FamilySearch Consultant NewsletterMay 2012Welcome to the family history consultant newsletter. We’re excited to now be hosting this publication online, so you can easily access articles, see past issues, share your comments, see what others have written, and help grow the community of family history consultants and priesthood leaders. In this issue:
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Friday, May 25, 2012
The Latest Consultant News From FamilySearch
The following is from FamilySearch.
This is the time of year when people around the world are focusing their attention toward remembering and honoring their loved ones who have died. As you visit the gravesites of your ancestors, why not bring your smartphone along and capture images of your loved one’s tombstones? 
Our mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and neighbors found in the 1940 census are known as "the greatest generation." We all have special memories of those found in this important historical collection—now it’s time to record and archive those stories. FamilySearch is providing everyone the unique opportunity to remember and share with the world just what they feel made these people great. On this new FamilySearch site you can submit photos, scrapbook pages, stories, or links to videos and Facebook pages in their honor under the Who’s In It tab. You can also post information about How It Was living where they lived, as well as stories telling Where They Were during major events in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The power of this online experience is that you can start a family and friend “Story Chain” and invite others to join in the conversation! 
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
NEHGS Wins Two Top Awards For Lowell Genealogy
The following is from the New England Historical Genealogical Society (NEHGS).
NEHGS WINS TWO TOP AWARDS FOR
LOWELL GENEALOGY
Scott Steward and Christopher Child Share Top Prizes from NGS and CSG
Christopher C. Child on Left, Scott C. Steward on Right.
Boston, MA – May 22, 2012 – The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) announced today that one of its latest Newbury Street Press titles, The Descendants of Judge John Lowell of Newburyport, Massachusetts, by Scott C. Steward and Christopher C. Child, has won top honors from both the National Genealogical Society and the Connecticut Society of Genealogists. The awards were handed out at recent ceremonies hosted by each organization.
The National Genealogical Society (NGS) awarded Christopher C. Child the 2012 “Award for Excellence: Genealogy and Family History Book” on May 11, during the NGS annual conference held this year in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Connecticut Society of Genealogists (CSG) honored both authors with the 2012 “Literary Award, Grand Prize for Genealogy” at its annual luncheon on May 19 in Berlin, Connecticut.
NEHGS Director of Publications and book co-author Scott C. Steward said, “We had hoped to make the Lowell book a model, both as a genealogy and as an example of book production at Newbury Street Press, so having our work recognized by NGS and CSG is doubly rewarding.”
The book marks the first full treatment of the Lowell family since an 1899 genealogy written by Delmar R. Lowell. This new book traces descendants of Judge John Lowell (1743-1802) to the present day, and includes famous descendants Francis Cabot Lowell, for whom the city of Lowell, Massachusetts is named; John Lowell, Jr., founder of the Lowell Institute in Boston; James Russell Lowell, the poet and diplomat; astronomer Percival Lowell; Harvard president Abbott Lawrence Lowell; the poets Amy Lowell and Robert Traill Spence Lowell; architect Guy Lowell; and Isabella Stewart Gardner, art patron and museum founder. The book comprises more than one thousand entries for heads of families. Because of several early cousin marriages, many Lowell descendants have two or even three lines of descent from Judge John Lowell.
This marks the first time that NEHGS has won both a national and a regional award for one of its books. NEHGS publishes a number of titles each year, including genealogies, biographies, and instructional and resource books. NEHGS publishes its genealogies under the Newbury Street Press imprint. Learn more at www.AmericanAncestors.org
About NEHGS
Founded in 1845, New England Historic Genealogical Society is the country's leading resource for family history research. We help family historians expand their knowledge, skill, and understanding of their family and its place in history. The NEHGS research center, located at 99-101 Newbury Street, Boston, houses millions of books, journals, manuscripts, photographs, microfilms, documents, records, and other original artifacts that date back more than four centuries. NEHGS staff includes some of the leading expert genealogists in the country, specializing in early American, Irish, English, Italian, Scottish, Atlantic and French Canadian, African American, Native American, and Jewish genealogy. Our award-winning website, www.AmericanAncestors.org, provides access to more than 135 million searchable names in 3,000 collections.
FamilySearch Indexing Update 22 May 2012
The following is from FamilySearch.
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Ohana Software Webinars
The following is from Ohana Software.
