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A Simple Tip to Bust Genealogy Brick Walls

A Simple Tip to Bust Genealogy Brick Walls

I was recently reminded of a simple yet effective tip for bringing down brick walls.

Yesterday one of my DNA matches contacted me suggesting that we might be connected through the Bair family. That got my attention because the Bairs are one of my brick walls.

Before I go any further, let me tell you that I am an ancestral DNA addict! Not because I think that there is a magic DNA bullet that is going to bring down my brick walls, rather because it might provide the simplest hint that I hadn't seen before. That hint, combined with good old fashioned genealogy research is what solves mysteries.

My new cousin shared her online Ancestry tree with me so that I could see where we might connect. She had already taken a look at my tree. She pointed out that "My Bair's were in Tuscarawas Co., OH, for a time, and Anna Bonfield that you have in your tree died in Tuscarawas Co." She continued, "I would think based on shared DNA our match would be a good ways back, so we just mightn't find it, but it still would be interesting to see if your Bair's relate to the Tuscarawas Bair's."

Anna Bonfield is not a Bair so at first I discounted that. Too hasty, of course! Anna is married to a Bair - my third great grandfather, Jesse Bair.

I decided to look at the information I had on Jesse Bair. Jesse Bair was born 11 Nov 1814 in Adams County, Pennsylvania. Further scanning of his life showed locations such as Stark County, Ohio; St. Louis, Missouri; and St. Clair, Illinois. Jesse's adult life is pretty clear to me but his parents and roots in Pennsylvania are a mystery.

His wife's death in Tuscarawas, Ohio was nagging at me.

So I went to my Legacy database and did a search for all individuals whose death place or birth place contained Tuscarawas. I didn't bother with listing towns or a state because Tuscarawas is such a unique name. I then selected Create List. 

Searching Legacy Family Tree for individuals in Tuscarawas County


The results brought up, as expected, Anna Bonfield, but also her son James K.P. Bair. A quick peek at his profile showed that he was born in Dover, Tuscarawas, Ohio. I was so focused on my ancestors that I forgot to look at collateral relatives! James is the brother of my second great grandmother, Anna Elizabeth Bair (1850-1881). James' birth places my ancestors right in the same location as the ancestors  of my new distant cousin. Her Jonas Bair married and raised children in Tuscarawas, Ohio for twenty years before heading further west. It places him in the town of Dover exactly at the time my Jesse Bair was there.

James K.P. Bair was born in Tuscarawas County Ohio.
Surprise! James K.P. Bair was born in Tuscarawas County Ohio.


What was my big mistake when researching my Bair brick wall? Not checking each location for other families of the same name!

A quick search in the 1850 census for Tuscarawas County, Ohio revealed over 150 Bairs! I'm only concerned with the oldest generation from Pennsylvania so I narrowed down my search to those born in Pennsylvania.  That brought 26 Bairs to my attention ranging in birth dates from 1791 to 1828. That date range means there's potential that Jesse's father could be hiding in plain sight in Tuscarawas County!

I haven't brought down my brick wall yet. My next task is good old fashioned genealogy research. I need to recreate the Bair families in Tuscarawas County. Yes, it will be a lot of work but if it helps me find parents or siblings for Jesse Bair then it will be worth it!

For more brick wall tips check out "Ten Brick Wall Tips for Beginners" in the Legacy library.

 

Marian Pierre-Louis is the Social Media Marketing Manager for Legacy Family Tree. She is also a speaker, writer and the host of The Genealogy Professional podcast. Check out her webinars in the Legacy library.

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Tuesday's Tip - Label Those Tags!

  Legacy Family Tree Tuesday's Tip - Label Those Tags!

Tuesday's Tips provide brief how-to's to help you learn to use the Legacy Family Tree software with new tricks and techniques. 

Label Those Tags!

Whenever you use tagging (see the numbered boxes in the image 1-9 - those are tags), make sure you go to TOOLS > ADVANCED TAGGING and label the tags so that you know what is on what tag. It is VERY easy to forget what you have tagged especially if you have multiple tags in play. If you want to see what a particular tag means, you don't have to go back to this screen, you can simply hover over that tag number in the Family View or Pedigree View. 

In the example below, Tag 1 is used to help find some of Geoff's best ancestors!

Use Advanced Tagging to Label Your Tags!


For more about advanced tagging see this article: http://support.legacyfamilytree.com/article/AA-00949/0/Tagging-Advanced-Tagging.html

Find tech tips every day in the Facebook Legacy User Group. The group is free and is available to anyone with a Facebook account.

For video tech tips checkout the Legacy Quick Tips page.  These short videos will make it easy for you to learn all sort of fun and interesting ways to look at your genealogy research.

