Ancestry.com discontinues Expert Connect

Paula Stuart-Warren  Ancestry.com, Association of Professional Genealogists, Board for Certification of Genealogists, ICAPGen, Professional Genealogists  1 Comment
I received this press release from Ancestry.com today:

“Over a year ago Ancestry.com created Expert Connect as a way to expand its service offerings and provide additional assistance for members through an elite group of professional genealogists and researchers. Through this service, customers were given the opportunity to hire genealogists to retrieve records, perform research or simply acquire expert advice. Though this service has been a positive experience, Ancestry.com
has decided to focus on other business priorities, so as of March 18, 2011, Expert Connect will no longer be a service that Ancestry.com will offer to its members.”

Interesting that it has been discontinued just before the 2011 edition of Who Do You Think You Are? debuts on Friday, February 4th. I am guessing that it will now be promoting it’s own research arm, ProGenealogists, a company that Ancestry acquired in 2010.

If you know of someone in need of the services of a professional genealogist, here are some ways to locate just the person to do the research, consultation, editing, software tutoring, or whatever genealogy related services are needed.

  • Board for Certification of Genealogists, Inc., P.O. Box 14291 Washington, D.C. 20044. The Roster of Certified Genealogists is available online: www.bcgcertification.org
  • Association of Professional Genealogists,  P.O. Box 350998, Westminster, CO 80035-0998. Membership organization with an online Directory of Professional Genealogists at www.apgen.org.
  • International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen) View the Find an AG Professional at www.icapgen.org.
  • An archive, genealogical society, or historical organization in your ancestral areas may have a list of area researchers for hire.

Still need a 2011 Calendar? Even better, a genealogy one?

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  Leave a comment

“Everyday Genealogy 2011” should fit the bill! Each day of the tear-off desk calendar gives a genealogy tip, website, blog, history fact, or other tidbit useful to genealogists.

Everyday Genealogy is available on Amazon or on its own website http://www.everydaygenealogy.com/. Pattie Schultz, the creator, says “there is also an iPhone version available on iTunes. There are research tips covering all 50 states, suggestions for getting family members involved, connecting through social networks, monthly blogs and book recommendation and much more. The best part is 99% of the suggestions refer users to FREE sites.”

It is now priced at $9.99. Be sure to check out September 1st for a mention of this very blog! My calendar is sitting right next to me on my desk. Today’s entry reminds us to check for the many useful genealogy videos on YouTube.com.

Early bird discount registration for RootsTech ends Jan. 15th

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences  Leave a comment
SALT LAKE CITY—The $99 early bird registration for the RootsTech 2011 Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, ends January 15, 2011. RootsTech is a completely new conference focused on bringing technology creators together with genealogy technology users to learn together and identify solutions to family history research challenges. Genealogists and family historians will discover exciting new research tools while technology creators will learn the latest development techniques from industry leaders and pioneers.
The registration fee includes three full days of conference attendance, conference materials, entry to the Clarke Planetarium dinner event, extended access to the Family History Library, admission to the closing reception event, eligibility for prize drawings, and admission to the Community Zone (exhibition hall).

Advancing technology is becoming an integral part of the future of genealogical research. Whether a person is new to genealogy or is an experienced researcher, RootsTech is the ideal place to discover the latest family history tools. In addition, technology creators will learn the skills needed to deliver innovative applications and systems, and they will have the opportunity to receive instant feedback from peers and users on their ideas and creations.
Keynote speakers at the conference include Shane Robinson, Hewlett Packard chief strategy and technology officer; Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive and digital librarian; Jay L. Verkler, CEO of FamilySearch International; and Curt Witcher, Historical Genealogy Department manager for Allen County Public Library.
About RootsTech
RootsTech is a new conference designed to bring technologists together with genealogists to learn from each other and find solutions to the challenges faced in family history research today. The conference’s activities and offerings are focused on content that will help genealogists and family historians discover exciting new research tools while enabling technology creators to learn the latest development techniques from industry leaders and pioneers.

