My Ancestry DNA results are in!

So, I recently did my second DNa test, this one, via Ancestry.com.

My first test was with FTDNa.com.    I have a warm spot in my heart for that company (it was my first), and I trust their lab; they are doing an awesome job out there in Texas!  However, you won't always find a lot of family trees posted on that website.

Consequently, I  uploaded my gedcom/database, (created from my fave genealogy software, RootsMagic.com), to as many family tree websites as possible.  MyHeritage.com took my raw data and has, so far, been very useful in putting me in touch with matches, but again, not a lot of family trees.  I also uploaded my raw data to WikiTree.com, Gedmatch.com and maybe a few other websites that I can't think of, right now.  

Just for the heck of it!  My personal belief is that you can't have your DNa data in too many places!

For many years, now, I have posted family trees at Ancestry.com; when I discovered, however, that I couldn't upload my FTDNa results to Ancestry, I really had no choice but to do the Ancestry.com DNa test!  For one thing Ancestry has a ton of other people's family trees, and I wanted to be able to connect with those folks, people to whom I might be related.  Secondly, I wanted those folks to be able to connect with me. 

Just got the results and can't wait to start digging into them!
I don't put a lot of store in the ethnicity report; most of my folks probably came from the

British Isles and (genealogical research always takes me there)!  However, this Ancestry DNA test confirms what I already knew:  If I ever get to the British Isles, I should feel a "whammo" ton of ancestral auras!  Or something. 

Stay tuned---more to come!

My Personal Family HIstory Projects

We all have our personal libraries that were created by the Family History Lust Bug!  Some of us have books that have been passed down from an earlier generation.   

Access this Link to see My Private Library's List!

Maybe we went to yard sales, genealogy conferences, or bought off of E-Bay, those publications that might hold the key to finding an ancestor.  For whatever reason, we haven't thrown them away.  Well, today, I created my own little project...actually it is just one poke at a bigger job: a file of all the genealogical publications that I own.  I would gladly donate the books to a local library if I thought anyone, anymore, wants hard copies and more paper.  And, I suppose that when I pass away, that is probably what my children will do with all this "stuff".

I'm not sure if the Fort Walton Beach, Florida library would be interested.  They have been working well with the local Genealogical Society of Okaloosa County; we needed a home for the exchange journals accumulated over the years.  Then, there is the Baker Block Museum (limited space, but has done a whole lot of work in preserving local histories).  The Valparaiso Library used to be "the" genealogical library, but their space and resources are also limited.  

Then, there is the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.  I'm pretty sure that they will take as much as one would want to give them!  Or the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  The 3rd national treasure of genealogy is located at the Clayton Library in Texas.

Finally, there is the University of West Florida historical archives.  Okay, kids; you have several choices, here, but this would probaby be a very good one!  I have to keep reminding myself that "things" are not important but we all do the best we can in preserving history, especially family history.  To take a look at my list so far, access this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nwflgenealogy/

I posted last night on Facebook, about how you can find books and other genealogy-related info/published materials at FamilySearch.org. 

There are literally thousands (well, I didn't count them), but there are a lot of other ways to access this type of stuff. Here is one such site/source I just stumbled on:

https://issuu.com/tuscaloosagenealogicalsociety/docs/rootsbranches_april_2010_v3_cg

Excellent Opportunity to Enhance Your Knowledge

Want to learn more about DNA?  

Here is your chance to get ahead of the game!

Sponsored by our local genealogical society!

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~flocgs/DoDNA-Regform.pdf

News and Other Stuff: Best Internet Sites

How to Search for Records at FamilySearch

• Get a free account
• On the opening page, you will see four options to the right of the little FamilySearch tree symbol:
•  Family Tree
•  Search
•  Memories
•  Indexing
• Choose the "Search"

• Click on the very first option "Records" 
• Records = Sources = Documents
• What record do you need for your ancestor?  
• Some sources may already appear on his/her profile.
• Review that information and then, identify what other sources might be helpful.
•  This is where "Search" Records comes into play!  Do you know what record types will give you the info that you need?
• Make a timeline for your relative; there are a few more events that just Birth, Marriage, and Death, although these are the major ones that you want to identify.

Timeline Events might include the following:

 

Births generate a certificate: a birth certificate!  How easy or how hard is it to locate someone's birth certificate?!!

 

 

 Marriage generates a Marriage Certificate.  Where can you find, if not the actual certificate, a record that verifies the marriage?