Michele Simmons Lewis is part of the technical support team at Millennia, the makers of the Legacy Family Tree software program. With over 20 years of research experience, Michele’s passion is helping new genealogists get started on the right foot through her writings, classes and lectures. She is the former staff genealogist and weekly columnist for the McDuffie Mirror and now authors Ancestoring, a blog geared toward the beginner/intermediate researcher.

 

 


Register for Webinar Wednesday - Apprentices, Indentured Servants, and Redemptioners: White Slavery in America by Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG

Register

It is frequently assumed that the only enslaved Americans were those brought on the slave ships from Africa. Yet, an estimated one-half of early immigrants came to America as apprentices, indentured servants, and redemptioners. And, a good many of those were children.

Join us and Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG for the live webinar Wednesday, March 1, 2017 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 the supplemental syllabus materials here.

Registerbut 

Or register for multiple webinars at once by clicking here.

Not sure if you already registered?

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

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 a limited time. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

About the presenter

PeggyLauritzen-144-144Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG, was involved in genealogy before she was even born. The daughter of avid genealogists, she was spending time in courthouses and cemeteries while other children were playing on swings and going to the beach. The love of her family's history has never left her. With her experience as a former Family History Director, she is a frequent speaker at genealogical societies, workshops, seminars, and webinars where she loves bringing genealogy to life. Some of those would include The Ohio Genealogical Society, The Ohio State University, Brigham Young University, and many other state and local genealogy societies. She has recently completed several Legacy QuickGuides on Appalachia, which are also available on www.legacyfamilytree.com and www.amazon.com.

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 1, 2017 at:

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

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

  1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
  2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
  3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
  4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
  5. 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!


Finding Missing Persons with DNA Testing Now Available for a Limited Time

2017-02-22-missingdna-thumbnail

The recording of Wednesday's webinar, "Finding Missing Persons with DNA Testing" by Diahan Southard is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

Webinar Description

Do you have an adoption in your line, or are you adopted yourself? Do you have an ancestor who just refuses to be found? DNA testing can be a very powerful tool to help fill in the blanks in your family tree. But how helpful can it really be when you know absolutely nothing about the person you are trying to find? As it turns out, with the right techniques and a careful search, your DNA might be able to tell you more than you think.

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 31 minute recording of "Finding Missing Persons with DNA Testing" 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

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

  • On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 475 classes, 658 hours of genealogy education)
  • On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 2,189 pages)
  • On-demand access to the live webinars' chat logs
  • 5% off all products at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com (must be logged in at checkout)
  • Access to all future recordings for the duration of their membership
  • Chance for a members-only door prize during each live webinar
  • Access to register for bonus members-only webinars
  • Ability to view which webinars you are registered for
  • Use of the playlist, resume watching, and jump-to features

Introductory pricing:

  • Annual membership: $49.95/year
  • Monthly membership: $9.95/month

Click here to subscribe.

