Redlands Family History Center Newsletter

REDLANDS-YUCAIPA
MULTI – STAKE
FAMILYSEARCH
CENTER
E-NEWSLETTER
Vol. 10, No. 12 December 2010
Phone Number: 909-794-3844. Located at 5th and Wabash in Redlands.
Hours: Tuesday thru Saturday—9:00 to 1:00 Tuesday and Wednesday Nights—6:00-9:00pm
Closed Sunday Nights. Open Thursday nights by appointment only.
The center will be closed for the Christmas Holidays Saturday, December 18 thru Saturday, January 1, 2011 (Christmas/New Year’s) Reopen: Tuesday, January 4, 2011

December Events
Yucaipa Valley Genealogical Society No meeting. Potluck
Redland Family History Center- No Research Class this month.

FamilySearchIndexing: over 160 Million records in 2010
FamilySearch volunteers have been busy–we have indexed 160 million records so far this year and more are on the way! New projects now available include records from Canada, England, Russia, and the United States. Completed collections will soon be available on https://beta.familysearch.org/

The Ancestry Insider: Los Angeles Family History Library Opens Thank you Marsha Green

Family Search Update
Wisdom from the Insider
One prerequisite of growing a family tree: matching.
Like a game of Concentration, genealogy involves finding matches. You must reliably match two mentions of one individual in two records. For example, you look at a John Johnson in the 1880 census and a John Johnson in your pedigree and decide if the two are a match. Records include information that identify and characterize individuals. For example, a John Johnson might be characterized in the 1880 census by his name, his age, his birth state, where he was enumerated, and so forth.

A definitive match requires that the identifying characteristics from both records must differentiate the individual from every other person that has ever lived. Reliably making a match is extremely difficult because of the amount of information that must be learned. You must learn how common each of the identifying characteristics is. For example, perhaps the name John Johnson was extremely common in 1810 Norway. You must learn how common the combination of the characteristics is. For example, you might consider it extremely unlikely that there are two 60-year-old John Johnsons with the farm name Vedum in 1810 Norway.
Short of unique identification, you must know—qualitatively if not quantitatively—the probability that the two mentions match.

You must learn and recognize equivalent values of a characteristic. For example, sometimes John matches Johannes. Sometimes it matches Jack. Sometimes Nevada matches Utah. Sometimes 1700 matches 1701. Sometimes Johnson matches Jonsen. You must learn to recognize non-matching values that probably should match. For example, sometimes typists transposed letters. Sometimes census enumerators rounded ages. Sometimes indexers read Lemuel as Samuel.

You must learn how to judge the trustworthiness of information in a particular record. For example, the length of time between an event and the recording of the event affects the trustworthiness of the information. In summary, one reason genealogy is hard is that reliable matching requires years of learning and experience.
Thanks to Marsha Green

FamilySearch Hosts Bloggers
The buzz in the genealogy blogging world is about last month's Blogger Day hosted by FamilySearch. At this Blogger Day, the discussion centered around the exciting updates coming to FamilySearch. To learn more about what will be happening check out these blog posts. You can also follow the tweets that bloggers posted on Twitter by using the hashtag #FSBlogDay.
Amy Coffin of We Tree Blog
FamilySearch Bloggers Day, Part 1
FamilySearch Bloggers Day, Part 2
FamilySearch Bloggers Day, Part 3
FamilySearch Bloggers Day, Part 4
FamilySearch Bloggers Day, Part 5
James Tanner of Genealogy's Star
FamilySearch Bloggers Day has arrived
FamilySearch Bloggers Day in Slat Lake, Part 2
FamilySearch Bloggers Day in Slat Lake, Part 3
FamilySearch Bloggers Day in Slat Lake, Part 4
FamilySearch Bloggers Day in Slat Lake, Part 5
FamilySearch Bloggers Day in Slat Lake, Part 6
Blogger's Day at FamilySearch—a summary
Reported in WorldVitalRecords Newsletter

Become a Friend with FamilySearch on Facebook

FamilySearch has just launched a new fan page on Facebook, where you can interact with a community of people who are interested in FamilySearch and the services the organization provides. Anyone who uses Facebook can simply visit the FamilySearch page and click the "like" button to become a fan of FamilySearch on Facebook.
>> Visit the FamilySearch page on Facebook.
Full Story
Taken from the FamilySearch Blog