 

 Death generates both a death certificate and burial records.  An obituary may help you locate a cemetery, the place of burial or other information.  Findagrave.com is one of the most popular websites for searching information about this "life" event.  It is owned by Ancestry.com, but because the database info and photos was gathered by volunteers, there is no charge to access this wonderful source. 

Definitions, Correlations, "Call it what you will", Genealogy or "Family History"

Genealogy Is:

"Family History" Is: 

• Posterity:
  all future generations of people; the descendants of a person;
• ***Ancestors and Ancestral Lines: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/499125571177592714/;

  

  My Grandmother, Eunice Tucker Hill Hall

• Boring:
  
• ***All About Technology: Links at the FamilySearch Wiki
• Hard? Hard! Stumped? 
• About Stories: Archive your stories.  Tell/share your stories. 
•  Storycorps: questions

• ***Photos:  The photo to the right is, of course, of mostly grandchildren and children and various members of my family.  Did you know that FamilySearch has the capacity to load photos? 

Regarding the familysearch.org/photos topic, be sure to check out YouTube for instructions and for Genealogy topics in general.

• Family History is all about Challenges and it Being a Challenging exercise!  No pain, no gain!  Challenge Yourself.  

• Catastrophes and Calamities: 
• How they might have shaped your family's story
• Natural Disasters and Genealogy

• The Influenza Epidemic of 1918 and Your Ancestors

• Genealogy is "A record of one's ancestors":
• Become educated at the National Archives Web Site.
• Learn what a record group is: "
  Different Kinds of Record Groups
  The fact is, by including all these rooms you'll need different record groups (building materials) like those we will study in this series. Some provide evidence of glorious or sorrowful life events. Others guide you to other resources, but each major record group has a purpose in your construction plans to build an authentic family history. We need them to support our entire building. Without all of them, we have a half-finished structure.
  This next group of lessons will cover some of the major record groups genealogists use which we have not covered as fully yet. They include:
• Civil Registrations
• Census Records
• Court and Probate Records
• Periodicals and Newspapers
• Land and Property Records
• Military Records
• Finding Aids
• Biographies
• Immigration and Naturalization
• Church Records 

• ***Lists:  Family History is Cyndislist! In addition, check out the "list" of genealogy databases at Wikipedia!  
• Did you know that Facebook has Genealogy?!!?  And Katherine R. Willson has created a list for that!  Thanks, Katherine. 
  
• Geography is a Genealogical Goldmine!  It is all about

"Location, Location, Location"

• Maps: How does accessing maps help my genealogical efforts?
• How can I utilize Google Earth and Google Maps for genealogical research?
• Charts and Forms And Templates Too!  These tools will help you get organized whether you are online or want to print them out.
• Misbach Free Forms 
• Buy Software?  Some genealogy programs are free (MyHeritage.com's Family Builder)
• Software purchases for genealogy programs: Read reviews, talk to other genealogy nerds, choose wisely.  Remember, entering your family tree into a software program (as opposed to entering the information online) should offer you the capacity to create a gedcom--a mechanism that will allow you to submit your family tree to websites like WikiTree.com; Ancestry.com; MyHeritage.com and FamilySearch.org, etc.  I use RootsMagic; some folks use Family Tree Maker. Just google "genealogy software" to find out more!  Read reviews and articles.  Google "reviews genealogy software".
•  Here's a thought:  You can design your own charts, forms, reports (and is there a Facebook Group for that?  Maybe!).  You can also find templates at some Genealogy BLOGS!)  I will recommend just one of the many blogs that I follow: this Blog: https://www.geneamusings.com/
• How would you locate other blogs? 
• If you love Excel, you can keep your Excel and use it design your own unique form or chart.   
• I joined a Genealogy Templates Group on Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/groups/genedocstemplates/

 

• Family History is "Descendants"
• Video available on this topic. 
• There isn't a descendancy report option at FamilySearch, (unless I'm blind).  However, the video link above shows you how to do descendancy research at FamilySearch.org
• Use your software program (in my case, Rootsmagic); I can print a descendancy report from Rootsmagic! Why would a report like this be so helpful in this day and age of DNA?!! [Because it will help you to identify your cousins?!!]
  

 
 
 
 

• Genealogy and Timelines:
•  https://www.cyndislist.com/timelines/templates/
• Templates and Grids for Genealogy
• Article about using timelines for Genealogy
• History and Timelines 

•  Genealogy and Blueberries:  Many folks who live in NWFL aren't aware that one of the great cash crops in the history of Walton & Okaloosa County was blueberries!  After reading the NWFL Daily News article I had to clap my hands!  I had just recently learned that I am related to the Sapp family mentioned in the article.  