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

  • Apprentices, Indentured Servants, and Redemptioners: White Slavery in America by Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG. March 1.
  • 50 Websites Every Genealogist Should Know by Gena Philibert-Ortega. March 8.
  • Home on the Range: Kansas Research Tips by Cari Taplin, CG. March 10.
  • Why are Irish records so weird? by John Grenham. March 15.
  • Are You My Grandpa? Men of the Same Name by Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG. March 21.
  • Picture This: Images You Can Freely Use by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL. March 22.
  • Introduction to Quaker Genealogy Research by Craig Scott, MA, CG, FUGA. March 29.
  • Preserve, Share, and Search Your Digital Pictures with Google Photos by Geoff Rasmussen. April 5.
  • Your Whiteboard in the Cloud: Trello for Genealogists by Lisa Alzo. April 12.
  • Complete Photo Restoration in 4 Easy Steps by Eric Basir. April 14.
  • The Genealogy in Government Documents by Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA. April 18.
  • Neighborhood Reconstruction: Effective Use of Land Records by Mary Hill, AG. April 19.
  • Finding and Using Land Ownership Maps by Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA. April 26.
  • Researching Criminal Records by Ron Arons. April 28.
  • Take Me Back to Where I Belong: Transportation Records of the Freedmen’s Bureau by Angela Walton-Raji. May 3.
  • Beginning Danish Research by Charles Fritz Juengling, AG. May 10.
  • New York City and State Governmental Vital Records by Jane Wilcox. May 12.
  • MAXY DNA: Correlating mt-at-X-Y DNA with the GPS by Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL. May 16.
  • Remember Me: Lifestreaming and the Modern Genealogist by Thomas MacEntee. May 17.
  • WikiTree: Free for All without a Free-for-All by Eowyn Langholf. May 24.
  • The Great War: Researching Your World War I Ancestors by Michael L. Strauss, AG. May 31.
  • Researching Your Minnesota Ancestors by Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA. June 7.
  • How Harry Potter Can Teach You About DNA by Blaine Bettinger. June 14.
  • What Now? Your Next Steps with Autosomal DNA Testing by Diahan Southard. June 16.
  • Beating the Bushes: Using the GPS to Find Jacob Bush's Father by Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL. June 20.
  • Virtual Family Reunions: Super Easy, Super Fun by Pat Richley and Russ Worthington. June 21.
  • Canada's Top 10 by Kathryn Lake Hogan. June 28.
  • Censational Census Strategies by Mary Kircher Roddy. July 5.
  • Google Books: the tool you should use every day! by Lisa Louise Cooke. July 12.
  • Tips for Snapping Pics: How to Take Perfect Family Photographs by Jared Hodges. July 14.
  • Analyzing Documents Sparks Ideas for Further Research by Angela Packer McGhie, CG. July 18.
  • The Firelands, The Connecticut Western Reserve, and the Ohio Territory by Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG. July 19.
  • Family History Adhesive: The Science of Why History Binds Families and the Simple Tech of How to Do It by Janet Hovorka. July 26.
  • Tracing Your West Country Ancestors by Kirsty Gray. August 2.
  • A Taxing Matter: Using Tax Lists in Genealogy by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL. August 9.
  • Using Pictures with Legacy Family Tree by Geoff Rasmussen. August 11.
  • Analyzing Probate Records of Slaveholders to Identify Enslaved Ancestors by LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG. August 15.
  • Finding Your Ancestors in German Directories by Ursula C. Krause. August 16.
  • How to do Mexican Research and Be Successful by Jonathan Walker. August 23.
  • Getting Started with Evidentia by Edward A. Thompson. August 30.
  • Top Tech Tips for the Technologist and the Genealogist by Geoff Rasmussen. September 6.
  • Finding Isaac Rogers by Nicka Smith. September 13.
  • The ABCs and 123s of Researching Your Ancestor's School Records by Melissa Barker. September 15.
  • When Does Newfound Evidence Overturn a Proved Conclusion? by Tom Jones, Ph.D, CG, CGL. September 19.
  • WolframAlpha for Genealogists by Thomas MacEntee. September 20.
  • Quick Guide to Texas Research by Deena Coutant. September 27.
  • No Easy Button: Using “Immersion Genealogy” to Understand Your Ancestors by Lisa Alzo. October 4.
  • Southern States Migration Patterns by Mary Hill, AG. October 11.
  • Is Your Society Growing? Social Media may be your saving grace by Pat Richley. October 13.
  • Databases, Search Engines, and the Genealogical Proof Standard by David Ouimette, CG. October 17.
  • The WPA: Sources for Your Genealogy by Gena Philibert-Ortega. October 18.
  • Midwestern & Plains States Level Census Records by Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA. October 25.
  • Is this the End? Taking Your German Brick Walls Down Piece by Piece by Luana Darby and Ursula C. Krause. November 1.
  • New York City Genealogical Research: Navigating Through The Five Boroughs by Michael L. Strauss, AG. November 8.
  • Using Non-Population Schedules for Context and Evidence by Jill Morelli. November 10.
  • British and Irish research: the differences by Brian Donovan. November 15.
  • Research in Federal Records: Some Assembly Required by Malissa Ruffner, JD, CG. November 21.
  • Understanding Alabama by Rorey Cathcart. November 29.
  • Finding Your Roots in Catholic Records by Lisa Toth Salinas. December 6.
  • I Thought He Was My Ancestor: Avoiding the Six Biggest Genealogy Mistakes by James M. Baker, PhD, CG. December 13.
  • Finding Your Nordic Parish of Birth by Jill Morelli. December 15.
  • The Law and the Reasonably Exhaustive (Re)Search by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL. December 19.
  • Palmetto Pride - South Carolina for Genealogist by Rorey Cathcart. December 20.
  • Problems and Pitfalls of a Reasonably Shallow Search by Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL. December 27.

Print the 2017 webinar brochure here.

See you online!


Find Your Ancestor in WW1 Red Cross Military Files

Find Your Ancestor in WW1 Red Cross Military Files

If you are searching for an ancestor who fought in World War One, the Red Cross Military Files are a valuable resource. During the war the Red Cross provided vital services for prisoners of war, and wounded or missing soldiers. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers were engaged in the war effort under the Red Cross supervision and often this resulted in records being kept of the volunteers and soldiers. Not all Red Cross records in all countries have survived and in some countries the records were never made. However some countries’ files have been digitized and are available online.

United Kingdom

The U.K. saw approximately 90,000 Red Cross volunteers working at home and abroad between 1914 and 1918. They contributed their services as nurses and air raid wardens. Volunteers transported the wounded, organized clothing for hospitalized soldiers, set up auxilliary hospitals, created convalescent homes, and assisted in other essential roles. VADs (Volunteer Aid Detachments) provided rest stations for arriving wounded soldiers and helped families find information on missing or wounded soldiers. The mystery author Agatha Christie is found in these records.

