Mark Your Calendars - UVPAFUG Meeting!

UTAH VALLEY PAF USERS GROUP MEETING AND NEW LOCATION

The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 10 Jan 2009, from 9 am until noon IN THE EDGEWOOD/RIVERSIDE LDS CHAPEL, 3511 North 180 East, Provo, Utah. NOTE THE CHANGE IN LOCATION. This LDS chapel is within one mile of the old location and is behind the Jamestown shopping plaza on the east side of University Avenue in the "River Bottoms" part of Provo. You get to it by going on 3700 North east from University Avenue and then south on 180 East. See the map showing the new and old locations on our website given below.

The main presentation will be by Michael Ritchey on THE FAMILYSEARCH WIKI: HOW IT CAN HELP NOW AND HOW IT WILL GROW THIS YEAR. The FamilySearch wiki at https://wiki.familysearch.org is a free website designed to allow the genealogical community to provide advice on the best strategies and records to use in finding ancestors. The site is free to everyone, but you must register to add or edit information. This community authoring approach enables the creation of objective advice, rapid revision and translation, and coverage of more places worldwide. In 2009 contributors will be working together on a series of "barn raisings" -- short, intensive community efforts to provide information regarding the best sources, methodologies, and strategies for doing genealogical research in a specific location such as a state in the U.S. or a county in England. This talk will preview what the barn raisings are and show some quick and easy ways you can contribute to this great worldwide project. Everyone is invited to log onto the Wiki and sample the types of information you can find there.

Michael Ritchey is a former Family History Center Director in Provo, Ward Family History Consultant, and professional genealogist. He has worked for the Family History Department of the LDS Church since 2000 as a U.S. Reference Consultant at the Family History Library, as manager of the Research Support team, and most recently, as community and content coordinator of FamilySearch wiki on the Community Services team.

Following the main presentation there will be several classes taught concerning technology and family history. As usual, there will be something for everyone at all levels of expertise. The classes currently scheduled for this meeting are:

1. Clearing Names for the Temple in 2009, by Duane Dudley
2. Keeping Your PC Healthy, by Jerry Castillo
3. Q&A on the Family Search Wiki, by Michael Ritchey
4. Video of November's Main Presentation on WorldConnect at RootsWeb, by Gerhard Ruf
5. Ancestral Quest 12.1, by Paul Johnson
6. RootsMagic 3, by Bruce Buzbee
7. Legacy 7, by Dean Bennett.

All meetings of the Users Group are open to the public whether members of the Group or not. The Users Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually 100-125 attending the monthly meetings on the second Saturdays. Several of the officers, including Gerhard Ruf, President; Don Snow, 1st VP; Brian Cooper, 2nd VP; Beth Ann Wiseman, PAFology Editor; Kay Baker and Gerry Eliason working with finances and membership; and Bruce Merrill, Lynne Shumway, and Marie Andersen, working with the DVD and Video Library, will all be there. They will help with membership, answer questions, distribute the current issue of the monthly newsletter PAFology, and check out DVD's and videos of past presentations and classes to members of the group. Information about the Users Group, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on the Group's website http://uvpafug.org and the press releases are at http://blog.uvpafug.org/. For further information contact President Gerhard Ruf at pres@uvpafug.org (801-225-6106), VP1 Don Snow at snowd@math.byu.edu, or VP2 Brian Cooper at vp2@uvpafug.org.

Adventures in FamilySearch Indexing: Week 68

Well today is the day that I know I will reach the 10,000 names indexed mark. I am only 145 records from my goal. Before I start indexing I just have to read any messages that Headquarters might have for us.

On the FamilySearch Indexing website there is a dated message of thanks for our patience while the system was down. I don't feel the need to repeat it here.

In the program itself there are two messages in My Messages.

From: Headquarters
Subject: Semimonthly message
Date: 19 Dec 2008

Here are some tips to remember when you have difficulty identifying a letter or word:

• Look for other letters or words on the document that are similar, and are found in more common or familiar words.
• Use the previous or next image also to help you to identify the letter or word.
• The lookup list can help decipher difficult names. Search it by using beginning letters, ending letters in the middle or the name or any combination of these.
• Wild characters (? or *) can also be used in the lookup list fields. For example, type ?rus in the Starts with field of a country lookup list and you will find only one result: Prussia.
  

If you are unable to decipher all of a word, remember to use the wild characters (? or *) in the data entry fields in place of the unreadable letters. Use ? to replace one letter. Use * to replace multiple letters.

I learned something new, I didn't know you could use the question mark (?) as a wild character in the program. I will use this tip in the future I am sure. Our second message is:

From: Headquarters
Subject: Indexing Support Hours Changing
Date: 29 Dec 2008

Beginning January 1st, the hours for Indexing Support will be changing. Continue to contact us toll-free at 1-866-406-1830.

• For help with the indexing program, or specific projects, hours are Monday-Friday from 7:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M., and Saturday from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. (MST, GMT-7).
• For help with UDE, extraction inventory, or to place an order, hours are Monday-Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. (MST, GMT-7).
• For help with administration and leadership for indexing and extraction, hours are Monday-Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. (MST, GMT-7).
  

The Support page of the FamilySearch indexing Web site will be updated to reflect these changes soon.

Ok, now onto my big moment - indexing until I reach the 10,000 mark. I figure I can do it with three batches of the census. Yup! the Massachusetts 1920 U.S. Federal Census is still on the list to index. It might as well be that project that gets me to the 10,000 mark.

I choose three batches to download. Wait a minute I must of hit something wrong. My batch isn't even in English, this is definitely not the U.S. census. I read on the program title that I am indexing the Argentina Censo 1869 - Buenos Aires. Weird! I return the batch. Wow, all three of my batches are from that project. Back they go!

Again choose the Massachusetts 1920 U.S. Federal Census. I check it twice, yes I have the right one. I tell it to download three batches. YES!!! Success, it's in English and the right batches this time. I must of been over anxious when I chose my batches the first time around. This is a big moment for me - it's almost like winning the lottery (if I ever played it! hehe).

The rest on my indexing time was uneventful. I did three batches in no time at all. It's been forever since I timed myself doing a batch. My last one took me all of 20 minutes to do. My, my, how different that is from my very first batch 68 weeks ago. Yes, it has taken me 68 weeks, with an average of 147 records indexed each week. I know that is no way near what others have done, but for me it's a milestone. I have actually stuck to it and by small means a lot has been accomplished. I think I will have a party to celebrate in just a few days!

Totally number of records indexed to date: 10,005 - WAHOO!!

See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!

Merry Christmas from the Zamora Family

(Photo: Angels by Mark Mabry in Reflections of Christ.)

To view the Zamora's Christmas card click here.

dynastree offers Family Tree Posters on the US market from $ 25.00

New York – December 22nd, 2008. Family network dynastree (www.dynastree.com) now offers the popular family tree posters in the US as well. The high-quality poster printouts can be ordered from $ 25.00, free shipping.

dynastree (formerly: itsourtree.com) have added the United States to their list of countries where family tree poster printouts can be ordered. The completely customizable family tree posters can be delivered to all 50 states of the US, including Hawaii and Alaska. All posters are printed on premium professional paper (230g/m²) and will be delivered without any shipping costs as a launch offer.

Several formats are available to serve all hobby-genealogists’ needs depending on the different family tree sizes. For all those who are still looking for a Christmas present but are a too late for delivery on time for Christmas, dynastree offers family tree poster vouchers that can be printed directly on the printer at home.

Family tree posters can be configured quickly and easily in a three-step process. To customize the poster, several background wallpapers, profile nodes and colours are available and make the personal family tree a unique gift. dynastree is the first company worldwide to offer top-quality family tree posters at this price.

