The recording of today's webinar, "Ten Reasons Your Ancestor Was in Canada" by Kathryn Lake Hogan is now online to view for free for a limited time. A few comments from our viewers:

• Makes it seem so simple and a first class handout!  Recap was bang on!
• I will check out these records. I never thought any of my family crossed the border to Canada for any reason. Now I have at least ten reasons to start to look. Thanks.
• I've been doing genealogy for 17 years, and learned quite a bit, in spite of my doing a lot of Canadian research.

View the Recording at FamilyTreeWebinars.com

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 1 hour 26 minute recording of "Ten Reasons Your Ancestor Was in Canada" is now available to view in our webinar archives for free for a limited time. It is also available to our monthly or annual Webinar Members for the duration of your membership. Visit www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com to watch. The 4 pages of handouts are also available for annual/monthly webinar subscribers.

Special Discount Coupon

The special discount coupon of canada4 that was announced during the webinar is valid for 10% off anything at both www.LegacyFamilyTreeStore.com and www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com through Monday, February 3, 2014.

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

• On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 216 hours of genealogy education)
• On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 564 pages)
• 5% off all products at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com (must be logged in at checkout, and yes, you can also use the 10% off webinar coupon above for a total of 15% off)
• Access to all future recordings for the duration of their membership
• Chance for a members-only door prize during each live webinar

Introductory pricing:

• Annual membership: $49.95/year (that's about the cost of 5 webinar CDs)
• Monthly membership: $9.95/month

Click here to subscribe.

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

• Family Stories: Using Newspapers to Reconnect with the Stories of Your Family's Past by Tom Kemp. February 12.
• The Ties That Bond by Judy Russell. February 19.
• Searching for Surnames: Challenges, Pitfalls and the Downright Ridiculous by Kirsty Gray. February 26.
• Genealogy and Technology - State of the Union by Barbara Renick. March 1.
• Using Google Earth for Genealogy by Lisa Louise Cooke. March 5.
• Sources and Citations Made Simple, Standard, and Powerful by Geoff Rasmussen. March 7.
• Some Lesser Known Irish Resources by Judy Wight. March 12.
• 50 Most Popular Genealogy Websites by Kory Meyerink. March 19.
• 7 Habits of Highly Frugal Genealogists by Thomas MacEntee. April 2.
• Get Organized Using the FamilyRoots Organizer Color-Coding System by Mary Hill. April 9.
• Estate Records - More Than Just Wills by Linda Woodward Geiger. April 11.
• Genealogy Evidence and Online Family Trees by Karen Clifford. April 16.
• The Homestead Act of 1862 by Thomas MacEntee. April 23.
• Google Glass and Family History by Devin Ashby. April 30.
• Legacy Family Tree - Virtual User's Group Meeting by Legacy Family Tree Panel. May 2.
• 50 Year View - What I've Learned Climbing My Family Tree by Tom Kemp. May 7.
• Photo Apps for Android, iPhones or iPads by Maureen Taylor. May 14.
• I Had My DNA Tested - Now What? by Ugo Perego. May 21.
• Using Tax Lists to Solve Genealogical Problems by Linda Woodward Geiger. May 28.
• German Internet Research: A Launching Place for Your Research. June 11.
• 10 Ways to Jumpstart Your Family History Narrative by Lisa Alzo. June 13.
• Copyright Mythconceptions by Judy Russell. June 18.
• Documenting Native American Families in 19th and 20th Century Records by Angela Walton-Raji. June 25.
• Thinking About Becoming a Board-certified Genealogist? by Elissa Scalise Powell. July 9.
• Legacy Family Tree - Virtual User's Group Meeting by Legacy Family Tree Panel. July 11.
• When Freedom Came - Documenting the Family's Freedom Story by Angela Walton-Raji. July 16.
• Researching Your Illinois Ancestors by Thomas MacEntee. July 23.
• Researching Your Tennessee Ancestors by J. Mark Lowe. August 6.
• Research Recharge - Turning Old Clues into New Leads by Lisa Alzo. August 8.
• Find A Grave - The World's Largest Cemetery Database by Russ Worthington. August 20.
• Researching Your Italian Ancestors by Ruth Merriman. August 27.
• Researching Your Jewish Ancestors by Jennifer Alford. September 3.
• Legacy Family Tree - Virtual User's Group Meeting by Legacy Family Tree Panel. September 5.
• Success with Manuscript Sources by Barbara Renick. September 10.
• Evaluating Evidence and Resolving Discrepancies by Kory Meyerink. September 17.
• A Library at Your Fingertips - the Internet Archive by Maureen Taylor. September 24.
• The Fair Court: Records of Chancery Courts by Judy Russell. October 1.
• Overcoming Destroyed or Missing Records by Karen Clifford. October 3.
• Welcome to FamilySearch Indexing! by Devin Ashby. October 8.
• Researching Your War of 1812 Ancestor by Thomas MacEntee. October 15.
• Tracking Migration Using the Draper Manuscripts by Mary Hill. October 22.
• Legacy Family Tree - Virtual User's Group Meeting by Legacy Family Tree Panel. November 14.
• Using Evernote for Genealogy by Lisa Louise Cooke. November 19.
• Family History for Kids by Devin Ashby. December 3.
• Look Ma, No Hands! Using Dragon Naturally Speaking for Your Genealogy by Ivan Baugh. December 5.
• Researching Your North Carolina Ancestors by J. Mark Lowe. December 10.
• Bagging a Live One - Connecting with Cousins You Never Knew You Had by Mary Kircher Roddy. December 17.