Searchable database of First World War volunteers or a Red Cross hospital

LFT Agatha Christie
Source: redcross.org.uk

Australia

The Australian Red Cross has provided a searchable database of wounded and missing soldiers. The Red Cross files consist of approximately 32,000 individual case files of Australian personnel reported as wounded or missing during the First World War.

The website explains that the files include

  • The Red Cross Bureau's Searchers' report.
  • Eyewitness accounts by men who knew the soldier concerned or statements by men who served in the same unit or the same action as that soldier. These statements may include such information as: the circumstances of the death or wounding; a physical description of the soldier and the place of burial.
  • Letters sent to the Bureau by relatives or friends.
  • The Bureau's replies to enquiries.
  • Correspondence between the Bureau and the wounded or missing man.
LFT AUstralia Stead
Source: aum.gov.au

Canada

Very few records for Canadian Red Cross volunteers have survived. Millions of women worked as volunteer knitters and sewers, or packed up parcels for Prisoners of War. They visited wounded soldiers, wrote letters and also acted as drivers during both world wars.  However, Red Cross records of volunteers in Canada during World War One have long since been destroyed and in many cases never existed.

United States

The American Red Cross (ARC) provided the following services:

Service to the American Armed Forces and their families.
Service to Allied military forces, particularly the French.
Limited service to American and Allied prisoners of war.
Service to civilian victims of war, with an emphasis on the children of Europe. The ARC was involved in the production of garments, surgical dressings and other medical supplies, comfort kits, and additional items for the benefit of American and Allied soldiers and sailors and destitute civilians in war-torn countries.

There do not appear to be any digitized files for the American Red Cross except for one on Ancestry.com (pay to view)

U.S., American Red Cross Nurse Files, 1916-1959

According to the website, details found in the files are varied, but may include the following:

  • name
  • residences
  • birth date and place
  • assignments
  • education and licensing
  • professional experience and specialty skills
  • names of friends and relatives
  • length of service in the Red Cross
  • dates and places relating to Red Cross service
  • citizenship
  • letters of references
  • overall health
  • Red Cross badge number

Other Helpful Websites

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) historical archives

During the First World War, 10 million people, servicemen or civilians, were captured and sent to detention camps. Countries involved provided lists of prisoners to the ICRC, which created an index card for each prisoner and detainee. Genealogists can search through 5 million of these cards. Search for military personnel or civilians; also by nationality: British (and Commonwealth), French, Belgian, Romanian, Serbian, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Greek, American, German, Bulgarian, Turkish, and Austro-Hungarian

Search 1914-1918 Prisoners of the First World War

Archives of the International Prisoners of War Agency, 1914-1923

The archives of the International Prisoners of War Agency (IPWA) were created during the early days of the war. Seven million soldiers were taken prisoner, many civilians were interned on enemy soil and millions more endured military occupation by the enemy or fled from combat zones and occupied territories. These files were submitted by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

 

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.

 


Weaving DNA Test Results into a Proof Argument - BCG webinar now online for limited time

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The recording of tonight's webinar, "Weaving DNA Test Results into a Proof Argument" by Karen Stanbary, CG is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/BCG for free for a limited time.

Webinar Description

This lecture illustrates how to integrate each element of the Genealogical Proof Standard in a proof argument that relies heavily on autosomal DNA test results to answer a relationship research question. The examples are drawn from "Rafael Arriaga, A Mexican Father in Michigan: Autosomal DNA Helps Identify Paternity." National Genealogical Society Quarterly (June 2016).

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 24 minute recording of "Weaving DNA Test Results into a Proof Argument" 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

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

  • On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 474 classes, 658 hours of genealogy education)
  • On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 2,183 pages)
  • On-demand access to the live webinars' chat logs
  • 5% off all products at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com (must be logged in at checkout)
  • Access to all future recordings for the duration of their membership
  • Chance for a members-only door prize during each live webinar
  • Access to register for bonus members-only webinars
  • Ability to view which webinars you are registered for
  • Use of the playlist, resume watching, and jump-to features

Introductory pricing:

  • Annual membership: $49.95/year
  • Monthly membership: $9.95/month

Click here to subscribe.

