David E. Rencher Named FamilySearch Chief Genealogical Officer

SALT LAKE CITY—FamilySearch today named David E. Rencher Chief Genealogical Officer (CGO). He will have responsibility to help FamilySearch align strategic business decisions with needs and demands of genealogy-related markets. Rencher is a 28-year veteran of FamilySearch and a popular leader in genealogy and archive circles. He has held leadership positions with several national organizations, is a professional genealogist, and is in great demand as a keynote speaker. In addition to his new role as the CGO, Rencher will continue to direct FamilySearch’s collection development activities.

FamilySearch is a growing, worldwide organization focused on providing quicker and more affordable access to genealogical records. The chief genealogical officer helps ensure various efforts in the genealogy community are connecting with FamilySearch’s efforts and that FamilySearch continues to grow in genealogical understanding and depth as an organization.

"We are pleased to place David’s talents in this key role," said Jay Verkler, chief executive officer of FamilySearch. "David will provide a public face for FamilySearch to communities it serves and be a representative voice for the genealogical market, products, and services,” continued Verkler.

Given his deep experience and strong industry relationships, Rencher will serve as a liaison to key industry communities and associations worldwide. Rencher and his organization will also provide input on third-party affiliation opportunities and related marketing initiatives, and he will help build an open FamilySearch environment.

“I’m hopeful that the new CGO position can provide a genealogical perspective to our products and services and ensure that we adhere to fundamental principles that are genealogically sound. The genealogical community looks to us to provide that kind of leadership, and in turn, this is a significant benefit to FamilySearch patrons because it ensures that what we do contributes to the accuracy of linking families together,” said David Rencher, CGO for FamilySearch.

During his career at FamilySearch, David has been instrumental in the development of key services and databases. He has worked to ensure that patrons of family history centers had more timely delivery of microfilm, and he has extended microfilm circulation to public libraries. He initiated the book scanning program for the Family History Library collection, and he was instrumental in the production of the automated indexes for the Social Security Death records, the 1880 U.S. Census, the 1881 British Census, and the military casualty files for Korea and Vietnam. He spent a number of years aligning the standards FamilySearch uses for names and localities and worked on record-matching techniques for FamilySearch databases.

Rencher is an Accredited Genealogist^CM with ICAPGenSM in Ireland research and a Certified GenealogistSM with the Board for Certification of Genealogists®. He holds a BA in Family and Local History from Brigham Young University. He served as president of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) from 1997 to 2000 and the Utah Genealogical Association (UGA) from 1993 to 1995. He is a Fellow of the UGA and the Irish Genealogical Research Society, London. He is currently serving as the chair of the joint Federation of Genealogical Societies and National Genealogical Society committee for Record Preservation and Access and serves as a director for the National Institute of Genealogical Research Alumni Association (NIGRAA). He will continue to serve as the vice president of the Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU) and the director of the Planning and Coordination Division of FamilySearch.

FamilySearch Record Search Update: 2 million records added

Two million new records were added to the FamilySearch Records Search pilot. The completed statewide deaths index for Alabama was published—over 1.8 million names. This collection covers deaths from 1908 to 1974.

Digital collections were added for Jamaica (Trelawny Parish Civil Registration—births), the 1892 New York Census, and Spain (Avila Diocese, Catholic Church Records).

These collections can be searched for free at the FamilySearch.org Records Search pilot (click Search Records, and then click Record Search pilot).

Collections

Alabama Statewide Deaths
Indexed Records: 1,858,819
Comments: New—Full collection, no images

Jamaica, Trelawny Parish Civil Registration Births
Digital Images: 66,333
Comments: New—Full collection, images only

New York Census, 1892
Digital Images: 19,634
Comments: New—Full collection, images only

Spain, Avila Diocese, Catholic Church Records
Digital Images: 48,788
Comments: New—images and updated localities

FamilySearch Indexing Update 5 May 2009

The 1916 Canada Census is now available for free for patrons of family history centers through the center’s AncestryInstitution.com login.

Our indexers wrapped up 11 projects and 8 new projects were added. In U.S. Collections, Arkansas County Marriages, Illinois Cook County Births, and Minnesota, Montana, and Nebraska for the 1920 U.S. Census were added. Yucatan, Mexico (1930 Census), Avila, Spain (Moraleja de Matacabras Parish Registers), and Canada, (British Columbia Marriages) were the latest International projects added.

Recently Completed Projects

(Note: Recently completed projects have been removed from the available online indexing batches and will now go through a final completion check process in preparation for future publication.)