Click here to register. Or click here register for multiple webinars at the same time.

Print the 2014 webinar brochure here.

See you online!

FamilySearch has added more than 7.4 million indexed records and images to collections from Belgium, England, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Peru, and the United States. Notable collection updates include the 4,140,062 images from the new U.S., Vermont, St. Albans Canadian Border Crossings, 1895–1924, collection; the 900,127 indexed records from the Peru, Lima, Civil Registration, 1874–1996, collection; and the 718,769 images from the United States, Passport Applications, 1795–1925, collection. See the table below for the full list of updates. Search these diverse collections and more than 3.5 billion other records for free at FamilySearch.org.

Searchable historic records are made available on FamilySearch.org through the help of thousands of volunteers from around the world. These volunteers transcribe (index) information from digital copies of handwritten records to make them easily searchable online. More volunteers are needed (particularly those who can read foreign languages) to keep pace with the large number of digital images being published online at FamilySearch.org. Learn more about volunteering to help provide free access to the world’s historic genealogical records online at FamilySearch.org.

FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources for free at FamilySearch.org or through more than 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Join us this Wednesday, January 29, for a free webinar with Canadian research specialist, Kathryn Lake Hogan. She will present, "Ten Reasons Your Ancestor Was in Canada."

Webinar Description

When you hit a brick wall in your research it's time to consider Canada. Even if you think your American or immigrant ancestors were never in Canada, discover ten reasons why they actually may have been there. Learn how and where to find the Canadian or provincial records that will help you fill in the missing pieces of your ancestors' lives.

Join us for the live webinar Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at 2pm Eastern U.S. Register today to reserve your virtual seat. Registration is free but space is limited to the first 1,000 people to join that day. Before joining, please visit www.java.com to ensure you have the latest version of Java which our webinar software requires. When you join, if you receive a message that the webinar is full, you know we've reached the 1,000 limit, so we invite you to view the recording which should be published to the webinar archives within an hour or two of the event's conclusion.

Download the syllabus

In preparation for the webinar, download Kathryn's 4 pages of supplemental syllabus materials here. They include:

• Summary and explanations of the ten reasons.
• Information about where to find the recommended records.
• Clickable links to the recommended websites.

The syllabus is available for annual or monthly webinar subscribers. Log in here or subscribe here.

Or register for multiple webinars at once by clicking here.

Test Your Webinar Connection

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 free indefinitely. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

About the presenter

Kathryn Lake Hogan is a professional genealogist, author and educator as well as the driving force behind LOOKING4ANCESTORS. Specializing in Canadian and English research, Kathryn has earned the Professional Learning Certificate in Genealogical Studies (PLCGS) with the National Institute of Genealogical Studies. She enjoys lecturing on a variety of family history topics at genealogy and historical society meetings, workshops, regional conferences and webinars.

Starting with her own family history research over 10 years ago, Kathryn has not only made genealogy her passion, she has also dedicated herself to helping others discover the joys of family history and how to locate their own ancestors.

Giving back to the genealogy community is important to Kathryn: she is involved with the Ontario Genealogical Society as a member and as the webinar coordinator. In addition, Kathryn is the branch genealogist for the Bicentennial Branch of the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada.

Watch Kathryn's previous webinars here.

