FamilySearch 4th Quarter User Newsletter

The following is from FamilySearch.

In this issue...

• Executive Corner: Family History Resources Are Posted on LDS.org Website
• Site Scoop: Family Tree Is Coming
• Collaboration: It's about Sharing
• Senior Missionary Couples Serve to Preserve Genealogical Records in Lima, Peru
• FamilySearch Recognized for "Continued Dedication and Support" at 2nd International Black Genealogy Summit
• Cooperation Makes Records Available for FREE
• What's New: New Courses from Learning Services
• 5 Minute Genealogy: Genealogy Boot Camp
• Tech Tips: Be Prepared for Genealogical Research with your Smartphone
• Fresh from the Vault
• Spotlight Focus: Don't Miss RootsTech 2013
• Events and News: Genealogy and Family History Conferences

Executive Corner: Family History Resources Are Posted on LDS.org Website I’m pleased to announce that LDS.org has posted as its feature article a portal that takes visitors to a Family History landing page that focuses on Elder Richard G. Scott’s October, 2012, General Conference address. This page is filled with links to stories, instructional resources, and video clips to help readers understand and appreciate their responsibility to find and redeem their dead.  Full Story

Site Scoop:  Family Tree is Coming Have you heard about the Family Tree service that FamilySearch is introducing in the next couple of months? Have you tried it? As you may know, this upgrade and future replacement fornew.familysearch.org will help you to more easily qualify ancestor names for temple work, collaborate with family and other researchers near and far, and preserve your research for future generations.  Full Story

Collaboration: It’s about Sharing Remember the story of Stone Soup, where the townspeople came together offering ingredients to create a delicious soup made only from a stone and water, or so they thought?  There are many versions of the story that have been passed down and shared over the years. Although the adaptations change, one of the main themes of the story is the value of sharing. By coming together, bringing what each person can offer and sharing with others, everyone benefits from the resulting rich and hearty soup. Full Story

Senior Missionary Couples Serve to Preserve Genealogical Records in Lima, Peru For the past 26 years David Tirado has been photographing vital records for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and helping the people of Peru discover their past. Without realizing it, he has also helped to make another very old dream come true.  Full Story

FamilySearch Recognized for “Continued Dedication and Support” at 2nd International Black Genealogy Summit FamilySearch was recently recognized for its “continued dedication and support” of African family history research at the 2nd International Black Genealogy Summit, held at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City October 18-20. The conference theme was “Understanding Our Past to Grow into the Future.”  Full Story

Cooperation Makes Records Available for FREE FamilySearch supports making records freely available for family historians and genealogists throughout the world. The Federation of Genealogical Societies and FamilySearch have cooperated on a number of these efforts in the genealogical community. Currently, the Federation is leading an effort to digitize and make freely available the pension records for the men who served in the War of 1812.  Full Story

What’s New: New Courses from Learning Services The Learning Services Group at FamilySearch.org continues to create new learning courses to help patrons learn how to make the most of the resources that FamilySearch has to offer. Here are some of the courses that are now available at FamilySearch.org.

5 Minute Genealogy: Genealogy Boot Camp FamilySearch announces a 27-minute video on the FamilySearch website. The name of the video isGenealogy Boot Camp. It’s listed under the category of Most Popular Courses. I’m always skeptical when any product is billed as “Most Popular,” but after going through the course, I discovered that it has rightfully earned that designation.  Full Story

Tech Tips: Be Prepared for Genealogical Research with your Smartphone In the old days, when you went to a library or repository to do research, you might have to lug a whole briefcase full of information. In the electronic age, that has mostly changed. Although it is still a good idea to have a pencil and a pad of paper, the up-to-date researcher will more likely carry a camera, a digital audio recorder, a laptop computer, and perhaps a scanner. What happens if you find yourself with some extra time near a research location and don’t have all of your equipment with you? Today’s smartphone just might save the research opportunity. Full Story

Fresh from the Vault New collections are added each week to FamilySearch. Collections that are marked with a camera indicate collections for which digitized images are available. Collections marked with the term “Browse Images” have not been indexed yet but are available for browsing. These collections have helps added to assist you in narrowing your search down to specific times, places, and record types. Click here to see the new collections. When you get to this page, click on the Last Updated link above the collection dates.

