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Tips and Tools for Navigating the English Probate System - free replay of today's webinar by Paul Milner, FUGA, MDiv now available for limited time

2023-02-28-image500blog

The recording of today's webinar by Paul Milner, FUGA, MDiv, "Tips and Tools for Navigating the English Probate System” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

Webinar Description

The probate system in England and Wales changed significantly in 1858. Learn how the English probate system worked before and after that change, see what records are available and why they are of value. Learn tips and tools for procedures which will simplify the search process, whether the ancestor’s location in England is known or unknown.

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 25 minute recording of "Tips and Tools for Navigating the English Probate System" is now available to view in our webinar library for free for a limited time.

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

  • On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 1,925 classes of genealogy education)
  • On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 7,237 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

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

Print the 2023 webinar brochure here.


Register for Tuesday's Down Under webinar: Tips & Tools for Navigating the English Probate System by Paul Milner, FUGA, MDiv

Register-downunder
 
The probate system in England and Wales changed significantly in 1858. Learn how the English probate system worked before and after that change, see what records are available and why they are of value. Learn tips and tools for procedures which will simplify the search process, whether the ancestor’s location in England is known or unknown.

Registerbut 

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

PaulMilner-144x144Paul Milner, a native of northern England, is a professional genealogist and internationally known lecturer with 30 years’ experience, specializing in British Isles research.
Here’s the backstory about Paul: Paul was raised on the West Coast of northern England. A mining engineer with a degree from the Cambourne School of Mines in Cornwall, England, he came to the U.S. in 1975 to get his graduate degree at the University of Wisconsin. He has been in the U.S. ever since, and in 2008 he became a dual citizen of both countries. In the intervening years, Paul received two graduate degrees and traveled widely throughout the world. Paul has been designing genealogy workshops, writing books, and lecturing for over 35 years. He holds an advanced degree in Theology and is particularly knowledgeable about the church and its role in record keeping. As a genealogist he speaks on a variety of topics relating to research in the British Isles, migration to North America and research methodology. He is the 2018 recipient of the Utah Genealogical Society Fellow Award. He is currently the book review editor of the British Interest Group of Wisconsin and Illinois Newsletter (BIGWILL) and is the former book review editor of the FGS FORUM. Paul is a past board member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, the Genealogical Speakers Guild, and the British Interest Group of Wisconsin and Illinois.

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 28, 2023 at:

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

which, in Sydney, is Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at:

  • noon

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

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

We look forward to seeing you all there!


We're Off to RootsTech 2023!

We're Off to RootsTech 2023!

The Legacy Family Tree team is off to Salt Lake City for RootsTech 2023! Always the largest family history event, RootsTech 2023 will feature more than 300 classes, thousands of genealogists, and a gigantic exhibit hall.

The Legacy Booth and more

I'll (Geoff) be there as well, along with Marian, Leonard, and others (thanks to Dave, Ken, Jairmie, and Ron for keeping our Facebook, Support, webinars and everything else running at home!). So bring your questions, good conversation, and well, your money. But only bring half as much as you normally would since both Legacy and webinar memberships (new memberships only) will be available for our special conference pricing of half off!

You'll also find me over at the MyHeritage booth giving demos and short classes.

  • Thursday, 12:30pm
  • Friday, 4:30pm
  • Saturday, 1:30pm

Can't make it?

If you can't make it to SLC this year, many of the classes will be live-streamed. PLUS, we'll still see you online for this week's live webinar:

"Life is short, do genealogy first!"


Smiths & Joneses: Success with Families of Common Name - replay of today's webinar by Elizabeth Shown Mills now online for webinar members

2023-02-24-image500blog

The recording of today's members-only webinar by Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS, "Smiths & Joneses: Success with Families of Common Name” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for those with a webinar membership.

Webinar Description

“Identity theft” happens easily with common-name families. This session uses two case studies from two different societies—a Jones family from the Northern U.S. and a Smith family from the South—to demonstrate how to work safely with common-name families. The first ten minutes ground the audience in four problem-solving models. On that foundation, Mills then walks her class through sources and strategies that are often overlooked amid today’s reliance upon database searches, provider hints, and crowd-sourcing.