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, January 29, 2014 at:

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

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. Make sure you have the latest version of Java installed on your computer. Check at www.java.com.
6. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
7. 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.
8. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone.

We look forward to seeing you all there!

Once again a state census record came through for me this morning.

We all know about the federal census records. Here in the U.S. this census was taken every ten years beginning in 1790. They are all indexed and easily accessible. But are we remembering to use the state census records in our research strategies? They are not all indexed or easily accessible, but that is changing.

As you may know, I've been looking for John Williams (my 3rd great-grandfather) for years. I've got a lot of things working against me:

• His name - John Williams
• He was born in New York City
• He was born in either 1845, 1851, 1852, 1853, or 1854 (different records of the same person give this conflicting information)
• He may have been "orphaned or shifted around beginning at age 10" according to family records
• He used the alias of Edward Riley to enlist in the Civil War (this has actually been an advantage...)

Recently, and through a series of serendipitous and educated research strategies, I may have found the right John Williams family in Brooklyn, New York. They've been pretty easy to trace through the federal census records as I've now found them in 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880.

I've have also found them in the 1875 and 1892 state census records which are now indexed and online for free at FamilySearch.

This morning as I thought to look for them in the 1855 New York state census, I quickly thought to myself, "I've found them in all these other censuses. They've always lived in the same place and provided me with the same information. What else could I find in 1855?" I'm glad that this somewhat negative self-talk ceased and I continued the search.

Expecting to locate them in Brooklyn (Kings County, in the southeast corner of the state) as I always have, I started my search there. Surprised that I didn't find them, I removed the location of "Brooklyn" from the search parameters and instead of searching for John Williams Sr. (too many results), I searched for his wife, Ellen. They were listed as living in Buffalo (Erie County), which as the crow flies, is nearly 300 miles northwest of Brooklyn.

Why on earth would they be in Buffalo? The census said they had been living there for three years. So in 1850 they were in New York City. In 1855 they were in Buffalo. And in 1860 they were back in Brooklyn. I don't yet know the answer to this, but take a look at everything I was able to add or update to John's timeline because of this state census:

1. For the first time, instead of just the state of birth for their first child it listed the city of New York.
2. Same for the second child.
3. It stated that they had lived in Buffalo for three years so I was able to add a new Migration event.
4. I now know that their third child, Elizabeth, was born in Erie County. Previously I had recorded it as just the state of New York.
5. It listed the fact that both John and Ellen were "aliens" meaning, they have not yet been naturalized. Because the 1875 state census listed them both as being naturalized, I have now narrowed down the time frame of their naturalization to between July 2, 1855 and June 1875. I'm looking forward to pursuing these records next.
6. Finally, I was able to add the census event.

Tip: knowing where an ancestor lived on a certain date is crucial to genealogical success. Knowing this, now you know where to look for their records. Hence, the importance of using Legacy's custom events to create the person's timeline. Click here to watch the webinar on Timelines and Chronologies.

1865 state census

This state census may finally have the clue I've needed to break down this 30-year brick wall. But it is the only of the censuses that is not yet indexed. The reason it may provide the missing link is because it provides information on soldiers' military service - at least their regiment and company. The census enumerators' instructions were to record the soldiers' information even if they were not then living at home. I already know that my John Williams Jr. served in New York's 90th regiment, companies A and K. If this census provides the same information for John, then I have connected my known John Williams Jr. (died in Minnesota) with this John Williams Jr. living in New York.

You won't find information like this in the federal census records. Other state census records I've used have provided information on religion, exact birth dates, exact birth places, and more. 

How to find state census records

First check Legacy Family Tree's Research Guidance system. Since Research Guidance is built-in to Legacy, AND because you have recorded dates and places of your ancestor, it knows which records to suggest for you. In the example below, Legacy provides 81 suggested sources to find this person's birth. Five of these customized suggestions are the New York state census records. Each entry provides information about what you would expect to find in the record and where the record is located. Some even provide clickable links.

Next, check http://www.censusfinder.com. It's pretty good but I noticed that it doesn't include the 1855 New York state census.

Of course give Ancestry.com a try. They have many state census records available.

And for those records that are not yet online, consult Ann S. Lainhart's book, State Census Records to learn more about how to locate them.

Download Geoff's Legacy family file

If you are curious to see how I have entered all of this information into Legacy (events, sources, etc.) I have extracted this family from my personal family file and created a small backup file below for you to download.

Click here to download the file.

