Revisiting websites: Roselawn Cemetery, Roseville, MN

Paula Stuart-Warren  Cemeteries, Stuart  Leave a comment

The value of rechecking websites you have visited before has proven quite valuable to me in recent months. I visited Roselawn Cemetery here in Roseville, Minnesota back in the 1980s after learning that my paternal Stuart great grandparents were buried there. I have written and lectured before at the surprise that was there. Alexander and Emma (Slaker) Stuart are buried with no headstones. The surprise is because Alex’s occupation in Minnesota, Kansas, Illinois, and Wisconsin was that of a tombstone carver. A distant cousin told me he did exquisite work. On that visit I never asked who owned the burial plots because silly me just assumed that the husband owned them.

My late night rechecking of cemetery websites to see what is new brought me to a burial index on the Roselawn website. I did a search for Stuart and found this:

Then I clicked and found this wonderful map showing the burials.The pink rectangles are the burials of Alex and Emma and their two adult unmarried daughters, Nellie and Louise. Imagine my surprise to see the names to the left of Louise. That is their another daughter, Florence, and her husband James A. Gordon. Checking them in the index I found that Emma owned their burial plots, too. Alexander had abandoned his family for many years. Family story has it that Emma was not easy to live with. Whatever the reason, Emma apparently was in charge of the finances. Now, where on earth did this woman get the money to purchase these spaces? Research finds always lead to more questions.

The Harold and Hetty Stuart listed in the database are the son and daughter-in-law of Alex and Emma. Visit the Roselawn online records search here. http://www.roselawncemetery.com/

Mocavo Announces Genealogy Karma

Paula Stuart-Warren  Mocavo, volunteers  Leave a comment

I received this press release on Friday from Mocavo about a brand new volunteer effort.

“Mocavo Announces Genealogy Karma

Back in 1999, a fantastic resource was established to bring together members of the genealogy community all around the world. The brainchild of Bridgett and Doc Schneider, Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGK) was created to help genealogists collaborate with the genealogy community to document their research, while also offering genealogists a way to give back to a community that had helped them in the past. RAOGK quickly turned into a global organization. The group’s volunteers were able to help thousands of genealogists make progress in their family history research.

The ROAGK website went offline in 2011 because of a computer disaster. Sadly, Bridgett Schneider passed away later that year, and the website was never able to come back online. In tribute to Bridgett and Doc Schneider and all of the participants in RAOGK, many volunteers have created programs similar to ROAGK to help bring together the expertise of the genealogy community. Doc and Bridgett’s legacy and the efforts of thousands of volunteers inspired us to create a place for researchers to come together and collaborate to help other members of the genealogical community.  

Today, at Mocavo, we are excited to announce the launch of Genealogy Karma. Modeled after Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness, we hope to empower the Mocavo community and connect researchers all around the country. If you’re looking for documents, records, or photos from an ancestor who lived far away, we will connect you with family history volunteers who can do this research for you in other cities. Likewise, if you’d like to give back to the Mocavo community and have a little time to donate, you can sign up as a volunteer.”

To learn more and for directions, visit www.mocavo.com/karma

Disclosure: Mocavo has provided me with access to Mocavo Plus.

Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh Savings Ends May 15th

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences/Institutes, Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, GRIP  Leave a comment

It doesn’t feel like May for some of us, but it truly is here. Are you thinking about attending the 2013 Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh? It was a blast last year. We had fun in the dorms, in the cafeteria, and worked hard in the classrooms. The reviews after last July’s GRIP were fantastic!

There are still a few spots left in some courses. The week begins late afternoon on Sunday, July 21st and ends at noon on Friday, July 26th.

I coordinate and teach in Intermediate Genealogy: Tools for Digging Deeper.  In this course we have a lot of interaction and students have the opportunity to submit a problem of their own for discussion. Debbie Mieszala, CG, and D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS are the other instructors.

I am also teaching in the Bridging the 1780-1840 Gap: From New England to the Midwest coordinated by Josh Taylor.

Registration and payment no later than May 15th gives you a $35.00 savings. Check it out now at http://www.gripitt.org/

One Billion mark for FamilySearch.org

Paula Stuart-Warren  FamilySearch, Indexes  Leave a comment


Can you believe it? A press release from FamilySearch on Monday announced a historic milestone. I am proud to have been a part of it.

“Thank you for contributing to the billion! We did it! We reached a major milestone of one billion records indexed and arbitrated since the launch of FamilySearch indexing in September of 2006. We are grateful for the many volunteers who dedicate their time and efforts to make these records freely available for online research.

Kenneth B. (California, United States), Brittney S. (Idaho, United States), and April R. (Alberta, Canada) were the lucky ones to index and arbitrate the billionth record! They will receive a FamilySearch backpack stuffed with FamilySearch goodies. We also want to thank all the volunteers who have contributed to the billion records with a FamilySearch indexing badge.