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

  • Finding Missing Persons With DNA Testing by Diahan Southard. February 22.
  • Apprentices, Indentured Servants, and Redemptioners: White Slavery in America by Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG. March 1.
  • 50 Websites Every Genealogist Should Know by Gena Philibert-Ortega. March 8.
  • Home on the Range: Kansas Research Tips by Cari Taplin, CG. March 10.
  • Why are Irish records so weird? by John Grenham. March 15.
  • Are You My Grandpa? Men of the Same Name by Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG. March 21.
  • Picture This: Images You Can Freely Use by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL. March 22.
  • Introduction to Quaker Genealogy Research by Craig Scott, MA, CG, FUGA. March 29.
  • Preserve, Share, and Search Your Digital Pictures with Google Photos by Geoff Rasmussen. April 5.
  • Your Whiteboard in the Cloud: Trello for Genealogists by Lisa Alzo. April 12.
  • Complete Photo Restoration in 4 Easy Steps by Eric Basir. April 14.
  • The Genealogy in Government Documents by Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA. April 18.
  • Neighborhood Reconstruction: Effective Use of Land Records by Mary Hill, AG. April 19.
  • Finding and Using Land Ownership Maps by Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA. April 26.
  • Researching Criminal Records by Ron Arons. April 28.
  • Take Me Back to Where I Belong: Transportation Records of the Freedmen’s Bureau by Angela Walton-Raji. May 3.
  • Beginning Danish Research by Charles Fritz Juengling, AG. May 10.
  • New York City and State Governmental Vital Records by Jane Wilcox. May 12.
  • MAXY DNA: Correlating mt-at-X-Y DNA with the GPS by Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL. May 16.
  • Remember Me: Lifestreaming and the Modern Genealogist by Thomas MacEntee. May 17.
  • WikiTree: Free for All without a Free-for-All by Eowyn Langholf. May 24.
  • The Great War: Researching Your World War I Ancestors by Michael L. Strauss, AG. May 31.
  • Researching Your Minnesota Ancestors by Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA. June 7.
  • How Harry Potter Can Teach You About DNA by Blaine Bettinger. June 14.
  • What Now? Your Next Steps with Autosomal DNA Testing by Diahan Southard. June 16.
  • Beating the Bushes: Using the GPS to Find Jacob Bush's Father by Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL. June 20.
  • Virtual Family Reunions: Super Easy, Super Fun by Pat Richley and Russ Worthington. June 21.
  • Canada's Top 10 by Kathryn Lake Hogan. June 28.
  • Censational Census Strategies by Mary Kircher Roddy. July 5.
  • Google Books: the tool you should use every day! by Lisa Louise Cooke. July 12.
  • Tips for Snapping Pics: How to Take Perfect Family Photographs by Jared Hodges. July 14.
  • Analyzing Documents Sparks Ideas for Further Research by Angela Packer McGhie, CG. July 18.
  • The Firelands, The Connecticut Western Reserve, and the Ohio Territory by Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG. July 19.
  • Family History Adhesive: The Science of Why History Binds Families and the Simple Tech of How to Do It by Janet Hovorka. July 26.
  • Tracing Your West Country Ancestors by Kirsty Gray. August 2.
  • A Taxing Matter: Using Tax Lists in Genealogy by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL. August 9.
  • Using Pictures with Legacy Family Tree by Geoff Rasmussen. August 11.
  • Analyzing Probate Records of Slaveholders to Identify Enslaved Ancestors by LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG. August 15.
  • Finding Your Ancestors in German Directories by Ursula C. Krause. August 16.
  • How to do Mexican Research and Be Successful by Jonathan Walker. August 23.
  • Getting Started with Evidentia by Edward A. Thompson. August 30.
  • Top Tech Tips for the Technologist and the Genealogist by Geoff Rasmussen. September 6.
  • Finding Isaac Rogers by Nicka Smith. September 13.
  • The ABCs and 123s of Researching Your Ancestor's School Records by Melissa Barker. September 15.
  • When Does Newfound Evidence Overturn a Proved Conclusion? by Tom Jones, Ph.D, CG, CGL. September 19.
  • WolframAlpha for Genealogists by Thomas MacEntee. September 20.
  • Quick Guide to Texas Research by Deena Coutant. September 27.
  • No Easy Button: Using “Immersion Genealogy” to Understand Your Ancestors by Lisa Alzo. October 4.
  • Southern States Migration Patterns by Mary Hill, AG. October 11.
  • Is Your Society Growing? Social Media may be your saving grace by Pat Richley. October 13.
  • Databases, Search Engines, and the Genealogical Proof Standard by David Ouimette, CG. October 17.
  • The WPA: Sources for Your Genealogy by Gena Philibert-Ortega. October 18.
  • Midwestern & Plains States Level Census Records by Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA. October 25.
  • Is this the End? Taking Your German Brick Walls Down Piece by Piece by Luana Darby and Ursula C. Krause. November 1.
  • New York City Genealogical Research: Navigating Through The Five Boroughs by Michael L. Strauss, AG. November 8.
  • Using Non-Population Schedules for Context and Evidence by Jill Morelli. November 10.
  • British and Irish research: the differences by Brian Donovan. November 15.
  • Research in Federal Records: Some Assembly Required by Malissa Ruffner, JD, CG. November 21.
  • Understanding Alabama by Rorey Cathcart. November 29.
  • Finding Your Roots in Catholic Records by Lisa Toth Salinas. December 6.
  • I Thought He Was My Ancestor: Avoiding the Six Biggest Genealogy Mistakes by James M. Baker, PhD, CG. December 13.
  • Finding Your Nordic Parish of Birth by Jill Morelli. December 15.
  • The Law and the Reasonably Exhaustive (Re)Search by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL. December 19.
  • Palmetto Pride - South Carolina for Genealogist by Rorey Cathcart. December 20.
  • Problems and Pitfalls of a Reasonably Shallow Search by Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL. December 27.

