The Board for Certification of Genealogists and Legacy Family Tree Webinars are excited to announce a new partnership. Legacy, host of the webinar series at FamilyTreeWebinars.com, will now also serve as host, producer, and publisher for future BCG webinars. This arrangement will produce and promote high-quality education in genealogy standards and methodologies by one of the leading creators of genealogy webinars.

Legacy Family Tree Webinars is a leader in the field of webinar production and management. BCG is excited to bring this level of technical quality and experience to its webinar series, which offers educational opportunities on topics of certification, genealogy standards, and methodologies.

Held on the second Tuesday of the month when scheduled, BCG webinars are presented to educate and raise awareness of genealogy standards. Registration for live webinars is available at http://bcgcertification.org/blog/bcg-webinars and now at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com. Registration is free and is open to the public.

Recordings of BCG’s live webinars are available at both http://bcgcertification.org/blog/bcg-webinars and at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/bcg. Some are free for a limited time after the live event, while others are available with an annual or monthly membership to Legacy Family Tree Webinars.

“We are very excited about our new partnership with Legacy Family Tree Webinars, whose technical expertise in genealogy webinar production and management is second to none,” said BCG President Jeanne Larzalere Bloom. “This collaboration allows BCG to focus on its mission of promoting attainable, uniform standards of competence and ethics among genealogical practitioners.”

Geoff Rasmussen, founder and host of the Legacy webinar series, said, “BCG and Legacy webinars is the perfect partnership––where high tech and high quality education meet. The entire genealogy industry will benefit.”

Genealogists and family historians get excited about finding veteran ancestors because this means there will be many sources available for research and potential clues. My time spent at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has certainly exposed me to the sheer size of possibilities for records relating to military research and genealogy. At times, it can be complicated to conduct this type of research. The more I’ve learned about it, the more I realize how challenging it is for beginners to sort out the administrative hierarchy and record groupings at NARA.

In the genealogy world, most of us have been introduced to the Compiled Military Service Records (CMSR), Pensions, and Bounty Land Warrant Applications. Even as these important collections are bountiful in number and usefulness for genealogists, this two-part post intends to shed light on other original records  that are not talked about as much to help with military research. This post is themed around medical records and records related to disabled veterans. In all, it demonstrates the enormous possibilities for mining genealogical information in military records. 

Carded Medical Records – The National Archives holds a separate series of hospitalization records for regular and volunteer soldiers. They look a lot like the cards used in CMSRs. Only in some cases has this information been extracted by the War Department and included on a soldier’s CMSR, so these should be consulted for additional information about your ancestor’s experience while serving. These medical cards include the hospital or station where they were admitted, cause of admission, and treatment. They are filed with Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, RG 94 and are dated 1821-84 and 1894-1912. These are only available at the National Archives building in Washington, D.C. and can be requested if you know the soldier’s name, company, and regiment. 

Records of United States National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers – The National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers were established by Congress in 1866 [14 Stat.10] to provide residence to needy veterans. The National Archives has records of homes from 1866-1938 in Records of The Veterans Administration, RG 15. Most of the historical home registers survive which include a lot of genealogical information including birth place, physical description, religion, residence subsequent to discharge, name and address of nearest relative, medical history, date of death, place of burial, military service, and remarks by the administration. These records are indexed and can be viewed on FamilySearch.org.

Home Register for Michael J. McDonnell, Togus Branch (Togus, ME), National Home for Disabled Volunteers. [2]

Records of the U.S. Soldier’s Home – Before National Homes for Disabled Volunteers in 1866, Congress established the first institution for taking care of needy veterans of the regular army in 1851 with the United States Military Asylum, later known as the U.S. Soldier’s and Airmen’s Home. Records of these homes are grouped under Records of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, RG 231. Amongst the sources that hold the most genealogical value are case files for deceased inmates, death records, hospital records, burial registers and admission registers. Most records are dated from the establishment of the Soldier’s Home in 1851 up to 1943. These are only available for research at the National Archives building in Washington, D.C. When researching records of veteran homes, researchers should know the soldier’s name, home to which they were admitted and approximate date of admission or discharge. 