FamilySearch Record Search Update: 15 Million New Records Added

18 December 2008

FamilySearch added over 15 million new indexed records to its Record Search pilot—all from the 1850 and 1870 U.S. Censuses. The records are linked to the digital images of the originals. The new records can be searched for free at FamilySearch.org (Click Search Records, then Record Search pilot).

1870 United States Census
Indexed Records: 12,137,756
Comments: Added 7 new indexed states (KY, MN, MO, NY, TN, VA, and WV)

1850 United States Census (Population)
Indexed Records: 2,027,454
Comments: Added 3 new indexed states (AL, IN, and MO)

1850 United States Census (Slavery)
Indexed Records: 869,076
Comments: Added 3 new indexed states (AL, MO, and SC)

1850 United States Census (Mortality)
Indexed Records: 37,990
Comments: Added 3 new indexed states (AL, IN, and LA)

Adventures in FamilySearch Indexing: Week 67

This has been a good week for me. Most of my Christmas shopping is now done and I still have some energy left. hehe!! The tree is up and Christmas music is playing in the background. It's about time that I got into the Christmas spirit.

I thought I better get my indexing done before they have the system shutdown tomorrow. The following email was posted on the FamilySearch Indexing website and in the application's My Messages.

December 12, 2008: System Downtime Rescheduled

The FamilySearch indexing system will be down for approximately 24 hours from 12:01am MST (GMT-7) on Tuesday, December 16th, to 12:01am on Wednesday, December 17th. Please submit or return all batches you have downloaded before 12:01am Tuesday morning. You will not be able to do any indexing until the system is back up.

THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE PAST WHEN YOU COULD DOWNLOAD SEVERAL BATCHES AND WORK OFFLINE. ANY BATCHES DOWNLOADED BEFORE TUESDAY AND NOT SUBMITTED BEFORE THE SYSTEM GOES DOWN WILL BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE NEW SYSTEM AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THEM.

During the downtime, we will be updating our databases. Indexers will not notice any significant updates to the indexing program.

We are hoping this process will not take the full 24 hours to complete. Please be patient and we will bring the system back up as soon as we possibly can.

This next message was also on the FSI website and in My Messages. The last paragragh was only in My Messages.

December 9, 2008: Progress of the 1916 Canadian Census

The 1916 Canadian Census project is now 100% complete! Thank you to our volunteers around the world who worked together to finish this project. Because of your response to our request for help, we were able to finish this project in just 29 days, about one-third of the time it would have taken without this united effort.

We genuinely value the hours you have devoted to this initiative. We will work as quickly as we can to make the indexes available on the FamilySearch Record Search pilot site (pilot.familysearch.org). Many previously completed indexes are already available on Record Search and can be searched for free anytime.

I guess I am really into the Massachusetts' 1920 U.S. Federal Censuses. I don't know off hand how many weeks I have been working on them. I did three batches of tonight of 50 individuals each. My grand total to date is 9855. I should be able to reach 10,000 records indexed next week.

The batches I worked on where from Boston. I was amazed at how many countries my individuals came from, i.e. Turkey, West Indies, Poland, Russia, Germany, Ireland, England, Canada, Portugal, Italy, Greece. I sure hope I got their names right. At least the writing was very clear. Since I downloaded my batches all at the same time I actually indexed an A & B sheet for the same page. That was pretty cool, never done them in sequence before.

Well, I have a busy day ahead of me so I will leave you until next week.

See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!

FamilySearch News: 25,000 Historical Titles Now Free Online

FamilySearch Digital Preservation Initiative Hits a Milestone

Salt Lake City, Utah—FamilySearch International reached a milestone today with the digitization of its 25,000^th publication online. It began the initiative in 2007 and is ramping up to do even more—and faster. The effort targets published family, society, county, and town histories, as well as numerous other historical publications that are digitally preserved and made accessible for free online. The digital publications can be searched at www.FamilySearch.org (Go to FamilySearch.org, then click Search Records, then click Historical Books).

The 25,000^th digitized publication was A History of Lewis County, in the State of New York, from the Beginning of Its Settlement to the Present Time by Franklin B. Hough. The book was published in 1860. The lengths of titles digitized to date vary in length, but the average is about 350 pages. There are even publications in Spanish, German, French, and Russian.

FamilySearch has nearly a million publications in its famous Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and there are millions of similar publications elsewhere in the United States. “The problem with the collection [of out-of-print titles] is limited access,” said Ransom Love, FamilySearch senior vice president of Strategic Relations. “To view the publications, patrons have to travel to Salt Lake City or one of FamilySearch’s affiliate libraries. If you are lucky, you might be able to order a microfilm copy, but then you have to wait for it to arrive at your local family history center. And there’s the inconvenience of having to read it on a film reader,” added Love.

FamilySearch aims to change all of that. Working with volunteers and select affiliate libraries, it plans to create the largest digital collection of published histories on the Web. It is targeting a wide range of historical publications—for example, users might be pleasantly surprised to find digital copies of Hawaii Sugar Planters Association Filipino Laborer files (1909-1949), medieval family history resource titles, and oral history abstracts (mostly from Hawaii), and numerous gazetteers.

“These are publications that were usually limited in the number originally printed and therefore only accessible in a few libraries or special collections worldwide. Yet there can be some great information of genealogical significance in the publications that only a few people would have access to prior to now,” said Love.

Through its Records Access Program, FamilySearch is digitally preserving a copy of the publications and making them available online for the masses. Once digitized, the collections have "every word" search capability, which allows users to search by name, location, date, or other fields across the collection. The search results are then linked to high quality digital images of the original publication.

FamilySearch is not stopping with its own collection either. Over the past year, it announced that it is also helping to digitize and publish collections from the Brigham Young University Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University—Hawaii Joseph F. Smith Library, Allen County Public Library (ACPL) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Houston Public Library, in Houston, Texas, and Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center in Independence, Missouri. When all is said and done, there will be over a million publications in the digital collection online. It will be the largest free resource of its kind.

Training Videos for Family History Leaders

Training videos for priesthood leaders who oversee family history work and members with family history callings are available for download in English and Spanish on the Church’s Web site, www.lds.org. The video segments are adapted from a Church satellite broadcast that originally was presented on May 4, 2000. These videos will instruct priesthood and family history leaders on how they can help members do family history work and fulfill their temple and family history responsibilities. The segments feature:

• Instruction and testimony from President Henry B. Eyring and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
• Discussion with priesthood and family history leaders.
  

The video segments include the following topics:

• Helping Members Fulfill Temple and Family History Responsibilities
• Priesthood Leaders
• Member Involvement
• Family History Consultant
• Family History Center Staff
• A Testimony of Temple and Family History Service
  

You will need the Windows Media Player to view the videos. To download the player, click here.

To access these training videos, do the following:

• Log in to www.lds.org.
• Select Serving in the Church.
• Select Family History.
• In the menu on the left side of the screen, select Training Videos for Family History Leaders.
• From the contents list, select the video you wish to view.
• To see the contents list in Spanish and access the Spanish-language video segments, select Español (Segmentos de video de capacitación para líderes de historia familiar).
  

Note: The original May 4, 2000, satellite broadcast, Training for Family History Leaders (Capacitación Para Líderes de Historia Familiar), is available on DVD in both English and Spanish from Distribution Services, item number 00410090.

To view or print this e-mail in PDF format, please go to: https://help.familysearch.org/kb/Local_Support/en/Consultants/memos/consultantmemos.htm

This e-mail is sent to registered family history consultants and priesthood leaders by FamilySearch Support. Contact us in the following ways:

Telephone: Find the toll-free number for your area at https://contact.familysearch.org

Email: support@familysearch.org

On the Web: Search for answers at http://productsupport.familysearch.org

To change your contact information, reregister at: http://priesthood.familysearch.org or https://consultant.familysearch.org

To remove your registration, send your request to: support@familysearch.org . Please include your name, ward name, and stake name.