Print the 2017 webinar brochure here.

See you online!


Tuesday's Tip - Using Secret Bars

  Tuesday's Tip - Using Secret Bars in Legacy Family Tree

Tuesday's Tips provide brief how-to's to help you learn to use the Legacy Family Tree software with new tricks and techniques.

Using Secret Bars

There are some "secret" popup bars on the Family View of Legacy Family Tree. If you put your mouse cursor over certain areas this secret bar will pop up and you can then click it and it will do something. Most people find the one that allows you to scroll through a person's marriages on their own but there are more. Below are screenshots of secret bars that may be new to you.

Look for the RED arrow below in each photo to identify the location of the secret bar.

1. Rotate through husband's Spouses

Rotate through Husband's Spouses

2. Rotate through wife's Spouses

Rotate through Wife's Spouses

3. Rotate through siblings of highlight person

Rotate through siblings of highlight person

 4. Move preferred child up to main position

Move preferred child up to main position

5. Rotate through other parents of husband

Rotate through other parents of husband

6. Rotate through other parents of wife

Rotate through other parents of wife

 

Find tech tips every day in the Facebook Legacy User Group. The group is free and is available to anyone with a Facebook account.

For video tech tips checkout the Legacy Quick Tips page.  These short videos will make it easy for you to learn all sort of fun and interesting ways to look at your genealogy research.

Michele Simmons Lewis is part of the technical support team at Millennia, the makers of the Legacy Family Tree software program. With over 20 years of research experience, Michele’s passion is helping new genealogists get started on the right foot through her writings, classes and lectures. She is the former staff genealogist and weekly columnist for the McDuffie Mirror and now authors Ancestoring, a blog geared toward the beginner/intermediate researcher.

 

 


Register for tonight's BCG Webinar: Weaving DNA Test Results into a Proof Argument by Karen Stanbary, CG

Register

This lecture illustrates how to integrate each element of the Genealogical Proof Standard in a proof argument that relies heavily on autosomal DNA test results to answer a relationship research question. The examples are drawn from "Rafael Arriaga, A Mexican Father in Michigan: Autosomal DNA Helps Identify Paternity." National Genealogical Society Quarterly (June 2016).

Join the Board for Certification of Genealogy and Karen Stanbary, CG for the live webinar Tuesday, February 21, 2017 at 8pm 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 the supplemental syllabus materials here.

Registerbut 

Or register for multiple webinars at once by clicking here.

Not sure if you already registered?

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

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 a limited time. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

About the presenter

KarenStanbary-144x144Karen Stanbary, CG℠, holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Chicago. She specializes in Midwestern, Chicago, and Mexican research as well as complex problem-solving and DNA analysis. A regular instructor in Chicago’s Newberry Library Adult Education program, Karen lectures on topics including Genetic Genealogy, Advanced Genetic Genealogy and the Genealogical Proof Standard.  She is a faculty member at GRIP, IGHR, and SLIG. She published a complex evidence case study incorporating traditional documentary research and autosomal DNA analysis in the June 2016 issue of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. She holds the credential Certified Genealogist® from the Board for Certification of Genealogists® where she serves on the Genetic Genealogy Standards committee.

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 Tuesday, February 21, 2017 at:

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

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

  1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
  2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
  3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
  4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
  5. 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!


Be Your Own Digital Archivist: Preserve Your Research - free webinar by Cyndi Ingle now online for limited time

2017-02-15-image500blog

The recording of today's webinar, "Be Your Own Digital Archivist: Preserve Your Research" by Cyndi Ingle is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

Webinar Description

Are you doing everything you can to safeguard your genealogical research? Your documents? Your data? Your scanned images? We will talk about the importance of taking charge of your own materials and making sure they aren't going to disappear.

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 46 minute recording of "Be Your Own Digital Archivist: Preserve Your Research" 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.

Webinar Coupon Code

Use webinar coupon code digital10 for 10% off anything in our online store including Legacy software, Legacy QuickGuides, webinar memberships and more. Coupon good through Monday, February 20, 2017.

Click here to browse the store.

B_AFTERGON-2TAfter You’re Gone: Future Proofing Your Genealogy Research by Thomas MacEntee 3.99

27 pages | Published 2015 | PDF (download-only) edition
 
Try as we might, we really have little control over what will happen to our possessions, even our bodies, after we die. Yes, we can draw up legal documents, we can express our wishes to family members and more; however, there are no guarantees when it comes to these matters. The best we can do is prepare, plan and communicate now.