Records of Artificial Limbs Provided To Civil War and Later Veterans – The Civil War would result in the performance of amputations on about 60,000 soldiers. In 1862, Congress authorized the Army’s Surgeon General to purchase artificial limbs for soldiers and seamen. Records related to artificial limbs for veterans are in Records of the Veteran’s Administration, RG 15 and include registers of persons furnished artificial limbs and commutation, as well as letters sent to veterans, physicians, and manufacturers. Most series are self-indexed and date from 1862-1927. These records are not online and only available at the National Archives building in Washington, D.C.

Disabled Soldier with Artificial Arm Working in Shop. [3]

Medical Registers of Examinations of Recruits and Substitutes – In 1862, the U.S. War Department established the post of Provost Marshal General, a year later becoming a separate government bureau. The Provost Marshal was responsible for making sure the Union met enlistment quotas for the armed forces. To make sure recruits were fit for service, each person underwent a medical examination and these results was recorded by the Provost Marshal. You may have searched Civil War Draft Registrations on Ancestry.com, but these medical examinations are actually a separate series and not available in this online collection. Most are still in original form at branches of the National Archives. The most interesting pieces of information are found under the Provost Marshal’s remarks for each recruit who described any illnesses or physical ailments and would subsequently note if the recruit was accepted or rejected. The medical examinations are in Records of the Provost Marshal’s General Bureau, RG 110 and volumes are organized by congressional district. To find what congressional district your ancestor’s county belonged to, consult the Congressional Directory for the Second Session of the Thirty‑eighth Congress of the United States of America. Draft registrations and medical examinations for the Civil War are dispersed throughout NARA’s regional facilities. For ancestor’s who served after the Civil War, Records of the Adjutant General, RG 94, contains a separate collection with reports of medical examination of recruits, 1884-1912.

1890 U.S. Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War – The regular population schedule of the 1890 U.S. Census was destroyed by fire, but if your ancestor served in the Union, you may be able to bridge the gap. The government fortunately did a special population schedule for Union veterans and widows, which survived in the states of Kentucky through Wyoming.[1] The census questions include name and service information such as company, unit, time of enlistment, time of discharge, length of service, Post Office address, and disabilities incurred, which can be helpful in understanding your ancestor’s life post-war. This particular source was helpful in proving the kinship of my second great-grandparents because both their fathers appear next to each other on this particular census. The 1890 Union Veterans Census is fully available on FamilySearch.org.

These sources should be used in conjunction with the soldier’s CMSR and pension/bounty land applications to obtain the most complete set of documentation of a veteran’s personal experience in the war and after. To inquire with the National Archives building in Washington, D.C. about finding your veteran ancestor in collections that are not online, contact the Old Military and Civil Reference Department at [email protected]. As you can tell, there are many possibilities for researchers to flesh out the details of their veteran ancestor’s life. Next post will focus on government publications and other personnel records. Stay tuned!
 

[1] Except for miscellaneous returns, the census pages for Alabama through Kansas do not survive.

[2] Image Source: FamilySearch.org 

[3] Image Source: "Internet Archive Book Images," Flickr.com

---

Jake Fletcher is a professional genealogist, educator and blogger. Jake has been researching and writing about his ancestors since 2008 on his research blog. He currently volunteers as a research assistant at the National Archives in Waltham, Massachusetts and is Vice President of the New England Association of Professional Genealogists (NEAPG).

Two of the world's premier genealogists, authors, and speakers - Tom Jones and John Philip Colletta - are speaking this Saturday, July 30, 2016 - and you can attend from home! Thanks to Tom, John, the Genealogical Council of Oregon, and Legacy Family Tree Webinars for making this happen. The classes will be presented to a live in-person audience at the Council's Summer Genealogy Fest in Eugene, Oregon and simultaneously broadcast to a live webinar audience.

The Germanic French: Researching Alsatian and Lorrainian Families by John Philip Colletta, 2pm eastern

This webinar explains how a significant population of German-speakers came to reside in France and explores the peculiarities of researching ancestors of Alsace, Lorraine, and Elsass-Lothringen. It discusses when, why and how people from these areas came to the United States from the late eighteenth to the late nineteenth centuries. Research challenges include: records kept in French, German and Latin; shifting national borders; peculiar surnames; and Catholic, Protestant and Jewish residents. Indispensable Web sites are reviewed, as well as books and manuals, and the large body of microfilmed records available from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

Webinar subscribers can also access the syllabus here.