So, what is it about genealogy/family history that you love?  

 

•  
• Is it About Families?
• Are you having Fun?
• Lineage
• Is it about BMD's?
• Bloodlines
• Is family history your passion or just a Hobby?
• Origin
• Obituaries
• Cemeteries
• Making Choices
• Addictive
• Research
• History
• An Account and An Accounting
• A Pedigree
• A Group 

More About the Family History Fair

Best Internet Websites:

Using Your Research Principles to Guide You

in

Your Internet Search Page 1

(As adapted from the Website at FamilySearch Wiki: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Principles_of_Family_History_Research)

Step 1: Identify What You Know

Step 2: Decide What You Want to Learn

Step 3: Select Records to Search (What kind of a record type are you looking for? What kind of Record Type do you need)?

Step 4: Obtain and Search the Records

Step 5: Evaluate and Use the Information

For in depth info, go to the FamilySearch Wiki Link, above. 

  You are wondering how this pertains to Genealogical Websites, perhaps?!!

So....tell me why I begin here with this discussion...The Internet is a Forest or maybe a Jungle!  You could get lost or worse, dismayed and disoriented...perhaps even distracted if you slough this roadmap off!  You need a compass.  You need directions, a guide.

 
A List of Websites might open your eyes; notice that the wesbsite should be directed toward types of records that genealogists are wanting to find, based on what you already have.

Lets say this is what you know/don't know/still need to find out:

1.  We know that Obediah EDGE was born some time in 1828.  We need to find out if that date is correct.  What was happening in 1828 anyway?!!  And where was he born?  Who was his mother and father?  Did he have siblings?  When, where and who did he marry?  How do we know?  How do we find out?

Answers:   
 You may be an experienced researcher, but maybe you are brand new at online research.  My suggestion is get a free account at FamilySearch.org and see if the research has already been listed there in the ONE BIG FAMILY TREE.  

The goal at FamilySearch is that each and every individual shall be represented in one file folder, so to speak.  Various people can provide parts of the story, info about sourcing, etc.  Records will be cited, marriage records will be shown (the image), and discussions will be exchanged in an effort to resolve differences of opinions.  And we all live in a perfect well.  Well, let's see how this works.  (Go to familysearch.org at this time).  Find out what is known about Obediah Edge, born in 1828. 

 

Basics of Finding Great Internet Sites

The basics of finding good genealogy websites:  

• Learn, Know, and Practice:

•  Principles of researching your family history and in

• Building a solid genealogical case. 

 The Genealogical Proof Standard can be the guide to your Internet experience when searching for websites that will yield you the best results for finding your ancestors! (also see this article) or buy yourself a book! 

 Christine Rose wrote the book!

Family History Fair is March 9th! Have you registered?

Sorry, no free streaming live sessions planned for this event!  You actually have to be there to get the goods! 

Family History Fair March 9th, 2019:  Here are some of the things you might need to know:

•  

Conferences, Events, Fun or What?!!

Announcing the Federation of Genealogical Societies August Conference:  Ta-dum!  Drum Roll!  Hip, Hip, Hurrah!

Just wound up with the RootsTech 2019 event and I loved watching the Free Streaming Sessions!  Some of the presentations were video taped and will be on the Internet soon, (next week).  Those are free also.  I just checked and there are videos that are already for you to explore.

Great learning tool, folks...a way to get your society members excited and informed, or for you loners, it could become an education tool.   And older videos are also available from past years.

New at FamilySearch

Friday at RootsTech.org:  Free Live Streaming Presentations
https://www.rootstech.org/
9 a.m. CST: Friday, March 1st, 2019:  Why and How to Put Yourself into Your Family History (Power Hour)

"In family history, it’s easy to overlook ourselves and the generations we know because we don’t feel like history! But you are a part of your family history. In this Power Hour, Curt Witcher, senior manager of the Genealogy Center, will show you why putting yourself into your family history is so important (along with the science to back it up!). 

Amy Johnson Crow, author and host of the Generations Cafe podcast, will show you how you can include yourself without getting overwhelmed. Scott Fisher, host of the Extreme Genes radio show, will show you interview techniques to get more (and better) stories."

Important Links for the RootsTech Connoiseur

Just a reminder:  

After the Roots Tech Event 

is over, there will be a website where you can go and view several of the 2019 sessions online.  It will be similar to this site:  Rootstech 2018, only of course, it will say "2019"!