Invite others to register at: http://priesthood.familysearch.org or https://consultant.familysearch.org

First Presidency Announces New Temple in Peru

TRUJILLO, Peru 13 December 2008 Plans to build a new temple in Trujillo, Peru, were announced today by the First Presidency — the highest governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This will bring the total number of temples worldwide to 146 already in operation or in the planning and construction phases.

The new temple in Peru becomes the third temple in South America now in the planning and construction phases, along with ones planned for Manaus, Brazil, and Córdoba, Argentina, bringing the total number of temples in South America to 17.

“We are confident that this will be a blessing to the many faithful Saints in this and surrounding areas who have had to travel long distances to enjoy the blessings of the temple,” said the First Presidency in an announcement letter to ecclesiastical leaders.

“We commend the Saints for their devotion and faithfulness, and are thankful for the blessings that will come to them through the construction of this new temple.”

To members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, temples are the “house of the Lord,” the most sacred place on earth. Temple services bind families together forever, teach the purpose of life and explain God’s plan of salvation. Temple attendance strengthens Latter-day Saints’ commitment to living Christian principles, emphasizes personal spiritual growth and increases devotion to family.

The Trujillo Peru Temple is planned for construction on the site of an existing meetinghouse on Teodoro Valcárcel Street in Urbanización Primavera, Trujillo. It will serve more than 88,000 Latter-day Saints in the region.

Latter-day Saint missionaries began preaching in Trujillo in 1960. The first baptisms in the original Trujillo Branch — a small congregation, then part of the Andes Mission — were performed in February 1961. In 1963 the first meetinghouse was dedicated in Trujillo. The first stake in Trujillo (a stake is similar to a diocese) was eventually organized in January 1978 by Thomas S. Monson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles — the second-highest governing body of the Church. President Monson now serves as worldwide leader of the Church.

Latter-day Saint temples differ from the tens of thousands of meetinghouses where members typically meet for Sunday worship services and midweek social activities and where visitors are always welcome. Temples are used solely for the performance of sacred ordinances and religious instruction aimed at strengthening members’ relationships with God and their fellow man. They are closed to the public after they are dedicated.

FamilySearch Record Search Update: 4 million new census, church, marriage, and tax records added

4 December 2008

The following records were added to the FamilySearch Record Search pilot. They can be searched for free at FamilySearch.org.

1870 US Census
Indexed Records: 3,562,549
Digital Images: Linked
Comments: Four new indexed states added (GA, KS, NC, and TX)

Illinois Cook County Marriages
Indexed Records: 574,318
Digital Images: 573,748
Comments: Currently includes years from 1900 to 1920.

Ohio, Diocese of Toledo, Catholic Parish Records 1796 to 2004
Indexed Records: 0
Digital Images: 101,982
Comments: Searchable digital images only

Ohio Tax Records 1816 to 1838
Indexed Records: 200,648
Digital Images: 7,323
Comments: Includes records from Columbiana, Guernsey, Harrison, and Jefferson Counties

Family History Consultant's Guide Now Available

The following is from FamilySearch Support.

A new guide for family history consultants, Family History Consultant’s Guide to Temple and Family History Work, is now available as a downloadable .pdf file. (You will need the Adobe Reader to view the document. To download the reader, click here.)

The Family History Consultant’s Guide will help family history consultants:

• Understand their role and responsibilities.
• Prepare to serve.
• Know where they can obtain help.
• Assist members to do temple and family history work.
• Identify additional resources that can help them.
  

The Family History Consultant’s Guide discusses the new.FamilySearch.org as a resource for consultants and members in doing temple and family history work. Although all consultants do not yet have access to the new FamilySearch, the guide contains information that is helpful for all consultants.

Please note: The Family History Consultant’s Guide mentions two new resources that are not yet available: Instructor’s Guide to Temple and Family History Work and Temple and Family History Course DVD. Please do not contact Distribution Services or Church headquarters to try to order these resources yet. You will be informed when these new resources are available.

To access the Family History Consultant’s Guide, click here. If clicking the link does not work, you may type or copy and paste the following into your Internet browser’s address bar:

https://fch.ldschurch.org/WWSupport/Documents/ConsultantsGuide/Family_History_Consultants_Guide_36797_000_ENG.pdf

A link to the Family History Consultant’s Guide is also available in the new FamilySearch. To access the link, do the following:

• Log in to the new FamilySearch.
• Select Help Center.
• At the top of the screen, select the Training & Resources tab.
• In the Resources for Consultants and Leaders section, select Family History Consultant’s Guide to Temple and Family History Work.
  

To view or print this e-mail in PDF format, please go to: https://help.familysearch.org/kb/Local_Support/en/Consultants/memos/consultantmemos.htm

Member's Guide to Temple and Family History Work Available Online

The following is from FamilySearch Support.

As recently announced, a new publication for family history consultants, Family History Consultant’s Guide to Temple and Family History Work, is now available for download as a .pdf document on the Internet through the Training and Resources section of the new FamilySearch. To view the document, you will need the Adobe Reader. To download the reader, see the link at the end of this message. To access the Family History Consultant’s Guide, click here.

The Family History Consultant’s Guide mentions the Member’s Guide to Temple and Family History Work. The Member’s Guide is available for download as a .pdf document on the Internet through the Overviews and Guides section of the new FamilySearch. You need the Adobe Reader to view the document. See the link at the end of this message. To access the Member’s Guide, click here.

In the future, the Member’s Guide to Temple and Family History Work will also be available as a printed resource. At this time, it is only available for download as a .pdf document. Please do not contact Distribution Services to try and order a printed copy of the Member’s Guide at this time. You will be informed when the Member’s Guide is available as a printed resource.

To download the Adobe Reader, click here.

To view or print this e-mail in PDF format, please go to: https://help.familysearch.org/kb/Local_Support/en/Consultants/memos/consultantmemos.htm

Information on FamilySearch Certified Software Affiliates

The following is from FamilySearch Support.

One of the Family History Department’s responsibilities in assisting family history consultants is to keep consultants informed about products and services that are available to help members with their family history work. In doing this, the department does not solicit or encourage consultants or members to purchase products or services. The department does not promote one product or service over another.

In the immediate future, Familysearch.org will be updated with a page that shares information about FamilySearch Certified Affiliates. FamilySearch Certified Affiliates are third-party companies and organizations that provide products and services with features that are compatible with FamilySearch programs. Certified PAF Add-ins are programs that allow people who use Personal Ancestral File (PAF) 5 to access, print, update, and synchronize with online information in the new FamilySearch. Please note that these products and services are developed and supported by their respective organizations, not FamilySearch.

To view the page that provides information about these programs, click here. (Note: You will need the Adobe Reader to view the page. To download the Adobe Reader, click here.)

You are encouraged to learn about these affiliate products and the wide scope of services they provide. Additional information can be found about these affiliates and their services on their respective websites. These programs can be of great assistance to family history patrons as they use new FamilySearch, PAF and other family history programs.

To view or print this e-mail in PDF format, please go to: https://help.familysearch.org/kb/Local_Support/en/Consultants/memos/consultantmemos.htm

Adventures in FamilySearch Indexing: Week 66

Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since I last blogged. Where is the time going. I've had a combination of being busy and being very tired because I was busy. That's not a good mixture when you have fibromyalgia. I have been feeling a little better this week and I think I know why. For the past month my liquid vitamin (Alive) that I buy at the health food store has been out of stock. I bought the pill form but I don't absorb pills to well. Hench my being so run down. Last week the liquid vitamin finally was available and I am slowly getting my strength back. Just a great reminder to me on how important taking my liquid vitamin is.

Now I am back to indexing. First I had to check for any news I might of missed. I looked in My Messages in the FamilySearch Indexing program and thought I would include the emails to us from them even if the dates have passed.