Solutions for Missing and Scarce Records by Tom Jones, 4:15pm eastern

Attendees will learn strategies for overcoming research barriers caused by lost or destroyed records, poor record-keeping, or a simple lack of records.

Webinar subscribers can also access the syllabus here.

Registration for the webinars 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.

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Great comment from a viewer about today's webinar:

"You think you know everything about genealogy, then along comes a webinar like today!!! Gena gave us a whole new look at where to find things about our families, especially women, and she does it so well. Thank you!!"

The recording of today's webinar, "Researching Women: Community Cookbooks" by Gena Philibert-Ortega is now available to view for free for a limited time at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com. 

Webinar Description

Community cookbooks, commonly known as fundraising cookbooks with the plastic comb binding, have been around since the Civil War. They serve as a “city directory” of women with everything from names, residences, and in some cases familial relationships and photos. Learn more about community cookbooks and using them for your family history.

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 35 minute recording of "Researching Women: Community Cookbooks" PLUS the after-webinar party is now available to view in our webinar library for free for a limited time. Or watch it at your convenience with an annual or monthly webinar membership.

Coupon code

Use webinar coupon code - cookbook - for 10% off anything at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com or www.LegacyFamilyTreeStore.com, valid through Monday, August 1, 2016

Finding Your Female Ancestors (Legacy QuickGuide) - 2.95

Most historical records have been created for and about men, making it more challenging to research and write about female ancestors. The Finding Your Female Ancestors Legacy QuickGuide™ contains useful information including best places to find maiden names, locate women’s history resources, and other key strategies for tracing your maternal lines. This handy 4-page PDF guide can be used on your computer or mobile device for anytime access.

Click here to purchase for 2.95. 

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Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

• The Germanic French - Researching Alsatian and Lorrainian Families by John Philip Colletta. July 30.
• Solutions for Missing and Scarce Records by Tom Jones. July 30.
• Getting Started with Microsoft PowerPoint by Thomas MacEntee. August 3.
• The Battle for Bounty Land - War of 1812 and Mexican-American Wars by Beth Foulk. August 10.
• Homestead Act of 1862 - Following the Witnesses by Bernice Bennett. August 12.
• Successfully Applying to a Lineage Society by Amy Johnson Crow. August 17.
• Using Findmypast to Unlock Your Irish Ancestry by Brian Donovan. August 24.
• Finding French Ancestors by Luana Darby. August 26.
• The Treasure Trove in Legislative Petitions by Judy Russell. September 14.
• Clooz - A Document-Based Software Companion by Richard Thomas. September 16.
• How to Use FamilySearch.org for Beginners by Devin Ashby. September 21.
• Beginning Polish Genealogy by Lisa Alzo and Jonathan Shea. September 28.
• AHA! Analysis of Handwriting for Genealogical Research by Ron Arons. October 5.
• Time and Place - Using Genealogy's Cross-Hairs by Jim Beidler. October 12.
• Finding Your Ancestors' German Hometown by Ursula Krause. October 14.
• Social History Websites That Bring Your Ancestor's Story to Life by Gena Philibert-Ortega. October 19.
• Flip for Flickr - Share, Store and Save Your Family Photos by Maureen Taylor. October 26.
• Analysis and Correlation - Two Keys to Sound Conclusions by Chris Staats. November 2.
• Publishing a Genealogy E-Book by Thomas MacEntee. November 9.
• Dating Family Photographs by Jane Neff Rollins. November 16.
• Nature & Nurture - Family History for Adoptees by Janet Hovorka and Amy Slade. November 18.
• Multi-Media Story Telling by Devin Ashby. November 30.
• Becoming a Genealogy Detective by Sharon Atkins. December 7.
• From the Heartland - Utilizing Online Resources in Midwest Research by Luana Darby. December 14.
• Tracing Your European Ancestors by Julie Goucher. December 16.
• An Introduction to BillionGraves by Garth Fitzner. December 21.

Click here to register.

Print the 2016 webinar brochure here.

See you online!

Legacy QuickGuides^TM have quickly become one of the more popular resources for genealogists. Each guide contains four (sometimes five, sometimes more) pages of valuable information covering a variety of genealogy research topics, dozens of clickable links, and are written by genealogists and family historians who are experts in the subject areas. We've added a brand new Legacy QuickGuide: Researching in Libraries and Archives by Melissa Barker. Now choose from 96 Legacy QuickGuides!