National Archives Website for Genealogists www.archives.gov The easiest way for genealogist to gain access to the most useful features of the national Archives website is to select the Genealogists/Family Historians link in the upper right corner of the National Archives homepage (www.archives.gov) The resulting Main Genealogy Page contains most of the useful links in research tools, resource lists, explanations of resources, and descriptions of records available on the website, and they are grouped for your convenience.
Information about Universal Genealogical Sources and Other Topics
Guide to Federal Records
Microfilm Catalog
New Microfilm
Archival Research Catalog
Records Digitized by Ancestry.com or Footnote.com
Access to Archival Databases (AAD)
National Personnel Records Center
Genealogy Support Pages
If you have questions about Federal Records, or questions relating to Your Research, you may send an email to the National Archives at Riverside riverside.archives@nara.gov
This facility is the repository for all of Southern California, Arizona, and Clark Co., Nevada

They Didn't All Get Here By Ship: Border Crossing Records
When we think of immigration we often start wondering about which port our ancestor used to enter the United States. But not everyone came to America by ship. Some walked or perhaps rode in an automobile over the border from Canada or Mexico. Even though they entered a different way, they still left a paper trail.

What kind of information can you find on a border crossing record? In one Mexican Crossing record for a family member, I was able to see which family members arrived with him, what his occupation was, and the mode of his arrival (listed as afoot). When you find one border crossing record, don't forget to look for additional crossings. Your ancestors may have crossed back and forth numerous times due to seasonal work opportunities, visiting family, or returning to live in their home country.

While Ancestry does have Mexican and Canadian Border Crossing Records, they do not have all the records that are available. As you search this collection, if you don't find your ancestor don't assume that means they did not cross into the United States through a border crossing. To learn more about Mexican Border Crossing records, check out the National Archives (also email riverside.archives@nara.gov for California Border Records. MH) To learn more about Mexican and Canadian border crossing records, see Joe Beine's, US Ports of Arrival and their Available Passenger Lists 1820-1957 .
Tip from Family History Expos.com

Some Gems from Genealogy Gems (A Louisa Louise Cook Podcast)
New to Genealogy Gems?
For Answers to Frequently Asked Questions click on http://www.genealogygems.tv/Pages/Podcast/FAQ.htm

Question 1: Where can I go to find information on someone when Google doesn't provide the answer?
GEM: Next time you need to find a long lost relative, why not try Spokeo.com?
Archivist Nancy Loe came up to me after my Finding Living Relatives Class at the recent Family History Expo and said she'd had amazing results with it. "Do a search on yourself in Spokeo" she said, "the results are Spooky!"

Question 2: What's a quick way to find a funeral home located near an ancestor's home?
GEM: Check out www.iMortuary.com
From Lisa Louise Cooke, Genealogy Gems

Lisa Louise Family History Holiday Wreath
Incorporate your family history into your holidays and traditions with this gorgeous Christmas wreath. Genealogy Gems is the place for creative ideas for researching and sharing your family history. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsKWUab5RxA
Family History Christmas Wreath Part 1 - Genealogy Gems
Family History Christmas Wreath Part 2 - Genealogy Gems
Family History Wreath by Genealogy Gems Part 3
Family History Wreath from Genealogy Gems Part 4

Roots Magic - Our Best Special Holiday Offer Ever!
During this special holiday sale, you can order gift copies of RootsMagic 4 PLUS the book "Getting the Most Out of RootsMagic" for $20 (plus shipping). That's right, both the full program (on CD) and the book for just $20.

There is no limit on the number of discounted gift copies you can buy during this limited time offer which will expire December 22, 2010. You will receive the full program for each copy you order. To take advantage of this offer, just visit:
http://www.rootsmagic.com/holidayoffer Note: You must order from this page to receive the special discount pricing, or order by phone at 1-800-ROOTSMAGIC (1-800-766-8762).
Disclaimer: The Redlands FHC does not endorse or favor any particular genealogy software program (other than PAF). There are several different software programs on our FHC computers for you to try. We encourage you to use whatever works best for you. – Leslie Johnson