It took us seven years to reach the first billion. How long do you think it will take us to reach the next billion? The advances of technology and the dedication of our volunteers have increased the speed in which we can process and deliver records for publication. Join the global effort to make the next billion records available for family history research. Start indexing now! familysearch.org/indexing”

Have you helped with indexing records? It really isn’t difficult. Well, there are some tough to read records, but most aren’t that bad. You receive access to an easy-to-fill-in indexing form. I will be back to helping with the indexing next fall after I am finished with the work of co-chairing the 2013 FGS Conference. Anyone can contribute, we don’t need to be members of the Mormon Church. We all benefit.

Summer Genealogy Institute in Pittsburgh

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences/Institutes, Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, GRIP  Leave a comment

Do you know about the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh? There’s something for everyone this year. Six courses, great instructors, and time for intense networking and even some fun. GRIP 2013 will commence in less than 100 days. It begins the evening of Sunday, July 21 and end at noon on Friday, July 26.

There are still limited seats in a few courses. The early bird course deadline is May 15 by which time the tuition of $390 must be paid. Tuition is $425 thereafter. For those of you thinking about GRIP, now is the time to investigate further!

The dorm is just steps away from the classrooms and cafeteria. Check out the courses and other details at www.GRIPITT.org

“No longer saved for generations, family heirlooms are being shed”

Paula Stuart-Warren  Family, history  Leave a comment

That is the title of an article in today’s online Star-Tribune. I know from my own experience that not all family members want to hang on to furniture, dishes, and other items.

The sentences that really hit me are “Even highly personal items, such as scrapbooks, letters and photos, are now being shed. “We’re surprised,” Burley said. Empty the Nest sells those items to vintage dealers who buy in lots, turning mementos into artwork for others.” and “Mueller has purchased other personal items, including vintage diplomas and handwritten love letters, which she plans to use, along with vintage maps, to create retro decor.”

These items that are then lost represent individual, family, community, church, and military history. The contents might help a family understand issues in the family dynamics. A letter from someone in the military might hold details that explain that person’s experience during a war or could even hold battle history that is found nowhere else. A mention of an illness might be a clue to hereditary health issues.

The photos might include one of the christening dress that is still being worn by family infants today. A scrapbook might contain history of someone’s high school or college experience complete with programs from events, sports photos, graduation photos, and other items that the school archives is lacking. I wonder if any of the people disposing of such items has contacted a county or state historical society to see if any of these items might be appropriate for their collections? Have they contacted the distant cousins to see if anyone might like to have them? It’s easy to do that contacting via email and social media today.

As someone in a family lacking much in the way of old scrapbooks, letters, and photos, this article was especially painful. Do historical societies, archives, special collections departments, and other institutions do enough public outreach about the value of such items? Do they let the public know how to preserve them and what items might be donated? I know a large part of that requires funds our institutions just don’t have  today.

My pie-in-the-sky solution would be to have the funds and time to create a place to house such items. Then to catalog them all and have an online finding aid plus an index so that the information is available to family members and historians who might seek them out in the future.

The full article is here http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/homegarden/203862871.html

Nordic Genealogy Conference in Minnesota: Early Bird Deadline is April 14

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences, Minnesota Genealogical Society  Leave a comment
If you like to save money, don’t forget to register for the discounted rate for the upcoming Nordic Genealogy Conference no later than Sunday, April 14th. The conference will be held in the Fine Arts Building at Inver Hills Community College, located in Inver Grove Heights [suburb of St. Paul] on Friday, April 26th and Saturday, April 27th.      

Friday night includes a dessert social, followed by a presentation by Doug Ohman, photographer of the
popular Minnesota Byways series.  Saturday’s sessions include Nordic Research at the Minnesota Historical Society by Duane Swanson and Find Your Way Home: Using Maps and Gazetteers to Trace Nordic Genealogy by Ryan Mattke, plus 18 breakout sessions.

The conference also features free translations or consultations along with a silent auction, door prizes, and a vendor hall.  The free consultations can be about your Nordic research, Minnesota research, New York brick wall, Civil War research, or anything you need some advice about. You need to sign up for these in advance.

Information about the conference and registration can be found on the Minnesota Genealogical Society’s website. 