Researching in Libraries and Archives by Melissa Barker - $2.95  

Researching in libraries, archives, genealogical societies, historical societies and other repositories can be intimidating for some genealogy researchers. This guide will give you some constructive “do’s and don’ts” so that your contact with a repository—whether it is in person, by email or telephone—is successful.!

 

The Researching in Libraries and Archives Legacy QuickGuide™ contains useful information including terminology, a list of “do’s and don’ts”, a list of supplies and apps, and more. Also included are links to websites and resources covering many archives and repositories for genealogical research. This handy 4-page PDF guide can be used on your computer or mobile device for anytime access.

 

 

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United States - State Guides

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United States - other Guides

• African-American Genealogy
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• Researching Your U.S. Civil War Ancestors
• Understanding US Vital Records
• US City Directories
• U.S. Federal Non-population Census Records
• Using Probate Records

Canada

• Canada Bundle (all 15 guides)
• Alberta Genealogy
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• Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon Genealogy
• Nova Scotia Genealogy
• Ontario Genealogy
• Prince Edward Island Genealogy
• Québec Genealogy
• Researching First and Second World War Canadian Records
• Researching Your Loyalist Ancestors
• Saskatchewan Genealogy
• Using Canadian Census Records

United Kingdom

• Researching Child Migrants and British Home Children
  

Europe

• Croatian Genealogy
• Czech Genealogy
• Deciphering Germanic Script: Common Words in Church Books
• Finnish Genealogy
• Germans from Russia
• Hungarian Genealogy
• Irish Genealogy
• Norwegian Genealogy
• Polish Genealogy
• Slovak Genealogy
• Ukrainian Genealogy

Religion

• Catholic Genealogy
• Moravian Genealogy

General

• Anatomy of a Birth Record
• Anatomy of a Death Record
• Anatomy of a Marriage Record
• Cemetery Research
• Citing Your Sources
• Ephemera: Genealogy Gold
• Establishing Genealogical Proof
• Finding Your Female Ancestors
• Fraternal Societies
• Genealogy Clues in Quilts, Samplers, and Other Textiles
• Lineage Societies and Genealogy
• Obituaries in Genealogy: A Research Tool
• Organizing and Digitizing Family Photos
• Preparing for a Successful Repository Research Trip
• Preserving Family Heirlooms
• Researching in Libraries and Archives
• Researching the Family Legend
• Starting a Family Archive
• Unraveling Brick Wall Mysteries
• Using Historical Newspapers for Genealogy Research
• Using Maps in Your Genealogy Research
• Writing Your Family History

A few years ago my two eldest grandchildren ages 6 and 8 came for their annual weeklong visit. Every summer they stay with me for a week and every summer I create various genealogy games and activities for us to enjoy.

I was desperate for a new genealogy activity and decided I would take them on a hunt through a local cemetery for the grave of my great-grandmother's brother.

I figured they'd be fascinated by the hunt for half an hour tops but it would help fill the time, so I set up a Genealogy Game for them that I called The Cemetery Hunt.

I gave each grandchild a large piece of paper with the surname of the ancestor we were hunting for – Vollick.  I also added her married name of Krull so they now had two names they could look for. I explained, with a brief outline and a chart, the family relationship. They learned that Sarena Vollick, the woman we were looking for, was actually their great-great-grand-aunt, but they could think of her as their second great grandmother’s sister.

Photo of Sarena Vollick Krull

I showed them a picture of Sarena because I wanted them to understand that the stone was marking the final resting place of someone who once lived, laughed, loved, cried, experienced all the emotions we feel, and that she had been very real.

We talked about respecting the graves and gravestones of those buried in the cemetery and the manners one should use in a cemetery – not screaming and shouting, being respectful, not stepping on graves, not disturbing flowers or items left on gravestones and so on. Then I made a lunch and had them choose cookies to share in a picnic we would have in the cemetery and we set out.

I knew that with my physical issues I would not be able to keep up with them, and I was fairly certain they would each want to go in different directions in order to be the “winner”. One very important rule I stressed was that they had to be able to see me at all times. I didn't make the mistake of saying that I had to be able to see them, because of course that can be argued! ("Gee grandma I THOUGHT you could see me even if I went further down the path.....") No child can claim they could still see you if they turned a corner or were behind a tree.

