MGS 2 day family history conference in Minnesota

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences, findmypast.com, Minnesota Genealogical Society, Northland Chapter APG, Who Do You Think You Are?  Leave a comment
If you have an interest in family history, you shouldn’t miss the 2012 Minnesota Genealogical Society North Star Conference on October 5 & 6. It’s being held in Edina, Minnesota, a Minneapolis suburb. 
The headline speaker is D. Joshua Taylor and additional sessions will be presented by 12 other speakers. Add vendors, door prizes, silent auction, free parking, and free wi-fi and it’s an event you should not miss. You may have seen Josh on episodes of Who Do You Think Your Are? as he helped Sarah Jessica Parker, Ashley Judd, and Rob Lowe with their family history. He is Vice President of Administration for the Federation of Genealogical Societies
The Northland Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists will have a great presence at the conference. The Chapter will have a table in the vendor area and host a Q&A panel on Friday, October 5th, at 5:30 p.m. Both will be great places to get your family history questions addressed, find a professional genealogist to assist you in your search or consult with you, and meet some great chapter members. 
For more info on the conference and registration please visit www.mngs.org. You’ll also find details about Josh Taylor and the other speakers.
I’ll see you there on both days and at the Friday evening banquet. I am currently President of the Northland Chapter of APG and am presenting two sessions at the conference.

Sepotember 29th Writing Workshop, Houston, Texas

Paula Stuart-Warren  Lectures  Leave a comment

Two weeks from today I will be in Houston, Texas as a guest of the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research. I will be presenting a day-long writing workshop on Saturday, September 29th.

Writing Your Family History: An Interactive Day
10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Lunch is on your own.

A Baker’s Dozen
10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Anyone can write! Learn ways to get your family history in print without a lot of strain!  A “Baker’s Dozen” of ways to get started and ideas to get your greater family involved will be shared.  You may find that you are already doing some of these but hadn’t realized you were actually getting family history into print!  We’ll cover focus points, themes, photos, incorporating general history, and editing.  Come prepared to write and take home a new outlook on getting YOUR family history written.

Writing Exercises
2:00  p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
The afternoon will consist of writing exercises, individually and in small groups.  Attendees are requested to bring a personal laptop if available.  There will also be some actual writing, so please bring lined paper and pens and pencils of different colors. 

This program is free and open to the public but seating is limited to 45 people.  You MUST call Clayton Library at 832-393-2600 to register. Click here for more event info at the Clayton Library.

9/11 Memories

Paula Stuart-Warren  9/11, Federation of Genealogical Societies, FGS, Quad Cities  Leave a comment

Back in 2007 I wrote a long blog post about my memories from 9/11. It was a Tuesday, just like today. I can still see that flag hanging in the convention center and it still gives me the chills. It was a wonderful group of genealogists at the Federation of Genealogical Societies conference in the Quad Cities. A special bond was formed.

 http://paulastuartwarren.blogspot.com/2007/09/911-remembered.html

Minnesota Genealogical Society Northstar Conference Savings Deadine

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences/Institutes, Minnesota Genealogical Society  Leave a comment

August 31st is the last day to register for the 5th Annual MGS North Star Conference at the discounted prices. It’s two days of genealogy education and networking on Friday and Saturday, October 5 & 6. I hope to see you there.

The main speaker is D. Joshua Taylor. Josh is a nationally known and recognized genealogical author, lecturer, and researcher. Previous speaking engagements include RootsTech, the Federation of Genealogical Societies Annual Conferences, the National Genealogical Society Annual Conference, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh. He has been a featured genealogist on NBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? and is the Vice President of Administration for the Federation of Genealogical Societies, where he chairs the Conference Planning and Long-Range Planning Committees. He has published articles in American Ancestors, UGA Crossroads, FGS Forum, Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, and New England Ancestors, and was a columnist for Digital Genealogist.

Event Highlights

Friday –

  • Plenary Session by D. Joshua Taylor
  • 10 Breakout Sessions
  • 5th Annual MGS Awards Banquet
  • Ask the Genealogist: Q&A
  • Special Seminar (Separate Registration Required)
Saturday –
  • 2 Plenary Sessions by D. Joshua Taylor
  • 10 More Breakout Sessions
  • Vendor Exhibit Hall, Door Prizes, Silent Auction

Friday + Saturday $75 – Early Bird Special thru August 31st
Special Discounts for Young Adults (under age 26)
(Friday-only and Saturday-only registrations also available)

Members of the Association of Professional Genealogists Northland Chapter will be on hand to help answer your genealogy questions.

Visit www.mngs.org to register and to see more details. The conference takes place at the Colonial Church of Edina.