Or at least that's what I thought.  Here is the URL site/cue: 

Scroll down until you see 

"Recorded Classes at RootsTech 2019"

The following classes are being recorded (not live streamed) during the conference. Recordings will be posted shortly after RootsTech 2019 concludes (on Saturday, I think) and will be available in the video archive.

Recorded Classes (12, by my count).

 

If you have an Ancestry.com membership, you should know this (Notes#1)

My scribblings, notes,  Not a Stenographer!  

Most of the popular companies for genealogy and dna have made some announcements this week at the Rootstech Event, so go to those sites (Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, etc.) and get the news first hand.  Or visit a blogger!

This bit comes from Ancestry.com's The Barefoot Genealogist, from her presentation at Roots Tech, today: 

Really Big with Crista is the Card Catalog at
Ancestry.com
Crista Cowan
Sort it by date
 

Utilize: Ancestry YouTube Channel and subscribe!
 

Ancestry Announcements
New products: Do you get lost in family tree?  Hacks for this:  Uploading images, of Quaker Oat Man.  For ancestors who were Quakers.  Pics of ships, etc.  My tree tags available immediately!
 

Tags:  helps you find your way back to someone or something. 
Gives info about that person
Person Card
Side Panel "workplace"
Notes are private! 
Comments are public
My Tree Tags
Universal Tags
Relationship tags: DNA, died young, descendants, "had no children" (descendancy), never married, etc.
Tags for orphan, etc.
Research Tags: is info accurate?  Allows you to tag research status: These may be relevant later.  Hint system: Hypothesis maybe.
Actively researching tag.  Helps you to get back on point. 
Brick Wall! 
"Complete" tag?
Reference Tag: military, royalty, nobility, etc.
Universal tag: DNA match or tag common ancestor or tag anyone along the path of DNA
Create custom tags!
Ways to identify the info or person.  "Scoundrel" tag. 
Updated Tree Option?  Filter My Tree tags: Direct Ancestor.  Helps you  find things faster; helps you ?
15 Million people in DNA at Ancestry
45000 dna matches for average user at ancestry
Updated match list at ancestry. 
Feature: Create groups and label and color them.
Ability to filter dna matches: Upper left hand corner
Filter your match list by groups.  Stars, etc.  Filter by relationship, By new matches. 
Add groups or add a single person to any number of groups.
Ability to add a filter (blue dots); matches not reviewed yet
Filtered by Notes, Private link, Unlinked trees. 
Ancestry trying to reach out to "new" genealogists who have only done dna.
We need "new" and we need you.
Who are our new matches?  Common Ancestors? 
Ancestry: actively looking for dna connections.  You can evaluate connection.
Common Ancestors in other presentations
DNA Match List...New at Ancestry
"Through Lines":  allows you to evaluate evidence (one to many) THRU lines.
What is possible?  New Dna Matches for a week.  Colored groupings.  "Things to Discuss with Christa"; look at shared matches...  Pick an ancestor...  Photos and stories wanted! 
Ancestry has free app for smart phones. 
Christa Cowan on Instagram
Ancestry owns Findagrave: Volunteers; free; innovations; there is an app for that 
Fold 3: owned by Ancestry: military records primarily
Newspapers.com is owned by ancestry
New at Ancestry: Newspapers and extract paragraphs of obits ongoing will be available
Ancestry Pro-Genealogists: specialists:  Irish, Polish and other specific groups.  Where it is online and offline.  Ancestry needs feedback.

 

I am not a stenographer

So, as I've been watching the free streaming sessions at Rootstech, (https://www.rootstech.org/), I've been taking notes.  Most likely, no one will be able to make any sense out of those notes!  A stenographer, I am not!

However, in an effort to get you excited about the presentations, the quality and immense information available there at this event, I am going to attach those notes.  Sometime, next week (after RootsTech at Salt Lake City is over), there will be a free special online archive of many of those presentations!! 

When the live streaming isn't taking place, there are snippets of presentations.  If you have a need to feel positive and be uplifted, you need the RootsTech experience!  

Now, I have to figure out how to publish my notes!  Because I'm not only not a stenographer, but I'm not a computer nerd, either!

Rootstech 2019: A Genealogist's Education Tool

First of all, you can obtain a virtual education by purchasing a pass to "attend" Rootstech from home.  Click on this link.  It's unlikely that you would go this route unless you are a very serious genealogist or family historian.  You will, I'm sure, get your money's worth!

Rootstech is happening twice this year, once in Salt Lake City and again in London! 