Spotlight Focus: Don’t Miss RootsTech 2013 Attend RootsTech, a family history and technology conference, March 21-23, 2013. Discover the latest family history tools and techniques to help in the pursuit of your ancestors. Learn how to find, organize, preserve, and share your family's connections and history. New Get Started track just for beginners!  Full Story

Events and News: Genealogy and Family History Conferences See a list of events that are happening in the family history industry in 2013. Full Story

MyHeritage buys Geni and raises $25m

The following is from MyHeritage.

MyHeritage acquires Geni.com and raises $25m in new funding round

Family history network buys rival and advances international expansion with new funds

LOS ANGELES, California, PROVO, Utah & TEL AVIV, Israel – November 28, 2012 – MyHeritage, the popular online family history network, announced today it has acquired long-time rival Geni.com and closed a new USD$25M funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP), with existing investors Index Ventures and Accel Partners also participating.  Geni.com Founder David Sacks and BVP Partner Adam Fisher are joining the MyHeritage Board of Directors.

The acquisition reinforces MyHeritage’s position as a global power player in the family history industry and accelerates its vision of helping families everywhere build and share their legacy online. The purchase of Geni.com is the eighth and largest acquisition made by MyHeritage since the launch of its online family history network in 2005. It extends MyHeritage’s network to 72 million registered users, 1.5 billion profiles and 27 million family trees, containing the most internationally diverse family history content in the world.

The new investment round will be used by MyHeritage to boost growth of its historical content services and expand commercial operations worldwide. In addition to acquiring significant record collections from Europe and rolling out global crowd-sourcing projects, the funds will enable MyHeritage to explore additional M&A opportunities and ramp up its international marketing operations. The latest funding round brings the total funds raised so far by MyHeritage to USD$49 million.

“Exploring and curating one's family past is both a timeless and universal hobby pursued by hundreds of millions of people around the world; I personally grew my own family tree to include more than 2,500 people,” said BVP Partner Adam Fisher. “The freemium model of MyHeritage/Geni not only makes online family history accessible to the casual user, but underscores the importance of user generated data to the product offering itself, which grows every day. As the international market leader with an aggressive expansion plan, we see tremendous value in their subscription business and are excited to work closely with Gilad and his team as they build on their success.”

“Today’s news is a major turning-point for the family history industry, giving us significant new resources to extend our market leadership and deliver new value to families worldwide,” said Founder and CEO of MyHeritage, Gilad Japhet. “Well established as an innovative and social brand, Geni.com is a natural addition to MyHeritage and together we look forward to taking collaborative family history to new heights.  Over the past few years our dedicated workforce has transformed MyHeritage from a garage start-up into a successful, dynamic and global company. With new funds, impressive new talent from Geni.com and new world-class leaders on our Board, we look forward to fulfilling our potential and accomplishing our mission to bring family history to the masses.”

Founded in 2007, Geni.com is well known as a pioneer in collaborative family tree building with its focus on creating the World Family Tree, and enjoys a large following in the US. Geni.com will continue to operate as a separate brand based out of its California office, which will also serve as the main engineering hub for MyHeritage in the US, alongside its main content offices in Utah. The entire staff at Geni.com will join the MyHeritage team.

The services of MyHeritage and Geni.com will initially run independently. MyHeritage plans to give respective users the option to collaborate on family history research by enabling two-way information flows between the sites that will facilitate new family discoveries and provide greater value to the users of both services.

Users from both sites will be able to discover long-lost relatives and new ancestral connections through MyHeritage’s Smart Matching technology, which finds common matches between family trees. To add new color to the ancestries of Geni.com users, MyHeritage will apply its recently launched Record Matching™ technology that matches historical records, such as birth, death, census and immigration records, to individuals in Geni.com family trees. Geni.com users will be able to enjoy extended offerings provided by MyHeritage including DNA kits for genetic genealogy.

Geni.com Founder, David Sacks, a renowned entrepreneur, and most recently the Founder and CEO ofYammer (sold to Microsoft in June 2012 for $1.2 billion), will take a seat on the Board of Directors. David’s contributions as a visionary in the family history field, combined with his sharp eye for product, make him a strategic addition to MyHeritage management.

“What we've learned over the years building Geni is that there are three key assets that customers want in the genealogy space: records, private trees, and the world family tree. This deal brings together all of these pieces to form the most complete offering in the genealogy space. Together with MyHeritage, we look forward to continuing Geni's mission of connecting humanity through a single family tree”, said Founder of Geni.com David Sacks.

About MyHeritage

MyHeritage is a family history network helping millions of families around the world discover and share their legacy online. Pioneers in making family history a collaborative experience for the entire family, MyHeritage empowers its users with innovative social tools and a massive library of historical content. The site is available in 38 languages. For more information visit www.myheritage.com

Introducing Family Tree on FamilySearch.org

The following is from FamilySearch.