From: Headquarters
Subject: Progress of the 1916 Canadian Census Project
Date: 01 Dec 2008

We greatly appreciate all the efforts that have been made on the 1916 Canadian Census project. This is the second time FamilySearch Indexing has united volunteers to complete a project by a specific date, and we have seen great things accomplished when everyone works together.

Indexing on this project is now 87% complete. We are just two days away from our goal date of December 3rd. There may be times when batches will not be available. This does not necessarily mean the project is complete; it just means that all of the batches are assigned to volunteers. Please check back to see if any batches become available until you recieve word from us that the project is complete.

If you have a batch from this project that you are not planning to index, please return the batch as soon as possible for someone else to index. To return a batch:

1. On the start page of the FamilySearch Indexing application, click on the batch to be returned.
2. Click Return Batch.
3. Click OK.
   

If you started working on a batch, but you do not think you can finish indexing it by Wednesday, save your work to the server and then return the batch for someone else to complete. To save your work to the server and return the batch:

1. Open the batch.
2. On the menu bar, click File.
3. Click Save to Server.
4. On the menu bar, click File again.
5. Click Return Batch...
6. Click OK.
   

Thank you again for all of your efforts!

If you have any questions regarding this project or about indexing in general, please contact Indexing Support toll-free in the U. S. and Canada at 1-866-406-1830 (click here for other international toll-free numbers), or by e-mail at index@familysearch.org.

Next Message:

From: Headquarters
Subject: System Downtime
Date: 08 Dec 2008

The FamilySearch indexing system will be down for approximately 24 hours from 6:30am MST on Wednesday, December 10th, to 6:30am on Thursday, December 11th. Please submit or return all batches you have downloaded before 6:30am Wednesday morning. You will not be able to do any indexing until the system is back up.

THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE PAST WHEN YOU COULD DOWNLOAD SEVERAL BATCHES AND WORK OFFLINE. ANY BATCHES DOWNLOADED BEFORE WEDNESDAY AND NOT SUBMITTED BEFORE THE SYSTEM GOES DOWN WILL BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE NEW SYSTEM AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THEM.

During the downtime, we will be updating our databases. Indexers will not notice any significant updates to the indexing application.

We are hoping this process will not take the full 24 hours to complete. Please be patient and we will bring the system back up as soon as we possibly can.

The next message gives us an update on the system down time.

From: Headquarters
Subject: System Downtime DELAYED
Date: 09 Dec 2008

The scheduled downtime for Wednesday has been delayed until next week. We will have more details soon.

For now, continue to index as usual.
___________________________________
Se has pospuesto el mantenimiento del sistema.

El mantenimiento programado para el miercoles se ha pospuesto para la siguiente semana. Les proporcionaremos detalles en breve. Por ahora le agradecemos seguir indexando normalmente.

That was interesting typing the last part in Spanish.

We do have two messages on the FamilySearch Indexing website.

December 9, 2008: System Downtime Delayed

The FamilySearch indexing system downtime scheduled for Wednesday, December 10th, has been delayed until next week. We will have more details soon. For now, continue to index as usual.

December 9, 2008: Progress of the 1916 Canadian Census

The 1916 Canadian Census project is now 99% complete. If you have a batch downloaded, please do what you can to finish it as soon as possible. If you cannot finish it, please save your work to the server and return the batch so another volunteer may help.

We sincerely appreciate the time and effort you have given to this project.

Even though I am a little late I just had to check and see if there are any 1916 Canadian Census records left to index. Yup, just as I figured no batches to index right now. There are 10 other English language project for me to choose from. I decided to go with what I had been working on the Massachusetts - 1920 U.S. Federal Census.

I did three batches of 50 each. Two of my batches had been previously worked on but the individuals before me didn't get very far. I wouldn't be surprised if they were people thinking that they need to have batches done or returned tonight because of the down time previously scheduled. My third batch was a fresh one to index.

I now have indexed 9705 records to date. I only have 295 records to index before the end of the year to reach my goal of 10,000. I should be able to do that in three more weeks. YIKES! three weeks, I can't believe it's that close to the end of the year and to Christmas. I haven't even begun to Christmas shop. Crazy weeks are still ahead of me. I just have to keep taking my liquid vitamin so I have the energy to get things done.

See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!

1916 Canadian Census indexing project

The following email is from FamilySearch Indexing.

Dear indexing volunteer,

We are currently indexing the 1916 Canadian Census. The project is 43% complete and our goal is to finish by December 3^rd. We know that with the help of everyone in our worldwide network of indexers we can reach this goal.

If you have some time available during the next week, between your holiday celebrations, please download, index (or arbitrate), and submit at least one batch from this project.

If you have not indexed recently, the indexing application and help resources are available on the FamilySearch indexing Web site (www.familysearchindexing.org). Click here to read instructions specific to this project. Updates to the instructions and frequently-asked-questions are also available on the project revisions page.

Thank you for your interest and participation in FamilySearch indexing. If you would like to learn more about the 1916 Canadian Census, including a few fun facts, click here.

Happy Holidays,

The FamilySearch Indexing Team

Adventures in FamilySearch Indexing: Week 65

I missed indexing the Sunday before last. My cold went into the flu. I also missed getting my flu shot in October. I will never make that mistake again. It took several days to great my strength back after the flu but I am back to normal again. I have also gotten my flu shot and a B-12 shot for good measure.

I am not sure what news I might of missed while I was out of commission. I checked the FamilySearch Indexing website and found this message on there.

November 11, 2008: Ancestry.ca and FamilySearch Announce Agreement to Digitize and Index Existing Canadian Censuses

[The following is from a press release dated 10 November 2008.]

Ancestry.ca announced a joint initiative with FamilySearch International to improve online access to a comprehensive collection of Canadian censuses. As part of the agreement, FamilySearch will digitize and index Canadian census records that Ancestry.ca has acquired. These digitized and indexed records will then be made available to Ancestry.ca members on the company's Web site, and the indexes will be available for free to the public at FamilySearch.org. The images will be free to qualified FamilySearch members and all FamilySearch family history centers.

FamilySearch will deliver images and indexes to Ancestry.ca for censuses from 1861, 1871, 1881, and 1916, to launch online in 2009. In return, Ancestry.ca will provide indexes to FamilySearch for the 1891 and 1901 censuses.

[Please note: Qualified FamilySearch members include indexers who submit 900 names in 90 days and receive 90 days of free image access. The validation system that will enable FamilySearch to authenticate qualified FamilySearch members will be implemented in 2009.]

We also had a message in the program's My Message section.

From: Headquarters
Subject: Semimonthly Message
Date: 20 Nov 2008

Indexer's Responsibility

An indexer's responsibility is to make a searchable index of all the records that appear in his or her batch(es). This index is not a transcription of the information, but is meant to help individuals locate their ancestors (in the index) and lead them to the original documents so they may form their own conclusions and interpretations about the information contained in the records.

Occasionally, you may not agree with the information on the image - a name may be misspelled, or a child named Thomas may be listed as a daughter. The most basic indexing rule is "type what you see." Please read the field helps and project-specific instructions carefully to know when to correct misspellings and inconsistencies in the records.

Returning a Batch

While it is your responsibility to index all of the records that appear in your batch(es), at some point you may accidentally download a batch that you do not feel comfortable indexing. You may not understand the language or you simply do not want to index the batch. You have the option to return any batch that you download for any reason.

If you want to return a batch (while it is open) so that someone else can index it, click File on the menu bar. Click Return Batch... and click OK.

If you would like to return a batch to take it out of circulation - because the image is too light, too dark, or for another reason - click File on the menu bar. Click Return Batch..., select the option under the heading "Return this batch and take it out of circulation" that describes your reason, and click OK. If you select Other, you will be asked to e-mail an explanation to your group administrator.

You may also return batches from the indexing start page. Click the name of the project in the My Work section of the page. Then click the Return Batch button in the middle of the start page.

