Researching Delaware family history?

Paula Stuart-Warren  Archives, Libraries, Research  Leave a comment

According to DoverPost.com (October 1st) The Delaware Public Archives has produced a series of twelve videos that provide info about the holdings and research at the Archives. Each video is two minutes long. Click here to view the videos.The topics include Visiting the Archives, Manuscript Genealogies, Vital Statistics, Tombstone Records, Photographs, and Orphans Court Records.

Thomas M. Summers, Manage of Outreach Services for the Archives, is the man you see in the videos. Also check out their Facebook page and blog. All of these along with the Delaware Public Archives website provide extensive details about their holdings and research.

Makes me wish I had some Delaware ancestry.

FGS Voice: A free montly newsletter

Paula Stuart-Warren  Federation of Genealogical Societies  Leave a comment

The Federation of Genealogical Societies has a monthly newsletter, FGS Voice, that is free to anyone. It’s a great way to keep up with general FGS news and with news from the FGS member societies. Please let your fellow genealogists, librarians, and others know about this great offer.

If your society is a member organization of FGS, be sure to send society news, activities, and events to the editor, Drew Smith, MLS at [email protected].

SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOICE: Send name and e-mail address to the FGS Voice editor at [email protected].

Update on databases at NARA locations

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  Leave a comment
This press release was just received from the U.S. National Archives and gives us yet another reason to visit a NARA location. I use many of these in background, historical, and genealogical research. If you have any handouts from my various lectures you will note that I often recommend several of these.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                      
September 30, 2010
National Archives and Records Administration Makes Available U.S. Serial Set Digital Collection
Washington, DC… The National Archives and Records Administration will make available  the LexisNexis® U.S. Serial Set Digital Collection of US Government publications to the public free of charge in all NARA research rooms nationwide. 
The U.S. Serial Set is a collection of U.S. Government publications compiled under directive of the Congress. It contains comprehensive and often detailed information on an extremely wide range of subjects. Its earliest documents date from 1789 and additions are made continually.
The LexisNexis® U.S. Serial Set Digital Collection provides researchers—whether novice or advanced—fast, immediate access to this broad collection of historical congressional information.  This digital collection is powerfully indexed, easy to use, and lets researchers search across multiple other collections for more comprehensive results.  Researchers can access full-text, original documents from the pages of the original U.S. Serial Set. 
This Serial Set is the latest addition to the list of online commercial resources that NARA makes available free of charge to all researchers at its research facilities nationwide.  Other free online resources at NARA facilities include Ancestry.com, Footnote.com, JSTOR, ProQuest’s Research Library, HeritageQuest, Archive Finder, Digital National Security Archive, and digital New York Times and Washington Post, as well as EBSCO’s America: History and Life and Gale’s Biography and Genealogy Master Index and Declassified Documents Reference System.  Together, these resources provide free and open access to digitized NARA records as well as contextual information about NARA’s holdings.
For more information on these resources, see NARA’s Archives Library Information Center at http://www.archives.gov/research/alic/.  For information on NARA research centers nationwide see http://www.archives.gov/locations/archival-research.html.

Federation of Genealogical Societies seeks editor

Paula Stuart-Warren  Federation of Genealogical Societies  1 Comment

Can you imagine editing a popular genealogical publication for 25 years? And not just editing, but doing it well, convincing others to write for you, gathering a strong set of columnists, and so much more. Sandra Hargreaves Luebking has done just that for the Federation of Genealogical Societies. Sandra has announced her retirement. The upcoming winter issue of the FGS FORUM will be her last issue. I am not sure when I first subscribed but guess it has been close to 20 years ago. I have had the pleasure of reading the publication and also writing for Sandra. Both have been great experiences. If you would like to subscribe to the FGS Forum please visit www.fgs.org.

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) today announces that it is accepting applications for the position of editor of its electronic quarterly magazine, the FGS FORUM.

The Federation is a non-profit organization founded in 1976 for the purpose of helping genealogical and historical societies and family associations strengthen and grow. The FGS FORUM is an important publication that supports the organization’s mission. The magazine is accessible in PDF format by individual subscribers and by two officers of each FGS member organization.

Requests for details about the editor position are available via email. Requests should be sent to [email protected]. Applicants may then submit a detailed résumé for consideration, along with several examples of publications for which they have been responsible as editor. These should be sent electronically to [email protected].

Submissions should be received no later than November 1, 2010.

Genealogy Seminar: Portland, Oregon

Paula Stuart-Warren  Lectures, Seminars  Leave a comment

If you live in the Portland, Oregon, area please come visit me on October 23rd, 2010. I will be presenting four lectures for the Genealogical Forum of Oregon at the Elks Lodge in Milwaukie, Oregon. I look forward to being in that beautiful area again and with the friendly members and friends of the GFO.

The lectures cover resources, finding aids, and methodology in many states.

  1. Research Rewards in County Courthouses and Town Hall Records
  2. Tho’ They Were Poor, They May Have Been Rich in Records
  3. Lord Preserve Us! Church Records for Family History Research
  4. Midwestern & Plains State Level Census Records 

Click here for the seminar details, directions, cost, and more on the day. 