When it comes to years of genealogy research and material that you have accumulated, what plans have you made to ensure that this legacy does not die with you? In After You’re Gone: Future Proofing Your Genealogy Research, you will find valuable advice on creating a realistic plan to get your “genealogy affairs” in order. Make sure that the next generation of researchers can benefit from your years of hard work and following your passion.

After You’re Gone: Future Proofing Your Genealogy Research covers a wide range of topics including:
  • The Perils of Inaction: Lost Genealogy
  • Action Plan Options
  • Getting Organized
  • Taking Inventory
  • Working with Societies, Libraries and Archives
  • Technology to the Rescue
  • Best Practices for Genealogy Future Proofing
I hope you enjoy After You’re Gone: Future Proofing Your Genealogy Research and remember to take action NOW when it comes to making sure your years of genealogy research don’t go to waste.
 
image from news.legacyfamilytree.com
 
Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

  • On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 473 classes, 657 hours of genealogy education)
  • On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 2,173 pages)
  • On-demand access to the live webinars' chat logs
  • 5% off all products at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com (must be logged in at checkout)
  • Access to all future recordings for the duration of their membership
  • Chance for a members-only door prize during each live webinar
  • Access to register for bonus members-only webinars
  • Ability to view which webinars you are registered for
  • Use of the playlist, resume watching, and jump-to features

Introductory pricing:

  • Annual membership: $49.95/year
  • Monthly membership: $9.95/month

Click here to subscribe.

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

  • Weaving DNA Test Results into a Proof Argument by Karen Stanbary, CG. February 21.
  • Finding Missing Persons With DNA Testing by Diahan Southard. February 22.
  • Apprentices, Indentured Servants, and Redemptioners: White Slavery in America by Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG. March 1.
  • 50 Websites Every Genealogist Should Know by Gena Philibert-Ortega. March 8.
  • Home on the Range: Kansas Research Tips by Cari Taplin, CG. March 10.
  • Why are Irish records so weird? by John Grenham. March 15.
  • Are You My Grandpa? Men of the Same Name by Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG. March 21.
  • Picture This: Images You Can Freely Use by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL. March 22.
  • Introduction to Quaker Genealogy Research by Craig Scott, MA, CG, FUGA. March 29.
  • Preserve, Share, and Search Your Digital Pictures with Google Photos by Geoff Rasmussen. April 5.
  • Your Whiteboard in the Cloud: Trello for Genealogists by Lisa Alzo. April 12.
  • Complete Photo Restoration in 4 Easy Steps by Eric Basir. April 14.
  • The Genealogy in Government Documents by Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA. April 18.
  • Neighborhood Reconstruction: Effective Use of Land Records by Mary Hill, AG. April 19.
  • Finding and Using Land Ownership Maps by Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA. April 26.
  • Researching Criminal Records by Ron Arons. April 28.
  • Take Me Back to Where I Belong: Transportation Records of the Freedmen’s Bureau by Angela Walton-Raji. May 3.
  • Beginning Danish Research by Charles Fritz Juengling, AG. May 10.
  • New York City and State Governmental Vital Records by Jane Wilcox. May 12.
  • MAXY DNA: Correlating mt-at-X-Y DNA with the GPS by Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL. May 16.
  • Remember Me: Lifestreaming and the Modern Genealogist by Thomas MacEntee. May 17.
  • WikiTree: Free for All without a Free-for-All by Eowyn Langholf. May 24.
  • The Great War: Researching Your World War I Ancestors by Michael L. Strauss, AG. May 31.
  • Researching Your Minnesota Ancestors by Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA. June 7.
  • How Harry Potter Can Teach You About DNA by Blaine Bettinger. June 14.
  • What Now? Your Next Steps with Autosomal DNA Testing by Diahan Southard. June 16.
  • Beating the Bushes: Using the GPS to Find Jacob Bush's Father by Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL. June 20.
  • Virtual Family Reunions: Super Easy, Super Fun by Pat Richley and Russ Worthington. June 21.
  • Canada's Top 10 by Kathryn Lake Hogan. June 28.
  • Censational Census Strategies by Mary Kircher Roddy. July 5.
  • Google Books: the tool you should use every day! by Lisa Louise Cooke. July 12.
  • Tips for Snapping Pics: How to Take Perfect Family Photographs by Jared Hodges. July 14.
  • Analyzing Documents Sparks Ideas for Further Research by Angela Packer McGhie, CG. July 18.
  • The Firelands, The Connecticut Western Reserve, and the Ohio Territory by Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG. July 19.
  • Family History Adhesive: The Science of Why History Binds Families and the Simple Tech of How to Do It by Janet Hovorka. July 26.
  • Tracing Your West Country Ancestors by Kirsty Gray. August 2.
  • A Taxing Matter: Using Tax Lists in Genealogy by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL. August 9.
  • Using Pictures with Legacy Family Tree by Geoff Rasmussen. August 11.
  • Analyzing Probate Records of Slaveholders to Identify Enslaved Ancestors by LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG. August 15.
  • Finding Your Ancestors in German Directories by Ursula C. Krause. August 16.
  • How to do Mexican Research and Be Successful by Jonathan Walker. August 23.
  • Getting Started with Evidentia by Edward A. Thompson. August 30.
  • Top Tech Tips for the Technologist and the Genealogist by Geoff Rasmussen. September 6.
  • Finding Isaac Rogers by Nicka Smith. September 13.
  • The ABCs and 123s of Researching Your Ancestor's School Records by Melissa Barker. September 15.
  • When Does Newfound Evidence Overturn a Proved Conclusion? by Tom Jones, Ph.D, CG, CGL. September 19.
  • WolframAlpha for Genealogists by Thomas MacEntee. September 20.
  • Quick Guide to Texas Research by Deena Coutant. September 27.
  • No Easy Button: Using “Immersion Genealogy” to Understand Your Ancestors by Lisa Alzo. October 4.
  • Southern States Migration Patterns by Mary Hill, AG. October 11.
  • Is Your Society Growing? Social Media may be your saving grace by Pat Richley. October 13.
  • Databases, Search Engines, and the Genealogical Proof Standard by David Ouimette, CG. October 17.
  • The WPA: Sources for Your Genealogy by Gena Philibert-Ortega. October 18.
  • Midwestern & Plains States Level Census Records by Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA. October 25.
  • Is this the End? Taking Your German Brick Walls Down Piece by Piece by Luana Darby and Ursula C. Krause. November 1.
  • New York City Genealogical Research: Navigating Through The Five Boroughs by Michael L. Strauss, AG. November 8.
  • Using Non-Population Schedules for Context and Evidence by Jill Morelli. November 10.
  • British and Irish research: the differences by Brian Donovan. November 15.
  • Research in Federal Records: Some Assembly Required by Malissa Ruffner, JD, CG. November 21.
  • Understanding Alabama by Rorey Cathcart. November 29.
  • Finding Your Roots in Catholic Records by Lisa Toth Salinas. December 6.
  • I Thought He Was My Ancestor: Avoiding the Six Biggest Genealogy Mistakes by James M. Baker, PhD, CG. December 13.
  • Finding Your Nordic Parish of Birth by Jill Morelli. December 15.
  • The Law and the Reasonably Exhaustive (Re)Search by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL. December 19.
  • Palmetto Pride - South Carolina for Genealogist by Rorey Cathcart. December 20.
  • Problems and Pitfalls of a Reasonably Shallow Search by Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL. December 27.