We walked together for awhile, planning strategies – would they simply race around haphazardly or would they follow each row of gravestones to be sure none were missed? I let them decide how to begin but I wanted to give them the idea that planning before doing can often pay off. Off they went! They loved this game more than I could have imagined. Two hours later they were still walking around the stones, reading every single one out loud and running back to ask me questions. They were fascinated by the ages of some of those who were buried there, particularly the children. They wanted to know the stories of the military men whose stones they found, and if I didn’t know the personal story, they asked me about the war the man was in.

This gave us so many opportunities for learning such as math skills in figuring out ages of those buried by using birth and death dates on the stones, reading, history lessons about wars and epidemics, and talking about young children dying more frequently in the 1800s than now, and of course it was a wonderful bonding time.

We finished the day with our picnic on a park bench in the cemetery, then more hunting where they were thrilled to eventually find Sarena Vollick’s gravestone. Then off we went home, having spent an entire afternoon in the Cemetery.

The next day they asked me if we could go on another Cemetery Hunt! All in all it was a very successful Genealogy "game".

One of the questions they asked was why some of the gravestones were partially hidden by overgrown grass, and very dirty so on Day 2 I gave each of them a tiny soft brush to brush off any dirt and leaves and we returned for another half-day of bonding and genealogy fun.

Feel free to use my idea to have some fun with your children or grandchildren this summer!

Image credits: All photos are from Lorine McGinnis Schulze

Lorine McGinnis Schulze is a Canadian genealogist who has been involved with genealogy and history for more than thirty years. In 1996 Lorine created the Olive Tree Genealogy website and its companion blog. Lorine is the author of many published genealogical and historical articles and books.

Community cookbooks, commonly known as fundraising cookbooks with the plastic comb binding, have been around since the Civil War. They serve as a “city directory” of women with everything from names, residences, and in some cases familial relationships and photos. Learn more about community cookbooks and using them for your family history.

Join us and Gena Philibert-Ortega for the live webinar Wednesday, July 27, 2016 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.

Or register for multiple webinars at once by clicking here.

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Login to view your registration status for this webinar (available for annual or monthly webinar subscribers).

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About the presenter

Gena Philibert-Ortega holds a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Psychology and Women’s Studies) and a Master’s degree in Religion. Presenting on various subjects involving genealogy, women’s studies, and social history, Gena has spoken to groups throughout the United States as well as virtually to audiences worldwide. Gena is the author of hundreds of articles published in genealogy newsletters and magazines including FGS Forum, APG Quarterly, Internet Genealogy, Family Chronicle, Family Tree Magazine, GenWeekly and the WorldVitalRecords newsletter. Her writings can also be found on her blogs, Gena’s Genealogy and Food.Family.Ephemera. She is the author of the books, From The Family Kitchen (F + WMedia, 2012), Cemeteries of the Eastern Sierra (Arcadia Publishing, 2007) and Putting the Pieces Together. Gena is the editor of the Utah Genealogical Association’s journal Crossroads. An instructor for the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, Gena has written courses about social media and Google. She serves as a board member of the Utah Genealogical Association. Her current research interests include women’s social history, community cookbooks, signature quilts and researching women’s lives using material artifacts. Gena Philibert-Ortega is the author of IDG’s monthly column, Remember the Ladies: Researching Your Female Ancestor. 

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• 1pm Central
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Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
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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!

After my experience with Google and Cyndi's List this weekend, I'm ready to create the genealogist's version of the "...man shall not live by bread alone..." scripture to read "...genealogists shall not live by Google alone...".

Ever since DNA proved that Griffin and John Brown ARE part of our Brown family, I've worked nearly every day to discover how exactly they fit in. I've even taken a day or two off from building our fence to find them - and that's big!

This weekend, after unsuccessful Googling, I turned to Cyndis's List. Within minutes I found precisely what Google could not find. I was trying to learn about possible mid-1800s Methodist church records in western Pennsylvania. Under the category of "Methodist > Libraries, Archives & Museums" was a link to:

the "United Methodist Archives - Central Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church".