FGS 2011 Conference Hotel: reservations now open

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

Starting today, you can book your room at the Springfield Hilton as you make plans to attend “Pathways to the Heartland” – the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2011 Annual Conference in Springfield, Illinois from September 7 – 10, 2011.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Springfield Hilton for September 5, 2011 – September 12, 2011. Reservations at the special room rate will be available until August 15, 2011 or until the group block is sold-out, whichever comes first.

It takes time to finalize all program details, meal menus, special events and other aspects of these conferences. Gradually, details will be announced on the FGS Conference News Blog. The full details and day by day program will be on the FGS website in December. The 2011 local host is the Illinois State Genealogical Society.

Syllabus from Association of Professional Genealogists PMC is available

Paula Stuart-Warren  Association of Professional Genealogists  Leave a comment

UPDATE: it is sold out!

This press release was sent by APG:

The 13th Annual APG Professional Management Conference took place 17 August 2010, in Knoxville, Tennessee. The syllabus is now for sale (while supplies last) for $20 plus shipping. Go to http://www.apgen.org/catalog/products.html to order with your credit card.

Topics included:

  • From the Trenches: How We Manage Clients, Time, and Projects by Laura G. Prescott
  • A Key to Success: Your Online Presence by D. Joshua Taylor, MLS
  • Overcoming Obstacles that Interfere with Genealogical Research by Anne J. Miller, Ph.D.
  • Expand Your Revenue: Produce and Sell Your Lectures in Video Format by Donna M. Moughty
  • Niche Planning and Marketing by Paula Stuart-Warren, CG
  • Learning As You Go: Choosing the Best Continuing Education Opportunities by Elissa Scalise Powell, CG
  • Get Published in Magazines! by Leslie Albrecht Huber

            Kathleen W. Hinckley, CG
            APG Executive Director

            Scotland: Three public record keeping entities might merge

            Paula Stuart-Warren  Scotland  Leave a comment

            Three entities that are charged with keeping public records in Scotland are being asked to merge. This includes “the General Register Office for Scotland, National Archives of Scotland and Registers of Scotland.”

            This is being suggested as a cost savings measure. “The General Registry Office is responsible for births, deaths and marriages as well as historic census data , making its ScotlandsPeople website an asset during the genealogy boom. The National Archives gather historical documents, while the Registers of Scotland compile property and other legal documents.”

            Read the full story in today’s Herald Scotland online. It will be interesting to see if and how this comes to fruition. When I win the lottery (if I ever remember to purchase a ticket) you will find me researching on-site in Scotland and visiting all the places my frequent moving ancestors resided. Among the places my Stuart, Grant, Edwards, Allardyce, and other forebears lived are Strathdon, Arbroath, Farnell, Kinnell, Lunan, and Brechin.
            Then the descendants arrived in New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and one branch backtracked to Vermont.

            General Register Office: http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/
            National Archives of Scotland: http://www.nas.gov.uk/
            Registers of Scotland: http://www.ros.gov.uk/

            Association of Professional Genealogists has two new chapters

            Paula Stuart-Warren  Association of Professional Genealogists  Leave a comment

            This press release was received earlier today from APG. I am proud to say I am a charter member of the Northland Chapter.

            “The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG®) announced today that its board has approved two new chapters for the organization. The Northland Chapter will serve members from Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The board also approved the organization’s first virtual chapter, to be held in Second Life. Both chapters have commenced operations as of today.

            “We welcome these new chapters and the support they will provide to our members,” said APG President Laura Prescott. “These chapters will benefit underserved geographies, both real and virtual. The board and executive committee discussed at length the implications of chartering a virtual chapter and felt that it would be an exciting and effective alternative for members who don’t have a local chapter or who cannot attend meetings in real life.”

            Northland Chapter to Cover Much Ground
            The Northland Chapter serves a broad region of northern states that are not currently served by an APG chapter. Chapter organizers, Sandy Mochal Thalmann, [email protected], and Jay Fonkert, CG, [email protected], have centered the operation in the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.
            Virtual Chapter in Second Life Provides a New Outlet for Professional Collaboration
            The Second Life APG Chapter meets in Second Life and is open to all members anywhere in the world with Internet access, who may use their Second Life avatar personas. The chapter plans to meet monthly to preview and critique presentations in progress, discuss research resources, and share ideas about professional business practices and standards. Tami Glatz, or Genie Weezles in Second Life, is the contact, [email protected].

            Next stop: Tulsa, Oklahoma

            Paula Stuart-Warren  Seminars  Leave a comment

            On September 18th, 2010 I will be appearing in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am doing a day-long Genealogy Workshop (9:30 – 4:00) for the Tulsa City-County Library’s Genealogy Center. The day is sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust. It will be held at the Hardesty Regional Library, 8316 E. 93rd St., Tulsa, OK 74133, (918) 250-7307.

            The four lectures I will be presenting are these that include examples for many states. Each lecture is accompanied by a four page handout filled with book, website, and database resources.

            • The WPA Era: What It Created for Genealogists
            • Genealogical Goldmine: The Records of Old Settlers Organizations
            • Organizing Your Genealogical Material
            • Railroad Records and Railroad History: Methods for Tracking

            Click here for details on the day.