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2012 Southern California Genealogy Jamboree
The following is from Ancestry.com.
| Just starting to build your family tree? Ready to take your research skills to the next level? Trying to break through some brick walls? Then you won’t want to miss the |
| 2012 Southern California Genealogy Jamboree |
| Produced by the Southern California Genealogical Society June 8–10, 2012 Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport, Burbank, California Sponsored in part by Ancestry.com |
 Register today to attend all three days of the Jamboree, which include an array of more than 100 classes to help every family historian—from those just beginning their search to those who’ve been working on genealogy for years. Jamboree classes include the following taught by Ancestry.com experts: - Genealogy on a Mac - The Inner Workings of the Ancestry.com Search Engine - Family Tree Maker 2012 with Tree Sync™ Learn more about all of the great Jamboree classes today. Exhibit Hall Stop by the Ancestry.com booth to get hands-on answers to your Ancestry.com questions. Sit in on demonstrations covering Ancestry.com, Family Tree Maker and more. The exhibit hall also features family history vendors from across the country. The exhibit hall is open:
Ancestry.com is excited to provide registered Jamboree attendees the opportunity to have their family photos and documents scanned at the conference, for free, on our professional scanning equipment. It’s a unique opportunity to have your family history records digitized! Will you be bringing items to scan? Please help us plan accordingly –– click here to let us know how much and what you’ll be bringing. |
| Register today to attend the 2012 Southern California Genealogy Jamboree. We hope to see you in Southern California! |
Early Bird Savings for Northern California Expo!
The following is from Family History Expos.
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Dean L. McLeod : Full-time professional genealogist since January 1975. Founding Board Member, APG. Spent first ten years specializing in Scottish and English research. Former staff researcher, Brigham Young University Family History Services. Employed fifteen years American Research Bureau as Field researcher in San Francisco, CA.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Why Combine Food History with Family History?
by guest author Gena Philibert-Ortega, Food.Family.Ephemera Blog .
It’s a common concern that I hear from genealogists as I speak at societies and conferences. What will happen to my genealogy when I die? Untold amounts of time, money and research goes into learning more about our ancestors. Unfortunately, this investment is not always appreciated by our family members.
Why don’t the non-genealogists in our family appreciate all that we have given and provide them in the pursuit of our roots? Well I haven’t done a full scale study of that topic but I can tell you one reason they are less than thrilled.
Genealogy is boring.
Yes, that’s right. Now you may be surprised I would say such a thing. After all, I’ve been interested in genealogy since I was a kid and I’m happy to spend time in places like cemeteries, libraries and archives. But I will reiterate that genealogy is boring. Don’t get me wrong, genealogy doesn’t have to be boring. Genealogy can be boring in the same way that 8th grade history was boring. When someone shows you charts with names and dates that make no sense to you, that can be boring. Those random facts have no meaning to the non-genealogist.
But, what happens when you tell the story of how your grandfather flew a B-17 during World War II and was nearly shot down? Or when you learn that your 8th great-grandmother was tried as a witch in the Salem Witch Trials. The stories behind the lives are a lot different than focusing on a bunch of facts about dead people on a chart. That’s bringing history to life. That is history at its best.
When I tell my kids that my great-grandfather served in the Navy, it’s not that interesting to them. But when I make that event come alive by showing them photos of the actual ship he was on, that takes family history to a different level and they are excited.
So what does this have to do with food?
New Mexico. Mrs. Fidel Romero Proudly Exhibits Her Canned Food. U.S. National Archives http://www.flickr.com/photos/
One experience we have in common with all of our ancestors is food. Now we may obtain food in a more modern way and we may prepare it differently but like us, our ancestors had to eat. When we explore food and what was available to our ancestors it helps to bring their lives into focus. We get a better sense of what life was like for them. From this knowledge we can weave stories into our family histories that make our ancestors more interesting and allows our readers (i.e., family) to better understand their lives. Stories are interesting, names and dates are not.
A few weeks ago I was given the opportunity to hear stories of food told by NGS conference goers as they stopped to look at my new book in the exhibit hall. I heard stories of food traditions so different than what I am accustomed to that I wanted to know more. Their stories of food brought their ancestor’s to life in a way that a chart could never do.
What did your ancestors eat? I will be exploring the topic of food and family history in this week’s virtual blog tour but it is also addressed more in depth in my new book, From the Family Kitchen .
I encourage you to start writing. Write down what your family eats. What foods have been passed down? What are your family’s food traditions? What did you most immediate ancestors, like your grandparents eat? What foods did you eat at holiday celebrations? These types of memories are what build a family history. Consider adding this type of detail to your research and to your own memoires. Someday your descendants will be ecstatic that you chose to share your life with them.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
FamilySearch Records Update 16 May 2012
The following is from FamilySearch.
All 1940 US Census Images and Six States Now Published Online
All 1940 US Census Images and Six States Now Published Online
20 Million Records for 21 Other Countries Also Added
The 1940 US Census Community Project, which includes FamilySearch, Archives.com, Fi
Searchable historic records on FamilySearch.org are made available by thousands of volunteers from around the world who transcribe (index) information from digital copies of handwritten records to make them easily searchable online. More volunteers are needed (particularly those who can read foreign languages) to keep pace with the amount of digital images being published online at FamilySearch.org. Learn more about how to personally help provide free access to the world’s historic genealogical records as a volunteer indexer at FamilySearch.org.
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online atFamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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