I could of used this piece of information week before last when I was indexing.

How I need to figure out what project to work on. There are batches in English, French, German and Spanish. Since I only do English that narrows things down a bit. But, we have ten English projects.

• UK - Cheshire - Church Records - 1618-1992
• UK - Cheshire - Land Tax - 1778-1832
• Arkansas Marriages III - 1837-1957
• Belguim - Antwep Foreigners Index - 1840-1930
• Massachusetts Death Records - 1906-1915
• Massachusetts Marriage Records - 1906-1915
• 1916 Canadian Census
• Illinois - 1920 US Federal Census
• Massachusetts - 1920 US Federal Census
• New Hampshire - Early to 1900 Births
  

Boy, do I wish there was a New York project so it would be a piece of cake to figure out what to work on. This many choices makes it difficult. Well to start I picked working on the Massachusetts - 1920 US Federal Census.

I worked on that batch and then decided to do another batch of the same. Wouldn't you know my luck that page was so faint. I had to have it zoomed all the way up to read it. But, I did managed it. I even indexed a male son named Carol. I knew a Carol that was a male so the name didn't seem so odd to me. It reminded me of the message from Headquarters and how we need to index records as we see them.

I decide that two batches were enough for the night. I indexed 100 records. My grand total is 9555 names indexed to date. I have 445 records to index before the end of the year in order to reach my goal of 10,000. I really think I can achieve that.

Now I am off to make some pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving. I hope you all have a very happy holiday making new family memories.

See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!

1875 Norway Census Is Coming

1875 Norway Census

In the first week of December, we will start indexing the 1875 Norway Census. This will be a large segment of the census for rural areas of Norway, but not the entire census. FamilySearch’s Historical Family Reconstitution unit has joined forces with the University of Tromsø in Norway to complete this project. The university is indexing the census records for the urban areas of Norway.

Pass the word along that anyone interested in Norwegian genealogical research is encouraged to help by volunteering as a FamilySearch indexer.

Completed Projects

The following projects have been completed in the past two weeks. Patrons should be able to search them shortly online at FamilySearch Record Search:

Missouri – 1870 US Census

Tennessee – 1870 US Census

Morelos – 1930 Mexico Census

Alabama – 1920 US Federal Census

Arkansas Marriages II

Alabama – 1850 US Federal Census – General


Current Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion Status

1916 Canadian Census English 25%

Argentina Censo 1869 - Buenos Aires 2 Spanish 19%

Argentina Censo 1869 - Cordoba y San Luis Spanish 15%

Arkansas Marriages [Part 1] English 54%

Arkansas Marriages IV English 8%

Belgique – Registres Des Décès (Français) French 14%

België - Overlijdens Registers - In het Nederlands Dutch, Flemish 7%

Brandenburg Kirchenbücher German 29%*

(*This percentage refers to a specific portion of a larger project.)

Bremer Schifflisten German 0.6%

España Lugo Registros Parroquiales [Part 1] Spanish 8%

Flanders Death Registration FR, Dutch, Flemish 33%

Florida 1945 Census English 96%

France, Coutances, Paroisses de la Manche French 7%

Guanajuato Censo de Mexico de 1930 Spanish 86%

Guerrero - Censo de Mexico de 1930 Spanish 51%

Illinois - 1920 US Federal Census English 31%

Indiana Marriages, 1790 – Apr 1905 English 60%

Indiana Marriages, 1882 – Apr 1905 English 84%

Indiana Marriage Returns, 1882 – Apr 1905 English 48%

Indiana Marriages, Apr 1905 – Dec 1957 English 40%

Massachusetts - 1920 US Federal Census English 44%

Massachusetts Death Records 1906-1915 English 53%

Massachusetts Marriage Records 1906-1915 English 9%

New Hampshire - Early to 1900 Births English 18%

Nicaragua, Managua Civil Records Spanish 8%

Nova Scotia Antig. Church Records, 1823 to 1905 English 39%

Ohio Tax Records – 2 of 4 English 61%

Queretaro - Censo de Mexico de 1930 Spanish 7%

UK - Cheshire - Church Records English 21%

UK - Cheshire - Land Tax English 4%

Venezuela Mérida Registros Parroquiales Spanish 1%

RootsMagic's Holiday Offer

The following is from the RootsMagic Newsletter.

- Our Biggest Holiday Offer Ever

With the holidays coming up, we often get requests from our users about buying copies of RootsMagic to give as gifts to their family or friends. And this year the requests have really come in asking whether the new version 4 will be ready in time for Christmas. Well, there's bad news and there's good news.

Despite working 16 hour days trying to get RM4 out in time for Christmas, it looks like it probably won't be ready in time.

BUT... here is this year's 5th Annual Holiday Offer (with a special twist).

In what has become something of a tradition, RootsMagic owners can buy gift copies of RootsMagic, Personal Historian, or Family Atlas at our $19.95 upgrade price. There is no limit on the number of discounted copies you can buy during this limited time offer which will expire December 19, 2008. You will receive the full program as well as a registration card for each copy
you order.

And here is the special twist... every gift copy of RootsMagic 3 that you buy through this special offer will come with a free download upgrade to version 4 when it is released. So you will be giving version 3 now, with a free download of version 4 as soon as it is released.

PLUS! We are adding an offer we have never made before. In addition to the $19.95 special price, you can also order our RootsMagic Family History Suite (which includes RootsMagic, Personal Historian, and Family Atlas) for just $49.95 (that's $90 worth of software).

To take advantage of this offer, just visit:

http://www.rootsmagic.com/holidayoffer

or order by phone at 1-800-ROOTSMAGIC (1-800-766-8762).

Renee's note: Remember RootsMagic 4 will be able to sync with new FamilySearch.

Houston Public Library Joins with FamilySearch to Publish Gulf Coast State Histories Online

Gulf Coast State Histories Slated for Online Access

Houston Public Library Joins FamilySearch in Digitization Effort

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—Thousands of publications that capture the diverse histories of Gulf Coast states will be accessible for free online. FamilySearch and the Houston Public Library announced a joint project today to digitally preserve and publish the library’s vast collection of county and local histories, registers of individuals, directories of Texas Rangers, church histories, and biographical dictionaries. The digital records will be available for free online at FamilySearch.org and HoustonLibrary.org.

“Houston Public Library has one of the top 10 genealogy libraries in the nation and a very strong Gulf Coast and international collection,” said Susan D. Kaufman, manager, Houston Public Library’s Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research. “Visitors come from all over the country to visit the library. Researchers will benefit from the convenience of online access to the collection targeted under the joint venture with FamilySearch,” added Kaufman.

In 2007, FamilySearch announced its plans to create the largest and most comprehensive collection of free city and county histories online. Over 23,000 digital publications have been made available online since then. The addition of Houston Public Library and its collection furthers that goal.

Under the agreement, FamilySearch will digitally preserve thousands of Houston Public Library’s historic publications collection and provide free access to the images online. The targeted publications range in date from 1795 to 1923.

The new digital collections published online will have “every word” search capability, which allows users to search by name, location, date, or other fields across the collection. The search results are then linked to high quality digital images of the original publication. Users will also be able to just browse or read the publications as digital books online if they prefer.

The digitization efforts have already begun, and publications are now viewable online. Texas records are the first publications targeted by the initiative, followed by other Gulf Coast states. The project will take up to five years to complete.

Digital publications will be noted and hyperlinked in the Family History Library Catalog at FamilySearch.org as they are digitized. The growing collection can be accessed currently at FamilySearch.org (go to Search Records, and then Historical Books).

“We are honored to be part of such an important and beneficial initiative with a world leader like FamilySearch,” said Kaufman. “The digitization and online publication of Houston Public Library’s historic collections will help increase the inquisitiveness of library patrons and create a heightened sense of awareness of the library’s resources—which then brings customers back more often with more research questions. It’s a win-win for everyone,” Kaufman added.