New DAR chapter for NE area of Twin Cities

Paula Stuart-Warren  Daughters of the American Revolution  Leave a comment

From the Minnesota Historical Society’s Local History News of 15 August 2012 comes the news of a new DAR chapter forming. If you haven’t explored the DAR website, visit it now: www.dar.org

New DAR ChapterDaughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is forming a new chapter in the northeast metro area of the Twin Cities. Founded in 1890, the DAR is a volunteer women’s service organization. If you have an ancestor who supported the cause for American independence, come to an informational meeting on Saturday August 25, 2012, Ramsey County Library – Shoreview, 2-4 p.m. Contact DeeDee Edlund for more information

The 1940 Census Community Project is FINISHED

Paula Stuart-Warren  archives.com, census, FamilySearch, Federation of Genealogical Societies, findmypast.com  Leave a comment

We did it!

The word just received from the 1940 US Census Community Project is just that! It’s a really good feeling to have been part of those 160,000 volunteers.

“Today just before 2:00 p.m. (MDT), the very last batch of the 1940 US Census was arbitrated and submitted for publication. The indexing portion of the 1940 US Census Community Project is officially done!

Just look at what we accomplished:

  • The project was supposed to take at least six months, yet it was completed in just 124 days—two full months ahead of schedule!

  •  An “army” of more than 160,000 volunteers participated. Plainly stated, there is nothing in the annals of the genealogical community that can compare with this achievement.

  • Because of the familiarity of the volunteers with the names and places contained in the records, the resulting index is thought to be among the most accurate of any census ever published.

  •  Tens of millions of people will benefit for generations. That’s quite a legacy!

It will take a few more weeks to complete the quality audit of the remaining states and publish them online for searching; however, the majority of the 1940 US Census records are already searchable online at the sites of the consortium members. Meanwhile, we hope the feelings you have at this moment of accomplishment are satisfying and will motivate you to continue giving. Families are being united across the generations with every name you index or arbitrate.”

Visit www.archives.com, www.familysearch.org, or www.findmypast.com for the results of this community effort. Hurray for us. These will be free searches!

A big community celebration will be held on Friday, August 31st in Birmingham, Alabama at the 2012 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference. Click here for details.

National Archives puts more workshops online

Paula Stuart-Warren  Ancestry.com, Civil War, fold3.com, Freedmen's Bureau, National Archives  1 Comment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                               
July 30, 2012
National Archives Puts More Popular Records Workshops Online
More “Know Your Records” videos now available on National Archives’ YouTube Channel
Washington, DC… The National Archives has launched new online videos of its most popular genealogy “how to” workshops. These videos cover “hot topics” in genealogical research such as Civil War records, online resources and databases, and more. These workshops led by National Archives experts are available on the National Archives YouTube channel at http://tinyurl.com/NARAGenie.
The National Archives–produced Know Your Records video shorts cover the creation, scope, content, and use of National Archives records for genealogical research. “We are happy to make more of our most popular genealogy lectures available online. We welcome researcher feedback and will continue to make more workshops available online for free for viewing by anyone, anywhere, at any time,” said Diane Dimkoff, Director of Customer Services. 
For the first time, researchers and staff voted for their favorite topics—and the National Archives listened:
National Archives electronic records expert Dan Law discusses using electronic records for genealogy research and shows how to access such records using the National Archives Access to Archival Databases (AAD) online search engine.
National Archives genealogy expert John Deeben explores War Department death records created during and after the Civil War. These records show how the government documented personal circumstances of soldiers’ deaths on the battlefield, in military hospitals, and in prisons.
National Archives archivist Reginald Washington explores marriage records from the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (the Freedmen’s Bureau). The Freedmen’s Bureau provided assistance to tens of thousands of former slaves and impoverished whites in the Southern states and the District of Columbia. These records from 1865 through 1872 constitute the richest and most extensive documentary source for investigating the African American experience in the post–Civil War and Reconstruction eras.
Over 2.8 million men (and a few hundred women) served in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. National Archives genealogy expert John Deeben demonstrates how to research and use Civil War Army service records.
National Archives archivist Damani Davis examines Federal records relating to the “Kansas Exodus” (the so-called “Exoduster” movement), which was the first instance of voluntary, mass migration among African Americans. This mass exodus generated considerable attention throughout the nation and resulted in a major 1880 Senate investigation. For more information, see http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2008/summer/exodus.html.
Ancestry.com has digitized selected National Archives microfilm publications and original records and made them available on their web sites for a fee. Lead Family Historian for Ancestry.com Anastasia Harman discusses these records and their use for genealogy research.   Access to Ancestry.com and Fold3 (formerly Footnote.com) is available free of charge in all National Archives Research Rooms, including those in our regional archives and Presidential Libraries. For a list of National Archives records available online through Ancestry.com and other digitization partners, see http://www.archives.gov/digitization/digitized-by-partners.html.
Background on “Know Your Records” programs
The National Archives holds the permanently valuable records of the Federal Government. These include records of interest to genealogists, such as pension files, ship passenger lists, census and Freedmen’s Bureau materials. The “Know Your Records Program” offers opportunities for staff, volunteers, and researchers to learn about these records through lectures, ongoing genealogy programs, workshops, symposia, the annual genealogy fair, an online genealogy tutorial, reference reports for genealogical research, and editions of Researcher News  for Washington, DC, area researchers.