After downloading the file to your computer, follow these instructions:

• Open Legacy 8 and go to File > Restore File. Click Yes.
• Browse to locate the file you downloaded (it is called johnwilliams-2014-01-24-11.41.15-am.zip) and click Open.
• Click Save.

This is what you will see:

Click on the Chronology tab, or open the Individual's Information screen, view the events (and shared events) and take a look at the sources. Maybe it will give you an idea or two that you can apply to your own research. Or if it gives you an idea about how I can knock down this brick wall, I'd of course love to hear from you!

Step-by-step instructions for applying your research to Legacy can also be found in the new Legacy Family Tree - Unlocked! Techniques, Tips and Step-by-Steps for Using Legacy Family Tree to Record Your Genealogy.

Surprise, Arizona, January 23, 2014 - Millennia Corporation, a leader in family history software and genealogy webinars, today announced that its software, Legacy Family Tree, is now available in the Italian language.

The software, used by beginners and professionals to record, plan, and share their family trees, is now the premier choice for Italian researchers. Legacy is also available in Afrikaans, Czech, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, and English languages.

"This is an exciting day for Italian genealogists," said Dave Berdan, president of Millennia Corporation. "We try to make family history easier for everyone, and using genealogy software in their native language is a big step in accomplishing our goal."

Key Features

• entire user interface and help system - all in Italian
• over 100 reports and charts - all in Italian
• creates web pages and To Do Lists
• same excellent features as the regular edition including over 100 reports, calendars, expert tips/advice, statistics, web site searches, and much more...

Price and Availability

Legacy Family Tree 8 is now available for US $29.95:

Italian - http://www.legacyitaliano.com

Other languages

Legacy is now currently available in the following languages:

• Afrikaans
• Czech
• Dansk (Danish)
• Deutsch (German)
• English (Australia)
• English (Canada)
• English (United Kingdom)
• English (USA)
• Français (French)
• Italiano (Italian)
• Nederlands (Dutch)
• Norsk - Bokmål (Norwegian)
• Norsk - Nynorsk (Norwegian)
• Suomi (Finnish)
• Svenska (Swedish)

Translation is in progress for the following languages: Chinese, Eesti (Estonian), Español (Spanish), Faroese, Português (Brasil), and Português (Portugal).

More information about the translations is available at http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/InternationalLegacyVersions.asp

Researching Your Italian Ancestors - free webinar

Register for our free webinar, presented by accredited Italian researcher, Ruth Merriman. On August 27, 2014 she will present, "Researching Your Italian Ancestors." Click here for more information or to register.

About Millennia Corporation
Founded in 1984, Millennia Corporation publishes the award-winning Legacy Family Tree genealogy software program and hosts weekly genealogy webinars with headquarters in Surprise, Arizona. More information can be found at www.LegacyFamilyTree.com.

We're excited to have made the list of "Top 100 Genealogy Websites for 2014".

LegacyFamilyTree.com came in at #49, which was number one in the Software category.

Our FamilyTreeWebinars.com entered the top 100 for the first year by coming in at #69. It was also recently named "Best Genealogy Education or Learning Resource" by the About.com's Genealogy Readers' Choice Awards.

I wonder what Kory Meyerink will have to say on March 19 when he presents "50 Most Popular Genealogy Websites" to our live webinar audience. Hope to see you all there!

The recording of today's webinar, "Irish Research 101: Learning the Research Process" by Judy Wight is now online to view for free for a limited time. A few comments from our viewers:

• Very helpful to see how an expert approaches the research process. Thanks!
• Good use of case studies to illustrate both the challenges and the possible strategies for researching in Ireland.  Good illustrations of available resources as well. Clearly presented.
• Loved watching Judy solve "real" problems. It was so interesting to see how her mind worked as she searched for answers. Great handout.

View the Recording at FamilyTreeWebinars.com

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 1 hour 26 minute recording of "Irish Research 101: Learning the Research Process" is now available to view in our webinar archives for free for a limited time. It is also available to our monthly or annual Webinar Members for the duration of your membership. Visit www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com to watch. The 3 pages of handouts are also available for annual/monthly webinar subscribers.

Special Discount Coupon

The special discount coupon of ireland3 that was announced during the webinar is valid for 10% off anything at both www.LegacyFamilyTreeStore.com and www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com through Monday, January 27, 2014.

