Research Guidance, Research Logs, and To Do Lists: FamilySearch, Research Wiki, and Legacy Family Tree with Geoff Rasmussen. September 26.
  • Privacy and our Ancestors with Thomas MacEntee. October 3.
  • Researching Your Irish Ancestors: Beyond the Basics with Judy Wight. October 10.
  • Ten Brick Wall Tips for Intermediate Researchers with Marian Pierre-Louis, October 17.
  • Your Civil War Ancestors: Beginning Your Research with Michael Hait. October 24.
  • Breaking Down Your Irish Brick Wall with Judy Wight. October 31.
  • Genealogy for Novices: Where Do We Begin with Linda Geiger. November 14.
  • The Big 4 U.S. Record Sources with Mary Hill. November 28.

Click here to register.

See you online!


DNA Research for Genealogists: Beyond the Basics - free webinar Wednesday, March 21 by Ugo Perego

WebinarlogoAmong the tens of thousand of individuals that have already experienced the novelty of genetic testing for ancestral or genealogical purposes, many are still wondering about the real benefits that such testing may bring to their family history repertoire. Whether you have been already tested and are still wondering about what all those letters and numbers from your genetic genealogy report mean, or whether you are contemplating if DNA testing for family history is something for you, this webinar, presented by Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation's Ugo Perego, will offer you some online tools that are available to interpret your results and get the most out of your genetic testing. We will also focus on a few successful DNA genealogy cases and conclude with a description of consultation services available to those that think genetic genealogy is an exciting field, but fear it is too complex of a tool to them.

The live webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at 2PM Eastern U.S. (1pm Central, 12pm Mountain, 11am Pacific/Arizona, 7pm Rome), so register today to reserve your virtual seat. Registration is free but space is limited to the first 1,000 people to join that day. Join at least 15-20 minutes early to ensure your virtual seat.

Registerbut

About the presenter

Ugo_PeregoDr. Ugo A. Perego is a senior researcher for the non-profit Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation and a scientific consultant for GeneTree.com, both located in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is also an adjunct faculty in the biology department at the Salt Lake Community College. Dr. Perego received a BSc and a MSc in health sciences from Brigham Young University and a PhD in genetics and biomolecular sciences from the University of Pavia. He has more than ten years of experience in researching, lecturing, and publishing about DNA and its use in population migrations, genealogy, and history.

He is the author of:

Add it to your Google Calendar

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, March 21, 2012 at:

  • 2pm Eastern (U.S.)
  • 1pm Central
  • 12pm Mountain
  • 11am Pacific/Arizona
  • 7pm GMT/Rome

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

  1. Register at www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/webinars.asp today. It's free!
  2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
  3. You will receive a reminder email during the week prior to the webinar.
  4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
  5. Make sure you have the latest version of Java installed on your computer. Check at www.java.com.
  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!


Navigating the New Census Tools in Legacy Family Tree - free webinar now online by Geoff Rasmussen

GeoffMug2Now that was a fun webinar to present! A couple of times during my presentation I was as giddy as a little boy on Christmas morning - that's how exciting the new Census List tool is. And from the hundreds of comments that the attendees left, I can tell that you, too, are delighted with the new tools and reports in Legacy's latest free update. Even the Q/A session was fun - I didn't expect that we would cover the wide range of topics that we did - searching, tagging, sources, pictures, colors and more. One viewer commented, "I think this might be the best tool since source templates!!!!  Thank you, thank you."

View the recording

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 1 hour 27 minute recording of Navigating the New Census Tools in Legacy Family Tree is now available to view in our webinar archives. Visit www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/webinars.asp to watch. It is available for free indefinitely.

Pre-order the webinar-on-CD

2012-03-09-censusYou can also purchase your own copy of Navigating the New Census Tools in Legacy Family Tree by purchasing the webinar-on-CD for just $9.95. It includes the 1 hour 27 minute recording of the class and the complete Q/A session. Click here for more information or to purchase.

This CD is also available in the brand new Census Bundle (discounted) which includes the following webinar CDs:

Click here to purchase the bundle for just $29.85 (savings of $3).

Special discount coupon

The special discount coupon of 1940 that was announced during the webinar is valid for 10% off anything in our online store through Monday, March 12, 2012.

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

  • 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.
  • The Pursuit from Genealogy Hobbyist to Professional with John Kitzmiller and Claire Brison-Banks, April 4.
  • Genealogy on the Go - the Families app for your Android, iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad with Malcolm Green, April 11.
  • Using Legacy Family Tree to Support Family Groups/Organizations with Geoff Rasmussen and Ken McGinnis, April 14.
  • 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.
  • Researching Your German Ancestors with Kory Meyerink, June 6.
  • 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.
  • Staying Safe with Social Media with Thomas MacEntee, June 22.
  • 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.
  • Plan Your Way to Research Success with Marian Pierre-Louis, July 18.
  • Neglected History by Megan Smolenyak, August 1.
  • Wikis for Genealogists with Thomas MacEntee. August 8.
  • The 5 C's for Success in Genealogy Today with Barbara Renick. August 22.
  • 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.
  • Use Your Digital Camera to Copy Records with Mary Hill. September 19.
  • Digital Research Guidance, Research Logs, and To Do Lists: FamilySearch, Research Wiki, and Legacy Family Tree with Geoff Rasmussen. September 26.
  • Privacy and our Ancestors with Thomas MacEntee. October 3.
  • Researching Your Irish Ancestors: Beyond the Basics with Judy Wight. October 10.
  • Ten Brick Wall Tips for Intermediate Researchers with Marian Pierre-Louis, October 17.
  • Your Civil War Ancestors: Beginning Your Research with Michael Hait. October 24.
  • Breaking Down Your Irish Brick Wall with Judy Wight. October 31.
  • Genealogy for Novices: Where Do We Begin with Linda Geiger. November 14.
  • The Big 4 U.S. Record Sources with Mary Hill. November 28.

Click here to register.

See you online!