Introducing Family Tree on FamilySearch.org FamilySearch.org has begun some exciting upgrades to its services to improve the experience of doing family history. A first step in these enhancements is an upgrade to new.FamilySearch.orgcalled Family Tree. Family Tree merges the best features and data from new.FamilySearch.organd adds powerful tools for data accuracy, usability, and collaboration. Available now to current users of new.FamilySearch.org, Family Tree provides a way to share information, compare research, and go further faster by working together. - You can try Family Tree by going to FamilySearch.org and signing in with your user name and password. Family Tree will then appear in the navigation menu at the top of the screen.- View a video that shows 7 reasons to be excited about the upgrade to Family Tree. Family Tree provides an updated approach to organizing and recording genealogy online. It will eventually replace new.FamilySearch.org as the Church's system for submitting names for temple work. As a user of Family Tree, you can: Organize family information into a genealogy tree. Easily submit names for temple work. Edit and delete incorrect data, including relationships. Connect and collaborate with others on shared family lines. Provide sources and link to online information that shows where you found family information. FamilySearch has created a training website to help you make the most out of Family Tree. It gives you access to training videos, a reference guide, webinars, practice exercises, and much more. Development on Family Tree is progressing quickly, and several features will be added in the next few months. Some of these new features will include: The ability to use Family Tree on behalf of someone else (helper). Additional features to reduce merging of nonduplicate records. The migration from new.FamilySearch.org of individual and family notes as well as sources entered by users. The ability to print pedigree charts, family group records, and other reports. We've come a long way with FamilySearch.org over the years, and we are committed to go even further. We invite you to begin your Family Tree journey today, and don't hesitate to let us know what you think! Training: www.familysearch.org/treetraining Join Family Tree: www.familysearch.org/tree

"What's New in RootsMagic 6" Video is Now Online

The following is from RootsMagic.

We'd like to thank everyone for the awesome response to our new version 6.  But if you've been waiting to see all the new features of RootsMagic 6 in action first, you can watch or download the video showing these new features (and more) in action:

• Online Publishing - Easily share your information online, including notes, sources, and pictures.  Choose which information to include, then publish it for free to your own page atmy.RootsMagic.com.
• Find Everywhere - With a single search you can now find every  record in your file containing the text you want.  Quickly find people, families, notes, sources, places, to-do items, research logs, and more.  Then edit those found records directly from the search results.
• Live Timeline View - A live-edit panel on RootsMagic's timeline view makes this one of the most powerful editing features ever!  Make corrections to your data while viewing it in context with other family members life events.
• WebTags - Link people, sources, places, and more to websites using RootsMagic 6's new WebTags.
• CountyCheck Explorer - Look up a county, state, or country from a multi-national database.  It can even show you online maps of county boundaries for that date.

How to Order
If you are a current paid user of RootsMagic, you can upgrade for just $19.95.  New users may purchase RootsMagic 6 for only $29.95.

The fastest and easiest way to order is online at:

http://rootsmagic.com/RootsMagic/

You can also order by phone at 800-766-8762, but with the high volume of calls we are anticipating, you may need to leave your name and phone number for us to call you back.

RootsMagic is available as a download or on CD.  The download is available right now, but the CDs (and optional book) will ship the week of December 17.  If you order a CD, you will also receive the download immediately.
 

Special Holiday Offer!
Once again our Holiday Special hits at the exact same time as the release of a new version.  During this special holiday sale, you can order gift copies of RootsMagic 6 for just $19.95 (plus shipping).  Even better, you can order our other products at that same $19.95 price.

There is no limit on the number of discounted gift copies you can buy during this limited time offer which will expire December 20, 2012. You will receive the full program for each copy you order.

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).

Give the Gift of Family History--RootsTech Starts at Just $19

The following is from RootsTech.