So, you can't attend RootsTech in person, either at SLC, Utah or London, England?!!  Don't have the funds for a "virtual pass" ($129)?!!

Hope is not lost!!   There is yet, another option!  Here is the live-stream schedule (selected programs):  https://www.rootstech.org/salt-lake/live-stream-schedule?cid=bl-fsup-8279

Finally, there are "Recorded Classes" that will be available shortly after the end of the 2019 Roots Tech event.  These are free (as they have been publicly available for past years' presentations).  Go to the above link for the live-stream schedule and scroll down on the page to access the recorded classes.  

 To get a taste of the quality of Rootstech presenters, travel on over to the 2018 videos and get some free samples!

A Helpful Site

Sometimes it is the arrangement of a website that makes it helpful.  I located this website and it had links that helped me in locating a particular family in the 1880 census that I was desperate for!

http://www.myfreecensus.com/alabama-census-records.htm

 

A few Genealogy Blogs among a Wealth of Them!

I will be posting some of the genealogy blogs that I find helpful.  Many of them can be sent as a kind of newsletter right into your mailbox!  I suggest exploring just a couple of these per day.  Subscribe to only those blogs that you can read and soak in a week's time. 

• Randy Seaver's:  https://www.geneamusings.com/
• Kitty Cooper's Blog
• Family Tree Magazine
• The Legal Genealogist
• Genealogy's Star
• Organize Your Family History
• The Geneaholic
• https://blog.myheritage.com/

Why Using Pinterest for Genealogy Research should be a Thing!

https://familyhistorydaily.com/free-genealogy-resources/start-using-pinterest-genealogy-right-now/

Use Facebook for Genealogy Research

Thank you, Katherine Wilson!

Old and New or Just Some Standard Places you Can Find Genealogy Internet Links

• https://www.cyndislist.com/categories/
  
• https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Main_Page
•  https://www.familytreemagazine.com/premium/25-best-genealogy-websites-for-beginners/
•  https://www.archives.com/
• ancestry.com (Enter this in your browser bar)
• myheritage.com (Enter this in your browser bar)

Search by location, location, location.  Google Maps, Google Earth; Old Maps, etc.  Where did your ancestor live?  I was recently reminded that one of my ancestral relatives was born in Mississippi.  I know that some of those relatives had migrated to Alabama.  Imagine my surprise when I just found some of them in Arkansas!  Why did your ancestor live where he lived?  What factors could cause them to move? 

Maybe, sometimes when people marry, they move to be closer to the relatives (extended family) on the wife's side of the family.  Or, an uncle on the husband's side writes and says "come here"...the water's fine and I can grow anything I want.  Know the counties that surround the county where you found your great grandfather.  Know the boundaries of state lines.  Find your ancestor in a census and find out the "geography" of that county during that time period.  That knowledge will help you understand so much about your ancestral family!

My Family History Fair Topic: Best Internet Sites for Genealogy

First Chapter:
Best Internet Sites for Genealogy:  Websites = Internet technology to find our family history.

However, did you know that finding the right website or a list of websites is often accomplished by:

• reading a good book?...Publications that are fairly recent in date and written by prominent and/ or established authors, can be helpful in pointing the way to online resources!  So access your library's online library catalog to get hold of those titles.  You can also find such books listed at bookstores in your community or at www.Amazon.com.  Use the search box at the top of the Amazon page and enter the search term/phrase "genealogy books".

•  Another "directory" that you want to explore (and for this you, again, will need your computer...), are the many, many, articles online regarding genealogy/aka "family history".  I've attached a list of online publications (sometimes it may even be in the form of a "Blog").  Subscribe to a blog (usually a free resource), newsletter or other online publication for genealogists; these will contain more websites than you know what to do with! Subscribe to a genealogy magazine.

• Next, familiarize yourself with "search engines".  The one search engine that comes to mind is Google.  There are even certain tricks you can utilize in "Google" to find your specific relative, the specific resource you need to find your relative and so forth! 

•  Join a genealogical society (and a historical club, while you're at it)!  You will often get a wealth of suggestions from the other members in their journal or newsletter or face-to-face!

• Take a genealogy class, attend a genealogy conference, or GO TO ROOTSTECH!  These types of experiences will keep you up to date on the latest internet sources for your genealogy research.  You can sit at home and be on the computer all the time but your family history will be much enriched if you get out of the house and see what others are doing in that area!

•  For more suggestions/hints/stuff, Check in for MORE on Best Internet Sites.  We've barely begun!