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 20 minute recording of "Smiths & Joneses: Success with Families of Common Name” is now available to view in our webinar library when signed in as a webinar member.

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

  • On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 1,924 classes of genealogy education)
  • On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 7,229 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

Become a webinar member here.

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

Print the 2023 webinar brochure here.


How to Analyze a Letter for Genealogical Clues

How to Analyze a Letter for Genealogical Clues

Last week we discussed analyzing envelopes, so this week, let's look at what lies within the envelope, a letter.

Like an envelope, there's more than meets the eye when looking at a letter. The letter may not seem to hold genealogical value because it does not include vital record events, but it can provide insight into both the writer and the receiver's lives.

Analyze and Transcribe

As you begin your analysis, take a look at the letter and note:

  • Who is the letter addressed?
  • Who is the letter from?
  • What are the dates listed?
  • What is the return address?

Most of us know there is a standard format to letter writing, but that format may or may not be present in a letter written to a family member. The information listed above provides some foundation information about the letter that should be noted as you transcribe and analyze.

Now, transcribe the letter. You may be asking, why? In my opinion, not only does transcribing the letter make it easier to read (in the case of handwritten letters), it helps to preserve the letter, and it also allows you to annotate and make a note of important aspects of the letter, such as:

  • Names
  • Places
  • Events
  • Descriptions
  • Stories

As you transcribe, you can use square brackets [ ] to add information, add clarification, or correct misspellings. You could even use tools in your word document program to highlight and add comments.

Once you have transcribed the letter, you might want to add a page to summarize what you have learned from the letter. What are the key points? What information should be followed up on in records or newspapers? What questions do you have? What are your research plan and research questions?

I also like to create a timeline in a table. In the first column, I add the date the letter was written (or postmarked) and list them chronologically in the first column). Subsequent columns include the place, the name of the writer/recipient, a few points of the letter, and a source citation. You can also add a column to include next steps or records to look for.

Letters as Genealogy Sources

Letters are an excellent genealogical source, regardless of who wrote or received them in your family. Analyzing them can lead to clues and records that will enhance your genealogy. Take some time to take a second look at the letters in your files to enhance your family history story.

 

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

 

 


New Webinar Short: Tips for Finding Nicknames, Spelling Variants and Mangled Surnames by Janice Nickerson

New Webinar Short - What’s That Name? Tips for Finding Nicknames, Spelling Variants and Mangled Surnames by Janice Nickerson

Webinar Shorts are a new bonus feature for members at Legacy Family Tree Webinars that provide you with genealogy classes in 20 minutes or less.  Enjoy this new Webinar Short "What’s That Name? Tips for Finding Nicknames, Spelling Variants and Mangled Surnames" by Janice Nickerson.

Webinar Short Description

Names are a genealogist’s bread and butter. But how do you find your ancestors when they didn’t “go by” their proper names, or clerks mangled their names in the records or the transcriber couldn’t read the enumerator’s handwriting? These tips might help!

About the Presenter

Janice NickersonProfessional genealogist Janice Nickerson loves a good challenge whether it’s identifying elusive ancestors, tracking disappearing descendants or telling richer family stories. In addition to helping her private clients discover the richness of their ancestral heritage, Janice does heir searching, writes and lectures on a variety of genealogical topics. Her specialties include early Ontario research, criminal justice records and using genealogy gifts and games to create a legacy. Her books, Crime and Punishment in Upper Canada: A Researcher’s Guide (2010), and York’s Sacrifice: Militia Casualties of the War of 1812 (2012) were both published by the joint imprint of the Ontario Genealogical Society and Dundurn Press. Janice is a proud 8th-generation Canadian, with English, German, Irish, Welsh and First Nations ancestry. Her company website is UpperCanadaGenealogy.com

Become a webinar member

Webinar Members get:

  • On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 1,923 classes of genealogy education)
  • On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 7,229 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

Pricing:

  • Annual membership: $49.95/year

Click here to join.