Give the Gift of RootsTech Need the perfect gift for someone who has everything? Or have a "hard to shop for" person on your list? Give a gift they'll always treasure-an opportunity to connect with their family! RootsTech, a Family History and Technology Conference hosted by FamilySearch, provides a unique opportunity for anyone to find, organize, preserve, and share their family's connections and history. And with passes starting at only $19, it's a great gift to give everyone on your list! With world-class content from speakers all over the country, a large and exciting exhibitor hall, and great keynote speakers, RootsTech is for young and old alike, regardless of expertise. New in 2013! A full track of over 30 Getting Startedclasses and labs will help those new to family history learn things like where to start, how to build your family tree, and how to use technology to explore your connections. Learn More Registration Options Full 3-Day Pass Access to over 250 classes and everything RootsTech has to offer. $219 $149 (Early bird discount) Full One-Day Only Pass Full admission for just one day. $89 Student 3-Day Pass Student ID required. $39 NEW! Getting Started 3-Day Pass Beginner track with access to over 30 classes. $49 $39 (Early bird discount) Getting Started One-Day Only Pass A selection of fundamental classes to help you get started. $19 Developer Day Pass (March 22) A full day technology program just for developers. $89 Register today! RootsTech Gift-Giving Tips: To give RootsTech as a gift, simply provide the gift receiver's name in the registration form and the gift giver's credit card information on the payment screen. If you replace the gift receiver's email with yours, you will receive the registration confirmation email, which you can then forward to the gift receiver with a message.You'll also be able to remove pricing and payment information if needed. To give an anonymous gift, please contact us atinfo@rootstech.org. Gifts are always better when shared! Consider attending RootsTech with the person you're gifting it to.

Data for 15 more Scottish cemeteries added to Deceased Online

The following is from Deceased Online.

Thousands of memorial inscriptions for burial grounds from the Western Isles to the East coast Deceased Online continues to grow its collection of memorial inscriptions with the addition of thousands of records in various Scottish counties and areas The additions to the range of Scottish Memorial Inscriptions (SMI) date back to 1632 and details of the 13 featured burial grounds and cemeteries and their locations can be found here At the same time, two other smaller collections have been added for two Scottish cemeteries which include both memorial inscriptions and photographs. These are Kildalton Kirkyard on the isle of Islay and Roshven Cemetery in theHighlands Both sets of records are included in the main search indexes www.deceasedonline.com now features records for hundreds of cemeteries, kirkyards and burial grounds across Scotland Coming soon: More burial records for Lancashire, Yorkshire and Scotland...

2013 Arizona Family History Expo

The following is from FamilySearch.

Family History Expos Launches 10th Anniversary Celebration

          2013 Arizona Expo Begins Year-Long Whirlwind

“Family History Expos 10th anniversary marks the reality of computers coming of age. Today smart phones, iPads, and Androids are all the rage,” Hansen said.

Family History Expos will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a kick-off celebration in Mesa, Arizona, at the 2013 Arizona Family History Expo. The anniversary theme for 2013 is, “Top 10 Techniques: Fishing for Ancestors and Other Persons of Interest.”

The Arizona Expo is slated for January 18-19, 2013, at the Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center Street, Mesa, Arizona. Exhibits will open Friday at noon. Registration will open at 12 noon, and the last class will begin at 7:20 p.m. On Saturday, registration and exhibits will open at 9 a.m. Prize drawings will be held at the close of the event at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Opening keynote speaker Barbara Renick will kick off the celebration, focusing on top technology classes. Renick is a genealogical computing instructor at the Regional Family History Center in Orange, California. She has taught genealogical computing classes since 1985 and frequently lectures at regional and national conferences. She also writes for several genealogy publications and authored Genealogy 101: How to Trace Your Family's History and Heritage on behalf of the National Genealogical Society's 100th Anniversary.Speakers Offer Variety for All Levels

Other speakers featured at this event include (but certainly aren’t limited to):

• Daniel Quillen, “Fishing for (and Finding!) Your Military Ancestors”
• Lisa Louise Cooke, “Two Top 10 iPad Lists You Need for Genealogy: Apps and Tricks”
• Donald N. Yates, Ph.D., “New-Generation Autosomal Ancestry Markers: Rare Genes from History”
• James L. Tanner, “Free Digital Books Online for Genealogy”
• Geoff Rasmussen, “Legacy Family Tree for Your Mobile Device Plus Other Tips and Tricks”
• Hansen will close the two-day show with, “Happy Birthday Family History Expos with 10 Grand Prize Give-Aways.”

Register for the event at www.FamilyHistoryExpos.com to receive access to online class handouts in advance. Note: Online class handouts are available only to those who register online.

Cost of Registration:

Preregistration Fee: $79
Friday Only: $55

Saturday Only: $55

At the Door: $99

Free consultant and leader training will be available; watch for more details to follow.

Hope to see you there!

The FamilySearch Team

Bolton burial records on Deceased Online increase to 200,000+

The following is from Deceased Online.