While this was a good resource, it was still too far east. But if there was a central Pennsylvania conference, I thought there just might be a western conference as well. And while Cyndi's List didn't have a link for it, now that I had a title to search for, I returned to Google and searched for:

"United Methodist Archives - Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church"

The first link in the list was entitled "The Western PA Conference - Home". No wonder I couldn't find it before. There, they had church records, pastoral records, and statistics going back to the year 1784! And while there were no actual church records like baptisms/marriages/burials, it did have a brief history of every church in the conference and my Griffin Brown was mentioned!

"A new Church was built in upper Tidioute in 1853 under the leadership of Judge Brown..."

So no "Griffin was the son of Asa and Elizabeth" statements there, but now I knew where he was living in 1853 and that he played a major role in the community. Better yet, an email address and a mailing address was listed for the local contact.

Hats off to Cyndis' List for pointing me in the right direction. Afterwards, I clicked on her "Submit a New Link" button and submitted the new Western Pennsylvania Conference for her consideration. Late last night I received the email from her that my suggestion has been accepted. Right now it's found by clicking on the "Browse New Links" button in the left panel. 

If it's been a while since you've used CyndisList.com, I strongly encourage you to add it back into your research toolbox. And if you want a tour from Cyndi herself - take a look at our recent webinar:

The recording of today's webinar, "Windows 10 Survival Guide for Genealogists" by Thomas MacEntee is now available to view for free for a limited time at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com. 

Webinar Description

The Windows 10 operating system is not so much a choice as it is an inevitability. As Microsoft continues to remove support from Windows 8 and earlier versions, you should get on board the Windows 10 upgrade train now! Learn the new features of Windows 10, how it will impact how you research genealogy, and more. You’ll also learn which default Windows 10 settings to change as well as how to fix common “annoyances” experienced by most users.

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 47 minute recording of "Windows 10 Survival Guide for Genealogists" is now available to view in our webinar library for free for a limited time. Or watch it at your convenience with an annual or monthly webinar membership.

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Windows 10 Survival Guide for Genealogists (NEW PDF BOOK) - $2.99

In general, most of my readers know that I don’t always follow “the latest big thing” when it comes to technology. My theory has always been: why should I be a bug fixer for Microsoft (or you can change it to Apple, HP, etc.)? I almost never upgrade or buy the “.0 version” of something.

You won’t find me waiting in line outside the Apple store for the latest iPhone. I know that I can usually save money by staying at least one version back and waiting for the “.1 version” of something. However, with Windows 10, things are a bit different due to the way in which Microsoft is deploying the operating system and including a big financial incentive. When Windows 10 debuted in mid-2015, Microsoft announced that qualified users (those on Windows 7 and Windows 8) could receive Windows 10 for free.

So, like me, you probably endured the constant notifications when you booted up each morning asking if you wanted to download and install Windows 10. And like me, you kept putting it off. Or perhaps, you clicked YES by mistake and you then had to deal with fixing lots of things.

And now, Microsoft is enforcing its deadline of July 29, 2016, to get the free upgrade. After that date, you will need to pay $119 USD for the same upgrade.

That’s why I wrote Windows 10 Survival Guide for Genealogists. I upgraded several of my devices starting in December 2015 and while I did lose access to some default settings, and I had to reinstall some software, it was not as bad an experience as I had heard others describe.

However, the hours I spent “fixing” my system kept me from researching family history. So I’ve compiled a list of “annoyances” to check once the upgrade to Windows 10 is complete. In this guide I also offer advice on how to prepare for the upgrade, what to do if you don’t qualify for the free upgrade, and also why you might not want to even upgrade at all!

I’ve pulled together a huge list of resources at the end of this guide, along with additional reading. This guide can’t possibly cover every possible upgrade situation or system configuration . . . as they say “Your mileage may vary.” But, at the very least, you’ll have the tools needed to find answers to your Windows 10 questions.

Learn and benefit from my experiences in going through the Windows 10 upgrade!

