Free Crossover for Mac License - Tomorrow Only!

The following is from the RootsMagic Newsletter.

Free Crossover for Mac License

We often get asked if RootsMagic will run on a Mac.  We are working on a Mac version, but it is slow going because we have to not only rewrite the program, but most of the libraries we use as well.  We do tell people that it *is* possible to run RootsMagic on a Mac using a program called Crossover.

Crossover usually costs $39.95 or more, but the company that produces it just sent us an email offering a 12 month license for FREE for one day only (that's a $59.95 value).  And even better, if you already own Crossover, you can take advantage of this offer to extend your existing license another 12 months for free.

To get Crossover for free, visit this page:

http://flock.codeweavers.com/

on October 31st (this Wednesday).  That is the ONLY day you can get it for free, so don't put it off or forget about it.

If you have friends or family that use a Mac and want to be able to run RootsMagic, please let them know about this one time offer, which is available to anyone that wants it.

Family Tree: Features Update

The following is from the FamilySearch Blog.

Temple Ordinance Reservation and Duplicate Merging Highlight New Family Tree Features

Family History is often a collaborative pursuit, with names, dates, photos, and temple work being provided from family members both near and far. With all of this shared effort, there is potential for inadvertent errors.

Three new features in Family Tree on FamilySearch.org provide a way to help lessen the impact of such problems on your family history work.

• Reservation of Temple Ordinances for Ancestors. This option allows you to quickly and easily reserve an ordinance for you to complete in behalf of your ancestor on an upcoming trip to the temple. More information is available in this white paper and this video.

• Identifying Possible Duplicates. Family Tree on FamilySearch may contain duplicate information for a particular ancestor. This feature allows you to review data about duplicate individuals and begin the merge process.  More information.

• Merge. Merging lets you consolidate the entries for duplicate individuals and create one correct listing, thus cleaning up Family Tree and simplifying your view of which ancestors need temple work done. More information.

Family Tree will be available to everyone this fall and is the first phase of a new and improved user experience coming to FamilySearch.org. Learn more about the new features listed above and much more on the Family Tree training site. As you become a regular user and learn more about Family Tree, you will be able to provide valuable training to others as they begin using this future replacement to new.familysearch.org.

The following is from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Newsroom.

Leaders Encourage Members to Tie Family History to the Temple

• 22 OCTOBER 2012
• 
  

Family history and temple work are becoming more personal than ever due to an October 8, 2012, First Presidency letter that calls for members to use for temple work their own family names or the names of ancestors of their ward and stake members.

The letter includes five main points, which will help members find greater fulfillment in doing family history and attending the temple.

1. “When members of the Church find the names of their ancestors and take those names to the temple for ordinance work, the temple experience can be greatly enriched.”

In a letter dated February 29, 2012, the First Presidency stated: “Any work you do in the temple is time well spent, but receiving ordinances vicariously for one of your own ancestors will make the time in the temple more sacred, and even greater blessings will be received. . . . ‘Our preeminent obligation is to seek out and identify our own ancestors.’”

President Howard W. Hunter has said, “I have learned that those who engage in family history research and then perform the temple ordinance work for those whose names they have found will know the additional joy of receiving both halves of the blessing.”

Learn more about why we are asked to prepare names from our own family to take to the temple.

2. “Members with limited ability to do their own family history research are encouraged to perform vicarious ordinances with names provided by other members or by the temple.”

There are many members of the Church who have limited access to temples. Church leaders encourage these members to do what they can. Members without a temple nearby can pursue family history research and have the temple ordinance work done by others.

Other members may struggle with feeling like all of their family history research and work has been done. These members are encouraged to continue to attend the temple, preferably taking with them family names of other members.

Prepare for your next temple visit, or watch how to find missing ancestors.

3. Youth and young single adults are especially encouraged “to use for temple work their own family names or the names of ancestors of their ward and stake members.”