Heaton is 2nd Bolton cemetery added to
Deceased Online

• With over 95,000 burial records, Heaton is the second cemetery managed byBolton Council to be added to Deceased Online
• Following the launch last week of Tonge Cemetery, the inclusion of all data for Heaton brings the size of the database for the area to 211,000 burials
• The data for Heaton Cemetery commences with the first burials in 1879 through to 2012 and comprises:
  • Details of all graves indicating those buried in each grave
  • Scans of all burial registers
  • Cemetery maps indicating grave locations*

* Note: The cemetery maps indicate the section where the selected grave is located. Each section or block comprises approximately 100 graves and as many of the headstones incorporate grave reference numbers it is relatively easy to find the searched-for grave using the maps.

• For full details on Heaton Cemetery and more information on the other Bolton cemeteries and crematorium, click here.
• Data for five more cemeteries and Overdale Crematorium in Bolton coming soon

Find out more about the cemeteries and the famous and infamous featured on Deceased Online. Read our blog by historian and genealogist Emma Jolly.
See: http://deceasedonlineblog.blogspot.co.uk

NEHGS WINS AWARD FOR HANNAH MATHER CROCKER BOOK

The following is from NEHGS.

November 14, 2012, Boston, MA – The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) announced today that its book, Reminiscences and Traditions of Boston by Hannah Mather Crocker edited by Eileen Hunt Botting and Sarah L. Houser, received the 2012 Society for the Study of American Women Writers (SSAWW) “Edition Award.” This award is given every three years in recognition of excellence in the recovery of American women writers. SSAWW praised the book for its interdisciplinary and collaborative nature, and the way it brings American women's voices to a larger audience.

Crocker’s manuscript, housed at NEHGS for more than 130 years, provides a significant resource for women’s historians, scholars of feminist political thought, and early American historians alike. Crocker’s history chronicles Puritan law, colonial and provincial history, interactions with the British, French, and Native Americans, the establishment of Boston churches, and Boston’s economic growth, paying special attention to women’s work and culture. For this edition, Botting and Houser transcribed and annotated Crocker’s original manuscript and added a biographical directory of famous figures and comprehensive subject and poetry indexes.

D. Brenton Simons, President and CEO of NEHGS, said, “This book gives us a charming, anecdotal view of a city and its peoples now long gone. It will be prized by historians, genealogists, and readers interested in Boston and its early history as recounted by a native daughter.” 

Reminiscences and Traditions of Boston by Hannah Mather Crocker was recognized earlier this year for its design with a New England Book Show Award. It also received a glowing review in a recent issue of The New England Quarterly, noting, “Botting and Houser have made a notable contribution to the literary and historical legacy of Hannah Mather Crocker . . . After more than a century in an archive, it can now benefit general readers, genealogists, teachers, and scholars.”

Reminiscences and Traditions of Boston by Hannah Mather Crocker is available for purchase in our book store and online at www.AmericanAncestors.org/store or by calling 617-226-1212.

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 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.

St. George Family History Expo 2013

The following is from Family History Expos.

Last 2 Days of Early Bird Savings for St. George Family History Expo 2013  Learn the tech to trace your roots!

We are so excited to be coming back to the Dixie Center in St George, Utah for the 9th annual St George Family History Expo on February 22-23, 2013.  Take advantage of our early bird registration by November 30th for only $59. The cost will be going up on December 1, 2012, so don't delay sign up today. Onsite registration will begin and the exhibit hall will open at 1 p.m. on Friday February 22nd. The event will close at 9 p.m. Exhibits and registration will re-open at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The exhibit hall will close at 4 p.m. Prizes donated by exhibitors will be given away both days and Grand Prizes donated by sponsors will be given away at the closing ceremony. This event is sponsored by Family History Expos and supported by FamilySearch. Click here to register now. If you have already registered, forward this email to a friend and have them come with you.

RootsMagic 6 Software Released

The following is from RootsMagic.

New RootsMagic 6 Software Released

Latest Version of Genealogy and Family Tree Software Now Available to the Public

SPRINGVILLE, Utah. — November 19, 2012 — RootsMagic, Inc. today announced the official release of RootsMagic 6, the latest version of the award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history easy and enjoyable.  With this release comes an update to the popular “RootsMagic Essentials” free genealogy software.

Family History Made Easy

Family Tree Magazine said RootsMagic is “probably the best all-around genealogy program" and "offers a winning combination of features for both casual and serious genealogists.”