Family Tree Make for MAC released

Paula Stuart-Warren  Ancestry.com  Leave a comment

ANCESTRY.COM RELEASES FAMILY TREE MAKER FOR MAC ON THE MAC APP STORE

Downloadable Version of the #1-Selling Family History Software Available Today

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., January 6, 2011– Ancestry.com today announced the launch of Family Tree Maker® for Mac on the Mac App Store. Family Tree Maker for Mac provides an easy way to save and organize your family tree conveniently on your Mac and has a variety of tools that can help you share your discoveries with family and friends.

“We are excited that Family Tree Maker for Mac is now available for download on the Mac App Store,” ,” said Eric Shoup, Senior Vice President of Product for Ancestry.com. “We’re committed to making our Family Tree Maker products easily accessible to everyone and this is yet another resource available from Ancestry.com to enable everyone to discover, preserve and share their family history.”

Family Tree Maker for Mac combines intuitive tools with robust features and flexible options, making it ideal for family history novices and experts alike.  A dynamic user interface and integration with Ancestry.com makes it simple to create family trees, record memories, and organize photos, videos and audio clips, plus share ancestors’ stories. It’s even possible to explore family migration paths by viewing timelines and interactive maps that highlight events and places in ancestors’ lives.

Family Tree Maker for Mac is built on the functionality of Family Tree Maker 2010 , and is constructed from the ground up to take full advantage of the Mac platform in terms of technology and user experience. 
System requirements for Family Tree Maker for Mac include:

  • Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later
  • Intel-based Mac
  • Hard Disk Space: 500MB for installation
  • Internet access is required for all Web integration

Family Tree Maker for Mac is now available for purchase and electronic download online on the Mac App Store for $99.99. The program is also available at http://www.familytreemaker.com and in select retail stores, including Apple’s retail stores, Amazon, Office Depot, and Office Max.

About Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM) is the world’s largest online family history resource, with nearly 1.4 million paying subscribers. More than 6 billion records have been added to the site in the past 14 years. Ancestry users have created more than 20 million family trees containing over 2 billion profiles. Ancestry.com has local Web sites directed at nine countries that help people discover, preserve and share their family history, including its flagship Web site at www.ancestry.com.

Support the Birdie Monk Holsclaw Memorial Fund

Paula Stuart-Warren  Birdie  Leave a comment

Support the Birdie Monk Holsclaw Memorial Fund

by Cari Taplin on Sunday, January 2, 2011 at 9:28pm

Birdie Monk Holsclaw (1948-2010) was a Certified Genealogist from Longmont, Colorado. She was very active in the genealogical community not only locally but nationally as well. She was most known for her mentoring spirit and knowledge of the latest technological gadgets. She often lectured and, among other things, taught classes at Samford University. She was active in many societies always bringing her cheerfulness and sharing her knowledge everywhere she went.

The books from Birdie Monk Holsclaw’s private collection are being auctioned at eBay. They being sold to
raise money for the Birdie Monk Holsclaw Memorial Fund, administered by the Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies (CCGS), the purpose of which is to support genealogical education and volunteerism through three avenues:
     • to sponsor the NGS Birdie Monk Holsclaw Memorial Lecture at the annual NGS Conference in the States
     • to provide a scholarship to Samford University’s Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research
     • to acknowledge a living volunteer with the Birdie Monk Holsclaw Memorial Award to be awarded by CCGS at the annual seminar

You should be able to locate books at eBay simply by searching for “Birdie Monk Holsclaw”. The entire collection is quite large, so only a small sampling of books will be listed at a time. Check eBay regularly for new listings. The collection should rotate through eBay over time. You may also wish to save your search on eBay so that you will receive an email every time a new Birdie Monk Holsclaw item is listed.

Proceeds from all book sales from Birdie’s collection are going to support this fund. We appreciate your purchase!

Also, please help spread the word by passing this along to your genealogy friends! To see a slide show of the current items on eBay check out this compiled by Thomas MacEntee.

From Paula: Birdie was a friend and colleague. This is a great way to make sure her life, work, expertise and other traits live on.