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

• On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 214 hours of genealogy education)
• On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 560 pages)
• 5% off all products at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com (must be logged in at checkout, and yes, you can also use the 10% off webinar coupon above for a total of 15% off)
• Access to all future recordings for the duration of their membership
• Chance for a members-only door prize during each live webinar

Introductory pricing:

• Annual membership: $49.95/year (that's about the cost of 5 webinar CDs)
• Monthly membership: $9.95/month

Click here to subscribe.

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

• Ten Reasons Your Ancestor Was in Canada by Kathryn Lake Hogan. January 29.
• Family Stories: Using Newspapers to Reconnect with the Stories of Your Family's Past by Tom Kemp. February 12.
• The Ties That Bond by Judy Russell. February 19.
• Searching for Surnames: Challenges, Pitfalls and the Downright Ridiculous by Kirsty Gray. February 26.
• Genealogy and Technology - State of the Union by Barbara Renick. March 1.
• Using Google Earth for Genealogy by Lisa Louise Cooke. March 5.
• Sources and Citations Made Simple, Standard, and Powerful by Geoff Rasmussen. March 7.
• Some Lesser Known Irish Resources by Judy Wight. March 12.
• 50 Most Popular Genealogy Websites by Kory Meyerink. March 19.
• 7 Habits of Highly Frugal Genealogists by Thomas MacEntee. April 2.
• Get Organized Using the FamilyRoots Organizer Color-Coding System by Mary Hill. April 9.
• Estate Records - More Than Just Wills by Linda Woodward Geiger. April 11.
• Genealogy Evidence and Online Family Trees by Karen Clifford. April 16.
• The Homestead Act of 1862 by Thomas MacEntee. April 23.
• Google Glass and Family History by Devin Ashby. April 30.
• Legacy Family Tree - Virtual User's Group Meeting by Legacy Family Tree Panel. May 2.
• 50 Year View - What I've Learned Climbing My Family Tree by Tom Kemp. May 7.
• Photo Apps for Android, iPhones or iPads by Maureen Taylor. May 14.
• I Had My DNA Tested - Now What? by Ugo Perego. May 21.
• Using Tax Lists to Solve Genealogical Problems by Linda Woodward Geiger. May 28.
• German Internet Research: A Launching Place for Your Research. June 11.
• 10 Ways to Jumpstart Your Family History Narrative by Lisa Alzo. June 13.
• Copyright Mythconceptions by Judy Russell. June 18.
• Documenting Native American Families in 19th and 20th Century Records by Angela Walton-Raji. June 25.
• Thinking About Becoming a Board-certified Genealogist? by Elissa Scalise Powell. July 9.
• Legacy Family Tree - Virtual User's Group Meeting by Legacy Family Tree Panel. July 11.
• When Freedom Came - Documenting the Family's Freedom Story by Angela Walton-Raji. July 16.
• Researching Your Illinois Ancestors by Thomas MacEntee. July 23.
• Researching Your Tennessee Ancestors by J. Mark Lowe. August 6.
• Research Recharge - Turning Old Clues into New Leads by Lisa Alzo. August 8.
• Find A Grave - The World's Largest Cemetery Database by Russ Worthington. August 20.
• Researching Your Italian Ancestors by Ruth Merriman. August 27.
• Researching Your Jewish Ancestors by Jennifer Alford. September 3.
• Legacy Family Tree - Virtual User's Group Meeting by Legacy Family Tree Panel. September 5.
• Success with Manuscript Sources by Barbara Renick. September 10.
• Evaluating Evidence and Resolving Discrepancies by Kory Meyerink. September 17.
• A Library at Your Fingertips - the Internet Archive by Maureen Taylor. September 24.
• The Fair Court: Records of Chancery Courts by Judy Russell. October 1.
• Overcoming Destroyed or Missing Records by Karen Clifford. October 3.
• Welcome to FamilySearch Indexing! by Devin Ashby. October 8.
• Researching Your War of 1812 Ancestor by Thomas MacEntee. October 15.
• Tracking Migration Using the Draper Manuscripts by Mary Hill. October 22.
• Legacy Family Tree - Virtual User's Group Meeting by Legacy Family Tree Panel. November 14.
• Using Evernote for Genealogy by Lisa Louise Cooke. November 19.
• Family History for Kids by Devin Ashby. December 3.
• Look Ma, No Hands! Using Dragon Naturally Speaking for Your Genealogy by Ivan Baugh. December 5.
• Researching Your North Carolina Ancestors by J. Mark Lowe. December 10.
• Bagging a Live One - Connecting with Cousins You Never Knew You Had by Mary Kircher Roddy. December 17.