48 pages | Published 2016 | PDF (download-only) edition

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• Researching Women - Community Cookbooks and What They Tell Us About Our Ancestors by Gena Philibert-Ortega. July 27.
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To most of us, it might not be relevant to our research what the weather was like on 30 July 1905, however if you were researching the Demmerle Family of the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, the weather would carry a lot more meaning. A pleasant, carefree summer day at Brighton Beach turned tragic when a lightning bolt struck a flagstaff near the boardwalk and sent thousands of tourists and beachgoers into panic. Those hanging out at the base of the flagstaff for relief from the sun, were killed by the bolt, in a moment faster then they could sit down to relax. Among the six killed were the Demmerle brothers, Frank, 23, and Charles, 20, along with their sixteen year old cousin Robert Wasch.[1]

While an extreme example, it does demonstrate how the weather plays an important role in our ancestor’s lives. Climate patterns and weather phenomenon are a huge factor in the push/pull movement concerning historic migration patterns. Beyond the long-term historical changes in climate, day-to-day our ancestor’s lives were controlled by the weather.

Historical weather data can help in setting the scene for your family history narrative. Did a major drought or season of blight affect your ancestor’s ability to make a living off their crops? Were there any major natural disasters of phenomenon that may have put your ancestor’s life and well-being in jeopardy? Answering these questions might add important context to your ancestor’s life. Using historical weather data in your genealogy aids in recreating your ancestor’s daily life and will help to engage a wider audience of readers.

Historical weather research can also aid with investigating family photographs. The fact that there is snow on the ground when the family lived in mild climate could narrow in the possible dates the photo was taken. The shadows present in an outdoor photograph can indicate the exact location and even exact time of day it was taken. 

State Street in Hartford, Connecticut after the Blizzard of 1888.[2]

There is a diversity of resources for climatological research that can add to your family history. Historical weather data does not exist for every locale in the United States, however the National Archives holds records for hundreds of observatories concerned with recording scientific data about the weather. The Federal Government began taking an interest in the weather in 1818 when it directed employees of the Office of the Surgeon General to keep diaries on the weather. In 1870, responsibility of recording weather data was transferred to the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. It wasn’t until 1890 that the government designated a specific office for these types of observations when they established the first federal Weather Bureau under the Department of Agriculture, which has since existed in various forms.

The observations and reports collected from U.S. observatories in the 19^th century has been microfilmed on National Archives Microfilm Publication T907, Climatological Records of the Weather Bureau, 1818-1892 (562 rolls). These are available at many branches of NARA, but are not online. Several microfilm publications hold weather data from earlier dates, such as records from the Blue Hill Observatory in Milton, Massachusetts and its various substations, which are available at NARA’s Boston Branch. Last week, a research question from a patron led me to examine these microfilms, containing the diary of Dr. John Jeffries, who recorded the daily weather in Boston all the way back to 1774! Claire Kluskens blog post, “The Weather Bureau and Genealogy,” has referenced other NARA record groups containing historical weather data.

Weather Diary and observations for Boston, Massachusetts, July 1799. [3] 

Some online resources contain databases dealing with historical weather phenomenon. You can access historical climate data and observations for the U.S. from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). An “order” must be made to view the reports, but they are free and are delivered to your e-mail in a .PDF file. There are several datasets to search, but for genealogical purposes you will most likely want to view “Daily Summaries”, which provide basic data such as temperature, wind, and precipitation. The National Weather Service has a new project that gathers information on historical tornado occurrences on the United States, however the only available one is for state of Alabama. GenDisasters uses information from town histories, newspapers, and other sources for a database natural disasters in the U.S. and Canada dating back to the 18^th century. Original research in newspapers can be a great way to gather historical weather data because several articles from a particular area can provide different accounts on one event.

What I found most poignant about the tragedy of the Demmerle brothers was their headstone. From my own perspective, it happens to be one of the most imaginative headstones I’ve examined and is symbolic of the power of nature. The motifs used in the headstone consist of vines and tree trunks, suggesting the family’s reverence for nature. Paradoxically, mother nature took the lives of these three young men. As the epitaph reads, “Taken suddenly in an hour of happiness, struck by a bolt of lightning.”

[1] New York Tribune, Monday, 31 July 1905, p.1, col.4, image copy, Library of Congress, (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1905-07-31/ed-1/seq-1/: accessed 3 Jul 2016), Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers.

[2] Image Source: Connecticut State Library.

[3] Reproduced off microfilm at National Archives.

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Jake Fletcher is a professional genealogist, educator and blogger. Jake has been researching and writing about his ancestors since 2008 on his research blog. He currently volunteers as a research assistant at the National Archives in Waltham, Massachusetts and is Vice President of the New England Association of Professional Genealogists (NEAPG).