Generations alive when I was born

Paula Stuart-Warren  Family  2 Comments

When I was born I had these ancestors alive:

Parents: William Earl and Patricia Margaret (Hanley) Stuart
Maternal Grandparents: Maurice Michael and Gertrude Margaret (Cook) Hanley
Paternal Grandparents: Earl James and Olga Theodora (Carlsen) Stuart
Maternal Great Grandparents: John Thomas and Violet (Marie Delia Malvina Daoust/Dow) Cook 
Paternal Great Grandmother: Emma Louise (Slaker) Stuart (widow of Alexander Charles Stuart)

I was 10 when my last great grandparent died, Violet (Marie Delia Malvina Daoust/Dow) Cook. She was 83.
I was 18 when my first grandparent died, Olga Theodora (Carlsen) Stuart. She was 76.
I was 51 when my last grandparent died, Gertrude (Cook) Hanley. She was 98.


When my oldest son was born he had these ancestors alive:
Parents: James William and Paula (Stuart) Warren
Maternal Grandparent: William Earl and Patricia Margaret (Hanley) Stuart
Maternal Great Grandparents: Maurice Michael and Gertrude Margaret (Cook) Hanley
Maternal Great Grandfather: Earl James Stuart (widower of Olga Theodora Carlsen)
Paternal Grandparents: James Henry and Mary Clare (Rowan) Warren
Paternal Great Grandmother: Catherine Fee Rowan (widow of William Rowan)

He was 31 when his last great grandparent died, Gertrude (Cook) Hanley. She was 98.
He was 27 when his first grandparent died, Mary Clare (Rowan) Warren. She was 83.
He was 41 when his last grandparent died, William Earl Stuart. He was 88.

Marin Co. California Coroner Records

Paula Stuart-Warren  Coroner  Leave a comment

Coroner’s records offer fascinating stories. I have a thick one from 1911 in Chicago that details the death of Great granduncle Edgar Royal Stuart. He died on a streetcar and all the other passengers had to be interviewed and their statements are in the file. How many of you can find proof that at a specific time on a specific day your relative was riding on a specific streetcar in Chicago?

The Marin [California] Independent Journal reports the current and new location of coroners records for Marin County as “the files on more than 89,000 coroners’ cases — many handwritten in pen and ink on parchment — have been transferred to the county library’s Anne T. Kent California Room, a rich repository of local historical documents, and the nonprofit Marin County Genealogical Society.”

The article also relates that “library volunteers have already begun organizing the files in acid-free archival boxes and folders, and entering case information into a computer index. . . But numerous issues remain to be resolved in setting up the database, including the legality of public access to medical records and homicide-related files.”

Read the full article here. 

Genealogist Terrence Punch receives Canadian recognition

Paula Stuart-Warren  Awards  1 Comment

The Governor General of Canada, announced 54 new appointments to the Order of Canada and one of them is a family historian! According to the press release, “The Order of Canada, one of our country’s highest civilian honours, was established in 1967, during Canada’s centennial year, to recognize a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to community and service to the nation.”

Terrence Punch of Halifax, Nova Scotia was appointed “for his contributions to the development and popularization of genealogy in the Atlantic provinces.” Terrence has written extensively in relation to genealogical research in Atlantic Canada.

I met Terrence back in 1989 right here in St. Paul, Minnesota when the Minnesota Genealogical Society hosted the National Genealogical Society Conference in May of that year and have enjoyed his writing. Congratulations on this honor.

Read the full press release here. Thanks to colleague Dave Obee for the news posting on Facebook.

FGS appoints new FORUM editor

Paula Stuart-Warren  Federation of Genealogical Societies, FORUM  Leave a comment

A press release from the Federation of Genealogical Societies with some exciting news.

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Selects Family History and Publishing Expert to Head its Electronic Quarterly Magazine

December 27, 2010 – Austin, TX. The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) today announces the appointment of Matt Wright as Editor of its electronic quarterly magazine, the FGS FORUM.