Throughout it’s 11-year history, RootsMagic has helped people research and share their family trees with innovative features such as moving people from one file to another with your mouse, a SourceWizard to help you document your work, creating a Shareable CD to give to family and friends, and running RootsMagic off of a USB flash drive when you are away from home.  RootsMagic has also received numerous awards, including the award for “Easiest to Sync” from FamilySearch for their work in interfacing with that system.

New Features

RootsMagic 6 adds many new features while making existing features even easier to use.  “This release includes something for everybody,” said Bruce Buzbee, president.  “Whether you want an easier way to share your family history with family or are looking for better tools to help you organize your work, RootsMagic 6 has something new for you.”  New features include:

• Online Publishing - Easily share your information online, including notes, sources, and pictures.  Choose which information to include, then publish it to your own page atmy.RootsMagic.com.
• Live Timeline View - A live-edit panel on RootsMagic's timeline view makes this one of the most powerful editing features ever!  Make corrections to your data while viewing it in context with other family members life events.
• Find Everywhere - With a single search you can now find every  record in your file containing the text you want.  Quickly find people, families, notes, sources, places, to-do items, research logs, and more.  Then edit those found records directly from the search results.
• WebTags - Link people, sources, places, and more to websites using RootsMagic 6's new WebTags.
• CountyCheck Explorer - Look up a county, state, or country from a multi-national database.  It can even show you online maps of county boundaries for that date.
• Plus dozens of other enhancements and features

Free “RootsMagic Essentials”

RootsMagic 6 is also available in an updated, free edition named, “RootsMagic 6 Essentials”.  RootsMagic Essentials contains many core features from the RootsMagic software and the two products are fully-compatible with one another.  “Many people are curious about their family history and don’t know where to begin,” said Michael Booth, vice president.  “RootsMagic Essentials is the perfect way for someone to get started, risk-free.”  RootsMagic Essentials is available for download at http://www.rootsmagic.com.

Available Now

RootsMagic 6 is now available online at http://www.rootsmagic.com or by calling 1-800-766-8762.  New users may purchase RootsMagic 6 for only $29.95.  Users of previous versions of RootsMagic and it’s predecessor, Family Origins may purchase RootsMagic 6 for the upgrade price of only $19.95.

About RootsMagic, Inc.

For over 20 years, RootsMagic, Inc. has been creating computer software with a special purpose- to unite families. One of our earliest products- the popular “Family Origins” software, introduced thousands of people to the joy and excitement of family history.

That tradition continues today with “RootsMagic”, our award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history fun and easy. “Personal Historian” will help you easily write and preserve your life stories. “Family Reunion Organizer” takes the headaches out of planning those important get-togethers. And “Family Atlas” creates beautiful and educational geographic maps of your family history.

For more information, visit www.rootsmagic.com.
Source: RootsMagic, Inc.

We will also be having a webinar "What's New in RootsMagic 6" tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7PM MST.  If you would like to join us (I'm sure this one will fill up fast), you can sign up at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/799841142

UGA Virtual Chapter Meeting

The following is from the Utah Genealogical Association.

Virtual Chapter Meeting Nov 15

Diahan Southard

"The Basics of DNA Testing for Genealogy"

The Virtual Chapter meets online the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time.  To participate in the meetings, at the date and time they are scheduled, go to virtual.ugagenealogy.org, and click on the virtual chapter icon.  When prompted, click on the radio button to enter the meeting as a guest.

The presentations are free and open to the public.  Members of UGA also have access to archived presentations from the past.  Membership in UGA is just $35.00 a year.  For more information, go to our website ugagenealogy.org.

 

On Thursday, November 15, Diahan Southard, will be presenting "The Basics of DNA Testing for Genealogy." 

This presentation will cover the very basics of mtDNA, YDNA, and autosomal DNA testing for the genealogist. We will cover the basic principles of each test, along with real life examples on how it can help you break through brick walls in your research.

 

Diahan Southard graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in microbiology. As an undergraduate she worked in the archeogenetics laboratory of Dr. Scott Woodward. In 2000 that lab became the basis the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF, www.smgf.org). That part time college job became a passion that lead her to her current position as a principal at the Genetic Genealogy Consultant, where she helps individuals and families to understand their genetic results in the context of their genealogical information.

There will be no Virtual Chapter presentation in December.

 

Incline Software Releases Ancestral Quest 14

The following is from Incline Software.