FamilySearch is providing the computers, scanners, and camera operators required to complete the project. FamilySearch previously announced projects with Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Brigham Young University Harold B. Lee Library, and FamilySearch’s own Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

The Houston Public Library’s Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research is also a FamilySearch Affiliate Library. That means local patrons have access to millions of microfilms from FamilySearch’s vast genealogical collection in Salt Lake City, Utah. Patrons can order research material from FamilySearch through the library and use the library’s film readers and copiers to further their genealogical efforts.

ABOUT FAMILYSEARCH INTERNATIONAL

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at familysearch.org or through over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

itsourtree.com has been renamed to dynastree

Family network itsourtree.com changes its name to dynastree

Hamburg, 24th November 2008. The fastest-growing family network worldwide itsourtree.com got a new name: dynastree. The new name is easier to keep in mind and underlines the cross-generational aspect of the worldwide network.

Co-founder Daniel Groezinger explains: “The new name is an international fusion of the words dynasty and family tree. It symbolizes our network’s essence: connecting the generations by means of the family tree.” Of course, the free network’s services will still be available using the domain itsourtree.com.

The free genealogy network dynastree continues to grow rapidly: Until today, 60 million person profiles have been added to 6 million family trees worldwide. Future plans are the expansion to Russia and Turkey.

About dynastree
Apart from the English site, the services are available in Germany (www.verwandt.de), in Poland (www.moikrewni.pl), Spain and South America (www.miparentela.com), Portugal (www.meusparentes.com.pt), Brazil (www.meusparentes.com.br), the Netherlands (www.verwant.nl), Italy (www.parentistretti.it) and France (www.familleunie.fr). The platform will continue expanding to other European countries as well as worldwide. Itsourtree.com is supported by leading Business Angels, Hasso Plattner Ventures and Neuhaus Partners, a well-known venture capitalist.

Family History Lesson Series

The following is from FamilySearch Support.

Family history consultants are often asked to teach family history classes. The Family History Department is developing resources that consultants can use to teach these classes.

A new series of family history lessons is now available through FamilySearch.org. These short lessons are available for download in .pdf format. They may be used as self-study or as supplemental lessons for family history consultants who teach family history classes. The following lessons are available:

• Lesson 1: Perform Descendancy Research
• Lesson 2: Conduct Family History Interviews
• Lesson 3: Involve Children and Youth in Family History
• Lesson 4: Write a Personal History
• Lesson 5: Create a Family History
• Lesson 6: Involve Your Extended Family in Family History
• Lesson 7: Use the Internet for Family History Research
  

To access these lessons, follow these steps:

• Go to www.familysearch.org
• In the “What’s New” section, click Family History Lesson Series provides useful guides.
  

Incline Software Releases Ancestral Quest 12.1

Salt Lake City, Utah (November 12, 2008) – Today, Incline Software, LC announced the full release of Ancestral Quest 12.1. AQ 12.1 has been released in phases since July, 2008, when AQ 12.1 entered the first phase of a roll-out, wherein it was made available to a limited number of users of both AQ and PAF. As of today, AQ 12.1 is available to all users.

All of the new features introduced in Ancestral Quest version 12.1 are designed to aid a user in comparing and synchronizing local databases with the Family Tree database of new.FamilySearch.org, a system being developed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The Family Tree database claims to have roughly 500 million lineage-linked records, and these records become directly accessible to users of AQ 12.1 through these new features. An adjustment has also been made to the way a new user can try Ancestral Quest. AQ 12.1 now provides a 60-day free trial of the program with all features fully unlocked.

Because new.FamilySearch.org is still being developed and tested by members of the LDS church, its Family Tree is currently only available to a relatively small number of people. The new features of AQ 12.1 require access to the FamilySearch system through their secure system, and therefore can only be used by those who have access to new.FamilySearch.org. In the coming weeks and months, as new.FamilySearch.org is made available to a growing number of individuals, those users will also be able to use the new features of AQ 12.1. Incline Software understands that the Family Tree feature of new.FamilySearch.org will eventually be available to the general public, and therefore that the new features of AQ 12.1 will eventually be functional for all users.

These new features benefit not only users of Ancestral Quest, but also users of Personal Ancestral File (PAF), because the PAF program of the LDS church is based on an older version of AQ. AQ 12.1 is a FamilySearch certified PAF add-in. It will allow a PAF user to synchronize his/her local PAF data with the Family Tree of new.FamilySearch.org. Once installed Ancestral Quest will appear on the Tools menu of PAF 5.2, and the PAF user merely needs to click on that menu item to start AQ 12.1 to synchronize their PAF data with FamilySearch.

The new features to access new.FamilySearch.org require an ID and password that must be obtained from new.FamilySearch.org. If a user can obtain an ID and password for new.FamilySearch.org, he/she can take advantage of these new features in AQ 12.1. Otherwise he/she will still enjoy all the features of AQ 12.0.

Users of AQ 12.0 can download AQ 12.1 for free. Users of older versions of AQ will be able to download an upgrade for $19.95, or upgrade on a CD for $22.95 plus s/h. New users can download the 60-day trial for free, then purchase an activation code for $29.95 or order the software on CD for $34.95 plus s/h.

To find out more about Ancestral Quest or Incline Software, visit the web site ww.ancquest.com.

Volunteers Discover Fun Facts Transcribing Historic Canadian Censuses

Completed Indexes Will Be Free Online

FamilySearch News Release
19 November 2008

Ontario, Canada—FamilySearch International announced its plans to make the indexes to available Canadian censuses accessible online for free with the help of online volunteer indexers and an agreement with Ancestry.ca. The first censuses completed will be those from 1861, 1871, and 1916. Online volunteers are needed to help transcribe select information from digital images of the historical documents into easily searchable indexes. The completed indexes will be available for free at www.familysearch.org.

Famous Canadians in the 1916 Census

What do Art Linkletter, Sir William Samuel Stephenson, and Elvina Fay Wray have in common? They all have ties to one of the three provinces that make up the 1916 Canada Census, and some lucky volunteer may experience the thrill of transcribing their information for the free online index.

1. Arthur Gordon Kelly (Art Linkletter) will be found as a four-year-old child at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He was abandoned as an infant and then adopted and raised by a preacher. He hosted House Party and People Are Funny both on radio and later on newfangled television, and he is best remembered for his interviews with children on the television show Kids Say the Darndest Things. His adoptive parents were Fulton John Linkletter and Mary Metzler.

2. Sir William Samuel Stephenson was a Canadian soldier, airman, businessman, inventor, spymaster, and a British intelligence specialist during World War II. Stephenson is best known by his wartime intelligence codename of Intrepid and is considered by some to be one of the real-life inspirations for James Bond. He was born William Samuel Clouston Stanger, January 23, 1897, in the Point Douglas area of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

3. Elvina Fay Wray was born September 15, 1907, on a ranch near Alberta to Elvina Marguerite Jones and Joseph Heber Wray and will most likely show up as a nine-year old-child in the 1916 census. She made her film debut in Gasoline Love (1923), but it was her lead role in The Wedding March (1928) that made her a star. She became a cult figure after her role in King Kong (1933), as the beauty captured by a giant gorilla.

Getting Involved

Interested volunteers can begin helping immediately by registering online at familysearchindexing.org, downloading the free indexing software, and selecting the 1916 Canada Census project. A digital image of a census page will appear. Volunteers simply type in the data highlighted on the computer screen and save it online. It takes about 30 minutes to complete one census page, and volunteers have a week to complete it if need be. Volunteers only need to be able to read, type, and have Internet access to participate.

“The 1916 census was selected first because it is the most recent and smallest of the three censuses targeted in the first phase. It included three of the western provinces (Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta) and has about 1.7 million names—so it will not take long to complete,” said Stephen Young, FamilySearch project manager.

There are other hidden benefits to volunteering. Volunteers become familiar with historical documents, the valuable stories they can conceal, and their usefulness and application to genealogical research.

Indexers do not need to worry about their skill level at reading censuses. Each census page is transcribed by two different indexers. Any discrepancies between the two entries will be arbitrated by a third indexer. The result is a highly accurate, free index of tremendous value to family history enthusiasts. Young says the more online volunteers that help, the quicker the free census indexes will be available online for all to enjoy and benefit from.

One indexer recently commented, “I am intrigued with how the people come alive for me as I index. I indexed a household . . . containing a family with young children, grandmother, maiden aunt, and a couple of unmarried siblings. They had five servants, and I visualized a well-to-do household; the married son working maybe as a lawyer or doctor, taking care of his extended family. I see both sad and happy stories.”

FamilySearch manages the largest collection of genealogical records worldwide. In 2007 it announced plans to begin digitizing and indexing its collection for broader, online access—starting with popular collections like Canadian censuses. FamilySearch has digitized the 1916 Canada Census and is seeking online volunteers to help create a searchable index for it and other census and non-census Canada projects. The 1861 and 1871 censuses will be next.

Libraries and Archives Canada (LAC) owns and is providing the digital images for the Canada census projects.

About FamilySearch International
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at familysearch.org or through over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Mark Your Calendars - UGA Meeting!

The next meeting of the Utah Valley Chapter of UGA will be Friday, Nov. 21st, at 7 pm at 85 N 600 East in Provo

The presenter will be Haybron Adams, who will be telling us about Legacy 7. One of the main reasons people are interested in this program is that it uses the Shown-Mills sourcing format. It seems to be a reasonably priced, easy to use program that is being installed in several of the local Family History Centers. The program comes with a video instruction as well. Come see what you think about it!

FamilySearch Indexing Update: Seven (7) New Projects Added

10 November 2008

Seven new indexing projects were released during the past two weeks:

• Argentina 1869 Census – Buenos Aires (Part 2)
• Argentina 1869 Census – Cordoba y San Luis
• Massachusetts Death Records
• Massachusetts Marriage Records
• New Hampshire Birth Records
• UK – Cheshire – Church Records
• UK– Cheshire – Land Tax
  

To help with these or any other indexing projects, go to www.familysearch.org (and click Index Records) or www.familysearchindexing.org.

Current Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion Status

(Note: Percentages below may refer to a specific portion of a larger project.)

Argentina Censo 1869 - Buenos Aires (Part 2) - Spanish 8%

Argentina Censo 1869 - Cordoba y San Luis - Spanish 8%

Brandenburg Kirchenbücher - German 13%

California - 1920 US Federal Census - English 77%

España Lugo Registros Parroquiales - Spanish 8%

Florida 1945 Census - English 66%

France, Coutances, Paroisses de la Manche - French 7%

Guanajuato Censo de Mexico de 1930 - Spanish 78%

Guerrero - Censo de Mexico de 1930 - Spanish 46%

Illinois - 1920 US Federal Census - English 25%

Massachusetts - 1920 US Federal Census - English 32%

Massachusetts Death Records 1906-1915 - English 21%

Massachusetts Marriage Records 1906-1915 - English 4%

New Hampshire - Early to 1900 Births - English 7%

Nicaragua, Managua Civil Records - Spanish 8%

Trento Italy Baptism Records - Italian 30%

UK - Cheshire - Church Records - English 10%

UK - Cheshire - Land Tax - English 2%

Venezuela Mérida Registros Parroquiales - Spanish 0.4%

Ancestry.ca and FamilySearch Announce Agreement to Digitize and Index Existing Canadian Censuses

Initiative provides online access to a comprehensive collection of Canadian censuses

Toronto, ON—Ancestry.ca, Canada’s leading online family history Web site, is pleased to announce a joint initiative with FamilySearch International, a nonprofit organization that maintains one of the world's largest repositories of genealogical resources. The joint initiative will allow the organizations to improve online access to a comprehensive collection of Canadian censuses.

As part of the agreement, FamilySearch will digitize and index Canadian census records that Ancestry.ca has acquired. These digitized and indexed records will then be made available to Ancestry.ca members on the company’s Web site, and the indexes will be available for free to the public at FamilySearch.org. The images will be free to qualified FamilySearch members and all FamilySearch family history centers.

FamilySearch will deliver images and indexes to Ancestry.ca for censuses from 1861, 1871, 1881, and 1916, to launch online in 2009. In return, Ancestry.ca will provide indexes to FamilySearch for the 1891 and 1901 censuses.

Karen Peterson, marketing manager for Ancestry.ca, comments, “Teaming with FamilySearch will enable Ancestry.ca to significantly reduce the time and costs involved in delivering these important historical records online for our members. Also, it will free up resources for Ancestry.ca to invest in other historical records our members want made available online.”

Paul Nauta, public affairs manager for FamilySearch, stated, “FamilySearch is committed to providing free or economical access to more historical records quicker. The Canadian census project with Ancestry.ca is in alignment with that directive for Canadian records and will be well received by anyone with Canadian ancestry.”

Ancestry.ca is committed to providing Canadians with the most thorough collection of Canadian censuses to its members, and the partnership allows it to better deliver this access.

Adventures in FamilySearch Indexing - Week 64

I didn't do any FamilySearch Indexing Sunday because I was resting with a cold. Still have it but I am functioning. I had a 5 hour nap today so I guess it was time to get up and do something.

The first thing I check for is any messages on the FamilySearch Indexing website. There is one with an update on the new servers.

November 4, 2008: Indexing Servers Back Up and Running

We successfully moved the indexing servers yesterday faster than we had planned. The system was back up and running by 3:00 PM MST. You should be able to open the application, download and submit batches as you did before.

If you have any issues opening the application, first try to click the Start Indexing button in the bottom right corner of this screen. If that doesn't open the application for you, click here for further suggestions.

The other place to check for messages in within the program itself in My Messages.

From: Headquarters
Subject: Semimonthly Message
Date: 04 Nov 2008

An announcement was posted on the FamilySearch indexing Web site (www.familysearchindexing.org), on October 28th, stating that so far this year we have completed 100 million names using this indexing program. Great work, everyone!

Occasionally, there are messages that are posted to the indexing Web site that are not or cannot be posted here in this message area. Check the Web site now and then to keep up with these exciting and important announcements.

I guess that means we have to keep checking two sites to get all the latest FamilySearch Indexing news. You could always just read my blog and I will check for you.

Before I pick a project to work on this week I wanted to share a comment that was left on my blog this past week. It is referring to my goal of reaching 10,000 names indexed by the end of this year.

I don't want to burst your balloon because every name indexed is important, but our stake has done 1,101,649 names since Jan 08 with less than 60 indexers. One of our sisters did 18,257 names in October! As director, I ask everyone to try to do one batch a day. This keeps everyone up to date on projects. We like to get at least a 1000 per month from each indexer.

Anonymous

Wow, this is fantastic! I can't imagine having the time to index 1000 names per month or 18,000 plus for that matter! That is one devoted group of indexers. It sure makes my goal seem small in comparison but you're right every name indexed is important.

Ok, now it's time to pick the batch I will index this week. I worked on the Massachusetts Marriage Records last week and that almost made me fall asleep. Massachusetts also has Death Records and the 1920 US Federal Census. You can also do the 1920 Census for California, Illinois and Florida. Then there are the UK - Cheshire - Church and Land Tax Records. Which to do, which to do?

I think I'm going to jump the pond and travel to the UK - Cheshire - Church Records. YIKES! my record is in a foreign language. I don't do foreign languages. I read the project helps and it says that some records are in latin. I don't do latin. It says: "It is anticipated that with the helps, you will be able to index Latin forms, but if you feel uncomfortable doing so, simply return the batch." Ok, call me chicken but I returned the batch. I am not brave enough to start learning latin with a head cold.