10 Ways to Use Twitter for Genealogy
Twitter isn’t just a place to exchange meaningless thoughts in 140 characters or less. For plenty of people, it’s a place to meet and learn from people who share your interests. Genealogy, for example.
Here’s how family historians can use Twitter in their research:
1. Find other genealogists. Click Find People to search for folks with genealogy in their username. If you regularly read a blog, look on the blog for a link to Twitter. Once you find people you like following, see who they follow (listed on the right side of the person's Twitter profile).
2. Learn about research resources. Many bloggers feed their posts to Twitter, so you click the "tweet" to see the whole post. You’ll also pick up tips in people’s tweets about the latest records they’ve found.
3. Get opinions on genealogy Web sites and products.
4. Ask questions. You can just throw it out to your followers, or direct your question to someone using @ and the user name, like this: @FamilyTreeMag.
5. Be heard by people who work at genealogy companies. Use Find People to search for the company name.
6. Get links to how-to advice. Tweets are 140 characters at most, but people often link to helpful articles they’ve found online.
7. Hear about industry news. It’s like having thousands of eyes and ears looking for even obscure and not-yet-announced stories. If you see RT in a tweet, that means someone is repeating the tweet of someone he or she follows—you can see how the news gets around.
8. See how funny genealogists can be. One to follow: @TheGenealogue
9. Find events. Genealogy societies, libraries, museums, and conferences often tweet upcoming events.
10. Get cheap stuff. Many companies use Twitter to publicize sales and giveaways (some are exclusive to Twitter followers). Online backup service @Mozy, for example, has regular Twitter giveaways.
To sign up for a Twitter account, go to Twitter.com and click Get Started—Join. Then follow Family Tree Magazine at @FamilyTreeMag.

Bits and Pieces
Ohio Obituary Index http://index.rbhayes.org/hayes/index/ An index to over 1,600,000 obituaries, death and marriage notices and other sources from Ohio from the 1810’s to the present day is available on the website for the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center. This index only includes obituaries for select counties, shown on this map. http://index.rbhayes.org/hayes/index/display.asp?id=934&subj=index and the referenced newspapers with information on years indexed can be found at http://www.rbhayes.org/hayes/index/list.asp If you have Ohio ancestors, check the index for them. Copies of any obituaries found in the index can be obtained for a nominal charge from the center and details are provided on how to do this.
Internet Genealogy Magazine, Oct.-Nov 2010

Video showing process used by #FamilySearch to make #genealogy records available online. http://on.fb.me/aPxrFZ

We are all cousins ~ Elizabeth Shown Mills, Video http://bit.ly/9TfiwB

Joe Beine’s websites. Before you embark on your vital records research, check out Joe Beines’s “Online Searchable Death Indexes and Records” http://www.deathindexes.com/ and his “Online Birth and Marriage Records Indexes for the USA” http://www.germanroots.com/vitalrecords.html These two websites are an updated list of what vital records are currently available online and save you the headache of wondering whether what you need can be accessed online.

Eastern European Phone Books Online
Did you know that the European Reading Room at the Library of Congress has European Phone books in their collection? A few of the phone books have been digitized and are available online, while many more are indexed.

According to their website: "The Library of Congress began systematically collecting residential and organizational telephone directories from many countries in 1937, but the records for these items are generally not included in the Library's online catalog. To fill that gap, the indexes (on the web site) list the Library's holdings of European directories, organized by country."


Create a Holiday Recipe Book
The holidays are the perfect time to play genealogy reporter. Grab your camera and a notebook to make a quick and easy memory book of your family’s favorite dishes.
1. At an upcoming holiday gathering, take a picture of every dish served. If possible, get a photo of the person who brought it.
2. Collect each recipe. Note who brought it and why, along with any traditions or family stories that go along with it. (If you can’t get all of this done during the holiday get-together, send follow-up e-mails.
3. Print the photos.
4. Gather photos and your notes in a scrapbook, binder or photo album. For example a 4x6-inch photo album with three pockets per page can hold a photo on top, a recipe card in the middle, and a family story about the dish or its creator in the bottom slot. Recipes and stories can be written on 4x6-inch journaling cards or index cards.
5. Create copies for other family members as keepsakes.
From Family Tree Magazine, Dec. 2010

Coming Events
RootsTech
February 10-12, 2011 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, UT
RootsTech is a new conference focused on finding and applying technical innovations in genealogy. There will be sessions of interest to novice, intermediate, and advanced users of genealogical technology. For more information check out their website at http://rootstech.familysearch.org/.

Hemet-San Jacinto Genealogical Society and the Hemet FHC Library, Saturday, February 26, 2011, 9:00am until 3:45pm, presenter Curt B. Witcher, speaking on Historical Research Methodology, Mining the Mother Lode, Using Church Records and Roll Call (New Sites and Sources for Military Records). Pre-Registration $27.00, Catered Lunch $9.00. Registrations must be postmarked by 20th February 2011. To learn more go to http://www.hsjgs.org For registration form go to http://www.hsjgs.org/Witcher.pdf

The Twelve Days of Christmas
(Genealogy Style)
My true love gave to me
Twelve census searches
Eleven family bibles
Ten e-mail contacts
Nine headstone rubbings
Eight wills and admons
Seven miners mining
Six second cousins
Five coats of arms
Four GEDCOM files
Three old wills
Two CD-ROMs
And a branch in my family tree.
--Author Unknown

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR