ONE more day till Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy registration opens!

Paula Stuart-Warren  Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, SLIG  Leave a comment

Just one more day until registration opens for the January 2016 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy aka SLIG. The 21st year of SLIG will take place from January 11-15, 2016 with 13 courses.

Registration online will open on Saturday, June 20, 2016, 9:00 am MDT (8 PDT, 10 CDT, 11, EDT, and corresponding times in other countries. Some courses will fill in minutes!

I coordinate and teach in Course I, Intermediate U.S. Records and Research, Part II. If you attended in January 2015 you took Part I. If not, take part II in 2016 and part I in 2017. The parts do not need to be taken in specific order.

Other instructors in this course are DebbPrintie S. Mieszala, CG, and D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS. We are working on some great learning and hands-on class involvement. We update the lectures and syllabus each year. If you took this course many years ago, you might be interested in attending again as much has changed over the years.

This beyond- the-basics two-year course provides in-depth learning on 19th-21st century U.S. resources and the methodology for using them. Probe deeper into the content, origin, location, and interpretation of records. Informative and interactive classroom hours delve into significant records and strategies that take you beyond basic research tools both online and off. On-site Family History Library support and a computer lab from course instructors provide one-on-one assistance and guidance with your own research.

I suggest taking this two part course (the order doesn’t matter) before taking more advanced courses. In this course you will interact with the instructors and other students, learn a lot, advance your own research, and we will also have some laughs and overall just enjoy the week. You will leave the course more confident in your own knowledge, understand where more records are located, and being able to interact with others to advance your own research.

Some suggested prerequisites: Experience researching in a variety of repositories, familiarity with FamilySearch.org and other family history websites, reviewing at least two basic genealogy guidebooks, and previous class room learning related to family history. You don’t need to fill all these prerequisites, but whatever you bring to the week will help with your own education.

For the full lineup of individual sessions in this and other SLIG courses, visit www.infouga.org and be ready to hit those computer keys to sign up online this Saturday morning.

June 15th reminds me of yellow, as in everything in my childhood

Paula Stuart-Warren  Family  2 Comments

a 1956 Mom rakingYellow. That was my Mom’s favorite color. Today would have been her 89th birthday. I grew up in a yellow house with a yellow fence. I helped repaint that house and fence many times.

When I was a child she even had a yellow convertible.  She had a favorite yellow suit. I remember other yellow things and I think she liked yellow chiffon cake just because it was yellow. I am guessing that her jacket in the picture on the right was yellow.

I hated yellow.

My Mom was a perfectionist. Family history research helped me figure out some reasons for that. That is a story for another time.

So, why did she have a kitchen that was mostly grey and red? I don’t have an answer to that.

I guess I must take after my Mom in some ways. I now like yellow and the accent color in my kitchen is red. I wish you were here to see it, Mom. But only if the Alzheimer’s wasn’t present and that it hadn’t contributed to your death in 2008.

Minnesota websites for genealogical & historical research: Part 4

Paula Stuart-Warren  Minnesota  Leave a comment

This is Part 4 of an ongoing series of posts about great online resources from historical societies, archives, libraries, and other places around Minnesota. Don’t forget to check the websites of these organizations for lists, catalogs, and finding aids that tell you about the other extensive research resources that need to be used in person.  You will be astounded at all that is available both online and in these places.

The History Center of Olmsted County
Rochester newspapers index 1859-1912 http://goo.gl/09rGGk  [includes people from outside of Rochester and Olmsted County]
Biographical Index http://goo.gl/BBFUQK

 

Northeast Minnesota Historical Center Archives and Special Collections, Kathryn A. Martin Library, University of Minnesota , Duluth
Duluth, St. Louis County, Greenwood Cemetery Pauper Burials
http://goo.gl/HvUrRv Compiled by the Twin Ports Genealogical Society

Biographical Files Index Northeast Minnesota http://goo.gl/bqsWmb

 

University of Minnesota, Wilson Library, John R. Borchert Map library, Minneapolis
Digitized Minnesota atlases and plat maps  https://goo.gl/UcbrDM
Minnesota historical aerial photographs https://goo.gl/9oIyyl

New Germanic genealogy partnership to open many paths

Paula Stuart-Warren  Germanic Research  Leave a comment

In 1982 or 1983, I joined the German branch of the Minnesota Genealogical Society. It was already a force in the world of Germanic research. It has become a separate entity, the Germanic Genealogy Society, with a worldwide presence. I am proud to be a member of the group of the forefront of this new initiative. It makes so much sense and gives me great hope on my Fischer, Kuschke, and Rohr lines.

I was scheduled to be a part of the initial meetings last month, but alas, a opportunity to visit with some of the grandchildren in Northern Minnesota took precedent.  This press release was written by the new partners:

Announcing the new

German-American Genealogical Partnership

“Bridging the Gap between North America and Europe for Genealogists”

This partnership forms a German-American genealogy structure between countries and organizations for sharing contacts and genealogical research. This partnership is open to all organizations interested in Germanic genealogical research.

Goals of Partnership

Our shared goal is to stimulate interest in Germanic Genealogy and to provide a forum to share research methods and information to further the researching of our ancestors.  The goal of the Partnership is to assist, strengthen and support each society as they continue to grow.

Common Goals include:

  1. Sharing strategies for research
  2. Developing contacts between organization and individuals
  3. Creating a list of most valuable resources
  4. Create lists of references and websites
  5. Sharing contact lists of organizations, speakers, researchers, guides, historians and translators

(more…)

Memorial Day is not a day to say Happy Memorial Day, but what is it?

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  Leave a comment

It’s one of those days when the usual holiday greeting that is preceded by the word “Happy” really doesn’t fit. It’s not really a joyous day. Memorial Day began as Decoration Day which was a day to honor military personnel who died as a result of fighting in wars or later due to war injuries. These brave people fought for the freedom of their fellow U.S. citizens.

Many people today honor Memorial day in two other ways. Some use it to remember anyone who has died and that is seen by the flowers placed at graves all around the country. Some use it to remember and place a flag on any veteran’s grave and to share that person’s story in print and conversation.

Veterans Day is always November 11th and was a day designed to honor all who have served in the U.S. military.

From the website of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs:

“Q. What is the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day? (more…)

My two live genealogy presentations this week

Paula Stuart-Warren  Webinars  Leave a comment

This week I am doing two presentations. For the first one we all must get dressed, drive to the venue, and be ready to network. For the second one, no one will know what any of us is wearing or where you are sitting.

 

Tuesday, 19 May 2015,  7:00 CDT

Stearns History Museum, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA

Your Anytime Library: Success in the Virtual Stacks
Rather research than count sheep or peruse books at any hour without breaking into the library? County, town, and family histories, record abstracts, and more await. Digitized, photocopied, excerpted, abstracted, and indexed books provide a strong likelihood of success via your computer. Add newspapers, documents, family trees, pension records, periodicals, and more to the accessible items and you might be housebound for days (months?). Finding books online might be as simple as typing the title in your favorite search engine and enclosing it in quotation marks. Your search engine is your best friend. The majority of the material listed in the handout for this lecture are links to FREE sites.

For more details and a map: http://stearns-museum.org/genealogy-org

 

Wednesday, 20 May 2015, 6:00 p.m. PDT, 7 MDT, 8 CDT, 9 EDT

FREE WEBINAR from Southern California Genealogical Society
 
Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA
“The WPA Era: What It Created for Genealogists”
ABOUT THE PRESENTATION

1930s and 1940s government programs put many to work. The Works Progress Administration workers created record transcriptions, abstracts, indexes plus courthouse, cemetery, church, & manuscript inventories. Much is now online.

HANDOUT
A handout will be available shortly before the presentation. A link will be included in a reminder that will be sent the day before the session.

ABOUT THE SCGS JAMBOREE WEBINAR SERIES
A goal of the Southern California Genealogical Society is to offer educational opportunities to genealogists and family history enthusiasts everywhere. The Jamboree Extension Webinar Series helps delivers those opportunities.

COST
The initial webcast of each session is offered to the public free of charge. Webinars are archived and available only to SCGS members as a benefit of membership in the society. The webinar archive can be found at http://www.scgsgenealogy.com/webinar/archive-index.html.

 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

View System Requirements

It they wrote it, why don’t all genealogists read it? Helping ourselves.

Paula Stuart-Warren  Books, Repositories, Research  5 Comments

IBooks love it when a author updates a genealogy “how to” book. That author knows that we can’t sit still and ignore all the changes going on in the world of family history research. Yet, some of the guides that have been around for a while are still vital. [See a selected list later in this post.]

Daily questions and comments on message boards, Facebook pages, and other places show that many people have not yet discovered the print materials that could help solve their research problems. I love all the online indexes, databases, and digitized records. I love all the digitized and searchable newspapers. I even love many of the online family trees for their clues to more research. Then there is much of my own family.

Yes, they appear in many of these online resources. Yes, they still need to be researched in records and indexes not yet online. Yes, they still draw me to libraries, archives, courthouses, and other places for zillions of records not yet online. How do I know that all these other places and records exist? That’s an easy answer.

I read and attend. Sounds simple? It actually is. (more…)

Germanic Genealogy guide fantastic celebration sale

Paula Stuart-Warren  Germanic Research  2 Comments

I am a long-time member of the Germanic Genealogy Society. This year is its 35th Anniversary and the organization has a special offer for members! GGS has members from all over the world and I joined GGS when it was just a few years old.

For the first time, the GGS publication, Germanic Genealogy, A Guide to Worldwide Sources and Book cover, Germanic GenealogyMigration Patterns 3rd Edition, is on sale for GGS members!  During the month of May, members may purchase this publication for only $35 plus $6 shipping for U.S. addresses.  That is a $17.00 savings for GGS members. I have had all the versions of this guide and highly recommend it.  Check the Table of Contents here.

GGS also has great meetings and major events. Attend either of the two-day events  in May (15-16 & 29-30 ) and pick up your copy at the sale price and save the shipping cost.

Visit the GGS website to learn more about membership, events, and to purchase the guide. Membership is only $15.00.

Early bird registration deadline for GRIP is May 15

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

A week of genealogy in a beautiful green campus setting. Interaction with other genealogists, classmates, and instructors. You never know who you will end up sitting next to in the classroom or in the cafeteria. I have seen friendships develop and even some ancestral matches made.

The Genealogical Institute of Pittsburgh is all that and more. It takes place in Pittsburgh but covers all kinds of research, methodology, localities, questions, conundrums, and gets us all invigorated. Even the instructors leave GRIP with a renewed energy.

GRIP has become so popular that in 2015 it takes place in two different weeks with an excellent array of courses. Not all the courses are the same each week, but the website lists those for each week. A few seats are still open in some courses.

The dates? June 28-July 3 or July 19-24.

A vital date: May 15 is the last day to register and save $25 on the full cost. www.gripitt.org

If you are already registered for my second week course, Intermediate Genealogy: Tools for Digging Deeper , watch your email in a couple weeks for a special way to participate and the chance to have one of your genealogical conundrums evaluated and perhaps solved! I will even share some packing tips for those coming from out of town. Not registered for this one? A few seats are left but hurry so you receive the special email.