YIKES, when I try to return the batch it asks if I want to take it out of circulation. I just want to return it and not do it so I'm not sure what's up with that. I said the reason was other and then it tells me to call my group administrator and explain why I am returning this batch. I think this is the first batch I have ever returned. At least now I have a number and name for my group administrator.

I decided to give my group administrator a call and make sure I was sending the batch back correctly. I had a lovely discussion with her. Everything was fine with the way I was sending it back. I guess you call your arbitrator so they have a chance to make sure you understand what you are doing.

So now I have to pick a new batch I decided to work on the the U.S Federal Census. I think I'll work on the Massachusett ones. Yes, it's in English! I worked on it and boy was it hard tonight. It was really difficult to read the writting. I downloaded two batches and they appeared to be written by the same census taker. You could not tell the difference between a "W" or an "M". I finally had to decide if they were married or a widower just by the family group. I also assummed everyone was white and not malotto since they were from Massachusetts. There were other letters hard to decipher and I just had to use the "*" on some.

I completed two batches of 50 each. That gives me a total of 100 names indexed tonight. My grand total to date is 9, 455. that means I need to index 545 records by the end of the year to reach 10,000. I think I can make it. For now I am going back to bed to get enough rest to get over this cold. Hello winter!

See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!

Family History Library making its training available worldwide

The following is from FamilySearch Support.

The Church’s Family History Library has been providing classes to patrons for many years. In the past, a patron would have to travel to the Library to take advantage of these classes, but no longer. The Library will begin testing different methods of exporting these classes to patrons who reside outside of the Salt Lake City area. The first method to be tested is a set of five lessons in a classroom setting in a video format. These lessons are now available on www.familysearch.org and cover the basics of getting started with family history research in England. The five lessons are called

Lesson 1: Research Overview

Lesson 2: Census Records

Lesson 3: Civil Registration

Lesson 4: Church Records

Lesson 5: Find Your Ancestors

We invite you to visit familysearch.org, view these lessons, and then give us your feedback by using the feedback link there on the online classes’ page.

Simply go to www.familysearch.org and click on the link for Family History Research Series Online or click here.

MyHeritage Adds Nine New Languages, Supports More Than Any Other Family Web Site

London, England and Tel Aviv, Israel – October 31, 2008 – MyHeritage, one of the world’s most popular family Web sites, today announced the launch of nine additional languages on its website, bringing the total to 34. The new languages include Danish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Lithuanian, Malay, Arabic and Persian.

“Families everywhere want to learn about their history and stay in touch with relatives who may be spread around the world,” said Gilad Japhet, founder and CEO of MyHeritage. “We are committed to making MyHeritage the most inclusive online destination for families, regardless of their location or language.”

MyHeritage helps more than 26 million people around the world connect and communicate with their extended family network and easily research family history. Its impressive growth is based on an increasing desire of families to stay closely connected, learn more about each other and regularly share photos and news online. MyHeritage can be accessed through the Web site (www.myheritage.com) or by downloading a simple piece of software for free. MyHeritage also offers new technology that automatically recognizes and labels faces in digital photos, making it even easier and faster to organize, search for, and share pictures with your family and friends.

About MyHeritage

MyHeritage is one of the world’s leading online networks for families, and the second largest family history website. MyHeritage is available in 34 languages and home to more than 26 million family members and 280 million profiles. The company recently acquired family social network Kindo.com, and is based in Bnei Atarot, near Tel Aviv, Israel and London, UK. For more information, visit www.myheritage.com.

Adventures in FamilySearch Indexing: Week 63

I missed indexing on Sunday. I was trying really hard to NOT focus on genealogy. Why you ask? Because I was trying to prevent myself from having genealogy withdrawal symptoms. It had been a week since my son had reformatted my internal and external hard drive and lost all my data, including my genealogy database files. I did have data on DVDs made in July but I lost a lot from July on. I was downloading all my backup files from Mozy and trying to concentrate on other things while the time passed.

One thing I did work on was testing several financial and budgeting software programs. I finally found a free one I really liked called "AceMoney Lite" and was busy Sunday entering a years' worth of check book entries into it. I know I could of started with October but I wanted to see my expenses by category for the whole year. I had started with a different budge program earlier in the year but it didnt' have an export option. I don't know if doing your budget fits into recommended Sunday activities or not but that's what I was doing last week.

Now your probably wondering why I'm indexing on a Saturday evening. It's because I had a reader tell me that the indexing site would be down on Sunday. I went to the FamilySearch Indexing website and found this notice. It is also available on My Messages within the software.

October 27, 2008: Notification of System Downtime

The FamilySearch indexing server will be down for scheduled maintenance for approximately 24 hours starting at midnight on Sunday, November 2nd. You will not be able to download or submit batches, or access the Web site and administration portal during this time.

If you plan to index during this downtime, you can download up to five batches before midnight on Sunday, work on them offline, and submit them when the system is back online. Get the batches as early as you can, so they have plenty of time to download completely before midnight.

The scheduled maintenance involves moving the indexing servers to a new facility to prepare for future growth. We estimate this process will not take the full 24 hours to complete; however, depending on circumstances, it may take longer. Please be patient and we will bring the servers back up as soon as we possibly can.

So it's not until mid-night Sunday that the site will be down. You really shouldn't plan on indexing from the site on Monday. Oh, well I had it in my mind to do it Saturday this week so Saturday is when I am indexing.

There was another message on the FamilySearch Indexing website for us this week.

October 28, 2008: Fantastic Achievement

Working together using the FamilySearch indexing system, we have completed 100 million names so far this year. Congratulations on an incredible feat! Keep up the great work.

Isn't that fantastic 100 million names indexed this year. We are doing GREAT!

I had a reader post a comment this week.

Will The indexed information and the images that are being worked with The Societies, be available for all people? Or just for the ones who indexed them?

Anonymous

Well, Anonymous I thought to help clarify this I would re-post what FamilySearch has said about this subject.

October 2, 2008:
Access to Indexes and Images

All indexes created by FamilySearch volunteers will be available free to the general public through FamilySearch.org. Access to any images with a “convenience fee” provided under FamilySearch affiliate agreements (e.g., with Ancestry.com, Findmypast.com, and Footnote.com) will be available for free through any family history center worldwide, to LDS Church members, and qualified FamilySearch indexers (a volunteer who indexes 900 names in a 90 day period will have 90 days of free image access).

FamilySearch is testing a validation system that will enable it to authenticate qualified FamilySearch members. It will be implemented in 2009.

To search indexes and images freely now at FamilySearch's pilot site, click here.

It will really depends on what arrangements were made with record holders as to how certain groups of individuals access the images. Everyone will always have access to the free indexes.

Now I finally get to work on indexing. I am curious to find out what records are available. There are nine projects for the English language. Nothing for New York. There are also no 1870 U.S. Federal Census projects left. You can work on the 1920 census for several states. Massachusetts and New Hampshire have some vital records. There was also a 1850 U.S. Federal Census for the state of Alabama. I thought the 1850 census project was all done? The other English project was for the UK - Cheshire Church and Land Records.

What to index? I decided to help finish up the 1850 U.S. Federal Census records for Alabama. Oops, it says nothing available. Well I guess the Massachusetts Marriage Records 1906-1915 sound good. I worked on the batch and it took so loooong to complete. It was nothing like the Irish Marriage records that I did. These are very detailed.

I only did one batch with 18 records. I got so tired and my eyes so heavy that I knew it was time for bed. Gosh 18 records indexed seem so tiny, but it is all I can do for this session. 9355 total records indexed to date. As I ponder over my day, I have accomplished a lot, just not much in the indexing field. Maybe Sundays are better for me after-all. Well, it was a good learning experience.

See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!