Salt Lake City, Utah (November 9, 2012) – Incline Software, LC, producer of Ancestral Quest™, a Windows®-based Family Tree software, announced today the recent release of version 14. This new release provides exciting new features which will help family historians further research their families, and organize their ancestral records.

Users of Personal Ancestral File (PAF), another well-known family tree product, can also directly benefit from these new features. Ancestral Quest (AQ) code was the base for the Windows versions of PAF, so PAF users will feel right at home when using AQ, and these users can continue to use PAF while they use the enhanced new features of AQ 14.

Major New Features

The new features of version 14 are reviewed briefly below. This video tutorial provides more details: AQ 14 Tutorial.

Research Timeline. The research timeline is intended to help users see clues that will assist them in researching their family history. Historical and genealogical events and facts are included along with the data already entered for the person. In a unique twist, AQ is smart enough to show only those historical items that are pertinent to the individual being researched, thus helping the user visualize the individual in his/her historical setting.

Color Coding. A filing system based on four colors has gained popularity among genealogists over the past several years. AQ allows users to implement that system, or to define their own coloring system. Ancestral Quest’s unique implementation of the standard four color system not only marks direct ancestors, but also provides the user with lesser color marks on names and reports of collateral relatives of the 4 main lines.

Tags. Up to three visual tags, defined by the user, can be assigned to each individual in a database. Use of these tags will help in various ways in organizing and tracking information and tasks, such as tracking medical conditions, research status, etc..

Note that both Color Coding and Tags are only available for those who are using AQ’s default database type, so PAF users would have to convert their file before using either of these two features.

Fan Chart. The Fan Chart has been enhanced so that it can now be created in four-colors, and all children of a starting family can now be shown in the first generation of the chart.

FamilySearch. For those who have access to FamilySearch’s Family Tree, there are a few updates and new capabilities. (We understand that access to Family Tree will be available by the end of this year to all users.)

Discussions. Users can now view and add comments to discussions on FamilySearch for deceased individuals they are researching, thus collaborating with relatives.

Set Family Tree. Users can now set Summary values for the records in New.FamilySearch, which then become the only values in the new Family Tree. This ability will help users of New.FamilySearch prepare their data for the switch over to FamilySearch's Family Tree.

Update LDS Ordinances LDS users can automatically update all the LDS ordinances for those individuals in their file that are linked to records in FamilySearch.

Incline Software™ developed Ancestral Quest in 1994, and has been enhancing it ever since. AQ is a powerful yet easy to use, full-featured genealogy records manager, used both by beginners and professionals. Its reporting capabilities are excellent, and it uses unique, advanced technologies to enable accurate source documentation. AQ has industry leading scrap-booking capabilities that allow users to preserve their precious photos, video clips, and audio clips for posterity, keeping the memory of ancestors alive for generations to come. AQ can also generate a web page with not only the data, but the scrapbook items as well, so this information can be easily shared with family across the world on the Internet, or placed on a palm or tablet device to be taken on the go. And Ancestral Quest was the first family tree desktop product to be certified by FamilySearch for use with the FamilySearch databases, and was given the “Most Comprehensive Syncing” award by FamilySearch.

Genealogy enthusiasts can acquire Ancestral Quest 14 in four ways:

1) For someone just getting started, Ancestral Quest Basics is a free family tree product that can be downloaded and used without cost – it contains all of the essential features of a genealogy record keeping program. This is not a “trial” version of AQ that will expire. It is a complete family tree software product that can be used for free as long as the user wishes to work with it.

Note: The new major features listed above are not considered “essential”, and thus are not available in Ancestral Quest Basics; they are only available in the standard version of Ancestral Quest. However, AQ 14 also contains improvements to some essential features, not listed here, so users of prior versions of Ancestral Quest Basics will still want to download and use Ancestral Quest Basics 14.

2) The standard version of Ancestral Quest contains all of the essential features of Ancestral Quest Basics, but unlocks all of the additional features, for a download price of $29.95.

3) Users of earlier standard versions of AQ, who have not already done so, can upgrade to Ancestral Quest 14 at the discounted price of $19.95.

4) With the introduction of Ancestral Quest 14, Incline Software is implementing a new concept in upgrades that might be unique in the industry. Users of earlier versions of the software will be able to download and use the newer version, thus taking advantage of improvements to the features for which they are licensed, without paying an upgrade fee. For example, if the user had purchased version 12.0 or 12.1, and then downloaded version 14, all of the features of AQ 12.1 would still be available, including improvements. The user would only be able to use the new major features of AQ 14 if a new key was purchased. All users of AQ 12.0 and 12.1 are encouraged to download the new version, but will only need to purchase a key if they wish to use the new features.