Join the FGS 2013 Conference Ambassadors

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences, Federation of Genealogical Societies, FGS  Leave a comment
April 8, 2013 – Genealogy bloggers, societies, writers and editors are invited to participate in the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2013 Conference by becoming FGS 2013 Ambassadors. Ambassadors help to spread information about the FGS 2013 Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana, August 21-24, through social media to their friends, colleagues, and everyone interested in genealogy.
FGS 2013 Ambassadors will be:
  • Participating in monthly blogging prompts.
  • Writing about the conference on their blog. 
  • Using the hashtag #FGS2013 on Twitter.
  • Mentioning FGS 2013 on Facebook, Google Plus, and other social networks.
  • Letting their local historical and genealogical societies know about the conference.
Visit https://www.fgsconference.org/media/ambassadors/ to register as an FGS 2013 Ambassador and find the FGS 2013 Ambassador badge to add to your blog or other social media account. 
Benefits to FGS 2013 Ambassadors:
  • Giveaways for active ambassadors, including conference registrations and discounts, special event tickets, and more.
  • Potential to be guest blogger on FGS Conference Blog.
  • Link to your blog or website on the FGS Conference blog’s Ambassador Page.
  • Part of Twitter list of FGS 2013 Ambassadors.
  • Ambassador badge ribbon at the conference.
The FGS 2013 Conference Committee looks forward to working with the FGS 2013 Ambassadors to make this conference a success. See you in Fort Wayne in August!
Learn More about FGS 2013 and Stay Connected

I am National Conference Co-Chair for this conference and invite you to join us in letting others know about his event. Ambassadors will be entered into drawings for prizes! I am not eligible, though. 

Federation of Genealogical Societies Partners with German Association

Paula Stuart-Warren  Federation of Genealogical Societies  Leave a comment
For Immediate Release
March 28, 2013

March 28, 2013 – Austin, TX. The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announces a new partnership with Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft genealogischer Verbände e. V. (DAGV), an umbrella organization of genealogical and heraldic associations in Germany, in order to further the exchange of ideas and information between genealogists and family historians across the globe.

Originally announced during the recent RootsTech 2013 conference in Salt Lake City, Utah on Saturday, March 23, 2013, FGS and DAGV will work to “develop technical solutions to preserve and present records
and to increase the mutual contact” between both societies and their members.

DAGV, founded in Frankfurt am Main in 1949 and based in Stuttgart, represents 63 member associations in Germany with a total of 20,000 individual members among the organizations. Combined with the over 500 member associations and 500,000 individuals represented by FGS, both organizations intend to work closely together within the world umbrella organization of the Confédération Internationale de Généalogie et d’Héraldique (CIGH).

A prevailing goal of this new alliance between FGS and DAGV is for a World Conference to be held in the near future to further the public’s interest in genealogy. Both organizations will focus on strengthening the world organization in order to build bridges for generations to come and setting the world family history research agenda for the 21st century.

Dirk Weissleder, DAGV National Chairman stated “ I personally want to ensure strong co-operation between our two umbrella organizations in the US and Germany. In order to support genealogical research at this level, we must leverage our personal contacts in sharing information and experiences. A key initiative will be to get younger people interested in genealogy through the use of the Internet as well as the structures of our genealogical societies.”

D. Joshua Taylor, FGS President, added: “The challenges and opportunities facing genealogical societies are not limited by geography and it is an an honor and privilege to begin looking at ways our organizations can work together for the future of a global family history community.”

Visit the DAGV website at http://dagv.org for more information about its projects, publications and activities. And follow FGS at http://fgs.org or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/fgsgenealogy.

About the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS)

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) was founded in 1976 and represents the members of hundreds of genealogical societies. FGS links the genealogical community by helping genealogical societies strengthen and grow through resources available online, FGS Forum magazine (filled with articles pertaining to society management and genealogical news), and Society Strategy Series papers, covering topics about effectively operating a genealogical society. FGS also links the genealogical community through its annual conference — four days of excellent lectures, including one full day devoted to society management topics. To learn more visit http://www.fgs.org.

This is an exciting venture. I am a member of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Genealogical Societies and look forward to this evolving partnership.

Minnesota State Archives acquisitions

Paula Stuart-Warren  Minnesota Historical Society  Leave a comment

The Minnesota State Archives continues to acquire records from around the state. This is a sampling of acquisitions over the last several months:

  • February 2013:  Olmsted County.  Common School District No. 95/1354 (Kalmar Township).  Clerk’s Book (dated 1882- 1887).  1 volume.
  • January 2013:  Ramsey County, St. Paul school records ( I.SD. No. 625), including a photograph of the Bryant Elementary Kitchen Kabinet Orchestra (K.K.O) dated ca. 1920s. Also,  records (dated 1938-1940) of Wilson High School.  Inter-file with a master set of similar records of St. Paul public schools.   4 folders.
  • December 2012:  Ramsey County.  Independent School District No. 621 (Mounds View) Records (dated 1937-1968).  2 boxes.
  • November 2012:  Kittson County.  District Court.  Civil (dated 1880-1903), and criminal (dated 1880-1903, 1932-1960) case files.  13 boxes.

If you would like to see the list of other records click here. To learn more about the holdings of the Minnesota Historical Society, including the State Archives, click here and then click on Library.