Click here to register. Or click here register for multiple webinars at the same time.

Print the 2014 webinar brochure here.

See you online!

Join us this Wednesday, January 22, for a free webinar with Irish research specialist, Judy Wight. She will present, "Irish Research 101: Learning the Research Process."

Webinar Description

Follow along as Irish expert Judith Eccles Wight shows you what she does to resolve an Irish research problem or two. The solution involves records in both the country of settlement and the place of origin in Ireland. This class will also ask for audience participation--what do you suggest be done in the research process?

Join us for the live webinar Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at 2pm Eastern U.S. Register today to reserve your virtual seat. Registration is free but space is limited to the first 1,000 people to join that day. Before joining, please visit www.java.com to ensure you have the latest version of Java which our webinar software requires. When you join, if you receive a message that the webinar is full, you know we've reached the 1,000 limit, so we invite you to view the recording which should be published to the webinar archives within an hour or two of the event's conclusion.

Download the syllabus

In preparation for the webinar, download Judy's 3 pages of supplemental syllabus materials here. They include:

• Research strategies for the whole of Ireland if the place of origin is not known
• Judy's 17 favorite Irish websites

The syllabus is available for annual or monthly webinar subscribers. Log in here or subscribe here.

Or register for multiple webinars at once by clicking here.

Test Your Webinar Connection

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 free indefinitely. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

About the presenter

Owner of Wight House Research, Judy has been an Accredited Genealogist specializing in Ireland (30+ years) and Scotland (10+ years).  She writes extensively for genealogical periodicals and is a popular teacher and lecturer at genealogical events.  She worked 10 years as a reference consultant at the Family History Library and has vast research experience in the British Isles, U.S., Canada, and Australia.

Watch Judy's previous webinars here.

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, January 22, 2014 at:

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

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. Make sure you have the latest version of Java installed on your computer. Check at www.java.com.
6. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
7. 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.
8. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone.

We look forward to seeing you all there!

FamilySearch has added more than 2.7 million indexed records and images to collections from Brazil, Colombia, England, Portugal, and the United States. Notable collection updates include the 1,061,590 indexed records and images from the U.S., Vermont, Vital Records, 1760–1954, collection; the 322,922 images from the Colombia, Catholic Church Records, 1600–2012, collection; and the 592,385 images from the new U.S., Ohio, Hamilton County Records, 1791–1994, collection. See the table below for the full list of updates. Search these diverse collections and more than 3.5 billion other records for free at FamilySearch.org.

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FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources for free at FamilySearch.org or through more than 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In yesterday's webinar by Karen Clifford, "Too Many With The Same Name," one of the topics Karen addressed was the role that nicknames and alias names play in our ancestral research. It made me think of one of my end-of-line ancestors, John Williams. I shared the example of how I learned that John had an alias name of "Edward Riley." Makes perfect sense, right? This prompted the following question from Ros, one of the webinar viewers,

What made you see Edward RILEY and think "Aha! That's obviously John WILLIAMS!" It's not exactly the leap I would have made. Maybe if it had been Edward WILLIAMS, I would have thought "I wonder if he is related to John WILLIAMS?" but I would *never* have said the two names belong to the same person. What made you decide?

It was actually a pretty easy connection, but only so because I did not skip too quickly to the next generation like Karen cautioned us against.

I already had John's exact birth, marriage, death, and burial information. I even had the names of his parents. As a beginning genealogist I probably would have left him and continued researching his parents. Karen has taught that often the answers to the parents' questions lie in the records of the children, their grandchildren, or elsewhere.

Following these guidelines I attempted to search for John in every possible record - not just in vital records. I found a major breakthrough when I found him in the 1890 Veteran's schedule.

Zooming in on John's entry provided the clue I needed to break down his brick wall:

At some point and for some reason, when John enlisted to serve in the Civil War he enlisted under the name of Edward Riley. No wonder I could never locate information about John - all of his service records were under a completely different name! His 1862 enlistment using an alias could be due to the fact that he was very young. In fact, I have found more than one birth date and place for John and have recorded them as Alternate Birth events in Legacy:

I have also recorded his alternate names in John's Alternate Names screen so I will never forget to search for him using the different variations:

While reviewing this today, for the first time I made the connection that John was listed right next to his daughter's father-in-law - David Clark Brown.

How can you not love doing genealogy?