· Australia, New South Wales Newspaper Clippings, 1861-1987

· Illinois, Cook County Birth Registers, 1905-1916

· Indiana Marriage Returns, 1882-1905

· Mexico, Censo de 1930–Sonora

· Mexico, Censo de 1930–Tabasco

· Minnesota 1895 State Census

· Missouri–1920 US Federal Census

· Nevada–1920 US Federal Census

· New Mexico–1920 US Federal Census

· Spain, Ávila–Registros Parroquiales, 1572-1890

· UK, Cheshire–School Records, 1796-1950

Current FamilySearch Indexing Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

Argentina, Buenos Aires 1855 Census	Spanish	20%
Argentina Censo 1869–Catamarca y La Rioja	Spanish	78%
Argentina Censo 1869–Corrientes y Entre Rios	Spanish	64%
Arkansas County Marriages V, 1837-1957	English	64%
Arkansas County Marriages VI, 1837-1957	English	(New)
Belgium–Antwerp Foreigners Index, 1840-1930	Dutch, Flemish	33%
Brandenburg Kirchenbücher, 1789-1875	German	55%*
France, Coutances, Paroisses de la Manche, 1792-1906	French	9%
Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1916-1922, Part 1	English	(New)
Italy, Trento Baptism Records, 1784-1924	Italian	68%
Mexico, Censo de 1930–Sinaloa	Spanish	53%
Mexico, Censo de 1930–Tamaulipas	Spanish	29%
Mexico, Censo de 1930–Yucatan	Spanish	(New)
Minnesota–1920 US Federal Census	English	(New)
Montana–1920 US Federal Census	English	(New)
Nebraska–1920 US Federal Census	English	(New)
New York 1892 State Census	English	92%
Nicaragua, Managua Civil Records, 1879-Present	Spanish	15%
Peru, Lima–Registros Civiles, 1910-1930	Spanish	21%
Rhode Island 1925 State Census	English	93%
Russia, St Petersburg Kirchenbuchduplikat, 1833-1885	German	1%
Spain, Avila, Moraleja de Matacabras, 1540-1904	Spanish	(New)
Spain, Lugo–Registros Parroquiales [Part 1], 1530-1930	Spanish	17%
UK, Cheshire–Land Tax, 1778-1832	English	72%
Ukraine, Kyiv, 1840-1842	Russian	13%
Venezuela, Mérida Registros Parroquiales. 1654-1992	Spanish	1%

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

Current FamilySearch Partner Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

Arkansas Marriages IV, 1837-1957	English	27%
Belgique–Registres Des Décès (Français), 1796-1910	French	21%*
België–Overlijdens Registers–Charleroi, 1851-1900	Dutch, Flemish	12%
België–Overlijdens Registers–In het Nederlands, 1796-1910	Dutch, Flemish	79%*
België–Overlijdens Registers–Kalmthout, 1851-1900	Dutch, Flemish	14%
België–Overlijdens Registers–Mechelen, 1851-1900	Dutch, Flemish	1%
Bremer Schifflisten, 1904-1914	German	49%
Flanders Death Registration, 1796-1900	French, Dutch, Flemish	78%*
Indiana Marriages, 1882 to April 1905	English	86%
Norway 1875 Census part 1	Norwegian	22%
Nova Scotia, Antigonish Church Records, 1823-1905	English	76%
Ohio Tax Records–2 of 4, Post 1825	English	75%
Vermont Militia Records, 1861-1867	English	38%

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

Current FamilySearch Regional Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

(These projects are being indexed by volunteers in specific areas of the world.)

Australia, Sydney Cemetery Inscriptions, 1800-1960	English	3%
Australia–Victoria Probate Records, 1853-1989	English	61%
Canada, British Columbia Marriages, 1859-1932	English	(New)
Quebec-Trois-Rivieres_IC, 1800-1900	French	42%

MAKING WAVES IN GENEALOGY: ONLINE LAUNCH OF MERCHANT SEAMEN CREW LISTS INDEX

Lists of 270,000 merchant seafarers at sea in 1860-1913 made available online

The indexes to lists of crew members working on British merchant ships between 1860 and 1913 are now available online from today at leading family history website findmypast.com.

Over 270,000 merchant seafarers are included in the crew list indexes, which were completed by ships every six months, from captains to able seamen to engine room staff and stewardesses. Family historians can now view the indexes online to help track down seafaring ancestors, who have been notoriously more difficult to trace than their land-dwelling counterparts.

The records are from ports around the British Isles so the indexes give genealogists the opportunity to find ancestors wherever they had signed on - not just ships from their home port.

With the launch of this latest set of records, in association with the Crew List Index Project (CLIP), findmypast.com is further expanding its extensive collection of online records to help family history enthusiasts compile detailed information about their ancestors' lives.

Debra Chatfield, Marketing Manager at findmypast.com, said "The UK has a vast array of records documenting our seafaring ancestors, who played such an important part in the nation's history. However due to the complex nature of the documenting system, these records are held in many different archives across the country, creating a massive hurdle for family historians looking to access their ancestors' records.

"Happily, the Crew Lists Index Project has made huge strides in collating a national index of the records, which we're making easily accessible to the general public online today. Today's addition to the findmypast.com suite of genealogy records is a significant step forward for family history enthusiasts who are looking to trace their seafaring ancestors."

Peter Owens of CLIP added "Thanks to all the hard work by many volunteers, this is data which will make researching seafarers far simpler. This publication is another important step in making these records accessible, and we hope it will stimulate a growing interest in our rich maritime past."

How to trace seafaring ancestors
1. Log onto www.findmypast.com and search for your ancestor in the Crew Lists section.
2. Once you have located your ancestor, make a note of the ship's official number and records source. The original records are not currently hosted online, but you can contact the repository that holds the original records to arrange access to the documents. The original documents will contain information about each crew member's age, date of birth, date of signing on and off the ship, their occupation, the ship's voyages and the names of any ships in which the crew member previously served.

For more information log on to www.findmypast.com.