During his October 2012 general conference address, Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles outlined blessings that could be had by young members of the Church as they participate in family history research:

“Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life?” he asked. “Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As you grow older, you will be able to participate in receiving the other ordinances as well. I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life.”

Learn how to prepare family names for the temple in five steps.

4. Priesthood leaders should ensure that all members “learn the doctrine of turning their hearts to their fathers and the blessings of temple attendance.”

Ward and stake leaders can play an important role in helping members act on this invitation and secure the blessings promised to them.

To Turn the Hearts is a leader resource guide provided as a supplement to Handbook 2: Administering the Church to help priesthood leaders support members in their responsibilities to seek after their dead and provide them the saving ordinances in the temple. It includes supplement videos that document how some stakes have used temple and family history work to strengthen individuals and families.

More leader resources for helping youth and their families learn the doctrines of family history and temple work are available on LDS.org.

5. Those with “large numbers of family names reserved [are encouraged] to release these names in a timely manner so the necessary ordinances can be performed.”

There are currently 12 million names on FamilySearch.org that have been reserved by family members who intend to perform their ancestors’ ordinances themselves. Many names, however, have been reserved for years.

“[Ancestors] may not be very happy when they have to continue to wait for their ordinances to be performed,” Elder Scott said. “We encourage those of you who have a large reservation of names to share them so that members of your extended family or ward and stake can help you in completing that work. You can do this by distributing temple cards to ward and stake members willing to help or by using the FamilySearch computer system to submit the names directly to the temple.”

To help members respond to these calls by Church leaders, the Family History Department is developing new tools and experiences to help members find and prepare names for the temple or share them with other temple patrons who can help in those efforts.

Learn how to share reserved names.

FamilySearch New Collections Update 22 October 2012

The following is from FamilySearch.

FamilySearch Adds Large Update to Iowa County Marriages Collection,  New Records for Dorset, England, Parish Registers,  and Boston Passenger Lists FamilySearch added 2.7 million indexed records and digital images to its growing collection, with a large portion being added to the Iowa County Marriages collection. The latest update to the Iowa County collection makes it 86 percent complete. The update includes 637,695 new images of marriage licenses and 1,623,576 new indexed records. Also of interest are the 198,938 new images and records added to the Dorset, England, Parish Registers collection and 428,000 Boston passenger lists for 1820 to 1891. Search these diverse collections and 3 billion other records for free at FamilySearch.org. Searchable historic records are made available on FamilySearch.org through the help of thousands of volunteers from around the world. These volunteers 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 large number of digital images being published online at FamilySearch.org. Learn more about volunteering to help provide free access to the world's historic genealogical records online at FamilySearch.org. FamilySearch 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 for free at FamilySearch.org or through more than 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Collection Indexed Records Digital Images Comments England, Dorset, Parish Registers, 1538-1910 114,774 54,164 Added index records and images to an existing collection. Italy, Messina, Messina, Civil Registration (Comune), 1866-1910 48,942 19,035 Added index records and images to an existing collection. Mexico, Archdiocese of Guadalajara, Miscellaneous Marriage Records, 1605-1815 0 111,862 New browsable image collection. Spain, Province of Lérida, Municipal Records, 1319-1940 0 64,096 New browsable image collection. U.S., Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934 1,623,576 637,698 Added index records and images to an existing collection. U.S., Massachusetts, Boston Passenger Lists, 1820-1891 428,737 0 Added index records to an existing collection.

Family History Library November 2012 Research Series

The following is from the Family History Library.

Free Workshop on American Indian Research
The Family History Library Hosts Events in November.
 
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH-Genealogists and family history enthusiasts looking for help with American Indian research will be interested in a free American Indian Research Workshop being held on Saturday, November 10, at the Family History Library. The workshop will include:

 9:00 a.m.   “An Interactive Workshop”  (2 hrs)

To view the class schedule online, go to https://familysearch.org/locations/library_class_schedule.  Classes will be held in the Main floor computer lab of the Family History Library.  The library is located to the west of Temple Square on West Temple between North Temple and South Temple Streets in downtown Salt Lake City. On Saturdays, parking is free to library patrons and is located behind the Church History Museum.  To register for these free classes, send an email to FHLClassReg@familysearch.org or call 801-240-4950. 

Free Research Series on Researching German Ancestors Online
The Family History Library Hosts Events in November.
 
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH-Genealogists and family history enthusiasts looking for help with German research will be interested in German classes held at the Family History Library in November. A free Researching German Ancestors Online Research Series will be held on Saturday, November 24, at the Family History Library. The classes will include:

 9:00 a.m.   “20 Useful Websites for German Research”

10:00 a.m.   “Town Genealogies and Indexes”

11:00 a.m.   “Using German Digital Archives”

To view the class schedule online, go to https://familysearch.org/locations/library_class_schedule.  Classes will be held in the Main floor computer lab of the Family History Library.  The library is located to the west of Temple Square on West Temple between North Temple and South Temple Streets in downtown Salt Lake City.  On Saturdays, parking is free to library patrons and is located behind the Church History Museum.  To register for these free classes, send an email to FHLClassReg@familysearch.org or call 801-240-4950. 

Ancestry.com to be Acquired by Permira Funds

The following is from Ancestry.com.

Transaction Valued at $1.6 Billion;

Permira Funds Partners With Ancestry.com Management and Spectrum Equity to Acquire World's Leading Online Family History Resource

PROVO, Utah, Oct. 22, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ancestry.com (Nasdaq:ACOM), the global leader in online family history, and Permira, the European private equity firm with global reach, today announced that a company owned by the Permira funds and co-investors has entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Ancestry.com for $32.00 per share in cash in a transaction valued at $1.6 billion. Tim Sullivan, Ancestry.com's President and Chief Executive Officer, and Howard Hochhauser, Ancestry.com's Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, will maintain a majority of their equity stakes in the company as part of the transaction. Spectrum Equity will also remain an investor in the company.

The transaction represents a premium of 41% over Ancestry.com's closing stock price on June 5, 2012, the last trading day prior to press reports that Ancestry.com had retained a financial advisor in connection with a possible sale of the company. The disinterested members of Ancestry.com's Board of Directors have unanimously approved the transaction and recommend that Ancestry.com stockholders approve the merger. Affiliates of Spectrum Equity, which together own approximately 30% of the company's outstanding shares, have agreed to vote their shares in favor of the merger.

Ancestry.com is the world's largest online family history resource. Its global network of websites empowers users to make meaningful discoveries and share their family history. Over 15 years Ancestry.com has assembled an unrivaled worldwide collection of over 10 billion digitized, indexed records and built a feature-rich, engaging product experience for its 2 million-plus subscribers. The company's best-in-class technology ensures access everywhere via web, desktop and mobile. 

"This is a successful outcome for our public stockholders, and a great day for Ancestry.com employees and subscribers around the world," said Tim Sullivan. "We're excited that Permira shares our commitment to keep investing in our technology and product experience to make family history easy and accessible for more and more families around the world. Their strong investment track record in the technology and Internet sectors makes them a terrific advisor and partner as we take the company forward."

Added Charles Boesenberg, Chairman of the Board of Ancestry.com, "Our board conducted a thorough sale process, and we are pleased to be able to offer our stockholders this premium transaction."

Brian Ruder, Partner and Head of Permira's Menlo Park office said: "With its pioneering technology and market leading position, Ancestry.com is an exciting investment opportunity for the Permira funds. We are thrilled to be able to back the company as it continues to develop new and innovative content, and expand in both its core markets and into new geographies. We look forward to bringing Permira's technology and media experience to bear in supporting Tim, Howard and the rest of the talented team at Ancestry.com and its mission of helping everyone discover, preserve and share their family history." 

Ancestry.com and Permira indicated that the company will continue executing on its growth strategy and initiatives led by content acquisition and technology investment, with the support of the Permira funds and the investor group. There are no anticipated changes in Ancestry.com's operating structure. Ancestry.com's focus will continue to be on investing in content, technology and its user experience, expanding its product offerings in areas like DNA, and building the Ancestry.com brand and the family history category, all on a global basis. Ancestry.com will remain headquartered in Provo, Utah, with a continued large presence in San Francisco, Dublin, London and other international markets.

The transaction, which is subject to the approval of holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Ancestry.com common stock and other customary closing conditions, is expected to close in early 2013. The company will file additional details regarding the transaction shortly with the Securities and Exchange Commission on a Form 8-K, and in proxy materials to be provided to the company's stockholders in connection with the special meeting to vote on the merger.

The Board of Directors of Ancestry.com received financial advice from Qatalyst Partners LP, who also provided a fairness opinion in connection with the transaction, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz served as the company's legal counsel. Morgan Stanley served as financial advisor to the Permira funds while Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP and Clifford Chance LLP served as legal advisors. The Permira funds were also advised by McKinsey & Company, Aon M&A Solutions, and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Barclays, Credit Suisse Securities, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley and RBC Capital Markets have agreed to provide financing to the acquiring company in connection with the merger.

Ancestry.com Third Quarter 2012 Financial Results

As previously announced, Ancestry.com will release financial results for its third quarter 2012 on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at approximately 2:00 p.m. MT (4:00 p.m. ET). In light of today's announcement, the company will no longer be hosting a corresponding conference call with analysts and investors to discuss the financial results.

About Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq:ACOM) is the world's largest online family history resource, with more than 2 million paying subscribers. More than 10 billion records have been added to the site in the past 15 years. Ancestry users have created more than 39 million family trees containing approximately 4 billion profiles. In addition to its flagship site, Ancestry.com offers several localized Web sites designed to empower people to discover, preserve and share their family history.

The Ancestry.com, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=13617

About Permira

Permira is a European private equity firm with global reach. The Permira funds, raised from pension funds and other institutions, make long-term investments in companies with the ambition of transforming their performance and driving sustainable growth. Founded in 1985, the firm advises funds with a total committed capital of approximately $26 billion.

Permira established its presence in North America with the opening of the New York office in 2002 followed by the Menlo Park office in 2008. The Permira funds have a long track record of successful technology and digital media investing in companies around the world including Odigeo, NDS, Renaissance Learning and Genesys. Since 1997, over 30% of the Permira funds' investments have been in the core sector of Technology, Media & Telecom.

For more information visit: www.permira.com.

Family History Conference - Kingston, NY

Family History Conference

October 27, 2012

Kingston Annual

Family History Conference

2012

Sponsored by the

The Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter-day Saints

153 Fording Place Road, Lake Katrine, NY 12449

Saturday, October 27, 2012

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Would you like to learn about your family Roots? Are you unsure of where to start in searching your family tree? A Family History Conference will be held on October 27, 2012 from 10 – 3 at the Kingston Ward building of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 153 Fording Place Road, Lake Katrine, NY 12449.

Ann Gordon, Ulster County Historian, is the keynote speaker and will talk on "The Real Story of Sojourner Truth."  Ms. Gordon tells the story of how genealogical records were used to sort truth from fiction in the legends about Isabella (Sojourner Truth).

Other sessions include: a panel discussion on Getting Organized; experienced genealogists in Italian, Latin American, English, Colonial, and Scottish genealogical research; Youth and Family Research; and using the State Library and Archives.

We will also view a talk by David McCullough (author of John Adams and Harry Truman) which he gave at A Celebration of Family History which took place in Salt Lake City on April 29, 2010.

There is no fee to attend this conference. Lunch will be provided.

10:00 – 10:55 Introductions – Keynote Speaker, Ann Gordon

	Session 1	Session 2	Session 3
11:00 – 11:55	German genealogical research Elsie Saar	Getting Organized New Family Search Panel Discussion	Youth and family research New technology
12:00 – 12:55	England genealogical research Marny Janson	Hispanic genealogical research Daniel Peralta	David McCullough DVD A Celebration of Family History
1:00 – 1:55	Italy genealogical research Frank Campagna	Scottish genealogical research Robin Kinloch	David McCullough DVD A Celebration of Family History
2:00 – 3:00	Ireland genealogical Research Christine Brinnier	American Colonial genealogical research Marny Janson	Using the State Archives For Genealogical Research Jim Harris

Explore the Census During Family History Month with Archives.com!

The following is from Archives.com.

The 1940 Census is now fully indexed just in time for October's Family History Month! To commemorate these two great occasions, Archives.com created a fun and informative interactive graphic showcasing all 23 Censuses! The interactive graphic can be found at the following URL:

http://www.archives.com/1940-census-facts.html

Complete with images of each decade’s questionnaire as well as statistics and valuable data, we hope you enjoy it! You can share it on your Facebook page, Like it, Tweet it, etc. Thank you!

Happy Family History Month!

Woolwich Cemetery records now on Deceased Online

The following is from Deceased Online.

► Nearly 80,000 Woolwich records complete  

Royal Greenwich database◄ 

• Woolwich Cemetery, the last of five cemeteries managed by the Royal Borough of  Greenwich in  South London, has had all records digitised and added to www.deceasedonline.com .
• In total, there are now over 485,000 records for the Royal Borough which includes Eltham Crematorium as well as Charlton, Eltham, Greenwich, Plumstead and Woolwich cemeteries.
• Woolwich Cemetery opened in 1856 and features many military graves as well as some fascinating memorials.
• Click here to read more details about this cemetery and many  others within the ‘database coverage’ section on Deceased Online website.
• Victims from  London’s worst-ever peacetime disaster are buried and commemorated at Woolwich and you can read all about this in Emma Jolly’s next blog so register now at: http://deceasedonlineblog.blogspot.co.uk/

• The data for Woolwich Cemetery comprise:

• Grave details indicating those buried in each grave

• Scans of burial registers 

• Cemetery maps indicating grave locations  

• Some photographs of memorials and headstones 

Coming soon: 

 Lots of burial records for Lancashire and Yorkshire….

1911 census now free on Genes Reunited and findmypast.co.uk

The following is from Genes Reunited.

ALL 1911 TRANSCRIPTIONS ARE NOW FREE ON GENES REUNITED AND FINDMYPAST.CO.UK

Leading family history websites genesreunited.co.uk and findmypast.co.uk have teamed up to offer their members free access to all 1911 census transcriptions from today until 18^th November 2012.

The 1911 census is a great place to start researching your family history as the records are the most detailed of any census.  It includes places of birth, details of siblings, occupations, how many children have been born to the marriage, how many still alive at the time of the census and how many had died. 

Debra Chatfield, Marketing Manager of findmypast.co.uk, said: “The 1911 census is an invaluable resource for tracing your ancestors and it’s fantastic to be able to offer this to our members for free.”

About Genes Reunited

Genes Reunited was launched in 2003 as a sister-site to the Internet phenomenon Friends Reunited. Since then it has grown to become the UK's largest genealogy website.

It marked a revolution in genealogy and ancestry by combining them with Internet social-networking. Members are able to build their family tree by posting it on the site and investigating which ancestors they share with other members. They can also search historical records such as census, birth, marriage, death and military records.

Genes Reunited has 12 million members and over 780 million names listed. One new name is added to the site every single second.

About findmypast.co.uk

Leading UK family history website findmypast.co.uk was the first company to make the complete birth, marriage and death indexes for England & Wales available online in April 2003, winning the Queen’s Award for Innovation.

Findmypast.co.uk has subsequently digitised many more family history records and now offers access to over 750 million records dating as far back as 875 AD. This allows family historians to search for their ancestors among comprehensive collections of military, census, migration, parish, work and education records, as well as the original comprehensive birth, marriage and death records. The company runs the official 1911 census website for England & Wales in association with The National Archives and has digitised several other record sets from the national collection.