In addition to English, Ancestral Quest is also available in German, French, Spanish, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish. You can learn more about Incline Software, Ancestral Quest, and Ancestral Quest Basics, by visiting www.ancquest.com or calling Incline Software at 1-800-825-8864.

Military Burial Ledgers - Lincoln, Custer, A Jilted Lover and more...

The following is from Ancestry.com.

New Military Burials Feature Lincoln, Custer, a Well-Disguised Jilted Lover and

More Than 100 Years of History and Remembrance

Ancestry.com partners with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and

National Archives and Records Administration to create a new collection of

online military burial ledgers and headstone applications

PROVO, UTAH – November 9, 2012 – Going beyond name, rank and regiment, a new collection of military burial registers on Ancestry.com provides insight into some of America’s greatest historical figures – including Abraham Lincoln, General Custer and others dating to the Civil War. The online, searchable collection launches today courtesy of a partnership between Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

“These began as around 60 amazing, handwritten burial registers – more than 9,000 pages of American heroes, where they are buried and other details,” says Dan Jones, Vice President of Content for Ancestry.com. “And today they can be searched by individual names and viewed online on Ancestry.com, allowing family historians everywhere greater insight into the military experience of ancestors as well as notable personalities.”

Highlights of the collection include:

·        President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln’s honorific entry in an Arlington National Cemetery register is framed with a hand-drawn black border. Under cause of death it reads “Assassinated; pistol shot by John Wilkes Booth the ball entering 2 inches below and behind the left ear and lodged in the brain.”

·        General George Armstrong Custer.  Custer is among those officers “taken up on Custer’s battleground” and brought to Fort Abraham Lincoln by steamer in 1877. Custer’s brother Thomas and brother-in-law James Calhoun, who were killed at the Little Big Horn, are in the collection as well. 

·        Captain Charles William “Charley” Paddock, USMC. Paddock, winner of the gold medal in the 100 meter at the 1920 Summer Olympics, and whose 1924 Olympic appearance was portrayed in the movieChariots of Fire, died in a World War II plane crash near Sitka, Alaska, where he is buried.

·        Vivia Thomas. According to legend, Thomas was a jilted fiancé who left home to exact revenge on an army officer who broke off their engagement. Thomas traveled west dressed as a man and joined the army at Fort Gibson, her ex-fiancé’s post. She eventually shot and killed him, before dying herself. When the soldiers of Fort Gibson, who knew her as Private Thomas, learned of the story, they honored her courage by interment in the cemetery Officers’ Circle. 

From the 1860s until the mid-20th century, in some places, U.S. Army personnel tracked burials at national cemeteries and military posts in registers that included name, rank, company/regiment, date and cause of death, age, grave number, and original place of burial in the case of re-interments.  The U.S. Army was responsible for all national cemeteries from the 1860s until the early 1930s, and they were responsible for depositing most burial registers at NARA.  In 1973, the Army transferred 82 national cemeteries to what is now VA, where the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) oversees them.

Concerned for the fragility of these documents and wanting to expand public access to the contents, NCA scanned about 60 handwritten ledgers to produce more than 9,344 pages of high-quality digital images.  Then in 2011, NCA initiated a partnership with Ancestry.com to index the ledgers so users can search them easily.  At no cost to the government or taxpayers, Ancestry.com spent close to 3,000 hours indexing NCA’s ledgers records to make them searchable by name.

The ledgers are one of two new Ancestry.com collections, U.S. Burial Registers, Military Posts and National Cemeteries, 1862–1960 and U.S. Headstone Applications, 1925–1963, both launching for Veterans Day 2012. More than 500,000 individuals are included in these records.

“We are excited to be able to share this wealth of primary documentation,” said VA’s Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Steve L. Muro. “With the help of Ancestry.com, we have opened the doors to thousands of service members’ histories through the information contained in these burial ledgers.”

The Ancestry.com partnership supports NCA’s commemoration of the Civil War 150th anniversary (2011–2015). More than 72 of NCA’s 131 national cemeteries originated with the Civil War.  More than 3.7 million Americans, including Veterans of every war and conflict — from the Revolutionary War to the Global War on Terror — are buried in VA national cemeteries in 39 states.

About Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM) is the world's largest online family history resource, with approximately 2 million paying subscribers. More than 11 billion records have been added to the site in the past 15 years. Ancestry users have created more than 40 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.