Great Northern and Northern Pacific railway record inventories now online

Paula Stuart-Warren  Minnesoa Historical Society, Railroads  Leave a comment

The Minnesota Historical Society just announced:

“Online finding aids just launched 
For the first time ever, inventories of the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railway companies are available online. With more than 16,000 boxes of archival records, these two collections fill more than 15% of the total space in the stacks and have been a draw for railroad buffs, historians and genealogists for decades.Online finding aids allow for more convenient browsing, faster searching and the discovery of related materials that may have been overlooked before.”


These inventories are extensive and well worth reading. They cover so many more states than Minnesota. The personnel, accident, land, and other records are fabulous. For more info on this exciting news click here. 

Minnesota 1940 census index now available!

Paula Stuart-Warren  census, FamilySearch, findmypast.com, Minnesota Genealogical Society  Leave a comment

The index for the Minnesota 1940 census has gone live at www.findmypast.com! My plans for the day are now changed. I am guessing it will be at www.familysearch.org pretty soon. These indexes and images are FREE.

This index was created by volunteers from all over the world. Many volunteers from the Minnesota Genealogical Society participated and we were lead by Kathy Lund. More states need to be indexed. Check them out and sign up to help at FamilySearch.

War of 1812 Preserve the Pensions Project update

Paula Stuart-Warren  Federation of Genealogical Societies, Illinois State Genealogical Society, Preserve the Pensions, War of 1812  1 Comment

You may have read previous posts I did about this exciting project. I just checked the FREE images on the Fold3 website www.fold3.com/title_761/war_of_1812_pension_files/ and there are now 253,498 images on there. I think July 4th is a great day to honor this project. I have donated twice and will donate again in August at the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) 2012 conference in Birmingham and to the Illinois State Genealogical Society of which I am a member (see below). We are getting closer to the D section of the alphabet so I can check for some of my brother-in-law’s Dubois family. Then let’s get moving faster so I can check my late father-in-law’s Hatfields, Johnsons, and Warrens.

I am a member of the FGS Board of Directors and we recently learned of two major things which have greatly impacted this project. 

On Monday, June 18th (the 200th anniversary of the start of the War of 1812), the Illinois Genealogical Society (ISGS) issued the ISGS $10,000 War of 1812 Pension Match Challenge. ISGS will MATCH any donation up to the first $10,000 that is made before December 31, 2012. This means:

  • If you donate $10, ISGS will match your donation with another $10
  • If you give $100, ISGS will also give $100 to the project
  • In addition, Ancestry.com will also match the overall amount donated by individuals and ISGS, which means that the $10,000 raised plus the $10,000 in matching donations will become:
  • $40,000! 
  • Your $10 donation to help digitize these files actually becomes $40!

Find out all the details at the Illinois State Genealogical Society’s webpage. If you’re interested in donating to the project, giving through the Illinois State Genealogical Society will ensure that your gift is quadrupled in value! One certainly cannot beat that kind of an investment.

Then on June 25th, the Federation of Genealogical Societies announced another major gift for the project. The FGS press release on that said:

“The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announces the donation of a generous gift in the amount of $135,000 from the estate of the late Jon Stedman in memory of his mother, Ardath Stedman. The donation to the Preserve the Pensions – War of 1812 Pension Digitization Fund will be used to help preserve and digitize War of 1812 Pension records.

Hollace Hervey, executrix of the estate, indicated that Jon Stedman was “always interested in preservation and bringing information to the front” so genealogists could more easily use it. Besides caring passionately for facilitating genealogists doing good research, Stedman had a deep love and affection for his mother who was a genealogist in her own right. The Preserve the Pensions project is just such a preservation and access endeavor, and FGS is honored in receiving this generous donation.

The $135,000 donation is a significant lead gift to the Preserve the Pensions project as FGS ramps up its fundraising efforts (to raise $3.7M) during the bicentennial of the War of 1812 which started on June 18, 2012. Members of the genealogy and family history communities as well as the general public are invited to learn more about this important record preservation project by visiting the Preserve the Pensions website at www.fgs.org/1812 and assist with honoring our nation’s heritage by preserving the records of our past.”