For the past 15 years, Wright has worked professionally in the publishing industry producing magazines, journals, books, and electronic newsletters. Matt graduated cum laude from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1996 with a degree in Communications and currently works at BYU, where he builds online courses in the University’s distance education department.

During his career, Matt has also worked for FamilyLink.com, Ancestry.com, Utah Business magazine, and
USATODAY® online, among other organizations and groups. He currently also works as editor of APGQ, the quarterly journal of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

With the helpful encouragement of a genealogist-father, Raymond S. Wright, III, Matt has participated in family history research on his own, and for others, for over 20 years. His more recent involvement has been focused on producing genealogy publications.

Beginning with the Spring 2011 issue of the FGS FORUM, Matt Wright takes over the editor duties from Sandra Hargreaves Luebking who announced her retirement in October 2010 after serving as editor for the past 25 years. During that period, Luebking built FGS FORUM into one of the most popular genealogy-related quarterlies available.

The member genealogical societies of FGS, as well as the entire genealogical community, look forward to working with Matt in his new position as editor of the FGS FORUM.

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.

[Note: Subscription details for FORUM is on that same site. Currently the cost is $15.00 for one year and $25.00 for two years. I have been a subscriber for about 20 years! I have enjoyed working with Sandra and will miss her but I have also worked with Matt in one of his other editor capacities and know the excellence will continue.]

New York Genealogical and Biographical Society names new editors!

Paula Stuart-Warren  New York, New York Genealogical and Biographical Society  Leave a comment

I receive many important press releases and love to share the genealogical and historical news. I take special pleasure in posting this press release. It involves two friends. I have known Laura for just a few years and have been impressed with her work ethic and great spirit. I have known Karen for about twenty years and we have spent time at each other’s home, have worked together in business and volunteer work, and I admire her dedication. They are already hard at work on the upcoming issues. Congratulations my friends!

NEW YORK –  The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society has selected Laura Murphy DeGrazia, CG, and Karen Mauer Green as the new co-editors of The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, replacing Patricia Law Hatcher who retired after completing the October 2010 issue. The NYG&B Record, issued continuously since 1870, is the second oldest genealogical publication in America and one of the field’s most
important scholarly journals.

Laura Murphy DeGrazia is currently the guest editor of the January issue of the Record. Recently she completed a two-year term as president of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, where she remains a trustee and a member of the Executive Committee.  Her articles and reviews have appeared in the NYG&B Record, the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, and other publications.  She holds a BA from Adelphi University, where she was a Presidential Scholar, and an MA in Computer Science with honors from Hofstra University. Ms. DeGrazia lives on Long Island.

Involved in genealogy since 1977, Karen Mauer Green has written six books, as well as numerous articles, columns, and reviews. In 1982 she founded Frontier Press, a source for genealogical and historical books. She served the Association of Professional Genealogists as board member and regional vice-president, and the Federation of Genealogical Societies as board member, national conference chair, vice-president for administration, and in numerous other capacities. She has a BS in history with honors and an MA in Museum Studies from the State University of New York at Oneonta. Ms. Green lives in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Their selection was the result of a lengthy national search directed by a committee that included former Record editor Harry Macy Jr., FASG, FGBS and three current trustees of the NYG&B: Anita Anderson Lustenberger, CG, FGBS; Elizabeth L. Bradley, Ph.D., Assistant Director for Public Programs and Lifelong Learning at the New York Public Library; and Luke Ives Pontifell, founder and CEO of Thornwillow Press.

McKelden Smith, president of the NYG&B, said, “The search put me in touch with some of the leading genealogists in the country, who were enormously helpful on a very granular level.  I was hugely gratified by the intense interest the leaders of the field have in the future of the Record, and I am certain that Laura and Karen will have their support.”

He said that an important issue for scholars was that the standards of the NYG&B Record be firmly upheld. “Both Laura DeGrazia and Karen Green are fearsome partisans for rigorous scholarship, while at the same time they are congenial, affirmative, and diplomatic. The NYG&B Record is in extraordinarily capable hands.”

Their first issue of the NYG&B Record will be published in April.  Inquiries about publishing in the NYG&B Record should be sent to [email protected]