Print the 2017 webinar brochure here.

See you online!


Register for Webinar Wednesday - Be Your Own Digital Archivist: Preserve Your Research by Cyndi Ingle

Register

Are you doing everything you can to safeguard your genealogical research? Your documents? Your data? Your scanned images? We will talk about the importance of taking charge of your own materials and making sure they aren't going to disappear.

Join us and Cyndi Ingle for the live webinar Wednesday, February 15, 2017 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 the supplemental syllabus materials here.

Registerbut 

Or register for multiple webinars at once by clicking here.

Not sure if you already registered?

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

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 a limited time. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

About the presenter

CyndiIngle-144x144Cyndi is the creator, owner and "webmaster" of the award-winning web site Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet, www.CyndisList.com, a categorized index to more than 335,000 online resources. In its first three years, Cyndi's List was three times voted the best genealogy site on the World Wide Web. It helps millions of visitors worldwide each month and has been featured in the media and diverse publications, including ABC News, NBC News, USA Today, Time, Newsweek, Parade Magazine, Wired, Family Tree Magazine, Family Chronicle, and Internet Genealogy magazines. Cyndi has been interviewed for many television and radio broadcasts including ABC News, NBC News, the BBC, and National Public Radio. She has also participated in the Ancestors II television series on PBS. Cyndi, a genealogist for more than 35 years, is a past-member of the board of directors for the National Genealogical Society. Cyndi is an internationally known guest lecturer for various genealogical society meetings and seminars (http://www.CyndisList.com/speaking-calendar/). She has lectured for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, GENTECH, Brigham Young University, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, the National Genealogical Society, the Washington Library Association, the Florida Library Association, the American Library Association and numerous local genealogical societies in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Cyndi has authored numerous articles and three books. Before her life on the Internet, Cyndi worked as an international banker specializing in foreign exchange and computer networks. Cyndi, her son, Evan, and three Boston Terriers live in Edgewood, Washington.

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, February 15, 2017 at:

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

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

  1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
  2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
  3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
  4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
  5. 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!