Register for Friday's "The Best of ESM" series members-only webinar: Smiths & Joneses: Success with Families of Common Name by Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL

Register-esm
 
“Identity theft” happens easily with common-name families. This session uses two case studies from two different societies—a Jones family from the Northern U.S. and a Smith family from the South—to demonstrate how to work safely with common-name families. The first ten minutes ground the audience in four problem-solving models. On that foundation, Mills then walks her class through sources and strategies that are often overlooked amid today’s reliance upon database searches, provider hints, and crowd-sourcing.

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

Registerbut 

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

ElizabethShownMills2022-144x144Across a long career, Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS, has been an innovator of research methods and strategies. Published widely by academic and popular presses, she edited a national-level scholarly journal for 16 years, taught for 13 years at a National Archives-based institute on archival records and, for 25 years, headed a university-based program for advanced researchers. A past president of both the American Society of Genealogists and the Board for Certification of Genealogists, Elizabeth is the author, editor, and translator of 14 books and over 600 articles in the fields of genealogy, history, literature, and sociology. She has delivered over 1,000 lectures internationally, has appeared on radio and TV talk shows on three continents, and was featured in BBC’s 20th and 30th anniversary specials on the novel Roots.

Add it to your Google Calendar

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

Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Friday, February 24, 2023 at:

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

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

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

We look forward to seeing you all there!


Flying Under the Radar – Discovering Charles Olin’s Alias - free replay of today's webinar by Mary Kircher Roddy, CG now available for limited time

Flying Under the Radar – Discovering Charles Olin’s Alias - free replay of today's webinar by Mary Kircher Roddy, CG now available for limited time

The recording of today's webinar by Mary Kircher Roddy, CG, "Flying Under the Radar – Discovering Charles Olin’s Alias” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

Webinar Description

Charles Olin disappeared from his Nebraska roots about 1908. The DNA in the descendant of an out-of-wedlock child born in 1919 point to Charles as the father, but no records place him there. This case study proves the alternate identity Charles used for 40 years.

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 6 minute recording of "Flying Under the Radar – Discovering Charles Olin’s Alias" is now available to view in our webinar library for free for a limited time.

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

  • On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 1,922 classes of genealogy education)
  • On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 7,225 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

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

Print the 2023 webinar brochure here.


Register for Webinar Wednesday — Flying Under the Radar – Discovering Charles Olin’s Alias by Mary Kircher Roddy, CG

Register for Webinar Wednesday — Flying Under the Radar – Discovering Charles Olin’s Alias by Mary Kircher Roddy, CG

Charles Olin disappeared from his Nebraska roots about 1908. The DNA in the descendant of an out-of-wedlock child born in 1919 point to Charles as the father, but no records place him there. This case study proves the alternate identity Charles used for 40 years.

Registerbut 

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

Mary Kircher RoddyMary Kircher Roddy, CG became interested in family history in 2000 in anticipation of her husband’s sabbatical at the University of Limerick in Ireland. While she didn’t learn everything about her ancestors while they lived there, she was hooked! Since then she earned a certificate in Genealogy and Family History from the University of Washington and her Certified Genealogist credential in 2019. She is a co-founder of the Applied Genealogy Institute, whose motto is “Learn by Doing.” She served as treasurer for the Association of Professional Genealogists from 2018-2021. She is a trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists. Mary is also co-editor of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly.

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 22, 2023 at:

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

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

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

We look forward to seeing you all there!


Family History on the Canadian Prairies - free replay of today's webinar by Dave Obee now available for limited time

2023-02-17-image500blog

The recording of today's webinar by Dave Obee, "Family History on the Canadian Prairies” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

Webinar Description

Most Canadians have connections to the three Prairie provinces, through cousins if not through ancestors. Researching those Prairie families can be rewarding, although it is important to note which sources are common to all three provinces, and which ones are unique to each province. Using examples from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta, this session looks at a variety of resources, and offers tips to help you learn more about your families on the Prairies.

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 12 minute recording of "Family History on the Canadian Prairies" is now available to view in our webinar library for free for a limited time.

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

  • On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 1,920 classes of genealogy education)
  • On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 7,225 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

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

Print the 2023 webinar brochure here.